summer – Page 4 – Black Gold

Bringing in the Summer Harvest

The summer harvest has certainly arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. With our very dry and hot summer, many fruits and vegetables have ripened several weeks earlier than the norm. I have heard from many gardeners that they are harvesting heirloom tomatoes that usually do not ripen until mid to late August. Those vegetables that love the heat, and have adequate moisture, are thriving with this weather. Beans, melons, squash, and other heat-loving vegetables seem to be producing bumper yields. I had a listener call me last week on my radio program to report that her pumpkins were bright orange and looked like they were ready to be harvested. She said it looked like Halloween!

The raspberry ‘Summit’ is excellent for producing a good crop in the spring and a repeat crop in fall.

Tomatoes

Often, I will caution gardeners about planting some of the large beefsteak tomatoes or other late-ripening varieties because if we have a cool and early season fall, they may not ripen. That has not been an issue this year. Last week two listeners reported that some of the heirloom tomatoes they harvested in late July were varieties such as ‘Azoychka’, ‘Black Krim’, ‘Brandywine’, ‘Brandy Boy’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’. Another listener sent a photo of his Roma ‘San Marzano’ with the notation that they were as big as red bell peppers. They also had the added benefit of organic-rich Black Gold Garden Soil to encourage their success.

In my own garden, I have a very small tomato with small fruits that have proven to be ideal for growing in a pot on our deck. It is called ‘Red Robin’ and even though the plant is small, it has been loaded with tomatoes for several weeks. This is the first year that I have planted it, and I would recommend it for someone with very limited space. I also have some of the Indigo™ series from Oregon State with fruits that turn purple (high in anthocyanins) and then red when ripe.

Fruits

Asian pears seem to be in abundance this summer. I recently visited a garden with several trees, and they were all loaded with fruit, much of it ripening now. This same garden had crops of plums so heavy on the branches that some limbs were cracking.

We often think of raspberries as early summer crops, though many varieties produce in June. However, everbearing varieties are ideal for a late summer crop. The raspberry ‘Summit’ is excellent for producing a good crop in the spring and a repeat crop in fall. They are excellent tasting too and manageable for row planting. If you have abundant space, consider the thornless blackberry ‘Triple Crown’. I say “abundant space” because this plant can have canes reaching 15 ft in one season. The berries are now just beginning to turn black and will be ready for picking shortly.

Beans

Beans are well known in the summer vegetable garden. They are easy to start from seed and make a great plant for young children to grow as an introduction to gardening. The seeds are large, for easy handling by little hands, and they germinate quickly and grow fast. I like the Romano types which have pods that are somewhat flattened with a rich bean flavor.

When planting any vegetable or fruit-producing plant, be sure to plant something that you like. Then take a moment to consider what you will do with excess production. A row of beans can produce far more than most families can eat. Many large-scale gardeners will have a small food dryer, which is another good way to preserve your yields. When there is excess, check in with a local food bank as fresh produce is almost always welcome.

This is such a great time of year to be eating fresh produce that we and/or our neighbors have grown. A tomato picked fresh from the plant is nearly impossible to imitate from a store bought one. Check with your neighbors and see what they are growing and what they might appreciate receiving. As I was leaving a garden visit last week, the owner came out and told me they had a new rule on visitors. One could not leave without taking a zucchini!

Asian pears have had a great season this year!

Spring Rhododendron and Rose Care

Once Rhododendron flowers have died, remove them from the base to stop seed development.

Spring is a good time for some general maintenance pruning on some trees and shrubs. If your rhododendrons have not been deadheaded, it should be done as soon as possible. I have to smile to myself when I use the word ‘deadhead’ as it is commonly used in garden lingo and many of us think everyone understands the meaning but that is not always the case. I once had someone ask me, very seriously, what exactly did I mean when I said ‘deadhead’! And when I paused briefly to consider the question, I could understand their uncertainty.

Beneath each rhododendron bloom lies two leaf buds. Be sure not to cut these off when deadheading your rhododendron.

Deadheading Rhododendrons

To put the word in the context, deadheading rhododendrons means to remove all of the unattractive dead or dying flower clusters. If left on the plant, they will begin to produce seed, which takes energy the plant could be using for growth and vigor. Look closely at the flower cluster, and it will have a stem that attaches to the branch. The flower cluster should be cut or snapped off just above the junction where it meets the branch. Remove the stem carefully because at the base there will be one, or several, new leaf buds forming that will emerge as the present year’s new growth. Be sure not to cut these.

Rhododendrons can also be pruned hard if they have gotten too tall. Pruning after blooming is ideal. If pruning is delayed, the buds for next year’s flowers will develop, and pruning hard will result in few or no flowers the following year. If this has happened, and the plant needs to be pruned for height purposes, hard pruning should not harm the plant but don’t expect flowers.

Summer Rose Care

Cut the stems of hybrid teas lower than normal to regulate shrub size while encouraging more flowering

Hybrid tea roses often grow to six feet or more in one season, which is an unwelcome height in many gardens. It is easy to continually prune roses throughout the season, as flower stems are cut for arrangements, but this may not be enough. So, try cutting flowers and pruning at once. For example, if the desired rose height is four feet, go down the stem to the desired height when cutting a flower. Roses are quite forgiving, and soon new flower buds will follow. The advantage of pruning continuously throughout the season is that there will always be some bloom on some of the plants. We are growing roses for their flowers and everything we can do to encourage flower production and keep the bush the size we want is the ideal goal to strive for.

Pruning Trees & Shrubs in Summer

Sometimes I think it is easier to do spring pruning on deciduous trees and shrubs because it is easier to see what branches need to be removed. Once they have lost their leaves, it can be difficult to remember which branches were well placed and which were not. Home gardeners can also prune and shape spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac, Korean spice viburnum, and daphne, once flowering has ceased. With shrubs like these, it is essential to prune just after they flower to ensure you don’t remove next year’s flowers.

Prune lilacs just after they have bloomed. (Image by Jessie Keith)

As we head into summer, we have been having some record high temperatures here in the Pacific Northwest with little rain. Many plants are suffering from these temperatures, but some techniques can help. It is not too late to add a mulch of Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil, to help preserve soil moisture. Plants in pots will benefit from this as much as those in the ground. Try it. You will be surprised at the water-holding properties of this mix, and I think your plants will thank you.

Summer Annual Herbs for The South

Defining an herb can be so confusing. Botanists say if something is “herbaceous” it is a seed-bearing, non-woody stemmed plant, but this term refers to all non-woody flowering plants. Herbalists, consider plants to be herbs as long as their leaves or stems benefit mankind in some way as medicine, dye, pest deterrents, perfumes, or, for our most popular modern herbs, for flavoring food. (A spice, in contrast, is when a plant’s dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetable is used in comparable applications.)

1-borage — A beautiful borage flower ready for picking.

For the purposes of this article, I am going to limit our list to a few annual culinary herbs that also happen to be herbaceous, and perform well in Southeastern gardens.

How to Grow Herbs

First, let’s discuss how to grow herbs. You could assume that most culinary herbs would grow well in the hottest states on the East Coast because so many of our favorite flavorings are from the balmy Mediterranean. The problem here isn’t the sun and heat, it is the high moisture and humidity, which turns silver-leaved plants to mush and breeds fungus.

To combat this problem, try to give herbs lots of breathing space between plants so that what little breeze may be blowing will help dry them out. A clever gardening practice I learned while volunteering in a historic public herb garden is to mulch closely-branching herbs, such as rosemary and lavender, with coarse gravel or bright white rock to reflect heat and light into the undersides and interiors of the plants. This is a perfect application for either decorative white rock (which is less than ½-inch in size) or washed pea gravel.

