CAN THE IDEA

I sometimes use gallon cans around or next to some of my plants. I learned this method from my Parents, and I also found this example in an old garden book printed in the 1930's. It is a very simple method and I recommend it to everyone.

Plan ahead to get your cans from your local school cafeteria. Ask them to cut both ends off for you.

This is how it works. After you plant tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower from the plants you raised or purchased from the nursery, place a gallon can over the top. Push it in the soil about two inches. Make sure both ends are removed.

Using a can AROUND a new transplant will do several things:
1. Protect it from wind damage.
2. Keep in the moisture.
3. Keep in the heat, for a more consistent temperature.
4. It allows you to fertilize by putting the fertilizer directly in the can and watering it in.
5. It is easy to water the plant and gives the plant more water.
6. Keeps the weeds outside the can from growing as much, because you are not watering them.

How to use a can next to other plants. When planting cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelon, squash and pumpkins, place the gallon can NEXT to the plant. I put it on the south side of the plant, to protect the delicate plant from the cold Spring winds.

I create a large bowl with soil, two to three inches high and one to two feet around the plant. I water these plants in the cans also. I just let the can overflow with water and fill the large bowl. This system insures that the plant will get at least one gallon of water each time you water it. It will stay moist longer and its roots will move to the water.

Watering in the can will also keep the weeds around the plant from growing. This is the biggest advantage of this system. You will have to hand water the plants, but the reduction of weeds will be worth it.

BLUE LAKE POLE OR BUSH BEAN

My favorite bean is the Blue Lake Bean. It has been around forever, and is a good producer. It has also has good flavor, whether you can it or eat it fresh. I recommend it because it is an Heirloom too. That means, you can save the seed for planting next year. I saved some seed last year, and I plan to plant it this year to see how it works.

Last year I planted pole beans around the bottom of a four foot tall tomato cage, and had good results with it. Plant about 20 to 30 seeds in and around the cage, keep them watered well. I turned the cage upside down, and staked it with a medal fence post. This year I plan to let them climb a net wire fence about 4 feet tall. I will plant rows six to eight inches wide on both sides of the fence.

THE DIRT ABOUT SOIL

I’m far from an expert on soil, but here are the few things I know.

1. If you mix sand with your clay soil it makes cement.
2. To improve your soil, add lots of manure, or organic matter. It is good to add manure, leaves, lawn clippings (without weeds) in the fall. It will break down during the Winter and you will have very mellow ground the next Spring.
3. Sawdust takes NITROGEN from the soil, so if you must use it, apply manure with it. Sawdust takes a long time to decay too. I don’t recommend it.
4. Adding SOIL PEP to soil is a very good thing. It is reasonably priced and is good in your garden or on your flower beds.
Wait until the ground is dry and ready to work, then spread it on the top and work it in. Two to four inches on top is a good start. I try to spread a couple of inches over my flowers in the fall and during the winter it sinks in and breaks down. It is a good mulch for the flowers and lightens up the soil. But it doesn't add much in the way of nutrients to your soil.
5. Don’t work the soil when it is too wet, you will end up with hard clody ground.
6. Don’t walk on the soil when it is too wet, it will pack down, causing clods when it is worked. Plants need air pockets in with the dirt to grow a good root system. That is why you want light soil. If your ground is compacted, the roots have a hard time working their way through it.
7. To test the soil for moisture, squeeze a handful, if it stays in a ball, it is too wet to work, it if separates it is dry enough to work.

REMINDER !!!
1. Buy your seeds.
2. Apply Caserone in raspberries and in areas where you don’t want weeds to grow.
3. Spray dormant oil or Neem oil soon.

FAST BREAK CANTALOUPE, MY FAVORITE OF THE WEEK

I highly recommend this cantaloupe, I have had the best luck with it. It is a great producer with at least five large cantaloupes per hill. I usually buy the starts from a greenhouse, but this year I am going to plant seeds. It says on the package 85-95 days. It matures early in the season and is great tasting too.

NOTE: The package says 10-20 days to germination. I soak the seeds for about five days before planting, this will speed up the germination process.

