Do you know your soil?

Soil testing reveals the composition of soil as well as the nutrients it contains.

If soil is lacking in nutrients or is too acidic or alkaline, it can affect the soil

fertility. Soil testing offers insight to help amend soil PH levels. These

amendments will help grow more crops and healthier plants. Testing the

soil is also critical in preventing over-fertilization, which causes weak growth

of crops. With proper fertilization, you can ensure a stable growth of plants

and also prevent contamination of your groundwater.

Happy Gardening! Terry

Soil must contain three essential nutrients in order for plants to thrive--

nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These three nutrients are represented

by the three numbers on the front of every fertilizer bag. Purchasing the

proper fertilizer allows you to add only the nutrients your soil needs. Soil

test kits are available at any greenhouse/garden center store to test the nutrient

levels in your soil so that you can formulate the proper fertilization plan

The soil test results will tell you

• soil pH;
• levels of potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg),
• and sulfur (S);
• organic matter level;
• whether there is lead contamination (for health reasons, all soil samples
• from home gardens and lawns are measured for lead content);
• how much lime and fertilizer (organic or chemical) to add; and
• other management tips for growing your crop.

Test your soil at least once every three years. Keep the test results handy so

that you can monitor any changes in soil fertility.

You may want to test more often if you have a problem area or if you’ve

applied lots of nutrients. Some people test their soil every year to save

money on fertilizer, lime, and other soil amendments. How often you test

depends on the value of your crop and how closely you manage it.

The results of your soil test give recommendations for the next growing

season, so you should test soil well before the growing season, such as in

early spring after the frost is out of the soil, or in the fall before the ground

freezes. A soil test usually takes two to three weeks (from shipping to the

lab to return of results). The results will be the same whether you test in

spring or in fall, but with fall sampling, you will get results back in plenty

of time for planting.

Strawberries Galore!

Choosing Strawberry Plants

There are basically 3 types of strawberry plants to choose from: June bearing,
Everbearing and Day Neutral.

June Bearing strawberries produce a single, large crop per year during a

2 - 3 week period in the spring. June bearers are the traditionally grown plants,

producing a single flush of flowers and many runners. They are classified into

early, mid-season and late varieties. The largest fruits are generally from June

bearing varieties.

Everbearing strawberries produce two to three harvests of fruit intermittently

during the spring, summer and fall. Everbearing plants do not send out many

runners.

Day Neutral strawberries will produce fruit throughout the growing season.

These strawberries also produce few runners. Everbearing and day neutral

strawberries are great when space is limited, but the fruits are usually somewhat

smaller than June bearers

Land Preparation

Strawberries grow best on soils having high organic matter

content and high fertility levels. In raised bed situations, extra

organic matter such as compost, peat,or well-rotted straw and

manure can be incorporated. In the early spring before planting,

the strawberry bed should be fertilized by working in two pounds

of 6-24-24 or an equivalent analysis fertilizer per 100 square

feet. Work this into the top 6 inches of soil. High levels of

phosphates and potash are desirable for best fruit production.

The ground should be worked as soon as possible in the spring,

and the plants should be set early in order to obtain the best

growth and plant production in in the first year.

Planting

Rows should be spaced 36 to 48 inches apart depending upon

the space available in the garden and the intensity of culture

that is practiced. Plants should be set 15 to 24 inches apart

in-row. Wider spacings should be used for earlier plantings

and the narrower space for later plantings. Plants should be

set with the crown (the fleshy part from which the leaves

develop) at the soil surface. If the plants are set too shallow,

roots tend to dry out before they take hold, and the plant may

die. If planted too deep, the plants may also fail to grow.

Firm the soil around the roots, and then water thoroughly.

First Season's Care

Maintain the planting weed-free

throughout the season by cultivating,

hoeing, and hand removal of weeds.

If the garden is large enough, suitable

herbicides may be used. As soon as

flowers appear, they should be pinched

off to promote early, vigorous plant

growth and early formation of runner

plants. The first crop will be harvested

a year from planting and a major

portion of the crop will come from the

mother plants plus the runner plants

which are formed and well-rooted

before August. Runner plants should

be positioned as they develop so that

a density of about 5 plants per square

foot is achieved. The rows should be

maintained no wider than 12 to 18

inches, and when the desired plant

density is reached, all additional

runners should be removed through

cultivation and cutting of runners by

hand within the row.

Harvesting

Berries should be harvested as often

as every other day to maintain top

quality. Pick the berries with the caps

on and with 1/2 inch of stem attached.

Pinch the stem between the thumb

and middle fingernails, while cradling

the berry in the palm of the hand.

Strawberries do not ripen after

harvest, so they should be allowed

to fully ripen before picking. Remove

overripe and rotted berries so that

insect and disease problems can

be minimized. If berries are to be

stored for overnight or longer in

the refrigerator, do not wash them.

Place them in a covered shallow

pan and place in the refrigerator as

soon as possible to cool quickly.

Wash just prior to consumption.

Growing Cool Season Crops

The leafy, cool-season vegetables include broccoli, collards, cauliflower,

kohlrabi, cabbage, spinach, mustard greens, Swiss chard, lettuce, and

Brussels sprouts, which belongs to the Cole crop or cabbage family.

Plant all of these early in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked or in

August for a fall garden. You can plant by direct seeding or by using

transplants. Transplants are preferred with many leafy vegetables as they

establish faster and mature early. Harvest these crops at the right time based

on the edible part of the plant.

The root crops include radishes, beets, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and

parsnips. These require well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter.

Radishes are the root crop that matures early. Parsnip matures just before

the ground freezes. Prepare a fine seedbed and plant seeds of the root crops

as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. They should be thinned

to the right spacing when plants are two to three inches tall.

Cool-season vegetables thrive when daytime temperatures average between

65°- 80° F, with nighttime temperatures staying above 40° F. Spring and fall

(and winter in some areas) provide perfect conditions for these crops.

Most cool-season vegetables can tolerate a light frost and are generally planted

2-4 weeks before your last frost date in the spring

Harvest by pulling the plants from the ground and trimming off the tops when

necessary. Cool-season veggies grow best at temperatures averaging 15° cooler

than those needed by warm season types.

Since hot temperatures make these vegetables bitter, or cause them to go

to seed, plan your growing seasons to avoid harvesting when the temperatures

climb above 80° F.

Except in coldest climates, plant them in very early spring so the crop will

mature before summer heat settles in, or in late summer for a crop in fall in winter.

In warm regions, plant cool season crops from late summer to early fall for

harvest in late fall, winter, or early spring.

Comments, remarks and followers are always welcome,

Happy Gardening, Terry

Growing Asparagus

An asparagus patch is typically started with one-year-old crowns purchased
from a garden center or seed catalog.

A crown is the root system of a year-old asparagus plant grown from seed.
There is conflicting information on how asparagus crowns should be planted.
Traditionally it was recommended to dig an 8-inch deep trench for the crowns,
then carefully spread out the roots within the trench, refilling it a bit at a time
as the plants grow. However, recent comparison studies have shown that it
isn't necessary to gradually fill the trench or spread out the roots. Additionally,
the deeper asparagus crowns are planted, the more the yield will be reduced.

To plant your asparagus crowns in the spring, start by digging a trench that is
5-6 inches deep. For every 50 feet of row, add a pound of 0-46-0 triple
superphosphate fertilizer or two pounds of 0-20-0 superphosphate fertilizer
to the trench. Next, toss the crowns into the trench, right on top of the
fertilizer. The plants will grow well whether or not the roots are spread out.
Place the crowns 18 inches apart, with five feet between rows. This will
provide good air circulation for the plants and help prevent fungal diseases.
Finally, backfill the trench to the original soil level, being careful to not
compact the soil over the crowns.

If you have poorly draining or clay soil, it would be better to plant your
asparagus in a raised bed. The asparagus spears cannot be harvested the
same year the crowns were planted. The plants need this time to build their
energy so they can produce well. The following year you may harvest a
small crop over a three-week period, and over a 4-6 week period the year
after that. It is the third year after planting when you can continue to harvest
for the full 6-8 week season. Stop harvesting when new spears become less
than a half inch in diameter.

Once harvesting is done, allow the plants to grow and keep their fern-like
foliage through fall and winter. The foliage will catch snow that will provide
moisture and insulation for the roots. Cut or mow the foliage in early spring
before new growth begins to emerge.

Happy Gardening, Terry

Pruning Trees and Shrubs

Well spring is just around the corner and it is a good time to prune your trees
and shrubs.


Pruning is healthy and functional for almost any tree or shrub and when done
properly will add to the beauty of the plant.


The objective of pruning is to remove or reduce parts of the plant that are not
required or are of no use to the plant. Pruning effectively will redirect the
future growth of the plant towards the develment of flowers, fruits, and limbs.

By removing undesirable parts of the plant while improving the health, beauty
and production of the plant.


Caution, however a plant pruned improperly can become ugly and possibly die.


Now before you get out your tools and start clipping in your plants. Develop a
plan, decide on a shape, or contemplate the ultimate goal of your pruning.


Do very little pruning on ornamental trees or shrubs. Prune wood that is dead,
diseased or injured and branches that cross (rub) or grow back into the center
of the tree or are out of place. Be sure to keep the natural shape of the tree intact.


Fruit trees are normally trained and pruned to increase their productivity and
keep their size under control. It is best to prune them on an annual basis,
starting the first year they are planted. Too many people wait until the tree
is five or ten years old before they consider pruning. Begin training a fruit tree
the first year it is planted.

Don’t let firsttime pruning intimidate you. Decide for yourself how you want
the tree to look in five, 10 or even 20 years, then start to shape it as you prune.

The main objective of pruning fruit trees is to keep the tree open, allowing light
to penetrate into the center of the tree.

New fruit trees normally need four to six branches to form the lower
scaffolding. In orchards, many trees are trained with a central leader, or main
trunk, with many scaffolding layers. For backyard orchardists with only a few
trees it’s best to prune fruit trees as an open vase. An open vase tree has only
one scaffolding layer and the center of the tree remains open.

To create this shape keep five or so branches that are kept should be three to
five feet off the ground, and spaced evenly around the tree. This is the
framework for the open vase. As these branches grow they become the major
wood which produces the fruit. Picture the tree as a giant solar collector, and
space the branches around the tree to optimize the amount of sun it can collect.

Apple, pear and cherry trees naturally try to grow a central leader, or a main
trunk system. Removing the leader to create an open vase makes the tree take
on an unnatural shape. The branches may each try to become the main trunk
and grow upright. Discourage this by training branches to grow in a horizontal
direction by either tying them down with string, placing weights out on the
ends of the branches or placing a spacer in the fork to force a wider angle.

I hope this helps you with your pruning this spring. If you still have questions
write,email or call me.

Happy gardening, Terry

How much light does a plant really need?

Whenever a new plant is acquired for the garden, gardeners need to keep a few
things in mind. To ensure a long, happy life for the plant, it must be hardy to
your garden's climate and it needs to receive the proper amount of sunlight.

Determining whether or not a particular plant will survive the winter cold and
summer heat is usually quite simple. The growing zone for plants is typically
listed on the plant tag if the plant has been purchased from a nursery, and
growing zone maps can be found in nearly every seed catalog or online.

But sometimes the light requirements listed on plant tags can be awfully
confusing. What is the difference between "light shade" and "filtered shade"?
And what exactly is "full sun"?

If a plant requires full sun, this means it should be planted in a spot where it
will receive no less than six hours of unshaded sunlight each day. Most
vegetable plants and many flowering plants require full sun.

Plants that require full shade should be planted where they will receive no
direct sunlight. Locate plants with full shade requirements on the north side
of your house or beneath a shade tree. Hostas, ferns and many woodland
wildflowers require full shade or filtered shade.

Filtered shade is often found beneath trees that have more open canopies.
The area is mostly shaded, but some dappled sunlight does reach the ground
beneath the trees. A plant that grows well in filtered shade will generally
perform just as well in part shade.

An area that receives four to five hours of shade daily is considered to be in
part shade. A partly shady area may receive direct sunlight in the early
morning or late afternoon, but is in full shade the remainder of the day.
A plant that typically requires full sun will survive in part shade but may
not bloom well.

If an area receives two to four hours of shade during the growing season,
this would be considered light shade. A plant that needs full sun will tolerate
light shade, especially if they are shaded during the hottest part of the day.
In particularly warm climates, full sun plants will appreciate receiving some
light shade to help them deal with the heat.

Growing Onions

The new year is upon us, and now is the time to start planning our garden.

Let's discuss planting onions. Onions are very popular vegatable in home gardens and are one of the first to plant in the spring.

Soil Preparation
Till your soil deep and if adding manure or composted organic matter then add a few weeks before sowing / planting out.

You can tread on the soil gently to firm it up a bit prior to sowing.

Sowing Onions can be planted from seed or from sets (small partly grown onion bulbs). Sets are more expensive but they tend to be more reliable in their results and also require less work - no thinning and reduced onion fly risk.

If sowing from seed then sow in drills (small rows) about 1/4" deep with about 1 inch between seeds. If sowing in rows then space the rows about 1 foot apart.

The soil should be moist before sowing so check the soil the day before sowing and water if the soil is dry.

If planting onion sets then they can be planted as early as Mid to Late February (earlier if your climate is suitable). Again space rows about 1 foot apart. Sow sets around 4" apart as they shouldn't require any thinning. Dig a small hole for each set and place the set in neck upwards. When covered back up with soil the tip of the neck should just show through the soil surface.

Soil type

Onions will grow in almost any soil from sandy loams to heavy clay. The soil should be firm. If your soil is heavy then you can introduce some organic compost or manure into the soil to help its moisture retaining properties.

Onions prefer a slightly acidic soil - PH 5.5-6.5 is a good PH for growing onions.

Tending

Frequently weed between the onions by shallow hoeing, onions do not trap much incoming light due to their sparse leaf forms so weeds can take full advantage of the available light.

If your crop has been sown from seed then you will need to thin the onions when they reach about 2" in height. Thin them so that they are spaced about 4" apart.

Harvesting

Onions are ready to harvest a week after their tops have started to fall over and are yellowed.

Use a spading fork to lift the onions out of the ground. Take care not to damage the skins as this invites decay organisms in to attack the onion flesh.

Onions should be harvested on a sunny day, cleaned of any soil still attached to them and then placed on top of the soil where they will dry out with the help of the sun and wind.. Leave the onions out for a few days (until the tops dry out).

Remove the tops with a sharp knife about 1/4" above the onion top so that decay organisms do not have direct access to the onion bulb.

Discard any onions that show signs of decay or damage as these can affect healthy onions if they are stored .

If you want to store the onions over winter then you can cure them by hanging them in a well aired place (such as from the roof of a summer house veranda). Mesh bags or strings can be used to group and hang the onions and they should hang for about 3-4 weeks.

Spring onions can be harvested when they are about 1- 1 1/2 ft in height and will store for up to a week in the fridge. To prepare spring onions simply remove the outer set of leaves and wash.

Happy gardening and have bountiful harvest.