Helpful Hints for Cool Weather Crops

 You can grow lots of yummy vegetables in the Spring and Fall like lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, cabbage, and kholrabi to name a few. However, as I myself am still learning, there are some helpful

tricks to ensure gardening success and I want to share with you some of what I'm learning first hand. 

It's super important to know your climate. If you live in the North wear temps rarely, if ever get over 90 degrees, then you can grow cool weather crops all summer, no problem! If you live in the South were it rarely gets below 20 degrees in the winter, then you can grow cool weather crops through the winter. However, if you live in the middle like I do (Zone 6b) then both the winter and summer are no good for cool weather veggies. The ideal time to be growing them is April - June and Sept - October and that can be tricky since many of these veggies need more time to grow. Here is how you can get around that. 

First, go for faster growing varieties. You'll notice that on the seed packets, it will tell you how long it takes to grow. Be sure to pick out the varieties that have the fewest "days to maturity". 

Second, consider buying seedlings from the nursery. I know, I hate spending the extra money too and would rather just use seeds but to get a plant to maturity in the days we have available, it would really help you out. 

Third, conversely, you can set up a seed starting station in your house to grow your own seedlings. This will require special grow lights but the investment could be worth it over time. In the summer, I started fall crops outdoors in the shade in a container. It worked great until the slugs found it. So next year I'll try again with some slug repellant. 

Fourth, you'll need to start some fall crops in July while it's still hot. I always plant them near my hose so it's easy to keep them well watered which will help them combat the heat. I also mulch them as soon as they're about 4 inches tall to help keep the soil cool. Some people also use shade cloth which would help as well. 

Finally, you can also extend the growing season in the fall by mulching around your plants or covering them with a clear covering. 

Harvesting fresh veggies in the fall and winter is very rewarding. It's worth the extra effort to make it happen. What do you like growing in the Spring and Fall? Feel free to write in the comments below!

How to Extend Your Vegetable Garden Into Fall

 Recently, a relative said to me, "Your garden is about done, isn't it?" Readers, it's mid-September here in York County, PA and I am by no means, done. If I'm done harvesting food before Christmas, I'm going to be disappointed. Now, the point of this post isn't to brag but to let you know, you can have a productive vegetable garden all through fall too! Fresh, homegrown vegetables are delicious and so healthy so spreading out the amount of time you get them is a total win! Here are some things to think about. 

My garden in Mid September

1. Pick the right variety of plants. One of the main culprits of the season ending is that you're plants are either A) varieties that set fruit and die or B)highly susceptible to disease which they get and die. Knowing that, look for varieties of indeterminate tomatoes that will continue to produce until frost. Especially look for disease resistant varieties. I love my Martha Washington Indeterminate tomatoes which are still going strong and I've not sprayed them with anything all summer. 

2. Practice succession planting. I'm harvesting green beans this week because I planted more in the middle of July. You don't have to plant a lot, just a small patch here and there to continue harvesting for fresh eating. Some plants need too much time before harvest to do this but many, such as green beans and zucchini grow quickly and lend themselves to multiple plantings. 

3. Include some vegetable varieties that shine in fall. This is the time of year for pumpkins, winter squash, pop corn, Brussel sprouts, dried beans and more. Some vegetables take a long time to grow but it's worth it when fall comes and you're still hauling in delicious food. It's especially worth in February when you can get a winter squash out of your basement and enjoy the yummiest soup ever. 

4. Embrace cool weather crops. All brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc) love cooler weather. Spinach, peas, lettuce, carrots, and turnips love cooler weather. For more info on growing them, check out this link. 

5. Finally, stay on top of things. If you've kept on top of the weeds, watered when necessary, mulched as much as possible, harvested veggies instead of letting them rot on the plant (like my next door neighbors) and removed diseased material out of your garden through the summer, you are in a great place to relax in the fall. I'm only really out in the garden a few times a week this time of year and getting a lot out of it. 

So there you are, you can totally do this and maximize your vegetable returns. How is your fall garden? Feel free to comment below!

Fall Gardening in Spring

 Fall here in York County, PA is glorious. Our average first frost date isn't until Halloween and there is no reason September and October can't be just as beautiful and bountiful in the garden as July and

I didn't even mention Mums. They're great too. 

August. What am I posting about this in May? Because there are many plants that hit their peek in the fall that need to be planted now. Having a great fall garden requires some planning. But you can do this! Here is what you should be planting now to have an amazing fall garden. 

Vegetables

Some of the most quintessential vegetables of fall are pumpkins. However, they take a long time to grow. You can start them from seeds readily but they need to be started soon. If you wait till August, it will be much too late. This includes all pumpkins, gourds and winter squash such as butternut or acorn. They all require full sun and rich soil. 

A few other vegetables like Brussel sprouts and parsnips are the same way. Plant now to harvest in fall. I'm also experimenting with starting leeks from seeds now to harvest in the fall. I'll let you know how that goes. 

Maple trees and pumpkins just scream fall. 

Annual Flowers

Sunflowers, zinnias, strawflowers, and marigolds are all easy to start from seed and can look fabulous all fall. (Last year I was picking fresh straw flowers until Thanksgiving) But you need to plant them now. Again, they all need full sun. A word on sunflowers; some varieties bloom and finish in summer so if you want a fall show be sure to select a variety for fall. 

Perennial Flowers

Investing in some key perennials to show off in fall is a great idea. However, to get a good bloom this year, you need to select and plant them out now. Any member of the Aster Family is great for fall. I also enjoy my pink sedum flowers and Trycirtus. Gallardia is another popular fall flower. Ornamental grasses can also look great in the fall. 

Trees and Shrubs

Some seeds I've started near the spiggot. 

First, growing apples and pears brings a fantastic fall harvest of classic fall fruits. I recommend growing both. 

Second, there are so many plants that just look amazing in fall from large sugar maples, to wild grape vines, to the Virginia Sweet Spire I just planted out. Even blueberry bushes get great fall color. 

The best part is, that if you plan things out well, I find fall gardening to be far more relaxing. Fewer hours of sunlight mean plants slow down and it's easier to find time to sit with a hot cup of coffee and just take it in. 

Another tip: if you have limited space in your vegetable garden, you might struggle to find room for fall veggies right now. I like to start seeds in containers to plant out later when spring veggies are done and ready to pull out. Just keep the containers near a water source so they're easy to keep watered. 

What are some of your favorite fall plants? Are you planning anything special this year? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below. 

How to Grow Beets and Spinach

 Beets and Spinach may, at first glance, seem like two odd veggies to pare together but they are actually both from the chenopod or amaranth (depending on who you ask) plant family and have very similar growth requirements. I love growing both and cant imagine a veggie garden without them. They are both also very easy to grow from seeds. 

Both veggies are cool weather crops so here in York County, PA i can get two crops in a year: one in spring and one in fall. I only grow beets in spring but I'll get into that shortly. I sow seeds for both between St. Patrick's Day and the first week of April. Both are quick growing and can be planted in successions. That is, plant a few seeds every few weeks to keep a harvest going. Average soil conditions are fine but they do require full sun. 

Spinach is a great crop for cut and come again leaves as long as you never harvest more than 50 % of the leaves at any time. I love to blanch the leaves and then freeze them in ice cube trays for future use in soups, casseroles, pizza and eggs. Spinach plants will fizzle out in the hot July sun so pull them out and start again in mid to late August. If you plant enough, you can grow enough under a cold frame to keep you harvesting all winter. My all time favorite variety is Monstreux de Viroflay from Baker Creek Seeds because of the large yields but I've had good success with Bloomsdale Long Standing too which you can find anywhere. 

Beets can be eaten a few different ways. The greens are edible. Young leaves can be put right in salad. Older leaves are great steamed with a little vinegar on them. The roots are great roasted. However, my all time favorite is to pickle the beets and can them for winter eating. So yummy, especially when you soak hard boiled eggs in the pickling juice. You can get more information about that here. 

The downside of pickling beets is that it's TONS of work so I prefer to grow all my beets at once and have one big canning day a year. Although there are many kinds of beets to try, I'll admit to having only grown Detroit Dark Red because that's what my parents grew and I'm a little sentimental about it. Hannah is going to try Chioggia beets this year so that should be fun. 

