Overwintered beets can produce prodigious amounts of seed List of Biennial Vegetables Botanically speaking, biennials are plants that grow one season and bloom the following spring after a period of winter chilling.
Keep compost heaps and potting mixes covered to prevent blown-in seeds from settling. Intensive cropping using leafy vegetables to stop light from reaching the ground is another efficient way to ‘clean' the soil of weeds.
It can take two years or even longer for leaves to rot down enough to be considered leafmold. Of course, if you have any trees in or near your garden you may find that you have a ready supply.
In this way, retaining logs or boards have what you might call a hugelkultur effect. Some sites may need only a low stone wall to transform them into good gardening space, while others will require compact beds stacked up like boxes.
A sharp manual lawn edger will take down most cool-season cover crops in a matter of minutes. I won't plant my garlic until October, but between now and then I might sow a quick mustard cover crop to suppress weeds, or use the broadfork to aerate the...
Simply lay these soft-skinned beauties, stem-side down and not touching, between two layers of breathable linen. Simply pop the fruit(s) into a paper bag then loosely close it at the top.
Branches that rub together will cause wounds, so they should be removed. Cropping so prolifically can also cause branches to become so weighty that they actually snap under the strain.
Storing Dried Chili Peppers Dried chili peppers can be stored in any airtight container. These ones won't hang around for long – I've a cheek-flushing chili bean recipe I've been itching to try out! Nevertheless, with lots more fruits on the way, there...
Two watering cans are better than one! Don't Blast Your Plants A strong spray from a hose can knock plants about or blast potting soil out of containers. If you can offer any further tips or advice, please go ahead and share them in the comments section...
You need to allow enough time before the temperature drops and growth slows right down. Plants Related to this Article Potatoes (Early) Grow Guide Potatoes (Maincrop) Grow Guide Bugs, Beneficial Insects and Plant Diseases Colorado Potato Beetle Guide...
But thinning further can help trees to stay in good shape and produce a more useful crop. Thinning Other Fruit Trees Pears need less thinning than apples but will still benefit from having young fruits thinned out to give consistent harvests.
It's that time of year again, when wafts – nay, clouds – of whitefly lay siege to summer favorites like tomatoes and cabbage. With an initial assault complete, it's now time to apply an organic insecticidal soap, again taking great care to cover all...
Grass clippings are a ready-to-hand source of instant mulch too, and will help to keep plant roots cool and moist in hot, dry weather. Aim to water regularly for consistent soil moisture, which will translate into plenty of well-formed fruits and pods,...
Or, if you keep chickens let them search and destroy for you! Healthy soil helps to make your plants strong enough to resist insect attacks, so add organic matter regularly – annually at the very least, and preferably more often.
Left in the ground when the crop is cleared, these roots will help to feed the cabbages that follow. How to Sow Cabbage Cabbages may be started off in an outdoor seedbed to transplant once they're bigger, or under cover into modules or pots, which also...
Easy DIY Drinks Cooler On hot summer days don't forget to quench your thirst with all manner of smoothies, cordials and lemonades made from garden-grown fruits and herbs. Here are a few ideas to help you make the most of your garden while the weather's...
Health-Boosting Daikon Radishes In China there is an old saying that “when the radishes are in season, the pharmacists can close their shops”. Plants Related to this Article Radish Grow Guide Bugs, Beneficial Insects and Plant Diseases Aphids (General)...
You can also freeze home-made tomato sauces, soups and passata. Slice vegetables and fruits thinly then dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. It's a nuisance – albeit a welcome one.
Rutabaga growth slows as the days become short, and the oldest leaves often shrivel and may be cut away. Napobrassica ) include swedes, winter turnips, yellow turnips, Swedish turnips, Russian turnips, Canadian turnips, and neeps.
...And the Worst Vegetables for Seed Saving Avoid saving seeds from the cabbage family. Scrape out the seeds from ripe chili peppers then dry them before storing Saving Pepper & Tomato Seeds The seeds of tomatoes and peppers are ready when the fruits...
A solid mass of bright yellow blossoms brightened the red brick planter and wall behind it. Smiles lit their faces when they realized the flowers were still there – still growing strong, and still beautiful.Winter came, and with it the death of the...
Each garden was a master work in growing that people are still using the patterns from today.Even the most humble tomato and chili peppers all started on the Native American shores.With such a huge part of the American diet coming from plants native to...
They may wither a bit, but if given a drink, they'll bounce right back with no ill effects. They make great plants for vacation homes and for gardeners with hectic work schedules. In realty, this was an excellent choice, because the fleshy leaves contain...
Many new gardeners are starting to plan their first adventure into our crazy, wonderful world. Sprinkle the zinnia seeds between three and six inches apart and lightly cover them with soil.
This technique is also known as scarification.Which seeds need to be nicked? You may have heard that nicking plant seeds before attempting to germinate them is a good idea. Other seeds don't absolutely require it, but nicking will encourage the seeds...
You can use tweezers to ease out the seeds from the mushy pods. Cover them with more paper and gently press to remove excess moisture.If the seeds are hard and mature, you can safely dry them and store them for future use.
The little guys can come up anywhere,, but that is half the fun. Only allow a certain number of flowers to seed in order to start early containment. The term refers to plants that set viable seed, which finds fertile ground in a zone for which it is hardy...
