Tomatoes are vines, so it’s natural to grow them up. This not only saves garden space but also keeps plants healthy. Tomato diseases live in the soil. Fruit rotting on the ground invites slugs. And wouldn’t you rather eat that tomato than accidentally step on it? How do we grow up? Here are a few ideas. BUY […]
RECIPES Southern Sweet Tea Mini Quiches Lemon Curd Sandi’s Scones CRAFTS Grow Up | Train your Tomatoes ‘Beth’s Bucket’ step-by-step instructions
We all get hungry and need nourishment to live. Plants, too. Plants in the ground might get by without food, but for container plants, it is essential. Food and water—take Goldilocks’s advice: not too much, not too little, just right. So, let’s take a look at what’s on the menu for our plant babies. Fertilizer […]
Now that we have our tomatoes planted and growing, let’s consider tomato care. That would be watering, feeding, staking, pruning and disease control. Watering: The first and probably most important consideration is watering. Tomatoes require regular, consistent watering—infrequent, but deep is the best. The amount should equal about 1” (including rainfall) of water per week […]
Native plants often have a reputation for being “aggressive”, “thuggish”, or “weedy”. Sometimes this reputation is earned. Common milkweed, for example, is great for monarchs, but can be a real pain for a gardener to try to control (only plant this particular variety if you have lots of space and an informal style!). And it […]
I’ve been busy the last week or two potting some hostas that have gotten a little to big for their spaces, taking a daylily fan or two off some big clumps, digging some monarda (bee balms) and pulmonaria (lungworts) that have gone a little too far astray, and potted up some new lilium bulbs. I […]
May is a wonderful month because it brings warmth and sunshine into the garden. You are now putting plants into the garden and reaping the rewards with blooms and vegetables. Exercising—Continue exercising so your legs and arms can safely handle the workload. Bulbs—Allow bulb leaves to die naturally so the bulbs receive the sun’s energy […]
What is the most popular fruit grown in our home gardens? You know it as a tomato. Botanically it is a fruit as are zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, beans and peas. Nutritionists call them all vegetables, mainly because we eat them as savory dishes. But by whatever classification, a tomato is what so many of us […]
What to Recycle for Seed Pots There are a number of things you can use to start your seeds. Keurig cups, yogurt cups, small ice cream cups can all be used. Be sure to put at least one hole in the bottom of cups (Keurig cups already have a hole) for drainage. (We don’t want […]
Starting plants from seed is a relatively easy project if you plan ahead. Planning and equipment needed is important, so here’s some items you will need: Seeds Read the back label for instructions on how to plant and when to plant determined by the last frost date in your area. You won’t be planting all […]