By Jannie Vaught Our dry soil finally received some much-needed rain which did liven up the gardens, again the heat is on the way and back to the controlled watering. Something I use for dry heat times is growing in semi-shade and full shade. Here are some plants that will thrive in semi-shade. Basil, Cherry tomatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, eggplant (will be smaller), and … Continue reading Our Dry Soil
By Jannie Vaught The unfortunate plants I have in the direct sun in the raised beds are sun-scorched or have given up. This is with good soil, regular soaker watering, with some extra water. The only plants that are thriving and slowly are those with some shade. Fortunately, the fruit trees are holding their own and are heavy with fruit. And will give us fruit … Continue reading The Drought Conditions Are Setting Heat And Dry Issues With All Gardens
By Jannie Vaught We had been unseasonably warm through November and December. We entered winter, but it felt like T-shirt weather. For this gardener, this puts me in a constant weather alert position. As I watched what was happening to the north of us it became very concerning that we may have another “Killer” freeze. We have been preparing all summer and repairing the old … Continue reading We Are Into Some Frosty Weather
By Jannie Vaught Welcome to Autumnal equinox also called Fall equinox. One of the two equinoxes, when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are equal length. And it ends on December 21. As we finally have a focus on finishing the Fall planting, I have to say due to the high temperatures and low moisture I have delayed my seed … Continue reading Autumn Is The Air
By Jannie Vaugh For many of us, the spring garden is being harvested and preserved. I have re-planted some sweet corn a 70-day variety. Along with this Red Kuri, winter squash was planted a few hills of a small sweet melon. Using the Moon Calendar the New Moon for July was the 9th. But the corn was finishing and Not finished. It went in on … Continue reading We Are Deep Into Summer
By Jannie Vaught I seem to have a fascination with all things Fall and it is August, the heat is on and harvesting is a daily event. As the season progresses, I see the fading of this spectacular garden. Yes, I always have a wistful sadness when the tomatoes begin to finish and the planning for fall begins. So here we go. Plan 2 seasons … Continue reading Planning The Fall Garden
By Jannie Vaught A real roller coaster ride for those who garden. One day you’re in a cloudy sky with tolerable humidity and garden tending is moving along. Then it so hot you’re out very early with the soaker hoses going and hand watering the fruit trees so they can finish their fruit cycle. I am not a climatologist, just a very dedicated weather observer. … Continue reading We Are Moving Into That Summer Season Of Gulf Storms And Intense Heat
By Jannie Vaught We have had a very wet rainy spring and with that comes to some challenges found with deep moisture and humidity. Powdery mildew and root rot are just a few, large leafed plants like gourds, squash, and pumpkins are susceptible to powdery mildew. It is a fungus on the leaves, a powdery grey film shows on the leaves, or a white coating … Continue reading Summer Is Here And The Heat Is On
By Jannie Vaught I am following the growing schedule and watching weather and temperatures but I am back on all of my work for at least 3 weeks. I finally have gotten to a “normal” garden season. Not withstanding the potential of more heat and cool cycles. We are learning to meet each day on its own merit. Remember that song “One day at a … Continue reading My Experience With Gardening This Year Has Been A Learning Curve
By Jannie Vaugh Beans, snap, and lima. Cantaloupe, Swiss Chard, Collards seeds or transplants, cucumber, eggplant, greens cool season, Okra first of April, mustard to end of March, April peas English and snap through July, peas southern now through the end of May. Peppers transplants now through May, Sweet potato slips now through the end of June. Summer squash now to the second week of … Continue reading What To Plant In April
Jannie Vaught This is always the time of year when many gardeners have a serious case of “Garden Itch”. The waiting for official Spring is a waiting game. We are having high and low temps. One day is t-shirts and the next minute its layers and gloves. Still, the “Itch” to get planting is hard to ignore. It is almost Feb 14 potato planting time … Continue reading The Garden Itch
By Jannie Vaught The leaves are falling. Just the other day there was a warm breeze and with it, the leaves began to tumble to the earth. There is a scent to Autumn and for this gardener, it is the drying of the leaves and the sound of them as I walk across the yard under the trees. That’s the scent of Autumn. With that, … Continue reading The Scent Of Autumn
By Jannie Vaught With cooler weather, my personal time outside has greatly increased. That means plants, feed the soil turn the compost, and plant the seeds. I am having some insect pressure and that just tells me that all of the living creatures are preparing for the winter. Pecans are falling and some leaves are turning. With that, the thought of turning on the oven … Continue reading This Autumn Is Looking To Be A Very Good Growing Season
By Jannie Vaught For many gardeners, the simple fact is we are watering to keep out vital fruit and shade trees alive. The perennials like grapes and berries are looking tired and the many fall producing plants like sweet potatoes and the pepper plants are needing irrigation to get them through to some rain. Yesterday I opened the saved rainwater hoping they will make it … Continue reading Reminding Gardeners To Water In Hard Times
Jannie Vaught In the northern hemisphere begins autumm on September 22. If you have noticed the ash and elm trees, even some of the mulberry trees are dropping leaves and are beginning to change from green to yellow. The light is shifting and our length of the day is shortening and with cooler temperatures, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll starts breaking down … Continue reading Autumn 2020
By Jannie Vaught The heavy drought and extreme heat have all but finished the tomatoes! But, with daily watering and when I see them in this extremely stressed condition. It appears that they are showing me they are in need of this sooner. If you grow Heritage tomatoes Indeterminant variety they will continue to produce long after the determinant plants have given up. Start by … Continue reading The Drought and Heat
By Jannie Vaught, With a warmer winter, the natural elimination of pests through freeze has had an effect on this seasons growth. Bugs! How do we make Pest and Disease controllable? Build your habitat with Natures Preditors! Yes, the bugs that eat the bugs. This includes Ladybugs, mantis, birds, toads, garter snakes, and even wasps. Some bees will even predate other insects. Hummingbirds don’t just … Continue reading This Is A Year Of Pests In The Garden
By Jannie Vaught The (Cucurbitaceae) along with cantaloupe, honeydew, and cucumber originally domesticated in West Africa. This is a vining flowering plant with over 1000 varieties. The health benefits are Beta carotene and phenolic antioxidant found in the red to orange colors and it gets better as the melon ripens Low in calories and full of hydration, vitamins, and rich in iron. Planting and … Continue reading The Wonderful Watermelon
By Jannie Vaught Last week a fellow gardener showed up at my door. Her question was “why aren’t my tomatoes setting fruit? We went through the regular questions, are you feeding them on a regular time schedule? Are they in cages or staked? Are you pinching off the lower limbs and removing the succors? And are they in the shade, full sun? Do they have … Continue reading It Can Be About Temperature And Humidity
By Jannie Vaught, Orach, Atriplex hortensis also known as Mountain spinach, Red Orach, or French spinach or Sea purslane, saltbush, is a distant cousin to spinach. A cool-season plant is a warm-season alternative to spinach. Touted as an alternative due to its lasting in heat and not bolting as spinach does, giving a longer time to harvest. Here’s more on this ancient now becoming a … Continue reading Orach the “New Kale”
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