Archive for the ‘garden’ Category

 

 

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• Start any gardening project in spring, when air temperatures rise to 60 degrees F. Vertical garden vegetables don’t need warm soil, but do require frost-free nights.

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  Choose your wall for the garden. Put the vertical garden in a spot that gets full sunshine all day, with good air circulation and protection from any drying winds.

• 3

• Use deep, sturdy rain gutters for the vertical garden, to give vegetables room for growth and support. Cut the rain gutters to fit on the wall you choose, and build at least three to four “stories” of gardening space. Drill holes every 10 inches in the bottom of the gutters, to ensure drainage.

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  Secure the gutters to the wall with eye hooks, screws or nails every 6 inches. Leave 2 to 3 feet of space between each layer of gutters to give the plants room to grow.

• 5

  Mix organic compost, peat moss and potting soil in equal parts as your planting mix. This mix gives the vegetables plenty of nutrition and drainage. Fill the gutters full of your mixture, then turn starter fertilizer such as 6-24-24 or 8-32-16 into the top 4 inches of soil to provide more nutrition.

• 6

  Plant small, compact vegetables in a vertical garden to minimize space usage and avoid stressing the structure. Plant lettuce, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, herbs, beets, peas, carrots, garlic, onions and radishes. Choose only small tomato, cucumber, bean and pepper cultivars. Also plant flowers in with vegetables to make the garden more attractive.

 

A bean teepee creates a wonderful hiding hole for young kids during the summer months at the same time as providing a perfect support for growing pole beans!

You can locate your bean teepee either in the vegetable patch or in a spare corner of the garden – it adds the dimension of height and is not only useful and fun, but quite ornamental too. Just bear in mind that the teepee will cast a fair bit of shade once the beans have grown.

How to Make a Bean Teepee

You will need: 7 – 9 long bamboo poles, some twine, string or even masking tape, and runner or pole beans.

	Start off by finding a suitable spot in your garden and dig the earth over in a circular shape. A circle with a diameter of 3-4 foot is usually perfectly adequate.Beans like well-drained soil, so add some compost and fertiliser if needed – like in this example!
	Firmly push the ends of the bamboo poles into the ground by about 3 inches on the outside of the circle.Leave a gap between two of the poles to act as the entrance to the bean teepee.
	Tie the bamboo poles together firmly near the top using twine, string, a bit of old rope or even masking tape.There is absolutely no fine art in tieing the poles together – the main and only aim is to ensure they are all VERY firmly held in place, as no matter how careful kids are, they are likely to knock the poles when going in and out of the teepee!
	Plant the runner or pole beans about 2 inches deep. Plant them on the inside of the teepee rather than the outside, as this makes it easier to hoe and keep weeds down – anything growing on the outside of the bamboo poles are weeds!It is usual to plant two beans per pole. That should ensure at least one healthy plant per pole.
	Water generously.Beans usually take between 7 to 14 days to germinate. Once the seedlings appear, protect them from slug attacks. When the beans are a few inches high, loosely tie them to the poles. From then on, they should find their own way up. When the plants reach the top of the teepee after about 7-8 weeks, nip the growing ends off. Keep them well watered during a dry patch, especially once the pods have started forming.

Once the dense foliage of the runner or pole beans has climbed up the bamboo poles and provides a cover, your bean teepee is ready for it’s inhabitants. Pop a blanket inside for the perfect private hide-away!

Tips

Once the first bean pods are ready to be harvested, keep picking them every few days to ensure the plants keep flowering and producing more pods. Once a pod reaches full maturity, the flowering process is shut down.

Beans can be planted outside once the risk of frost is over, usually late May or the beginning of June in the more northern areas.

For an even more colourful display, interplant climbing flowering plants too, such as climbing nasturtiums or black-eyed Susan.

Cats love these shady hide-aways too!

By pruning your fruit trees, you stimulate shoot growth, control the size and shape of the tree, and improve the quality of the fruit.

If you have not pruned before, don’t worry! It is not difficult, and you’ll get a real feel for how to prune fruit trees the more you work at it. And it’s worth every minute!

 

You’ll want to follow a few specific fruit tree pruning instructions for different types of fruit trees. For instance, apple trees need a different pruning system than peach trees. Here are the basics:

 

 

• The Central-Leader System:

  This is used for pruning apple trees, pear trees, and sweet cherry trees. A “central leader” is the main stem or trunk of the tree from which other lateral branches develop.

  Fruit tree pruning instructions for this method are based around thinning the lateral branches.

• The Open-Center System:

  Used for peach tree pruning, as well as pruning plum trees, nectarine trees, apricot trees and sour cherry trees where there is no dominant, vertical trunk (central leader).

  Open center fruit tree pruning instructions are based around three or four main limbs set at wide angles with about five lesser branches on each.

• The Modified-Leader System:

  Mostly used for nut bearing trees, this can also be applied when pruning apple trees and pear trees. Modified-leader fruit tree pruning instructions are based upon giving the central leader and three or four lateral branches equal importance.

 

With this in mind, here are basic fruit tree pruning instructions that will get you off to a good start to getting the balance you want of shoot growth and fruit production:

     

 

 

General Fruit Tree Pruning Instructions

 

1. Always use sharp shears or saws so your cuts are clean. Use pruning shears on young trees and limbs less than 1/2 inch diameter, and lopping shears for your bigger cuts. For mature fruit trees, use a pruning saw.

2. Begin by removing dead wood and broken branches. Then cut out any wood that crosses or rubs against any other branches. This opens up the middle so the sun can get to all the fruit.

3. Make your cut close to a bud, to a joint in the branch, or to the trunk; never leave a stub. The pruning cut should be just above a bud. Make the cut at a backwards angle of about 30 degrees.

4. Prune stems just above a pair of opposing strong shoots or buds. If shoots or buds are staggered, choose a strong one and prune just above it.

5. Keep more horizontal branches, and prune more vertical branches.

6. Remove suckers (shoots) from around the base of the tree.

7. Get rid of all debris which can harbor pests and disease.

 

 

Allow plenty of time. You’ll need time to pick as well as to put food in the fridge or prepare it for dinner.

Be strategic. Pick either the ingredients for tonight’s meal or a large single harvest for preserving. Then you won’t be faced with two jobs after you’ve brought the produce inside. Helpful tools include durable scissors, a small serrated knife and a basket with a handle.

Keep it cool. Produce wilts quickly after it is picked, so harvest during the cool part of the day – early morning or late evening. Set up a processing bench outside to sort and clean vegetables. Keep produce fresh by propping cut stems in water.

Get ready. What will you do with produce after it lands in your kitchen? Harvest smaller amounts, more frequently, so everything fits in the fridge and can be eaten at the peak of freshness. Have a supply of plastic bags for storing leafy greens, cucumbers, beans, peas, and anything that wilts quickly after picking.

Stagger your plantings. If you are inundated by too much lettuce or summer squash, it may be an indication that you’ve planted more than your family can consume. Plant just a few seeds every three or four weeks in succession so that the greens never stop coming and you can keep up!

Extend the harvest. City farmers preserve bumper crops by dehydrating, freezing, pickling, and canning. Not all methods work well for all produce so match the preservation technique to the food. Learn about various food preservation techniques by taking a class.

Give it away. Many people in our community have little or no access to fresh produce. They would love extras from your garden. Area food banks will gladly accept donations of fresh, high quality produce. Check with your local food bank about particulars.

Use these guidelines to tell when to harvest your garden vegetables.  Common garden vegetables (and a couple of fruits) are listed alphabetically.
 

Asparagus	Begin harvesting the third year after planting. Harvest when the spears are 6 to 10 inches above the ground but before the heads open. Cut or snap spears off at the soil line. Stop harvesting if spears show a marked decrease in size. Maximum harvest period is 6 to 8 weeks
Bean, Snap Bean	Harvest before pods are full sized and when seeds are tender and about one-fourth developed. Harvesting usually begins 2 to 3 weeks after first bloom. Don’t allow beans to mature on plants or bean production will decrease.
Bean, lima, broad	Harvest when pods are fully developed and seeds are green and tender.
Beet	Harvest when roots are 1 1/4 to 2 inches in diameter. Some cultivars may maintain quality in larger sizes.
Broccoli	Harvest when flower head is fully developed, but before the flowers begin to open. Cut 6 to 7 inches below the flower head. Side heads will develop after the main head is cut.
Brussels sprouts	Harvest the lower sprouts (small heads) when they are about 1 to 1-½ inches in diameter by twisting them off. Lower leaves along the stem may be removed to hasten maturity.
Cabbage	Harvest when heads are solid, but before they split. On early cabbage, cut just beneath the solid head. Small lateral heads will develop from buds in the axils of the older leaves.
Carrot	Harvest when ¾ to 1 inch in diameter or smaller when thinning. For storage, leave carrots in soil until a light frost occurs. Use care when harvesting, since bruising favors the development of soft rot during storage.
Cauliflower	Cover curds when they are 2 to 3 inches in diameter by tying the outer leaves loosely about the head, or using leaves from other plants in the garden. Check for developing curds every 2 to 3 days, and retie if further development is necessary. Harvest when the heads are full sized but still white and smooth.
Celery	Harvest when plants are 10 to 12 inches tall.
Cucumber	Proper harvesting size is determined by product use. Pickles: Sweets are 1 1/2 to 2 inches long; dills are 3 to 4 inches long. Fresh slicing are 7 to 9 inches long and a bright dark green. Leave a short piece of stem on each fruit. Harvest daily and don’t allow fruit to mature.
Eggplant	Harvest when fruit is firm and bright purple to black in color.
Jerusalem Artichoke	Harvest tubers after a hard frost. Tubers can be stored in the ground over winter and harvested early in spring or, with mulch protection, during most of the winter.
Kohlrabi	Harvest when the thickened stem is 2 to 3 inches in diameter.
Lettuce	Harvest the older, outer leaves from leaf lettuce when they are 4 to 6 inches long. Harvest heading types when the heads are moderately firm and before seed stalks form.
Muskmelon	Harvest when a crack appears completely around the base of the fruit stem. The fruit will readily separate from the stem.
Okra	Harvest when 3 to 5 inches long and tender.
Onion	Correct harvesting stage is determined by the type and product use. Harvest onions grown from sets when they are 6 to 9 inches tall for immediate table use. Onions grown from seed for fresh use should be harvested when the bulbs are 1/4 to 1 inch in diameter. Harvest seed grown onions for boiling when the bulbs are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Harvest for storage (seed or set grown) when the tops have weakened and fallen over and the bulbs are 2 or more inches in diameter. Harvest before hard frost.
Parsnip	Harvest after a hard frost or in early spring before new growth starts. To harvest in spring, place a 3- to 5-inch soil mulch over the parsnips. Parsnips are not poisonous if harvested in early spring.
Pea	Harvest when the pods are fully developed and still tender, and before seeds develop fully.
Edible Pod Pea	Harvest when the pods are fully developed, but before seeds are more than one-half full size.
Peanut	Harvest when plants turn yellow at season’s end or before the first early frost.
Pepper, green	Harvest when fruits are full sized and firm.
Pepper, red	Allow peppers to remain on the plant until they become completely red. This usually requires an additional 2 to 3 weeks.
Potato	For storage, harvest when full sized with firm skins. Tubers continue to grow until the vine dies. For new potatoes, harvest at any early stage of development. This is usually when tubers are 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Pumpkin	Harvest pumpkins when they are fully colored and the skins have hardened enough to resist the fingernail test. Harvest before a killing frost.
Radishes	Harvest when the roots are ½ to 1 ½ inches in diameter (Chinese radishes grow much larger). The shoulders of radish roots often appear through the soil surface when they are mature. If left in the ground too long, they will become tough and woody.
Rhubarb	Do not harvest the first year after planting; harvest only a few stalks the second year. Established plantings can be harvested for approximately 8 weeks. The quality of the stalks decreases toward the end of the harvest period. Harvest only the largest and best stalks by grasping each stalk near the base and pulling slightly to one direction. Note: there is no evidence to show that stalks harvested from frost damaged plants are poisonous, so they should be considered safe to eat.
Rutabaga	Harvest when the roots are full sized but before a heavy frost.
Soybean	for fresh use, shell out just before pods begin to dry. For dried use, harvest when pods turn brown but before shattering occurs
Spinach	Harvest by cutting all the leaves off at the base of the plant when they are 4 to 6 inches long. New leaves will grow, providing additional harvests.
Squash, summer type	Harvest when fruit is young and tender. Your fingernail should easily penetrate the rind. Long-fruited cultivars, such as zucchini, are harvested when 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 4 to 8 inches long; scallops are taken when 3 to 4 inches long.
Squash, winter type	Harvest when mature. The rind should be firm and glossy and not easily punctured by your thumbnail. The portion that contacts the soil is cream to orange when mature. Leave a portion of the vine (2 to 3 inches) attached to the fruit to help prevent storage rot. Harvest squash before a heavy frost.
Sweet corn	Harvest when kernels are completely filled and in the milk stage. Use your thumbnail to determine this. The silks are dry and brown at this stage.
Sweet potato	Harvest in late fall before the first early frost.
Tomato	For peak quality, harvest 5 to 8 days after fruits are fully colored. Tomatoes lose their firmness quickly if they are overripe.
Turnip	Harvest when roots are 1 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.
Watermelon	Harvest when full sized. The portion in contact with the soil is cream to yellow when mature.

Lettuce is one of the most popular vegetables in culinary arts and is used in salads and several other dishes. Hence, wouldn’t it be great if you could simply harvest one from your own garden? This will ensure the freshness of the lettuce while also saving you cost from having to buy them from the grocer.

Varieties of Lettuce

There are four basic varieties of lettuce and it is important to recognize each one of them since it requires different growing conditions. Each one are listed and described briefly below:

   

*Butter head: This variety of lettuce possesses a creamy center to it. It also has a milder flavor as compared to other varieties but takes a lot more time to mature. This is the type of lettuce often used in making salads.

     

*Romaine: This variety comes with crunchy leaves and is characterized by its upright cluster of leaves. It takes between 70 to 85 days in order for this variety of lettuce to fully mature. Like the butter head, this is also popular ingredient for salads.

   

*Crisp head: This is another familiar variety and requires cool weather for growing. Of all varieties of lettuce, this one takes the most time to grow and requires specific conditions. You know when it’s ready if the outer leaves possess a yellowish green color.

    

*Leaf Lettuce: This one requires less restriction in order to grow fully well. Unlike the romaine lettuce, this one comes with loose bunches of leaves. It is most suitable in warm weather.

Soil Requirements

Summer is the best time to grow lettuce because of the rich, humus-laden soil quality. The ideal soil condition is at pH 6.5, so you can test the soil before growing the lettuce to produce a better quality lettuce. It is often grown alongside other slow growing plants, such as broccoli or Brussels sprouts. Since lettuce thrives in moist conditions, make sure to regularly water the lettuce to moisten up the soil.

There are also different varieties of lettuce according to the season in which it is grown:

*Summer varieties – This refer to lettuce plants that are grown under hot conditions. However, make sure you choose an area for growing lettuce that is well shaded.

*Spring lettuce – This is more challenging to grow than the summer varieties. If you are living in a mild area, make sure to sow the lettuce seeds in an area that gets adequate amount of sunlight. Make sure to have proper drainage to the soil surrounding your lettuce plants.

Process of Sowing Seeds

An important thing to take note when sowing lettuce seeds is to sow at the position where you intend to grow them. Avoid moving lettuce plants, when possible. You can plant these seeds at seedbeds or boxes, ideally 2.5cm above the ground.

Observe proper distance between plants, roughly around 8-16 inches apart. This will provide enough room for each plant to grow without any disruption.

Time Periods

Take note of the following information to avoid harvesting lettuce immaturely:

*Expected germination time for lettuce: For hot weather conditions, it can happen around 6 to 12 days.

*Time between sowing and harvesting: It depends on the variety of lettuce you are trying to grow. For butter or crisp head lettuce, they take the longest amount of time from 8 to 14 weeks. For loose-leaf varieties, it takes about 6 to 8 weeks in order to be ready for harvest.

Other Growing Tips for Lettuce

Additional information when caring for your lettuce plants to ensure they grow healthy:

• Moist soil is important in allowing the lettuce plant to grow fast and healthy. Therefore, make sure to water regularly. The best time for watering your lettuce plants is during the morning or midday. Watering at night can increase the risk of your plant developing diseases.
• In order for the lettuce seeds to germinate, temperature must not exceed 80 degrees. If you are sowing during summer, make sure to employ proper shading devices on your plant bed. Or better yet, find a cool spot indoors to grow your lettuce.

          Potatoes are relatively easy to grow,

and taste great when grown in your garden. While potatoes are a root crop, they still require full sun to produce the best potatoes. Potatoes will grow best in a slightly acidic soil that ranges between 5.9 and 6.5. Since potatoes grow underground a soft loamy soil will produce the best results. Potatoes can be planted in the early spring once the soil can be worked and reaches a temperature of about 45 degrees. Make sure that the soil is not too wet when you plants your seeds, or you face the risk that your seeds will rot before they sprout. While you might be tempted to try to use potatoes you bought in the supermarket as seeds, do not use them. First you don’t know if they are disease free, and second they may not give the best yields. About one week before you are ready to plant your potato seeds place them in an area that is at least 60F and receives plenty of light. This will help get the seeds started sprouting. The day before you are ready to plant use a knife to cut the large potato seed into smaller seeds. Make sure that each seed contains at least one eye. Potatoes will grow best if they are planted in rows. They should be spaced about one foot apart between plants, and the rows should be about 3 feet apart. The seeds should be placed under about three inches of soil. In approximately two weeks the seeds will sprout, and you should cove them with about four inches of soil. After another two weeks the stems will be about eight inches high, at this time you should add another four inches of soil. After this you will need to add one to two inches of soil per week. You must make sure that the potatoes are covered and aren’t exposed to light. If the potatoes do get exposed to light they turn green, and this green part has the potential to be toxic. Alternatively rows you could use large mounds that are about three feet in diameter and this will allow for about 8 plants. The same method of covering the growing potatoes with soil should be followed with this technique as well. Be sure not to use too much organic material in the soil where you are growing your potatoes, as this will increase the likelihood of potato scab. Therefore it is best to put any organic materials deep into the soil so the roots of the potato can grow into the rich nutrients. Potatoes should be watered frequently especially when they are flowering. When the plants begin to create a new tuber that is when watering is very important. It is best to water potatoes early in the morning so they are not wet overnight, and thus less susceptible to potato diseases. Potatoes are ready to harvest about two to three weeks after they are done flowering. You can harvest some potatoes now and leave others to keep growing and getting larger. If you want to store your potatoes they should be kept in a dark, well-ventilated location at about 40F. They can be stored for up to six months. It is important to rotate your potato crop from year to year as many diseases and insects will over winter, and cause trouble the following season if you don’t move your crop.

   

     

Everyone loves the benefits of a garden, but one of the worst enemies of a gardener is the weeds that grow in the garden. Garden weed control is important, as weeds are selected by nature and maintained as the survival of the fittest. Vegetables you may plant in your garden are selected for their taste; therefore they may be varieties that aren’t as tolerant as the weeds that will creep into your garden. Weeds can germinate faster, and often grow faster then the neighboring vegetables that they will be competing for nutrients with. Therefore you must always have a head start on the weeds in your garden, and keep them at bay. Some people may believe that by roto-tilling a garden they are getting rid of weeds as they are turned under the ground. However you may actually be making your weed problem worse, as turning over the dirt may bring weed seeds underground to the surface. The best solution is to cover your garden with mulch each fall to prevent seeds from getting into your garden. Weaker plants such as cabbage should be started indoors, and only transplanted to the garden when they are large enough to compete with the stronger weeds that will sprout in the garden. Unfortunately you will have to make time to pull the unwanted weeds from your garden. However it is easier to pull the weeds out when they are small and the roots haven’t taken a strong hold in the soil. Don’t let weeds get out of control, as you will be overwhelmed with the amount of work required, to keep your garden weed free. There are several garden tools that you may use, to help keep the weeds under control. These include swan and collinear hoes, as cape cod and farmers weeders. You can use the Swan hoe to sweep away the weeds, very similar to how you sweep a floor. Make sure you keep your weeding tools sharp. A sharp hoe will cut the weeds, and sever the plants from their roots. Additionally you can use a pair of scissors to cut weeds away from vegetables in tight areas that don’t allow the use of a garden hoe. There are several types of mulches that you can use in your garden to suppress garden weeds. The first type is known as organic mulches, and these include all types of dead plant matter. Straw, grass clippings, leaves, and hay are all examples of organic mulches. These must be spread thick enough to block the light and prevent weeds. Plastic mulches will produce similar results to organic mulches. However some plastic mulches don’t allow adequate water to pass through, and others heat the soil too much, and this may be detrimental to certain garden crops. Finally the last classes of mulches are known as living mulches. Here you plant so close together that nothing else can grow in the area. Some vegetables that can be used as living mulches include lettuce, spinach, and kale. Lettuce can be planted among other crops, as it is slow growing and won’t shade other plants as it matures. Additionally lettuce doesn’t use too many nutrients from the soil; therefore it won’t be competing with its neighboring vegetables.

Fruits such as strawberries are just as easy to grow as vegetables in a garden.  You can plant your strawberries in a formal bed, or use them as a ground cover.  There are three main types of strawberries you must choose from when you want to start a new crop.  The first type is known as “June Bearing” strawberries, and these plants will produce fruit in the late spring.  Generally this type of strawberry ripens in a two to three week window.  The next type of strawberry is known as “Ever Bearing” strawberries, and they produce fruit in both the spring and the fall.  Finally the third type of strawberry is known as “Day Neutral”.  These types of strawberries produce fruit throughout the entire growing season.

Strawberries do best with full sunlight and need a minimum of six hours a day of sun.  The more sun your fruit receives the larger the crop will be, and the quality will be better as well.  Strawberries need a well drained soil, and sometimes like a sandy soil.  Strawberries prefer the soil pH to be between 5.3 and 6.5.  It is advisable to test your soil with a soil testing kit or have your soil analyzed by your local county agricultural agency.  Since strawberries can get Verticillium wilt they should not be planted where either tomatoes or peppers were recently planted.

June bearing strawberries are best planted in what is known as a matted row system.  Here plants are set in the ground 2 feet apart, and then in rows 3 feet apart.  This allows the strawberries to send runners freely through the free space.  Keep in mind that June bearing strawberries don’t bear fruit until the second year.  The Hill system of planting strawberries is used for day neutral and ever bearing varieties.  You should set your rows to be about 8 inches high and about 24 inches wide.  The plants are set in the ground about 12 inches apart, and should be set in rows.  With these types of plants you should remove the runners the first year so you can bear fruit.  As time passes the strawberry plants are less productive.  Therefore they need to be replaced after about three years of production.

Strawberries can be planted in the spring right after the danger of your last frost.  If the plant you are setting in the ground have any root damage, they should be trimmed prior to planting.  If the plants have any flowers they should be removed as well.  Set the plants in the ground with the roots pointing down, and spread the root system out.  The crown of the strawberry should be set so the midpoint is just even with the surface of the soil.  If the plant is set too deep it may rot.

Strawberries need to be properly watered, yet not over watered.  Make sure you water your plants in the morning so that the sun can dry the leaves, thus preventing diseases.  Black plastic should not be used as mulch for strawberries, as this raises the soil temperature, and strawberries don’t like an elevated soil temperature.  Remember to fertilize your strawberries for the best possible crop.  It is best to fertilize just after the plants are set in the ground, and also after the fruit is harvested.  When picking your strawberries use a delicate hand, as the fruit is soft and will tend to bruise rather easily.