Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC

#97:Companion Planting

2012-01-30T05:50:00.000-08:00

Start Using Companion Planting in your Home Vegetable Garden

If you are looking to maximize the available room you have in your yard or on your property, while at the same time promoting healthier plants through better soil and other means,companion planting is the way to go.

Listen in as Mike talks about companion planting.

For a full transcript of this podcast visit: http://averagepersongardening.blogspot.com/2011/11/start-using-companion-planting-in-your.html

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Growing Herbs from Seeds for Good Health and Great Tasting Food

2012-01-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

I love growing herbs from seed. With a window sill and some sun, you can grow pretty much any type of herb year round, almost anywhere in the world. My favorite to grow for its wonderful aroma, is basil, but I love the taste of fresh rosemary on chicken. Herbs are easy to grow and maintain and the best part, many are healthy for you. Growing herbs at home is like growing medicine that makes your food taste better. Something that cough syrup won’t do.

I wanted to get an expert’s input on this topic so I turned to Nourishing NYC education director Scott Keatley. At Nourishing NYC, Scott and his team teach low income families how to grow their herbs and use them in healthy dishes. A process Scott claims that their clients love.

When I asked Scott what three herbs he would recommend to someone to grow in their gardens and as to why, he said there are a slew to choose from but he could easily narrow it down to his favorites. He said that basil, rosemary and thyme are three he highly recommends because they will make bland foods that are good for you taste better, increasing one’s likeliness to eat healthier.

What Scott also has found is that herbs give taste to foods that your palate craves which helps deter many from reaching for those sugary snacks. He likes to use basil in his pasta dishes as well as other Italian foods, and like me, Scott loves rosemary on chicken.

Head nutritionist at the Cederquist Medical Wellness Center, Christy Shatlock takes herbs a step further. “While most people know that herbs and spices can be used to enhance the flavor of foods, they don’t realize that these same herbs and spices can also be used to improve their health,” claims Christy. “Many herbs and spices have antimicrobial, antioxidant and even antiviral effects.”

A spice many don’t think of that is very valuable, according to Christy, is cinnamon. While it tastes great, it also has antimicrobial affects that helps improve insulin resistance for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Along with the many health and taste benefits that herbs provide, they do not add virtually any extra calories to a dish. This allows you to flavor up your foods without the fear of packing on unwanted calories.

Someone suggested to me that I grow basil next to my tomato plants and I will be amazed with the flavor of my tomatoes. While I have not tried that yet, (I plan to though), I have heard this tip from a few people now, and it makes me want to do more research on herbs, and find out ways that they can help enhance my garden. This is one of the reasons why we add one pack of herb seeds to each monthly shipment in our Seeds of the Month Club for our members.

If you are looking to spice up your food with better taste and add something healthy to your dish in the process, then clear off that window sill and make room on the back patio. You can grow your favorite herbs from seed with very limited space.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Start your Cucumbers from Seeds

2012-01-24T11:48:00.001-08:00

Last year was by far the best year for cucumbers that I have ever had. With a good mix of care and of course, excellent weather, the cucumbers I started from seed, blossomed and produced unlike any season before. Here is what I did last year. Hopefully you will have great success as I did.

I love to start all of my vegetable garden plants from seed as opposed to picking up plants at a local garden nursery, garden center or home center. I enjoy the challenge of it as well as knowing that I was involved in the plant’s growing process, literally, from beginning to end. There is a sense of self accomplishment there.

Cucumbers are no different. I like to start my seeds indoors about 3 to 4 weeks from the final frost date in my area. I also like to use a propagation dome indoors for all my seeds to create that greenhouse atmosphere for them. This keeps a constant temperature around my seeds which aids in the germination process.

There are a number of ways and items to use to start your seeds. For me, I like to use left over yogurt, cottage cheese and k-cups as my seed starting pots. For my soil I try to use the soil from garden, since that is where they will end up anyway, however if you are unable to do that, there are plenty of seed starting soils out there which are excellent as well and available at any home or garden center for a few bucks.

When planting your seeds, one half to one inch deep is all you will need to go. Any deeper and they might not be able to produce enough energy to push through the soil.

Under optimal conditions expect your cucumber seeds to germinate in 3 to 4 days, however don’t be discouraged if it takes a bit longer. Also, if you are using the smaller k-cups like I do, or seed starting pods, you will want to transfer them to larger pots once they get about 2 inches tall. For pods, you will start to see their roots grow through the outer netting. Once you do, get them in a pot.

Just like you would with any other vegetable plant, you will want to acclimate them (harden off) to the outdoor environment slowly. Once temperatures begin to warm up, take your plants outdoors during the day and bring them back in when the sun sets.

Once the outdoor temperatures are ready for growing (above 70 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect) transfer them to their final growing spot, where they will receive full sun. As a side note, if you are growing indeterminants such as straight eights, put up a trellis to support the growing vine. You will get straighter cucumbers that way and they are easier to harvest.

Once planted, a moderate watering is all you will need until they begin to flower. Once they flower, start a heavy watering regimen until you begin to harvest, then return back to moderate.

Some final thoughts and observations. The larger you let your cucumbers grow the more seedy they will be. Try to pick them when they are 10 to 12 twelve inches, shorter if you want more of a crispier and crunchier cucumber. Avoid other vegetables in the cucumber family when rotating and try not to plant near potatoes as they make for a bad companion to cucumbers.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#96: 5 Power Fruits to Grow at Home

2012-01-23T05:37:00.000-08:00

Listen in as Mike continues his series on power foods to grow at home. Once again he talks to experts in the nutrition field on 5 fruits that you can add to your garden and of course how to grow them.

For a full transcript of this podcast, visit: http://averagepersongardening.blogspot.com/2011/10/5-power-fruits-to-grow-in-your-garden.html

3 Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes from Seeds

2012-01-19T05:17:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more popular to grow in the home vegetable gardening world then tomatoes. By more than 3 to 1 it outshines it’s next counterpart (peppers or cucumbers, depending on which poll you read). Who can argue? Tomatoes taste great, have many uses, and there are so many varieties to choose from, that there is sure to be one kind for everybody.

Like many of you, I enjoy growing tomatoes and especially starting them from seed. While I won’t say it is overly difficult to grow tomatoes from seed, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of success. I put together a short list you can follow.

Start Indoors
As with many other other vegetable seeds, tomatoes are no different. Start them indoors. I had one friend who started his tomato seeds in February here in NJ. While that was way too far in advance, even he admits it as he lost all of his window sills for quite sometime, starting them indoors and being able to move fairly grown plants outdoors will get you to a tomato crop much faster. If you have a short growing season, starting them even earlier indoors isn’t a bad thing though.

Acclimation
More commonly known in the vegetable gardening world as “hardening off”, you will want to acclimate your tomato plants to the outdoors gradually so as to not shock them. As temperatures warm up out doors during the day, take your plants outside for a few hours at a time before you transplant them to their final destination. When the night time rolls around, bring them indoors. It may see like a lot of work, but it’s really not. It will become part of your daily routine for a couple of weeks.

Sun, Sun and more Sun
While many varieties of tomatoes will grow in partial shade, one thing is for sure, they love the sun. The more sun they get, the better off they will be. If you are limited with space available where full sun is possible, don’t be afraid to put some tomato plants in large pots and move them around.

What are some of your tips for starting tomatoes from seed? Be sure to post them in the comment section below and share with others.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#95: Five Power Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden

2012-01-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

5 Power Foods you can Grow in your Vegetable Garden

I recently had a chance to speak to some health and nutrition experts and ask them what vegetables they recommend to their clients for better health. Listen in to find out what 5 power veggies they recommended and how you can grow them in your garden. For more information on growing vegetables, be sure to visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Has this happened to you?

2012-01-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

This service announcement brought to you by the Seeds of the Month Club. Please share. No one should have to go through this alone.

What are Open Pollinated and Heirloom Variety Vegetable Seeds?

2012-01-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years there has been a large movement towards growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs from seeds. The top three reasons people gave in a recent study conducted by the National Gardening Association, were to put fresh produce on the table, save some money and to know that what they were growing was safe.

Who can argue about all three reasons? Can there be anything in the store that is fresher than walking out of your back door, picking a tomato off the vine and then eating it right at that moment? I don’t believe so. As for saving money, the cost of a single vegetable seed is less than a hundredth of a penny. Yes that is one, one hundredth of a penny. Now of course you still need to water and tend to the plant, but in a recent USDA study, one tomato seed can produce over $50 worth of tomatoes. That’s a pretty good return.

When it comes to the safety of your vegetables, growing your own puts you in control of it. Unlike produce in stores, that are harvested in places you didn’t even know existed, you get control what goes into your soil and whether or not you want to treat your plants with a fertilizer. In other words, you make all of the decisions. That’s freedom to me.

This surge, and for these reasons, has lead to another push toward something. A variety of seeds that make vegetable gardeners feel safe when they plant them. They are open pollinated and heirloom varieties. Most of the time they can go hand in hand, but that is not always the case.

Open pollinated seeds are ones that have pollinated naturally. This type of pollination occurs when something helps pollinate the plants without “human” intervention. For example, the wind could be a source of pollination (this is also called Abiotic pollination), or some organism, such as a bee (Biotic pollination). The fruit of seeds that have been open pollinated will vary in size and shape. Unlike what you see in the store, all of your tomatoes won’t be the same bright red color or shape, but the ones from your garden will taste a heck of a lot better. A huge benefit of using seeds that are open pollinated is that you can save seeds from the fruit of the plants that you grow and get the same plant variety the following season (after you have dried out the seeds). That leads us to heirloom.

A great book to read on the subject is The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables by author Chris McLaughlin. In there she talks about what an heirloom is, a little history on various heirloom varieties and importantly, a list of what types of heirloom seeds you can find today. As the name heirloom implies, it is simply a variety that has been passed down from one generation to the next. As you can see, open pollinated and heirloom can go hand in hand, however there are times when many gardeners hand pollinate their plants if it seems that natural open methods simply aren’t working. That doesn’t mean you can’t pass down the seeds from your heirlooms, it just means they weren’t open pollinated.

As a side note there are two terms that get thrown in this mix that many new vegetable gardeners misunderstand. Open pollinated heirloom variety does not equate to organic. For a seed to be organic it has to meet the criteria of the USDA’s National Organic Program guidelines. Furthermore, a hybrid vegetable does not mean that a plant has been genetically modified. A hybrid is a cross between two plants to produce an offspring that has characteristics of both the parent plants. However the seeds of a hybrid child (referred to as F1) will not necessarily produce the same exact plant from which it came.

I hope this clears up some of the terminology.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Get an "I Love Vegetable Gardening" bumper sticker

2012-01-10T05:31:00.000-08:00

Anyone want an “I Love Vegetable Gardening” bumper sticker? For free of course. Just visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com/bumpersticker … fill out the form and click submit.

#94: Community Vegetable Gardening

2012-01-09T08:24:00.000-08:00

Listen in as Mike gives you some tips on community vegetable gardening and how those with small space may be able to benefit. For more information on community gardening, be sure to visit: http://www.averagepersongardening.com.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Tom asks: "Can we dehydrate and or dry and save nasturtium flowers and leaves?"

2012-01-08T05:23:00.000-08:00

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

3 Vegetable Seeds that have a Large Yield per Seed

2012-01-05T08:04:00.001-08:00

If you had room to plant only three vegetables, what would they be and why? I was recently asked this question by a friend. Before I get into what I would grow let me address why I would grow the ones I did choose. If I only had space for three vegetables I would make sure I first grow something that has a high yield and second, make sure I am growing something that I and my family would enjoy eating.

If you have limited space, just like any other product you buy, you want to get the greatest return from what you are growing. For example, if you only had space to plant three items, cauliflower will more than likely not be one of them, unless of course you absolutely love cauliflower. I personally would not choose this item because you are only going to get one plant in one space with one seed. Not a very good return with limited space.

Your best choices are items that will produce a lot on a single plant and preferably can grow up as opposed to out as you will see in my list.

Pole Beans

I love having fresh picked beans with dinner and if you grow pole beans then you already know the amount you will get from a single seed. Pole beans are a great first choice because they fit the bill of both of our ROI (return on investment) requirements. They grow up as opposed to out and their yields are tremendous. Good choices are Blue Lake pole, Kentucky Blue, Kentucky Wonder Brown and Stringless Blue Lake. A single seed can produce hundreds of beans and if you are growing an heirloom variety be sure to save a few to plant again next season.

Cherry Tomatoes

Ok, technically speaking, tomatoes are botanically a fruit, but who can argue the choice of tomatoes. One single seed, according to a recent USDA study can produce over $50 worth of tomatoes. A tremendous return on the investment of time, space, work and cost. To maximize your limited space, choose a variety that produces an even larger amount such as cherry, grape, and yellow or red pear. These tomato varieties keep producing and producing and producing and … you get the point..

Zucchini

If you have grown any type of zucchini before then you already know what the return of just one zucchini seed can give you. My neighbor even told me one time of the old saying “zucchini plants produce so much, so fast, that you can literally watch the zucchini grow before your eyes.” While I won’t say that I have experienced that, I have planted just a couple of seeds and was able to not only keep plenty for my family, but give basket fulls away to neighbors, friends and relatives. Different varieties of zucchini (or other types of squash) will vary on yields. My favorites are the striped zucchini and black beauty.

Your list of vegetables grown from seed in limited space, I am sure, will be different, but these are my favorites. Cucumbers would be 4th on my list, just slightly behind the zucchini. What vegetable seeds would be on your list?

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

5 Ways to Maximize the Germination Rate of your Vegetable Seeds

2012-01-03T05:32:00.000-08:00

As a vegetable gardener you absolutely love it when the time rolls around that you can get your vegetable seeds started. However, nothing is more frustrating when the seeds you plant take either too long to germinate or in some cases, not at all. Here are 5 tips that Mike uses to help increase the germination rate on vegetable seeds. For more information on vegetable seeds be sure to visit Mike’s website at http://www.averagepersongardening.com

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Vegetable Gardening - 2011 Year in Review

2011-12-30T09:05:00.000-08:00

Here is our Vegetable Gardening Year in Review video. Happy New Year! Here’s to a successful 2012 Vegetable Gardening season.

7 Ways Vegetable Gardeners Can Beat the Winter Blues

2011-12-29T05:10:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year when those of us in the Northern hemisphere become envious of those in the southern part of the world. They are in full vegetable gardening mode, growing great tasting fruits, vegetables and herbs, from seeds and potted plants. But rest assure, even though old man winter is biting us in the a, er um, I mean rear, there is still plenty of things we vegetable gardeners can do to get us to where we start planting our indoor seeds. Here are seven that I have chosen as some of my favorites.

Organize Your Vegetable Seeds
As the owner of the Seeds of the Month Club, this one is a no-brainer for me. I have to keep our company’s seeds well organized all year round. But for many of our Seeds Club customers, and those that have purchased seeds through catalogues and online, now is a great time to organize those seeds. I find what works best for me, is to organize the seeds by variety first, i.e. tomatoes with tomatoes, cucumbers with cucumbers, etc., then organize them by date. Members of our vegetable gardening page on Facebook, take it a step further and organize by companion planting, rotations and so much more.

Learn
The weather outside might be frightful but the delightful comforts of your home is a perfect setting to research and read up on vegetable gardening topics that can enhance your skills. Want to learn more about composting? Pick up a good book on the topic and learn as much as you can. A favorite of mine that I read, is Chris McLaughlin’s book The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Composting. Chris’ book keeps composting simple yet introduces you to variety of composting styles and techniques.

Maybe you are already a compost expert and want to learn more about specific vegetable gardening techniques, tips and tricks. There are books for that as well. A search on Amazon.com will yield you plenty to choose from.

Plan the Garden
My garden plans will change more than the weather before I finalize it and start actually planting, but now would be a great time to at least put down on paper a list of vegetables you would like to grow from seed this year. A garden plan is a great way to organize your space and thoughts. As a side note I always recommend adding at least one new item to the garden that has not been tried before. I believe it keeps vegetable gardening, fun, exciting and challenging. Hopefully it will for you as well.

Soil Sample
As as long as you can still dig up your soil, now would be a perfect time to take a soil sample. Sure, it may fluctuate based on certain weather conditions but you will have a basic idea of what is in your soil, what it needs and so on. A low cost soil test kit can be found online for anywhere from $3.00 (US) up through $21.00 (US). However, if you are lucky enough to have a co-op in your area, for a small fee, you can take them some of your soil and they will run the tests for you.

Gardening Mentor
Whether you are talking to a neighbor about getting them to start a vegetable garden or you need some helpful advice yourself, the winter is a perfect time to talk about vegetable gardening. If you are a vegetable gardening enthusiast like me be sure to strike up a conversation about it with a friend or loved one who may not have a garden at all and convince them it is worth the time and effort. If everyone you know already has a garden but you had some issues last season, talk to someone in your area to see if they experienced the same thing and if they did, what did they do to fix it.

Up to this point everything has been about what you can do indoors that requires absolutely no growing or getting your hands dirty (for the most part). Is there any gardening you can do? Yes, as you will see below.

Cold Frame Gardening
Not too long ago I wrote an entire article on vegetable gardening with a cold frame. I was fortunate enough to get some professional input from the author of How to Build Your Own Greenhouse, Roger Marhsall. Roger was nice enough to share photos of his own cold frames and give us some great advice as to which vegetables you can grow. A cold frame protects vegetables from the elements and is an excellent way to do some home gardening in the colder months. You can read that article, here.

Window Sill
This one is an oldy but a goody and one of my favorites. I have been successful in the past growing such things as basil (pretty much any herb), spinach, and lettuce on my window sill. I choose a spot that receives sunlight first thing in the morning. Even if you grow only 1 or 2 items this way, it at least scratches that vegetable gardening itch you might have.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#92:Vegetable Gardening the New Prescription

2011-12-27T11:23:00.000-08:00

More doctors and nutritionists are prescribing vegetable gardening as a means to a healthier lifestyle. Listen in as Mike gives you some more in depth information into this new trend. For more information on how vegetable gardening can help you, visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com or be sure to join the vegetable gardening page on Facebook.

The Pollination Process in your Vegetable Garden

2011-12-27T07:58:00.001-08:00

Recently I have written some vegetable gardening articles that have taken a turn towards more of a scientific approach, albeit entry level plant science as opposed to advanced horticulture, but very important, I believe, none the less. I wanted to touch on the process of pollination and what this process means for your vegetable garden.

As you may remember from science classes past, pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred, which then enables the fertilization process. Pollen is a fine yet coarse powder, which in essence, contains the male portion of what is needed during the pollination process.

Pollination occurs when pollen lands on a compatible pistil or female cone. The pistil or cone will then germinate and produce a pollen tube which then allows the transfer of the male portion to the ovule.

There are two types of pollination processes, Abiotic and Biotic. Abiotic pollination is when the pollination process occurs due to a non-living organism, such as wind. This is more common in grasses, most conifers and trees. According to the US Forest Department, roughly 10% of flowering plants are pollinated without the assistance of animals (and other living creatures). Which brings us to the next type of pollination, Biotic.

Biotic is the most common form of pollination and requires pollinators, i.e., some living thing to carry the pollen from one plant to the next. From birds, bees, and bats to moths and butterflies, they all play an important and crucial part to make this process happen.

Pollination can be accomplished either through self-pollination or cross-pollination. As you can imagine self-pollination occurs when pollen from one flower pollinates the same flower or other flowers of the same individual. Cross-pollination occurs when pollen is delivered to a flower from a different plant.

Now that you know how pollination works, you can then gather it is an important part of your vegetable garden. Most vegetable gardeners rarely think about the pollination process, that is unless, their zucchini plants produce flowers and then nothing happens, meaning pollination is not occurring. A good trick would be to manually “do” the pollination process yourself by using a cotton swab or small brush (as shown in the photo). Of course, planting flowers nearby that attract bees or butterflies would help as well.

Tomatoes self pollinate rather easily which is why they are far and way the number one item grown in the home vegetable garden in America. They require very little maintenance. Corn, however, cross pollinates, and can be difficult if not done properly, producing very little yield.

Most home vegetable gardeners want to plant seeds and forget about it. That is fine, but you should learn some of the basics about plant science so that if a problem arises, you can diagnose it and come up with a solution.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Did Santa bring you a Kindle?

2011-12-26T08:47:00.001-08:00

If you were good this year and Santa brought you a Kindle, don't forget you can subscribe to our Vegetable Gardening blog. Visit our website http://www.averagepersongardening.com or Amazon.com for details.

3 Cool Gardening Things to Learn About this Holiday Weekend

2011-12-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

This weekend my family and I will be busy in the festivities of Christmas and even though this time of the year here in NJ means it’s cold, neither the holiday nor the weather deters me from wanting to know and learn more about vegetable gardening. I put together three things that I find fascinating and hopefully you will too.

Cytokinin
This should take you back to 3rd grade plant science class. Cytokinins are a class of plant growth substances (phytohormones, chemicals that regulate plant growth) that promote cell division, or cytokinesis, in plant roots and shoots. When a plant’s stem is moved back and forth, cytokinin is created. This helps create stronger thicker stems in plants. If you grow your plants indoors, once a day give them a light back and forth brush to help promote this process. If your plants are outdoors, you won’t have to do anything as this will occur naturally when the wind blows.

