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Hello,
Today we have two interesting articles by Ellen Brown. The first is Autumn Ladybug Invasions, it's worth checking out, especially if you have struggled with this problem. The second one is called Planning and Rotating Your Crops, which is also a great read, especially for those that are new to gardening.
We don't have any new pest guides or growing guides this week, we just ran out of time, but Ellen does answer more of your questions.
Happy Gardening!
Susan
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Today's Tips and Articles
Preserving Okra
Question:I am looking for ways to preserve Okra.Thanks
Answer:Rosa,Here are a few different options for preserving okra: Canning: Use tender, young pods for canning. Remove and discard pods showing signs of disease or rust spots. You should plan on about 11 pounds of okra for every 7 quarts canned (7 pounds per 9 pints). Wash the pods and trim off the ends. You can either leave them whole or cut them into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a large saucepan and cover them with hot water. Boil for 2 minutes before draining. Fill jars with hot okra and cooking liquid, leaving 1-inch of headspace. If desired, add salt to taste. Freezing: The smooth type varieties freeze as well as, or better than, the ridged varieties because they do not split as easily. Wash. Remove the stems at the end of the seed cells, being careful not to expose the seed cell. Water blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Leave whole or slice crosswise. Package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze. To freeze for frying: Wash and remove stems. Blanch small pods 3 minutes and large pods 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Slice crosswise and dredge with meal or flour. Spread in a single layer on shallow trays. Place in freezer just long enough to freeze firm. Package quickly leaving _-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze. Drying-Dry in a dehydrator 4 to 6 hours or 6 to 10 hours in an oven on a low setting. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Autumn Ladybug Invasions
By Ellen Brown Ladybug beetles, also known as Asian Lady Beetles or Ladybird beetles, are a gardener's best friend in the spring and summer months. In the world of beneficial garden insects, you won't find a better predator when it comes to controlling soft-bodied pest like aphids and scale. By the time fall rolls around, however, these insect friends start wearing out their welcome when they begin to congregate on the sides of buildings and invading our indoor environments. Read Full Article: Click Here |
Growing Lilacs in the Mountains
Question:We have a cabin up in the mountains at this location. It is about 9000' above sea level. The ground totally freezes in the winter and is usually covered with snow until mid May. Will lilac bushes grow here?Hardiness Zone: 6a Thank you.
Answer:Kathryn,Colorado State University recommends two types of lilacs for mountain altitudes. Common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) should grow to 9,000 ft. The same is true for the Preston or Canadian lilac (syringa x prestoniae). Both require full sun exposure, have light to moderate moisture requirements and grow up to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The common lilac is slightly more upright and vase-shaped, whereas the Canadian lilac has more of an oval shape with upright branches. Both shrubs come in a variety of colors. Before purchasing young shrubs, I would recommend contacting your local county extension agency. They may be able to provide you with more information on how these lilacs perform in your specific growing area. There are a number of important aspects to consider when growing plants at higher altitudes. Exposure to wind can also determine whether a tree or shrub will survive higher elevations. Lilac flowers are sensitive to frost, so a sheltered site at your elevation would probably be best. The length of your frost-free period matters, too. Some shrubs may survive at a given elevation, but they may not produce flowers if the frost-free period is too short. Roots can be mulched to help delay freezing of the soil in the fall and also to retain moisture. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Make Your Own Seed Tapes
This Is Great For Small Seeds! Ingredients
Directions Dissolve cornstarch and water in saucepan Put pan over heat and stir so mixture wont get lumpy. When the mixture begins to boil and thicken remove from heat and let cool. Cut paper towels lengthwise in one-inch-wide strips. Using a ruler mark with your pencil the recommended spacing between plants. When the cornstarch has cooled, spoon into freezer bag. Force the mixture into one corner of the freezer bag & snip the tip. Squeeze the bag to place a dot of cornstarch at every pencil mark on paper towels. Place your seeds at every dot of cornstarch, let the seed tape dry for an hour or so. Roll up and store in plastic bag until ready to plant. When you are ready to plant, cover tape with soil and water thoroughly! By MARIANN Post Feedback: Click Here |
Growing Herbs in the Winter
Question:Can oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, sage, etc. be grown indoors in a home during the winter months in the midwest? Do I need special lights or would window light do?Hardiness Zone: 6b Dorothy from Northville, MI Answer:Dorothy,When it comes to growing them indoors, not all herbs are created equal. Scented geranium, mint, rosemary, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, chives, garlic and oregano are all considered easy to grow. If you have a south-facing window that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, you should have few problems (mint, parsley and rosemary can tolerate somewhat less light). Others, like basil, need longer light conditions when grown indoors (16 hours per day) than can usually be obtained during a Midwest winter. They also like temperatures around 65ºF to 75ºF degrees. Grow lights can easily compensate for this if you have the space to set them up. You don't need special plant grow lights for this. You can use standard fluorescent tubes designed for room or shop lighting. Don't use regular incandescent lighting-the color spectrum isn't right. When your herbs are seedlings, keep the lights as close as you can to them without touching them. Watch them closely and raise the lights as they grow and turn the seedlings every other day to ensure even growth. Plan on replacing the lights when they reach 70% of their stated service life. By that time, they'll be delivering as much as 15% less light than when they are new. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Cracked Cantaloupes
Question:I am growing cantaloupes for the first time and every time the melon starts to get big, it cracks and gets invaded with ants. Any suggestions on what I should do to prevent this?Hardiness Zone: 8b Gwyn from Foresthill, CA Answer:Gwyn,Cracking is a problem commonly face by gardeners growing all types of melons. Like all melons, cantaloupes need a constant supply of soil moisture when they are becoming established, and throughout their growth and fruit development stages. If cantaloupes are grown in poorly drained soil, they may split or crack if excessive moisture is persistent at maturity. They may also crack when heavy rain or irrigation follows a dry spell-regardless of how well drained the soil is. Maintaining even soil moisture levels throughout the growing season is the key to avoiding this problem. Cantaloupe crops should not be irrigated when the melons are ripening. Not only will this cause some of the melons to split and crack, but it will also result in lower sugar content and less sweet tasting melons. Sometimes weather conditions make controlling soil moisture difficult. Certain varieties (e.g. Earliqueen, Athena) have been developed to produce rinds that are less resistant to cracking. There are many to choose from, so ask your favorite nursery or seed company what they recommend. Using black plastic or mulch will also help control weeds and moisture levels, as well as keeping soil temperatures nice and warm. Good luck!
Post Feedback: Click Here |
Attaching Seeds To Planting Paper
Question:I would like to make my own plantable paper and put my own wildflower, or lavender seeds on the paper. How do I keep the seeds from falling off? MaryLynn from Saskatoon, SKAnswer:MaryLynn, If the seeds are added during the papermaking process, they will become imbedded in the layers of pulp as the paper dries. Here are some directions for making plantable paper.Directions:
For great gifts, use cookie cutters or stencils to trace holiday shapes. Cut them out and attach a ribbon for thoughtful gifts that last beyond the holiday season. Other uses for home made paper include scrapbooks, stationary and note cards, journal or photo album covers, lampshades, etc. Don't forget to include the planting instructions! Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Planning and Rotating Your Crops
By Ellen Brown One of the best ways to maximize vegetable garden production, while minimizing problems with pests and disease is by practicing crop rotation-planting your crops in a different place in the garden each year. Rotating your crops is easy. All it requires is dividing your garden into sections, keeping a few planting notes and knowing which of your garden vegetables are closely related. Read Full Article: Click Here |
| Using Solar Lights in the Garden
Now that the weather is getting cooler we spend less time outside. If you have solar lights, the ones that have a central solar panel and hook together with wires, put your central panel where it will get sun during the day. Place the lights among your house plants, I take the stakes out of mine. Or put them to highlight another spot in your house. At night you get soft ambient light that makes your plants glow. Post Feedback: Click Here |
Marigold Flower Tips
Question:Could someone give me Marigold Tips? I really like them, they remind me fall mums but I have know luck with mums. If I plant now, how long will it take them to bloom? Any tips?Hardiness Zone: 6a Autumn from Missouri Answer:Autumn,I really like them too. They are wonderfully frost hardy well into fall, and they make great companion plants in the vegetable garden. Unfortunately, it's a bit late to think about planting marigold seedlings outdoors, but if you can tolerate their rather strong fragrance, you could always try to grow some indoors. You'll probably need to grow them under almost constant light using fluorescent lights to get them to bloom, but if you have the space, growing annuals indoors is always an interesting experiment, and when it works it's a fun way to bring some color indoors in the winter. There are three main type of marigold: African, French and Triploid. African cultivars usually require 2 weeks longer to reach a flowering stage than the French and Triploid varieties-usually around 11-12 weeks. French cultivars are a bit faster at 7 to 9 weeks and Triploids a bit faster yet at 7 to 8 weeks. When spring rolls around again, sow seeds directly in the ground and cover them with about 1/4 inch of soil. Water thoroughly. Thin seedlings to 8-18 inches apart after they sprout. Marigolds can also be started early indoors for transplanting outdoors about six to eight weeks before the last frost date. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Our Mulch Had Poison Ivy In It
Question:I held a wedding reception at our home a few years ago. The guys put mulch around the trees and house. I found out the mulch also had poison ivy in it. Now the trees and yard are covered with the stuff and I'm severely allergic to it. What can I use to kill it off with out hurting the trees and grass?Hardiness Zone: 5-6 Nellie from Franklin, IN Answer:Nellie,Unfortunately, I can't think of a product that will selectively kill poison ivy without damaging your trees and grass. Poison ivy is difficult to eradicate, especially if you're severely allergic to it. Still, it's not impossible, but it will take persistence. When working around it, cover yourself from head to toe in heavy clothing. Wear plastic bags over your shoes and change your clothes frequently, scrubbing yourself down with soap and water in-between changes of clothes. Wear gloves on your hands that you can dispose of after use. Also, as you work with the plants, put one of your gloved hands inside a large trash bag so you can use the bag like an outer glove. As you gather up roots and stems, fold the garbage bag over them to minimize contact with clothing. Poison ivy can produce an allergic reaction in any season, but the safest time to work on getting rid of it is in the fall or spring when the leaves are gone and the plant is in its dormant stage. Try clipping the vines down to within 1 inch of the ground and never let them grow any higher. The poison ivy will continue to send up shoots, but the over time the plant will become weakened from a lack of above ground foliage. In the spring when the ground has thawed but the plant is still dormant, try pulling or digging out the roots in areas where there are only small patches. You can mark these areas with stakes now so you can identify their locations in the spring. Where possible, it can also help to cover areas with black plastic sheeting. The plastic should be secured tightly and left for several months; this includes wrapping it around tree trunks covered in the vines. Don't ever mow the plants, as broken bits of the stems, leaves and roots all contain the noxious oils. Don't burn any of the plants, either. The resulting smoke can cause severe lung damage if inhaled. Good luck!
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| City Water Has Been Bad For My Plants
I have a problem. We live in the city and use city water. Apparently the water is high in something, calcium maybe, because all of my plants get a white crust around them that they didn't have when I lived in the country and used well water. (I had to give up my aquarium because of this awful white build-up.) We don't get enough rain to be able to collect rain water as an alternative. Is there anything I can do or add to the water to stop this from happening? I had some beautiful plants when I moved here 3 years ago, and now almost every one of them is dead or dying. Help! Post Feedback: Click Here |
| How can I grow moss?
How can I grow moss? Without having to use my wife's blender... Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Gnats in Potting Soil
Has anyone ever had problems with gnats in their potting soil? I recently opened a bag of potting soil and used it to sow some spinach seeds in a pot indoors, and now little tiny gnats are all over the place. I tried spraying the top of the soil with insecticidal soap, but that didn't kill them. I spend a lot of time squishing them with my finger. Help! Post Feedback: Click Here |
| When should I lay new sod grass?
When should I lay new sod grass, fall or spring? Post Feedback: Click Here |
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