Grow Tomatoes In Clay Soil? 102 Most Correct Answers

Gunky Clay is nobody’s idea of ​​wonderful garden soil. When wet, it’s heavy and slimy, and dries into chunky slabs that break into pieces. Like other extreme soil types, firm clay can be radically improved with regular infusions of organic matter and careful management. I’ve grown vegetables in clay soil all my life and we agree. I respect the needs and quirks of clay soil and it pays off with a fun and fruitful garden.

understand clay soil

The most remarkable thing about clay is its density. Clay particles are tiny, many times smaller than grains of sand, so wet clay feels smooth between your fingers rather than grainy. When the tiny particles are coated with water, they can stick together with a little pressure. If you can easily form a handful of moist soil into a ball that holds together well, you probably have clay. Another test is to mix soil with water in a jar and then watch the sediment settle. Clay soils settle in layers of fine sediments that feel like slippery mud and take hours for the water to clear.

Because of its fine texture, clay soil tends to compact, which limits the amount of soil oxygen available to plant roots and soil microorganisms. Mulches can help here, because they act as shock absorbers in heavy rain and house earthworms, which supply dense soil with air with their constant tunnel construction activity. When growing vegetables in clay soil, mulch slows down natural compaction and encourages natural soil aeration, which in turn increases plant root comfort.

Footsteps from people and pets can also compact clay soil, so it’s important to improve the soil in permanent beds that are never stepped on. There is a catch, there is very little you can do in wet clay soil – you have to be patient and wait because attempts to move wet clay always result in a sticky mess.

There are various tests of when clay soil is dry enough to work with and here’s mine. Throw a spadeful of dirt in the air and catch it with the spade. Gardening is hip when it breaks, but not when it breaks into big chunks. When I must venture into a dripping garden to gather vegetables for dinner, I walk on broad planks set up in the paths. The boards distribute my weight so that even the paths are protected a little from extreme compaction.

Good things about clay

Due to its density, clay soil holds both moisture and nutrients well. You can take advantage of clay soil’s nutrient storage abilities by using slow-release mineral fertilizers like rock phosphate and gypsum (calcium sulfate) to build soil fertility. Many gardeners believe that plaster of paris helps loosen up the solid texture of clay. Gypsum is not a substitute for organic material, but it certainly works as a simple, sustainable source of calcium.

Encouraging aeration is a constant goal when growing vegetables in clay soil, which can be easily accomplished by mixing coarse forms of organic matter into the soil between plantings. Lumpy types of organic material like garden compost, weathered sawdust, or chopped leaves improve the texture of clay better and longer than very fine materials like ground peat moss or sieved compost. When mixed into dense clay, large particles of organic matter become islands of life for microorganisms that play an important role in converting compacted clay into fertile clay loam.

After organic matter has been added to clay soil for more than three seasons, you will see dramatic changes in the soil’s texture, or crust. It dries faster after heavy rains, tears a little less in dry weather, and doesn’t require as much digging to keep it ventilated. Instead, when renovating plant beds, you can start by using a long-pronged broadfork to re-aerate the root zone. Clay soil is heavy, so using a spreader fork is less work than digging and turning a bed. Once a bed is perforated with deep holes by a wide fork, compost and organic fertilizer spread over the surface can be raked into the holes.

Best vegetable for clay soil

One of the best approaches to growing vegetables in clay soil is to stick to vegetables that like clay for the first few years of soil improvement. Lettuce, Swiss chard, beans, and other shallow-rooted plants benefit from clay soil’s ability to retain moisture, and broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage often grow better in clay soil than in loose loam because their roots enjoy a firm anchorage. Mid- and late-season sweetcorn is also a good choice, but some of the best vegetables to grow in Clay are squashes and squashes. As long as they are grown in planting holes generously filled with compost, summer squashes and small gourds seem to thrive anywhere.

Or maybe you should try rice. Clay soil is perfect for growing rice because it holds water. Without them, the world would quickly starve.

By Barbara Pleasant

© Soil pH values

I’m sure you’ve heard cryptic phrases like, “Oh, you’re so lucky to have acidic soil” or “You need alkaline soil to grow this.” But what does it all mean?

Well, in addition to “type,” soil has another characteristic called pH. This is a measure of whether it is:

Acidic or ‘ericaceous’ with a pH between 1 and 7, for example peat soil

Neutral with a pH of exactly 7, for example some clay soils

Alkaline or “calcareous” with a pH between 7 and 14, e.g. B. Limestone soil. For UK soils, the pH range is typically between pH 4.0 and 8.5. The pH of your soil has a big impact on which plants will grow.

Most plants prefer a pH of 6.5 to 7 – the point where nutrients are most readily available

But some are bog species – they need acidic soil – for example most rhododendrons

Or an alkaline soil – for example saxifrage. Put an acid loving plant in alkaline soil and it will suffer and die and vice versa – you have been warned!

There is no doubt about it; Working in heavy soil is a pain in the back. It sticks to your shoes (and your tools) and is sometimes considered even more difficult than gardening with sand. But despite all the hard work, clay soil also has its advantages. It can house life-giving plant nutrients and retain moisture better than other types of soil. With some soil amendments, you can turn your sticky clay into the humus-rich, fertile good your plants will thank you for.

change clay soil

There is a notion that adding sand to heavy clay soil will help lighten it, but that’s a myth. In fact, it turns your floor into cement 99 percent of the time. Soil treated in this way becomes so hard that worms cannot live in it. Instead, reach for organic matter like compost, leaf mold, and well-rotted manure. Organic matter is the best way to improve clay soil: it lightens soil texture, prevents compaction, adds nutrients, improves drainage and aeration, moderates soil temperature, and provides pore space, which is essential for plant growth.

Changing your floor will take some time and patience, but will reward you many times over in the end. The first step should be to add as much organic matter as possible and mix it as deeply into your existing soil as possible. Before you begin, have a soil test done so you can incorporate lime, phosphorus, or any other necessary supplements while you till the organic matter. If you are creating a new bed, this is much easier.

Begin the process by loosening the existing soil with a tiller (for a large area) or spade (for a more manageable size). Spread about 2 inches of compost over the tilled soil and incorporate it. Repeat the process two more times. Remember to only work your clay soil when it is relatively dry. Working or walking on wet clay soil will seriously damage the structure you are trying to improve.

Working on existing equipment requires more time and caution. Fall is a great time to do this as the weather is generally drier than spring and the cooler temperatures are more comfortable for working. You can even make it an annual part of winter dormancy in the garden.

Spread a few inches of compost on the ground between the plants and use a narrow spade to turn the compost into soil. Repeat at least one more time and plant to make this a part of your regular routine. Always work walking backwards and not across your freshly turned soil.

Over time, regular application of compost, manure, and other organic matter will improve the structure, crumbling, and overall health of your soil.

A final word about gardening in clay soil: choose plants that are naturally adapted to growing in clay. It’s always better to work with what you have than to try to completely change it. Luckily, for those of us who have a heavy clay soil garden, there are a plethora of beautiful plants to choose from.

More about organic matter

When you wrestle with heavy, compacted clay in your lawn and garden, your body and plants can take the strain. But don’t despair. Clay soil offers many advantages, but he may need a hand to reach his potential. A healthy, well-maintained clay soil means less work for you and less stress on your lawn and garden. With these insights and a little effort, you can fix your heavy clay soil and reap the rewards:

Clay’s potential as one of the best soil types for plant growth lies in its unique properties. The individual particles that make up your clay are extremely small compared to other soil types like sand, silt or clay.1 Thanks to the surface area of ​​all these small particles, clay soil has a greater capacity to hold water and nutrients for your lawn and garden needs . When managed well, clay soil typically requires less watering and less fertilizer, resulting in healthier plants all round.

Even if you’re sure you’ve got heavy loam — and have the clods on your boots and tools to prove it — take the time to test your soil before making any changes. A ground test takes the guesswork out of your starting point, lest well-intentioned ground work backfire and make things worse. If you are new to soil sampling, your local district officer can help you with advice and soil testing kits.

Your test results and recommendations can include ways to improve your clay soil, as well as helpful information about your soil’s organic matter, pH, and nutrients. In areas with heavy clay, it’s a good idea to test your soil every three to four years.1

Improving your soil with organic matter helps improve its structure.

The same properties behind clay’s benefits also present its greatest challenge. The small size of clay particles means they are tightly packed together, leaving less room for air, water and nutrients to move around – especially when compacted by pressure. The particle shape also increases the likelihood of compaction. Clay particles are flat like slabs and not rounded like grains of sand.

Clay is condensed for many reasons. Walking on your lawn or yard when it’s wet is a common cause. Heavy, beating rains also drive clay particles together. Once compacted, clay restricts water, nutrient, and air movement, making plants susceptible to root disease and nutrient deficiencies.1 And like your garden shovel, delicate new roots encounter a wall of hard clay as they try to grow. Salts from fertilizers and winter dew solutions also accumulate in the coarse tone.

Aeration helps reduce soil compaction by creating holes for water and nutrients to enter.

Properly altering your soil can overcome heavy, compacted clay and get it back on track for healthy lawn and garden growth. Adding materials like organic compost, pine bark, composted leaves, and gypsum to heavy clay can improve its structure and help eliminate drainage and compaction problems. Avoid adding sand or peat moss to clay; they can make these problems worse.1

Your soil test or extender can help you determine the right amount of organic matter for your soil. As a general rule, if possible, add a 3 to 6 inch layer of organic matter to your soil before planting, working it down to the top 10 to 12 inches — where most roots will grow. Build on your efforts in subsequent years by adding 1 to 3 inches of organic mulch as topdressing each year.1 As it breaks down, it continues to gradually improve the clay soil.

Gypsum is simply applied to the soil surface with a regular lawn spreader. It is an ideal adjunct to improve soil structure and alleviate compaction in existing lawns and gardens. Lilly Miller Garden Gypsum Starts Work Immediately to loosen compacted clay soil, increase water penetration and improve drainage and correct soil conditions to allow for better plant root growth.

Compacted clay sods benefit from annual aeration.1 Core aeration cuts into the clay and removes a small core of straw and soil that gradually dissolves at the surface. Apertures left by the cores allow water, air and nutrients into the clay, keeping these essential nutrients available and allowing grass to grow healthy and strong.

Gypsum improves soil without affecting soil pH and provides calcium to help prevent blossom end rot disease.

Improving soil structure and reducing compaction aren’t the only ways gypsum can benefit your lawn and garden. Gypsum adds calcium and sulfur—essential plant nutrients—to your soil. While lime adds calcium and makes the soil less acidic, gypsum adds calcium without affecting the soil pH.

Adding gypsum to vegetable gardens helps prevent calcium deficiency, a major cause of blossom end rot. This common disease can erode your crops of garden favorites like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and melons. Adding gypsum at planting time keeps calcium abundant, allowing fruit to ripen without end rot. The calcium in gypsum also helps your strawberry bed reach its succulent potential.

By taking steps to improve and care for your heavy clay soil, you can enjoy all the benefits of clay and reap the rewards of healthy soil and plants. Pennington is here to help you overcome lawn and garden challenges and grow the best lawn and garden possible, in heavy clay and every other soil type.

