John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com makes a special trip to Milwaukee, Wisconson to show you how YOU can grow in the winter time - in the snow! After watching this video you will know how you can grow in the snow. You will also learn more about what they are growing at Will Allens place - Growing Power.
Growing Power was started by Will Allen, who bought the Milwaukee farm in 1993.
Allen left a job at Procter & Gamble in 1993 and purchased Growing Power, a derelict plant nursery that was in foreclosure, located on the north side of Milwaukee. Allen currently serves as director of Growing Power, a now mature urban farming project in Milwaukee, with a 40-acre farm west of Milwaukee in the town of Merton and an off-shoot project in Chicago run by Allen's daughter.
Gowing Power is an urban agriculture organization headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It runs the last functional farm within the Milwaukee city limits and also maintains an active office in Chicago. Growing Power aims for sustainable food production, as well as the growth of communities through the creation of local gardens and Community Food Systems.
Its facilities include 7 large greenhouses, a kitchen, indoor and outdoor training gardens, aquaculture system and a food distribution facility. Fish, worms, bees, goats, chickens, turkeys, and ducks are also raised there. Growing Power conducts workshops and demonstrations in aquaculture, aquaponics, vermiculture, horticulture, small or large-scale composting, soil reclamation, food distribution, beekeeping, and marketing.
The farm grows a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, and also farms tilapia and perch through the use of aquaponics. Thousands of people tour the facilities every year.
References:
Street Farmer - NYTimes.com http://nyti.ms/OLfvZz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Allen_(urban_farmer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growing_Power
DIY sub-irrigated planter for $12: mortar tub, perforated corrugated drain pipe, and water bottle
Here is how to make a DIY sub-irrigated planter for $12 with a mortar tub, a perforated corrugated drain pipe, and a water bottle. The first two materials can be purchased from Home Depot, Lowe's or Amazon.
From the blog Inside Urban Green:
"The planter is a mortar box. The air and water reservoir is made from three one half round sections of 4" diameter perforated HDPE corrugated drain pipe. There is an overflow drain hole in the side of the box located at the top of the middle pipe.
The fill pipe is one recycled PET water bottle with the bottom trimmed off. It fits into a hole cut in one of the drain pipes.
Add the soil mix to the box. Tamp it down between the pipe sections to ensure good capillary wicking action."
Here is a smaller version of the planter below: Inside Urban Green: A Sub-irrigated "Bubble SIP" Water Conservation Test Garden http://bit.ly/1DuuvBL
Materials needed:
- Mortar box - 26"x20"x6" - Home Depot (7-gallon mixing tray) or Lowe's, $5
- Perforated, corrugated (HDPE) drain pipe - 10' length - Home Depot or Lowe's, $5
- Fill pipe - recycled (PET) water bottle - free
- Growing Media - Fafard Container Mix (or equivalent), no top soil - 30 dry qt bag, $7
- Vegetable starter plants or seeds
This is the solid Flex-Drain pipe. You need the perforated version.
Optional materials for 5-gallon buckets and garden beds:
- Sheet Plastic Mulch Film (Amazon)
- Overflow Drains - 1 1/4" vinyl tubing
- Sheet Plastic Liner. The planters can be lined all the way to the top edge of the planter
The buckets are available at Home Depot, Ace, Walmart, etc.
You can make your own potting mix:
- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil
Fertilizer
- For outdoor growing, the granulated fertilizer method advocated by EarthBox is a good choice. This consists of a furrow of fertilizer under the plastic mulch that percolates down over the course of the growing season.
- For indoor plant growing and maintenance, a constant feed method may be used. This consists of the application of a nutrient solution = 1/2 strength Dyna-Gro liquid fertilizer in the water. Dyna-Gro comes in different "flavors":
- Dyna-Gro - Grow 7-9-5
- Dyna-Gro - Bloom 3-12-6
- Dyna-Gro - Foliage 9-3-6
5-gallon bucket at Home Depot.
References:
Inside Urban Green: Fire Escape Salad Bar http://bit.ly/NoNJBZ
Inside Urban Green: Important Clarification: Corrugated Drain Pipe Is Perforated http://bit.ly/NoNN4Q
Inside Urban Green: Easy To Make Sub-irrigated Raised Beds And Planter Boxes http://bit.ly/NoNA1o
Inside Urban Green: Corrugated Drain Pipe Sub-Irrigated Planter Bed http://bit.ly/NoNI0N
Inside Urban Green: SIP Reservoirs Made With Perforated Corrugated Drain Pipe http://bit.ly/NoNTcI
Inside Urban Green: Easy To Make Sub-irrigated Raised Beds And Planter Boxes http://bit.ly/NoNA1o
Inside Urban Green: Toronto » Rooftop SIP City http://bit.ly/NoNHdv
Inside Urban Green: Apartment Therapy Re-Nest: A Post About Sub-irrigation http://bit.ly/NoNEOT
Portable Micro Garden (PMG) - Sub-irrigated Planter (SIP type) | Flickr - Photo Sharing! http://bit.ly/NoNUx7
Water and Oxygen Reservoirs | Flickr - Photo Sharing! http://bit.ly/NoNWFb
Related reading:
Related materials:
Amazon.com: Watts SVIG10 Pre-Cut 1/2-Inch Diameter by 3/8-Inch Clear Vinyl Tubing, 10-Foot Length http://goo.gl/Kk5Fi
Amazon.com: Watts SVGE10 Pre-Cut 3/8-Inch Diameter by 1/4-Inch Clear Vinyl Tubing, 10-Foot Length http://goo.gl/WNLQI
FIXA Screwdriver/drill, lithium-ion - IKEA http://goo.gl/xiH30
How to grow vegetables in containers (PDFs):
Container vegetable gardening - Iowa State University http://goo.gl/UIwtc
Growing Vegetables in Containers - Cornell University http://goo.gl/HcBqs
Growing Vegetables, Herbs and Annual Flowers in Containers from Cornell Cooperative Extension http://goo.gl/KbKiL
The EarthTainer™/ InnTainer™ http://bit.ly/13woEMb
From the blog Inside Urban Green:
"The planter is a mortar box. The air and water reservoir is made from three one half round sections of 4" diameter perforated HDPE corrugated drain pipe. There is an overflow drain hole in the side of the box located at the top of the middle pipe.
The fill pipe is one recycled PET water bottle with the bottom trimmed off. It fits into a hole cut in one of the drain pipes.
Add the soil mix to the box. Tamp it down between the pipe sections to ensure good capillary wicking action."
Here is a smaller version of the planter below: Inside Urban Green: A Sub-irrigated "Bubble SIP" Water Conservation Test Garden http://bit.ly/1DuuvBL
Materials needed:
- Mortar box - 26"x20"x6" - Home Depot (7-gallon mixing tray) or Lowe's, $5
- Perforated, corrugated (HDPE) drain pipe - 10' length - Home Depot or Lowe's, $5
- Fill pipe - recycled (PET) water bottle - free
- Growing Media - Fafard Container Mix (or equivalent), no top soil - 30 dry qt bag, $7
- Vegetable starter plants or seeds
This is the solid Flex-Drain pipe. You need the perforated version.
Optional materials for 5-gallon buckets and garden beds:
- Sheet Plastic Mulch Film (Amazon)
- Overflow Drains - 1 1/4" vinyl tubing
- Sheet Plastic Liner. The planters can be lined all the way to the top edge of the planter
The buckets are available at Home Depot, Ace, Walmart, etc.
You can make your own potting mix:
- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil
Fertilizer
- For outdoor growing, the granulated fertilizer method advocated by EarthBox is a good choice. This consists of a furrow of fertilizer under the plastic mulch that percolates down over the course of the growing season.
- For indoor plant growing and maintenance, a constant feed method may be used. This consists of the application of a nutrient solution = 1/2 strength Dyna-Gro liquid fertilizer in the water. Dyna-Gro comes in different "flavors":
- Dyna-Gro - Grow 7-9-5
- Dyna-Gro - Bloom 3-12-6
- Dyna-Gro - Foliage 9-3-6
5-gallon bucket at Home Depot.
References:
Inside Urban Green: Fire Escape Salad Bar http://bit.ly/NoNJBZ
Inside Urban Green: Important Clarification: Corrugated Drain Pipe Is Perforated http://bit.ly/NoNN4Q
Inside Urban Green: Easy To Make Sub-irrigated Raised Beds And Planter Boxes http://bit.ly/NoNA1o
Inside Urban Green: Corrugated Drain Pipe Sub-Irrigated Planter Bed http://bit.ly/NoNI0N
Inside Urban Green: SIP Reservoirs Made With Perforated Corrugated Drain Pipe http://bit.ly/NoNTcI
Inside Urban Green: Easy To Make Sub-irrigated Raised Beds And Planter Boxes http://bit.ly/NoNA1o
Inside Urban Green: Toronto » Rooftop SIP City http://bit.ly/NoNHdv
Inside Urban Green: Apartment Therapy Re-Nest: A Post About Sub-irrigation http://bit.ly/NoNEOT
Portable Micro Garden (PMG) - Sub-irrigated Planter (SIP type) | Flickr - Photo Sharing! http://bit.ly/NoNUx7
Water and Oxygen Reservoirs | Flickr - Photo Sharing! http://bit.ly/NoNWFb
Related reading:
Related materials:
Amazon.com: Watts SVIG10 Pre-Cut 1/2-Inch Diameter by 3/8-Inch Clear Vinyl Tubing, 10-Foot Length http://goo.gl/Kk5Fi
Amazon.com: Watts SVGE10 Pre-Cut 3/8-Inch Diameter by 1/4-Inch Clear Vinyl Tubing, 10-Foot Length http://goo.gl/WNLQI
FIXA Screwdriver/drill, lithium-ion - IKEA http://goo.gl/xiH30
How to grow vegetables in containers (PDFs):
Container vegetable gardening - Iowa State University http://goo.gl/UIwtc
Growing Vegetables in Containers - Cornell University http://goo.gl/HcBqs
Growing Vegetables, Herbs and Annual Flowers in Containers from Cornell Cooperative Extension http://goo.gl/KbKiL
The EarthTainer™/ InnTainer™ http://bit.ly/13woEMb
How to Grow Swiss Chard
Chard is a beet that has been chosen for leaf production at the expense of storage root formation.
Chard will produce fresh white, yellow or red leaf stalks. It is an attractive ornamental that adds color to the vegetable garden.
Chard goes by many names—Swiss chard, leaf beet, seakettle beet, and spinach beet to name a few. It is a beautiful large-leaf vegetable with wide flat stems resembling celery. The ruby variety is especially charming with its' vivid red stem with broad dark green leaves. If you like spinach, you will adore chard. The flavor is mild yet earthy and sweet with slightly bitter undertones.
Baby Swiss chard in SIP
The word "Swiss" was used to distinguish chard from French charde or chardon by nineteenth century seed catalogues publishers and the name stuck. Chard is very popular among Mediterranean cooks but the first varieties have been traced back to Sicily. In the US the leaves are valued while European cooks value the stalks to the point of discarding the leaves or feeding them to animals.
Swiss chard is a cool-season vegetable that prefers sunny locations and fertile, well-drained soil. Swiss chard tastes best when plants grow rapidly and mature before the heat of summer. Irrigation should be frequent to ensure good growth.
Swiss chard comes in a variety of leaf colors. Planting a range of different types makes salads and meals more interesting.
How to Grow Swiss Chard
Soil Preparation: Before planting, incorporate 2-4 inches of well-composted organic matter or apply 4-6 cups of all-purpose fertilizer (16-16-8 or 10-10-10) per 100 square feet. Work this into the top 6 inches of soil.
Swiss chard can be sown after soils reach 40°F.
Seeds germinate best at 55-75°F and require 7-14 days to emerge. Temperatures above 80°F reduce seed germination. Seeds should be planted ½-1 inch deep. Thin stands when plants have 3-4 true leaves.
Planting and Spacing: Seeded or transplanted Swiss chard should be spaced 6 inches between plants in the row with rows 12 inches apart. Swiss chard grows best when temperatures do not exceed 75°F. Temperatures down to 32°F do not seriously damage young plants. Transplants should be planted near the last frost-free date for the growing area. Seeded Swiss chard may be planted 3-4 weeks earlier.
High summer temperatures reduce growth, decrease quality, and may cause bitter or off-flavors to develop.
For fall Swiss chard, select early maturing cultivars and plant 50-75 days before the anticipated maturity date. The maturity date should be about 2-3 weeks before the first fall frost. Plants can be left in the garden after light frosts.
Water: Water chard regularly supplying 1-2 inches per week.
Fertilization: Apply 1/4 cup per 10 foot of row of a nitrogen-based fertilizer (21-0-0) 4 weeks after transplanting or thinning to encourage rapid plant growth. Place the fertilizer to the side of the plants and irrigate it into the soil.
When is the best time to plant Swiss chard?
Swiss chard should be planted 2-3 weeks before the anticipated last frost in the spring. Plant 3-4 weeks before the anticipated first frost in the fall for an autumn crop.
References:
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Swiss chard is multipurpose plant - LSU AgCenter video http://bit.ly/Sg5XSI
Swiss Chard in the Garden - extension.usu.edu http://bit.ly/Sg6B2x
Chard - Vegetable Directory - Watch Your Garden Grow - University of Illinois Extension http://bit.ly/Sg6Tq9
Chard or Swiss Chard - LSU AgCenter http://bit.ly/Sg6JPL
How to Grow Chard » Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/16D9rWo
In My Kitchen Garden: How To Grow Your Own Swiss Chard From Seed & Why You Should http://goo.gl/EJn9f
How to Grow Swiss Chard | Veggie Gardener http://bit.ly/WPQ5yq
Chard will produce fresh white, yellow or red leaf stalks. It is an attractive ornamental that adds color to the vegetable garden.
Chard goes by many names—Swiss chard, leaf beet, seakettle beet, and spinach beet to name a few. It is a beautiful large-leaf vegetable with wide flat stems resembling celery. The ruby variety is especially charming with its' vivid red stem with broad dark green leaves. If you like spinach, you will adore chard. The flavor is mild yet earthy and sweet with slightly bitter undertones.
Baby Swiss chard in SIP
The word "Swiss" was used to distinguish chard from French charde or chardon by nineteenth century seed catalogues publishers and the name stuck. Chard is very popular among Mediterranean cooks but the first varieties have been traced back to Sicily. In the US the leaves are valued while European cooks value the stalks to the point of discarding the leaves or feeding them to animals.
