Vegetable Gardening

Vegetable Gardening By Bruce Houston

Successful vegetable gardening involves far more than just popping a few seeds into the ground and waiting for a tomato to appear. I'll briefly cover the basics of vegetable garden design, but you might also want to get some gardening books.

Planning your garden is one of the most important parts of vegetable gardening, and it's quite simple. Whether it's a vegetable garden, a flowerbed, indoor houseplants, or some combination, successful gardening requires planning, patience, and a little detective work. Whatever you do, do not choose garden soil, no matter how rich it might be, for indoor vegetable gardening! No matter what gardening zone your garden is located in there are catalogues with myriad variety of vegetables. Use these vegetable gardening tips to prepare your garden and keep your home full of fresh vegetables. Preparing your garden soil for planting is the most physically demanding part of vegetable gardening and may also be the most important part.

The patios and balconies of apartment buildings and condominiums often have good exposure for container vegetable gardening. Container gardening makes it possible to position the vegetables in areas where they can receive the best possible growing conditions. Container gardening can provide you with fresh vegetables as well as recreation and exercise. Although vegetable production will be limited by the number and the size of the containers, this form of gardening can be rewarding. Soilless mixes such as a peat-lite mix are generally too light for container vegetable gardening, since they usually will not support plant roots sufficiently. MEDIA A fairly lightweight potting mix is needed for container vegetable gardening. Soil Conditions The right type of soil for the right type of plant is key to successful vegetable gardening. Clay and sandy soils must be modified for successful vegetable gardening. Proper fertilization is another important key to successful vegetable gardening.

Buy seeds, seed starting kits and gardening supplies for vegetable gardens. If you are new to gardening, starting vegetables from seed may be too huge an undertaking, instead purchase plants. Practice crop rotation in your vegetable gardening by planting tomatoes and other vegetables in a different spot every year. Mulches can be used effectively in all types of gardening situations from vegetable gardens to flower gardens and even around trees and shrubs. I know an eyebrow or two might be raised at the suggestion of indoor vegetable gardening, but it can be done, within limits.

Added to the pleasure of gardening will be satisfaction derived from relishing vegetables freshly picked from your very own plot. Learning is a process, vegetable gardening needs time. As in so many other pursuits, so it is in the art of vegetable gardening: practice does make perfect.

Gardening Tools

Gardening Tools - An Overview By David Chandler

Most people know very well about the rules and regulations to keep your plants to grow healthy in your garden. For getting sustainable growth from your garden plants, they do require good soil quality, sun light and sufficient water. Although these items have been gifted by nature, gardening tools are necessary to upkeep your garden. Good gardening tools will assist you in taking care of your plants as well as cultivating good growing conditions, thus having a positive effect on your plant's health.

Defective gardening tools can be detrimental to your garden and to you. Defective gardening tools can cause injury to your plants or injury to yourself. Gardeners should find the best quality garden tool that they can afford. Once you have labeled your garden tool as “the best”, it implies that the tool provides quality work for which it was designed for and with the least labor possible.

Below is a list of some common garden tools and their uses.

Lawnmowers

Luxus Push Reel Mower rated as best by the gardening aficionados provides large top cover that protects overhanging flowers and shrubs. Another special gardening tool called American Lawn Mower Deluxe has also been accredited as best, which will be helpful to operate on elbow grease alone and causing no pollution. However, this is not conducive for too tall grasses.

Garden Shredders

In general, all garden shredders have a high watt motor and come with silent crushing system. This kind of gardening tool accelerates your shredding activity. Gardening shredders with an electric shredder are easy to assemble and aids in tree pruning with maximum of 40 mm. The garden shredder also aids in shredding debris from punning your hedges. This gardening tool is considered the best among all the garden shredders since it is available with a plunger for increased portability and built-in wheels.

Cultivators

These modern gardening tools are available with patented tines to help in cutting the hard compacted soil smoothly. Cultivators are available with a free border edger. It is perfect to use in cleaning the moss, aerating and in thatching. This garden tool helps extensively in preparing vegetable plots, flowerbeds, etc.

Leaf sweeper

These gardening tools are extensively used for smaller lawns. It is having an infinite height adjustment with 200-liter collector.

Edge Trimmer

The gardening equipment reviewers have also accredited this gardening tool as important equipment. This aids in trimming the hedges and aids in plant pruning.

