Exercise in the Garden

Why, exactly, do you garden? Most people would probably say that they love flowers, or that they want to grow their own food. However, there are other benefits to gardening. Originally I was going to post on a method of plant propagation, but a series of events has changed my focus for the time being. I recently lost my father. I find myself yearning to be out in my garden in the dead of winter and it turns out there is a bit of science backing this up. Gardening has both physical and mental benefits. For some people, it could even bring spiritual benefits.

One of the things that I have learned is that being outside provides a natural source of vitamin D. I suggest watching some of the farm and garden channels like Doss Acres as they often talk about the need for vitamin D and just taking in the sunshine. I won't go into a lot of detail, but there have been a lot of studies that indicate that being outdoors lifts out moods, and let's think about this...proper exercise also improves our health and lifts our spirits. And I have to be honest...I volunteer at a local cemetery that was established in 1843. When I walk through the cemetery, I see history...I see art...I see architecture and I receive peace and joy in a place where some would see sorrow.

If you find yourself suffering from cabin fever, dealing with a loss, or just needing a change...try going outside and see if that helps. One caveat: if you think you need help, don't hesitate to reach out to someone. Call a friend or family member, talk to a minister, a counselor, a psychiatrist...someone...and get help.

Happy Gardening!

Strawberries

How many of you have fond memories of a loved one in a garden? Perhaps you were a little tyke, following in that person's footsteps and picking everything you saw. Well I have some memories like that where I was following my grandfather in his garden. One of the things that I liked to pick was his strawberries. His were only harvested once per year. Why not twice? Well I'm about to address that today. The reason his strawberries only produced one time of year was because of the type of strawberry that he grew. You may be thinking, "Well, duh!" but hear me out on this. There are THREE types of strawberries: everbearing, June bearing, and day-neutral. Now, let's delve into each type and see what the differences and similarities are.

Everbearing strawberries

Basically, these have 2 harvests per year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Their berries may not be as large as ever bearing (which we will talk about later), but the fact that they are supposed to yield 2 harvests per year make them worth considering.

June Bearing

Basically, these have one harvest per year. You can probably guess which month it starts in...hence the name June bearing.

Day Neutral

These are the strawberries that I am least familiar with. They have 3 harvests per year. One caveat: my first strawberry was Albion, which is considered to be day neutral, but I didn't see that. It behaved as an everbearing strawberry. This might be due to my zone, but it was not a big deal as we did get a large crop from them.

Selecting the best strawberries

First, you want to select cultivars that grow well in your area. Your local nursery and local growers are a good starting point, but you can also check your local extension service. If possible, you might want to sample different berries to see what you like. My Albions were a gift and while I was happy to get them, they are not, in my opinion, the best tasting berry. We lost that crop after 3 years. When they died we replaced them with Ozark Beauty, which is an everbearing strawberry, and it was like, "What happened to my strawberries? These are delicious!"

You also want to select disease-resistant varieties. That does not mean you won't get a disease, it just means, genetically speaking, that your berries are less likely to get the disease.

Finally, you'll need to decide if you want daughter plants or not. Most strawberries do produce runners, but the rate of production varies, and some do not produce runners at all. With my main strawberries (All Star and Ozark Beauty), I do want runners and that is why I chose them. Some sources say that day neutral strawberries do not produce runners, but my Albion strawberries did, they were just at a much slower pace. More on that in a separate post.

Now you have to choose how you want to start your plants. Strawberries can be started from seed, bare roots or live plants (also called starts). I'll be honest, I have not started mine from seed, but I'm willing to try. I have had the most success with live plants, but don't rule out bare root strawberries. Last year I purchased All Star strawberry roots at Walmart. All but one died...and that one lived and put out 20 runners (more on that later).

When you get your plants or roots, you'll need to wash them to prevent anthracinose. Keeping dirt and debris off the leaves will also help. My main strawberries are in beds, however they can be grown in pots or a hydroponic system. I plan on experimenting with these at a later date. When I planted them, I did not use compost that time as the compost was a bit wet. Strawberries do not like wet feet, too much heat (above 85° F) or cold (below 28°F if they have blossoms or 30° F with no blossoms). However you can and should if possible. If not, worm castings work well. I put it under the plant. Make sure to spread the roots out and then cover with soil, but again be careful that you don't cover the crown. Next I add mulch to help control weeds and amend the soil. I water mine as needed and fertilize every couple of weeks in spring and summer.

Do keep those temperatures in mind. However, remember there are things you can do to keep your plants warm in winter and cool in the summer. I use row covers or even old sheets or empty flower pots (turned upside down) in winter and shade cloth (more on this in a separate post) in summer.

