Archive for the vegetable tag

Autumn is a time for harvesting, planting and preparing your vegetable garden

September 5, 2023 • Leave a Comment

by Mary Gerstenberger

Autumn in the vegetable patch is a busy time. Cold-sensitive veggies such as tomatoes and peppers need to be harvested before first frost, or to extend their season, cover them with a sheet or tarp on nights when a frost is predicted. Cold tolerant plants such as radishes and lettuce can still be planted. Late in September is the time to plant garlic cloves for next year’s harvest. More importantly, autumn is the time when garden cleanup as well as garden preparation begins.

Good garden cleanup is fundamental to having a healthy garden next year. Many types of fungal spores as well as insects can overwinter in the leaf litter and soil. Plants that showed signs of disease should be removed from the garden along with any plant debris around them. Healthy plant remains can be composted or turned back into the soil to return their nutrients to the garden.

The cleanup we do in the fall is the first step in preparing the spring garden. Not only can the remains of our vegetable plants be dug into the garden, but autumn leaves and grass clippings as well. These help provide organic matter, which is important to good soil structure and healthy plants. Another way to provide organic matter and nutrients is to plant a cover crop such as oats or annual rye that can be turned into the soil in the spring. A layer of compost can be spread over or tilled into the garden as another option to enrich and improve the soil.

After cleanup, the second step in preparing the garden is to plan ahead. Take note of where you planted your different vegetables this year so you can plan to rotate them to a new spot next year. Planting closely related crops in the same part of the garden each year can lead to recurring problems with plant diseases as well as insect issues.

Autumn can be a hectic time in the garden as we harvest our vegetables and work at extending the growing season. However, with a little extra effort now, we can look forward to a quicker, better start to our garden in the spring.

Mary Gerstenberger was the Consumer Horticulture Coordinator at the Michigan State University Extension in Macomb County, MI. For vegetable and gardening information from MSU, visit www.migarden.msu.edu.

Call the toll-free Michigan State University Lawn and Garden Hotline at 888-678-3464 for answers to your gardening questions.

ELSEWHERE: Why test soil in the fall?

2023 Flower & Vegetable Winners: Part 1 of 3

May 2, 2023 • Leave a Comment

All-America Selections (AAS) tests significantly improved new flowers and vegetables in trials across North America. This year’s AAS Winners are new cultivars with superior performance. Look for these plants or seeds at your local garden center.

Coleus: ‘Premium Sun Coral Candy’

The first seed coleus to be an AAS Winner. Unique, multicolored foliage on a uniformly compact plant. Narrow, serrated leaves gracefully drape down the mounded plants. Holds its color well, even when grown in full sun. ‘Coral Candy’ was evaluated in the container trial, meaning it’s great for small spaces. It held up well into the fall and had almost no flowers, even late in the season.

Squash: ‘Sweet Jade’

This single-serving-sized squash proved itself with high yields. Each fruit is between 1 and 2 pounds and can be used for single servings, as an edible soup bowl, or in Asian-style dishes where a sweet, earthy squash is typically used. The deep orange flesh of ‘Sweet Jade’ is dry, yet sweet and flavorful, whether roasted, baked, or pureed.

Shasta Daisy: ‘Carpet Angel’

The first-ever groundcover Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum). Large, three-inch flowers boast a second inner frilly bloom, adding to the unique look. Only growing to six inches tall, this unique Shasta daisy spreads up to 20 inches wide. Excellent branching means more flower stems sporting pure white blooms that look like angels dancing over the carpet of dark green foliage. A little deadheading of spent flowers will reward you with even more blooms.

Elsewhere: Search past All-America Selections winners

How long to vegetable seeds remain viable?

March 16, 2021 • Leave a Comment

How long can vegetable seeds be kept? A year ago I purchased many vegetable seeds in hopes of starting a garden last spring. My plans were interrupted and now the garden is scheduled for this spring. The seeds are all dated 2011 and have been kept in their original packaging and stored in my basement. Will these seeds still be viable this spring?

Properly stored seed remains viable for different lengths of time depending on the type of seed. Be aware that seed companies may store seeds up to the number of years of their viability prior to selling them. If you purchased your seed from a reputable catalog or nursery, you can call them to find out what their company protocol is.

Since all your seed was purchased in 2011 and dated as such, you have a fair chance that the unopened packages will be viable. Most vegetable seeds are good for two years with some, like lettuce, viable up to six years. If they have been kept dry and cool in your basement, those conditions simulate dormancy.

To test for germination, sprout seeds between moist paper towels; if germination is low, either discard the seed or plant enough extra to give the desired number of plants. You will know quickly which seeds need to be repurchased.

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Archive for the vegetable tag

Coleus: ‘Premium Sun Coral Candy’

Squash: ‘Sweet Jade’

Shasta Daisy: ‘Carpet Angel’