My End of Summer Update

 One of the hard parts of writing a gardening blog is that the time of year I have the most to write about and people are the most interested in reading it, is the time I am most busy and have a hard time getting to it. Sigh. It can't be helped. Here, in picture form, are some things I'm working on right now. Hopefully, it will give you some ideas of your own. \

My strawberry yields have been going down hill the last few years so I completely re worked the bed, adding a lot of compost. The plants should have a few months to adjust before the frost. 

Zucchino Rapicante Squash. A big success this year. Tastes just like Zucchini but with now squash vine borer. I'm switching over completely next year. 

Like my strawberries, my raspberries are in great need of an overhaul. However, the best time of year to move them around is March so I'm waiting. Actually, right now I'm picking and eating. 

A failed experiment. I tried growing buckwheat as a cover crop around my zucchini to fool the bugs but it didn't work. My squash is still alive because I have other tricks to keep borers away. 

My first time growing leeks from seed. 

Brian had great success with his black beans this year. 



SO what have you been up to in your garden? Feel free to write about it below!

 

Strawberries!

 Strawberries are SO GOOD! Who doesn't love strawberries? You can grow your own strawberries

My daughter and her friend picking strawberries.

organically and they are much more flavorful than any you will find in the store. Here's the basics. 

There are 2 kinds of Strawberries, June bearing which produce tons of fruit in June and then they're done for the year, or ever bearing which produce in June and then continue producing fruit into the fall. Ever bearing strawberries are best for container growing as they spread less vigorously. 

Strawberries are a perennial plant meaning that they will come back year after year. Hooray! However, they tend to only live about 3 to 4 years. The good news is that each year they send out runners (baby plants) that will establish and start growing. So the goal is to leave enough baby plants to keep the cycle of life going. 

If your serious about establishing a long term strawberry bed then you're going to have to do something hard. The first year, you must pinch off all the flowers till the end of June. It's murder, I know but it forces the plant to establish a better root system. 

Speaking of roots, Strawberry roots are shallow. In clay soil like mine, they only grow about 6 inches down. If your soil is looser then they may go up to 12 inches but no more. I say this to explain why you need to keep them watered, especially the first year. If there hasn't been much rain, be sure to give them a thorough soaking once a week. 

It's also essential that you mulch your strawberries. First of all, it will keep the weeds down and weeds are the bane of strawberries. Second, mulch will keep the soil moist for the plants. Finally, mulch keeps the berries off the dirt which helps keep bugs and mold off of them. 

Finally, there are a lot of potential pests and problems that can pop up with your plants. To avoid these, select a strawberry variety with disease resistance and keep your patch weed free and thinned out enough so there is good air circulation. I also dust with diatomacious earth (an organic pesticide) when the fruits are just about to ripen to keep bugs off. Finally, keep your beds clean of spoiled fruit as it's a magnet to bugs. 

Have you grown strawberries? Write about your experiences below!

An Update from My Yard

It's been some time since I've updated this blog with projects going on in my own backyard. As you might suppose for mid-May, it's been busy with lots going on. In the hopes it might inspire you in your garden endeavors, here's what I've been up to.

This past winter I spent probably too much time watching Monty Don videos on Youtube as he visited famous gardens all over the world. Consequently, I've decided to turn my vegetable garden into a French Potager. It's basically a productive garden with veggies, fruit, herbs and flowers that is also beautiful to look at. There's so much more to it than that but it'll have to be its own post.

It took a lot of effort but I finally got a large perennial bed put in on the east side of my house. Initially, I wanted to create a permaculture forest garden but it's not working out that way. It's very difficult to find plants that will tolerate wet, clay soil in partial shade. When I get this bed completely done, I'm going to share how I did it as a public service because it's not easy.

My strawberry plants and raspberry plants are looking awesome. If you're interested in growing strawberries of your own, check out this post. 

Because I planted garlic and perennial onions last October, they are looking fantastic now. I'm looking forward to harvesting them in July.

I was able to get all my veggies in but I'm still having trouble with my cucumbers and watermelon not sprouting. Don't feel bad if some of your seeds don't sprout - it happens to all of us. All you can do is follow the instructions on the packet and wait.

Now is a great time to plant all kinds of summer veggies and flowers. Get out this weekend and enjoy your garden!

Strawberries!!!

Everybody loves strawberries. They are so juicy and delicious and amazing eaten several different ways. However, if you've never had fresh, home grown strawberries, then you have been missing out. Strawberries are right up there with tomatoes for food that is way better home grown than bought in a store. You CAN grow your own strawberries, but there are a few things you should know.

You can find lots of good articles on the basics of growing strawberries already on the web like these:

How To Grow Strawberries, Better Homes and Gardens


Strawberries: Planting, Growing and Harvesting

However, here are my personal tips for success.

Right now it is March and here in central PA, you can plant strawberry crowns now. In fact, I planted mine in February two years ago. Buying crowns instead of plants is far more affordable and they'll still do just fine. I purchased mine in a bunch of 25.

Mulch around your plants with pine needles. You can rake them up under any pine tree. I've gotta give cudos to Barbara Pleasant for this bit of advice. The biggest problem with growing Strawberries is the weeds and pine needles are great for keeping them down. They also keep the strawberries out of the mud so they're less apt to rot.

Now, the first year you have your plants you have to pinch off the flowers so the plants will get established. It's awful, I know. But perennial food plants are an investment in the future. Once you get them going right, you'll be getting food for years.

On your second year (and every year there after), when the strawberry plant starts to flower, sprinkle a general purpose fertilizer around the plants (but not ON them) to give them a boost.

When you see small, white berries start to form, dust the plants with Diatomacious Earth to keep slugs and beetles from eating the berries before you can. You can find it at any hardware store or garden center.

Strawberries can be eaten fresh, frozen, made into jam and canned. Also, kids LOVE them. My daughter gets excited to check for fresh berries throughout the summer. They really are worth the time. Do you have any tips for growing strawberries? Please share in the comments below.