The Rusted Vegetable Garden

Straw Bale Gardening Basics with Determinate Tomatoes

2013-05-24T11:34:00.001-04:00

Straw Bale Gardening Basics with Determinate Tomatoes

(Join Me for Another Garden Experiment)

'Straw Bale' gardening has been something that keeps showing up in some of the Google+ gardening communities. It has peaked my interest and I did have a seasoned bale of straw from last fall in the garden. I figure why not give it a try and see if it is effective. Another garden experiment to occupy my time.

A straw bale is essentially a raised bed and a container. The theory is that the tomatoes or vegetables can root right into the bale. Bales will hold moisture and have a degree of nutrients. Not only can you grow tomatoes in a bale, you can use the used and decomposed straw to improve your garden so in the following years.

A NEW straw bale has to be conditioned for about 14 days. A bale has to go through a composting stage like a pile of green cut grass. In my case, my bale is from last year so it is ready to plant. New bales should be soaked for 14 days to let the microbes do their thing to the newly cut straw. Some people jump start this process with a high nitrogen fertilizer and even use urine to start the process. Just soak the bale with it.

Once the composting has occurred you can plant the tomato or vegetables. You don't want the heat generated from the compost process to potentially harm plants and you don't want the microbes challenging the plants for nitrogen and other nutrients. Let the process finish before you plant.

I planted 3 determinate tomatoes that will each get about 2 feet tall. I am starting small to see if I can manage a straw bale. You want to make sure you add soil to the hole and work it in before putting in the tomato. You want to ensure the roots contact the soil and the soil thoroughly contacts the straw. Over fill the planting hole with more soil once the tomato is dropped in and pack it tightly around the tomato. That is the basic set up for planting in a straw bale. Wish me luck!

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Growing Small Determinate Tomatoes in Small Containers & Coco Coir Grow Bags

2013-05-24T08:58:00.002-04:00

Growing Small Determinate Tomatoes in

Small Containers & Coco Coir Grow Bags

Every container tomato garden does not need large containers and large tomatoes. You can find small varieties of tomatoes that my suit your container garden needs or preferences. The 'Patio Princess' is a 2 foot dwarf cherry tomato that can grow well in 2.5 gallon containers or small grow bags.

It is important to match the mature size of your tomatoes and other vegetables with the size of the container. A container has to have the capacity to provide for the root system of a mature plant. In this case a 2 foot tall tomato's root system can be managed in the containers that I show in the video.

The same issues come into play with large container tomatoes or small container tomatoes... can you keep them watered and fed? You have to make sure a container never dries out because you will damage the plant. You also have to make sure you feed them frequently on a routine. Sometimes that routine my be a gallon of 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer weekly or it might be a half gallon of full strength fertilizer every two weeks. There are lots of options.

The video highlights these ideas and shows you how to set up a coconut coir grow bag. This is my first time using them. I will be using saucers as a water and liquid fertilizer reserve. A gallon of water with half strength fertilizer will run through these containers. They may have to be fed over two days, if not for a saucer to catch the run-off.

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Growing Two Peppers in a 5 Gallon Container: Ground Contact Containers

2013-05-21T13:29:00.001-04:00

Growing Two Peppers in a 5 Gallon Container:

(Ground Contact Containers)

I've grown single peppers in 2.5 gallon containers and single peppers in 5 gallon containers on my deck. There is a slight size difference in total plant growth but in the end the pepper production was very similar. The main difference is watering frequency. You never want your peppers or any plant to be in a container that completely dries out. As a gardener that is the main issue when making decisions about container gardens... can you maintain the moisture and nutrients/feedings? Bigger containers and fewer plants are more forgiving when it comes to those two issues.

If the answer to the question above is yes, you can grow 2 pepper successfully in a single 5 gallon container. The key is to have a back up water reserve in some capacity just in case you miss a scheduled watering. Watering becomes a bigger issue when the heat of summer arrives. If you were to grow them on a deck... you would need some sort of watering tray for them to sit in during the hot weeks of summer. You can also use containers on the ground. The video shows you how to set up a 5 gallon container for a ground contact pepper container.

All ground contact means is a container with a good size hole in the bottom where the container soil and developed roots of the plants can contact and grow into the ground. It is your back up watering system so to speak. The hole is also key for drainage. Peppers hate prolonged wet soggy soil. The video covers the basic set up along with a general soil preparation with a basic ratio for organic matter. Organic matter, be it compost or peat moss, is your water retaining agent. Don't worry, if you don't feel like messing with soil mixes, any water control store bought garden soil mix will work just fine. Enjoy!

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Join Me! Fertilizing a Tomato with a Whole Egg and Banana - A Fun Experiment

2013-05-18T18:36:00.003-04:00

Fertilizing a Tomato with a Whole Egg and Banana

What good is gardening if we can't have a little fun and experiment. I set up my experiment with two 'Boxcar' tomatoes. They are planted in the same bed, in the same way but one is getting a whole banana and egg buried a foot down in the hole. It is a way to feed your tomato much like Native Americans did when burying a fish with their crops.

Join me and see if this makes a difference. The video shows the basic steps and my experiment. You want to plant the whole banana and egg below the tomato. Don't break or mash them. Let them stay whole and decay as slowly as possible. The theory is that they will release nutrients for the tomatoes.

I will launch the second part of the video in mid to late July and you can be the judge of the difference.

Good luck in your garden. Have some fun!

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Growing Cucumbers: Feeding, Planting, Disease Control, Trellising and Pollinating

2013-05-15T13:03:00.002-04:00

Growing Cucumbers:
Feeding, Planting, Disease Control, Trellising and Pollinating

Seed Starting:

Cucumbers really enjoy the warm weather. As your garden is transitioning from cool weather crops to the warms season crops... you might not have room cleared for your cucumbers. I highly recommend starting your cucumber seeds in 8 ounce or larger cups. It is true that cucumbers don't like to be transplanted but that is more about starting them in little seeds cells like you probably used to start your tomatoes. Cucumbers will out grow those little cells too fast but larger cups are effective.

Creating Cucumber Transplants

You can save yourself a couple weeks of time by letting your cucumbers germinate and grow in cups. Not only will you have nice transplants for your garden when space opens up... you don't have to worry about the seeds germinating in the ground. There is no risk of losing time and having to replant because the seeds don't come up.

Planting:

Cucumbers are heavy feeders and they need a lot of moisture. There are several products you can use to amend your soil. In general, it is a good idea to dig out a 1 foot wide and 1 foot deep hole or larger to prepare the planting hole. There is no exact recipe and you can use what you like but here is the basic idea.

Mix in 2 large shovel fulls of organic matter like peat moss or compost
Add a small handful of lime if you are using peat moss for PH balance
Add 1 or 2 tables spoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer or your organic equal
Add in 1 tablespoon of Epsom Salts to help prevent yellow leafing
Add back in the soil you dug out and mix it in well and deep

Not only are you amending the hole with nutrients and elements to hold water but you are loosening the soil for deep root development. Epsom Salts help keep your plants green.

Curing Yellow Cucumber Leaves with Epsom Salts

Cucumbers need a good soil to start and grow but they also need a mid-season side dressing of fertilizer and some liquid fertilizer while they grow. Cucumbers really take the nutrients out of the soil. Around mid-season or when the cucumbers are bigger and have set some fruit, they will need a nutrient boost. Scatter 1-2 tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer around the base of the plants and give them a 2 gallon drink of liquid fertilizer.

Your choice of products is fine. That will give them what the need to continue fruiting and finish out the season. Here is what mid-season cucumbers look like and how you can save them.

Saving Yellow Beat-Up Mid-season Cucumber Plants

Pests and Diseases:

Cucumbers are very susceptible to powdery mildew, mites and white-flies. The best way to address these problems is by using a baking soda spray on the leaves to control powdery mildew and a soapy water spray on the undersides of the leaves and stems to manage mites, white-flies and other soft body insects.

Spray your plants 1x weekly to prevent powder mildew and address soft-bodied pests
Spray your plants daily for 3 days if you notice powdery mildew or pests

Identifying at Treating Cucumber Powdery Mildew

Getting Cucumbers or Hand Pollinating:

You don't have to hand pollinate your cucumbers but in some cases you may want to increase the plant's yield by hand pollination. The best way to see how to do this is in the video. Female plants have a small cucumber below the flower. Male plants do not. If the female plant is not pollinated, the tiny cucumber yellows and dies out.

Hand Pollination Cucumbers: Male & Female Flowers

Trellising:

Cucumbers are vines that love to grow. Trellising is the best way to grow your cucumbers. You give them a way to grow vertically. This not only saves you space in your garden, it cuts down on pests and diseases by getting the vines and fruit off the ground. There are many methods of trellising. The video shows you several ways to trellis your cucumbers.

3 Vertical Ways to Grow Cucumbers

Building a Cucumber and Vine Trellis

Cucumber Varieties:

There are many kinds of cucumbers beyond the basic 8 inch variety. I encourage you to grow a couple different varieties. Taste does vary a bit but more importantly they will mature at different times and you will get to pick them steadily over the season. I highly recommend the 'Armenian' cucumber. It has a great color and shape. You can eat the skin. It tastes like a cucumber. And it is very very prolific. The four plants that took down my trellis in the above video were 'Armenian' cucumbers.

Growing Armenian Cucumbers

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Unexpected Frost and Tomato Damage: Tips and Lessons Learned

2013-05-15T08:25:00.001-04:00

Unexpected Frost and Tomato Damage:

Tips and Lessons Learned

This is the follow up video to how I prepared my garden for a 100 year record breaking frost. My area got it and we got several hours of prolonged below 32 degree temperature. This is a review of the success and damage and total losses. I learned some things that might help you with a future frost.

I show off the damage and spliced in a clipped of frozen plants from the morning after the frost. It shows off what methods worked and didn't work.

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Emergency Frost Protection for Container and Earth Tomatoes: When Frost Attacks!

2013-05-13T18:58:00.000-04:00

Emergency Frost Protection

for Container and Earth Tomatoes

A cold front has hit the east coast and my area is predicted to have a 34 degree night. Since I am in the suburbs that always means we get a little colder. Typically the weather at this time is 50ish degree nights and 70 plus degree days.

Mother Nature decided to set a new record in our area and along the east coast. This video provides some emergency frost ideas from trash bags and bathroom waste baskets to plastic sheets and 5 gallon buckets. Hopefully, you will never need to view this video.

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Creating a Splash and Disease Barrier for Tomatoes: Grass Clippings!

2013-05-13T08:47:00.004-04:00

Creating a Tomato Disease and Splash Barrier

Using Grass Clippings

Grass clippings are readily available. You can use other mulches of your choice. It is important not to use grass clippings that have been sprayed with chemicals. Yes... sprayed weed killing products will see your vegetables as targets. I typically wait at least 14 days before using grass I sprayed.

The video shows you tomatoes that are quite muddy on the stem and underside of their leaves from hard rains. This mud splash is one way disease spores can get onto your tomatoes and start infections. You can create a disease and splash barrier by mulching with grass. The video describes the method and tips for using grass clippings.

