Papa is back!!! Spring Has Sprung!

April 3, 2019April 3, 2019 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Welcome Back!!

After health issues, Papa has returned to give you the best in horticultural information!

There will be more to come! Stay tuned!

Papa

Who Wants to Volunteer?

June 11, 2018June 10, 2018 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Larkspur was planted three (3) years ago. The seed pods let go of their seeds and new plants come up every year!!! These self sown plants are an absolute joy!

What beautiful tall plants with flowers of white, pink, lavender and purple. The plants look so fragile yet they are very sturdy! I look forward to seeing them every year.

What volunteers do you have in your growing spaces? What an encouragement that will be!!!

Papa

Tomatoes – Better Late!!!

September 12, 2017September 11, 2017 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

It has been my experience, tomatoes planted late are far superior to early or standard planted. As the temperatures start to cool down, you get better flower set and consequently better fruit.

I prefer to cage my tomatoes for better foliage cover to reduce the chance of sun-scald. Heirloom tomatoes have superior taste and texture. However, the plants can exceed the size of the cage!! Next year I plan to grow the plants on 5 foot centers to allow for easier harvesting and increased air circulation.

BTW, the plant to the left of Papa is a variety called Granny Cantrell. This beloved heirloom has quite a following. The plant to the right is Daniel’s, which produces very large pink red fruit and appears to be well suited for our Missouri Ozarks climate.

The above variety has the unusual name of “1884”. The plant was discovered after a flood in West Virginia in 1884. This beauty weighs in at 1 pound 10 ounces. BLT sandwiches are written all over it!!!!

Kellog’s Breakfast is the name of this bright yellow/orange sweet confection. Boasting a good balance of sweetness and acidity with few seeds make Kellog’s Breakfast a highly desirable choice.

The expanded list of tomatoes grown are:

1884 – large pink/red beefsteak
Black Prince – small purple/red 2-3 oz
Black from Tula – medium red/purple, meaty/few seeds
Coyne – red Roma type, large 4-8 oz
Daniel’s – large pink/red beefsteak, many over a pound
German Johnson – medium pink/red beefsteak, one of the parents of Branywine
Granny Cantrell – medium/large pink/red beefsteak, plants are huge!
Hannah – medium/large, pink/red oxheart, meaty, few seeds
Hazelfield Farm – pink/red, medium beefsteak, well adapted to hot/humid
Kellog’s Breakfast – large yellow/orange beefsteak, sweet and meaty
Mary Robinson German Bicolor – large, red/yellow, beefsteak
Omar’s Lebanese – large pink/red, may exceed 3 pounds
Pineapple – large, yellow/red, very sweet and juicy
Pink Boar – pink with green streaks, small 3-4 oz
Rutgers – small, orange/red old fashioned for canning, juicing
San Marzano Lungo #2 – 3-4 0z Roma type for sauce and paste

It never ceases to amaze me, how traditional tomato eaters are about the color of their tomatoes. As one man said to me “If it ain’t red, I ain’t going to eat it”. However, when they try the different colored tomatoes, they often change their mind.

For the Ozarks, start your tomato seeds the second week of May and plant your seedlings the first of July. Your tomatoes will start coming in by late August through October. BTW, for you market gardeners, late tomatoes command a higher price by late September/October due to limited supply.

Plant late, I promise you, you will not be disappointed!

Papa

The Amazing Tomato Hornworm

July 20, 2017July 19, 2017 ~ illbtru ~ 4 Comments

My old nemesis the Tomato Hornworm is back! They certainly are an impressive creature!

When the Five Spotted Hawk (Manduca quinquemaculata) moth finds a tomato plant, it will lay one or several eggs on the tomato plant. When the eggs hatch, the little caterpillar will eat its egg case and starts to eat like crazy! The caterpillar will molt several times until it becomes mature and ready to burrow in the ground and metamorphize into a chrysalis. By late spring the chrysalis will open and a new moth appears in late spring/early summer. Finally the cycle starts all over again.

It is incredible how fast an almost mature caterpillar can strip a tomato plant. I recommend removing the worms by hand. Usually the creatures are found alone hiding amongst the damage. Beware, there color is a great camouflage! Check out the size of this critter!!

BTW, here is another indicator of their escapades. Giant worm poop!!!

You have to admit, they are amazing!!!!!!

Papa

Green Beans VS Japanese Beetles, Beetles Win!

July 11, 2017July 13, 2017 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Last year green beans were out of the question due to a plague of Japanese beetles. This year started out, pretty much the same. I am determined to get a good crop of green beans. To accomplish this feat, I have to get rid of the dreaded Japanese beetles by mid July.

Just look at the damage they do!!

I decided to try Japanese beetle traps. (If you need traps, I can recommend these over on Amazon.com: Japanese Beetle Trap.) The trap consists of two plastic rectangles (holes punched and slotted), pheromone lure, plastic bags and a twist tie. I have made a modification to the collection bag by cutting off the bottom of the bag and suspending the trap in a 5 gallon bucket filled with one to two gallons of soapy water.

The beetles are lured to the pheromone, fall into the bag and drop to the soapy water.

A large tomato cage was used to suspend the trap above the soapy water. I use dish soap vs dish detergent. The soap bio-degrades and is friendly to the environment.

If I used just the bags, I would easily go through three to four bags per day. What a waste! You can use the same bag over and over again. The bucket is emptied once a day. The soapy water kills the beetles within minutes. I toss the dead beetles out in an out of the way place to break down and compost on their own.

The two traps have easily killed thousands of Japanese beetles. YES!!!!!!! I am already seeing a difference. There seems to be fewer beetles.

