My cucumbers are big but not so beautiful. They have really hard seeds and are yellowish. What do they need?

A shorter life. To ensure tenderness, harvest cucumbers when they are young — no more than 5-8 inches long. Pickling cucumbers are ready at 2-3 inches. Wait until dew or rain has dried before harvesting to prevent spread of disease.

I’m afraid I may have giant hogweed. A new plant shot up 6 feet in my backyard and has big heads of tiny white flowers. How can I remove it without getting burned by the toxic sap?

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Giant hogweed doesn’t produce flowers until it has lived for over a year, so your plant is not giant hogweed. Growing 8-14 feet high, hogweed also dwarfs most look-alikes. You can identify your volunteer plant at this comparison webpage: http://extension.psu.edu/pests/weeds/weed-id/hogweed.pdf. Hogweed sap is phototoxic, i.e. it makes skin susceptible to severe burn when exposed to sunlight. The stems of hogweed are hollow and kids have used them as “spyglasses,” with painful results. Our state has a program to eliminate hogweed. Hogweed patches should be reported for eradication to the Plant Protection and Weed Management Section of the Maryland Department of Agriculture 410-841-5920.

University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information. Call 800-342-2507 or send a question to the website at extension.umd.edu/hgic.

Plant of the week

Hardy begonia

Begonia-grandis

This year many Maryland gardeners are growing annual begonias as replacements for disease-plagued impatiens. Like impatiens, these begonias will go back to the earth with the first frost, never to rise again. However the genus Begonia is huge, with over 1,000 named species, and one, Begonia grandis, is hardy in Maryland, returning year after year. Perennial begonias bear pendulous clusters of light pink flowers rising above 24-inch plants with light-green succulent, heart-shaped leaves. They flower from July to October, but even when not flowering, the leaves are attractive with red veining. Plant in partial to full shade in moist, not wet, conditions. Small bulbs will form in the leaf axils of the plant and will seed themselves nearby. In Zone 6, hardy begonias benefit from a winter mulching. They are late to emerge in spring, so be careful not to disturb them. — Christine McComas

Autumn edibles: Tips for fall gardening and second plantings

Autumn edibles: Tips for fall gardening and second plantings

Posted: Thursday, August 1, 2013 6:00 pm
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Updated: 2:33 am, Sat Aug 3, 2013.

Autumn edibles: Tips for fall gardening and second plantings

Brandpoint

Idaho State Journal

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0 comments

(BPT) – People choose to garden for many reasons: Food is fresher and tastes better. It’s a healthy hobby that exercises the body. It saves money. Numerous reports show an increasing number of homeowners are growing their own fruits, vegetables and herbs.

As summer’s end nears, you may think gardening season is over. The good news is with a few strategic tips, you can keep your green thumb going and enjoy a plethora of autumn edibles for months to come.  

Step 1: Select second plantings

Second plantings are the plants you use for the latter part of the gardening season. Late summer is typically the best time to plant these varieties. Call your local extension offices or access information online to find regionalized planting schedules and recommended plant varieties.

The length of the fall season and when the first frost will likely hit are important considerations when selecting second plantings. Keep in mind that fast-maturing vegetables are ideal for fall gardening and they should be planted early enough to reach maturity before the first frost arrives.

Popular second plantings that yield a delicious late fall/early winter harvest include broccoli, lettuce, turnips, collards, carrots, peas, radish, spinach, leeks and beets. Some people even claim root vegetables and cole crops like kale and turnips taste better after the first frost.

Step 2: Prepare your garden space

If you plan to use your current garden space for second plantings, remove the early-season plants that are done producing. Add those plants to your current compost bin or create a new compost pile with easy-to-use, stylish options from Outdoor Essentials. Wood-slate bins blend well with the outdoor aesthetic and the design allows oxygen to circulate and facilitate the composting process.

Next, prepare your garden space. Elevated garden beds are growing in popularity because they look great anywhere in your yard or on your patio, and are easy to move if necessary. Raised garden beds from Outdoor Essentials elevate the plants so gardeners don’t have to bend over and risk injury. They are ideal for fall because gardeners can regulate the temperature of raised beds with ease. On hot days, move or add a shade netting to protect plants from the heat; when frost is a threat, cover the entire bed for protection.

While you’re getting your hands dirty, fall is the perfect time to plant spring flowering bulbs. A little outdoor work now and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful flowers when spring arrives next year.

Step 3: Enjoy the harvest

Tend your garden daily for the best results – it may just need a quick check for pests and proper soil moisture. Typical benefits of late-season gardening include fewer bothersome bugs and the soil has better water retention.

As plants grow, pick the fruits and vegetables and enjoy Mother Nature’s bounty. If your plants become crowded, pluck a few out to help remaining plants grow roots and increase the harvest yield. You may be surprised just how many cool months your plants provide you with fresh, delicious produce.

Fall is a great opportunity to keep gardening momentum alive. So get started and decide what second plantings are best for your space. In as little as 30 days you could be eating the freshest, most flavorful vegetables you’ve ever had, all while under the gorgeous autumn sun.

© 2013 Idaho State Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Thursday, August 1, 2013 6:00 pm.

Updated: 2:33 am.

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I was thumbing through the July/August 2013 AARP Bulletin (yeah, I am “of that age”) and I came across the publication’s fourth annual “99 Great Ways to Save” list.

The list offers a bunch of imaginative, creative ways to save money in finance, shopping, cleaning, home, beauty, health, travel, food, entertainment, car/gas, “your favorites” and garden.

After reading their tips, I must say that I don’t agree with all of their ideas for saving money in the garden.

Here are their “green” suggestions — and my thoughts in parentheses:

* Keep deer away: Pouring or spraying a “rotten egg” cocktail around plants will keep deer from eating them. Just mix six raw eggs in two gallons of water. (It might work, but there are a lot of “smelly” anti-deer products for sale that work, though I will say that they are pretty pricey. Also, I don’t like taking a chance on spraying raw eggs around the yard.)

* Bugs be gone: Forget bug zappers and pesticides. Hang a fabric softener sheet adjacent to – but not touching — outdoor light fixtures to keep flying insects away. (There are thoughts that fabric softener sheets will keep pests away. I’ve never heard about putting them near lights, however. Be careful to not put them too close.)

* Mow it yourself: Use a manual lawn mower instead of a power mower or hiring someone to do the work. (I agree that a manual mower is a great idea. It would cut down on gas usage, as well as noise and air pollution. Just make sure you are healthy enough to cut your lawn “by hand” and that your plot is not too big to take on.)

* Mooch off mulch: Ask garden crews clearing trees and brush if they’ll dump their payload of wood chips at your place. (If I don’t know where mulch came from, I don’t trust it. Crew mulches, like free town mulches, can have just about any seeds mixed in — weeds, invasives, poison ivy … you name it. For me, it’s not worth the risk.)

* Cover up weeds: Save money on weed killers by spreading several layers of newspaper (old “From the Ground Up” columns, perhaps?) on the soil before mulching. Avoid expensive and toxic weed killers by dousing weeds with scalding water or a white vinegar/liquid dish soap spray. (I agree, great alternatives.)

* Fall planting: People get the urge to plant in spring, but in most climates the best time is the late summer or fall, when new plants’ chances of survival are better and when they’re often marked down at nurseries. (I concur, the cool temperatures of early fall are ideal for new plant/root establishment, as well as dividing. It’s also a great time to pick up season-ending perennial deals at local nurseries.)

Email: edel@northjersey.com. For the latest in gardening news, head to Ray’s garden blog at northjersey.com/compostings or follow him @ twitter.com/njgardening.

August is my favorite month of the year. Who could not love tomatoes, peppers, corn and basil? Once again I planted too many tomatoes and peppers. The extras I will donate to the local food bank.

Two years ago, the Napa County Master Gardeners were treated to a workshop by the Master Preservers from Del Norte County. I have been putting up veggies for two years, and now I make my own ketchup, tomato sauces, and can or freeze a number of veggies for use in the winter. This year, I made zucchini pickle relish, and it tastes better than the cucumber relish. It also uses up some zucchini.

For the home gardener, August and September can be the busiest and the most rewarding. The No. 1 thing to remember is to watch the irrigation in the garden; keep it on track by checking the soil daily. These hot and windy days can speed up evaporation. Squash has a propensity to wilt in the afternoons; if it looks OK in the morning, then it does not need water.

Veggies do need to be fed on a regular schedule. Check the back of the fertilizer box for the recommended schedule. I use a blend of four parts compost, one part worm compost, and organic fertilizer with a low nitrogen number. Nitrogen is the first number on the box. Too much nitrogen will produce much vegetation, but little fruit, and a tomato is botanically classified as a fruit.

Weeding is an important chore right now; do not let weeds flower or their seeds will sprout in your winter garden.

If you had a viral soil problem this winter, July and August are the best times to solarize your soil. Put a layer of clear plastic over the infected soil and tuck into the soil. It takes about 60 days to get rid of the viruses, pests and their eggs. The soil will be ready to plant this September.

This is a good time to shear your alyssum and other ground covers. Water them and they will come back as new, or even better in September. Many perennial woody herbs can be cut back now. Save some cuttings and start with new, not so woody plants.

Other chores this month include: cutting back perennials after flowering; removing any spoiled vegetables or fruits before they attract pests and keeping the yard clean. The cleanup helps discourage pests this year and prevents overwintering of viruses and insect eggs.

Deep water your trees and shrubs to help them fend off borers and other pests during the stress of the hot weather to come.

To harvest, you will have tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, herbs and peppers. Plant lettuce, parsley and cilantro in the shade of other plants and you can enjoy them throughout the summer to fall. The shade keeps them from bolting so fast.

Fruits to watch for are: figs, stone fruits, apples, pears and plums. Thinning these fruits will produce larger and more succulent fruit. Keep an eye out for the many pests that attack these fruits.

In the vegetable garden, watch for pests. Those pretty white moths produce larva that can damage your plants.

It is not too early to start seeds indoors for the fall and winter garden. As you pull up each plant in your summer garden; refresh the soil by adding compost and scratching it in about an inch. Research has shown that rototilling is not good for the health of your soil. The flora and fauna that inhabit the soil are disturbed by the deeper invasion of their habitat and have trouble returning. Besides, as one of the local Master Gardeners likes to say; “The noise of the rototiller gives the worms a headache.”

Invest in a Ball Blue Book to preserve some of your harvest. This is still the best book for all types of preserving. It covers safety, non-pressurized canning, freezing, and other methods of preserving your harvest.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor this month. You deserve it.

Vegetable Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will lead a workshop on “Cool Season Veggies” on Sunday, Aug. 18, from 2-4 p.m. at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington St., Yountville. Register through Town of Yountville, Parks and Recreation. For additional information, call (707) 944-8712 or visit their website.

Open Garden Days: Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on the first Thursday of every month, from April through October, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Master Gardeners will answer questions. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road in Napa.

Napa County Master Gardeners (http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) answer gardening questions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Ave., Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143.

Wade and Sandy Perrin painted a baseball field onto the deck of their backyard. (Photo by Chris Granger, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune) More home and garden photos »

The Garden Tips and Tastes series continues at noon Wednesday, Aug. 7, at Cantigny Park in Wheaton.

According to a park press release, “Bring a lunch and join horticulturist Liz Omura for some practical advice, a new recipe and plenty of plant chatter. Sessions meet the first and third Wednesday of each month.”

Registration is required for this free event.

A pay parking lot will be available. The lot fee is $5.

Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, is a 500-acre natural park donated to Wheaton and the people of Illinois by Robert R. McCormick. Overseen by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, the site is host to formal gardens, camping and picnic grounds, two museums and a recreation area. The venue offers programs, displays and family education events throughout the year. Designed and built in 1967, the horticultural park is visited by both amateur and professional landscapers from throughout the United States.

For more information, call 630-260-8162 or visit http://www.cantigny.org.

Saturday

Bulbs, Corms and Rhizomes:With Master Gardener Anna Wygrys. 9-11:30 a.m. at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413. Free.

Urban Harvest’s Starting a Community/School Garden, Class 1: 9-11:15 a.m. at Green Planet Sanctuary, 13424-B Briar Forest Drive; 713-880-5540, urbanharvest.org. $24 members, $36 nonmembers.

Curbside Appeal and Practical Gardening:With Pam Harnden. 10 a.m. at Heights Plant Farm, 1422 Yale; 713-868-7990, heightsplantfarm.com. Free.

Monday

Open garden day: 8:30-11 a.m. at Genoa Friendship Garden, 1202 Genoa Red Bluff. Harris County Master Gardeners at Precinct 2 will answer gardening questions and present “Growing Pineapples From Tops” for children and “Tool Sharpening” for adults at 9:30 a.m. Selected herbs and other plants for sale. Free.

Tuesday

Sexy Plants: With Dawn Stover. Noon at the Harris County AgriLife Extension Office, 3033 Bear Creek Drive; 281-855-5600. Free; $5 for hamburger meal.

Beneficial insects: With extension horticulturist Jessica Weizer. 6:30-8 p.m. at Galveston County AgriLife Extension Office, 4102 Main, La Marque; 281-534-3413. Free.

Thursday

Propagate your own plants: 6:30-8:45 p.m. at Urban Harvest, 2311 Canal; 713-880-5540, urbanharvest.org. $24 members, $36 nonmembers.

Upcoming

Houston Urban Food Production Conference: Participants can select sessions about starting commercial operations and production methods. Commercial topics include organic certification, marketing options, agricultural valuation for land, efficient irrigation and funding support. Production topics include poultry, goats, beekeeping, integrated pest management, fruit and nut growing, irrigation, season extenders, soil building, weed control, vegetable production and cut flowers. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at the United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh; Diana Todd at 281-855-5614. Registration prior to Friday is $35, then $50. Lunch included.

Some people love to garden. Others wish a garden would just spring up and give them a beautiful place to unwind. Either way, a beautiful garden can be grown without back breaking labor that takes away from your relaxing time.

 

Test the soil

Soil types can differ from one yard to the next, and even in different areas of the garden. A small soil sample taken from various spots will give the gardener a clear idea of what types of adjustments must be made. Call your local agricultural extension office to find out the soil testing procedures in your area.

 

Choose the right plants

Beautiful exotic plants may be the perfect compliment to your garden oasis, but the chances of being able to grow them in your location may prove to be more work than you are ready to handle. Even if you are willing to devote the labor, the success rate depends on the environmental conditions that the plant must struggle through to survive.

In order to be able to relax and enjoy your garden, choose plants with care. If the garden lies in the full sun, shade-loving flowers probably won’t survive. The reverse is also true. Native plants have the best chance of thriving in your garden with little extra attention from you.

 

Plants need to be fed

Plants need nutrition in order to thrive. Depending on the type of soil in the garden, nutrients may wash away without ever getting to the root system. Introduce organic matter into the soil to make it friendlier to the plants need for food.

 

How much water?

Too much water can be as harmful to your plants as too little. This is one of the reasons that knowing your soil type and adding organic matter to aid in water drainage is so important. Adding mulch to the beds will also help retain moisture and keep the soil cool

If you’ve chosen native plants for your garden oasis, it’s possible that you won’t have to give your plants additional moisture unless the area is subject to a dry spell or extreme heat. Droopy plants are a sign that the flowers need a drink.

 

War with weeds

Weeds and grass will make your garden oasis look more like a tangled mess. Garden edging can help keep grass from encroaching into your beds and vying for nutrients. A layer of mulch will help keep the weeds at a minimum.

 

Keep it simple

Unless you’re prepared to hire additional help for your oasis, keep it simple. Before you plant, know how much time and labor you are able to put into your garden and still have time to enjoy the beauty of your well-maintained oasis.

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Rose McKellen is a freelance writer from Austin, TX. She knows how tricky it is to keep a garden going, especially in areas where the climate is hot and dry, like her hometown. She recommends talking to a San Antonio sprinkler installation contractor to find out how to keep your garden moist and thriving. Photo source

Posted: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:00 pm
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Updated: 8:14 pm, Wed Jul 31, 2013.

Outdoors: More tips for keeping animals away from your garden and lawn

Posted on
July 31, 2013

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  Jim Brewer
  

Apparently I am not alone in my never-ending battle against deer and other lawn and garden intruders.

Last week’s column was about a primitive fence I built around my small garden spot and how it seemed to be working as far as keeping the deer at bay. I also mentioned a product that smells like Irish Spring soap that keeps deer away from selected plants.

John Carder, my former UPS driver, endorsed the Irish Spring method. He says that plain old Irish Spring soap works just fine for him. Carder lives in an area infested with deer and uses shavings from the fresh smelling soap dropped in and among his plants. He also recommends putting a bar of soap in something like panty hose and tied to a nearby support.

“We have lots of deer in our area and this definitely works,” he said.

Jill Smith of Fluvanna County also has a few suggestions about deer control. Jill recommends a device made by ConTec called ScareCrow. It’s a motion-activated product that detects movement up to 40 feet and then shoots a stream of water up to 20 feet with a “phtt-phtt-phtt” noise.

Smith said she even had a bear prowling around and that the intruding bruin simply ignored fences and smelly repellents. But when he ran into the ScareCrow, he packed up and moved to new scavenging grounds.

The Fluvanna gardener does not stop there. She also uses a contraption from HavaHart called Electronic Deer Repellent to protect single bushes. It works on battery power, not electricity. It is acorn-scented to attract attention, but when the curious deer or intruder touches the four arched wires across the device, it receives a good shock on the nose.

“Nobody eats my azaleas,” Smith proclaims.

Celia Thompson has what she calls an urban driveway garden and erected a fence like I described in my column. It has kept the deer out, she says, but the squirrels are driving her crazy.

I think I have an answer for her squirrel problem. Squirrels have a keen sense of smell and don’t like red pepper. Companies put pepper in suet and in some birdseed to keep the nosy rodents away. I have been using red pepper on or near things I want to protect from squirrels. Squirrels, for example, will dig up new plantings in pots or in the garden, hoping for one seed or nut in the buried treasure. If you put a healthy helping of red pepper in a pot or on a hill of plantings, squirrels leave it alone. Dollar General sells crushed red pepper at a buck a pop and it works famously.

I am also thinking that the squirting device recommended by Jill Smith would supplement the pepper.

So, squirrels, deer and bears – be on the lookout when you fool with us human beings. We have ways!

Smallmouth fishing? 

I am almost afraid to write this because I may jinx everything, but the James, Shenandoah and New rivers should all be highly fishable this weekend and most of the guides I talk to think the fishing could be phenomenal. It’s been a while since they’ve even seen a lure, they say.

Enough said. Let’s go bass fishing.

Contact Brewer at j44brewer@gmail.com

© 2013 The Daily Progress. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Updated: 8:14 pm.

Things to do in August

• Fruits

Spray fruit trees – continue spraying your fruit trees with a fungicide (Captan, etc.) every seven to 10 days to provide the beautiful fruit you look forward to. Do not use any insecticides on the trees until less than 10% of the blooms remain – you certainly do not want to hurt your bee pollinators. The fungicide will have no effect on them. After the blooms have fallen you may begin to also spray malathion insecticide.

• Lawns

Lawn Fertilizer – you should apply a complete fertilizer to warm season lawns this month.

Fire ants— if you have not yet broadcast fire ant baits, apply your first treatment any time this month. Be sure to apply fresh bait, and do it at the correct time of day ( fire ants only forage actively when the ground temperature is between 70 and 95 degrees F). See the Fire Ant Management in the Home Lawn and the State Fire Ant website for more information.

Aeration—fall is a great time to aerate cool season lawns such as fescue. Warm-season lawns (centipede, zoysia, Bermuda, St. Augustine) should be aerated in the spring and summer. See Aerating Lawns for more information.

Irrigation— your irrigation cycle is still going strong. See the Home and Garden Center’s irrigation publications for more information. One inch per week is the appropriate amount for most lawns and vegetables (except sweet corn and yellow squash, which may require up to two inches depending on growth stage). Include rainfall in this amount, and see How Much Water to determine how much water you are actually applying. And make sure you adjust your water applications with plant growth stage and time of year. One size definitely does not fit all for the entire year.

• Trees and Shrubs

Pruning—now is another good time to prune most trees and shrubs. July and August are the months to prune azalea, dogwood, forsythia, redbud, and rhododendron. They should be pruned after they bloom, but before bloom set in the fall. Oakleaf hydrangea and late-flowering azalea cultivars might also be considered now. Avoid any pruning in the spring and fall if at all possible. See Pruning Trees and Pruning Shrubs for more information.

Plan ahead—if you plan to plant some trees or shrubs this year, begin thinking about which plants you would like now, and find retailers that carry those varieties. You have plenty of time, but you certainly do not want to miss your favorite at the last minute.

Pecan Weevi ls— pecan weevils are those little critters that make holes in your pecans. Start treating for pecan weevils the first week of August, and continue treating once per week for six weeks. Place five ounces of liquid carbaryl (Sevin, etc.) in 10 gallons or more of water and spray the entire area under the tree, from trunk out to dripline. Repeat this for each tree. You will need to do this two years in a row to get rid of the pesky critters (they have a two-year lifecycle). See Pecan Weevil for more information.

• Vegetables

Garden clean-up— half the tomato disease battle in a vegetable garden is sanitation. As tomatoes end their production, remove them from the garden and take them to a landfill. Many diseases will over-winter on old infected leaves and stems. (A good practice for any plants you have had disease problems with this year).

Make a note— sketch out where you planted various vegetables in your garden. This will come in handy next spring when you plant, so you can rotate your crops to help prevent disease.

Vegetables—Some planting times for more common vegetables: Collards—July 1–August 30 Snap beans—August 1–15 Half-runners—August 1–15 Lettuce—Augus 15–25