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Fall Gardening: Cool Weather Veggies, What are They, How to Plant?

By on Sep 29, 2017 in Blog, Container Gardening, Cool Weather Veggies, Fall Garden | 23 comments

Fall Gardening: Cool Weather Veggies – What are They and How to Plant? As the summer warm weather crops are winding down, the chill of the Fall air doesn’t mean gardening season is over.  It’s a lot of fun to keep the garden going as long as possible!  This is the time of year to plant some vegetables that like the cooler weather. What are cool weather vegetables? Cool weather vegetables are simply vegetables that grow best in the cooler weather, 75 degree F or colder.  If you’re concerned about your veggies getting frozen in the winter, there several types  that will survive and even thrive in frost conditions, such as root vegetables, lettuce, kale and other types of greens. Veggies like lettuce, greens, broccoli, peas, cabbage, radishes, carrots, and brussel sprouts love the cool weather and are ideal for a fall garden.   Where to plant? My garden is still full of...

Growing a Late Summer Garden

By on Aug 20, 2017 in Blog, Container Gardening, Summer Garden, Warm Weather Veggies | 16 comments

Many gardeners think that because summer is winding down its too late to start warm weather veggies. In this blog post I am going share why a late summer garden with warm weather veggies may work for you, and how to know if you have time in the season to start one.  I’ll also share what, how, and where to plant to get your late summer garden off to a quick start. Why a late summer garden? Many of the tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and other warm weather veggies you planted in the spring might be winding down and past their peak.  They might be looking a bit worn by the heat of summer or diseases that have crept in to your garden.  However, as gardeners, we have a constant itch to grow something and have fresh, tasty, healthy food to eat Planting a late summer crop of new, strong plants will give you veggies to harvest into the fall and even into the winter months, if you live in a warm...

Growing Zucchini Containers & Controlling Blossom End Rot and Powdery Mildew

By on Jun 16, 2017 in Blog, Container Gardening, Summer Garden | 15 comments

Growing a large veggie like a zucchini in a small growing space CAN be done when you follow a few simple tips!  It’s very important to choose a container that is large enough to accommodate the plant’s extensive root system so that you get the abundant harvest that zucchini is famous for.   My favorite container for growing a large veggie like zucchini is a 20 gallon fabric Smart Pots container.  Smart Pots containers work beautifully for a large plant like zucchini because the containers are made from durable, aerated fabric.  When the roots hit the sides of the pot, they “air prune”.  Instead of encircling the bottom of the pot, and becoming root bound, they prune themselves and form a fibrous root ball that is able to effectively take up water and nutrients, feeding the plant and helping it grow large and be productive, even in a container. The aerated fabric also provides the...

Growing Watermelon in a Container – 3 Tips for Success

By on Jun 8, 2017 in Blog, Container Gardening | 7 comments

Nothing says summer quite like a red, juicy watermelon – I can taste it now!  If you are growing in a small space, like a patio or deck, you might think that you can’t grow a large plant such as watermelon.  Not so – grow it in a container!  With a few quick and simple tips on caring for your container watermelon, you’ll be harvesting and eating you own sweet juicy watermelon in no time!   Compact varieties of watermelon work best for containers.  I’m growing Black Tail Mountain and Sugar Baby watermelon in 20 gallon Smart Pots containers.  The Smart Pots containers work beautifully for a large plant like watermelon because they are made from a durable, aerated fabric.  When the roots hit the aerated sides of the pot, they “air prune”.  Instead of encircling the bottom of the pot, and becoming rot bound, they form a fibrous root ball that is able to take up water and...

Want Some Time Back? Automate Garden Watering with Drip Irrigation

By on May 19, 2017 in Blog, Container Gardening, Spring Garden | 4 comments

  Consistent water – the key to your garden As gardeners, we know that consistent watering is the key to a productive garden.  Watering your garden can be a huge task, and eat up a lot of time. Some gardeners are lucky enough to live where it rains regularly and don’t have to worry about watering. Let’s face it, most of us lead busy lives and don’t have time to hand water our backyard veggie patch with the garden hose.  Some days watering is just not a priority – and when your plants don’t get the water they need – they won’t  produce well for you.   I am always looking for ways that help me do more with less. If only I could have a few extra hours in my day to accomplish more.  Can you relate? Enter drip irrigation – quick and simple to install, inexpensive, and gets the water to where it needs to go!   This translates into lots of tasty, healthy...

How and When to Harvest Garlic

By on May 12, 2017 in Blog, Container Gardening, Harvest, Organic Gardening | 7 comments

How and When to Harvest Garlic Homegrown garlic – pungent and sharp and oh so flavorful!  Much more powerful than it’s store-bought counterpart, it adds a strong, unmistakable taste to many of our favorite recipes.  I recently harvested my container-grown garlic and made a delicious garlic rosemary chicken with garlic roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts that received rave reviews from my family! Garlic couldn’t be easier to grow – I like to call it a a “plant it and forget it crop”.  It is usually planted in the fall, just before the first frost date of the winter, and it grows for about 6 months, with little care required.  Check out my previous blog post on planting garlic so you know just how to get yours planted when the time is right. It’s very important to know when to harvest garlic, because if you harvest it too soon, your bulbs will be tiny, and if you harvest it...