How To

Soil Sauna

Do what people in short growing season climates have done for years, that is heat up the root zone. Lay some black plastic sheeting around your tomatoes, peppers, and other heat lovers. Be sure to poke plenty of holes in the plastic in order to allow water to penetrate to the soil. Weigh down edges and seams with soil or stones.

Required Weeding Weeds aren’t just unattractive. They also compete with your garden plants for moisture and nutrients, shade out lower vegetables, and often provide host sites for damaging insects. The sooner you tame them, the easier it will be to keep them under control. If you didn’t use the previously described black plastic, a 4 inch layer of straw or hay mulch can be applied after the soil has warmed into the 60s. Doing so will discourage weeds, retain moisture, and prevent soil borne fungal spores from splashing onto the leaves.

Cutting the weeds off at soil level will cut off their energy supply, and while the roots may send up new shoots, they will be less aggressive each time and will eventually give up.

Water, Water, Water

Most caregivers of houseplants follow a watering routine that allows the soil to dry slightly between each drink. However, for tomatoes, alternated periods of wet and dry will result in cracked, split skins. For best results, water regularly, keeping soil evenly moist, but not saturated. Watering at ground level rather than overhead will eliminate many disease problems. Tomatoes require approximately 1 - 1.5 inches of water a week.

Feed Your Bed

The better the soil, the less you will need to feed the plants, but most vegetable gardens will require supplemental feeding to perform their best. Lower nitrogen and higher phosphorus content, which will encourage flowering and fruiting, and keep plants from getting too leggy. Use a product like Schultz® Water Soluble Tomato Food which is specially formulated for tomatoes.

Prop Up, Pinch Back

Tomatoes do not require a lot of maintenance, but a bountiful harvest will require some intervention on your part.

For indeterminate varieties use stakes, trellises or tomato cages to keep the plants from sprawling on the ground. Tie the plant to its support as it grows, positioning the tie between each leaf cluster. Don’t tie too tightly, and use a wide stretchy fabric like cloth strip, or nylon, rather than a thin string. Thinning out some blossoms will result in earlier and larger tomato production. You may wish to pinch the top of the plant after 4-5 flower bunches have formed.

Determine plants that won’t need as much assistance, but will benefit from a tomato cage or other structure to keep them upright. These procedures allow more sun and air to get to the foliage and flowers, and prevents rot and bug damage cause by fruit in contact with the ground.

It is common for late summer to become a season of drought. All plants need water in order to thrive and if they don't get enough, they will most likely become stressed and die. Providing water is an obvious solution to droughts, but sometimes it is not an option due to restrictions. There are other ways you can keep your plants happy until the rain returns.

1. Double up on Mulch

Mulch helps manage moisture levels in soil and will keep water from instantly evaporating. It will also protect your plant roots from drying out by guarding them from harsh sun rays.

2. Amend Native Soil with a Moisturized Mix

There are specific soils out there which will hold in moisture. If you find your soil is drying out quickly, it may be beneficial to add some soi ltaht will retain it.

3. Install Shade Covers

A lattice or an old sheet can almost instantly be turned into a sun guard. Just make sure your plants still receive the proper amount of sunlight necessary.

4. Watch for Bugs

During hot weather with little water, bugs can become an issue. Spider mites are a popular pest that tends to flourish in drought like conditions. Take proper precautions and treat infestation immediately. The sooner these pests are caught, the more likely you will save your plants.

5. Keep Veggies Picked

As soon as veggies may be ready for harvest, remove them from the soil. The longer they sit in drought like conditions, the more likely they are to become diseased.

6. Deadhead Flowers Often The less fruit and flowers plants hold, the less water they will require to stay alive.

Pesky animals can potentially steal your vegetables and fruits you’ve worked so hard to grow. Inevitably, we must share the outdoors with these critters. If you currently have a problem, identify the intruder and learn about their habits. This will help you narrow down your plan of action. Otherwise, here are some prevention tips to stop these critters before they start!

Burrowing Animals

To prevent animals from eating the roots of your plants, place a wire mesh under your garden before you start planting. Cut a piece of wire mesh the same dimension as your garden and place it approximately 3 feet into the soil.

For more protection, dig a 3-foot trench around your garden. Use any type of fence and place into the channel. Use the original soil to fill the trench back in.

Flying Animals

To prevent birds from attacking your garden, place a scarecrow or owl decoy within your garden. This is an easy and inexpensive way to scare the birds and keep them from landing in your garden.

You can also use a netting to cover your plants. Be sure to use a lightweight net to drape over your plants. This is less harmful to the plant and can be easily removed when you are ready to harvest.

Use a tall stake or tree to hang shiny ribbons around and within your garden. The reflection from the sun and sudden movements from the wind will easily frighten a bird as they fly by.

Land Animals

Repellent sprays are effective and keep both bugs and animals away. Be sure to check and reapply when the repellent needs replaced. Make sure it is environmentally friendly and will not damage your plants.

Plant Protection Tents or Hoops are a great way to protect specific sections of your garden. They are usually inexpensive and easy to construct. These are great temporary solutions that can easily be removed for mowing or during the winter months.

Building a fence around your garden will always be an effective prevention method. For a seasonal solution, staple a mesh fence to stakes at every corner of your garden. This temporary barrier is effective and easy to take down at the end of the growing season. For a long-term solution, build a fence around the perimeter of your garden. If you are worried about deer, build the fence high enough they are unable to jump over.

Deer are beautiful creatures, but they can be extremely harmful to your flower and vegetable gardens. Protecting your garden can also become frustrating since deer are large and sneaky animals. Check out these tips for deterring deer to hopefully you will save your garden!

1. Install a Fence. Installing a fence can be an expensive and timely task, but it will pay off in the end. If you have a large garden in an inclusive area, it may pay off in the end. The problem is deer can jump. Constructing a relatively high fence (8 ft tall) or adding shock or barbed wire, is a good idea. If an electric fence is most practical, 3 strand are necessary to keep the deer out of your garden.

2. Apply Layers of Scent. Deer are very sensitive to smell and will most likely stay away if humans are present. Below are a few scents that will repel deer almost instantly when placed in your garden.

• Perfumed Soaps
• Dirty Diapers
• Baby Powder
• Human or Dog Hair
• Peppers
• Fabric Softener

3. Use Homemade Sprays. There are many home remedies out there but the one that follows is proven to be one of the most effective.
2 Eggs
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp. Tabasco
2 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 Cups Water
Puree all the ingredients and allow it to sit for 2 days. Spray or pour within your garden or around specific target plants. Avoid putting directly onto foliage.

4. Plant Flowers They Avoid. There are some plants deer will definitely stay away from. Consider intermixing these with some of the plants which deer are attracted.

• Coreopsis
• Daffodil
• Dianthus
• Dusty Miller
• Foxglove
• Iris
• Purple Coneflower
• Vinca
• Yucca
• Zinnia

5. Distract Them. Sometimes if you plant flowers and plants deer love in an area away from your garden, they will go there instead. Sacrifice a few plants in order to protect your favorites. The flowers deer love are as followed:

• Azalea
• Black Eyed Susan
• Candytuft
• Crocus
• Hosta
• Hydrangea
• Lily
• Pansy
• Rose
• Tulip

6. Plant Strategically. It is best to plant flowers you love near your home. Deer do not like to get up close and personal with humans. Therefore, they will most likely stay away.

7. Utilize Textured Plants. Often times deer will avoid plants that are prickly, thorny, or hairy. Just be sure you plant these in a way that you can still reach your garden as needed. These plants aren’t always the most appealing either, so it is best to use this method only if all else fails.