2024 Getting Ready for the Garden Season

 

Row covers, arbors, bean/plant teepees, and more.

Yes, this is a repeat from 2023 but the information is so-o good. And at the bottom is information about our May 18 Annual Master Gardener Sale.

Check out the Master Gardener class Small Space Gardening - Sat, Mar 16 10- Noon
 https://extension.psu.edu/small-space-gardening

Get Ready for the Gardening Season

The planning is over and now is the time to head outdoors and prepare your garden for summer's beautiful blooms and tasty harvests. Here are a few things to put on your to-do list for the next week or so.

Do a final clean out of the gardens, removing the last of the fall leaves and any of the spring weeds like hairy bittercress, henbit, and purple deadnettle along with speedwell. Get the roots now and avoid herbicide use later. Look for weather or animal damage to your plants and gardens. Don’t forget to clear your paths. Now is also a good time to look for animal burrows or nests.

You still have time to replace, repair, or build wood structures in the landscape while the gardens are still dormant. If you build raised beds for next month’s transplants remember that 4 feet is a good measurement for a comfortable reach. Now is a good time to set up any row covers or plant supports you need. You should have a few dry days to touch-up any painted areas that need it.

Proper soil fertility is the foundation for plant health. Different types of plants have specific nutritional requirements. Soil pH and nutrient levels vary greatly from site to site, so guessing about nutritional needs often misses the mark. A Penn State soil test measures the levels of several essential plant nutrients and recommends proper amounts of lime and fertilizer. The test will measure soil pH, the levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and will also make a nitrogen recommendation. Soil test kits with easy- to- follow instructions are available at your local Penn State Extension Office for $10. Franklin County will have them available at their May 18 Plant Sale. More information is available at https://extension.psu.edu/dont-guess-soil-test.

Take time to check your tools for repairs or replacements. Tighten loose nuts and screws, sand rough spots on wooden handles, clean, sharpen and oil, where needed. Don’t forget to sharpen lawnmower blades and check your wheelbarrow tires. Make sure you have a clean, dry space to store your tools.

Start now to loosen up your body for seasonal gardening. Everyone is different so be sure to check with your doctor even though stretching is a low impact exercise. As you putter around getting all these chores done, take time to stretch. You might do some shoulder shrugs, a few arm windmills, let your wrists go limp, rotate a little each way, and shake them out. When gardening, it is best not to bend over to plant or weed. To avoid lower back problems, get closer to the ground by getting on your knees or sitting. Other reminders –use sunscreen and pace yourself.

With all those chores checked off, take a break in the shade with a cool non- caffeinated drink. All that cleaned and prepared garden space just begs for great transplants.

2024 MASTER GARDENER ANNUAL PLANT SALE

The Master Gardener May 18, 2024, plant sale will have lots of vegetables, herbs, annual flowers and perennial plants and much, much more. Look for more information and activities on our Facebook page. Lines begin to form at 7:30 am for the 9 am start. Come early and get the best choices available. Oh, and bring a big box or wagon.

In 2024 we will have children's activities at the 4-H booth, Beekeepers, and Audubon Society displays. We will have one or more drop in, free talks on gardening topics. The demonstration gardens will be open, as always (dawn to dusk) to visit.

CKagan, Master Gardener

* * * * *

Interested in herbs? Looking for a gift?

Perfect for a hostess gift, or birthday or housewarming.

And there is a price reduction as we look forward to spring gardening.

 Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction on this 5  *  *  *  *  * book

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.

Get Ready for Gardening Season

Row covers, arbors, bean/plant teepees, and more.

Get Ready for the Gardening Season

The planning is over and now is the time to head outdoors and prepare your garden for summer's beautiful blooms and tasty harvests. Here are a few things to put on your to-do list for the next week or so.

Do a final clean out of the gardens, removing the last of the fall leaves and any of the spring weeds like hairy bittercress, henbit, and purple deadnettle along with speedwell. Get the roots now and avoid herbicide use later. Look for weather or animal damage to your plants and gardens. Don’t forget to clear your paths. Now is also a good time to look for animal burrows or nests.

You still have time to replace, repair, or build wood structures in the landscape while the gardens are still dormant. If you build raised beds for next month’s transplants remember that 4 feet is a good measurement for a comfortable reach. Now is a good time to set up any row covers or plant supports you need. You should have a few dry days to touch-up any painted areas that need it.

Proper soil fertility is the foundation for plant health. Different types of plants have specific nutritional requirements. Soil pH and nutrient levels vary greatly from site to site, so guessing about nutritional needs often misses the mark. A Penn State soil test measures the levels of several essential plant nutrients and recommends proper amounts of lime and fertilizer. The test will measure soil pH, the levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and will also make a nitrogen recommendation. Soil test kits with easy- to- follow instructions are available at your local Penn State Extension Office for $10. Franklin County will have them available at their May 20 Plant Sale. More information is available at https://extension.psu.edu/dont-guess-soil-test.

Take time to check your tools for repairs or replacements. Tighten loose nuts and screws, sand rough spots on wooden handles, clean, sharpen and oil, where needed. Don’t forget to sharpen lawnmower blades and check your wheelbarrow tires. Make sure you have a clean, dry space to store your tools.

Start now to loosen up your body for seasonal gardening. Everyone is different so be sure to check with your doctor even though stretching is a low impact exercise. As you putter around getting all these chores done, take time to stretch. You might do some shoulder shrugs, a few arm windmills, let your wrists go limp, rotate a little each way, and shake them out. When gardening, it is best not to bend over to plant or weed. To avoid lower back problems, get closer to the ground by getting on your knees or sitting. Other reminders –use sunscreen and pace yourself.

With all those chores checked off, take a break in the shade with a cool non- caffeinated drink. All that cleaned and prepared garden space just begs for great transplants.

The Master Gardener May 18, 2024, plant sale will have lots of vegetables, herbs, annual flowers and perennial plants and much, much more. Look for more information and activities on our Facebook page. Lines begin to form at 7:30 am for the 9 am start. Come early and get the best choices available. Oh, and bring a big box or wagon.

In 2024 we will have children's activities at the 4-H booth, Beekeepers and Audubon Society displays. We will have one or more drop in, free talks on gardening topics. The demonstration gardens will be open, as always (dawn to dusk) to visit.

CKagan, Master Gardener

* * * * *

Interested in herbs? Looking for a gift?

Perfect for a hostess gift, or birthday or housewarming.

And there is a price reduction as we look forward to spring gardening.

 Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction on this 5  *  *  *  *  * book

Now available retail at Snavely's Garden Center in Chambersburg, PA

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.

Egg Shells for Tomatoes

 

Egg shells (J. Harasewych)

Post-Easter, even after deviled eggs, egg salad, potato salad, and breakfast burritos you still have the shells. Questions about using egg shells in the garden to prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes brought many comments on the Master Gardener Facebook pages in addition to questions from relatives and friends. Here's some research-based information.

*Also, check the link below for a suggestion to provide calcium for backyard birds. (They make eggshells, too.) from Audubon. "Your breakfast discards can serve as vital nutrition for females as they make their own eggs." No research-information found on safety of artificially dyed eggs. If you use natural dyes all is clear. 

Blossom End Rot 

This is a common problem with both green and ripening tomatoes. This shows up as a black or brown sunken area at the end of the fruit. It is caused by low levels of calcium in the soil or inconsistent watering. An excess of nitrogen in fertilizer (the "N" in fertilizer numbers N-P-K, e.g. 5-10-5 = 5% Nitrogen, 10% Phosphorous, 5% Potassium, the balance is filler) supports foliage and can cause a problem.

If you had a soil test, and Calcium levels are in the medium (801 to 1,200 lbs. Ca/acre) or high range (>1,200 lbs. Ca/acre), soil should be good for growth. Calcium helps root and leaf growth and production of firm tomatoes.

Here is an informational article about egg shells and calcium from Christopher Enroth, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois Extension.  

Enroth notes "For years, eggshells have been recommended as an amendment to soils and containers due to their high calcium content. Some gardeners who grow tomatoes swear by adding six or more eggshells in the planting hole, with the idea that the extra calcium will reduce blossom end rot of tomato fruit. Other gardeners compost their eggshells to add calcium to their finished compost. So do eggshells make a difference? Or is this egg wash?"

The Answer

Yes, adding egg shells does work but most gardeners miss a critical step. Thanks to Jerry Harasewych, one of my favorite researchers, for his step-by-step experiment and photos.

Egg shells need to be ground to release the calcium. They can be ground in a mortar and pestle but they are still chunky pieces. These larger pieces, although smaller than just crush shells, take a long time to dissolve and release calcium. 

They can be ground in a coffee grinder and the result is finely ground eggshells.  A research study in Alabama found finely ground shells performed as well as pure calcium and outperformed agriculture lime. 

Enroth also says,  "Don't have a coffee grinder but still have an abundance of eggshells? Another trick is to boil 10 to 20 eggshells and then let the concoction sit overnight. The next day strain the eggshells out of the water, and you have liquid calcium solution. Each eggshell adds four milligrams of calcium. Two cups of the solution per plant should be adequate. Apply about every two weeks. (Ref: Gillman, 2008)"

Water Calcium Connection

The Lackawanna County, PA, Master Gardeners share information about watering and calcium in tomato plants. 

"Blossom-end rot happens when a number of conditions come into place. The disease is especially prevalent when rapidly growing plants are exposed to wide fluctuations in water amounts. Calcium cannot be taken from the roots to the rest of plant and sustain healthy tomatoes. The fruit doesn’t have the necessary nutrient and the bottom of the tomato begins to rot. Other factors include a pH out of range and damage done to the roots from cultivation too closely. Heavy applications of nitrogen will contribute to blossom-end rot.

Other Tips

To manage blossom-end rot, take these steps:

Tread lightly around the roots of the plants to avoid damage.

Water consistently if there's a lack of rain, about 1"per week. Water slowly at the plant base.

Add mulch to your garden, this conserves moisture.

Use fertilizer low in nitrogen.

Do not spray any type of pesticide, as this is not a symptom of insect, bacteria, or fungi damage pesticides are ineffective on blossom-end rot.

Consider a soil test, this will give you a complete analysis of what your garden needs and will give you a head start for the next growing season."

** Special thanks to Jerry Harasewych for his grinding experiment and the photos.

 * Audubon link:

 https://www.audubon.org/news/give-nesting-birds-calcium-boost-saving-your-leftover-eggshells

Ref:From Univ. of Illinois  site:  Using Eggshells in the Garden and Compost

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2018-03-28-using-eggshells-garden-and-compost

~ Carol Kagan 

**********

Are you interested herbs? Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog 

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon.