Posts Tagged: garden

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12
Mar 11

What to Do in a Northern May Garden

Thinning Seedlings

Seedling need to be thinned if you do not want weak spindly plants that bear poorly. Beets, carrots, onions, leaf lettuce and all flowering annuals should be thinned to 2 or 3 inches at least between plants. Large annuals and such vegetables as beans, parsnips, turnips and head lettuce should be at least 4 to 8 inches apart. Do the thinning after a rain or after thorough sprinkling. It’s easier then.

Cultivating should start as soon as the seedlings show through the ground. Soil that is cultivated regularly every 10 days never gets hard, weeds are kept under control and the ground is aerated.

Lawn Weeds

Weeds in the lawn present a big problem but during May… you can get the jump on them while they are still small. If you have only a few pull them by hand. Treat dandelion, plantain with a weed killer and a couple of weeks later the weeds will be gone.

For heavier infestations call in a professional, they will apply an application over the entire lawn. If you do any spraying with a weed killer don’t use the sprayer or for anything else unless you wash it thoroughly after each session with the weed killer. The best action is to purchase a sprayer for weed killers on;y and another for pesticides applied to plants.

Beetle Grubs

Japanese Beetle grubs can be controlled in the lawn with chemical sprays this month. It will also help control the chinch bug that kills grasses by sucking the juices. One application is effective for the whole season against the chinch bug and grub proofs the lawn usually for several years. Check with your county agent or law professional for control. Also feed the lawn this month with fertilizer to give it new vigor and overcome the damage.

Tender Plants

Set out tender plants late in May. This includes zinnias, marigolds and other tender annuals raised in coldframes or greenhouse and the tender vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.

Chrysanthemum cuttings that are well-rooted should be potted now. There’s still time to start more cuttings and make it an indoor potted plant but keep them growing without interruption if you want a good crop of flowers. A check in growth produces a tough woody stem that reduces flowering.

Amaryllis that have finished blooming should be kept growing until fall or until the leaves yellow and the plant goes into a rest of its own accord. Then lay the pots on their sides under a bench or in the basement to dry off and rest for several months.

Carnation cuttings it does not pay to let them stay in pots and become potbound. Set the plants high and pack the soil firmly around them. Water thoroughly.

Heliotropes, Geraniums, Lantanas or other plants grown as standards should be pinched shortly before planting out so the heads will be stocky and able to withstand unfavorable weather. Strong stakes are also essential and should be put into place at the same time as the plants are set out.

The garden and landscape is beginning to show the rewards of regular attention. Bring on the blooms.

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2
Mar 11

Fall Color – One of Nature’s Many Secrets

The red pigment, which is responsible for the brilliant reds and scarlets of maples and oaks, is anthocyanin, which is believed to be produced in some way as a result of accumulation of sugars and tannins in the leaves.

Experiments have shown that when the temperature falls to 45 degrees, or below, there is very little or no translocation of sugars and other materials from the leaves to other parts of the plant. When cool nights follow warm, bright, sunny days, sugar and other materials, which are manufactured in the leaves, are trapped in the leaves and conditions are favorable for production of red color.

A summary of the requirements for good fall color in this area should include these: care of ficus and trees should be in good, healthy condition resulting from favorable summer weather conditions and protection from injurious insects and diseases; varieties of trees which are expected to color brilliantly should be located in an open area where they will receive the full benefit of the sun’s rays; the delay of a hard freeze until late in the fall season; a gradual approach of autumn with bright, sunny, warm days followed by cool nights. Fall color is poor when the autumn days are cloudy, warm and rainy and when the season is brought to a sudden premature end by a severe freeze which kills the leaves before they have had a chance to color.

Fall color is indeed one of Nature’s many secrets. A few points are fairly well understood regarding the phenomenon, but scientists have failed to solve many of such problems, as, “Why does this hard maple turn yellow in autumn, while the one beside it of the same species and apparently living under identical environment, turns a brilliant red?” Even though many secrets remain unsolved, some knowledge of the marvelous procedure of Nature adds greatly to our enjoyment of this beautiful season.

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21
Feb 11

Preparing Roses For Winter

November brings with it shorter days for work and longer nights for rest and sleep. Blustery winds are snatching the last of the gaily colored leaves from drowsy trees; slanting rains put a stop to the merriment of dancing leaves and flatten them into a charming mosaic carpet; cold strengthens his grip on fainting summer.

To keep the plumber from reaching deep down in your pocket, better shut off and drain all irrigating systems and other exposed water lines, if the job has not already been taken care of. In the basement, turn off the water to the outside foundation faucets. Open the faucets outside to permit proper drainage.

Rose Chores

This is the proper time to prepare roses to withstand the rigors of winter. The best agent to protect the stems of the hybrid teas from drying out and to prevent rapid alternate freezing and thawing has been found to be the earth itself. The plants should be practically buried to a depth of six to eight inches by using the soil in the bed around the plants or by the addition of other soil brought in. If the plants have been spaced too closely to permit mounding without exposure of roots, some loose, mellow soil should be added. Frequently, additional soil can be borrowed from a nearby shrub bed.

Tie the tops of the individual plants together with strips of cloth before beginning the mounding operations. This allows more room for working among the rose plants and will prevent the tops from becoming unruly when buffeted by winter winds.

After the rose bushes have been mounded, a 12- to 15-inch mulch of hay or straw should be applied over the bed. This double protection keeps the soil warmer in the fall until really severe weather arrives. The mulch also aids in preventing the soil from warming up too soon in the spring. New growth thus held back frequently escapes the late freeze injury occurring to unmulched plants. Some local gardeners have successfully wintered their roses by mulching them with an eight- to ten-inch layer of wood shavings (about one bushel per plant). The shavings are removed in the spring and broadcast on the shrubbery beds.

Standard or tree roses should be bent over and covered with soil. If the stems are too stiff to be bent over without danger of breaking, dig up the roses carefully, lay them on the ground and cover completely with several inches of good, loose soil. Dig up the plants and reset them next spring.

The roses should not be pruned this time of year but any unusually long canes should be cut back to the average height.

Young climbing roses may be removed from trellises, pegged to the ground and covered with soil, leaves, hay or straw. Older plants with stiff, entwining canes may be wrapped in straw held in place with burlap. It is difficult to get an overcoat that will fit the strong growing roses on fences or walls, consequently we simply wish them the best of luck during the winter season. But unlike growing roses, we can still care for dracaena fragrans massangeana indoors.

Roses may be set out during this month, provided good, strong dormant plants can be obtained. Few roses are available here in the fall, since they arc brought in from growers on the West Coast or in Texas and do not arrive until early spring. Roses planted now should be watered thoroughly, pruned back to about 12 inches, mounded with soil eight to ten inches high, and mulched with hay or straw.

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16
Feb 11

Tuberous Begonias

If you appreciate plants that have no hesitation in boldly stating their presence with huge, almost artificially perfect flowers, then tuberous begonias are for you. While some may find them rather too overstated, downright brazen even, if you like colour, and plenty of it, with subtlety an option rather than compulsory, then look no further.

Flowering from late spring, as the days exceed 13 hours long, until well into autumn when the foliage dies back, these tuberous-rooted perennials have been extensively hybridised and refined to the point where the larger-flowered forms are nothing short of spectacular. For those with greenhouses or a very mild winter climate there are even types that flower well into winter, if not right through the cooler months.

Description and classification and groups

Begonias are among those convenient plants where the proper name is also the common name. The genus is found in the tropics and subtropics, particularly in the Americas, and is made up of around 900 species with 130-odd in cultivation, from which many cultivars and hybrids have been developed. These garden forms have been divided into 8 main categories. They are:

1. Cane-like, which have narrow, upright stems with conspicuous leaf nodes and evergreen foliage.

2. Shrub-like, which are bushy plants with branching stems.

3. Thick-stemmed, which resemble the cane-like but with much heavier stems that sometimes form a trunk.

4. Semperflorens, which are the fibrous rooted types usually treated as summer-flowering bedding annuals.

5. Rhizomatous, which may be evergreen or deciduous and which are often grown as much for their foliage as for their flowers.

6. Rex-cultorum, which are the fancy-leaved Rex begonias that are usually grown as house plants.

7. Tuberous, which have thickened tuberous roots and which usually die back over winter or, in the case of the winter-flowering types, which may be dried off at some other time.

8. Trailing Scandent, which are pendulous, ever-blooming plants often with long internodes and which should not be confused with the trailing tuberous begonias.

So group seven it is, yet although quite a few begonia species have tuberous roots, when we talk of tuberous begonias we’re generally referring to the fancy-flowered group of garden-raised plants known as Begonia ?tuberhybrida. Developed mainly from South American species, they first appeared in Europe in 1867, just three years after the introduction of the most influential of the early parent species, Begonia pearcei. Since that time thousands of hybrids have been raised and we now have tuberous begonias in a wide range of sizes and styles of flower and growth habit.

There are small- medium- and large-flowered hybrids; they may have single, semi-double or fully rose- or camellia-like double flowers; they may be small and mound-forming, trailing or upright to nearly a metre tall. And while the flowers are spectacular, don’t ignore the foliage. Because although unlike say the Rex begonias, tuberous begonias are never grown for their foliage alone, their velvety, deep green leaves add a rich luxuriance that is the perfect foil to the flowers, which would definitely be diminished without the contrast of the leaves.

Cultivation

So, tuberous begonias are beautiful. I don’t need to tell you that, the pictures speak for themselves, but how do you get the best out of them? Well, as garden plants they’re not for everyone and not for every location, though with careful selection and siting you may be surprised at just how well they grow outdoors in many parts of New Zealand.

Begonias have a preference for cool, moist conditions and a climate that doesn’t suffer from extremes of summer heat or winter cold. They need bright light to flower well but should be out of direct sunlight, especially during the heat of the day, and they also need shelter from strong winds or the flowers may brown at the edges and the soft foliage may be torn or bent. Tuberous begonias flower best with humus-rich soil, plenty of moisture and regular feeding.

Given those requirements it’s not surprising that many gardeners choose to cultivate tuberous begonias indoors, as conservatory, shadehouse or cool greenhouse plants. However, if you have a bright southerly facing position in your garden or a shaded spot facing north, then begonias will thrive outdoors too, particularly in areas that don’t often experience drought in summer.

Strong sun and wind, especially hot dry winds, are the main enemies; light soil that dries out quickly doesn’t help either. But in a lightly shaded, sheltered position with soil that has been thoroughly prepared with plenty of well-rotted compost tuberous begonias will flower from early summer to the first frosts. And all that you need do is to stake the tall growers to bamboo canes (specialist nurseries stock wire frames), remove any spent flowers, keep the soil moist and add a little liquid fertiliser every week.

If you find that the super-fancy large-flowered forms are simply not tough enough for your garden, don’t give up. Instead try some of the smaller-flowered hybrids. The little Multiflora types, commonly known as Flamboyant Begonias, are very resilient. Grown as massed bedding or in clusters, they’re most commonly seen with bright red flowers, which often almost hide the foliage, but also occur in orange and a somewhat weaker yellow-flowered form.

Nonstop begonias are crosses between the Multifloras and the larger flowered types. As you’d expect they’re of intermediate height and vigour. They flower continuously, even in winter if kept indoors, and are available in a wide range of colours. Nonstops are F1 hybrids so there is no point in saving the seed and any seedpods should be removed to keep the plants flowering. Reiger begonias, developed from Begonia ?hiemalis, are similar.

And if open beds don’t seem to work, consider growing your begonias in pots so that you can find just the right place for them. The upright types flower and grow well but are rather brittle, necessitating staking. The trailing types, often Begonia boliviensis hybrids, have more flexible, pendulous stems and when grown in hanging baskets they are easy-care plants that make a great show. Trailing begonias usually do best in sphagnum-lined wire baskets rather than solid pots, their roots appreciating the cool moist sphagnum.

Disbudding and deadheading

Begonias have separate male and female flowers. Usually one large female flower is subtended by two smaller male flowers. Removing the male flowers before they mature will allow the showy female flowers to reach their full size and will also prevent the development of seedpods that could lessen the plant’s vigour. Old flowers should be removed once past their best. They snap off easily and doing this not only encourages new blooms to form, it also helps prevent fungal diseases that could develop among the decaying petals.

Pests and diseases

Begonias are neither particularly susceptible to nor resistant to pests. Slugs and snail relish the young shoots and the mature foliage, various caterpillars may chew the foliage, rasping and sap-sucking creatures such as thrips, aphids and mealy bugs may be present, but with a little attention and routine care, pests can usually be stopped before they get out of control.

More of a problem are fungal diseases, especially soft rots, mildew and botrytis. Damaged stems can quickly become soft, watery and rotten and this may lead to the eventual collapse of the plant. Almost inevitably the foliage will develop mildew in late autumn – it’s just part of the winter die-back process – but mildew can also occur during the growing season. Good ventilation goes a long way towards controlling the severity of fungal diseases, keeping the foliage and stems reasonably dry also helps, though spraying with a fungicide will probably be necessary too.

Winter care

As flower production lessens from mid-autumn, cut back on watering and feeding and allow your begonias to dry off. While the foliage should dry, brown and fall away without too many problems, do keep an eye open for any fungal diseases that could spread to the tubers.

Once the foliage has dried, the tubers may be lifted or removed from their pots for winter storage. This isn’t always necessary in mild winter areas, but where hard frosts or prolonged wet conditions are likely it’s a good idea. The tubers can be stored in barely moist sawdust or any other fairly dry, inert medium, such as damp, shredded newspaper. Replant them (concave side up) in spring as the new shoots appear. Cover the tubers with a few centimetres of soil, as they sprout roots from the tops too.

The exceptions to the process are the winter-flowering Begonia ?hiemalis hybrids, which result from crossing Begonia ?tuberhybrida with Begonia socotrana, a species from an Indian Ocean island off the caost of Yemen. Widely sold as Reiger or “blush” begonias, these plants start to flower from late summer and will remain in leaf and flower until spring. Obviously these plants, which are completely intolerant of frost, need a very mild, benign winter to grow outdoors. However, they are very adaptable to indoor cultivation and are a great choice for winter-flowering house plants that can spend the summer outdoors in the garden.

Propagation

There are several ways to propagate tuberous begonias, the method used varying with they type of plant.

Seed

Sow bought seed to produce F1 hybrids such as the Nonstops or to get a new crop of vigorous young plants.

Begonia seed is very fine, dust-like in fact. It’s so fine that it doesn’t usually come in seed packets, where it would be lost in the folds, but in glass phials that have to be snapped open before sowing. Pelleted seeds are much easier to handle, thought they are not always readily available.

The seed needs warmth and light to germinate. It should be sown in spring, uncovered, in heated trays. Keep the seed just moist until it germinates. The young seedlings grow quickly and are soon large enough to pot. When small they are sensitive to draughts and temperature fluctuations and should be kept under cover until spring is well settled into early summer.

Prepare your garden beds with high-humus compost and organic fertiliser and because the foliage will be tender, plant out when the weather is not too hot and sunny.

Division

Mature plants have large tubers that divide readily and division is a good way to quickly produce established, sturdy plants. Divide the tubers in spring when replanting. They slice easily with a sharp knife but because finding the growing ‘eyes’ can be difficult keep your divisions on the large side. To prevent fungal diseases, dust the cut surfaces with sulphur powder and allow them to dry before planting.

Cuttings

Most tuberous begonias will grow from cuttings and this is an especially good method of building up large stocks of the small-flowered Multiflora types for massed bedding. The fresh spring and early summer shoots make the best cuttings and will strike very quickly under mild humid conditions. You can continue to take cuttings well into summer but unless the new plants can develop reasonably sized tubers before winter they will probably not survive until the following spring.

Like many of the house plant begonias, Begonia ?hiemalis is often raised from leaf cuttings. This involves removing a mature leaf, slicing across its veins and pinning the leaf down on moist soil. A warm humid environment, such as an enclosed propagation tray, is essential. Also, you should start in spring so that the young plants are well-established before winter.

Begonia displays

Public gardens often use tuberous begonias in their displays and this can one of the best ways to see a wide range of flower types. <

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20
Jan 11

The Affects of Frost on Your Vegetables and Plants

Frost forms as a result of the surface of some object being chilled below the dew point of the surrounding air. The dew point is the temperature at which air must be cooled in order to be condensed into water. When the chill point is met crystals form on the surface of the object and appear as ice.

The most common form of frost on vegetation is Hoar Frost also known as Radiation Frost. This occurs when ice crystals form overnight due to drops in temperature and heat loss because objects become colder than the surrounding air.

Many plants can be damaged by the affects of frost and some, such as tomatoes, will die. To know which plants will survive a cold night, refer to the back of the package of seeds that you bought as they have excellent instructions as to temperature ratings.

If you bought your plants already grown from a nursery or garden center then it is best to check with someone there so you do not plant them too early. However in a moment I will talk about protecting your plants in the event an unseasonable frost should occur.

The United States Department of Agriculture has an excellent map on first and final frost dates for various regions of the U.S. They have broken the country down into zones. Find your zone and you will be able to calculate when you should start planting your vegetables.

Even with the best calculations sometimes Mother Nature just doesn’t cooperate. As was the case in May of 2009 when three weeks into the month frost conditions occurred in the southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania regions.

Until there is a consistent level in temperatures you should monitor the overnight conditions in your area which can be easily done by watching your local weather or the weather channel. If you have planted your vegetables and they call for a potential of frost, you can and must take precautions to ensure that they, your vegetables make it through the night.

The best method for protection from frost conditions is the use of plastic milk containers. What you want to do is cut the top of the container off, but not too much so the plant won’t fit, and cover the plants with them. This creates a greenhouse warming affect for your plants. The container traps air which stays a constant temperature, never allowing it to drop below the dew point and create frost for the surrounding plant.

When morning comes and the cool temperatures have subsided for the day, remove the plastic milk containers and let them soak in the sun and air. They should be fine.

For gardeners, frost can be a devastating condition and literally wipe out any growth we might have. But there are remedies, actions and preventions we can implement that will increase our chances of success through frost weather conditions.

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10
Nov 10

Reference Materials For the Garden

To get the most out of your landscape and garden you must continue to learn. Online resources and garden encyclopedia won’t do you much good lying on a shelf. The encyclopedias of the best gardeners I know are well thumbed and well worn. You will, of course, turn to your “garden bible” and more people are going online for their information whenever you are confronted with a particular horticultural problem and, in most cases, you will find a complete answer or at least obtain much help.

But cultivate, too, the habit of taking the time and reading at other times, when no special problem is puzzling you. You will find much of absorbing interest and will gain a wealth of knowledge in that way. Furthermore, you will get to know your encyclopedia, so that when trouble does come you will remember much that you have absorbed in casual reading and will know just where to look for further enlightenment.

The garden resource can help you tremendously with your gardening efforts. You will find it a stout friend upon which to depend and rely. But it cannot, of course, do your gardening for you; it must be your thought and effort that will result in a successful garden. Before making new plantings, become familiar with the kinds of plants that thrive in gardens, parks and nurseries in your locality. In the main, depend upon such kinds in your own garden. Introduce new and unusual items on a trial basis only, until they have proved themselves to you. Buy your plants and garden supplies from reliable, established dealers. Extra-cheap “bargains” from questionable sources are likely to prove expensive in the end.

Inspect the plants in your garden and home with some degree of minuteness at fairly frequent intervals. In this way you will detect slight changes that may forewarn you of more serious troubles later on. Close observation, followed by correct diagnosis and prompt remedial action, is the best insurance against trouble in the garden. Close observation will also enable you to time matters so that your plants receive particular kinds of care just when needed.

By looking at your plants and seeing them as individuals, rather than as part of a pleasing landscape picture, you will learn to know them really well. This will greatly increase the pleasure your garden gives you.

Gardening is healthful and pleasant, a fine vocation for young and old as well as for those in middle years. Its practical products flowers, fruits like zone 10 fruit trees, vegetable and fine landscapes are appreciated by everyone. And speaking of landscapes, let us not forget that a well planned, well kept garden adds much to the sales value of your property.

May I wish you success in your gardening efforts. Remember, success is not a matter of luck or of natural ability but of applying acquired knowledge in an intelligent, practical way. This encyclopedia will be a tower of strength to help you achieve this.

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28
Oct 10

Keys to the Kieffer Pear

The old, reliable Keiffer pear is unfortunately not the most palatable. But it becomes much more desirable when we know how to ripen and use the fruit.

If you have made up your mind that you must have a pear tree in your back yard, it is well to find out about the characteristics and uses of the various varieties before you purchase your tree. There are pears that are fine for canning but poor for eating raw. Others are excellent either canned or raw, and still others have little value for either canning or eating directly from the tree.

The best pears grown in the United States come from west of the Rocky Mountains and seldom produce satisfactorily anywhere else because of a disease called “fireblight” to which most of these western varieties are susceptible when grown elsewhere. In other words, the pears grown in the Midwest must be resistant to this disease… a fact which, for the most part, prevents growing the best varieties of this fruit.

More than 20 years ago, I decided that I should have a pear tree in my large back yard. Since I know the excellence of the Bartlett pear, I purchased a tree of this variety and hopefully set it out. It never produced a pear, for before it reached bearing age it succumbed to fireblight.

I had noticed pear trees growing in various parts of our city that were loaded every summer with large pears which in the fall turned a beautiful yellow slightly tinted with red.

After considerable inquiry, I learned that the name of this pear was ‘Kieffer.’ I purchased one and set it in my back yard. It began bearing when quite young, but imagine my chagrin when in late October I found the fruit just as hard as it was in early July.

I began to take more careful note of other pear trees like mine in town, and to ask their owners why they seemingly let their pears go unused. I got various answers, but the most common one was “They’re no good for eating raw and not much better for anything else.” I did find a few who made some use of them, especially in canning, but even these agreed that they were not first class pears. I could not help feeling that it was too bad that such beautiful fruit, borne so bountifully on such a healthy tree, was fit only for the hogs.

Widely Planted

Determined to solve this puzzle, I began by reading the history of the Kieffer pear. I learned that Peter Kieffer, who lived near Philadelphia, grew the first tree, which later was given his name. It came into bearing in 1863. I also found that it is now grown throughout the United States wherever pears will grow, and that two decades ago 20 per cent of the millions of bushels of pears raised in the United States were Kieffer pears. This and other information set me to thinking that this record could not be true unless the much maligned Kieffer pear had merits–ignorance of which prevented many persons from making proper use of its fruit.

My next step was to write to the United States Department of Agriculture to learn if they could give me the information I seemed to need. In reply, I received a pamphlet entitled “Handling and Preparing the Kieffer Pear for Use as Food.” This research showed conclusively that while the Kieffer pear is not primarily a pear to be eaten raw, it is a valuable food product and when properly treated is both whole-some and palatable.

To Aid Picking

The Kieffer pear tree has a tendency to grow unusually tall, so tall in fact that few families will have a ladder long enough to pick the pears at the top of the tree. The limb growth is such that climbing very far into the tree itself is a difficult matter. If pears are shaken from the tree, they are bruised and become almost worthless because they require a considerable period for proper ripening during which bruised pears are likely to decay and cause others near them to decay also. I got rid of this difficulty by ignoring the old superstition that pear trees must not be trimmed.

I cut out the top of my tree completely, leaving it about two-thirds of its former height. This made it possible for me to pick almost every pear by hand.

The owner of a Kieffer pear tree must remember that these pears do not ripen on the tree even when left until freezing weather. They may be picked at any time after they have reached one-half or two-thirds their mature size. Of course they may be left on the tree until they reach their full size, but when maturity is once reached remaining on the tree causes deterioration rather than ripening. Perhaps the ideal time to pick Kieffer pears is just before they have reached maturity, which is usually indicated by a slight yellowing of the pear frequently accompanied by a tinge of red.

At whatever stage of maturity Kieffer pears are picked, they must go through a ripening process. During this process they develop a soft texture and pleasing flavor if the temperature is kept between 60 and 65 degrees. After two or three weeks at this temperature, Kieffer pears become properly soft and greatly improved in both texture and flavor. Lower or higher temperatures than 60 to 65 degrees act much more slowly or bring less satisfactory results. The length of the ripening period is shortest when the temperature is kept at 60 degrees and varies from 16 to 20 days if the fruit has been left on the tree until nearly full grown.

When the fruit is picked at a less mature stage, it takes somewhat longer to ripen. When the fruit is best for eating raw, it is also best for canning. During this process i always wear my glasses for safety with a safety glasses prescription.

When ripening is complete, use the fruit quickly whether it is to be eaten raw or canned, as after two or three weeks it is likely to decay rather rapidly. Since the Kieffer pear matures in September or October, depending on the region in which it is grown, maintaining proper temperatures for its ripening is not difficult.

It is a shame to let this fruit go to waste simply because its use requires a little more work than its more expensive relatives. When properly ripened, the large, handsome Kieffer pears can be used for eating raw, may be peeled and baked or used for sauce or salads.

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26
Oct 10

Gardening is a Rewarding and a Relaxing Hobby

I became introduced to gardening when I was just a kid. My dad was an avid gardener for many years, and he showed me all the tips, tricks and techniques that he used that made his vegetables turn out great.

Because the end result of gardening is the production of great tasting food, it quickly, for me, became a hobby that I have fallen in love with. Fast forward thirty plus years and you will still find me tending to my garden every year.

If you are looking for a hobby that is fulfilling and rewarding then gardening is it. Beyond that is also educational, and you can even take gardening to many niche directions. For instance you might find that you enjoy growing peppers. Well you have choices of many peppers to grow. Anything from habanera to bell to jalapeno, so many varieties that you can dedicate an entire garden to just peppers.

If vegetables aren’t your thing and fruit is, then strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are within reach as well.

Along with the relaxing atmosphere of growing fruits and vegetables, gardening can teach you a wide array of skills that are helpful to the environment, such as learning how to turn your food scraps into nutrients for your soil and plants. You will also learn how leaves, twigs, and the grass clippings from your lawn can actually benefit your garden.

Just like any other hobby you won’t become an expert overnight, but if you stay with it, and venture into learning new things or expanding on your current knowledge, you will be amazed as to the things you will learn and the skills you will gain.

As if you needed anymore benefits for gardening as a hobby, how about growing your own fruits and vegetables will save you money at the grocery store. The cost you will put out for seeds and watering your garden is far less than buying vegetables by the pound or a bag of greens. One grape tomato plant can literally produce in the hundreds where as at the store they can run about $1.99 per pound. One season growing a grape tomato plant can save you up to $50 depending on how many of them you eat and that is just one plant.

So if you are looking for a hobby that is relaxing, rewarding, educational and can save you some money, then gardening is the perfect hobby for you. All you need to get started are some seeds, a place to plant them and some water.

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22
Oct 10

Home Vegetable Gardening – Growing Arugula

Arugula is a very popular green to add to any salad or as a stand alone side to your dinner or lunch. And who can resist, it is enriched with plenty of Vitamins A, C, K and Folate as well as the nutritional minerals Calcium and Potassium. Its rich peppery taste also makes arugula a good choice to use in pasta dishes. Here is how you can grow some great tasting arugula in your home vegetable garden.

Arugula is a colder weather crop and germinates best in a soil temperature in the range of forty to fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as you work the soil (after the freeze is over) you can begin planting arugula.

Arugula is typical to many other vegetables in that it likes a pH level in the soil to be as neutral as possible. Test your soil to make sure the level sits above six and as close to seven as possible. You can get a pH soil tester at any home or garden center for a few bucks.

Sow the arugula seeds no deeper than a quarter inch and no closer than six inches. This gives the seed the ability to break through the top soil and the roots to spread out and grow strong underneath.

Arugula requires moderate and even watering and if you are growing it in a cold frame you can lighten up the water even further. It can grow in full sun but also grows well in partial shade making this plant very versatile as far as where you can place it in the garden.

When the arugula leaves are two to three inches they are ready to be harvested. This usually occurs as soon as 3 weeks after the seeds germinate. Simply cut the leaves off, give them a quick rinse and pat dry with a paper towel and they are ready for consumption.

Good companion plants include beets, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes and spinach where as bad companion plants include pole beans and strawberries.

There are many healthy benefits to this great addition to your home vegetable garden, but as you can also see, it is very easy to grow, and you can add it to your early spring and late fall crop.

Gardening — Comments Off
6
Aug 10

Five Items You Can Recycle and Use in Your Vegetable Garden

Vegetable gardeners were going green long before “green” went main stream. We have been recycling food waste for decades, storing up rain water in barrels to use when the weather runs dry and so many other things.

But now that the world has finally caught on with the green movement, it is time to pass along a list of items that many might overlook and consider trash, but really are great to use in the vegetable garden.

Cardboard Egg Cartons
If you buy your eggs in Styrofoam cartons then you have to switch to the cardboard carton variety. Cardboard egg cartons, besides being able to be recycled with regular cardboard, can be shredded and mixed in your compost bin and also make great plant seed starters. Simply cut small drainage holes in the bottom of each of the twelve cups, fill with potting soil, add your seeds and water. Once they germinate and you see about two inches of growth, cut the carton so that you separate the cups from one another and then plant the entire cup.

One Gallon Plastic Milk Containers
I can give you two uses for each before you send them to the recycle center. First, rinse the containers out to make sure all the milk residue is gone. Then fill to about an inch from the top with water, put the cap back on and stick the entire container in the freezer. In about a day you will have a nice solid block of ice you can use at your next barbecue to cool down those drinks. When the ice is ready, run some luke warm water on the outside so the ice inside detaches from the plastic sides. Take a utility knife and cut the container in half, in other words separating the top of the container from the bottom. This will allow you to remove the ice. Now take bottom half and drill some holes in the bottom and you have an excellent pot for flowers and plants and the top makes for a great protector against the cold air at night.

Reuse that Old Hose
Before you toss that old hose into the trash, create for yourself your very own soaker hose. Poke plenty of holes in the sides of the hose so that when you turn the water on it drips through the holes you just created.

Pantyhose, Old Socks and T-Shirts
Don’t just toss them into the trash, you can use them to tie up your plants. Tomatoes have weak stems and instead of splurging on the Velcro ties you can cut up some old socks and t-shirts and use them instead.

Newspaper
Done reading the paper yet? Is your neighbor? Good! Newspaper makes a great weed barrier and also great mulch for the compost bin. To use as a weed barrier in your garden, lay the newspaper down, cover with grass clippings, and wet it down with your hose. To use in your compost bin, shred the newspaper and just throw it in there.

Trash is only trash if you can’t think of anything to do with it. As more people get involved with the green movement, especially those that plant vegetable gardens, we will start finding even more ways to keep our garbage out of landfills.

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