When laid on the soil surface 5-10cm (2-4in) thick it does a great job of suppressing annual weeds. About once a month, take off your mower's grass bag or insert your mulching attachment and leave the clippings on the grass.
As the wood decays, mycelium from the wood-feeding fungi also infiltrate adjoining soil. You can now play with various bed designs and materials, using your drawing as a planning tool.
It gets better: The cut corn stalks made handy weights for securing the edges of the cover. Last year, I cut off the corn stalks at 14-inch (35cm) height, and used the tall stubs to support a row cover, which protected the fall greens from insects, deer...
This matters, because many fruits, including peppers and tomatoes, emit ethylene to promote ripening. How to Ripen Peppers Peppers – both sweet/bell and chili – can be exceptionally prodigious once they get into their stride.
Branches infected with silver leaf will have a tell-tale dark stain at the centre. If you need to cut back to the main trunk, cut close to the raised ‘collar' but not into it. Oozing bark, though alarming, isn't necessarily a sign of the disease.
Arrange the chili peppers by spacing them out in a spiral formation – each chili should be offset about 30 to 60 degrees from the previous one. Hang your ristra in a warm, well-ventilated place.
Concentrate your watering where it's needed: young seedlings to help them establish, salad leaves to stop them wilting, fruiting vegetables like tomatoes and anything growing in a pot.
Potatoes need a period of dormancy before they can sprout into a new plant, so in this case you really will need to start with genuine seed potatoes. Plants Related to this Article Potatoes (Early) Grow Guide Potatoes (Maincrop) Grow Guide Bugs, Beneficial...
The fruits left to grow on will enjoy more airflow, sunlight and energy from the tree for even ripening. Selectively removing young fruits is called thinning. Aim to leave one fruit every couple of inches (5-8cm), or if it's easier, one pair of plums...
And if that's not enough, honeydew can attract diseases such as black sooty moulds on plants already weakened by the whiteflies' persistent sap sucking. Needless to say, the first line of control is to take action as soon as they appear; the early gardener...
None of these techniques are exactly rocket science, but by applying each you'll almost certainly be able to eke out more from your fruiting and pod-producing vegetables – and others for that matter.
And don't forget to report any pests you see at BigBugHunt.com . No food gardener's armory is complete without a length of fine mesh netting. Make sure your garden provides year-round shelter for allies such as frogs, toads, insect-eating birds and beneficial...
When you sow depends on what type of cabbage you're growing. Under cover, start seeds off in plug trays of all-purpose potting soil. Spring cabbages are sown from the second half of summer to harvest the following year.
Sowing, planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, deadheading, composting, pest control… and the rest! But as summer moves swiftly along it's absolutely essential to stop, sit down and drink it all in.
Plants Related to this Article Radish Grow Guide Bugs, Beneficial Insects and Plant Diseases Aphids (General) Guide Cabbage Root Maggot Guide Cabbage Worm Guide < All Guides Watermelon radishes provide a unique color in the kitchen that's welcome in salads,...
Simmer until thick (this should take anywhere from one to three hours) then decant into sterilized jars. Dry off the produce before storing in freezer bags or Tupperware in portion-sized batches.
The root word, rotabagge , is Swedish for thick root, which hints at the density of rutabaga roots when compared to turnips. They will keep in good condition for two months or more, should they last that long.
The flowers are beautiful though, and provide welcome food for local bees and other pollinators. Spread them out onto newspaper to dry out on a warm windowsill for seven to ten days.
Large or hard seeds like those ofoften require scarification for optimal germination. Be careful to avoid damaging the plant embryo inside the seed – you want to cut just through the seed coat while leaving the plant embryo and other structures within...
It is not advisable to try and save healthy seeds from the lot because mold spores can survive drying. If the seeds are precious, you can take the trouble of growing the seedlings in auntil the weather is right for them to be planted outside.– If the...
Any seeds that are allowed to mature and sprout the next season are often called volunteers. You may also find your fruits and vegetables are prolific reseeders, sometimes. That being said, these plants can quickly get out of hand without the right management.
You can make your ownCut a few new shoots from a willow and slice them into 1 inch (3 cm) pieces.Steep the willow pieces in water for a few days to create a willow tea.Dip your cuttings in the tea directly before planting them, and their survival rate...
When selecting a plantable pot, it is important to consider how much time your plants need to start vs. These containers will allow you to reduce the use of plastic and/or clay materials in your garden.Plantable containers can be used for starting plants.
Many gardeners prefer to water from the bottom, which keeps the surface of the soil drier. Depending on the type of fungal disease, seedlings may take on a twisted or water-soaked appearance, sometimes withor dark colored threads on the surface of the...
Roots will form along the part of the stem that's underground.freestar.queue.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-300x250-ATF-1"); });– Tip layering works by pushing the very tip or point of a stem underground and holding it in place with...
Accidental cross pollination is more difficult in these plants, but still very possible. Do not use a plastic bag as this can trap heat around the seedpod and kill the seeds inside.
Spring has sprung — or nearly — and it's time to start your garden. Some seeds recommend just a dusting of soil over the seeds, while others need more submersion.or wrapping them overnight in a damp paper towel.