I know it's a lot but if you have any questions, feel free to comment, or check with your county extension service. I'll try and post a link from another grower so you can actually see how to plant strawberry plants. Her method may vary a little bit from mine but it does work. Good luck and happy gardening!

Growfully with Jenna-Planting Strawberries

Sweet Taters, Anyone?

Ok so most of you know it's actually sweet potatoes. But did you know that the sweet potato is actually not related to a potato at all? Potatoes are in the nightshade family. That's the same family as tomatoes and peppers. Sweet potatoes are in the Convolvulaceae family. That's the same family as four o'clocks and morning glories. Now you may find yourself asking, "What does this mean?" What it means is that while there are some similarities between growing say, Yukon Gold potatoes and sweet potatoes, there are some noteworthy differences. Potatoes are a cool season crop, while sweet potatoes are actually grown in warmer seasons as they are actually a TROPICAL plant. Yes, you read that right. They are heat loving plants from South America.

How to Choose the Perfect Sweet Potato

You want to select a cultivar that grows well in your area. I look for cultivars that are known to grow well in my area and resistant to splitting. Your county extension service is a good place to start. You can also find experienced growers in your area. My personal favorite is Beauregard, but I know of a farm north of me that grows purple sweet potatoes.

You can grow sweet potatoes purchased from the produce department in the grocery store, with a couple of caveats. One, it might have been treated with chemicals to keep it from sprouting, and I'd be wary of that. Two, it might have been imported, so that cultivar might not grow in your area.

Can you grow them from whole potatoes or from slips? Yes...and yes. It's really a matter of preference. I have grown them from slips and from whole tubers. And yes I have saved some for seed potatoes. I take a jar of water, four toothpicks and a potato. Stick the four toothpicks around the potato and insert the pointy end in the jar and wait. I'd change the water every week to ensure that it doesn't get moldy. Watch for root development...it will take some time but be patient. Now if you're buying your slips or starts from a seller, these are usually available for sale in the spring. They can go directly in the ground. Just be sure that the roots are spread out and the pointy end is down. I usually plant mine a couple of inches deep when the vines are starting to form. When I do, I give them a little compost, cover them up (be sure to leave at least 2 inches above ground), and mulch. Water them as needed. If I do it this way I don't have as much weeding and fertilizing to do, but do some deep watering as needed during the summer months. When the tips start turning yellow, it's time to harvest. I prefer to use my pitchfork for this as it does less damage than a shovel would.

Once you harvest them, you'll need to let them cure...that means don't wash them. Spread them out so that they can get some air. Once the foliage withers you can remove that and compost it. In four to six weeks you'll be able to cook them. That being said, they're great pollinators too, if you don't like to eat them, but as for me and my family, I use a recipe that was handed down by a family that owned a restaurant for years...and that's where a lot of my sweet potatoes end up. I wish you a Happy Holiday Season, and happy gardening!

Seed Saving: Squash, Tomatoes

Well folks we have had a crazy two weeks and it's not done yet. I might do another post on that. We were off grid for a few hours so our friendly local electrician could replace the breaker box so it was more of a controlled grid down situation. And it is likely we will have another one. But I suppose most of you celebrated Halloween. What are you doing with your beautiful pumpkins and gourds? In our household, the answer is quite simple: we save the seeds and plant them again next year! 

Before I continue I need to tell you this technique works on cucumber, tomato, and squash as well. Be aware if you are trying to grow plants that are true to the parent plant. If your parent plant is a hybrid, it likely won't be true to the parent plant, if it grows at all. If you want to save seeds that will be true to the parent plant, it's always best to use heirloom plants and seeds. We will talk about that in another post. However, if you want to experiment, it won't hurt to try.

With pumpkin and squash, you basically remove the fleshy inside of the fruit. Just think about what happens when you carve a jack-o-lantern, and you have the idea. With tomato, you're removing the gel portion containing the seed. Remove the seed and use the flesh as intended.

Next, you will need to gather your supplies, if you haven't already done so. You will need some paper towels (or a plate if you're saving tomato seeds), a large bowl of water, and a strainer or colander. If you are saving pumpkin or squash seeds, try to pull as much flesh off of each seed as possible. If you can't, don't worry. The next phase will help with that. Tomato seeds can be left as they are.

Next, put the seeds in the water. Two things will happen in this process. One, this often  separates good seed from the bad. Two, it kills any bacteria that might be present on the seed. Let it set about 2 days. Some people report that this process creates smells and you might want to put a cheesecloth or netting over it to keep insects away. After a couple of days, pour this into a strainer or colander and rinse your seeds. Finally, spread the seeds out on a paper towel or plate and let them dry for about a week (I turn mine daily to prevent sticking) at room temperature. At this point they are ready for use or storage (if you store them, I continue to monitor them for mold). Some people separate the good seed from the bad but I usually mix them in together if it's going in the ground as it will help the soil. 

As a side note, there are other methods. This is just the method that works for me on these specific plants. I'll talk about other methods with other plants if possible. You can always Google seed saving methods (that's what I did for this several years ago). You can also contact your county extension service. Happy gardening!

Aerogarden is Closing: What Can We Expect?

It's official. I heard it from a supplier and went to double check the information. What can we do now to prepare? First, I'm going to talk to you from the retail side and tell you about three scenarios that could play out. Then I'm going to give you some suggestions.

Scenario 1: Liquidate now

In this scenario, the supplier has already announced they are closing. The seller wants to go ahead and clear that space for new merchandise. So they will slash prices in the hopes of doing just that. I haven't seen any major retailers doing that just yet, but I have seen a handful of third party sellers and individuals on eBay doing just that. So go ahead and scour the internet. Some of the eBay sellers are even offering freebies or selling 2 items for the price of one to sweeten the deals. Some are also offering "expired" pods at half price as well (more on that in a bit). So if there is an Aerogarden preseeded pod that you've always wanted to try, or if there's one your family likes, this is a good way to go.

Scenario 2. Liquidate later

The second scenario that could play out is, since Aerogarden stated they will close as of January 1, 2025, retailers will wait until we get closer to that date or even let that date pass before they reduce their prices. The prices will remain at the regular price until we get closer to January 1, and then we will see more sales on Aerogarden products. Again, this can be a good way to go, provided that they haven't sold out of that particular one.

Scenario 3: The hybrid of sorts.

This is where some retailers liquidate now and others liquidate later. Currently, if you throw in all the mom-and-pop shops and online sellers, this is what I'm thinking will eventually happen. That being said, it's not going to hurt to start scouring the internet now.

Now let's talk about those preseeded pods that "expired." If you look at the side of the Aerogarden pod kits, there is a sell by date and an expiration date. Some sellers will give you the expiration date at the point of sale and some won't. You don't really need to worry about it too much. I've gotten some preseeded tomato pods that expired 2 years ago and they still produced. I write the expiration date on the front of the package to help me keep track of it two ways. That being said, there are some sellers that are selling preseeded pods that are several years old. Those are the ones that I'd be leary of. However, those preseeded pods might still be of some use. Remember they send you free plant food and reusable items. If I were purchasing them, I might see if I could get them to come off the price if they were asking full price (you can do this on eBay).

Finally, there are other pod manufacturers out there. You will see lists of them come up in eBay, walmart.com, Amazon, et cetera. They're just not preseeded. However, it's not hard. If you remember my previous discussion on hydroponic systems, I've been making my own pods for years. In fact, I'm growing swiss chard in my iDOO hydroponic system now, and these are from pods that I made.

Now as for my Aerogarden favorites, my plan is to get them now and try to save seed from them or find a seed available. For instance I've saved tomato seed. We like the Aerogarden yellow tomatoes so I'm going to see if I can save seed from them, but I read elsewhere that this tomato is actually the canary yellow tomato. I've never grown it from seed without the hydroponic system as the thrust of our tomato "operation" are Arkansas Traveler, Cherokee Purple and Yellow Pear tomatoes. But I'm willing to try to see if any of my suppliers has it available to try. I've found one that offers a similar tomato (Tiny Tim), but I haven't found any canary yellow yet. And when I tried Tiny Tim, nothing happened. That was the week my old system failed so that could have done it too. I do have some seed left so I'll try again.

Now let's talk about returns. Hopefully you won't feel the need for it but if you do, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. With Aerogarden going out of business, your chances of your return being accepted and processed are not that great. That being said, Aerogarden has stated that they will offer support for a time after the sale. I'd see what they have to offer before returning it. If they can't return it, salvage what you can. I was able to salvage the resevoir (for another project), baskets, covers, and grow domes from my LaGute.

2. Remember that the retailer themselves might have different policies regarding returns. Some retailers may take them back. Others may say that you have to exchange it for another hydroponic system of equal or greater value (you will pay the difference), and others may not take it back at all. Whatever you do, abide by the policy. Don't assume you know. For that matter, don't assume I know because it can also vary from one location to the next.

Hopefully this will help you ease into the post-Aerogarden era. Whatever you do...happy gardening!

Update: Aerogarden has changed their minds for now. They have decided not to close at this time. But I am keeping this article up in the event they or any other supplier should close. The point is look at your options.