Beet’s (Beetroot) 101 – Growing, Harvesting And Cooking

Source Growing beetroot BBC Gardening
Stop that, don’t let your children see you making an ugly face while reading about how to plant, grow, harvest and eat your garden fresh beets.

Freshly pulled beets (beetroot) are wonderfully tender with a delicious earthy taste. Best of all, they’re really easy to grow from seed.

Beets prefer to be grown in moist, fertile soil in a sunny spot, but will also thrive in raised beds or pots. Sow seeds directly into the soil from mid-spring and for a fall crop plant in early August to September.

* To make a seed bed, remove weeds and dig or till using a rototiller. Removing any particularly large stones if you have rocks in your garden.
Level working over the area to be planted with a rake to leave a fine finish. Spread a general granular fertilizer across the site and rake into the soil.

* Seed can be sown directly into the soil from March to June in most of the U.S.A. Make a 3/4 to 1 inch deep trench with the corner of a rake, hoe (or a cane will do) and drop in your seeds every 3 to 4 inches apart.
Cover, water well. Note If you want a plentiful supply of beets, sow seeds every 14 to days keeping rows 8 inches apart.

If you have a small garden, beets are easy to grow in pots. To grow in pots (ideal for round varieties, not long cylindrical ones), choose containers that are at least 8 inches in diameter and at least 8 inches deep.
Fill loosely with multi-purpose compost leaving the compost just shy of the top of your pot.
Tap the pot gently to settle, and firm with your finger tips aiming to leave a 1 1/2 inch gap between the surface of the compost and the top of your pot. Sow seeds thinly across the surface and cover with 3/4 inch of compost. Water and thin out seedlings when they’re about 3/4 inch tall, leaving a 3 to 4 inch spacing between your plants.

Harvest your beets while small and very tender. Ping Pong ball to Golf ball size. To harvest, gently hold the tops and lift while levering under the root with a hand fork. Remove the tops by twisting them off with your hands to prevent the plants bleeding their juice. Don’t throw away beet tops (greens), they taste great and can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked and eaten like spinach.

Beets may be boiled, broiled, eaten fresh in salads, or pickled.
* Grate, slice or 1/4 small raw beets to be used in salads.
** Source Beet / Beetroot Cooking Tips
** Source How to pickle beets

*** Beets are a super food Beets are loaded with fiber, potassium, and folate, and are free of saturated fats and cholesterol. Researchers believe the red pigment in beets – betacyanin – may protect cells against cancer.

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The Spice Of Life – Better Than Sex (Well Almost) Growing Peppers

Click picture to Zoom-In
Source of Pepper picture is unknown.,
Peppers like it hot. Pepper seeds germinate at soil temperatures of 75° – 90° F with 85° F being the ideal soil temperature.

The first thing you must decide is do you want to grow Sweet Mild peppers or Hot pepper types. Then you must select the pepper that is ‘Not’ to hot for your taste.

Jalapeno, Serrano, Cayenne or Tabasco type peppers are hot enough for most peoples taste. However they are down right mild when compared with some of the Habanero or Naga Jolokia peppers.

Below is a pepper chart indicating how hot different varieties of pepper will be at maturity.

Scoville Units

Chile Pepper	Heat Range
Sweet Bell	0
Sweet Banana	0
Pimento	0
Cherry	00 ~ 500
Pepperoncini	100 ~ 500
Sonora	300 ~ 600
El-Paso	500 ~ 700
Santa Fe Grande	500 ~ 750
NuMex R Naky	500 ~ 1,000
Coronado	700 ~ 1,000
TAM Mild Jalapeno	1,000 ~ 1,500
New Mexico 6-4	1,000 ~ 1,500
Espanola	1,000 ~ 2,000
Poblano	1,000 ~ 2,000
Ancho	1,000 ~ 2,000
Mulato	1,000 ~ 2,000
Pasilla	1,000 ~ 2,000
Anaheim	500 ~ 2,500
Sandia	500 ~ 2,500
NuMex Big Jim	1,500 ~ 2,500
Rocotillo	1,500 ~ 2,500
Pulla	700 ~ 3,000
NuMex Joe E. Parker	1,500 ~ 3,000
Bulgarian Carrot	2,000 ~ 5,000
Mirasol	2,500 ~ 5,000
Guajillo	2,500 ~ 5,000
Jalapeno	2,500 ~ 8,000
Chipolte	5,000 ~ 8,000
Long Thick Cayenne	6,000 ~ 8,500
Hot Wax	5,000 ~ 9,000
Puya	5,000 ~ 10,000
Hidalgo	6,000 ~ 17,000
Aji Escabeche	12,000 ~ 17,000
Serrano	8,000 ~ 22,000
Manzano	12,000 ~ 30,000
Shipkas	12,000 ~ 30,000
NuMex Barker’s Hot	15,000 ~ 30,000
De Arbol	15,000 ~ 30,000
Jaloro	30,000 ~ 50,000
Aji	30,000 ~ 50,000
Tabasco	30,000 ~ 50,000
Cayenne	30,000 ~ 50,000
Santaka	40,000 ~ 50,000
Super Chile	40,000 ~ 50,000
Piquin	40,000 ~ 58,000
NuMex XX Hot	60,000 ~ 70,000
Yatsafusa	50,000 ~ 75,000
Red Amazon	55,000 ~ 75,000
Haimen	70,000 ~ 80,000
Chiltecpin	60,000 ~ 85,000
Thai	50,000 ~ 100,000
Merah	85,000 ~ 100,000
Tabiche	85,000 ~ 115,000
Bahamian	95,000 ~ 110,000
Carolina Cayenne	100,000 ~ 125,000
Kumataka	125,000 ~ 150,000
Bahamian	125,000 ~ 300,000
Jamaican Hot	100,000 ~ 200,000
Birds Eye	100,000 ~ 225,000
Tepin (Wild)	100,000 ~ 265,000
Datil	1,000 ~ 300,000
Devil Toung	125,000 ~ 325,000
Fatalii	125,000 ~ 325,000
Orange Habanero	150,000 ~ 325,000
Scotch Bonnet	150,000 ~ 325,000
TigrePaw-NR	265,000 ~ 348,000
Rocoto / Manzano	225,000 ~ 350,000
Caribbean Red	120,000 ~ 400,000
Choclate Habanero	325,000 ~ 425,000
Red Savina Habanero	350,000 ~ 575,000
Dorset Naga	800,000 ~ 900,000
Naga Jolokia “Ghost Pepper”	800,000 ~ 1,041,000
Pure Capsaicin	15-16,000,000

FAQ From Pepper Growers and Want To Be Pepper Growers

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Care And Feeding Your Dirt – Garden Soil 101

Click pictures to Zoom In
Know Your Dirt. These are common soil preparation and soil amendment recommendations. No two places in the world have the same soil conditions nor can you apply the same procedures in the southeast U.S. that work well in Ohio or else where.

A soil test is best. With that said, I know that most gardeners will never take the time nor spend a few dollars to have their garden soil tested. Not knowing what you garden soil really needs means that we must use that shotgun approach to soil care. Almost without fail garden soil is low or very low in humus and nitrogen.

Nitrogen can be added to your soil using a pure nitrogen fertilizer like 20-0-0 but I recommend a better balanced fertilizer like 13-13-13 or maybe something like 10-5-5.
Tilling in a good compost material will add both nitrogen and humus to your soil and most of us need both nitrogen and humus added to our garden dirt.
I do not recommend applying raw manure or livestock bedding in the spring time. Add this type of materials in the fall, till in well, thus giving raw manure and livestock bedding 3 or more months to decompose before planting time.

Caution Tip Don’t over do the nitrogen! To much nitrogen on root and fruit producing crops can cause your vegetables to be all nice green foliage and produce little or no eatable roots or fruits! High levels of nitrogen is fine for leaf crops like leaf lettuce, spinach, arugula and so on.

Container gardening can be a real challenge to get and keep your fertilizer levels correct for the crop(s) you are growing. Having such a small amount of soil to work with and the need to water almost daily quickly leeches all nutrients from your container soil. Mixing in well composted manure before planting is very helpful. Fertilize every two weeks or so at 1/2 the recommended application rate used when fertilizing garden soil.

Source Carl J. Rosen and Peter M. Bierman, Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota Using Manure and Compost as Nutrient Sources for Fruit and Vegetable Crops
Manure and compost not only supply many nutrients for crop production, including micronutrients, but they are also valuable sources of organic matter. Increasing soil organic matter improves soil structure or tilth, increases the water holding capacity of coarse textured sandy soils, improves drainage in fine textured clay soils, provides a source of slow release nutrients, reduces wind and water erosion, and promotes growth of earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms.

Fresh vs. composted manure. Fresh, non-composted manure will generally have a higher N content than composted manure. Caution Fresh manure may contain high amounts of viable weed seeds, which can lead to weed problems. In addition, various pathogens such as E. coli may be present in fresh manure and can cause illness to individuals eating fresh produce unless proper precautions are taken. Always carefully wash all vegetables under cold running water. Cook meats and vegetables to a temperature of 160 degrees to kill bacteria like E. coli that may be present on meats, fruits or vegetables.

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Gardening With ‘Cracked’ Pots

Source Using crocks to help containers drain?
No Not That Kind Of Pot
For 50 years years I have followed the lessons learned from my parents, grand parents and great grand mother about container gardening.

Now along comes Soil scientists, hydrologists and environmental engineers telling me I have been doing it wrong for all these years.

If you really want to know the technical reason(s) why we should not fill the bottom of your potted plant containers with cracked pots, click on the source link Using crocks to help containers drain? Other wise continue reading here for a shorter explanation.

In short, putting cracked pots, stones, sand or gravel in the bottom of your containers can cause increased water retention in the bottom of containers and actually impede water drainage.

Don’t get the Idea, that you don’t still need good drainage holes in the bottom of your containers. Without drainage holes your container will soon be more suited for a bog garden. You just need not fill the bottom of your containers with what I formerly called … grin … good drainage materials. Fill your container from bottom to top with quality potting mix soil, plant/transplant your container and watch your treasured tomato’s/peppers grow.

I have also learned that I need to dig down at least 2 inches in my containers to check to see if the soil is dry and my plants need watering. Two inches and deeper are where most of your plants root system is growing and feeding.
Caution new seedlings and recently germinated seeds are growing and feeding much shallower in your pot soil.

Ogooglebar my new word for March. Swedish word for “ungoogleable.

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UK Style – Growing Micro-Salad Greens

Grin … I like it, I will use it often I’m sure. Swedish Language Council unveil it’s list of new Swedish words. Among them was a term Swedes began using in 2012. “ogooglebar” or “ungoogleable.

Source Lia Leendertz and Mark Diacono How to grow flavoursome{British Spell Oddly} micro greens

Growing micro-greens might be better suited for a Fall and Winter project. However micro-greens will be a welcome addition to your salad anytime of the year. Here are a few hints to get the most from your micro-greens.

Micro greens are just tiny seedlings of plants we usually harvest when they are fully grown. They are sown into compost and grown in light like any normal seedling, but harvested just a week or so after germination when they’ve produced their first pair of true leaves.
The plants that work best as micro greens are those with intense flavour and/or colour. Coriander, basil, fennel, radish and the oriental leaves are all great to try. {Any strong bitter green works well as a flavor accent to your salad.} Almost all herbs work equally well.

Micro-greens are delicate, not an ingredient for long, slow cooking, but more for adding at the last moment or add a little sprinkle as garnish of that special taste.

Micro-greens can be grown in your garden soil, raised beds and in larger size containers. Don’t allow your soil to become dry. Seedlings like and need a slightly moist warm soil for best germination rate. Not Wet or Cool Soil!

Coriander
There’s nothing subtle about coriander, a pungent, leafy herb which is the garnish of choice for bold and full flavoured Indian and Asian cuisines. Grown as micro greens, it delivers that punchy, aromatic, savoury flavour in even stronger bursts. It has everything we love about coriander.
Hint Use to provide a punchy garnish and flash of bright green to finish Indian and Asian dishes, or mix it into guacamole.

Fennel
Savoury, aniseed fennel, high in vitamin C, potassium and folic acid. If you grow it as a row of tiny, feathery leaves, cut before their prime, you will obviously not get the succulent bulb that forms over a summer of growth, but you will have that aniseed flavour, fast and hassle free. Fennel particularly loves white fish, so sprinkle it onto pan fried or baked fish to finish it. It’s also great sprinkled over a fruit salad or with cheese.

Fish Recipe, Coriander micro greens on baked mackerel{or the fish of the day that you and your family likes}

The fresh, strong taste of coriander micro greens works beautifully with this oily fish.
2 whole mackerel, gutted and cleaned
2 bay leaves
Dash of olive oil
Handful of coriander micro greens
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
* Lay a bay leaf along the inside of each fish and rub a little olive oil over the skin. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the skin is browned and the flesh is cooked. Sprinkle generously with the coriander micros and eat immediately with a garden fresh green salad.

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Tasting Better With Herbs

Herbs do well in container gardens, window boxes and raised beds. If herbs are conventionally located to you and your kitchen you are more willing and more likely to use them cooking and serving every meal.

Sage does well if properly cared for. It requires a lot of pinching and cutting to keep it from becoming woody too soon. As a rule, sage will need to be replanted after about 3 years since it will become woody with few leaves no matter what you do. Sage dries very well and if you pinch the leaves throughout the growing season, put a rubber band on them and keep them safe after drying you will have that wonderful sage all winter to give your family and guest a special treat.

Rosemary is always a kitchen favorite. It dries perfectly, holds its strong taste all winter, comes indoors and keeps growing in a sunny window and is rarely bothered by insects. Use rosemary for many herb standards or topiaries. The woody stem is perfect for crafting. The stem also seconds as skewers so I feel that each harvest yields two separate things: leaves and stems. Keep the stems in a freezer bag in my freezer and use them for grilling skewers. Since rosemary doesn’t like to sit in water but likes to dry out between waterings, I think that being in its own container or in a dry herb garden bed.

Basil is one of the most rewarding herbs to grow in a container. It really lends itself well to the other popular container plants like the tomato. Basil likes to have plenty of water to keep its fleshy stems and tender leaves plump, but is susceptible to mildew. In a container, you can be sure the plant gets plenty of airflow.

Thyme is an often undervalued herb. Many times it gets planted and never used. Thyme deserves a higher standing on our list of culinary herbs! It will thrive in a container environment, needing only minimal watering.{Grows well with Sage}. Some varieties grow into small shrub-like plants that enhance an entrance, and its tiny purple flowers are lovely.

Mint is notorious for getting away from the gardener. You plant one and soon twenty will follow. Planting a bottomless pot into your garden is one way of controlling mint, but keeping it out of the garden completely, by using a separate container, is a better idea. Mint is also so tasty, it should be used more often so keep it handy.

Common Herb Usage
Chives Leaves/Flowers
Fresh or Frozen Soups, salads, salad dressings, eggs, dips, vegetables, chicken, soft cheese spreads, butters, white sauces, and fish.

English Thyme Leaves/Flowers
Fresh or Dried Game, beef, soft cheeses, fish, chowders, pâté, vegetables, and tomato sauce.

Tarragon French or Spanish Leaves/Fresh or Dried
Chicken, fish, eggs, tomato juice, butters especially nice on steak, vinegars, salads, mustards, sauces hollandaise, béarnaise and tartar, Soups, chicken, fish, mushroom and tomato and marinades for fish, lamb or pork.

Oregano{Greek} Leaves/Fresh or Dried
Sauces white and tomato, stews, soups, fish, lamb, pork, vegetables, butters, and vinegars.

Rosemary Leaves/Fresh or Dried
Beef, lamb, fish, poultry, stuffings, soups, stews, fruit cups, soups chicken, pea, and spinach, vegetables, and marinades.

Sage Leaves/Flowers Fresh or Dried
Stuffings for fish, poultry, and meat, pâté, eggs, poultry, pork, beef, lamb, pasta, cheeses cheddar, cream, and cottage, sauces brown and meat, soups cream and chowder, beef stews, and vegetables.

Hint of the Day: Use fresh herbs blended with ‘real’ butter or sour cream for that special taste. Herb’s go well with fresh herb butter toast, baked potato’s and fresh garden salads.

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Shooting Fish In A Barrel – OR – DIY Harvesting Rain Water

Painter Rain Barrel

Over 60 percent of the United States has suffered from drought conditions for the past 2 years. NOAA and the National Weather Service said “2013 does not look for much improvement in these dry weather events”.
Harvesting rain water very well may mean the difference in having a viable productive vegetable garden or having to abandon your garden to the drought.

Harvesting Rain Water PDF a 88 page manual published by the state of Texas on Harvesting Rain Water.
Tip:Volume of a round storage tank = 3.1415 x R² x H x 7.47 = Volume In Gallons
Where R is the tank radius in feet squared (radius X radius) and H is the tank height in feet
Volume of a round tank calculator

Collecting rain water is easy, saves you many dollars off your house hold water bill and is better for your plants than chlorinated tap water. An inch of rain falling on a 1,000 square foot roof produces about 600 gallons of runoff rain water. Food grade 50-55 gallon barrels sell from $5.00 to $10.00 larger 275-300 gallon plastic tote containers commonly sell for about $75.00.

Two or maybe three 55 gallon barrels is all most gardeners need to water a patio container garden or even 1 or 2 small raised bed vegetable plots. It is useful for your containers to be raised off the ground at least 16 inches. This allows for easy filling of your sprinkler water can, or
attachment of a garden water hose or a gravity fed drip watering system. Grin … Water will not run up hill! Your collection barrel(s) must be higher than your raised bed or patio pots to work by gravity flow from a water hose.

Water collection barrels are typically fitted with a spigot at its base to fill a watering can or attach a soaker hose (which bleeds out water all along its length, providing effortless drip irrigation), and a filter or screen at its top to prevent a buildup of leaves and other debris and to prevent insects from entering your water collection barrel(s). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a single 100 gallon rain barrel can save up to 1,300 gallons of tap water during the high demand summer months.

If your collection barrel(s) are clear allowing sun light into your barrel, I recommend painting your collection barrel(s). Algae can not grow or reproduce in total darkness, keeping your water barrels algae free. Colored plastic barrels do not need to be painted, but, a nice paint job will allow them to blend into your landscape.

DIY Installing Your Drip Irrigation System A useful how to do it crash course in installing a drip irrigation system.

Rain Water Collecting and Recycling A Town and Country Gardening, Posted on August 17, 2009.

The Drip Store Is a internet mail order store that stocks all the parts you will need to assemble your drip irrigation system. Disclaimer: This link is provided for your convenience. I have had good service and found their products to as advertised. However, before sending money to this or any other internet mail order store, Check them out Before you purchase any products from that store.

Capturing Water from your Roof for Gardening! By: Transition Town Payson, AZ

Water Ponds and Wildlife – How To Attract More Animals to Your Backyard A wordpress blog posting

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Kitchen Witch – Herbs In The Garden And Kitchen

assorted herbs planted in a Strawberry pot

No kitchen or garden will long survive without herbs. Herbs have been have been used for thousands of years by witches to cast both evil and good spells. Used to treat and cure almost every aliment know to man. Herbs have been used to purify the air. And of course to enhance the smell and taste of food.

Many herbs used in modern day cooking can be found growing wild along the Mediterranean Seas southern European coast. That means they are cold and heat hardy and drought tolerant and will thrive with little care.

While circling must have garden seeds in your seed catalogs and drawing out your summer garden on your Big Chief note pad with your new purple crayola, don’t forget to include an assortment of herbs you like to cook with. Many herbs are perennials and need to be planted once and replanted or seldom propagated.