All herbs need excellent drainage. Though that isn’t usually an issue for gardeners with sandy soils, those of us with clay-based sites must raise and amend herb gardens with organic matter to encourage drainage and open up the porosity of the soil for good root development. Black Gold® Garden Compost Blend offers a mixture of peat moss and aged compost to improve soil moisture retention, aeration, and drainage. This top-quality garden amendment is OMRI Listed for organic gardening.

For sandier soils that dry out too quickly, try Black Gold Garden Soil, which enriches the soil with needed organic matter to increase moisture retention and promote aeration and drainage.

Growing Herbs in Containers

Growing herbs in containers may be the best choice for gardeners with limited space or sunlight. I have successfully used Black Gold® Natural & Organic Potting Soil with RESiLIENCE® for my potted herbs and was pleased with the results. I credit the earthworm casting fertilizer for the lush growth, even in summer, when most plants slow down in the heat.

Basil

1-IMG_5868 - Copy — The variegated basil ‘Pesto Perpetuo’ never bolts and produces tasty leaves all summer long. (Image by Jessie Keith)

The first annual summer herb that most gardeners can’t wait to get started is basil (Ocimum basilicum) in all of its many forms from various large-leaved sweet basils to the exotics like African blue, Thai, and Indian holy basil (O. sanctum). Varieties of our favorite herb for spaghetti sauce, pizza, and Caprese salad keep being introduced into the gardening trade, including teeny tiny-leafed globe basil, columnar basil, and this year, I have seen more white variegated ‘Perpetual Pesto’ basil offered at garden centers.

Basil loves it hot. It sprouts quickly from seed started directly in the soil, and is only 6-15 weeks to harvest. Keep picking your basil leaves throughout the summer for the bushiest plants, and be sure to keep the endless supply of basil flowers pinched for the best-tasting leaves.

Borage

Borage is another annual that can be started from seed, even when soil temperatures are up into the ’80s. The signature sky-blue, star-shaped flowers of borage (Borago officinalis) can be sugar-coated, dried, and eaten; but, the young leaves add a hint of cucumber taste to salads. Once the fuzzy leaves mature, they are best cooked. Keep planting them throughout the summer for continuous harvesting.

Cilantro

1-corriander — Eat the leaves and cilantro and the dried seeds as coriander.

Southerners may be more familiar with the fresh leaves of cilantro than we are with the nutty seeds of the same plant, which are called coriander (Coriandrum sativum). An ancient plant mentioned in the Bible, this herb has been relished throughout history in cultures across the world.

Though usually planted by seed in the early fall in the Southeast United States, coriander left too long in the garden will scatter seed that will pop up everywhere the next spring. Keep cutting and using this plant when it is fresh, as it bolts easily, then vanishes.

Dill

Nothing perfects a potato salad, deviled egg, or pickle like the addition of dill (Anethum graveolens). Dill’s ferny leaves are fragrant and astringent, so the perfect complement to heavy rich foods and anything made using vinegar. This is a plant to keep seeding into your garden every few weeks. Like cilantro, it bolts quickly in the heat, so be prompt to pick it and replace it.

1-IMG_5827 — Dill flowers are just as tasty and pungent as dill leaves. (Image by Jessie Keith)

Epazote

Newer to the culinary scene is epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) a wild plant that is essential in Mexican bean dishes, soups, and mole sauce. Once treated as an aggressive weed, gourmet cooks are now searching for its fresh young leaves. Your local Latin market may have some viable seed available, otherwise, check organic seed catalogs.

Nasturtium

We love the colorful flowers of nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus), not forgetting that both the fresh blossoms and its rounded leaves can be peppery additions to salads, and that nasturtium flower buds can be pickled like capers. Plant nasturtium early in the summer in very well-drained, moderate to poor soil for the best flowering. Remember that unlike others in this list, these annual plants don’t thrive as well during our dog days of summer but perform better in fall.

Of course, there are cool-season annual herbs, biennial herbs, and plenty of perennial herbs to cultivate in the Southeast, but I hope that this sampling of summer annual culinary herbs will inspire you to keep planting something special through the hottest days ahead.

The Glorious June Garden

PRS Rose Show 2014 — The Portland Rose Society Rose Show is a late spring event that occurs yearly in early June.

Cussonia spicata (Cabbage Tree) — The newest addition to my garden is a the delicate cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata).

Not that all 12 months are not great for gardening, but for me June is extra special. June is when I have already made many trips to local garden centers, and my containers on the deck and throughout the garden are almost all planted. My summer color baskets are blooming, the roses are at their peak performance, and the hummingbirds are being aggressive over what they perceive as their territory and favorite plants. Our water features have been cleaned and are running, the green tree frogs have returned, and our patio furniture is out on the deck. Plus, we have had more than our usual share of blue skies and sunny days, and we’ve been able to have multiple evening meals on our deck. This all makes me realize just how glorious the month of June can be here in the Pacific Northwest.

It seems as though hostas have been particularly beautiful this spring season. With our mild winter and early warm spring weather, they emerged early and look outstanding. Sometimes we forget how having different, interesting leaf textures and colors can create a beautiful and peaceful scene. I was particularly impressed with a recent garden that I visited with a bed of hostas that created just such a setting with beautiful and distinct leaf textures and colors. This gardener told me that earlier this season. he had applied a mulch of Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil to help hold the moisture around the plants during what is predicted to be a dry summer.

Cornus kousa 'Venus' — Cornus kousa ‘Venus’ has gigantic flowers that appear in my garden in June.

There are many rose shows held throughout the month of June, and visiting one is an excellent way to gain some knowledge on growing roses. Since the roses being exhibited would primarily be from local gardens, they would likely be good performers for your area. Plus, attending a rose show is a good way to meet rose gardeners that are more than happy to share their knowledge. Despite the rose’s reputation of being high maintenance and requiring constant spraying, many new roses have been released that are quite disease resistant. Check with your local garden center on those that meet this requirement.

Dogwood trees provide spectacular blooms during much of June and this gives us an opportunity to see them as they actually grow and flower in a home garden. On a recent visit to the garden of a friend, I was in awe of his Cornus kousa ‘Venus’ in full bloom at the front of his house. The flowers measured 8-9 inches across and with the tree in full bloom, it was magnificent sight. Dogwoods generally like a soil rich in organic matter and adding Black Gold Garden Compost to the soil at the time of planting or as a top mulch on established trees would be beneficial.

Hostas at Joe's — The hostas are most spectacular in June.

I would be remiss without mentioning a new plant in my garden! It is cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata), and I have it in a large pot on our deck. I saw it at a local garden center and was not familiar with it. Since I liked the look, I bought it. I put it in a large pot using Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil and around the base of the tree, I put three small plants of Acacia cognata (dwarf). Even though both plants are perennials, I would not expect them to survive a winter here without protection, so I will think of them as annuals and enjoy them all summer.

If you have some public gardens in your area, be sure to visit them during June. You may see plants being display in a way you have never thought of. Many garden organizations have ‘open gardens’ during June and often non-profit organizations have garden tours. Be sure to take advantage of these opportunities, you may meet some new plants and some friendly like-minded people.

Everblooming Bedding Plants for Heat and Drought

Two Zinnias, ‘Macarenia’ and ‘Mazurkia’ , comprise the bright, heat-wise Sasiando Mix. (Photo care of National Garden Bureau)

Finding garden flowers that bloom effortlessly through the hot, dry summer months can be a challenge for those new to gardening. So many popular bedding plants are tender and water needy. Impatiens, coleus, dahlias and even petunias will quickly flag when the heat and drought ramps up. But, have no fear. Lots of bedding plants will make it through the worst of the summer weather. Some even shine—blooming effortlessly all summer long.

National Garden Bureau Agastache-Arizona-Sun — Arizona Sun is one tough, pretty bedding plant that offers continuous color and attracts hummingbirds. (Photo care of National Garden Bureau)

When choosing “hot” summer flowers, I like to think of their origins. Resilient selections come from sultry climates, like Mexico, Africa, the American South, and hot, dry regions in the Mediterranean. They’re adapted to hot weather. Agastache, angelonia, cuphea, salvia, marigolds, and zinnias are several excellent choices. Exciting varieties are generated each year, making it easy to fill the garden with beautiful flowers sure to shine.

