Feb062012

A Special Message from Monty’s Plant Food

By admin | February 6, 2012 | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Monty_with_Roses_350w It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of the co-founder and namesake of Monty’s Plant Food Company, Monty Justice, at age 84. It was Monty’s passion for growing roses that led him to create our original plant food formula in his own backyard.  That same passion was evident in everything that he did – from coaching youth basketball, to caring for some of the most beautiful gardens in the region.  He will be greatly missed.

In Loving Memory

Montrose “Monty” Justice

Read more about Monty here

By admin | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Mar202012

Ask Monty’s – Planning Your Spring Garden

By nancyc | March 20, 2012 | Posted in Ask Monty's, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

The Scoop on Peat Moss
“I have read from time to time that peat moss is really not considered that good of a soil conditioner, yet I also read articles that talk about it being so great.  What’s the real scoop on peat moss?”
Rhonda, Mooresville, North Carolina

Rhonda:
Peat moss is considered a common soil conditioner, but not one that can stand alone.  While peat moss is definitely a lightweight, natural conditioner, it is used to help loosen heavy soils and improves the soil’s ability to hold moisture.  Combine it with compost, limestone, and ground wood or sawdust and you have a good combination going as a soil conditioner.
If you are not into all of that work then there is a better solution. The essence of the compost and peat moss is humus. That is the substance that makes it so effective.  With Monty’s Liquid Carbon Organic Soil Conditioner we have separated this humus into its base components then cleaned it.  What is left is an activated form of humic that is ready to go to work in your soil.
Nature will eventually do the same thing with your compost and peat moss, it just takes longer and requires a lot more work on your part. By applying Monty’s Liquid Carbon annually (at least) you can quickly remediate troubled soils. Plus this year, with our all-new ready to spray formula, “better just got easier!”  All you have to do is attach the new container to your garden hose and apply.

Good Companion Vegetables for Tomatoes
“I’ve finally learned that I don’t need to grow a dozen tomato plants for our small family needs, often giving a lot of them away or canning way more than we really need.  So this spring I will have room for other plants in my garden.  Are there certain vegetables that might do better than others around tomatoes, as I still need to plant some? ”
Liam, Downers Grove, Illinois

Liam:

Carrots, lettuce, radish, onions and parsley are good companion plants for tomatoes.  Did you know that basil is even known to improve tomato growth and flavor as well when planted by them?  Cabbage and cauliflower are NOT good tomato “neighbors.”  If you are interested in planting dill, do it on the other end of the garden.

Chives as Organic Solution in Rose Garden
“Will chives ward off aphids and keep my roses from getting black spot disease?  I’ve read this in an organic magazine, but it’s the only time I’ve heard of this.  I didn’t really want to plant them by my roses, because I know they spread, but I sure would like to keep my roses as healthy as possible and having chives as a backdrop wouldn’t be so bad.”
Merrill, Iowa City, Iowa

Merrill:
There are a lot of natural plant repellants out there, which is great for the organic gardener, but should not to be taken as cure-alls.  As a gardener, being proactive pays off, but daily plant attention and recognizing problems from the get-go is also important.  Perennial chives have been known to ward off aphids, as does peppermint and garlic.
Black spot disease is caused by water splashing up on your leaves, so be careful how you water roses. Since their roots are so shallow I always mulch around my roses, which also absorbs the splash from rains and watering, which helps control black spot.  There are plenty of products on the market, some more natural than others that can be sprayed on the leaves to eradicate black spot attacks.  They are all very effective, but you have to keep on top of it regardless.
The best defense is a good offense, and with roses this means healthy rose plants.  Most pests and diseases are opportunistic, so if you have healthy plants, there are fewer opportunities for pests and disease.  The best way to keep rose plants healthy is to feed them with Monty’s 8-16-8 Growth Formula early in the season when shoots start to show and as leaves appear, and then feed them with Monty’s 2-15-15 Root and Bloom once buds appear on the rose plant and through the bloom cycle.  Foliar feeding should help strengthen the stems and leaves, thereby helping to eliminate any “opportunity” for a pest or disease to set in or take over.

Give Gladiolus Another Chance
“I planted Gladiolus bulbs and Sunflowers together last summer and got great Sunflowers but no Glads.  Was it bad bulbs or overpowering Sunflowers?”
Liza, Wake Forest, North Carolina

Liza:
Your Sunflowers may have overpowered you Glads, perhaps shading them or sucking up all the Glads’ needed water and nutrients.  Sunflowers will do that.  And Glads need just as much sun as Sunflowers.  Sunflowers also contain a toxin that can harm other plants, although I have not had problems with planting them myself as a border in my vegetable garden, tucked in with Black-Eyed Susans and even with Zinnias and Cannas.  Give those Glads another shot this spring, away from those Sunflowers and in the full sun they love.

Marigolds as Organic Pest Control
“My grandmother always planted a border of marigolds in her vegetable garden because she said they warded off pests.  I’ve never done it, but is there any truth to it?  I’d hate to waste the marigolds on my garden space if it’s just to beautify my garden, as I have limited space.”
Jeannie,  Galena, Illinois

Jeannie:
Sounds like Grandma knew something about “companion planting,” which is the safest, most natural way to garden organically.  Marigolds are easy to grow and helps keep away aphids.  And, you can dry the flowers for seeds in the fall for planting from year to year, so there’s not even a financial investment involved either.  They also say marigolds will ward off thrips, tomato hornworms, squash bugs and whiteflies.    They are also known to repel harmful root knot nematodes (soil dwelling microscopic white worms) that attack tomatoes, potatoes, roses, and strawberries. The root of the marigold produces a chemical that kills nematodes as they enter the soil. If a whole area is infested, at the end of the season, you can turn the marigolds under so the roots will decay in the soil and then safely plant there again the following spring.  Perhaps you might want to rethink those marigolds – there’s more than meets the eye with this pretty little flowers.

By nancyc | Posted in Ask Monty's, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
Feb172012

Ask Monty’s – Indoor Gardening Tips

By nancyc | February 17, 2012 | Posted in Advice, Ask Monty's, Indoor Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Christmas cactus

Christmas cactus

Pruning a Christmas Cactus
“When is the best time to prune my unruly Christmas cactus? It’s budding out and will have tons of beautiful flowers on it before it is done blooming, but I’d like to shape it up better as it’s very out of control at this point.  I’m a little hesitant though because I don’t want to risk killing it.”

Nicollettel, Paden City, West Virginia

Nicollette:
The best time to pinch, prune or shape a Christmas cactus is when the new growth begins in March or early April. In addition, the best time for repotting a cactus is in February, March or April. However, keep in mind the plant will flower best if it’s kept in a container where it’s pot-bound.
________

Pruning a Christmas Cactus to Add Volume
“My Christmas Cactus has quit blooming finally and I noticed it looks kind of leggy.  How can you get a Christmas Cactus to fill out more?  Is it even possible?”

Dean, Woolwine, Virginia

Dean:
Sure it is!  And it’s easy!  Give the plant a few weeks of rest then just cut off a few segments from each stem – which you can easily determine.  Don’t let the fleshy segments scare you off.  This pruning, like any other plant, will help the plant become bushier and fuller next year.  You can also plant those cut off segments to propagate new plants very easily, so don’t pitch them in the garbage!

When propagating any plant from cuttings, don’t forget to give it the nutrition it needs to help establish those early root systems.  By mixing Monty’s 2-15-15 at rates as low as 1 drop per cup of water you can provide the nutrition it needs to root and begin growing successfully. You’ll soon have enough plants to give starters to your friends, just don’t forget to give them a little Monty’s when you do.  That will be the gift that keeps on growing!

One last reminder, pruning – even during dormancy – can still be a form of stress for the plant. Make sure you help your plants deal with this, and any other, stress by providing the nutrition they need.  One ounce per gallon of water of the appropriate Monty’s plant food for the current growth stage will help your plants and landscape perform at their peak.
_________

Saving your Poinsettia
“I still have my Poinsettia from the holidays and it still looks very nice overall.  I always repot them right after I buy one because it seems like the water runs right through the soil, which seems to be the norm for retail Poinsettias.  Regardless, my plant lives on a window sill in bright, indirect sunlight, but some of the leaves are developing black marks on their leaves.  What could be causing that? I know they are not getting sun burned.”

Cailley, Greendale, Indiana

Cailley:
The leaves are probably touching the window itself and the cold is damaging the leaves.  You are right on about the bright, indirect sunlight, but make sure it is away from cold room drafts, heaters or anything hot or cold that can come in contact with the plant.
One last note, anytime you repot a plant, “root dip” the plant in a solution of Monty’s 2-15-15 at a rate of 1 oz. per gallon of water.  Once transplanted, you can water-in your plant with any remaining solution.  This is true whether you are repotting, or transplanting potted plants to a more permanent home in your landscape.  This one step will go a long way toward eliminating transplant shock.
______

Dracaena

Spots on Dracaena
“Why does my Dracaena have whitish brown spots on the leaves?

Kristin, Black Diamond, Washington

Kristin:
Sounds like you have some direct sun hitting the leaves of the plant and burning them.  Take notice of how the sun is coming in through the window and move your plant accordingly.  Even a light sheer on the window will help too.
________

Signs a Plant Needs Repotting
“How do you know when a plant needs to be repotted other than the obvious signs of seeing more roots exposed in the pot than dirt that should be covering them?”

