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 WALTER DRAKE SHOP FOR ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS! Planting Your Vegetable Garden  Planting vegatable's has been a tradition for many years for our family it is part of our heritage. People are now becoming more aware that planting vegetable's is a natural way of being. Planting you own vegetable's is very rewarding because you are what you eat and if you know what your eating you have a better sense of well being. There is no guess work as to if the onions are contaminated with ecoli or what kind of fertilizers or chemicals were used to grow this produce. So the easiest way I find to garden is gardening in a Raised Gardening Bed Garden hardinesss zones are important because everybodies planting seasons vary'.So it is important that you know what zone your in. When you go to a gardening store all plants are marked what zones you can plant them in. Also when you order plants from nurseries they also must know your zone so that they ship them on time according to your zone. .jpg)   The very first thing I plant in my vegetable garden is lettuce so I am going to start with lettuce planting. Lettuce,onoins radishes,garlic I always plant first they can put up with the cold.
Week One Third week in May or two weeks before first frost depending on your hardiness zone.  Lettuce planting: When I plant my leaf lettuce I just clear a patch and hand spread the seeds, then I cover a light layer of soil over top, like planting grass seed.The reason for this is it makes a nice even patch.Romaine letuce I make my rows, make 1/4 in deep holes with my index finger, the I put a couple seeds and bury lightly.This method is used for any head lettuce you plant. The reason why I put mor than one seed is sometimes some seeds do not grow so this way I know I will have something there. Then you thin out what you have to much of. Summer of Salads Seed Mix  Garlic Clips, Set of 25  Snow Pea PlantingThe night before I plant my snow pea's I soak them all night till I am ready to plant them the next day. The reasoning for this is they sprout within the first week. Pea's need alot of water before they can germinate, so by doiing this one simple step you will enjoy your snow peas alot sooner. Once your snow peas start to produce plant some more in between your rows You can repeat this method during the whole gardening season insuring you to always have fresh pea's. Expandable Pea Fence Radish Planting  Radish Planting is pretty straight forward proceedure. Make your rows, with index finger make your equal holes, the seeds are small so your holes shouldn't be to deep. This is a major reason why some gardener's seeds do not come up, you cannot bury them to deep. Since I have been planting in my raised garden bed I do not get worms in my radishes. If you are planting a traditional in ground garden a good tip for having perfect radishes is plant garlic in between your rows. Garlic is a natural insecticide. Step2 Garden Kneeler  Carrot PlantingCarrot planting is the same as radish planting the seeds are small so you should not plant them to deep. Try to plant more than one variety of carrots. I like the short and sweet variey they come up earlier and are great for salads. Baby belle carrots also come up early and are like there mini bagged carrots you buy at the grocery store. Regular orange garden carrots I always plant, with these I blanch them and freeze them for the winter months. Re-Usable Plant Ties  Beet PlantingWhen it comes to planting beets the seeds are a little bigger so you will want to plant these a little deeper.and space them about one inch apart. No garden seems complete without beets. Beets are dark red and vigorous, beets have been a popular vegetable amongst gardeners for many years. Gardeners should sow beets early in the spring, or, for a second crop, after the hot summer weather is over. Intervale Organic Compost, 20 Qts.  Potatoe planting is pretty easy. What I like to do is I make a row with my rake as to where I want to plant my potatoes. I then make my row into a hill. The reason for this is if you plant them directly into the ground they have a tendency rot. There is nothing worse then a rotten potatoe. After the plants have established then you can just rake in between the rows to keeps roots loose for irrigation purposes and to keep weeds down.This is also the week where you can plant your squash, zucchini, pumpkins ect.. Other vegetables that grow in the ground can also be planted. All your herbs can also be planted the first week. Elba Potatoes, 1 Lb.  When you plant these six specially-selected potato varieties, you???ll enjoy almost a month of flowers in shades of blue, lavender, and white, followed by a bounty of colorful and delicious potatoes. Varieties include Red Cloud, Cranberry Red, Carola, All Blue, Onaway and Butte. 1-1/2 lbs. of certified organic seed potatoes fills a 3' x 3' or 4' x4' raised bed. Enjoy a month of flowers, then potatoes! Harvest six colorful and delicious potato varieties 1-1/2 lbs. of certified organic seed potatoes Flowering Potatoes  Corn PlantingSweet corn is one of the most desirable garden vegetable. I think people are the most anxious to plant to plant their corn. Peach's and cream corn is the one we enjoy although their are many varieties of corn. Soaking seeds in water for about 4 hours may speed up germination. If you soak your seeds, you must plant them in warm moist soil; dry soil will inhibit germination.Do not plant corn into a cold (less than 17C) wet soil the seed will rot because these conditions promote the growth of fungi. Plant corn in a square or block pattern rather than in long, thin rows this will help it pollenate better. #8 Bamboo Poles, Set of 10  Pumpkin PlantingPumpkins are another gardener's favorite. Pumpkins you can plant the same time as corn.The biggest concern again are the seeds rotting. I like to plant my pumpkins in the corners of my raised garden. The reason for this is they grow quite huge so I let them grow outside the box. Ido the same for all suash planting you do not want them to over take your garden box. If you want a nice big pumpkin you can cut one of the stems and soak it in a container of milk. This is a excellant tip to having big pumpkins. Pumpkin Planter, Large At this time you can pretty much plant whatever you plan to harvest in the fall. .  Week two
This is when I begin to plant my seedlings. I use garden starter kits. I like to use are Cowpots, the reason for this is you can plant them in the ground they are biodegradable and you do not have to disturb the roots when planting. When planting in these cow pots make sure to use a 3'' or 4'' anything smaller you will be transplanting in a bigger pot in no time.I start my tomatoes , whatever kind of peppers I want ect.. What ever I would have to purhcase from the green house is what I plant.
 Green Bean PlantingThe same as I did with the corn and peas I soak them overnight. In the morning I'll plant them in rows like the beets. I like to plant all my vegetables in a different pattern. so if I plant my beets horizontal then I plant my beans vertical. It just makes it look different that is all. Beans require a fair amount of water. Try not to touch them when wet the leaves tend to turn brown. Bean Tower  Tomatoe PlantingWhen planting tomatoes the first mistake is planting them to close together. Make sure you have atleast 18'' between each plant. They look very small when you plant them but tomatoe plants grow huge. Last year my tomatoe plants grew to 4 1/2 ft tall. Secret is after you dig your hole throw a hand full of bone meal in it, cover lightly with soil then plant your tomatoe plant. Remember tomatoes like to be planted in warm soil. So try to plant them in afternoon when soil is the warmest. Another secret to tomatoe planting is always remove the suckers [ a sucker is any leaves 6'' from the ground| these drain the plant. It will grow alot bigger and produce more fruit when the suckers are removed. Appy this method all season long.  This is my husband standing by my tomatoe plants last year.He is 5'6'' tall so that gives you a idea how huge these tomatoe plants were. The beef eaters are the tallest ones, followed by the Italian tomatoes. Behind them were my cherry tomatoes. followed by my early bird tomatoes.All our tomatoe plants were planted by seed two weeks prior to planting , we started them in cow pots indoors on warm days we would put them out for a bit. You end up with fresh tomatoes all summer right through to early fall. In the fall when you pick the rest of your green tomatoes wrap them in newspaper and put them in a cool place. You will have fresh tomatoes for another couple months. This is a picture of part of my crop this year. Plus we al like a few snacks of garden fresh green fried tomatoes. If you buy your plants from a nursery do not purchase them till a couple days before planting. When you remove them from their cell make sure to pull on roots, you can even pinch the bottom off. The reason being is these plants are usually root bound which means the root are to confined just loosen them up and plant them..  Tip do not forget the Bone Meal, 5 Lbs. Cold weather always seems to hit when your tomato plants still have plenty of green fruit. If only summer could start a few weeks earlier, or last a few weeks longer! This year, grow your tomatoes in this slim-profile hot house and extend the season to enjoy more ripe tomatoes. Sized to hold four plants, it has side vents and a zippered front opening to prevent overheating during hot weather. Tomato House, Factory Second  Beef Eatter TomatoesThere are many different types of tomatoes but for the most part most people love the huge beefeater tomatoes. The best way to start these again is inside. They like warm, sunny weather. This tomatoe plant grows quite huge so it is a must that you stake them from the beginning. Keeping the lower leaves snipped off will insure your plant to produce more fruit in the fall. I plant my tomatoes around the barbeque area along with my herbs that we use to barbeque, it makes a nice conversation piece. When it comes to tomatoes you don't have to rush to plant them. They will do better if you plant the when weather has really warmed up. When weather is really hot water twice a day.A liitle bit of mulch around the roots is a good pratice to prevent moisture loss. Red Tomato Mulch, Set of 8  Tomatoe Success Kit This kit is highly reccomended, you will have everthing you need to be a successful tomatoe gardener. It is beautiful along side the barbeque with all your herbs planted along the edges. Over the years, Tomato Success Kits have helped thousands of gardeners grow big crops of healthier, tastier tomatoes. This complete kit includes a handsome wooden enclosure that gives the Tomato Success Kit a trim new look. The heart of the system is our patented self-watering planter with a 4-gallon water reservoir, and we include a two-part stacking tomato cage, 40 quarts of our exclusive soil mix, 1 pound of Organic Tomato Fertilizer and a sheet of red Tomato Yield Booster Mulch. The weather-resistant fir enclosure has a natural oil finish, and can be painted or stained to match your home. A classic wood enclosure dresses up our Tomato Success Kit, included Kit includes everything you need for terrific tomatoes Perfect tomato planters for patio or deck Tomato Success Kit with Wood Enclosure, 14" H  Topsy turvy tomatoe planter is idea for people with small patio's or for people that enjoy tomatoe's but do not necesarily want a huge garden. Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter Topsy Turvy Tomato and Herb Planter  Patio TomatoesThese are also a favourite for many people also. These I plant in self watering planters. One or two plants will supply you the whole gardening season.Tiny Tim's,Sugar babies and Cherry tomatoe's seem to be the favourite picks when it comes to this category.Self watering planters are excellant it gives you more time to deal with your main garden. Self-Watering Patio Planter, Terra Cotta Sugar Baby Tomato Set of 3 Tried and True Tomato Collection, 4 Plants Tomato Success Kit, Green .jpg) Plum TomatoesPlum tomatoes are another tomatoe you can plant. These tomatoes are useful for italian cooking. Excellant choice for canning. Plum tomatoes are egg shaped they have little seeds, which makes them perfect for homemade tomatoe sauces ,ketchups and tomatoe paste. Roma tomatoes are also in the same familiy as the plum tomatoe. The only real difference between the two are roma tomatoes are meatier and lack juice which makes them better for sauce's.  Health Benefits of TomatoesTomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin C, providing 40 percent of the daily value . They also contain 15 percent of vitamin A, 8 percent DV of potassium, and 7 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of iron for women and 10 percent RDA for men. Their benefits are not limited to the prostate. Italian researchers have found that those who consume more that 7 servings of raw tomatoes lower the risk of developing rectal colon or stomach cancers Other researchers have found that lycopene is a powerful inhibitor of lung, breast, and endometrial cancer cells. Research has also shown that the lycopene in tomatoes can help older people stay active longer.It is very obvious now more than ever how powereful and beneficial eating tomatoes has become.saying that i'll move right along.  Cucumber PlantingCucumbers are another vegetable that is a must for your vegetable garden. Make some little mounds in garden about one foot apart. Plant atleast five seeds in each mound, this is in case some seeds do not come up. Later you can thin out what has grown. Cucumbers can be planted a week before expecting first frost. They are not hardy when it comes to frost. If they do come up and there is a chance of frost they have to be covered. Cucumber trelis's I like to use, they allow you to let your cucmbers climb instead of growing flat on ground. This method allows cucumbers to grow straight, plus it gives you more room in your garden. Also you can plant other vegetable's underneath the trelis. Wire Cucumber Trellis   Pickling CucumbersPickling cucumbers are planted the same as any cucumber you are going to plant. Pickling cucumber also like to grow on a trelis. This will make for straight cucumbers. All cucmbers require alot of water. Now the trick to these is pick them two inches or less the taste is sweeter. If you let them grow any bigger then tend to taste bitter. Pickling these little cucumbers is so easy. Once you pickle these little darlings you will never want to buy another jar from the grocery store.  Dill PlantingPlanting Dill is very much like planting lettuce the seeds are very tiny so you do not want to plant them to deep. You will want to plant these seeds like grass seed. Spread on surface lightly ,cover , rake in and water. Dill is a must if you are pickling. Dill is also a nice flavor to add when cooking fish. Dill is used as a herb in alternative herbal treatments to treat ailments and problems, such as colitis and gas. It also promotes healing of the skin and controls infection. Straight Eight Cucumber'sThese cucumber's are about the best eating cucumber's you are going to get. Pick them, peel and slice them. Cut up a little green onions covered with sour cream it is the best easy summer side dish you could possibly serve. Plus you have the pride of saying. I grew it myself fresh from my garden. Totolly organic everyone knows exactly what they are eating. Planted and grown as the same method's as all cucumber's. These cucumber's are also excellant for making bread and butter pickles or deli pickles'  Hot Pepper Planting Hot pepper plants are slow to get going, so start pepper plants indoors a few weeks earlier than tomatoes. Sow the seeds about 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost date. Sow several seeds 1/4-inch deep in 2-to 3-inch cow pot. Water well and keep in warm area 75 degrees or under fluorisent lighting. Once plants reach 5 to 6 inches tall the weather should be warm enough for you to plant. Night time lows about 65 degrees or warmer. Chili Peppers Seed Kit Vegetable planting has got to enjoyable! If you are going to plant a vegetable garden make it easy, something you will be proud of not just another chore at the end of the day. My first garden was a nightmare. It was in the ground, I used manure as my father in law suggested and the weeds were out of this world .Every night of weeding it was not enjoyable at all. So I decided to go the raised garden bed way. Organic all the way. Compost, peat moss all organic matter. The most weeding you will have to do is probably other vegetables that did not come up the year prior.  Grow Bed Savings Kit Two-Tier Raised Bed Cedar Raised Bed Copper Cap Raised Bed, 3' x 6' Forever Raised Bed, 3' x 6' Galvanized Raised Bed, 3' x 3' 8" Pivoting Connectors, Set of 2 Grow Bed  |
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