Papa

PS: Green Beans VS Japanese Beetles, Beetles Win!

It’s Summer Time in the Ozarks!

June 1, 2016June 1, 2016 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to Summer at Papa’s Gardens! The rains continue and everything is green, blooming, fruiting and growing.

Enjoy what is happening!

Bachelor’s Buttons self seeded from last year.

Miss Sunshine enjoying Sweet Peas and Calendulas from the Hoop House.

The colorful flowers even make our old shed look good!

Enjoy the the sunshine.

~Papa

Of Cabbage and Calendula

April 14, 2016April 14, 2016 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Recently I harvested two varieties of heirloom cabbage.

Red Express cabbage is a compact red cabbage which harvests in 60 – 65 days. The compact nature allow for closer planting which is a plus. Red Express has great resistance to aphids and cabbage worms. The flavor is mildly sweet eaten raw and it is wonderful pickled.

Aubervilliers savoy cabbage produces mature cabbage in 80 days. This beautiful crinkled cabbage has a mild sweet cabbage flavor. The savoy leaves make this variety a good fit for garnishes, stuffed cabbage and coleslaw.

Red Express cabbage and Aubervilliers cabbage.

Calendula Kablouna: Heirloom known for mildew resistance.

Originally, Calendula was called Pot Marigold and used as a cool season flowering plant. However, the Indian Prince series is known for flowering June through October. It can be used as a bedding and potted plant. I enjoy them as cut flowers in smaller arrangements and bouquets.

Direct seeding to flower is 70 days. Grow with your cole crops [Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage and Greens] . They make a beautiful border and look equally beautiful interplanted in the garden.

Orange petaled varieties are used as a saffron substitute, a “poor man’s saffron”. Please remember, do not use chemical sprays (insecticide) on the plants or flowers, as this will render them inedible.

Yes, Calendula is an edible flower. Salads, soups and garnishes take on more interest and color when they are incorporated. The greens are edible as well but use sparingly as they can be bitter.

Calendula can been used as a beautiful yellow dye. When the blooms are dried the petals can also be added to potpourris.

Calendula has long been known to sooth the skin and can be used in lotions and oils. Calendula tinctures, ointments, and washes are often applied to the skin to help burns, bruises and cuts heal faster.

This versatile flower is deserving of your garden, don’t you think?

Papa

What’s Happening?

April 12, 2016April 10, 2016 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Introducing our newest family member – Oakley (who doesn’t like her picture taken!) She is quite the lady and has started learning the skills of country life.

We like our birds!!!! A small showing of our “regulars”.

Hoop house growing! The spinach and cabbage remain delicious!

Let’s not forget Miss Kitty, our tomato transplant supervisor. As quick as the transplants were re-potted, she would playfully paw them out of the pot. She is a very curious kitty!!

Papa presenting at the Wabash Valley Master Gardener Spring Conference in Terre Haute, Indiana. The topic , “Starting a Seed Saving Garden”. This wonderful group of dedicated Master Gardeners is very active in their community. Kudos to all your community service projects!!

Wabash Valley Master Gardeners

Spring flowers are cheerful! It is a delight seeing colors once again! Real “eye candy” for the soul.

Papa

8 Steps for Successful Tree Planting

April 11, 2016April 10, 2016 ~ illbtru ~ Leave a comment

Now that you have selected a flowering, shade or fruit tree let it give you years of pleasure by following these steps.

1- Location is essential for flowering, fruit bearing and shade trees.

Full sun.
Preferably well drained soil.
Irrigation source.
Right tree for the planting site. Where do you desire shade for cooling properties and where do you want full sun during the fall and winter months?

2 – Spacing of the tree in relation to buildings and other trees and plantings.

Flowering trees: refer to the tag or your local county extension/Master Gardener.
Shade trees need a very wide spacing due to shading capacity of the tree and its shape.
Fruit trees are planted depending on their characteristic. Does the tree selected require a pollinator tree? Early, mid-season and late-season fruit bearing trees may each require a season specific pollinator. Your local county extension/Master Gardener will be helpful in your selections.
- Standard should be planted 25 feet apart.
- Semi-dwarf should be planted 12 to 15 feet apart.
- Dwarf should be planted 8 to 10 feet apart.

3 – Make sure the planting site is free of overhead/underground utilities, structures and easements.

4 – Now you are ready to plant.

5 – Dig a hole that is as deep as the root ball and doubled the width of the root ball. Notice the tarp? This is the best way to save the soil you have dug plus it makes for an easier clean-up.

This is the time to add soil amendments such as compost, peat moss, kelp meal, bone meal , sand, etc. These amendments should fill the hole 1/3 to 1/2, mixed with the existing soil. The amounts will vary depending on the size of the root ball.

This establishes a good root system and enhances the transplanting thus reducing stress to the tree.

6 – When placing the root ball in the ground make sure it is 1/2 inch to one [1] inch above the ground level. Planting above the ground level allows for the settling of the root ball.

Where the trunk of the tree meets the root system is called the root flare. This juncture needs to be 1/2 to one [1] inch above the ground level.

This step is crucial for a successful tree planting and continued growth and development of a healthy tree.

7 – Back fill and make a moat around the perimeter of the hole with the dirt dug from the tree planting. This moat will act as a reservoir and capture water thus reducing run-off and enhance the growth of the tree roots. This insures the tree receives proper moisture.

8 – The use of mulch is up to you.

If mulch is used, do not place the mulch against the base of the tree.
The base of the tree may respond to this mulch as soil and may stimulate root growth above the tree flare.