Grow Potatoes On Your Deck?

I went to a friends house yesterday and guess what she was growing on her deck? Potatoes! She was growing them in a small garbage can! She took a small old garbage can and filled it with about a six inches of soil she then planted about 2 sets of potatoes. After the plants have grown but before they flowered she added another layer of soil....she continued building the soil as the plants appear until it reached around four feet. They were not ready to harvest but she said that when she dumps it over she should have a heavy crop of potatoes. I thought I would try this next year!

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

Tomato Pests

Many people have asked what pests like tomato plants... here is a small list of what pest may be bothering you tomato plant.

1. Colorado potato beetle I find these eary spring.

2. Missing leaves might suggest a hornworm.

3. Blister Beetles these use come out about mid-summer.

4. Fruit Flies This is after fruit begins to ripen.

5. Slugs I have these when my fruit is on the ground and there are a few overly-ripen close together.



I have found the easiest method to get rid of the Colorado Potato Beetle and the Tomato Horn Worm is to get out early and pick them off...starting the beginning of the season....before they take over your garden.

I pick them and place them in a bucket with 1 quart of water and 1 teaspoon liquid soap. This way they won't crawl back up the bucket and get out and it is safe to throw the remains in my compost pile.

I have many recipes that you can use to spray them but if you want immediate results you can always hand pick.

Happy Gardening..

Lynn

Planting in mounds or hills?

Planting in mounds or hill planting....are the same thing! Many people plant potatoes this way but you can also plant corn, muskmelons and watermelons this way. You can do this 2 ways.... First mound up your dirt and plant a seed wait for your seedling to grow and then mound up dirt as it grows. Second mound up your dirt and then put transplant in your mound or hill. The important part is to still place dirt around the plant while it is still growing. This keeps the plant sturdy...this works great with corn. During the end of summer our corn will bend over but the extra dirt really holds them up.

I couldn't remember if I have shared this great recipe? It is one of my favorites and now is the time you can get the flowers. It only keeps for a few weeks but it works for many bugs.

Easy Bug Juice:

1/2 Marigolds

1/2 cup Geraniums

1/2 cup Garlic

Chop this up fine

mix with 10 gallons of warm water let set then strain put into a spray bottle...

Happy Gardening...

Lynn

When should I plant?

I have little reminders on when I plant my garden here are a few.....

I plant my tomatoes, melons and eggplant when the peonies flower and when the black locust bloom.

I plant my pole beans and cucumbers when the apple blossoms drop.

I plant my potatoes when the white oak leaves are as big as a cats ear.

I plant my spinach, beets and onions when the daffodils bloom.

I plant my broccoli and cabbage after the dog-woods have dropped their flowers.


Happy Gardening...

Lynn

Organic Fertilizer

This is great for all veggies..


5 cups seaweed meal

3 parts granite dust

1 part dehydrated manure

1 part bone meal

Combine all these ingredients in a bucket....put a couple hands on your plants 2 or 3 times during planting season.

Happy Gardening..

Lynn

Blight Tonic

Use this on tomatoes, potaoes, and celery...

1 Tbsp. of horticutural oil (found in gardening centers)

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1 Gal. water

Mix together put in a spray bottle and soak plants.

Happy Gardening...

Lynn