Category: Vegetable Farming

How far apart should sweet potatoes be planted? Sweet potato crops spread rapidly and extend the range, and they stem into the land at foliage nodes.

Bush forms can grow to be 3 feet in length, whereas vine forms can grow to be 20 feet lengthy. Plants should be spaced appropriately. It is normally advised that slips be spaced 12-18 inches off each other.

On Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a tropical species belonging to the morning glory group. They have nothing in common with routine potatoes, which are members of the nightshade community. A tuber is the appetizing component of such a sweet potato. The skin of the root vegetable is a profound orange color, with a copper tissue coat.

Sweet potatoes are typically served boiled, either all or mashed, or lightly cooked. They can also be used as pie stuffing. This harvest requires 4 months of summer heat and hot soil; it is drought as well as high temperatures tolerant, with few insects and pathogens.

Check this out: Best soil for growing sweet potatoes

But while sweet potatoes were customarily a Southern plant, now there are numerous short-season variants available. They could very well sprout in the north (sometimes bits of Canada!) if risen in fine sand or garden beds with black plastic soil amendment to hold the soil hot.

It is significant to mention that sweet potatoes just aren’t managed to blossom from seed. They rise from slips, which are buds from established sweet potatoes. Slips are accessible at neighborhood garden centers and nurseries, as well as from small growers (at farmers ’ markets) and mail-order manufacturers. Folks can also begin their own.

Ensure you have a long enough growing period before purchasing slips. Often these variants will reach maturity in 90 to 120 days. Check your freeze-thaw dates and vegetation period duration. As well, make certain that your purchase coincides with your planting time.

How Far Apart to Plant Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes should be spaced each slip for every square foot in an square feet grow bed, in other words 12 inches apart.

If they’re going to have to share a room with other crops, we’d furthermore recommend creating a few adjoining squares vacant. They require a lot of space! This placement is also effective in a garden bed.

It’s a period to indicate our openings and transplant the slips when you’ve determined the perfect placement. To layout transplants, you wouldn’t need any special equipment and machinery. To transfer thus every slip, you can utilize measuring tapes as well as a shovel.

Also Read: How Many Potatoes Grow from One Seed Potato?

Information Of Planting

Planting time recommendation: Wait until the climate warms up before planting. Before planting, the tubers should’ve just started sprouting. Sowing them in chilly, wet soil quite soon will end up causing them to decay.

Planting level: 7 cm deep.

Planting distance: Space the sprouts or slips twenty cm off from each other.

Growing Instructions: Although the tubers could be sown straight in the land, it is preferable to generate sprouts or slips’ which are then sown. To begin one’s slips, put the tubers in a hot, protected location on a garden bed or even in a tray.

Wrap its tubers using 5 cm of moist sand, and then when the stalks reach 15 cm in length, they could be trimmed from the original plant and instantly sown out.

Plants developed from tip clippings often store well and are disease-free. Let’s look into the planting requirements of sweet potatoes in detail.

Also Read: How often to water sweet potatoes?

Planting Sweet Potatoes

When Should You Plant?

Because these species are tropical, wait until the earth has fully heated before sowing. Sweet potatoes are frequently planted in elevated rows approximately 8 inches in height to offer them a jump start. This allows the soil to warm up quicker and maintains it well-drained. Putting black plastic just on the ground will also assist it to heat up quickly if you plant it in a chilly region.

Choosing a Planting Location

Sweet potatoes can grow on any normal, well-drained ground in a sunlit area. If your ground is too thick or rough for sweet potatoes, try to grow them in elevated beds covered with sandy yet rich garden soil.

Base, Depth, and Space

Put slips 12 – 18 inches away, with lines three to four feet off from each other. Allow lots of space for the plants to grow and cover.

Sweet potato propagation

Sweet potatoes are grown from clippings or tubers.

Check this article: How Long Do Sweet Peas Take to Germinate?

Cutting-based propagation

Propagation via cuttings is now only feasible if the sweet potatoes are left in the garden throughout the year. Cuttings ought to be between 20 and 40 cm long, with 3 to 5 growth tips. It is better to harvest them at the tips of new stems.

Collect cuttings just when you’re prepared to plant those, and preserve them in the shadows until they’re buried. Propagation through cuttings is by far the most cost-effective technique to grow your crops.

Plant clippings on a tilt, allowing 3 or 4 cm above soil, then press down the surface. You may plant 4 or 5 cuttings in a spiral on every hill if you place them atop mounds. This results in a density somewhere between 15 000 & 30 000 plants per hectare.

Also Read: Why Are Eggshells Good for Pepper Plants?

Tuber-based propagation

You may propagate sweet potatoes using tubers when you don’t have any seedlings with plenty of foliage development to give cuttings. The tubers should grow in cold nursery soil in this situation. Split the tubers into multiple pieces if they are big.

After approximately a month, pluck and plant the new shoots which are 15 to 20 cm in length from the tubers. Such technique of tuber multiplication is normally limited to one-third of the space over which sweet potatoes need to be cultivated. Cuttings from seedlings produced in this manner can later be utilized to expand the plantations.

Harvest

Whenever you pick sweet potatoes it depends on the variety you bought. It is critical to check the packaging once you receive the slips. Most kinds develop in three months – 90 – 120 days – however, there are emerging cultivars that develop in less period and are produced particularly for short-season northern regions.

Although certain types thrive in northern regions, it is critical to collect the sweet potatoes before any cold or freeze, regardless of where you reside. If you have a short growth period, your potatoes would be less in size however all have the same delicious flavor as bigger spuds.

Keep an eye on the news forecast and collect young sweet potatoes when night conditions drop into the 40s and 30s to guarantee that none of the harvests is wasted to frostbite. The more you can keep the crops in the soil, the more plentiful your crop will be.

In southern regions, try to leave your tubers in till four months because chilly evenings and frost are usually not an issue. Whenever the stalks or vines of sweet potatoes begin to die down, there is no indication that they will be ripe, as with “white” or “Irish” tubers.

Sweet potatoes can keep growing and yield until they are killed by frost or freezing.

Pulling out the sweet potatoes is simple, although it will need some hefty pulling and back strength. Wait till the earth is dried for the day.

Scrape the earth lightly with a trowel or a pitchfork. Take care to not bruise or pierce the skin of the tubers. Minimal injuries can occur in spoiling.

Pull it out from the soil with your hands, wiping off the dust as you go. Because it took four months before harvesting, you must gather the complete production.

Check this out: Is Cow Manure Good for Potatoes?

How to Store and Preserve Your Harvest?

Sweet potato sprouts can be eaten fresh after they have been harvested. You may also treat them by allowing them to rest and firm for 10 days following harvesting before storage.

Drying them in a warm place, preferably one that is not in direct sunlight, at a temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Curing aids in the healing of injuries and hardening of the skin, preventing them from rotting. It also makes sweet potatoes taste sweeter. When cured, keep them around 55 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit in a dry, cold, well-ventilated environment for four to six months.

Sweet potatoes should be stored unwashed, and wrapped with newspaper. To avoid rotting, restrict the tubers from getting into touch with the ground. Sweet potatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator or at settings under 10 degrees Celsius. To extend the storage life of sweet potatoes, they can be dried, frozen, or tinned.

Conclusion

Sweet potato is just a popular dish all around the globe. They are simple to produce and may be prepared in a variety of delectable ways. You may eat them smashed, cooked, or milled into potato starch to add to the flour for baking bread.

There is still a new technique to prepare these delicious potatoes that you should try. As long as you’ve got the ideal growth circumstances for these tubers, you can not go incorrect. They don’t demand unusual circumstances that aren’t as common as the ones we cultivate other plants in.

You will have a good harvest because they are renowned to produce a lot of crops every split. Test it, and you’ll have plenty not only to consume but also to keep for future feasts. When cured, they keep well for a long time, allowing them perfect growth.

The seed germinates in ground temperatures ranging from 55 to 65°F, taking 10–14 days. Severe frost may destroy them, although they are pretty winter resilient and can withstand frost without experiencing too much harm.

Sweet Peas: An Introduction

The sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is an annual plant that looks great in a cutting garden, border flower beds, woods, or twining over a vine or arch. The blooms are now accessible in many colors, ranging from pearly white and ice-cream pastel, ritzy magentas, and dark purples.