A TIME AND A SEASON

I love to see the crocuses come up and hate to see them go. They have such a small season. Then I love to see the tulips come but am sad when they are gone. Vegetables are the same way, the life of a radish or pea is too short-lived, but soon the corn and cucumbers will be ready.

I noticed something a few years ago. Even though a flower or a vegetable is on it’s way out, there is always something else to look forward to. My Mother used to say she was "thankful for the changing of the seasons." I realize there is a time and a place for everything and I am so thankful I always have something to look forward to.

When Winter comes I look forward to Spring. The Winter allows time to plan and think beyond today. After working hard in the yard and garden, my Mother would say, "I am going to enjoy my Winters more!" I loved it when she said it and it is so true.

CONTROLLING PESTS

LADYBUGS
It is also a good idea to get some ladybugs now. They prevent so many pests. I learned from Della Barnett (her and her husband, Barney own Willard Bay Gardens in Willard, Utah) that the ladybugs you buy are winter fed and not too hungry. But their offspring are hungry teenagers and will eat lots of bugs. So buy ladybugs early, so their babies can begin to eat plant predators.

NOTE: Next time you are going to Utah stop and check out this Nursery, they are so helpful, the address is 7095 South HWY 89, Willard, UTAH. Their web site is, www.willardbaygardens.com. I love it and you will too!!!

DORMANT OIL
Dormant oil is an oil that you spray on your trees and bushes (woody plants) early in the Spring before they begin to bud out. It kills adult bugs and eggs, (like aphid, mites and scales.) The oil blocks the air holes in pests so they can’t breathe.
I have used it two years now and I love the results from it. I spray with dormant oil and follow with a Malathion spray for worms when the trees were in blossom. I always had worms in my apples, and used dormant oil and Malathion, (Malathion after the blossoms were out). I had absolutely no worms the first year, and about 5% of wormy apples the second year. It was nice to be able to use the apples for a change. Remember to read the labels carefully!

I use it on lilacs, snowball bushes, plum trees, apple trees, rose bushes, and in some of my flowers where I have pest trouble. It makes a difference when you apply this oil, temperature, time of day, time of year, moisture and other factors will determine the success of this product.

Some Dormant Oil is petroleum-based oil, though it doesn’t have harsh chemicals, it isn’t considered a truly organic Dormant Oil. According to Della Barnett, (Willard Bay Gardens), "My favorite non-petroleum-based dormant oil is Neem oil. It is also good for any control of insects, mites and disease on any type of plants, at any time of year. It has been used for centuries but has only in the last several years become readily available at retail stores instead of just mail ordering."

I found on the Internet a neem oil product called Trilogy, that shows good results as a fungicide and insecticide, anytime of the year. I am going to try it through the year, I like the fact that it is organic.

CRESS, MY FAVORITE OF THE WEEK

GARDEN CRESS

First of all what is Garden Cress? It is a green leafy vegetable, sometimes called Pepper Grass. It is related to mustard and watercress and has a spicy or tangy taste. I plant it in the early Spring. In fact, I have some that went to seed last year and I noticed some small plants growing under the adult plants last Fall. I hope when it warms up, the other seeds will germinate and I will have some very early cress. I plan to plant a ‘Spring Garden' very early this year, with lettuce, radishes, spinach, onions and such, I'll keep you posted.

I plant cress thick and harvest it when it is about three inches tall, I trim it with scissors and it will continue to grow. I like eating it on sandwiches instead of lettuce, my favorite is a cress and radish sandwich. It adds a little kick to your sandwich or salad. Usually, when the weather gets hot, the cress will go to seed. I save the seed and plant it again next year.

I have always saved the seed from my garden cress and it always comes up. I have saved and planted this seed for over 20 years. I have some old seed that I know is over 15 years old. I will test it this year to see if it will germinate. This is one vegetable I know will last generation after generation. You can ‘broadcast' this seed, by planting a two foot by two foot square area. Plant cress every few weeks to have a staggered harvest.

I plant a Fall crop too, usually around the end of July or first of August. The cress loves cool weather and doesn't go to seed, or get bitter in the Fall. It stays sweet longer, my best crop is in the Fall. I also plant spinach, lettuce, radishes and peas in my ‘Fall Garden.' The flavor of these Fall crops is incredible.

CONTROLLING WEEDS

Notice, I didn’t say killing weeds, I said controlling. Controlling is a better, more realistic word. I found out the hard way, killing weeds doesn’t always work. Did you know there are about 20 years of weed seeds in your soil? If you don’t prevent weeds for going to seed, you will add even more to the thousands of weed seeds already in your garden.

So try not to let the weeds get out of hand, weed them when they are small, when they are easy to control. Don’t get me wrong, I have had lots of large weeds and sometimes my garden doesn’t look as good as I would like. So try to prevent weeds from coming up in the first place.

My Mother used to say ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. This is so true when it comes to weeds. Below is a list of several products I have good luck with.

1. Caserone
Caserone is a granule, it can be found at most Greenhouses or Home Improvement Stores. It is $15 to $20 for an 8 pound bag. It is a pre-emergent, meaning that it prevents germination so nothing can come up through the ground. You can use it around woody plants, such as trees, raspberries, currants and shrubs (read the label carefully). NOTE: Raspberries have new starts coming in the early Spring. Caserone DOES allow the raspberries, currants to come up through the barrier it makes. In fact, it is a raspberry garden's miracle. I use it around my trees and in my raspberries, currants and down some rows of my garden. I also use it on ditch banks, pathways and around plants after they have come up, but it is very strong stuff, so I wouldn’t get it too close to the plants. It works best when applied in the Fall after everything has died back, or in the Spring before anything begins to turn green. I sometimes apply it in a walk-behind fertilizer spreader, on the smallest setting. Or it can be spread by hand, spread it about as thick as you would use pepper. Sometimes I use a hand held fertilizer spreader (this works good for ditch banks). It is best if you water it in, or have a rain storm to soak it in. Don’t put it on too thick, for best results rake all weeds off first, so it goes on bare ground. Still, I have had good results even if some dry grass or dead weeds are present.

2. Preen
Preen is a granule, it is easy to find in any store that sells garden supplies. Use it around flowers or vegetables that are already up. Mix it in the ground around the plants, it will prevent anything from coming up. If you want the plants to spread, don’t put it too close to the plants. I usually put it on in the early Spring to prevent weeds from coming around the flower beds or by the driveway. It only lasts about 6 to 8 weeks, so you will have to reapply it. It is less expensive than Caserone, but in some ways it is less effective.

3. Hi Yield Grass Killer
Hi Yield Grass Killer is a miracle worker, it actually kills quack grass, lawn grass or any other kind of grass in flower beds without killing the flowers. Yes, that’s right, it doesn’t kill the flowers. My cousin Debbie told me about it four or five years ago, and I have used it every year since. My Mother had some flowers along the driveway, about 100 feet long, the quack grass had gotten out of hand there and was about four feet tall. It was so bad that some flowers were choked out completely. More than 15 Lilies hadn’t grown above ground or bloomed in years, but came back and are blooming now. I spray this area at least twice a year and am controlling it very nicely. One or two areas are still quite grassy, but the grass has gone from four feet to about 6" so I feel much better about it. It is best to spray it in the early Spring, when the grass is about 3" to 6" tall and tender, then repeat in about 6 weeks. Always use a spreader sticker with the spray, mix 1-to-1. Read the labels carefully!

4. Round up
Most of you have heard of Round up, and I use it sparingly. I sometimes use a small hand sprayer and spray the weed directly. I usually spray thistle and morning glory, with Round up, I have had good results spot spraying. I spot spray about once a month. Don’t spray too close to your plants and vegetables, Round up will drift to other plants. Make sure you read the label directions carefully. Time of year and temperature can make a big difference in your results.

Always use a mask, rubber gloves, long sleeves and boots when applying sprays or granules, read the labels carefully!!!! If you are spraying, consider early morning, the winds are calmer and the weather is cooler.

Please remember, I am not an expert, read the labels carefully!!!!!