What You Need to do in the Garden NOW

 Hello fellow gardeners! Sorry for the delay in posts. It being the busiest time in the garden for me, I've been too busy to write! In fact, I've been so busy that I've been over whelmed with the sheer amount of things to do outside. So I thought through what needs to be the top priority now that it's late May. Perhaps some of you are feeling like you don't know where to start in your garden so here is what REALLY needs to get done before Memorial Day. 

First, keep your seedlings and transplants well watered. We're having a dry and warm May and I've been out nearly every morning to keep my babies wet. Remember that seedlings have roots only a few inches deep so if the top 2 inches of soil dry out, your plant can wilt. Early morning is the best time to do this. 

As a side note, keeping those seedlings well mulched will go a long way to keeping the plants damp and cool. I've been using bark mulch in the front yard to look nice and half rotted leaves from last fall for the back yard and vegetable garden. Works great!

Second, any trees or shrubs you want to buy should happen now so you can get them in the ground before the really hot, dry weather starts. High summer is a terrible time to plant anything really. This is also true of any transplanting you want to do or dividing up perennials. Having your roots messed with is stressful to a plant and having to deal with the stress of dry heat at the same time can be too much for a plant. So do your planting/transplanting now. 

Finally, you should aim to get your summer vegetables planted before Memorial Day. Especially long season plants like melons, pumpkins and cucumbers. In fact, if you haven't gotten seeds started outside yet, you may want to purchase seedlings at a local garden center. There are exceptions to this, of course. I plant my green beans and zucchini later on. The important thing is to see the "days to maturity" on the plants to be sure they can ripen before your first frost date in the fall. 

So, those are the three things I'm focusing on right now. I've ALMOST gotten my plants all in and I'm working on getting things mulched. This month has been so dry! What are you doing in your garden? Feel free to comment in the space 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!

Growing Squash Successfully

 It's currently late August as I write this so a lot of this information should be filed under "things to try next year". However, I've been trying out several new things with squash this year and I want to share while it's still fresh. Squash are just so delicious I can't imagine not growing them. So here are a few basics and some tricks and tips to help you enjoy your squash. 

First off, there are basically two kinds of squash: summer and winter. Summer squash grows very quickly and has a thin skin like zucchini, pattapan, and yellow squash. Winter squash grows slowly and has a  thick skin like butternut and acorn squash. The growing tips I give you will be true for both unless I specify otherwise. 

If you've never grown squash before, I recommend buying seedlings from a near by garden center. They can be planted out as soon as all danger from frost has passed. No squash plant will tolerate frost. Squash need at LEAST 6 hours of sun a day and regular watering. Giving your squash plants great growing conditions will create stronger plants that can fight of pests and diseases much more effectively. It will also mean more and better quality fruit. 

One of the biggest problems I've had with squash are squash vine borers. A little moth lays an egg at the base of the squash vine and it hatches. The little grub eats into the vine and pigs out till the vine dies. If you're not paying attention the plant looks great until one morning when it has totally wilted. At that point, its too late. Last year I lost every single squash vine I had (including pumpkins!) to this pest. So, this year I tried a few different things. I wrapped aluminum foil around the base of the vines so the grubs couldn't bore into the vines. I periodically sprinkled diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant to repel the grubs. I also kept an eye out for the holes near the bottom of the plant and poked a wire up into the plant to kill any grub inside. These steps worked wonders. I only lost one plant to grubs this year. Yahoo!

Another big problem is fungus, like powdery mildew. Here in central PA, it's humid enough that fungus is just inevitable but I try to fight it off as long as I can. Some great ways to do that include: 1) When watering squash, don't get the leaves wet, just the ground. water creates a moist environment where mold and fungus thrive. 2)Selectively trimming out leaves as they yellow to keep it clean and allow more air circulation. 3) Look for mildew resistant varieties at the garden center. and 4)Use an organic anti fungal spray as needed. I use Green Cure. No spray can get rid of fungus already there but it can help prevent the spread of it. 

When growing summer squash, I learned this year that you can plant it much later than I thought and still get  a great harvest. I planted zucchini seeds on June 30 and by August 10th I was harvesting fruit. Also, because it was planted later, it never got hit with quash vine borers and it still doesn't have mold on it. I haven't treated it with anything. This also helps with succession planting and you can wait till your spring crops are done and then plant summer squash. Just remember that winter squash takes a lot longer to grow so you can't wait to plant that. 

Whew! It's been a busy year for squash but I just love it. Do you have any tips for growing squash? Feel free to post in the comments below!

Healthy Zucchini Plants

Powdery Mildew on Zunnias

Water

As I write this post, we're in the middle of the hot, dry season here in south, central Pennsylvania. It's a time of year when all of us gardeners are very conscience of the necessity of water and making sure our plants are getting enough. Although some need it more than others and may get it in different ways, there is no plant on this Earth that can live without water. Understanding how water effects your garden is essential to garden success.

Idea for a future water feature? Just kidding, this is the Italian water
feature at Longwood Gardens. 

Those of us east of the Mississippi River tend to have plenty of water (July and August excepted) while those on the western side struggle greatly with drought issues. I only have experience gardening here in the east so things like Xeriscaping (landscaping for dessert and low water climates) is not my forte.

Here are some gardening hacks to help you with water in your garden.

First, as a rule of thumb, people tend to over water plants indoors and under water plants outdoors so be aware of your natural tendencies.

Second, few plants enjoy standing water so be sure all your plants have good drainage. You can do this by making sure there are holes in the bottom of any pots your are using and not placing your garden in an area where water tends to puddle up after a rain. If all of your property tends to be water logged, then you'll need to put in raised beds to encourage drainage. Standing water will rot roots and there isn't any way to fix a plant after that has happened.

Third, in hot weather like this, regular watering is essential. I water my window boxes every morning.  It helps to build your garden near your outdoor spigot to make hose watering easier.  A lot of professionals will encourage you to use soaker hoses or special watering systems to minimize water usage. It's a great idea if you want to invest the money into it. I haven't done so.

Fourth, your garden plants actually don't want to get their leaves wet as this can encourage mold and mildew. When you water plants, try your best to avoid the leaves and just soak the soil. 

Fifth, small trees and shrubs do best when watered deeply about once a week. If it hasn't rained in some time, I will take a 5 gallon bucket of water for each new tree or bush I have. After a few years, your plants will be well enough established that you shouldn't need to worry about it.

Sixth, know your soil type. Sandy soil drains much quicker than clay so if your soil is sandy, your plants may need more frequent watering. 

Finally, don't water your plants in the afternoon. The sun will just dry it out quicker. Joe Lampl, host of Growing a Greener World and the Joe Gardener Podcast, says the best time to water your garden is first thing in the morning before the dew dries off. 

I hope these tips help you understand water in your garden better. Lots has been written on the importance of water conservation but that's a whole different discussion. I could also do a post on water features or how water attracts wildlife but there isn't room here. Do you have any gardening water hacks? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Getting the Most Out of Your Tomatos

I am taking a slight break from my series of posts on the elements to bring some timely advice on tomatoes. Tomatoes have got to be the no 1 most popular thing to grow in gardens but they can be a bit tricky. As I"m writing this, it's getting towards the end of July here in PA. If you're growing tomatoes- in a pot, raised bed, or traditional garden -there are things you can still do to maximize your harvest. 

Let me be clear, it is too late to go buy plants and start growing them. Tomatoes require a fairly long growing period. So unless you go b

uy a fully grown plant in a five gallon pot (and that would be totally cheating, you might as well buy your tomatoes from the local farmers market which isn't a bad idea.) you can't start now. Try next year.

For those of you who are already growing tomatoes...

First, if you haven't already done so, mulch your plants. This accomplishes multiple things. It will keep the weeds down, help the soil to retain necessary moisture and will help prevent soil born diseases from leaching into your plants. Straw is a great mulch as is wood chips if you have them. This year, I'm using dried oak leaves from last fall. Dried out grass clippings work as well.

Second, all those juicy tomatoes require water. July and August tend to be rather dry here in PA  so I've been watering my plants about every other day. To help keep down fungus and mold, I only water the soil and not the plant.

Third, tomatoes are heavy feeders (they require nutrient rich soil) so side dressing (applying fertilizer to the soil around the plant, not on the plant itself) of fertilizer can be helpful however, an  over abundance of nitrogen will cause the plant to grow lots of leaves and not much fruit. An organic fertilizer heavy in phosphorus is your best bet. 

Fourth, there are way too many pests, diseases, and fungi that love tomatoes to get into all of them. Honestly, I think it's just a matter of time before all tomato plants get infected with something. Some of those problems come from the soil so I like to cut off all leaves from around the bottom of the plant. It won't hurt the plant and will delay fungal growth. 

