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Thursday, February 27, 2014
MARCH Seed Starting for the US by Region
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Growing Eggplant from Seed to Harvest
Welcome to another installment of our 2014 Planting Guide! I just transplanted a few eggplant seedlings into the garden today. Being in South Florida we get a jump on "spring" planting. If you'd like more growing info please feel free to sign up for our free e-newsletter.
Eggplants can grow 2 to 6 feet tall, depending on the variety. Eggplants take 60-80 days to mature depending on the variety. Grow eggplant in full sun. Eggplant is not particular about the soil it grows in but will grow best in well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
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Eggplants can grow 2 to 6 feet tall, depending on the variety. Eggplants take 60-80 days to mature depending on the variety. Grow eggplant in full sun. Eggplant is not particular about the soil it grows in but will grow best in well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
When to Plant Eggplant
Eggplant is
sensitive to cold (and extreme heat). It grows best where day
temperatures are between 80° and 90°F and night temperatures between 70°
and 80°F. Eggplant is best started indoors (or on a patio if it's warm enough) 6 to 8 weeks before
transplanting into the garden. Do not set eggplants out until daytime temperatures are in the 70° F range.
Starting Eggplant from Seed
I recommend soaking your seeds in water for up to 24 hours. This can
increase the amount of seeds that germinate and how quickly they
sprout. Use organic potting soil if you are seed-starting indoors or in
small containers to be transplanted outside. Sow eggplant seed
¼ to ½ inch deep spaced 4 to 5 inches apart. Most eggplant seeds germinate in 6-12 days.
How to Plant Eggplant
Thin plants to 6 inches
apart if the weather does not allow transplanting before plants grow 5
to 6 inches tall. Set eggplants into the garden 18 to 24 inches apart.
Space rows 24 to 36 inches apart.
Tips for Growing Eggplant
Do not over
water or allow the soil to dry out. Once the soil has warmed, mulch
around eggplants to retain soil moisture and an even growing
temperature. Eggplants are heavy feeders prepare planting beds with aged
compost and side dress eggplants with compost tea every 2 or 3 weeks
during until the fruit has set.
Eggplant
is easily grown in containers. Plants will grow in pots at least 12
inches across and as deep. Choose a smaller growing variety.
Companion Planting for Eggplants
Plant eggplant with amaranth, beans, peas, spinach,
tarragon, thyme and marigold. Eggplant is a member of the nightshade family and
does well with peppers as they like the same growing conditions.
How to prepare those Eggplants
I like to
prepare eggplant by slicing thin rounds, grilling lightly on either
side, drizzled with olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. It's SO EASY!!
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Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Tuesdays with a Twist #47 is LIVE!
Good Morning and Welcome to another No Rules Party!
Yesterday I shared DIY Organic Pest Control Recipes and
Growing Peppers from Seed to Harvest
Definitely worth reading!
Yesterday I shared DIY Organic Pest Control Recipes and
Growing Peppers from Seed to Harvest
Definitely worth reading!
We're your hosts
Joyce @ It's Your Life!
and me...Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
And your Co-Hosts
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Please welcome new co-host for the month of February
Debra @ Ms Moozy's Open House
And your Co-Hosts
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Angie @ God's Growing Garden
Please welcome new co-host for the month of February
Debra @ Ms Moozy's Open House
Features!
Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!
My Features this Week are:
Natural Stomach Remedies from Katie's Farm
The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm. Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites. Please visit other blogs if you have a moment.
Share older posts as well as new ones. No limit on links!
*Pictures should be your own*
By linking up you give us permission to use these photos
(with proper link backs) in our features. And now for the party!
Monday, February 24, 2014
Planting Heirloom Peppers from Seed to Harvest
If you live outside of Florida: Start seeds indoors under bright
fluorescent lights in early spring, eight weeks before your last spring
frost date. If possible, provide bottom heat to keep the plants'
containers near 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the seeds stay
slightly moist. Seeds should sprout within three weeks. Transfer
seedlings to larger containers when they are about six weeks old.
Don't set peppers outside until at least two weeks after your average last frost date, during a period of warm weather. Always harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor weather a few hours each day for at least a week before transplanting them outdoors.
If you live in Florida, plant Peppers in January-early March.
Don't set peppers outside until at least two weeks after your average last frost date, during a period of warm weather. Always harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor weather a few hours each day for at least a week before transplanting them outdoors.
If you live in Florida, plant Peppers in January-early March.
Starting Peppers from Seeds
I recommend soaking your seeds in water for up to 24 hours. This has
increase the amount of seeds that germinate and how quickly they
sprout. Use organic potting soil if you are seed-starting indoors or in
small containers to be transplanted outside. Whether you direct sow
or plant in containers, plant pepper seeds approx 1/4 inch below the
soil. Pepper seeds germinate in as few as 7- 21 days.
How to Plant Peppers
All peppers
grow best under warm conditions, but gardeners in cool climates can
keep peppers happy by using row covers. Choose a sunny site that has
fertile, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Loosen the
planting bed to 12 inches deep, and thoroughly mix in a 1-inch layer of
mature compost. Dig planting holes 12 inches deep and at least 18
inches apart, and enrich each with a spadeful of additional compost.
Partially refill the holes, and situate plants so they are planted
slightly deeper than they were in their containers. Water well.
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| Chinese 5-Color Peppers |
Harvesting and Storing Peppers
You
can eat peppers when they are mature yet still green (green peppers),
although the flavor and the vitamin content of peppers improve as they
ripen to red, yellow or orange. Use pruning shears or scissors to snip
ripe peppers from the plant, leaving a small stub of stem attached.
Bumper crops can be briefly steam-blanched or roasted and then frozen,
either whole or chopped. Peppers are also easy to dry. Dried peppers
quickly plump if soaked in hot water, or you can grind them into powders
for your spice shelf.
Pepper Growing Tips
Be careful with nitrogen when preparing your planting holes, as
overfed peppers produce lush foliage but few fruits. Use a
high-nitrogen fertilizer only if you're growing peppers in poor soil.
In cool climates, use black plastic mulch in addition to row
covers to create warm conditions for peppers. In warm climates, use
shade covers during summer to reduce sunscald damage to ripening
peppers.
Provide stakes or other supports to keep plants upright as they
become heavy with fruits. Cover surrounding soil with a mulch of clean
straw or grass clippings so ripening peppers don't come in contact
with soil, which can cause them to rot.
Always wear gloves if handling hot peppers, and avoid touching
your eyes or nose. If you do handle hot peppers bare-handed,
immediately scrub hands with soap and warm water, rub them vigorously
with coconut oil, then wash them again.
Pepper Pest and Disease Prevention Tips
Tobacco
etch virus (TEV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and potato virus Y (PVY)
can infect peppers grown in warm climates. Transmitted by thrips and
aphids, these viruses cause leaves to become thick, crinkled or narrow
and stringy.
Margined
blister beetles may suddenly appear in large numbers in midsummer,
especially in warm climates. These large beetles are black with gray
stripes, and they devour pepper foliage. Handpick beetles, making sure
to wear gloves to prevent skin irritation.
Pepper
weevils can also be a serious problem in warm climates. Clean up
fallen fruit daily to interrupt the life cycle of this pest, and trap
adult pepper weevils with sticky traps.
Chili peppers have root exudates that prevent root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Plant anywhere you have these problems.
Hot peppers like to be grouped with cucumbers, eggplant, escarole, tomato, okra, Swiss chard and squash. Herbs to plant near them include: basils, oregano, parsley and rosemary. Never put them next to any beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or fennel.
Diatomaceous Earth is another great Organic solution to pest control.
DE kills aphids, white flies, beetles, loopers, mites, snails, slugs, leaf hoppers, and harmful pests. Sprinkle DE around the base of the plant as well as on the leaves.
Tomatoes, parsley, basil, geraniums, marjoram, lovage, petunia and
carrots. Onions make an excellent companion plant for peppers. They do
quite well with okra as it shelters them and protects the brittle stems
from wind. DE kills aphids, white flies, beetles, loopers, mites, snails, slugs, leaf hoppers, and harmful pests. Sprinkle DE around the base of the plant as well as on the leaves.
Companion Planting for Peppers
Chili peppers have root exudates that prevent root rot and other Fusarium diseases. Plant anywhere you have these problems.
Hot peppers like to be grouped with cucumbers, eggplant, escarole, tomato, okra, Swiss chard and squash. Herbs to plant near them include: basils, oregano, parsley and rosemary. Never put them next to any beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or fennel.
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| Serrano peppers in the front and back, surrounded by Green and Purple Basil |
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DIY Organic Pest Control recipes
Good Morning!!! I had an absolutely amazing weekend at the Yellow Green Farmer's Market. I had an opportunity to present Edible Gardening information as well and GMO VS. Heirloom Seeds info both Saturday and Sunday. I'm working on a post that will share all of the info (and include pics).