Clean the tomatoes with water or use a baking soda spray or similar
Mulch 1-3 inches with grass clippings
Let the grass clipping turn dry and turn brown and repeat (about a week)
The grass clipping mulch conserves water
The grass clipping mulch stop spores from splashing onto the tomato plants
The grass clippings keep the underside of the leaves clean for respiration

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Pruning Indeterminate Container Tomatoes: Identifying & Removing 'Suckers'

2013-05-10T11:31:00.002-04:00

Pruning Indeterminate Container Tomatoes

Identifying and Removing 'Suckers'

Pruning and removing tomato leaves and 'suckers' is more of an art that is shaped by experience and preference. With time and experience you will find your own technique for pruning and managing your tomatoes. Many factors determine how you might prune your tomatoes and they include planting zone, tomato type, planting location and local diseases. So many factors in fact, that I can't give you a cut and dry method for pruning tomatoes and removing tomato 'suckers'.

What I am going to do this year is give you the situation and the method I use for my area. I will present many pruning and tending scenarios over the 2013 gardening season. Today's entry is about pruning indeterminate tomatoes in 5 gallon containers.

'Black Plum' Indeterminate Tomatoes - The Rusted Garden Blog

My Planting Zone and Plant Variety

I am in Maryland Zone 7 and the main diseases that attack my tomatoes are Septoria Leaf Spot and Early Blight. I am growing many types of tomatoes in 5 gallon containers. The tomato I am pruning today is the 'Black Plum' indeterminate variety. It can get up to 8 feet tall when planted in the ground. The pruning goal for this tomato is to manage the size of the plant so it can grow well in a 5 gallon container.

Why Prune Indeterminate Container Tomatoes?

I will keep the 'Black Plum' to a single production stem (main stem) for couple months. As the season progresses I may let more main stems or productions stems develop. A tomato 'sucker' is actually a main stem that will become a production stem. It will produce leaves, flower clusters and fruit. Indeterminate tomatoes will produce 'suckers' or new production stems at just about ever leaf joint on the tomato. If you let them all develop when growing them in a container, the plant will over-whelm the container and cause watering and nutritional issues down the line. You have to prune indeterminate tomatoes that you are growing in containers if you want to maximize fruit size and plant health. And to not go insane.

A tomato 'sucker' really doesn't suck the life from your tomato plant. It makes it bigger and creates more opportunities for fruit. More fruit comes at a cost of overall smaller sized fruit. There is only so much a tomato plant can do to produce larger or full sized tomatoes. You may or may not be concerned about this as some gardeners want bigger fruit and some want a higher yield. But... in a container you have to prune out the tomato 'suckers' to insure your tomato stays healthy and produces quality fruit.

Identifying and Removing the Tomato 'Suckers'

Your newly transplanted tomatoes are single stems with a growing tip. As the transplants mature they will obviously grow, leaving behind leaves and flower clusters. In the joint where the the leaf meets the initial main growing stem, will come a new shoot. That new shoot is often called a 'sucker'. What it really is - is a new production stem. It will produce leaves and flower clusters. Flower clusters become tomatoes. That new growing stem will also produce 'suckers' in the joint. You can imagine what would happen to your container tomato if you didn't prune out most of the new production stems or 'suckers'. It would be massive. That is why determinate varieties are often grown in containers instead of indeterminate varieties... plant size management.

The video shows you how to identify and remove the 'suckers' or new production stems from the freshly transplanted 'Black Plum' indeterminate tomato plant. A general rule of thumb is to prune from the bottom and leave the upper 1/4 or 1/3 alone as to not accidentally prune off the growing tip. As the plant gets taller, you work you way up it and prune out unwanted growth.

How Many Main Stems or Production Stems Should I Grow?

That is up to you but I would recommend 1 or 2 main production stems if you are just starting. They are just easier to manage while you gain tomato container growing experience. It also depends on the variety of the indeterminate tomato. Cherry tomatoes might merit many productions stems, where large beefsteak tomatoes merit fewer. Keep in mind that you want fewer main stems when growing indeterminate tomatoes in containers verses earth beds.

I also suggest 1 or 2 production or main stems for about 1/2 of the growing season and then letting the top of the plant develop more stems. But as you might notice there is no set way or set formula or exact technique that tell all gardeners how to prune a tomato. It becomes a practice in creating a living sculpture. You become an artist with your own technique. Good luck.

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60 Seconds or Sow: Just Identifying Tomato 'Suckers' - Where Do They Grow?

2013-05-10T08:42:00.002-04:00

Identifying Tomato 'Suckers' - Where Do They Grow?

This video is just to show you where the tomato 'suckers' grow on the tomato. Identifying them is the first step to deciding how you want to manage them on your tomatoes. They grow in the joint where the leaf branch and main growing stem meet.

'Suckers' if left alone will also turn into main production stems. That is they will grow leaves and flower clusters that will set tomatoes. There are reason to remove or keep tomato suckers and strategies for maintaining 1, 2, 3 or more main stems or production stems on your tomatoes. I will talk more about that as the season progresses.

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Foliar Tomato Spray: Preventing Tomato Diseases with Baking Soda

2013-05-08T11:54:00.001-04:00

Preventing Tomato Diseases with Baking Soda

(Leaf Spot and Blight Diseases)

I garden in Maryland Zone 7. There are two fungal diseases that attack my tomato plants and they are Leaf Spot and Early Blight Each garden zone has its own set of issues with plant diseases and each zone varies for when the diseases may arrive.

Leaf Spot comes to my area in the late April and through May when the temperatures get around 70 degrees and the rains come. Prolonged wet days and the right temperature brings Leaf Spot to my garden tomatoes. Three years ago it was really bad in my area and that is when I learned how to best manage it. I have not had issue with it for several years.

