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Comment by Chief Walks on May 16, 2013 at 1:38pm

Did you know that you can REGROW your celery?? I just found this and will most definitely be trying it!! Just stand the base in a small dish of water for a week or so until new leaves appear in the center. The leaves will be yellow at first, and once they really emerge and turn green, you can plant the celery in the ground or in a pot.

Comment by Chief Walks on May 16, 2013 at 1:37pm

Sideways Tomato Planting

This is a method to develop maximum root strength. Grow your seedlings indoors, or use plants that are already large or strong enough for this technique.

Snap the lowest branches off so that about 4-8" (depending on the size of the plant) of the trunk lays beneath the soil sideways or at an extreme angle. Be sure to trench them deeply enough as in the picture. The part of the plant above ground will right itself toward the Sun, but that half that's underground will send out larger, stronger roots. Always plant tomatoes in full Sun. Add some epsom salts to the area as well as compost to the soil, use mulch and water deeply once a week. Your tomato plants will grow massively thanks to the larger root network that has set up.

Comment by Chief Walks on May 16, 2013 at 1:36pm

Comment by Chief Walks on May 15, 2013 at 9:13am

Juicy Tomatoes—All Summer Long!

You couldn't wait to get the tomatoes planted. Now you can't wait to eat their fruit.

Be patient—it'll be some weeks before the fruit's ready.

But don't be passive. You can help the plants grow strong and productive and improve the juiciness of the fruit by providing proper nourishment. A slow-release plant food is the way to go because the growing season will stretch until September.

Comment by Linda S Jones on May 1, 2013 at 9:27pm

Ice Cream Bucket Garden Waiting for the snows to end.

Comment by Linda S Jones on May 1, 2013 at 9:21pm

Hello Spring! Psych!
Love,
Mother Nature

Comment by Chief Walks on April 26, 2013 at 11:12am

Easter Lily Care

The cultivar most commonly grown for U.S. markets is the "Nellie White." It is named for a lily grower's wife and has large, white, fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers. When buying a lily, look for a plant with flowers in various stages of bloom from buds to open or partially opened flowers. Foliage should be dense, rich green in color, and extend all the way down to the soil line. This is a good indication of a healthy root system. Look for a well-proportioned plant, one about two times as high as the pot. You also should check the flowers, foliage and buds for signs of insects and disease.

At home, keep your lily away from drafts and drying heat sources such as appliances or heating ducts. Bright, indirect light is best with daytime temperatures of 65 to 75° F. Water the plant only when the soil feels dry to the touch, but do not overwater. To prolong the life of the blossoms, remove the yellow anthers (pollen-bearing pods) found in the center of each flower.

Do not throw away you Easter lily after it is done blooming. You can save the bulb and plant it outdoors. Easter lilies can be replanted outside after the blooms are gone. Plant the Easter lily outdoors as soon as the ground can be worked. Select a sunny site with well-drained soil. Set the top of the bulb six-inches below the soil surface. Cut off the old flowers, but leave the stem and leaves. Do not cut back the stem until it dies down in the fall, then cut it off at the soil surface. After the soil surface freezes in late fall, mulch the soil and do not remove the mulch until new growth begins in the spring.

Comment by Chief Walks on April 26, 2013 at 11:11am

Build a Sapling Arbor

The arbor shown here is ambitious, but you can just build one of the sides (see step 4) for a great-looking trellis. Here's how to handle some of the trickier parts.

1. Nail three saplings to a crosspiece, forming an arch, and nail the saplings to each other.

1. Create the top fan by finding the middle of the crosspiece, then gently bowing the middle two pieces and nailing them in place. Continue installing them in pairs. Check the spacing as you go, and then trim the ends.

1. Secure the two arches with a bottom crossbar, a doubled-up ridge and intermediate purlins. Nail roof arches to inside of crossbar, outside of intermediate purlins and one side of ridge.

1. Create the upright side pieces by nailing a group of saplings to the center crossbar, then gently bending, evenly spacing, and nailing the ends in place. Position thicker ends near the bottom.

1. Screw the side pieces to the arched top with 3-1/2-inch galvanized drywall screws. Install 8-inch-long corner braces between the sides and top to add rigidity.

1. Mark the leg locations with spray paint, then dig holes and install 18-inch lengths of perforated drain tile. Place a little gravel in each, set the arbor in position, level it, then fill with more gravel.

Comment by Chief Walks on April 26, 2013 at 11:09am

Comment by Chief Walks on April 26, 2013 at 11:08am

 

How to Grow Blackberry Plants in Pots

Blackberries are usually big plants and unsuitable for pots, but the thornless varieties are less vigorous and can be successfully grown in a large container.

When to Plant: autumn
At Its Best: late summer to early fall
Time to Complete: 1 hour

Materials Needed:

• blackberry plant
• large pot
• soil-based potting mix
• broken clay pot pieces
• stakes or trellis for support

Plant Up and Feed

Place the clay pieces in the bottom of the container to aid drainage and to prevent the holes from blocking up. Fill with soil and plant. Most soil contains enough nutrients for the first few months, but in summer in subsequent years apply a tomato feed every week to promote flowering and fruiting.

Tie In StemsBlackberries produce long canes that need tying in. Insert a few strong stakes into the soil or place the container up against a sturdy trellis. When tying, create a "figure-eight" so that the stem doesn't make direct contact with the support, which could lead to rubbing and the creation of wounds.

Pruning and Caring

Blackberries always fruit on the previous year's stems, so just after you have harvested your crop, remove any stems that have fruited by cutting them at their base. Tie any new stems into the supports; these should fruit the following year. Replace the top layer of potting mix every spring.

 

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