Spading fork
This is a wonderful gardening tool used for aerating and transplanting. By using this gardening tool, it is possible to perform splitting grasses and perennials. In addition, this garden tool can be used as a manure fork, mulch fork, and sorting hay.

Mattock

Mattock is an important gardening tool for breaking up the clay soils and working around established trees with the roots. There is no need to have a pick and a hoe, if you have a mattock.

Before you leave the garden center, it is highly advisable to have a look at this checklist of gardening tools and confirm if you have all the gardening tools you need to make your garden picture perfect.

A Tree Planting Guide

A Tree Planting Guide By Tom K. Kelly

When planting trees, the first thing you need to take into consideration before choosing a location is the mature height and spread of the tree. Though you may be tempted by all the different species that are available, take care to choose carefully, especially if you have an average size yard, because crowding spoils the growth and appearance of trees, particularly specimen trees.

It is typically most economical to plant young trees. Planting a mature tree is difficult and can be expensive if done professionally. It may well justify the expense, however, if a mature tree is badly needed for a terrace or for screening. What you are paying or is the time it takes a smaller tree to mature.

The best time to transplant a tree is in the early spring or late fall. You can plant trees in full leaf with the aid of wilt-proof sprays that seal the leaves against moisture loss until the roots are established, but this costs money and entails greater risks than buying your tree and planting it in early spring.

When planting a tree over 6 feet in height, it will suffer less setback if moved with a bur lapped root ball.

Since the root system needs fertile soil when it is planted, special steps should be taken. Dig the hole 2 feet deep and at least 1 foot wider than the full spread of the roots in each direction. The bottom should be broken up with a pitchfork and thoroughly mixed with peat, leaf mold, loam, etc.

Manure can be used sparingly and should only be spread on the top of the hole or it can burn the roots. The deeper you cultivate the hole, the better for your tree. Once planted, you can cultivate around it but not under the roots. If you hit a layer of building debris or clay, which is not at all uncommon near a house, you must remove this layer and replace it with good soil, or better still, garden humus.

If you are planting a bare root seedling, you will want to protect it by "heeling in" a vacant flower bed where it may be kept before planting as long as it is dormant.

This means laying it on its side at an angle to the ground and covering the roots with good soil. When you are ready to take it from the soil, give it a mud bath or "puddle" it. This protects the roots from exposure to air before planting and also from any air pockets which may exist around the roots after planting. After filling the hole to the depth required by the roots of the plant, flood it with water to settle the soil at the bottom; when this has drained away, place the tree in the position in which it is to grow and fill in the soil around it.

Work the soil around the roots using a stick or shovel handle, and make certain there are no air pockets. Spread the roots naturally, planting the tree at around the same depth as its former location. When the hole is two-thirds, of the way full, tramp it down and fill with water again. Fill in the remaining soil without tramping it down, so that the water will drain towards the trunk.

A balled-and-bur lapped tree is one that has been dug with a solid ball of soil in which it has been growing in, its root system is thus amply covered and protected. The ball is held in place by a secure covering of burlap and twine. To plant it, set the tree in a hole slightly lower than it stood in the nursery. Work the soil beneath this depth, as described previously.

If the ground is dry, fill the hole with water and let it soak in before planting. Cut the burlap at the top when you put the tree in place, and roll it back a few inches. You will plant the burlap and all. The burlap will soon rot away.

After the tree is planted you can cut it back sharply. If necessary brace the tree with wire ropes. For the first year, the more cultivation around the tree the better, keeping weeds away, too, with straw or mulch, in the spring and fall will help keep the moisture in the ground.

Planting a Grape Vine

Planting a Grape Vine By Danie Wium Danie Wium Level: Basic PLUS Danie has been growing grapes for more than a decade and owns an export table grape farm in South Africa. He is the author of ... ...

You have prepared your site; you have decided what variety to grow; now it is time to plant your grape vine! Well, unfortunately, this is where many home grape growers terribly fail!

Planting a grape vine is not hard, if fact, it is one of the easiest fruits to get started, but there are a few key things to remember when planting your grape vine.

1. The planting hole

In the early days, before research proofed this method wrong, planting grape vines, by adding fertilizer and all kinds of stuff into the planting hole, was a well-known practice? Research showed, that a grape vine sprouts from energy within the vine itself, and do not actually use any fertilizer until the vine reach about 2 to 3 inch shoot length. By adding fertilizer directly into the planting hole, or directly on the roots of the vines could damage (scourge) the roots.

With knowledge/information you gained from soil samples, you should fertilize and correct all mineral shortages BEFORE you prepare your vineyard site and then plant your grape vine. This will mix all the fertilizer with the soil and will not damage the roots of your grape vine.

Make a large enough hole to accommodate all the roots from the cutting and do not cut or remove any roots - the more roots, the better the chance of successfully planting your grape vine.

2. Preparing the new vine before planting

Before planting your grape vine, you should plunge the complete vine into a bucket of water for at least six hours. Under no circumstances, let the roots of the vine dry out - this is very important! If you are planting a few hundred vines, cover the vines not planted yet with a damp gunny bag or something similar.

3. Watering the vine

Before you plant the grape vine, you should thoroughly water the planting hole and ensure that the water deeply penetrates the sidewall of the planting hole.

Constantly add water to the planting hole while filling the hole with water to ensure that no air pockets forms near the roots of the vines. Water your grape vine once a week for at least a month after planting the grape vine.

Following these simple rules when planting a grape vine, will guarantee a much higher success rate.

Basic Gardening

Basic Gardening - Planting Bulbs By Jonathan Johnson

Spring flower bulb planting in the fall is fast, easy and a nearly foolproof way to add color to your garden. By following a few simple steps you should enjoy your spring and summer bulb garden for years to come. Here are a few basic guidelines. Spring flowering bulbs need to be planted in the fall before the first hard freeze. Subsequent cold weather will sustain the bulbs' dormancy period required to stimulate root growth and spring flowering. If you have purchased your bulbs early in the fall it is ok to store them unpackaged in a cool dry place between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days. For extended periods store them in your refrigerator, but keep them away from ripening fruit as the ethylene released by the fruit can damage your bulbs. When planning a new bulb garden site keep in mind the following:

• Mass or cluster plantings in round or curved shapes create the best color impact.
• Bulbs do not like “wet feet”.
• Make sure the area you are planting has good soil drainage. Do not plant in areas where the soil stays constantly damp. Make sure the area gets plenty of the sunlight in the spring.
• Read the label or planting guide supplied with the bulbs. Many varieties of bulbs will be taller than others, so it is important to plant the shorter ones in the front of the bed.

Prepare your flowerbed by spading or roto-tilling to a depth of 8-10 inches. If you have sandy soil it is a good idea to mix in some compost, shredded leaves or peat moss. For heavy, clay soils, the addition of coarse sand or peat moss will improve drainage. Once the soil is ready for planting, follow these guidelines when planting your bulbs:

• Refer to your planting guide to determine proper planting depth and spacing for each type of bulb. If no information is available a general guideline is to plant a bulb 3 times as deep as its diameter. By varying your planting depth a little you can get bulbs of the same variety to flower at different times instead of all at once.
• Make a hole for the bulb using a trowel, shovel or with the handle of a garden tool. Place the bulb pointed side up firmly in the bottom of the hole and gently cover the bulb with soil.
• Cottage Farms always recommends mulching immediately since mulch shades and cools the soil, helps prevent weeds and provides organic matter for the soil.
• Water your bulbs in thoroughly the day of planting. If the fall or winter is very dry, an occasional watering would be helpful. During the growing season make sure they receive at least 1-inch of rain or equivalent watering per week.

When your bulbs start actively growing in the spring it is recommended to fertilize every two to three weeks with a water soluble fertilizer like Cottage Farms' Bud-N-Bloom Booster. Such feeding should be done in early spring / summer to promote flowering and superior bulb growth. After your bulbs have bloomed and the petals really begin to fade you may want to remove the flower spike to prevent seeding (which takes away nutrients needed for next year blooms). Allow the leaves to die back and dry up before removing. This is an essential part of a bulbs life cycle in preparation of winter dormancy and next year's growth.

Moon Gardening

Moon Gardening: Planting by Moonlight By Eugene DeFazzio

Moon Phases and Planting

Planting by the phases of the moon is a method of cultivation as old as agriculture and civilization. Based both in tradition and superstition, the character and growth traits of plants were seen to vary with the phases of the moon. Through the corridors of time this rhythm of growth was recorded and passed down to following generations.