Below are some of the DIY Organic Pesticide recipes that I shared over the weekend.
#1 Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth! No preparations necessary!
DE kills aphids, white flies, beetles, loopers, mites, snails, slugs, leaf hoppers, and harmful pests. Use DE inside your home, greenhouse or outdoors on fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains and grass. Apply *Food Grade* Diatomaceous Earth up to and including day of harvest.
Do Not use the stuff for Pools. That is TOXIC!
Check out Using Diatomaceous Earth for Non-Toxic, Natural Pest control
#2 All-Purpose Insect Spray from Organic Gardening
#3 Spray to Control Nematodes from Love to Know Organic
Nematodes are tiny parasitic worms that live in your soil. If you've ever grown tomatoes and found that the leaves were beginning to yellow and fall off the plant, then you have a nematode problem. While some nematodes are actually good for your garden, most are not. This mixture can also be used to spray on your plants to control grasshoppers and caterpillars.
#4 Companion Planting from Back to the Basics
Companion planting is based around the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted next to, or close to one another. Companion planting exists to benefit certain plants by giving them pest control, naturally without the need to use chemicals, and in some cases they can give a higher crop yield .
Sharing Here and Wildcrafting Wednesday
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Below are some of the DIY Organic Pesticide recipes that I shared over the weekend.
#1 Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth! No preparations necessary!
DE kills aphids, white flies, beetles, loopers, mites, snails, slugs, leaf hoppers, and harmful pests. Use DE inside your home, greenhouse or outdoors on fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains and grass. Apply *Food Grade* Diatomaceous Earth up to and including day of harvest.
Do Not use the stuff for Pools. That is TOXIC!
Check out Using Diatomaceous Earth for Non-Toxic, Natural Pest control
#2 All-Purpose Insect Spray from Organic Gardening
- Chop, grind, or liquefy one garlic bulb and one small onion.
- Add 1 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper and mix with 1 quart of water.
- Steep 1 hour, strain through cheesecloth, then add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap (I use Organic Dr. Bronner's) to the strained liquid; mix well.
- Spray your plants thoroughly, including leaf undersides.
- Store the mixture for up to 1 week in a labeled, covered container in the refrigerator.
#3 Spray to Control Nematodes from Love to Know Organic
Nematodes are tiny parasitic worms that live in your soil. If you've ever grown tomatoes and found that the leaves were beginning to yellow and fall off the plant, then you have a nematode problem. While some nematodes are actually good for your garden, most are not. This mixture can also be used to spray on your plants to control grasshoppers and caterpillars.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of molasses
- 4 cups of water
Instructions
- Mix the molasses and water in a spray bottle and shake vigorously. Use warm water to help the molasses dissolve better.
- Spray the "Molasses Tea" on your soil around your plants every couple of days to keep the nematodes away.
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| I plant Marigolds all over the garden for organic pest control |
#4 Companion Planting from Back to the Basics
Companion planting is based around the idea that certain plants can benefit others when planted next to, or close to one another. Companion planting exists to benefit certain plants by giving them pest control, naturally without the need to use chemicals, and in some cases they can give a higher crop yield .
Generally, companion planting is thought of as a small-scale
gardening practice, but it can be applied on larger-scale operations. It has
been proven that by having a beneficial crop in a nearby field that attracts
certain insects away from a neighbouring field that has the main crop can prove
very beneficial. This action is called trap cropping.
Other ways that companion planting can be beneficial is to plant a crop like any Legumes, on an area where it will feed nitrogen into the soil, then it will not be necessary to use any chemical fertilizers for the next crop.
Other ways that companion planting can be beneficial is to plant a crop like any Legumes, on an area where it will feed nitrogen into the soil, then it will not be necessary to use any chemical fertilizers for the next crop.
Sharing Here and Wildcrafting Wednesday
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Friday, February 21, 2014
Growing Tomatoes from Seed to Harvest
Are you planting Tomatoes this year in your garden? Not sure? Let's Get Started!
There are two basic kinds of tomatoes: Determinate and Indeterminate.
Determinate
tomatoes produce the fruit all at once. These are typically bush
tomatoes, and make the best tomatoes for container gardening. Since all
the tomatoes are ripe within a short period of time, these are great
plant choices if you plan to can or have a short tomato growing season.
Indeterminate tomatoes grow on a vine. They will produce all season until the first frost.
Preferred Growing Conditions
Tomatoes
love sun, and lots of it. Determinate or bush tomato plants work best
for tomato container gardening. Soil should be rich in organic matter.
Compost works best mixed in with the soil, and is a great organic
fertilizer.
Tomatoes tend to do well in soil that is a little acidic. Get a soil pH tester if you are unsure of your soil's pH level.
Tomatoes tend to do well in soil that is a little acidic. Get a soil pH tester if you are unsure of your soil's pH level.
Mulch
will be important around tomato plants. Since tomato plants prefer
full sun, the soil will dry out. Mulch will help retain moisture in the
soil.
Starting Tomatoes from Seeds
I
recommend soaking your seeds in water for up to 24 hours. This has
increase the amount of seeds that germinate and how quickly they
sprout. Use organic potting soil if you are seed-starting indoors or in
small containers to be transplanted outside. Whether you direct sow or
plant in containers, plant tomato seeds approx 1/4 inch below the
soil.. Seeds can germinate in as few as 3 days (when I soak) and as many
as 10 days.  |
| Amana's Orange tomato (beefsteak) seedlings |
How to Plant Tomatoes
Space
out tomato plants 13 - 17 inches apart. Really just follow the
planting instructions with the variety you choose. It will all depend
on the variety of tomato you grow. You just want to make sure they will
have enough room to grow and the roots not compete with each other.
You can plant tomato seedlings after the last frost. Seeds can be
started just before the last frost.
Tomatoes
do well in raised beds. Rows should be 4-5 feet apart. But, don't
forget that determinate tomato varieties grow well in containers, too!
Companion Plants for Tomatoes
Growing these companion plants around tomatoes will be helpful: Basil, chives, oregano, parsley, onions, carrots, asparagus, marigolds, celery, and geraniums.
Borage can deter tomato hornworms and is a must in my garden!
Borage can deter tomato hornworms and is a must in my garden!
Some plants actually are bad to the health of tomato plants.
Avoid these plants around tomotoes: black walnut, corn, cabbage, potatoes, kale, and rosemary.
Maintaining Your Tomato Plants
Not
sure what to do in the meantime? You will most likely need to stake
your tomatoes. Again, depends on the variety. Bush tomatoes may need to
be staked or caged for support. But, indeterminate tomatoes, or vine
tomatoes, will definitely need support since they continue to grow all
season. A trellis works nicely with vine tomatoes or a tomato cage.
Should
you prune tomatoes? Depends on who you ask! Suckers, or side shoots,
grow in the "v" of the stem and branch. You can pinch them off or leave
them. Leaving the suckers on produces more tomatoes. But these will be
smaller tomatoes. If you have a large tomato plant, like the
indeterminates, you might want to prune the side shoots here and there.
But don't go hog wild, you want these plants to produce.
When to Use Organic Fertilizer
It's
a good idea to use organic fertilizer in your garden, and avoid the
chemicals around your food. Typically, tomatoes are fertilized every 3-4
weeks, with the first fertilization at planting. The next time you're
ready to fertilize should be about the time the plant is bearing small
tomatoes. Some determinate varieties will only be fertilized two times,
since they produce tomatoes all at once.
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| Borage: an edible Herb |
In
my garden I use organic and mostly homemade fertilizers such as
compost, worm castings and even banana peals (great source of
potassium).
When to Harvest Tomatoes
Tomatoes
take 60-80 days to harvest. Just pick them when they have turned their
full color. You can pick them early and let them ripen in the
windowsill. But, the best tomato flavor is one that has ripened on the
vine.
Tomato Pests and Diseases
Keep an eye out for tomato hornworms. They are the large, beautiful (or ugly) green worms that blend nicely with the stems. Plant borage to deter these worms.
Diatomaceous Earth is another great Organic solution to pest control.
Sprinkle DE around the base of the plant as well as on the leaves.
Diatomaceous Earth is another great Organic solution to pest control.
Sprinkle DE around the base of the plant as well as on the leaves.
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Is it Possible to Have Too Many Seeds???
HA! That might be the most absurd question I've ever asked myself. Really?
They say money doesn't grow on trees. But I grow my own food and that's even better because you can't eat money.
They say money doesn't grow on trees. But I grow my own food and that's even better because you can't eat money.
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