Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/30/2012 10:13 AM

Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/30/2012 10:18 AM

Expires: 01/01/2017 12:00 AM


:

Master Gardeners Presents “Tips for Growing Healthy Tomatoes and Peppers”

San Andreas, CA…Calaveras County Master Gardeners will conduct their monthly Open Garden Day on Saturday, August 25th. Located at the County Government Center, 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas, the garden will open at 10 am and stay open to the public until 2pm. This month’s topic focuses on the vegetable garden. We are presenting “Tips for growing Tomatoes and Peppers”. The presentation starts at 10:30 AM and ends with a question and answer session. And if you’re interested in what to do with all those vegetables and fruits you have grown, you can learn the basic techniques to safely make jams jellies and other home preserved foods….

Next Master Food Preservers Class:
August 18th 9-11AM
Amador County GSA Building
12200-B Airport Road
Jackson CA

There will be no plant sale in August.

Master Gardeners will be available to answer home gardening questions as well as assist in identifying, and diagnosing plant and pest problems. A variety of informative UC publications will be available at our learning center.

When the garden is not open, home gardening assistance is offered by Master Gardeners through the help line at: 209-754-2880. The public may call the number, leave a message regarding the problem, and a Master Gardener will return the call.

The Demonstration Garden is a project of the Calaveras County Master Gardeners whose primary goal is educating the public about home gardening. Proceeds from plant sales support Master Gardener’s education programs, and maintenance of the demonstration garden. For additional details contact the UC Cooperative Extension offices at 209-754-6477 or visit the Calaveras UC Cooperative Extension website: http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu Also check out our Calaveras Master Gardener’s website for gardening information and updates:
http://ucanr.org/sites/CalaverasCountyMasterGardeners

From Terri Bennett, Founder of DoYourPart.com:

The heat is taking a toll on many of us these days. As the temperatures soar, our gardens and lawns are suffering too. Do Your Part during this season’s extreme conditions to water more effectively and efficiently. Here are my ‘Top 7 Ways to Garden During a Drought.’

List, photos and captions courtesy of Terri Bennett and DoYourPart

Loading Slideshow

• Pick The Right Plants

  Going native in the garden is the best way to avoid excessive watering. Plants native to where you live usually require a lot less water to thrive. Also, perennials may need more water when they are first planted but less water over time.


• Water The Right Way

  One of the biggest problems during these dog days of summer is the dry soil. Watering our lawns and plants is tough because the water simply runs off instead of getting to the roots. Soaker hoses are your most affordable option. They let water drip out along the length of it to get a slow and deep soaking. High tech drip irrigation systems are another effective option but are pricier and a bit more involved.

• Mulch Makes A Difference

  Using mulch in specific areas can make a big impact. Placing roughly 3-6 inches of mulch over soaker hoses and in between plants will keep precious water from running off. Mulch can be bought or created from things such as grass clippings, newspaper, wood chips, or straw.

• Pick A Better Pot

  Mulch can also be placed in pots to keep soil moist. And, selecting the right kind of pots important. Choose pots made from glazed ceramic or plastic. Those options won’t soak up the water going to your potted plants. Make sure to move them to shaded areas during the hottest days.

• Capture Water When You Can

  It’s hard to capture water outside during droughts. However, a rain barrel will still collect what rain does come. Also, consider capturing water from inside your house. Keeping a pitcher by the sink to collect excess cooking water or the water which usually goes to waste while waiting for hot water is perfect for putting on our lawn and gardens.

• Give The Lawn Some Love

  Learning about your specific lawn will also help keep it thriving. For instance, some grasses are dormant in the summer and no amount of watering will keep it green. Also, keep your lawn a little higher in drought conditions. Grass that is too short needs more water and creates prime conditions for weeds. And, always mow with a sharp blade. Cutting with dull blades weakens grass and makes it need more irrigation.

• Free Yourself From Fertilizing

  And finally, avoid fertilizing and pruning in the hot summer months. Proper fertilization requires a lot of water to support growth and root development.

• Also On The Huffington Post…

  Gardening tips, have bright beautiful gardens all summer long.

About the Author:

Terri Bennett is a veteran TV meteorologist, syndicated columnist and author, and founder of DoYourPart, everyday green living ideas that are better for you and the planet. Send questions to terri@doyourpart.com and follow DoYourPart on Facebook and Twitter. Terri’s new book “Do Your Part: A practical guide for everyday green living” is now available at DoYourPart.com 
© 2011 Terri Bennett Enterprises, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

When Idaho heats up for summer, it can completely change the way we use words.

In April, you may hear someone described as “hot” — meaning above average in looks. In the dead of summer, it’s more likely to mean sweaty, stinky and grumpy. Some garden plants love the heat — such as tomatoes, peppers, portulaca and flowering vinca — but many others begin to look every bit as grumpy as their caregivers. Petunias, in particular, get somewhat tired looking.

I offer three steps to help you push the refresh button on your garden:

1) Water. Let’s start with the obvious: Plants need more water the hotter it gets. However, even though it may seem counterintuitive, it is possible to overwater your garden even when the weather turns relentlessly hot.

Usually the best practice is to let the soil dry slightly between deep irrigations. If the soil is wet all the time, you are probably watering too much. Roots need oxygen as well as water.

Plants in containers or baskets are an exception to this guideline because of the smaller soil volume. Pots and planters may need daily watering, but your lawn doesn’t.

2) Fertilize. Under high heat, plants grow faster and by midsummer have used up much of the available food.

Fertilizer can work a miracle on the overall health and appearance of your garden. If your lawn looks faded, spread some ammonium sulfate just before the next irrigation cycle, and in about seven to 10 days the grass will noticeably improve. If your flowers and vegetables look fine but haven’t had any fertilizer in more than a month, get out there quickly before they begin to protest.

Dry fertilizers, especially slow-release types, can take longer to work but last longer. Liquid feeding is great for quick results but needs to be applied more often. If your plants are yellowing, use both.

In case you are not picking up what I am putting down, fertilize! If you don’t like to use traditional fertilizers, use compost or other organic supplements, but please feed your plants.

3) Groom. A little time spent deadheading (removing spent blooms), pruning out dead or diseased stems, and pinching to shape plants is sure to enhance your flower beds. This doesn’t have to be a burdensome task; even one or two times a month will benefit your flowers. It also gives you a chance to get up close and personal with your garden and notice problems before they get out of control.

There are countless other problems that can crop up (pun intended) in the summer garden, but a little extra care now will help to keep your plants beautiful so that you will dread an early frost rather than pray for one.

And remember: As the sweat drips down your face, you have every right to announce in a loud voice, “I am so hot!”

After working for years in commercial greenhouses in Idaho and Utah, Susan Harris of Shoshone is a garden designer and garden coach. Reach her at colormygarden@cableone.net.

Get Daily discounts and offers on sporting events, plays, concerts, museums and other events around town

By now, if you’ve been maintaining a vegetable garden throughout the summer, it’s about time to harvest some of the fruits of your labor.

If you aren’t a seasoned gardener, then it’s safe to say you’ve got some questions about picking and even storing your bounty.

When should I pick my veggies?

Picking, and how you pick, depends on what you are growing.

Here is the short list of the how and when:

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes it can be hard to tell if they are ripe enough to pick if you don’t know what to look for.

It’s good to find out before you plant what their grow life can be, and what they will look like when they are ready to be picked. Large slicer tomatoes will take longer to ripen on the vine, and some heirloom varieties take even longer than Better Boys or Beefsteak tomatoes.

If you think your tomato is ready to be picked, test the ripest-looking one by giving it a gentle twist. If it pulls easily from the vine, it is ready.

Keep tomatoes in a cool place, outside of the refrigerator. They will last up to a week, that is, if you can keep from eating them.

If your plants are still fruiting up until frost time, go ahead and pick everything, even the green ones, about a week before the frost. You can wrap them individually in newspaper or store in paper bags to aid in ripening.

Or you can make fried green tomatoes!

Herbs:

Once your herbs have gotten about 12” tall, you can start by cutting or pinching them back frequently to encourage more production. This keeps them from blooming.

Keeping your plants from blooming is a good way to keep the flavor consistent, and extra herbs can be dried for future use or shared with friends.

Basil is a heat-loving plant, so it will thrive during the hotter months of the summer. This means you will need to cut it back constantly to keep it from flowering.

You can keep cut basil in water for up to a week in the kitchen for use. If you have an abundance of it, try mixing it in with some fresh flower arrangements or making a big batch of pesto you can freeze for later.

Lettuces and greens:

Lettuces and greens are cool weather plants, although they can grow in the heat, depending on the variety. It’s best to pick them before they bolt, which means before they develop a flower stalk that can make the flavor turn bitter.

Start by cutting the largest leaves first, and then come back later for smaller leaves that are younger and more tender. Lettuces and greens are referred as “cut and come again” plants because they keep growing as you harvest.

It’s best to use scissors for harvesting them, and cut only what you plan on eating immediately – a day or so if possible.

To keep your lettuces and greens going throughout the season, plant seeds every two or three weeks, and you’ll have lettuce enough until it gets too hot to grow. Try placing the plants in partial shade to keep plants from bolting in extreme heat.

You can start sowing seeds again once it cools down, and into the fall growing season.

There is no way to store lettuce or greens for the whole winter, but placing them in an aerated container with a paper towel in the fridge can help you keep them for a few days if need be.

Peppers:

Depending on the variety, peppers are ready to pick when they are green. The longer on the vine, the more their color can change – red, yellow, purple, etc.

Leaving them longer will deepen their flavor, but can aid them in loosing their crispness.

It’s true. The longer you leave a hot pepper on the vine, the hotter it gets. Depending on variety and how hot you want your peppers is when you’ll harvest them.

It’s easy to store peppers, and they will last a good while sitting in a cool place on your counter. If you want peppers throughout the winter months, you can dry them or you can chop and parboil them and then freeze for later use.

Cucumbers:

Cucumbers can really be picked in any stage, depending on how you plan to use them. If you want small ones for pickling, don’t hesitate to pick them when they are 3-4” in size. Smaller cucumbers are more tender. They will also have a less bitter taste to their skin and way less seeds which makes them perfect for pickling.

Don’t let their size get out of control, however, because they will begin to become dry and have a wood-like texture. This means they will not be good for eating and would be better served raw right into the compost.

For longer life, pickling is the way to go. Look for my end of the summer pickling article for more on preserving your veggies in August.

Short-term, cukes will last for about a week in the refrigerator. I find the best way to store them is on the top shelf in a small bowl where they don’t collect too much moisture.

The best thing you can do for harvesting is to inspect your garden every day for ripened fruits and veggies, ones that might begin over-ripening or even rotting and glean those from your plants.

If you don’t have your own garden, no worries. These ideas

ATLANTA –

Pike Nurseries assistant manager, Melodie McDanal, stopped by Good Day Atlanta on Friday, and discussed the proper way to water your garden to keep it green and healthy while using less water.

Have a question about taking care of your lawn, garden, or shrubbery? Send it to goodday@myfoxatlanta.com and it just might be answered on Good Day Atlanta!

 LINK : Pike Nurseries Website 

CLICK ON THE VIDEO ABOVE TO FIND OUT WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY!

Watering Tips for Dry Lawns:
·    Reduce lawn watering
1. Most homeowners water their lawns too much. Reduce your total watering by as much as 50 percent – your lawn will be healthier and just as lush and green.
2. This may mean skipping one lawn watering each week.
3. Never restart the entire automatic watering cycle to water a dry patch – select the appropriate station and run manually.

·    Water in the early morning to reduce evaporation
1. Water between the hours of 6:00 – 10:00 a.m.
2. This will cut evaporation, saving you money and conserving water.

·    Adjust timers on automatic sprinklers
1. Most sprinklers are programmed to water too often. Set your timer to water longer for a deep watering.
2. With all of the pop-up showers that we have experienced lately, it is important to remember to adjust your sprinkler system accordingly or turn it off since Mother Nature has already watered for us.
3. You want to water until right before you start to see run-off.
If plants show signs of stress such as wilting or yellowing, add another watering to your schedule.

Watering Tips for the Garden:
·    Water in the early morning to reduce evaporation – same as your lawn!
1. Water between the hours of 6:00 – 10:00 a.m.
2. This will cut evaporation, saving you money and conserving water.

·    Switch from overhead sprinklers to soaker hoses
1. Soaker hoses conserve water by dripping water right to the roots of the plant.
2. Snake the soaker hose throughout the garden placing it about a foot away from the base of shrubs.

·    Add mulch to your garden
1. We’ve mentioned mulch multiple times before because it is so essential to use in order to keep moisture in the ground.

·    Use water wands with a trigger
1. When watering container gardens, hanging baskets or other small areas, use a water wand with a trigger.
2. This allows you to water only the plants and not the pavement or ground between plants.
Make sure to water each plant thoroughly so water penetrates to the root system.