Fast Growing Vegetables

Fast-growing vegetables

CC flickr photo courtesy of Kasia

Sometimes, you just don’t want to wait for your veggies to grow. If you’re growing indoors, or in a greenhouse with limited space, this is can be especially true. Sometimes, you just want to maximize your garden by growing fast veggies first and then planting slower growing ones afterward.

“Fast growing” is a subjective term, of course. How fast is fast? For the purposes of this article, “fast growing” means it takes 60 days or less to bear ripe fruit.

Reasons to Grow Fast Growing Vegetables

As stated, fast growing vegetables are a great way to maximize your yields. Many greenhouse growers stick with faster growing vegetables in order to get as many crops as possible in one year. A greenhouse is much more expensive to maintain, per square foot of growing space, than an outdoor garden is, so getting the most “bang for your buck” is important.

Finally, if you have a limited season (perhaps you live in a colder growing zone like Zone 3 through 5), then you can help maximize your garden’s output by growing fast-growing vegetables first or last to get more crops in the same amount of time.

Whatever your reason, it’s easy to choose varieties and get them producing quickly. [click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

Shopping for Sprinklers for Gardens and Flower Beds

Shopping for sprinklers

CC flickr photo by Kumaravel

Some people don’t give much thought to which sprinkler they purchase — which is rather unfortunate considering it plays a key role in your landscaping and water usage. Then, there are others who really want to buy the right one — but who knows which variety that is? Do you need an oscillating one? And what is a hose drip? If you are like many others, you may have set out to buy a sprinkler and came home empty-handed, full of confusion and with a lot of questions.

Importance of a Good Sprinkler

While it can be tempting to simply buy whichever sprinkler is on sale, there are qualities you should be looking for. The sprinkler you choose should get the job done without being wasteful. You don’t need a sprinkler that has a mind of its own and starts watering the sidewalk after a few minutes of vibration. All this is doing is running up your utility bill and wasting valuable resources.

A good quality sprinkler will generally have a metal filter where the unit connects to the hose to reduce the risk of clogging. Additionally, it will often be made of brass or zinc for longevity so you’re not replacing it after one season. When possible, choose one with minimal moving parts; the fewer things there are to break, the better! [click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

Flowers You Can Eat

CC Flickr photo by Maggie Hoffman

Many people are unaware of the vast number of flowers that are not only edible, but actually good for you! Just be sure to never eat a flower you haven’t identified and be cautious if you have hay fever, allergies or asthma. Stay clear of flowers that may have been exposed to pesticides.

Aim to harvest flowers at their peak, early in the morning. Short-stemmed varieties should either be refrigerated or used within a few hours, while long-stemmed flowers can be kept in a vase of water. You will also discover that some varieties can be dried and stored for future use.

List of Edible Flowers

Roses

Believe it or not, roses contain more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable. Rugosa roses or other older varieties typically offer the most flavor. They are often used to make jam, syrup and tea, or used as a garnish.

Chives

Not only are these pinkish-purple flowers stunning in your garden, they offer a mild onion flavor you may have enjoyed on a loaded baked potato a time or two. Chives are also ideal to add to cream cheese and dips, casseroles, sautéed vegetables and salads. [click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

Autumn Lawncare

autumn yardwork

CC flickr photo by Dan4th

If you are like many others, autumn yardwork probably sneaks up on you out of nowhere. One day you are basking in the sun, fanning yourself and drinking lemonade and then all of a sudden, you need to put a jacket on to walk the dog in the morning. This is usually about the same time you realize that leaves are starting to fall — and you haven’t even begun the fall care on your lawn yet.

Start Fall Lawncare in September

Whether you’re laying an entire lawn, filling in patches or simply need to get your current lawn ready for winter, September is the time to start. This doesn’t mean waiting until the last week when you realize winter is coming early this year either. Create a plan of what you need to do, write a list of what you need to make it happen, and make a schedule. You’re more likely to stick with it if it’s in writing.

Seeding a Fall Lawn

Ideally, seed your lawn as close to the beginning of September as possible, especially Kentucky bluegrass as it needs two months to mature. If you wait too long, you reduce the chance of it germinating successfully. Seeds should never be permitted to dry out, so depending on weather, you may need to water quite often, sometimes even twice a day.

The seeds need to really bond with the soil, so a roller or rake should be used after seeding. Always make sure that you work the soil at least six inches deep first and add organic matter.

Fall Lawn Fertilization

A fertilizer rich in nitrogen should be applied in September. This will stimulate growth while the temperatures are still mild. It is recommended to cover your lawn first in vertical rows, then in horizontal ones, and then, if you still have some left, travel in a circular or diagonal direction. This will ensure the area is covered uniformly.

Applying a winterizer is equally important, a step many neglect. This slow-released fertilizer provides the roots with nutrients to store and use in the spring. This needs to be applied after the final mow of the season.

Other Autumn LawnCare Tips

  • Weeding – The best time to start thinking about ground ivy, dandelions and other invasive plants is in September. Now is the time to apply herbicides if desired.
  • Dethatching – It is important that you don’t get carried away with your rake and remove more than half an inch or this will negatively affect your lawn.
  • Aeration – When you loosen the soil, you’re granted healthier shoots because the roots are provided with oxygen. September is the best time to do this, as long as the soil is not soggy.

Fall Overseeding For Southern Lawns

People have a love/hate relationship with their Bermuda grass. Sure, it’s lush and vibrant in the summer but it turns an unattractive brown in the winter. Ryegrass is ideal to use for overseeding, providing your Bermuda is healthy. Use between 5 and 10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. Don’t use more or you’ll be struck with a lot of ryegrass in the spring when you want your gorgeous Bermuda lawn to take over.

Overseeding with northern grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine and tall fescues can be done to other southern lawns as well, including St. Augustine, Zoysia or Buffalo grass. Once these varieties sprout, you’re blessed with a spectacular lawn even during what you consider to be the cold months. Then, when the summer heat returns, this grass will die back so your warm-season grass can return.

Always mow the lawn as low as possible before overseeding; core aeration isn’t a bad idea either. In some cases, a layer of topsoil may be needed first. Water twice a day to keep the soil moist if rainfall is scarce. Even after the blades sprout, keep watering — remember that this grass would be growing in the rainy, spring season in the North, so these varieties are typically thirsty.

Want to learn more about autumn lawncare?

Check out these helpful resources:
Scheduling Fall Chores for Gardeners – University of Illinois
Fall Lawn Care Tips – Minnesota Department of Agriculture

{ 0 comments }

Fall Annuals: Extend the Gardening Season

fall annuals

CC flickr photo by ScottieT812

With the first fall frost, tomato, basil and pepper plants shrivel and turn mushy. Most perennials have expended their energy for the season and are brown and dry. The garden can be a downright melancholy place, especially for the avid gardener. By carefully incorporating annuals into your gardening repertoire, though, you can extend the season by several weeks.

Many annuals are frost-tolerant; some tolerate a bit of frost, while others bloom cheerfully through a layer of snow and ice. Pansies are probably the most well-known frost-tolerant annual, and they do look beautiful paired with flowering kale, but there are many other options that you may not have explored.

Frost Hardy Annual Varieties

Consider the following frost hardy annuals for your garden and planters: [click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

How to Dry and Preserve Summer Flowers

How to dry summer flowers

CC flickr photo by Don Hankins

Summer’s end doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to bid farewell to your favorite garden flowers. Preserve those summer bouquets instead and use them for a variety of decorative purposes, such as wreaths, potpourri and floral arrangements.

Preparing Flowers to Preserve

Regardless of the preserving method you choose, the process for selecting and preparing flowers is the same. First, select flowers that are in good shape and show no signs of decay or disease. Cut flowers in the late afternoon or evening, as opposed to the morning, when they may be damp. Cut more than you think you’ll need to make up for damage. If you plan to hang flowers to dry, pick them just before they open. The flowers will continue to open as they hang.

Dried flower arrangements can seem stiff and awkward. Look for flowers that have naturally arching or bending stems for a more natural look. Some may need wires for support or shaping.

Flower Preserving Methods

Air Drying Flowers

The simplest method of preserving fresh flowers is probably air drying, a method that has been used since colonial times to dry flowers, as well as herbs. Cut the flowers, leaving stems at least 8 inches long. Arrange the flowers in bundles of one dozen stems or less and wrap the stems gently with a pipe cleaner. Make a hook on one end of the pipe cleaner and hang the flowers from a nail or rafter in a warm, dark, dry location, such as a shed or attic.

Allow the flowers to hang until they are thoroughly dry, which usually takes two to three weeks, depending on environmental conditions. Flowers take longer to dry in humidity, less time to dry in arid conditions. The flowers may fade or shrink slightly during the drying process, which is normal.

Use air-dried flowers in wreaths and arrangements or brush individual petals off into a bag to make potpourri. Some flowers well-suited to air drying include:

  • lavender
  • hydrangea
  • rose
  • bachelor’s button
  • statice
  • baby’s breath
  • cock’s comb
  • larkspur
  • strawflower
  • yarrow
  • wild grasses

Preserving Flowers with Borax and Sand

Borax and sand act as desiccants when poured over flowers, wicking moisture from them within a few days. This method requires a light touch to avoid crushing the flowers, but when done properly, the flowers retain much of their color and texture.

To dry flowers, mix 1/3 cup sifted, dry sand with 2/3 cup borax, which is a laundry additive available at grocery stores. Lay the flowers in a tray and pour the sand and borax mixture around the flowers at the perimeter of the tray. Slowly shake the sand mixture so it sifts over the flowers, which is less damaging to them than just dumping the sand directly on top of them.

Check the flowers every 2 to 3 days, and remove them as soon as they are dry. If they are left in the sand for an extended period, they may become brittle and fragile. Some people prefer to use white cornmeal instead of sand because it has a fine, loose texture. Flowers that dry well with this technique include:

  • daffodil
  • dahlia
  • azalea
  • hollyhock
  • marigold
  • pansy
  • zinnia
  • Queen Anne’s lace
  • anemone
  • black eyed Susan
  • camellia
  • cosmos
  • crocus
  • daylily
  • foxglove
  • hyacinth
  • iris
  • peony
  • lilac
  • snapdragon
  • sunflower

Want to learn more about how to dry and preserve summer flowers?

See these helpful websites:
Drying Flowers by University of Missouri Extension
Drying and Preserving Flowers and Plant Material by Alabama Cooperative Extension
Drying Flowers by Clemson University Extension

{ 0 comments }

Common Iris Problems

Although you would think such elegant-looking flowers would be difficult to grow, the iris family requires very little maintenance. These long-lived, hardy perennials can grow in a variety of soils providing it drains well and they can flourish in full sun to partial shade. However, just because they’re easy to grow does not mean that [...]

Read the full article →

7 Great Flower Shops in San Antonio and New Braunfels, Texas

Looking for a good florist in the San Antonio, Texas area? Finding a good flower shop can sometimes be a challenge. So, we did some research and came up with a list of the 7 best flower shops in San Antonio and New Braunfels, Texas. We’ve chosen what we think is the best of the [...]

Read the full article →

Clothespins: A Helpful Rose Gardening Gadget

Clothespins, once a staple in every homemaker’s laundry arsenal, have largely been relegated to the craft closet in recent years. But you can re-purpose them in the garden – as a rose-pruning tool extraordinaire! Tuck a clothespin into your garden apron and you’ll be surprised at how many uses you can find for this humble [...]

Read the full article →

Harvesting Herbs

One of the most common foods grown in home gardens are herbs. From porch-based bucket gardens to window pots to small garden plots, culinary herbs are a favorite the world over. Most home gardeners grow some type of herb for their kitchen – many grow several. Some herbs are prized for their leaves, some for [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries