Growing Your Own Stimulus Package – Plant your fall garden NOW

Posted on by APerkins Posted in Tangents, Time

For us northenrers, we’ll need to find fast growing vegetables and root crops that can overwinter.  For those in the more temperate climes, you can plant slower growing veggies and enjoy less heating bills!

The Hack:  Plant for all four seasons, no matter where you are!

“… Did you know that 100 foot row of onions can yield between 30 – 50 pounds, 100 foot row of turnips can yield 50 to 100 pounds, 100 foot row of collards can yield 100 to 150 pounds or a 100 foot row of cabbage can yield 200 to 300 pounds. I sure do love me some collards. …”

via RN-T.com – Rome, Georgia news, sports, business, lifestyles, weather, breaking news and more from the Rome News-Tribune..

Some conflicting information re: fungicides for tomato plants

Posted on by APerkins Posted in disease

“…Organic fungicides for the prevention and control of fungal disease include neem oil, Serenade® and Oxidate®. Compost tea is often recommended by organic aficionados, but research doesn’t support its effectiveness. Fungicides containing copper may have some effect but copper products may have a higher risk rating than conventional fungicides. …” This is the first report of risks regarding copper that I’ve seen, but it’s worth investigating, as well as investigating the “organic” controls such as neem oil (seems the safest at first glance), Serenade and Oxidate – wondering what they have in them

via What to do about your dying tomato plants.

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Tomato Late Blight – good information

Posted on by APerkins Posted in disease

Good information for those of us who have been hit by the blight, as well as those who haven’t: “… Late blight is one of many fungal diseases that can destroy your garden’s bounty. In the northeast US, it’s decimated many a home and commercial garden. While many are blaming the “big box stores” for bringing this scourge, the weather has played a big roll in it’s distribution

as well. Learn the signs, safe practices and proper disposal of diseased plants to minimize this dreadful disease in the coming years. …”

Tomato Late Blight.

This Bridge Is Alive – Living Root Bridges – Gizmodo

Posted on by APerkins Posted in Tangents

Had to post this, it’s just amazing!

This Bridge Is Alive – Living Root Bridges – Gizmodo.

Comfrey – Heal Your Garden, Heal Yourself

Posted on by APerkins Posted in Fertilizing, Soil


A comprehensive lens on Squidoo that highlights the many uses of comfrey.  How to grow it, how to get rid of it, how to use it in your garden as well as in your medicine cabinet.

Comfrey – Heal Your Garden, Heal Yourself.

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Polycyclic Epidemics – Know the Disease Cycle

Posted on by APerkins Posted in disease

Illustration from http://www.apsnet.org

Late blight has hit most of our tomato plants.  Matt’s Wild Cherry’s have so far shown resistance, but most of the others have been affected.

The Hack: Bag the diseased plants, DO NOT COMPOST – it will only grow you a new crop of fungus next year.  Hoping the potatoes are doing okay.

Polycyclic Epidemics.

See also: Potato Late Blight Fungicide alternatives

For a good pictorial, see: Late Blight Symptoms from Cornell U.

“You can’t spray if you are going to go organic,” Clark said. Copper-based fungicides that can be used in organic growing are in short supply, Clark added.

“…Not all of Clark’s tomatoes have been lost. An heirloom variety called “Mr. Stripey” and the cherry tomatoes seem to be resistant. Clark has planted a new crop of tomatoes in his greenhouse, so he’ll have some later in the season. …” from http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_224220157.html

Look for Safer brand fungicide or get http://www2.yardiac.com/long.asp?item_id=32949&AID=10378099&PID=3344049

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Window Farms!

Posted on by APerkins Posted in Container

Small Footprint, Big Yield

Posted on by APerkins Posted in Light, Soil, Time, Watering

Some of the best use of space I’ve seen in a long time.  Even though I’m blessed with almost one acre of land, a lot of it is taken up by play areas or swamp for half the season.  The rest of the lawn is “harvested” for mulch.  If I had the wood, I’d build at least one of these just to increase the yield in the sunnier parts of my garden.

The Hack:  make a high-rise tiered garden to increase your useable space.

Small Footprint, Big Yield: Create an Easy Micro Organic Urban Garden Today! | Urban Gardens | Unlimited Thinking For Limited Spaces.

Richard Nunnallys Gardening Q&A | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Posted on by APerkins Posted in disease, Fertilizing, Soil

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/

Q:What suggestions do you have for controlling weeds and undesirable grasses in asparagus and strawberry beds? Crabgrass has also infiltrated the liriope in my borders.

The Hack: Pulling the weeds and mulching, according to Richard.  My best solutions are newspaper (5 layers) as a killing mulch + lawn clippings (if you don’t spray your lawn) or straw mulch on top.  Asparagus, as Richard says is more difficult, due to the ferns – but my hack is to crowd the weeds out with low growing tomatoes like Red Robin or others that normally grow in containers – the smaller the better.  They may not produce much, but you’ll find the companion planting will produce robust asparagus next year!

via Richard Nunnallys Gardening Q&A | Richmond Times-Dispatch.

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FT.com / House & Home – Edible and elegant

Posted on by APerkins Posted in Uncategorized

See what a little planning can do?  Okay, these aren’t MY gardens, but they do give me inspiration to rip out the raised beds and start again! – Okay, maybe I’ll keep the raised beds, but I’ll plant them with an artistic bent first, and a voracious omnivore second.  By the way, anyone know a good recipe for slugs?

FT.com / House & Home – Edible and elegant.

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