Still got the "itch" to garden? Scratch it with fall edibles.

While spring may be the best season to plant some edibles, National Garden Bureau reports others are best planted during the summer for fall harvest. Crops, like cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and peas, prefer the growing conditions that late summer and early fall offer and they are actually more flavorful when grown cooler. Some can even add a touch of color to waning flower gardens.


Cool season crops like lettuce can be planted now for harvest in
the fall. Cultivars like 'Relic' also add a much-needed touch of
color to the garden.
Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau   

  

Consider these landscaping techniques to help improve water quality

Michigan State University Extension is advising homeowners that they can improve water quality by preventing erosion, reducing flooding, saving water and providing habitat through simple landscape features designed to collect and treat run-off. Landscaping techniques, collectively known as Low Impact Development, utilize vegetation, soil and other landscape features to collect and absorb rainwater, and allow it to be naturally filtered on-site back into the ground. These management techniques can help prevent runoff of storm water into drains and ditches.

"Landscaping for Water Quality: Garden Designs for Homeowners" is a full-color resource guide that can help homeowners improve water quality by preventing erosion, reducing flooding, saving water and providing habitat for wildlife. The guide includes tips on garden planning and designing.

"Landscaping for Water Quality:
 Garden Designs for Homeowners"
is a resource guide for homeowners
looking to help improve water quality.  

  

Voting for American Garden Award ends Aug. 31

You have until Aug. 31, 2013, to vote for the American Garden Award program. There are four plant entries in this year's competition:

* Impatiens 'SunPatiens Compact Electric Orange' bred by Sakata Ornamentals

* Petunia 'Surfinia Summer Double Pink' bred by Suntory Flowers Ltd.
* Verbena 'Lanai Candy Cane' bred by Syngenta Flowers
* Zinnia 'Zahara Cherry' bred by PanAmerican Seed

If you want to participate in the program you can vote for your favorite plant in one of three ways:

1. Visit a participating garden and text your vote using the special voting codes found on the signs in the garden.
2. Go to the American Garden Award website and click on your favorite flower.
3. Use the pre-paid postcard ballots found at the participating gardens.

Voting results can be followed on Facebook or Twitter. Encourage friends, family and business associates to get involved in the program by casting their votes too.

Voting for this year's American
Garden Award program ends on
Aug. 31.  

 

Italian Connection

Sweet Tomato and I went on a cruise last summer to ports in the countries of Italy, France, Greece and Croatia.  While in the port of Taormina, Sicily, we went shopping at a local farmers’ market for fresh vegetables and fruits.  It was not that the food on the cruise ship was poor (it was in fact ‘over the top’ good), it was just that we wanted to sample local fruits and vegetables at the various ports of call.  Being always on the lookout for different varieties of tomato seeds, I purchased some tomato seeds at this farmers’ market. 

The seeds were Marglobe and San Marzano 2.  I have grown various types of San Marzano for years with good results.  I have never seen or heard of the Marglobe, but it looked pretty, and I am a sucker for good looking tomatoes.  Here is a picture of the seed packet for San Marzano 2, followed by the tomato’s description from the Semiorto Sementi web site (translated from Italian). A big deal is made of regions for tomato growing. This “regional purity” extends to wine, cheese, ham, etc, etc.

Description:
From the various ecotypes of S. Marzano widespreadin the Agro Sarnese-Nocerino, Semiorto. Theproceeds from this selection has improved uniformityin yield and quality of the product. The reliance by the Ministry of Agriculture of the conservation purityof this variety testifies to the reliability and validity of the variety. The plant is a permanent development, vigorous and rustic, with good foliagethat protects the fruit from the strong insolation. The fruits are elongated, cylindrical-rectangular, weighing 80-90 gr. and very uniform. Thick flesh and firm, with reducedinternal lodges. Varietiessuitable for both the fresh marketand for the industry. Tolerant to Verticillium and Fusarium.

The Marglobe, while pretty, must not have near the history or importance as the San Marzano.  Here is a picture and a very short description again from the Semiorto Sementi web site.

 

 

 

Description:
Table tomato, medium early. Vigorous plant with good leaf coverage. Seafood round shape, smooth, large size, excellent consistency and uniformity, intense red color when ripe.

Right now both plants are about 1 to 2 feet in height with thick foliage and looking healthy.  I will keep you abreast of how the plants grow and the tomatoes fare.

 

 

If you like container gardening, you may be ready for containerscaping

National Garden Bureau members have indicated that "containerscaping" appears to be the next step after container gardening. Container gardening has been popular for several years and now the goal is to have those containers look cohesive and well-organized. Containerscaping is the next level beyond basic container gardening. It can apply to balconies, decks, patios, front porches and even the yard.

There are even garden centers that are offering containerscaping services. These companies define containerscaping as container design and installation service for potted plants.

Containerscaping is the next level beyond basic container gardening.
It can apply to balconies, decks, patios, front porches and even the yard.

 

National Garden Bureau announces its 2014 "Year of the" plants

National Garden Bureau has announced the three plants for its 2014 “Year of the” program.
Petunia is the plant for annual flowers; for vegetables/edibles, it is the cucumber, and for perennials, it is the echinacea. The non-profit organization selects crops that are easy to grow, genetically diverse with a lot of new varieties to choose from.

For 2014, the National Garden Bureau has selected petunia as
the annual flower for its "Year of the" program. Shown is
Surfinia Summer Double.
 Photo courtesy of the National Garden Bureau 

 

Program showcases All-America Selections perennial winners

All-America Selections is launching a perennial program that features six plant winners that have been tested and trialed in more than 25 different trial locations throughout North America. All of the plants have been proven to have outstanding garden performance.

The plants in the program include:

1. Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit,’ 2013 AAS Winner

2. Gaillardia ‘Arizona Apricot,’ 2011 AAS Winner

3. Gaillardia ‘Mesa Yellow,’ 2010 AAS Winner

4. Echinacea ‘PowWow Wild Berry,’ 2010 AAS Winner

5. Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun,’ 2003 AAS Winner

6. Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cherokee Sunset,’ 2002 AAS Winner

Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit,’ 2013 AAS Winner
Photo courtesy of All-America Selections