As the days begin to start getting warmer, we all know that problems will start to increase. You want to be certain that you keep watch on tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli and brussels sprouts. Be prepared to spray with Dipel or Thuricide which is made from a bacteria toxin, which is non-toxic to human beings, and it is highly effective in controlling caterpillars which can destroy your garden. Keep in mind these products are very safe and because their using an organic bacterium to help destroy the caterpillar who is the main culprit in decreases your gardening yields. Anytime you have extra space in your garden you should place in another green onion bulb in that vacancy, these particular vegetables may help to cut down on some insects who would like to take part in your bounty.
Question: I have about 25 different varieties of tomatoes in my Tarpon Springs garden. I have noticed that the leaves are getting these brown spots on top of them. I do not know what this is, can you help?
Wow, 25 different varieties! This is very impressive and I would like to say I am envious of your crop diversity. If you are or did experience brown spots on your leaves you have a fungus in my opinion. Not to worry you have options in helping your success for your next years crop, I would recommend getting some Dithane M45 or any other general fungicide and be certain to follow the label instructions to the letter.
Question: What is the best way to grow eggplant in the NY state area? I know they like lots of heat, but sometimes we don’t get that heat all summer long.
Eggplants grow well in the warm season. So, starting in May, either seed or using small plants should get them going. Sixty to seventy-five days later, you should be making your first eggplant parmesan.
Vegetables-
Many people think of a garden as a space that is beautiful with flowers. But to just as many, the word “garden” means “vegetables.” There is no reason why you cannot combine flowers and vegetables into an attractive picture that will please not only the eye, but the palate, as well.
There can be just as much beauty in a well-laid-out array of plants that produce food instead of flowers, and, from an economics standpoint, a vegetable garden can contribute a great savings to your food bill, something not to be overlooked in today’s society. For every dollar spent on a vegetable garden, you will reap a $5 to $6 return in value. Not only do fresh, homegrown vegetables save you money, they contain the optimum in health-giving nutrients. Plus, there are fringe fitness benefits to the gardener who must exercise in order to prepare, weed, and care for a vegetable garden.
The space allocated for vegetables should be gauged by the preferences of your family. Ask the members of your household which vegetables they prefer. There is no sense in growing bushels of eggplant if only one person likes to eat this vegetable! Once you have made a list of your family’s preferences, do a little arithmetic to work out how many plants you will need to produce a sufficient crop during a season. This will help you decide whether you need 2 or 12 tomato plants, 1 or 10 rows of corn, a dozen summer squash plants—or none at all.
MR. GREEN THUMB RULE
Your vegetable garden will grow that much better if you sit down and draw a plan for the garden first.
