January 2006

Edible

Check old veggie seeds for germination. Wet a paper towel and place the seeds in a row about an inch from the edge. Roll the paper towel up from the opposite side and put the towel in a warm area like the top of the refrigerator. Mist the towel to keep it moist. After 10 to 14 days, unroll the towel and check the number of seeds that have germinated. If less than half have germinated, either discard or seed more heavily this spring

Grow a garden in a bag. Fill a pint or quart size heavy-duty Ziploc freezer bag with potting soil making sure to push the soil into the corners of the bag so it will set upright on a windowsill. Fill the bag to within a couple of inches from the top. Sprinkle some easy to grow seeds like basil, chives or lettuce on top of the soil and lightly cover. Water lightly so the top three or four inches of the soil is moist and zip the bag shut. Place the bag in a sunny window. Check the bag in a week or so for green growth. When you see green shoots, open the bag and water when needed.

Tomatoes are America’s favorite garden vegetable. Last year was rough for tomatoes with the drought and high temperatures. The following are the three major tomato problems gardeners faced last growing season.

Blossom-end rot causes the blossom-end of the tomato to turn brown and black. This is not a disease. It is a calcium deficiency caused by high temperatures and fluctuating soil moisture levels such as we experienced during last summer’s drought. It usually occurs on the first ripening fruits. Water tomatoes consistently with the equivalent of one inch of water per week to avoid fluctuating levels of soil moisture. Mulches will also help to conserve moisture.

Tomato Cracking
Changes in growth rate can cause tomatoes to crack. Last summer the most likely cause of cracking was the fluctuations in temperature and rain we experienced. Giving tomatoes the one-inch of water they need each week will reduce the problem. There are also several crack resistant varieties such as ‘ Jetstar ’ and ‘ Pink Girl ’.

Blossom Drop/Poor Fruit Set
This was very common last summer with our high temperatures. Tomatoes will drop blossoms when daytime temperatures in the summer are above 90 degrees F. Blossoms will also drop earlier in the growing season when night temperatures drop below 55 degrees F. There is really nothing you can do except to wait for cooler temperatures.

Ornamental

Remove the flower stalk of amaryllis bulbs after it has yellowed. Provide bright light for the plant. After all danger of frost has passed, place the plant in the garden in a spot that receives morning light. Fertilize every two to three weeks with a complete fertilizer like 10-10-10. In the early fall bring the plant indoors before frost. Stop watering and allow the plant to rest in a cool, dark place for eight weeks. When new growth appears, water and place the plant in bright, indirect light.

Mix deicers with sand to increase their effectiveness and to reduce overall use. One pound of a deicer mixed with 50 pounds of sand makes an effective mixture. Salts in the soil can hold water that would usually be taken up by plant roots. Salts absorbed by the roots cause a burn or browning on the edges of leaves.

Select trees and shrubs for your home landscape.

• Consider maintenance needs. Avoid plants that need a lot of pruning, fertilization, watering and deadheading.
• Select plants with disease resistance.
• Choose plants appropriate for our 5a and 5b hardiness zones.
• Know your plant site characteristics such as sun, drainage and soil pH.
• Avoid being the house on the block with overgrown shrubs. Know the mature size of your selected plant and choose a site with plenty of room for growth.
• Aesthetic considerations like height, fall color, fruit, bark and growth habit should be the last things considered before making a final selection.

Choose foliage houseplants that are appropriate for the lowlight conditions we experience in the winter. The following foliage houseplants will survive such conditions: Chinese evergreen, heartleaf philodendron, peace lily, mother-in-laws tongue or snake plant and the parlor palm.

Place birdfeeders where predators can’t sneak up on the birds, place at different heights, but no lower than five feet from the ground and where they can be seen from a window. Use a seed mix of 50 percent black {oil-type} sunflower, 35 percent white millet and 15 percent cracked corn to attract a variety of birds.