Hint Plant the herbs that you actually use. No need for a large container of Sage if you seldom or never use sage in your kitchen.

One large container can be planted with more than 1 herb plant. Consider planting 2 or 3 different type herbs in a large container. Just be sure to consider plant water needs before mixing plants. Don’t mix things like the heat and dry soil loving Rosemary with the moist soil loving Basil.

My herb garden is mostly Sage, 3 types of Thyme, Rosemary, 2 kinds of Oregano and Basil. I do also plant red white and yellow onions (harvest while small, young and very tender and tasty). You may also want a small patch of garden fresh garlic as well. I do use a few other different herbs from time to time in my cook pot, but, for the few times a year I use these herbs, I just buy bottled, dry herbs or a small bunch of fresh herbs from my supermarket.

I’m not a real fan of any of the Mint family, however Mint should be considered even if not used in making teas or in your cook pot, it does have a pleasing smell when crushed and used in your home as a room deodorizer.

Mint, keep it in a pot! Do Not plant directly in garden soil

Warning Mint can take over your garden. Keep it well contained in it’s very own sturdy pot.

Recommended reference: Herbs in a pot. No not that herb or that kind of pot! Growing Herbs in the Home Garden by West Virginia University.

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Seedlings, Starting Vegetable Seeds – What Are You waiting For??

February is the right time to start preparing to plant your spring flower and vegetable garden.

Supplies that you will need to have on hand. Seeds, of your choice. Whether you plan to plant seeds you have saved or purchased seeds, now is the time to get them sorted, determine when and how they should be planted. You will need a good quality potting soil, trays to plant in. You may also find a need for things like paper towels, plastic wrap, plant markers, and possibly fertilizers.

Not every plant needs to be started this early in the season. Read The Seed Package Planting Instructions… It will say on the seed packet how many weeks the seed needs to started in advance of the transplant date. You’ll be transplanting the seed after the last frost. Ask local gardeners, to find out the approximate date of the last frost. Find Your First and Last Frost Free gardening dates

To be successful you will need a warm sunny south facing window or a good quality grow light to get your seedlings off to a fast and healthy start.

Time and temperature needed to grow vegetable transplants
Crop	Time from seeding to germination (days)	Optimum soil temperature (°F)	Time from germination to transplanting (weeks)
Broccoli	7–10	50–85	5–7
Cabbage	4–10	50–85	5–7
Celery	9–21	50–65	10–12
Cucumber	6–10	65–85	4
Eggplant	6–10	65–85	6–9
Lettuce	6–8	50–65	3–5
Melons	6–8	65–85	3–4
Onion	7–10	65–85	8
Pepper	9–14	65–85	6–8
Squash	4–6	65–85	3–4
Tomato	6–12	65–85	5–7

$3 Newspaper Pot Maker

I have seen these cute ‘expensive’ wood devices that can be used to make newspaper seedling starter pots. I have seen them listed on internet websites from about $25.00 to as much as $50.00. I just want pay that much for a dollar or two of wood.

Simply Flagstaff blog Has designed and provided construction details on making your very own $3.00 newspaper seedling starter pot.

I did a posting a while back about this very same subject. Home made seedling pot maker However Cindy has put me to shame. Her design is a much better design and SO easy and cheap to build about $3.00 total investment. Parts are available in any hardware store.

Cindy said”
1 – 2 inch PVC Coupling
2 – 1 1/2 inch PVC Dome Slip Cap
3 – 1 1/2 inch PVC Bushing

The assembly is super easy. Place the bushing (#3) into the dome slip cap (#2) …that’s it!!”

Visit Simply Flagstaff blog for a lot of photographs and a detail construction and How to use your new Newspaper seedling starter pot maker.

Soil Temperature and Successful Home Gardeners
Germination Temperature Information
Click chart {on right} to Zoom in

Food for thought {pun intended} Whether you are planting your seeds directly into your garden soil or in seedling pots, soil temperature is all important in getting them off to a good start..

Few gardening guru’s will tell those new to gardening how to maximize seed germination after you invest, money, time and effort into getting that tiny seed into the soil. For proper germination and strong healthy seedlings you must have the right combination of soil temperature, soil moisture and planting depth.

Seeds planted to shallow will emerge quickly, but, will be easily damaged until they have time to put down deep roots. Seeds planted to deep may never emerge into the light of day. *Read and follow planting instructions on your seed package!

1. If your soil is to wet, your seeds may rot before germination.

2. Planted in dry soil your seed will lay dormant until there’s enough moisture to germinate.

3. Seed planted in cool soil will be slow to germinate or your seeds may rot before they germinate.

Success with seed
Pepper Seed Germination And Growing Tips
Sowing wild flowers

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Cucumbers in a Pot – Think Fresh Off The Vine – Sandwich, Soup, Salad And Pickles!

Cucumber wire trellis

Source Ohio State University Cucumber fact sheet.
Hint Vines bear two kinds of flowers, pistillate (female) and staminate (male). The first flowers are staminate, will drop from the vine and will not bear fruit. Subsequent flowers will include both male and female and pollination will occur. Recently, gynoecious plants (those bearing female flowers only) have been introduced. The seed packet will have specifically marked seeds indicating that the marked seeds must be planted as well for proper pollination. Read the seed package label carefully!

Cucumbers thrive best at relatively high temperatures, 65-75 degrees F being the ideal temperature range. The plants do not tolerate any frost. Since cucumbers are a quick growing crop, they can be direct seeded into your soil. Your pot soil must be supplied with moisture and plant nutrient elements throughout the growing season. Never allow your cucumber vines soil to become dry. Cucumbers like a damp, Not Wet, soil throughout your summer garden growing season.

Cucumbers can be grown successfully in many types of soils. However their preferred soil is loose, well drained rich soil supplied with organic matter (compost). Work in compost such as well rotted (composted) manure before planting. During the heat and dry summer days, you may find that you need to water your plants every morning and every evening.

Fertilizers are best applied prior to planting, you should add a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or similar analysis according to label recommendations. Fertilize again one week after blossoming begins, and again three weeks later. Caution Do not over fertilize, to much nitrogen encourages vine growth and retards fruiting.

Cucumbers are well adapted to growing on a trellis to conserve space and makes finding and harvesting your cucumber crop easy to do. An added benefit of growing cucumbers on a trellis is it makes controlling insects and diseases a much easier task.

spotted cucumber beetle

Cucumbers like a cool-ish moist, Not Wet soil. Water when the soil begins to dry. Using a 1 or 2 inch layer of fine chopped grass/hay mulch will help cool the soil and retain soil moisture.

Cucumbers Varieties worthy of your consideration.
Salad Bush Hybrid
Bush Champion
Picklebush
Spacemaster
Hybrid Bush Crop
Midget Bush Pickler

Hint Cucumbers can be harvested at any size. Always harvest your cucumbers when small and before they develop large seeds and tend to get a bitter taste. Harvest in the early morning hours if possible. Keeping cucumbers harvested will encourage your vines to continue producing cucumbers all season long.

Straight Eight – Heavy yield of smooth, 8-inch long straight and smooth cucumber, dark skin and pure white flesh. Allow vines to spill over the sides of your container or grow on a trellis to conserve space.
Spacemaster – Excellent for baskets on containers, 7-1/2 inch dark green fruits, mosaic and scab tolerant. Allow vines to spill over the sides of your container or grow on a trellis to conserve space.
Seman – Sunny yellow skin, lemon shaped and lemon sized cucumbers, crisp and mild.
Sweet Slice Burpless – mild 10 to 12-inch fruits, never bitter, resists several diseases.
Bush Pickle Hybrid – early crop of white-spined 5-inch fruits on smaller bush type plants. Suitable for container growing.

Hint Paint using an outdoor latex paint, your containers to dress-up the looks of your container garden.

Grin … Setting in your garden eating small firm almost seedless cucumbers fresh off the vine, salt and black pepper. It doesn’t get any better than that.

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Why is common sense so uncommon?
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