Caren, Lombard, Illinois

Caren:
There are actually three pretty obvious signs that will tell you when a plant needs to be repotted – and you can see it through their leaves.

  • Dead leaves are one obvious sign.  If you are starting to get too many of them on a plant despite your normal care, chances are the problem is much deeper in the pot – literally.  The roots are growing too large and choking out the plant’s nutrients.  The dead leaves can also promote mold in the container and pests love that environment, so you can compound some problems here very easily.
  • Yellowing leaves usually prelude the obvious dead leaf sign, so pay attention to what your plant is telling you before you encounter the extreme.
  • The hardest sign to read is if a plant just doesn’t seem healthy before their leaves actually turn yellow and completely die.  If your plant suddenly starts to lack luster, stops growing and doesn’t respond to fertilizer, the plant is most likely root bound.

When repotting, make sure the new pot is at least four to six inches larger than the current one.  Be sure to loosen the roots up, knocking off the old soil to free them up so they have more breathing room and making them easier to spread out before repotting the plant.

The plant has been starving, due to its root-bound state so feel free to trim some of the roots back as well. Then, as always, feed it with Monty’s 2-15-15 at first to help it recover from stress and to promote the development of new roots and more importantly those fine root hairs that are essential for your plant to be able to absorb water and nutrients.  After it is reestablished you can move to one of the higher nitrogen formulas from Monty’s like 8-16-8 or 4-15-12 depending on the amount of top-growth you are trying to achieve.

A good rule of green thumb is anytime a plant has gone through any stress like transplanting, drought, flooding, or insect pressure, baby it first with 2-15-15, then help it grow with 8-16-8. Take care of the roots and the plant will respond.
__________

Terra Cotta Pots
“I was abruptly awakened out of a sound sleep recently when one of my large terra cotta pots full of Peace Lilies split, broke and fell apart.  What would have caused this right out of the blue? I’ve since repotted the plant, but didn’t use my usual terra cotta container as a choice, going to a ceramic pot instead.”

Hannah, Anaconda, Montana

Hannah:
I prefer the terra cotta pots myself because they come in so many different affordable sizes and shapes, but the drawback is that they will break very easily.  The larger ones are also quite heavy by the time you get your potting soil and plants in them and they do soak up water very quickly.  Your pot just may have worn out between the pot being watered and drying out, which can cause stress on those older pots.  Even the stress of the root ball pushing as it grows against the pot and the combination of it all can cause sudden breakage.  By switching to a ceramic pot the glaze will act as a seal on the pottery a little better, but you won’t get away from the weight.  They’re also a bit more expensive but come in beautiful shapes and unique glazing patterns that are hard to resist.
_________

“Rust” fungus
“What is rust on a plant? What does it look like?  Is it brown like rust?”

Rachael, Windsor, Colorado

Rachael:
First of all, rust is a fungus.  The symptoms are orange-yellow spots on leaves, followed by orange, fuzzy-looking spots on the underside of the leaves.  Not all plants are susceptible to it, so that’s one good thing. However, cypress and plants in the rose family such as crab apple, apple, hawthorn, hollyhock, pear and rose are.  Keep in mind that if one of your plants gets rust on it, get rid of the plant entirely to keep it from spreading to others around it.  That includes cleaning up any debris or infected fruit.  There are also fungicides on the market that can assist with any major infestations, but look at the label because not just any all service fungicide will take care of it.

By nancyc | Posted in Advice, Ask Monty's, Indoor Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
Oct202011

Monty’s in the News

By admin | October 20, 2011 | Posted in General Gardening, News & Notes | Comments (0)

Winter Preparation Gardening Tips on WHAS-TV Great Day Live

Dennis Stephens appeared in a segment on WHAS-TV Great Day Live on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 to share gardening tips to help prepare for the winter months, including using the newest addition to Monty’s line of lawn and garden products, Ready-to-spray Liquid Carbon Organic Soil Conditioner. Great Day Live is a new talk show featured on Louisville’s ABC affiliate station, WHAS-TV, weekdays from 9-10 a.m. in the former timeslot of Live with Regis and Kelly. The show has an average of nearly 27,000 viewers. Here is a link to the segment: http://tinyurl.com/3btjoyo. Please note: You have to rewind about two minutes to catch the segment.

GREAT JOB, DENNIS!  We’ve also ordered the downloadable file that we can post on our website, Facebook, etc.  Stay tuned for that.

By admin | Posted in General Gardening, News & Notes | Comments (0)
Oct182011

Ask Monty, 10/18/2011

By admin | October 18, 2011 | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Ask Monty:

“I recently visited relatives in early October who live in Minnesota and we actually drove from where we live just to enjoy the change of seasons.  We noticed a lot of sumac in all its beauty of fall in which it turns the countryside ablaze in red.  Is this a shrub that can be grown in our zone?”