Early Blight

Leaf Spot is a fungus that reproduces through spores. The key to effectively managing this disease and other fungal diseases is to create an 'unhospitable' tomato leaf surface for the spores. By treating the tomato leaves you make it more difficult for the spores to take hold and reproduce. This doesn't always prevent the disease from taking hold on your tomatoes (it might) but it does greatly slow the progression of the disease down. It can even stop the progression.

The best way to stop Leaf Spot is through preventative spraying. That is, start spraying before the disease comes to your garden. Remember this varies from gardening zone to gardening zone. I start spraying about now as part of my prevention plan.

How and Why Does Baking Soda Spray Work?

Baking soda spray reduces the acidity level on the tomato leaf or raises the PH level on the leaf. This change in the PH level, reduction of acidity, is NOT what the Leaf Spot spores want to reproduce. They want a normal tomato leaf surface. The baking soda spray, by changing the PH level of the tomato leaf, prevents and/or interrupts spore reproduction.

The baking soda is only effective while it is on the leaf. It really needs to be reapplied after every heavy rain and about every week to be most effective. You can find slightly varying baking soda spray recipes on the internet. Use which ever one you are most comfortable with.

To make a baking soda foliar spray you mix 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 gallon of water. The concentration varies based on your garden zone, temperature and sun intensity. Always test spray any new foliar spray on a few leaves and wait 24-48 hours to see if any damage occurs.

In my area, from experience, I can use 2 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon up until late June or early July without concern. Last year I used this concentration when the high 90 degree temperatures hit with full sun. The same spray that worked fine for April, May and June... burned many of the plants leaves when used in early July. When the higher temperatures come to my zone, I change to 1 tablespoon of baking soda or use wettable sulfur spray.

Wettable sulfur does the same thing to the fungus spores but does it by raising acidity levels of the leaves or reducing the PH level of the leaves. It is the opposite to baking soda. I also spray in the morning or evening when the heat comes.

Baking Soda Spray Recipe and Directions

1-2 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon of water
Remember to test spray your leaves first
Be aware of temperature and sun intensity
Spray after each heavy rain or at least 1x weekly
The spray interrupts spore reproduction

To treat your tomatoes, all you do is quickly soak the top and undersides of the leaves. The video covers this information and demonstrates how to spray your tomatoes.

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Collecting Kale Flowers for Salads as a Spring Biennial

2013-05-07T10:32:00.000-04:00

Collecting Kale Flowers for Salads as a Spring Biennial

Kale Flowers - The Rusted Garden Blog

Kale is a biennial which generally means leaf production the first year and flower and seed production the second year. In Maryland Zone 7, I get a full spring, summer and fall of large kale leaves. It over winters, and in the following spring I get delicious kale flowers and smaller sweeter kale leaves as a spring treat. After it is done flowering, I remove the old kale and put in my new kale transplants for another round.

It isn't quite a 2 year process but more of a 2 growing season process. 2 warm seasons. In the first spring you plant it, you will get large leaves for your harvest. In the beginning of the following spring or second spring you will get flowers. So in practice it is about a 1 year period to get kale flowers.

A Bowl of Kale Flowers - The Rusted Garden Blog

The video shows you the outcome of 'Red Russian' kale. An outstanding kale that produces quite well. The second spring crop is full of flowers and sweet smaller leaves.

The Kale Stumped in the Video - The Rusted Garden Blog

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Determinate Tomato Basics: Height, Fruit, Death and Garden Uses

2013-05-03T14:26:00.001-04:00

Determinate Tomato Basics: Garden Uses

There are two basic tomato categories and they are determinate tomatoes and indeterminate tomatoes. Determinate tomatoes, in general, grow to a set height, produce all their fruit at once and then die off. They tend to produce fruit sooner than indeterminate tomato varieties. These differences are valuable in the garden.

Indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow through the season and produce fruit continuously. They typically grow until frost or disease gets them. They can get quite large and unruly. They need pruning and staking.

Determinate tomatoes are great for short growing seasons or areas that get diseases. Because determinate tomatoes can bring you mature tomatoes in 55-70 days (generally earlier than indeterminates), they can often mature before disease gets them or the cold arrives. They require less staking and really don't need pruning. They are also great for container tomatoes. All qualities that have use in your gardens.

I grow both determinate and indeterminate tomatoes in my garden. There are some things to consider when planting determinates in your garden. Determinate varieties can be 2, 3 or 4 feet tall. They are much more compact than your indeterminate cherry tomatoes that can breach 7 feet and grow everywhere. Therefore, you can plant them closer together and plant them by height. They also die off sooner and can be removed for planting other vegetables.

You want to your tomatoes by height as to not let the larger determinate varieties or larger indeterminates, cast shadows and shade out your other smaller tomato plants or other vegetables. A generally rule of thumb is to plant the smallest height tomato closer to the side of the garden that gets most of the afternoon sun. If you put both arms out... and the sun is closer to your right hand...you plant the smaller plants to the right and the larger ones as you approach your left hand.

This video video introduce 4 varieties of determinate tomatoes; 'early wonder', 'silver fir', 'oregon spring' and 'marglobe'. The indeterminate varieties are 'abraham lincoln' and 'aunt ruby's german green'. I basically discuss the ideas in this blog entry.

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Garden Update May 2nd: My Indoor Plants are Now Outdoor Tlransplants

2013-05-03T13:31:00.002-04:00

All the tomatoes, peppers, herbs, greens and flowers that I grew inside are now mature transplants and ready to go into my garden or be sold at my tomato and vegetable yard sale.

This is just a quick tour of their progress. They will be sold, donated or put in the ground this weekend. Enjoy and good luck with your gardens!

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Planting Spinach in Finger Holes: Raised Bed Gardening

2013-04-30T15:35:00.001-04:00

Spinach is a mainstay of every garden. The easy way to plant it, is by poking your finger into the ground and making a hole. It is simple, fast, and very efficient. This planting design allows you to pick baby spinach, leaves, and allows remaining plants to grow to full maturity. Raised beds are a great way to get things growing.

Planting Spinach in Finger Holes: Raised Bed Gardening

(Imported from my old WordPress blog)

I plant my spinach quickly and easily by using finger holes to about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. I plant 2 seeds per hole. I make the holes 2 to 3 inches apart in all directions. I use raised beds so I tend to plant things closer together. Raised beds are prepared to have deep loose soil. This allows the roots of vegetables to grow downward and compete less. The bottom line… you can plant more in the raised beds.

The other thing I do is eat my plants thus crowding is not a problem. I never really wait for full maturity on spinach and other greens. They just never seem to reach full size. If both seeds germinate, I let them grow a bit and harvest one for baby spinach. So cram them together if you have a nice loose raised garden. If they get too cramped… pick them and eat them.

Planting Spinach & Finger Pattern

The holes are 2 to 3 inches apart. The soil of this raised bed was amended prior to planting with peat moss and composted humus and manure. The garden has been turned, fluffed, and amended. I very easily poked finger holes to create the pattern shown below. The holes should be 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Simply put 2 seeds per hole. The holes were covered with composted manure and watered in. That is it… simple, fast, efficient.

Harvesting Spinach

The best way to harvest it is by removing on full plant per hole if 2 come up. Let them grow a bit and harvest one whole plant including the roots. Don’t let them get to big. Baby size or like 3 inch leaves.

The remaining plants (1 per hole) should be left to grow to maturity. If you are like me, you like harvesting. Harvest every other plant and you can see by the picture you will end up with plants 4-6 inches apart. These plants can be left to grow to full maturity. It should be every other plant in both directions.

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Growing All Types of Basil Everywhere: All Season Long!

2013-04-30T15:32:00.001-04:00

Love it or hate it, basil is an easily recognized herb in its green leafy pungent form. I happen to love basil. Did you know it comes in dozens of colors, scents, sizes and taste? It also comes in a bush or shrub variety although these types aren’t typically used for culinary preparations. Basil can be grown year round between your outdoor garden and your kitchen windowsill.

Growing Basil Everywhere: A Year Round Herb

(Imported from my old WordPress Blog)

A Brief History of Basil:

It is believed basil comes from the Greek word basileus. It means “king”. Or it may come from the Latin word basilicus which means “dragon”. In either case the culinary world crowns basil “the king of all herbs”.

Basil is native to many tropical areas.. It has been cultivated for over 5000 years. Over time, it has made its way to every corner of the world and into the households of most cultures. It is grown as an annual in most parts of the world. It needs the warmth of the sun, grows quickly and requires little maintenance beyond picking and using it. There are over 40 known varieties of basil of which Ocimum basilicum or Sweet Basil is the most commonly known and grown. Ocimum is from a Greek verb that means “to be fragrant.” The foliage is easily bruised. Just brushing against the leaves releases its easily identifiable fragrance.

Varieties can grow to a height of 2 1/2 feet and are about as wide. Basil foliage colors range from a pale to deep green, it comes in purples and it can even have variegated leaves with purples and yellows. The leaves vary from fragile and silky, to thicker and crinkly and they maybe dull or shiny. The leaves can be tiny or quite large. Flowers appear in summer on the ends of branches and are either white or lavender. What ever plant you grow, it is always fragrant.

Types of Basil

Anise basil
Camphor basil
Cinnamon basil
Cuban basil
Dark opal basil
Genovese basil

Lemon basil
Lettuce leaf basil
Licorice basil
Mammoth basil
Red basil

Purple basil
Purple ruffles basil
Sweet basil
Spicy globe basil
Thai basil

Basil varies in color, leaf size and in fragrance and taste. You can find just about any kind of basil between locally available seeds, nursery stocks and specialty catalogs. Basil is very easy to grow. It grows quickly and vigorously be it inside on your windowsill or outside in your garden.

Basil Uses:

Basil is primarily a culinary herb. It is typical used as a fresh herb but can be used for its essential oils. Typically, basil is snipped and chopped and put right into the dish. The leaves can also be used whole in salads. Basil can be dried and used dried on fish, on meats, in pasta dishes and in sauces. I can also be dropped into a bottle of white vinegar to create a basil flavored vinegar for cooking and salads.

The strongest basil flavor is found in the leaves. You can cook the leaves. You can eat them raw. You can crush the leaves for the aroma, minced them for intense flavor or toss them on a plate as a garnish. The flowers are also edible and can also be used as a garnish as well.

Basil mixes well with other herbs. Garlic and basil make a great pesto. Add some lemon juice, oregano or time for a great taste. Butter, basil and lemon goes great on fish, lamb, veal or poultry. Basil, dill and butter do well together. Basil can be used in dozens of sauces. It can be minced up and added to your squashes and zucchini as a great summer vegetable dish.

Where and How to Grow Basil:

Basil can be grown in a designated herb garden, as part of your flower garden, as borders plants, on a deck in pots and containers, as plants in your hanging baskets and indoors on the windowsill. Basil will grow anywhere as long as it is warm.

Basil does not need a lot of soil or root growing room. It is fast growing annual plant. That is, it grows quickly and sets seeds. Once it sets seeds, energy production to the leaves is stopped and the plant typically loses its culinary value. Basil will even grow in a cup of water.

Basil can be bought as seeds or as plants. You will want to plant basil every 2 to 3 weeks in the garden from seed. This will supply your household with basil all summer long. I mentioned it grows very quickly and aims to set flowers to seed. Pinch the flowers off as soon as the buds appear. This will keep the leaves growing longer. Eventually the plant leaves will lose flavor but that should be about the time your other basil plants mature.

Basil plants from a nursery are great to tuck into containers and pots or to grow on your window sill. When you plant seeds, just follow the seed packets. Basil grows that easily. Just keep them watered and before you know it you will have basil plants cropping up all over the garden. When you grow plants or seeds in containers, make sure the pots and containers have holes. Although you can grow basil in a clean cup of water, they don’t do well in soggy soil.

Picking and Storing Basil:

Start picking basil when the plant is about a foot tall. Regular picking of the leaves will promote more leaf growth. You can pick selected leaves as it is maturing up to size, just don’t over pick the leaves. Once the plant is 10 -12 inches tall you can not do much harm from heavy cultivation.

Refrigerate and wrap the basil leaves in damp paper towels inside a plastic bag. They can last 3-4 days that way. You can pick a stem and place it in a cup of water and in can last 5-7 days that way. If you are making pestos and sauces, you can freeze basil since it will be used in mince formed. Basil can also be dried and stored till next growing season in a cool dark place.

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Tomato Planting Basics: Preparing the Planting Hole & Planting

2013-04-29T08:36:00.001-04:00

Tomato Planting Basics

Preparing the Tomato Planting Hole & Planting

Tomatoes and vegetables want to grow. You don't need to have perfection when planting vegetables. All you really need is a decent hole that has organic matter, fair dirt and some basic nutrients. When it comes to tomatoes, you also want to bury some of the stem. Water them in.... and the tomatoes and vegetables will come to your plate!

Tomatoes need warm soil to get going. When you get to mostly 50 degree nights and 60-70 degree days it is time for tomatoes to go into the ground. That doesn't mean you can't get them in early and apply a few tricks to keep them warm. However, if you are just starting off with vegetable gardening, you should just wait for the right temperatures.

Preparing a Planting a Tomato Hole (Generally)

Loosen the soil to 12-18 inches
Add in organic matter to 1/2 the size of the hole (a shovel full)
Add in a handful of lime, eggshells or both
Add in a tablespoon or two of fertilizer of your choice
Mix everything together in the hole

These steps will get your planting hole set up. When you plant your tomato, bury about 1/3 of the stem and remove any leaves that will be buried. Water in.... and watch in grow. The stem will actually root.

The video provides the basics to planting a tomato. You don't have to follow this exactly. In fact, when I make a new planting video this year, I am sure it will vary. There is no perfection in planting... just guidelines.

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Planting Tomatoes in 18 Gallon Containers: "Freshening' the Soil & Egg Shells

2013-04-26T17:56:00.003-04:00

Growing Tomatoes in 18 Gallon Containers

Amending the Soil and Using Egg Shells to Prevent Blossom End-Rot

The main difference between the 18 gallon containers and the 5 gallon containers is moisture management. I can water the larger containers a lot less and therefore worry less about a complete soil dry out.

It is important to amend your container soil yearly. Tomatoes literally suck the life out of container soil mixes. There is no exact amending recipe but I show you my basic routine in the video. You want to add organic matter, some fertilizer and calcium (egg shells). Adding calcium to your soil helps prevent blossom end-rot from affecting your tomatoes.

The video covers these concepts. Enjoy!

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60 Seconds or Sow: Acclimating Indoor Tomatoes Outdoors with Milk Containers

2013-04-23T10:10:00.001-04:00

60 Seconds or Sow:

'Hardening Off' Indoor Tomatoes Directly into Your Garden

Acclimating transplants is the process of slowly introducing them to the sun, wind and weather over a weeks period of time. Plants grown inside don't have the 'toughness' to be outside. This process is also called 'hardening off' your transplants. Over a weeks period of time, starting with an hour a day of sun and working the time upwards, plants should be slowly introduced to the elements.

One way to save time and forgo the 1 week period of 'hardening off' your transplants or acclimating them to the environment is to use milk containers with the lids OFF. Don't keep them on, as you might over heat your transplants.

The basic idea is that the milk container blocks a good degree of the sun's intensity. Your plant won't get sun-scald. You can use the containers to cover you plants over a 5-7 day period of time to 'harden' them off while they are directly planted in the garden or a container.

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Container Tomato and Pepper Tips: Moisture Control Soil, Mulch & Water Reservoir

2013-04-22T08:48:00.004-04:00

Container Tomato and Pepper Tips

Soil Moisture and Watering

Container gardens can be very successful if you can figure out how to manage watering and maintain even moisture in your containers all season long.

The number one issue with container gardens is that you can't let the soil in your containers completely dry out. Not even once. This is not so much of an issue when plants and smaller and the spring is here. However, once your tomatoes and peppers grow and their roots fill up the container and the summer heat arrives... you can have containers that will dry out in one afternoon.

Once the soil completely dries out the tomato and pepper plants are stressed. This makes them more susceptible to diseases and pests. It decreases the yield and production of the plants. Tomatoes will get cracked fruit. Most tomatoes will develop blossom end rot. This occurs because their roots are damaged by drought and can't effectively bring in nutrients to the plant, specifically calcium.

Watering them quickly, once the soil completely dries out, does NOT fix the damage. It actually causes fruit cracking. There are 3 things you can do to help prevent this and make container gardening easier. Remember you are thinking down the line when the plants are larger and summer heat arrives.

Use Moisture Control Garden Soil and/or Add in Lots of Compost/Peat Moss
Mulch the Containers with about 2 Inches of Mulch
Have a Water Reservoir Available (There are many options)

The video highlights these points, also talks about container size and gives you a basic idea for a water reservoir.