Both Beets and Spinach are relatively pest free. I've never been tempted to treat them for anything, insect or fungus. However, rabbits do love to chew on both so I keep chicken wire fencing around both while they are young and especially tender. 

Have you ever grown these veggies before? What varieties to you like?

More Peas Please!

Mature pea plants.

 My 7 year old daughter loves peas. I mean, LOVES peas. You don't even have to cook them, she will eat them raw. Now, if your kid who can be a bit picky loves a certain kind of vegetable, that's good reason to grow it, right? Fortunately, peas are really easy to grow. Here's how.

Peas are another kind of cool weather vegetable. They don't do very well in hot July weather. Here in York County, PA it's easy to grow 2 crops of them a year, once in spring and once in fall. It is important that you get them planted on time. The plants will likely die in the hot July sun and at a certain point in the fall, they will stop growing all together due to a lack of sunlight. So, in Spring I plant peas between St. Patricks Day and the first week of April, no later. In summer, the second planting goes in around the end of July or beginning of August. 

There are basically two kinds of peas, those you grow to eat the pods (snap peas or snow peas) and those you grow to eat the seeds (traditional peas). I grow mostly traditional peas since that's what my daughter loves but snap peas ripen quicker and are delicious. 

Pea seedlings

Peas don't require any special kind of soil. They aren't heavy feeders so I wouldn't worry about fertilizing them unless you soil is truly deplorable. Adding compost or other organic soil amendments (read, manure) is always a good idea. Their water needs are also typical. In the Spring, I don't need to water them but in the summer, as with all fall crops I'm trying to start, I need to water them frequently due to hot dry weather. 

What peas do need is structure. They grow up and do best when they have a fence, tee pee, or trellis to support them. I've even used tomato cages with good success. 

Finally, once your seedlings get to about 4 inches tall, as with most veggies, it's a great idea to mulch them with either shredded leaves, straw or even dried out lawn cuttings. This will help the soil retain moisture and will also keep down the weeds. 

That's really all there is to it. Peas are a great veggie for the beginner grower. Do you grow peas? What kind do you like? Feel free to comment in the section below. 

Grow Your Own Carrots

 Carrots are a very popular vegetable. Most people eat them in one form or another and it's one vegetable even kids are willing to eat. My kid being a  big exception. Anyways, carrots are delicious raw, steamed, boiled or roasted. Even better, you can grow your own carrots twice a year! 

First off, carrots are cool weather vegetables so they grow best in the Spring and Fall. Hence, you can grow them twice a year. 

Secondly, carrots MUST be grown from see
d. You can't transplant a carrot because the root (the edible part) will be all messed up. You can find carrot seeds just about anywhere in the spring but not in the fall so be sure to buy enough for both seasons. Spring is good for smaller sized carrots (fingerling, parisienne, danvers half long, etc) and fall is better for full sized carrots because they'll have longer to grow. 

Third, when you plant them, be sure to break up the soil well and remove all rocks. Then scatter the seed carefully and cover with a thin layer of soil. Remember, they can't be transplanted and they will HAVE to be thinned so don't over seed them. Keeping the soil damp in the Spring shouldn't be a problem but it will be difficult in the fall. In York county, PA where I live, fall carrots should be planted the end of July so getting the seeds started and keeping them damp is a challenge. 

Fourth, carrots are notorious for taking a long time to germinate. Give them at least 2 weeks before giving up on them. Honestly though, I've never had trouble getting carrots to germinate in spring or fall. You just need to be patient. 

Fifth, when the seedlings are around 2-4 inches tall you HAVE to thin them. Each carrot needs at least 1 inch of personal space or the roots can't fill out. 

Sixth, not only is hot summer weather not good for carrots to grow in, it also brings bugs. I always pull all my carrots out by the end of June no matter what because if I leave anything in the ground, the bugs will chew it up. I've not had that problem in the fall and can leave the carrots in the ground until January if I wish. 

And that, my friends is all there is to it. I've never had to treat any pests or diseases on carrots in my garden, just so long as I don't leave them in all summer. Also, fun fact,  carrot leaves make nice greenery in cut flower arrangements. So try growing your own carrots! You can totally do it. Feel free to comment about your experiments with carrots in the comment section below. 