Ava

Abbeville, Louisiana

Ava:

Sumac (aka rhus aromatica) is an evergreen shrub and a cousin to poison sumac – but don’t worry about that.  And yes, it is beautiful in the fall when its green leaves turn to that vibrant red.  The great thing about this shrub is that there are both low and high growing varieties, they make great ground cover and are terrific for covering unsightly  banks and do best in poor or dry soils.  The bad news is that this deciduous shrub grows only in zones one to three and some cold desert climates in zone 10.  It prefers really cold climates, so you’re out of luck on getting this to grow in your particular area.

As a quick reminder, anytime you are planting or transplanting trees and shrubs, regardless of your growth zone, you can help ensure transplanting success by incorporating Monty’s Liquid Carbon and Monty’s 4-15-12  as a root dip or to saturate the root ball, and to pre-treat the soil inside the transplant hole.  You can see full instructions on this at our website.  Sorry. that the Sumac will not work for your region, but best of luck on your future transplanting projects.

Thanks, and Happy Gardening

Monty

Ask Monty:

"Is there a difference between jonquils and daffodils?  I was under the impression that they are one and the same.” 

Dustin – La Vista, Nebraska

Dustin:

Jonquils, daffodils and narcissus are sometimes labeled interchangeable for the same spring flowering bulb, but there is actually a distinction between them.  Narcissus is the biological name for all species of daffodils;  jonquils are actually a particular species of daffodil known as narcissus jonquilla, with reed-like leaves and beautifully fragrant flowers.

If you want to increase the fragrance of jonquils and extend the life of the bloom, try treating the plants with applications of Monty’s 2-15-15. We believe that you will be impressed with the results.  As an added note, my wife likes to cut flowers in the spring and brings them indoors to beautify our home.  She is able to extend their ‘shelf life’ by adding a drop or two of Monty’s 2-15-15 in the vase water.

One last note, make sure you pretreat your bulbs by soaking them prior to planting in a solution Monty’s 4-15-12 (see directions here). This will help provide some added nutrition and help to spur on all of that “below the soil” activity during the winter, so that they come up bright and beautiful with the first warm days of spring.

Thanks, and Happy Gardening

Monty

Ask Monty:

“I grow morning glories every year and have noticed that the bottom leaves always seem to turn brown and die.  Is that normal?”

Lyla – Masontown, West Virginia

Lyla:

Morning glories are pretty pest free, but heavy shade can cause leaves to yellow, brown and eventually fall off.  So if this is the case try moving them to a sunnier location next year. 

But there is a fungal leaf spot disease that can cause these symptoms you are describing.  The spots start showing up on the lower leaves and grow together until the leaf turns totally brown and drops off.  Try providing better air flow among the plants by thinning them and increasing the ability for sunlight to get through to the lower part of the plant.  Remove the infected plants in the fall to reduce the source of the infection for next year’s plantings.  If you even suspect this is the problem, I’d suggest moving your morning glories to a completely new location for a couple of years just to be on the safe side. It is also helpful to remember when you water supplementally to do so in the morning. Watering in the evening tend sot create an environment where the plants and soils stay too wet for too long, increasing the opportunity for opportunistic bacteria and fungus to set up shop. 

If you notice your soils are staying too wet, treating with Monty’s Liquid Carbon can also help address this issue.  As a general statement remember that by treating your plants with Monty’s line of fertilizers you can improve their overall condition.  Remember most diseases, insects, and bacteria are opportunistic and prey on weak plants.  The more well-fed, the healthier you can keep them, the better your results will be.

Thanks, and Happy Gardening

Monty

By admin | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Aug292011

Ask Monty’s 8-26-11: Peonies, Sunflowers, and Achromatic Landscaping

By admin | August 29, 2011 | Posted in Advice, Ask Monty's, Flower Gardening, Lawns and Landscaping | Comment (1)

Sunflower-closeup--by-PriceAsk Monty’s: ”A girlfriend of mine gave me a package of peony roots to help ease the pain of two peony plants my husband relentlessly mowed over with the lawn mower because they were planted in the middle of the yard. My bad for not getting out and digging them up and moving them! When can I plant these bare rooted ones as I’ve only seen peonies that were already started in pots and ready for planting? I have no idea how to begin this process.”

Twila – Charlotte, NC

Twila: Well, you already know where a peony will best survive in your yard if it hadn’t fallen victim to being in the wrong place and the right time. They love the sun and a slightly acidic soil that drains well. The best time to plant bare root peony is in the fall just as the leaves are beginning to turn. By planting them in the fall they will actually have time to develop a strong root system which will give them more robust growth next spring.

Open the package your plants came in and make sure the plants are healthy. The tubers should be fleshy, firm and mold free. Sometimes these store bought plants dry out during transit, so it’s a good idea to soak them in a bucket of water for two to four hours to re-hydrate them before planting.

Peonies should be planted with the eyes pointing up and just below the surface of the soil. Peonies that are planted too deep will not bloom, so that is very important to remember. In your area tubers should be planted no deeper than two inches. In the mid-South, half-inch deep is sufficient. Then make sure you put mulch over the top of them and keep these plants well watered until the ground freezes.

Also, by soaking the bare-root stock in Monty’s 4-15-12 overnight before planting you can help stimulate root development. This formula is ideal for all of your transplanting and seeding needs. In fact, many of our growers have indicated that by soaking their bare-root plants and seeds they are nearing 100% emergence. Not only to the plants emerge better, they also tend to develop larger, healthier root systems and have the energy they need for success during that first year.

Ask Monty’s: “This the first year I planted sunflowers, so I planted a mammoth variety. They were growing great with big thick stalks and the heads were just starting to bloom. I look at their progress daily only to find one morning that an infestation of bugs were literally devouring the seeds that were trying to bloom on the flower. I sprayed them with an overall insecticide, but it isn’t slowing them down. What are these horrible bugs that are ruining these beautiful plants?”

Loyd – Greendale, IN

Loyd: Meet the red and gray sunflower seed weevil. Both are easily recognizable by their pronounced long “snouts.” What’s so horrible about them is that just as you’re getting ready to enjoy the huge flower heads, these pre-laid larvae that you are unaware of emerge from inside the forming seeds and start devouring their way out. There are specific products out on the market to control these pests, but note that they need to be applied in late June or early July just before the eggs are laid.

I’ve also heard from old sources that planting garlic around sunflowers keeps these pests at bay. It might be worth the try and you’ll also get a nice garlic production even if it doesn’t totally work.

In addition, experimentation is currently in progress regarding the development of hybrid sunflowers that are weevil resistant, so watch the market for those as well.

One last note, remember, Monty’s 2-15-15 is easy to mix with most herbicides and pesticides. So, in addition to getting the protection from insects that you are looking for as you treat your sunflower seeds, you can boost the appearance and production of your sunflowers. One other benefit, healthier plants tend to be naturally more insect and disease resistant, so the application of Monty’s may also help to boost the protection from these pests.

Ask Monty’s: “I was reading a landscaping magazine trying to get some ideas for next year’s improvement to our yard and the author kept referring from time to time about different kinds of garden layouts, especially the incorporating of achromatic schemes. Achromatic means “without color,” so I wasn’t sure what was being suggested. Can you elaborate more on this?”

Reese – Shoreview, MN

Reese: The author was probably suggesting an all white color scheme as an alternative to your usual, often colorful garden themes. If you have an interesting yard that is conducive to an all white color scheme believe it or not, the look can be quite dramatic, unique and truly beautiful. If you have backdrops of heavily wooded areas or rock or stone outcroppings, the results can be quite stunning if done correctly – which only comes with trial and error. Some white flowers to consider are carmellia, rose, Shasa daisies, peonies and white lilac, as well as some types of silver foliage like lambs’ ears. I hope I have our creative wheels spinning now!

By admin | Posted in Advice, Ask Monty's, Flower Gardening, Lawns and Landscaping | Comment (1)
Aug022011

It Ain’t Called The Volunteer State For Nothin’

By Dennis | August 2, 2011 | Posted in Advice, General Gardening, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

When I was much younger, though not raised on a farm, I was raised by a momma who was. And that is the next best thing I suppose.  It was from her that I learned to speak “country’ with the ease of a local using words and phrases like “on the halves,” “mess of beans,” and “good soakin’ rain.”  While other kids were watching Saturday Morning Cartoons, I was up around daybreak and headed out to a local farmer’s field she had discovered that week to pick green beans, or whatever was in season “on the halves”…now for you city-folk that means that you pick the beans for the farmer for free, in return you get to keep half of what you pick.  It is kind of a rural barter system that has worked for generations. Then throughout the week, while other kids got to just watch their TV shows in the evening, my mom believed that our TV was somehow mystically powered by the sound of snapping beans, shelling peas, shucking corn or whatever else was in season at the time.  She would give us a bucket full of the crop d’jour and we could keep watching TV as long as we were working on those crops.  If we stopped, the TV was turned off…and we had to finish working our vegetables anyway.  I am sure that I complained about it, you’ll have to ask momma.  But I also know that I did it and looking back on it, it was not a bad existence.  The real pay off came not only from a good work ethic, but from the tastes and smells of our country kitchen right in the middle of a Dallas suburb.

In addition to pickin on the halves at area farms momma also always raised a small garden of her own.  It was from there that I learned the joy of “volunteer” crops.  Volunteer crops are plants that come up on their own.  You didn’t plant them, didn’t plan on them, they were just God’s little extras. 

As a general rule the science behind this phenomenon is this, you raise a crop in year one, say corn for example. At some point during the year one of the kernels fall off of the cob either through the action of animals or harvest and lays there on the ground all winter.  In year two, as spring comes and you work the ground you accidentally cover up the seed with soil.  That’s all it takes.  Soon as the soil warms in the spring, the seed germinates and VIOLA! You now have a plant that you were not counting on…a volunteer plant.  Mostly these volunteer plants came up roughly in the area where they were planted the previous year.  But sometimes crops would come up in unexpected places or even from plants that you had never planted.  Those were the mysteries, the ones that made you scratch your head and say, “Now where on earth did THAT come from?”

I didn’t understand it then, but momma was always so excited by these extra blessings. I saw them as a nuisance.  It was the corn stalk that I had to work around when trying to cultivate the beans.  And may the Lord have mercy on you if you uprooted one of momma’s volunteer plants cause it was “in the way.”

Flash forward 25+ years. Now I am the one with the garden out back, pickin on the halves, and teachin my kids the value of shuckin corn. And this year, I built a retaining wall to hold a new flower bed in the front of our house.  I planted perennials, annuals, and some ground cover so that it could grow and develop into a great flower bed and add some color to the front of our house and our otherwise unremarkable landscape.  The one thing I did not plant was a tomato.

Imagine my surprise, then, when in early June, a small plant began to emerge right next to one of my purple pansies. I was about to uproot it along with the other weeds when it occurred to me, “That looks like a tomato plant.” I honestly have no idea where it came from; apparently it was in the leavings as a bird flew overhead and left a deposit. I was about to uproot it, but then the guilt and shame and my momma’s voice rang in my head and I didn’t dare. 

I thought, “Okay, we’ll see what this does. Who knows, we may get four or five tomatoes off of it.  It will be a great conversation piece and I can teach my kids about volunteer crops.”

This is one plant; one volunteer tomato plant.

6 weeks later and a few applications of Monty’s as I was spraying my flowers and it now OWNS my flower bed!  What I expected to be a small plant about two feet tall and spindly has far surpassed any of the cultivated and staked tomatoes out in my garden. This plant is at least 10 feet long, about 6 feet across, and 2.5 to three feet tall.  It has grown from its place in the center of the flower bed to where it is over-spilling my retaining wall on three sides and hanging over my porch on the fourth.  It, quite simply is massive, and full of fruit. (mostly cherry tomatoes). 

This volunteer tomato plant has overgrown the boundaries of my retaining wall flower bed and is spilling over the wall an about two feet out into my yard.

I knew that Tennessee, my current home, is nicknamed the Volunteer State.  I thought it had something to do with the historical nature of the residents to volunteer for battle when the country needed it.  Now I am beginning to suspect it may be due to their vegetables.

This volunteer tomato plant is the most productive plant I have this season. It came up on its own and has been left largely alone, jsut to see what it would do. Who knew?

Whatever the reason, the biggest, healthiest, and most productive tomato plant I have this season is a little plant that somehow mysteriously ended up in my flower bed. It is just a little something extra for a gardener who is just trying to learn and to put into practice all of those lessons I was taught following behind my mom with a bushel basket as we picked beans on the halves.

The lesson here for the rest of you.  Listen to my mom.  If it “comes up volunteer, leave it alone;” nature may be waiting to surprise you.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I am going in to add a fresh sliced tomato to my sandwich and enjoy my lunch with a little extra blessing on the side.

By Dennis | Posted in Advice, General Gardening, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)
Jul142011

Controlling Squash Bugs in the Garden

By Dennis | July 14, 2011 | Posted in Advice, General Gardening, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

A friend of mine from high school just reached out to me on my personal FB account and asked for some advice on controlling squash bugs because he had seen some of my posts related to my vegetable garden. I wrote him a response back, but then thought some of you may have the same questions.  So, I am reposting the letter I sent to him in hopes that you may benefit.

Hey Don,

Yeah I garden.  Like a fool!  It is kinda part of my job and part hobby.  My kids accuse me of being one of those people who when asked what time it is, teach people how to build a watch.  So, forgive me if I get long-winded. 

First, I am not sure what stage your squash bugs are, if they are still in the nymph stage or are full blown adults.  If they are full grown adults, control with chemicals is difficult, if not impossible.

Either way it is going to be work AND tedious.

Controlling nymphs and eggs.  Get a bucket of soapy water.  2-3 drops of any household dish soap in a gallon bucket is sufficient.  Walk around to the plants and look under the leaves (particularly those with damage) and look for eggs/nymphs.  Squash the eggs with your hands; knock the nymphs into the bucket of water, they will die quickly.  This process is made a bit more difficult because the nymphs will tend to scatter quickly when threatened. At this stage, the bugs are easiest to control.

Controlling adults – Sevin (I use liquid Sevin, but usually only once a year when insects are at their peak, and it is my ‘nuclear option’ so I can control things as organically as possible.) will control some of them but it will also kill bees, lady bugs, and other beneficial.  For this reason spray only when the flowers are closed (early morning, late evening) to limit impact on pollinators.

The best control methods are:

  1.  Keep as much plant debris cleaned up, remove dead leaves from the plant and make the environment as inhospitable as possible for them.
  2. Lay a shingle or piece of wood next to each plant in the evening.  As night falls, the squash bugs will congregate under the object as a hiding/nesting spot.  Then in the morning you can go and turn the wood/shingle over and easily collect the adults and either squash them by hand (they will stink similar to stink bugs) or knock them into a bucket of soapy water.
  3. Keep the plants well watered and well fertilized (this time of year use a low-to moderate N fertilizer with higher levels of  P & K; Monty’s 2-15-15 or Monty’s 4-15-12 are excellent and easy options). This will accomplish several things:
  • Insects are opportunists.  If you have ever watch an animal show on the discovery network, you know that the lion will cut the weak or the lame out from the herd because they are easier to bring catch and bring down. Same thing. Insects will attack your weakest plants first.  I don’t know how they know this, but they do.  (This is also a chance to learn from the bugs, they are telling you stuff about your garden.  So keeping them well fed, and well watered will keep them strong and make them less vulnerable.
  • High Brix levels, the measurement of the amount of sugars in a plants also seem to deter insects.  Don’t know why, just know in side by side studies that I have done, those plants with higher brix have less insect damage.
  • Squash plants grow very quickly and can easily grow past any damage done by a squash bug. Making sure they are healthy, well fertilized and well watered will help this.

My favorite control method is to do nothing.  That’s right.  I said do nothing.  Here’s why.  Once the plants are up and growing normally (controlling the bugs in the early stages of plant growth is imperative), there is not much the bugs can do to stop them.  The bugs tend to feed on the leaves, not the fruit – especially until the end of the season when the leaves are starting to wilt naturally.  By then I have enough squash put up to get me through the winter anyway, so any fruit I harvest after that is just gravy. Squash plants grow so rapidly that the impact of any one or even several bugs is going to be minimal and is easy for the plants to keep up with. Squash bugs have sucking/piercing mouth parts. Because fo this, they do not eat away your leaves like caterpillars or beetles do. These wounds will kill the leaves in the immediate area, so they will look spotty, but unless your plants are very small or your infestation is extremely large they just can’t do enough damage to prvent the flow of enough nutrients to impede plant/fruit development. Basically, the work required for complete control, for the benefits, attained just isn’t worth it to me. 

So to summarize, your options are: 

  • Scout and control manually with a bucket of soapy water.
  • Lay out a shingle or piece of wood each evening, collect and destroy the adults in the morning.
  • Use sevin or other labeled control as a nuclear option, use it in the evening or early morning once the flowers have closed to limit the impact on beneficial insects and pollinators like honeybees.
  • Keep them well-fed (fertilized), watered, and generally healthy.

OR

  • Do nothing once your plants are matured.  They won’t eat much, really

BTW…I don’t know if you do this or not…but I have found out this season that the male flowers from the squash plant are delicious!  Harvest one or two this evening and enjoy a squash blossom quesadilla or dip them in a relleno batter and fry them.  (You can also stuff them like a stuff bell pepper, roll them and either bake them, or dip them in batter and fry them.

Happy growing, and enjoy the NM sunshine, I know your squash are!

By Dennis | Posted in Advice, General Gardening, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)
Jul122011

What To Do with Over-grown Summer Squash

By Dennis | July 12, 2011 | Posted in Advice, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

I was SO mad at myself!  I had been looking forward to the simple buttery taste and texture of summer squash ever since I first planted the hills this spring. The plants had grown beautifully..with the help of Monty’s 8-16-8 and Monty’s 2-15-15. Then, I got distracted.  Then rain kept me out of my garden.  Meanwhile the squash kept growing.  Literally by inches a day.  I now have over a dozen behemoths like those pictured here.

The normal-sized squash and zuchini in the foreground are included as a reference and perspective as to how large these garden gargantuans actually are. They are over 12" in circumference and upto 20" long!

I was bound and determined NOT to waste these so I called the fount of all things useful: MOM.  Mom told me that I could cut into the big ones and see if they are still somewhat tender, read that “usable” and if the seeds were still small (a good indication that the flesh is not going to be grainy and mealy.) She also said I could dry these seeds so that I would not have to buy seeds next year.  Both were good suggestions, but would not help me use the sheer volume of giant squash and zucchini.

So I went on a search. Did you know there are very few web pages or other sources of information on what to do with overgrown squash?  But then, I finally found one.  Thank you to my new friends at www.veggiegardener.com !  Because of them, I now have a recipe for my over-zealous gourds and I wont have to waste them.  Check out the recipe, here.

As for the little fellows that I am now harvesting.  They have a date with my wife; tonight, we make squash pickles!  I’ll post that recipe later.

By Dennis | Posted in Advice, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)
Jul112011

Ask Monty’s 7/11/11: Coneflowers, Turnips, and Buggered by Broccoli Plants

By Dennis | July 11, 2011 | Posted in Advice, Ask Monty's, General Gardening, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , | Comment (1)

Ask Monty’s: “I planted an awesome hosta bed under my old oak trees in a section of my yard and then dropped in some coneflowers behind them to add some color and height.  The first year everything was pretty well on their way to settling in and growing well.  The second year the coneflowers did okay, but this third year the hostas were outstanding and the coneflowers appeared to have all died, except for one lonely clump trying to hang on.  What happened here? 

Chevy – Topeka, Kansas

Chevy: You sort of lucked out getting those coneflowers to bloom at all.  The fact that your hostas are doing so well tells me the area is quite shaded –a hosta environment that they thrive in.  Coneflowers are a true wildflower and grow best in full sunny, well drained soil.  Your coneflowers are sun lovers and shade is not the place for them.

Ask Monty’s:  “I didn’t get around to planting my turnips this spring and was wondering if it’s too late to plant them now in July?”

Deann – Wiota, Wisconsin

Deann:  The one nice thing about turnips is that about the time other vegetables in your garden are winding down, turnips are turning out tasty tops and yummy meaty bulbs.  While often planted in the spring, if you want a winter crop they are best sowed in July or early August.  Late plantings are also less susceptible to turnip root maggot damage too.  If you decided to plant both a spring and summer turnip patch next year, they do make good companions for onions and peas in the garden, so keep that in mind.  But back to your question – plant those turnips now!

  Ask Monty’s: “I planted broccoli from seeds this year and it seemed to take forever for anything to come up.  The seeds were so small it was impossible to keep from getting them too thick in the furrows.  It was a nightmare and now they’ve all grown up and I’ve started pulling them out so there is more room between them to develop.  I don’t think I’ll ever plant them again?”

Stephanie – Nappanee, Indiana 

Stephanie: Don’t give up on your broccoli endeavors yet!  Wait until you taste that first fresh head and realize how much your effort paid off.  But yes, planting by seed directly into the ground is a test of patience for those little, bitty seeds like radishes, carrots and celery as well to name a few.  If a person has the room, sowing the seeds inside in early spring in trays gives you a major head start and gives the little plants a good head start after you’ve weeded out the ones that got too close together.  You can also buy seed strips that have the seeds on a biodegradable material and, pre-spaced that you just lay down in the furrow, cover with dirt and wait for them to come up. They’re a little pricey, but definitely easier. Since I only plant for small family usage, I do buy the plants already started in the spring from my local greenhouse.  They come in four or six packs with a good head start, so putting them directly in the soil where they need to be is a lot less stressful for me. I’m not much for seed starting either, but have to have that broccoli in my garden! 

One last note on broccoli, don’t expect to see them with the large softball sized heads that you see in the grocery store.  Those are grown by farmers and usually with a volume of chemicals and fertilizers that you, as a home gardener, would neither want, need, afford, or be able to attain.  The heads will be smaller, but sweeter and, overall, better than their mass produced-counterparts. Plant your heads plants in the ground about two per week until you’ve planted the deisred number or have filled your row.  By doing this you will extend your growing season and have fresh-from-the-garden broccoli for several weeks.  If doing that requires too much patience, then you can plant them all at once, just be prepared to preserve them.  Borccoli do well in the freezer if they are par-boiled for about 2 minutes, run under cool water, dried as well as possible then cut into florets and frozen in zip-top baggies.

Oh, and don’t forget, like the turnips and other veggies metnioned above…broccoli and cauliflower can start going in the ground in the last third of July in the far Northern US through late August in the Deep South (check with local county agents for exact timing) for wonderful fresh fall veg crops.

By Dennis | Posted in Advice, Ask Monty's, General Gardening, Vegetable Gardening | Tagged , , , , , , | Comment (1)