FAQ #17: Should I plant annuals or perennials and what’s the difference anyway?

It depends on what you want! Annuals have to be planted each year because they are tender and don’t overwinter in VT, so you have to buy new ones each season.  However, once they start blooming, they do so all summer, if you take good care of them.  At the end of the summer just pull them out and throw them in the compost pile.

Perennials are long lived, often indefinitely, but only bloom for a part of the season.  In order to have color all season, you need to plant a wide variety of plants.  Some need to be cut down after blooming and you may have an empty spot in your garden.  Most perennials need dividing in order to be at their best and not look scraggly or take over the garden. Often a mix of annuals and perennials works well to ensure constant color in the garden. Biennials are plants that live for two years but behave somewhat like perennials because they flower and self-seed in their second year, and the seedlings will return year after year. Hollyhocks are a good example.

FAQ #16: Which perennials bloom the longest?

Virtually all plants will bloom longer if you deadhead them.  Picking lots of blossoms encourages the plant to branch and so you get more. I’ve had especially good luck with these varieties: Heliopsis (False Sunflower), which sometimes blossoms for 10-12 weeks in the fall Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan) – 6-7 weeks Monarda (Bee Balm) - 8-12 weeks Coreopsis - 8-12 weeks Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) ‘Luxuriant’ - 10-14 weeks, Feverfew – 8-12 weeks if you let new plants grow and cut back the old ones

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FAQ #15: Should I mulch my flower beds?

How much time do you want to spend weeding?  If you love to weed as I do, you don’t need to mulch.  However, mulching will save 80% of weeding time, so most people are happier with a mulched garden.  Use a fairly thin layer (2-3 inches) and put a thinner layer on in subsequent years.  Mulching also conserves water.  Make sure the soil is moist before mulching because the mulch sometimes inhibits moisture from getting to the roots.

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FAQ #14: How can I keep my garden looking good without spending all my time weeding?

First of all, gardens need some maintenance, so if you want a nice looking garden, you will need to commit some time to caring for it.  Bark or straw mulch helps to keep down weeds and makes those that do grow easier to pull up.  One good way is to edge with a shovel then use a hand cultivator to pull away the grass that is “cut off”.  Edging makes weeding easier and makes the garden look really nice when you are done.  When pressed for time, I edge, then weed in about 12 to 18 inches.  If your garden is full, the weeds in the middle won’t even show and you give an impression of a well-maintained space. Planting ground covers such as mosses, alyssum, and vinca will reduce the space that weeds can take over. You can check out a video on edging with a shovel here.

FAQ #13: What plants are easiest to take care of?

Annuals:

Geraniums

Imaptiens

Pansies

Marigolds

Salvias

Sunflowers

New Guinea Impatiens

Perennials:

Bleeding Heart

Astilbe

Echinacea

Garden Phlox

Sedums

Rudbeckia

Bee Balm

Lady's Mantle

FAQ #12: What perennial plants will do well in my shady garden?

Hostas are always a good choice and there are so many of them!  Using varieties with lots of yellow or white in the leaves gives “color” to the shade garden. They can can be divided each year to fill the area. Bleeding Heart - both white and pink heart-shaped flowers add a splash of color Astilbe - plumes of white or pink flowers add elegance in the spring

Sweet Woodruff  - a nice spring ephemeral with abundant tiny white flowers and shiny green foliage Pulmonaria has stunning dark green leaves with white splotches and delicate flowers in spring

Ferns and mosses are a great choice for filling in shady areas with nice textures

Brunnera - this plant comes in many shades of silver, green, and gold, and adds lovely heart shaped leaves and texture to the shade garden.

Laminum - a wonderful groundcover that with silver foliage and small blue flowers

FAQ #11: What soil should I use in my planters?

Vermont Compost Co.
Vermont Compost Co.

Although it’s tempting to think you’ll save money by using garden soil, you won’t have as good success because garden soil does not hold moisture as well as potting soil. Proper moisture is essential for container plants because they dry out more quickly than plants in the ground. Using a high quality potting mix will ensure that the soil holds moisture and that it has the nutrients your plants need.  At Red Wagon we grow all of our plants in a great organic potting soil called  made by Vermont Compost Company. We also sell a variety of Vermont Compost Company products in our retail greenhouse. A good, compost-based mix will ensure that your plants thrive all summer long. Long flowering annuals such as petunias, fuschias, and gernaniums can benefit from some additional fertilizer during the season.

FAQ #10: How can I keep my hanging baskets looking good?

There are a few simple keys to keeping hanging baskets looking good. The first is proper watering - not too much, and not too little. A good method is to gently lift the plant in the morning. If it lifts easily and feels light, water thoroughly (until water runs out the bottom). If the pot feels solid and heavy, water lightly. If the pot feels very heavy, do not water it! Overwatering is a very common mistake. Check the pot again at the end of the day and water if it is light.

The next key is fertilizing. Hanging baskets usually have lots of flowers and therefore require lots of fertility. Watering every other week with liquid fertilizer (such as fish emulsion) will keep them looking good.  We like Neptune's organic fertilizers, though synthetic fertilizers like MiracleGro are more rapidly available to the plants if time is of the essence.

The final key is pruning. If you’ve done proper watering and fertilizing and the plant starts looking leggy or overgrown, give your hanging basket a good haircut  to get rid of its unhappy foliage and fertilize it. Within a few weeks it will be nicely filled in with new leaves and flowers. Transplanting into a larger container is also a good method of refreshing the plants.

FAQ #8: How much/often do I need to compost?

If your garden soil is naturally rich in organic matter, an inch or so of compost at the beginning of the season and again in midsummer is probably plenty. If you have very sandy or nutrient-depleted soil, provide as much compost as possible - several inches at the beginning of the season, a few handfuls for each plant at transplanting time, and a thick re-application in midsummer. If you have very poor soil it is also a good idea to rotate the growing area and grow nitrogen-fixing cover crops to increase the organic matter and nutrient content of the soil. The best way to determine your nutrient needs is to do a soil test. Soil can be tested using  a simple test from the garden garden center, but a professional soil test will provide more detailed information and recommendations for amendments. Soil samples can be sent to UVM Extension for soil testing for about $14. Find out more about soil testing here.

FAQ #7: What are some easy-to-grow veggies for containers?

Most garden favorites can be grown in containers as long as they are provided with plenty of soil, good drainage, light, and fertility. It is important to remember that container plants require more regular watering than plants grown in the ground since their roots cannot seek out water by growing deeper. The same goes for nutrients - fertilize at least every two weeks during the growing season. Some varieties have been bred especially for container growing, such as the “Tiny Tim” tomato.  

  • Tomatoes should be grown one plant to a five-gallon bucket or similar container with holes drilled in the sides 2” from the bottom to create a water reservoir. Determinate varieties can use a  small stake, whereas indeterminate varieties need heavy stakes in the ground or screwed to the container.
  • Peppers and eggplants require are least 8 inches of soil, so choose a nice deep container for them. Staking is recommended for plants that produce large fruits.
  • Cukes, squash, and other vines can do very well in containers at least 12” in diameter provided there is plenty of room for their vines. Varieties with smaller fruit can be staked or trellised to save space.
  • Greens such as lettuce and spinach can be grown in containers, but it is more challenging because they prefer cool conditions. Try growing them in a window box where they will be in shade during the hottest part of the day and make sure they get plenty of water.
  • Herbs can very easily be grown in containers (since most are drought-tolerant)  and can be overwintered indoors in a sunny window.

FAQ #3: I'm new to gardening - what's the best use of a 10x12' raised bed?

Decide what you'd like to grow and eat, considering the space requirements and growth habit for each.  Vine veggies like cucumbers and squash can be planted on the periphery to spill out onto a lawn and not crowd the other plants; or they can also be trellised.

Give tomatoes at least 3 square feet, eggplant and peppers 2 square feet.   Also, consider rate of maturity; plant lettuce in one area, then after harvesting, plant beets or herbs. Planting a few edible flowers, such as nasturtium or gem marigold gives the raised bed a flower planter look. For ease of maintenance, make sure space or a path is made to reach all of the plantings.

Plants in a raised bed tend to yield more than plants in the ground because their roots are in lighter soil that is easier to grow in. It is important to only use good quality top soil and compost in the raised bed. The bottom layer can be filled with some rotted horse manure and yard waste like leaves and grass clipping.

Choose varieties that do well in smaller spaces and keep re-using the space once you harvest something.  Small patches of green beans can be replanted multiple times, a small trellis with a few snap peas can be a nice addition that leaves room for summer lettuce or fall broccoli. Just keep in mind that a few plants that are well cared for will yield as much as many plants that are poorly cared for!

FAQ #6: How do I grow asparagus?

The ideal method for growing asparagus is to prepare the area at least one season in advance by tilling and planting a cover crop to suppress weeds. This will help reduce stress on the asparagus plants during their first few years, ensuring a healthier and more vigorous crop. A cover crop turned into the bed also increases the organic matter in the soil which is good for the plants. Since asparagus is a perennial that can last for many years, choose a well-drained site that can be dedicated to asparagus for the foreseeable future.

Asparagus is usually grown by tilling an area and then digging trenches 6-8” deep and 3-5’ apart. The crowns (roots) are placed in the trenches 8” apart for narrow spears and 14” apart for thick spears. Cover the crowns with 1-2” of soil and fertilize heavily with compost or other phosphate-rich fertilizer. Add soil to the trenches three times during the next few weeks until the soil is mounded somewhat to avoid water pooling around the plants. Keep the plants hand-weeded and fertilized until midsummer, then mulch heavily with straw or leaves to suppress weeds. The asparagus “ferns” should be allowed to grow, since they feed the plants, then cut back after they die in the fall. A moderate harvest is usually possible the first year after planting, followed by full harvests every spring thereafter.

Red and black asparagus beetles are nearly always present in summer and can be treated with organic pesticides but are better removed by hand to minimize harm to the plants. Just drop the beetles and larvae into a can of soapy water to kill them. Larvae can also be killed by gently brushing the ferns with a soft broom - they die quickly after falling to the ground.

Although asparagus is not quite as simple to grow as annual crops, it is well worth the effort! Fresh, juicy asparagus spears are unrivaled in texture and flavor.

FAQ #5: Is “days to maturity” on veggie plants from when the seed germinated or transplant date and what may affect the rate of growth?

Days to maturity is from seed germination for direct seeded crops and from transplant time for crops that traditionally transplanted. However,  this determined by seed companies from  averaged seed trials under controlled (and somewhat ideal) conditions.  Normally, there is some variation from the stated maturity date.  As long as plants are healthy, have not been shocked at transplant and have received the right amount of light, temperature, moisture and fertility, plants will grow to maturity  within our growing season. On the plant signs at Red Wagon “days to maturity” indicates the number of days from transplanting to maturity. Seed catalogues also use the days from transplanting if it is a crop that is normally transplanted, such as tomatoes, peppers, or eggplants.

FAQ #4: How do I keep pests (rabbits, deer, slugs, woodchucks, etc.) out of my garden?

Physical and chemical barriers and pesticides are used to control or kill garden pests. The following are some physical methods of control: Rabbits hop, but do not jump, so a 3' chicken wire or hardware cloth fence will work to keep them out. However, woodchucks, moles and voles burrow, so one needs to bury fencing at least 1 1/2 feet underground. Another deterrent to above-ground critters is electrified wire running above ground across gate openings.  There are chemical repellents used on stakes or fencing to keep deer away.  For slugs, use diatomaceous earth around plantings, or trap with beer in pie plates or place a wide wooden plank on the garden surface, and next morning, remove slugs that congregate beneath it.

Try not to locate bird feeders too close to your veggie garden as they attract rodents such as voles, chipmunks and squirrels. Consider a cat as a pet!

FAQ #2: How do I know if a tomato is determinate or indeterminate? How do I support my tomatoes? Can I grow them in containers?

A determinate tomato is a type of tomato that has all of its fruit ripen at once. They usually grow to about 4 to 5 feet tall, and then stop growing while they spend all of their energy on fruit production. They are great for canning since they ensure you have a large harvest all at once. They can be grown without staking, but the fruit quality will be better if cages, stakes or a small trellis are used.  Indeterminate tomatoes keep growing until they succumb to frost or a disease. In a warm climate, they are actually perennials and can grow into trees. Indeterminates ripen all season long and give you a more sequential harvest with one or two tomatoes ripening a day during peak harvest.

In general, space tomato plants at least 2' apart, preferably 3' or more apart.  Support both kinds; pea fences or hardwood stakes work nicely on determinates; indeterminates keep growing up and out and need more support, such as hardwood stakes positioned so that as the tomatoes grow, trellising can be added with hemp twine.

Check out this video to see a method we like for trellising tomatoes:

Weaving Tomatoes

Round tomato cages are great for peppers and eggplants.  One of our customers designed a portable one-tomato planter with a five gallon bucket, drilled 3 holes about 2 inches from the bottom for a water reservoir, and screwed two hardwood stakes to opposite sides of the bucket for plant support.

The Kitchen Garden: Abundant Harvest in Small Spaces

The following is a hand out that accompanied a workshop I presented at the NOFA conference Feb 12, 2012. -Julie

 

An abundant harvest in a small space can seem like a challenge, but by understanding a few concepts, you can make the most of your small garden so that it meets your needs and brings you joy. Observing plants is the best way to develop garden awareness; making good choices is the best way to avoid “garden guilt.” Abundant harvests have to do with efficiency:

  • The efficiency of the plant taking up nutrients
  • The efficiency of the amount of time it takes for the plant to mature.
  • The efficiency of minimized waste.
  • The efficiency of using your space to its maximum potential.

These are not hard and fast rules, but can be applied at your discretion in any area of the garden you would like to improve. These ideas can work for the spontaneous or lazy gardener (like me) or for the hyper-planner who maps it all out on graph paper ahead of time (like my neighbor). Think of it as cooking without a recipe - once you know a few techniques and concepts, you can explore and have decent results most of the time. And there is no such thing as garden failure - it is just a lesson waiting to be learned. The big factors:

  • Soil - texture, nutrients, compost, fertilizer
  • Shape - raised bed, containers, or “in ground”, bed prep
  • Water - drip, overhead, by hand, on timers, etc
  • Cultivation - weeds, mulching,  pests and diseases, season extension, spacing and timing, succession planting, shape of plants
  • Harvest - understanding life cycle of plants, post-harvest handling, when to try for multiple harvest or when to cut your losses, cleaning up plant debris.

Soil should be loose and rich and deep.  In a container it should be a pre-mixed potting soil, not garden soil. If the container is large (1 gallon or more) it should have some drainage material in the bottom. Many things work well for this - styrofoam packing peanuts, crushed up plastic pots, gravel, etc. If a pot is very lare (3 gallons or more) the drainage material can be a little deeper, up to the bottom third of the pot. It is a good idea to cover the drainage material with a piece of burlap, an old pillow case, or some other type of screen or fabric to keep the soil from washing down into the material that should remain porous.

In a raised bed, it can be a combination of materials including pre-made finished compost, leaf mold (rotted leaves - make a pile in the fall, it’s good to go in the bottom of the raised bed in the spring), peat moss, rotted manure/bedding (a good source is horse farms), garden soil,  sand and pre-mixed top soil / compost combinations. The key is to have a mixture of ingredients to re-create the complexity of a living soil system.

In the garden, the soil should be worked deeply with a 4 or 5 pronged fork, and loosed by hand or with a hoe. Even if you use a rototiller in the garden, the plants will benefit from having the soil loosened more deeply than where the rototiller tines reach. It is a good idea to shovel out the paths of the garden and put the extra soil onto the beds. This essentially makes a raised bed and will allow the roots to grow quickly and deeply in their search for food. Nutrients can come from compost, granular fertilizer, “Compost Plus” and/or  mineral inputs. It is a good idea to get a soil test in your in-ground garden or raised bed. If you are using materials in the raised bed that you know are of good quality, you can skip this, but if your plants look deficient during the growing months, you may opt to do a test after all.  Applying granular fertilizer or “Compost Plus” is best done after the plants have had a chance to grow out - either a month or so after seeding or two weeks or so after transplanting. Water is best done through drip irrigation - either soaker hoses or drip tape. A good source of drip tape is Dripworks. Next best watering choice is by hand since you can aim the hose nozzle at the soil, and not get the foliage wet. Third best choice (and not a good one, sorry) is overhead sprinklers: they require less of your time and labor, but they get the foliage wet. Two reasons to avoid getting the foliage wet with overhead irrigation (sprinklers and incorrect hand watering):

  1. it rots the plants, and disease can set in. Dry plants tend to be healthier plants.
  2. the plants take up water with their roots, not their leaves. You waste a lot of water and the leaves act as a nice umbrella for the roots, making it wasteful. You have to water more than necessary for the roots to actually start drinking. Getting the plants wet and watering the garden are two different things, and it is best not to confuse them.

Watering is best done in the morning - it gives the plants a chance to dry off before night time and supports their busy daytime growth. Watering at the end of the day is not recommended since disease spreads most during humid summer nights.  You can water the garden during the middle of the day, and the plants will still have time to dry off by sunset. Cultivation is simply the act of caring for plants. In larger scale farming, to “cultivate” means to scuff up the soil in such a way that you are removing weeds, usually involving a tractor and some sort of implement. Here we use the term “cultivate” in a broader sense meaning a general discussion of the cultural requirements of common garden plants. The “cultural requirements” of a plant are all the things that a plant needs from humans in order to thrive. For example, the site, the water, the tilth or texture of the soil, the space and  the nutrients are all a part of a plant’s cultural needs. To understand what a plant needs, you have to look at these factors:

