Leafmold mulch contributes to a healthier garden Leafmold (rotted leaves from deciduous trees) is similar to compost, but is less rich in nutrients. Your plants will thank you! < All Guides
By midsummer, the structure that underpins a terraced vegetable garden disappears as it is overrun by exuberant plants. Natural stone is often free if you live in a mountainous area, and as long as you stack a low wall so that it tilts slightly backward,...
Sweet Corn Stubble for Fall Crop Protection Every situation doesn't merit wholesale renewal. Kale seedlings ready to transplant atop buried caches of summer compost 2. A sharp manual lawn edger will take down most cool-season cover crops in a matter of...
Delicate fruits such as peaches or nectarines need very careful handing to avoid bruising. Plants Related to this Article Nectarine (Dwarf) Grow Guide Nectarine (Large) Grow Guide Pepper Grow Guide Bugs, Beneficial Insects and Plant Diseases Squash Bug...
Remove covers during the day to enable pollination, then replace it in the evening to provide a little warmth and protection against lower temperatures. Continue watering a suitable organic liquid fertilizer on to hungry fruiting vegetables like tomatoes,...
A pest is just a creature that likes the same food we do, so show some tolerance, protect what crops you can, and use nature's own balancing system to ensure your crop doesn't get munched before you have time to harvest it.
In very cold regions, growing cabbages in a greenhouse or cold frame is a great way to guarantee a winter-safe crop. Harvest cabbages once the heads have firmed up How to Harvest Cabbage Use a sharp knife to cut your cabbages once the heads have firmed...
A water feature of any size can add interest and soothing background noise Add Interest with Sound and Movement Stimulate the senses with sound, color and movement. Place your beers, wine or sodas inside, then lay a soaked towel over the top.
Asian radishes grow slower than little salad radishes, so they are best planted about eight weeks before your first frost date. You also can cook daikon radishes into a soft and savory vegetable as is done in Chinese turnip cake ( law bok gow ), which...
Slice vegetables and fruits thinly then dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place them into a pan with your spices, plus sugar and vinegar. Berries and currants are very easily frozen – just lay them out onto sheets so they're not touching,...
Rutabagas are highly sensitive to boron deficiency, which leads to a condition called brown heart, a discolored hollow in the middle of the rutabaga. Then store them in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or packed in damp sand or sawdust in a cold basement.
Saving Onion & Leek Seeds Onions, leeks and shallots set seed in their second year. You may find you need to stake the plants as they stretch out to flower. Spread them out onto newspaper to dry out on a warm windowsill for seven to ten days.
They are a whitish colour, with a wooly surface and purplish-brown underside. Soft shoots can be pinched out with your thumb and forefinger. Silver Leaf Disease in Plum Trees Silver leaf disease can affect other fruits such as apples and cherries, as...
You can use your dried chilies as needed, or infuse whole fruits in sterilized bottles filled with olive oil to make chilli oil. Once all of your chilies are threaded on, tie off the line to make a loop.
I hope you've found some of these ideas handy. You can speed things along by adding a splosh of water to the top of the pot before it's left to soak. Again, take care to water well before laying it.
Position the seed potatoes 30cm (12in) apart along the bottom of trenches spaced at least 60cm (24in) apart. Plant some seed potatoes in late summer and you could be enjoying a bonanza of earthy nuggets from late autumn right through to Christmas.
Start by cutting away any misshapen, damaged or scarred fruits. The main benefit of thinning to the gardener is to give those fruits that remain the space they need to grow into bigger, healthier fruits.
They will attack plants growing outdoors as well as in the greenhouse. Greenhouse (or glasshouse) whitefly are closely related to aphids but a touch smaller, at around 1-2mm (a twelfth of an inch) long.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. They will root during the winter, and multiply into a cluster in late spring or early summer.
Managing Outbreaks: Striped cucumber beetles are difficult to hand pick because they are small and prone to flying away. Delaying spring planting by two weeks can often help with cucumber beetles management.
Troubleshooting Beware of sleepy bees when pruning or otherwise working with mature borage plants. Feeding Not generally needed. A good companion for any crop that needs strong defense from insects.
Frequently the plant will break off as you pull it from the ground. Dig and move perennial onions every fall. Tips: Yellow sticky traps or yellow pans of water can be used to monitor and trap onion flies.
Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Any average, well drained soil. Often planted with low, mound-forming herbs and flowers. Notes Valerian produces extremely fragrant flowers in early summer.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. You also can start seeds in late winter, and set out the seedlings in spring.
Planting and Harvesting Calendar < Back to All Plants Pests which Affect Tulip Aphids (General) Slug Snail Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Fertile, well-drained soil. Companions Thyme and Osteospermum. Space dwarf varieties 8 inches (20cm) apart in all directions; allow 12 inches (30cm) between very tall varieties.
Spacing Single Plants: 1' 7" (50cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 1' 5" (45cm) with 1' 11" (60cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Start seedlings indoors or start with purchased plants.