A LIVESTRONG Day Event | LIVESTRONG Day 2010 | LIVESTRONG.org

A LIVESTRONG Day Event LIVESTRONG Day 2010 LIVESTRONG.org

New opportunities

So, I went out and checked my vegetable garden over the weekend. Things are bad. So bad, in fact, that I'm not going to post a picture of what has gone on. For several reasons, I was not able to get after it this spring (like, we were busy at the garden center?), and a little jaunt out of town, and it's now at the point of giving up. Crabgrass knee high (maybe higher), DEAD tomato plants, you get the drill.

So my new plan? After this current heat spell passes, I'm going to rock out on a fall garden. Last year was really my first concerted effort at a fall garden, and my efforts were fruitful. It's looking like I'm going to have all the space in the world this year to expand.

So, what am I going to plant in this "fall garden"?

One vegetable that I have really grown to enjoy is the turnip. I don't really know why, we don't eat them raw or anything like that. Like many families, we often enjoy a hearty soup or stew as temperatures drop in the fall. For me, all soups now need to contain turnips. Hey, try it. They're really easy.

I'm also going to do some of the regular "cool weather" fare, radishes, green beans, probably a few peas, spinach, leaf lettuce, etc. Now's a great time to plant another quick turn of summer squash as well. (Since my earlier plantings were not all too fruitful, I am not yet sick of squash at this point)

So, what to do? Just pull the old plants out of the garden, if you have weeds, just raise the lawnmower and go over the area. We don't really want to till or disturb the soil heavily for fall planting, so only light cultivation is needed. Plant your seeds a bit deeper than you would have in the spring and water. Yes, watering can be a little difficult during the early days of a fall garden, but once the plants are up, it's pretty smooth sailing.

Now only to get motivated to clean out the mess I have on hand. Hey, the heat index is only 108...

Happy gardening.

Urban Gardening pt III

With the warmer temperatures, longer daylength, my veggies on my back patio are really growing. Today, May 11, I figured it was time to get my tomato plants in cages, and my Earthbox trellis installed. last year, I waited too long in my row garden to get my cages installed and the plants were too large to get into cages. I would encourage you to purchase the largest cages available, or you want to spend your money on. Short, inexpensive are not worth the money spent on them. I would not use anything shorter than 42" cages, which is what I used. I will probably have to use 6' plant stakes later in the season to support these tomatoes. Keep your plants fertilized to keep the plants growing well. Always use a garden type fertilizer, never a lawn type food on veggies. You may have great looking, huge plants, but very little fruit production. (Yes, veggies are fruit). I am using FoxFarm Organic Fruit and Flower Fertilizer about every 2 weeks. http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/products_frog1.html This fertilizer is loaded with beneficials, which most potting mixes are missing. FoxFarm potting mixes are loaded with these microscopic wonders as well. I used FoxFarm Ocean Forest potting mix in both my Smart Pots and Earthbox. http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/products_soils1.html

I also have continued to add potting mix in my potato bags (10 gal Smart Pots) http://www.smartpots.com/ to encourage potato production in the complete depth of soil. (Potatoes are a vegetable, not a fruit)

Urban Gardening pt II

Well it has been a month since I planted some containers on our back patio. Soon after planting, we had 3" of snow. I decided to try a couple of things. 1. was to cover 1 of the tomatoes with a clay pot in the Earth Box to see how it would survive the storm. 2. was to spray the other tomato plant with a new product called FreezePruf, a new 'plant anti-freeze' from the Liquid Fence company. Check it out www.liquidfence.com/FreezePruf.html I think the FreezePruf will work to protect against a frost, but not a snow. I have since replanted the frozen plant (the plant on the right) but the pot covered plant is doing fine.

I have also planted some additional containers, Smart Pots with peppers, tomatoes and onion plants. One benefit to container gardening is that plants may be planted weeks earlier than in the ground much easier.

Urban Gardening

seems to be the new gardening buzz word these days. Maybe using the term 'City Gardening' or 'Small Space Gardening' or even, 'I just don't want to convert 1/2 of my back yard to a garden' would be other ways of explaining what Urban Gardening is.

You have seen my larger area where I plant rows of vegetables, but this year I am going to grow veggies on and around our back patio. It does not get much better than stepping out the back door and grabbing a fresh tomato or pepper.

Today, for our 'Johnson's Garden Time' TV show to air in a couple of weeks, we potted up an 'Earthbox' and 'Smartpot'. The Earthbox is a rectangle plastic container on rollers that has 2 tomato plants, the Smartpot, is planted with potatoes.

Mid-March is plenty early to be planting tomatoes in Kansas, but by using the Earthbox, or a Smartpot, portability is very simple, or being close to the back door, I'll be able to cover the tender plants when the last few freezes occur.

This afternoon when

the skies cleared, I just had to get out and do something in the 2010 vegetable garden. I fired up the troy built tiller and worked the soil where my first plantings will go. My plan is to get in potatoes (tomorrow is St. Pats day), onions, radishes, carrots, cole crops, and will probably do a 'gamble' tomato.

This year I may try smaller plots of vegetable, not the long 100' rows like last year. Anyway, my first area is ready to plant.

For Valentine's Day or any Occasion

At Johnson's, we've got plenty of gift ideas for your buttercup this Valentine's Day. We keep a nice selection of premium houseplants in fresh supply.

For indoor blooms, choose from Orchids, Bromeliads, Flamingo Flower, Rieger Begonias, Kalanchoes, and Collector's African Violets.

New this year are "Chocolate Kisses" Valentine's Dish Gardens. These come in cute pink and brown ceramic containers and are sure to please.

We also have many, many foliage houseplants. From big to small, green to variegated, chartreuse to burgundy, we'll have just the right one for your sweetie. And, our knowledgeable staff can help you select the right houseplant for the right area.

So, come on in and shop from the sunny comfort of our greenhouses to pick up the perfect gift for your Valentine.