Granny Gruners Garden

March Gardening To Do List

2008-03-01T22:33:00.001-05:00

Zone 1

Order indoor seed starting kits and seeds
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water indoor cymbidium orchids weekly until they bloom
Sow seeds indoors for tender perennials and annuals
Clean, oil and sharpen tools
Zone 2

Order seeds and seed starting systems
Sow seeds indoors or cold frame
Remove mulch from early bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Clean, oil and sharpen tools
Order or construct a cold frame for starting vegetables outdoors

Zone 3

Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Remove mulch from early bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 4

Plant bare root trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 5

Plant dormant, hardy container and balled and burlapped plants
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Remove winter mulch, lightly cultivate soil if thawed
Prune out winter damage
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials indoors
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables (asparagus, rhubarb etc.)
Plant seedlings of cool-season vegetables
Sow seeds for cool- and warm-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost

Zone 6

Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Prune out winter damage
Feed cool-season lawns
Remove winter mulch, lightly cultivate soil if thawed
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root and container roses
Prune roses (when temperatures remain above freezing)

Zone 7

Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant conifers and broad-leaf evergreens
Zone 8

Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
Plant summer- and fall-flowering bulbs
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant bare-root and container roses
Plant or transplant warm-season annuals
Plant fruit trees
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant heat-loving perennials
Plant ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune spring-flowering or tender shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Plant warm-seasoned vegetable seedlings

Zone 9

Set out warm season annuals
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Plant container fruit trees
Prune fruit trees after bloom and fruit setting
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Repair or plant lawns with warm season grasses (Bermuda, St. Augustine etc.)
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant fall-blooming perennials
Prune tender deciduous shrubs and vines
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Prune flowering fruit trees during or just after bloom
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables
Plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables

Zone 10

Get ahead of the bugs by hand-picking or spraying with organic preparations
Fertilize oleander, Bauhinia, hibiscus and citrus while in bloom with a low-nitrogen plant food
Mulch with at least two inches of decomposed hardwood material such as pine bark, pine needles, or cypress bark to conserve moisture in flower and vegetable beds
Plant avocados, papaya, breadfruit and mango, tababuia and tibuchina trees
Plant seed, seedlings, or rooted starts of herbs and vegetables such as peppers, okra, cantaloupe, watermelons, peanuts, sweet potatoes, luffa, chayote, lemon grass and mint
In drought-prone areas, install simple drip-irrigation systems to take care of summer watering needs

Zone 11

Get ahead of the bugs by hand-picking or spraying with organic preparations
Fertilize oleander, Bauhinia, hibiscus and citrus while in bloom with a low-nitrogen plant food
Mulch with at least two inches of decomposed hardwood material such as pine bark, pine needles, or cypress bark to conserve moisture in flower and vegetable beds
Plant avocados, papaya, breadfruit and mango, tababuia and tibuchina trees
Plant seed, seedlings, or rooted starts of herbs and vegetables such as peppers, okra, cantaloupe, watermelons, peanuts, sweet potatoes, luffa, chayote, lemon grass and mint
In drought-prone areas, install simple drip-irrigation systems to take care of summer watering needs.

article courtesy of http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zonemar01.html

Q&A: Plants For Beginner Gardeners

2008-01-23T01:19:00.000-05:00

Wondering what kind of plants to plant with your kids?Here is a great article on simple plants
that one can grow with their children from ArcaMax.com titled Plants For Beginner Gardeners.

Question: What can I plant with my 5-year-old that is easy to grow and low-maintenance?

Answer: Choose things that are quick to germinate and grow or that have sensory delights for children. Radishes germinate easily, mature quickly (about 20 to 25 days), and kids seem to love to pull them out of the ground. There's an 'Easter Egg' blend with round radishes in an assortment of colors. Sweet peas are extremely fragrant and pretty. (Soak the seeds in water overnight for easier germination.) Sunflowers and hollyhocks are magical. You might want to use some transplants also.

Try bedding plants such as lamb's ears (which are soft and wooly), pansies, and Johnny jump-ups (their little faces are fun). Chocolate mint is an easy-to-grow herb. In fact, all mints are so easy to grow and invasive that they are best planted in containers submerged in the garden (unless you want them to take over). Marigolds and cherry tomatoes are other good choices.

Grow Yourself a Grapevine!

2008-01-08T18:52:00.000-05:00

Here is another great how-to article from my good friend Mike McGroarty on grapevines.
Grow Yourself a Grapevine!

Most grapes are really easy to propagate, and middle
of the winter is an ideal to do it.

1. Cut some vines from the parent plant. You can cut
these vines as long as you want, I've worked with vines
12' long.

2. Cut the vines into cuttings. Start at the thick end of
the vine. (the bottom or butt end). Notice the bumps on
the vine. Those are bud unions, and on grapes they can
be as far apart as 6 inches. Make a cut right below, but
not into a bud union. Then skip a bud union, then make
a cut right above the next bud union. The second cut can
be as much as one inch above the top bud union. Each
cutting should have three buds. Top, bottom and middle.

3. Remove any side branches (curly cues) from your cutting.

4. Take your finished cuttings out to the garden, dig a
trench about 8 inches deep and place your cuttings in the
trench, leaving the top bud sticking out of the ground about 2".
Pack loose soil around your cuttings.

5. That's it you're done! If you have some rooting compound
for hardwood cuttings you can dip the cuttings in rooting
compound before placing them in the trench, but you really
don't need it. They'll root without it.

6. Water them as needed when it's dry, but don't keep them
soaking wet.

7. Some grapes are typically grafted, but you can still try
rooting them this way, it might work. Concord, Niagara and
Catawba for sure can be rooted this way.

(more personal stuff about Mike and Pam)
www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm
Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty

P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/

Janurary Garden to do List

2008-01-01T09:23:00.000-05:00

January Gardening To Do List

Zone 1
Order seed and nursery catalogues
Check dahlia and canna roots for plumpness, freedom from mold
Check house plants for mites, mealybugs, and scale
Cut back on feeding house plants
Protect bases of fruit tree trunks against rodent damage with wire mesh
Plant living Christmas trees if ground is workable
Clean and oil garden tools
Plan flower and vegetable beds

Zone 2
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom

Zone 3
Order seeds
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom

Zone 4
Order seeds
Sow seeds indoors for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)

Zone 5
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 6
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 7
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant conifers and broad-leaf evergreens

Zone 8
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Move living Christmas trees outdoors
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost

Zone 9
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Plant citrus
Move living Christmas tree outdoors
Sow frost-tolerant perennial seeds indoors
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennial seedlings outdoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-season and winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season and winter vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost

Zone 10
Order seeds
Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant winter-, spring-, and summer-blooming bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Prune flowering fruit trees while in bloom
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant citrus
Protect citrus from frost damage
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Move living Christmas trees outdoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root shrubs and vines
Apply dormant sprays to trees, shrubs and vines
Prune evergreen shrubs
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines
Plant bare-root trees
Sow cool-season vegetable seeds
Plant or transplant cool-season vegetable seedlings
Sow warm-season vegetable seeds

Zone 11
.Order seeds and plants from catalogues.
Sow seeds of hardy annuals outdoors (larkspur, bachelor's button, poppy)
Set out plants of early-spring blooming perennials (primrose, calendula, viola, pansy)
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, vegetables
Check house plants for mites, mealybugs
Prune fruit trees if you have not previously done so
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees, roses

article courtesy of http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zonejan01.html

Caring for Poinsettias and Making Them Re bloom

2007-12-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

Here is another great article by my good friend Mike I would like to share.

Caring for Poinsettias and Making Them Re bloom

Poinsettias, a bright and cheerful symbol of the holiday
season, are often thought of as "throwaway" plants to be
set on the curb when their red blooms fade. Rather than
buying a new plant each December, with proper care you can
keep your poinsettias blooming for another holiday season.

Poinsettia plants enjoy indirect sunlight for at least six
hours each day while they are blooming. They prefer to be
slightly on the dry side and will not be happy if they are
overwatered. While the plant is flowering it should not be
fertilized, but after the plant has finished blooming an all-
purpose fertilizer may be applied..

To enjoy your poinsettia blooms for another holiday season,
it should be cut back to about 8 inches in late March or early
April. It can be fertilized about once a month, and by late
May new growth will begin to appear.

Once there is no more danger of frost and nighttime temperatures
stay above 55 degrees F, your poinsettia may be kept outdoors
for the summer. Fertilizing can be done every 2-3 weeks during
the summer, and the plant can be pruned to keep it full and
compact. In warm climates a poinsettia may be planted directly
in the garden but in cooler climates it is best to transplant
your poinsettia into a pot that is just slightly larger than
its original pot. This can be done in early June. Be sure to
use a well-draining potting soil.

As temperatures begin to cool in late summer, the plant should
again be brought indoors. Longer nights will cause poinsettias
to set buds and produce flowers during November or December.
To encourage your poinsettia to bloom for the Christmas holiday,
you must carefully control the amount of light the plant receives.

To bloom for Christmas, the plant must be kept in total darkness
for 14 hours each night during October, November and early
December, along with 6-8 hours of bright sunlight. This can be
accomplished by moving the poinsettia to a dark closet each
night, making sure that no light sneaks beneath the door. Or
simply cover the plant with a large box each night. No peeking!
Any stray light will upset the schedule.

During October, November and early December the plant needs 6-8
hours of bright sunlight along with 14 hours of total darkness.
The ideal temperature for your poinsettia is between 60 and 70
degrees. Warmer or cooler temperatures can also delay flowering.
Continue fertilizing monthly until the blossoms appear.

Follow this schedule of daylight and darkness for 8-10 weeks and
your poinsettia will reward you with a colorful holiday display!

(more personal stuff about Mike and Pam)
http://www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm

Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty

P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/

McGroarty Enterprises Inc.
P.O. Box 338
Perry, Ohio 44081

Composting Methods

2007-12-16T09:17:00.000-05:00

Here at Granny's garden we are big on the use of composting for beneficial use's in our garden.
There are many benefits to using compost in the garden that range from Biological Benefits to
Chemical Benefits.

There is a wonderful article on the different ways of composting methods over at the University of Illinois Extension titled Composting for the Homeowner it explains the different methods of composting.This is a great
read for anyone interested in the subject of composting.I recommend you give it a look.
Composting Methods

Growing and Caring for Amaryllis Indoors

2007-12-10T22:10:00.000-05:00

Growing and Caring for Amaryllis Indoors
Here is anothet great article by my good friend Mike I thought you might enjoy.

Amaryllis bulbs are often given as gifts for the holidays,
later producing spectacular flowers to brighten the
recipient's home or office. Amaryllis bulbs can be found
in many stores in December, or in mail-order catalogs.
The bulbs are sold separately or already planted in pots.

If you're purchasing unpotted bulbs, choose those that are
large and feel solid. The largest bulbs will produce two
or more flower stalks and larger blooms. Select a pot for
the bulb that is an inch or two wider than the diameter of
the bulb, and plant the bulb in well-draining potting soil
that does not include pine bark. A mix of equal amounts of
perlite and peat can also be used for potting amaryllis bulbs.
The upper half to third of the bulb should remain above the
soil surface.

Once planted, water the pot well and place it in a location
where the temperature is 70-75 degrees. Some sources say
that the bulb should not be watered again until the bulb
sprouts. Once it sprouts, the soil should be kept moist but
not soggy.

After the bulb sprouts, move the plant to a sunny window and
give it a half-strength dose of fertilizer once or twice monthly.
Turn the pot each day to keep the flower stalk growing straight.
The stalk may need to be staked if it tends to lean.

Once the flowers appear, move the plant to an area with cooler
temperatures and indirect light. Cooler temperatures will prolong
the life of the blossoms.

When the flowers fade, cut off the flower stalks about an inch
above the bulb. Remove any dead foliage but leave the green
foliage on the plant so they can help the plant store energy.

Amaryllis bulbs will produce flowers year after year if treated
correctly. After the plant has finished blooming, move it back
to a sunny window and give it water when the soil surface is dry.
Continue fertilizing once or twice monthly until outdoor
temperatures stay well above freezing, generally in May.
Gradually expose the plant to outdoor temperatures and sunlight
for several days, then plant pot and all in a spot where it will
receive partial to full sun.

Bring the plant back indoors in mid-September and place it in a
cool, somewhat dark location such as an unheated garage or
basement to induce dormancy, and stop watering the plant.
Remove the leaves as they become brown, and keep the bulb at
a temperature of 50-55 degrees for 8-10 weeks. After this time the
plant can be moved back to its sunny window and watered well.
New growth will soon appear, followed by another round of lovely
blossoms.

(more personal stuff about Mike and Pam)
http://www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm

Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty

P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/

Linky Love Train

2007-12-09T12:02:00.000-05:00

Get aboard the Linky Love train. Chris from the The Dog Log blog invited me to join her on a new linky love train. I've never been on board one before, so I'm definitely game for it. Plus this is such an easy tag, how can I not join in the fun?

The rules: when you get tagged, you have to add your name below the person who tagged you and by doing so you are letting the list grow.

Limadang.com
RamblingMoo.com
blogginginmypyjamas
StylewithPassion
Chinneeq
dorazooropazoo
Babyshern
HiPnCooLMoMMa
Rachel’s Soulful Thoughts
When Silence Speaks
Dancing in Midlife Tune
Underneath it All
I am Dzoi
Hobbies and Such
moms…..check nyo
Choc Mint Girl
Amel’s Realm
My Thoughts
Rusin Roundup
Juliana’s Site
Max
Rooms of My Heart
Mariuca
Colin aka cotojo
A Great Pleasure
MondayMorningPower
The dog log
Granny Gruners Garden

I would like to tag my good friend Waliz from the Waliz Diary

Caring for a Live (Balled) Christmas Tree

2007-12-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

Here is a great article on Caring for a Live (Balled) Christmas Tree by my good friend Mike.

Live Christmas trees (balled in burlap) are great
because you can enjoy them for Christmas, then enjoy
them in your yard for 20 or 30 years or more. But you
must know how to care for them and how to plant them
in your yard.

1. Keep your live tree in the house for as short a period
of time as possible. Try to keep it in inside for no more
than three weeks.

2. Keep the root ball watered well, they dry out quickly.
But don't water it so much that it's soggy or submerged in
water.

3. Dig a hole in your yard the size of the root ball BEFORE
you move the tree inside. That way as soon as Christmas
is over you can get the tree planted even if the ground is
frozen Do not dig the hole too deep. Once in the hole the
top of the ball should be at least 1" above ground. Then
mound soil over the root ball so the burlap is not exposed.

4. Keep enough loose soil in your garage in a wheelbarrow
to cover the root ball after planting. The ground might be
frozen after Christmas.

5. Don't store your tree in the garage after Christmas. It will
be much happier in the ground, even if it's really cold outside.

6. Do not fertilize your tree. Come spring you can fertilize
with an organic fertilizer. Do not use a high nitrogen fertilizer.

7. Enjoy your live Christmas tree for many years to come.

(more personal stuff about Mike and Pam)
http://www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm

Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty

P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/

McGroarty Enterprises Inc.
P.O. Box 338
Perry, Ohio 44081

Window Sill Herb Garden

2007-11-25T13:45:00.000-05:00

Ever thought of planting a window sill herb garden to get you over those winter blues?
It would be nice to have some fresh herbs growing in the kitchen window sill this winter
to help take away those winter blues plus you could get some health benefits at the same time.

Most herbs will get by on at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.So if you have a sunny window sill then
you are in business.Basil, chives, sweet marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme are especially well suited to growing in windowsill gardens.

So get out your potting mix, container,and get started today.

Mulch Fall-Planted Bulbs

2007-11-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Remember those fall planted spring flowering bulbs you recently planted?
They will need a little protection this winter for spring beauty.

To protect fall planted, spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips for winter mulch them after a few hard freezes with a 2 to 3 inch thick layer of shredded bark.

This should help you to have a beautiful spring garden.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T17:44:00.000-05:00

Myspace Graphics at WishAFriend.com

All of us here at Granny Gruners Garden would like to wish you a wonderful,and safe Thanksgiving.

Winter is Coming/Something to Think About

2007-11-05T20:19:00.000-05:00

Make sure all of your garden hoses are disconnected
from the faucets. Today most homes are equipped with
"frost free" hose bibs that are not supposed to freeze.
But what most people don't realize is that unless you
disconnect the hose from the faucet the water inside of
the faucet can not drain and they can and will freeze and
break inside the wall. Simply disconnect the hose so the
water inside the faucet can run out.

If you live in the south you need not worry. In the north pipes do freeze
and bust wide open if we don't take precautions. It just
adds to ambience of living in the north.

November Garden To Do List

2007-11-04T07:50:00.000-05:00

November Gardening To Do List

Zone 1
Thin dense-growing trees to avoid wind damage
Apply mulch around plants after ground freezes
Cut back chrysanthemums after bloom; mulch heavily or dig and store in basement or garage
Set up burlap screens on windward sides of choice shrubs
Prune deciduous trees and roses after leaves have fallen

Zone 2
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)

Zone 3
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)

Zone 4
Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy spring-blooming bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Protect roses for winter

Zone 5
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Protect roses for winter

Zone 6
Start fall compost pile
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Protect roses for winter

Zone 7
Plant ornamental trees
Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Pre-chill tulips and hyacinths for indoor forcing
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Rake lawn to remove debris
Protect roses for the winter
Prune fall- and winter-flowering shrubs during or just after bloom
Prune hardy deciduous and evergreen shrubs and vines
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 8
Lightly cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant winter-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune fall- and winter-blooming shrubs and vines after bloom
Plant cool-season or winter vegetable seedlings
Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables

Zone 9
Plant for winter color with annuals
Plant winter- and spring-flowering shrubs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Plant citrus
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Repair or plant lawns
Rake lawns to remove debris
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Plant winter-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune deciduous trees
Prune fall- and winter-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant seedlings of cool-season or winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost

Zone 10
Set out winter-blooming annuals
Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Plant citrus
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant winter-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root shrubs and vines
Prune fall- and winter-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root trees
Sow cool-season or winter vegetable seeds

Zone 11
Purchase living Christmas tree (but don't bring it indoors until a week -or less- before Christmas)
Plan next year's garden
Clean and oil garden tools
Drain and winterize garden mechanical equipment according to manufacturer's instructions
When you bring in the living Christmas tree, keep it away from heating registers
Keep gift plants in a cool, light place. Slit foil at bottom of pot to keep roots from drowning.

article courtesy of http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zonenov01.html

Fall Lawn Care

2007-10-23T07:19:00.000-05:00

Fall Lawn Care

By Willi Evans Galloway

Even if you have only a small plot of sod, you still want it to look its best and be free of problems. The cool-season grasses (bluegrasses, perennial ryegrass, and fescues) grown in the northern half of the United States need more care now than warm-season grasses (bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and St. Augustine). Whichever type of grass you have, there are some steps you should take this fall to ensure a healthy, green lawn next spring.

Get a soil test. Assessing your soil health now gives you time to correct nutrient deficiencies and pH problems before spring.

Shred the leaves. Fallen leaves can smother a lawn if left in place all winter. Use a mulching mower to shred leaves into vital organic matter that you can leave right on your lawn.

Throw off thatch. Compacted soil and too much thatch—an accumulation of undecayed and decaying plant matter at the soil surface—denies grass roots the air, water, and nutrients they need to thrive. (Thatching, by the way, is caused by excess fertilizing, not by mulching grass clippings.) Increasing organic matter will stimulate the soil microbes that consume thatch. If the problem is so bad that water cannot penetrate the thatch, remove the thatch now with a stiff rake or thatching rake.

Mow high. Continue to mow grass until it stops actively growing. For the final mowing of the season, cut cool-season grasses to 2½ inches and warm-season grasses between 1½ and 2 inches, which is just a little shorter than you should cut it during the spring and early autumn.

No fast food. Fertilize cool-season grasses in fall with a slow-release, organic fertilizer, such asFall Lawns Alive!® Application timing varies among regions, so check with your county extension office for local recommendations. Don't fertilize warm-season grasses in fall.

Reseed bare areas. Prevent weedy patches next spring by seeding now. Grass seed grows well in fall because the temperatures are perfect for cool-season grass and because it has less competition from annual weeds. Just be sure to give the lawn enough time to establish itself before winter weather hits. Plant and renovate warm-season grasses in the spring.

Article from Organic Gardening .com

Putting Your Garden to Bed for Winter

2007-10-15T19:07:00.000-05:00

Putting Your Garden to Bed for Winter

With fall here and winter being not far behind, it will soon
be time to put your garden to bed for the winter.

Houseplants that have been luxuriating outdoors for the
summer need to be brought indoors when nighttime
temperatures drop below fifty degrees. Many houseplants
come from tropical regions and they won't appreciate cooler
temperatures. Before bringing them indoors, carefully
examine the leaves and the pots for any insects that may try
to hitch a ride inside your house. A couple of good douses of
insecticidal soap applied a few days before the plants are
brought inside will eliminate many pests before they can
infest your home.

Fall is a good time to plant perennials. Fall-planted
perennials should be thinly mulched after planting. More
mulch should be added after the ground has frozen to prevent
the newly established plants from heaving out of the ground
from repeated freezing and thawing. Mark where all of your
perennials are planted so you'll know where they are once the
foliage has died back at the end of the season.

Tender bulbs and tubers such as gladiola and begonias
should be dug up after the first light frost and stored over winter
in a cool, dark place that won't freeze.

Stop fertilizing your trees and flowering shrubs as fall
approaches. This will allow the new growth to harden off
before winter and will help prevent winter damage to your
plants.

Clean out all weeds, plant debris and unharvested vegetables
from the vegetable garden. Compost can be added to the
vegetable garden now, and you might consider planting a cover
crop of winter rye, oats or clover. Cover crops help keep
weeds down and prevent erosion in the garden. Come spring,
the cover crop is tilled in to enrich the soil.

Putting the garden to bed can be a sad event for gardeners,
but it also reminds us that another glorious season of
gardening will be here soon.

(personal stuff about Mike and Pam, more added all the time)
http://www.freeplants.com/stuff.htm

Have a great week!
-Mike McGroarty

P.S. The message board is here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/519353/

McGroarty Enterprises Inc.
P.O. Box 338
Perry, Ohio 44081

Mulch Your Spring Flower Bulbs in the Fall for a Beautiful Spring Display

2007-10-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

Mulch Your Spring Flower Bulbs in the Fall for a Beautiful Spring Display

Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like some people we know, if they wake up before they are fully rested, they get kind of cranky, and then they don’t bloom well at all.

Actually what happens is during a mild winter, the soil stays too warm, and the bulbs begin to come out of dormancy early. They start to grow, and once the tips emerge above the soil line, they are subject to freezing if the temperatures dip back down below freezing. And that’s usually what happens. After the bulbs have emerged, they freeze and then don’t bloom at all, or if they do it’s a very sad display.

Another reason this happens is because the bulbs are not planted deep enough. They may have been deep enough when you planted them, but as the soil goes through the freezing and thawing process, the bulbs can actually work their way up in the ground. One way to keep your flower bulbs sleeping longer, which will protect them from freezing, is to mulch the bed.

In the fall just apply a 3-4” layer of well composted mulch. This layer of mulch will do a couple of things. It will maintain a higher moisture content in the soil, which is good, as long as the soil isn’t too soggy. Well composted mulch also adds valuable organic matter to the planting bed. Organic matter makes a great natural fertilizer.

A 3-4” layer of mulch also acts as an insulator. It will keep the soil from freezing for a while, which is good because you don’t want the bulbs going through a series of short cycles of freezing and thawing. Then when the temperatures drop below freezing and stay there for a while, the soil does eventually freeze. Then the mulch actually works in reverse and keeps the soil from thawing out too early. Keeping it in a frozen state is actually good because the bulbs remain dormant for a longer period of time.

When they finally do wake up it is spring time, and hopefully by the time they emerge from the ground the danger of a hard freeze is past and they will not be damaged. If you can keep them from freezing, they will flower beautifully. The extra organic matter will help to nourish the bulbs when they are done blooming, and the cycle starts all over again.

We also plant annual flowers in the same beds with our spring bulbs. By the time the danger of frost is past and it’s time to plant the annuals, the top of the bulbs have died back and are ready to be removed. The mulch that is added in the fall also helps to nourish the annual flowers, as well as improve the soil permanently. Anytime you add well composted organic matter to your planting beds, you are bound to realize multiple benefits. The key words here are “well composted”. Fresh material is not good.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most
interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his
excellent gardening newsletter, and grab a FREE copy of his
E-book, "Easy Plant Propagation".

Fall Rose Care

2007-10-06T22:01:00.000-05:00

Fall Rose Care
Remember that roses require special care in the fall. In early fall, suspend fertilization. Continuing to fertilize causes new growth that could be killed by winter's cold. After foliage drops, spray with fungicide, then cover plants with a minimum of 8" of loose, well-drained soil, mulch or compost. Prune canes back to 36" to prevent damage from winter winds.