Fifth, if you have insects on your plant, you can usually see them with some careful attention. Everything from horn worms (see picture) to tiny aphids. Bugs can either be picked off or sprayed off with a hose. If your leaves are spotting, or turning yellow or brown, then you might have a fungus or mold. You can use an organic spray on your plants but be aware that you wont cure the problem- just slow it down. I like to use Green Gold powder but it's hard to find in person. You can also use a copper fungicide which is much easier to find.

Growing your own tomatoes can be tricky but they are SO GOOD! What are your tricks to grow awesome tomatoes? Please write about it in the comments below.

Here are a few helpful links for further reading:
Joe Gardener Podcast on Tomatoes
Mother Earth News Growing Tomatoes

How To Plant Tomatoes

Probably the most popular thing to grow in a vegetable garden is tomatoes. Seriously, everyone asks me about tomatoes. The reason is that they taste SO MUCH BETTER than tomatoes in the store. People say that all the time about all kinds of plants but never is it as true as it is of tomatoes. So if you'd like to grow your own tomatoes, just read on.


First, you cannot direct sow tomato seeds into your garden. Not if you want any kind of a decent harvest. We don't have a long enough growing season. Therefore, you can either buy seeds and start them indoors in February or buy plants in April or May. I do the latter.

Second, tomatoes are warm weather plants that will not tolerate any kind of frost. Don't think you can get around this. If you plant a tomato and it frosts outside while it's unprotected, it will die. End of story. So don't plant out till after your last frost date. You can read about that more here. Speaking of warmth, tomatoes also need all the sun they can get. 

Third, prepare the ground by pulling out all weeds and any rocks. If you have poor soil (sand or clay, like me) then it's a great idea to add soil amendments like manure or compost to improve it. Tomatoes are called "heavy feeders" which mean they require more nutrients than more vegetables so I like to give them a sprinkle of organic fertilizer (not ON the plant, but around it) at planting and again later in the season.

Fourth, when you plant your tomatoes, be sure to dig a deep enough hole. Tomatoes are very unusual in that it actually helps them if you bury part of the stem. I usually plant them so the first adult leaves are right above the soil surface.

Fifth, tomatoes will require some kind of support. You can buy cages or stake them. I have cages. Also, don't buy the cheapest cages you can find because they'll just break. Tomatoes need to be kept off the ground to prevent fungus and diseases. Air circulation is very important.

Finally, I like to mulch them with straw or shredded leaves to keep weeds down and keep the soil uniformly moist which tomatoes love. Keep the plants well watered till they're established. 

Well, there you go. Anyone can grow their own tomatoes and it's such a fun and delicious hobby. Got tomato bragging to do? Tell me all about it in the comments below.

Safety First!

It's ironic that tonight finds me writing about gardening safely. Earlier today found me doing several hours of hard work at church and I am sore. Over doing it isn't the only way to hurt yourself while gardening. All of the numerous health benefits of gardening, and there are many, might not be so beneficial if you're sick, sore, itching, or even in the hospital. So here are some of my best safety tips for enjoying your garden pain - free.

First, learn from my mistake and learn to pace yourself. I'll admit to being 38 years old and while that's not old, it's not 18 either. I've had to learn to do what I can handle without pulling muscles or exhausting myself. Projects don't need to all get done in one day.

Second, protect yourself from the sun. If you're pale like me, then you really should have a good sun hat and sunblock. No one likes sunburn.

Third, keep bug spray handy. Once last summer I forgot to bring bug spray with me to a job and I got so bit up by mosquitoes that I felt sick. Here in Pennsylvania, tick's carry a variety of diseases so bug spray is important.

Fourth, protect your back. Gardening inevitably requires some lifting and it's just too easy to put your back out. This past January I sprained my back bad enough that I can still remember the pain. No matter what your age, treat your back well and use good posture.

Fifth, respect your garden tools. Naturally, most people know to read instructions and wear eye protection while using power tools. However, even a sharp hoe or pitch fork can cause injury. I have an irrational fear of stabbing myself in the foot with my pitchfork while turning my compost pile. Be sure too, to have small children at a safe distance while using any sharp garden tools.

Finally, keep a water bottle handy. It's just too easy to loose track of time and get dehydrated while working outside. Having water handy is a big step toward staying healthy.

What about you? Do you have any suggestions or stories involving safety in the garden? Please post in the comments below.