Home Grown

Gardening Tips for the Month of February

WTJX Channel 12 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:31:25 +0000

Tip: The benefits of using transplants.
Some vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower should be transplanted as small plants rather than planted as seed. Transplants will grow in soil that is too cool for seed to germinate. The use of transplants shortens the period to harvest and allows the gardener to complete a crop before it gets too hot. Always remove plastic or paper pots from transplants and crack peat pots so allowing roots to grow easily and unrestricted into the soil.

Tip: Plant food is a boost in early plant growth.
A starter solution helps plants grow quickly by providing nutrients to the plant quickly. Make a solution by mixing one tablespoon of a soluble fertilizer such as 10-20-10, in one gallon of water. Pour 1 cup of this solution around each plant as you set it out.

Gardening Tips for the Month of January

WTJX Channel 12 — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:33:54 +0000

Tip: Natural additives give better results.
Compost is a soil conditioner. It releases small amounts of plant nutrients and essential trace elements slowly throughout the growing season. It also helps latch onto nutrients added in the form of fertilizer and prevents them from leaching out of the soil. Some chemical fertilizers release elements so quickly that rain can leach them away before plants derive much benefit.

Tip: Big things sometimes come in small packages.
Small garden plots can be prepared for planting by using a spade, shovel or spading fork to turn the soil. Turn the soil to a depth of 6 to 7 inch. Use a small tractor or garden tiller for larger gardens.

Gardening Tips for the Month of December

WTJX Channel 12 — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:32:40 +0000

Tip: Broadcast fertilizer applications helps with crop development.
Under the row applications may be done by opening a furrow 3-4 inches deep,placing the fertilizer in the bottom of the furrow,mixing it with the soil,and then levelling or filling in the furrow. The fertilizer could be placed in bands at one or both sides of the row. Apply mixed fertilizer ten days to two weeks before planting seed or setting plants. Make broadcast fertilizer applications on the garden soil after spading or plowing,then work into the soil as the ground is raked and levelled.

Tip: Too much water results in damaged crops.
While water is essential for plant growth,it is possible to overwater. Plant roots need air as well as water and are not able to get enough air when flooded. We often see landscape plants die during the summer months due to overwatering rather than under watering. Use the container method to determine how much water you are applying and don’t apply more than 2 inches of water per week. There should never be standing water in a flower bed or garden.

Gardening Tips for the Month of November

WTJX Channel 12 — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:33:39 +0000

Tip: Use of good seed is very important.
Buy only from dealers that keep their seeds in cool dry places preferably in are refrigerator. Seeds left in the warm conditions will rapidly lose their vigor or ability to germinate. Check the seed package for date they were packaged. Seeds dated with the current year usually have a very high rate of germination. High germination rates usually results in good quality plants. Good quality plants result in good yields. If seed packages are dated more than 3 years old more than likely have lost their vigor and should not be purchased.

Tip: There is a time and place for everything.
Some crops grow better depending on the time of year they are grown. In the tropics, most crops can be grown all year round. However, in the Virgin Islands the best yields are obtained between late October and late March. This is coolest time of the year and the pest pressure is reduced somewhat. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage leaf lettuce, and celery thrive best. Other crops do really well at that time of year with the exception of corn that prefers longer days.

Gardening Tips for the Month of October

WTJX Channel 12 — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:26:42 +0000

Tip: “Thin is in” even for plants.
It is often necessary to thin a stand for individual plants to develop satisfactorily. This is especially so of the fine seed crops where a surplus of seed should be planted to obtain a stand. Lettuce, onions, and beets should be thinned to allow the remaining plants to grow and properly develop.

Tip: Poor soil can be improved
Even poor quality soil can be improved by an annual application of organic matter. At least one inch of organic matter should be added to the soil each year to improve the quality of your soil. In the Virgin Islands, clay soils are the dominant soil type and organic matter content can be low. This tends to make the soil hard and difficult to cultivate. Organic matter can include straw, hay, farm animal dried manures, (sheep, goat, chicken, cow, etc.) compost and bedding from stables.

Gardening Tips for the Month of September

WTJX Channel 12 — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:27:56 +0000

Tip: Location! Location! Location!
When looking for a spot to create a garden, proper location is the key. Look for a place that is flat or slightly soaped, well drained, free from constant foot traffic and preferably gets the first morning sun; at least 4 hours. Plants that are exposed to the majority of the sunlight beyond noon tend to get grow poorly and have poor yields.

Tip: Use a thick mulch to suppress weeds
One way of controlling weeds is to use a thick layer of mulch derived from dried grass, straw, hay, woodchips or other types of organic matter. The recommended thickness of organic mulch is between 4-6 inches. Because high temperatures and high humidity create the ideal environment for microorganisms to breakdown organic matter rapidly, a mulch layer that is less than 4 inches will disappear in a matter of 3 or 4 months on average. If you are mulching trees, keep the mulch at least 1 foot away from the trunk of the tree in order to prevent bark rot.

Gardening Tips for the Month of August

WTJX Channel 12 — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:59:20 +0000

Tip: Plant food is a boost for plant growth.
A starter solution helps plants grow quickly by providing nutrients to the plant quickly. Make a solution by mixing one tablespoon of a soluble fertilizer such as 10-20-10, in one gallon of water. Pour 1 cup of this solution around each plant as you set it out.

Tip: Seed size determines planting depth.
Small seeds like those of lettuce, mustard, radish or turnip should be planted about 1/4 – 1/2 in. deep. Large seed such as beans, squash, pumpkin and corn can be planted deeper 1 to 1 1/2 in deep.

Gardening Tips for the Month of July

WTJX Channel 12 — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:39:38 +0000

Tip: Use of good seed is very important.
Buy only from dealers who have a reputation for handling good seed. Saving vegetable seeds grown in Arkansas is not a good practice. Many vegetable diseases are transmitted through seed and planting diseased seed often results in severe losses.

Tip: Environment may cause certain crops to perform poorly.
Some vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower should be transplanted as small plants rather than planted as seed. Transplants will grow in soil that is too cool for seed to germinate. The use of transplants shortens the period to harvest and allows the gardener to complete a crop before it gets too hot or cold. Always remove plastic or paper pots from transplants and crack peat pots so allowing roots to grow easily and unrestricted into the soil.

Home Grown Gardening Tips: Organic Gardening

WTJX Channel 12 — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:38:32 +0000

Gardening Tips for the Month of June

WTJX Channel 12 — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:08:23 +0000

Tip: Seed is normally expensive and should not be wasted.
Plan carefully and buy only seed that is needed. If seed is left over, put it into a dry container and refrigerate for use later. Gardeners may be successful in using one-year-old seed, but old seed loses strength. Germination tests will not indicate seed strength, which is sometimes called “vigor.” (USED)