October Gardening To Do List

2007-09-30T20:56:00.000-05:00

October Gardening To Do List

Zone 1
Finish planting container-grown trees and shrubs
Plant needle-bearing evergreens early in the month
If the month is dry, repeat the September soaking
Check ties on trees, and loosen any that look tight
Finish bulb planting early in the month
Cover compost to keep it warm and working
Observe trees for fall color; jot names of the best in your notebook
Dig dahlia roots after tops are frosted

Zone 2
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Protect roses for winter

Zone 3
Start fall compost pile
Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Protect roses for winter

Zone 4
Start fall compost pile
Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy spring-blooming bulbs
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant, feed, and aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
Protect roses for winter
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant balled-and-burlapped trees
Plant trees in containers
Plant frost-tolerant trees

Zone 5
Start fall compost pile
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
Aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Protect roses for winter
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees

Zone 6
Start fall compost pile
Plant winter- and spring-flowering bulbs
Divide and replant crowded fall-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped fruit trees
Plant permanent ground covers
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant and aerate lawns and loosen thatch
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Protect roses for winter
Plant container and balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 7
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Cover perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds for winter
Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Pre-chill tulips and hyacinths for indoor forcing
Plant balled-and-burlapped or container fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Rake lawn to remove debris
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Plant container roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped or container trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune fall-flowering shrubs just after bloom
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 8
Plant for fall and winter color
Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped and container fruit trees
Prune frost-sensitive fruit trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Plant fall- and winter-blooming perennials
Prune fall-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant seedlings of cool-season or winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables

Zone 9
Plant for fall color with annuals
Buy winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Feed and water cacti or succulents that are growing or blooming
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Repair or plant lawns
Rake lawns to remove debris
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Plant fall- and winter-blooming perennials
Prune fall-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant or transplant seedlings of cool-season or winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables

Zone 10
Plant annuals for fall color
Set out fall and winter-blooming plants
Plant winter- and spring-blooming bulbs
Feed and water cacti and succulents that are growing or blooming
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant winter-blooming perennials
Prune fall-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
Sow cool-season vegetable seeds
Start seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables

Zone 11
Finish planting spring-blooming bulbs
Plant container-grown trees and shrubs
Feed and water lawn to encourage overseeded grass
Prune back summer- and fall-blooming shrubs
Allow rose hips to form; it will encourage early dormancy in bushes

article courtesy of http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zoneoct01.html

WHERE TO GROW CHRYSANTHEMUMS

2007-09-22T09:37:00.000-05:00

WHERE TO GROW CHRYSANTHEMUMS

This article is from the Beginners Handbook.
Purchase the complete handbook online.

When selecting a good location to grow chrysanthemums, a number of things should be considered.

SUNSHINE

The chrysanthemum does best in full sun. All of us do not always have a location where full sunshine can be provided. In most places, five to six hours will be sufficient to produce a healthy plant. When a choice exists between early morning sun and afternoon sun, select the morning sun. There, early drying will help to avoid mildew and other diseases. This effect is usually helpful to most plants.

DRAINAGE

Another condition to be considered in site selection is water drainage. Since chrysanthemums require good drainage, a low, level site in which rain collects should be avoided. When higher ground fails to drain well, all is not hopeless. The solution is to construct raised beds. Pressure treated wood, nominal 2 inch by eight inch is most satisfactory and readily available. After the bed is so outlined it should then be filled with suitable soil.

NIGHT LIGHTS

There are still other conditions which influence the selection of a location for chrysanthemum planting. One undesirable influence is the presence of a street or other light source at night. As will be explained later in more detail, light at night serves to delay the bloom date.

ROOT COMPETITION

When possible, beds should be located at a sufficient distance from larger plants to avoid extensive root competition. When root competition cannot be avoided, a barrier may be considered. Barriers may be open ditches or underground walls of metal, masonry, or lumber. Walls or barriers eight to twelve inches deep will usually prove to be sufficient.

AIR DRAINAGE

Finally, consideration should be given to a factor of which few people are aware. This factor is air drainage. Air flows in the same manner as water. Heavier cold air flows downhill while lighter warm air rises. Plants should be located away from walls or obstructions which would hinder air flow. Air movement helps to dry moist foliage and thus reduces development of mildew. Air flow also provides a cooling effect

NO YARD AT ALL

With limited yard or no yard at all, chrysanthemums can be grown successfully in containers. With containers, the soil can be formulated for good drainage and the containers can be moved to provide maximum sunlight and protection from the elements.

article reprinted from theNational Chrysanthemums Society

Made in the Shade

2007-05-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Made in the Shade

Looking for vegetables that will grow in the shade? Cabbage, celery, carrots, lettuce, spinach, parsley and radishes will grow with as little as four hours of sunlight daily. Expect plants to be lankier because they have to reach for the sun. But they will taste just as good as ones grown in full sun.

May Gardening To Do List

2007-05-01T20:42:00.000-05:00

May Gardening To Do List

Zone 1

Prune flowering fruit trees while in bloom; use cuttings indoors
Complete bare-root planting
Amend soil with humus (manure, ground bark, peat moss, leaf mold)
Set out summer bedding plants when they become available
Set out tomatoes, eggplants when soil warms and danger of frost is over
Mow lawns if grass and soil are dry enough
Set out plants of cold crops (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts)
Plant peas, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, turnips
Feed spring-flowering shrubs after bloom
Apply shading to greenhouse
Zone 2

Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals outdoors
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Plant permanent ground covers and cool-season lawns
Feed cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root and container roses
Prune roses (when temperatures are above freezing)
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant bare-root, balled-and-burlapped, and container trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 3

Set out cool-season annuals
Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Plant cool-season lawns and permanent ground covers
Feed and aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Divide and replant spring-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant bare-root and container roses
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines before buds swell
Plant tender shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 4

Set out cool-season annuals
Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Divide and replant crowded winter- and spring-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant, feed, and aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Set out herbs
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Divide and replant spring-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs and vines
Apply dormant spray to shrubs and vines
Plant tender shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 5
Set out cool-season annuals
Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Divide and replant crowded winter- and spring-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Divide and replant spring-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to shrubs and vines
Plant tender shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant balled-and-burlapped trees
Plant trees in containers
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 6

Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Divide and replant crowded winter- and spring-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant and aerate lawns and loosen thatch
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Divide and replant spring-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant tender shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 7
Plant summer- and fall-flowering bulbs
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant annuals for summer and fall color
Plant balled-and-burlapped or container fruit trees
Spray dormant fruit trees
Prune frost-sensitive fruit trees
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant heat-loving perennials
Plant container roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped or container trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune spring-flowering or tender shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Plant or transplant warm-season vegetable seedlings

Zone 8
Set out annuals
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped and container fruit trees
Prune frost-sensitive fruit trees
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant or repair warm-season lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant fall-blooming perennials
Prune tender deciduous shrubs and vines
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables
Plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables

Zone 9
Plant for summer color
Plant fall-flowering bulbs
Feed and water cacti or succulents that are blooming or actively growing
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Repair or plant lawns
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables
Transplant warm-season vegetable seedlings

Zone 10
Plant annuals for summer color
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Feed and water cacti and succulents that are growing or blooming
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant fall-blooming and hardy perennials
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Transplant warm-season vegetable seedlings

Zone 11

Install or repair drip irrigation systems
Plant beans, beets, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons
Bring out house plants to a shaded, wind-sheltered patio
Prune spring-blooming shrubs and vines after bloom
Feed and shape rose bushes
Make succession plantings of gladiolus
Deadhead annuals and perennials for prolonged bloom

article source backyard gardener.com

How to identify and control insect and disease pests on your landscape plants

2007-04-24T19:11:00.000-05:00

How to identify and control insect and disease pests on your landscape plants.

There are a variety of different insects and diseases that can infest your landscape plants and cause a considerable amount of damage. Many of the insects are so small they are are extremely difficult to see with the naked eye, unless you know what you are looking for. I’m going to give you a few helpful hints.

Read More

Earth Day

2007-04-22T09:15:00.000-05:00

Today is earth day around the world.Here are some links on earth day.

http://www.earthday.net/earthday2007.aspx
http://www.earthsite.org/
http://earthday.envirolink.org/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/earthday/
http://earthday.wilderness.org/
http://earthday.gov/

Cantaloupe

2007-04-18T18:38:00.000-05:00

Cantaloupe

Q. Why do my cantaloupes bloom and bloom but seldom set any fruit?

A. Cantaloupes, like other vining crops such as cucumbers, pumpkins, squash and watermelons, require pollination for fruit set. This means pollen must be transferred from the male blooms to the female blooms. Although cantaloupes are different than other vining crops because they have flowers which contain male and female parts as well as those which contain only male parts, pollination by bees is still necessary. High temperatures or high fertility can cause the cantaloupe to produce only male blooms which results in poor fruit set. Nematodes can also cause small plants, profusion of blooms and no fruit. Root knot is a species of nematode which causes galls or swellings on plant roots. It restricts the uptake of nutrients from the root system to the foliage, resulting in a yellow and stunted plant. Root knot lives in the soil and can survive on a number of weed and vegetable crops. It is best controlled by planting a solid stand (close enough for root systems to overlap) of marigolds three months before the last killing frost of fall and/or planting cereal rye (Elbon) for a winter cover crop. Cereal rye should be shredded and tilled into the soil 30 days before planting a spring crop.

Q. Are bees necessary for pollination and fruit set in home- grown cantaloupes?

A. Although cantaloupes produce some perfect flowers (those that contain male and female parts) which can set fruit without pollen from a male flower, an adequate supply of bees during bloom will insure an abundant cantaloupe harvest. Most problems with fruit set in cantaloupes are caused by a lack of pollinating insects during the blooming period.

Q. Can cantaloupes cross-pollinate with other crops such as cucumbers, watermelons, squash or pumpkins?

A. Crossing between members of the curcurbit family is rare. If crossing occurs, it will not show up in this year's fruit but will be evident if seed is saved from these fruits to plant in next year's garden. Many people rate off-flavored or strange- colored fruit with cross-pollination, but it is usually caused by environmental conditions or disease.

Q. What is the best way to determine when a cantaloupe is ready for harvest?

A. The cantaloupe is ready to harvest when the stem easily separates from the fruit. To avoid over-ripening, harvest cantaloupes before they naturally separate from the vine. The best way to check maturity of cantaloupes is to place your thumb beside the stem and gently apply pressure to the side. If the stem separates easily, the cantaloupe is ripe.

Q. Some years my cantaloupe are sweet and tasty and other years they have no flavor at all. What is wrong?

A. Cantaloupe flavor depends upon environmental conditions. High rainfall or excessive irrigation as the cantaloupes near maturity will adversely affect fruit flavor. Also, diseases which reduce the vigor of the plant and the leaves' ability to produce sugar will affect fruit flavor. Maintaining the plants in a healthy growing condition and avoiding excessive watering near maturity will improve cantaloupe flavor. Lack of flavor is not caused by cantaloupes crossing with other vine crops, such as cucumbers. Variety of cantaloupe grown affects flavor.

Q. Can you save seed from this year's crop of cantaloupes for planting in next year's garden?

A. Yes, but this is not recommended. Do not save seed from any vine crops because some cross-pollinating can become evident when the seed are planted in next year's garden. If you grow only one variety of cantaloupes and there are no cantaloupes in neighborhood gardens, seed can be saved for next year without producing off-type fruit. If hybrid varieties are used, you should not save seeds for next year's planting.

Q. What is the difference between a honeydew and cantaloupe?

A. Honeydew melons are closely related to cantaloupes but ripen later. Most honeydew melons have white or green flesh and mature within 100 to 120 days after planting. Honeydew melons do not slip from the vine as cantaloupes do and are mature when they become creamy to golden yellow in color and the blossom-end softens slightly.

Q. The foliage on my cantaloupe is developing yellow spots with a downy growth underneath.

A. This is downy mildew and can be controlled with resistant varieties (Top Score, TAM Uvalde, Perlita and PMR 45) and fungicide applications using chlorothalonil.

Q. The foliage of my cantaloupes is covered by brown, dead spots which fall out giving the foliage a very tattered appearance.

A. This disease can be controlled with fungicide applications at 10- to 14-day intervals. Use chlorothalonil.

Q. The stems near the crown of my cantaloupes are splitting, and an amber-colored ooze is forming around these cuts. Soon after this happens, the plants wilt and die.

A. This is gummy stem blight. It is a soil-borne fungal disease that infects and kills young plants. It can be controlled with benomyl sprays applied at the crown of the plants when they are just beginning to form runners. Rotation within the garden will also help prevent this problem.

Q. After the recent rains, my cantaloupes began to rot. Around the base of the decay there was a white fungal mat.

A. This is southern blight. The control for this is mulching between the fruit and the soil. Heavy soils will be more prone to this problem than light, sandy soils. Chemicals do not prevent this. Waterings should be light and quick so the soil does not stay wet for long.

Q. The roots of my cantaloupe plants are covered with knots and small swellings.

A. These are root knot nematodes. Root knot is a species of nematode which causes galls or swellings on plant roots. It restricts the uptake of nutrients from the root system to the foliage, resulting in a yellow and stunted plant. Root knot lives in the soil and can survive on a number of weed and vegetable crops. It is best controlled by planting a solid stand (close enough for root systems to overlap) of marigolds three months before the first killing frost of fall and/or planting cereal rye (Elbon) for a winter cover crop. Cereal rye should be shred and tilled into the soil 30 days before planting a spring crop.

Q. My cantaloupe leaves look wilted and have a sticky substance all over them. What causes this?

A. A wilted appearance and sticky honeydew on melons are characteristics of heavy aphid infestations. Control aphids on cantaloupes with dimethoate, malathion or Thiodan. Use as directed on the label.

Q. My cantaloupe leaves have little trails or tunnels all over them. Will this harm my plants?

A. These trails are caused by leaf miners. Plants can tolerate very large populations without yield loss.

Q. My cantaloupe leaves have a web all over them and some of the leaves are turning yellow and dying.

A. The plants are probably infested with spider mites. Check the underside of the leaves for small red mites. Remove and destroy heavily infested plants. Treat light infestations with diazinon or Kelthane. Use as directed on the label. Never use sulfur as an organic control on vine crops.

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/web.html

Get kids interested in gardening

2007-04-14T06:44:00.000-05:00

Get kids interested in gardening

The National Gardening Association has created a great website for parents and especially teachers to help get kids interested in learning about gardening -http://kidsgardening.org. You can find all sorts of projects for kids to do which will help them learn about all aspects of gardening, from composting to collecting seeds.

Vegetable Gardening Basics

2007-04-13T01:51:00.000-05:00

Vegetable Gardening Basics
Creating Your Own Vegetable Garden

There are few things that are as satisfying to a home gardener, than to wander out to the vegetable garden, harvest and consume the fruits of their labor. Successful vegetable gardening involves far more than just popping a few seeds into the ground and waiting for a tomato to appear. Planting is only the third step of the three 'P's. Planning your garden, Preparing the soil, and then... Planting your vegetables!

Read More

A Funny Post From GardeningTips,and Ideas Blog

2007-04-10T19:08:00.000-05:00

Gardeningtipsnideas.com has a funny post titled Hilliary Clinton Garden Tips you can read it here.
http://www.gardeningtipsnideas.com/

Growing Onions

2007-04-07T10:17:00.000-05:00

GROWING ONIONS

Beth Jarvis

Onions, as members of the allium family, are cousins of garlic, chives, leeks and shallots. They're mostly biennials, growing vegetatively the first year then blooming the second.

There are a few perennial onions. You'll find them in catalogs under potato/multiplier onions or Egyptian walking onions. The potato/multiplier onion increase by producing new bulbs in a clump. The walking onions send up a flower stalk that sets numerous marble-sized bulbs at the top. When the weight of the bulb cluster becomes too great, the flower stalk collapses and the little bulbs take root where they land, hence they "walk". These onions are perhaps best used for green onions.

Starting onions:
Onions can be started three way: sets, direct seeding and transplanting. Though planting onion sets is the most popular way to grow them, you'll have better results transplanting seedlings you start indoors ahead of time.

Sets:
Sets are onions that were planted from seed last year. Sets for white, yellow and sometimes red onions are available from mail order catalogs and even some grocery stores. You can raise your own sets but you'll need to direct seed them in the garden by July so they can grow big enough to harvest and store in fall.

Buy onion sets that are firm and marble size but have not sprouted. Big sets may split into two bulbs or produce a flower stalk very early. (When an onion sends up a flower stalk, pull the onion and use it; it will not continue to grow larger nor will it store well.) Sort sets into those large than a dime and those smaller. Plant the larger sets for green onions and plant the smaller ones with adequate spacing: they'll produce bigger onions.

Because sets tolerate light frost, you can plant them outside when temperatures reach 48 degrees, around the middle of April in the Twin Cities. Plant onion sets, pointy end up, 1½ to 2" below soil. If you're planting big sets for green onions, space them close, almost touching. If you're planting them for full size onions, space them 3 to 4" apart. Firm the soil around the bulbs. Choose a location with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Sun all day is even better.

If you want to raise a winter's worth of onions, you'll need to plant onions from seedlings in addition to onions from sets, as onions from sets don't store as long as the others.

Transplants:
Raising your own seedlings for transplants gives you a jump on spring in late winter, more choices of varieties to raise, plus it's less expensive than purchasing transplants. Transplants are available through mail order and some garden centers. Regardless of the source, transplants will give you bigger onions by fall. Onions need to be planted indoors 8 to 12 weeks before transplanting outside, so plant the seeds in February to transplant onion seedlings outside in May. Buy only as much seed as you will use this year. Onion seeds don't remain viable for much over a year.

The most important thing to remember when buying onion seed is day length, especially if you're ordering from a national mail order firm. In Minnesota, we need to buy "long day" onion seeds because our summer days can be 16 hours long.

In the south, day length varies less and averages about 12 hours of light per day. Onions for southern gardeners are "short day" onions. You can raise short day onions in Minnesota but they will bulb as soon as day length reaches 12 hours and you'll get small onions.

Long day varieties start to bulb when day lengths are about 14-16 hours. If you start onion seeds indoors, keep lights on only 12 hours each day to give the plants a suitable night. Onion seedlings will form bulbs too early if exposed to long days at any time during their development. You will not get anything bigger than sets.

Plant onion seeds ¼-½" deep in a sterile seed-starting media. They can be planted 3 to a cell in recycled four or six packs or sow thickly in rows if you plant in a deep (4" to 6") flat or other container. Keep tops trimmed 3-4" tall. Water regularly to maintain adequate soil moisture.

Onion seedlings need to be hardened off before transplanting outside, after danger of frost has passed. Expose young plants to outdoor conditions gradually, over a two week period.

Plant seedlings 4" apart and just deeply enough to catch in the soil. When mature, they'll appear to sit on top of the soil.

Once outdoors, keep onions well watered, about an inch a week. Watering is critical when the bulbs start to swell. Water stress produces stronger flavored bulbs. Add fertilizer, based on a soil test, at planting, then again when leaves are 6" tall and lastly when bulbs are starting to swell.

Direct seeding:
If you want to plant onion seeds directly in the garden, you'll probably be most successful with green onions (also called scallions). Our short season makes success less likely when direct-seeding bulb-type onions.

Plant onion seeds in a sunny location where soil drains well. Cover the seeds with ½" of soil and water them regularly. Harvest when the white portion is pencil thick.

Harvest:
Onions are edible at any stage. Immature bulb-forming onions can be thinned from the garden and eaten.

Onions are ripe when ¼ to ½ of the tops have fallen over and bulbs have developed a papery skin. (For storage onions, 50% or more to the tops should have fallen over.) Gently push down the other plants, taking care to not break the stalks. Leave the onions in the ground for several days then pull them and let them cure in a warm, airy place out of the elements for a week or two.

When properly dried for storage, onions will have a dry, shrunken neck and dry outer skin. When storage onions are dry, braid their tops together or hang them in mesh bags or old nylons, and store them in a cool, dry site.

Mature, cured onions are physiologically dormant. The length of dormancy depends on what cultivar you've planted. Cool storage will prolong dormancy. The recommended storage temperature is 32 degrees. Do not let them freeze. Onions will start to sprout at temperatures over 40 degrees.

There is absolutely no truth to the story that potatoes and onions should not be stored together because one makes the other sprout. The truth is, they have different storage temperature requirements. The optimal storage temperature for potatoes is 40 degrees, the temperature at which onions sprout.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h247onion.html

April Gardening To Do List

2007-04-03T19:19:00.000-05:00

April Gardening To Do List

Zone 1

Finish planting bare-root trees, shrubs, roses
Prune roses, then apply dormant spray
Apply dormant spray to trees and shrubs before they leaf out
Spade or till garden beds as soon as the soil is workable
Divide summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Feed evergreens, fruit tres, ahrubs, and lawns
Sow seeds of cool-season vegetables
Sow seeds of hardy perennials outdoors after heavy freezes have passed
Order summer-flowering bulbs (canna, calla, dahlia, gladiolus, elephant ear)

Zone 2

Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom
Feed cool-season lawns
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root and container roses
Prune roses (when temperatures are above freezing)

Zone 3
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root and container roses
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees

Zone 4
Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant, feed, and aerate cool-season lawns and loosen thatch
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 5
Set out cool-season annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant cool- and warm-season lawns
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 6
Set out cool-season annuals
Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Divide and replant crowded winter- and spring-blooming bulbs after leaves yellow
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant and aerate lawns and loosen thatch
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Divide and replant spring-blooming perennials after bloom
Plant container and bare-root roses
Uncover roses for spring and apply dormant spray
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant tender shrubs and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant needle-leafed evergreens

Zone 7

Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
Plant summer- and fall-flowering bulbs
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant bare-root and container roses
Plant or transplant warm-season annuals
Plant fruit trees
Spray dormant fruit trees
Prune frost-sensitive fruit trees
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant heat-loving perennials
Uncover roses and apply dormant spray
Plant ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs, and vines
Apply dormant spray to trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune spring-flowering or tender shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Plant vegetable seedlings

Zone 8

Set out annuals
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped and container fruit trees
Prune frost-sensitive fruit trees
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant fall-blooming perennials
Prune tender deciduous shrubs and vines
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Prune flowering fruit trees during or just after bloom
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables
Plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables

Zone 9
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Plant fall-flowering bulbs
Feed and water cacti or succulents that are blooming or actively growing
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Prune deciduous and frost-sensitive fruit trees (when temperatures are above freezing)
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Repair or plant lawns
Plant tender and heat-loving perennials
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables
Transplant warm-season vegetable seedlings

Zone 10
Plant annuals for summer color
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Feed and water cacti and succulents that are growing or blooming
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Transplant warm-season vegetable seedlings

Zone 11
Sow seeds of summer annuals outdoors or indoors
Feed and water cacti and succulents as they start growth
Set out peppers, tomatoes, eggplant
Set out plants of summer annuals
Feed and water lawns as growth accelerates
Feed and groom house plants as growth recommences
Plant gladiolus and dahlias
Divide overgrown fall-blooming perennial clumps
Clear away scrub growth for fire protection
Cut back gift chrysanthemums and transplant to garden. Break into individual plants

information taken from http://www.backyardgardener.com/article/zoneapr01.html

Growing Lettuce in the Home Garden

2007-03-30T05:02:00.000-05:00

Growing Lettuce in the Home Garden
HYG-1610-92

Marianne Riofrio

An ever-expanding selection of greens for salads in the supermarket, as well as salad bars popping up in nearly every restaurant, is a reflection of the new health-conscious eating habits sweeping the United States. Several types of lettuce can be grown in the home garden adding variety, texture and color to the family diet.

Lettuce varieties can be loosely categorized into four groups: crisphead, butterhead, leaf, and romaine or cos. Each group has its own growth and taste characteristics.
Types of Lettuce

Crisphead lettuce is probably the most familiar of the four. It is characterized by a tight, firm head of crisp, light-green leaves. In general, crisphead lettuce is intolerant of hot weather, readily bolting or sending up a flower stalk under hot summer conditions. For this reason, plus the long growing period required, it is the most difficult of the lettuces to grow in the home garden.

The butterhead types have smaller, softer heads of loosely folded leaves. The outer leaves may be green or brownish with cream or butter colored inner leaves. There are several cultivars available that will do well in Ohio gardens.

Leaf lettuce has an open growth and does not form a head. Leaf form and color varies considerably. Some cultivars are frilled and crinkled and others deeply lobed. Color ranges from light green to red and bronze. Leaf lettuce matures quickly and is the easiest to grow.

Romaine or cos lettuces form upright, cylindrical heads of tightly folded leaves. The plants may reach up to 10 inches in height. The outer leaves are medium green with greenish white inner leaves. This is the sweeter of the four types.
Suggested Cultivars
Crisphead
Mesa 659 (fall), Ithaca
Butterhead
Bibb
Salad Bibb
Summer Bibb
Buttercrunch
Tania
Tom
Thumb (miniature)
Leaf
Salad Bowl
Grand Rapids
Black Seeded Simpson
Slobolt
Oakleaf
Green Ice
Prizehead
Red Sails
Lollo Rosso
Ruby
Red Fire
Romaine
Valmaine
Parris Island Cos
Climatic Requirements

Lettuce is a cool-season vegetable and develops best quality when grown under cool, moist conditions. Lettuce seedlings will tolerate a light frost. Temperatures between 45 F and 65 F are ideal. Such conditions usually prevail in Ohio in spring and fall. Seeds of leaf lettuce are usually planted in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Butterhead and romaine can be grown from either seeds or transplants. Due to its long-growing season, crisphead lettuce is grown from transplants. Transplants may be purchased or started indoors about six weeks before the preferred planting date.
Soil Requirements

Lettuce can be grown under a wide range of soils. Loose, fertile, sandy loam soils, well-supplied with organic matter are best. The soil should be well-drained, moist, but not soggy. Heavy soils can be modified with well-rotted manure, compost, or by growing a cover crop. Like most other garden vegetables, lettuce prefers a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5.
Cultural Practices

Since lettuce seed is very small, a well-prepared seedbed is essential. Large clods will not allow proper seed-to-soil contact, reducing germination. Lettuce does not have an extensive root system so an adequate supply of moisture and nutrients is also necessary for proper development.

Fertilizer and lime recommendations should be based on the results of a soil test. Contact your local Cooperative Extension office for information on soil testing. As a general rule, however, apply and work into the soil three to four pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden area.

Seed may be sown in single rows or broadcast for wide row planting. Wide rows should be 12 to 15 inches across. Cover the seeds with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of soil. Water carefully but thoroughly. Several successive plantings of leaf lettuce will provide a more continuous harvest throughout the growing season. Leave 18 inches between the rows for leaf lettuce, and 24 inches for the other types. To achieve proper spacing of plants, thinning of lettuce seedlings is usually necessary. Thin plants of leaf lettuce four to six inches or more between plants depending on plant size. Butterhead and romaine should be thinned six to ten inches between plants. Finally, crisphead transplants should be spaced 10 to 12 inches apart in the row.

An organic mulch will help conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and keep soil temperatures cool. If weeds do become a problem, either pull by hand or cultivate very shallowly to avoid damage to lettuce roots. Planning your garden so that lettuce will be in the shade of taller plants, such as tomatoes or sweet corn, in the heat of the summer, may reduce bolting.

Insect pests and diseases can occasionally cause problems on lettuce. For proper identification and control recommendation, contact your local Cooperative Extension office.
Harvesting

All lettuce types should be harvested when full size but young and tender. Over-mature lettuce is bitter and woody. Leaf lettuce is harvested by removing individual outer leaves so that the center leaves can continue to grow. Butterhead or romaine types can be harvested by removing the outer leaves, digging up the whole plant or cutting the plant about an inch above the soil surface. A second harvest is often possible this way. Crisphead lettuce is picked when the center is firm.

The author gratefully acknowledges James D. Utzinger, on whose original fact sheet this is based.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1610.html

Colleen Announces Mouse & Trowel Awards!

2007-03-28T21:02:00.000-05:00

I saw this interesting post over at May Dreams Garden Blog on voting on your favorite garden blogs.

Here is the post.
Colleen Announces Mouse & Trowel Awards!

Colleen at In the Garden Online has started the first Mouse & Trowel awards for garden blogs. Visit her site to get all the details on what to do to nominate your favorite garden blogs in a variety of categories. Nominations are due by April 13th. Thanks, Colleen, it is about time that garden bloggers got some recognition!

Did some planting over the weekend

2007-03-26T20:36:00.000-05:00

Hello
I did some planting over the weekend here in my hoosier gardens.
I put out some purple,orange,and pink pansies along with violas in some pots on the porch.

I got some daffodils at the garden center,and planted them as well.My forsythia bush is in full bloom,and is beautiful this year after pruning it back last fall.

I need to get in the strawberry patch next to do some weeding,and plant some new plants.

What are you doing in your garden?

Things that are budding,and blooming.

2007-03-23T18:04:00.000-05:00

Hi
Looking over the yard this afternoon I have found my cone flowers are up about one inch,my daisys are coming on slowly,the forsythia bush is bloomed out,the red maple tree is budding out nicely,and a couple of my pea plants are peeking through the soil.

It wont be long now here in Indiana to get the garden season into full throttle.
What is budding or blooming at your place?

Make a Garden Water Fountain

2007-03-21T04:03:00.000-05:00

While doing some research on simple water fountains I came across this simple,but unique water fountain at bluegrass gardens.

Water fountains are a fun,and relaxing addition to your garden plans.

Here is the link.
http://www.bluegrassgardens.com/make-water-garden-fountain.htm

Radish

2007-03-19T20:35:00.000-05:00

Radish is a cool-season, fast-maturing, easy-to-grow vegetable. Garden radishes can be grown wherever there is sun and moist, fertile soil, even on the smallest city lot. Early varieties usually grow best in the cool days of early spring, but some later-maturing varieties can be planted for summer use. The variety French Breakfast holds up and grows better than most early types in summer heat if water is supplied regularly. Additional sowings of spring types can begin in late summer, to mature in the cooler, more moist days of fall. Winter radishes are sown in midsummer to late summer, much as fall turnips. They are slower to develop than spring radishes; and they grow considerably larger, remain crisp longer, are usually more pungent and hold in the ground or store longer than spring varieties.

Read More Here

Cleaning Out The Garden Shed

2007-03-18T14:04:00.000-05:00

I have spent most of this day cleaning out my garden shed getting ready for the growing season.I found all kinds of little treasures I had forgot that I had.

I even found a garden hoe,and rack I did not even know was in there.

What have you been doing to prepare for the growing season?

If granny gruners garden had a grid garden system,how many garden grids,could granny gruners grid garden system have?
Say that five times fast.

Tips For Preparing a Planting Bed

2007-03-16T21:59:00.000-05:00

Tips For Preparing a Planting Bed

by Michael J. McGroarty of freeplants.com

Whether you preparing beds for landscaping around your house, or preparing a bed where you plan on growing landscape plants for profit, this article should simplify the process for you. I say that because of everything that is written about this subject, some of it is accurate, some of it is just plain wrong, and much of it is much more complicated than it needs to be. I like to think of myself as simple Simon. I find the easiest, yet most effective way to do things, and they work.

Let’s assume that the area where you are planning your bed is now planted in grass. How do you get rid of the grass. Chemicals or no chemicals? Chemicals are easy, so we’ll look at the chemical method first.

My favorite chemical for killing grass is RoundUp, and used properly it is effective. Rule number one: Read the label on the package, and mix the chemical exactly as recommended by the manufacture. Rule number two: Assume that every plant that the RoundUp touches is going to die. It is a non-selective herbicide.

ReadMore

Tater Planting Time

2007-03-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

Here in Indiana it is almost tater planting time again.

The old farmers always plant taters on good friday.

Tater Planting Time

Although some dedicated gardeners may have already planted their seed potatoes, for most of us, the ground has been a little too soggy. Some gardeners aim for planting on or around St. Patrick's Day, while others of us will be lucky to have them planted by Mother's Day!

Potatoes are considered to be cool-season plants and can be planted just as soon as the ground has thawed and dried enough to safely work the soil. However, it is critical to allow the soil to dry adequately. If worked while still too wet, soil forms compacted, hard clumps, leading to misshapen tubers later in the season.

The potato plant can adapt to most types of soil but must have good drainage to prevent the tubers from rotting before they can be harvested. Choose a sunny location and work in about 2-3 pounds of a balanced, low-analysis fertilizer, such as 12-12-12, per 100 square feet to promote vigorous plant growth.

The part of the potato plant that we eat is called a tuber, a technical name that refers to an enlarged modified stem that grows underground. Potato tubers that are used to create a new planting are called seed potatoes. You'll want to start with the best quality seed potatoes you can, so look for those that are labeled as certified disease-free at garden shops and in mail-order catalogs.

To start a new planting, cut the seed potato into pieces so that each individual piece has at least one healthy-looking bud (eye). That bud will become the shoot of the new plant and, as the stem develops, it will also produce new roots. The piece of old tuber attached to the bud provides a source of carbohydrates to sustain the young plant until those new roots and shoots develop. Plant the pieces 2-3 inches deep and space them about 12 inches apart within the row and 24-36 inches between rows.

New tubers that will become this year's harvest generally begin to form sometime in early to mid summer and continue to grow in size until early fall, as long as adequate moisture, air and nutrients are available.

The tubers can be harvested as new potatoes in mid to late summer, before they reach full size and before the skins start to toughen. New potatoes are tender and tasty, but they don't keep very long, and, since the plant must be pulled up to harvest the tubers, yields are generally small.

If you want bigger yields of full-size tubers, it's best to leave the plants until they begin to die back on their own, usually by late summer or early fall. As the plants begin to turn brown, gently lift the tubers with a digging fork and remove them from the plants. If the potatoes are going to be used immediately, no further treatment is needed. However, to be able to store the potatoes for later use, you'll want to allow the tubers to cure, or air-dry, for 1-2 weeks to allow the skins to thicken and dry.

The biggest challenge for gardeners is finding dark storage conditions at a temperature of 40-45 degrees. Both light and warmth promote sprouting of the buds. Store only the best quality tubers, which are free of cuts, bruises and diseases, for best results. Potatoes can be stored from 2 to 9 months, depending on the cultivar and storage conditions.

My Forsythia

2007-03-14T19:11:00.000-05:00

My forsythia bush has gotten buds all upon it today.It should be in full bloom in a couple of days if the cold front coming in does not set it back.

What is budding out in your neck of the woods?

What have you planted so far?

2007-03-13T19:42:00.000-05:00

What have you planted in the garden so far this season?I planted peas,and lettuce this past sunday afternoon in my garden beds.I am looking forward to watching them sprout up.

I have been busy this week building mulch bins for our garden center in Nineveh In.I will post some pictures as soon as they are done.

Garden Peas

2007-03-10T04:16:00.000-05:00

It is time to plant peas here in the midwest where I live.Here are some tips on the garden pea.

Garden Peas

Planting

Peas should be planted in early spring, well before the last frost. For an extended harvest, different varieties in successive plantings. Successive plantings of the same varieties tend to catch up with each other, resulting in one big harvest.

Peas will germinate faster if soaked in water overnight before planting.

Location and Planting

Peas are one of the first crops you will plant in your vegetable garden. Plant them as early in spring as the soil can be worked. They don't mind frost.

Peas need as much sun as possible. If you plant them in the shade the plants will grow and produce a crop of peas, but the sugar content will be low and the peas will taste old and starchy.

Peas grow best in a 16-inch wide double row, with a 16 inch wide pathway between rows. They won't need staking if planted this way because the plants will hold each other up, and a dense crop will shade the soil to help eliminate weeds.

ReadMore

What are you planning in the garden this weekend?

2007-03-09T06:01:00.000-05:00

Hi
Weekend temps here in indiana are expected to be in the fifty's this weekend with highs in the 60's next week.So I am going to get out in the garden,and yard,and look over all my beds to see what I might do to them.

I am going to re- mulch my flower beds,and get rid of all the debris that still is in them.I think I will take a trip to the garden center as well to see if they have any cool weather flowers out yet.

What are your plans for the garden this weekend?

Top Ten Perennials

2007-03-08T18:55:00.000-05:00

The Top 10 Are...

By now, you're hooked. Your garden is increasingly a perennial one. Your yearly investment in annuals gets smaller and smaller, and every year more and more of your plantings return in the spring. Who was it who said, "Friends don't let friends plant annuals"?

ReadMore

Strawberry Collection Full Season

2007-03-07T20:11:00.000-05:00

Enjoy sweet strawberries all season! You get ten plants each of Ozark Beauty and Surecrop.

Ozark Beauty - Perfect for canning, freezing, preserves and eating right off the plant! They taste great any way you serve them. Very hardy. Fruits all season in full sun.

Surecrop - Enjoy giant spring-bearing Surecrop strawberries for a bounty of delicious fruit that's big on size and taste!

OrderHere

Spring is Near

2007-03-06T19:22:00.000-05:00

While out on the job today I saw my first flock of Robins here in Indiana.

It was such a delight to see them running all around looking for worms,and such.
Seeing them let's one here in Indiana know it is almost time to get back out in the garden beds.

Propagating Roses

2007-03-05T20:02:00.000-05:00

Today let's take the mystery out of propagating
roses. Roses are one of the most beautiful plants
in our gardens, and despite what many believe, they
can be grown from cuttings.Read this method from my good friend Mike McGroarty

The simple method is
here: http://www.freeplants.com/Roses.htm

Growing EggPlant

2007-03-04T08:06:00.000-05:00

Growing Eggplant

Climate

Eggplants need warmth throughout the growing season to do well. Eggplants need soil temperatures above 70° and daytime air temperatures above 70°. Eggplant seeds will not germinate in cool soil. Nighttime temperatures should be above 60°. Eggplants have a growing season of 100-150 days in ideal conditions. Although they do best in warm climates, they can be grown in northern climates if mulches, row covers, or hot houses are used.

Soil

Eggplants prefer well-drained sandy loam of pH 5.5 to 6.5 with high organic matter content. Eggplants need a moderate amount of nitrogen and high amounts of phosphorus and potassium. Eggplants like temperatures between 80° and 90° for optimal growth.
Spacing

Eggplants are typically spaced 18-24" apart in rows 30-36" wide. Rows should be 30-36" apart. Don't crowd eggplants, they will do better with a little extra room. They can be staked and supported like tomatoes to ensure proper air circulation.

Direct Seeding

In hot climates with long growing seasons, eggplants can be direct seeded in rows 1/2" deep and 18-24" apart after soil and air temperatures have warmed. Keep seeds evenly moist. For best results soil temperature should be 80°-90°.
Seeding For Transplants

Eggplants are most commonly started indoors or in a greenhouse. Soak seeds in water overnight to encourage germination. Eggplants are very sensitive to transplant shock so use peat pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Plant seeds singly in peat pots 1/4" deep and grow under lights if available. Use bottom heat to keep the soil warm, optimal soil temperature for germination is 85°. Air temperature should be above 70° during the day and above 60° at night.
Germination

These seeds germinate best in soils around 75°F - 90°F.
Germination will take 7-10 days.
Transplanting Into the Garden

Eggplants are very sensitive to transplant shock and benefit from several days of hardening off. About one week before transplanting, gradually expose them to the outside air by bringing the eggplant starts outside during the day and inside at night. Gradually increase the exposure each day (weather permitting, of course) until the plants are out until after dark.

When the eggplants are ready to be transplanted carefully place the peat pots in moist garden soil. In the north, use mulch to keep the soil warm and row covers over the plants to keep them warm at night.
Watering

Eggplants need regular watering, but they do not like to be kept too moist. Water eggplants to maintain uniform moisture. Water plants in the morning so the leaves are not damp through the night.
Harvesting

Eggplants are ready to harvest when the skin takes on a high gloss, at a third to half their mature size. To test for readiness, press the skin with your finger. If the indent does not spring back, it is ready to harvest. Fruits with dark brown seeds inside are past their prime.

Harvest eggplants when they are tender by clipping the fruit off with garden shears. Harvesting fruits regularly stimulates further production.
Post-Harvest Handling

Be careful not to damage the skin of eggplants. Wash and dry eggplants thoroughly.
Storage

Eggplants are not suited to long-term storage but they can be kept 1-2 weeks at 55° with a relative humidity of 85%-90%.

Eggplants are sensitive to ethylene gas so do not store them with fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas.
Diseases

Verticillium wilt
Pests

Flea beetles, aphids, potato beetles
Comments

Use black plastic to increase the yield of eggplant by helping to warm the soil, conserve moisture, and control weeds.

Rotate crops to prevent diseases.

Insects love eggplant. Use row or mesh covers help alleviate this problem. If covers are used, however, the flowers must be pollinated by hand.
References

Oregon State University, "Eggplant, Commercial Vegetable Production Guide", Last modified 2002-12-27, Oregon State University, http:www.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/eggplant.html, Accessed 2003-05-16

Bradley, F. M. and Ellis, B. W.(Ed.). (1992), Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener, Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale Press.

Smith, E.C. (2000), The vegetable gardener's bible: discover Ed's high yield W-O-R-D system for all North American gardening regions., Storey Books: Pownal, VT.

March Gardening To Do List

2007-03-03T09:08:00.000-05:00

March Gardening To Do List

Zone 1

Order indoor seed starting kits and seeds
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Water indoor cymbidium orchids weekly until they bloom
Sow seeds indoors for tender perennials and annuals
Clean, oil and sharpen tools
Zone 2

Order seeds and seed starting systems
Sow seeds indoors or cold frame
Remove mulch from early bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Clean, oil and sharpen tools
Order or construct a cold frame for starting vegetables outdoors

Zone 3

Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Remove mulch from early bulbs
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 4

Plant bare root trees
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 5

Plant dormant, hardy container and balled and burlapped plants
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Remove winter mulch, lightly cultivate soil if thawed
Prune out winter damage
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials indoors
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables (asparagus, rhubarb etc.)
Plant seedlings of cool-season vegetables
Sow seeds for cool- and warm-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost

Zone 6

Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Prune out winter damage
Feed cool-season lawns
Remove winter mulch, lightly cultivate soil if thawed
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors
Divide and replant summer- and fall-blooming perennials
Plant bare-root and container roses
Prune roses (when temperatures remain above freezing)

Zone 7

Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Plant fall-blooming bulbs
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees before buds swell
Spray apples, peaches, and pears that have been affected with canker problems
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-weather vegetables
Sow fast-growing warm-season vegetables
Sow seeds for frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials
Plant container and bare-root roses
Plant balled-and-burlapped, container, and bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Plant summer-blooming shrubs and vines
Plant frost-tolerant trees
Plant conifers and broad-leaf evergreens
Zone 8

Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
Plant summer- and fall-flowering bulbs
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant permanent ground covers
Plant or repair lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant bare-root and container roses
Plant or transplant warm-season annuals
Plant fruit trees
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant heat-loving perennials
Plant ornamental and evergreen trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune spring-flowering or tender shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Plant warm-seasoned vegetable seedlings

Zone 9

Set out warm season annuals
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Plant container fruit trees
Prune fruit trees after bloom and fruit setting
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Repair or plant lawns with warm season grasses (Bermuda, St. Augustine etc.)
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant fall-blooming perennials
Prune tender deciduous shrubs and vines
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines during or just after bloom
Prune flowering fruit trees during or just after bloom
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables
Plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables

Zone 10

Get ahead of the bugs by hand-picking or spraying with organic preparations
Fertilize oleander, Bauhinia, hibiscus and citrus while in bloom with a low-nitrogen plant food
Mulch with at least two inches of decomposed hardwood material such as pine bark, pine needles, or cypress bark to conserve moisture in flower and vegetable beds
Plant avocados, papaya, breadfruit and mango, tababuia and tibuchina trees
Plant seed, seedlings, or rooted starts of herbs and vegetables such as peppers, okra, cantaloupe, watermelons, peanuts, sweet potatoes, luffa, chayote, lemon grass and mint
In drought-prone areas, install simple drip-irrigation systems to take care of summer watering needs

Zone 11

Get ahead of the bugs by hand-picking or spraying with organic preparations
Fertilize oleander, Bauhinia, hibiscus and citrus while in bloom with a low-nitrogen plant food
Mulch with at least two inches of decomposed hardwood material such as pine bark, pine needles, or cypress bark to conserve moisture in flower and vegetable beds
Plant avocados, papaya, breadfruit and mango, tababuia and tibuchina trees
Plant seed, seedlings, or rooted starts of herbs and vegetables such as peppers, okra, cantaloupe, watermelons, peanuts, sweet potatoes, luffa, chayote, lemon grass and mint
In drought-prone areas, install simple drip-irrigation systems to take care of summer watering needs.

Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter

2007-03-02T22:11:00.000-05:00

http://www.plowhearth.com/product.asp?pcode=1453

Growing Beets in the Home Garden

2007-03-02T21:07:00.000-05:00

Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet
Horticulture and Crop Science
2021 Coffey Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43210-1086
Growing Beets in the Home Garden
HYG-1604-93

Pamela J. Bennett

Beets are popular in the home garden because they are relatively easy to grow and practically the whole plant can be eaten. Beets can be grown for their root qualities which include different shapes and sizes as well as red, yellow or white colors. The tops or greens, when young, are excellent in salads and when the plant is older, can be cooked. The greens are even more nutritious than the roots.
Climatic Requirements

Beets prefer a cooler climate although they are tolerant of heat. Temperatures of 60 to 65 F and bright sunny days are ideal for beet plant growth and development. They can withstand cold weather short of severe freezing, making them a good long-season crop.
Soils

Beets prefer loose, well-drained soils but will tolerate a wide range. Remove stones and debris since this will hinder growth. In high clay soils, add organic matter to improve soil structure and to help avoid crusting after rainfall. Beets also make an excellent raised bed crop since soils are generally less compacted and there is less foot traffic. Beets are also sensitive to soil acidity. A low soil pH results in stunted growth. They prefer a pH of 6.2 to 6.8 and will tolerate 6.0 to 7.5.
Fertilizers

Fertilizers and lime are best applied using soil test results as a guide. Arrangements for soil testing can be made through your local Extension office. A fertilizer with the analysis of 5-10-10 can be applied at the time of seeding and again when the plants are about three inches high.
Establishing the Planting

Plant the seeds in a well-prepared seedbed as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Sow the seeds 1/2-inch deep and in rows 12 to 18 inches or more apart depending on the method of cultivation.

Space the seeds, which are actually fruits containing several seeds, one inch apart in the rows. When the seedlings are one to two inches tall, thin to about one plant per inch. As they grow, thin to about three to four inches between plants.

Succession planting can be done at three week intervals throughout the season. Avoid seeding during daytime temperatures of 80 degrees F, wait until it is cooler. Most varieties will mature within 55 to 70 days and can be planted until late summer.
Culture

After plants are well established, the application of a mulch will conserve soil moisture, prevent soil compaction and help suppress weed growth. Any mechanical cultivation should be very shallow in order to avoid damage to the beet roots.

In order to obtain the highest quality, beets must make continuous growth. Soil moisture and plant nutrient element supply must be adequately maintained to prevent checking of the growth. Supplemental watering may be necessary during dry spells.

Weeds, insects and diseases must be controlled in the planting. Principal insect and disease problems of beets are flea beetles, leaf miners, aphids and Cercospora leaf spot. Regular inspection of the crop can help deter a major pest infestation. Check with your local Extension office for current control recommendations when you notice a problem.
Harvesting and Storage

Beets can be harvested at any time in their growth cycle. Greens are best when four to six inches tall. Beet roots are generally most tender after growing for 40 to 50 days. The best size is between 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. As beets get larger, they tend to become more fibrous. When harvested, leave at least one inch of foliage on the root to avoid bleeding during cooking.

Beets are suited to long-term storage if kept at temperatures near freezing and with high humidity to prevent wilting.
Varieties

Choice of cultivar depends on your tastes. Excellent varieties for Ohio home gardens include Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red and Little Ball for red beets. More recent introductions include Pacemaker III, Red Ace Hybrid, Warrior and Avenger. Burpee Golden and Albino White are alternatives for a different color of beets. Below are some varieties and their characteristics.

Burpee Golden - Round type with a unique yellow-orange color.

Pacemaker III - Uniform, smooth a tender round beet, cercospera leaf spot tolerant, high quality tops.

Red Ace hybrid - Exceptional weather tolerance, cercospera leaf spot tolerant, early maturity.

Little Mini Ball - Sliver-dollar sized round roots.

Detroit Dark Red - Excellent canning, pickling quality, tender & sweet, good boiling greens.
Additional Extension publications that may be useful include:
Bulletin 287 - Home Vegetable Gardening
Bulletin 736 - Vegetables for Ohio Gardens.

The author gratefully acknowledges James D. Utzinger, William M. Brooks, and E. C. Wittmeyer, on whose fact sheet this is based.

This fact sheet was reviewed by Marianne Riofrio, Dr. Robert Precheur and E.C. Wittmeyer.

Selecting Plants

2007-03-01T17:42:00.000-05:00

Selecting Plants:

It is a good idea to plan your garden ahead of planting time. It may be helpful to make a sketch of your garden area indicating what types of plants you want as well as where they will be planted.

The following is a list of considerations when selecting plants:

Choose plants that have a desirable flower color and foliage.

Know the potential size of the plant in order to fit proportionally within the garden.

Select plants that bloom throughout the growing season.

Determine the amount of sunlight in the garden area and select plants that will thrive with that amount of light.

Select plants that will grow well in the soil condition of the garden area.

Look for healthy plants that appear vigorous.

Choose plants that all have the same water requirements.

Avoid rootbound plants

Avoid plants that have insects or disease.

Keep in mind that some flower colors may not compliment other flower colors.

Flowers of red, pink, blue, and purple are "cool" colors and will soften a garden. Flowers of orange and yellow are "hot" colors and will brighten a garden.

Written by Kathleen Lewis
Copyright 2000-2005 Lewis Gardens

American Daffodil Society

2007-02-28T20:05:00.000-05:00

Looking for information on the spring flowering daffodil?You can get all the information you need from the american daffodil society.

DaffodilUSA.Org

Basic Cucumber Growing Tips

2007-02-26T20:21:00.000-05:00

Basic Cucumber Growing Tips

Cucumbers are a subtropical plant and require full sun. Cucumbers also require a decent amount of growing space in your garden, so you’ll need to take this into account. If you’re short on space, vertical structures such as trellises can help make up for limited space in your garden. There are also a number of dwarf varieties if you’d like to grow your cucumbers in containers.

Cucumbers are happiest when the average temperatures are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant your cucumbers in the late spring or early summer when there is no risk of frost. Even a light frost can kill your plants.

In general, cucumbers are not picky about soils. However, make sure your soil is well-draining and has a pH of around 6.5. Add plenty of organic compost to your garden soil before you grow cucumbers. This will ensure that they have the proper nutrients to grow strong and healthy. Additionally, your soil will have the proper drainage to let your plants thrive when you add compost. Adding organic compost is really one of the best ways to improve both soil drainage and balance soil pH.

FullStory

Pole Beans

2007-02-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

Pole Beans
How To Grow Pole Beans
Pole beans are among the few vegetables that add a sense of height to the garden. Pole beans can climb up stakes or fence supports, or even scale corn stalks. If growing space is limited, pole beans are the answer. While pole beans are planted later than snap beans, pole beans yield over a longer period of time and frequent picking encourages more production. Pole beans rarely need any assistance once they've started.

Light: Full Sun
Soil: Well-drained, deep sandy loam
Fertility: Medium-rich
pH: 6.0-7.0
Soil Temperature (°F): 60-65
Moisture: Average
Maturity in days: 65-80

Planting Pole Beans:
Plant pole beans 2” deep on slight hills around poles or teepees spaced at 16” apart. Grow 4-8 seeds on each hill. Space pole beans 3” apart if growing on a fence. Sow after all danger of frost is over and the soil is warm, 18°C (65°F).

Growing Pole Beans:
Pole beans prefer an area with full sun and a rich, deeply worked soil with a pH level of 6.5. Pole beans are light feeders. The poles, teepees or a trellis should be erected after 2-4 leaves have developed. Hoe to kill weeds. A mulch of compost, or straw is beneficial to control weeds and hold moisture. Keep the plants well watered in dry weather, especially if they are grown on an upright trellis or poles against a shed or house where soil tends to dry out.

Harvesting Pole Beans:
Pick young, full size pods when smooth and crisp. Pole beans pods are over mature once the beans start to form. Harvest pole beans regularly for a constant supply. Scarlet Runner Pole beans will produce abundant, gorgeous red flowers if the beans are continually picked.

Pole Bean Companions:
Pole beans do well with carrot, corn, chard, pea, potato, eggplant. Avoid cabbage & onion family.

Sowing Rate:
Seed Suppliers vary - check seed package from your supplier or their website.

Growing Tomatoes

2007-02-24T11:12:00.000-05:00

Growing Tomatoes
It would be hard to imagine any home garden that did not have at least a few tomato plants. Tomatoes are considered by many to be the most prized vegetable in the garden. There is also plenty of discussion among fellow gardeners as to the best varieties and method of growing each type. This publication will discuss the basics of growing tomatoes successfully, as well as avoiding common problems encountered by the home gardener.

FullStory

The Frugal Gardener

2007-02-23T06:39:00.000-05:00

The Frugal Gardener
By Rachel Paxton

Gardening can be expensive, and for those on a tight budget, garden projects may fall way to the bottom of your list of spending priorities. I love spending time at home in our yard. Though we have never been able to spend the kind of money I'd like on landscaping, over the years I've learned creative ways of making a little bit of money go a long ways.

FullStory

Garlic Production For The Gardener

2007-02-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Garlic Production for the Gardener.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a hardy perennial member of the onion family. Garlic is probably native to Central Asia but has long been naturalized in southern Europe and throughout the world.

Garlic (Allium sativum) differs from the onion (Allium cepa), producing a number of small bulbs called cloves rather than one large bulb. Each bulb contains a dozen or more cloves covered with a thin white skin. Each clove is made of two modified mature leaves around an axis with a vegetative growing point. The outer leaf is a dry sheath, while the base of the inner leaf is thickened, making up the bulk of the clove. The larger outer cloves produce the best garlic. Garlic has flat leaves rather than the round hollow leaves of the onion. Garlic is used largely as a condiment and as flavoring in gravies, tomato sauces, soups, stews, pickles, salads, salad dressing and breads. Many cooks find it indispensable in the kitchen.

We can find written references to garlic from the writings of the Greeks, Egyptians, Romans and Chinese. The name garlic comes to us from the Welsh word garlleg, which is transformed into the English word garlic. Wherever it came from, there can be no doubt that garlic has captured the interest of gardeners and cooks alike. It is easily cultivated and, due to its growing reputation in health matters, will be of increased importance in gardens.

ReadMoreHere

Companion Vegetable Gardening

2007-02-21T06:19:00.000-05:00

COMPANION VEGETABLE GARDENING

It's said that vegetables are like people, they thrive on companionship. It is believed that vegetables will yield up to twice as much when they are surrounded with companion plants. So in this article we will discuss the top 12 vegetables and their best friends.

If you're getting ready to plant your vegetable garden you may want to try placing the various vegetable crops so you can take advantage of their natural friends. If you have already planted your vegetable garden you may want to make some changes in subsequent plantings later this summer.

The following are a list of the top 12 vegetables and their ideal plantingcompanions.

Beans--they like celery and cucumbers but dislike onions and fennel.

Beets--Bush beans, lettuce, onions, kohlrabi, and most members of the cabbage family are companion plants. Keep the pole beans and mustard away from them.

Cabbage--Celery, dill, onions and potatoes are good companion plants They dislike strawberries, tomatoes, and pole beans.

Carrots--Leaf lettuce, radish, onions and tomatoes are their friends, Plant dill at the opposite end of the garden.

Corn--Pumpkins, peas, beans, cucumbers and potatoes are nice companion plants, Keep the tomatoes away from them.

Cucumbers--They like corn, peas, radishes, beans and sunflowers. Cucumbers dislike aromatic herbs and potatoes so keep them away.

Lettuce--It grows especially well with onions. Strawberries carrots, radishes and cucumbers also are friends and good companion plants.

Onions--Plant them near lettuce, beets, strawberries and tomatoes but keep them away from peas and beans.

Peas--Carrots, cucumbers, corn, turnips and radishes plus beans, potatoes and aromatic herbs are their friends. Keep the peas away from onions, garlic, leek, and shallots.

Radishes--This is one vegetable that has a lot of friends, they are excellent companion plants with beets, carrots, spinach and parsnips. Radishes grow well with cucumbers and beans. It's said that summer planting near leaf lettuce makes the radishes more tender. Avoid planting radishes near cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, kohlrabi or turnips.

Squash--Icicle radishes, cucumbers and corn are among their friends.

Tomatoes--Carrots, onions and parsley are good companion plants. Keep the cabbage and cauliflower away from them.

Sometimes plant friendships are one-sided. Carrots are said to help beans, but beans don’t reciprocate. Though beans will help nearby cucumbers.

Other plants have bad companions and you'll be doing them a favor to keep them apart. Beans and onions are natural enemies so keep them at opposite sides of the garden.

If you have a patio you might try mint to repel ants, and basil to keep the flies and mosquitoes away. Both herbs have pretty flowers and are fragrant too. Besides, they're nice to harvest and use in the kitchen. In her book, "Carrots Love Tomatoes" Louise Riotte, says getting to know good and bad companions can double the bounty of your garden. The only required work is to plan your garden planting properly.

"Carrots Love Tomatoes", Garden Way is an informative, well-illustrated guide to the subject of companion planting. The book recently reprinted was originally published under the title "Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening".

If you would like more information on the various plants to use for companion planting and natural insect and disease control, you'll find "Carrots Love Tomatoes" is available in bookstores that carry the Garden Way books.

Simple Garden Tips and Tricks

2007-02-20T05:34:00.000-05:00

Simple Garden Tips and Tricks

Give wooden tool handles an oil rub.

To prolong the life of your wooden handles give them a good boiled linseed oil rub down.Not only will it prolong the life of the handle it also will make it smooth,and splinter free.
Ask for it by name at your local hardware store.

Simple garden duster.

If you use a powdered form of sevin dust or some other brand of dust make a cheap duster by placing holes in the bottom of a metal coffee can.A number 4 finish nail works fine to punch the holes.It makes a great way to dust your crops.Place a plastic lid on both ends for easy storage.

Mailbox in the garden.

Are you always misplacing those small garden tools?Put a mailbox at the entrance to your garden,and place them there.It is also a great place to store some extra seed.

There are a few simple,and easy garden tips for you to try.

Happy Gardening

Growing Raspberries

2007-02-19T06:02:00.000-05:00

Growing Raspberries

Raspberry plants are relatively easy to grow. If given proper care, they are also very productive. Important cultural practices include fertilization, watering, and weed, insect, and disease control.

Established raspberries should be fertilized in the spring before new growth begins. Apply 4 to 5 pounds of 10-10-10 or similar analysis fertilizer for each 100 feet of row. Uniformly broadcast the fertilizer in a 2-foot band. If the raspberries are mulched with sawdust or wood chips, apply a slightly heavier rate of fertilizer. Do not fertilize raspberries in late spring or summer. Late spring or summer fertilization encourages succulent, late season growth which is susceptible to winter damage.

Adequate soil moisture levels are necessary throughout the growing season for good raspberry production. However, the most critical time for moisture is from bloom until harvest. Insufficient moisture during fruit development may result in small, seedy berries. Raspberries require 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week, either from rain or irrigation, from bloom until harvest.

Weed control in raspberries is necessary to reduce competition for water, nutrients, and sunlight. Cultivation and mulches are the most practical control measures for home gardeners. Cultivate the raspberry planting frequently during the spring and summer months. Small weed seedlings are relatively easy to kill. Large weeds are difficult to destroy. To prevent injury to the roots of the raspberry plants, don't cultivate deeper than 2 inches.

Mulches help to control weeds and conserve moisture. Possible mulching materials include straw, sawdust, wood chips, lawn clippings, and shredded leaves. The depth of the mulch needed depends upon the material. The depth ranges from 3 to 4 inches for sawdust to 8 to 10 inches for straw. (When mulching red raspberries, apply the full depth between the rows. Within the rows, apply only enough mulch to control the weeds so new canes can emerge in the spring.) Since mulches gradually decompose, apply additional material each year.

Good cultural practices should help prevent many insect and disease problems. For example, pruning and removal of the old fruiting canes immediately after the summer harvest will remove potential disease inoculum and help control diseases. Also, maintaining red raspberries in a 1- to 2 foot-wide hedgerow helps insure good air circulation and penetration of sunlight. The narrow hedgerow should dry quickly after a rain, discouraging disease development. Apply pesticides when insects and diseases start to cause significant damage.

Backyard Composting

2007-02-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

What is compost?

Compost is a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling mixture that consists mostly of decayed organic matter. Composting is a simple, natural process, Nature's way of recycling nutrients and returning them to the soil so that they can be used again. Compost is used for fertilizing and conditioning soil. It can be made from materials that most households throw out.
What can I compost?
Yard wastes, such as fallen leaves, grass clippings, weeds and the remains of garden plants.
Kitchen scraps EXCEPT FOR meat, fish, bones and fatty foods (such as cheese, salad dressing and leftover cooking oil).
Woody yard wastes, chipped or shredded, can be used as a mulch or for paths where they will eventually decompose and become compost.

By taking advantage of the natural composting process, you can help lighten the load of waste that would otherwise go to a landfill.
How do I make a compost pile?

It's easy! Follow these simple steps and in just a few hours, you'll be in business. To build a simple compost bin, you'll need:
Small mesh wire fencing or snow fencing.
Seven or more rough boards or stakes, depending on the shape of bin you choose. Build a square, rectangular or circular structure-your choice. For a typical home garden, a bin 3-to-4 feet in height and 5-to-8 feet square will do. Locate it away from buildings and combustible materials.
To start your compost pile:
Spread a layer of plant wastes 6-to-8 inches deep in the bottom of your bin. Moisten the layer thoroughly.
Make a second layer of high nitrogen fertilizer, such as 10-10-10. This will be a very thin layer-use ONLY about 1/2 pound or 1 cup to each 30-to-35 square feet. Moisten thoroughly.
Make a third layer with a few shovelsful of garden soil, about 1 to 2 inches deep. This will ensure that plenty of decay organisms are present in your compost pile. Again, moisten thoroughly.

That's all there is to it!
Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 until you have used up your waste material. To start, your pile should have at least four or five layers of waste.
Kitchen scraps (minus meat, fish, bones and fatty foods) should be added to the center of the waste layers where heat will be the greatest.
Pile waste material loosely in the bin. Too much compaction inhibits the flow of air through the pile.
It helps to make the top layer slant toward the center where it will catch rainfall. Water is the key to successful composting. A compost pile should be kept damp, but not soggy, especially during dry spells.
Be patient! it will take six months to a year before the compost is ready for use.
Composting Do's and Don'ts
Do add lime, small amounts of wood ashes or crushed eggshells to the compost pile to neutralize acids which may form and cause an odor problem.
Do mix grass clippings with other wastes to loosen them up. They have a tendency to compact.
Do keep compost pile damp, especially during dry spells.
Don't use unfinished compost. It will rob your plants of nitrogen instead of acting as a fertilizer.
Don't compost weeds that are heavily laden with seeds. Some seeds will not be killed during the heating process.
Don't add meat, fish, bones or fatty food scraps to the compost mixture. They will attract animals (dogs, cats, rats, etc.) and they do not decompose readily.
Don't add diseased vegetable plants to the pile if the compost will be used on a vegetable garden. The disease organisms may reappear the following year.
Community Composting

Community composting is beneficial because:
Leaves take up too much space in landfills-many communities now ban leaves from landfills.
Many householders do not have the time or space to compost large quantities of organic waste, such as fallen leaves.
Composting is environmentally safer -- leaves in landfills generate dangerous gases; burning leaves creates smoke pollution and is unlawful in many communities.
Some communities will accept leaves and other yard wastes for community compost heaps. Finished compost is usually available free to residents. Find out what's happening in your area. If no program exists, urge your community leaders to put one in place.
Why Should I Make Compost?

Composting benefits you and your community.

For you . . .
Composting is an easy, practical way to recycle your organic yard and kitchen wastes.
Compost is an excellent soil conditioner for even the smallest yard and garden--it's safe to use and it costs practically nothing to make.
Compost grows healthy plants and healthy plants improve the air by removing carbon dioxide and making fresh oxygen.
For serious gardeners, compost is an inexpensive alternative to peat and other soil improvers.

For your community . . .
Composting could remove more than 15 percent from the solid waste stream, if everyone participated.
Many communities now ban leaves from landfills forcing residents to find other alternatives. Some communities have started composting programs.
Composting eliminates air pollution caused by burning leaves and other yard wastes.
Composting recycles nutrients by returning them to the soil.

Starting Seeds Indoors

2007-02-17T07:51:00.000-05:00

Starting Seeds Indoors

You can easily grow annual flowers and vegetables as well as biennials and perennials from seed. The procedure is as hi-tech or inexpensive as you want.

Plant species vary considerable in the time required for germination of seed and subsequent development. Determine when to sow the seed by consulting the seed packet and deciding when it is safe to plant the seedlings outdoors and then calculate how large you want the plant when it is planted. Contact a Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist for help in deciding when to sow different seeds.

Begin by using a sterile, artificial growing mix. This is very important because there are several fungi that are referred to as 'dampening-off' diseases that invade the succulent, young stems and cause their death. Moisten the mix uniformly before adding it to the plant containers. Shallow wooden boxes, greenhouse flats, plastic trays, or peat packs are suitable containers. Use peat pots for such plants as vine crops or other plants that cannot tolerate root disturbance.

Fill the container with two to four inches of moistened mix and firm down. Make a furrow, 1/4" to 1/2" deep, depending on the size of the seed. Distribute the seeds carefully, without crowding them into the furrow. Gently cover the seeds with a layer of fine vermiculite or some of the mix. Do not cover fine seeds such as petunia, snapdragon and begonia.

Label each group of seeds before going to a new variety or crop. After a container is seeded, sprinkle or mist with water to make sure the entire mix is damp. Maintain adequate moisture during the germination and growing period, but do not keep the mix saturated as the seed and roots do require air. During the germination period you can place small containers in a plastic bag or for larger containers, a clear plastic cover reduces moisture loss. Remove this covering when the plants start to emerge.

Germination and growing temperatures of 65 degrees F at night and 70-75 degrees F during the day are suggested. Light is not required until the first plants emerge. After germination provide as much sunlight as possible. If a good exposure is not available, supplemental light may help by placing fluorescent tubes 8 to 10 inches above the plants for 12 to 16 hours each day. Allow the surface of the mix to dry, but be sure the mix is adequately moist beneath the surface.

If you plan to transplant the seedling to another container, wait until it has two sets of true leaves. Otherwise, thin the emerging seedlings to prevent overcrowding in their original container.

If the plants become yellowish in color, it means they need fertilizer. Use a water soluble fertilizer such as Rapid-Gro, Miracle-Gro, or Peters. If the plants become tall and spindly, they need more light.

Benefits of Square Foot Gardening

2007-02-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

Benefits of Square Foot Gardening
Much less work. Conventional gardening requires heavy tools to loosen the soil, whereas in this method, the soil is never compacted and it remains loose and loamy. Weeding takes much less time due to the compact nature of the garden.
Water Savings. Due to the nature of the soil and its water-holding capacities, this type of garden needs water less frequently than other methods. Also, water is placed very near the plant roots, wasting very little in the process. It also increases your harvest due to the rich soil mixture.
Very little weeding. One benefit of this close planting is that the vegetables form a living mulch, and shade out many weed seeds before they have a chance to germinate.
Pesticide / Herbicide Free. Natural insect repellent methods like companion planting (i.e. planting marigolds or other naturally pest-repelling plants) become very efficient in a close space and thus, pesticides are not necessary. The large variety of crops in a small space also prevents plant diseases from spreading easily.
Accessibility. A plywood bottom can be attached to the bottom of a box, which can then be placed on a raised platform for elderly or disabled persons to use.

Getting Started With Container Gardening

2007-02-16T00:19:00.000-05:00

Gardening with containers can add a whole new life to an existing garden. Place containers with your favorite plants in various locations and groupings around your garden. Or, create a garden which consists solely of containers! Containers also:

• Solve the issue of limited space

• Are easy to install if you have a lack of ground to dig in the case of apartment dwellers

• Offer easy accessibility

• Allow you to move your garden around

• Keep your ‘most-used’ herbs and vegetables at your finger tips

• Help keep costs down since you don’t need to purchase as much as a large garden

• Save time weeding

If you’re thinking about gardening with containers, keep the following in mind:

1) Determine how much space you have available.

2) Determine what types of plants you want to grow.

3) Select your containers accordingly.

4) Choose your soil mixture.

5) Take into account the availability of sunlight and shade.

6) Shop around for just the right plants, soils, and containers, at just the right price.

Container gardening is so easy to get into and so easy to manage. And, it’s likely to be one of the most enjoyable gardening experiences you’ll have. Get as creative or stay as simple as you’d like. Choose fancy containers or plain containers, try mixing different plants together, rearrange your containers for a different look now and again. As long as you follow some basic ‘rules’ the sky’s the limit!

Planning Your Garden

2007-02-15T04:03:00.000-05:00

When planning your garden consider the following points.

Sunlight – It seems obvious that all vegetable plants need light, don't choose your location according to appearance, choose it according to what your plants will need. The best and most efficient source of light is the sun. The sun also warms the air and the soil. Choose a site that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. More sunlight is even better. Prune or take out trees that hinder the sunlight from hitting the garden.

Soil type – Is the soil good for gardening? You can improve the soil by adding organic matter, lime and nutrients. Select a garden site with soil that is well-drained and rich in organic matter.

Water – Water is a must for plants. It is especially important at transplanting time or when a plant is making fruit. Locate your garden near a water source.

Convenience – Plant your garden at a site that is convenient to you. A garden that takes time to get to usually doesn’t succeed. The need for weeding, watering, pest control and harvest means frequent visits to the garden.

Garden size – How large of a garden do you want? Consider the site, your family size and your appetite for gardening when you plan your garden.

Variety selection – Select varieties that are known to grow well in your area. Choose those that fit the growing season; check the days to maturity on the seed packet. Consider the varieties’ resistance to common plant diseases listed on the seed packet.

Use a Trellis for a small garden space

2007-02-14T17:45:00.000-05:00

Use a trellis if you have a small garden space.You can grow cucumbers,pole beans,and even small melons with the use of the trellis system.You can even train large tomato vines to climb the fence.

Take two metal fence post or wood you might have stored away somewhere,and place them on both sides of your container or drive them in the ground if the plants are planted in the earth.Wire standard stockade type fenceing to it 1 foot up from soil.Standard fenceing is 5 foot high so this gives you a 6 foot high trellis.Tie your vines to the fenceing as crops grow to keep them growing upwards.This will give you plenty of fresh vegetables or melons throughout the growing season.

Growing Vegetables in a Cold Frame or Hot Bed

2007-02-14T05:36:00.000-05:00

Growing Vegetables in a Cold Frame or Hot Bed

Imagine harvesting fresh lettuce, spinach, radishes, green onions and other vegetables from your own garden this winter. In fact, you could have a fresh homegrown salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Yes, it's possible, if you grow your own vegetables in a cold frame or hot bed.

Cold frames are easy to construct, take very little care, and can provide you with fresh vegetables throughout the fall, winter and spring seasons. In fact, with the use of a cold frame it is possible to have fresh vegetables from your own garden all 12 months of the year.

HOT BEDS - if you want to go one step further, you can turn your cold frame into a hot bed by simply submerging a heating cable into the soil in your cold frame. Actually, a light globe, lit on a cool night will even help to provide warmth to your winter crops. The heating cable will also be of great value in helping root winter cuttings or start new seedlings. Of course, the heat will also help bring the winter vegetable crops to maturity quicker. But, I am getting ahead of myself, let's first talk about how easy it is to build a cold frame:

MATERIAL FOR A COLD FRAME - you don't have to be a carpenter in order to construct a cold frame. Even I can do it! There's a good possibility that you might have the materials on hand, or you can easily obtain them from a salvage yard.

The size doesn't make any difference. Start with an old window sash or aluminum/glass doorframe, then build the box to those dimension's. For example, if the window sash is 36 inches wide and 6 feet long, that's the size you want to make the frame. If the sash does not have glass in it, you can replace the glass with fiberglass, polyethylene or a similar material.

It's best to use sturdy 2 by 6's, 2 by 8's, or 2 by 10's to construct the sides of the cold frame. It's up to you, you can use new wood or to keep costs down by using what you have on hand or second grade lumber.

PLACEMENT OF THE COLD FRAME - if possible the cold frame should face south for the maximum sunlight exposure and it should have at least a 10 percent angle for added sunlight exposure.

If a southern exposure is not available the second choice would be a western exposure. Third choice would be an eastern exposure and the least desirable would be a northern exposure. When possible select a site with a slight forward facing slope, for better drainage.

BUILDING A COLD FRAME - you can either set the cold frame on top of the ground or bury it in the ground. You will find you will get better insulation if it is at least partly below ground level

If the cold frame faces south, build the cold frame so it is higher in the back (the north side) and lower in the front (the south side). Ideal dimensions would be approximately 18 inches at the back and 12 at the front. This provides a good angle for sun exposure and a slope for excessive rain to drain off.

Put the sash on top of this frame, holding it in place with hinges on the high end, the north side.

SOIL PREPARATION FOR PLANTING - prepare the soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. Mixing compost, processed manure, peat moss or other forms of organic humus with your existing soil to create a good fertile soil. Or, if your soil is quite poor you may want to start with a premixed commercial planting soil. You probably will find it necessary to renew the soil every year or two.

COLD WEATHER PROTECTION - if winter weather gets exceptionally cold, say down into the low twenties or teens, you will need to cover the cold frame with old burlap bags, old blankets, or any type of cloth material to provide added protection during the cold spell. Then once the weather has subsided, the covering material should be removed. Of course, if you have added a heating cable that will help some, but probably not enough heat to save your vegetables, so covering during really cold weather is still a good idea.

WARM WEATHER CARE - on a warm sunny day, during the fall, winter or early spring it will be necessary to open the window sash for ventilation. You can use a stick or wedge, or any similar material to prop it open. Also, during the warmer early fall and early spring months it may get too hot, making it necessary to cover the window sash with a shade cloth, or by treating the glass with a lime wash, to provide additional shade and cooler temperatures for your plants.

WATERING PLANTS IN A COLD FRAME - you will have to experiment a little to determine how frequently to water your cold frame because the watering requirements will vary from day to day and season to season. Generally, during the winter season the cold frame will only need to be watered once a week. Or you can let Mother Nature do the job by opening the top of your cold frame on a rainy day.

FERTILIZING - if the soil is prepared properly, there should be little or no need for feeding during the winter. The exception may be leaf crops, like lettuce, spinach and chard. A light feeding of an organic type 'Vegetable Garden' fertilizer two or three weeks after planting would be beneficial.

SLUGS - the warmth of the cold frame may attract slugs, so be on the lookout for them and take appropriate steps to keep them under control should they become a problem.

BEST VEGETABLES TO GROW IN YOUR COLD FRAME - leaf lettuce is undoubtedly the best crop to grow. It grows rapidly and abundantly in a cold frame. And, there's nothing like fresh, nutritious greens, picked from your own garden during cold winter weather. Spinach is also an excellent green to grow. Other crops that grow exceptional well in cold frames or hot beds are green onions, radishes, and chard, round or little finger carrots, endive and other greens. As you become more familiar with using your cold frame/hot bed, you will undoubtedly want experiment with other vegetables as well.

In addition to growing vegetables, a cold frame is an excellent place to start new seeds in springtime or to take cuttings in the fall and winter months of your favorite evergreen plants. In fact, the propagation of new plants, including rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas and other broad-leafed and conifer evergreens, can take place in a cold frame. The cuttings can be taken any time from September until early February. You will find the cuttings will root better with bottom heat from a submerged heating cable.

If you want to cut costs this winter and grow some of your own produce, now would be an excellent time to build your own cold frame or hot bed.

February To Do List

2007-02-14T04:06:00.000-05:00

Zone 1

Order fruit and vegetable seeds, roses, bare-root trees and shrubs

Check potted or container-planted bulbs for signs of growth

Bring in pots of crocus and bulbous iris if leaves have formed

Cut branches of pussy willow, flowering quince, forsythia to force indoors if buds are beginning to swell

Freshen house plants with sprays or shower bath

Sow seeds of cool-weather vegetables indoors

Sow seeds of hardy perennials indoors

Zone 2

Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)

Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom

Sow seeds indoors for tender perennials

Zone 3

Order seeds

Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)

Water cymbidiums weekly until they bloom

Sow seeds for tender perennials

Zone 4

Order seeds

Sow seeds indoors for hardy spring-blooming plants

Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)

Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables

Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 5
Order seeds
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 6
Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming plants
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Sow seeds for cool-weather vegetables
Sow frost-tolerant perennials indoors

Zone 7

Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Plant ornamental trees
Prune flowering fruit trees while in bloom
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
Sow seeds of warm-season vegetables indoors
Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Plant or transplant cool-season vegetable seedlings
Zone 8

Order seeds
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Set out cool-season annuals
Plant fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Cut back on feeding houseplants (do not feed dormant houseplants)
Plant or repair warm-season lawns
Plant ornamental grasses
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials
Sow seeds for tender perennials indoors
Plant bare-root roses
Apply dormant spray to roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune winter-blooming shrubs and vines just after bloom
Apply dormant spray to shrubs and vines
Plant bare-root perennial vegetables
Plant seedlings of cool-season vegetables
Sow seeds for cool- and warm-season vegetables
Protect tender plants from frost
Zone 9

Sow seeds for hardy spring-blooming annuals
Sow seeds of warm-season annuals indoors
Plant summer-flowering bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Apply dormant spray to fruit trees
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant citrus
Repair or plant lawns
Plant or transplant frost-tolerant perennials outdoors
Sow seeds for tender perennials indoors
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and vines
Prune deciduous trees
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines just after bloom
Plant bare-root perennial vegetalbes
Plant seedlings of cool-season or winter vegetables
Sow seeds for cool-season or winter vegetables
Sow seeds for warm-season vegetables indoors
Z one 10

Order seeds
Sow seeds for warm-season annuals
Set out seedlings of warm-season annuals
Set out summer-flowering bulbs
Repot cacti and succulents, if essential, once they have finished blooming
Plant bare-root fruit trees
Prune flowering fruit trees while in bloom
Spray for peach leaf curl, peach leaf blight, and canker
Plant citrus
Protect citrus from frost damage
Feed houseplants that are growing or blooming
Plant bare-root roses
Plant bare-root shrubs and vines
Prune evergreen shrubs
Prune winter-flowering shrubs and vines after bloom
Plant bare-root trees
Plant or transplant cool-season vegetable seedlings
Sow warm-season vegetable seeds
Transplant warm-season vegetable seedlings

Zone 11

Sow seed of summer annuals indoors
Sow seeds of hardy vegetables indoors
Improve soil by spading in humus
Plant bare-root trees, shrubs, vines, roses
Be ready to shelter tender plants against frost
Finish dormant spraying