Kale is Awesome and You Should Grow It

 As you might infer from the title, this article is a bit opinionated. However, it is full of information that you should consider before writing Kale off forever. You should grow it! First, Kale is super healthy

Red Russian Kale, which isn't my favorite but 
there were extenuating circumstances. 

food. Second, Kale is delicious. Third, it is really easy to grow from seeds so it will save you on your grocery bill! 

So, the first point is universally acknowledged, Kale is super good for you. For more info on that, click here. 

If you think kale tastes bad, then you should try it the following three ways which I think are amazing before giving up on it. 

1. You can make kale chips by taking the stems off, spreading on a cookie sheet, sprinkling with olive oil and salt, and baking at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. That's it. So crunchy and delicious. Curly kale is best for this but that's usually what you find in the grocery store anyways. 

2. You can add it to several kinds of soup and soften it a bit. We love it in zuppa toscana. Recipe here. 

3. It makes a great salad. I love it with feta cheese, apple slices, raisins and a balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! Recipe here. 

Now are you convinced you should grow some? Fantastic because it's so easy. 

First, kale is a cool weather crop. Here in York County PA you can grow it 10 months out of the year. Just not July and August because its too hot. 

Second, it is super easy to grow from seed. Please don't waste your money buying seedlings. You can also find seeds anywhere that sells seeds. I've even seen them at the dollar tree. Always follow the instructions on the package, kale seeds are small and shouldn't be buried more than a quarter inch. 

Third, kale needs average moisture and soil conditions, is not a heavy feeder, but does need some sunlight. Full to partial sun is fine. 

Fourth, kale is a great plant to do succession planting. So, plant out a few seeds in mid March, and then a few more seeds 2 weeks after that and so on till early May. Then start again in early August and keep going. 

Finally, kale is a brassica so it is susceptible to any other pests and diseases that other brassica's might get. In my garden that means cabbage worms.  They are easy to treat though. You can either put a bug net over your plants so the months can't lay their eggs on them, or you can spray them with Bt (an organic biological control easily found at any garden center). 

So that's it, so easy right? Have I convinced you yet? How do you like to eat or grow kale? feel free to comment below. 

All About Lettuce

Lettuce is a seriously underappreciated vegetable. I blame the laziness that defers to dull, yellow iceberg lettuce for every salad and sandwich people eat. There are dozens of varieties of lettuce and they are all really good for you! Most are also incredibly easy to grow from seed which can save you lots of money at the store and help you eat healthier. 

If you want to grow something familiar, then Romain Lettuce is a good option but I definitely prefer loose leaf, of cut and come again, lettuce. You can continually harvest leaves off the plant and it will continually grow new ones. Just don't ever harvest more than 50% of the leaves at a time. They also come in colorful seed mixes to brighten up your salads. 

Lettuce is very easy to grow from seed. PLEASE don't waste your money on plants at the garden center. 

Lettuce is a cool weather plant. It is easiest to grow in Spring and Fall. Here in York County, if the ground is bare (meaning there's no snow on the ground, if so you have to wait till it melts), then I'll put out a bit of seed on Saint Patricks Day (yes, in March) and then sow more seeds every few weeks until Mother's Day. Light frosts will not harm the seeds or seedlings. If you do get a hard frost (25 degrees F or less) then, just cover with some plastic for the night. 

Summer is difficult with lettuce because of the heat. Your best bet is to find "bolt resistant" varieties (it will say on the seed packet) and plant in partial shade. Bolting means the plant has gone to seed and will taste very bitter. 

For fall gardening, I start sowing lettuce seeds in Mid August and plant more out every few weeks till mid to late September. Eventually, the winter will be too much for the lettuce and it will go bad (it will be very limp in the garden) but you can extend the season with a simple cold frame or row cover. In August, be sure to not let your lettuce dry out. 

That's really all there is to it. Be sure to wash it thoroughly before eating. My salad spinner was only $10 at Walmart and works great. I've never had any pests or diseases on lettuce that made me even think about treating with pesticides. The occasional slug isn't hurting anything. Have you grown your own lettuce? Feel free to write about your experiences in the comments below!

Unusual Fall Flowers

There's more to fall flowers than just Mums!

 Well, it's happened. The weather forecast for this week includes three frost nights. It's hardly surprising for November but it means the garden flowers are probably toast. I can't complain though. This fall has been glorious for flowers. I don't just mean Mum's and Aster's either. I'm not talking about the bizarre re-blooming of my lilac and the neighbors forsythia either. I mean there have been lots of pretty flowers blooming this fall and YOU can have lovely flowers next year if you try some of these out. 

Perennial Re-bloomers

Many summer perennials will rebloom in the fall if you dead head them thoroughly when they're done the first time. My lavender has been blooming for the last 2 months. Yarrow is another perennial that is still looking lovely outside. Dead heading is crucial though. 

Annuals

This was my first year growing Cup and Saucer Vine and it's thriving. When I planted it, I didn't know it was a fall flower but I don't mind. There are lots of large purple blooms. Marigolds will also to bloom till frost and go so well in an autumn landscape. My husband likes growing Cardinal flower vines on his trellis. They don't bloom till later in the season but still look nice now when his vegetables are all done. 

Zinnias and strawflowers have been blooming continuously since July and they'll keep going till frost. 

Alyssum is a new favorite. Where I live in Central PA, it looks great in Spring, dies back in the heat of summer and then bounds back in the fall. We've had months of blooms from a single pack of seeds. 

Some annuals self seed very readily. My daughters garden has loads of Nasturtiums that volunteered from last year. They look lovely and I've done absolutely nothing to help them along. 

Perennials to wait for

Many shrub roses will continue to bloom till frost.

I love my Trycirtus Flowers. Also, called toad lilies, they won't bloom till October but then they look great all fall. They look like small orchids. 

Many Iris' now come in re-blooming varieties. Mine have been blooming for several weeks. 

So you see, you can have pretty flowers all autumn (or at least till frost). If you want more ideas, go for a walk in your neighborhood and see what looks nice in your neighbors gardens. What's been looking good for you?

Yes! You Can Still Enjoy Your Garden!

 I've had several people ask me if I was still gardening this year. Of course, my answer is yes! Fall days are glorious and it seems a travesty to stay in doors when winter's chill will truly limit our outdoor time so soon. Gardening has been shown to have a multitude of benefits for your physical and mental well being. You don't have to give that up just because your tomato plants succumbed to disease or even if a light frost has taken out a lot of your plants. Here are some great ways to enjoy your garden in October. 

I just got these two beds cleaned up and mulched 
last weekend.

First, there is nothing wrong with just sitting and relaxing in your garden. Every garden should have some seating, even if it's just a bench. Or, you can bring out a blanket with your favorite book and some hot tea. So relaxing!

Second, if you fancy doing some work out there, not is a great time to clean up your vegetable beds and mulch them for winter. Be sure to especially get rid of anything with diseased material. I'm doing a mix of cover crops and mulching with my compost and then straw or leaves. Bare soil over winter will be leached of it's nutrients and beneficial organisms. Always cover your dirt. 

Third, if you planted some fall crops last summer like I said too, then you should still have plenty of veggies to be picking. I've got lettuce, kale, spinach, kohlrabi, carrots and peas all going at it.  Yum!

Fourthly, now is a great time to plant your garlic for next year. You can learn how to do that here.  You can also plant your bulbs for spring flowers in November. This

Peas love the cooler, Fall weather.

includes crocus, hyacinth, tulips, alliums and daffodils. 

Fifth, there are a multitude of flowers that bloom in the fall that make for lovely displays as well as cut bouquets inside. I still have zinnias, nasturtiums, yarrow, cup and saucer vine, solidaster, toad lilies, Iris, and lavender in flower in my yard. If you don't have any flowers now, look around your neighborhood to see what looks good and be sure to add it somewhere next year. 

Finally, be sure to rake up your leaves this fall. Leaving your leaves on the lawn will smother it and piles of leaves are also a haven for ticks. Put the leaves where they belong - on your vegetable bed. 

See, there is no reason you can't still be enjoying your garden this month. So, get out and enjoy it! 

Gardening: When You Don't Accomplish Your Goals

 

Fall is the best time to step back and evaluate your garden. Every year I start out with big goals and some happen and some don't. The 17 year Cicadas put a big hole in all my plans involving fruit trees. However, the veggie garden did well. Too well, in some cases. The point is, rarely do people achieve all of their goals for a particular year and if you're feeling bad about it, don't. It's normal. Life happens. I think when Covid first hit, many people (based on the number of fruit trees and shrubs that were sold out) had major ambitions for growing their own food. That's awesome until you give up under the weight of completely unrealistic expectations. 

So, not that it's (almost) October, take stock in what didn't get done. We didn't get a rain barrel hooked up this year. We didn't get a new collapsible cold frame. Why didn't your goals get done? Do you still feel they are important goals? What needs to happen to achieve them next year? For me, finances and time are the biggest obstacles. 

Gardening isn't about failures and mistakes - just learning opportunities. So don't feel down on yourself. Just take some time to rest, reevaluate and gear up for next year!

Black Walnuts

Black Walnuts on the Tree

 September in Pennsylvania (and most of the region) means it's black walnut season. Black walnuts are large, native trees with compound leaves and large, green nuts. Actually, the nuts are black but they are covered in a fleshy, green covering. Inside the black shell is a delicious little treat that people have been eating for eons. 

To be honest, black walnuts have a strong flavor and not everyone likes them but if you do, they are easy to find. If you are lucky enough to own some wooded property, then you probably already have at least one black walnut tree. If you don't, then you probably know some one who does. Or, you may find black walnut trees in public parks where the nuts feed the squirrels and make mowing difficult. You should always get permission before nutting on someone else's land but usually the owners won't mind at all. 

Nuts in general are very healthy but expensive in the stores so getting free nuts is worth a bit of effort. Fortunately, the effort does not go into picking as the trees are too tall to reach into and the nuts aren't ready till they fall to the ground. All you need is a bucket to go around and pick them off the ground. 

Black Walnuts after they've been shelled

To harvest these nuts, you need to remove that fleshy outer covering first. You can do this by hand, or follow my parents example and dump them out on a gravel drive way. Then just drive over them in the course of a few weeks and most of that layer will come off. Then, the hard part (pun intended), you'll need a hammer and a cement surface. Please learn from my mistake and don't do this on your kitchen table. Using a cement surface, smash the nuts with a hammer and then fish out the delicious nuts from the inside, being careful to separate out any hard, sharp pieces of the black shell. Then you can simply store them in a dry area till you want to eat them. 

I think black walnuts lend themselves best to more savory dishes like breads and oatmeal but you can use them in just about anything you would use other nuts for. Do you like eating black walnuts? Feel free to share your recipes in the comment section below. 

What to do in your garden in late August

It's Sunflower Season!

 One of the most frustrating things about writing a gardening blog is that the time of year people are most interested (summer) is the time your are most busy with what you're writing about (gardens). It's also the time of year when my lovely daughter is home from school so I'm looking after her. She likes to help in the garden for a few minutes at a time. Maybe when she's older. 

I didn't mention seed saving but now's the time for that.
Green bean seeds, like these, are a great place to start. 

Anyways, now that she's back in school I have more time to write and I thought now would be a great time to update you all on my garden and what you can be doing in yours. After the awful cicada apocalypse, it  ended up being an awesome year for vegetables. Spring veggies were delicious and prolific. I've had more tomatoes, zucchini, green beans and melons than I know what to do with. So it's been a great year for my neighbors too. I think one of the leading reasons for this is my soil. My ground soil is terrible but my raised beds have been established for a few years now so the more organic matter I keep adding, the better the quality. I also invented a new fertilizer mix that I might share some time. 

How about you? We've had lots of rain this august so if you've got a lot of fungus in your garden, it's no wonder. You can find more information about dealing with that here.  If your plant is no longer producing fruit and is covered in fungus, then remove the whole plant from your garden. Unfortunately, unless you are a composting expert who keeps track of compost temperatures, then you shouldn't compost your diseased plants as the fungus will linger and spread. I throw them out in the trash. If you've gotten a decent harvest from a plant already, then don't feel bad about loosing the plant. All plants die eventually, it's just part of the garden. Clearing out the plant can make room for new things...

It's also canning season which is not my favorite gardening 
task but I do love the canned goods later!

This leads me to the next thing you can do which is plant fall leafy greens. It's probably too late for carrots or peas but you can still start lettuce, spinach, and kale from seeds and have delicious greens for the rest of the year! Just keep the seeds well watered in this hot weather. 

As the garden starts to wind down, it's also  a good time to plant cover crops. This is my first year trying this out and I'm planting crimson clover. It's a legume that should add nitrogen to the soil. When it starts to flower, I just weed whack the tops off and the plant will die down on the soil creating a natural mulch to keep weeds down and add organic matter. I'll update you all on that later. 

Finally, if you can't stay on top of the weeding, at least snap off the seed heads of the weeds to help prevent spreading. Your future self will thank you. I'd love to hear updates from your garden in the comments below!

In Defense of Goldenrod

 Whew! I was afraid that with a title like that, NO ONE would ever read this post. Thanks for checking it out anyways. Goldenrod, genus Solidaster, plays a vital role in our Pennsylvania ecosystem and I want to encourage everyone to plant some on their property. Yes, on purpose.

First off, I know what you're thinking and NO, goldenrod does not affect your allergies. At least, not any more than any other flower. You see, in nature, goldenrod grows alongside ragweed which is far less conspicuous. So the rag weed, which is wind pollinated, does all the damage while the goldenrod gets all the blame. Don't let your allergies keep you from planting this important flower!

Why is goldenrod so important? In Pennsylvania, over 120 species of butterflies and moths benefit from it either as a food source or a place to lay eggs. So you're automatically supporting a bunch of native pollinators.

Also, all those butterflies laying eggs creates lots of caterpillars. Yes, I know you don't like caterpillars but not all of them are bad. In fact, they provide essential food to our song bird population. In his book, "Nature's Best Hope" Doug Tallamy points out that even se
ed eating birds like chickadees and finches need soft food to feed their young - hence, caterpillars. In fact, they need thousands of them. Planting native flowers, like goldenrod, will provide lots of food for songbirds in your yard. 

Finally, goldenrod also makes a lovely filler flower for fall bouquets. Most florists will have it shipped in from out of state to include in fall arrangements but you can grow your own in your backyard. 

Perhaps you're worried that any goldenrod plants will look like weeds to your neighbors but a thoughtful planting mixed in with other flowers like sunflowers and asters can create a beautiful autumn display. 

I hope this post has gone a long way towards dispelling goldenrods bad reputation. Please do consider buying some plants at a local native flower nursery to support both pollinators and songbirds in your area. 

All About Chrysanthemums

Mums are a lovely addition to any fall display

It's that time of year again, when every grocery store, garden center and hardware place has a display of Mums out front. They come in a lovely variety of Autumn colors - yellow, orange, burgundy and bronze. Perhaps you've purchased one (or more) before or had one gifted to you and you didn't really know what to do with it. Never fear! Here's what you need to know. 

First off, Chrysanthemums, or mums, come in two basic varieties: garden or hardy mums and florist mums. Florist mums are much more sensitive and unless you live way down south, they will die outside in the winter. Generally, if you get a  florist mum, keep it inside, in direct sunlight and don't let the soil dry out. People usually treat them like a temporary houseplant and then toss them when they are done blooming. 

Florist Mum, note the larger blooms. 

Garden, or hardy mums prefer the out of doors. They will do better kept cool. You can buy these plants in a decorative pot for a front porch display or you can buy smaller ones to refresh your annual beds for the fall. Keep in mind, though, that hardy mums are perennials. They will die down to the ground over winter and shoot up new sprouts in the Spring. You can plant your hardy mums into the ground any time during the fall. Mums do best in full sun but otherwise are not too particular. 

When I pick out a mum plant, I want one that is just budding
out like this and isn't in full bloom yet. Then I'll get to enjoy it's
flowers for longer. 

Like all plants, it's really important to keep in mind how big the plant will grow when it matures if you plant it in the ground for future display. The plants in the store are rather small but they can get much larger and year or two from now, so give them space. 

Well, that is it on mums. They are really easy to take care of and just lovely in the fall. Do you have any favorite varieties or growing tips to share? Feel free to comment below!

