Gardener's Corner

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Comment by Chief Walks on March 19, 2014 at 7:38am

Crop Rotation Made Simple

Comment by Chief Walks on March 11, 2014 at 1:25pm

Orchids are Easy

Orchids practically scream that when you see them in a garden center, and if you've felt compelled to take one home, you're not alone! Their popularity is demonstrated by how widely available they are now.
But how do you care for such delicate-looking creatures?
To begin with, purchase the right plant. We suggest you start with Phalaenopsis, commonly called moth orchids. They're among the easiest orchids to grow.
You'll find several helpful tips for choosing and caring for them in this video from Florida-based indoor plant grower Costa Farms.
Once orchids are finished blooming, cut off the spent flower spike at the base of the plant or at the point where the stalk has dried out or died back. Getting them to rebloom can be tricky but it's worth trying. Follow the tips in the video, and be sure to repot them every few years. Do this when they're not in bloom because the process can stress the plant.
With the right care, moth orchids should bloom every year for several months.

Comment by Chief Walks on March 10, 2014 at 9:59am

Comment by Chief Walks on March 10, 2014 at 9:58am

Comment by Chief Walks on February 17, 2014 at 4:46pm

Orchid Care and culture : tips on potting, watering and re-blooming.

Comment by Chief Walks on February 13, 2014 at 3:36pm

Comment by Chief Walks on January 24, 2014 at 7:07am

10 Tips for Buying Seeds Online
1. Ask gardeners you trust to find out what companies they like and have had success with. A good source is your county extension office. Ask to speak with a Master Gardener.

2. Call the company and see how you like their responses to your questions. Do they have knowledgeable staff on hand to answer your gardening and planting questions?

3. How long have they been in business? Just because they’re new, doesn’t make them bad. But the companies that have been around a long time must be doing something right.

4. Are you looking for something specific? Some companies specialize in only certain plants while others are more generalist. If you’re looking for only certified organic, or heirloom for example, those companies are out there. Be aware there are plenty of specialty companies.

5. Don’t over buy. This is a common mistake. It is easy to be sucked into the pretty pictures and before you know it, you’ve purchased way more than you’ll have time to plant or that you’ll have room to grow.

6. How much are shipping costs? Sometimes it can be more than the seeds. Companies can vary a great deal here. Know the whole cost, not just the price of the seeds or plants.

7. Make sure the seeds you are buying are fresh and packaged for that year. Deeply discounted seeds may be out of date. Although still viable in many cases, they do begin to decline in their rate of germination success as they get older and/or stored improperly. Remember, you get what you pay for.

8. Know approximately how many seeds are in a pack. Some packs have more seeds than you’ll need, while other will surprise you at the small amount provided. It pays to inquire to save the disappointment of finding out you didn’t get enough.

9. Know if what you are ordering will grow in your zone and conditions. It is so easy to assume you’ll get results like those in the picture. In reality, without just the right conditions, your results could vary greatly.

10. Don’t be afraid to try new things. You won’t blow your life’s savings on an order of seeds so if you’re feeling lucky, go for it. Experimenting is one of the best parts of gardening. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

Comment by Chief Walks on November 1, 2013 at 8:56am

Gardening With Heirloom Vegetables: A complete Collection.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/gardening-with-hei...
A wonderful article from Mother Earth News.

Comment by Chief Walks on October 30, 2013 at 7:46am

How to Build Tomato Cages From Wire Mesh

Mesh cages make an excellent support for tomato plants, expecially when crops are heavy.
Wire cages are an ideal support for tomatoes and other vine crops. The cage supports the plant off the ground, contains it and protects the fruit from ground diseases, insects and rot. Tomatoes need no training to grow in a cage. The branches will naturally grow through the openings in the mesh. Choose a mesh large enough to allow fruit to be removed from the interior.

Instructions:
Purchase a large mesh wire fencing or cement reinforcing mesh, tall enough to support the vine.
Cut a piece of wire mesh approximately 60 inches long, just before the next vertical wire. Wear gloves, eye protection and protective clothing when working with the mesh.
Form the mesh into a cylinder. Use pliers to form the newly cut wires into hooks that catch the vertical wire of the other side and close the cylinder.
Cut the horizontal wire away on the bottom of the cylinder. Push the exposed wire into the ground around the tomato plant to hold it into place. Alternatively, place the uncut cage on top of the soil and stake it into place. Tie the cage to the stakes.

Wire mesh is stiff and sometimes hard to work with. It can spring back unexpectedly when cut. Wear eye protection, gloves, long sleeves and long pants to prevent cuts and scratches.

Comment by Chief Walks on October 30, 2013 at 7:27am

MAKE YOUR OWN POTATO BARREL
Start in spring.
Potatoes take all season to fully mature, so begin this project around your average last frost date (which you can find out from your county extension agent).
Select the spuds.
They grow from chunks of last year’s crop — chunks with an “eye,” or rootlet, are referred to as “seed potatoes.” Each “eye” produces a cluster of new tubers. You can find countless potato varieties in nurseries and online, and you can use any one you want, but small to medium-size ones work best in a barrel. Be sure to get certified disease-free seed potatoes, because they can suffer from nasty problems like scab.
Pick a barrel.
Plain or fancy, it’s your call. Gardening catalogs and Web sites offer barrels specifically designed for growing potatoes. But
they are mostly about being more attractive — not functionally better — than one you make at home out of a whiskey barrel or a common trash can. If your container has been used before, be sure to scrub it out well to get rid of fungi that might cause your potatoes to rot before you harvest them.
Drill for drainage.
If the barrel doesn’t already have holes in it where excess water can drain out quickly, drill a few in the bottom and in the sides close to the bottom. Quarter to half-inch holes are big enough.
Give it a lift.
Set the barrel in a sunny spot and get it up on blocks or bricks so it sits a few inches above the ground and air can circulate around it.
Add the soil mix.
Make up a soil mix by blending three parts of compost with two parts of peat moss. Fill the bottom of your barrel six inches deep with the mix. Dampen the mix.
Plant your spuds.
Place the seed potatoes a couple inches apart in the soil mix. Keep the mix moist but never soggy (which can cause potatoes to rot.)
Cover after sprouting.
In a week or so the seed potatoes will have sprouts about six to eight inches tall. Add more soil mix to cover them up to their bottom leaves. Again, keep the mix moist, but not soggy. Repeat the process of allowing the sprouts to grow, adding more soil to cover the sprouts and moistening the soil until the barrel is filled to the top.
Keep the moisture constant.
Remember to keep the soil damp but not wet. Feed the plants with liquid fish and seaweed fertilizer (available at nurseries and home centers) weekly or biweekly until you see little white or yellow flowers on the vines, which indicate that the new potatoes have begun forming.

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