The Dundee Community Garden, at 49th & Underwood, is thriving! Stop by to see the tremendous variety of vegetables we’ve got growing. Our corn is tall, and our teepee is covered with gourd vines. Be sure to check out the scarecrows we made at our July watermelon party.
Our gardeners are reaping their crops, and we’re making weekly donations of fresh produce to local food pantries from the community plots.
Last but not least, visit our booth at Dundee Day to purchase some fresh, local produce. We’ll have a gardening expert at our booth who can answer your gardening questions. And we’ll have Chico re-usable bags for sale for $5 as an eco-friendly fundraiser.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Monday July 27, 7 p.m. Harvest Night and Ask a Master Gardener
Come to DCG to help harvest vegetables from the community beds for the food pantry at Together, Inc. on Monday at 7 p.m. This is a great time to work together, and also to work on your own plot. If you have more vegetables than you can use in your own plot, you can donate some to our food pantry collection on Monday.
Also, Master Gardener Rebecca Reagan will be back to give you tips on caring for the plants in your plot. This was very popular at our last harvest night!
See you at the garden,
Mary
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Pruning Tomatoes
How to manage your plants for better health and better fruit by Frank Ferrandino
Photo/Illustration: Danielle Sherry
The intrinsic vigor and hardiness of tomatoes almost always guarantees a successful harvest. However, the rapid growth of a healthy tomato plant can also lead to problems.
A tomato is a solar-powered sugar factory. For the first month or so, all of the sugar it produces is directed towards new leaf growth. During this stage, tomato plants grow very rapidly, doubling their size every 12 to 15 days. Eventually, the plants make more sugar than the single growing tip can use, which signals the plant to make new branches and to flower. This usually happens after 10 to 13 leaves have expanded, at which time the plant is 12 to 18 inches tall. In the next few weeks, the entire character of the tomato plant changes. If unsupported, the increasing weight of filling fruit and multiple side branches forces the plant to lie on the ground. Once the main stem is horizontal, there is an increased tendency to branch. Left to its own devices, a vigorous indeterminate tomato plant can easily cover a 4- by 4-foot area with as many as 10 stems, each 3 to 5 feet long. By season's end, it will be an unsightly, impenetrable, disease-wracked tangle.
Videos:
• How to Prune Tomatoes
• How to Sharpen Pruners
Further Reading:
• What are heirloom tomatoes, anyway?
• Read more articles on growing veggies
Prune for plant structure and health
Early pruning encourages strong stems. Remove all suckers and leaves below the first flower cluster. Let a second stem arise from the node just above the lowest flower cluster. Let a third stem arise from the second node above the first flower cluster. With tomatoes, we want to maximize the efficiency of photosynthesis and minimize the risk of disease. This is best accomplished by ensuring that each leaf has plenty of room and is supported up off the ground. When a tomato plant lies on the ground, or when its growth is extremely dense, many of its leaves are forced into permanent shade, greatly reducing the amount of sugar they produce. If a leaf uses more sugar than it makes, eventually it will yellow and drop off. A pruned and staked plant will produce larger fruit two to three weeks earlier than a prostrate one.
A properly pruned and supported single-stem tomato plant presents all of its leaves to the sun. Most of the sugar produced is directed to the developing fruit, since the only competition is a single growing tip. The result is large fruits that are steadily produced until frost. If more stems are allowed to develop, some of the precious sugar production is diverted from fruit to multiple growing tips. Fruit production, although slowed, never stops. The result is a nearly continuous supply of fruits throughout the season. In general, more stems means more but smaller fruits, which are produced increasingly later in the season. (This is much less applicable to determinate plants, due to their shortened growing season and better-defined fruiting period. Therefore, determinate plants require little pruning. See "Indeterminate vs. Determinate," below.)
RULE 1
Get plants off the ground.
RULE 2
Give plants room.
RULE 3
Never prune or tie plants when the leaves are wet.
Pruning also affects plant health. The leaves of a pruned and supported plant dry off faster, so bacterial and fungal pathogens have less opportunity to spread. Soil is less liable to splash up onto staked plants. The bottom line: Upright plants have fewer problems with leaf spots and fruit rots because their leaves stay drier and free from pathogen-laden soil.
The way you choose to train and prune your tomato plants will affect how you space your plants, as well as the best method of support . There's no one right way to do it. Instead there are a few good patterns to follow.
Side stems affect plant vigor.
As a tomato grows, side shoots, or suckers, form in the crotches, or axils, between the leaves and the main stem. If left alone, these suckers will grow just like the main stem, producing flowers and fruit.
Suckers appear sequentially, from the bottom of the plant up. The farther up on the plant a sucker develops, the weaker it is, because the sugar concentration gets lower as you move up the plant. On the other hand, side stems arising from below the first flower cluster, although stronger, compromise the strength of the main stem. For a multi-stemmed plant, your aim is to have all stems roughly the same size, although the main stem should always be stronger, because it has to feed the entire plant for the next five or six months. Here's how I achieve this.
I keep tomatoes free of side stems below the first fruit cluster. When trained to one vine and left free-standing, tomato plants develop strong main stems. To encourage a strong stem, I remove all suckers and I don't tie plants to their supports until the first flowers appear.
Determinate tomatoes need no pruning other than removing all suckers below the first flower cluster, because pruning won't affect their fruit size or plant vigor. If you do any pruning at all above the first flower cluster on determinate tomatoes, you'll only be throwing away potential fruit.
Indeterminate tomatoes can have from one to many stems, although four is the most I'd recommend. The fewer the stems, the fewer but larger the fruits, and the less room the plant needs in the garden. For a multi-stemmed plant, let a second stem grow from the first node above the first fruit. Allow a third stem to develop from the second node above the first set fruit, and so forth. Keeping the branching as close to the first fruit as possible means those side stems will be vigorous but will not overpower the main stem.
Indeterminate vs. determinate
Indeterminate tomato plants continue to grow, limited only by the length of the season. These plants produce stems, leaves, and fruit as long as they are alive.
Determinate tomato plants have a predetermined number of stems, leaves, and flowers hardwired into their genetic structure. The development of these plants follows a well-defined pattern. First, there is an initial vegetative stage during which all the stems, most of the leaves, and a few fruit are formed. This is followed by a flush of flowering and final leaf expansion. Finally, during the fruit-fill stage, there is no further vegetative growth. As the tomato fruits ripen, the leaves senesce and die. Commercial growers favor this type of tomato because all the fruit can be mechanically harvested at once. The major advantage of planting determinate plants in a home garden is early harvest.
Semi-determinate plants, as the name implies, are somewhere between these two other types. Although there aren't many semi-determinate tomatoes, one of the most popular hybrids, 'Celebrity', falls into this category. I think semi-determinates are best grown to three or four stems.
Simple vs. Missouri pruning
In simple pruning, remove the entire sucker at the base. In Missouri pruning, pinch out the tip of the sucker. There are two ways to deal with a sucker that isn't destined to become a stem. The simplest is to pinch it off entirely; not surprisingly, this is called "simple pruning." This should be done when the sucker is still small and succulent. Grab the base of it between your thumb and index finger and bend it back and forth. The sucker should snap off, producing a small wound that will heal quickly. Avoid cutting the sucker with a knife or scissors, because the resulting stump can become easily infected. Once a sucker becomes too tough and leathery to snap off, however, you'll have to use a blade. I recommend a retractable razor knife.
In Missouri pruning, you pinch out just the tip of the sucker, letting one or two leaves remain. The advantage is that the plant has more leaf area for photosynthesis and to protect developing fruit from sun-scald. The disadvantage is that new suckers inevitably develop along the side stems, adding to your future pruning chores.
Missouri pruning is necessary when things have gotten out of hand. When you're dealing with large suckers, it's better to pinch off just the tip than to cut off the whole thing close to the main stem. For one thing, if disease hits, it's farther away from the main stem. And for another, removing just the growing tip is less of a shock to the plant than removing a foot or so of side stem.
Suckers grow very quickly during the hot summer months. This is indeed a situation that tests one's resolve. It helps to know that side stems started this late in the season will always be spindly and produce inferior fruit. You must be heartless and tip them all.
How to tie a tomato
There are two reasons to tie tomatoes, and there's a different tie for each one. Train the leader to grow upright with a loose, figure-eight tie. To support burgeoning fruit, loop a long tie above a fruit cluster, and tie it to the stake 6 to 10 inches higher. Loop the tie twice around the stake and tie it tightly so the tomatoes don't pull it down with their weight. Once flowering commences, all tomato vines must be tied to their supports. Although vigorous, the plants are also easily damaged, so take care in how you tie them and what you use. Cloth strips work well as long as they're not too old and threadbare. Pieces of panty hose cause the least damage to plants, but they're not biodegradable. Twine should be at least 1/8 inch thick, or else it can cut into the tomato stems.
There are two types of ties. Training ties direct plant growth upwards, and supporting ties keep it there. The top foot of a tomato stem, or leader, is very succulent and easily snapped; it needs to be directed upwards, gently. I wrap a short piece of twine around the middle of the leader, cross it over on itself, and loosely tie it to the support. The resulting figure-eight tie reduces the chance the tender stem will rub against the support and get bruised.
Fruit will form along this stem. If left to the devices of the loose training ties, the weight of the fruit will pull the ties down the stake. Eventually, the stem will bend over and crease. Luckily, as the stem matures, it toughens; by the time fruit develops, the stem can tolerate a tighter tie. To support a fruit cluster as it fills and gains weight, I loop a longer piece of twine, 12 to 18 inches, around the stem just above the fruit cluster, creating a sling. Then I gently pull it up to take the weight off the stem. I wrap the twine twice around the stake, and firmly tie it to the stake 6 to 10 inches higher than the point of attachment to the vine. To keep the tie from slipping, I knot it underneath the point where the sling meets the stake.
A final pruning pays off
About 30 days before the first frost, there is one last pruning chore: The plants must be topped. The fruit that has set must be given every opportunity to mature. Removing all the growing tips directs all sugar produced by the plant to the fruit. This can be hard to do, as every gardener is reluctant to admit the season is coming to an end. However, this final pruning can make all the difference between hard, green fruits, hurriedly picked before frost, which later rot in a paper bag, and ripe, home-grown tomatoes in your Thanksgiving salad. Be tough, fight your nurturing instincts, and top those plants.
Staking and spacing options
Which method of support you use and how far apart you set tomato plants depends on the number of stems you allow to grow.
Cages work for plants with three to five stems. I use them almost exclusively for determinate tomatoes. Ready-made tomato cages are too little for all but the smallest determinate cultivars. My ideal tomato cage is made from 5-foot-tall galvanized fencing with openings at least 4 inches square, so I can reach in and pick the fruit. A 4-foot section makes a cylinder about 15 inches in diameter. Secure it with baling wire, and stabilize it with two stakes, one of which is at least 6 feet long. Drive the stakes in within a week of planting, but wait to set cages over the plants until the first fruits form, to simplify weeding and pruning. Space caged plants about two-thirds of their final height in all directions.
Use the same type of fencing to make a tomato fence, which works best for plants with one or two stems. To get a good, solid fence, you need a helper. Secure the fencing with 6-foot stakes every 4 feet. Here's how I keep the fence taut. Loop each non-end stake through the bottom rung of the fence, then start to drive it into the ground so its bottom is angled away from the previous stake. Once it's about 4 inches into the ground, bring the stake upright and drive it in the rest of the way. Set single-stemmed plants 18 inches apart, and double-stemmed plants 24 inches apart. If you stagger the planting (successive plants on opposite sides of the fence), you can knock 6 inches off these distances. Erect the fence before you plant your tomatoes.
Stakes work well for plants of one to four stems. I use 1 inch x 1 inch x 6-foot lengths of untreated oak or cedar, sharpened on one end. Drive the stakes 8 to 12 inches into the ground, depending on your soil (deeper for loose, sandy ground). To avoid damaging roots, drive your stakes in within a week of planting. Space staked plants at 18 inches for a single stem, 24 inches for two stems, and 36 inches for three or four stems.
Drawings: Susan Carlson
From Kitchen Gardener 27, pp. 16-19
Photo/Illustration: Danielle Sherry
The intrinsic vigor and hardiness of tomatoes almost always guarantees a successful harvest. However, the rapid growth of a healthy tomato plant can also lead to problems.
A tomato is a solar-powered sugar factory. For the first month or so, all of the sugar it produces is directed towards new leaf growth. During this stage, tomato plants grow very rapidly, doubling their size every 12 to 15 days. Eventually, the plants make more sugar than the single growing tip can use, which signals the plant to make new branches and to flower. This usually happens after 10 to 13 leaves have expanded, at which time the plant is 12 to 18 inches tall. In the next few weeks, the entire character of the tomato plant changes. If unsupported, the increasing weight of filling fruit and multiple side branches forces the plant to lie on the ground. Once the main stem is horizontal, there is an increased tendency to branch. Left to its own devices, a vigorous indeterminate tomato plant can easily cover a 4- by 4-foot area with as many as 10 stems, each 3 to 5 feet long. By season's end, it will be an unsightly, impenetrable, disease-wracked tangle.
Videos:
• How to Prune Tomatoes
• How to Sharpen Pruners
Further Reading:
• What are heirloom tomatoes, anyway?
• Read more articles on growing veggies
Prune for plant structure and health
Early pruning encourages strong stems. Remove all suckers and leaves below the first flower cluster. Let a second stem arise from the node just above the lowest flower cluster. Let a third stem arise from the second node above the first flower cluster. With tomatoes, we want to maximize the efficiency of photosynthesis and minimize the risk of disease. This is best accomplished by ensuring that each leaf has plenty of room and is supported up off the ground. When a tomato plant lies on the ground, or when its growth is extremely dense, many of its leaves are forced into permanent shade, greatly reducing the amount of sugar they produce. If a leaf uses more sugar than it makes, eventually it will yellow and drop off. A pruned and staked plant will produce larger fruit two to three weeks earlier than a prostrate one.
A properly pruned and supported single-stem tomato plant presents all of its leaves to the sun. Most of the sugar produced is directed to the developing fruit, since the only competition is a single growing tip. The result is large fruits that are steadily produced until frost. If more stems are allowed to develop, some of the precious sugar production is diverted from fruit to multiple growing tips. Fruit production, although slowed, never stops. The result is a nearly continuous supply of fruits throughout the season. In general, more stems means more but smaller fruits, which are produced increasingly later in the season. (This is much less applicable to determinate plants, due to their shortened growing season and better-defined fruiting period. Therefore, determinate plants require little pruning. See "Indeterminate vs. Determinate," below.)
RULE 1
Get plants off the ground.
RULE 2
Give plants room.
RULE 3
Never prune or tie plants when the leaves are wet.
Pruning also affects plant health. The leaves of a pruned and supported plant dry off faster, so bacterial and fungal pathogens have less opportunity to spread. Soil is less liable to splash up onto staked plants. The bottom line: Upright plants have fewer problems with leaf spots and fruit rots because their leaves stay drier and free from pathogen-laden soil.
The way you choose to train and prune your tomato plants will affect how you space your plants, as well as the best method of support . There's no one right way to do it. Instead there are a few good patterns to follow.
Side stems affect plant vigor.
As a tomato grows, side shoots, or suckers, form in the crotches, or axils, between the leaves and the main stem. If left alone, these suckers will grow just like the main stem, producing flowers and fruit.
Suckers appear sequentially, from the bottom of the plant up. The farther up on the plant a sucker develops, the weaker it is, because the sugar concentration gets lower as you move up the plant. On the other hand, side stems arising from below the first flower cluster, although stronger, compromise the strength of the main stem. For a multi-stemmed plant, your aim is to have all stems roughly the same size, although the main stem should always be stronger, because it has to feed the entire plant for the next five or six months. Here's how I achieve this.
I keep tomatoes free of side stems below the first fruit cluster. When trained to one vine and left free-standing, tomato plants develop strong main stems. To encourage a strong stem, I remove all suckers and I don't tie plants to their supports until the first flowers appear.
Determinate tomatoes need no pruning other than removing all suckers below the first flower cluster, because pruning won't affect their fruit size or plant vigor. If you do any pruning at all above the first flower cluster on determinate tomatoes, you'll only be throwing away potential fruit.
Indeterminate tomatoes can have from one to many stems, although four is the most I'd recommend. The fewer the stems, the fewer but larger the fruits, and the less room the plant needs in the garden. For a multi-stemmed plant, let a second stem grow from the first node above the first fruit. Allow a third stem to develop from the second node above the first set fruit, and so forth. Keeping the branching as close to the first fruit as possible means those side stems will be vigorous but will not overpower the main stem.
Indeterminate vs. determinate
Indeterminate tomato plants continue to grow, limited only by the length of the season. These plants produce stems, leaves, and fruit as long as they are alive.
