Soil pH is an indicator of the relative abundance of hydrogen (H⁺) ions and hydroxyl (OHˉ) ions in garden soils (Table 1). These ions play a very important part of soil fertility and a plant’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. The pH scale runs from 1 (highest acidity) to 14 […]
Archive for the ‘Fruits & Vegetables’ Category
Soil pH- What’s It All About
Posted by Hugh on January 18th, 2016
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Blueberries, Fertilizing plants, Garden Maintenance, plant nutrition, Rhododendrons, Soil drainage, Soil pH, Southern Appalachian Region 
Comments Off on Soil pH- What’s It All AboutWatering Tips When Away On Vacation
Posted by Hugh on January 15th, 2016
Summer annuals: Hot July – August weather may demand daily or twice-daily watering for container-grown annuals. A trustworthy neighbor may have to handle these chores. Flowers and vegetables: When there is no rain within a week, water deeply any vegetables that are bearing fruits like tomato, peppers, and squash. Plants will keep producing far into […]
Posted in Astilbe (false spirea), Bermuda, Blackberry Lily (Belamcandra), Bulb Crops, Caladium, Canna lily, Canna lily, Container garden, Crocosmia (Montbretia), Dahlia, Ferns, Ferns, Fruits & Vegetables, Garden Maintenance, Herbs, Interior (house) Plants, Kentucky bluegrass, Lily (Lilium), Pineapple lily (Eucomis), Planting tips, Roses, Tall Fescue, watering tips, Zoysia Comments Off on Watering Tips When Away On VacationAsian Pears Becoming Very Popular
Posted by Hugh on January 6th, 2016
Whether home-grown or store bought, Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) fruits ripen sweet and tasty on the tree (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). There are over 100 varieties available worldwide, many with difficult to pronounce. Investigate variety cold hardiness and winter chilling rating as some cultivars are hardier than others. Southern varieties require only 300- 600 hours of winter chilling temperatures […]
Posted in acidic soil, Asian Pears, Bee Favorite, Disease prone, Fertilizing plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Harvest Time, Heat Tolerance, Insect (Pest) Problems, mulching, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Pesticide recommendations, Planting tips, Pollination needs, Powdery mildew, Propagation(grafting), Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Voles, Wildlife attractant, winter hardiness Comments Off on Asian Pears Becoming Very Popular10 Winter Care Tips For Landscape Plants
Posted by Hugh on October 10th, 2015
Fall-planted perennials, shrubs and trees need some additional attention. Here are 10 basic tips to help plants get past potential winter woes: Select balled-and-burlapped (b&b) or container-grown plants rather than bare-rooted stock. Most bare-root plants are planted in late winter or early spring when plants are still dormant. Evergreens, […]
Posted in Apple tree, Asian Pears, Bulb Crops, Container growing, container shrub, Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Crocus, Daffodil (Narcissus), Magnolia liliiflora, mulching, mulching trees, Pear (Pyrus spp.), Perennials, Planting tips, Pruning, Rabbit/deer Protection, Repotting plants, Roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Trees & Shrubs, Vitex (Chaste tree), watering evergreens, watering tips, Wildlife attractant, Wind protection, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on 10 Winter Care Tips For Landscape PlantsRipening Tomatoes Off The Vine
Posted by Hugh on October 7th, 2015
The threat of freezing temperatures in the fall has gardeners scrambling to harvest all green tomatoes that may be a few weeks away from regular harvest. You may opt to prepare fried green tomatoes or to ripen the fruits indoors, still a tastier alternative to store-bought tomatoes. Pick green tomatoes that show a tinge of color at the blossom (bottom) end and feel a […]
Posted in Edible fruits, Fruits & Vegetables, Harvest and Storage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tomato Comments Off on Ripening Tomatoes Off The VinePaint and Wrap Newly Set Peach Tree Trunks
Posted by Hugh on October 4th, 2015
The bark of young peach (Prunus persica) or nectarine (P. persica nucipersica) trees are sensitive to winter injury caused by rapid drops in daily temperatures. On a winter’s day, the sun may heat up the sapwood under the thin skinned peach bark. Research in Georgia shows that temperatures on the south side of a peach tree may […]
Posted in Fruits & Vegetables, Peach, Rabbit/deer Protection, Southern Appalachian Region, Voles, Winter bark, winter hardiness, winter injury, Winter Protection Comments Off on Paint and Wrap Newly Set Peach Tree TrunksFruit Gardening In Containers
Posted by Hugh on March 26th, 2015
Great packaging along with exciting breeding has ignited interest in growing small fruits in containers. In recent years the BrazelBerries™ fruits have become popular at garden centers. Brazelberries is the creation of the Brazelton family of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. in Oregon, who have been propagating and growing berry plants since the 1970’s. Their […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aphids, Blueberries, Container growing, Disease resistant, Edible fruits, Fertilizing plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (layering), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Rabbit/deer Protection, Raspberries, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on Fruit Gardening In ContainersBetter Disease Resistance With Mountain Tomato Series
Posted by Hugh on March 24th, 2015
Tomatoes are attacked by several diseases and insects. Most serious diseases are early blight, spotted wilt virus (TSWV), fusarium wilt (FW), Stemphylium Gray Leaf Spot (St), Alternaria leaf spot (A), and root knot nematodes (N). Major insect problems are aphids, thrips, stink bugs, blister beetles, fruit worms, horn worms, leaf miners, fruit flies, and […]
Posted in Disease prone, Disease resistant, Disease resistant, Edible fruits, Fruits & Vegetables, Insect (Pest) Problems, Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Tomato, Virus diseases, watering tips Comments Off on Better Disease Resistance With Mountain Tomato SeriesSupport Tomato Plants
Posted by Hugh on February 6th, 2015
University research demonstrates that yields are lower for staked tomatoes. Staking tomatoes is not absolutely necessary, but harvesting tomatoes on the ground becomes more difficult. Dirt and disease blemishes on fruits laying on the ground necessitate grading, cleaning, and disposing of culls. Most tall growing indeterminate varieties are best supported off the ground in some manner to prevent […]
Posted in Edible fruits, Fruits & Vegetables, Harvest Time, Propagation (Seed), Pruning, Southern Appalachian Region, Staking, Tomato Comments Off on Support Tomato PlantsStoring Vegetables Outdoors Over The Winter
Posted by Hugh on October 7th, 2014
In early fall before killing frost arrives, harvest of fresh vegetables is central on gardeners’ minds. You might consider storing some (not all) vegetables outdoors to take advantage of frigid winter temperatures ahead. Limited refrigerator space in your kitchen is not taken up. Some root vegetables- namely beets, carrots, rutabagas and parsnips- are long keepers. […]
Posted in Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Fruits & Vegetables, Storage Overwinter, Swiss chard, Winter Protection Comments Off on Storing Vegetables Outdoors Over The Winter