Today we have access to this half forgotten knowledge and what has endured is a schedule of plant growth that we can use just as those gardeners of yore. It is an example of mankinds struggle to understand and harness the forces of nature and in so doing master this world.

Moon, Tides, Seeds and Water

The Earth is in a gravity well that is constantly altered by both the sun, moon and planets. The ocean tides are at their highest during the time of the full moon, when the sun and moon are lined up with the earth. The ancients believed that as the moon draws the tides in the seas, it also draws upon all water, causing moisture to swell up in the earth, which promotes growth. This is the best time for planting seeds.

The Full Moon: A window of opportunity for planting seeds

When the moon is full the lunar gravity draws water up and causes seeds to germinate. It was also believed, in ancient times, that the increasing moonlight created balanced root and leaf growth. This, they thought, was the best time for planting above ground annual crops that produce their seeds outside the fruit. Examples of such crops are lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and grain crops. Through time and trials cucumbers were thought to like this phase also, even though they are an exception to the rule.

The Second Quarter Moon: A window of opportunity for planting above ground crops

In the second quarter moon (i.e. waxing half moon) the pull of gravity is less, but the moonlight is substantial and on the increase, which was believed to encourage strong leaf growth. It was generally considered a good time for most types of planting and the prime time for this was usually two days before the full moon. The types of crops that prefer the second quarter moon are annuals that produce their fruits above the ground, but the seeds form inside the fruit, such as beans, melons, peas, peppers, squash, and tomatoes.

The Third Quarter Moon: A window of opportunity for planting root crops

When the moon enters the third quarter its light is diminishing (i.e. waning half moon), the light energy is dwindling. But during this time the gravitational pull is still quite high, creating increased moisture in the soil. Also, at this time the moonlight is decreasing, which our forefathers believed was putting energy into the roots. This was thought to be an excellent time for planting root crops which include beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, and peanuts. It is also considered a good time for planting perennials, biennials, bulbs and transplanting because of the active root growth. Pruning is also best done in the third quarter moon.

The New Moon: An opportunity for maintaining the garden

At the time of the new moon both the gravitational pull and the moonlight are decreasing and was thus considered a resting period. Growth during this period was believed to be stable and steady providing strength to the plants and a good time for maintenance. This was predicted to be the best time to cultivate, harvest, transplant and prune.

Brother Sun and Sister Moon

The role of the sun and the moon in agriculture is undeniable. The sun powers the forces of growth and the moon enhances or discourages the various stages of plant formation. This was believed by many generations of gardeners to be the ultimate guide to robust crops. We can either accept or omit this system of understanding the nature of plant maturation but in the end we are but stewards in this cycle of life.

Spring Planting Tips

Spring Planting Tips By Michael McGroarty

Spring means that the garden centers are packed with people, and car trunks are packed with plants. Everybody has dirt on their knees, dirt under their nails, and is excited about gardening. To make certain that this excitement yields positive results, let's discuss the basics in this article of spring planting tips.

Installing new plants and having them grow successfully is not difficult, nor is it as complicated as some would have you think. Is it as easy as just digging a hole and setting the plant in? Yes, it certainly can be. I won't get into bed preparation, as I have covered that in other articles that are available at http://www.freeplants.com

Let's start with B&B plants. B&B is short for balled in burlap. Closely examine the ball on the plant that you have purchased. Did the diggers wrap twine around the ball to hold the plant secure? If they did, you should at least cut the twine and lay it in the bottom of the hole, or remove it completely. Pay close attention around the stem of the plant where it emerges from the root ball, as diggers often wrap the twine around the stem several times as they tie the ball. This is extremely important because if the string is nylon, it will not rot and will girdle and kill the plant two or three years from now.

When B&B plants are stored in the nursery for extended periods of time it becomes necessary to re-burlap them if the bottom starts to rot before the plants are sold. If the plant that you buy has been re-burlaped it is possible that there could be nylon stings between the two layers of burlap, so check the stem carefully. As long as the nylon string is removed from around the stem of the plant, it is actually harmless around the rest of the ball, and you do not have to remove it.

Is the root ball wrapped in genuine burlap, or imitation burlap made of a non-biodegradable plastic material?

Genuine burlap will rot quickly underground and does not have to be disturbed before planting. If you're not sure or suspect a poly type burlap, you don't have to remove it completely, but should loosen it around the stem of the plant and cut some vertical slices around the circumference of the ball.

Now here's the critical part. What kind of soil are you planting in?

If your soil is heavy clay, I highly suggest that you raise the planting bed at least 8” with good rich topsoil. If you can't do that for some reason, install the plant so that at least 2” or more of the root ball is above the existing grade and mound the soil over the root ball. Keep in mind that plants installed this way could dry out over the summer, but planting them flush with the ground in heavy clay can mean that the roots will be too wet at other times of the year.

The “experts” suggest that when planting in clay soil you dig the hole wider and deeper than the root ball and fill around and under the plant with loose organic material. That sounds like a really great idea, doesn't it? Some of these experts also recommend that you dig the hole extra deep and put a few inches of gravel in the bottom for drainage. Where do you suppose they think this water is going to “drain” to?

Keep in mind that most B&B plants are grown in well drained soil. That means that the soil in the root ball is porous and water can easily pass through. Now imagine if you will, a root ball about 15” in diameter, setting in a hole 30” in diameter. All around and under that root ball is loose organic matter. Inside of that root ball is porous soil. Now along comes Mother Nature with a torrential downpour. There is water everywhere, and it is not going to soak into that hard packed clay soil, so it is just flowing across the top of the ground searching for the lowest point.

When it reaches our newly planted tree surrounded by loose organic matter, it is going to seep in until the planting hole is completely full of water. (Remember my article on getting rid of standing water and the French drain system?) By using this planting technique we have actually created a French drain around our poor little plant that cannot tolerate its roots being without oxygen for long periods of time. Because the bottom of this hole is clay, even though we've added gravel for drainage, there is nowhere for the water to go, and this plant is going to suffer and likely die.

If you cannot raise the planting bed with topsoil, and are planting in clay soil, I recommend that you install the root ball at least 2” above grade and backfill around the ball with the soil that you removed when you dug the hole. Backfilling with the clay soil that you removed is actually like building a dam to keep excess water from permeating the root ball of your newly planted tree. The plant is not going to thrive in this poor soil, but at least it will have a chance to survive.

Once again, raising the bed with good rich topsoil is the best thing you can do to keep your plants healthy and happy.

No matter what kind of soil you have, be careful not to install your plants too deep. They should never be planted any deeper than they were grown in the nursery. Planting too deep is a common problem, and thousands of plants are killed each year by gardeners who just don't understand how critical planting depth is.

Staking newly planted trees is always a good idea. If your new tree constantly rocks back and forth when the wind blows it will have a very difficult time establishing new roots into the existing soil. Stabilize the tree with a stake. You can use a wooden stake, a fence post, or for small trees I often use 1/2” electro magnetic tubing, (conduit), available at any hardware store.

You can secure the tree to the stake with a single wrap of duct tape. In about six months or a year the sun will dry the glue on the duct tape and it will fall off. Check the tape to make sure that it has fallen off. You don't want to girdle the tree with the tape.

Container grown plants are much easier. Follow the rules for depth of planting as described earlier. Before gently removing the plant from the container, check the drain holes in the bottom of the container for roots that might be growing out the holes. If so, cut them off so they will not make it difficult to get the plant out of the container.

The easiest way to remove the plant from the container is to place your hand over the top of the container and turn it completely upside down and give it a gentle shake. The plant should slide right into your hand.

Examine the root mass as you hold it in your hand. Sometimes when plants have been growing in a container for a long time the roots start to grow in a circular pattern around the root mass. This is not good, and you should disturb these roots before planting so you can break this circular pattern. You can take a knife and actually make about three vertical slices from the top of the root mass to the bottom. This will stimulate new roots that will grow outward into the soil of your garden. Or you can just take your fingers and loosen the roots that are circling the root mass and force them outward before you plant them.

What about fertilizer, bone meal, peat moss, and all those other additives they are going to try and sell you at the garden center?

Raise your planting beds with good rich topsoil and forget about the additives. Be very careful with fertilizers, they can do more harm than good. I landscaped my house 14 years ago and I haven't got around to fertilizing the plants yet, and have no intention of doing so. They look great.

As far as bone meal and all those other soil additives are concerned, don't get too caught up in all that stuff. The only thing that I know for sure is that they will make your wallet thinner, but I don't think you'll see a difference in your plants. Over the years I've landscaped several hundred homes with fantastic results, and I never added any of these additives to my planting beds.

Did I mention planting in good rich topsoil? That's the secret!