Determinate tomato plants have a predetermined number of stems, leaves, and flowers hardwired into their genetic structure. The development of these plants follows a well-defined pattern. First, there is an initial vegetative stage during which all the stems, most of the leaves, and a few fruit are formed. This is followed by a flush of flowering and final leaf expansion. Finally, during the fruit-fill stage, there is no further vegetative growth. As the tomato fruits ripen, the leaves senesce and die. Commercial growers favor this type of tomato because all the fruit can be mechanically harvested at once. The major advantage of planting determinate plants in a home garden is early harvest.
Semi-determinate plants, as the name implies, are somewhere between these two other types. Although there aren't many semi-determinate tomatoes, one of the most popular hybrids, 'Celebrity', falls into this category. I think semi-determinates are best grown to three or four stems.
Simple vs. Missouri pruning
In simple pruning, remove the entire sucker at the base. In Missouri pruning, pinch out the tip of the sucker. There are two ways to deal with a sucker that isn't destined to become a stem. The simplest is to pinch it off entirely; not surprisingly, this is called "simple pruning." This should be done when the sucker is still small and succulent. Grab the base of it between your thumb and index finger and bend it back and forth. The sucker should snap off, producing a small wound that will heal quickly. Avoid cutting the sucker with a knife or scissors, because the resulting stump can become easily infected. Once a sucker becomes too tough and leathery to snap off, however, you'll have to use a blade. I recommend a retractable razor knife.
In Missouri pruning, you pinch out just the tip of the sucker, letting one or two leaves remain. The advantage is that the plant has more leaf area for photosynthesis and to protect developing fruit from sun-scald. The disadvantage is that new suckers inevitably develop along the side stems, adding to your future pruning chores.
Missouri pruning is necessary when things have gotten out of hand. When you're dealing with large suckers, it's better to pinch off just the tip than to cut off the whole thing close to the main stem. For one thing, if disease hits, it's farther away from the main stem. And for another, removing just the growing tip is less of a shock to the plant than removing a foot or so of side stem.
Suckers grow very quickly during the hot summer months. This is indeed a situation that tests one's resolve. It helps to know that side stems started this late in the season will always be spindly and produce inferior fruit. You must be heartless and tip them all.
How to tie a tomato
There are two reasons to tie tomatoes, and there's a different tie for each one. Train the leader to grow upright with a loose, figure-eight tie. To support burgeoning fruit, loop a long tie above a fruit cluster, and tie it to the stake 6 to 10 inches higher. Loop the tie twice around the stake and tie it tightly so the tomatoes don't pull it down with their weight. Once flowering commences, all tomato vines must be tied to their supports. Although vigorous, the plants are also easily damaged, so take care in how you tie them and what you use. Cloth strips work well as long as they're not too old and threadbare. Pieces of panty hose cause the least damage to plants, but they're not biodegradable. Twine should be at least 1/8 inch thick, or else it can cut into the tomato stems.
There are two types of ties. Training ties direct plant growth upwards, and supporting ties keep it there. The top foot of a tomato stem, or leader, is very succulent and easily snapped; it needs to be directed upwards, gently. I wrap a short piece of twine around the middle of the leader, cross it over on itself, and loosely tie it to the support. The resulting figure-eight tie reduces the chance the tender stem will rub against the support and get bruised.
Fruit will form along this stem. If left to the devices of the loose training ties, the weight of the fruit will pull the ties down the stake. Eventually, the stem will bend over and crease. Luckily, as the stem matures, it toughens; by the time fruit develops, the stem can tolerate a tighter tie. To support a fruit cluster as it fills and gains weight, I loop a longer piece of twine, 12 to 18 inches, around the stem just above the fruit cluster, creating a sling. Then I gently pull it up to take the weight off the stem. I wrap the twine twice around the stake, and firmly tie it to the stake 6 to 10 inches higher than the point of attachment to the vine. To keep the tie from slipping, I knot it underneath the point where the sling meets the stake.
A final pruning pays off
About 30 days before the first frost, there is one last pruning chore: The plants must be topped. The fruit that has set must be given every opportunity to mature. Removing all the growing tips directs all sugar produced by the plant to the fruit. This can be hard to do, as every gardener is reluctant to admit the season is coming to an end. However, this final pruning can make all the difference between hard, green fruits, hurriedly picked before frost, which later rot in a paper bag, and ripe, home-grown tomatoes in your Thanksgiving salad. Be tough, fight your nurturing instincts, and top those plants.
Staking and spacing options
Which method of support you use and how far apart you set tomato plants depends on the number of stems you allow to grow.
Cages work for plants with three to five stems. I use them almost exclusively for determinate tomatoes. Ready-made tomato cages are too little for all but the smallest determinate cultivars. My ideal tomato cage is made from 5-foot-tall galvanized fencing with openings at least 4 inches square, so I can reach in and pick the fruit. A 4-foot section makes a cylinder about 15 inches in diameter. Secure it with baling wire, and stabilize it with two stakes, one of which is at least 6 feet long. Drive the stakes in within a week of planting, but wait to set cages over the plants until the first fruits form, to simplify weeding and pruning. Space caged plants about two-thirds of their final height in all directions.
Use the same type of fencing to make a tomato fence, which works best for plants with one or two stems. To get a good, solid fence, you need a helper. Secure the fencing with 6-foot stakes every 4 feet. Here's how I keep the fence taut. Loop each non-end stake through the bottom rung of the fence, then start to drive it into the ground so its bottom is angled away from the previous stake. Once it's about 4 inches into the ground, bring the stake upright and drive it in the rest of the way. Set single-stemmed plants 18 inches apart, and double-stemmed plants 24 inches apart. If you stagger the planting (successive plants on opposite sides of the fence), you can knock 6 inches off these distances. Erect the fence before you plant your tomatoes.
Stakes work well for plants of one to four stems. I use 1 inch x 1 inch x 6-foot lengths of untreated oak or cedar, sharpened on one end. Drive the stakes 8 to 12 inches into the ground, depending on your soil (deeper for loose, sandy ground). To avoid damaging roots, drive your stakes in within a week of planting. Space staked plants at 18 inches for a single stem, 24 inches for two stems, and 36 inches for three or four stems.
Drawings: Susan Carlson
From Kitchen Gardener 27, pp. 16-19
Friday, July 10, 2009
Vegetable Gardens- The Big Three
By Connie Lowndes, UNL Extension Assistant
It seems that there were a lot of “recession gardens” planted this year. Perhaps it was to save a little cash on the perishable food portion of the grocery bill, or maybe an effort to put fresh, safe, local food on the table. Whatever the reason, now that the garden is planted-how to take care of it? Incorporating the “Big Three” in your garden care will go a long way to maximize your harvest.
APPLY MULCH
Any organic mulch will do: straw, newspaper (3 sheets thick), bark mulch, grass clippings (be sure to wait for several cuttings if lawn is treated with chemicals before collecting, and then dry in the sun before applying). Mulch will break down over time and add nutrients to the soil. It helps keep the soil cool for the roots and holds moisture. Mulch helps prevent water from splashing up onto the leaves, potentially carrying disease. It also reduces weeds (and the labor that goes along with pulling!) and the competition for nutrients and water.
WATER/FERTILIZER
Vegetables require about one inch of water per week, preferably in one application to encourage deep roots. If possible, apply with drip irrigation to keep the foliage dry, thus reducing incidence of foliar diseases. If using an overhead sprinkler, water during the mornings so leaves dry off before nightfall. It’s tempting to water a “little bit every day”, but that is a bad habit that should be avoided. Deep watering will offer consistent moisture to the plants and save water (and your time, also a valuable commodity).
Fertilizers are often applied with water, and their effectiveness and longevity is related to water application. Incorporating compost into the soil prior to planting will increase the organic matter in soil, resulting in improved water holding capacity. Decomposing compost also provides a steady supply of nutrients, which may reduce your fertilizer needs. Another organic fertilizer available on the market is fish emulsion. Synthetic fertilizers are available for vegetables, just look for a balanced fertilizer (example 20-20-20), read and follow application instructions.
PEST PATROL
Pests can wreak havoc with you garden, but diligent observation and quick action will reduce their effects. Healthy plants that receive adequate water and nourishment are less prone to pests than those under stress. Plants with plenty of air circulation (because of proper spacing and/or staking) will show fewer fungal diseases. If insects are feeding on plants, take steps immediately to control, while the problem is small. But don’t reach for the chemicals first. Decide if you can control by other means: pick the critters off, get the fruit off the ground, prune the plants a little, pull out the crowded ones to maximize yield. Identifying the pests will give ideas about proper control. If choosing a chemical solution, always read and follow package directions carefully (especially when close to harvest).
At the end of the season, pull up and dispose of plants. Pathogens may survive over the winter, hiding in the plant material. Clearing out plants, weeds, and rotting fruits will go a long way toward a healthy garden next year. Plan to rotate crops yearly to discourage build up of insects and disease.
An animal pest may invade your garden. Rabbits are the most common. They are cute, until they eat your produce! Contrary to garden legends--a fence really is the best way to keep them out. Leave the hair on the dog and the moth balls in the closets!
The middle of summer brings an abundance of produce from the garden. Most crops benefit from regular harvesting to encourage continuous growth, and prevents that unexpected “zucchini ball bat” that is unusable. “One of the advantages a home gardener has over people who purchase produce is that the crop can be picked at the moment of ripeness,” says Pete Ferretti, professor of vegetable crops at Penn State University. He also points out that vegetables are highest in vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron when they are fully ripe. “For the best flavor and storage capability, pick your crops first thing in the morning.” For ideas on how to use the fresh fruits of your labor, see nutritionknowhow.org and lancaster.unl.edu/food, both have great ideas for feeding families, food safety tips and nutritional information.
Remember the “Big Three” when planting and maintaining a vegetable garden: you will save time, effort and water and your table will have the tastiest produce you can imagine. Enjoy!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Dundee Community Garden Watering Guidelines
Please water plants using water from the rain barrels, rather than from the hose at the house, as much as possible. You may fill watering cans from the house if the rain barrels are empty.
Important points for gardeners to remember when watering include:
1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deep watering promotes the development of a deep, extensive root system. Frequent, light watering promotes shallow rooting. Deep-rooted plants will be able to survive hot, dry weather much better than shallow-rooted plants because they will be able to reach the moisture deep in the soil.
A deep watering once a week should be adequate for fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens. Apply approximately 1 inch of water per week.
2. Water efficiently. Mornings and evenings are excellent times to water gardens. Water directly at the plant roots, and avoid getting the leaves wet when possible.
3. Mulch plants to conserve soil moisture. Mulching reduces the rate of evaporation from the soil surface and also limits weed competition. Organic materials, such as grass clippings, straw, and shredded leaves are excellent mulches for the vegetable garden. Wood chips, bark, and ground corncobs are good choices for perennial beds and trees and shrubs. The depth of the mulch depends on the type of material used and crop. Optimum depth in the vegetable garden ranges from 2 to 3 inches for fine materials, such as grass clippings, to 6 to 8 inches for straw.
Average plant watering needs (once plants are established):
Beans: weekly, ½ cup per plant; twice weekly in very hot weather; #; ##
Carrots: weekly, ¼ cup per plant; need constant moisture until mature
Chard: weekly, 1-2 cups per plant; twice weekly in very hot weather
Corn: weekly, 1 cup per plant; twice weekly in hot weather
Cucumbers: weekly, 2 cups per plant; twice weekly in hot weather; #; ##
Eggplant: weekly, 2 cups per plant; twice weekly in hot weather, #
Lettuce: weekly, 1 cup per plant, twice weekly in hot weather, ##, do not water at night
Parsley: weekly, 1 cup water per plant; #
Peppers: weekly, 1 cup per plant when young, 2 or more cups when larger, ##
Tomatoes: weekly, 1 gallon per plant; twice weekly in very hot weather; ##
Zucchini /Summer Squash: weekly, 2-4 cups per plant depending on size, twice weekly in hot weather; ##
# Do not let the soil dry out
## Keep water off the plant leaves (can lead to fungus, infection, mildew, etc.)
Information compiled from Richard Jauron, Department of Horticulture, and Square Foot Gardening
Important points for gardeners to remember when watering include:
1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deep watering promotes the development of a deep, extensive root system. Frequent, light watering promotes shallow rooting. Deep-rooted plants will be able to survive hot, dry weather much better than shallow-rooted plants because they will be able to reach the moisture deep in the soil.
A deep watering once a week should be adequate for fruit, vegetable, and flower gardens. Apply approximately 1 inch of water per week.
2. Water efficiently. Mornings and evenings are excellent times to water gardens. Water directly at the plant roots, and avoid getting the leaves wet when possible.
3. Mulch plants to conserve soil moisture. Mulching reduces the rate of evaporation from the soil surface and also limits weed competition. Organic materials, such as grass clippings, straw, and shredded leaves are excellent mulches for the vegetable garden. Wood chips, bark, and ground corncobs are good choices for perennial beds and trees and shrubs. The depth of the mulch depends on the type of material used and crop. Optimum depth in the vegetable garden ranges from 2 to 3 inches for fine materials, such as grass clippings, to 6 to 8 inches for straw.
Average plant watering needs (once plants are established):
Beans: weekly, ½ cup per plant; twice weekly in very hot weather; #; ##
Carrots: weekly, ¼ cup per plant; need constant moisture until mature
Chard: weekly, 1-2 cups per plant; twice weekly in very hot weather
Corn: weekly, 1 cup per plant; twice weekly in hot weather
Cucumbers: weekly, 2 cups per plant; twice weekly in hot weather; #; ##
Eggplant: weekly, 2 cups per plant; twice weekly in hot weather, #
Lettuce: weekly, 1 cup per plant, twice weekly in hot weather, ##, do not water at night
Parsley: weekly, 1 cup water per plant; #
Peppers: weekly, 1 cup per plant when young, 2 or more cups when larger, ##
Tomatoes: weekly, 1 gallon per plant; twice weekly in very hot weather; ##
Zucchini /Summer Squash: weekly, 2-4 cups per plant depending on size, twice weekly in hot weather; ##
# Do not let the soil dry out
## Keep water off the plant leaves (can lead to fungus, infection, mildew, etc.)
Information compiled from Richard Jauron, Department of Horticulture, and Square Foot Gardening
Monday, July 6, 2009
Dundee Community Garden Next Week
Hello Dundee Community Gardeners,
Harvest Nights: Things are looking great in the garden! Instead of work nights we're going to start having "Harvest Nights" on Monday and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. This will be chance to harvest items from your own plot as well as from the Community Beds (for the food bank.) If you have more produce than you can eat in your own plot, you can donate some to the food bank. Our food bank items will be going to Together, Inc.'s food pantry, the Food Bank's Fresh Truck, and/or the Salvation Army's food pantry. We'll also probably have some light weeding that we can use volunteer help with.
Our first Harvest Night will be next Monday July 13 at 7. (Please bring any clothing items you have that could be used to make a scarecrow-- see below). Come out and see what's growing!
Ask a Master Gardener: Also, we'll have a master gardener available at our harvest night July 13 who can answer any questions you might have about caring for your plot-- what to stake, what to thin, etc. etc. Thanks to Rebecca Reagan who has a plot at our garden and is a Master Gardener!
Watermelon Feed and Scarecrow Making: We're having a garden party on Sunday July 19, 3-5 p.m. For a $1 donation we'll be having watermelon (all you can eat) and we'll have materials available to make scarecrows for the garden. All garden members/families/friends invited. If you'd like to help with this event, contact Deb Hickman at 553-3906, or tutorme@cox.net If you have old clothing items you can donate for the scarecrows, please bring to our Harvest Night July 13, or drop off at Deb Hickman's, 1227 N. 53rd St.
Chico Bags: We're doing a fundraiser with Chico Bags and should have the bags available at our July 19 garden party. We'll also sell them at Dundee Day in Aug. Chico Bags are incredibly handy (fold up to a tiny 3x4" square, just keep 'em in your purse!) and sell for $5 (with our garden keeping 50%!) You can get a preview at http://www.chicobag.com/p-16-chicobag-original.aspx Plan to buy some for yourself and some for gifts. We're raising $$ to cover our ongoing expenses, to join the American Community Gardening Association (membership is $120), to be able to purchase insurance ($300) for next year, etc. etc.
Food Preservation/ Canning Workshop: Douglas County Extension is offering a food preservation workshop on Wed. July 29, 10-12, for $15. You can link to the application from our website, www.dundeegarden.org
Next Dundee Community Garden Board Meeting: Wed. July 22, 7 p.m. at Dundee Presbyterian Church.
Hope to see you at the garden!
Mary
FREE Veggies!
For those of you who have a some unused area in your garden, Sunrise Lawn & Garden has FREE veggies. I stopped by this weekend and they have plenty of peppers, squash, and a variety of tomatoes that are FREE for the taking...There still plenty of time left in the growing season to plant and you cant beat the price!
Check em out!
Sunrise Lawn & Garden
8529 Frederick St
Omaha, NE
P: 402-399-0288
View Larger Map
Check em out!
Sunrise Lawn & Garden
8529 Frederick St
Omaha, NE
P: 402-399-0288
View Larger Map
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