VHS Tapes: the new Scarecrow?

Another great question this week:

Dear Kelsey,

Thank you for your Garden Blog--such a great idea. I plan to check it often. My question--how do you protect corn seedlings from critters? I planted some seeds and they actually sprouted. A few days later, all the little sprouts were lying flat in the dirt and little holes had been dug exactly where the seeds were planted--I suspect squirrels. I would like to plant some more seeds, but want to protect them. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for your help,
Heather

First of all: the best advice I can give you is to plant twice as much. It may be squirrels that are digging up your seed, but it may also be birds. We have seen it many times before—birds will even dig up pepper plants just to pick at them. They don't eat the seed or the plant, they just dig it up (spiteful, I know). There aren't a lot of ways that you can protect seedlings from birds, usually we just have to replant. As my Uncle Gerry says, there is safety in numbers. Plan on having a few taken by the birds/squirrels/etc. and make sure that you will still have what you need if this is the case.

Because your corn seeds should germinate in as little as four days (meaning you will see the small seedlings you mentioned before), it will not put you behind in your gardening to replace what hasn't germinated. Even if it is 10-12 days after planting, just pop in more seeds.

But, there is another option, if you are up for it. You can protect your vegetables AND put those old VHS tapes to good use. I know that in the ECC garden we have surrounded the vegetables with video cassette tape, held up off the ground by stakes. The sound that the film makes as the wind blows is similar to that of a humming bird and can be disturbing to potential critters; also, the tape is reflective and will be startling to any incoming birds (because a bird’s brain is dominated by sensory perception even slight reflection/movement can be overwhelming). Traditionally people have used the tape from cassettes, but VHS tape—because it is thicker—is more effective.

I have also read that aluminum pie plates can be used! String them up in surrounding trees or from tall stakes; again, the movement and reflection will disturb the birds. They will, however, begin to ignore stationary objects (like scarecrows), so make sure there is sound/movement.

As always, let us know if you have any success!

Marigolds: Do they keep the critters away?

A question came to me the other day, and I wanted to share it with you all:

Hello Kelsey,

Love your blog on Energize Clinton County!!

I have a garden question - I've heard that marigolds help keep insects from vegetable garden plants. Really?

Thanks,
Kim
Sardinia, OH

Okay, so this is a really good question. Good, but tricky. Every year we have customers that come in to buy marigolds, specifically to keep insects/rabbit/deer away from their vegetable garden. They come year after year, always requesting a flat of this age-old, yet pungent, plant.

The evidence that these plants ward off insects isn’t firm, however. French marigolds (the variety commonly sold) are said to release a nematode repellent into the soil. Nematodes, worm-like creatures, destroy plant root-systems. There is research suggesting that certain species find the compound released by marigolds to be toxic. And in this respect, having marigolds can be helpful.

I also spoke with Tony Nye at the OSU Extension Office in Clinton County and was told that marigolds may be useful for keeping beetles away from bean plants. However, there is not a lot of evidence saying that marigolds are effective for other insects. Aphids, for example, are sometimes even attracted to marigolds. (Tony Nye did, however, mention another plant, Nasturtiums, that is said to deter not only beetles, but aphids and squash bugs as well.)

In regard to marigolds, I would say that their scent is a distinguishing characteristic. Many say that their odor disguises the scent of vegetables, either confusing insects or preventing them (and possibly rabbits/deer) from perusing around your garden.

Honestly though, despite conflicting evidence, marigolds are a cheap experiment. They are inexpensive (we are now selling them at Swindlers for only 49 cents apiece), hardy, and easy to find. We are trying them out in the ECC vegetable garden, and will have a better idea of their effectiveness as the season continues. My advice, try them out. No promises, but they certainly are cheap and easy. And as always, let us know if you have any success!

Some sites I found helpful while researching this question:
http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/4695/meet-the-magnificent-marigold
(Fellow blogger, appears to be a well-researched post)
http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/specialty/marigolds.html
(Alabama Cooperative Extension System—article written by horticulture student and associate)

Some Insight into Buying and Planting Tomatoes

Tomatoes are by far our most popular vegetable in the Garden Center. And I certainly understand why. Tomatoes are (and you can even confirm this on my Facebook profile) one of my all-time favorite foods; I eat them like candy. Whether you are slicing them for a sandwich, using them in Spaghetti sauce, or simply eating them like you would an apple (believe me, it’s good), tomatoes are an easy source of nutrition. And considering the price of growing your own, an invaluable vegetable. At Swindlers we sell a four-pack of tomatoes for $1.79. Considering that each plant will produce (on average) about fifteen to twenty pounds of fruit throughout the summer, you will have an abundance of fresh, home-grown tomatoes for less than two dollars. Now think back to that sale at Kroger’s; $1.99 per pound (and a four pack for over two dollars) is starting to look a little pricey. And honestly, the quality (and taste) of a home-grown (and locally bought) tomato is hard to beat. It is by far a more reliable fruit.

The first thing to consider when buying a tomato plant is—which one? Usually when a customer comes into the Garden Center I ask them what they want from their tomatoes. Do you want something you can slice up for a sandwich? Or do you want an Italian-style tomato for sauces and salsa? Are you canning your harvest? When we refer a tomato we usually go by five different groups: standard, beefsteak, cherry, plum, and heirloom.

A standard tomato is your typical slicing tomato. The fruits are usually between 8 and 12 oz. (except in the case of Early Girl, in which case you should expect about a 4-6 oz. fruit) and can be red, orange, or striped (the common variety for this type is Mr. Stripey). These are our biggest sellers because they are the most common. As with all tomatoes you can get a determinate or indeterminate tomato, which, contrary to popular belief, does not indicate the height of the stem. Determinate means simply that the plant will reach maturation and the fruits will be produced at about the same time in the season (so that they can be mechanically harvested). Indeterminate will provide fruit all throughout the season. If you are looking for the height of the stem you should ask whether it has a restricted or unrestricted growth pattern. Common varieties of standard tomatoes are:

• Better Boy (indeterminate hybrid, more disease resistant than its predecessor Big Boy)
• Heartland (indeterminate, bush—restricted growth)
• Jet Star (indeterminate)
• Mr. Stripey (indeterminate)
• Early Girl (indeterminate)
• Celebrity (determinate)
• Golden Jubilee (indeterminate, orange fruit)

A beefsteak tomato can also be used for slicing, but is known for its “meaty” thick fruit. It typically has a large core and can reach 1-2 lbs. These have a great flavor, and are usually requested specifically by those who want a bigger fruit. Common varieties are:

• Beefmaster (indeterminate)
• Ponderosa Pink (indeterminate, heirloom)
• Supersteak (indeterminate)
• A cherry tomato has, as you can assume, a small fruit that is comparable in size to a large cherry. Fruits are typically only 1-2 in. in diameter. Common varieties are:
• Sun Gold (indeterminate)
• Sweet 100 (indeterminate)
• Yellow Pear (indeterminate, heirloom, yellow fruit)
• Tumbling Tom Red/Yellow (indeterminate)

A plum tomato is also known as an Italian tomato. These aren’t your typical round tomato—they are typically longer and more oval shaped. Plum tomatoes are usually used in salsa and in Italian-style sauces. Common varieties are:

• La Roma (determinate)
• Italian Gold (determinate, yellow fruit)

Heirlooms are an over-arching category. You probably noticed that some of the varieties listed above are described as being “heirloom” tomatoes. This simply means that they are older (some sources require they be in circulation over 50 years) and less disease-resistant than their hybrid counterparts. Based on this description you might wonder why we bother with them at all. The answer—they are delicious. These fruits have been around a while, just ask your grandmother, and are often requested specifically by name. Common varieties are:

• Brandywine (indeterminate)
• Yellow Pear (indeterminate)
• Ponderosa (indeterminate)
• Champion (indeterminate, often requested for canning)
• Marglobe (indeterminate)
• Mr. Stripey (indeterminate)
• Valencia (indeterminate, orange fruit)

After choosing a tomato plant the rest is pretty easy (I promise). Plan on planting your tomato so that half of the existing plant is underground (the ground level should be around the first set of true leaves). Believe it or not, tomatoes will root all along the buried stem, so this will help stabilize your plant and will give it a wider root system.

Caged and staked tomatoes in our personal garden at Swindlers

Now for stakes and cages (sounds intense, I know). It is often tricky for those new to tomato plants to tell when/if a stake or cage is necessary. You typically stake tomato plants with indeterminate growth. This helps keep them upright and gives them some more stability. Simply buy a four to six foot stake, stick it in next to the plant, and (now this is optional) tie the plant, carefully, to the stake. For cages, just simply buy a metal cage that can surround the plant (it will have long stakes at the bottom to keep it firmly in place). This keeps your tomato within the cage and controls it a bit (tomato plants can get pretty crazy).

Now, for truth about the acclaimed upside-down tomato pots. You have probably seen the commercials: brands like Topsy Turvy advertise up to 30 lbs of fruit and claim that the pots funnel water and nutrients straight to the plant because, of couse, they grow down out of the pot and not up. All the hype surrounding these cool infomercial pots inspired many avid customers to scramble into the Garden Center looking for such pots. So, of course, we tried it out. And my own personal advice—don’t do it to yourself. And I say this for several reasons. First of all, as my Uncle Gerry says, you can’t trick Mother Nature. A plant’s natural instinct is to grow toward sunlight, meaning that although the plant originally grows down out of the pot, it will vine back up toward the sun (creating a plant that is nearly impossible to move, as its weight increases exponentially throughout the season). And then, to keep up with the growth you will be watering two to three times a day. A third pointer—these pots typically do not have enough soil to support a healthy plant. And finally, the idea that hanging pots keep tomatoes away from ground insects is misleading. The insects that usually go after tomatoes, aphids for example, are airborne. Honestly, at close to fifty dollars a pot, it’s just not worth it. Porch pots are great—the ground is free—but be wary of upside-down hangers.

I hope that this quick buyers’ guide will help you not only as you select your tomatoes this year, but as you plan your garden in future years. As always, let me know if you have any further questions!

A New Voice in the ECC Garden Project

My name is Kelsey Swindler, and you will be hearing a lot from me as we continue to follow the ECC vegetable garden. I am (as many from my small town know) a lifelong resident of Wilmington. Usually when I introduce myself, the first question I get is “so which one do you belong to?”—referring, of course, to any of the (many) Swindler men and women that have lived and worked in Wilmington for generations. When I answer that I am, in fact, Phil’s daughter, I usually get a knowing nod, a couple of stories, and a question about how deep to plant a Beefsteak tomato plant.

I am the first to admit I don’t have all the answers. But, having grown up under the umbrella of the Swindler and Sons Florists and Greenhouse, I have naturally picked up some useful knowledge along the way. While still an “amateur” by family standards, many May days toiling in the greenhouses have taught me not only the basics of planting, maintaining, and harvesting vegetables, but also the many benefits that can be reaped from having a personal garden. My grandparents’ generation knew it all along—vegetable gardening is not only practical, but fulfilling. To see a plant from its seedling days to its fruition is remarkable, and guarantees the grower a vegetable that is safe, fresh, and cheap.

By continuing to follow the ECC vegetable garden, and the many others cropping up around town, I hope to learn more about the art to keeping a successful vegetable garden. And by passing along what I have learned, I hope you are inspired to try it out yourself.

As you start your own backyard garden, whether it is your first time or fiftieth, feel free to email any questions you may have to kmswindler@gmail.com. I will research your questions (running them through the Swindler family and other local resources) so that you get a knowledgeable response, and will post useful questions/answers here. And of course, let us know how your own vegetable garden is doing! This is your chance to contribute to the project—whether it is a few tricks you have learned throughout your years of gardening, or pictures of your own harvest.

Garden Update

Except for that near frost on the 17th the weather has been very favorable this week. With the spring crops nearing their harvest time the garden has been getting updated with some warmer weather plants.

Below is an updated picture of the garden with the spring crops. This is the first time I’ve tried using the ‘square foot garden’ approach. All in all I like the layout of the square foot method and think for the small, backyard garden it’s a great way to pack in many different plants into smaller space.

I have planted a dozen ‘4th of July’ tomatoes, an early bloomer, and a load of more basil, of which I cannot get enough.

More Basil...

Ground Broken for Denver Park Demonstration Garden

This past Thursday, May 7^th, a group of nine Clinton County residents broke ground on a demonstration garden planned for the memorial site at J.W. Denver Williams Memorial Park. The group included: Guy, Sandy, Maggie, and Nellie Ashmore, Cynthia Hannah, Ceel Wathen, Dana Williams, Angela Simonson, and Taylor Stuckert.

The proposal for the demonstration garden was approved by the Parks Board on April 13^th. The total area for the plot is 12’x14’ and will feature a rotation of four beds, which includes one raised-bed plot.  

The demonstration garden is in conjunction with the greater community gardens initiative partnered by Energize Clinton County and Wilmington College.

 

The garden will be a way of illustrating both the nutritional and economical benefits of having a small-plot garden. The demonstration garden serves as a way to increase public awareness and provide a valuable educational tool for people of all ages.

The goal is to have a place for teachers to bring students or public workshops to be given that provide a hands-on experience throughout various stages of the process.

The public is encouraged to visit the garden site which will continue to develop over the coming months. The garden is located in the memorial square (with the flag pole) by the volleyball courts.

Home Garden Update

This past weekend we purchased some organic mulch from Swindler and Sons in Wilmington and Purple Ruffle Basil from McCarty Gardens in Sabina. 

We laid the mulch around more developed plants--mostly, the garlic, onions, shallots, turnips, beets, broccoli, and some spinach. The mulch will help mitigate some tedious weeding, and retain moisture in the soil. 

With our last frost date approaching, we have been mending beds on either side of the current Spring bed to prepare for our summer plants. In addition to the obvious tomatoes (and lots of them) that all gardeners grow, we are currently planning on spicy peppers, melons, beans, egg plant, squash, cucumbers, and more. 

Below are some updated pictures of the garden. Stay tuned for more. 

Mulched Garden

Basil and Rhubarb