Windowsill Celery HeartsGrow celery hearts on your windowsill this winter. It's easy and they're pretty and delicious. Next time you buy a stalk of celery, cut the heel off about an inch from the bottom.
Picking ButterbeansThis has been a hot, dry summer and the first year we have watered our garden. It has been a pretty one. My grandmother used to say, a dry June means a wet July. It seems that old saying is true because we have had a lot more rain this month.
Frame for Running BeansLast year we planted bush green beans and when they began to grow, they put out long shoots. That's when we realized that, by mistake, we had gotten some running beans instead of bush beans.
Tomatoes with CharacterWe have had some funny looking tomatoes in our garden this year. Number one would have made a good Pinocchio character and number 2 has some spots that look like eyes and a dent that makes it look like it is smiling.
Chicken Wire To Protect Garden From AnimalsWe have a few watermelons in our garden this year. Three weeks ago, it was a disappointment to find that an animal, probably a deer, had bitten a huge gash out of one. To remedy this problem, we covered them with chicken wire and have not had any more problems.
Taming TomatoesWhen our tomato plants start growing like crazy, I invented this holder made from a clothes hanger to keep the tomato plants from escaping the garden. Cut the wire into 6" pieces. Using pliers, curve into a U shape and curve both ends. Place U shape around straying tomato vine and attach to tomato cage. Do this to all vines to clean up the garden area.
Apple Tree Supporting PumpkinsThis heirloom Amish Pumpkin plant chose to climb a smallish apple tree in our garden. When you look closely at the first photo, you can see the apple tree branches smothered by pumpkin leaves.
Save Seeds For Your Own Veggie PlantsI save seed from peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon and the like. I dry them in paper towel then save them. When I am ready, I put them in a damp paper towel in a closed ziplock until they sprout. BAM, you have plants! Been doing it for years and it works every time. Great to do with kids also :)
Now Is the Time for a Victory GardenWith all the extra time spent at home and uncertainty with COVID-19, now is the perfect time to be planting a victory garden.
Bamboo Sticks for Plant SupportYou can use bamboo sticks instead of a cage for tomatoes. It's a cheaper alternative and you can put the sticks anywhere, not just for tomatoes but for other plants, flowers, trees, etc. as well.
Using Tiny Garlic ClovesMy sister gets a ton of tiny garlic cloves from an abandoned garlic patch that she has and while I appreciate them they are a major pain to husk and peel.
Using Cherry TomatoesMy cherry tomatoes are getting ripe and I plan to make tomato juice and put it in the freezer. I am enjoying snacking on these sweet cherry tomatoes. The skins are tough so I have to remove that from my mouth after chewing on it.
Grow Your Own Tomato PlantsLast spring was the first time we ever tried growing our own tomato plants. We had a big plastic tank that didn't work well for what we got it for. My husband removed the plastic and used the frame to make a greenhouse.
Regrow Vegetables on Your WindowsillMake your vegetables go further by re-growing them. The trimmings of certain vegetables will grow again if you put them in a pot of compost, place them on your windowsill and keep them watered. The photo shows celery leaves grown from the base of a bunch of celery.
Measuring a 5 Gallon Bucket of String BeansThis morning, I picked a 5 gallon bucket full of string beans. I was wondering how many packages I would get to freeze. After blanching, it measured to be 28 cups of cut string beans, which would be 7 quarts.
Using Tough Overgrown Green BeansIf you have left any green beans too long on the plant, they will be too tough to eat. However, they need not go to waste. You can remove the beans from the pods and boil and eat them on their own. You can save a few to grow next year.
Growing Green Onions from Leftover ScrapsDon't toss your green onion scraps away, you can easily grow more! Soak your scraps in water. Once you see your green onion growing a little, transfer into a mason jar allowing the green onions to grow straight up, make sure the roots are in downward position.
Grow Potatoes from an Old PotatoDon't throw away your old potatoes. When the eyes start growing out, you can chop them in half or thirds and put them into a sack of soil to regrow. Here we used a large 20 pound cloth rice bag (bag only) filled with soil.
Grow Microgreens at HomeGrow your own fresh salad greens at home easily. Simply plant your microgreen seeds into potting soil in an empty container and cover with a wet paper towel and lightly water. Close and wait for 5 days. After your seeds sprout remove the paper towel and leave in the sun! Snip greens to add to sandwichs or as a salad!
Reproducing a Rare Type of Chilli (Naga...My father planted the seeds from over ripe peppers. It's been here for years and I never knew it was famous and rare until someone came to ask for these chillis. They call it the "siling demonyo" in my local dialect, where "sili" means chilli and "demonyo" means demon - pertaining to its level of hotness.
Effects Of Pollen Transfer Between...In July 2015, I submitted a rather lengthy post titled 'Do Different Vegetables "Cross"? To me, this is a serious question posed by well meaning people and deserves a detailed answer. Before giving my answer, I did more research than I have ever done before on a ThriftyFun post.
Planting TomatoesPlant from sibling as early as possible in large flower pot. When the temperature is nice set the plant outside. Bring it in before evening. A week after blossoms appear, sprinkle with a little fertilizer (do not sprinkle close to the stem) and give a lot of water.
Growing Pea ShootsPea shoots make a tasty addition to salads, adding a totally new level of flavour, but can be expensive and rare to buy. However they are extremely easy to grow.
Growing Tomato SlicesI don't mean you can get ready sliced tomatoes off a plant that would be silly. However, rather than pay for an expensive pack of seeds, or go to the trouble of picking seeds out of a tomato and drying them, you can actually plant slices of tomatoes.
Get More From Your BrassicasWhen harvesting your brassicas, leave the root in the ground with a few leaves still attached. In a few weeks time you will find you have tiny cabbages sprouting out from the stump which can be used as spring greens in late summer! Also baby cauliflowers and broccoli sprouts.
Experimenting With Salad IngredientsI planted two tubs of Prizehead lettuce. One of the best. I forgot to plant more a couple weeks later. I went to cut some for a salad, this evening. I barely had a thimble full... and I was all set to pig out on Prizehead.
Washing Root VeggiesAfter harvesting carrots, potatoes or baby cukes, place them in the bottom of your washer without soap and allow them to soak to loosen the dirt. This combined with the spin cycle will cause them to become squeaky clean.
Growing Watermelon In ContainersIt is suggested that when watermelon is grown in containers, the containers have at least a five gallon capacity per plant. Each of the containers shown here will hold about twenty gallons, so I planted two plants per container.
Don't Grow Peppers And Tomatoes Close TogetherIf you put pepper plants too close to the tomatoes, the peppers will not get enough sun and they will waste all their energy growing really tall to try and reach the sunlight instead of growing peppers.
Potato Bag for Starting Avocado PitI used some material from the bag our potatoes came in and then a piece of plastic grocery bag tied around the potato bag over the jar. The avocado pit was pushed far enough down into the jar to be able to start this way.
Use Epsom Salts for More TomatoesPlace about 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt around your tomato plants! Your plants will be full of tomatoes.
Plant Sprouting PotatoesMy neighbor planted some Red Russets late February. That's the appropriate time for planting potatoes in our region. None have broken through the ground yet.
Use Washer for Cleaning VegetablesWe put in a lot of potatoes,and carrots so when it comes time for cleaning, it is a lot of work. A friend of mine told me to put them in the washer in cold water, no detergents of course.
Plant Old Winter PotatoesI always have wrinkly old potatoes left over from my winter "load-up" in the fall. I plant them in the garden, cutting them in pieces and making sure that each piece has one or two "eyes". I plant them 6 inches deep with the eyes facing up.
Using Raised Bed to Separate Different VegetablesI love my raised beds. It helps keep different gardens separated and makes it easier to keep weeds out. They can be watered separately, depending on what you are growing in them.
Plant Potatoes With Wet NewspaperWhen potato planting time came around, we always saved old newspapers to soak in water the night before to bed the drills before popping the seed potato in and covering with soil.
Keeping Birds Out Of the GardenI love growing my summer garden in large containers. I keep them near my back door for easy reach from the kitchen. My only problem is that birds will not leave them alone. One perfect beautiful tomato after another pecked to pieces.
Plant Your Sprouting PotatoesSpring is upon us and the potatoes under the sink or in the pantry are sprouting. If used soon, they may still be edible, but if they have gone soft or have too many sprouts, why not plant them?
Zucchini Falling Off The Vine EarlyI have two beautiful zucchini plants that seem to be quite healthy. The squash begins to grow they grow to about 1 inch or so and then very easily fall right off the stem.
Growing Sweet Potatoes in a BarrelYou can grow sweet potatoes in a wooden barrel. Cut off your sprouts, leaving a medium amount of potato on the sprout. Get your wooden barrel and place some small size rocks in the bottom of your barrel.
Lettuce Growing TipsPlant 4 or 5 different varieties of lettuce in your lettuce bed then you can have a variety of greens to eat. When cutting you lettuce off, just break off the leaves and leave the roots growing. It will produce more lettuce for you to eat.
Planting Strawberry StartsIf you have new strawberry plants and don't have time to plant them in the bed right away, no problem. The new plants will await your convenience if you the the method called "heeling in".
Topsy Turvy Tomato GrowerI made a planter out of an old butter container and I am very happy with it. I used Morning Glories I picked from the yard, they are everywhere, but you could do this with anything, even tomatoes?
Plant Root Ends and Seeds From ProduceWhen I cut the root end off of scallions, I plant them in a pot on my porch and within a week or two, the tops have grown enough to use them. I do the same with any root vegetable and soon I have a free, healthy alternative to buying greens for salad, etc.
Growing Corn in a Raised BedI planted corn seeds in this 8x8 foot raised bed. When they came up, I thinned to 64 plants. So there was about one plant per square foot.
Salad Greens All SummerChoose quick-maturing varieties that will produce a crop within weeks of sowing. In the fall, use row covers to extend the season and protect crops from frost.
Fresh Salad BowlWhat could be better than a fresh salad bowl? I use a low ceramic bowl, plant a variety of lettuces and herbs each spring. Throughout the summer I go out to my salad bowl and pick fresh greens for dinner.
Harvesting and Uses for Crab ApplesSpread 2 bed sheets under tree canopy from trunk to outside edge of tips of limbs. Using an inch and half PVC pipe with a (Y) fitting attached to the tip of 8 foot section of pipe.
Growing Peas for WinterWe have a large family and so always put in a large garden and can lots of food for winter months. We have potatoes, onions and peas and kale in so far. Hoping it stays mild and we can soon plant more.
Save Seeds From Store Bought TomatoesI bought a tomato at the store and squeezed the seeds onto a paper towel. After they dried, I cut the paper around the seed and planted them in good potting soil.
Plant Veggies In Your Flower BedEven if you don't have garden space you can get a few homegrown foods by adding a few choice vegetable plants to the scheme of your flower bed. Just pick your fav vegies in unusual varieties.
Make a Greenhouse for Late TomatoesIt looked like it would soon be raining; I couldn't stand the thought of having so many soon-to-be ripe tomatoes rotting on the vines, so I decided to do something about it. I created a make-shift greenhouse.
Garden with Race Track StrawWe mulch our garden completely with straw that we get from the racetrack in town in the spring when the races are on and the horses are here.
Let The Garden Take Care Of ItselfI have found that the more I work a garden, the less yield I get.
Upside-Down Tomato BucketsMy husband built this frame work to hold three tomato plants. The grass in the top of the buckets helps hold the moisture in. He cuts it with a scissors. The chains on each side allows him to raise the buckets as needed.
Caged SquashI've often had trouble finding a squash hidden under all the leaves until it was way too big, so this year I put a tomato cage over one squash plant just to see what would happen.
Growing a Hanging Upside Down Tomato On a BalconyI live in a second floor apartment with a balcony and not a very big one at that. I decided to plant tomatoes but there isn't much room to put containers in such a small space, then I looked up. I have a spider plant and it hangs down from the ceiling, why can't tomatoes.
Growing Vegetables in Hanging BasketsI was just about to plant some flowers in a hanging basket I have when I remembered that I have several leftover starter plants that are zucchini, summer squash, lemon cukes, and pickling cukes.
Plant Onions at the End of Gardening RowsWhen planting your seed rows, plant a few onions on each end of the row so you can tell where the rows of slow germinating seeds are. By the time the onions are ready to pull, the seeds will have sprouted.
Sharon's Hanging GardenI started a hanging tomato garden, and not having anything to hang them from, I built a trellis using the 1 1/2 inch and the 1/2 inch PVC piping. The milk jugs I used for my garden fit perfectly on the 1/2 PVC piping, and will sit on top of the 1 1/2 inch PVC piping rectangle trellis I made!
Easy Grow Potatoes In BoxesWant to grow potatoes? Lacking the gumption to dig them up? Here's the answer: Boxes. Pick a spot in your yard where you'd like to improve the soil a bit and set out your boxes (at least the size of a 5 gallon bucket).
Plant Corn, Beans and Squash TogetherIn the Three Sisters Garden, Native Americans grew pole beans, corn, and squash all together. How do you grow pole beans on corn. Growing pole beans on corn stalks is a matter of timing.
Tomato Planting TipsTomatoes are touchy about getting too much rain or water overhead. First of all, plant the tomatoes as deeply as you can but not with the leaves touching the ground.
How to Harvest Pumpkins ProperlyTo make sure your pumpkins last as long as possible, they must be harvested, cured, and stored properly.
Plant Complementary Veggies TogetherWhen planting tomatoes, plant okra in the spaces between. This saves space and the okra with it's broad leaves helps protect the tomatoes from sun scald.
Growing CucumbersHere are some tips for growing cucumbers. Feel free to post your ideas.
What Would You Plant in Your Victory Garden?One of our members mentioned that she now considers her patio garden a Victory Garden. Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom during World War I and World War II.
Growing Cucumbers on a FenceTry growing your cucumbers in hanging baskets hanging on a fence. If it's a wooden fence, all you need to do is stretch a wire or some string along it so as the cucumber has something to grow along.
How Many Cantaloupes Grow from a Plant?How many cantaloupes grow from a plant? The number of melons produced by any one plant depends largely on the variety grown and the ability to grow it under optimum growing conditions.
Growing SproutsI do well growing mung beans in a jar and get good bean sprouts, but when I have tried to grow tiny alfalfa and radish seeds in jars and trays I have problems.
Problems Growing PeppersProblems Growing Peppers. I usually have great success growing peppers. This year the plants have not grown at all since I planted them (2 months ago).
My Cantaloupes and Watermelon Stopped GrowingWe are giving growing cantaloupes and watermelon a try. We have had very hot and dry weather since we put the plants in a month ago, and have watered every day.
Should I Stake Cucumber Vines?I'm new to gardening and I am growing cucumbers for the 1st time. I would like to know if it is advisable to have the cucumbers on the ground. The vines are growing out of control, should I stake them like tomatoes?
Grow Your Own FoodGroceries, believe it or not, are the absolute easiest place to cut back your expenses. So I figure, whatever you can grow, especially if it re-seeds itself, you don't have to pay for except when you buy the seeds.
Planting a Corn PatchChoose a sweet fast growing corn, 1 or 2 varieties. Make a large square area to plant the corn in. Do not plant in rows but in lines to fill up the square and put 3 seeds in each hole.
Supporting Tomato PlantsWhen planting tomato plants in a garden - place hog panel 3 feet tall down the length of the row(s). Plant tomato plants in front of each side of the panel - as they begin grow start to tie them to the panel with cut up nylon hose.
Calcium for Tomato PlantsWhen planting tomatoes add some dry milk into the planting hole to add calcium and prevent blossom end rot.
Growing Vegetables in the MountainsWe live in the mountains west of Canon City, Colorado. For many years I have tried to grow a vegetable garden that would yield a crop of more than just a few items from the plants. We have tested the soil and put in several things.
Is Dog Poop Bad For a Vegetable Garden?I know that cat urine can burn up a lot of plants. I have a problem with dog dung in my vegetable garden. Does anyone know if this will hurt the plants?
Growing Peppers from SeedsI recently tried planting seeds from a green pepper, and lo and behold, it worked! I have sproutlings. I will let you know if they produce.
Watering Tomato Plants UndergroundTomatoes... our picky plants! Never water from the top. You know those big recyclable 4 gallon milk containers? As you plant each tomato plant, dig a deep hole beside it. Punch small holes in the milk container after it is filled with water.
Grow a Larger Tomato CropBefore transplanting your tomato plant seedlings outside, make your planting hole a bit deeper than usual, and drop 2 teaspoons of epsom salts in each planting hole. Sprinkle some dirt in the hole, and then add your seedling.
Cooperative Gardening With FriendsOrganize your gardening with friends. You plant the tomatoes, she plants the zucchini-then you share the bounty. Next year switch so you don't deplete the soil.
Tomatoes Until December!Cover your tomato plants with newspaper in the fall and they will survive the frosty nights. You will be able to pick tomatoes until December!
Using Straw For Low Maintenance GardenFor a low maintenance garden I cover my garden with straw. It keeps the weeds away keeps the soil moist all the time. I grow my potatoes in a pile made from straw. It produced the best ever crop for me last year 2004.
Growing Strawberries in a WheelbarrowIf you love strawberries I have found that the best place to grow them so nothing eats them and they get the best sun all day is in an old wheelbarrow. The strawberries stay clean, they can live on the back verandah or wherever you can keep an eye on the birds etc.
Harvest Pears Before They're RipeDon't wait to harvest pears until they've ripened on the trees because they won't be as delicious, said a horticulturist at Kansas State University.
Put Straw on Top of Your PotatoesSince it is gardening season, here is a gardening tip. When you plant potatoes, layer straw on top. The plants will grow through and make potatoes on top of the ground. Layer straw about 2 feet deep as it will shrink down during the summer.
Planting BeetsIt's okay to plant your beet seeds a little on the heavy side. Once the plants are big enough to thin, you have two choices for the extras. One is to cook them whole as beet greens.
Teepees for Sugar Pea VinesI needed "teepees" for my sugar pea vines to grow up on and had no wooden stakes. Instead of going out and buying stakes, I turned my round, metal tomato cages upside-down and tied together the three legs to form a teepee.
Tomatoes in a Small YardWhen I put my plants in the ground I lay them on their sides and put the dirt all the way up and over the roots and bottom leaves. Pat the dirt down good. It grows more roots and builds up the plant.
