growLively

Have you harvested your garlic?

Texans..it's about that time to harvest your garlic, if you haven't done so already. Click HERE to read more about garlic!

Time to harvest Blackberries!

If you have blackberry bushes, you've probably already started harvesting...Mmmmmm!

Other fruits that are ripening in my garden now are peaches and plums...what's ripening in your garden?

Wordless Wednesday: Farmer's Market in Banos, Ecuador

 

Start Your Fall Tomato Seeds!

Yep, it's that time folks. Time to start your seeds of fall tomato transplants! (Here in Texas, DFW area). Tomatoes need a good 8-weeks from seeding to transplant time and you'll plant your transplants into the garden in late-June through mid-July. Never fear though, if you don't want to mess with starting your own transplants, local nurseries will have transplants available during that late-June, mid-July planting time!

Tomato 'Golden Mama' in my garden now. One of my favorites!

Saving Arugula and Dill Seeds...

Were you a smart gardener this spring? Did you let some of your cool season herbs and veggies to flower (which is always lovely) so you could collect seed? If so, then you'd have been collecting seed over the last few weeks. Arugula and Dill are two species that are particularly giving with their seed (most of my dill plants are actually volunteers from last year) and nows the time to collect seed from both.

Arugula seed. I've been harvesting this past week.

Dill seedheads...so pretty! I'll be harvesting seeds today.

Both Arugula and Dill are two edibles that make fantastic ornamentals, so it just makes sense to let them go to flower and then seed in your garden. Now, this only works with open-pollinated varieties, not hybid cultivars. For example, 'Celebrity' tomatoes are an F1 hybrid...the seed you save from that plant won't come true to type (you'll get seedlings with a lot of different variants that express characteristics of the original parent plants). But with 'Green Zebra' tomato, an open-pollinated heirloom, you can save the seed and get another generation of 'Green Zebra' tomatoes. So for plain old Arugula and Dill, you can save the seed.

Old 35mm film containers with the lids make great storage for seeds. Or use any container that will keep your seeds completely dry. Make sure to label the container with the plant and date. Some folks keep them in the fridge to preserve viability. I'll be starting these Arugula and Dill seeds outdoors in September for the cool season!

Strawberry 'Fragoo' Series

Have you checked out the newish series of strawberries called 'Fragoo'? So lovely...so far. The series comes in three colors 'Deep Rose', 'Pink' and 'White'. The pitch on this series is the large ornamental blooms you get on the plants. Plus, they are day-neutral so should be ever-bearing (but most strawberries will still take a break during our hottest months.)

Here is a photo of 'Frago Deep Rose' in my garden. I'll be testing them out for fruit production in my veg garden. Now, strawberries are perennials so you need to give them a dedicated sunny bed. In our climate, a couple hours of afternoon shade is usually appreciated.

This series is supposed to be particularly suited to containers, because of the showy flower sand 3-ft runners. I grabbed this photo of 'Fragoo Pink' from the breeder, Syngenta.


There is still time to get strawberries planted in the garden in N. Texas, but I'd recommend doing it soon so plants have some time to put down roots before it gets very hot (and garden centers run down on availability).  Enjoy!

'Changsha' Tangerine in Texas

When you're a plantgeek like me...there's nothing better than getting a stunning plant specimen for your birthday from one of your bestest plantgeek friends. Wait, maybe there is one thing better...getting TWO stunning specimens for your birthday! Now, my birthday was back in December...and it took a bit to get these two beauties moved to my house, but when they did show up (which was a surprise), I can't tell you how happy I was.

These are two giant specimens of 'Changsha' Tangerines,Citrus reticulata, one of the most cold-hardy varieties. Grown from seed by my bestie Jimmy, who so sweetly bestowed them up on me. Now, these pots are giant. And heavy. And I'm sure it was quite the comedy to watch my husband and I move them from the front driveway to the back yard. Not to mention, they are coverd in giant thorns. That was fun...but well worth it!

'Chengsha' are prolific producers of seedy but very juicy tangerines. Although the parentage isn't totally confirmed, they could be a cross between C. reticulata and C. ichangensi. The name Chengsha could also be just the name of the place from whence the variety originated and not necessarily the variety name. Can't seem to find consensus on this. But, what is true is that these lovely citrus trees are incredibly cold hardy. Seed grown plants tend to be more cold hardy than vegetatively produced specimens. These two particular plants made it through the winter of 2010...with all that ice and 10-12 degree temperatures, even in containers (hence the giant thorns which tend to come on under stress or cold damage). Plants will grow 10-12 ft, so are perfect for container culture if you don't have space in the garden. Full sun...a bit of afternoon shade appreciated.

Jimmy knows what a huge citrus freak I am. So I'm sure he must know how tickled pink I am have to add these beauties to my citrus collection (Thank you Dahling). I hope with the babying I'm currently giving them I'll see a nice harvest this winter. Tangerine juice here we come!

In Dallas? Get those tomatoes in the ground!

If you've been to any of my tomato classes, you know that I always say "plant early, and stop planting by the end of March" when it comes to tomato transplants. Weather and temperatures permitting, the earlier the better. This year, we've had a fabulously long season for planting tomatoes.

Some might say that the mild winter caused timing problems for planting tomatoes..but thats not the case at all. The standard planting window still applied, but with no hard freezes in March those who planted in late February and early March should now be reaping the benefits of having fruit already setting on their plants; without having had to do the work of covering plants. Maybe this is a welcome payback for last year's nasty tomato season?

But as day/night temperatures rise, you'll soon lose the opportunity for your plants to mature, flower and set fruit in time. In the Dallas area your best bet is to get the last of your tomato transplants in the ground this weekend, or take your chances with a reduced harvest. If you live farther North, up into zone 7, then you'll have another week or so to play with...unless temps rise quickly in your area.

Growing Vegetables in Containers...

Don't have a lot of space but still want to grow some veggies? Here is a quick clip of me on WFAA Channel 8 Good Morning Texas program talking about container veggie gardens...(click photo)

Ready...set...plant tomatoes!

If you're in North Texas, you now have my blessing to go ahead and plant tomato transplants. Yay! A bit early you say? It's probably going to freeze again right? Yes, it probably will. But with tomatoes, the earlier you can get them in the ground here the better. If you're willing to keep frost cloth or water wall protectors on hand, planting now will ensure you the best opportunity to get fruit set before temperatures get out of range. Peak planting time will be right about mid-March, then it needs to taper off through the end of March. Then I'll cut you off April 1st, lol.

If we drop below about 35F, cover your tomatoes with frost cloth. That does the trick. If you want to read a bit more about tomatoes I have a number of posts about them on the blog- just "tomatoes" in the search box to the right and you'll get a list of posts. Enjoy!