Trees made the Green Mountains green all summer and now provide the beauty of autumn across the Vermont landscape. Nature is now releasing them from their trees to add fertility and build soil. We should convert those rich leaves into compost, not remove them as is often the misguided custom. This message is all about not raking leaves and how to enrich your soil with your own compost. Since the first green buds of spring, tree roots have been pulling…
Autumn has begun and frost isn’t far away. Gardens are showing leaf loss on squash, cukes, peppers, tomatoes, and basil. These are among the cold susceptible plants. Cold tolerant plants like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and arugula will keep growing. In ground carrots, potatoes, onions, & turnips are fine and can be harvested when you have time. Good News, there are a few easy precautions we can take to protect our favorite plants and extend the harvest season to get a…
The rains of July and August have promoted plant diseases, weeds, soil nutrient loss, and some pests. While harvesting onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and other vegetables it’s important to keep weeding and begin soil preparations for next year’s garden. Potatoes, onions, and winter squashes will store better if they are “cured” in a warmer space before storing. Pest control in Brassicas is still needed to protect our late harvests from cabbage worms and aphids. Finally, it’s time to harvest some herbs…
After the excessive rains of July, gardens are in full maturity and producing an abundance of veggies, herbs, flowers, (and weeds) and soon to be harvested potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, and more. It’s the reward that a hard-working gardener deserves and should enjoy this time of year. Proper harvesting is key to successful production, and the more you pick the more you get! Leaving blossoms or fruits on plants to get over-ripe or go to seed tells the plant its…
We are in peak garden season and there’s a lot happening out there. The rainy start of July made two practices essential: weeding and disease control. While you enjoy some satisfying harvests and flowers, stay alert to slugs and new pests to prevent damage and plant disease introduction. There are some more things that can be planted now too. Garlic harvest is almost here so let’s look at the best way to harvest, cure, and select your crop. Weeds are…
June brings better gardening weather, what a welcome change! Although it’s been dry for Vermont spring, recent rains have created better conditions to get new plants into their outdoor homes for the summer. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, and salad greens have mostly been planted out. It’s time for heat loving plants like basil, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, okra, sweet potatoes, & peppers to be in the ground. Annual flowers like geraniums, petunias, marigolds, nasturtiums, and snapdragons will do well outside…
We’re finally in the time of year when we can plant some things into the ground. Some seeds can go in early, other seeds & plants need to wait for warmer days. How do we know what to plant when? In April and early May most soil is still too wet to dig or till unless you have raised beds. Let’s look at several ways to help determine when it’s best to plant seeds or put out transplants. Also, a…
Despite our recent wintry week April is National Garden Month so now is a great time to think about starting a garden and all the planning and choices that involves. Most basically, “What should I grow?” depends on what you want to eat or to see in your yard, and the kind of work you can do. Soil & climate conditions in Vermont place some limits on our choices but we do have a great selection of hardy fruits, vegetables,…
When our snow is replaced by slippery mud, it’s a sure sign that spring is almost here! We are now getting just over 12 hours of daylight per day and that stimulates new plant growth. It also makes our gardens irresistible on warmer days. Don’t be tempted to get too ambitious just yet, but there are several jobs that can be done before working in the soil. Houseplants and indoor sheltered garden plants will benefit from feeding now and some…
Here we are… winter in Vermont with beautiful snow, cold nighttime temperatures, but there’s still plenty to keep a good gardener busy. If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, that is your #1 priority! Look at the short list of local seed companies that I list in the full article (or any others that you like) and you can browse their online catalogs from the comfort of home. Don’t delay, the best varieties sell out first. In this article…