Hummingbird Mint

Hummingbirds love the sunny flowers of agastache (otherwise known as hummingbird mint) and the blooms shine through summer in containers or garden beds. They’ve been a standby in my garden for the last 20 years because they are so beautiful, fragrant and easy. Many new resilient varieties make gardening and crafting colorful flower combos easier than ever. The new Agastache Arizona™ Sun and Arizona™ Sandstone, with their gold and soft orange blooms and foot-high statures, will bloom through hot, dry weather and mix well with many similarly tough garden flowers. Though hybrids, the parent plants originate from the American Southwest—a testament to their ability to take the heat.

vermillionaire2 — The bright flowers of Cuphea Vermillionaire continue until frost. (Photo care of Proven Winners)

Angelonia

The Mexican native narrowleaf angelon (Angelonia angustifolia) produces snapdragon-like spikes of white, purple and pink flowers through summer months. Of these, the carefree bloomers in the Serena™ Series have won multiple awards (Mississippi Medallion Award, Dallas Arboretum FlameProof Award, Louisiana Super Plants Award) for their high performance and ability to stand up to summer heat. The breeders claim: “Plants grow up to 50% larger in Floridalike conditions.”

Firecracker Plant

Gardeners with large, sunny, South-facing beds should consider planting the big, bushy firecracker plant, Cuphea Vermillionaire™. New from Proven Winners, the bushy plants reach around two feet and become laden with lots of orange-red, tubular flowers that are a hummingbird mainstay. A strong tendency to rebloom until frost makes this a superb bedding plant as does its high tolerance to hot, dry weather.

Scarlet Sage

In late summer, I always rely on colorful scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) to add bright garden color up until frost. And, these natives of the American South and Mexico are made for hummingbirds! The tall species gently self-sows, so I simply dig the seedlings and place them where I want them, but that doesn’t keep me from planting a few choice varieties as well. The AAS- and Fleuroselect-winning varieties in the Summer Jewel™ series are compact (reaching one and a half to two feet), bloom continuously, and come in shades of red, pink, and white.

NGB Salvia_SummerJewelWhite-AAS2015-2-crop — The award-winning Salvia Summer Jewels White is a great continuous bloomer for hot, dry places! (Photo care of the National Garden Bureau)

Marigolds

Once established, marigolds are made for summer with their nonstop flowers in flame colors. The tall, Garland Orange African marigold (Tagetes erecta ‘Garland Orange’) bears huge, long-stemmed flowers on strong, bushy plants less apt to topple over in the wind. Plants reach three feet, making them a great choice for colorful, back-of-the-border fillers.

Zinnia

There’s always a place in my garden for zinnias. Not only do they make great cut flowers, but newer varieties flower effortlessly with little deadheading (removal of old blooms). The new Sasiando mix, which comprises Zinnia ‘Macarenia’, with gold and orange double blooms, and ‘Mazurkia’, with ivory and red double blooms, attracts butterflies in a big show of flowers. Both are high performers in sweltering summer weather and their bushy plants reach two to three feet. Deadheading is not necessary but may keep plants looking prettier.

Plant a few of these water- and heat-wise plants and your flower garden will be smiling through even the most scorching days of summer, with moderate care and watering. Give them a boost with an OMRI Listed flower food and top-dress with Black Gold Garden Compost Blend and keep the sunny blooms and bouquets coming!

Bold Container Gardening

Red Banana and Forest Grass — The glossy red leaves of a potted red banana unfurl amid golden forest grass.

The arrival of May means that in my garden it is time for getting serious about container gardening. This is the time to go to a garden center and look for new and ‘must have’ plants. Last year in one of my articles, I mentioned that I counted the containers throughout my garden and the final tally at that time was 148. Since none have been broken, and a there are a few additions, I will have to get a final count later this season.

Potting Bold Container Plants

When I add new plants to an existing container that has previously been planted, if it is a small container, I take out all of the old soil and add new. If it is a large container, I take out about half of the old, add new and mix it with what is left in the container. My potting mix of choice is OMRI® Listed Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil. On some plants, such as Papyrus, (Cyperus papyrus), that prefer a moist soil, I will use Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil. I have learned that the roots of Papyrus are so vigorous that they will fill up even a large pot with such a thick mass of roots that I need replenish the entire pot with new soil each year. However, by midsummer the plants are so stunning that I don’t mind. I have two pots of Papyrus now, newly planted on my deck, and the plants are so small that it is hard to believe how much they will have grown by midsummer.

Papyrus (Giant) — Giant papyrus make a simple, but dramatic impact in the container garden.

Bold Container Plants

I always get some plants that are new to me for my containers and this season has been no exception. Since we have some areas that are shaded, I bought felt fern (Pyrrosia haslata) and find that these have already drawn attention of visitors. It is a terrestrial fern with smooth-edged fleshy fronds and a felt-like underside. Another new container combination that I planted is cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata) and at the base I planted Acacia Cognata Dwarf, sometimes referred to as ‘Cousin It’ because of the thick and thin branches. I do not expect these to be winter hardy here, especially in a container, but the cabbage tree has such an unusual leaf pattern that I believe will draw attention and in my mind I will consider them both annuals.

Papyrus 5-8-15 — This newly planted papyrus will fill the summer pot in no time!

There are some plants that I continually repeat plant every spring because they are ‘must haves’, and they have become traditional plants for our deck. Several salvias are included in this mix with Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’ being a long time favorite. With blue flowers that are now appearing, they will continue to bloom all summer and are a magnet for hummingbirds. A new salvia for me last year was ‘Amistad’, which is similar to ‘Black and Blue’ except the flowers are purple. It is also excellent for attracting hummingbirds. Digiplexis ‘Illumination Flame’ was new to me last year but has already been planted this season. It has continuous blooms on tall stalks, like foxgloves to which it is related, but unlike a foxglove it blooms all summer with yellow centered coral peach flowers. It has proved to be an outstanding plant.

One of the many advantages of container gardening is that pots can be moved around, depending on the season. We had hellebores blooming on our deck containers this winter but have now moved them back part of our garden since their blooming period is over. Summer pots get filled with bold, warm season standbys like red banana, a perennial favorite that’s a real standout with big, glossy, reddish leaves.

What can be planted in a container can be endless, and there are so many wonderful choices for pottery that contrasting the color of the pot with the flowers and/or foliage of a container can make for an eye catching display that can be seasonal.

Island With Pots - Photo by Rich Baer — This “island of pots” shows how creative gardeners can be with bold container plantings!

Growing Tomatoes from Seed to Harvest

Nothing is more gratifying than a big tomato harvest in summer!

Homegrown summer tomatoes simply taste better. That’s why they’re the most popular warm-season crop. They are inexpensive to grow and offer big payloads of delicious fruits, which are pricy at farmers’ markets and grocery stores. It pays to grow your own from seed because they are easy to start, and if you grow organically it’s the best way to know that your stock is pesticide-free. And, there are loads of wonderful tomato varieties only offered from seed.

Tomato Basics

Common Name: Tomato
Botanical Name: Lycopersicon esculentum
Days to Harvest: 65 to 85 days after planting, depending on the variety
Planting Time: After the last frost date
Light: Full sun
Soil: Rich, porous, well-drained loam
Water: Regular water for even moisture
Temperature: Fruiting is best with 78 -92ᵒ F days and 70ᵒ-80 F nights.
Fertilization: Quality fertilizer formulated for tomatoes

Pests: Tomato hornworms and Colorado potato beetles feed on foliage and fruits, causing significant damage.
Diseases: Plant wilt, leaf damage, fruit damage, or poor performance can be caused by many tomato diseases, including early and late blight, fusarium wilt, tomato mosaic virus, and verticillium wilt.
Disorders: Blossom end rot (caused by calcium deficiency), splitting/cracking (caused by excessive water or temperature fluctuations), and fruit toughness, cat-facing, and reduced productivity (caused by cool temperatures) are the most common disorders.

Days to Harvest Steps for Tomatoes

'Pomodoro' is a fantastic all-purpose tomato for fresh eating and cooking. — ‘Franchi’s Italian Pear’ is a fantastic all-purpose tomato for fresh eating and cooking.

Starting Seeds

It takes around six to eight weeks to grow tomatoes from seed to ready-to-plant seedlings. Start seeds indoors for the best results. Sow seeds in cells filled with OMRI Listed Black Gold Seedling Mix and lightly sprinkle a bit on top to cover. Gently moisten the cells with water, and then place the trays right under the warmth of grow lights. Keep the mix moist but never wet. In 5 to 12 days, your tomato seeds should germinate. Germination is best when temperatures are warm (68°-75° F (20-24° C)). A heat mat for seed starting will dramatically hasten germination. (Click here for more detailed seed-starting instructions.)

Tending Seedlings

Tomato seedlings are delicate and have two lance-shaped seed leaves when they first emerge. The true leaves, which are feathery and divided, appear in 2 to 3 days. At this point, feed seedlings with diluted, water-soluble tomato fertilizer. Keep the soil moist but not wet. Wet soil can encourage fungal diseases that cause seedlings to rot or “damp off.” To avoid leaf burn, lift grow lights up as plants get closer to the bulbs.

Tending Small Plants

Tomato plants should be around 8- to 10-inches tall and garden-ready after eight weeks. Indoor grown seedlings are tender, have weak stems, and need time to adjust to full sun. If directly planted outdoors, they will develop leaf burn and may die. To avoid this, they need to be hardened off for at least a week before planting. Hardening off means acclimating seedlings from their cushy indoor growing conditions to the windy, sunny outdoors where temperatures fluctuate.

To harden seedlings off, place the potted plants in a protected spot that gets a few hours of sun per day. Each day move them to a new location where they get a little more light and wind each day. After a week or so, they should be tough enough to plant in the garden.

'Matt's Wild Cherry' is a delicious, tiny cherry tomato with big flavor. — ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’ is a delicious, tiny cherry tomato with big flavor.

Garden or Container Planting

Choose a good spot for your tomatoes. They require at least 8 hours of full sun and well-drained soil that’s fertile. Vining (indeterminate) types need caging or trellising, while bush (determinant) types need staking; both types benefit from summer pruning.

Before planting in the garden, amend beds by digging and turning the soil deeply and adding rich Black Gold Natural & Organic Compost Blend and an OMRI Listed tomato fertilizer. Plant tomatoes around 4 feet apart and mulch with another 2- to 3-inch layer of Black Gold Natural & Organic Compost Blend. Young plants can be planted deep, with only several leaves above ground–just be sure to gently remove the leaves from all stem parts that will be covered with soil. Water regularly to keep root moist. As plants grow, they will demand more water.

Tomatoes are such aggressive feeders and water hounds that you have to give serious attention to container-grown plants. Start with a really large pot. Determinant tomatoes are best, but indeterminates will also work if you keep them well caged and pruned. A good, water-holding potting soil is perfect for container culture. I recommend Black Gold® Natural & Organic Potting Mix, which also contains Resilience™ for stronger stems and better root development. Container-grown tomatoes need to be watered daily and fed more frequently, but if you give them ample attention, they should thrive and produce beautifully. (Click here to watch a video about how to grow tomatoes in containers.)

Harvest

Tomato fruits develop the best when days are warm (between 78 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit) and nights are warm (at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Tomatoes can be harvested green for fried green tomatoes and green tomato chutney, but they are best picked when they are fully ripe (well colored, slightly soft to the touch). Some tomatoes are naturally easy to pull from the vine when mature, while others cling. I always keep a pair of pruning sheers on hand for clingers. If you accidentally harvest a few fruits with a bit of green, let them stand on a sunny windowsill for a couple of days, and they will ripen up right away.

Pruning

Tomatoes can be cut and shaped to keep them from overtaking a trellis or container. Use sharp, clean pruners to cut whole branches back to main stems as needed. Try to maintain productive fruit and flower-laden branches, if at all possible. As a precautionary measure, it’s wise to dip pruners in a 10% bleach solution when pruning from plant to plant, just to avoid the possibility of spreading disease. Dip and wipe the pruners after pruning one plant and going to another. (Click here for a video about how to prune cherry tomatoes.)

Tomatoes to Try

'Gold Medal' is one of the best-tasting, prettiest beefsteak tomatoes. — Gold Medal’ is one of the best-tasting, prettiest beefsteak tomatoes.

Tomatoes come in all colors, shapes, and sizes and their flavors are surprisingly variable. In my garden, I always choose several slicers, sauce tomatoes, salad tomatoes, and cherries each year. Some of my favorite pickings include the heirloom red and yellow slicer ‘Gold Medal‘, the French salad tomato ‘Crimson Carmello‘, and orange beefsteak ‘Kellogg’s Orange Breakfast‘. My favorite sauce tomatoes are the Italian powerhouses ‘Red Pear‘, ‘San Marzano Redorta‘ as well as the salad-sized ‘Principe Borghese‘, which is touted as the best tomato for sun drying. My cherry tomatoes of choice are the sweet, golden ‘Sun Gold‘, tiny red ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry‘, and delectable yellow and red ‘Isis Candy‘. All are beautiful and have exceptional flavor.

Enjoy Your Tomatoes

This is the easy part. Lavish burgers with big, hearty tomato slices, eat them fresh in salads or make homemade tomato sauce and salsa. To extend the season, freeze whole tomatoes and sauce for winter. (This generally requires at least ten healthy tomato plants to provide enough to store through winter.)

Growing tomatoes is gratifying if you follow the proper steps and give them the best care. If you do it right, you should have more than enough tomatoes to enjoy and share. I wish you the best tomato season!

Follow these instructions and you'll have enough tomatoes for storing and sharing with friends. — Follow these instructions and you’ll have enough tomatoes for storing and sharing with friends.

Reviving Late-Summer Flowers

Rosa 'Perfume Delight' 2 JaKMPM — Despite the high heat here in the Pacific Northwest, the roses have done well. (photo by Jessie Keith)

Perhaps we have been through the “dog days of summer” here in the Pacific Northwest with our daytime temperatures reaching 90+ degrees. Not only have those of us without air conditioning suffered, but many of our plants did as well.
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Extending the Vegetable Harvest in the Southwest

Lycopersicon esculentum 'Early Girl' JaKMPM — Scorching summer heat slows or halts tomato flowering and fruit production in the American Southwest. (photo by Jessie Keith)

Out here in the dry western states, the growing season is far longer than most realize. We plant earlier, our plants peak earlier, and by the time the heat of late July and August rolls around, growth and yields have slowed considerably. This is partly due to temperatures flirting with 100 degrees Fahrenheit in low humidity, which halts flower production, slows fruit production, and stimulates pests, like wooly aphids and spider mites. Once the days cool at the start of September, the month of the Equinox, many summer vegetable plants like tomatoes start to flower again and will produce a secondary crop, but only under the right conditions.
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Big, Bold, Beautiful Blooms

1-DSC_0054 — The quintessential, evergreen Southern magnolia can have flowers reaching 12” across.

Is there a stronger magnet that draws one into a landscape than huge, super big flowers? I’m talking about blossoms the size of a small child’s head, a Sunday dinner plate, or a brass trumpet. Why would nature produce such enormous blooms when they rob energy from the plant? As pleasing as large flowers are to us, the plant’s primary purpose is to attract the right pollinator.

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