Spice up Your Garden, and Spring into Summer with These Tips
"Anyone can start an edible garden in their backyard, from small-space
container gardening to large raised beds with all your favorite fruits,
vegetables and herbs," said
Vegetables
Peppers can add color. Try small, colorful peppers such as Yummy, Cayenne, and Tabasco in pots on your back porch or in your kitchen. The trick: The more you pick, the more they'll produce. Fertilize container-plants often with Bonnie Vegetable and Herb plant food because watering can wash out much-needed nutrients.
Cucumbers are better on a trellis. Don't forget this secret - A trellis keeps the fruit off the ground and the plants take up less space for those with not much room to grow. Keep in mind, though: Cucumbers need a wire trellis or piece of fencing that their little tendrils can grab; wood trellises used to hold up roses and twisting vines can be too thick.
Fruits
Raspberries and blueberries bear more fruit when you plant multiple varieties. These popular fruits need cross-pollination from one variety to another to fill up your fruit basket. Good tip: The work is done by bees in the spring, so avoid any sprays that can harm them. Try organic NATRIA Multi-Insect Control, which will protect your edible plants. The active ingredient is canola oil, so it is safe to use up to the day before harvest.
Plant tomatoes deep. Bury two thirds of your tomato plants to create a stronger plant with deeper roots to help it gather more water and nutrients. Secret Tip: You need to pinch off all but the top two or three leaves before planting.
Herbs
Rosemary lives longer than you think. In places where winter temperatures don't dip below 15 degrees, plant rosemary in a permanent spot in the garden. Garden secret: It can live for years, so cut it often for your kitchen and it will keep sending out new shoots. Throw rosemary on the grill for a natural mosquito repellant during outdoor entertaining.
Chive blooms are edible. Jazz up any salad by sprinkling the pretty flowers of chives.
General tips to store
No yard? No Problem: If space is limited, you can still enjoy a vegetable garden in containers. Tomatoes, peppers, carrots, radishes, leaf lettuce and other greens can flourish anywhere. The trick is to select a planter big enough to accommodate a mature plant.
Not everything needs full sun. You can still grow leafy items such as arugula, cilantro, lettuce, and basil. They will survive on about four hours of full sun or in the dappled light under trees.
Transplants save time. Starting tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers from transplants gives your garden a six-week head start so you can start picking as early as possible. The most common transplanted vegetables are cabbage, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, onions and basil.
For most gardens, quicker growing plants are generally grown from seed sown directly in the garden. Lettuce, beans, carrots, squash, peas, radishes and cucumbers are the most common of this group.
When planting, it is suggested that you put taller plants at the north or east end of your garden to ensure they don't shade smaller plants.
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Source:Lowe's Companies , Inc