Garden Notes from June 11-13

The last three days have been cooler. We got 1.5” of rain on Sunday and the following 2 days were 64 degrees when I was there at 10:00 am.

I didn’t need to water because of the rain. The beds were still moist Tuesday morning and rain was forecasted for tonight. I saw no insect activity, but there seemed to be evidence of previous munching on the green beans for the vegetable trials. However, new growth looked good.

I noticed that the squash for the vegetable trials had white on its leaves. After conferring with Susan, we think it’s just the natural coloring of those varieties and not powdery mildew.

Everything else in the garden looks good. I tied some of the tomatoes to their stakes. They must have grown a lot lately and were laying across the soil.

There aren’t too many weeds yet, mostly just small crab grass.

On Tuesday while I was weeding in the Sensory Garden, a woman approached me and asked about the garden and specifically this plant.

There was no marker that I could find for this plant, but after some detective work on my phone we decided it was yellow loosestrife. Was I right? I also told her about the vegetable demonstration garden and I met her back there. She spent some time looking through the garden while I weeded. She really seemed to enjoy the garden. I told her to come back and see how it does, and to follow along in the Extension’s newsletter.

Overall the garden looks good! I was really impressed by the creative decision to use laundry baskets for growing potatoes!

Happy Gardening,

Johanna,

OSU Extension Clermont County, Master Gardener Volunteer

Potager Article #8

A series of articles presented by Candy Horton, OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

I am really intrigued by the idea of companion planting in my potager garden so I thought I would dig deeper into the subject. When looking at the research for companion planting it leans more towards historical journals for data. There is information regarding companion planting dating back hundreds of years. The consensus seems to be that there is truth to the system, but it really depends on variables. It cannot be said that it will work every time in every situation. Science does support companion planting, but I will need to trial and error ideas to see what works for me. The University of Minnesota Extension has a good article titled “Companion Planting in Home Gardens” in which they talk about the benefits of companion gardening. It saves space, assists in soil health and the plants give mutual support to each other. One of the suggestions for saving space is that by “planting short season crops in the same location as later maturing crops is a way to conserve space and grow multiple successions of plants in the same space.”  Examples that they give are to plant lettuce or spinach in my bed and then later transplanting tomatoes or peppers into that same bed once I harvested the others. I could see this working for me if I were to plant the short, seasoned crops, then the later maturing crops and then plant a second set of the short season crops later in the season, especially if I used cool season crops for the first planting.

An interesting perspective on companion planting from the University of West Virginia Extension recommends that I not plant “onions and beans together as onions stunt the growth of beans.”   They also talk about planting vegetables and flowers together to attract pollinators and repel harmful insects. In their article titled “Companion Planting they give a list of plants, along with their companion plants and plants that I should not plant near them. It is remarkably interesting and begs to be given a try. Other benefits of companion planting that they talk about include Nitrogen Fixation, Pest Control and Trapping, Flavor Enhancement, Level Interaction, Plant Sheltering and Crop Rotation. Nitrogen Fixation happens when plants add nitrogen back into the soil such as beans do. Then there’s Pest Control and trapping, this is when plants will repel bad insects from the garden and attract good insects. Marigolds are said to be such plants. Basil is said to enhance flavors of peppers and tomatoes when planted nearby. Level Interaction and Plant Sheltering is when corn acts as a trellis for pole beans or provides shade for squash and the squash in return deters raccoons from eating the corn cobs. Crop rotation is when I will move my plants around to help the soil with different benefits from the plants growing in that space. By understanding these processes, I can use the placement of plants in the garden to amend my soil, protect crops and attract beneficial insects into the garden.

Another element of companion planting is the use of herbs in the garden. Usually in planting a vegetable garden, I do not think of having herbs in and among the vegetables. They are usually in pots or in their own garden, but using herbs add another layer of protection and benefits to my garden. For example, the herb Anise is related to caraway and dill plants. It is good to use around plants like cabbage and cauliflower because its smell camouflages its companions to hide them from the pests that love to eat them. They also are host to predatory wasps that love to feed on aphids.

The last area of companion planting that I am going to try is to add in perennials and annual flowers into the garden. Bachelor Buttons are a good addition because it is one of the earliest flowers to bloom, attracting beneficial insects. Geraniums are known to repel cabbage worms and Japanese beetles and Marigolds are known for repelling different harmful insects. By using all these elements of companion gardening I think that my vegetables will be healthier, more flavorful, color, and interest in my garden.

Potager Article #7

A series of articles presented by Candy Horton, OSU Extension Clermont County Master Gardener Volunteer

In everything new that we start there are difficulties. The garden is fast changing in that some of the onions that I planted last fall are growing wonderfully and I have been harvesting the asparagus for several weeks now. I have the first batch of radishes, carrots, and two different lettuces growing great and will need to plant the next succession soon. I have cabbage, pumpkins, tomatoes, squash, and lots of flower seeds under lights and ready to start hardening off to plant next week. The downside of the garden is that the cold frame has not been as successful as I had hoped it would be, so I need to go back to the starting point with that project, reread about them to make sure that I am doing things correctly and try again. I will keep working on it and I will not really need it until this fall, so I think, I have plenty of time to work on them and get them working the way that I want.

The weather this week looks to be fantastic, so I am working on the layout of my garden and getting the raised beds marked out and laid out to see if I need to move things around or change the size of some of the beds. I am also looking at where I am going to plant my plants and the combinations of plants. This idea has several names, companion planting or intercropping is just a couple of them. The idea behind companion planting is that by planting certain plants close together they will help each other out and you will have a larger yield, healthier plants, and renewed soil. For example, it is said that by planting basil or parsley in among your tomatoes and pepper plants your plants will be healthier, larger and have a better harvest. It is said that by planting marigolds in among your garden, you will repel harmful insects that would damage your crops.

The history of companion planting is one that can be traced back centuries but cannot be pinpointed to one specific place or time. One that I remember reading about as a child was “The Three Sisters” used by the American Indians. The Indians would plant corn, beans, and squash together in the same spot, providing support for the beans, and shade for the squash. The squash provided a type of mulch to hold in moisture, and weed control for all three plants, while the bean replenished nutrients in the soil that all of them needed. Some of the theories are that some plants will add nutrients back into the soil that helps the others grow. Some plants will have an odor about them that will repel insects, some plants release chemicals into the soil that is beneficial to other plants. Another way to use companion planting is by having sun-loving plants in the same bed as shade loving so that the one will provide shelter for the other. Another combination could be shallow rooted plants in with deep rooted plants where the deep-rooted plants will help reduce compaction, aerate the soil, and loosen it up a bit. However, for me, I will need to do a little bit of trial and error to see which combination of plants together will benefit my garden and which ones will not. I am going to be planning some pepper and tomato plants this week. I will be adding some basil in with them to see what happens. I’m planting carrots, potatoes and radishes in several beds to help break up some of the areas of my garden that have a lot more clay so that when I add the leaf mulch next year, the nutrients from the leaf mulch will move further down into the soil than if I hadn’t planted the root based crops.  I hope this gives you a different perspective on how what you plant, which plants you put together and where you plant your crop does truly affect your garden.

Southwest Ohio Perennial School

… to join us for the Southwest Ohio Perennial School.

The registration price of $50 has been extended to April 7.

 

 

Registration Form or call Meghan at 513-732-7070.

 

  1. Paul Koloszar – Northern Sea Oats and Other Mistakes I’ve Made, Managing Expectations for Natives – Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  2. Tim McDermott – Urban Agriculture – OSU Extension Franklin County
  3. Amy Stone – Spotted Lanternfly Update & Scavenger Hunt – OSU Extension Lucas County
  4. Pam Bennett – Pollinator Plants and Gardens: You can Please Everyone – OSU Extension Clark County
  5. Beth Scheckelhoff – Ornamental Grasses – OSU Extension Putnam County

 

Buckeye Yard and Garden Line

The following articles were compiled during the last 7 days by members of the Buckeye Environmental Horticulture Team to benefit those who are managing a commercial nursery, garden center, or landscape business or someone who just wants to keep their yard looking good all summer.  Access the BYGL website for additional information on other seasonal topics at: http://bygl.osu.edu

To receive immediate email notifications when articles are published by the BYGL writers. Send an email to bygl-alert@lists.osu.edu using the phrase “Subscribe to BYGL ALERTS” in the subject line.   

For more pictures and information, click on the article titles.  To contact the authors, click on their names.

Fruit News

Ohio Fruit News (OFN) was developed by a team of The Ohio State University small fruit and tree fruit State Specialists, Extension Educators and staff, with support from The Ohio Vegetable and Small Fruit Research and Development Program and the Department of Plant Pathology-Fruit Pathology Program.  Ohio Fruit News provides fruit growers with the most current and relevant information for managing diseases, insect pests and weeds affecting all fruit crops produced in Ohio.  To subscribe to the newsletter please contact Melanie Ivey at ivey.14@osu.edu or 330-263-3849.

The March issue of Ohio Fruit News is now posted (and attached).  Thank you to all the contributors this month!

Online at: https://u.osu.edu/fruitpathology/fruit-news-2/

PDF: OFN_MARCH_2023 FINAL

Southwest Ohio Perennial School Registration Extended

You still have time to join us for the Southwest Ohio Perennial School.

The registration price of $50 has been extended to April 7.

  1. Paul Koloszar – Northern Sea Oats and Other Mistakes I’ve Made, Managing Expectations for Natives – Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  2. Tim McDermott – Urban Agriculture – OSU Extension Franklin County
  3. Amy Stone – Spotted Lanternfly Update & Scavenger Hunt – OSU Extension Lucas County
  4. Pam Bennett – Pollinator Plants and Gardens: You can Please Everyone – OSU Extension Clark County
  5. Beth Scheckelhoff – Ornamental Grasses – OSU Extension Putnam County

Potager Article #6

   A series of articles presented by Candy Horton, OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

As winter moves into spring, it’s exciting to have more days of warmth to get out into the garden and continue the work that I have started.  I have cleared most of the weeds and I’m starting to build some of the spaces that I have laid out on the design for my potager garden.  The compost bin is set with the first layer of brown material, ready to add green material.  I have pulled out an old cold frame that I had in the barn. I will repair it and get it set in the garden before the weekend.  I have an old cow feeder set in place and have framed out the first bed with edging stone.  Things are moving along, and I will continue to complete the garden plan.

My goal for this year is to start year round planting, growing, and harvesting produce in my garden.  With this plan I have to change how I garden.  To be successful with year round gardening in Ohio, I will need a couple of extra tools to make this a possibility.  I will need a cold frame or two, depending on how much I want to grow.  Or I can use row covers, tunnels, or a greenhouse.  I am going to try my hand with the cold frames and row covers this year.   A cold frame is usually a square or rectangular frame that has a glass top as a sort of lid and no base.  It sits directly on the ground and is filled with wonderful, healthy soil.  The glass lid allows the sun to shine in and heat up the frame.  If I don’t “vent” the frame properly during the days, the heat inside can burn the soil and my plants.  During the night the frame holds the heat inside creating a microclimate with a temperature as much as 20 degrees warmer than outside.  This is what allows these cold hardy plants to grow.  The cold frame is used to protect the plants from the snow, not the colder temperatures.  The row covers, tunnels and green houses all basically do the same thing, just in their own way.

I will then look at the plants that I want to grow and determine if they are cold hardy or will need really warm growing time frames.  Cold hardy plants are those that their best growing times are during the colder temperatures rather than the warmer season.  These plants if planted in the warmer time frames can have a bitter or sharper taste to them, but if grown during the cooler temperatures will have a very sweet and flavorful taste to them.  There are a lot of cold hardy plants that I can choose from that will keep me going all year.  For example, I can plant spinach in the cold frame in September and harvest fresh spinach all winter.  I can do the same with carrots and lettuce, too. There are lots of cold hardy plants to choose from.

Since I will be continuously planting, I am going to plant fewer plants at a time.  Through the year, I should grow the same amount that I would have last year or maybe more and they will be fresh.  For this spring, I have lettuce seedlings that once I get my cold frame repaired and in place this weekend, I will be putting these plants in the cold frame to start growing.  In a month I will direct sow lettuce and radish seeds into the old feeder to start growing.  Gathering data from the seed packages I will be able to know how long it will take from planting to harvest.  This will help me determine when I need to plant the next batch of seeds so that I will have a continual harvest of lettuce and radishes.  For the winter planting, I will then move exclusively to the cold frames for my winter crops.  I can’t wait to see how this works.

For more details and guidance on year round growing in Ohio, Dr. Tim McDermott, OSU Extension Educator for Franklin County has a lot of information on the subject.   The link is A Full Year of Growing Classes and Videos | Growing Franklin (osu.edu).  He has instructional videos, articles and a lot of good advice.   I believe that he will be talking at the Southwest Ohio Perennial School on April 13, 2023 at OSU Extension Clermont County.