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A Basic Introduction to Beekeeping: Every Garden Needs Pollinators

2013-04-19T09:26:00.003-04:00

A Basic Introduction to Beekeeping:

Every Garden Needs Pollinators

I don't have direct experience with beekeeping but I thought I would use some of the experience of fellow gardener and home farmer, Blake Kirby, to introduce beekeeping basics.

He was able to attend a class that taught him the basics of beekeeping and he brought that to his home farm. He has a series of 6 beekeeping videos that show you how to set up your garden or home farm with a hive. He is building his home farm and is making videos of his experiences.

You can learn about:

Placing the Hive Nucleus
Setting up the Hive Nucleus
Adding Water to the Hive
Hive Nucleus Queen
The Arrival of Bees

Here are the highlights from his beekeeping class. You can check out his YouTube Channel: Blake Kirby if you want to learn more about beekeeping and home farming.

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Fresh from the Garden: Asparagus, Spinach, Leeks and Garlic Sauteed with Rice

2013-04-16T19:16:00.002-04:00

Fresh from the Garden

Asparagus, Spinach, Leeks and Garlic

Sauteed with Rice

Fresh from the Garden - The Rusted Garden Blog

I am going to run a regular blog and video series called Fresh from the Garden. Based on my time, I will either make a video or take some pictures and create a blog entry.

This is my first meal out of the garden for 2013. Woohoo! The leeks and spinach are over-wintered vegetables. The garlic was planted last September or October and I picked it immature. The asparagus is up and growing literally inches a day.

For this series I will show you the vegetables in the garden, cleaned up, cut up and finally cooked up.

The basic sautee is olive oil and salt. I sauteed the thinly sliced leeks and garlic until soft. I added the asparagus, cut in pieces, and warmed it through. The spinach was washed and left wet. The water will make steam. I added the spinach into the sautee and let it soften through. Once cooked gently down, I added the rice.

Delicious.... did I say my first 2013 garden harvest!

Over-Wintered Spinach - The Rusted Garden Blog

The spinach was planted late fall and I constructed a PVC greenhouse around it. I made a video about it. It worked and I have mature spinach. The leeks were planted in the summer as seedlings and left alone to mature.

Over-Wintered Leeks - The Rusted Garden Blog

Immature Garlic - The Rusted Garden Blog

Garlic can be harvested before it is ready. It does have a different taste but the garlic flavor comes through. The asparagus is doing its thing. I highly recommend an asparagus plot in your garden.

Asparagus Spears - The Rusted Garden Blog

Here is the basic cooking process in pictures. Nothing fancy just fresh vegetables heated through.

Four Ingredients Just Picked - The Rusted Garden Blog

Freshly Prepared Garden Vegetables - The Rusted Garden Blog

Freshly Sauteed Garden Vegetables - The Rusted Garden Blog

Spinach Added - The Rusted Garden Blog

Fresh Vegetables from the Garden - The Rusted Garden Blog

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The Basics to Planting Blueberries: Acidify the Soil with Peat Moss

2013-04-15T09:58:00.000-04:00

The Basics to Planting Blueberries:

Acidify the Soil with Peat Moss

Blueberries are hardy bushes that can be grown in many gardening zones. They are easy to grow and can even handle some shade. The more sun the better, but you can tuck them into your garden in those partial shade areas.

The most important thing to know about blueberries is they like soil that is a little more acidic. They also don't like soggy roots and do better being planted in places that drain out well.

The best way to plant blueberries is to dig out a hole about 3x's the size of the root-ball. Toss in two shovels full of peat moss and work it into the bottom of the hole, breaking up the bottom as much as you can. You can put in a tablespoon of fertilizer too. I also add in a tablespoon of Epsom Salts.

The rest of the hole should be filled up with 50% of the soil you dug out and 50% peat moss. Fill the hole up and mix every thing in. After that, just dig out a planting hole, gently loosen the outer part of the blueberries root-ball and plant level to the depth of container soil. You can add an inch or two of mulch when done.

The video shows you the whole process, highlights the key points and shows you mature plants.

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60 Seconds or Sow: What is a Potato Leaf Tomato? - The Rusted Garden 2013

2013-04-14T08:46:00.002-04:00

What is a Potato Leaf Tomato?

It refers to the basic shape of the tomato leaf. The leaf of the tomato in this case more resembles a potato leaf... yeah. Heirloom tomatoes like the 'Brandywine' varieties come with potato leaves. When ordering seeds through catalogs you my come across descriptions of 'potato leaf' varieties.

I thought I would take 60 seconds or so... and show you what they look like. Enjoy!

Potato Leaf Tomato to the Left - The Rusted Garden Blog

I also made a quick video if you would like to see the comparison of a 'potato leaf' to a 'standard leaf' tomato.

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How to Grow Tomatoes (Other Vegetables) in an 18 Gallon Storage Container

2013-04-12T10:43:00.000-04:00

How to Grow Tomatoes in an 18 Gallon Storage Container

This method of container gardening will work for any vegetable. The key to container gardening is matching the size of the container to the watering needs and full growth of the vegetable plants. A vegetable plant left in the sun, in a container that is to small, will dry out. No matter how vigilant you are with your watering, a day will come when the container drys completely out. This only needs to occur once and the health and productivity of your vegetable plant is severely effected. This is very true for tomato plants. Watering and maintaining moisture is the key to successful container gardening. Fertilizing and maintaining your plant comes second.

Using an 18 gallon or similar storage container to grow you plants may not be as attractive as using a clay or fancy pot but it is by no means ugly. What you sacrifice in the way of the round more attractive containers, you gain back 10 fold in the productivity and health of your tomato and vegetable plants.

The Supplies

18 Gallon Container Gardening: The Supplies

An 18 gallon storage container
2 cubic feet of garden soil per 18 gallon container
A bail of sphagnum peat moss (the above pictured size will be enough for 10 containers)
A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer (the standard 40 pound bag will meet all your summer container needs)
A bag of pulverized lime (the standard 40 pound bag will meet all your summer container needs)
A six foot stake for tomatoes or other plants that need staking
A tape measure
A knife
Plants of your choice

These are the essential supplies. You can plant other vegetables in this type of container. Just keep in mind the size of the plant when it is mature. You don’t want to create an over crowding problem.

*If you want to keep the soil simple, just buy bags of moisture control garden soil. You can just fill that container with that and skip the PEAT MOSS and LIME steps. It isn't needed if you buy moisture control garden soils. I just do extra work sometimes.

Preparing the Container

Measure two inches from bottom on both sides of the container that contain the handles. Using a blade, cut a square hole on each side of the container at the two inch mark.Once that is done the container is prepared.

Many containers traditionally have either no holes for drainage or have a hole on the bottom of the container for drainage. The method I describe uses a hole 2 inches from the container’s bottom. Water will occasionally sit in the bottom of the container. This will not cause a problem. You have drainage holes to prevent more then a two inch build up of water. You want to have that reservoir. The soil you are mixing will suck this water up quickly. This is a strategy to maintain moisture in your soil during the hot days of summer.

18 Gallon Container Gardening: Preparing the Container

Preparing the Soil

* Remember bags of moisture control garden soil can help you forgo the extra mixing of ingredients. I just like doing that as part of the process of relaxing in garden.

Dump 1 cubic foot of soil into the container. Your bag of soil is probably either a 1 cubic ft. or 2 cubic ft. bag. Sprinkle a 1/2 cup (I use an 8.5 oz Styro-Foam cup) of 10-10-10 fertilizer onto the soil. Also sprinkle a full cup of pulverized lime onto the soil. Add three heaping spade/shovel fulls of peat moss to the mix. Just for clarity sake your are using your large shovel not your hand shovel. Thoroughly mix the contents of your container together using the shovel.

Make sure the soil you buy is GARDEN SOIL and not TOP SOIL. You can also use POTTING SOIL. I use the Miracle Grow brand for my garden soil. I recommend using a brand that also provides 3 months of fertilizer. The plants in the container will need to be fertilized regularly. A tomato will use up the soil nutrients quickly. Since the soil is contained, the vegetable plants have limited space for their root systems to search for moisture and nutrients. Once the nutrients are gone, you will notice plants begin to yellow.

Dump 1 more cubic foot of soil into the container. Sprinkle 1 more cup of pulverized lime onto the soil and mix everything together. Four or five turns with your shovel is fine. The peat moss provides extra matter to retain moisture. The pulverized lime not only neutralizes the acidity of the peat moss but it adds calcium and magnesium to your soil. Calcium helps prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes.

18 Gallon Container Gardening: Preparing the Soil

18 Gallon Container Gardening: Finishing the Soil/Room for Mulch

There should be about 4 inches of space left in your container. The four inches of space allows you to easily water your plants and it provides space for mulching. I use grass clippings as mulch. Mulching the top 4 inches of your container will help manage moisture. Remember watering and moisture control is the key to successful container planting.

Planting the Tomato

18 Gallon Container Gardening: Planting the Tomato

You will notice I pinched off a few branches of leaves from the stem. In this type of container you want to get about 6-8 inches of the root ball and stem into the hole. Tomatoes are vines. The stem the gets buried will actually grow roots. A deeper planting will provide you container tomato a bit more stability. The tomato will also get staked. The tomato should be planted in the center of the container. If you transplant is smaller then the one in the picture, plant it at 1/2 its total height. That’s it, your done.

Tending and Maintaining Your 18 Gallon Container Garden

Water it every other day thoroughly. On consecutive 90 degree days when the tomato or vegetables are mature, you may need to water the plants daily. Soak the container until water drips out the holes on the bottom.
You can check your plant for moisture by poking your finger into one of the holes you cut. If the soil is dry, you should water it quickly. Don’t wait for it to dry out.
You loaded the soil up with fertilizer when you filled the container. It should easily fertilize the plants 4 or 5 weeks. After that, I recommend 1 gallon of water soluble fertilizer weekly. Just 1 gallon.
You should mulch up the container as soon as you can to help with moisture management.
You will have to prune your tomato as it grows and tie it to the stake.
I use a touch of Sevin dust for insect problems as needed. You can search the web for alternatives.
I use an 18 gallon container because I can move it. If you have shade issues you can move the container around as the sun moves.

The Finished Product

18 Gallon Container Gardening: The Planted Container

I also tucked in two endive lettuce plants (front) and some basil and cilantro (back). The endive will mature in about 10 days and it will be harvested. It won’t compete with the tomato. The herbs will grow for about 3 weeks before they bolt. That will leave the tomato alone without competition as it matures. As the tomato matures, I will also tuck in more cilantro and basil. The container can handle one mature tomato and 2 or 3 annual herbs.

Other Vegetables

The 18 gallon container can be used to grow other vegetables.

Two peppers per container
One squash or one zucchini bush type plant per container
Two bush cucumbers per container
One vine cucumber or one vine squash per container (you will need a trellis of some sort)
One water melon, cantaloupe or similar per container (you do need room for the vine to run)
One pumpkin per container (you do need room for the vine to run)
Six to eight heads of lettuce per container.
Eight to twelve pea plants per container (you will need a trellis of some sort)
Dozen of herbs per container

Don’t be afraid to experiment. See what you can grow. This is a great way to garden if you have limited space or if you just want to grow more vegetables.

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