Fall Gardening Part 1 - Edibles

I do love Fall

 

One bright side of the whole pandemic has been a surge in people wanting to grow their own food. If you haven't gotten on the bandwagon yet, or even if you have, it's not too late to plant more food for this years harvest. You might be surprised to learn that several kinds of vegetables actually prefer cooler weather and fall is a great time of year to grow them. 

Of course, the timing of planting depends on where you live. The farther north you are, the sooner a hard frost will come and put an end to your growing season. I live in south central Pennsylvania on the line between zone 6b and 7a. You can learn more about climate zone here. 

Carrots and peas can take a while to germinate so I planted my seeds last week. Carrots cannot be transplanted and peas are so easy to grow from seed that you don't need to buy plants. Lettuce, spinach and kale grow quicker so I've planted a little but I can plant them here up until Labor Day. Some vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, take so long to grow that you're really better off buying plants at your local garden center and planting them soon. Beets and radishes are also great to start from seeds now. 

The trick of fall gardening is that the plants don't like heat but you have to plant them in summer so they'll germinate and have enough time to grow. This means at least daily watering. It's a hassle, to be sure, but every October when I can still go outside and pick fresh produce I'm always so glad I planted more veggies ahead of time. It's also really important to keep the veggies clear of weeds and properly thinned out because sunlight will be more scarce in the fall and your plants will not due well with competition. 

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Do you practice gardening in fall? What are your tips and tricks? Feel free to post in the comments below. 

How to Perk Up Your Fall Garden

For those of you ambitious gardeners that planted for a fall crop to extend you harvest, this post is for you. If you haven't started your fall veggies yet, then here in central Pennsylvania it's too late to plant. Except for garlic and perennial onions of course, but that's another post. However, if you've planted lettuce, spinach, peas, beets, etc then I'm here to help.

So, fall gardening is all about managing resources. The days are getting shorter, so sunlight is more scarce. The weather tends to be drier in the fall so water is of concern. If you fertilized your soil in the spring, it may be in need of a boost. All of these things can cause your garden to stall. If you're disappointed in how your veggies are doing, then follow these steps.

First, eliminate competition for resources. That means be thorough with pulling out weeds. The good news is that weeds aren't as aggressive now as they are in the spring but be sure to get rid of the ones that are there. Also, it means thin out your seedlings more than you usually do. Seedlings packed together too closely will be stunted in growth.

Second, you can't do anything about a lack of sunlight but you can keep your garden beds watered regularly. As I'm writing this, we haven't gotten rain in quite a while so I gave my plants a good shower tonight.

Third, if you haven't fertilized it recently, now is a great time to side dress your plants. That means putting fertilizer or well rotted compost alongside your plants. Don't put them right on the plants as it may burn them. Your plants will thank you for it.

Do you enjoy fall gardening? Feel free to post your tips in the comments below!

Fall Gardening 101

The beginning of August may seem too early to talk about fall but if you want to get into fall gardening, now is the time to start. I don't mean start planning, I mean get out there and plant stuff. If you haven't gotten into fall gardening before, you should try it. Harvesting fresh vegetables in October and November is really great.

First, you have to know when your first frost date is. That's when you're most likely to have a first killing frost. Here in south central PA, the date is October 21st. To find your frost date, go to www.almanac.com Look on the seed packets to see how many days they need to ripen. Then you can count backward to figure out when you have to plant them. For instance, I just planted peas and they require 65 days to ripen. So I know I have more than enough time.

Second, you have to plant cold hearty vegetables. Many of the veggies you planted last march will work great now. Great selections  for fall include: peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, and beats. These plants will thrive in cooler temperatures.

Third, do what you can to keep the seeds cool during the hot August days. Probably the hardest part of fall gardening is keeping your seedlings well watered. When the seedlings get three to four inches tall, you can thin them out and mulch them to help keep the soil cool and moist.

As a side note, October is the best time to be planting garlic. It won't ripen till the following July, but it is SO GOOD. So, try some garlic.

And that, my friends, is it. If you want to extend your harvest even longer into the winter, you can use row covers to keep the frost off. It's not hard. It's not expensive. You can do it and enjoy delicious vegetables this fall. Have you ever gotten into fall gardening? Please write about it in the comment section below!