Personalization
If you are like me then you enjoy growing your own pumpkins for display during the cooler autumn months and of course Halloween. But did you know that the larger varieties of pumpkins, 5 pounds and over, are very durable during their growth? So durable that you can actually personalize each pumpkin you grow. I would like to say I came up with this idea, but I learned about it in “The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible” by Edward C. Smith. Using a finger nail or another sharp object, carve your name (not too deep though), into your pumpkin. For me, with two young sons, we carve their names into each of their pumpkin. As the pumpkin grows so will their carved name and the child gets a thrill watching their personalized pumpkin.

Pepper Heat
Not too long ago I watched a show on Food TV which was for a Buffalo Hot Wing contest somewhere in Texas. When one of the judges was asked about the eventual winner of the contest, he said, the wings were so hot that his lips began to ache as he brought it up to his mouth. The winner’s sauce was made from a pepper seed extract similar to how pepper spray is made...OUCH! As you know, pepper varieties will vary in the amount of heat you feel when you bite into it and in 1912 a man by the name of Wilbur Scoville discovered how to measure the levels of heat a pepper contains. Although we now measure the heat of peppers by the amount of capsaicin it has, you can still measure the heat in a pepper with his Scoville Units.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Turnips for your Home Vegetable Garden

2011-12-20T11:22:00.001-08:00

Whether you grow them for their greens or the root they are best when harvested in cooler temperatures. You can plant turnips in the midsummer time and have them ready in the autumn months. Turnips also make for a great spring crop in your home vegetable garden.

Turnip seeds are a small to medium sized seed and should be planted no deeper than ½”. A ¼” will suffice as it will not be too much soil on top so it can produce enough energy to break through. It is not recommended that you start turnip seeds indoors. In fact you really don’t have to. When the fear of frost in your area subsides, start planting.

The soil temperature range for turnips is very wide. Although many experts believe that 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature for the seeds to germinate, some studies have shown the soil can be as low as fifty degrees Fahrenheit. If you are planting in the early spring where the soil will still be a bit cold, you can heat up the soil by laying a clear plastic tarp over it which allows the sun to warm it up, but prevents the cool winds from hitting it.

Turnips germinate quickly under optimal conditions. What are optimal conditions? Good soil, temperatures in a range that the seeds can tolerate and a pH level, discussed in the next section, that is slightly acidic, and good spacing. When you can meet these conditions you can get your turnip seeds to germinate in as little as 2 days, however for most of us, 5 is more likely.

This is the measurement of how acidic or alkaline your soil is. The scale ranges from zero up to fourteen. Anything below seven is considered acidic and anything above seven is considered alkaline. Seven is neutral. Your turnips like the soil to be a bit more acidic. They will do best in the 5.5 to 6.5 range. Invest in a good pH soil tester. It will help you out immensely.

You will find spacing requirements for your turnip seeds on the back of your seed packets. We only sell one type and those are the purple top white globe variety. They like to be spaced out at least four inches for optimal room to grow.

Turnips do best with a moderate watering that is more even and steady. In other words do not over or underwater. And although they can tolerate light shade, they grow best in full sun.

If you are like me and practice crop rotation and companion planting, avoid following all crops in the cabbage family in a rotation. Turnips grow well next to onions and peas, however avoid potatoes.

So the time has come to harvest the turnips. If you are growing them for the greens, you can start when the plants are still young, although you do not want to take too many of the greens as the root of the turnip will suffer. The greens are great in salads and soups. If you are harvesting the turnip for the root, anytime it is one to three inches in diameter you are ready. If you let them get too big they may develop too strong of a flavor.

If you are a fan of turnips or their greens, and have not grown any for yourself…what are you waiting for! They are easy to grow and because they are a cooler weather crop you can grow them in the early spring and again for the fall.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#91:Pest Free Vegetable Gardening

2011-12-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

You are not alone when you see your vegetable garden get ravaged by pests, many of which are unseen. Listen in as Mike gives you some tips and tricks you can implement to get your pest problem under control. For information on pest free vegetable gardening, be sure to visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com or join our vegetable gardening Facebook page.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

How to Deter Deer from your Vegetable Garden

2011-12-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

We recently asked this question to our 33,000 members on Vegetable Gardening Facebook page. How do you deter deer from destroying the crops in your vegetable garden? Here is a listing of the ideas from members that tackle this issue every gardening season.

Aimee Hall deer netting...works great

Carolynn Smelley When you cut your hair, put the trimmings around the garden, they don't like it.

Organic Gardening Beginner With Ted Begnoche Predator urine used to work pretty well for me, but lately, human hair seems to work just as well. Just need to be consistent with whatever method you choose.

Kathy Hawkins Baldassare Fence

Dilli Gaff pee, dogs on patrol and in the furthest away garden where we have the most trouble, 9 foot fencing..

Erin Burke Edwards We tried all the 'tricks' and had to go to electric fencing.

Morgan Carroll Ross We put up a fence this year, but sadly that still wasn't enough. They jumped it. Definitely putting up something taller next year. I did take left over boiled egg water and put that around my lilies and they didn't bother them this year. Might try that around the garden as well. Only problem there is you have to stay on top of it and do it after it rains.

Robin Gravis Plant some lavender around. I used it around hibiscus and roses last year and they still leave them alone this year--and the lavender is gone. Other pungent herbs also work. Clip the lavender and lay a few sprigs in the plant beds and the deer graze elsewhere.

Christy LaPrairie We have lots of clover that grows in the unmowed parts of our backyard- they would rather eat that, plus our dogs help them keep their distance.

Leslie Vaughn Burckard ‎10' fence..as we have deer antelope and elk

Carole O'Reilly I dont have a problem with deer but I do have a problem with Kangaroos comming in at night so i set up some solar powered light around the garden & so far it has kept them away

Kristina Masci Target practice...hahaha..just kidding. I use deer away product and it works well..added bonus,keeps people away also..smells God awful

Julie Batch I've taught my dogs to keep the deer and fox just out of reach but not chase them , and also to keep the Herons off of our pond

Debbie Beeler ‎2 big dogs! The square foot garden are just past the invisible fence line so the dogs cant get to it .... but the deer dont know that! :)

Ciocia Karolina A large dog.

Ej Kerr i just plant a little more so i can have some too

Raphia Trenkle SULPHUR granuals! BLOODMEAL! Sprinkle lightly in the garden, under evergreens, and acid loving plants like Hydrangeas.. pepper plants and veggie plants love a taste too. It keeps rabbits and deer away. . and they are awesome for your garden. We live near water and nature parks so our area is full of all kinds of wildlife animals, fox, rabbits, wild turkeys, deer, squirrels and the sulphur and bloodmeal keeps them away. I can almost hear them scream "OH GROSS PU .. PU!!" :)

David Lester I hang bars of soap out in the garden , that works for me ....

Helen Bowens Rosemary! I also hung shiny foil ornaments and a dollar store silver garland around certain plants and they didn't touch them this year. I think the appearance of movement disturbs them.

Jacqueline Witz i bought a mannequin & dressed her in flowing clothes & shiny jewelry. i also moved her aroung periodically. an old man driving by came to my door to see if there was anything wrong with the lady in the garden......heeheehee also used the christmas tinsel. the deer went to my neighbor's garden right next to mine.

Linda Oman An eight foot fence. Not making the financial commitment to put up a fence always led to disappointment during the growing season. Start looking in discard piles for fence parts. We love the deer, but we eat them too!

Vicki Davis we share - but nothign in my garden except some beets and onions (maybe the garlic is still hanging in there?) the deer out here can nibble on what I have - we share well!

Kristine Vreugdenhil I plant the hot peppers on the border a week ahead of everything else and try to plant extra so there is enough for everyone!

Louise Holcomb Nivison we have cougars. deer scarce

Linda Younglove deer have been nibbling on our newly planted apple trees (and we live in the chicago suburbs!)--they definitely don't like bird netting, though. when we wrap them in the bird netting, they leave them alone. i read somewhere that they don't like the feel of netting against their nose.

Anna Thompson helpful thread, since we are nearly INFESTED with deer. so far the smelly 'deer-away' spray has helped....some....but we're going to have to go with fencing / netting and ALL of the 'tricks'....and maybe a dog.... to deal with it in years to come.

BuffaLoam A fence and deer netting.

A Seed To Success Shiny things, Things that make noise and things that move work well. Windmills & wind chimes. We also dry and grind every hot pepper we have and spread it around our garden spaces often.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Combining Vegetable Gardening with School Curriculum

2011-12-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

Do you have school aged children? Are you a vegetable gardener? Imagine if you were able to combine the fun and reward of vegetable gardening with the education your child receives in school? I was thinking about this the other day and wanted to do some research on the topic. As a father of two and an avid vegetable gardener, to me the possibilities of combining the two, seemed like a no brainer.

However, I wanted to find out from teachers in the classroom if this is something that they do. After putting out some feelers I was fortunate enough to get in touch with 5th grade science teacher from High Shoals Elementary School, Linda Cooper.

According to Linda she incorporates a garden in the teachings of different types of plants. Linda, who also taught 1st and 3rd grade, (I teach 1st & 2nd graders part time, so I know how difficult that age group can be at times with the amount of energy they have), says, that in the lower grades, lessons include learning about the parts of the plant, seed sprouting, the plants basic needs, plant life cycles and the effects that over population or scarcity of plants has on communities. “A vegetable garden can give students more experience when taught these items,” says Linda.

As well as teaching science, Linda also runs the 5th grade environment club which currently has 20 students that have built raised beds for the purpose of growing fruits and vegetables. “Our students are also getting ready to start up a greenhouse that was purchased for our school.”

In her program, students get a chance to learn about farming and agriculture, where our food comes from and vegetables the students may not be familiar with. All great teachings that could lead our youth toward a path of understanding the importance of growing at least some of their own food.

Beyond getting the students excited about growing their fruits and veggies, her hopes are that the older 5th grade students become as passionate about vegetable gardening as she is and they assist with teaching the younger students their new learned skills.

Linda also believes she can incorporate the economic impact a vegetable garden can have and has laid out future plans to teach students vegetable gardening combined with math as it relates to purchasing equipment, supplies and being able to either sell what you grow, or calculate what you can save by avoiding paying for the grown vegetables in stores. Yet another valuable lesson combined with vegetable gardening.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Podcast Episode #90: Vertical Gardening

2011-12-12T06:05:00.000-08:00

Short on space? Try vertical gardening. Listen in as Mike talks about some creative ways to maximize your limited area. For information on vertical gardening, be sure to visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

4 Gardening Items to Ask Santa for this Christmas

2011-12-08T07:40:00.001-08:00

For many of us, old man winter has moved in, putting a damper on our outdoor vegetable gardening efforts. While many still continue to grow some herbs, lettuce, spinach and other cooler crops in either outdoor cold frames or on indoor window sills, colder weather also means the Christmas season is upon us.

And while, falling snow may not spark an immediate thought of harvesting ripe tomatoes, Christmas is a great time to put some gardening gifts on your want list for Santa. So here are some items you may want to jot down.

Garden Cart/Wheelbarrow
I received a garden cart two years ago. It can carry up to 600 pounds, and the type I have has 4 wheels as opposed to the traditional 1 wheel, wheelbarrow (of which I have one of those also). They vary in cost based on features. They can cost as low as $20 up through $200. Mine is in the $60 to $70 range. It’s great for when I am moving lots of items at one time or moving mounds of compost around.

Pitchfork
Most gardeners have one or even two of these. They are a great help when turning over soil or your compost pile. They are available at any home or garden center for $10 to $40. My dad gave me one of his older ones, and my family gave me a second one as a gift last year. It’s nice to have a backup in case one of them decides to retire (my tools don’t break, they just decide to stop working).

Small Garden Tools
From a basic trowel to a hand cultivator the smaller tools are a must for every gardener. They are small enough to help you work in tight spots but large enough to complete tasks fairly easily. Again these range in price. You can pick them up at your dollar store (although quality is not the greatest) and at your local home or garden center for a few bucks more. Walmart and Target have them, but they will be tough to find at those stores this time of year, so your best bet are places like Tractor Supply, Home Depot and/or Lowes.

Seeds
While I will be the first to plug our Seeds of the Month Club here, I will also say that vegetable seed packets make for great stocking stuffers. Tie a ribbon around a dozen or so packs and put them in the stocking of your family vegetable gardener and they are sure to love the gift. Besides, what is a vegetable gardener without any vegetable seeds?

I could go on for hours as to what could be or should be on your gift list to Santa, but the above list marks the items I get the most use out of in my own vegetable gardening efforts. What would you like to see on your list?

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club: