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.

What is the Best Growing Temperature for Tropical Hibiscus?

“How warm do I have to keep my house for a tropical hibiscus? I live in Maine, and it gets quite chilly!” Question from Valerie of East Andover, Maine

Answer: Your tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) will grow best in temperatures between 55ᵒ and 85ᵒ Fahrenheit. If temperatures drop below 50ᵒ F, it will require some protection. Inversely, temperatures above 100ᵒ will cause it high stress, but that’s certainly not a problem you will have. Tropical hibiscus also grows best with a higher level of ambient humidity.

Just give you plant warmth above 55ᵒ, good humidity, and it should grow well until your spring days grow warmer. Also, be sure not to overwater hibiscus growing at cooler temperatures. Less water is needed under cooler growing conditions, and too much water can cause root rot.

Happy hibiscus growing!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

 

What is the Best Cherry Tomato to Grow for Snacking?

Cherry tomato ‘Sunrise Bumblebee’

“I’m looking for a good cherry tomato or currant tomato snack for my men at work to grow at the warehouse. I like indeterminate, sweet, hardy, and easy to harvest.” Question from James of Clearwater, Florida

Answer: You’ve asked the right person! I’ve grown more different kinds of cherry tomatoes than I can count in the quest to find the best. The old-fashioned person in me always sticks with the classic, indeterminate, orange-fruited ‘Sun Gold’ for consistently good production and high flavor, but I’ve adopted some others in recent years that I grow alongside my ‘Sun Gold‘. These are the orange ‘Sun Sugar‘ (a little sweeter but less complex) and the truly beautiful, tart and delicious, red-striped, gold ‘Sunrise Bumblebee‘ (photo above). For reds, ‘Favorita‘, and ‘Apero‘ have high, high yields and great, super sweet flavor.

Several years ago, I wrote a piece about my favorite cherries for flavor. There are a few that I’ve grown since to add to the list, but the tomatoes in the piece are all super sweet and flavorful: My Top 10 Best-Tasting Cherry Tomatoes.

Still, if I were to whittle it down to one, I’d choose ‘Sun Gold’. (I am not alone. It was won numerous taste tests and produces non-stop.)

I hope that this helps! I also recommend you read the article Growing Tomatoes from Seed to Harvest.

Happy cherry tomato growing!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

 

 

Follow up from Jim of Clearwater, Florida:

“Thanks for the answer on the best cherry tomatoes. I forgot to include one important item which is our tropical weather exceeding 90 degrees in summer. Are any of your favorites good to keep producing through our brutal summers?”

Answer: ‘Sun Gold’ and ‘Super Sweet 100’ are two excellent varieties recommended in a University of Florida Extension article about tomatoes cherry for warmer regions. I am telling you! ‘Sun Gold’ is near perfect.

Enjoy your cherry tomatoes!

Jessie

 

Do You Have Tips for Straw Bale Gardening?

“We are trying to establish a straw bale garden because our soil up here in the Rockies is so bad after years of ranchers over-grazing the entire area. Any tips on how to make this succeed? Question from Wolf of Westcliffe, Colorado

“Do you have any advice or opinion when it comes to hay bale gardening?” Question from Pamela of Conroe, Texas

Answer: What are the odds of getting a nearly identical question on the same day by two gardeners states away? There are some advantages to straw or hay bale gardening, especially in hot and dry areas. And the method can be cost-effective. These gardens also generate lots of rich organic matter and can yield beautiful crops if done properly.

I have never created a straw bale myself because I worry about voles and mice making homes in the bales and chomping on my crops. I also fear seed-filled straw or hay bales. But, I have seen successful straw bale gardens from start to finish and understand how they work and are created. Here’s an overview of straw bale gardening along with some steps I would take to make one really succeed.

Start with Good Materials

These gardens should be prepared ten days before planting, so they have time to settle and begin to break down internally. To start a straw bale garden, you will need:

  • Well-bound, seed-free straw or hay bales
  • Compost, potting mix (the amount depends on the bale number. Maybe ~.5 cu ft/bale)
  • Planting knife or long trowel
  • Fertilizer formulated for vegetable gardening
  • Water

Start with tight, well-bound bales of the best seed-free straw or hay that you can find. Straw is the dry, bare remnants of wheat, oats, and barley harvest. Hay is dried grass used for feeding livestock. Both can contain seed, so ask around and seek out the most seed-free bales available.

When choosing your compost and mix, consider Black Gold Natural & Organic Planting Mix and Compost Blend, which are both OMRI Listed® for organic gardening and perfectly suited for straw bale gardening. For bale prep, use a planting knife, also called a hori hori, or a long, sharp trowel. An OMRI Listed granular fertilizer formulated for vegetables would be your best choice.

Maintain a Tidy Garden

Place your bales on a weed-free plot. Line the bales up singly if you intend to plant small crops, like beets, carrots, lettuce, and bush beans (click on the links to watch videos about growing beets, bush beans, and lettuce). Double or triple your bales if you intend to plant larger crops, like bush squash or vining tomatoes that require caging.

Turn the bales on their sides with the tied sides facing outward. Work up and remove some of the internal straw or hay. You can place the excess around the base of the garden as mulch. (Follow up with further application of either leaf mulch or straw around the base of the gardens to keep the area weed-free.) Fill the bale spaces with compost and potting mix, being sure to work it down into the straw. Once full, water your garden in until it is completely moist. Keep it moist for 10 to 14 days. Then it should be ready for planting. Add more compost and mix at planting time.

Over the summer, the bales will break down. By season’s end, they should be pretty well broken down and settled. The remaining soil will be very fertile and rich in organic matter. That will help build a good base for vegetables over time in either Colorado or Texas.

I hope that this information helps! Happy straw bale gardening.

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

When is the Best Time to Plant Tomato Seeds?”

“When is the best time to plant tomato seeds?” Question from Diana of Indianapolis, Indiana

Answer: This is an easy question to answer! It takes around six to eight weeks to grow tomatoes from seed to ready-to-plant starts. And, tomatoes produce fruit between 65 to 85 days after planting, depending on the variety, so you want to give them plenty of time to produce good fruit through the warmth of summer. It’s also good to know that determinate or bush-type tomatoes produce earlier than indeterminate or vining tomatoes.

I always start my tomatoes indoors for the best results. Then, once the threat of frost has passed, I plant them outdoors. Please read this great Black Gold article Growing Tomatoes from Seed to Harvest. It will tell you everything that you need to know to grow the best tomatoes possible from seed.

Happy tomato growing!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What’s an Easy Way to Move My Large Planters for Cleaning?

“I have some very heavy and large planters that need to be sterilized I am sure or cleaned before I plant new flowers next season.  Is there an easy way to do this?  I can not lift them and have such a hard time preparing the large pots for planting.” Question from Jennifer of Angola, Indiana

Answer: It’s always important to keep planting areas clean, but unless your planter flowers experienced serious disease the previous year, you should not have to sterilize large pots. Sterilization is an intensive measure needed to combat serious disease infestations. The only pots I sterilize are my cell packs and 4” seedling pots for seeds and seedlings because tiny plants are very susceptible to common fungal diseases, such as damping-off caused by Pythium and Phytopthera fungal diseases. (Click here to learn more about damping off.) When it comes to my large pots, I simply replenish their potting media every two years.

On the rare chance that a pot did experience serious disease problems the previous year, then I will clean it well before replanting. To sterilize pots, I wash them with hot water, dish soap, and 10% bleach. Then I rinse them really well. What’s your method?

With that said, try investing in plant pot moving dollies or pot cart dollies for your large containers! These make it really easy to move large, cumbersome plants around for any reason.

 

Happy Gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist a

 

When Should I Prune My Knockout® Roses?

 

“I live in South Louisiana.  When should I prune my Knockout roses?” Question from Deborah of Saint Amant, Louisiana

Answer: Many growers advocate you that prune shrub roses in late winter or spring before they have leafed out, but some rosarians disagree (see our Black Gold video on pruning hybrid tea roses below.). Either way, I like to prune mine at this time because it’s easier to make cuts on bare branches, and there’s less trouble with pests and diseases. But, Knockouts are everblooming and fast-growing, so you can be pretty carefree about when you prune them, especially down South. (Click here to read more about rose pruning.) Just be sure you use sterile pruning shears or loppers. To keep shears clean and reduce the chance of potentially moving pests or diseases from plant to plant, I dip mine in a 10% bleach solution between roses.

Happy rose pruning!

Jessie Keith

Black GoldHhorticulturist

What are the Best Fruits and Vegetables to Grow in Central Florida?

 

“What are the best fruits and vegetables to grow in Central Florida?” Question from Sherry of Silver Springs, Florida

Answer: Other than northern fruit trees and berries and a few other crops that require cold winters and droop in hot weather, you can grow most fruits and vegetables in Central Florida. We have many articles that cover some of the best fruits and vegetables for your area. Here are some of our favorites.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Growing Strawberries Indoors or Out in Florida

What Are the Best Tomato Varieties for Central Florida?

When is the Best Time To Grow Vegetables in Florida?

What Herbs Can I Grow in Central Florida?

What Seeds Should Be Soaked Before Planting?

 

Which type of seeds should be soaked before planting, and for how long? Question from Lisa of Auburn, Washington

Answer: The seeds of many different plants benefit from presoaking to encourage faster germination. With thousands of seed-grown plants on the market, I cannot speak to every single one, but I can provide some general groups that benefit from presoaking.

When it comes to soaking time, allow seeds to soak for 12-48 hours. Those with thinner seedcoats should require less time, and those with thicker coats will need more.  Always use fresh water. I like to soak mine in clear glass, so I can watch them swell. Be sure to label each seed-containing glass, so you don’t forget what’s what. After soaking, I always plant my seeds in Black Gold Seedling Mix.

Seeds That Benefit from Presoaking

Most legumes, or plants in the bean family, have seeds that benefit from presoaking in fresh water. These are very satisfying to watch because they really swell as they take in water. The seeds of some commonly grown ornamental legumes, like sweetpeas (Lathyrus odoratus), have very thick, nearly watertight seed coats that need to be gently nicked or filed along the surface to open the coat and allow water in. This can be done with a nail file or cutters. Watch the video below to learn how.

Morning glories (Ipomea spp.) and cannas (Canna spp.) also have seeds that should be nicked and soaked to encourage faster germination.

Other common garden seeds that appreciate a soak are those of basil, beets, chard, corn, and squashes. Some folks also presoak tomato and pepper seeds.

Presoaking can also be educational. When larger seeds float instead of sinking, this often means that they are dead.

Happy seed starting!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Can I Grow Plants in Pure Compost?

“I have some large compost bins, which produce a lot of compost. Can I plant things in pure compost, or do I need some “dirt” with inorganic materials for the best results?  How much inorganic material do I need?” Question from Naomi or Oakdale, California

Answer: Congratulations on your composting success! Compost is one of the best garden amendments available. You can plant in straight compost, but I suggest incorporating it into your sandy garden soil or mixing it with other additives if you want to use it for container plantings.

Compost as a Garden Amendment

When using compost to fortify gardens, incorporate it evenly into your natural soil. Add it liberally if your soil is of very poor quality–especially if you want to grow crops that need fertile soil, like fruits and vegetables. You might also consider building raised beds to make the most of your compost bounty.

Compost as a Potting Mix Additive

If you plan to use your compost for container plantings, include other additives to encourage better root growth in the long term. These include Black Gold Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, perlite, and vermiculite.  The peat moss with lighten the mix and give it more structure and porosity, while the perlite will help increase drainage. Vermiculite holds water, adds porosity, and holds and distributes nutrients. A well-rounded potting mix would include 40% compost, 30% peat moss, 20% perlite, and 10% vermiculite.

I hope that this helps, and keep composting!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist