Okay, I’ll admit that this summer was a terrible one for growing tomatoes, and no, I can’t make claims that my garden was immune from the sting of Tomato Blight! But you know what, I still had more than enough homegrown tomatoes to enjoy and share with friends in spite of the widespread disease. This entry is a recap of the past season’s tomato production.

Most of the tomato transplants were started from seed but I did purchase a few seedlings to add to my home grown tomato plants. So I don’t know if the imports were the source of the contamination or if the blight found its way into my plot from neighboring gardens.

Looking Back at the Summer’s Heirloom Tomato Harvest

In total, there were about a dozen heirloom tomato varieties growing in the garden last summer, and they were all trained on a new trellising system designed to handle anything the vines could pile on. The plants looked pretty promising at first, and then slowly declined as signs of tomato blight began to appear and spread.

I allowed the disease to run its course and didn’t make any futile attempts to control or eliminate it. Some plants suffered more than others, but all of them yielded fruit regardless of how sad and pathetic their vines looked.

A number of the tomato plants seemed to rebound slightly as the summer progressed, and others like Matt’s Wild Cherry barely seemed to notice that the blight had come calling. Overall, I’m sure the production was reduced but I was still handing out plenty of tomatoes to grateful coworkers.

Looks can be Deliciously Deceiving with Heirloom Tomatoes

It didn’t take family and friends long to realize that the saying about beauty being skin deep applies quite nicely to heirloom tomatoes. Those very strange looking, dark-colored tomatoes with the rough green shoulders were passed over initially in favor of the normal looking bright red fruits.

But those “ugly” tomatoes that looked like they weren’t even fully ripened quickly became the most sought after of all the varieties that I grew last summer. I’ve always liked the dark heirlooms such as Black Krim and Carbon, but the Amazon Chocolate tomato has just moved towards the top of my personal favorite’s list.

Matt’s Wild Cherry was the small fruited tomato variety that I raised in the garden this summer, it was extremely productive, and stood up well to the tomato blight, but I’m still searching for a cherry tomato variety that compares favorably to Sungold!

Those New “Cage-Free” Tomatoes were a Huge Success

The tomato trellising system was a big success and I’ll definitely be setting it up again next summer. The only improvement that I may toy with is using a slightly lighter gauge wire that is a bit easier to stretch tightly from one end to the other.

If you missed the details about this trellis and the video that I created about its simple set up, you can catch up by visiting the post titled; “New Tomato Trellising and Training System.” If you’re tired of the cages, towers, and other support devices, this trellising system comes highly recommended.

It hasn’t been that long since I picked the last juicy, vine-ripened, heirloom tomato, but I’m already looking forward to next season and making plans to grow an even better crop. I’ll be fine tuning the list of varieties and searching for new tomatoes to trial in the garden.

And hopefully the next time around that tomato blight will be nowhere to be found!

Everything was so going well out in the vegetable garden and I was taking full advantage of the cool weather, abundant rain, a frost free start, and the ideal conditions for growing lush fall vegetable crops.

That is until yesterday evening as I ventured out into the backyard to take some photos. Then I noticed what looked like something had been digging in a couple of places in one of the raised beds, but I thought nothing of it until it finally hit me… “those are DEER TRACKS!”

A Disastrous Discovery in the Fall Vegetable Garden

From that moment everywhere I turned there were obvious signs that what looked like an entire herd of deer had been partying in the garden all night long! So much for my ideal growing conditions; deer have a quick way of ruining all that.

It wasn’t a dream, but I can still hope it was a fluke and that these deer were simply lost, got turned around and decided to check out the garden before returning to their usual feeding grounds. After all I am smack dab in the midst of a residential neighborhood!

Guess I’ll count my blessings that the damage wasn’t major and they even spared me the effort of pulling up a couple of beet roots. Seems like they were only interested in the beet leaves, Swiss Chard, and the pepper plants, but didn’t bother with much of anything else. Hopefully they won’t be returning anytime soon.

A Look at the Brighter Side of What’s Growing in the Fall Garden

It’s not all bad news in the garden as the following photos will show you that things are still green and growing in spite of the fact that the calendar shows November is only a few days away.

A few straggling blackberries continue to ripen despite the season and cool temperatures that have arrived in the fall garden.

A colorful and attractive mix of marigolds, nasturtiums, kale, parsnips, and Mexican Sage creates a nice backdrop between the raised beds and a perennial herb garden.

Ornamental kale and cabbage plants get better with age and as colder temps brighten their colors.

As hard as they tried, the deer were unable to eat all of the Swiss Chard, which continues to yield plenty of fresh, leafy greens.

Frost has spared the eggplants and peppers just long enough for me to collect one final harvest from an assortment of heirloom varieties.

I’ll wrap things up by saying once again that if you love veggie gardening but have never tried growing a fall vegetable garden; you are missing out on one of the absolute best times of the year to enjoy your garden!

The following message arrived via my Facebook Page from a gardener in Israel who is fervently searching for new edible plants to raise in the veggie garden. The difficulty revolves around a very limited water supply and tough growing conditions that can quickly turn a productive garden into a barren plot.

Here is Trish’s account along with a special request for crop recommendations from any experienced gardeners out there; particularly if you have grown vegetables in an arid climate:

Vegetable Gardening Successes and Challenges in the Mediterranean

As a fledgling veggie gardener, I love your gardening secrets newletters! They’re great and give me a host of information. Our Mediterranean climate is perfect for growing almost everything but I’ve not been able to grow anything for years – a total failure.

Now, with your help, I have tomatoes and eggplants in raised beds and I’m planning asparagus and blackberries although I have to take sun and heat and very limited water into consideration.

Our latest challenge is the newly issued water limitation for every household to 2.5 cubic meters of water per person per month. And that includes showers, toilets, gardens, washing machines – the lot! SO I have to find edible, drought resistant – nay drought loving plants. Now there’s a challenge!

Do you know anyone who might be able to help? I do use mulch and drip irrigation. However, winter is on its way (lowest temperatures 8 degrees centigrade) and hopefully, rain. So the pressure will only be on next summer and until then I might be able to prepare myself. Thank you and shalom.

Embracing Wild Edibles to Tame Unfriendly Climates and Conditions

Shalom to you Trish! Have you considered introducing some edible weeds and native plants into your landscape? I would bet there are edible plants that grow wild in your climate and that they are capable of producing routine harvests with no assistance from any gardener.

Here in the Northeastern U.S. there are fruits like blueberries and blackberries that grow wild but can also be cultivated in the backyard garden. Likewise for edible weeds like lambsquarters, purslane, and dandelion; each of which is available in cultivated varieties that are even better served and enjoyed at the dining table.

If a plant grows wild in a particular region, it’s guaranteed to have the growth characteristics, hardiness, and some natural resistance to the localized pests and weather conditions. Those features would make it even easier for these wild edibles to flourish in the comfort of a garden in spite of a harsh growing environment.

Recommendations for Cooperative Veggies that will Grow Well in Israel

Are you aware of any wild edible plants in your region that could also be raised as garden crops? If so, you could include them in the veggie garden to supplement your other crops and to provide some insurance anytime the less hardy cultivated plantings fail.

Trish just followed up with me to add the following… “I do have rosemary, lavender, shiba (artemisia) and sweet geranium (we put in tea) none of which require a lot of water and when pruned during the summer spring back in the winter like crazy. But there must be other plants and I’ll ask around.”

Can anyone recommend drought loving edible plants that would be suitable for growing in a Mediterranean climate? If you have any suggestions or ideas that may be useful to Trish please leave them in the comment section located below. Thanks!

The latest issue of the Gardening Secrets Newsletter brings some changes to the landscape as the newsletter is now being offered in a more user friendly HTML format. In spite of the fancy new look, you can still subscribe for FREE! If your email reader doesn’t do HTML don’t worry, a text version of the newsletter will continue to be made available.

The format change didn’t come without a few headaches and challenges, so if you are a subscriber who didn’t receive an issue during September check your spam filter or verify your subscription’s status by visiting the sign up page.

Your Feedback on the Revised Newsletter Format is Welcomed

Please let me know if you have any difficulty viewing the updated newsletter format, or if there is anything that I can do to make improvements. I plan to send the newsletter out on the 20th day of each month and this revised format should help me to meet that goal.

In September’s issue the featured topic explored the many advantages backyard gardeners can reap by including a few perennial vegetables and fruits in their gardens. There are also simple tips to help make raising these plants a breeze, along with a Top Ten Edible Perennials line-up that no garden should grow without.

Surprises Galore Waiting in the Backyard Vegetable Garden

George Washington Carver may have discovered hundreds of uses for the peanut, but even he may have been surprised by the way that some gardeners are utilizing ordinary sweet potato leaves. Lulu shares all the surprising details in the latest gardening secret to be exposed in the newsletter.

Less of secret and more of a shock is the best way to describe what Rebekah discovered when she opened her compost bin recently. A little bit of research turned her disturbing find from disgusting to delightful as she finally recognized the good composting fortune that she had stumbled upon! She explains the entire ordeal adds a link to an entertaining follow-up.

What’s Next for the Newsletter and Veggie Gardening Website

The current issue of the Gardening Secrets Newsletter ends with a peek at future plans for some fall gardening video and anticipated uses of Facebook and Twitter both here at Veggie Gardening Tips and with the newsletter.

So make sure your subscription to the Gardening Secrets Newsletter is active to stay informed of the latest organic gardening tips and ideas and all the upcoming happenings planned around these parts. And if you haven’t added your name to the list of over 15,000 satisfied readers, then it’s time to head on over to the sign up page and start your free subscription today.

I was impressed with the answers to the little gardening riddle that was posed last time. I was also told that I offered too many clues and that I made things too easy for you to solve… so I’ll have to remember that next time, and yes the answer to the riddle was a Chicken Tractor!

Okay, maybe Chicken Tractors aren’t for everyone or every garden, but even if your local ordinances prohibit keeping one in your backyard, you have to admit that it’s a pretty slick setup all the same!

Who Wants a Coop when a Chicken Tractor is in the Neighborhood

Chickens are the engine that powers this machine and can quickly reclaim an overgrown, weed and bug infested patch of ground and transform it into a cleared and fertilized area, all without the luxury of gasoline powered equipment and without back breaking struggles.

The tractor itself keeps the chickens in and predators out; if things work as planned! There is screening on the top and sides, but the floor is open so the birds have freedom to forage to their heart’s content. Nesting boxes and shade cloth or enclosures provide shelter from the elements as needed.

Following are a few photos taken at the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm Institute during a trip to St. Croix that I made earlier this year. You can see the chicken tractor in action and get a better feel for how it actually works:

Before - look at how thick and overgrown the weeds are before the tractor goes into operation, it’s definitely not a job you would want to take on with just a tiller or a hoe.

During - the chickens are happy and content as they go about the task of foraging greens and weeds, snacking on insects and weed seeds, scratching to loosen up the soil, and depositing chicken poop.

After - see for yourself the good job and difference that the chicken tractor has made in a matter of days. Now the entire process can be repeated in the next section of garden.

At any stage you can’t forget this handy accessory; here is the nesting box that will keep you in freshly laid eggs from your healthy and happy chickens.

Starting a Wish List for the Gardener who has Everything

I think these are so cool and really wish that I could have one in my backyard. Here is a link to a site containing a variety of chicken tractor photos and designs for anyone interested in building their own.

But be sure to check back with me, because I haven’t completely given up on the crazy idea of carrying a chicken tractor in my OpenSky Organic Garden Shop… if I can just figure out a way to stock and inventory those chickens! Stay tuned.

What has wings but doesn’t fly? And a set of wheels that never see the road? Its travel is limited to a distance that is measured by the number of feet per week, rather than the miles per hour that it covers!

No gasoline, electricity, or even solar batteries are needed to power this ingenious farm implement; so you could call it the ultimate in sustainability. And in spite of its amazing efficiency, it’s far from a slouch when it comes to performance…

This contraption will make short work of even the thickest tangle of weeds, and can cultivate the garden’s soil at the same time that it applies a layer of nitrogen rich organic fertilizer. Did I forget to mention that it also eliminates bugs, grubs, and the tiniest weed seeds?

If all that isn’t good enough for you, this hands-free device has an auto setting so that it works while you are off tending to other tasks. This baby can even be equipped with an optional attachment that will serve up breakfast if you’d like. So what do you think it could be?

I know I just have to get me one of these! Could one be stashed among all the other neat gadgets in the new Veggie Gardening Tips-OpenSky Shop? Hmmmm. You may think I’m exaggerating about this wonder, but you’d be wrong. For now I guess I’ll leave it up to your imagination to figure out the identity of this sweet dream of a green machine.

If you’re a master of organic farming and sustainable agriculture and already figured out the answer to this riddle, don’t be so fast to give it away. Let everyone else sweat and wrack their brains a bit over this one. You can just tease them with a response that you know the answer, or play along by adding a clue of your own.

So you know what to do… go to the comment section and jot down whatever you came up with as you read the riddle… and do it BEFORE reading what anyone else throws out there to confuse the matter.

Go ahead, I’ll give you some time and then return with the solution to this little gardening riddle. I’ll even share some photographs of this beauty in action to prove that I’m not making it up, and that such a device really does exist!

Two recent articles have focused on the designs and construction of a bean trellis and a tomato tower for the vegetable garden. Today Barb returns to share ideas for putting those trellises to good use, and also shows how to reduce the seed budget without sacrificing variety.

Heirloom beans are a fantastic crop for the backyard gardener, and if you’re a bit cramped for growing space pole beans allow you to go vertical in order to increase your yields even more. So here’s Barb from her small but productive garden in Northern Virginia:

Springing for an Economical Mix of Pole Bean Seeds

Hiya, Kenny! I am going to report on beans today. This is the first year I have dedicated space to pole beans. One was an early producer called “Spanish Music.” The second packet was a mix of three different beans. This is what I want to talk about.

I have never been a fan of buying mixed seeds. Oh, I’ll spring for salad mixes, of course, but really prefer one-per-package. I guess it’s the purist in me. BUT this small packet of three pole beans has turned out to be the best investment made.

Painting an Attractive Picture for the Small Space Gardener

You know I have an extremely small garden space. I put in maybe a dozen of each type of bean seeds, taking slightly more than six linear feet. The mix had white, red and brown seeds. They grew into a yellow wax type, a lovely purple string bean, and a green bean.

The other packet, Spanish Music is a wide, flat bean that can reach 10″ long and a full inch in width and still not be tough.  Here it is, mid September. This small allotment of space for pole beans produces three pounds of beans a week! They have outgrown the trellis by several feet, and I have to use a ladder to pick the upper reaches.

For the small space gardener, this type of mixed packaging can be a real money saver. One packet of three bean varieties, and I still have leftover seed. If I had bought three separate packets I would have more unused seed than I could use in years.

Using that Valuable Real Estate under the Bean Trellis

Underneath the bean trellis, the leeks are growing and the summer lettuces are giving way to the winter salad greens. Earlier this season you wrote about leeks not liking beans. Now I can tell you why…

Beans have an amazing root system. The leeks which are closest to the beans, and I mean within a foot of the bean row, are not as large as those which are three feet away. But the beans will come down and those leeks will be harvested last. We’ll see how they compare at the end of the winter.

Thanks for all your help and advice, hope this letter spurs someone else to take a chance on a small space garden.

Thank you Barb for sharing this great advice on growing pole beans in the backyard and for your perspective from a smaller sized garden. Pole beans are extremely easy to grow, very productive, and ideal for planting in the confined quarters of a small space vegetable garden.

“I am from Botswana and have developed interest in mushroom cultivation. So I would like you to help with where I can find the kit in South Africa and at what cost. I would be very happy if you can help me.”

That was the inquiry that I recently received from Samson in South Africa and it got me to thinking about growing mushrooms and the many ways that the task can be accomplished. I’ve posted a video about mushroom log inoculation, and wrote several articles on the subject including; Outdoor Mushroom Growing and Growing Mushrooms Indoors.

Cultivating Mushrooms on Straw in South Africa

But the following account that I received last month from Linus in Namibia demonstrates that the best way to go about growing mushrooms can vary greatly depending on your climate and the local resources…

Hi Kenny! Thank you very much for sharing the little knowledge I have with you. To answer on the comment raised about time of growing mushrooms…

Mushrooms can be grown throughout the year provided it is well maintained outdoors. Here one can use a black plastic sheet that can accumulate more heat and humidity during winter as on the picture attached. Hence, here in Namibia we are experiencing winter this time though it is coming to an end.

Growing mushrooms on logs sometimes doesn’t give a good flavour but it depends on the type of wood one is using. Here the customers don’t like that. I prefer to use rice straws, wheat straws, or wild grass that can be soaked in water to overnight or at least two to three days to ferment.

Then it has to be placed in a trench of one meter (width) by two meter (length). This should be a very thin layer at the first layer followed by the inoculated substrates and then another thin layer of fermented straws that will cover the spaces between.

Different varieties adapt to different temperatures otherwise, someone has to control the temperature. Hope you will get these tips useful and enjoy your mushrooms behind your house. Linus – Namibia

It’s Always Great to Have Options when Growing in the Garden

Mushroom kits and hardwood logs work well in my home and backyard garden, but they may not be the most ideal, economical, or resourceful method to use everywhere.

I purchase mushroom cultivation supplies from Fungi Perfecti, and I believe they sell and ship to other countries, but there may be other alternatives for you to explore just as the one shown here today.

It’s also great to learn different methods of doing things in case the need arises and in order to gain a better understanding of how the process works. I’m also always fascinated to see how others garden and grow things in other climates and foreign countries!

Many thanks to Linus for sharing his knowledge and expertise related to growing edible mushrooms with all of us here at the Veggie Gardening Tips website.

Flower gardeners aren’t the only ones that can appreciate a bit of color and ornamental accents in the garden. So while vegetable growers may not be able to smell the roses, there’s no shortage of blossoms and blooms to catch the eye and other senses in an edible garden.

Here’s a small sampling of the interesting, attractive and unusual flowers that you will find on display in the backyard vegetable plot:

Nasturtium flowers are edible of course and add a bite of peppery flavor in the kitchen and mounds of  colorful blooms in the garden. The leaves can also be eaten and there are some varieties with variegated foliage.

Tansy is a medicinal herb that serves double duty as a great veggie garden companion and a plant that can be useful in attracting beneficial insects and encouraging them to make themselves at home.

Black Eyed Peas have surprisingly beautiful flowers and this photo doesn’t nearly do the colors justice. You need to get an early start to catch this one because the shy blooms quickly fade and disappear as the sun rises.

Okra is one of my favorite vegetable flowers that makes for a pretty sight even before the blossom has fully opened. The tropical looking flowers quickly develop into tasty okra pods.

Fish Pepper flowers are plain and barely visible, but the leaves prove there is no pepper variety as showy as this heirloom. Even the small fruits are incredibly attractive adorned in an assortment of colors and fancy stripes.

Garland Chrysanthemum’s dainty flowers rise above deeply serrated leaves that are the main course on this edible plant. I’ve noted two different flower strains on edible chrysanthemums with this one being the least ornamental.

Arugula may not display the largest or most colorful blooms, but you have to admit that their flowers are unique and have an ornamental flair of their very own… not to mention that it’s great option to spice up a green salad.

Scorzonera produces an elegant flower and buds that would look right at home in a florist shop, but make no mistake, this is a root vegetable that is rough and tough enough to flourish like a perennial in the vegetable garden.

Goji Berry flowers are easily missed because they are so tiny but take a minute to look closely and you will be rewarded with a showy display from this exotic looking blossom that later develops into a bright red juicy berry.

Parsnip blossoms may not attract many flower gardeners, but as you can see they have no trouble drawing in a crowd of pollinating and predatory beneficial insects. Flowers appear during the plant’s second year of growth.

Rhubarb plants are best known for pies, jams, and other desserts, but they will also produce a flower of sorts. This unusual bloom rises on a stalk that is best removed to prevent it from sapping strength from the plant.

Sunflowers parade by to close out this peculiar round-up of flowers, but there’s plenty more to see in the veggie garden; borage, scarlet runner beans, broccoli, squash, globe artichokes, sage, kale, calendula, sunchokes, carrots, salsify, leeks, rosemary, and other vegetables and herbs all have flowers of their own waiting to be admired and enjoyed.

The latest issue of the Gardening Secrets Newsletter was sent out last week to all of the subscribers on my email list. If you didn’t receive your free copy you know what to do; just head on over and sign up for the newsletter while the August edition is still available.

Now Featured in the Organic Gardening Newsletter

The main focus this month is on growing sweet potatoes in the home garden. Rumors are put to rest about sweet potatoes being a difficult crop to grow. The newsletter also discusses the importance of keeping your seed stock disease free, and shares a new process that can clean-up sweet potato strains that have become infected.

The featured article also discloses that all sweet potatoes are not the same and that there’s a long list of heirloom varieties that you are not likely to have seen or tasted. Sources for quality sweet potato seed stock and tips for growing, curing, and storing the harvest are offered as well.

Gardening Tips, Tricks, and Reader Contributions

Gardening tips covered in the newsletter include an idea for extending the broccoli harvest and producing multiple heads from each plant with almost no additional effort on the gardener’s part. I also reveal time and labor saving techniques used to make irrigating the veggie garden a less involved affair.

Reader’s contributed some great suggestions of their own this month, including one gardener that introduces a strategy to speed seed germination, even for some of those difficult to germinate varieties. P.J. our very own “At Home Gardener” shared a homemade remedy that he uses to successfully control Powdery Mildew disease in the backyard garden.

Questions addressed this month include one from a gardener in Georgia searching for a good organic fertilizer and organic mulch to help improve a red clay soil and make it more hospitable to plant growth. Another inquiry requested information on the differences between “walking onions” and “multiplier onions” and whether one is any better than the other.

Changes and Improvements to the Gardening Secrets Newsletter

If you haven’t subscribed yet, or missed the latest issue; now is a great time to head on over and subscribe to the Gardening Secrets Newsletter. I have a number of surprises, improvements, and new features planned and ready to go into effect during the next few months.

There are over 12,000 subscribers enjoying the newsletter and slightly fewer than 4,000 readers on this website’s RSS feed. Thank you all very much for your contributions, for supporting the site here at Veggie Gardening Tips, and for subscribing and reading the Gardening Secrets Newsletter!

It seems like many of you are pretty creative when it comes to designing unique supports for tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and other climbing vegetables and fruits. Last time P.J. shared his trellising blueprint with us and today John reveals how to construct a totally different style of plant support:

Hi Kenny!  You’ve been a big help to me in the past with my gardening stuff, so I just kind of wanted to show you what I got going on out there with my tomatoes.  You had mentioned the problems you had with cages and trellises… I did too so I started making my own trellises.

Creating an Attractive and Sturdy Tomato Support

They cost about 10 bucks each to make and take about 2-3 hours each, but they never bend or break, can be used for years and years, and I think they look beautiful.  These are not buried in the ground.

I used 4  pieces of 6 inch pipe  about 18 inches long… filled them with pea gravel about 6 inches, put in the trellis, leveled it, then filled it to the top with pea gravel (actually the top ½ inch is white marble for looks).  This way, the boards NEVER rot, I can remove it annually and redo stain and waterproof if necessary and the whole process of removal and re-installation takes about 10 minutes.

I am sending a picture of it early in the season so you can see the trellis and one late in the season so you can see the size the things get to in it. It is very heavy with fruit. I have been pulling tomatoes since the 4th of July (ended up being a pretty easy day to remember).

Extending the Reach of Your Tomato Plants even Further

A little magic fertilizer system helps with the size… the picture with me in it was taken about the middle of June; the plant is well over 6 foot now and has consumed the trellis.

Oh, by the way, you can’t really see them in the pictures, but the “extension” of the trellis serves a purpose later as the plant grows bigger around. I take wire insulation hangars, drill holes in the ends of the “extensions” and put the wire through them.

These hangars are very strong and take a heck of a lot to bend them. In essence, you end up with a “dual layer frame” type of trellis, and the outer layer poses no problems in reaching past into the plant to harvest yer bootie!

There’s More than One Way to Trellis a Vegetable Plant

As John has just shown, there are many angles to take in constructing a trellis or structure for supporting all of your homegrown veggies and fruits. There’s no right or wrong way, just whatever works for you.

The trellises can also be adapted or modified to support other vegetables and fruits. For example squash plants and even melon vines can be trained to grow and bear fruits on a trellis.

I still love the support system that I shared in my tomato trellising video, but there are so many great options and techniques for supporting your plants and they will all help improve production, plant health, and help maintain order out in the vegetable patch.

John M. has been gardening for ten years and has watched his garden grow larger with each passing season. Tomatoes are John’s favorite crop and they grow like trees in his backyard vegetable garden. He admits that it wouldn’t be possible without the religious watering, pruning, and nurturing provided by his lovely assistant Peggy!

After unveiling his impressive first vegetable garden recently, PJ received questions about the tall structures that towered over the plants and was kind enough to return and explain his veggie trellises and provide the details for constructing a similar one in your own backyard garden:

Those tall things are actually my trellises for cucumbers, beans and peas. They are made from 2” x 4” x 8’ cedar, ripped lengthwise (@ 1.50” x 1.50” square). Before I cut them I marked out in 7 inch increments starting from the top.

Constructing a Sturdy Trellis for the Vegetable Garden

AFTER I ran them through the table saw I picked my upright pieces and tapered the ends so I could drive them into the ground easier, then picked my top sections and drove in a 1” roofing nail at each 7” line, centered on the width, leaving about an 1/8” between the head of the nail and the wood to allow for the string.

I then laid out my top pieces in the area I wanted to make my trellises and marked the spots for the uprights; my longest trellis is 15’ long so it needed a center post. I drove the uprights into the ground about 18 inches using a fence post driver that you use for setting chain link fence posts (available at any big box home supply store), leaving about 6-1/2 feet above ground.

Then I put my tops on and secured them into the uprights with a 16 penny framing nail (NOTE: I made a simple lap joint where I joined the two uprights together for my longest trellis). Then started my string on the nail closest to the ground and worked my way across, wrapping twice around each nail and moving up a row each time; my horizontal string is one continuous piece of string.

When I got to the last nail on the highest marked row below the top piece I tied it off. I then began the vertical string by cutting 7 foot pieces of string for each nail in the top piece, put a loop at one end that I hooked around a nail on the top piece and then wound it through the horizontal string wrapping once around each horizontal piece of string and tying it off to the lowest horizontal string.

Teaching a Few New Tricks to the Gardener, Plants, and Pets

LESSON 1: After you wrap around the lowest horizontal string keep going and secure the loose end to a stake you drive in the ground. I didn’t do that with mine. They have held up just fine, but if you “ground” them they will be much more stable, especially if you live a windy area (like by Lake Michigan); my beans and peas have mastered the “hula”.

String: For the beans and peas I found a great bio-degradable string at my local hardware store (I think it was about the 4 lb. strength type) which has held up great, and can be decomposed into the soil in the fall. My horizontal pieces on my cucumber trellis I used yellow masons string which is rated much higher in terms of weight capacity and I’m glad I did ‘cause them cukes are getting heavy.

I have read that some people use wire for their cucumber trellises or even chicken wire on a slanted growing trellis which I think I may try next year…I have discovered that you can teach a cat to sit a lot easier than you can teach a cucumber to grow straight upright, and my cat still won’t “sit”.

A Perfect Place to Relax, Unwind, and Enjoy the Garden

I put my trellises in BEFORE I sowed my seeds so I knew where to plant the seeds and didn’t disturb any underground growth, planted the seeds per the package directions, thinned as needed and then let them do their thing.

Another thing I did in arranging my trellises was to create a “quiet space” in the garden that I can go to, pull out my tailgate folding chair, sit, relax and enjoy a cold adult beverage in amongst the beans, cucumbers, dill, fennel and carrots and you can even catch a whiff of the basil if the wind is right.

This little area was something that my wife helped me create… we haven’t used it as much as we should have, but when I have it is a fabulous place to unwind.

P.J. Scott is a beginner gardener who discovered the joys of a backyard garden this season and along with his family’s participation has managed to create a beautiful and productive new vegetable garden on his very first attempt. PJ writes about hockey on the West Michigan High School Hockey Blog and contributes occasional articles here at Veggie Gardening Tips.

Craving a cross pollinated Spaghetti-Nugget-Dumpling Squash? How about a rare spotted Butternut-Scallop-Acorn delight? Or even a gigantic Hubbard-Cushaw-Pumpkin variety? And who could do without a lovely wart covered Crookneck-Turban-Gourded beauty?

Well here are a few reports of mysterious, unidentified, mutated, or simply cross pollinated squashes that have been making appearances in backyard gardens this summer. The first sighting was reported by Anita who gardens in Ontario, Canada, in the Kawartha Lakes area.

Mysterious Canadian Squash Seeking Identification

“This mystery squash turned up in my garden.  I planted sweet potato squash, spaghetti squash and patty pan’s.  I did not plan on this squash, picture attached.  This monster started to surpass the sweet potato squash in size, it then changed colour, as in it was looking like a sweet potato squash, which are still creamy coloured and they are much smaller.”

“Do you think this could be a cross between a spaghetti squash and a sweet potato squash?  Or could it be a zucchini?  I cooked it and it was really watery and had the stringy texture of a spaghetti squash, but sweet and nutty flavoured.  The skin was also very soft after baking it, not tough as you would expect for the size of this, which I consider large, for this time of year in Northern Ontario.”

“It is sitting beside a Lodge Cast Iron Dutch oven to give you an idea of the size, 10-1/2 inches.  I have searched pictures on the internet and can’t find anything that resembles this.  Any idea what it might be?  I know that a zucchini can grow very large in a shot period of time.  Perhaps you have seen this in your gardening experience, I would appreciate it if you could let me know, or send it to your viewers, perhaps they would know.”

Anyone for a Serving of Sautéed Watermelon with Garlic?

Next up is a rather attractive fruit that was discovered growing in Patzcuaro, Mexico in a garden tended by Churchill, who is really baffled considering that they grew from a packet of what were supposed to be watermelon seeds!

“Hi, Kenny. I bought a pack of water melon seeds. What I got was not water melon. It is some kind of squash, but it doesn’t look like any of the pictures I have been able to find on the Internet. I think it may be a Hubbard.”

“I have attached four pictures. This thing is huge! I also included a photo of the plant and the squash next to it, which I call a soccer ball squash because if you let it, it gets about that size. The squash in question is huge, but our helper, Israel says it is still small.”

Latest Update: “About those squashes I thought might be Hubbards. Not! Quite large, I’d guess 4-8 lbs, and have a pale yellowish-green interior. They are common in Mexico, according to our farm hand. Already harvested two and expect another 10 and counting. When cut open they smell similar to water melon, but the seed structure is squash. Any takers on what kind of squash that is? They are quite tasty with enough garlic.”

Birds, Bees, and Cross Pollinated Squash Seeds

That’s definitely not a watermelon that Churchill is growing, but don’t ask me to say exactly what type of squash it is. Then there were the following comments that were posted here at Veggie Gardening Tips website…

“I have a patty pan squash that seems to have cross pollinated with my zucchini. It was suppose to be a white patty pan but it is yellow with green (just like the zucchini) on them. Is it possible that they are actually cross pollinating?” – Laurie

“Hello, I came across this thread while looking for answers to a “Patty Pan Squash” hybrid or ‘mutant’ that I have growing in my garden this year. I hope you don’t mind me asking this question here… Last year I grew a variety of summer squash – zucchini, yellow and patty pan. This year I had some “volunteers” from last year’s discarded seeds.”

“One plant is producing Patty Pan-type squash. The leaves and plant shape is identical to this year’s seed-planted Patty Pan squash, and the skin is light green and smooth, but the squash are oblong in shape… looks more like a gourd than a squash. Any idea how this could happen?” – LaurieLou

When it Comes to Squash be Extra Careful of what You Sow

Lessons learned… Cross pollination won’t affect your squash plants or fruits in any noticeable manner during the current growing season. But be very careful about squash seeds that you save or that volunteer because they cross so easily and once they do there is no telling what you’ll find growing in the garden next time around!

I don’t have a clue, but if anyone thinks the mystery squashes pictured above are actual cultivated varieties and can shed a bit of light on the matter, please do share in the comment section below. Also feel free to send in your own photos of any mysterious, mutant, or unidentifiable squashes lurking in your garden. Thanks!

Yesterday Bob Guillow from the Garden Manuals website shared a list of common sense disease preventive practices for the backyard vegetable garden. Today Bob returns to identify a few of the major diseases that you may encounter, and also offers suggestions to keep them under control…

There are both chemical and non-chemical controls for solving disease problems. It should be noted that fungicides should be used only as a last resort, when all other control tactics have been exhausted. Many of these products are highly toxic, rating a signal word of “danger” or “warning.”

Common Diseases that are Present in Backyard Gardens

The following are some of the most common diseases you’ll be faced with along with some information on the plants they attack and some remedies – both chemical and non-chemical:

Bacterial Wilt – A common disease of cucumbers, bacterial wilt also afflicts muskmelons, squash and pumpkins. Most troublesome east of the Rockies, it is prevalent during moist weather. Cucumber beetles feeding on foliage usually spread it. Symptoms include rapid wilting of plants and death of young seedlings.

Check for the disease by cutting a stem near the base and squeezing it; if present, bacteria will ooze out in a sticky mass. Try using floating covers to keep beetles off plants or spray with pyrethrin.

Gummosis and Cankers – These are both terms used to describe various bacterial or fungal diseases that cause oozing, sunken lesions on trunks or limbs of afflicted trees and shrubs. The problem is most commonly seen on fruit trees, and often gets its start when the disease organism enters through a wound or borer entry hole.

To prevent this problem, avoid over watering and take care not to injure plants. Protect young trees from sunscald by wrapping the trunks loosely in burlap. If the plant is generally healthy, it will usually seal off the cankers. If the canker appears on a small limb, prune it out well below the canker; disinfect tools between cuts.

Powdery Mildew – This fungal disease attacks a wide variety of plants, including all sorts of beans, clematis, dahlia, grape, rose, strawberry, tomato, and zinnia, and trees such as apple, maple, oak, peach, and sycamore. It is favored by moist air, shade, and poor air circulation, but needs dry leaves to become established.

The first symptoms are small gray or white circles on leaves, stems and flowers; then entire leaves or blooms become powdery white and distorted. Some plants remain vigorous despite the infection, but others decline or fail to set fruit. Some flowering plants can become so disfigured that they must be removed from the garden.

To prevent powdery mildew, plant resistant varieties and routinely spray plants with jets of water to wash off fungus spores. Increase sunlight to plants by avoiding overcrowding. In the fall, discard infected flowers, fruits, and plants.

Sulfur may help; on roses and other flowering plants, try a baking soda and summer oil spray. Some gardeners report success with the anti-transpirant sprays sold to protect tender plants from cold. Such sprays keep the surface temperature of treated leaves somewhat higher than that of the surrounding air; apparently, they also prevent mildew spores from attaching to foliage.

Maintaining a Happy, Healthy, Disease-Free Vegetable Garden

Hopefully the above information will help you to maintain a beautiful and healthy garden. When disease is handled quickly and properly, you can keep your garden at its best with just regular care. A garden can add joy and therapy to your life, and a healthy garden leads to a happy gardener.

Bob Guillow has been a content writer for over 10 years. His expertise ranges from gardening to IT. His website, http://gardenmanuals.com is the culmination of six years of gardening experience.

Blights, wilts, and viruses, are just a few of the terms that many backyard gardeners have received a rude and unwanted introduction to this growing season. Bob Guillow publishes the site at Garden Manuals and stops by today to share the following information about plant diseases and tips for reducing their impact in your vegetable garden:

Although diseases can appear despite your best efforts, if you’re familiar with their symptoms and the controls that can be used against them, you’ll have a better chance of stopping them before they can become a problem.

Sensible Cultural Practices to Keep Plant Diseases at Bay

While good gardening practices will fend off many diseases, you can’t always prevent a disease from attacking a prized plant. To help keep plant problems under control, try taking the following steps:

• Transplant Carefully – This minimizes root damage. When broken, roots are susceptible to certain soil born diseases.
• Keep Plants Healthy – Give them the water, light and fertilizer they need to flourish.
• Keep the Garden Clean – Do a thorough fall cleanup each year utilizing your favorite garden tools. Remove weeds, since pathogens may over-winter on them. Strip off any diseased leaves remaining on plants and rake up and discard all diseased leaves on the ground. You may also want to rake up other garden debris, though, if not diseased, it can serve as good mulch.
• Buy Disease-Resistant Plants – Vegetable seed packets are labeled to indicate the particular plant’s disease resistance. Plant tags on fruit trees or ornamental trees and shrubs also contain this information.
• Take Care Not To Injure Plants – An open wound on a plant stem or tree trunk readily admits bacteria and fungi.
• Avoid Wet Weather Garden Work – You may unwittingly spread water-borne pathogens as you move about from one spot to the next.
• Remove Diseased Plants – If certain plants are constantly afflicted by disease, eliminate them from the garden and replace them with less troublesome choices. This solution is simpler than trying to control the disease, and it removes the source of further infection.
• Install a Drip Irrigation System – Minimize the splashing water that can spread water-borne pathogens.

Unfriendly Sources of Backyard Garden Diseases

Fungi, bacteria and viruses are the pathogens most often responsible for plant diseases. Unlike green plants, these organisms are incapable of manufacturing their own food and must instead take it from a host plant. Fungi can live in the soil, but the bacteria and viruses that cause plant problems cannot survive outside of their host.

Fungi multiply by tiny reproductive bodies called spores, which they produce in great quantity. Spores of some fungi enter plants through the roots; others land on leaves, where they attach and complete their life cycle.

Simple Organisms Create Complex Problems

Bacteria need water and warmth to multiply, so the diseases they cause tend to be more prevalent in warm, wet climates. These single-celled organisms enter plants through wounds and cuts.

Viruses are even smaller than bacteria; they can reproduce only within the actual cells of the host organism. Some viruses are transmitted by insects such as aphids, leafhoppers and thrips; others are carried by infected seeds and pollen. Viruses also enter plants through wounds and cuts.

Tomorrow Bob will return to describe the most widespread backyard plant diseases and share some organic practices to help keep them in check.

Bob Guillow has been a content writer for over 10 years. His expertise ranges from gardening to IT. His website, http://gardenmanuals.com is the culmination of six years of gardening experience.

I grow lots of leafy green vegetables because they are so productive, nutritious, easy to cultivate, and just plain delicious. An assortment of greens also adds a range of color, new shapes, and interesting textures to the ornamental style edible garden.

Unfortunately some of the more popular leafy greens, such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and arugula can struggle, turn bitter, or resort to bolting and splitting as temperatures rise. This year I planted a number of uncommon greens that have continued to grow comfortably; even after the summer days turned humid, hot, and steamy!

Leafy Greens that are Perfect for the Dog Days of Summer:

Malva – Maybe you’re familiar with the wild and edible weed called malva or common mallow. It has small, dark green, round shaped leaves and purple to white flowers. This cultivated variety grows much taller and larger in the garden. Domesticated malva has lighter green leaves that are huge in comparison and more succulent than their wild cousins.

Magentaspreen Goosefoot – Well at least I think that is the variety that I planted this spring. To look at it I don’t see much difference between this plant and the related Lamb’s Quarters weed that I absolutely love to eat! Maybe I had the seed mixed up… regardless it has grown well through the summer months, but I will be sure to harvest this weedy annual before it has a chance go to seed in order to keep it under control.

Amaranth – A colorful, attractive, and extremely tall (over 6 foot) upright growing plant, I did allow this one to go to seed in the garden last summer and it has returned on its own, but not uncontrollably so. Amaranth produces loads of edible leaves along with a crown of seeds/grain that is also edible and touted for its nutritional value.

Garland Chrysanthemum – This is an edible variety of chrysanthemum also known as Shingku or Chop Suey Greens. The flowers are edible too, but the greens are best when picked before the plant begins to flower. Steam the leaves, use them in soups and stir fry dishes, or add them to green salads.

Orach – I’ve been curious about this plant for a while but never tried growing it until this summer. The seeds resemble parsnip seeds and seemed a wee bit reluctant to germinate. The plants are unusual, attractive, and available in various shades and colors.  I wasn’t as impressed with this one but it has survived and continued to grow through the summer heat without any special attention.

Seaweed Mustard – A rather strange plant; seaweed mustard is promoted as one of the most nutritious of cultivated plants… and it had better be, because there really isn’t much to this one. The frilly, stick-like leaves of this Asian variety of greens are definitely different than anything else growing in the garden but they aren’t exactly going to fill a salad bowl come harvest time.

Other Leafy Greens to Cultivate During the Summer Months

I had hoped to share some photos and impressions of Red Aztec Spinach but the seed apparently failed to germinate, ditto for the Alexanders that I wanted to trial this summer. I’ll try again to grow Red Aztec Spinach, which isn’t a spinach at all and displays a growth habit similar to amaranth and a leaf form closer to that of lambs quarter.

A couple other varieties of greens that performed well in the garden this summer included an open pollinated Senposai and an Asian Mispoona, both from Fedco Seeds. While you can also always count on Swiss Chards and collards to take the heat and keep on producing there are many other choices that you can add to the rotation for a continuous harvest of home grown summer greens.

I really thought that not talking about it would help ease the anguish of watching the days grow shorter as this summer’s vegetable gardening season continues to wind down.

Well an email I received from Renee yesterday helped me to see that I wasn’t the only one that was a little anxious over the situation…

Holding on to Summer’s Garden

“Hello Kenny, I love your website. This is my first time here and I learned so much valuable information to help us in our first time garden. I live in Northern New Jersey and have started a small raised bed vegetable garden with my 4 year old and 3 year old grandchildren.”

“We have had a fantastic experience. I can think of few greater joys than watching them plant seeds and pull up carrots. They are asking questions about the earth and bugs and birds. The problem is we don’t want it to end!”

“When I started, I never knew or even thought about a fall veggie garden and after visiting your website, I want one! Today is August 6. Is there anything that we can sow directly in the ground and harvest this fall or is it too late? I was hoping to plant some more carrots, lettuce and spinach. Thank you very much.” — Renee

Hurdles to Cover in Cultivating Fall Vegetables

Hi Renee, we’re in luck because there’s actually plenty of time left to plant a fall vegetable garden but I wouldn’t drag my feet at this point to get it started. Instead I would get moving pretty fast, especially if you’re interested in growing root crops such as carrots, turnips, and beets.

Many imagine  cold temperatures to be the major obstacle to growing veggies into the fall months, but I think that the decreased light levels are even more of an issue, in particular for young seedlings that are just starting to grow during the shorter fall days. That’s why you don’t want to put off your direct seeding much longer. Of course the timetable will vary a bit depending on your growing region and fickle weather conditions.

I set out some broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, and Brussels sprout plants this week but they were from transplants that were at least six weeks old. You may be able to locate cold weather vegetable transplants at your local nursery, just don’t be duped into purchasing leftovers that have been sitting around since spring and are bound to be stunted and worthless.

The Easiest Crops for a Fall Vegetable Gardener

Now is a great time to plant leafy green fall vegetables like kale, collards, spinach, lettuce, mustard, and arugula. These fast growers should have plenty of time to produce and can be harvested at any leaf size that you wish.

Just be sure to harvest individual leaves and leave the central growing tip so that the plants can continue to push out new leaf growth. These hardy greens will even over winter and re-grow to produce additional harvests for you next spring!

Just to prove how much growing season we actually do have left, it is too early for planting some winter vegetables such as mache, cress, winter lettuce, and garlic. In the case of fall planted garlic, shallots, and multiplier onions; I won’t plant those crops until late October or early November and they will be harvested next summer.

So if you are like Renee and myself and want to stubbornly continue to grow more veggies, there’s nothing standing between you and winter but a perfect season for greens, cole crops, and other cold hardy fall vegetables!

The following article by P.J. Scott is a great read into the pleasures and surprises encountered by one family as they set about learning the how-to’s and what-for’s of backyard vegetable gardening for the very first time:

I am literally a “rookie” gardener. I live in Michigan, west of Grand Rapids, about 15-20 miles from Lake Michigan and this is my first year growing a vegetable garden. This all came about in a rather unusual way.

Turning Empty Spaces into Growing Places

My kids, now 14 and 10, had grown tired of the swing set that occupied the NE corner of our backyard and we gave it to a neighbor family with younger kids last fall, leaving a big empty space.

Aside from daily professional career, I coach high school hockey that occupies 6 nights a week from November 1 – March 1. Over Thanksgiving Weekend, while gazing out over the “empty space” I mentioned to my wife that maybe a veggie garden would be a good way to occupy the now empty space in the yard as well as occupy me with a constructive, productive activity in the off season; she was ecstatic (I drive her nuts in the off season with nothing to really occupy my mind and time).

I got a few gardening books for Christmas and began reading and realized that I really should have thought of this last August so I could get the ground ready for a veggie garden… lesson learned. I made a plan, bought my seeds and starting products and set up a small growing space in my basement right after hockey season ended and began starting my tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and a few herbs (the herbs didn’t fare to well) on March 15.

Kids Choose Vegetable Gardening Over Playing Video Games!

Something I immediately realized was the instant curiosity of my kids, I’d be in the storage room working on planting seeds and the kids walked away from the Wii and wanted to help; WOW! This is a really cool family activity, not just “therapy” for the old man!

I’m glad to say that their interest continued through hardening off of the seedlings, transplanting, weeding, maintenance of the space and now into harvest which they (and I) really enjoy.

As the weather finally turned and the snow melted I was able to get outside and begin work on what would become our garden. In looking at things, the swing set space seemed a little too small for what I wanted to do, so my son, daughter and I dug up the sod across the back of the yard, made a sod pile behind the shed to decompose for use in a couple years, and tilled it up making the garden space a bit bigger… I ignored the “start small” theory of first time gardening.

Counting the Failures and Successes of a New Vegetable Garden

I purchased 6 yards of composted top soil from a local landscape supply company and got down to business. By the second weekend in May I had the soil ready and I was able to sow my lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, carrots, dill and a few other things, and by the end of May (after last frost) I was able to transplant my tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts into their new homes.

As things began to warm up I sowed my dill, corn, watermelons, zucchini, summer squash and acorn squash. I didn’t have much success with early growing of herbs so I purchased rosemary, cilantro, thyme, tarragon, oregano and several variations of basil from a local greenhouse; my sown dill has far outgrown my purchased dill (different varieties).

I also planted basil from seed a little later and the results have been great… my wife and I made some awesome pesto a couple of weekends ago and have shared it with family and friends.

Sowing Seeds of Wisdom for Other Newbie Gardeners

I wanted to share with you and your readers the fact that gardening can not only be therapeutic and fun, but also a great family activity, and one that really anyone can do if they take the time to learn about it, utilize websites such as yours (Veggie Gardening Tips), make a plan and implement it.

I am really having more fun and getting more satisfaction out of this than I ever dreamed I would have! I really never thought I could have a green thumb! During the hockey season I write for a local blog (West Michigan High School Hockey – HV Blogger) and would like to be able to contribute to your website.

I love to write, sometimes that’s as therapeutic as gardening, and I would love to be able to contribute to your website as an “at home gardener”. I am not a professional/master gardener and know very little about the specific in’s-and-out’s of gardening, that’s why I rely on website’s like yours, but I truly love what gardening has added to my life and would like to share it with others.

Thanks P.J for sharing your family’s wonderful experiences in venturing out into the world of backyard vegetable gardening. I could offer a few tips on starting those herbs from seed, but it looks like you are picking things up perfectly fine on your own… and your garden looks fantastic! You have an open invitation here and I’m sure everyone would love to hear more reports from our “at home gardener!”

The garden log entries here usually cover just about everything that’s currently growing out in the Veggie Gardening Tips garden, but this one will be a little different because I just finished harvesting this year’s crop of gourmet garlic and that’s always an exciting and suspenseful event!

If you still haven’t heeded my advice and planted at least a few stinkin’ cloves in your own garden then now’s a perfect time to read up on the subject and get your seed stock ordered to plant this fall. There’s a complete archive of garlic growing articles here including the following selection to help get you started:

Tips and Tricks for Raising Home Grown Gourmet Garlic

• Planting Fall Garlic in the Home Garden
• Locating and Purchasing Gourmet Garlic Seed Stock
• Favorite Gourmet Garlic Varieties
• Fun Facts and General Garlic Information

Now back to my latest garlic harvest. I dug up a sample clove a week or so ago because I needed a bulb for a new recipe and because I was curious to see exactly how the crop was progressing. The randomly selected garlic bulb turned out to be a whopper and I was all smiles about the prospects for the remainder of this season’s harvest.

An Untimely Delay in the Garlic Harvest

Then came the rains, which were welcomed and needed in the garden, but arrived at a bad time and interfered with digging up the garlic bed. The rain delay pushed the garlic harvest back by a week or two and very little in the way of green leaf growth was left by the time the bulbs were dug up.

Fortunately the garlic bulbs were still in great shape and only a few showed any signs of splitting out of their paper-like wrappers. Size wise it turns out that my random test bulb happened to fall towards the upper end of the spectrum, but most of the garlic was at least a few inches across and definitely larger than your typical store bought bulbs.

The crop was very productive with a growing bed about ten feet long by five foot wide yielding nearly a hundred bulbs of delicious gourmet garlic. Not to even mention how carefree it was to manage this garlic production from a fall planting.

The Ultimate Way to Savor Freshly Dug Garlic Cloves

The garlic has been hung to dry and cure for a few weeks with the exception of a few bulbs that were diverted straight to the kitchen! So what shall it be? Hmmm, fresh garlic bread, roasted garlic cloves, or maybe a garlicky pasta recipe?

No, I think I’ll be brave and enjoy the new harvest like a true garlic aficionado; uncooked in a dish that can handle the full flavor and heat of raw cloves! How about a little hummus, salsa, guacamole, or maybe a smorgasbord of all three? I know, I really should have been better prepared and organized, it’s not like I didn’t see this day coming.

Looks like I’m headed back out to the garden to pick a ripe heirloom tomato, some fresh basil and cilantro, and then I’ll have to run to the store for an avocado, tortilla chips, and a baguette of multi-grain bread. On the way out of the store I’ll try my best to resist swinging by the garlic bin to taunt those pathetic, puny, little, flavor deprived, no-fire, bulbs that pass for garlic in my local supermarket!

Are you in the market for local sources of lovingly grown fresh fruits and vegetables? And what do you do when your garden is yielding more delicious produce than you know what to do with?

In either of these cases The Farmer’s Garden may be the perfect solution for sharing or locating surplus homegrown fruits and vegetables. Today’s entry is a conversation with Maureen Farmer, creator of The Farmer’s Garden, a new website devoted to connecting backyard gardeners with families in search of high-quality, locally grown food!

Veggie Gardening Tips: How did your interest in gardening and growing your own food begin?

The Farmer’s Garden: Four years ago, I tried vegetable gardening in one 3 by 6 cedar raised bed to save money and become more self-sufficient. I was so thrilled with the results that the next year I enrolled in the Connecticut Master Gardener program. I had a new found passion for growing vegetables and wanted to become more knowledgeable about gardening.

To become a master gardener, one of the requirements is that you need to volunteer a minimum of thirty hours on a garden related community outreach project of your choice. I volunteered thirty plus hours on an urban nonprofit organic farm in my city, and for the past two years have been a member of their board of directors.

Veggie Gardening Tips: What do you enjoy the most about growing produce in the garden, and what are some of your favorite activities?

The Farmer’s Garden: Every year I have built another raised bed on the west side of my house. I grow more varieties of vegetables every year and even built a cold frame so that I can start lettuce and spinach from seeds for an early spring harvest.

I usually pick more produce than I can eat, freeze and give away. I soon realized that I really enjoy giving my extra vegetables away to my family, friends, and neighbors. People seem genuinely happy to receive a bag of mixed greens or a zucchini and their happiness reflects back onto me.

Veggie Gardening Tips: How did you come up with the idea for the Farmer’s Garden and exactly what is it about?

The Farmer’s Garden: My profession is web developer/project manager and this spring I taught myself the PHP programming language to supplement my existing skills. The more skills I have listed on my resume, the sooner I will be able to find a job in these tough times. To practice, I created The Farmer’s Garden (www.thefarmersgarden.com) website so everyone can have access to locally grown food.

The Farmer’s Garden is the place to post free classified ads to sell, trade, or give away your excess backyard produce. Individuals and food pantries can also register to post wanted classifieds. If you’re looking for fresh locally grown produce, visit The Farmer’s Garden website, enter your US zip code, select the radius that you are willing to travel and see what people in your area have to offer.

Veggie Gardening Tips: Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your new website focused on sharing and finding fresh garden produce or about backyard gardening in general?

The Farmer’s Garden: Eating healthy nutritious food, knowing where your food comes from and supporting your local community are important. Share your surplus harvest with your neighbors. You’ll be surprised how good a small act of kindness will make you feel.

Saving money or making a little extra is also good, especially in today’s economy. Many backyard gardeners also grow varieties of produce not found in your local grocery store. This is a terrific opportunity to taste new foods.

If you don’t know how to prepare something, ask the grower. He or she will probably offer you several tasty recipes to try. You might even make a new friend in the process. The Farmer’s Garden is new, so if you don’t find what you’re looking for at first, try again next week. We’re growing every day.

Veggie Gardening Tips: Thank you Maureen for stopping by to share your new project with us. I think it’s a great idea and hope that others register and that the listings really take off for you! I’m in the directory and plan to start posting produce from my garden as the summer goes on.

Maureen Farmer is a master gardener and has loved plants all her life. She enjoys growing most of her own produce in raised beds. She hopes to have a greenhouse someday so that she can grow vegetables year round. You can join in sharing the delights of a local backyard garden by visiting The Farmer’s Garden.