Swiss chard is a cool-season vegetable that prefers sunny locations and fertile, well-drained soil. Swiss chard tastes best when plants grow rapidly and mature before the heat of summer. Irrigation should be frequent to ensure good growth.
Swiss chard comes in a variety of leaf colors. Planting a range of different types makes salads and meals more interesting.
How to Grow Swiss Chard
Soil Preparation: Before planting, incorporate 2-4 inches of well-composted organic matter or apply 4-6 cups of all-purpose fertilizer (16-16-8 or 10-10-10) per 100 square feet. Work this into the top 6 inches of soil.
Swiss chard can be sown after soils reach 40°F.
Seeds germinate best at 55-75°F and require 7-14 days to emerge. Temperatures above 80°F reduce seed germination. Seeds should be planted ½-1 inch deep. Thin stands when plants have 3-4 true leaves.
Planting and Spacing: Seeded or transplanted Swiss chard should be spaced 6 inches between plants in the row with rows 12 inches apart. Swiss chard grows best when temperatures do not exceed 75°F. Temperatures down to 32°F do not seriously damage young plants. Transplants should be planted near the last frost-free date for the growing area. Seeded Swiss chard may be planted 3-4 weeks earlier.
High summer temperatures reduce growth, decrease quality, and may cause bitter or off-flavors to develop.
For fall Swiss chard, select early maturing cultivars and plant 50-75 days before the anticipated maturity date. The maturity date should be about 2-3 weeks before the first fall frost. Plants can be left in the garden after light frosts.
Water: Water chard regularly supplying 1-2 inches per week.
Fertilization: Apply 1/4 cup per 10 foot of row of a nitrogen-based fertilizer (21-0-0) 4 weeks after transplanting or thinning to encourage rapid plant growth. Place the fertilizer to the side of the plants and irrigate it into the soil.
When is the best time to plant Swiss chard?
Swiss chard should be planted 2-3 weeks before the anticipated last frost in the spring. Plant 3-4 weeks before the anticipated first frost in the fall for an autumn crop.
References:
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Swiss chard is multipurpose plant - LSU AgCenter video http://bit.ly/Sg5XSI
Swiss Chard in the Garden - extension.usu.edu http://bit.ly/Sg6B2x
Chard - Vegetable Directory - Watch Your Garden Grow - University of Illinois Extension http://bit.ly/Sg6Tq9
Chard or Swiss Chard - LSU AgCenter http://bit.ly/Sg6JPL
How to Grow Chard » Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/16D9rWo
In My Kitchen Garden: How To Grow Your Own Swiss Chard From Seed & Why You Should http://goo.gl/EJn9f
How to Grow Swiss Chard | Veggie Gardener http://bit.ly/WPQ5yq
How to grow carrots
Carrots are relatively easy to grow. They need loose, rich soil free of clods and a soil temperature between 45 and 85 F. That means that you can grow carrots in raised beds or containers even in winter - with the protection of a plastic tunnel.
Short and finger-size carrots that mature in as few as 50 days are ideal for all-year-round growing in home gardens:
- Amsterdam Minicor (ready in 55 days)
- Nantes Half-Long (ready in 70 days)
- Nantes Touchon (ready in 65 days)
- Parmex (ready in 50 days)
- Thumbelina (ready in 60 days).
Carrots are slow to sprout and will benefit from protection early on. If temperature drops below 40 F use poly-row covers or plant blankets to protect the beds. Where freezing temperatures are common, grow carrots under the protection of plastic tunnels.
Sow carrots where you want them to grow. Transplanting the carrots makes them grow forked and twisted. Once sown keep planting beds evenly moist.
References:
Fall Carrots and Peas - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/SwFNB
How to Grow Carrots | Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/Q7NIng
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
How to Setup a Grow Tent for Indoor Gardening
Here is a video from TigerHydro.com that shows how to set up a basic indoor growth tent. Most similar tents are set up the same way.
There are a lot of purchasing options from Amazon. Here is an example:
Grow lights and a fan must be purchased separately.
There are a lot of purchasing options from Amazon. Here is an example:
Grow lights and a fan must be purchased separately.
Stronger pepper plants by cutting the stem early (video)
Stronger pepper plants (Praxxus method):
He suggestes cutting the plant just below to the two major branches (below the first major fork). This forces the pepper to "send out armies of multiple stems for a stronger and more productive pepper plant. In a week or two you will see some serious side shoots forming. Eventually it will be a stocky full beauty of a plant. Tomato plants respond even better. I prune mine back and force the low suckers to grow. This turns the plant into a multi-stemmed hydra of a tomato plant which can support more fruit. "
He suggestes cutting the plant just below to the two major branches (below the first major fork). This forces the pepper to "send out armies of multiple stems for a stronger and more productive pepper plant. In a week or two you will see some serious side shoots forming. Eventually it will be a stocky full beauty of a plant. Tomato plants respond even better. I prune mine back and force the low suckers to grow. This turns the plant into a multi-stemmed hydra of a tomato plant which can support more fruit. "
Collapsible Bin Composter from Amazon
This Eco Bin Composter is marketed as an easy-to-assemble device that can simplify and speed the composting process. It includes a spring-loaded design that makes set-up and storage a breeze, in addition to offering easy access when it’s time to aerate your compost. An open bottom, round shape and mesh walls work together to maximize the breakdown process, yielding usable compost as efficiently as possible. A windproof lid, sturdy construction and included anchoring stakes help our Eco Bin Composter withstand the elements and years of use.
Fiskars 5705 75-Gallon Eco Bin Collapsible Composter
The proportion of green material to brown is more crucial in a closed tumbler than in an open pile. If you don't add at least 40 percent browns, you'll end up with a slimy, smelly mess instead of compost. If nothing else is available, keep a bag of leaves or a bale of straw handy and use it as necessary to maintain the balance. Source: Compost Tumblers - Mother Earth News, 2003 http://bit.ly/18I5gJE
Mrs Wranglerstar will show you how to make compost:
Related videos from the University of Main agricultural extension:
Home Composting Basics - YouTube http://bit.ly/S613rw
How to Home Compost: A Compost Recipe - YouTube http://bit.ly/S615zw
Home Composting Bins - YouTube http://bit.ly/S615Q0
Related:
Compost for Vegetable Garden Planting Beds » Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/Zz3nx3
Composter Connection - How to Compost | Planet Natural http://buff.ly/1sG4qHI
Fiskars 5705 75-Gallon Eco Bin Collapsible Composter
The proportion of green material to brown is more crucial in a closed tumbler than in an open pile. If you don't add at least 40 percent browns, you'll end up with a slimy, smelly mess instead of compost. If nothing else is available, keep a bag of leaves or a bale of straw handy and use it as necessary to maintain the balance. Source: Compost Tumblers - Mother Earth News, 2003 http://bit.ly/18I5gJE
Mrs Wranglerstar will show you how to make compost:
Related videos from the University of Main agricultural extension:
Home Composting Basics - YouTube http://bit.ly/S613rw
How to Home Compost: A Compost Recipe - YouTube http://bit.ly/S615zw
Home Composting Bins - YouTube http://bit.ly/S615Q0
Related:
Compost for Vegetable Garden Planting Beds » Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/Zz3nx3
Composter Connection - How to Compost | Planet Natural http://buff.ly/1sG4qHI
How to Grow Tomatoes
Tomatoes in sub-irrigated planters (SIPs).
Container tomatoes - here are some important elements for growing container tomatoes:
Sun. Container tomatoes, like those in the garden, need at least 6-8 hours of sunshine a day to produce a worthwhile harvest. If you grow them indoors, put them where they'll get maximum sunshine, moving the container from window to window if you must.
The Best Varieties. Dwarf varieties are the best ones to grow in containers. If you're trying container growing for the first time, try a cherry patio type such as Tiny Tim or Pixie II. They need little support (or you can let them trail from a hanging container) and they'll produce very early.
Planting. For fall pot plantings, take six- to eight-inch suckers or "slips" from tomato plants in the garden (smaller varieties preferred), set them in a deep pot and water heavily for a day or two. They'll root in one to two weeks and start growing soon afterwards. When you bring these pots or baskets indoors and give them a sunny home, you can extend the tomato harvest for many weeks.
Fertilizer. Tomatoes need quite a big food supply over the season -- they're what we call "heavy feeders." Mix a small amount of soluble, balanced fertilizer into the plants' water every week or so. Tomatoes like regular feedings of small amounts of fertilizer rather than infrequent, large doses. Side-dress tomato plants initially when the first clusters of fruit have formed and every 2-3 weeks thereafter. Two cupfuls of 5-10-10 or its equivalent are generally adequate for 20 plants.
Standard vs. organic fertilizer
- Many gardeners prefer to use a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 10-10-10.
- Organic fertilizers such as bone meal, dried manure or cottonseed meal are OK but most organic fertilizers do not contain balanced amounts of the three major nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For example, manure tends to be low in phosphorus so you must add bone meal at the same time to provide a more complete diet.
Stay away from high-nitrogen fertilizers such as urea, ammonium sulfate or fresh manure because it's easy to use too much. When you overfertilize high-nitrogen fertilizer, you get tall, dark green plants but with very few tomatoes.
Be careful not to get any of this fertilizer on the leaves or stem because it will burn them. Cover the fertilizer with one to two inches of soil. The next rain or watering will start carrying the nutrients down into the root zone of the plants.
Pollination. When the plants have flowered, give them a little shake in the middle of the day to help pollination along.
There are several support systems for tomatoes:
- Stakes
- Tripods and tuteurs
- Florida weave
- Cages
I like Florida weave the best. I use 1/2 inch PVC pipe (5 ft) over 25 inch rebar, half of it in the ground.
References:
All videos from Cooperative Extension by The University of Maine
10 Simple Tips For Growing Tomatoes
A Guide to Caging and Staking Tomatoes
How To Grow Peppers
How To Grow Cucumbers
Container Tomatoes - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/dQVq7
Watering Tomatoes - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/ImzRv
Tomatoes in a Can - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/xSeig
Fertilizing Tomatoes - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/S6CWv
Planting Tomatoes - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/XKDSi
How to grow San Marzano, A heirloom variety of tomato | GeekGardener, India http://buff.ly/1lQaM7s
Pepper leaves are pale, curled up and have dark spots. Infested with aphids. What to do?
I bought this pyrethroid-based spray from Home Depot: Bayer Advanced 706120A NATRIA Insect, Disease and Mite Control Ready-to-Use, 24-Ounces for $6 ($11 at Amazon).
The product is a contact killer for both insect and mite pests. It also supposedly controls a wide range of fungal diseases and pests. For use on Roses, Flowers, Houseplants, Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables.
It kills: Aphids, Mites, Spider Mites, Leafhoppers, Caterpillars, Rose Slugs, Whiteflies, Spittlebugs, Mealybugs, Scale, Thrips, Psyllids, Plant Bugs, Lace Bugs, Fruit Flies, Chiggers and Earwigs.
It controls: Black Spot, Powdery Mildew, Rust, Scab, Blight, Brown Rot and Leaf Spot.
It can be used up to the day before harvest.
Garden Safe Fruit and Vegetable Insect Killer contains the same volume as Natria (24-ounces) but has double the concentration of pyrethrins (0.02%):
Pyrethroid
Pyrethroid is an organic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins produced by the flowers of pyrethrums (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium and C. coccineum). Pyrethroids now constitute the majority of commercial household insecticides. They are generally harmless to humans. They are usually broken apart by sunlight and the atmosphere in one or two days, and do not significantly affect groundwater quality.
Mechanism of action
Pyrethroids are very popular insecticides because exoskeletons of insects are sufficiently porous to pyrethroids. They are axonic poisons and cause paralysis of an organism. The chemical causes paralysis by keeping the sodium channels open in the neuronal membranes of an organism. When the toxin keeps the channels in their open state, the nerves cannot de-excite, so the organism is paralyzed.
Pyrethroids are usually combined with piperonyl butoxide, a known inhibitor of key microsomal oxidase enzymes. Piperonyl butoxide prevents the insect's enzymes from clearing the pyrethroid from its body, maximizing the lethality of the pyrethroid.
Here are some pesticide options:
Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer 24-Ounce Ready To Use Spray 10424X http://amzn.to/Mz094m
Bayer Advanced Fruit Citrus Vegetable Insecticide http://amzn.to/Mz0iEJ
Green Light Organic Neem Concentrate - Pint 17016 http://amzn.to/Mz0l3x
Monterey LG6135 Garden Insect Spray Contains Spinosad, 32-Ounce http://amzn.to/Mz0eVr
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethroid
The product is a contact killer for both insect and mite pests. It also supposedly controls a wide range of fungal diseases and pests. For use on Roses, Flowers, Houseplants, Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables.
It kills: Aphids, Mites, Spider Mites, Leafhoppers, Caterpillars, Rose Slugs, Whiteflies, Spittlebugs, Mealybugs, Scale, Thrips, Psyllids, Plant Bugs, Lace Bugs, Fruit Flies, Chiggers and Earwigs.
It controls: Black Spot, Powdery Mildew, Rust, Scab, Blight, Brown Rot and Leaf Spot.
It can be used up to the day before harvest.
Garden Safe Fruit and Vegetable Insect Killer contains the same volume as Natria (24-ounces) but has double the concentration of pyrethrins (0.02%):
Pyrethroid
Pyrethroid is an organic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins produced by the flowers of pyrethrums (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium and C. coccineum). Pyrethroids now constitute the majority of commercial household insecticides. They are generally harmless to humans. They are usually broken apart by sunlight and the atmosphere in one or two days, and do not significantly affect groundwater quality.
Mechanism of action
Pyrethroids are very popular insecticides because exoskeletons of insects are sufficiently porous to pyrethroids. They are axonic poisons and cause paralysis of an organism. The chemical causes paralysis by keeping the sodium channels open in the neuronal membranes of an organism. When the toxin keeps the channels in their open state, the nerves cannot de-excite, so the organism is paralyzed.
Pyrethroids are usually combined with piperonyl butoxide, a known inhibitor of key microsomal oxidase enzymes. Piperonyl butoxide prevents the insect's enzymes from clearing the pyrethroid from its body, maximizing the lethality of the pyrethroid.
Here are some pesticide options:
Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer 24-Ounce Ready To Use Spray 10424X http://amzn.to/Mz094m
Bayer Advanced Fruit Citrus Vegetable Insecticide http://amzn.to/Mz0iEJ
Green Light Organic Neem Concentrate - Pint 17016 http://amzn.to/Mz0l3x
Monterey LG6135 Garden Insect Spray Contains Spinosad, 32-Ounce http://amzn.to/Mz0eVr
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethroid
Irrigation options for raised garden beds: soaker hose
I bought this hose at Home Depot for $10 and adapted it to fit one 4x4 foot raised garden bed. It works well for that purpose because of its length of 25 feet. The hose is held in place by small wooden sticks or recycled wooden tongue depressors.
The weeper/soaker hose allows for efficient watering with less waste and reduced evaporation. It performs best with low water pressure, ensuring gentle, even watering. It is very flexible and you can bend to contour the margins of the square foot garden in the raised bed.
25-ft soaker hose in a 4x4 ft raised bed.
Gilmour Weeper/Soaker Hose 25-Foot 27025G by Gilmour:
Here is an alternative option: Nelson 50180 Simple Soaker Flower Watering Sprinkler with 50-Foot Tubing, Five Nozzles with Plastic Spikes, Risers, End Plug Set, and Deflectors:
The weeper/soaker hose allows for efficient watering with less waste and reduced evaporation. It performs best with low water pressure, ensuring gentle, even watering. It is very flexible and you can bend to contour the margins of the square foot garden in the raised bed.
25-ft soaker hose in a 4x4 ft raised bed.
Gilmour Weeper/Soaker Hose 25-Foot 27025G by Gilmour:
Here is an alternative option: Nelson 50180 Simple Soaker Flower Watering Sprinkler with 50-Foot Tubing, Five Nozzles with Plastic Spikes, Risers, End Plug Set, and Deflectors:
Peppers have dark spots and curvy leaves. What to do?
Here is some helpful info:
Bacterial Spot of Pepper and Tomato - North Carolina Cooperative Extension http://bit.ly/TbUXrS
Diseases in the Florida Vegetable Garden: PEPPER - Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida http://bit.ly/TbV0E4
Pepper Diseases http://bit.ly/TbV4DN
Tomato and Pepper Diseases http://bit.ly/TbV2f8
Here are some options to treat the diseases:
Neem oil
Copper Fungicide Spray
Mancozeb Fungicide
Bacterial Spot of Pepper and Tomato - North Carolina Cooperative Extension http://bit.ly/TbUXrS
Diseases in the Florida Vegetable Garden: PEPPER - Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida http://bit.ly/TbV0E4
Pepper Diseases http://bit.ly/TbV4DN
Tomato and Pepper Diseases http://bit.ly/TbV2f8
Here are some options to treat the diseases:
Neem oil
Copper Fungicide Spray
Mancozeb Fungicide
What to Plant in a Fall Vegetable Garden
You can find out what you can plant at any moment using the calculator available at SproutRobot: http://bit.ly/159mzCW
Plant CLeaR in your fall vegetable garden:
Cabbage
Leafy plants - Lettuce, bok choi, chard
Root crops - Radish, beet, turnip
Remember to add a handful of homemade compost to each square foot before you plant.
1. Cabbages
The first group to be planted in the fall would be the cabbage family, and that would include different types of cabbage, like red or green with different leaf patterns. Next would be:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussel sprouts
2. Leafy plants - Lettuce, bok choi, chard
The second group of fall cool weather planting would be all of the leaf plants like lettuce and spinach. There are many different colors, shapes, and varieties in the seed catalogs. Look for some that are particularly cold-resistant and you’ll be able to carry them right into the winter. They don’t grow fast in the cold weather, so you won’t have as large a harvest, but you will still be successful.
3. Root crops - Radish, beet, turnip.
All kinds of carrots, beets, and radishes can be planted in the fall. Don’t forget to save your unused seeds in a Ziploc bag in a refrigerator so they’re ready for next spring. All root crops are best grown from seeds planted directly into the garden where they will grow rather than from transplants.
The root crops can be remembered by the mnemonic RBT ("rabbit"): Radish, Beet, Turnip.
What NOT to do
Don’t plant any of the summer warm weather crops, like:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplants
Squashes
Cucumbers
Here is how it looks in real life:
UME Master Gardener shows off his food garden and speaks about when he plants and harvests his fall vegetables:
"What to Grow" Plan for August-September for Illinois
An example for 6 sub-irrigated planters (12-inch):
1. Radish (22 days to harvest)
2. Turnip (40 days)
3. Lettuce (45 days, you can start earlier if using as microgreens)
4. Swiss chard (50 days)
5. Parsley (50 days)
6. Swiss chard, radish or turnip
Potting mix
Add potting mix/soil, fertilizer in the mix, plus a fertilizer band at the top. I add vermiculite to the commercial potting mixes available at The Home Depot such as Miracle Gro Organic Choice. A good option is to mix 2/3 potting mix with 1/3 coarse grade vermiculite. For Chicago, a local retailer called Brew & Grow sells a 40-lb pound of vermiculite for $24. I add organic dry powder fertilizer made of fish.
Plastic "mulch" cover
Some people place a plastic "mulch" cover at the top but in my experience this causes mold to develop below the cover. You can still use the plastic mulch method when transplanting larger plants such as tomato or pepper in the spring. The DIY version of the plastic mulch cover can be made easily and cheaply from a black trash bag. Cut holes for planting through it. One large trash bag is enough for six 12-inch planters.
Fall Seed Kit suggested by Mel Bartholomew, the creator of Square Foot Gardening http://bit.ly/PyLBrL
Here are the seeds suggested by Mel:
Plant -- Variety -- Days to Harvest
Spinach -- Tyee 45
Turnips -- Tokyo 40
Radish -- Cherry Belle 22
Swiss Chard -- Lucullus 60
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Red Fire 29
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Black Seeded Simpson 45
Beets -- Ruby Queen 55
Bibb Lettuce -- Buttercrunch 68
Scallions -- Evergreen 65
Leek -- Lincoln 50
Carrots -- Nantes 70
Peas Super -- Sugar Snap 66
Cool-season Crops - WSU - Organic Farm http://goo.gl/cU1pI
Hardy
Asparagus
Broad Bean
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chive
Collards
Garlic
Asparagus
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Mustard
Onion
Parsley
Pea
Radish
Rhubarb
Spinach
Turnip
Parsnip
Potato
Salsify
Half-hardy
Beet
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Chinese cabbage
Globe artichoke
Endive
Lettuce
References:
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Here is how to plan what to plant according you where you live: Average First and Last Frost Dates by State http://goo.gl/6Bc8P
Free Seed Starting Calculator - free, downloadable Excel spreadsheet from PlanterTomato website http://goo.gl/HtHn0
How To Plan A Fall Square Foot Garden | Mel Bartholomew, Creator of Square Foot Gardening http://goo.gl/14ywG
Eat Live Grow Paleo: GROW http://goo.gl/zpWXE
Fall 2011 Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/DwY8t
Fall and Winter Vegetable Planting Guide - Ed Hume http://bit.ly/RQ8sKf -- What to Grow for a Family of Four http://bit.ly/RQ8vG4
Monthly Garden Projects - Ed Hume's Year-round Gardening Projects Calendar http://goo.gl/z98HA
Fall Winter Chart for Planting - Westcoastseeds.com (PDF) http://bit.ly/11QWzJd
Recommended Crops to Plant Mid to Late Summer to Harvest in Fall - Johnny Seeds http://bit.ly/13EhG8o
Plant CLeaR in your fall vegetable garden:
Cabbage
Leafy plants - Lettuce, bok choi, chard
Root crops - Radish, beet, turnip
Remember to add a handful of homemade compost to each square foot before you plant.
1. Cabbages
The first group to be planted in the fall would be the cabbage family, and that would include different types of cabbage, like red or green with different leaf patterns. Next would be:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussel sprouts
2. Leafy plants - Lettuce, bok choi, chard
The second group of fall cool weather planting would be all of the leaf plants like lettuce and spinach. There are many different colors, shapes, and varieties in the seed catalogs. Look for some that are particularly cold-resistant and you’ll be able to carry them right into the winter. They don’t grow fast in the cold weather, so you won’t have as large a harvest, but you will still be successful.
3. Root crops - Radish, beet, turnip.
All kinds of carrots, beets, and radishes can be planted in the fall. Don’t forget to save your unused seeds in a Ziploc bag in a refrigerator so they’re ready for next spring. All root crops are best grown from seeds planted directly into the garden where they will grow rather than from transplants.
The root crops can be remembered by the mnemonic RBT ("rabbit"): Radish, Beet, Turnip.
What NOT to do
Don’t plant any of the summer warm weather crops, like:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplants
Squashes
Cucumbers
Here is how it looks in real life:
UME Master Gardener shows off his food garden and speaks about when he plants and harvests his fall vegetables:
"What to Grow" Plan for August-September for Illinois
An example for 6 sub-irrigated planters (12-inch):
1. Radish (22 days to harvest)
2. Turnip (40 days)
3. Lettuce (45 days, you can start earlier if using as microgreens)
4. Swiss chard (50 days)
5. Parsley (50 days)
6. Swiss chard, radish or turnip
Potting mix
Add potting mix/soil, fertilizer in the mix, plus a fertilizer band at the top. I add vermiculite to the commercial potting mixes available at The Home Depot such as Miracle Gro Organic Choice. A good option is to mix 2/3 potting mix with 1/3 coarse grade vermiculite. For Chicago, a local retailer called Brew & Grow sells a 40-lb pound of vermiculite for $24. I add organic dry powder fertilizer made of fish.
Plastic "mulch" cover
Some people place a plastic "mulch" cover at the top but in my experience this causes mold to develop below the cover. You can still use the plastic mulch method when transplanting larger plants such as tomato or pepper in the spring. The DIY version of the plastic mulch cover can be made easily and cheaply from a black trash bag. Cut holes for planting through it. One large trash bag is enough for six 12-inch planters.
Fall Seed Kit suggested by Mel Bartholomew, the creator of Square Foot Gardening http://bit.ly/PyLBrL
Here are the seeds suggested by Mel:
Plant -- Variety -- Days to Harvest
Spinach -- Tyee 45
Turnips -- Tokyo 40
Radish -- Cherry Belle 22
Swiss Chard -- Lucullus 60
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Red Fire 29
Loose Leaf Lettuce -- Black Seeded Simpson 45
Beets -- Ruby Queen 55
Bibb Lettuce -- Buttercrunch 68
Scallions -- Evergreen 65
Leek -- Lincoln 50
Carrots -- Nantes 70
Peas Super -- Sugar Snap 66
Cool-season Crops - WSU - Organic Farm http://goo.gl/cU1pI
Hardy
Asparagus
Broad Bean
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Chive
Collards
Garlic
Asparagus
Horseradish
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leek
Mustard
Onion
Parsley
Pea
Radish
Rhubarb
Spinach
Turnip
Parsnip
Potato
Salsify
Half-hardy
Beet
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Chinese cabbage
Globe artichoke
Endive
Lettuce
References:
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Here is how to plan what to plant according you where you live: Average First and Last Frost Dates by State http://goo.gl/6Bc8P
Free Seed Starting Calculator - free, downloadable Excel spreadsheet from PlanterTomato website http://goo.gl/HtHn0
How To Plan A Fall Square Foot Garden | Mel Bartholomew, Creator of Square Foot Gardening http://goo.gl/14ywG
Eat Live Grow Paleo: GROW http://goo.gl/zpWXE
Fall 2011 Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/DwY8t
Fall and Winter Vegetable Planting Guide - Ed Hume http://bit.ly/RQ8sKf -- What to Grow for a Family of Four http://bit.ly/RQ8vG4
Monthly Garden Projects - Ed Hume's Year-round Gardening Projects Calendar http://goo.gl/z98HA
Fall Winter Chart for Planting - Westcoastseeds.com (PDF) http://bit.ly/11QWzJd
Recommended Crops to Plant Mid to Late Summer to Harvest in Fall - Johnny Seeds http://bit.ly/13EhG8o
How To Plant and Grow Lettuce
Lettuce is a Cool Season Vegetable (Salad Greens, Lactuca sativa from Asteraceae Family). Not native to North America - Mediterranean origin. Was cultivated by Egyptians 6,500 years ago.
With the variety of colors, shapes and flavors available, your salads may never be the same. Lettuce is adapatable to many growing conditions, but likes it cool - around 60 F to 65 F. Grow in spring and fall, and slow bolting by shading summer crops.
Sunlight: Yields best in full sun. Part shade helpful when it’s hot. Will withstand light to moderate frost.
Lettuce grows great indoors, or outdoors, in simple Kratky hydroponic containers.
Black Seeded Simpson lettuce in SIP.
How to plant
Propagate by seed. Best germination is below 70 F. Days to emergence: 7 to 14. Germinates in about a week at 50 F, 2 days at 70 F. It may fail to germinate if above 85 F.
Direct seed or transplant in early spring, as soon as you can work the soil.
Direct-seeding: Sow seed 1/8 inch deep, 1 inch apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. When plants have two or three true leaves, thin to 12-inch spacings for crisphead varieties, 6 to 10 inches for other types.
Seeds need light to germinate, so do not plant too deep. Make succession plantings every week or two.
Lettuce has a shallow root system. Keep soil moist to keep plants growing continuously.
Window box turned into a SIP for growing lettuce
Fertilizing Greens
The nutrients your leafy greens need are available in:
- commercial fertilizers such as 5-10-10 or 10-10-10
- organic fertilizers like bonemeal, bloodmeal and dehydrated manures
The numbers 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 refer to the percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the bag of fertilizer. They are always listed in that order, too: N-P-K.
Plants need more than just 3 major plant nutrients to grow normally. Secondary plant nutrients, such as magnesium, zinc and iron, are also important, but usually needed only in small quantities. Most soils contain these minor elements, but mixing compost or other organic matter, such as composted manure, into the soil helps to insure their presence. Alternatively, you can add rockdust or Azomite.
Toss the fertilizer over an area as evenly as possible. You don't want to get a lot of the commercial fertilizer or dried manure in one place. Always mix the fertilizer into the top two to three inches of soil before planting.
“Up, Down and All-Around” is another way to think about NPK and the numbering system for fertilizers. Your lawn needs nitrogen for the leaves’ color and growth, phosphorous for strong roots, and potassium for overall health. Source: Home Depot.
Learn how to plant and grow lettuce from Burpee's expert horticulturist:
Here are some Burpee lettuce seeds I planted this year. There were available for $1.00 each at Home Depot:
Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce
HEIRLOOM. Even after 150 years it's one of the most tender leaf lettuces. Hugely popular for over 150 years, it's one of the most tender and delicately flavored leaf lettuces ever bred. The ruffled leaves are large with an appealing green color. 'Simpson' is well adapted to a wide range of climates and is still the best for early spring sowing.
Days to Maturity: 45 days
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Direct Sow/Indoor Sow
Spread: 6 inches
Height: 9-15 inches
Thinning: 8 inches
Gourmet Blend Lettuce
Burpee Exclusive, popular looseleaf blend, selected for a long harvest. Fast-growing, tender, colorful, and tolerant of hot weather. Grows best in cool weather. Can also be grown as a fall crop. Protect from heat with shade cloth. Likes fertile soil, ample water. Best when picked minutes before your meal. Space lettuce plants 8" apart. 500 seeds per packet, will plant about 30 ft of row; one oz. sows 400 ft. Grows best in full sun.
Days to Maturity: 45-50 days
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Direct Sow/Indoor Sow
Spread: 6 inches
Height: 9-15 inches
Thinning: 8 inches
Varieties
There are 5 types of lettuce:
- Looseleaf (var. crispa) - Easy to grow. Matures quickly. You can start harvesting leaves as soon as 4 weeks after planting. Great for early-season plantings. Wide variety of leaf shapes and colors. 45 to 60 days to full maturity.
- Butterhead (bib, loosehead, Boston) - Exceptionally good flavor and quality. Forms loose heads with oily leaves. 55 to 75 days to maturity.
- Romaine (Cos, var. longfolia) - Upright, elongated heads. (Some grow nearly 2 feet tall.) More tolerant of warm weather and less likely to bolt than other lettuce types. Red varieties as well as traditional light green. Most take about 70 days to mature.
- French (summer crisp) - Midway between butterhead and crisphead. You can harvest early like leaf lettuce or wait until heads form. 50 to 75 days.
- Crisphead (iceberg, var. capitata) - The familiar spherical heads found in grocery stores. Most difficult varieties to grow. Requires long cool season. Will bolt quickly in response to stress. 75 or more days.
Recommended varieties:
Looseleaf:
Black Seeded Simpson
Green Ice
Ibis
Lollo Rossa
New Red Fire
Oak Leaf
Prizehead
Red Sails
Ruby
Salad Bowl
Slobolt
Romaine:
Cosmo Savoy
Green Towers
Little Gem
Parris Island
Valmaine (a.k.a Paris White or Valmaine Savoy)
Butterhead:
Buttercrunch
Esmerelda
Four Seasons
Sangria
Winter Density
Container Garden Raised Bed Square Foot Gardening (video):
Here is his recipe for success: There are 6 holes drilled in the bottom of this storage container ($4-8 at Walmart/Target, etc.), each about half inch wide. Water on once a day at 6 pm. Sometimes lift the container to get an idea of how much water is in the soil. Water with fertilizer solution once every 7-10 days, e.g. fish emulsion fertilizer 5-1-1 mixed 1 tablespoon per gallon.
Related:
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Four Season Garden #4: Planting Lettuce in an EarthBox - YouTube http://goo.gl/AhNzE
Four Season Garden #3: Starting Seeds - YouTube - http://goo.gl/RUz9s
Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide http://goo.gl/at6J0
Solving Lettuce Problems - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/zLZXB
Growing Salad Greens in Window Boxes - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/jlTJt
Lettuce Essentials - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/Sr1xg
Plant Lettuce Now for Winter Greens - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/SGGXh
With the variety of colors, shapes and flavors available, your salads may never be the same. Lettuce is adapatable to many growing conditions, but likes it cool - around 60 F to 65 F. Grow in spring and fall, and slow bolting by shading summer crops.
Sunlight: Yields best in full sun. Part shade helpful when it’s hot. Will withstand light to moderate frost.
Lettuce grows great indoors, or outdoors, in simple Kratky hydroponic containers.
Black Seeded Simpson lettuce in SIP.
How to plant
Propagate by seed. Best germination is below 70 F. Days to emergence: 7 to 14. Germinates in about a week at 50 F, 2 days at 70 F. It may fail to germinate if above 85 F.
Direct seed or transplant in early spring, as soon as you can work the soil.
Direct-seeding: Sow seed 1/8 inch deep, 1 inch apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. When plants have two or three true leaves, thin to 12-inch spacings for crisphead varieties, 6 to 10 inches for other types.
Seeds need light to germinate, so do not plant too deep. Make succession plantings every week or two.
Lettuce has a shallow root system. Keep soil moist to keep plants growing continuously.
Window box turned into a SIP for growing lettuce
Fertilizing Greens
The nutrients your leafy greens need are available in:
- commercial fertilizers such as 5-10-10 or 10-10-10
- organic fertilizers like bonemeal, bloodmeal and dehydrated manures
The numbers 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 refer to the percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the bag of fertilizer. They are always listed in that order, too: N-P-K.
Plants need more than just 3 major plant nutrients to grow normally. Secondary plant nutrients, such as magnesium, zinc and iron, are also important, but usually needed only in small quantities. Most soils contain these minor elements, but mixing compost or other organic matter, such as composted manure, into the soil helps to insure their presence. Alternatively, you can add rockdust or Azomite.
Toss the fertilizer over an area as evenly as possible. You don't want to get a lot of the commercial fertilizer or dried manure in one place. Always mix the fertilizer into the top two to three inches of soil before planting.
“Up, Down and All-Around” is another way to think about NPK and the numbering system for fertilizers. Your lawn needs nitrogen for the leaves’ color and growth, phosphorous for strong roots, and potassium for overall health. Source: Home Depot.
Learn how to plant and grow lettuce from Burpee's expert horticulturist:
Here are some Burpee lettuce seeds I planted this year. There were available for $1.00 each at Home Depot:
Black-Seeded Simpson Lettuce
HEIRLOOM. Even after 150 years it's one of the most tender leaf lettuces. Hugely popular for over 150 years, it's one of the most tender and delicately flavored leaf lettuces ever bred. The ruffled leaves are large with an appealing green color. 'Simpson' is well adapted to a wide range of climates and is still the best for early spring sowing.
Days to Maturity: 45 days
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Direct Sow/Indoor Sow
Spread: 6 inches
Height: 9-15 inches
Thinning: 8 inches
Gourmet Blend Lettuce
Burpee Exclusive, popular looseleaf blend, selected for a long harvest. Fast-growing, tender, colorful, and tolerant of hot weather. Grows best in cool weather. Can also be grown as a fall crop. Protect from heat with shade cloth. Likes fertile soil, ample water. Best when picked minutes before your meal. Space lettuce plants 8" apart. 500 seeds per packet, will plant about 30 ft of row; one oz. sows 400 ft. Grows best in full sun.
Days to Maturity: 45-50 days
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Direct Sow/Indoor Sow
Spread: 6 inches
Height: 9-15 inches
Thinning: 8 inches
Varieties
There are 5 types of lettuce:
- Looseleaf (var. crispa) - Easy to grow. Matures quickly. You can start harvesting leaves as soon as 4 weeks after planting. Great for early-season plantings. Wide variety of leaf shapes and colors. 45 to 60 days to full maturity.
- Butterhead (bib, loosehead, Boston) - Exceptionally good flavor and quality. Forms loose heads with oily leaves. 55 to 75 days to maturity.
- Romaine (Cos, var. longfolia) - Upright, elongated heads. (Some grow nearly 2 feet tall.) More tolerant of warm weather and less likely to bolt than other lettuce types. Red varieties as well as traditional light green. Most take about 70 days to mature.
- French (summer crisp) - Midway between butterhead and crisphead. You can harvest early like leaf lettuce or wait until heads form. 50 to 75 days.
- Crisphead (iceberg, var. capitata) - The familiar spherical heads found in grocery stores. Most difficult varieties to grow. Requires long cool season. Will bolt quickly in response to stress. 75 or more days.
Recommended varieties:
Looseleaf:
Black Seeded Simpson
Green Ice
Ibis
Lollo Rossa
New Red Fire
Oak Leaf
Prizehead
Red Sails
Ruby
Salad Bowl
Slobolt
Romaine:
Cosmo Savoy
Green Towers
Little Gem
Parris Island
Valmaine (a.k.a Paris White or Valmaine Savoy)
Butterhead:
Buttercrunch
Esmerelda
Four Seasons
Sangria
Winter Density
Container Garden Raised Bed Square Foot Gardening (video):
Here is his recipe for success: There are 6 holes drilled in the bottom of this storage container ($4-8 at Walmart/Target, etc.), each about half inch wide. Water on once a day at 6 pm. Sometimes lift the container to get an idea of how much water is in the soil. Water with fertilizer solution once every 7-10 days, e.g. fish emulsion fertilizer 5-1-1 mixed 1 tablespoon per gallon.
Related:
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Four Season Garden #4: Planting Lettuce in an EarthBox - YouTube http://goo.gl/AhNzE
Four Season Garden #3: Starting Seeds - YouTube - http://goo.gl/RUz9s
Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Vegetable Growing Guides - Growing Guide http://goo.gl/at6J0
Solving Lettuce Problems - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/zLZXB
Growing Salad Greens in Window Boxes - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/jlTJt
Lettuce Essentials - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/Sr1xg
Plant Lettuce Now for Winter Greens - Gardening Articles :: Edibles :: Vegetables :: National Gardening Association - http://goo.gl/SGGXh
North Star Pepper
The North Star Hybrid Pepper is a Sweet Bell pepper. It grows very early, and is well-suited for short-season areas (Maturity: 60 days). The plants are well-adapted to set blocky fruit even under unfavorable conditions.
This fruit is a 3- to 4-lobed, blocky dark green bell pepper. The smooth-skinned, thick-walled peppers are about 4 inches long and 3 ½ inches wide.
North Star produces reliably even under adverse conditions and is great for short-season gardens, such as those in the North. This is the first of the early standard bells to turn from green to mature red. It is resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
Seeds should be started indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost. This is a hybrid pepper and you may not be able to grow it from seeds.
References:
48 Free Seed Catalogs from About.com http://goo.gl/Bt6CI
This fruit is a 3- to 4-lobed, blocky dark green bell pepper. The smooth-skinned, thick-walled peppers are about 4 inches long and 3 ½ inches wide.
North Star produces reliably even under adverse conditions and is great for short-season gardens, such as those in the North. This is the first of the early standard bells to turn from green to mature red. It is resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
Seeds should be started indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost. This is a hybrid pepper and you may not be able to grow it from seeds.
References:
48 Free Seed Catalogs from About.com http://goo.gl/Bt6CI
How to Use a Worm Composter
Here is a product available from Amazon:
The newer version is called "360":
Composting with worms allows you to turn kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich soil for your plants. With a thermo siphon air flow design, the Worm Factory 360 increases the composting speed. Now you can produce compost much faster than traditional composting methods. Worm castings are one of the richest forms of fertilizer that you can use. The Worm Factory 360 can be used indoors or outdoors allowing year round production. Now composting is no longer limited to backyards. The Worm Factory 360 is odorless making it great for apartments, kitchens, garages, porches and more. Simply add a handful of worms and your organic waste to the bottom tray. The worms will start processing the food. Once the bottom tray is filled add another tray. The worms migrate upward to the newest food source leaving the bottom tray full of nutrient-rich compost. As waste is broken down, moisture filters through the system, taking nutrient-rich particles with it. This makes it possible to harvest organic liquid fertilizer right from the spigot. It has a 20 year warranty.
You will need to buy the live worms too:
Worm Composting video by the University of Maine agricultural extension:
Building Soil Fertility with the Worm Factory 360 Compost Bin. John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com learns about the Worm Factory 360 Compost Bin to make nutrient rich, alive worm castings. Watch this episode to learn about this unique worm bin and how to add fertility to your soil, which will increase the health and yields of your plants:
References:
Chicago Home Composting - Cook County Extension Unit http://goo.gl/FLEq8
The newer version is called "360":
Composting with worms allows you to turn kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich soil for your plants. With a thermo siphon air flow design, the Worm Factory 360 increases the composting speed. Now you can produce compost much faster than traditional composting methods. Worm castings are one of the richest forms of fertilizer that you can use. The Worm Factory 360 can be used indoors or outdoors allowing year round production. Now composting is no longer limited to backyards. The Worm Factory 360 is odorless making it great for apartments, kitchens, garages, porches and more. Simply add a handful of worms and your organic waste to the bottom tray. The worms will start processing the food. Once the bottom tray is filled add another tray. The worms migrate upward to the newest food source leaving the bottom tray full of nutrient-rich compost. As waste is broken down, moisture filters through the system, taking nutrient-rich particles with it. This makes it possible to harvest organic liquid fertilizer right from the spigot. It has a 20 year warranty.
You will need to buy the live worms too:
Worm Composting video by the University of Maine agricultural extension:
Building Soil Fertility with the Worm Factory 360 Compost Bin. John from http://www.growingyourgreens.com learns about the Worm Factory 360 Compost Bin to make nutrient rich, alive worm castings. Watch this episode to learn about this unique worm bin and how to add fertility to your soil, which will increase the health and yields of your plants:
References:
Chicago Home Composting - Cook County Extension Unit http://goo.gl/FLEq8
Hungarian wax pepper
The Hungarian wax pepper (sometimes called Hungarian Yellow Wax Banana) is a medium variety of Capsicum annuum with a wide Scoville Scale range of 1,000 to 15,000 Scoville units.
This pepper is usually harvested before maturity when still yellow. It measures between 4"-6" inches in length (102 mm-152 mm) which tapers to a rounded point. Upon maturity, the pepper becomes orange then red in color (as all peppers). Although similar in appearance to banana peppers when immature, it is a different cultivar.
Due to the ease of cultivation and the productivity of the plant, many home gardeners pickle these whole or sliced in rings. These peppers have a sweet, but hot flavor that make them a favorite in many dishes. Hungarian wax peppers are shaped like a carrot, they taper to a rounded point and averages about 6" in length and about 1 1/2" wide. It is considered an early pepper that produces excellent yields on a 24" plant.
In June, I bought a small plant from a local nursery for 80 cents. The plant had 2 fruits when bought and has not grown much in height as of August 1st. I tried one of the peppers and it was not hot. It was easy to dry some of the seeds and I will see if I can grow the pepper from seed next year.
Hungarian Wax Peppers are a creamy-yellow translucent color, very similar to the Banana Wax Pepper. However, these two peppers differ in heat, color and size. The Hungarian Wax has a thin skin with a thick flesh due to its immaturity. Picked at an immature stage, the Hungarian Wax Pepper is yellow and has a sweet hot flavor varying from warm to moderately hot. During the 65 day Hungarian Wax Pepper maturing stage the color changes to an orange-red and the heat rises to an almost inedible intense heat while keeping its sweetness.
Although the pepper can be eaten at any stage, the Hungarian Wax Pepper is most popular in the yellow stages. This pepper is traditionally pickled or made into yellow mole sauces.
The pepper is great for pickling or drying. It is canary yellow turning to bright red when ripe. Harvest starts about 70 days after setting out plants.
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Indoor Sow
Days to Maturity: 70 days
Height: 18-24 inches
Spread: 16 inches
How to Sow Peppers
Most U.S. gardeners (apart from those living in the Deep South) start pepper plants indoors about 8-10 weeks before transplanting, which should be done 2-3 weeks after the expected last frost. Start indoors in a warm, well-lighted area. Place containers in a south facing window or under grow lights until seedlings emerge. Sow 1-2 seeds 1/4" deep into individual containers filled with seed starting formula. Keep moist. Seedlings emerge in 10-21 days at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
For Illinois, the average last frost is April 15 and average first frost is October 15. Sow by March 15-April 15. Transplant outdoors by May 15-June 15. Peppers are self pollinators.
Fertilizer
As the peppers develop, switch over to a fertilizer higher in Phosphorous and Potassium. Gardeners often make the mistake of providing too much nitrogen. The result is a great looking bushy, green plant, but few fruit.
Days to Maturity
Most peppers take 60 to 80 days to mature.
References:
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_wax_pepper
Hungarian Wax Peppers | Melissa's Produce http://goo.gl/r521y
Hot Hungarian Wax Pepper Seeds and Plants, Vegetable Gardening at Burpee.com http://goo.gl/5jaKp
All about peppers - Urban Farmer's Guide http://goo.gl/h2zvM
Peppers - YouTube http://goo.gl/9VcP0
My pepper garden ... - YouTube http://goo.gl/qaouF
How to Grow Peppers - YouTube http://goo.gl/syHPV
Container Peppers by Nurse Amy (video) http://goo.gl/zgDqk
This pepper is usually harvested before maturity when still yellow. It measures between 4"-6" inches in length (102 mm-152 mm) which tapers to a rounded point. Upon maturity, the pepper becomes orange then red in color (as all peppers). Although similar in appearance to banana peppers when immature, it is a different cultivar.
Due to the ease of cultivation and the productivity of the plant, many home gardeners pickle these whole or sliced in rings. These peppers have a sweet, but hot flavor that make them a favorite in many dishes. Hungarian wax peppers are shaped like a carrot, they taper to a rounded point and averages about 6" in length and about 1 1/2" wide. It is considered an early pepper that produces excellent yields on a 24" plant.
In June, I bought a small plant from a local nursery for 80 cents. The plant had 2 fruits when bought and has not grown much in height as of August 1st. I tried one of the peppers and it was not hot. It was easy to dry some of the seeds and I will see if I can grow the pepper from seed next year.
Hungarian Wax Peppers are a creamy-yellow translucent color, very similar to the Banana Wax Pepper. However, these two peppers differ in heat, color and size. The Hungarian Wax has a thin skin with a thick flesh due to its immaturity. Picked at an immature stage, the Hungarian Wax Pepper is yellow and has a sweet hot flavor varying from warm to moderately hot. During the 65 day Hungarian Wax Pepper maturing stage the color changes to an orange-red and the heat rises to an almost inedible intense heat while keeping its sweetness.
Although the pepper can be eaten at any stage, the Hungarian Wax Pepper is most popular in the yellow stages. This pepper is traditionally pickled or made into yellow mole sauces.
The pepper is great for pickling or drying. It is canary yellow turning to bright red when ripe. Harvest starts about 70 days after setting out plants.
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Indoor Sow
Days to Maturity: 70 days
Height: 18-24 inches
Spread: 16 inches
How to Sow Peppers
Most U.S. gardeners (apart from those living in the Deep South) start pepper plants indoors about 8-10 weeks before transplanting, which should be done 2-3 weeks after the expected last frost. Start indoors in a warm, well-lighted area. Place containers in a south facing window or under grow lights until seedlings emerge. Sow 1-2 seeds 1/4" deep into individual containers filled with seed starting formula. Keep moist. Seedlings emerge in 10-21 days at 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
For Illinois, the average last frost is April 15 and average first frost is October 15. Sow by March 15-April 15. Transplant outdoors by May 15-June 15. Peppers are self pollinators.
Fertilizer
As the peppers develop, switch over to a fertilizer higher in Phosphorous and Potassium. Gardeners often make the mistake of providing too much nitrogen. The result is a great looking bushy, green plant, but few fruit.
Days to Maturity
Most peppers take 60 to 80 days to mature.
References:
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_wax_pepper
Hungarian Wax Peppers | Melissa's Produce http://goo.gl/r521y
Hot Hungarian Wax Pepper Seeds and Plants, Vegetable Gardening at Burpee.com http://goo.gl/5jaKp
All about peppers - Urban Farmer's Guide http://goo.gl/h2zvM
Peppers - YouTube http://goo.gl/9VcP0
My pepper garden ... - YouTube http://goo.gl/qaouF
How to Grow Peppers - YouTube http://goo.gl/syHPV
Container Peppers by Nurse Amy (video) http://goo.gl/zgDqk
Giant Marconi Pepper
The Sweet Giant Marconi Hybrid Pepper is bred in Italy, and was an All America Selections winner in 2001 (I think).
'Giant Marconi' is an improved Italian grilling pepper. About 6 to 8 inches long, the tapered green pepper will mature to red on the 30 inch plant. 'Giant Marconi' tastes excellent raw but is best when grilled. It has a memorable sweet, smoky flavor. Also called Italian frying peppers, Italianelles, or cubanels, these long peppers are sweet and tender and have a thin skin. They are usually either sautèed in olive oil stuffed and baked with the stems and seeds intact, as the seeds give the peppers their characteristic flavor and sweet taste.
The plant produces large, tapered fruits that are 8" long x 3" wide and can be picked green or left on the plant a little longer and harvested red. The fruits mature earlier to red than other varieties.
Enjoy this wonderful pepper about 72 days after setting plants out in the garden. Grow in full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, in soil that is rich in organic matter and well drained. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your normal planting time, after the chance of all frost.
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Indoor Sow
Days to Maturity: 72 days
Height: 18-24 inches
Spread: 12 inches
I bought one plant from a local nursery in June, and it already had one fruit. It was quite big by the end of July, and the pepper had a taste as described above. If the plant is productive this year, I will buy some additional plants for the next growing season. Since it is labeled a "hybrid" pepper, I am not sure if those can be grown from the seeds from your own plant.
References:
Sweet Giant Marconi Hybrid Pepper Seeds and Plants, Vegetable Gardening at Burpee.com http://goo.gl/JaH74
Giant Marconi pepper - SU/Denver County Extension Master Gardener http://goo.gl/gxlpY
Giant Marconi and Poblano peppers June 16/ 2011 - YouTube http://goo.gl/99b9C
How to grow hot peppers part 10. Pepper profile: The Giant Marconi - YouTube http://goo.gl/kKfzj
'Giant Marconi' is an improved Italian grilling pepper. About 6 to 8 inches long, the tapered green pepper will mature to red on the 30 inch plant. 'Giant Marconi' tastes excellent raw but is best when grilled. It has a memorable sweet, smoky flavor. Also called Italian frying peppers, Italianelles, or cubanels, these long peppers are sweet and tender and have a thin skin. They are usually either sautèed in olive oil stuffed and baked with the stems and seeds intact, as the seeds give the peppers their characteristic flavor and sweet taste.
The plant produces large, tapered fruits that are 8" long x 3" wide and can be picked green or left on the plant a little longer and harvested red. The fruits mature earlier to red than other varieties.
Enjoy this wonderful pepper about 72 days after setting plants out in the garden. Grow in full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, in soil that is rich in organic matter and well drained. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your normal planting time, after the chance of all frost.
Sun: Full Sun
Sowing Method: Indoor Sow
Days to Maturity: 72 days
Height: 18-24 inches
Spread: 12 inches
I bought one plant from a local nursery in June, and it already had one fruit. It was quite big by the end of July, and the pepper had a taste as described above. If the plant is productive this year, I will buy some additional plants for the next growing season. Since it is labeled a "hybrid" pepper, I am not sure if those can be grown from the seeds from your own plant.
References:
Sweet Giant Marconi Hybrid Pepper Seeds and Plants, Vegetable Gardening at Burpee.com http://goo.gl/JaH74
Giant Marconi pepper - SU/Denver County Extension Master Gardener http://goo.gl/gxlpY
Giant Marconi and Poblano peppers June 16/ 2011 - YouTube http://goo.gl/99b9C
How to grow hot peppers part 10. Pepper profile: The Giant Marconi - YouTube http://goo.gl/kKfzj
Free online calculators for vegetable planting in square food garden
Here are 2 free online calculators for vegetable planting in square food garden:
Design your garden bed - Gardeners.com http://goo.gl/8bhKi
Vegetable Planner http://goo.gl/vkHWF
Design your garden bed - Gardeners.com http://goo.gl/8bhKi
Vegetable Planner http://goo.gl/vkHWF
The World's Largest Pepper Garden
The World's Largest Pepper Garden was apparently planted at the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Alabama:
http://www.ecoseeds.com/peppergarden.html
http://www.ecoseeds.com/peppergarden.html
Blossom End Rot Treatment & Prevention Tips (including EarthBox)
For Earthbox tomatoes with Blossom End Rot (BER):
1. Remove all damaged fruits.
2. Add calcium via lime.
Treatment of BER (only one time per season): Add 1/4 cup of hyderated lime to a gallon of water, once only. The treatment is not a cure for tomatoes with current BER, it will help only new blossoms. Another option: Crush 2 TUMS tablets in a gallon of water. Add 2 Tablespoons of Epson salts to this water. The official EarthBox video is below:
From Lowe's:
From Lowe's YouTube channel: "As your tomato plants starting to grow, you may notice round spots that started small and got bigger and more sunken in near the blossom end of the fruits. These are called blossom end rot. This happens mainly because of a lack of calcium in your tomatoes as the fruits developed. It also commonly occurs when the growing season starts out extremely wet and then becomes extremely dry as the fruit begins to set.
Blossom end rot isn't easy to get rid of. In fact, it's best to make sure your soil has the proper nutrients before you plant. However, if you weren't able to, or still ended up with round spots, here are some helpful tips to use.
First you will want to maintain consistent levels of moisture in the soil throughout the growing season. You can prevent calcium deficiencies by purchasing Blossom-End Rot Spray which you can find in your Lowe's Garden Center. Applying mulch and fertilizer are also important. The mulch will minimize evaporation and help maintain consistent soil moisture, while the fertilizer lowers nitrogen and heightens phosphorus and potassium.
To put an end to blossom end rot and find other gardening supplies, visit http://www.Lowes.com/Gardening
Tomato Blossom End-Rot: Emergency Treatment & Prevention with Lime - The Rusted Garden 2013 - YouTube http://bit.ly/1ajgcEd
Related:
Identifying & Treating Blossom End Rot in Large Container Tomatoes - YouTube http://bit.ly/1aG8xjA
Tomato Blossom End-Rot: Emergency Treatment & Prevention with Lime - The Rusted Garden 2013 - YouTube http://bit.ly/1ajgcEd
Simplest & Cheapest Method To Prevent Blossom End Rot (BER) - YouTube http://bit.ly/1aG8BzH
1. Remove all damaged fruits.
2. Add calcium via lime.
Treatment of BER (only one time per season): Add 1/4 cup of hyderated lime to a gallon of water, once only. The treatment is not a cure for tomatoes with current BER, it will help only new blossoms. Another option: Crush 2 TUMS tablets in a gallon of water. Add 2 Tablespoons of Epson salts to this water. The official EarthBox video is below:
From Lowe's:
From Lowe's YouTube channel: "As your tomato plants starting to grow, you may notice round spots that started small and got bigger and more sunken in near the blossom end of the fruits. These are called blossom end rot. This happens mainly because of a lack of calcium in your tomatoes as the fruits developed. It also commonly occurs when the growing season starts out extremely wet and then becomes extremely dry as the fruit begins to set.
Blossom end rot isn't easy to get rid of. In fact, it's best to make sure your soil has the proper nutrients before you plant. However, if you weren't able to, or still ended up with round spots, here are some helpful tips to use.
First you will want to maintain consistent levels of moisture in the soil throughout the growing season. You can prevent calcium deficiencies by purchasing Blossom-End Rot Spray which you can find in your Lowe's Garden Center. Applying mulch and fertilizer are also important. The mulch will minimize evaporation and help maintain consistent soil moisture, while the fertilizer lowers nitrogen and heightens phosphorus and potassium.
To put an end to blossom end rot and find other gardening supplies, visit http://www.Lowes.com/Gardening
Tomato Blossom End-Rot: Emergency Treatment & Prevention with Lime - The Rusted Garden 2013 - YouTube http://bit.ly/1ajgcEd
Related:
Identifying & Treating Blossom End Rot in Large Container Tomatoes - YouTube http://bit.ly/1aG8xjA
Tomato Blossom End-Rot: Emergency Treatment & Prevention with Lime - The Rusted Garden 2013 - YouTube http://bit.ly/1ajgcEd
Simplest & Cheapest Method To Prevent Blossom End Rot (BER) - YouTube http://bit.ly/1aG8BzH
Study shows that human urine is an effective agricultural fertilizer
"It is totally possible to use human urine as a fertilizer instead of industrial fertilizer," according to the research group that used urine to cultivate cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes.
A typical adult urinates about 500 liters a year, enough to fill three standard bathtubs. And despite the gross-out potential, urine is sterile when it leaves the body.
What are the fertilizer ingredients in urine?
Human urine is rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (NPK), all key ingredients of commercial fertilizers.
Doesn't Urine Burn Lawns and Plants?
Full strength urine will burn vegetation. To use it as a fertilizer, it needs to be diluted with water using at least a 1:10 ratio.
The general recommendation from the study was to dilute urine to 10-15 parts water to 1 part urine (10:1) for application on plants in the growth stage. Dilute to 30-50 parts water to 1 part urine (30:1) for use on pot plants as they are more sensitive to fertilizers. Withhold the use of urine liquid fertilizer on all food plants at least 2 weeks before harvesting. Apply under fruiting plants, not directly on foliage. Urine older than 24 hours should not be used on plants as the urea turns into ammonia and will burn them.
Does Urine Fertilizer increase infection risk?
Unlike feces (stool) which can contain harmful pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, urine is usually sterile when it leaves the body.
“Up, Down and All-Around” is another way to think about NPK and the numbering system for fertilizers. Your lawn needs nitrogen for the leaves’ color and growth, phosphorous for strong roots, and potassium for overall health. Source: Home Depot.
References:
Human Urine Is Shown to Be an Effective Agricultural Fertilizer: Scientific American http://bit.ly/OP3Uof
Could American households soon be recycling their URINE? How depleting nutrient used in toothpaste and fertilizer can be extracted from our toilets | Mail Online http://buff.ly/1ahVKm4
Fertilizer - The Power of Pee or Urine | Learn How To Garden http://bit.ly/1KqTiu0
Related reading:
All I am saying is.......GIVE PEE A CHANCE! https://buff.ly/2KN9o9N
Soil Feedings https://buff.ly/2J2G5eh
A typical adult urinates about 500 liters a year, enough to fill three standard bathtubs. And despite the gross-out potential, urine is sterile when it leaves the body.
What are the fertilizer ingredients in urine?
Human urine is rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (NPK), all key ingredients of commercial fertilizers.
Doesn't Urine Burn Lawns and Plants?
Full strength urine will burn vegetation. To use it as a fertilizer, it needs to be diluted with water using at least a 1:10 ratio.
The general recommendation from the study was to dilute urine to 10-15 parts water to 1 part urine (10:1) for application on plants in the growth stage. Dilute to 30-50 parts water to 1 part urine (30:1) for use on pot plants as they are more sensitive to fertilizers. Withhold the use of urine liquid fertilizer on all food plants at least 2 weeks before harvesting. Apply under fruiting plants, not directly on foliage. Urine older than 24 hours should not be used on plants as the urea turns into ammonia and will burn them.
Does Urine Fertilizer increase infection risk?
Unlike feces (stool) which can contain harmful pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, urine is usually sterile when it leaves the body.
“Up, Down and All-Around” is another way to think about NPK and the numbering system for fertilizers. Your lawn needs nitrogen for the leaves’ color and growth, phosphorous for strong roots, and potassium for overall health. Source: Home Depot.
References:
Human Urine Is Shown to Be an Effective Agricultural Fertilizer: Scientific American http://bit.ly/OP3Uof
Could American households soon be recycling their URINE? How depleting nutrient used in toothpaste and fertilizer can be extracted from our toilets | Mail Online http://buff.ly/1ahVKm4
Fertilizer - The Power of Pee or Urine | Learn How To Garden http://bit.ly/1KqTiu0
Related reading:
All I am saying is.......GIVE PEE A CHANCE! https://buff.ly/2KN9o9N
Soil Feedings https://buff.ly/2J2G5eh
Easy gardening book: Grow Great Grub
Gayla Trail is a writer, photographer, and the creator of the popular gardening project YouGrowGirl.com that started as a blog. A resident of Toronto who has grown a garden on her rooftop for more than 10 years, she is the author of three books on gardening: You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening, Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces, and "Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces.
Gayla's love for gardening began with parsley seeds planted in a Styrofoam cup when she was five years old. Inspired by the potato plants her grandmother grew in a bucket on her senior centre's fire escape, Gayla has always gardened in whatever space she had available, including a hot and exposed building rooftop, a community plot, windowsills, shared yard space, fire escapes, a concrete parking pad, stoop steps, and a small urban backyard.
Your patio, balcony, rooftop, front stoop, boulevard, windowsill, planter box, or fire escape is a potential fresh food garden waiting to happen. In Grow Great Grub, Gayla Trail, the founder of the leading online gardening community (YouGrowGirl.com), shows you how to grow your own delicious, affordable, organic edibles virtually anywhere.
Grow Great Grub packs in tips and essential information about:
- Choosing a location and making the most of your soil (even if it’s less than perfect)
- Building a raised bed, compost bin, and self-watering container using recycled materials
- Keeping pests and diseases away from your plants—the toxin-free way
- Growing bountiful crops in pots and selecting the best heirloom varieties
- Cultivating hundreds of plants, from blueberries to Thai basil, to the best tomatoes you’ll ever taste
- Canning, and preserving to make the most of your garden’s generosity
Gayla's love for gardening began with parsley seeds planted in a Styrofoam cup when she was five years old. Inspired by the potato plants her grandmother grew in a bucket on her senior centre's fire escape, Gayla has always gardened in whatever space she had available, including a hot and exposed building rooftop, a community plot, windowsills, shared yard space, fire escapes, a concrete parking pad, stoop steps, and a small urban backyard.
Your patio, balcony, rooftop, front stoop, boulevard, windowsill, planter box, or fire escape is a potential fresh food garden waiting to happen. In Grow Great Grub, Gayla Trail, the founder of the leading online gardening community (YouGrowGirl.com), shows you how to grow your own delicious, affordable, organic edibles virtually anywhere.
Grow Great Grub packs in tips and essential information about:
- Choosing a location and making the most of your soil (even if it’s less than perfect)
- Building a raised bed, compost bin, and self-watering container using recycled materials
- Keeping pests and diseases away from your plants—the toxin-free way
- Growing bountiful crops in pots and selecting the best heirloom varieties
- Cultivating hundreds of plants, from blueberries to Thai basil, to the best tomatoes you’ll ever taste
- Canning, and preserving to make the most of your garden’s generosity
Square Foot Gardening
Square foot gardening is the practice of planning and creating small but intensively planted gardens. The phrase "square foot gardening" was popularized by Mel Bartholomew in a 1981 and subsequent PBS television series.
Mel Bartholomew was a retired former owner of an engineering consulting form who picked up gardening as a hobby. He quickly realized that the single-line gardening needed a lot of improvement in order to become practical for the average person. He applied tactics that he perfected as a business consults and his quest led to the discovery of the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) methods. Despite doubts by the gardening experts, his first book sold more than 1 millions copies and became the bestselling gardening book in the U.S.
Here is Mel's blog: http://www.melbartholomew.com
The garden beds, grid and mix can be purchased online from: http://www.squarefootgardening.com
How many plants to plant per square?
Select a 4-foot-by-4-foot section of your garden and divide it into 16 squares (each section is 1 square foot). Each square will have a different number of plants, depending on what you are re growing. See here: SFG planner PDF - http://goo.gl/r84OL
Examples:
1 plant per square: Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, corn, melon, squash
4 plants per square: Lettuce, garlic, Swiss chard
8 plants per square: Pole beans, peas, spinach
16 plants per square: Beets, carrots, radishes, onions
By planting so few plants, you will have many small harvests, and you can easily make more succession plantings and rotate plantings each year.
Mel Bartholomew Introducing Square Foot Gardening:
References:
Square Foot Gardening - Northeast USA - Wayne NJ Plant Hardiness Zone 6 - 7 http://goo.gl/DaRbf
Square foot gardening - Wikipedia http://goo.gl/t8Mg
List of companion plants - Wikipedia http://goo.gl/yojD:
Growing Vegetables by Succession Planting and Square-Foot Gardening - For Dummies http://goo.gl/hn56J
Extension Online Store - Iowa State University free PDF guides http://goo.gl/8uvwN
How to Practice Square Foot Gardening: 10 steps (with pictures) - wikiHow http://goo.gl/bbvTW
Plant spacings in a Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/A488D
Square Foot Gardening - Planning http://goo.gl/88Bj3
Eat Live Grow Paleo: GROW http://goo.gl/zpWXE
Creating square foot gardening plans and layouts | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/vFP8m
SFG planner PDF - http://goo.gl/r84OL
Indiana Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/hUh1H
Vegetable Planting Guide Worksheet PDF - http://goo.gl/CF9u2
Erin's Square Foot Gardening Plan--Chicago | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/8Yzw1
Tim's Square Foot Garden Tips and Tricks - http://goo.gl/zhbJT
Tim's Square Foot Garden Plant List - http://goo.gl/Hpi1i
My 2012 Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/jj4ow
Mel Bartholomew was a retired former owner of an engineering consulting form who picked up gardening as a hobby. He quickly realized that the single-line gardening needed a lot of improvement in order to become practical for the average person. He applied tactics that he perfected as a business consults and his quest led to the discovery of the Square Foot Gardening (SFG) methods. Despite doubts by the gardening experts, his first book sold more than 1 millions copies and became the bestselling gardening book in the U.S.
Here is Mel's blog: http://www.melbartholomew.com
The garden beds, grid and mix can be purchased online from: http://www.squarefootgardening.com
How many plants to plant per square?
Select a 4-foot-by-4-foot section of your garden and divide it into 16 squares (each section is 1 square foot). Each square will have a different number of plants, depending on what you are re growing. See here: SFG planner PDF - http://goo.gl/r84OL
Examples:
1 plant per square: Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, corn, melon, squash
4 plants per square: Lettuce, garlic, Swiss chard
8 plants per square: Pole beans, peas, spinach
16 plants per square: Beets, carrots, radishes, onions
By planting so few plants, you will have many small harvests, and you can easily make more succession plantings and rotate plantings each year.
Mel Bartholomew Introducing Square Foot Gardening:
References:
Square Foot Gardening - Northeast USA - Wayne NJ Plant Hardiness Zone 6 - 7 http://goo.gl/DaRbf
Square foot gardening - Wikipedia http://goo.gl/t8Mg
List of companion plants - Wikipedia http://goo.gl/yojD:
Growing Vegetables by Succession Planting and Square-Foot Gardening - For Dummies http://goo.gl/hn56J
Extension Online Store - Iowa State University free PDF guides http://goo.gl/8uvwN
How to Practice Square Foot Gardening: 10 steps (with pictures) - wikiHow http://goo.gl/bbvTW
Plant spacings in a Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/A488D
Square Foot Gardening - Planning http://goo.gl/88Bj3
Eat Live Grow Paleo: GROW http://goo.gl/zpWXE
Creating square foot gardening plans and layouts | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/vFP8m
SFG planner PDF - http://goo.gl/r84OL
Indiana Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/hUh1H
Vegetable Planting Guide Worksheet PDF - http://goo.gl/CF9u2
Erin's Square Foot Gardening Plan--Chicago | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/8Yzw1
Tim's Square Foot Garden Tips and Tricks - http://goo.gl/zhbJT
Tim's Square Foot Garden Plant List - http://goo.gl/Hpi1i
My 2012 Square Foot Gardening Plan | My Square Foot Garden http://goo.gl/jj4ow
How to grow parsley
Common parsley (Petroselinium crispum) is a member of the carrot family (Apiaceae). Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a member of the carrot family that is native to Europe.
The two most popular types of parsley are:
- curly leaf parsley (Petroselinium crispum)
- flat leaf or Italian parsley (Petroselinium neapolitanum)
History
Parsley is thought to have originated in Sardinia, but the plant has been altered significantly by cultivation. In mythology, parsley was believed to have sprung from a Greek hero, Archemorous, the forerunner of death. Greeks crowned winners at the Isthmian games with parsley, and warriors fed the leaves to their horses.
The ancient Greeks and Romans knew parsley well as a medicinal plant and as a seasoning. Native to the Mediterranean area, parsley has a biennial life cycle, but is usually grown as an annual in the U.S. because the plants often die during cold winters.
Where to plant
As with most herbs, parsley does best in a sunny area which receives direct light for 6-8 hours a day, although it can tolerate some light shade. Parsley grows best in full sun.
The plants can be interspersed around the edges of the garden and along pathways.
Seeds
Germination is notoriously slow. The rate of germination is dependent upon seed freshness, ranging from 2-5 weeks. To help hasten the process, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours prior to planting.
Seeds can be started indoors in the late winter approximately 6-8 weeks ahead of the last frost date. Seeds can also be sown directly in the ground where they are to be grown, after danger of spring frosts has passed.
How to plant
Cover seeds with 1/8 inch of soil, and keep them moist. Since germination is so slow, it’s a good idea to mark the rows. Emerging seedlings will appear almost grass-like, with two narrow seed leaves opposite each other. Thin or transplant seedlings when they are 2-3 inches high.
Parsley planted in the fall is far more productive than when planted in the spring.
When planting seeds into the garden, cover them with a quarter-inch to a half-inch of soil. Water lightly every day, and the seeds should be up in 10 to 14 days. After three or four weeks, when the sprouts are a few inches tall and have several leaves, thin seedlings growing in the garden to allow about 10 inches between the plants. If desired, extras can be transplanted to other spots.
Watering
Do not allow the plants to dry out completely between waterings in the garden. Water deeply at least once a week.
Fertilizer
Fertilize plants in garden beds once or twice during the growing season, using a 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer. Use a liquid fertilizer at one half the label recommended strength every 3-4 weeks for container grown plants outside and every 4-6 weeks for parsley grown indoors.
Fill the container with moistened potting mix and add some slow-release fertilizer – or plan to water the plants twice a month with a soluble fertilizer.
Harvest
Begin harvesting parsley when it produces leaf stems with 3 segments. Begin harvesting parsley when it has grown to about 8 inches in diameter and has numerous leaves. Harvest the larger, lower leaves at the outside of the plant – leaving the newer interior shoots to mature. Generally, remove no more than one-third to one-half of the foliage at any one time.
Indoor growing
Parsley is an easy herb to grow indoors as long as it has a bright location and holes in the bottom of the pot to insure good drainage. The plants may be a bit spindly when grown indoors; this is due to lower light levels.
Varieties
- The most common variety is curly parsley, Petroselinium crispum. They quite versatile, typically growing 8-14 inches tall, forming dense clumps which are great for borders, interplanting in the garden beds, and indoor or outdoor containers.
- Italian flat-leaf parsley, P. neapolitanum is another popular variety. This plant can grow quite tall (2-3 ft) and is more gangly in habit. The flat serrated leaves have a much stronger and sweeter flavor than the other varieties, making it more desirable for cooking.
- Hamburg parsley, P. tuberosum, is mainly grown for its white, fleshy, parsnip-like roots, used in flavoring soups. Tall, fern-like leaves make up the foliage.
References:
Growing Parsley - University of Minnesota http://goo.gl/5byFl
Growing Parsley in Louisiana - LSU AgCenter http://goo.gl/78vYZ
Parsley — Herbs — Penn State Extension http://goo.gl/ulaVD
Parsley, sage, cilantro, basil, thyme, chives, and mint are some of the best container herbs - Whole Foods Market http://bit.ly/16Qlcxf
Splitting Daisy, Parsley and Chamomile Transplants: MFG 2014 - YouTube http://buff.ly/1kYPJy6
Parsley: Garnish or Superfood? | Planet Natural http://buff.ly/1jVdAQl
Related reading:
Article: A Cases of Near-fatal Anaphylaxis: Parsley “Over-use” as an Herbal Remedy bit.ly/1v4xafa Free Full Text
The two most popular types of parsley are:
- curly leaf parsley (Petroselinium crispum)
- flat leaf or Italian parsley (Petroselinium neapolitanum)
History
Parsley is thought to have originated in Sardinia, but the plant has been altered significantly by cultivation. In mythology, parsley was believed to have sprung from a Greek hero, Archemorous, the forerunner of death. Greeks crowned winners at the Isthmian games with parsley, and warriors fed the leaves to their horses.
The ancient Greeks and Romans knew parsley well as a medicinal plant and as a seasoning. Native to the Mediterranean area, parsley has a biennial life cycle, but is usually grown as an annual in the U.S. because the plants often die during cold winters.
Where to plant
As with most herbs, parsley does best in a sunny area which receives direct light for 6-8 hours a day, although it can tolerate some light shade. Parsley grows best in full sun.
The plants can be interspersed around the edges of the garden and along pathways.
Seeds
Germination is notoriously slow. The rate of germination is dependent upon seed freshness, ranging from 2-5 weeks. To help hasten the process, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours prior to planting.
Seeds can be started indoors in the late winter approximately 6-8 weeks ahead of the last frost date. Seeds can also be sown directly in the ground where they are to be grown, after danger of spring frosts has passed.
How to plant
Cover seeds with 1/8 inch of soil, and keep them moist. Since germination is so slow, it’s a good idea to mark the rows. Emerging seedlings will appear almost grass-like, with two narrow seed leaves opposite each other. Thin or transplant seedlings when they are 2-3 inches high.
Parsley planted in the fall is far more productive than when planted in the spring.
When planting seeds into the garden, cover them with a quarter-inch to a half-inch of soil. Water lightly every day, and the seeds should be up in 10 to 14 days. After three or four weeks, when the sprouts are a few inches tall and have several leaves, thin seedlings growing in the garden to allow about 10 inches between the plants. If desired, extras can be transplanted to other spots.
Watering
Do not allow the plants to dry out completely between waterings in the garden. Water deeply at least once a week.
Fertilizer
Fertilize plants in garden beds once or twice during the growing season, using a 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer. Use a liquid fertilizer at one half the label recommended strength every 3-4 weeks for container grown plants outside and every 4-6 weeks for parsley grown indoors.
Fill the container with moistened potting mix and add some slow-release fertilizer – or plan to water the plants twice a month with a soluble fertilizer.
Harvest
Begin harvesting parsley when it produces leaf stems with 3 segments. Begin harvesting parsley when it has grown to about 8 inches in diameter and has numerous leaves. Harvest the larger, lower leaves at the outside of the plant – leaving the newer interior shoots to mature. Generally, remove no more than one-third to one-half of the foliage at any one time.
Indoor growing
Parsley is an easy herb to grow indoors as long as it has a bright location and holes in the bottom of the pot to insure good drainage. The plants may be a bit spindly when grown indoors; this is due to lower light levels.
Varieties
- The most common variety is curly parsley, Petroselinium crispum. They quite versatile, typically growing 8-14 inches tall, forming dense clumps which are great for borders, interplanting in the garden beds, and indoor or outdoor containers.
- Italian flat-leaf parsley, P. neapolitanum is another popular variety. This plant can grow quite tall (2-3 ft) and is more gangly in habit. The flat serrated leaves have a much stronger and sweeter flavor than the other varieties, making it more desirable for cooking.
- Hamburg parsley, P. tuberosum, is mainly grown for its white, fleshy, parsnip-like roots, used in flavoring soups. Tall, fern-like leaves make up the foliage.
References:
Growing Parsley - University of Minnesota http://goo.gl/5byFl
Growing Parsley in Louisiana - LSU AgCenter http://goo.gl/78vYZ
Parsley — Herbs — Penn State Extension http://goo.gl/ulaVD
Parsley, sage, cilantro, basil, thyme, chives, and mint are some of the best container herbs - Whole Foods Market http://bit.ly/16Qlcxf
Splitting Daisy, Parsley and Chamomile Transplants: MFG 2014 - YouTube http://buff.ly/1kYPJy6
Parsley: Garnish or Superfood? | Planet Natural http://buff.ly/1jVdAQl
Related reading:
Article: A Cases of Near-fatal Anaphylaxis: Parsley “Over-use” as an Herbal Remedy bit.ly/1v4xafa Free Full Text
How to grow cilantro
Cilantro/Coriander
Cilantro/coriander prefers a sunny well-drained location and cooler weather for optimal leaf growth.
Cilantro is a member of the carrot family, and is a highly fragrant annual plant. It has a taste of parsley with citrus-like overtones. When grown for its leaves, it is called cilantro. When grown as a spice for its dried seeds, it is called coriander. The seeds of the cilantro plant are known as coriander.
Cilantro is one of the oldest herbs, used by mankind, as far as 3000 BC. It is mentioned in early Sanskrit writings dating back to 1500 BC. The seeds have been found in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. It was brought to North America in 1670 and was one of the first spices cultivated by the settlers. It is widely used in Asian and Mexican cuisine. Like many other herbs, cilantro has a reputation for
being an antibacterial agent.
How to Plant
- Plant seeds in a sunny, dry location. Begin planting in early spring
- Place seeds ½ inch deep
- Space seeds 8-10 inches apart and place rows 15 inches apart.
Irrigation
Water young plants regularly, once plants are established they need little water. Avoid over-watering.
Make sure that the young plants don’t dry out. Once the plants are established they need little water. Avoid over watering as this plant does not do well in damp or humid conditions.
Fertilization
Fertilize once or twice during the growing season by applying ¼ cup of a nitrogen based fertilizer (21-0-0) per 25 square foot of growing area.
Cilantro should be fertilized twice. Apply ½ teaspoon of ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) or urea (21-0-0) per square foot.
Be careful of over fertilization, too much nitrogen can make the plant less flavorful.
Maintenance
Of all the herbs in your garden, cilantro can be one of the most difficult to grow. Many people think that it's their fault that cilantro doesn't last very long, but what they don't know is that cilantro is a very short-lived plant.
Unlike most herbs, cilantro requires cooler temperatures to thrive. It should be planted in the early spring or in the fall when temperatures are cooler. Once the root of the cilantro plant gets above 75 degrees, it will bolt.
Cilantro is a cool-season crop that does best at temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees F. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 degrees F, but if temperatures exceed 85 degrees F it will start to bolt.
Plant new crops every 1-3 weeks to ensure a constant supply. Weekly plantings will ensure that you have a continuous crop. This plant rarely has any problems with insects or disease.
Harvest
Harvest cilantro when leaves are about 4-6 inches tall. Cilantro leaves are ready to harvest 45 to 70 days after seeding. Cut exterior leaves once they reach 4 to 6 inches long. Or, cut the whole plant about 1 to 2 inches above the soil level to use both small and large leaves.
After 8-10 weeks the cilantro in your garden will flower, and form seeds. Once cilantro matures, it will "bolt," or flower, then produce seeds. After the plant produces seed, it will begin to die. If you allow the plant to produce seeds and fall to the ground, your cilantro will "plant itself" to begin growing new cilantro seedlings next season.
To prevent maturation, cut the leaves regularly. Sow seeds thickly in a wide, shallow container; then, as soon as plants are 3 to 4 inches tall and sporting a couple of cuttable leaves, use scissors to cut off some foliage. Cut from a different section of the container every time, rotating the pot as you go and never letting plants in any area mature. By the time you get back to the first section harvested, new leaves will have appeared.
Harvest weekly to keep leaves coming. Using this method, it's possible to harvest 4 crops of cilantro from a single pot.
Is it advisable to plant cilantro/coriander indoors?
Yes, but make sure that the container is deep enough. Be sure to grow it in a place where it will get enough sun.
References:
Cilantro/Coriander - Yard and Garden - extension.usu.edu http://goo.gl/sgqS7
Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, Apiaceae - WSU Clark County Extension - http://goo.gl/NSmmC
Cilantro - The Texas A&M System http://goo.gl/feFKY
Cilantro/coriander prefers a sunny well-drained location and cooler weather for optimal leaf growth.
Cilantro is a member of the carrot family, and is a highly fragrant annual plant. It has a taste of parsley with citrus-like overtones. When grown for its leaves, it is called cilantro. When grown as a spice for its dried seeds, it is called coriander. The seeds of the cilantro plant are known as coriander.
Cilantro is one of the oldest herbs, used by mankind, as far as 3000 BC. It is mentioned in early Sanskrit writings dating back to 1500 BC. The seeds have been found in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. It was brought to North America in 1670 and was one of the first spices cultivated by the settlers. It is widely used in Asian and Mexican cuisine. Like many other herbs, cilantro has a reputation for
being an antibacterial agent.
How to Plant
- Plant seeds in a sunny, dry location. Begin planting in early spring
- Place seeds ½ inch deep
- Space seeds 8-10 inches apart and place rows 15 inches apart.
Irrigation
Water young plants regularly, once plants are established they need little water. Avoid over-watering.
Make sure that the young plants don’t dry out. Once the plants are established they need little water. Avoid over watering as this plant does not do well in damp or humid conditions.
Fertilization
Fertilize once or twice during the growing season by applying ¼ cup of a nitrogen based fertilizer (21-0-0) per 25 square foot of growing area.
Cilantro should be fertilized twice. Apply ½ teaspoon of ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) or urea (21-0-0) per square foot.
Be careful of over fertilization, too much nitrogen can make the plant less flavorful.
Maintenance
Of all the herbs in your garden, cilantro can be one of the most difficult to grow. Many people think that it's their fault that cilantro doesn't last very long, but what they don't know is that cilantro is a very short-lived plant.
Unlike most herbs, cilantro requires cooler temperatures to thrive. It should be planted in the early spring or in the fall when temperatures are cooler. Once the root of the cilantro plant gets above 75 degrees, it will bolt.
Cilantro is a cool-season crop that does best at temperatures between 50 and 85 degrees F. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 degrees F, but if temperatures exceed 85 degrees F it will start to bolt.
Plant new crops every 1-3 weeks to ensure a constant supply. Weekly plantings will ensure that you have a continuous crop. This plant rarely has any problems with insects or disease.
Harvest
Harvest cilantro when leaves are about 4-6 inches tall. Cilantro leaves are ready to harvest 45 to 70 days after seeding. Cut exterior leaves once they reach 4 to 6 inches long. Or, cut the whole plant about 1 to 2 inches above the soil level to use both small and large leaves.
After 8-10 weeks the cilantro in your garden will flower, and form seeds. Once cilantro matures, it will "bolt," or flower, then produce seeds. After the plant produces seed, it will begin to die. If you allow the plant to produce seeds and fall to the ground, your cilantro will "plant itself" to begin growing new cilantro seedlings next season.
To prevent maturation, cut the leaves regularly. Sow seeds thickly in a wide, shallow container; then, as soon as plants are 3 to 4 inches tall and sporting a couple of cuttable leaves, use scissors to cut off some foliage. Cut from a different section of the container every time, rotating the pot as you go and never letting plants in any area mature. By the time you get back to the first section harvested, new leaves will have appeared.
Harvest weekly to keep leaves coming. Using this method, it's possible to harvest 4 crops of cilantro from a single pot.
Is it advisable to plant cilantro/coriander indoors?
Yes, but make sure that the container is deep enough. Be sure to grow it in a place where it will get enough sun.
References:
Cilantro/Coriander - Yard and Garden - extension.usu.edu http://goo.gl/sgqS7
Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, Apiaceae - WSU Clark County Extension - http://goo.gl/NSmmC
Cilantro - The Texas A&M System http://goo.gl/feFKY
Which plastics are safe as plant containers to grow vegetables? Which ones should not be used?
Plastic containers that you may consider to grow vegetables will need to be from plastics Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Mnemonic: 1-5 (skipping #3).
Pay attention to the recycle numbers on the bottom of the plastic container – avoid plastics numbered 3, 6 and 7.
Plastic containers made of No. 3 have PVC in them which could be carcinogenic.
Styrofoam cups are made of plastic No. 6 which could be carcinogenic.
No. 7 containers contain bisphenol A.
Plastic items are marked with a resin identification coding system (the number surrounded by arrows), which stand for:
1 - polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2 - high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3 - vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4 - low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5 - polypropylene (PP)
6 - polystyrene (PS)
7 - other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)
When you need to use plastic, these are the safer choices to use with food: 1, 2, 4 and 5.
You can make your own potting mix:
- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil
References:
Kitchen Plastic: Easy Greening | Care2 Healthy Living - http://goo.gl/zwb8S
Safe Containers for Growing Food | - http://goo.gl/G2CVy
Food Grade Plastic Containers For Brining http://bit.ly/NnZQeh
Which Plastics Are Safe For Gardening? - Epic Gardening http://bit.ly/12qQcEi
Mnemonic: 1-5 (skipping #3).
Pay attention to the recycle numbers on the bottom of the plastic container – avoid plastics numbered 3, 6 and 7.
Plastic containers made of No. 3 have PVC in them which could be carcinogenic.
Styrofoam cups are made of plastic No. 6 which could be carcinogenic.
No. 7 containers contain bisphenol A.
Plastic items are marked with a resin identification coding system (the number surrounded by arrows), which stand for:
1 - polyethyelene terephthalate (PETE)
2 - high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
3 - vinyl, polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
4 - low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
5 - polypropylene (PP)
6 - polystyrene (PS)
7 - other (includes polycarbonate, acrylic, polylactic acid, fiberglass)
When you need to use plastic, these are the safer choices to use with food: 1, 2, 4 and 5.
You can make your own potting mix:
- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil
References:
Kitchen Plastic: Easy Greening | Care2 Healthy Living - http://goo.gl/zwb8S
Safe Containers for Growing Food | - http://goo.gl/G2CVy
Food Grade Plastic Containers For Brining http://bit.ly/NnZQeh
Which Plastics Are Safe For Gardening? - Epic Gardening http://bit.ly/12qQcEi
How to grow peppers indoors
Here is a detailed description:
Can I grow peppers indoors under lights?
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/pepper/2002080947029999.html
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/pepper/2002080947029999.html
EarthBox - sub-irrigated planter, garden container for vegetables
Sub-irrigated planter (SIP) is a generic name for a planting box used in container gardening and commercial landscaping. A SIP is any method of watering plants where the water is introduced from the bottom, allowing the water to soak upwards to the plant through capillary action. SIP's are available as products, under brand names such as EarthBox, Grow Box, Earthainer, or as do-it-yourself projects made from plastic buckets and boxes.