Always read product labels carefully and follow directions.

Pennington with design is a registered trademark of Pennington Seed, Inc.

Fast Acting is a trademark of Encap, LLC.

Source:

1. D. Crouse, “North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook: Soils and Plant Nutrients,” NC State Extension, February 2018.

Good rid of the cucumbers of a few decades ago — those fatty, green, spiky, hard-skinned, and acid-producing fruits that were once served with iceberg lettuce and bottle dressing. Today’s cucumber is a culinary and garden delight — and for good reason: Cucumbers come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors, and they’re one of the easiest crops to grow. The cucumber is one of the oldest fruits in agriculture and is the most commonly cultivated in the world. It has adapted to different climatic zones and today includes unique varieties. From bush to pickling to seedless, no garden is complete without a cucumber (or two or three).

Cucumbers grow almost everywhere

Once established, cucumbers thrive in a range of soil types — from dense loam to slightly sandy loam — although all soils should be well-drained. It’s a good idea to wait for warm weather to plant cucumbers as they are sensitive to soil temperature. When starting from seed or transplanting seedlings, make sure the soil is at least 65°F or they may not survive. Remember that heavier soils stay cool in spring, especially in wet conditions, while sandy soil textures are lighter and warm up faster. Cucumbers that are somewhat heavy feeders will benefit from the application of compost incorporated into the soil prior to planting.

Choose a sunny spot and remember that cucumbers like to spread. Expect their vines to easily stray 5 to 6 feet from the center of the plant and set the fruit farther out along the vines as the season progresses. When planting your garden, avoid crowding cucumbers or you will find their vines darting down paths and creeping into beds where they don’t belong. Cucumbers are natural climbers and trellising is a great space-saving strategy. If you let them climb, the chances of a larger harvest and better quality fruit are good, as the trellis keeps the cucumbers off the ground where they would be susceptible to pests and diseases.

In New England, we started our first round of cucumber transplants in the early days of June, sometimes earlier once the threat of frost has passed. As it can still get a little chilly at night at this time of year, we protect the plants with a floating row cover supported by wire hoops. The tires prevent the row cover from resting directly on the new plants, which is particularly important on windy days as the cover can damage the plants by roughening them or breaking their stems.

Cucumber plants have extensive root systems, making them adept at finding the water and nutrients they need. Water the plants deeply but not too often. Withholding watering encourages plants to establish deeper root systems while they seek moisture. Cucumbers grown in well-drained soil need about an inch of water per week.

Fruit should be harvested often

Once the plants bloom, keep an eye out for tiny fruits forming on the vines. The first fruits will set close to the base of the plant and then further out as the plants grow. Consult your seed catalog to make sure you know the ideal crop size for each strain you’re growing. Some cut cucumbers, for example, are ready to harvest when they are 8 to 10 inches long, but shorter cut varieties like Boothby’s Blonde never grow longer than 4 inches. If left on the plant for too long, cucumbers will become plump, bitter, and dingy. It’s a good idea to check the plants every other day once you start harvesting. Be extra vigilant during a heat wave; Cucumbers ripen quickly when temperatures reach 80°F to 90°F. Remove overgrown or imperfect fruit from the vine, as they use up valuable energy rather than making room for new fruit to form. When harvesting, carefully break or cut the stem with a small serrated knife to avoid tearing the vine and reducing future blooms and fruit.

Cucumbers can be overwhelming when all of your plants have the same plan. For this reason, it is worth considering multiple planting rows for a prolonged and manageable harvest.

Be proactive to deter the cucumber beetle

The main pest of cucumbers is the striped cucumber beetle. It feeds on cucumber stalks, leaves, flowers and fruits. In addition, the beetle can transmit diseases such as bacterial wilt. Defense is the best offense when it comes to the cucumber beetle. Here are four recommended strategies:

Use a row cover

A floating row cover creates a physical barrier that prevents the beetle from finding your plants.

Dip plants in kaolin clay

Spray or dip the plants in a solution of kaolin clay (brand name Surround) before planting and once a week during the plants’ first month in the garden. A white film dries on the plants, leaving a sticky residue. The beetle is busy tending to itself and tries to remove this debris rather than eating the plants.

Apply mulch

If you mulch anything in your garden, make cucumbers a priority. Mulch with straw, hay, plastic, or landscape fabric to discourage the beetle from laying its eggs in the soil beneath the plants. Mulch also deters weeds, retains moisture, and protects the soil.

Clean at the end of the season

Once your cucumber harvest is ready, incorporate healthy fruit residue into the soil so it breaks down quickly and thoroughly. However, plant remains should be removed as they could harbor overwintering beetles. It’s best to bag and throw away the removed plant debris rather than adding it to the compost heap.

Kate Donald is a certified organic grower and co-owns Stout Oak Farm in Brentwood, New Hampshire with her husband Jeff.

Carrots have a reputation for being difficult to grow in the clay soils of Georgia. With a little knowledge and a few tricks, home gardeners can successfully grow carrots, according to experts at the University of Georgia Extension.

Carrots are a cool season crop and now is the time to plant them. Start by choosing a spot where the seeds will get eight to 10 hours of sunlight.

According to Bob Westerfield, UGA Extension’s vegetable specialist, the key to growing carrots is to start with heavily modified, well-drained, organic soil. Carrots like a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5.

Cultivate and change soil

Prepare the site by milling to a depth of 10 inches. If your garden consists of hard clay soil, Westerfield recommends growing carrots in containers or raised beds at least 8 inches to 12 inches tall.

Fill the beds with a rich mixture of compost, manure and topsoil. If you prefer to grow carrots the traditional way, like in soil, add 6 inches of sandy topsoil or other organic supplement.

There are two schools of thought on how to plant carrot seeds: plant in traditional rows or define an area – e.g. B. Raised beds in community gardens – and spread the seeds. In any case, place the seeds on the soil bed and sprinkle about half a centimeter of soil over them. Consider mixing in some radish seeds when planting.

Carrot seeds are very small. To ensure good seed-to-soil contact with such small seeds, it’s a good idea to lightly tamp the soil down. A tamper is useful for applying just enough pressure to make contact without compacting the soil.

Add water and wait

Now water the seeds and be patient. Carrots take several weeks to germinate. Carrots need regular watering unless it rains consistently. Provide about an inch of water every seven to 10 days if possible. Carrots grown in raised beds or containers may need more frequent watering as they tend to dry out quickly. Overhead watering works, but drip irrigation or drip hoses save moisture and help prevent leaf diseases.

Once carrot plants emerge, thinning is essential. If the carrots get too cramped underground, they can wither. Thinning can be time consuming, especially when planted, but don’t skip this step. Instead of pulling up plants to thin out your bed, use scissors to cut off seedlings at the root. This will minimize disturbance to the remaining plants. The goal should be about 2 inches between the carrot plants.

When the carrot tops are about 3 inches tall, Westerfield recommends adding pine straw, wheat straw, or other organic mulch around the plants to reduce weeds and conserve moisture. Look for the total “days to harvest” on the seed packet. Pull a carrot sample or two just before harvest, Westerfield said. Carrots should be at least half an inch in diameter when harvested. When harvesting, be very careful not to damage your crop.

As the soil cools, carrots actually get sweeter. Some gardeners leave the carrots in the ground over the winter with good results.

Not just long and orange

The shorter or medium-length carrot varieties produce the best quality in gardens with heavy soils. The longer varieties prefer sandy soils.

When choosing a variety to plant, remember that carrots don’t have to be orange. The Chantenay Red Core is reddish while Purple Haze is obviously purple. Danvers 126, Scarlet Nantes and Nantes are all recommended orange varieties. Look for carrot seeds at feed and seed stores, hardware stores, and large retailers. There are also several strains that can be ordered through seed companies such as Burpee and Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

“With carrots, you’re never quite sure what you have until you pull them out and see the golden nugget on the other end,” Westerfield said. “I’ve had years where I’ve produced superb carrots and other years where mice and voles have eaten my precious crop.”

For more information about gardening in Georgia, contact your local University of Georgia Extension representative at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

Tomatoes and peppers both belong to the Solanaceae, commonly referred to as the nightshade family. While tomatoes belong to the genus Solanum, which includes crops like potatoes and eggplant, pepper belongs to the genus Capsicum, which includes both sweet and hot peppers. There are various myths and old wives’ tales about planting peppers and tomatoes together and you may have been unlucky enough to have heard one of them. The fact is that YES the plants are related and YES they share some common diseases but most people don’t have the space in their garden to separate them. The reality is that because the two have similar growth requirements, they can actually be grown together quite successfully.

Diseases that tomatoes and peppers share in common include Verticillium wilt and bacterial spot. You can limit the likelihood of disease occurring and spreading simply by following some good gardening practices.

Don’t overcrowd plants. It facilitates the spread of diseases.

Not above or below water. A stressed plant is more susceptible to disease

Do not water foliage. Wet foliage encourages the spread of fungi and bacteria. Instead, water the plants at the base.

Avoid working in the garden when the plants are wet. Their movements can transmit fungi and bacteria between plants through water splashes.

I would advise you to take a look at the disease pages here on PlantVillage to familiarize yourself with things to watch out for. Here’s a helpful chart at the end of the pepper and tomato plant info pages:

https://www.plantvillage.com/topics/t…

https://www.plantvillage.com/topics/p…

I’ve also included some disease symptom pictures for some of the symptoms common to both peppers and tomatoes

Diseases aside, another thing to watch out for when planting is that tomato plants are likely to grow much larger than the peppers. You should take care to position them so that the peppers are not shaded.

May 26, 2016

onion family

Onions and their relatives are an important part of many cuisines around the world. They are considered a staple in most kitchens. There are many species and cultivars that can be grown and all prefer loose soil, full sun and regular moisture.

grow onions

Onions grow best in well-drained and cultivated sandy loam soil. For clay soil, work in compost to loosen compaction. Heavier soil will not allow onion bulbs to grow to their potential.

Follow your soil test recommendations for fertilizer. Sidedress plants by lightly placing a nitrogen fertilizer next to the plants in June.

Water to keep the soil evenly moist but not wet.

Mulch to keep soil moist and remove weed competition.

Plant bulbs early to get as much leaf growth as possible. Plant them after the soil has thawed in spring, when you can turn it easily with a shovel.

onion terms

Sets are small bulbs grown from seed in the previous year. Each set should be no more than a half to three-quarters of an inch wide, less than a dime in diameter. Large sets often go to seed and cause the bulb to stall growth. The quality of the bulb will be reduced. Place sets one to two inches deep in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Sets should be spaced two inches apart in the row. Cover with an inch of soil.

Onions can be grown from seed but often produce irregular bulbs and are only suitable for early maturing varieties.

family members

Onions are one of the most commonly grown vegetables in home gardens. Onions are classified according to:

pear shape; flat, round or spherical.

Colour; white, yellow or red.

sharpness; sweet or spicy.

The onion’s response to day length; short, medium and long.

In Michigan, the most commonly grown onion is the hot, yellow ball variety. They are best suited to Michigan’s cool conditions. Of the three onion colors, the yellow ones keep best.

Shallots are propagating bulbs that divide into a clump of smaller bulbs that resemble tulip bulbs. Many varieties do not form seeds. Shallots have a mild, delicate onion flavor and a pink outer skin when peeled. Shallots are grown from cloves, small shallot bulbs. Harvest when the tops die back in summer. Shallots can overwinter in the garden, but it is better to remove the clumps of cloves and replant a row of the small cloves in the fall. Shallots can be cooked or served raw.

Leeks are grown for their thick, white stalks, which have a sweet, mild onion flavor. They don’t form bulbs. Leeks can be served raw or cooked. They can be roasted or added to stews or soups. Start leeks indoors four to six weeks before planting for harvest in the fall. Leek is biennial. If left until next year, they will produce flowers and seeds, and the taste will become unpleasant. Leeks from seed take about 130 days to harvest.

Spring onions are known by a variety of names. They are also called shallots, scallions or scallions. In England they are referred to as Welsh onions and in the southern United States they are referred to as “bladed onions”.

The top of the above-ground bunch bulb is eaten, and the bulb that develops at ground level is not much thicker than the stem. Most spring onions have white stems with green, hollow, tubular leaves. There is also a bunch onion with dark red to purple stems and green leaves.

These bulbs can be grown from transplants for a same year harvest. Plant them in a furrow four to six inches deep. As the plants grow, gradually fill in the furrow or heap soil around the plants. This will increase the amount of white space in the lower part of the plant. They are ready for harvest after very little growth. If you start from seed, you can start in spring or in September for an early harvest next year.

Chives are grown for their leaves, which have a delicate onion flavor. The leaves are cut and chopped and sprinkled over many dishes or mixed into dips. They are served uncooked, as their delicate flavor does not stand up to cooking. The bulbs are not used. Chives have round, hollow, tapering leaves and grow in clumps. They produce edible purple flowers in late spring or early summer. Chives are perennial and easily grown in flower gardens that serve dual functions as ornamental and edible plants. They can be bought as seeds or transplants.

Garlic chives have flat leaves like garlic and leeks. The taste is very similar to garlic and the tips are harvested like regular chives. They grow taller than regular chives. Garlic chives are perennial plants with edible white flowers. Remove seed heads before they are mature to avoid an excessive number of seedlings in your garden.

Common garlic is usually grown from cloves, which are parts of the bulb. To grow larger bulbs, start the cloves early in the fall and mulch in the winter. Garlic will not grow unless it is watered regularly or has weed competition.

Elephant garlic is another species grown for its large cloves and mild flavor. Growing conditions for garlic are generally the same as for onions: full sun, well-drained soil, and regular moisture or watering.

harvest

Onions are done growing when the tops fall off and are dry. Leave the bulbs in the ground for a week or two to allow them to develop a thick skin. Then dig up and remove the soil stuck to the bulb, but don’t wash it yet. Dry the onions completely before storing them. Hang them by their stems or place them on newspaper in a single layer. Do not dry in the sun. Spanish onions are very prone to sunburn. Remove flowers as they appear.

Originally developed by Lee Taylor and adapted by Gretchen Voyle. Reviewers Bridget Behe, Jennie Stanger and Mary Wilson. Updated 4/29/09

The Snarky Gardener loves to grow potatoes, although heavy clay soils dominate his northeast Ohio region.

I recently came across an article online about growing potatoes in the Penn State Extension Office garden. I decided to read it through despite having successfully grown her for the past 10 years or so. According to this article (much to my chagrin) I’ve been doing it wrong all along.

“Potatoes do best in soil that is well-drained, loose, and rich in organic matter. Soil that is too sandy, rocky or loamy is not good for potatoes.”

That’s true, but we don’t always have perfect conditions. My research found mention of taters that were formerly used to break up clay soil, particularly in areas previously covered with grass. I believe the process of piling up soil and organic materials around growing plants aids in the soil building process. I’ve used both straw and fall leaves to cover the stems with beautiful results.

“The soil should be tilled at least 10 inches deep or double shoveled and raked. The pH for growing potatoes is around 5.5 to 6.0, which is lower than most vegetables because potatoes prefer more acidic soil.”

Um – I don’t usually till and all that shoveling and raking sounds like work to me. I usually just dig a small hole or use my hoe to go east and west to make a furrow. Then I drop seed strands in and cover them with soil and/or leaf mulch. pH has never been a big issue for my little garden spirit.

“Seed potatoes or supermarket potatoes should not be used as seed potatoes, only use certified seed potatoes that are government inspected.”

This rule isn’t usually broken unless I’ve dumped stored potatoes and extra soil to bury them in. I’ve been known to plant a variety of potatoes I’ve seen at the farmers market when I haven’t seen them anywhere else. That being said, I recommend buying certified seeds whenever you can.

Potatoes need 1.5 inches of water per week, more during dry periods. Do not water from above, use drip irrigation or a drip hose. Weeding potatoes is essential for disease and pest control, but you can grow potatoes with plastic mulch. The mulch can be cut every 12 inches with a bulb planter and planted by hand in rows about 18 inches apart. Drip irrigation works well with this planting method.

I usually only water my garden when we are in a drought. Spuds I’ve grown in the past seem to have survived well without the water. Chopping and mounding the dirt around the potatoes naturally keeps the weeds down. Also, I’m not one to use non-organic materials for mulch, but if you’d like, be my guest.

“Potatoes can get early blight, which is small circular brown spots with a target-like spot in the middle. This will kill plants and is caused by plant debris overwintering in the bed you plant them in. Plant rotation is extremely important for potatoes. Do not grow in the same bed for 4 years. Tidy up the garden in the fall.”

I try not to grow members of the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and ground cherries) in the same location for 3 years, which is the minimum time most experts recommend. I can’t always achieve this as I grow LOTS of tomatoes and taters. To keep all this in order I use the planner software GrowVeg.com. This platform lets me know if I’ve grown anything from the same family in a given location in the last 3 years. I don’t always take the advice (especially with legumes like beans and peas), but the nightshade family gets my respect.

“Common scab is caused by a bacterium that can remain in the soil for a long time, even if no potatoes have been planted in that spot. The main cause is decomposing material, e.g. B. Plant material that is not cleaned. Using an acid-based fertilizer can sometimes help, or finding another spot to plant.”

Snarky Gardener tubers were infected with scab a few seasons ago. They tasted good, but there was a problem. After researching the issue and doing a soil test the following year, I traced the problem to a high pH (7.4). I haven’t planted any nightshade in that area since then, nor have I seen scabs on my taters anywhere else.

My takeaways from the Penn State Extension Office article:

I’ve been growing potatoes in our loam in Northeast Ohio for the last ten years. Aside from a small general scab issue, I’ve had little to no problems. I appreciate advice from people who have FAR more experience and knowledge than the Snarky Gardener. The article was written with “maximizing potato yield” in mind. My garden designs tend to minimize labor, ground disturbance (“low-tail”), and “off my property” inputs. This means I may not get the biggest or best harvests, but I will always get something. And isn’t that the goal of every gardener?

I’ve also learned that I’m not good at following directions (never have, never will). For me, gardening is as much an art as it is a science. Not being allowed to try out our own systems and practices takes away the fun of gardening. And I’m all about having a great time in my garden, even if it’s hard work sometimes. Nothing beats growing crops, harvesting produce, and eating meals prepared with foods you grew yourself (even if you don’t follow the directions).

By the way, here’s a really cool interview with Ruth Stout planting potatoes. It’s that easy.

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Good rid of the cucumbers of a few decades ago — those fatty, green, spiky, hard-skinned, and acid-producing fruits that were once served with iceberg lettuce and bottle dressing. Today’s cucumber is a culinary and garden delight — and for good reason: Cucumbers come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors, and they’re one of the easiest crops to grow. The cucumber is one of the oldest fruits in agriculture and is the most commonly cultivated in the world. It has adapted to different climatic zones and today includes unique varieties. From bush to pickling to seedless, no garden is complete without a cucumber (or two or three).

Cucumbers grow almost everywhere

Once established, cucumbers thrive in a range of soil types — from dense loam to slightly sandy loam — although all soils should be well-drained. It’s a good idea to wait for warm weather to plant cucumbers as they are sensitive to soil temperature. When starting from seed or transplanting seedlings, make sure the soil is at least 65°F or they may not survive. Remember that heavier soils stay cool in spring, especially in wet conditions, while sandy soil textures are lighter and warm up faster. Cucumbers that are somewhat heavy feeders will benefit from the application of compost incorporated into the soil prior to planting.

Choose a sunny spot and remember that cucumbers like to spread. Expect their vines to easily stray 5 to 6 feet from the center of the plant and set the fruit farther out along the vines as the season progresses. When planting your garden, avoid crowding cucumbers or you will find their vines darting down paths and creeping into beds where they don’t belong. Cucumbers are natural climbers and trellising is a great space-saving strategy. If you let them climb, the chances of a larger harvest and better quality fruit are good, as the trellis keeps the cucumbers off the ground where they would be susceptible to pests and diseases.

In New England, we started our first round of cucumber transplants in the early days of June, sometimes earlier once the threat of frost has passed. As it can still get a little chilly at night at this time of year, we protect the plants with a floating row cover supported by wire hoops. The tires prevent the row cover from resting directly on the new plants, which is particularly important on windy days as the cover can damage the plants by roughening them or breaking their stems.

Cucumber plants have extensive root systems, making them adept at finding the water and nutrients they need. Water the plants deeply but not too often. Withholding watering encourages plants to establish deeper root systems while they seek moisture. Cucumbers grown in well-drained soil need about an inch of water per week.

Fruit should be harvested often

Once the plants bloom, keep an eye out for tiny fruits forming on the vines. The first fruits will set close to the base of the plant and then further out as the plants grow. Consult your seed catalog to make sure you know the ideal crop size for each strain you’re growing. Some cut cucumbers, for example, are ready to harvest when they are 8 to 10 inches long, but shorter cut varieties like Boothby’s Blonde never grow longer than 4 inches. If left on the plant for too long, cucumbers will become plump, bitter, and dingy. It’s a good idea to check the plants every other day once you start harvesting. Be extra vigilant during a heat wave; Cucumbers ripen quickly when temperatures reach 80°F to 90°F. Remove overgrown or imperfect fruit from the vine, as they use up valuable energy rather than making room for new fruit to form. When harvesting, carefully break or cut the stem with a small serrated knife to avoid tearing the vine and reducing future blooms and fruit.

Cucumbers can be overwhelming when all of your plants have the same plan. For this reason, it is worth considering multiple planting rows for a prolonged and manageable harvest.

Be proactive to deter the cucumber beetle

The main pest of cucumbers is the striped cucumber beetle. It feeds on cucumber stalks, leaves, flowers and fruits. In addition, the beetle can transmit diseases such as bacterial wilt. Defense is the best offense when it comes to the cucumber beetle. Here are four recommended strategies:

Use a row cover

A floating row cover creates a physical barrier that prevents the beetle from finding your plants.

Dip plants in kaolin clay

Spray or dip the plants in a solution of kaolin clay (brand name Surround) before planting and once a week during the plants’ first month in the garden. A white film dries on the plants, leaving a sticky residue. The beetle is busy tending to itself and tries to remove this debris rather than eating the plants.

Apply mulch

If you mulch anything in your garden, make cucumbers a priority. Mulch with straw, hay, plastic, or landscape fabric to discourage the beetle from laying its eggs in the soil beneath the plants. Mulch also deters weeds, retains moisture, and protects the soil.

Clean at the end of the season

Once your cucumber harvest is ready, incorporate healthy fruit residue into the soil so it breaks down quickly and thoroughly. However, plant remains should be removed as they could harbor overwintering beetles. It’s best to bag and throw away the removed plant debris rather than adding it to the compost heap.

Kate Donald is a certified organic grower and co-owns Stout Oak Farm in Brentwood, New Hampshire with her husband Jeff.

The GARDENA garden expert

That’s a really interesting and timely question. Some very interesting discoveries have recently been made in France showing that the composition of the soil used to grow tomato plants has a real impact on the flavor of the tomatoes, which otherwise largely depends on the genetics involved, ie the variety.

Put simply, tomatoes get their flavor from the soil they grow in, just like wine. Aromatic tomatoes need loamy soil rich in humus. Good quality peat-based potting soil is just the ticket. Tomato cultivation trials have shown that sand and peat soil do not provide a fully developed aroma, so it is better to stay away from cheap compost that is too peat-rich and not loamy. Plus, they contain mud!

It is also best to avoid the mixture of garden soil and sand you mentioned, unless you have very loamy soil. Then it can make up 20% of the soil volume, which would be about two liters for every ten liters of planters in your case.

Note that making your own mix will change the composition of the peat compost as stated on the manufacturer’s label. The amount and pH of the nutrients it contains will be different and likely reduced. The pH value affects the nutrients available to plants.

Tomatoes already lower the pH of the soil through the secretion from their roots, so it pays to add garden compost to your tomato plants. Garden compost is usually slightly alkaline and thus counteracts this natural lowering of the pH value. Alternatively, it may also make sense to add some lime in this context. You would use between 50 grams (loamy soil) and 100 grams (sandy soil) of soil per square meter of soil, so a heaping teaspoon should be enough for one of your ten-quart planters.

To feed your tomatoes as they grow, choose a fertilizer high in potassium and phosphorus (K, P) and high in micronutrients. In your garden center you will probably find one among the tomato fertilizers or flower fertilizers. Avoid herbaceous plant fertilizers as they contain too much nitrogen.

Another small tip on the amount to be planted: Unless you are a big tomato eater, six tomato plants are usually enough for a two-person household, twelve for four people and sixteen for six people.

My extra tip: So that the tomatoes get the right amount of fertilizer and water when they ripen, I would recommend a planter with a water reservoir. Alternatively, you can also use an automatic watering system.

CORVALLIS – When you walk around the garden on a wet day, do your shoes get stuck in the mud? Could you make ceramic pots out of the soil in your garden? Chances are you have clay soil, one of the biggest challenges for the home gardener.

Finely structured clay soils are difficult to work up and develop into a good seedbed. When the clay is dry it tends to be very hard and lumpy. When wet it tends to be very sticky and difficult to handle. It seems like a gardener’s nightmare.

But clay soils have their characteristics, says Linda Brewer, a teaching assistant in the Department of Soil Science at Oregon State University.

“Loamy soils contain huge amounts of plant nutrients because they have increased cation exchange capacities,” Brewer said. This allows them to retain nutrients, fertilizers and pesticides.

Another advantage of clay soils is that they adhere very well to water.

“Clay soils hold huge amounts of water at very high tensions because the spaces between the clay particles are so fine,” explains Brewer. “The largest particle of clay is more than 1,000 times smaller than the smallest particle of sand.”

The best way to improve clay soils is to thoroughly mix organic materials with existing soil, Brewer explained.

Bark, sawdust, manure, leaf soil, compost, and peat moss are among the organic additives commonly used to improve clay soils. Two or three inches of organic matter should be spread out and rototilled, forked, or dug into the top six or seven inches of your garden beds.

“Clay soils are highly structured at the atomic level, much like crystals,” Brewer said. “A lot of sand cannot be added to a clay soil to change its texture. The large sand particles usually provide a surface for the tiny clay particles to adhere to. The result can be a harder-to-manage soil than the original clay.”

When a large amount of organic matter is added to the soil, microorganisms multiply rapidly. Because they build their bodies off the same nutrients that plants use, soil nutrients may be relatively unavailable for a period of time after manure or compost has been added. This condition can last until the organic matter is broken down and nutrients are released.

To overcome the temporary lack of nutrients, gardeners might try adding nitrogen-poor organic matter to the soil in the fall, or smaller amounts at a time in the spring when the warm weather will quickly collapse. Or sprinkle in some fertilizer like ammonium sulfate at the time of tillage to provide an immediate source of nutrients.

Organic material in the soil serves as food for earthworms, insects, bacteria and fungi – they convert it into soil nutrients and humus. This decomposition process makes materials available as food for growing plants. In finely structured clay soils, organic matter forms aggregates of soil particles, improving drainage and facilitating tillage. Earthworms are especially helpful in making and keeping soil porous and well-draining, Brewer said.

Fertile soil with a good topsoil does not result from one or more additions of organic material, but from a consistent soil building program. “Repeated additions of organic matter change the physical properties of clay soils on a broader scale, but these additions must be regular to sustain the changes,” Brewer said.

“There’s no rest for people who garden in clay,” she said, laughing.

Sticky. Difficult. muddy. Crispy. Not a bunch of wayward Disney gnomes, but words used by gardeners to describe their clay soil! While clay soil has its challenges, it also has its advantages. Let’s focus on how to improve clay soil – and dispel some misconceptions.

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A good garden, like a good life, is all about balance, and this is especially true when it comes to the condition of your soil. Let’s take a quick look at the different types of ground textures.

ground texture

Soil consists of three types of particles mixed with organic matter. An extreme amount of any of these items is not good. Ideal soil would have equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay.

Sand particles are the largest. They are slightly round with large spaces in between to allow air, water and nutrients to flow. Sandy soil drains quickly, dries up quickly and does not retain moisture. To give you an idea of ​​how big they are, 1 gram of sand has about 1,000 grains. Silt particles are slightly smaller than sand. Water sometimes has difficulty penetrating dry, muddy soil, causing rain to run off rather than sink in. Once saturated, silt retains moisture better than sand. Clay particles are the smallest, flat and compact easily. There is little to no space between them for air or water. Clay soil is slow to drain, dry, or warm up, and holds water well once it’s wet—often to the point where it’s soggy. As clay dries, it shrinks and cracks, forming a brick-like surface that is almost impenetrable. A gram of clay has about 90 billion particles!

One way to tell if you have heavy clay soil is to ball moist soil into a ball; If you can do this easily without the soil crumbling, then it’s probably clay! clay

Clay soil, when dried out, tends to form a brick-like crust that only the toughest weeds can penetrate.

soil structure

Some gardeners think that adding sand to their clay soil will “cure” the problem, but it’s actually more of a recipe for making cement! You cannot change the texture of your soil, but you can improve its structure.

Add organic matter and compost to aid drainage and loosen up heavy soil. Humus particles are much larger than clay and they attach to the finer particles to form clusters called aggregates. These larger aggregates create spaces for water, air, and nutrients to flow to the plant roots. Humus also absorbs moisture and quickly dissipates it. The more organics you can add, the better: 5-10% is ideal. In addition to compost, leaf mold and aged manure are also good sources of organic matter. Add compost and old manure before planting in the spring. A 2-3 inch layer worked into the soil to shovel depth is a good amount. Be sure to add at least a few weeks before planting to allow the material to decompose.

. Humus particles are much larger than clay and they attach to the finer particles to form clusters called aggregates. These larger aggregates create spaces for water, air, and nutrients to flow to the plant roots. Humus also absorbs moisture and quickly dissipates it. The more organics you can add, the better: 5-10% is ideal. In addition to compost, leaf mold and aged manure are also good sources of organic matter. Use mulch to reduce compaction of your clay soil from heavy rainfall. It also prevents the soil from drying out and cracking. Organic mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves, encourages worms and other soil organisms to live underneath, where they create tunnels that aerate the soil.

Throughout the growing season, continue to add mulch to your soil with grass clippings, shredded leaves, and/or straw. Also mulch beds over the winter with a layer of straw or organic material to protect the soil from driving rain and erosion.

to reduce compaction of your clay soil from heavy rainfall. It also prevents the soil from drying out and cracking. Organic mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves, encourages worms and other soil organisms to live underneath, where they create tunnels that aerate the soil. Throughout the growing season, continue to add mulch to your soil with grass clippings, shredded leaves, and/or straw. Also mulch beds over the winter with a layer of straw or organic material to protect the soil from driving rain and erosion. Plant cover crops to stabilize soil, reduce erosion and loss of valuable topsoil. Vigorous root systems found in many cover crops help break up compacted soil and create deep channels. In the north, winter wheat and winter rye are popular choices; In warmer regions, purple clover and oats are commonly used.

Sow your cover crop in the fall after the last plants have been harvested. The following spring, simply incorporate the plants into the soil and add even more valuable organic matter.

to stabilize the soil, reduce erosion and the loss of valuable topsoil. Vigorous root systems found in many cover crops help break up compacted soil and create deep channels. In the north, winter wheat and winter rye are popular choices; In warmer regions, purple clover and oats are commonly used. Sow your cover crop in the fall after the last plants have been harvested. The following spring, simply incorporate the plants into the soil and add even more valuable organic matter. reduce cultivation. Once permanent beds are established, they require minimal digging. The more you dig, the greater the risk of destroying the soil structure you’ve worked so hard to improve.

. Once permanent beds are established, they require minimal digging. The more you dig, the greater the risk of destroying the soil structure you’ve worked so hard to improve. Plant in blocks to shade the soil and prevent it from crusting.

to shade the soil and prevent it from crusting. Don’t walk or work with wet, muddy ground. The more compact it becomes, the fewer spaces air, water, and nutrients can pass for roots to access. One idea is to lay wooden planks on garden paths,

Make sure your garden rows are no more than a few feet wide so you can reach the center without stepping into the bed.

. The more compact it becomes, the fewer spaces air, water, and nutrients can pass for roots to access. One idea is to place wooden planks along garden paths. Make sure your garden rows are no more than a few feet wide so you can reach the center without stepping into the bed. Plant in raised beds, which improve drainage by encouraging water runoff. The beds don’t have to be made of wood or stone; even a simple raised mound of earth will help.

Walking on wet clay soil is not good for the garden or your shoes!

Plants for clay soil

It may also be worth considering the plants that grow better in clay soil as you work to improve it.

Trees and shrubs:

birch

hawthorn

snowball

cotoneaster

pink

Buddleia

hydrangea

dogwood

Weigela

forsythia

Perennial Flowers:

hosta

aster

Rudbeckie

Coreopsis

phlox

hellebore

anemone

geraniums

Climber:

Ivy, Clematis, Honeysuckle

Light bulbs:

Daffodils, Snowdrops

We hope this works. And don’t despair if you’re having trouble! With plenty of compost and good management, you can turn your brickyard into a bounty garden.