Growing Tomatoes

 

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When your tomatoes turn red they are ripe.A lot of time bugs and birds feast on your tomatoes just before they are ripe leaving you with a tomato rotting on the vine.

It is best to leave your tomatoes on the vine as long as possible. Vine ripened tomatoes have the best flavor, with lots of extra vitamins and nutrients.

If you are losing the battle with the hungry bugs and birds in your garden and your tomatoes are getting damaged and rotting on the vine then pick them. Put your tomatoes in a paper bag or set them out on the counter to finish ripening on your back porch or in your kitchen window.

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Gardening Questions Answered

 

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Here are some questions I received from readers of Phil The Gardener. Readers send gardening questions by filling out the form at Ask
Phil The Gardener a Question

Jose writes,

How long should I water my lawn here in Nevada?

Jose,
Typically your lawn should have about an inch of water a week. This can vary some depending on the type of grass, type of soil it is growing in, and the weather.

Harry in Houston wrote in and had these questions,

I would like to know when to plant
1) potatoes
2)cabbage
3)broccoli
4)carrots
5)beans
6)tomatoes
7)cucumbers
8)onions
9)garlic
10)squash

Harry here are some recommendations of when to plant your vegetables in Houston.
Keep in mind that this can vary a little with the weather.
1)potatoes Feb 1->Feb 15th
2)cabbage Jan 21->Feb 21 & Sept 15th ->Oct 15th
3)broccoli Jan 21->Feb21 & Sept 15th ->Oct 15th
4)carrots Oct 15->Nov 15th
5)beans( lima and snap ) - March 1->April 7th & Sept 1->Sept 21
6)tomatoes Mar 1->Mar 31
7)cucumbers Mar 21->Apr 30
8)onions Jan 15->Feb 15
9)garlic Jan 21->Feb21 & Sept 15th ->Oct 15th
10)squash Mar 15th ->Apr 30

Right now a few of the vegetables you can plant are:

2)cabbage Sept 15th ->Oct 15th
3)broccoli Sept 15th ->Oct 15th
5)beans( lima and snap ) - Sept 1->Sept 21
9)garlic Sept 15th ->Oct 15th

Quinn had an interesting question.
He says;

“Hi Phil. I have found this strange flower in northern Minnesota and don’t know what it is. i need a name. its round like a ball all the way around, its purple, has kinda a… soft fuzz on the stem but the stem is hard. its like a thistle. Its very sharp, like thorny, the plant grows around two feet high. Each “flower” is on its own branch off of the main stem. any ideas?”

I replied to his email asking for a picture to help me more readily identify it.

Quinn did send me a picture of the bloom. and from that bloom I determined that it likely was a Globe Thistle.

Gardeners, continue to send me gardening questions. When you do, please send a picture of the whole flower. Sometimes it is just as likely I can identify the plant by the leaves and plant structure as the bloom.

Happy and Healthy Gardening to all and keep sending in your questions.

Again feel free to send gardening questions by filling out the form at Ask
Phil The Gardener a Question

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Planting Potatoes

 

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Potatoes will grow in a lot of soil types as long as the soil has been well prepared. Potatoes like a slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.5.

Preparation is important for growing potatoes. In the fall, November to December mix in large amount of compost or bonemeal into the soil and allow it to break down over the winter.

It is important for the compost to decompose. Compost can cause the potatoes to be scabby if the potatoes are maturing in decomposing compost. You want the potatoes to grow in nice loamy soil and allow the roots to feed off of the compost.

Make sure your growing your potatoes in full sun. Rotate your crops don’t allow all of the potatoes to grow in the same area of your garden two years in a row. Also make sure they don’t follow tomatoes. Tomatoes are of the same family and disease can be transmitted from one crop to another.

One week before you’re ready to start planting set your seed potatoes in a well lit area with the temperature between 60 to 70°. This will encourage the seed to start sprouting. It’s the sprouts are white they’re not getting enough light.

The day before you plant cut your seed potatoes with a sharp clean knife into 1 1/2″ to 2″ chunks. Make sure that you have one to two eyes on each piece. If the seed potatoes are small you can use the whole potato.

By allowing the seed to set overnight before planting the wounds will callous over, this help prevent them from rotting in the soil.

The average planting time in the United States is mid-March. This can vary depending on where you’re located. In some areas you can start planting as early as the first of February. The main thing is protect your early plants from frost damage.

Tips for planting potatoes earlier in the season is to lay black plastic on an area you’re going to plant. Cut a crisscross in the plastic and plant the seed six to 8 inches below the surface. This can allow you to harvest up to two weeks earlier.

Potatoes can be planted in a container as long as they have a foot to foot and a half of soil below the plant. You can use potting soil and grow them in a container on your patio.

You can start digging new potatoes at about 60 to 65 days after planting. The mature crop will be ready at approximately 100 days. Use any starter damaged potatoes first, they won’t keep. Allow your potatoes to dry before you put them in storage. Damp potatoes will rot.

I didn’t even get to talk about growing potatoes in straw.

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