文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月29日
Nature has surprises around every corner, and the vegetable fern is a perfect example of this. What is a vegetable fern? Keep reading to learn more.
What is a Vegetable Fern?
The vegetable fern plant (Diplazium esculentum) is a species found and used in East to South Asia and Oceania. It is a cold sensitive plant suitable for the warmer regions and tender to freezing temperatures. Are vegetable ferns edible? You better believe it! It is an edible plant harvested and eaten in its native regions. The young fronds are the stars on this plant, as the tender young growth is a delicious addition to stir fries and other veggie rich dishes. Harvest them in early spring and use them as you would asparagus for nutrient dense and delicious wild eats.
Ferns of some type are very common in most regions. Their preference for moist, partially shady sites indicates that ferns are forest dwellers and, indeed, this is true for most species. The vegetable fern plant is a familiar food at markets in its native countries. The plant should not be confused with other varieties of ferns, however. It’s classified as Diplazium esculentum, which is a completely different species from look-a-likes such as Ostrich ferns. The vegetable fern plant is an evergreen that thrives on poor soils where there is plentiful moisture.
Vegetable Fern Info
Deplazium esculentum is grown from rhizomes as a harvest crop. The spores also freely implant in humus rich, moist soils. Distribution is widespread and even invasive in regions where there is plentiful heat, water and light shade. The plants prefer acidic soil and thrive in hot conditions. Most of the fern’s habitat is lower story forestry but it is also found in irrigation ditches and roadside gulleys. An interesting side note of vegetable fern info is its introduction to non-indigenous regions, where it has naturalized. It is something of a pest plant in areas of Florida and humid southern states of the United States.
Diplazium Esculentum Uses
You can find bundles of the crisp, yet tender, new fronds in Asian markets. In indigenous regions, Diplazium esculentum uses include light blanching as a leafy green vegetable, addition to stir fry or part of a soup or stew. The fiddleheads are also pickled. It is widely found in the Philippines and other parts of tropical Asia, such as India and the Bengals, as part of the daily diet. The fern is high in beta carotene and also contains a percentage of Vitamin E and riboflavin. The vegetable fern plant is a harvested crop that is either blanched, boiled or stir fried and, in some cases, pickled. Often compared to the flavor of over-cooked asparagus, the young fronds are generally cooked before consumption to avoid bitterness. Sometimes the fronds are dried and then reconstituted for cooking.
In India it is an essential ingredient in jhol curry and in the Philippines it is called Paku and a dietary staple. In Japan it is used in stir fry and bears the common name kuware-shida in the marketplace. Pickled, the curled new leaves are the basis for spicy condiments.
What is a Vegetable Fern?
The vegetable fern plant (Diplazium esculentum) is a species found and used in East to South Asia and Oceania. It is a cold sensitive plant suitable for the warmer regions and tender to freezing temperatures. Are vegetable ferns edible? You better believe it! It is an edible plant harvested and eaten in its native regions. The young fronds are the stars on this plant, as the tender young growth is a delicious addition to stir fries and other veggie rich dishes. Harvest them in early spring and use them as you would asparagus for nutrient dense and delicious wild eats.
Ferns of some type are very common in most regions. Their preference for moist, partially shady sites indicates that ferns are forest dwellers and, indeed, this is true for most species. The vegetable fern plant is a familiar food at markets in its native countries. The plant should not be confused with other varieties of ferns, however. It’s classified as Diplazium esculentum, which is a completely different species from look-a-likes such as Ostrich ferns. The vegetable fern plant is an evergreen that thrives on poor soils where there is plentiful moisture.
Vegetable Fern Info
Deplazium esculentum is grown from rhizomes as a harvest crop. The spores also freely implant in humus rich, moist soils. Distribution is widespread and even invasive in regions where there is plentiful heat, water and light shade. The plants prefer acidic soil and thrive in hot conditions. Most of the fern’s habitat is lower story forestry but it is also found in irrigation ditches and roadside gulleys. An interesting side note of vegetable fern info is its introduction to non-indigenous regions, where it has naturalized. It is something of a pest plant in areas of Florida and humid southern states of the United States.
Diplazium Esculentum Uses
You can find bundles of the crisp, yet tender, new fronds in Asian markets. In indigenous regions, Diplazium esculentum uses include light blanching as a leafy green vegetable, addition to stir fry or part of a soup or stew. The fiddleheads are also pickled. It is widely found in the Philippines and other parts of tropical Asia, such as India and the Bengals, as part of the daily diet. The fern is high in beta carotene and also contains a percentage of Vitamin E and riboflavin. The vegetable fern plant is a harvested crop that is either blanched, boiled or stir fried and, in some cases, pickled. Often compared to the flavor of over-cooked asparagus, the young fronds are generally cooked before consumption to avoid bitterness. Sometimes the fronds are dried and then reconstituted for cooking.
In India it is an essential ingredient in jhol curry and in the Philippines it is called Paku and a dietary staple. In Japan it is used in stir fry and bears the common name kuware-shida in the marketplace. Pickled, the curled new leaves are the basis for spicy condiments.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月25日
Stinky herb or beneficial medicinal? Asafetida has historic uses botanically as a digestive, vegetable and flavor enhancer. It has a rich history in Ayurvedic medicine and Indian cuisine. Many people find the odor offensive, even stomach turning, but knowing how to use this interesting plant can add authenticity to your Indian menus while keeping your tummy in line. Some tips on how to grow Asafetida follow.
What is Asafetida?
Asafetida (Ferula foetida) has been cultivated and harvested for centuries. What is Asafetida? This same plant is referred to both as “Food of the Gods” and “Devil’s Dung,” making it confusing to the layperson. Should you eat it? Should you pull it up and discard it? That all depends upon how you wish to use the plant and what traditions your culinary palate can handle. Either way, the perennial herb bears attractive curly, lacy foliage and interesting flowering umbels that can enhance the garden in USDA zones 3 to 8.
Asafetida is native in Afghanistan and into eastern Persia, now Iran. Among the many Asafetida uses are culinary and medicinal – as a brain stimulant, laxative and effective respiratory medicine. The plant itself occurs in sandy, well-drained soils and was initially spotted growing by Western botanists in the Aral Desert, although Asafetida plant cultivation was known to take place as far back as the 12th century. In appearance, Asafetida is an herbaceous plant that can grow 6 to 10 feet in height. It has numerous sheathed petioles and parsley-like foliage. The flower is also similar to those in the parsley family. Large umbels of tiny pale green yellow blooms become flat oval fruits. The plant takes years to flower but is monocarpic, meaning it dies after flowering.
Asafetida Plant Information
The wide range of Asafetida uses indicates that the often pungent and unpleasant odor has not historically been an issue. Leaves and young shoots are cooked like a vegetable and considered a delicacy. The starchy root is also used to make a porridge. Apparently, boiling the plant helps remove the stench and makes the herb more palatable. Gum resin obtained from the plant is sold as a garlic substitute, although the flavor and odor may be more pungent than some users might like. Along with medicinal properties, one of the most intriguing pieces of Asafetida plant information is its use as a secret ingredient in Worcester sauce – aka Worcestershire sauce. It is still a common flavoring and digestive aid in Afghani and Indian cookery.
How to Grow Asafetida
If you wish to undertake your own Asafetida plant cultivation, you first need to obtain some viable seed. The plant is tolerant of a wide range of soil consistencies as well as pH, but well-draining medium is a must. Asafetida requires full sun. Sow seeds in fall or early spring directly into prepared beds. Germination is improved by exposure to cold, moist conditions. Sow seeds on the surface of the soil with a lightly tamped layer of sand over them. Space seeds 2 feet apart and keep moderately moist until germination. Thereafter, water when soil is dry to the touch several inches down. Plants are generally self-sufficient after they grow several feet high but some may require staking. In some regions, they can be self-sowing, so removing the flower heads before they go to seed may be necessary unless you want a field of this herb. Harvest as a vegetable when shoots and leaves are young and tender.
What is Asafetida?
Asafetida (Ferula foetida) has been cultivated and harvested for centuries. What is Asafetida? This same plant is referred to both as “Food of the Gods” and “Devil’s Dung,” making it confusing to the layperson. Should you eat it? Should you pull it up and discard it? That all depends upon how you wish to use the plant and what traditions your culinary palate can handle. Either way, the perennial herb bears attractive curly, lacy foliage and interesting flowering umbels that can enhance the garden in USDA zones 3 to 8.
Asafetida is native in Afghanistan and into eastern Persia, now Iran. Among the many Asafetida uses are culinary and medicinal – as a brain stimulant, laxative and effective respiratory medicine. The plant itself occurs in sandy, well-drained soils and was initially spotted growing by Western botanists in the Aral Desert, although Asafetida plant cultivation was known to take place as far back as the 12th century. In appearance, Asafetida is an herbaceous plant that can grow 6 to 10 feet in height. It has numerous sheathed petioles and parsley-like foliage. The flower is also similar to those in the parsley family. Large umbels of tiny pale green yellow blooms become flat oval fruits. The plant takes years to flower but is monocarpic, meaning it dies after flowering.
Asafetida Plant Information
The wide range of Asafetida uses indicates that the often pungent and unpleasant odor has not historically been an issue. Leaves and young shoots are cooked like a vegetable and considered a delicacy. The starchy root is also used to make a porridge. Apparently, boiling the plant helps remove the stench and makes the herb more palatable. Gum resin obtained from the plant is sold as a garlic substitute, although the flavor and odor may be more pungent than some users might like. Along with medicinal properties, one of the most intriguing pieces of Asafetida plant information is its use as a secret ingredient in Worcester sauce – aka Worcestershire sauce. It is still a common flavoring and digestive aid in Afghani and Indian cookery.
How to Grow Asafetida
If you wish to undertake your own Asafetida plant cultivation, you first need to obtain some viable seed. The plant is tolerant of a wide range of soil consistencies as well as pH, but well-draining medium is a must. Asafetida requires full sun. Sow seeds in fall or early spring directly into prepared beds. Germination is improved by exposure to cold, moist conditions. Sow seeds on the surface of the soil with a lightly tamped layer of sand over them. Space seeds 2 feet apart and keep moderately moist until germination. Thereafter, water when soil is dry to the touch several inches down. Plants are generally self-sufficient after they grow several feet high but some may require staking. In some regions, they can be self-sowing, so removing the flower heads before they go to seed may be necessary unless you want a field of this herb. Harvest as a vegetable when shoots and leaves are young and tender.
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月24日
Many people don’t realize that a mustard seed plant is the same plant as a mustard greens plant (Brassica juncea). This versatile plant can be grown as a vegetable and eaten like other greens or, if allowed to flower and go to seed, mustard seeds can be harvested and used as a spice in cooking or ground into a popular condiment. Learning how to grow mustard seeds is easy and rewarding.
How to Plant Mustard Seed
Mustard seed plants are normally grown from seed but can be grown from purchased seedlings as well. When selecting mustard seeds for planting, any mustard plant grown for greens can also be grown for mustard seed.
Plant the mustard seed about three weeks before your last frost date. Since you’ll be harvesting the mustard seed, there’s no need to use succession planting like you do with mustard greens. Plant your mustard seeds about an inch apart. Once they sprout, thin the seedlings so that they are 6 inches apart. Mustard plants grown for seed are planted further apart than plants grown for just leaves as the mustard plant will be getting much larger before it flowers. If you are planting purchased mustard seedlings, plant these 6 inches apart as well.
How to Grow Mustard Seeds
Once mustard seed plants start growing, they need little care. They enjoy cool weather and will bolt (flower) quickly in warmer weather. While this may seem like a great thing if you are looking to grow mustard seeds, it is not. Mustard plants that bolt due to warm weather will produce poor flowers and seeds. It’s best to keep them on their normal flowering cycle to be able to harvest the best mustard seeds. Mustard seed plants need 2 inches of water a week. Normally, during cool weather, you should get enough rainfall to supply this, but if you don’t, you’ll need to do additional watering. Mustard seed plants don’t need fertilizer if they have been planted in well amended garden soil, but if you’re unsure if your soil is nutrient rich, you can add a balanced fertilizer to the roots once the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall.
How to Harvest Mustard Seeds
The mustard plants will eventually flower and go to seed. The flowers of mustard seed plant are generally yellow but some varieties have white flowers. As the mustard flower grows and matures, it will form pods. Watch for these pods to start to turn brown. Another sign that you are nearing harvest time will be that the leaves of the plant will start to yellow. Be careful not to leave the pods on the mustard seed plant for too long as they will burst open when fully ripe and the mustard seed harvest will be lost. The next step in harvesting mustard seeds is to remove the seeds from the pods. You can do this with your hands, or you can place the flower heads in a paper bag and allow them to finish maturing. The pods will open on their own in one to two weeks and a gentle shake of the bag will shake loose most of the mustard seeds. Mustard seeds can be used fresh, but like other herbs and spices, if you plant on storing them long term, they will need to be dried.
How to Plant Mustard Seed
Mustard seed plants are normally grown from seed but can be grown from purchased seedlings as well. When selecting mustard seeds for planting, any mustard plant grown for greens can also be grown for mustard seed.
Plant the mustard seed about three weeks before your last frost date. Since you’ll be harvesting the mustard seed, there’s no need to use succession planting like you do with mustard greens. Plant your mustard seeds about an inch apart. Once they sprout, thin the seedlings so that they are 6 inches apart. Mustard plants grown for seed are planted further apart than plants grown for just leaves as the mustard plant will be getting much larger before it flowers. If you are planting purchased mustard seedlings, plant these 6 inches apart as well.
How to Grow Mustard Seeds
Once mustard seed plants start growing, they need little care. They enjoy cool weather and will bolt (flower) quickly in warmer weather. While this may seem like a great thing if you are looking to grow mustard seeds, it is not. Mustard plants that bolt due to warm weather will produce poor flowers and seeds. It’s best to keep them on their normal flowering cycle to be able to harvest the best mustard seeds. Mustard seed plants need 2 inches of water a week. Normally, during cool weather, you should get enough rainfall to supply this, but if you don’t, you’ll need to do additional watering. Mustard seed plants don’t need fertilizer if they have been planted in well amended garden soil, but if you’re unsure if your soil is nutrient rich, you can add a balanced fertilizer to the roots once the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall.
How to Harvest Mustard Seeds
The mustard plants will eventually flower and go to seed. The flowers of mustard seed plant are generally yellow but some varieties have white flowers. As the mustard flower grows and matures, it will form pods. Watch for these pods to start to turn brown. Another sign that you are nearing harvest time will be that the leaves of the plant will start to yellow. Be careful not to leave the pods on the mustard seed plant for too long as they will burst open when fully ripe and the mustard seed harvest will be lost. The next step in harvesting mustard seeds is to remove the seeds from the pods. You can do this with your hands, or you can place the flower heads in a paper bag and allow them to finish maturing. The pods will open on their own in one to two weeks and a gentle shake of the bag will shake loose most of the mustard seeds. Mustard seeds can be used fresh, but like other herbs and spices, if you plant on storing them long term, they will need to be dried.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年08月14日
Gardeners flock to their vegetable and flower gardens in spring, replanting vegetables and tending perennial bulbs and bushes. Springtime also sees new plantings with new bulbs and perennials going into the ground and short-term annuals filling in the gaps. Annual petunias and marigolds both grow successfully separately and together throughout the country.
Petunias
The University of Minnesota ranks petunias among the most popular summertime annuals for their bright colors, lively fragrance and adaptability. Petunias grow in grandiflora, multiflora, miliflora and groundcover varieties with compact to vining growth, single-to double-petal flowers and many colors.
Marigolds
The Clemson Cooperative Extension notes that marigolds are very successful in home gardens with good hardiness and disease resistance. Marigolds grow in dwarf and large sizes ranging from 6 inches to 3 feet in height, depending on cultivar. Marigolds always bloom in oranges, yellows and reds.
Growing Season
Petunias and marigolds are annuals growing and blooming from spring to fall with the right care. As annuals, both plants fade and die in frost, requiring replanting in spring. Gardeners in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 can maintain both varieties through winter in the absence of frost.
Site Requirements
Marigolds and petunias both do best in full sun and rich, dark soil. Both plants need quick drainage and grow well in the same beds. Amending the soil with organic compost and 5-10-5 fertilizer before planting gives the plants nutrition. Plant them according to cultivar-specific spacing and depth needs.
Petunias
The University of Minnesota ranks petunias among the most popular summertime annuals for their bright colors, lively fragrance and adaptability. Petunias grow in grandiflora, multiflora, miliflora and groundcover varieties with compact to vining growth, single-to double-petal flowers and many colors.
Marigolds
The Clemson Cooperative Extension notes that marigolds are very successful in home gardens with good hardiness and disease resistance. Marigolds grow in dwarf and large sizes ranging from 6 inches to 3 feet in height, depending on cultivar. Marigolds always bloom in oranges, yellows and reds.
Growing Season
Petunias and marigolds are annuals growing and blooming from spring to fall with the right care. As annuals, both plants fade and die in frost, requiring replanting in spring. Gardeners in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 can maintain both varieties through winter in the absence of frost.
Site Requirements
Marigolds and petunias both do best in full sun and rich, dark soil. Both plants need quick drainage and grow well in the same beds. Amending the soil with organic compost and 5-10-5 fertilizer before planting gives the plants nutrition. Plant them according to cultivar-specific spacing and depth needs.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年08月09日
The lush growth of your flower and vegetable gardens attract wildlife to your yard. Your carefully cultivated plants are an exotic delicatessen, free for animals' eating enjoyment. Although you can take precautions to discourage the animals from eating your flowers and vegetables, you may still end up sharing some of your harvest when food is scarce for the wildlife.
Fence Them Out
A fence discourages marauding critters from decimating a garden patch. Even though a deer can leap over an 8- to 10-foot obstacle, a 6-foot-tall fence often discourages its incursions into a garden. Cyclone welded wire and black propylene deer fencing are effective barriers when used in combination with other animal-discouraging techniques. Solid fencing, such as a board or reed fence, hides a garden from view.
Also add a row of rabbit wire fencing to the bottom of your fence to prevent rabbits from squeezing through its holes. Peg the bottom of the rabbit fence to the ground or bury it several inches of it underground. Fill all low spots with large rocks or boards. Rabbits naturally dig under fences, but deer also can crawl under a fence to reach a garden's gourmet delights.
If gophers are a problem, consider lining planting holes with wire mesh baskets. The mesh prevents gophers from burrowing under flower and vegetable plants and eating the tender roots.
Scare Them Away
Deer, rabbits and other animals that eat plants are nervous creatures, always watching for potential predators. Take advantage of their skittish natures by adding items such as motion-activated sprinklers to your gardens. Also, metallic, shiny ribbons or small wind socks tied to the top of fencing randomly flutter in wind, making deer nervous enough to discourage them from leaping into the garden.
Although predator urine and other smelly solutions discourage deer and rabbits, a yapping dog is also an effective deterrent -- if it doesn't dig holes in the gardens or disturb neighbors. Cats are also efficient predators, catching gophers and other rodents that snack on plants.
Hide the Goodies
Use row covers to protect tender seedlings from both cool weather and wildlife. When the weather warms, trade the row covers for tulle or other lightweight fabrics that hide plants without blocking air circulation to them.
Avoid attracting wildlife to your gardens by removing nearby vegetation, dead grass and brush piles, which provide hiding and nesting places. Enclose and cover your compost pile. Burying scraps in it is not effective; deer dig up a compost pile to reach peelings and other vegetable scraps. Manage the insect population in lawns near your gardens by using beneficial nematodes and Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae. Insect larvae, including beetle grubs, attract moles and skunks.
Plant Items Less Attractive to Them
Select that brighten a garden but are the last choices on deer's, rabbits' or other wildlife's menu. The less tasty or deer-resistant flowering plants that are perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the variety, include:
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), perennial in USDA zones 3 through 9.
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.), USDA zones 4 through 8.
Russian oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. gracile), USDA zones 4 through 8.
Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), USDA zones 5 through 9.
'Winnifred Gilman' Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman'), USDA zones 8 through 9.
Vegetable choices less attractive to animals vary with the wildlife's taste buds. Among the vegetables that deer and rabbits generally avoid are corn (Zea mays), garlic (Allium sativum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and squash (Cucurbita spp.). While most garden vegetables are grown as annuals, garlic is a bulb plant that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9.
Fence Them Out
A fence discourages marauding critters from decimating a garden patch. Even though a deer can leap over an 8- to 10-foot obstacle, a 6-foot-tall fence often discourages its incursions into a garden. Cyclone welded wire and black propylene deer fencing are effective barriers when used in combination with other animal-discouraging techniques. Solid fencing, such as a board or reed fence, hides a garden from view.
Also add a row of rabbit wire fencing to the bottom of your fence to prevent rabbits from squeezing through its holes. Peg the bottom of the rabbit fence to the ground or bury it several inches of it underground. Fill all low spots with large rocks or boards. Rabbits naturally dig under fences, but deer also can crawl under a fence to reach a garden's gourmet delights.
If gophers are a problem, consider lining planting holes with wire mesh baskets. The mesh prevents gophers from burrowing under flower and vegetable plants and eating the tender roots.
Scare Them Away
Deer, rabbits and other animals that eat plants are nervous creatures, always watching for potential predators. Take advantage of their skittish natures by adding items such as motion-activated sprinklers to your gardens. Also, metallic, shiny ribbons or small wind socks tied to the top of fencing randomly flutter in wind, making deer nervous enough to discourage them from leaping into the garden.
Although predator urine and other smelly solutions discourage deer and rabbits, a yapping dog is also an effective deterrent -- if it doesn't dig holes in the gardens or disturb neighbors. Cats are also efficient predators, catching gophers and other rodents that snack on plants.
Hide the Goodies
Use row covers to protect tender seedlings from both cool weather and wildlife. When the weather warms, trade the row covers for tulle or other lightweight fabrics that hide plants without blocking air circulation to them.
Avoid attracting wildlife to your gardens by removing nearby vegetation, dead grass and brush piles, which provide hiding and nesting places. Enclose and cover your compost pile. Burying scraps in it is not effective; deer dig up a compost pile to reach peelings and other vegetable scraps. Manage the insect population in lawns near your gardens by using beneficial nematodes and Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae. Insect larvae, including beetle grubs, attract moles and skunks.
Plant Items Less Attractive to Them
Select that brighten a garden but are the last choices on deer's, rabbits' or other wildlife's menu. The less tasty or deer-resistant flowering plants that are perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, depending on the variety, include:
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), perennial in USDA zones 3 through 9.
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.), USDA zones 4 through 8.
Russian oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. gracile), USDA zones 4 through 8.
Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), USDA zones 5 through 9.
'Winnifred Gilman' Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman'), USDA zones 8 through 9.
Vegetable choices less attractive to animals vary with the wildlife's taste buds. Among the vegetables that deer and rabbits generally avoid are corn (Zea mays), garlic (Allium sativum), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and squash (Cucurbita spp.). While most garden vegetables are grown as annuals, garlic is a bulb plant that is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9.
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文章
Miss Chen
2017年08月07日
Allium
Alliums may be in the onion family, but these top-notch garden plants are anything but utilitarian vegetable-garden residents. Among the most carefree bulbs you can grow, alliums bloom in a wide range of colors (including shades of yellow, white, pink, and purple), seasons, and sizes (from inch-wide heads to volleyball-sized bloom clusters).
Alliums offer whimsical structures and great textural contrasts unique to the late-spring bulb garden. Clustered florets in a globe-shape flower head are held aloft on a thick stem. In the species, loose bouquets of flowers sprout from clustered, hollow stems. The larger allium flower heads are fun focal points for dried arrangements. Plant alliums in any well-drained garden soil in full sun. The smaller types are especially well suited for growing in rock gardens. Plant a few larger hybrids in a pot for a flowering surprise in early summer.
LIGHT:Part Sun, Sun
TYPE:Bulb
HEIGHT:Under 6 inches to 3 feet
WIDTH:To 1 foot wide
FLOWER COLOR:Blue, Pink, White, Yellow
FOLIAGE COLOR:Blue/Green
SEASONAL FEATURES:Spring Bloom, Summer Bloom
PROBLEM SOLVERS:Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Groundcover
SPECIAL FEATURES:Attracts Birds, Cut Flowers, Fragrance, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance
ZONES:4-9
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Rheum rhabarbarum
PLANT TYPE: Fruit
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, though it is generally used as a fruit in desserts and jams. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest your own rhubarb.
Of the rhubarb plant, only the stalks are eaten. These have a rich, tart flavor. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous, so be sure that they are not ingested. Rhubarb is easy to grow, but needs cool weather to thrive.
PLANTING
Before planting, eliminate all perennial weeds.
Choose a site that is well-drained, fertile, and preferably in full sunlight. Rhubarb does best where the average temperature falls below 40ºF in the winter and below 75ºF in the summer.
Plant one-year rhubarb crowns in early spring as soon as the ground is workable, when the roots are still dormant and before growth begins or plants are just beginning to leaf out.
Rhubarb can also be planted in the fall after dormancy has set in.
Dig large bushel basket-size holes. Space rhubarb plants about 4 feet apart and plant the roots 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the soil.
Be sure to mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter in the soil. Rhubarb plants are heavy feeders and need this organic matter. Don’t add a chemical fertilizer when planting rhubarb or during the first year of growth. Direct contact with nitrates can kill your rhubarb plants.
CARE
Mulch generously with a heavy layer of straw and cow manure to provide nutrients for the plant, retain moisture, and discourage weeds.
Water your plant well. It needs sufficient moisture during the summer.
Remove seed stalks as soon as they appear.
After the first spring frost, apply a light sprinkling of a high-nitrogen fertilizer (25-3-3 or 10-6-4) when the ground is thawing or has just thawed, so that the fertilizer will go into the ground and not harm the roots.
Insects and diseases won’t bother rhubarb plants as long as you keep the plants weed-free.
Dig and split rhubarb roots every 3 to 4 years. Divide when plants are dormant in early spring (or fall).
PESTS/DISEASES
Crown rot
PLANT TYPE: Fruit
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, though it is generally used as a fruit in desserts and jams. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest your own rhubarb.
Of the rhubarb plant, only the stalks are eaten. These have a rich, tart flavor. The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous, so be sure that they are not ingested. Rhubarb is easy to grow, but needs cool weather to thrive.
PLANTING
Before planting, eliminate all perennial weeds.
Choose a site that is well-drained, fertile, and preferably in full sunlight. Rhubarb does best where the average temperature falls below 40ºF in the winter and below 75ºF in the summer.
Plant one-year rhubarb crowns in early spring as soon as the ground is workable, when the roots are still dormant and before growth begins or plants are just beginning to leaf out.
Rhubarb can also be planted in the fall after dormancy has set in.
Dig large bushel basket-size holes. Space rhubarb plants about 4 feet apart and plant the roots 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the soil.
Be sure to mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter in the soil. Rhubarb plants are heavy feeders and need this organic matter. Don’t add a chemical fertilizer when planting rhubarb or during the first year of growth. Direct contact with nitrates can kill your rhubarb plants.
CARE
Mulch generously with a heavy layer of straw and cow manure to provide nutrients for the plant, retain moisture, and discourage weeds.
Water your plant well. It needs sufficient moisture during the summer.
Remove seed stalks as soon as they appear.
After the first spring frost, apply a light sprinkling of a high-nitrogen fertilizer (25-3-3 or 10-6-4) when the ground is thawing or has just thawed, so that the fertilizer will go into the ground and not harm the roots.
Insects and diseases won’t bother rhubarb plants as long as you keep the plants weed-free.
Dig and split rhubarb roots every 3 to 4 years. Divide when plants are dormant in early spring (or fall).
PESTS/DISEASES
Crown rot
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Brassica rapa Rapifera Group
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Turnips are cool-weather vegetables that can be grow in both spring and in fall, avoiding the hot summer months. They mature very rapidly and you can enjoy both the greens and the roots. Try this ancient root vegetable that’s been grown for over 3,000 years.
Turnips are hardy biennials usually grown as annuals by the home gardener. We enjoy them most as an autumn crop, seeded in late summer, because they are usually sweeter and more tender than spring crops—and pests are less problematic.
What’s wonderful about turnips is that they germinate in only a few days. Within a month, you can enjoy their bright greens, and within a second month, you can eat the swollen roots. Try them as a substitute for potatoes.
PLANTING
When to Seed
For a late spring harvest, sow turnip seeds directly in the garden as soon as the ground is workable, usually 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date.
For an autumn harvest, sow turnips in late summer. Sow after summer crops of onions, squash, beans or sweet corn.
You can also sow seeds in early autumn for a late autumn harvest.
Planting Instructions
Turnips are seeded directly into the ground; they do not transplant well.
Select a site that gets full sun.
Soil should be well-draining and loosened to a depth of 12 to 15 inches.
In advance, mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or aged manure. Add sand to heavy, clay soil.
Scatter turnip seed. Do not cover the seeds with more than ½ an inch of soil.
Once seedlings are 4 inches high, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. Space wide rows 12 inches apart.
Thin turnips grown for greens from 2 to 3 inches apart (or, some of us don’t bother thinning for greens at all).
CARE
Keep the beds weed free.
Mulch heavily.
Turnips do not need much care but consistent soil moisture is important. Keep soil lightly moist, watering at a rate of 1 inch per week to prevent the roots from becoming tough and bitter.
PESTS/DISEASES
Root Maggots
Flea Beetles
Powdery Mildew
Downy Mildew
Aphids
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Turnips are cool-weather vegetables that can be grow in both spring and in fall, avoiding the hot summer months. They mature very rapidly and you can enjoy both the greens and the roots. Try this ancient root vegetable that’s been grown for over 3,000 years.
Turnips are hardy biennials usually grown as annuals by the home gardener. We enjoy them most as an autumn crop, seeded in late summer, because they are usually sweeter and more tender than spring crops—and pests are less problematic.
What’s wonderful about turnips is that they germinate in only a few days. Within a month, you can enjoy their bright greens, and within a second month, you can eat the swollen roots. Try them as a substitute for potatoes.
PLANTING
When to Seed
For a late spring harvest, sow turnip seeds directly in the garden as soon as the ground is workable, usually 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date.
For an autumn harvest, sow turnips in late summer. Sow after summer crops of onions, squash, beans or sweet corn.
You can also sow seeds in early autumn for a late autumn harvest.
Planting Instructions
Turnips are seeded directly into the ground; they do not transplant well.
Select a site that gets full sun.
Soil should be well-draining and loosened to a depth of 12 to 15 inches.
In advance, mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or aged manure. Add sand to heavy, clay soil.
Scatter turnip seed. Do not cover the seeds with more than ½ an inch of soil.
Once seedlings are 4 inches high, thin them to 4 to 6 inches apart. Space wide rows 12 inches apart.
Thin turnips grown for greens from 2 to 3 inches apart (or, some of us don’t bother thinning for greens at all).
CARE
Keep the beds weed free.
Mulch heavily.
Turnips do not need much care but consistent soil moisture is important. Keep soil lightly moist, watering at a rate of 1 inch per week to prevent the roots from becoming tough and bitter.
PESTS/DISEASES
Root Maggots
Flea Beetles
Powdery Mildew
Downy Mildew
Aphids
0
0
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Lycopersicon esculentum
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Acidic
Enjoy our tomato-growing page covering planting through plant care through harvesting—and even tomato recipes!
America’s favorite vegetable is fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are numerous, however, tomato plants are susceptible to pests and diseases so proper plant care is important.
PLANTING
If you’re planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date.
Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For southern regions, light afternoon shade will help tomatoes survive and thrive.
Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost, or fertilizer.
Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors.
Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm.
Establish tomato stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting. Staking keeps developing tomato fruit off the ground, while caging lets the plant hold itself upright. Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates.
Plant seedlings two feet apart.
Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil.
Water well to reduce shock to the roots.
CARE
Water generously for the first few days.
Water well throughout the growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Keep watering consistent!
Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture.
To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks pull water up from under the ground and keep it from evaporating into the atmosphere.
Fertilize two weeks prior to first picking and again two weeks after first picking.
If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers so that only a couple stems are growing per stake.
Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have overwintered.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Tomato Hornworm
Whiteflies
Blossom-End Rot
Late Blight is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is spread and supported by persistent damp weather. This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed.
Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow. Unfortunately, infected plants should be destroyed (but don’t put them in your compost pile).
Cracking: When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack. This usually occurs in uneven water or uneven moisture due to weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry periods). Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching.
Basil repels aphids, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, and mosquitoes from tomatoes.
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Acidic
Enjoy our tomato-growing page covering planting through plant care through harvesting—and even tomato recipes!
America’s favorite vegetable is fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are numerous, however, tomato plants are susceptible to pests and diseases so proper plant care is important.
PLANTING
If you’re planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date.
Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For southern regions, light afternoon shade will help tomatoes survive and thrive.
Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost, or fertilizer.
Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors.
Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm.
Establish tomato stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting. Staking keeps developing tomato fruit off the ground, while caging lets the plant hold itself upright. Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates.
Plant seedlings two feet apart.
Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil.
Water well to reduce shock to the roots.
CARE
Water generously for the first few days.
Water well throughout the growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Keep watering consistent!
Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture.
To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks pull water up from under the ground and keep it from evaporating into the atmosphere.
Fertilize two weeks prior to first picking and again two weeks after first picking.
If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers so that only a couple stems are growing per stake.
Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have overwintered.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Tomato Hornworm
Whiteflies
Blossom-End Rot
Late Blight is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is spread and supported by persistent damp weather. This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed.
Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow. Unfortunately, infected plants should be destroyed (but don’t put them in your compost pile).
Cracking: When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack. This usually occurs in uneven water or uneven moisture due to weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry periods). Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching.
Basil repels aphids, whiteflies, tomato hornworms, and mosquitoes from tomatoes.
3
3
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Ipomoea batatas
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Neutral
FLOWER COLOR: Purple
BLOOM TIME: Summer
Sweet potatoes are a good choice for a garden because they are easy to grow, drought- and heat-tolerant, and have few pests or diseases. The sweet potato is also very nutritious and low in calories.
PLANTING
Sweet potatoes are typically grown from slips, which are sprouts that are grown from stored sweet potatoes. You can buy slips from garden centers, nurseries, or local farmers.
You can also grow your own slips to plant in the spring. In November (this is when the best of the new harvest will be out), go to your supermarket and look for unblemished and uncracked medium-size sweet potatoes. One potato should yield about 12 plants.
Store these potatoes in a well-lit room with a temperature between 65° and 70°F. Keep them there until about 90 days before the last spring frost date. They will then need to be embedded in soil for 90 days and kept continuously warm and moist.
Use a 1-½ gallon pot for every two potatoes. Remember to poke drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and fill it with 3 inches of mulch, followed by garden or potting soil. Plant the potatoes in the pot at a 45° angle so that the sprouts will grow above the soil. When the slips are 6 to 12 inches tall, you can plant them outdoors, as long as all danger of frost has passed.
After you have grown your own slips or bought them, till the area of the garden you will be using to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Create raised mounds 6 to 8 inches tall and about 12 inches wide. Use fertile, well-drained soil.
Plant the slips 12 to 18 inches apart in the bed, after the last spring frost date. Plant the slips deep enough to cover the roots and about ½ inch of the stem. Water the slips with a starter solution that is high in phosphorous, then water generously for a few days to make sure that the plants root well.
CARE
Side-dress the potatoes 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting with 3 pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 feet of row. If you have sandy soil, use 5 pounds.
Hoe the beds occasionally to keep weeds down. Remember to reshape the beds with soil or mulch.
For good harvests, do not prune the vines, because they should be vigorous.
Remember to keep the potatoes watered. Deep watering in hot, dry periods will help to increase yields, although if you are planning to store some of the potatoes, do not give the plants extra water late in the season.
PESTS/DISEASES
Flea beetles
Sweet potato scurf
White blister
Fungal leaf rot
Stem rot
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Neutral
FLOWER COLOR: Purple
BLOOM TIME: Summer
Sweet potatoes are a good choice for a garden because they are easy to grow, drought- and heat-tolerant, and have few pests or diseases. The sweet potato is also very nutritious and low in calories.
PLANTING
Sweet potatoes are typically grown from slips, which are sprouts that are grown from stored sweet potatoes. You can buy slips from garden centers, nurseries, or local farmers.
You can also grow your own slips to plant in the spring. In November (this is when the best of the new harvest will be out), go to your supermarket and look for unblemished and uncracked medium-size sweet potatoes. One potato should yield about 12 plants.
Store these potatoes in a well-lit room with a temperature between 65° and 70°F. Keep them there until about 90 days before the last spring frost date. They will then need to be embedded in soil for 90 days and kept continuously warm and moist.
Use a 1-½ gallon pot for every two potatoes. Remember to poke drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and fill it with 3 inches of mulch, followed by garden or potting soil. Plant the potatoes in the pot at a 45° angle so that the sprouts will grow above the soil. When the slips are 6 to 12 inches tall, you can plant them outdoors, as long as all danger of frost has passed.
After you have grown your own slips or bought them, till the area of the garden you will be using to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. Create raised mounds 6 to 8 inches tall and about 12 inches wide. Use fertile, well-drained soil.
Plant the slips 12 to 18 inches apart in the bed, after the last spring frost date. Plant the slips deep enough to cover the roots and about ½ inch of the stem. Water the slips with a starter solution that is high in phosphorous, then water generously for a few days to make sure that the plants root well.
CARE
Side-dress the potatoes 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting with 3 pounds of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 feet of row. If you have sandy soil, use 5 pounds.
Hoe the beds occasionally to keep weeds down. Remember to reshape the beds with soil or mulch.
For good harvests, do not prune the vines, because they should be vigorous.
Remember to keep the potatoes watered. Deep watering in hot, dry periods will help to increase yields, although if you are planning to store some of the potatoes, do not give the plants extra water late in the season.
PESTS/DISEASES
Flea beetles
Sweet potato scurf
White blister
Fungal leaf rot
Stem rot
0
0
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Cucurbita
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
HARDINESS ZONE: Varies
Squash, especially zucchini, is a prolific vegetable! Easy to grow, each plant will produce several squash a day during peak season. Make sure you harvest summer squash when tender and still immature!
There are many varieties of summer squash to choose from:
Summer squash including zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
True winter squash (C. pepo)
Acorn squash, delicata, spaghetti squash
Butternut squash (C. moschata)
The main difference between winter and summer squash varieties is their harvest time; the longer growing period gives winter squash a tougher, inedible skin.
Squash is very susceptible to frost and heat damage so you do want to pick it all before the first fall frosts arrive.
With its bumper crops, you usually only need a plant or two for a bumper crop—and you may still find yourself giving zucchini away to neighbors or baking lots of zucchini bread!
PLANTING
If you wish to start seeds indoors due to a short gardening season, sow 2 to 4 weeks before last spring frost in peat pots.However, we recommend direct-seeding for squash because they do not always transplant well. If you do transplant, be very gentle with the roots.
If you wish to get an early start, it may be better to warm the soil with black plastic mulch once the soil has been prepared in early spring.
The soil needs to be warm (at least 60º at a two-inch depth), so plant summer squash after spring (cool-season) crops, like peas, lettuce, and spinach—about one week after the last spring frost to midsummer.
In fact, waiting to plant a few seeds in midsummer will help avoid problems from squash vine borers and other pests and diseases common earlier in the season.
The outside planting site needs to receive full sun; the soil should be moist and well-drained, but not soggy.
Squash plants are heavy feeders. Work compost and plenty of organic matter into the soil before planting for a rich soil base.
To germinate outside, use cloche or frame protection in cold climates for the first few weeks.
Plant seeds about one-inch deep and 2 to 3 feet apart in a traditional garden bed.
Alternatively, plant as a “hill” of 3 or 4 seeds sown close together on a small mound; this is helpful in northern climates, as the soil is warmer off the ground. Allow 5 to 6 feet between hills.
Most summer squashes now come in bush varieties, which take up less space, but winter squash is a vine plant and needs more space. Bush varieties will need to be thinned in early stages of development to about 8 to 12 inches apart.
CARE
Mulch plants to protect shallow roots, discourage weeds, and retain moisture.
When the first blooms appear, apply a small amount of fertilizer as a side dress application.
For all type of squash, frequent and consistent watering is recommended. Water most diligently when fruits form and throughout their growth period.
Water deeply once a week, applying at least one inch of water. Do not water shallowly; the soil needs to be moist 4 inches down.
After harvest begins, fertilize occasionally for vigorous growth and lots of fruits.
If your fruits are misshapen, they might not have received enough water or fertilization.
PESTS/DISEASES
There are a couple of challenging pests, especially the squash vine borer and the squash bug. The best solution is to get ahead of them before they arrive.
If your zucchini blooms flowers but never bears actual zucchini, or it bears fruit that stops growing when it’s very small, then it’s a pollination issue. Most squashes have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. To produce fruit, pollen from male flowers must be physically transferred to the female flowers by bees. If you do not have enough bees, you can manually pollinate with a Q-tip—or, add nearby plants that attract bees!
Cucumber Beetle
Blossom-End Rot: If the blossom ends of your squash turn black and rot, then your squash have blossom-end rot. This condition is caused by uneven soil moisture levels, often wide fluctuations between wet and dry soil. It can also be caused by calcium levels. To correct the problem, water deeply and apply a thick mulch over the soil surface to keep evaporation at a minimum. Keep the soil evenly moist like a wrung out sponge, not wet and not completely dried out.
Stink Bug: If your squash looks distorted with dippled area, the stink bugs overwintered in your yard. You need to spray or dust with approved insecticides and hand pick in the morning. Clean up nearby weeds and garden debris at the end of the season to avoid this problem.
Aphids
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
HARDINESS ZONE: Varies
Squash, especially zucchini, is a prolific vegetable! Easy to grow, each plant will produce several squash a day during peak season. Make sure you harvest summer squash when tender and still immature!
There are many varieties of summer squash to choose from:
Summer squash including zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
True winter squash (C. pepo)
Acorn squash, delicata, spaghetti squash
Butternut squash (C. moschata)
The main difference between winter and summer squash varieties is their harvest time; the longer growing period gives winter squash a tougher, inedible skin.
Squash is very susceptible to frost and heat damage so you do want to pick it all before the first fall frosts arrive.
With its bumper crops, you usually only need a plant or two for a bumper crop—and you may still find yourself giving zucchini away to neighbors or baking lots of zucchini bread!
PLANTING
If you wish to start seeds indoors due to a short gardening season, sow 2 to 4 weeks before last spring frost in peat pots.However, we recommend direct-seeding for squash because they do not always transplant well. If you do transplant, be very gentle with the roots.
If you wish to get an early start, it may be better to warm the soil with black plastic mulch once the soil has been prepared in early spring.
The soil needs to be warm (at least 60º at a two-inch depth), so plant summer squash after spring (cool-season) crops, like peas, lettuce, and spinach—about one week after the last spring frost to midsummer.
In fact, waiting to plant a few seeds in midsummer will help avoid problems from squash vine borers and other pests and diseases common earlier in the season.
The outside planting site needs to receive full sun; the soil should be moist and well-drained, but not soggy.
Squash plants are heavy feeders. Work compost and plenty of organic matter into the soil before planting for a rich soil base.
To germinate outside, use cloche or frame protection in cold climates for the first few weeks.
Plant seeds about one-inch deep and 2 to 3 feet apart in a traditional garden bed.
Alternatively, plant as a “hill” of 3 or 4 seeds sown close together on a small mound; this is helpful in northern climates, as the soil is warmer off the ground. Allow 5 to 6 feet between hills.
Most summer squashes now come in bush varieties, which take up less space, but winter squash is a vine plant and needs more space. Bush varieties will need to be thinned in early stages of development to about 8 to 12 inches apart.
CARE
Mulch plants to protect shallow roots, discourage weeds, and retain moisture.
When the first blooms appear, apply a small amount of fertilizer as a side dress application.
For all type of squash, frequent and consistent watering is recommended. Water most diligently when fruits form and throughout their growth period.
Water deeply once a week, applying at least one inch of water. Do not water shallowly; the soil needs to be moist 4 inches down.
After harvest begins, fertilize occasionally for vigorous growth and lots of fruits.
If your fruits are misshapen, they might not have received enough water or fertilization.
PESTS/DISEASES
There are a couple of challenging pests, especially the squash vine borer and the squash bug. The best solution is to get ahead of them before they arrive.
If your zucchini blooms flowers but never bears actual zucchini, or it bears fruit that stops growing when it’s very small, then it’s a pollination issue. Most squashes have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. To produce fruit, pollen from male flowers must be physically transferred to the female flowers by bees. If you do not have enough bees, you can manually pollinate with a Q-tip—or, add nearby plants that attract bees!
Cucumber Beetle
Blossom-End Rot: If the blossom ends of your squash turn black and rot, then your squash have blossom-end rot. This condition is caused by uneven soil moisture levels, often wide fluctuations between wet and dry soil. It can also be caused by calcium levels. To correct the problem, water deeply and apply a thick mulch over the soil surface to keep evaporation at a minimum. Keep the soil evenly moist like a wrung out sponge, not wet and not completely dried out.
Stink Bug: If your squash looks distorted with dippled area, the stink bugs overwintered in your yard. You need to spray or dust with approved insecticides and hand pick in the morning. Clean up nearby weeds and garden debris at the end of the season to avoid this problem.
Aphids
1
1
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Spinacia oleracea
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Neutral
Spinach, a super–cold-hardy vegetable, is a tender-leafed crop that can be planted in very early spring, as well as in fall and winter.
Spinach has similar growing conditions and requirements as lettuce, but it is more versatile in both its nutrition and its ability to be eaten raw or cooked. It is higher in iron, calcium, and vitamins than most cultivated greens, and one of the best sources of vitamins A, B, and C.
PLANTING
Prepare the soil with aged manure about a week before planting, or, you may wish to prepare your spot in the fall so that you can sow the seeds outdoors in early spring as soon as the ground thaws.
If you live in a place with mild winters, you can also plant in the fall.
Although seedlings can be propagated indoors, it is not recommended, as seedlings are difficult to transplant.
Spring plantings can be made as soon as the soil can be properly worked. It’s important to seed as soon as you can to give spinach the required 6 weeks of cool weather from seeding to harvest.
Select a site with full sun to light shade and well-drained soil.
Sow seeds ½ inch to 1 inch deep, covering lightly with soil. Sow about 12 seeds per foot of row, or sprinkle over a wide row or bed.
Soil should not be warmer than 70º F in order for germination.
Successive plantings should be made every couple weeks during early spring. Common spinach cannot grow in midsummer. (For a summer harvest, try New Zealand Spinach or Malabar Spinach, two similar leafy greens.)
Plant in mid-August for a fall crop, ensuring that soil temps are cool enough.
Gardeners in northern climates can harvest early-spring spinach if it’s planted just before the cold weather arrives in fall. Protect the young plants with a cold frame or thick mulch through the winter, then remove the protection when soil temperature in your area reaches 40º.
Water the new plants well in the spring.
CARE
Fertilize only if necessary due to slow growth, or use as a supplement if your soil pH is inadequate. Use when plant reaches ⅓ growth.
When seedlings sprout to about two inches, thin them to 3-4 inches apart.
Beyond thinning, no cultivation is necessary. Roots are shallow and easily damaged.
Keep soil moist with mulching.
Water regularly.
Spinach can tolerate the cold; it can survive a frost and temps down to 15ºF.
PESTS/DISEASES
Leaf Miners: Radishes attract leaf miners away from spinach. The damage that the leaf miners do to radish leaves doesn’t prevent the radishes from growing underground.
Bolting
Mosaic Virus/Blight
Downy Mildew
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Loamy
SOIL PH: Neutral
Spinach, a super–cold-hardy vegetable, is a tender-leafed crop that can be planted in very early spring, as well as in fall and winter.
Spinach has similar growing conditions and requirements as lettuce, but it is more versatile in both its nutrition and its ability to be eaten raw or cooked. It is higher in iron, calcium, and vitamins than most cultivated greens, and one of the best sources of vitamins A, B, and C.
PLANTING
Prepare the soil with aged manure about a week before planting, or, you may wish to prepare your spot in the fall so that you can sow the seeds outdoors in early spring as soon as the ground thaws.
If you live in a place with mild winters, you can also plant in the fall.
Although seedlings can be propagated indoors, it is not recommended, as seedlings are difficult to transplant.
Spring plantings can be made as soon as the soil can be properly worked. It’s important to seed as soon as you can to give spinach the required 6 weeks of cool weather from seeding to harvest.
Select a site with full sun to light shade and well-drained soil.
Sow seeds ½ inch to 1 inch deep, covering lightly with soil. Sow about 12 seeds per foot of row, or sprinkle over a wide row or bed.
Soil should not be warmer than 70º F in order for germination.
Successive plantings should be made every couple weeks during early spring. Common spinach cannot grow in midsummer. (For a summer harvest, try New Zealand Spinach or Malabar Spinach, two similar leafy greens.)
Plant in mid-August for a fall crop, ensuring that soil temps are cool enough.
Gardeners in northern climates can harvest early-spring spinach if it’s planted just before the cold weather arrives in fall. Protect the young plants with a cold frame or thick mulch through the winter, then remove the protection when soil temperature in your area reaches 40º.
Water the new plants well in the spring.
CARE
Fertilize only if necessary due to slow growth, or use as a supplement if your soil pH is inadequate. Use when plant reaches ⅓ growth.
When seedlings sprout to about two inches, thin them to 3-4 inches apart.
Beyond thinning, no cultivation is necessary. Roots are shallow and easily damaged.
Keep soil moist with mulching.
Water regularly.
Spinach can tolerate the cold; it can survive a frost and temps down to 15ºF.
PESTS/DISEASES
Leaf Miners: Radishes attract leaf miners away from spinach. The damage that the leaf miners do to radish leaves doesn’t prevent the radishes from growing underground.
Bolting
Mosaic Virus/Blight
Downy Mildew
2
2
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Raphanus sativus
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: Neutral
Radishes are a hardy, cool-season vegetable that can produce many crops each season due to its rapid days to maturity. Radish seeds can be planted in both the spring and the fall, but growing should be suspended in the warmer months. Overall, radishes are a very easy vegetable to grow.PLANTING
Plant 4-6 weeks before the average date of last frost, after aged manure or organic fertilizer has been worked into soil.
Directly sow seeds ½ inch to an inch deep and one inch apart in rows 12 inches apart.
After they have sprouted, thin to about 2-inch spacings. Crowded plants will not grow well.
Radishes need sun. If they are planted in too much shade—or even where neighboring vegetable plants shade them—they put all their energy into producing larger leaves.
Practice three-year crop rotation.
Plant consecutively every two weeks or so while weather is still cool for a continuous harvest of radishes.
Plan on a fall planting. You can plant radishes later than any other root crop in late summer or early fall and still get a harvest.CARE
Radishes require well-drained soil with consistent moisture. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Thin radishes to about two inches apart when the plants are a week old. You will be amazed at the results.PESTS/DISEASES
Cabbage Root Maggot
Clubroot
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
SOIL PH: Neutral
Radishes are a hardy, cool-season vegetable that can produce many crops each season due to its rapid days to maturity. Radish seeds can be planted in both the spring and the fall, but growing should be suspended in the warmer months. Overall, radishes are a very easy vegetable to grow.PLANTING
Plant 4-6 weeks before the average date of last frost, after aged manure or organic fertilizer has been worked into soil.
Directly sow seeds ½ inch to an inch deep and one inch apart in rows 12 inches apart.
After they have sprouted, thin to about 2-inch spacings. Crowded plants will not grow well.
Radishes need sun. If they are planted in too much shade—or even where neighboring vegetable plants shade them—they put all their energy into producing larger leaves.
Practice three-year crop rotation.
Plant consecutively every two weeks or so while weather is still cool for a continuous harvest of radishes.
Plan on a fall planting. You can plant radishes later than any other root crop in late summer or early fall and still get a harvest.CARE
Radishes require well-drained soil with consistent moisture. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Thin radishes to about two inches apart when the plants are a week old. You will be amazed at the results.PESTS/DISEASES
Cabbage Root Maggot
Clubroot
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文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata, C. argyrosperma
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
Whether you use them for carving or cooking, pumpkins do not disappoint. Here’s how to grow your own supply of pumpkins.
Note that pumpkins do require a lot of food and a long growing season (generally from 75 to 100 frost-free days) so you need to plant them by late May in northern locations to early July in extremely southern states.
Do not plant this tender vegetable until all danger of frost has passed and the soil is warmed, as the seedlings will be injured or rot.
PLANTING
SELECTING A SITE
Pick a site with full sun (to light shade) and lots of space for sprawling vines. Vine varieties need 50 to 100 square feet per hill.
However, if your garden space is limited, no worries! Plant pumpkins at the edge of the garden and direct vine growth across the lawn or sidewalk. The vines will only be bothersome for a few weeks. You can also grow pumpkins in big 5 to 10 gallon buckets! Or, try miniature varieties.
Pumpkins are big, greedy feeders. They prefer very rich soil that is well-drained and not too soggy. Mix lots of compost and aged mature into the planting site before you sow seeds or transplant.
PLANTING BY SEED
Pumpkins do best when the seeds are planted directly in the ground.
If your growing season is very short, seed indoors in peat pots about 2 to 4 weeks before last spring frost. Be sure to harden off before transplanting.
Wait until the plant soil is 70ºF or more before sowing seeds. Optimum soil temperature is 95ºF. Pumpkins are very sensitive to the cold.
Plant seeds in rows or “pumpkin hills” which are the size of small pitcher mounds. With hills, the soil will warm more quickly and the seeds will germinate faster. This also helps with drainage and pest control.
Prepare the hills in advance with an abundance of old manure dug deep into the ground (12 to 15 inches). If you don’t have manure, loosen the soil and mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost
Plant the seeds 1 inch deep into the hills (4 to 5 seeds per hill). Space hills 4 to 8 feet apart.
Your plants should germinate in less than a week with the right soil temperature (70 degrees F) and emerge in 5 to 10 days.
When the plants are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to 2 to 3 plants per hill by snipping off unwanted plants without disturbing the roots of the remaining ones.
In rows, sow seeds 6 to 12 inches apart in rows 6 to 10 feet apart. Snip off plants to thin to one plant every 18 to 36 inches.
CARE
Use row covers to protect plants early in the season and to prevent insect problems. However, remember to remove covers before flowering to allow pollination by insects!
Pumpkins are very thirsty plants and need lots of water. Water one inch per week. Water deeply, especially during fruit set.
When watering: Try to keep foliage and fruit dry unless it’s a sunny day. Dampness will make rot more likely.
Add mulch around your pumpkins to keep in moisture, suppress weeks, and discourage pests.
Remember that pumpkins are tender from planting to harvest. Control weeds with mulch. Do not overcultivate, or their very shallow roots may be damaged.
Most small vine varieties can be trained up a trellis.
Larger varieties can be trained upward on a trellis, too—though it is an engineering challenge to support the fruit—usually with netting or old stockings.
If your first flowers aren’t forming fruits, that’s normal. Both male and female blossoms need to open. Be patient.
Bees are essential for pollination, so be mindful when using insecticides to kill pests. If you must use, apply only in late afternoon or early evening, when blossoms are closed for the day.
Pumpkin vines, though obstinate, are very delicate. Take care not to damage vines, which reduces the quality of fruit.
Pump Up Your Pumpkins!
Pumpkins are HEAVY feeders. Regular treatments of manure or compost mixed with water will sustain good growth.
Fertilize on a regular basis. Use a high nitrogen formula in early plant growth. Fertilize when plants are about one foot tall, just before vines begin to run. Switch over to a fertilizer high in phosphorous just before the blooming period.
Pinch off the fuzzy ends of each vine after a few pumpkins have formed. This will stop vine growth so that the plant’s energies are focused on the fruit.
Pruning the vines may help with space, as well as allow the plant’s energy to be concentrated on the remaining vines and fruit.
Gardeners who are looking for a “prize for size” pumpkin might select the two or three prime candidates and remove all other fruit and vines.
As the fruit develops, they should be turned (with great care not to hurt the vine or stem) to encourage an even shape.
Slip a thin board or a piece of plastic mesh under the pumpkins.
PESTS/DISEASES
Squash bugs and cucumber beetles are common, especially later in summer. Contact your local Cooperative Extension for potential controls.
Aphids
Squash Vine Borer
Powdery Mildew
Anthracnose
Poor light, too much fertilizer, poor weather at bloom time, and reduced pollinating insect activity can negatively impact fruit set.
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Any
Whether you use them for carving or cooking, pumpkins do not disappoint. Here’s how to grow your own supply of pumpkins.
Note that pumpkins do require a lot of food and a long growing season (generally from 75 to 100 frost-free days) so you need to plant them by late May in northern locations to early July in extremely southern states.
Do not plant this tender vegetable until all danger of frost has passed and the soil is warmed, as the seedlings will be injured or rot.
PLANTING
SELECTING A SITE
Pick a site with full sun (to light shade) and lots of space for sprawling vines. Vine varieties need 50 to 100 square feet per hill.
However, if your garden space is limited, no worries! Plant pumpkins at the edge of the garden and direct vine growth across the lawn or sidewalk. The vines will only be bothersome for a few weeks. You can also grow pumpkins in big 5 to 10 gallon buckets! Or, try miniature varieties.
Pumpkins are big, greedy feeders. They prefer very rich soil that is well-drained and not too soggy. Mix lots of compost and aged mature into the planting site before you sow seeds or transplant.
PLANTING BY SEED
Pumpkins do best when the seeds are planted directly in the ground.
If your growing season is very short, seed indoors in peat pots about 2 to 4 weeks before last spring frost. Be sure to harden off before transplanting.
Wait until the plant soil is 70ºF or more before sowing seeds. Optimum soil temperature is 95ºF. Pumpkins are very sensitive to the cold.
Plant seeds in rows or “pumpkin hills” which are the size of small pitcher mounds. With hills, the soil will warm more quickly and the seeds will germinate faster. This also helps with drainage and pest control.
Prepare the hills in advance with an abundance of old manure dug deep into the ground (12 to 15 inches). If you don’t have manure, loosen the soil and mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost
Plant the seeds 1 inch deep into the hills (4 to 5 seeds per hill). Space hills 4 to 8 feet apart.
Your plants should germinate in less than a week with the right soil temperature (70 degrees F) and emerge in 5 to 10 days.
When the plants are 2 to 3 inches tall, thin to 2 to 3 plants per hill by snipping off unwanted plants without disturbing the roots of the remaining ones.
In rows, sow seeds 6 to 12 inches apart in rows 6 to 10 feet apart. Snip off plants to thin to one plant every 18 to 36 inches.
CARE
Use row covers to protect plants early in the season and to prevent insect problems. However, remember to remove covers before flowering to allow pollination by insects!
Pumpkins are very thirsty plants and need lots of water. Water one inch per week. Water deeply, especially during fruit set.
When watering: Try to keep foliage and fruit dry unless it’s a sunny day. Dampness will make rot more likely.
Add mulch around your pumpkins to keep in moisture, suppress weeks, and discourage pests.
Remember that pumpkins are tender from planting to harvest. Control weeds with mulch. Do not overcultivate, or their very shallow roots may be damaged.
Most small vine varieties can be trained up a trellis.
Larger varieties can be trained upward on a trellis, too—though it is an engineering challenge to support the fruit—usually with netting or old stockings.
If your first flowers aren’t forming fruits, that’s normal. Both male and female blossoms need to open. Be patient.
Bees are essential for pollination, so be mindful when using insecticides to kill pests. If you must use, apply only in late afternoon or early evening, when blossoms are closed for the day.
Pumpkin vines, though obstinate, are very delicate. Take care not to damage vines, which reduces the quality of fruit.
Pump Up Your Pumpkins!
Pumpkins are HEAVY feeders. Regular treatments of manure or compost mixed with water will sustain good growth.
Fertilize on a regular basis. Use a high nitrogen formula in early plant growth. Fertilize when plants are about one foot tall, just before vines begin to run. Switch over to a fertilizer high in phosphorous just before the blooming period.
Pinch off the fuzzy ends of each vine after a few pumpkins have formed. This will stop vine growth so that the plant’s energies are focused on the fruit.
Pruning the vines may help with space, as well as allow the plant’s energy to be concentrated on the remaining vines and fruit.
Gardeners who are looking for a “prize for size” pumpkin might select the two or three prime candidates and remove all other fruit and vines.
As the fruit develops, they should be turned (with great care not to hurt the vine or stem) to encourage an even shape.
Slip a thin board or a piece of plastic mesh under the pumpkins.
PESTS/DISEASES
Squash bugs and cucumber beetles are common, especially later in summer. Contact your local Cooperative Extension for potential controls.
Aphids
Squash Vine Borer
Powdery Mildew
Anthracnose
Poor light, too much fertilizer, poor weather at bloom time, and reduced pollinating insect activity can negatively impact fruit set.
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0
文章
Dummer. ゛☀
2017年08月06日
BOTANICAL NAME: Solanum tuberosum
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Sandy
SOIL PH: Acidic
The taste and the texture of home-grown potatoes are far superior to those of store-bought spuds, especially the early varieties. They need a cool climate, and also need to be watched to prevent sunburn. In warmer climate zones, potatoes can be grown as a winter crop.
PLANTING
How to Plant Potatoes
Plant seed potatoes (pieces of whole potato or a small whole potato, with at least 2 eyes per piece) 0-2 weeks after last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
You may start planting earlier, as soon as soil can be worked, but be aware that some crops will be ruined by a frost.
If you are cutting up potato pieces for planting, do so 1-2 days ahead of time. This will give them the chance to “heal” and form a protective layer, both for moisture retention and rot resistance.
Spread and mix in rotted manure or organic compost in the bottom of the trench before planting.
Plant seed potatoes one foot apart in a 4-inch deep trench, eye side up.
Practice yearly crop rotation.
CARE
How to Grow Potatoes
Potatoes thrive in well-drained, loose soil.
Potatoes need consistent moisture, so water regularly when tubers start to form.
Hilling should be done before the potato plants bloom, when the plant is about 6 inches tall. Hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the root as well as to support the plant. Bury them in loose soil.
Hilling keeps the potatoes from getting sunburned, which can cause them to turn green and produce a chemical called solanine. Solanine gives off a bitter taste and is toxic, so do not eat green potatoes.
You will need to hill potatoes every couple of weeks to protect your crop.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Leaf Hoppers
Early/Late Blight
Potato Scab: Most likely cause by a high soil pH. Remember: Potatoes like acidic soil (do not plant in soil with a pH higher than 5.2). Dust seed potatoes with sulfur before planting.
PLANT TYPE: Vegetable
SUN EXPOSURE: Full Sun
SOIL TYPE: Sandy
SOIL PH: Acidic
The taste and the texture of home-grown potatoes are far superior to those of store-bought spuds, especially the early varieties. They need a cool climate, and also need to be watched to prevent sunburn. In warmer climate zones, potatoes can be grown as a winter crop.
PLANTING
How to Plant Potatoes
Plant seed potatoes (pieces of whole potato or a small whole potato, with at least 2 eyes per piece) 0-2 weeks after last spring frost. (See local frost dates.)
You may start planting earlier, as soon as soil can be worked, but be aware that some crops will be ruined by a frost.
If you are cutting up potato pieces for planting, do so 1-2 days ahead of time. This will give them the chance to “heal” and form a protective layer, both for moisture retention and rot resistance.
Spread and mix in rotted manure or organic compost in the bottom of the trench before planting.
Plant seed potatoes one foot apart in a 4-inch deep trench, eye side up.
Practice yearly crop rotation.
CARE
How to Grow Potatoes
Potatoes thrive in well-drained, loose soil.
Potatoes need consistent moisture, so water regularly when tubers start to form.
Hilling should be done before the potato plants bloom, when the plant is about 6 inches tall. Hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the root as well as to support the plant. Bury them in loose soil.
Hilling keeps the potatoes from getting sunburned, which can cause them to turn green and produce a chemical called solanine. Solanine gives off a bitter taste and is toxic, so do not eat green potatoes.
You will need to hill potatoes every couple of weeks to protect your crop.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Flea Beetles
Leaf Hoppers
Early/Late Blight
Potato Scab: Most likely cause by a high soil pH. Remember: Potatoes like acidic soil (do not plant in soil with a pH higher than 5.2). Dust seed potatoes with sulfur before planting.
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