  1. what is it’s shape? Shape of plants, physiological structure, and type of cells that make up the roots and the foliage all give you clues to what the plant needs. Thin fibrous roots dry out more than thick, tuberous roots (think of an onion plant vs. a tomato plant). Waxy, shiny leaves are more drought tolerant than matte, thin leaves (think of a succulent like aloe vs.a leafy plant like lettuce). Large plants with broad leaves have very different requirements than skinny tall plants (think brcocolli vs onion). The canopy a plant creates is also a clue - plants with a small canopy (onions, celery, leeks) do not cast much of a shadow. This makes them very vulnerable to weeds. Plants that create a large canopy (squashes, cabbages, broccoli, eggplant) cast a large shadow which slows down weed growth. Understanding the shape or growth habit of a plant also helps you maximize the potential of your small garden.
    1. A tall, vining plant can be trellised.
    2. A low growing, sprawling plant can be planted on the edge where it spills onto a lawn.
    3. A tall, skinny plant can be tucked into tight spots.
    4. A pretty, decorative plant can be planted in the flower bed.
  2. how hungry is it? Plants that need a lot of fertility are often referred to as “heavy feeders”. One common point amongst most heavy feeders is their life span. A baby lettuce plant that is in the ground for 20 days is going to be a light feeder. A giant, prize winning pumpkin in the ground for 130 days is going to be a heavy feeder. Plants that produce fruit such as tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers and eggplant are best fed when in a vegetative state (all green leaf growth, earlier in the first 45 days of transplanting); once those plants are in their fruiting state, it is best to lay off the fertilizer or compost which support green growth, not fruit growth. The plant has only so much energy, and if it is putting it into leaf growth, it won’t also put it into fruit growth. It is a balancing act since the green growth needs to happen quickly and in a lush manner in the earlier part of the season in order to support healthy fruiting in the latter part of the season.
  3. how thirsty is it? As in the discussion of shape, a plant’s water needs have to do with its structure, but also with weather and soil type. A garden in sandy soil will always need more water than a garden in clay soils. You can look for cues of thirstiness in a plant and water just as needed. These clues include very slight curling of leaves, a blue-like hue that creeps in (this is very sublte), or a very subtle droop in the way flowers are angled. This type of “reading the garden” takes some observation to understand, but gardening is a lifetime project with countless places to learn. Fruiting vegetables tend to taste better with less water. Leafy vegetables tend to taste better with more water. It is entirely possible to water tomatoes only once every two weeks, even in a drought, and get very tasty fruit. If you did that with lettuce, it would be bitter at best, but more likely it would simply be dead.
  4. how well does it share? A plant that knows how to share light, water, and nutrients with its neighbors is a plant that does well in small spaces. Radishes are a good example. They can be sown alongside just about any other crop, and they do quite well because of their short life span, lower light requirements, and broader leaves that shade out weeds. Radishes can share. Other examples of plants that cooperate nicely: arugula, baby lettuce, scallions (they are skinny and can go in nooks), cilantro, curly parsley or smaller varieties of Italian parsley, strawberries and wild strawberries, and pansies. Notice....with the exception of scallions, all these plants are low growing, have broad leaves that create a canopy that shades out weeds, and can tolerate a bit of shade that might be thrown by a neighboring canopy.
  5. how well does it compete? Plants that compete well are plants that are not easily thwarted by dry conditions, weedy conditions, temperature extremes, or low nutrition. You can always increase your harvest and increase your efficiency by knowing which plants have these characteristics. It basically allows you to prioritize garden tasks -you can make the less competitive plants a priority, and save the more tolerant, tough plants for a day when you have a little more time.  Working smarter in the garden can increase the harvest, and save you some “garden guilt”, just by knowing when to say “it’s okay if that is weedy, it can wait until the weekend.”

Succession planting is another way to increase your yields. This is the act of planting multiple generations of plants so that you have a continuous harvest. The trick with succession planting is to know a few numbers

  1. the date of the average last frost in spring
  2. the date of the average  first frost in fall
  3. the amount of time it takes for a plant to be harvestable (a.k.a. “days to maturity)

and two cultural factors:

  1. is the crop frost tolerant or not?
  2. is it a “multiple harvest” crop or a one time harvest?

Once you know these numbers and the frost tolerance of a plant, you can make some simple calculations based on your season length to determine how many generations of a particular plant you can grow. For example, head lettuce has about a 40 day life cycle from transplant time to harvest time, and it can tolerate a light frost. This means you can start transplanting it in early May (in Burlington, average last frost is last week of May)  or so, and you can repeat the planting of it every week or so, until early September. (in Burlington, average first frost is first week of October). Head lettuce is something you harvest only once, so if you want a nice head of lettuce every two days or so, you would plant 4 heads of lettuce a week, every week from early May to early September. This will give you a continuous harvest from early June until mid-October. If you are the kind of gardener who “puts in the garden” on Memorial Day and then you never replant, it is likely that you have a big glut of produce at certain times, and then none that is fresh and good at other times. By planting multiple generations of plants, you insure high yields and great flavor. A patch of bush green beans only produces good quality beans for about 2 to 3 weeks. After a while, the beans are tough and sparse on the plant. If you replant a new patch every couple of weeks, you will always have high-yielding, tasty beans. Abundant harvest happen on healthy plants at their prime, and gardens in small spaces require a certain amount of decision making. You always have a choice to pull out tired plants and to replant with new seeds or plants - this is often the most efficient way to have better yields. Mulch is a great way to keep weeds at bay, and to keep moisture near the root zone. It can also build soils, heat the soil, or cool the soil - all depending on your goal and what the plant needs. You can mulch paths and/or growing beds. Raised beds that are constructed out of wood can also be mulched and the paths around the raised beds can be mulched to minimize lawn mowing if you would like. If you use materials that naturally break down such as paper, cardboard, burlap bags, straw or bark, the mulched paths can become mini compost piles. By layering in materials that block out weeds, you are creating a layer of organic matter that will decompose over the course of a year and can then be shovelled onto the growing beds the following spring. Some mulch materials carry weed seeds so beware. They can still be used effectively in the garden, but best as a layer that is covered up with another barrier such as cardboard or burlap. As it breaks down and heats up over time, the weed seeds lose their viability and will not be a problem the following year. Plastic mulches heat the soil and are great for the heat-loving, fruiting crops. Harvest and post-harvest handling are other factors that affect the yield in your garden. Being able to plan or predict when you harvest a crop depends on your knowing the life cycle or days to maturity of that crop. It is entirely possible, to plan a garden harvest around certain dates or to plan for having no harvest during vacation times. An abundant harvest is one that happens when you want it. An unwanted harvest is a hassle - you have to get your neighbors to help, or find volunteers for a school garden, etc. Sometimes that works, but it is possible to minimize unwanted work, and under-appreciated produce by timing the plantings and knowing how much to plant of each crop. There are many charts on the internet that can help you gauge the garden harvest and how much to plant of each crop and when. Johnny’s Selected Seeds has some wonderful on-line tools, as does our own Red Wagon Plants website. Post-harvest handling includes everything from time of day you harvest, how you pack it into your basket or boxes, and how you store it. Morning is generally the best time to harvest since the field heat has not had too much time to affect the leafy green plants. Fruiting plants can be harvest later in the day. Again, this is a place where you can make a choice by harvesting the right plant at the right time of day. If you only have a few minutes to harvest in the morning, do the leafy greens. The fruiting plants can usually wait until later in the day or even a couple of days. Once a plant is cut or picked, it is best to wash it and refrigerate it right away. Again, this is related to an abundant harvest because anything that improves quality reduces waste. Lettuce that is wilted and dirty in the bottom of the fridge drawer is just not as appealing as lettuce that is crisp, clean and ready to eat. A small garden is not a productive garden if what you harvest ends up under-utilized. A good trick is to harvest the lettuce, and when you get in the house, soak it in a basin or large bowl of cold water right away. This takes out the field heat, the leaves absorb some water making them more crisp, and the dirt drops down to the bottom. Lift the leaves out, re-soak once or twice depending on the amount of dirt, and then spin the leaves in a lettuce spinner or by layering between some clean towels. Lettuce treated this way is sure to get eaten, promise! Plants like broccoli, beans, and tomatoes produce more the more they are harvested. Broccoli will generally make one big head, and then produce what is called side shoots all summer long. These shoots are the perfect size for cooking or eating raw and the more you remember to cut them, the more the plant will produce. Often a broccoli plant that goes into the garden in late April will continue to produce side shoots into mid-December - talk about a high yield! Most fruiting plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers and eggplant) will also produce more the more they are picked. These do not need immediate refrigeration, and tomatoes and basil should never go in the fridge. A basket full of cukes and zukes can stay on the counter until a time later in the day when you have had a chance to make room in the fridge or have time to make pickles,etc. Again, a high yield can be a burden or a blessing, depending on how it fits into your life. With a little planning, a very small garden such as a 4’ x 8’ raised bed can include 2 tomato plants, a cucumber plant and a season’s worth of greens. This is often plenty for a single person or a couple. Abundant harvesting is about making choices that lead to efficiency and no waste., beauty and no guilt.  If you use your minimal space for vegetables that you will not use, then the space is wasted, if instead that small space is regularly turned over with fresh plants, and old plants are removed, then you will have a high yield of well loved produce. It is always a better choice to remove the garden debris (think bolted lettuce, cabbage stumps, woody radishes) than to let it limp along, tempting disease and pests.

Some good sources of information

  • Our website has an extensive list of resources in the “Garden Journal”
  • Johnny’s Selected Seeds, High Mowing Seeds, Territorial Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange and Botanical Interests are all reputable seed companies with lots of educational materials on their websites and in their catalogs. These are great sources of free information.
  • Cornell Extension has a website for home gardeners that is very helpful
  • Elliot Coleman’s books are geared towards vegetable farmers but have very clear explanations of succession planting, timing and spacing
  • Barbara Damrosch, The Garden Primer is my favorite all around basic gardening book
  • UVM Extension offers soil tests, a plant pathology lab, and a pest identification lab
  • Burlington Permaculture
  • Charlie Nardozzi offers a garden coaching program and gives weekly talks on VPR about gardening.
  • Friends of Burlington Gardens offers support to school gardens, community gardeners, and anyone interested in learning how to grow food. They offer a season long course at Ethan Allen Homestead that provides brand new gardeners all the support necessary to achieve success in their first year.

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Job Openings At Red Wagon Plants

 

Staff Openings at Red Wagon Plants

2012 Growing Season

 

1 Full-Time Seasonal Production Person.

This person will start in March (part-time initially) and will continue into mid-June. Must be willing to work long hours, standing, lifting 50 pounds repeatedly throughout the day. This is a fast-paced, fun work setting and perfect for someone who loves plants, and loves the satisfaction that comes from a long day of potting up little plants into their pots and packs. Being comfortable with an iPad, and having experience managing work-flow is key. Starting pay is a function of experience.

1 Part-Time Seasonal Delivery Person

This person will start in mid-April and work through mid-June. This is for someone with a clean driving record, able to drive a 16’ box truck in all kinds of situations and have some experience with merchandising. Part of this job involves creating plant displays, organizing signs, and answering customer questions. Must have gardening experience, customer service skills and be very organized.

1 Part-time Seasonal Retail Person.

This position will be seasonal, from April 20th to July 20th. Some retail experience and considerable gardening experience required. Excellent customer service skills (our style is welcoming, warm, kind, informative)  and  stamina are required. Additionally, candidate must be able to move trays of plants and heavy potted nursery stock. Weekend shift is required, and position involves about 20 to 32 hours depending on the week.
If you are interested in applying, please contact julieATredwagonplantsDOTcom with resume and references.
No phone calls please.

 

FAQ #1 - Late Blight on Tomatoes and Potatoes

1. Can I do something to avoid the tomato blight (early and/or late season) and what should I do if my tomatoes (or potatoes) are infected?

For tomatoes, try growing blight resistant varieties and space plants 30" to 36" apart for good air circulation. Destroy infected plants ASAP to limit spread of the disease which needs living tissue to survive - plants should go into trash bags and taken to a land fill - not the compost pile. Organic treatment requires that a copper fungicide be applied before the disease appears and every 5-7 days in persistent wet weather.

Each year, plant breeders come out with varieties that are more resilient to blight. Of the varieties we grow, we recommend Juliet and San Marzano Gigante III. They both seem to have naturally occuring resistance to the disease.

For potatoes,  try planting potatoes in hills, rather than trenches for better air flow around foliage, and cut off infected leaves on a hot, dry day before the blight moves to the stem. Wait 2 or 3 weeks to dig tubers to reduce the chance for spores in the soil from infected foliage and in potentially nicked tubers. Also, make sure that you are buying potato seed that is certified disease free and comes from a reputable source.

Thanks to Ann Hazelrigg, Plant Pathologist, UVM Extension,  above adapted from "2011- Late Blight Reappears in Vermont".

Websites:  www.hort.cornell.edu/lateblight for disease ID and webinar. www.uvm.edu/mastergardener to submit samples for LB confirmation www.nevegetabl.org for info on fungicides labeled for late blight control

New Plants for the 2012 Line Up

We have been busy at work with ordering seeds, deciding on what plants to grow for the coming year, and which ones to discontinue. We usually add about 10% new varieties each year - enough to keep it interesting, but not so much that we risk having bad inventory or unwanted expenses for a plant no one loves. This is really, really hard since the seed catalogs and plug listings each year show more and more varieties that look tempting. Not to mention the world of heirloom seeds which is so vast and so alluringly historic and charming. If the pressures of pleasing customers and breaking even were eliminated, I would probably have the type of nursery where every plant has a sign that is 12" x 12" with lots of text describing some arcane knowledge about how the variety was bred or discovered, how it was cooked in 15th century Sicily and  how it came to be a Red Wagon variety. My winter job at Red Wagon is part business manager, part HR department, and part curator. Guess which is my favorite. Take a look at the list of new plants and give us some feedback. Our favorite new variety is the kind that comes by way of a customer recommendation, so you get a vote in this process.

Happy garden planning, and check out the rest of the website for the complete plant list, we are updating it this week,

Julie

Plant Category Genus Variety or Cultivar
Annuals African Foxglove Ceratotheca triloba
Annuals Amaranth Oeschberg
Annuals Angelonia Adessa White
Annuals Balsam Impatiens Balsamina
Annuals Begonia, Tuberous Illumination Peaches and Cream
Annuals Begonia, Tuberous Non-Stop, Bright Rose
Annuals Begonia, Tuberous Pin Up Flame
Annuals Browalia Endless Flirtation
Annuals Browalia Endless Illumination
Annuals Calibrachoa Saffron
Annuals Calibrachoa Superbells Dreamsicle
Annuals Calibrachoa Superbells Peach
Annuals Calibrachoa Superbells Trailing White
Annuals Calibrachoa Tequilla Sunrise Improved
Annuals Calibrachoa Yellow
Annuals California Poppy Milkmaid
Annuals Celosia Chief Mixed Cockscomb
Annuals Celosia Cramers’ Amazon
Annuals Coleus Amora
Annuals Coleus Big Red Judy
Annuals Coleus Fishnet Stockings
Annuals coleus Glennis
Annuals Coleus Sedona
Annuals coleus Wedding Train
Annuals Cosmos Cosmic  Orange
Annuals Cosmos Cosmic Mix
Annuals Cosmos Cosmic Red
Annuals Cosmos New Choco
Annuals Cosmos Sonata Dwarf Mix
Annuals Cosmos Sonata White
Annuals Dahlia Happy Days Cream
Annuals Dahlia Happy Days Pink
Annuals Dahlia Happy Days Purple
Annuals Dahlia Happy Mystic enchantment
Annuals Dahlia Mystic Haze
Annuals Dahlia Mystic Wonder
Annuals Dahlia Salvador
Annuals Dusty Miller Silver Lace
Annuals Euphorbia Mountain Snow
Annuals Exclusively  Echeveriaa Collection
Annuals Fern Montana
Annuals Fern Collection
Annuals Floering Cabbage Osaka Mix
Annuals Four Oclock Marvel of Peru
Annuals Gaura lindiheimeri Whirling Butterflies
Annuals Gazania New Day Mix
Annuals Geranium Firestar Purple
Annuals Geranium Firestar Salmon
Annuals Geranium, Ivy Mini Cascade Red
Annuals Geranium, Ivy Sunflair Fireball
Annuals Geranium, Ivy Sunflair Neon Pink
Annuals Geranium, Ivy Sybil Holmes
Annuals Geranium, Ivy Vancouver Centennial
Annuals Geranium, Scented Lemon Fizz
Annuals Geranium, Scented P. querquifolia
Annuals Geranium, Scented Sweet Mimosa
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Brocade Happy Thoughts Red
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Brocade, Mrs Pollock
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Candy Fantasy Kiss
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Madame Salleron
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Patriot Cherry Rose
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Patriot Lavender Blue
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Patriot Salmon Chic
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Pillar Purple
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Rocky Mountain Lavender
Annuals Geranium, Zonal Rocky Mountain Magenta
Annuals Gomphrena QIS Formula Mix
Annuals Hedera Golden Child
Annuals Hedera White Mein Hertz
Annuals Hypoestes Splash Rose Select
Annuals Impatiens Super Elfin Salmon Splash
Annuals Impatiens Super Elfin XP pink
Annuals Ipomoea Desana Bronze
Annuals Juncus Blue Arrows
Annuals Juncus spiralis Unicorn
Annuals Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate
Annuals Lantana Evita Rose
Annuals Lantana Bandana Cherry Sunrise
Annuals Lantana Bandana Rose Improved
Annuals Lantana - bandana Peach
Annuals Larkspur Sublime Formula Mix
Annuals Leycesteria Jealousy
Annuals Licorice Lemon
Annuals Lisianthus Echo Lavender
Annuals Lisianthus Echo Pink
Annuals Lobularia Silver Stream
Annuals Marigold Antigua Orange
Annuals Marigold Antigua Yellow
Annuals Marigold French Janie Primrose Yellow
Annuals Marigold French Single Marietta
Annuals Marigold, French Durango Tangerine
Annuals Melampodium Derby
Annuals Morning Glory Grandpa Ott’s
Annuals Morning Glory Moonflower
Annuals Nasturtium Trailing
Annuals Nemesia Angelart Almond
Annuals Nemesia Angelart Pineapple
Annuals Ornamental Corn Field of Dreams
Annuals Ornamental Millet Purple Majesty
Annuals Osteospermum 3-D Silver
Annuals Osteospermum Astra Orange Sunrise
Annuals Osteospermum Cape Daisy Fireburst
Annuals Osteospermum Cape Daisy Purple
Annuals Osteospermum Sunset Orange
Annuals Osteospermum Zion Copper Amethyst
Annuals Oxalis Allure Burgundy
Annuals oxalis triangularis Charmed Velvet
Annuals oxalis triangularis Charmed WIne
Annuals Pansy Delta Mix Buttered Popcorn
Annuals Pansy Delta Premium True Blue
Annuals Pansy Freefall Golden Yellow
Annuals Pansy Matrix Sangria
Annuals Pansy Panola XP Mix baby Boy
Annuals Pansy Panola XP Mix Blackberry Sundae
Annuals Pansy Panola XP Mix Citrus
Annuals Pansy Ultima Blue Chill
Annuals Pansy Ultima Morpho
Annuals Petunia Bouquet Salmon
Annuals Petunia Littletunia Sweet Sherbert
Annuals Petunia Mini Strawberry pink veined
Annuals Petunia Whispers Star Rose
Annuals Petunia Cascadias Cherry Spark
Annuals Petunia Littletunia Sweet Dark Pink
Annuals petunia multiflora prostrate Easy Wave Plum Vein
Annuals Petunia multiflora prostrate Easy Wave White
Annuals Poppy White Linen
Annuals Portulaca Happy Hour Mix
Annuals Portulaca Sundial Chiffon
Annuals Portulaca Sundial Mix
Annuals Portulaca Sundial Pink
Annuals Rudbeckia Autumn Colors
Annuals Rudbeckia Cherokee Sunset
Annuals Rudbeckia Prairie Sun
Annuals Rudbeckia Denver Daisy
Annuals Salvia farinacea Victoria Blue
Annuals Sanvitalia Cuzco Yellow
Annuals Scabiosa Black Knight
Annuals Snapdragon Montego Mix Sangria
Annuals Snapdragon Rocket Mix
Annuals Snapdragon Rocket White
Annuals Spectacular Succulent Collection
Annuals Sunflower Sunny Smile
Annuals Sweet Potato Vine Bright Ideas Rusty Red
Annuals Thunbergia Arizona Dark Red
Annuals Thunbergia Lemon
Annuals Thunbergia Orange
Annuals Thunbergia Sunny Suzie Yellow Dark Eye
Annuals Thunbergia Sunny Suzy Red Orange
Annuals TRIXI COMBO Ayers Rock
Annuals TRIXI COMBO Caribean Cocktail
Annuals TRIXI COMBO Gold and Bold
Annuals TRIXI COMBO Lemon Sorbet
Annuals TRIXI COMBO Lollipop
Annuals TRIXI COMBO Sunrise
Annuals Verbena Chambray Royal superbena
Annuals Verbena Estrella Salmon Star
Annuals Verbena Lanai Twister pink
Annuals Verbena Royal Peachy Keen
Annuals Verbena Tukana Scarlet star
Annuals Viola Penny Orchid Frost
Annuals Zinnia Dreamland Mix
Annuals Zinnia Dreamland Red
Annuals Zinnia Sunbow Mix
Annuals Zinnia White
Eggplants Globe Rosa Bianca
Ferns Matteuccia struthiopteris Ostrich Fern
Foliage Alternanthera Brazilian Red Hot
Foliage Alternanthera Red Thread
Foliage German Ivy Green
Foliage Muehlenbeckia Wire Vine
Foliage Setcreasea Purple Queen
Herbs Basil Amethyst Improved
Herbs Basil Sacred, Tulsi
Herbs Basil Sweet Genovese, Aroma II
Herbs Basil Sweet Genovese, Aton
Herbs Bee Balm Wild Bergamot
Herbs Epazote
Herbs Feverfew
Herbs Flax
Herbs French Sorrel
Herbs Lavender Fern Leaf
Herbs Lemongrass West Indian
Herbs Mint Emerald and Gold
Herbs Oregano Mexican Lippia
Herbs Papalo
Herbs Red Shiso Britton
Herbs Red Shiso
Herbs Rosemary Prostrate
Herbs Sage White
Herbs Thyme Lime Golden
Herbs Thyme Orange
Herbs Thyme Wooly
Herbs Zaatar Marjoram
Peppers Hot Fish
Peppers Ornamental Hot Pepper Chilly Chilly
Peppers Sweet Pepperoncino
Peppers Sweet Round of Hungary
Peppers Sweet Sweet Banana Pepper
Perennial Adenophora Amethyst
Perennial Alchemilla Lady’s Mantle
Perennial Sedum Blue Spruce
Perennial Sedum Floriferum
Perennial Sedum Oracle
Perennial Sedum Picolette
Perennial Sedum Voodoo
Perennial Thyme Wooly
Perennials Achillea Pretty Belinda
Perennials Achillea Saucy Seduction
Perennials Achillea Strawberry Seduction
Perennials Achillea Sunny Seduction
Perennials Achillea millefolium Colorado
Perennials Acorus ‘Ogon’
Perennials ajuga Dixie Chip
Perennials Alcea rosea Chaters Double Purple
Perennials Alchemilla Molis Lady’s Mantle
Perennials Anemone sylvestris
Perennials Aquigelia Cameo Rose and White
Perennials Aquigelia Origami Mix
Perennials Artemesia Silver Brocade
Perennials Astilbe Delft Lace
Perennials Astilbe Deutschland
Perennials Astilbe Fanal
Perennials Baptisia Solar Flare Prairie Blues
Perennials Bellis Daisy Bellissima Rose
Perennials Bergenia cordifolia ‘Winter Glow’
Perennials Campanula glomerata ‘Freya’
Perennials Centranthus Cocineus
Perennials Chrysanthemum Samba
Perennials Coreopsis verticullata Early Sunrise
Perennials corydalis sempervirens
Perennials Delphinium Magic Fountains Dark Blue w Dark Bee
Perennials Delphinium Magic Fountains Sky Blue w White Base
Perennials dianthus Pomegranate Kiss
Perennials dianthus Zing Rose
Perennials Dicentra Gold Heart
Perennials Echinacea Harvest Moon
Perennials Echinacea PowWow Wild Berry
Perennials Echinacea Sundown
Perennials Eupatorium dubium ‘little joe’
Perennials Fern Barne’s Male
Perennials Gaillardia aristata Arizona Sun
Perennials geranium Rozanne
Perennials Geranium cantabrigiense ‘Bergarten’
Perennials Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’
Perennials Geranium maculatum ‘Espresso’
Perennials Guara Pink Fountain
Perennials Helleborus Pink Parachutes
Perennials Hemerocallis Alabama Jubilee daylily
Perennials Hemerocallis Always Afternoon
Perennials Heuchera ‘Snow Angel’
Perennials Heuchera Obsidian
Perennials Heuchera Plum Pudding
Perennials Heuchera Raspberry Regal
Perennials Heuchera Silver Scrolls
Perennials Hibiscus Luna Red
Perennials Iberis sempervivens Snowflake
Perennials Iris ‘Before the Storm’
Perennials Iris pallida ‘Argentea Variegata’
Perennials Iris sibirica Pink Haze
Perennials Joe Pye Weed
Perennials Juncus effusus ssp. Twister
Perennials laminum Beacon Silver
Perennials Lamium Orchid Frost
Perennials Lamium maculatum Beacon Silver
perennials Lathyrus latifolia Perennial sweet pea
Perennials Liatris Floristan White
Perennials Ligularia dentata Britt-Marie Crawford
Perennials Ligularia dentata Little Rocket
Perennials Lychnis arkwrightii Orange Gnome
Perennials Lysimachia punctata ‘Alexander’
Perennials monarda Petite Delight
Perennials monarda Purple Rooster
Perennials monarda Raspberry Wine
Perennials monarda didyma Jacob Cline
Perennials myosotis sylvatica Royal Blue Carpet
Perennials paeonia Duchess de Nemours
Perennials paeonia Felix Crousse
Perennials Papaver Flamenco Dancer
Perennials Penstemon digitalis Dark Towers
Perennials Perovskia Longin
Perennials Persicaria Darjeeling Red
Perennials Phlox glabberima ‘Morris Red’
Perennials Phlox paniculata David
Perennials Phlox paniculata David’s Lavender
Perennials Phlox paniculata Flame series purple ‘Barfourteen’
Perennials Physostegia Pink Manners
perennials Physostegia virginiana Alba
Perennials Phystostegia Crown of Snow
Perennials Primula Ronsdorf Strain
Perennials Salvia Caradonna
Perennials Salvia Sweet 16
Perennials Scabiosa Beaujolais Bonnets
Perennials Scabiosa Vivid Violet
Perennials Sedum Autumn FIre
Perennials Sedum Matrona
Perennials Sedum Neon
Perennials sedum kamtschaticum
Perennials sedum sieboldii
Perennials Sedum spurium Summer Glory
Perennials Tanacetum Robinsons Red
Perennials Tiarella ‘Delaware’
Perennials Tiarella ‘Lace Carpet’
Perennials Tiarella ‘Susquehanna’
Perennials Trollius chinensis Golden Queen
Perennials Veronica Giles van Hees
Perennials Viola Labradorica
Perennials Viola Striata
Perennials Salvia aregentea Artemis
Shrub Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer
Shrub Hydrangea paniculata Limelight
Shrub Amelanchier Autumn Brilliance Service Berry
Shrub Ilex verticulata Southern Gentleman
Shrub Ilex verticulata Winter Red
Shrub Viburnum Trilobum Alfredo
Small Fruit Blackberry Black Satin
Small Fruit Gooseberry Titan
Small Fruit Strawberry Jewel
Small Fruit Strawberry Sparkle
Tomatoes Cherry Gold Nugget
Tomatoes Cherry Green Envy
Tomatoes Cherry Isis Candy
Tomatoes Cherry Lizzano
Tomatoes Cherry Sweet Treats
Tomatoes Cherry Terenzo
Tomatoes Cherry Sweet Black Cherry
Tomatoes Container Red Husky (Patio)
Tomatoes Determinate Orange Blossom
Tomatoes Determinate Oregon Spring
Tomatoes Heirloom Black Prince
Tomatoes Heirloom Cosmonaut Volkov
Tomatoes Heirloom Costoluto Genovese
Tomatoes Heirloom Dona
Tomatoes Heirloom Earl of Edgecombe
Tomatoes Heirloom Paul Robeson
Tomatoes Heirloom Pineapple
Tomatoes Heirloom Wapsipinicon Peach
Tomatoes Hybrid Brandymaster Yellow
Tomatoes Hybrid Park’s Whopper
Tomatoes Paste Amish Gold
Tomatoes Plum San Marzano gigante III
Vegetables cantaloupe Sarah’s Choice
Vegetables Cantaloupe, French Charentais Savor
Vegetables Italian Dandelion Clio Chicory
Vegetables Lettuce Mottistone
Vegetables Lettuce Nevada Summer Crisp
Vegetables Lettuce Red Batavian Cherokee
Vegetables Lettuce Red Cross - Red Butterhead
Vegetables Lettuce Red Oak Paradai
Vegetables Mei Qing Choi (Baby Boc Choi) Boc Choi
Vegetables Mustard Greens Ruby Streaks
Vegetables Okra Millionaire
Vegetables Onion Mini Purplette
Vegetables Onion Redwing
Vegetables Radicchio Virtus
Vegetables Summer Squash Magda
Vegetables Vertus Radicchio
Vegetables watermelon Sunshine

 

 

Garden Gift Ideas and a Few Other Things

Here are some last minute ideas for the gardener on your list.  And by the way, you can also always offer them a gift certificate to our greenhouses; nothing says "optimism" like a gift they can't use until the days are long and the soil is warm!

  • I learned about this crafty gift tag site here. It's not too late to add some easy, homemade (ie extra credit) to your gift giving.
  • And who wouldn't like an interesting houseplant hanging out in here?
  • Or how about this fun little project for the front door?
  • This is our favorite gardening glove.
  • You could purchase a nice weekly calendar for the gardener in your life and write down all of these monthly tips on the appropriate pages. You could even go to our blog post on succession planting and help make them a garden plan with all the reminders they need to plant their favorite crops on the correct dates.
  • Our friends at Square Deal Farm do a great job with maple syrup and pancake mix. And they will ship just about anywhere.
  • One of the stores to whom we sell our plants, Woodstock Farmers Market, suffered some huge setbacks during the Hurricane Irene floods in late August. They are back up and running after a heroic effort to get the store back in shape, and they have an incredible selection of  items that they can ship anywhere.
  • Healthy Living, another one of our cherished wholesale accounts, is offering discounts on gift cards between now and Dec. 20th.
  • A do-it-yourself garden bench is a sweet and lovely project to work on all winter if you have a nice work space in the basement.
  • If you have some fruits in the freezer from the garden or a local farm, you might want to consider making a chutney to preserve in nice, decorative jars.
  • A nice basket of  squashes, garlic, onions, potatoes from the garden is thoughtful and practical. You can also make onion or garlic breads, wreaths of dried chilies, or herb swags. If not this year, it is something to keep in mind for next year.