Are you finding that your homegrown tomatoes are slow at producing fruit, if at all? It could be because essential nutrients are going to the wrong part of the plant rather than into the blossoms.
Check out the video on my Facebook page to see how to get the most out of your tomato plants! This process also applies to pepper plants to ensure maximum production.
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If you're a first time gardener, these tried and true veggies and plants will be the easiest way to get you started on your greenthumb journey. Some of these will be based on your personal preferences, but also keep in mind that produce has a much different taste when grown in the garden versus store-bought; the fresh stuff may just change your mind! All of the following need very little watering other than naturally occurring rainwater, unless it is a super dry year, then you can water using an osculating sprinkler, making sure not to over-water(forming puddles). Any of these can be grown with ease in raised beds or garden plots.
1) Carrots- This is truly the easiest thing to grow in your garden. Regardless of the type of seed you choose, you can sow them loosely into a row, covering them with an inch of somewhat loamy soil and they will grow like crazy. Be sure to space your rows about a foot apart. Once the tops start to crowd each other, you can thin the row by pulling the stalks which show a substantial carrot top, giving you some delicious baby carrots to enjoy! They keep as long as you have them in the ground, but should be pulled for sure before autumn frost. 2) Beets- Sow these the same way as carrots; in a row covered with an inch of loamy soil. Thin them in the same manner. The great thing about beets is that the beet tops can be used as well as the root for a tasty change to your salads, a replacement for spinach, or as a filler in hearty soups. Pull them for sure before the first autumn frost. 3) Potatoes- You'll need seed-potatoes to start which can be bought from your local seed provider. Grocery-store potatoes generally don't work for our climate as they're often grown in warmer regions. Cut the seed-potatoes in half and dig a 6-inch-deep hole in somewhat loamy soil, placing the potato half in the bottom. Cover it in a hill-like manner. Space the hills at least 2 feet apart; they become quite large plants. Once the plant is about a foot tall, pull dirt toward the plant, or "hill" it, until the plant is almost covered. The plant will then seek to grow further, doubling your potato production. You may do this as many times as needed. Potatoes need to be pulled as soon as the first frost kills the leaves, though depending on the size of potatoes you like, you may want to do it sooner. Make sure to dig wide and deep because you'll find potatoes that have ventured far from the plant. 4) Parsley- A staple for cooking, this biennial is a super easy seed to throw in the ground, covering with a half-inch of soil, and watch grow. It doesn't mind being overcrowded, so no need to thin. When harvesting, simply cut stalks 1 inch from the soil. Because it is a biennial, you can leave it in the ground and it will come back the following spring, only having to reseed every second year. 5) Dill- It will grow anywhere, in any soil, and makes your food taste delicious. It doesn't mind overcrowding, and can be harvested by chopping anywhere on the stalk. Be warned: if it goes to seed(makes big seed blooms on top), and the seeds fall, you will face the "weed" aspect of this herb the following year because it will spring up everywhere. If you notice aphids(tiny green bugs) on the plant, you can rid the plant of the pest by spraying the leaves and stock with a produce-safe pesticide, either home-made or bought. 6) Rhubarb- This is a sweet treat from your garden that is incredibly hearty and resilient. Go to your local greenhouse and by yourself a small rhubarb plant. Plant it in full sun in somewhat loamy soil. Once it takes, this plant will live through anything. You could plow it up and it would still grow back(I say this from experience). Rhubarb doesn't taste great on its own, but can be dipped in sugar, or is great in jams, breads, muffins and crisps. 7) Cucumbers- Although sometimes the seeds are a little picky as to whether they want to grow or not, this vegetable will produce copious fruit from only one plant. Plant three to five seeds in a small hill(like the potatoes) and cover with an inch of dirt. The hills should be about a foot apart from one another. There is no need to thin them out once they start sprouting. They will start to produce small pickle-like fruit; the longer you leave them on the plant, the bigger they will grow! 8) Zucchini- Zucchini can be planted exactly the same as cucumber, except be sure to space the hills about 1.5 to 2 feet apart. The plants get incredibly large! You can harvest the fruit as early as it being about five inches long. Again, the longer you leave it on the plant, the bigger it'll get. 9) Chives- these are the easiest onion to grow from seed or otherwise. It acts like a green onion but has a perennial nature, so it will keep coming back year after year. You can start it from throwing a handful of seeds in the ground, or you can buy a started chive plant that will multiply as the season goes on. They have a weed-like nature due to their beautiful purple flowers dropping seeds, so make sure to either keep the buds at bay, or edge your chives at the beginning of each season. 10) Sunflowers & Nasturtiums- These two flowers are a must for any garden. They attract good bugs, like bees, ladybugs and butterflies, but deter the pest bugs away from your hard-earned crop. Nasturtium seeds can be thrown directly into the soil. Usually the packet says to score the seed and soak them, but I have never found the need; they grow regardless. Sunflowers seeds can be buried in any kind of soil and they will grow. Try to go for the pollinating kind to help out the bees, but if you're wanting cut-flowers, the non-pollinated are best. The seeds at the end of the season can be roasted or you can keep your favorite-looking sunflower heads, drying them out, so you can have seeds to plant the following year! In our region, we are considered to be "Zone 6" which means that we have an incredibly long winter. Because of this, the earliest a person should be planting a garden is May long weekend. Even if there is frost in the first week, the seeds will be insulated by soil.. After then, you should be good to go for the rest of the summer season! Hopefully you feel inspired to get some dirt on your hands, and if not, I'm happy to do the work for you! Come visit my roadside stand starting in June for fresh produce. |
Tried & True!If you've ever wanted to venture into the world of gardening, or are looking for easy how-to's for the kitchen, then enjoy these tips and tricks that I have used over the years. I love to share my experiences with others so that they, too, can feel their own satisfaction in their gardens and kitchens! Archives
June 2017
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