The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers. The EarthBox measures 30 by 13-1/2 by 12 inches (l x w x h) for a soil capacity of 2-1/2 cubic feet. The box rests on four wheels and easily rolls into full sun and then moves to the back row so another Earthbox can get sun rays. The growing kit includes fertilizer, dolomite, and two germination covers. EarthBox is expensive at $44 to $55 (with shipping).
Blake Whisenant, Inventor of the Earthbox, demonstrates how it works:
Hoss Morgan tours Whisenant Farms in Florida where the EarthBox is used for commercial production of organic tomatoes:
There is a Junior EarthBox at half the price ($23) and size of the original EarthBox. The EarthBox Junior Garden Kit includes: Jr. EarthBox container, Jr. Aeration Screen, Jr. Water Fill Tube, 2 reversible B/W Jr. Mulch Covers, 4 Saucer, 8 oz. 7-7-7 fertilizer, 8 oz. dolomite.
Here are some videos from the EarthBox's YouTube channel:
Planting a Double Row Crop:
Rick's Rooftop: Rick Bayless from PBS's Mexico: One Plate at a Time talks about the importance of freshness and local produce in his EarthBox garden on the roof of Frontera Grill in Chicago:
EarthBox inventor Blake Whisenant answers your gardening questions: Blake's Tips & Tricks: Tomato Ailments:
You can make your own potting mix:
- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil
Here is how make your own "EarthBox"-like container: Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems - http://goo.gl/gbIf4
Global Bucket is DIY container growing system with two 5-gallon bucket, supposedely similar to Earthbox http://www.globalbuckets.org:
5-gallon bucket at Home Depot.
Related reading:
Plant & Fertilizer Placement Chart http://bit.ly/TbUE0k and What to grow in an Earth Box (diagram) http://on.fb.me/TbUENT
Earthbox Gardening | Steamy Kitchen Recipes http://goo.gl/bnWFm
Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems http://goo.gl/gbIf4
Blake's Tips and Tricks - EarthBox inventor Blake Whisenant answers your gardening questions (video) http://goo.gl/xuT41
7 Tips for Growing Vegetables in Grow Boxes - About.com http://goo.gl/ZhzW3
Four Season Garden #4: Planting Lettuce in an EarthBox - YouTube http://goo.gl/AhNzE
New to Earthbox? Start Here http://bit.ly/XeW8a5
Earthbox replanting/prepping - YouTube http://bit.ly/11xt2K8
Frequently Asked Questions - EarthBox - Homegrown Vegetables Without A Garden http://bit.ly/11xtgRw
EarthBox Instructions [PDF] http://earthbox.com/earthbox-pdf/EB-WEB-INSTRUCTIONS_NEW-2.pdf
Earthbox inventor Robert Blake Whisenant | Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame http://buff.ly/1AAcstx
The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers. The EarthBox measures 30 by 13-1/2 by 12 inches (l x w x h) for a soil capacity of 2-1/2 cubic feet. The box rests on four wheels and easily rolls into full sun and then moves to the back row so another Earthbox can get sun rays. The growing kit includes fertilizer, dolomite, and two germination covers. EarthBox is expensive at $44 to $55 (with shipping).
Blake Whisenant, Inventor of the Earthbox, demonstrates how it works:
Hoss Morgan tours Whisenant Farms in Florida where the EarthBox is used for commercial production of organic tomatoes:
There is a Junior EarthBox at half the price ($23) and size of the original EarthBox. The EarthBox Junior Garden Kit includes: Jr. EarthBox container, Jr. Aeration Screen, Jr. Water Fill Tube, 2 reversible B/W Jr. Mulch Covers, 4 Saucer, 8 oz. 7-7-7 fertilizer, 8 oz. dolomite.
Here are some videos from the EarthBox's YouTube channel:
Planting a Double Row Crop:
Rick's Rooftop: Rick Bayless from PBS's Mexico: One Plate at a Time talks about the importance of freshness and local produce in his EarthBox garden on the roof of Frontera Grill in Chicago:
EarthBox inventor Blake Whisenant answers your gardening questions: Blake's Tips & Tricks: Tomato Ailments:
You can make your own potting mix:
- 30% peat moss or coco coir
- 30% perlite or vermiculite
- 30% compost or soil
Here is how make your own "EarthBox"-like container: Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems - http://goo.gl/gbIf4
Global Bucket is DIY container growing system with two 5-gallon bucket, supposedely similar to Earthbox http://www.globalbuckets.org:
5-gallon bucket at Home Depot.
Related reading:
Plant & Fertilizer Placement Chart http://bit.ly/TbUE0k and What to grow in an Earth Box (diagram) http://on.fb.me/TbUENT
Earthbox Gardening | Steamy Kitchen Recipes http://goo.gl/bnWFm
Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems http://goo.gl/gbIf4
Blake's Tips and Tricks - EarthBox inventor Blake Whisenant answers your gardening questions (video) http://goo.gl/xuT41
7 Tips for Growing Vegetables in Grow Boxes - About.com http://goo.gl/ZhzW3
Four Season Garden #4: Planting Lettuce in an EarthBox - YouTube http://goo.gl/AhNzE
New to Earthbox? Start Here http://bit.ly/XeW8a5
Earthbox replanting/prepping - YouTube http://bit.ly/11xt2K8
Frequently Asked Questions - EarthBox - Homegrown Vegetables Without A Garden http://bit.ly/11xtgRw
EarthBox Instructions [PDF] http://earthbox.com/earthbox-pdf/EB-WEB-INSTRUCTIONS_NEW-2.pdf
Earthbox inventor Robert Blake Whisenant | Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame http://buff.ly/1AAcstx
How to Grow Radishes
The radish belongs to the mustard, or Brassicaceae, family, which encompasses vegetables as diverse as broccoli and watercress.
Radish is a cool-season, fast-maturing, easy-to-grow vegetable. Radishes can be grown even on the smallest city lot. Radishes are easy and quick to grow. Cool weather is essential for best radish quality because they become "hot" and woody in hot weather.
October is a good time to plant winter radishes, and they are easy to grow.
Radishes in SIP
Seeds
Don’t look for radish transplants at your local nursery. Radishes, like all root crops, are best grown from seeds planted directly into the garden where they will grow.
Sow seed 1/4 inch deep in rows 12 inches or more apart. Radishes should be thinned to allow 2 to 3 inches between plants. Make several small plantings at 7-10-day intervals because radishes are in prime condition for only a few days.
Harvest radishes when roots are 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Radishes remain in edible condition for only a short time. Wash roots, trim both taproot and tops, and store in plastic bags in the refrigerator. They will keep up to a month.
When to Plant
Radishes can be classified according to the length of the growing time from sowing to harvest. Short-season cultivars are easy to grow and quick to mature. They are a joy for gardeners anxious to have fresh vegetables for a fall salad, since they are ready to harvest in only 21-30 days from the time seed is sown.
These short-season radishes require cool soil to germinate and mild air temperatures to develop well. They can be planted from October through early April (although you might have to protect young plants from freeze damage if temperatures drop into the teens during the winter).
Spring radishes should be planted from as early as the soil can be worked until mid-spring. Make successive plantings of short rows every 10 to 14 days. Plant in spaces between slow-maturing vegetables (such as broccoli and brussels sprouts) or in areas that will be used later for warm-season crops (peppers, tomatoes and squash).
Spring radishes also can be planted in late winter in a protected cold frame, window box or container in the house or on the patio.
Long-season radishes are much larger and slower to mature (50 to 70 days) than short-season varieties.
These later-maturing varieties of radishes (Icicle or French Breakfast) usually withstand heat better than the early maturing varieties and are recommended for late-spring planting for summer harvest. Winter radishes require a much longer time to mature than spring radishes and are planted at the same time as late turnips (usually midsummer to late summer).
Fertilizer
To enrich the soil, add well-rotted compost or manure and work a general-purpose fertilizer into the soil before planting the seeds.
Watering
Radishes sprout in a matter of days, but they need a constant supply of water to do so. A steady supply of water – at least an inch a week – will ensure rapid, steady growth.
Care
Radishes grow well in almost any soil that is fertilized before planting and has adequate moisture maintained.
Radishes mature rapidly under favorable conditions and should be checked often for approaching maturity. Harvest should begin as soon as roots reach edible size and should be completed quickly.
Harvesting
Pull radishes when they are of usable size (usually staring when roots are less than 1 inch in diameter) and relatively young. Proper thinning focuses the harvest and avoids disappointing stragglers that have taken too long to develop.
Winter varieties mature more slowly and should be harvested at considerably larger size. Once they reach maturity, they maintain high quality for a fairly long time in the garden, especially in cool fall weather.
Plan on sowing small amounts of seed every week or 10 days rather that raising one large crop.
Potential problems: Why do my radishes grow all tops with no root development?
There may be several reasons: seed planted too thickly and plants not thinned (extreme crowding), weather too hot for the spring varieties that do best in cool temperatures (planted too late or unseasonable weather).
Radishes may seem like a "fool-proof" vegetable to grow but as usual the reality is a little more nuanced than the theory. On several occasions, the radishes I planted in raised garden beds became "leggy", weak and never formed a bulb. There were several reasons: not enough soon, dry and compacted soil.
Planting radish in square foot garden (video):
Planting Radishes/Preparing the Soil and Seed Spacing: My 1st Vegetable Garden - MFVG - YouTube http://bit.ly/15MVhBk
Radish : Minowase, Champion & White Icicle : Growing & Harvesting
References:
Radish Essentials - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/vVUUI
Radish Varieties - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/IybF3
Radish - Vegetable Directory - Watch Your Garden Grow - University of Illinois Extension http://goo.gl/sX2Lf
Get It Growing: Radishes Are Easy To Grow - LSU AgCenter http://goo.gl/Tuwbl
Radish Growing Problems: Troubleshooting | Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/QbMIfa and How to Grow Radish | Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/QbMGEa
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Radishes: Early Season Favorite | Planet Natural http://buff.ly/1sG5X0F
Rover radishes withstand heat and can be grown in the subtropical climate of South Florida:
Radish is a cool-season, fast-maturing, easy-to-grow vegetable. Radishes can be grown even on the smallest city lot. Radishes are easy and quick to grow. Cool weather is essential for best radish quality because they become "hot" and woody in hot weather.
October is a good time to plant winter radishes, and they are easy to grow.
Radishes in SIP
Seeds
Don’t look for radish transplants at your local nursery. Radishes, like all root crops, are best grown from seeds planted directly into the garden where they will grow.
Sow seed 1/4 inch deep in rows 12 inches or more apart. Radishes should be thinned to allow 2 to 3 inches between plants. Make several small plantings at 7-10-day intervals because radishes are in prime condition for only a few days.
Harvest radishes when roots are 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Radishes remain in edible condition for only a short time. Wash roots, trim both taproot and tops, and store in plastic bags in the refrigerator. They will keep up to a month.
When to Plant
Radishes can be classified according to the length of the growing time from sowing to harvest. Short-season cultivars are easy to grow and quick to mature. They are a joy for gardeners anxious to have fresh vegetables for a fall salad, since they are ready to harvest in only 21-30 days from the time seed is sown.
These short-season radishes require cool soil to germinate and mild air temperatures to develop well. They can be planted from October through early April (although you might have to protect young plants from freeze damage if temperatures drop into the teens during the winter).
Spring radishes should be planted from as early as the soil can be worked until mid-spring. Make successive plantings of short rows every 10 to 14 days. Plant in spaces between slow-maturing vegetables (such as broccoli and brussels sprouts) or in areas that will be used later for warm-season crops (peppers, tomatoes and squash).
Spring radishes also can be planted in late winter in a protected cold frame, window box or container in the house or on the patio.
Long-season radishes are much larger and slower to mature (50 to 70 days) than short-season varieties.
These later-maturing varieties of radishes (Icicle or French Breakfast) usually withstand heat better than the early maturing varieties and are recommended for late-spring planting for summer harvest. Winter radishes require a much longer time to mature than spring radishes and are planted at the same time as late turnips (usually midsummer to late summer).
Fertilizer
To enrich the soil, add well-rotted compost or manure and work a general-purpose fertilizer into the soil before planting the seeds.
Watering
Radishes sprout in a matter of days, but they need a constant supply of water to do so. A steady supply of water – at least an inch a week – will ensure rapid, steady growth.
Care
Radishes grow well in almost any soil that is fertilized before planting and has adequate moisture maintained.
Radishes mature rapidly under favorable conditions and should be checked often for approaching maturity. Harvest should begin as soon as roots reach edible size and should be completed quickly.
Harvesting
Pull radishes when they are of usable size (usually staring when roots are less than 1 inch in diameter) and relatively young. Proper thinning focuses the harvest and avoids disappointing stragglers that have taken too long to develop.
Winter varieties mature more slowly and should be harvested at considerably larger size. Once they reach maturity, they maintain high quality for a fairly long time in the garden, especially in cool fall weather.
Plan on sowing small amounts of seed every week or 10 days rather that raising one large crop.
Potential problems: Why do my radishes grow all tops with no root development?
There may be several reasons: seed planted too thickly and plants not thinned (extreme crowding), weather too hot for the spring varieties that do best in cool temperatures (planted too late or unseasonable weather).
Radishes may seem like a "fool-proof" vegetable to grow but as usual the reality is a little more nuanced than the theory. On several occasions, the radishes I planted in raised garden beds became "leggy", weak and never formed a bulb. There were several reasons: not enough soon, dry and compacted soil.
Planting radish in square foot garden (video):
Planting Radishes/Preparing the Soil and Seed Spacing: My 1st Vegetable Garden - MFVG - YouTube http://bit.ly/15MVhBk
Radish : Minowase, Champion & White Icicle : Growing & Harvesting
References:
Radish Essentials - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/vVUUI
Radish Varieties - National Gardening Association http://goo.gl/IybF3
Radish - Vegetable Directory - Watch Your Garden Grow - University of Illinois Extension http://goo.gl/sX2Lf
Get It Growing: Radishes Are Easy To Grow - LSU AgCenter http://goo.gl/Tuwbl
Radish Growing Problems: Troubleshooting | Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/QbMIfa and How to Grow Radish | Harvest to Table http://bit.ly/QbMGEa
Vegetables for a Fall Garden in the Midwest
Radishes: Early Season Favorite | Planet Natural http://buff.ly/1sG5X0F
Rover radishes withstand heat and can be grown in the subtropical climate of South Florida:
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