Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

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Author: JESSIE KEITH

Plants are the lens Jessie views the world through because they’re all-sustaining. (“They feed, clothe, house and heal us. They produce the air we breathe and even make us smell pretty.”) She’s a garden writer and photographer with degrees in both horticulture and plant biology from Purdue and Michigan State Universities. Her degrees were bolstered by internships at Longwood Gardens and the American Horticultural Society. She has since worked for many horticultural institutions and companies and now manages communications for Sun Gro Horticulture, the parent company of Black Gold. Her joy is sharing all things green and lovely with her two daughters.

How Do I Remove Bishop’s Goutweed From My Garden?

“I have, what looks to be Bishop’s vine/weed, growing in my one garden. It’s starting to choke out my tiger lilies and other items growing in the garden. I can’t seem to get rid of it. Is there a way to get rid of the bishop’s weed in my garden?” Question from Angela of Windber, Pennsylvania

ANSWER: Sadly, bishop’s goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) is a noxious problematic plant when it is unwanted. It can be a notoriously difficult perennial weed to remove. It’s very hardy, and its dense runners spread everywhere quickly, as you have found.  It’s especially annoying when its roots become intertwined with other shrubs and perennials. Here is the four-step approach I recommend that you take to kill it. It may sound challenging, but if you do it right, it is the fastest, most effective way to remove it fast if your garden is not too large. Start the work in the spring as your plants begin to emerge from the soil. (BTY, weed killers are not particularly effective on this plant.)

Four Steps for Goutweed Removal

Goutweed roots will regrow if left in the soil, so remove them all! (image by Drahkrub)
  1. Use a sharp, flat spade, skip the top 4-6 inches of soil to remove as many of the goutweed roots as possible. When digging the underground runners, gently loosen the soil around them with a trowel, following each until they are fully removed. If you keep even a small piece in the ground, it will re-root and grow. This can be a challenge when working around your garden plants, but be diligent. In some cases, you may have to dig up perennials, remove the goutweed roots from their base, and replant them.
  2. To keep underground stems from returning, consider covering the area with mulch cloth and mulching it over. After a season, all goutweed should be smothered, and you can pull up the mulch cloth and resume gardening as usual.
  3. Keep watch for any new goutweed shoots that appear and dig them out immediately.
  4. Look for goutweed that may have crept into your lawn. I recommend using a broad-weed herbicide to remove it. Organic options are available.

I hope that these tips help!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Can Wild Mushrooms Poison Vegetable Gardens?

“Are wild mushrooms in my vegetable garden a risk if they just disintegrate? Any risk of poisoning the veggies for eating?” Question from Margaret from Chandler, Arizona

Answer: Some wild mushrooms are certainly poisonous, so I recommend removing the fruits from your lawn and garden if you have pets or small children that might consume them. If you have them in your vegetable garden, then your soil may be too moist. Either way, remove the mushrooms as you see them if you have any concerns. It would be wise to wear gloves while handling them. Expert sources say that the spore loads of toxic mushrooms are typically too low to cause any problems. Still, better safe than sorry.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do You Grow Monstera?

“I was wondering if you could help me with my Monstera deliciosa. I was wondering what the best type of pot and the best type of soil is for it. Thank you in advance!” Question from Angela of Fort Myers, Florida

Answer: Monstera (Monstera deliciosa) is naturally a rain forest trailer and climber with very large leaves that have decorative holes. Place the plant in a pot with drainage holes and a saucer at the bottom to catch water. I recommend using a ceramic container that is heavy enough to support the plant. Be sure that the new pot is at least 3 to 4 inches larger than the root ball before transplanting. Choose a fertile, potting mix with good drainage and water-holding ability, like Black Gold Natural & Organic Ultra Coir. Keep the soil moderately moist and allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between watering. Monstera grows best in bright, indirect light and prefers warm ambient temperatures and moderate to high humidity. (Click here for more house plant potting tips.)

Be aware that they send out aerial roots that can become attached to walls or floors. Do not allow them to become attached or they might leave marks when removed. Keep their long, heavy, twining stems supported as they grow upwards. A strong stake will work well.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do I Get My Cymbidium Orchid to Rebloom?

“I have an orchid plant that I have had for 8 years; it grows and duplicates (I had to get another container to separate it) but won’t grow the stalk to bloom. It hasn’t bloomed since the first year I got it. It isn’t the typical large rubbery leaf kind. I believe Cymbidium Orchid. When I got it, it had green flowers. It grows long leaves beautifully, but I would like to get some blooms. I have tried reducing water, changed organic potting, tried using orchid fertilizer… I even put them outside one year to try to cold shock it into bloom…After so many years you would think I would have done something right, but I have helped it grow and thrive so there is some hope. Do you have any suggestions?” Question from Amy of Chandler, Texas

Answer: As with any orchid, Cymbidiums require certain criteria to be met to flower. Timing and temperature must be managed to achieve blooming. Here are the recommended steps to take.

Flower spike initiation takes place in spring or summer when plants will get good light and a drop between warm daytime and cool nighttime temperatures. Placing the plants outside in spring after the threat of frost has passed will help, so that they can experience the warm days and cool nights for flower spike initiation. Once they have begun to set spikes, keep the plants cool (59-65 degrees F) until they begin to flower. Warmer temperatures and dry air and soil can cause the spikes to wither. Once flowering has begun, you can take your Cymbidium to a warmer spot where they can be enjoyed, if you desire. The spikes can become quite large and heavy, so support them with small wooden or bamboo stakes and soft plant ties. The long-lasting flowers can bloom for up to eight weeks. Cut them back to the base once they have stopped. (Click here for an excellent reference for Cymbidium care.) Semi-terrestrial orchids like these grow beautifully in Black Gold Orchid Mix!

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do I Protect Apple Trees from Fungal Disease?

“I have fungal diseases on my apple trees and fruits. I have tried all different sprays and had no results.” Question from Candace of Bradyville, Tennesee

Answer: Apple trees get loads of fungal diseases (Click on this link for a full list). Some cause trees serious damage while others are just disfiguring and reduce fruit set. Either way, you can reduce fungal disease problems by taking these steps.

Wet springs are sure to cause fungal disease symptoms on infected trees. There are several cultural and safe chemical means of controlling them. These include:

  1. Applying a dormant oil fungicide spray in late fall, again in late winter before the trees leaf out, and again after they begin to leaf out in spring. If the spring is unusually wet, apply an additional copper-based fungicide spray through the spring during a dry spell. (Click here to read more about dormant oil sprays.)
  2. Watching for leaf spotting when weather conditions are favorable, and spraying with a Bordeaux mixture fungicide of copper sulfate (CuSO4) and slaked lime (Ca(OH)2) as soon as they appear. (Note: Moist spring air between the temperatures of 40 degrees F and 86 degrees F encourages the onset of fungal diseases.)
  3. Spraying with a Bordeaux mixture fungicide during the growing months. This fungicide is effective and approved for organic growing.
  4. Removing badly infected or dying stems with clean shears or loppers as you see them.
  5. Raking up all of the fallen leaves that may carry disease in fall, and bagging and disposing of them in the garbage.

Repeat treatment yearly as needed, especially in moist years, to overcome this common fungal disease of apples!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do I Manage Codling Moths on Fruit Trees?

 

“I have a Liberty apple tree and a peach tree within 20 ft of each other and every year fruit tries to grow but what I believe is the coddling moth destroy it all. Do you have an effective solution?  Sprays have not helped.” Question from Ilene of West Greenwich, Rhode Island

Answer: It is likely that you are dealing with European apple codling moths (Cydia pomonella) and Asian peach moths (Grapholita molesta). Both exist in Rhode Island, look similar, and cause comparable damage, but one prefers peaches, and the other chooses apples. Here are three suggestions for overcoming these pests in your home orchard.

Know Your Pests

European apple codling moths (Cydia pomonella) are 1 cm, greyish brown, and have curved antennae. Their wings fold into a tent-like shape.

The codling moth is small and mottled with greyish-brown. Its wings fold in a tent-like manner, and it reaches about 1 cm in length. You will see them most often in the orchard from late May to mid-July. (Click here to learn more.) The Asian peach moth is smaller, mottled, gray, and measures about 1/4 inch (5 mm). The wings have mottled light and dark banding and also fold in a tent-like manner.  The first adults of the season appear from mid- to late-May. Subsequent generations appear from June through to mid-July. (Click here for more information.)

Keep Orchards and Trees Clean

In fall, remove all spoiled, fallen fruits that may harbor moths, bag them, and dispose of them away from your orchard. Look for the codling moth’s brownish moth pupae in winter, which can be found in protected spots near where apples are stored and in tree bark. The moths emerge in mid-spring ready to attack fruits.

I also recommend cleaning and disposing of all fallen fruit-tree leaves to reduce the prevalence of any potential fungal diseases that overwinter on dried foliage.

Time Your Spraying

Time your spraying with precision to stop these pests. A good time to first spray trees is in spring a week after they have dropped all of their petals. This should help tackle the first wave of both codling moths and Asian peach moths. The second time to spray is when the fruits are developing. Codling moths lay single white eggs on the fruits and leaves. These can be manually removed from fruits. Never spray trees when they are in flower. Otherwise, you will be killing all the essential pollinators, while not harming the moths.

I recommend two sprays for these pests: Codling moth virus and horticultural oil are approved for organic gardening, and will stop your apple moths, but frequent applications are needed. Organic insecticides with the beneficial bacterium Spinosad work well against both moths, but these sprays can only be applied several times in a season, so read the product instructions.

Use Sticky Traps

There are pheromone traps designed to just trap and kill these two pests. Set them up by mid to late May just before the first round of moths start flying. These should really help lower your populations and save you some fruit.

I hope that these tips help!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Will Mowing Hostas Kill Them?

“I live in a ground-floor apartment. I had Hostas in front of my patio. The ground crew mowed right over them.  Since there is less than an inch sticking up, do you think they’ll come back this year?” Question from Amy of Cincinnati, Ohio

Answer: Perennials like hosta have buds that reside at or just below the soil surface. If the mowers did not scalp the buds from the soil, then your hosta should return without a problem. They are particularly hardy perennials that will survive really tough winter weather. I expect that they will return for you in spring!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do I Start Seeds?

“Hi, I have the worst time starting seeds and am not sure what I’m doing wrong. Do I need to put a heating pad under the tray and a light on top? If so, can I use a regular heating pad for under them? Can I use a regular shop light above them? I cover them with plastic wrap until the seeds sprout, which hasn’t been happening, and then it gets all moldy. I just tried a tray of rock wool with 50 seeds! All I’ve got so far is mold, no sprouts. Every year I end up giving up and buying plants from the garden center. I have a lot of seeds, I collect and trade and I’d like to be able to successfully start and grow them. Thanks for your help.” Question from Lucia of Huntington Beach, California

Answer: Seed starting takes patience. The most common mistakes that gardeners make are that they plant the seeds too deeply, they overwater them, or both. Too little water is another common problem, especially when they are just beginning to sprout. A little dry soil can mean instant death to a tiny seedling. Here are my recommendations for each of your questions followed by some excellent seed-starting resources we have.

  1. Do I need to put a heating pad under the tray and a light on top? Yes, to both, though not all seedlings require bottom heat. It is best reserved for warm-season vegetables and flowers, such as tomatoes, peppers, marigolds, cleome, and salvias.
  2. Can I use a regular heating pad under them? No, regular heating pads cannot be wetted and may short out and start a fire. Seedling heat mats are not too expensive, they are safe, and just the right size for a seedling flat. (Click here to learn more.)
  3. Can I use a regular shop light above them? There are lots of lighting options, with shop-light fixtures being the most economical. Some shop-light fluorescent bulbs are specially designed for plant growth and cover more of the spectrum–up to 94%. These are the bulbs to use. In general, fluorescent bulbs are not very strong, so they must be placed just inches above seedling flats or plants for best light reception and growth.
  4. I cover them with plastic wrap until the seeds sprout, which hasn’t been happening, and then it gets all moldy. Your soil and seeds are too wet, so the whole lot is rotting before any growth can happen. Wash your pots well before you try planting again to remove any mold spores. Then fill the pots with fresh, moistened Black Gold Seedling Mix, sprinkle the seeds on top, add a light sprinkling of the mix over the seeds, and then keeping the tops lightly misted daily. (Click here to see a nice plant mister.) The soil should be kept lightly moist, never wet. For larger seeds, plant them 1 to .5 inches down, no deeper. Most seed packets recommend that you plant seeds too deeply.

From there, try reading a couple of these great articles about seed starting. We also have a video about starting tomato seeds below.

Seed Starting Article Links

10 TIPS FOR SEED STARTING ON A BUDGET

DIY SEED STARTING: SEED PACKETS (PART 1 OF 6)

STARTING PERFECT HOMEGROWN PLANTS FROM SEED

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What is the Best Soil for Herbs?

 

“What is the best soil to use when planting a container herb garden?” Question from Joanne of Ocala, Florida

Answer: You are in luck! Herbs are some of the easiest plants you can grow, if given the right growing conditions–soil included. Almost all herbs require full sun, fertile soil with good drainage, and average water. Some are perennials (meaning they will survive the winter and grow each year) and others are annuals (meaning they will survive just one growing season and die). All are very easy to harvest. Just clip the leaves as you need them, while being sure to leave enough to keep the plant full and healthy.

Soil for Herbs

At planting time, be sure to give them good soil that holds water well, is porous and fertile and drains well. If planting them in pots, they grow best in Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix, which is approved for organic gardening. Sometimes it helps to add extra Black Gold Perlite for added drainage. If eventually want to grow them in the ground, plant them in a prepared, weed-free garden, and work some Black Gold Garden Compost Blend into the soil to ensure that they perform really well. After your herbs have been initially planted, water them every other day to help them become established. After a couple of weeks, you can water garden-grown plants less unless the ground becomes very dry. Potted herbs will need to be watered every other day or even daily if the weather is very hot and windy. Add a slow-release fertilizer at the beginning of the season to ensure that they grow their best. (Click here for more information about essential culinary herbs.)

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Do You Keep Slugs Away From Strawberries?

“What’s the best way to keep slugs from eating strawberries?” Question from Mary of Lincoln, Nebraska

Answer: There are several things that you can do to ensure that slugs don’t damage your strawberries. Here are six methods.

FOUR WAYS TO STOP SLUGS FROM EATING STRAWBERRIES

  1. Clean your vegetable beds up completely in fall, and till lightly in spring. This will remove any overwintering eggs.
  2. In spring, apply a layer of quality compost as a surface mulch to stop weeds and create an open, weed-free layer to keep slugs away.
  3. Apply diatomaceous earth at the base of your strawberry plants to deter slugs.
  4. Use Sluggo, a good slug killer that is approved for organic gardening.

I hope that these tips help.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist