Root suckers from spring-planted tomatoes to start new plants for fall harvest. Plant tomatoes for fall harvest in mid- to late-summer in regions where frost does not come until very late autumn or early winter. Use suckers cut from spring-planted tomatoes to start new plants. A sucker is 4 to 5 inches of new growth
Herb flavored vinegar can be made with lemon thyme. Add herbs to wine or cider vinegar to make herb-flavored vinegar. Basil, chervil, chives, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage, and tarragon are ten common herbs well-suited for making flavored vinegars. Use herb-flavored vinegars in salad dressings, marinades, for flavoring soups, or in any almost any
Black garden fabric attracts solar heat to warm the soil and will keep melons and squash off the soil and away from disease. Melons, squash, and cucumbers grow best where the summer is hot, dry, and almost always sunny. The best flavored of these gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) crops will come from the hottest growing regions.
Radish salad combines the crisp, juicy, mild flavor of the radish roots with the tender peppery flavor of young radish leaves—or use spinach, arugula, or leaf lettuce; all ready for the table just before summer. Radish salad is one of my late spring fresh from the garden favorites. The end of spring—just as cool weather
Canning is the best way to enjoy fresh, flavorful garden-grown tomatoes long after harvest time. Canned tomatoes are ideal for use in soups, stews, and casseroles. You will need 22 pounds of fresh tomatoes for a canner load of 7 quarts and 14 pounds of fresh tomatoes for a canner load of 9 pints. That’s
Seed catalogs arrive and garden planning for next spring and summer can begin in late autumn and winter. Choosing Seed. Choose seed from seed companies that are long on information; look for seed packets or seed catalogs that tell you what it takes to start seeds and grow plants: germination temperature and days to germination
Soil pH Test Kit Soil pH is the measure of the relative amount of soil acidity or alkalinity. A soil’s acidity or alkalinity can influence the availability of elements or mineral nutrients in the soil that support plant life and growth. Plant roots absorb the molecular forms of soil nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus
Add peat moss to lower soil pH The results of a soil pH test will indicate how acid or alkaline your soil is. Organic soil amendments are the best way to adjust soil pH. Adjusting soil pH is not an exact science and takes time. A pH test number that is more than 0.5 on
Vegetables and other plants grow best when the soil pH is optimal for the plants being grown. It is important to match a plant to the soil pH or to adjust the soil pH to a plant’s needs. Soil pH is the measure of the soil’s acidity or alkalinity. Soil acidity and alkalinity is measured
Leaves in wire cylinder will decompose into leaf mold–a soil conditioner and mulch. Leaf mold is shredded flakes of partially decomposed leaves and tree litter. It is brownish black and on its way to becoming humus, one of the building blocks of great soil. Leaf mold can be used as a soil conditioner or as
