Spring is Sprung...well, almost. I missed posting last Sunday mostly because I didn't have anything new to report. It is just not quite time to plant the summer garden yet. We had a frost on Sunday that was so hard it nipped my Celebrities in my unheated greenhouse. The last three years have seen a frost in April not to mention 3 years ago when it snowed on Easter and stayed around 32 for several days! So, my advice, don't let the March spring days fool you. WAIT!...just a little longer, I promise.
Heirloom Tomatoes Are Ready. My heirloom tomato starts are just about ready for transplant. They were started on Feb. 1 so that is just about 6 weeks. It really is good for the plants to give them an extra couple of weeks so I'm planning on planting them in two weeks. Some people are just now trying to start seeds - it is too late...sorry! Six weeks will put their transplant time May 1st which means they will be trying to set in some serious heat. Actually it may work; it just depends on the weather.
Starting Peppers. I don't start my peppers especially early. Unlike tomatoes, peppers refuse to grow until things warm up. I started a wide variety of peppers, including my mother-in-law's LaJoE (Largest Jalapeno on Earth - yes it reaches lengths of 6 inches or more!), about 10 days ago. Pepper seeds are a little slower to sprout than tomatoes but they are up and starting on their first mature leaves. They should be ready for transplant by the end of April and that is just about right for this country.
Starting Summer Veggies. Lots of people start many of their summer vegetables directly in the garden, but I like to start my own melons, cucumbers and squash, protect them in the safety of my greenhouse, and pick the biggest and strongest plants for my garden. This is the easiest of all the seedling starts as they would probably sprout in saw dust! It does give me a little head start in advance of our last freeze date of around April 15th.
Starting Fall Tomatoes. Surprisingly, around May 1st is the time to starting fall tomatoes! Add six weeks to transplant (Jun 15th) and 75 days to fruit and you're in September. That will give you a couple of months of tomatoes before the first frost in mid- to late- October. Starting fall tomatoes is a good idea especially if you like determinate varieties, such as Celebrity, which produce their crop and die. You may want to mark your calendar as it is difficult to worry about a fall garden in the middle of weeding and watering in May.
See you in the garden!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Container Gardening
I posted a lengthy discussion on container gardening last year (see Popular Posts) and it has all the essentials on preparing the soil, planting, and successfully growing your veggies in any type of container; raised bed or otherwise, but I wanted to talk about it again BECAUSE I LOVE IT...and here's why.
For shear volume, there is nothing better than an in-ground garden, BUT... labor is significant! Tilling, weeds, pest control, etc. Everything is bigger...including the problems. We are so busy at the store in the Spring that it is difficult for me to have TIME for my own garden. I need a garden that fits my schedule. Talking with my customers, TIME may be the biggest shortage we all have - more than money! So here's some ideas on container gardening that don't take much time to set up and are a breeze once they are going.
Square Foot Garden. The obvious is the small square-foot garden made famous by Mel Bartholomew in his book Square Foot Gardening. One of the main points I got from his book was this. We tend to garden like commercial farmers but our goals are not the same. The farmer uses mechanical tools and usually farms a huge quantity of a few crops in huge fields. We small gardeners are just the opposite relying on manual labor and growing a wide variety of crops in confined spaces. Bartholomew showed me that I can grow a lot of different crops and produce enough for my family and friends in small spaces with less work than my traditional in-ground, row garden. One of the main ideas I got from him is that more plants planted closer together grow more total produce PER SQUARE FOOT than my row garden.
The picture above shows two 4x4 foot square gardens; the left with 16 broccoli plants and the right with 8 cabbage, a 2x2 plot of carrots, and a 2x2 plot of onions. Nearly invisible is a welded wire trellis arched between the two beds. Once the cool season veggies are done, I will plant cantaloupe, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pole beans and train them on the trellis. The remaining 3/4 of the beds will be dedicated to tomatoes, squash, egg plant, or bush beans. I am adding two more 4x4 beds this year and will be able to produce most of the veggies I want for my entire family. The benefits including superior soil, less watering and weeding, and less bending over.
Recycle Old Containers. There are many other kinds of containers that can be extremely easy to use for particular crops. Here's an example of styrofoam boxes used to ship grapes to grocery store being used for lettuce. Two or three of these can be seeded every 2-3 weeks giving you plenty of leaf lettuce for about 8 months out of the year. The red teepees in the background are actually walls-of-water with early season heirloom tomatoes inside. According to some university research, the red increases yields. The walls-of-water protect the plants from frost (down into the low 20s) and wind. They are one of the best early season tools for southern gardeners. They tomatoes are planted in old 200 lb. cattle lick tubs with the same soil mix I used on the raised beds. I will secure the plants to the side of the trellis for support.
Earthboxes are another favorite of mine for people who are away from home and can't water every day during the summer. The bottom of the container contains a reservoir which holds about 2 gallons of water. With the top mulched, that will last up to five days in the summer heat. This one is shown with a red/green leaf lettuce mix.
Make it Fun. Here is my first strawberry of the year in a hanging basket. I also plant container variety tomatoes such as Tumbling Tom in hanging baskets. In our summers, a deep basket with a small reservoir for water is best. Otherwise, you will be watering twice a day.
What to Avoid. I have not had luck with the upside-down containers and neither have any of my customers. I bet that a dozen people tried them last year with no success although last year was a terrible year for gardening - 102 degrees for a couple of months! Here are some other things to watch out for when choosing a container. Be sure that the container isn't contaminated with something you would want in your produce. This may include pesticides, herbicides, and treated lumber. Also, color can make a difference. I local gardener was growing tomatoes in black lick tubs and was having to water twice a day and the plants were still suffering from the heat. He painted the tubs a lighter color and problem solved. Be sure to fit your container to your plant - bigger pots for bigger plants, etc. Also, be sure to site your container keeping in mind your plants' light requirements. Don't forget that the trees don't have leaves yet!
For shear volume, there is nothing better than an in-ground garden, BUT... labor is significant! Tilling, weeds, pest control, etc. Everything is bigger...including the problems. We are so busy at the store in the Spring that it is difficult for me to have TIME for my own garden. I need a garden that fits my schedule. Talking with my customers, TIME may be the biggest shortage we all have - more than money! So here's some ideas on container gardening that don't take much time to set up and are a breeze once they are going.
The picture above shows two 4x4 foot square gardens; the left with 16 broccoli plants and the right with 8 cabbage, a 2x2 plot of carrots, and a 2x2 plot of onions. Nearly invisible is a welded wire trellis arched between the two beds. Once the cool season veggies are done, I will plant cantaloupe, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pole beans and train them on the trellis. The remaining 3/4 of the beds will be dedicated to tomatoes, squash, egg plant, or bush beans. I am adding two more 4x4 beds this year and will be able to produce most of the veggies I want for my entire family. The benefits including superior soil, less watering and weeding, and less bending over.
Earthboxes are another favorite of mine for people who are away from home and can't water every day during the summer. The bottom of the container contains a reservoir which holds about 2 gallons of water. With the top mulched, that will last up to five days in the summer heat. This one is shown with a red/green leaf lettuce mix.
Make it Fun. Here is my first strawberry of the year in a hanging basket. I also plant container variety tomatoes such as Tumbling Tom in hanging baskets. In our summers, a deep basket with a small reservoir for water is best. Otherwise, you will be watering twice a day.
What to Avoid. I have not had luck with the upside-down containers and neither have any of my customers. I bet that a dozen people tried them last year with no success although last year was a terrible year for gardening - 102 degrees for a couple of months! Here are some other things to watch out for when choosing a container. Be sure that the container isn't contaminated with something you would want in your produce. This may include pesticides, herbicides, and treated lumber. Also, color can make a difference. I local gardener was growing tomatoes in black lick tubs and was having to water twice a day and the plants were still suffering from the heat. He painted the tubs a lighter color and problem solved. Be sure to fit your container to your plant - bigger pots for bigger plants, etc. Also, be sure to site your container keeping in mind your plants' light requirements. Don't forget that the trees don't have leaves yet!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Seed Starting Week 5 Update
Quick update on the seeds I started on February 1st. As you can see, they are in good shape and on track to be ready for transplant at six weeks. These are some of the best seed starts I've every had. I attribute that to several things: 1) practice, practice, practice...as seed starting is an art. 2) placing my starting rack under central heat with constant ideal temperatures, and 3) mixing a large dose of organic fertilizer directly into the transplant mix.
So, if you live nearby and are interested in organically grown, beautiful heirloom and hard-to-find tomato varieties, reserve yours now. They go pretty fast once the spring season gets started.
Herbs Upon Us!
Plant Many Herbs Now. While it's too early for Basil and other annuals, it's OK to plant the perennial now. Rosemary, Thyme, Mint and Lavender can be planted now without worry of frost. Cool-season annuals (and biennials) such as Cilantro, Fennel, Dill and Parsley can also be planted.
I love herbs because they have wonderful smells, textures, and generally take very little care. Most like sun but can stand some shade. They generally need good drainage and can stand some drought and heat. Just throw a little organic fertilizer in the hole when planting and you're off to a good start!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Recycle Your Potting Soil
Every spring, people start showing up to buy new potting soil to replace the old stuff from last year. I can understand the desire once you look at the gray, dried block of peat moss sitting in the pot. But this can be an expensive proposition, especially if you are talking about large containers.
Make Old Potting Soil Like New. While it's not good for business, I always tell people to reuse their existing potting soil by simply mixing in fresh compost or compost-based potting soils. A mixture of 1/3 to 1/2 new material to existing material is enough to refresh your potting soil and make it look like new. That's it...problem solved, money saved! Just add a good fertilizer when you plant, and you won't notice any difference between your recycled potting soil and new potting soil...it may be better!
Not All Potting Soils Are The Same. Here's some other info that may help you with your potting/container garden soil. Almost all potting soils are made from Canadian peat moss. It is useful as a potting mix ingredient because it is light and inexpensive (even though it is brought from Canada - another government subsidy). This is also the material in the pot that remains after a growing season, dries out, and turns into a brick. Some believe that we are destroying the peat bogs but my research shows that these bogs are nearly infinite in supply. I don't like it because it unfairly competes with out local compost potting soil producers such as Lady Bug and Garden-Ville AND because it has no growth enhancement properties - ie., no fertilizer. If you want a high quality, long lasting potting soil, naturally pre-fertilized, try Garden-Ville's or Lady Bugs products. Made from compost, rock dusts (for trace mineral content), and natural fertilizers, you will see consistently excellent results.
Making Cheap Potting Soil Better. For some, the lure of $2 bags of potting soil are inescapable. You can make cheap potting soil much better simply by following the instructions above. Mix compost and/or a premium potting soil in with the cheaper stuff and you have a much better medium in which to grow your veggies and flowers.
Make Old Potting Soil Like New. While it's not good for business, I always tell people to reuse their existing potting soil by simply mixing in fresh compost or compost-based potting soils. A mixture of 1/3 to 1/2 new material to existing material is enough to refresh your potting soil and make it look like new. That's it...problem solved, money saved! Just add a good fertilizer when you plant, and you won't notice any difference between your recycled potting soil and new potting soil...it may be better!
Not All Potting Soils Are The Same. Here's some other info that may help you with your potting/container garden soil. Almost all potting soils are made from Canadian peat moss. It is useful as a potting mix ingredient because it is light and inexpensive (even though it is brought from Canada - another government subsidy). This is also the material in the pot that remains after a growing season, dries out, and turns into a brick. Some believe that we are destroying the peat bogs but my research shows that these bogs are nearly infinite in supply. I don't like it because it unfairly competes with out local compost potting soil producers such as Lady Bug and Garden-Ville AND because it has no growth enhancement properties - ie., no fertilizer. If you want a high quality, long lasting potting soil, naturally pre-fertilized, try Garden-Ville's or Lady Bugs products. Made from compost, rock dusts (for trace mineral content), and natural fertilizers, you will see consistently excellent results.
Making Cheap Potting Soil Better. For some, the lure of $2 bags of potting soil are inescapable. You can make cheap potting soil much better simply by following the instructions above. Mix compost and/or a premium potting soil in with the cheaper stuff and you have a much better medium in which to grow your veggies and flowers.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
When to Plant/Transplant...
I was looking at the weather forecast for next week and beyond and I saw sunshine, warm days and few freezes. It is about all I can do not to get out there and begin planting my garden even though I know that our last freeze date is mid-April and nature has confirmed that the last two years. But, if you're like me and you MUST PLANT, then here's some ideas to get you started.
Plant Cool Season Plants. Obviously, cool season plants can be seeded and transplanted now. It's not too late for broccoli and cauliflower. You can still start sugar snap peas, kale, spinach and the other greens from seed. Of course, lettuce can be planted every two weeks for the next several months.
Warm Season Plants. Now for the tricky stuff. My mother-in-law plants green beans March 1st. It takes a couple of weeks for them to get up and many times, they can survive through a light frost. If not, you are only out a dollar's worth of seeds.
Then There's Tomatoes. We have a contest in the family for the first fresh garden tomato each spring. I have tried every trick in the book with varying success. Frost protection is the most important. Five-gallon buckets, tarps, blankets, my coat if I run short of other materials, etc. have been used. Still, very little can influence a tomato to begin producing early. Soil and ambient temperature matter as does length of daylight. Still, you might get your first tomato a week earlier.
My Favorite Gadget is the wall-o-water. It is a plastic sleeve with cylinders built into it that you fill with water. It creates good insulation and protects the plant down into the low 20s. It also acts like a mini-greenhouse which the plants just love. I highly recommend everyone have a few of them for early transplants.
Cheating is something I not afraid to do and I'm pretty sure that garden cheating is not a sin so I think I'm safe. I start my tomatoes in the greenhouse and continue to pot them up in progressively larger pots until it really planting season (April 15th or later). Many times, I already have tomatoes set (but for the contest, I always move the plants outside before I pick the winning tomato).
My Earliest Tomato Date: April 21st. Try to beat that!
Plant Cool Season Plants. Obviously, cool season plants can be seeded and transplanted now. It's not too late for broccoli and cauliflower. You can still start sugar snap peas, kale, spinach and the other greens from seed. Of course, lettuce can be planted every two weeks for the next several months.
Warm Season Plants. Now for the tricky stuff. My mother-in-law plants green beans March 1st. It takes a couple of weeks for them to get up and many times, they can survive through a light frost. If not, you are only out a dollar's worth of seeds.
Then There's Tomatoes. We have a contest in the family for the first fresh garden tomato each spring. I have tried every trick in the book with varying success. Frost protection is the most important. Five-gallon buckets, tarps, blankets, my coat if I run short of other materials, etc. have been used. Still, very little can influence a tomato to begin producing early. Soil and ambient temperature matter as does length of daylight. Still, you might get your first tomato a week earlier.
My Favorite Gadget is the wall-o-water. It is a plastic sleeve with cylinders built into it that you fill with water. It creates good insulation and protects the plant down into the low 20s. It also acts like a mini-greenhouse which the plants just love. I highly recommend everyone have a few of them for early transplants.
Cheating is something I not afraid to do and I'm pretty sure that garden cheating is not a sin so I think I'm safe. I start my tomatoes in the greenhouse and continue to pot them up in progressively larger pots until it really planting season (April 15th or later). Many times, I already have tomatoes set (but for the contest, I always move the plants outside before I pick the winning tomato).
Heirloom Tomatoes do better in our area when planted early. I start them early, pot them up in my greenhouse and transplant around April 1st using walls-of-water. What's nice is I get the heirloom tomatoes in May/June and the hybrids such as Celebrity come later and finish the summer. If I take care of them, many of the indeterminate heirlooms will produce again in the fall giving me garden tomatoes 8 months out of the year. If you are trying to grow huge "pounder" tomatoes, you need the extra time as these varieties are usually 80-90 days from transplant to fruit.
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