Its honey and orange flower aroma is the only thing that can complement its delicate winged flowers. The lovely aroma and capacity to generate many blossoms for the home over a significant duration have guaranteed their appeal.

Sweet peas are among the simplest blooming annual crops to grow from seeds. Sweet peas are typically sown directly in the yard. Provide them a location with complete to partial light and dense, rich, loamy ground that is damp yet well-drained.

To improve the ground and make it much more characterized, add good organic material (food scraps, well-rotted compost, leaf molds, or humus). Sweet peas are more effective when planted in colder weather. Each location does have its own “time” for cultivating sweet peas.

When should sweet peas be planted?

From October to April, you can plant sweet pea seeds. Opt for late October/November and close February/March for the most significant outcomes, as weather and natural lighting will be less desirable in midwinter.

During April or May, sweet peas could also be seeded directly into the soil. Plant young lovely pea plants & seedlings around March and May, when the weather is moderate.

Check this out: How Long Does Lemongrass take to Grow?

How Long Do Sweet Peas Take to Germinate?

Peas sprout in 7 to 30 days. Peas germinate more quickly in ground temperatures ranging from 65 – 70 ℉. Soak seed peas for 24 hours before sowing to hasten the sprouting.

Of course, many factors influence how rapidly peas sprout and expand. Let’s start with a glance at how germination durations differ. Then, we’ll go through some tips for providing your peas with the best possible growing environment.

No germination will occur if the ground temperature falls below 40 ℉ (4 degrees C). Peas may sprout in 3-four weeks (21 – 30 days) in relatively cool temperatures ranging in the forties (4 to 9 ° Celsius). There would also be a poor germination frequency.

Peas sprout for about 1 to 2 weeks in temperatures ranging from 60 to 70 degrees F (16 – 21 ° C). In this case, the germination percentage will be substantially more significant.

Peas grow fast in soil conditions at 75 degrees F (24 degrees C) or above, although the germination frequency is reduced.

Sweet peas should begin to blossom 4 to 6 weeks after noticeable vining. The flowering period will be determined by whether or not the plants have already been pinched down. Pinching can limit development slightly, but it results in bushier stems with more blooms.

Sweet peas can develop and blossom more quickly as the days lengthen in the spring and summer months. Applying compost or dry old manure can aid in producing massive, numerous flowers. A fertilizer with more phosphorus over nitrogen can also increase flower yield.

How Long Do Sweet Peas Take to Grow from Seed?

Sow sweet pea seed in the springtime, while there’s still a possibility of cold, or in the late autumn. The seeds get a thick covering that makes them hard to sprout without assistance.

To weaken the outer layer, immerse the seeds in lukewarm water for 24 h, or cut the seeds with a blade or small knife to allow water to permeate the seed.

To increase soil quality and flow, pick an excellent sunny or gently shaded location and prep the ground by putting inside a Two-inch (5 cm.) covering of compost. Plant the seeds 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, 6 inches (15 cm) wide for climbing kinds, and 1 foot (31 cm) apart for bush forms.

This should take three to four weeks for seeds to sprout, and you must maintain them in a cold but bright place to stimulate optimal root development. Sweet peas may sprout longer, spindly stems if the temperature is too hot.

Keep the area wet but not soggy since over-watering can cause the seeds to rot. Pinch out the ends when 3 or 4 blades have grown to promote dense growth. Dry off seedlings before putting them about 8 inches away after the last Spring cold spells.

Also Read: How Long Does it Take for Kale to Grow?

Planting sweet pea seeds

Sweet pea seeds have a challenging source covering. You may assist them in germinating by placing them on moist kitchen paper about 24 hours before planting. The roots don’t have as much room to develop and spread when you seed into a small, stumpy container.

Employ a peat-free, multi-purpose gardening mix to plant the seed, and plant two seeds for each pot. Soften the composting, then press every seed 2-3cm under the level of the potting soil with your fingertips.

Sweet peas may be sprouted in an enclosed nursery or cold case if planted in fall or spring. If you’re starting them in the middle of winter, germinating plants on a window, warmed propagator, or very softly warmed greenhouse.

Mice adore sweet pea seeds, so your entire crop might be devoured in one sitting, so store these in a mouse-free environment or immerse the seeds in fluid seaweed fertilizers before planting to make them unappealing.

Monitor for germination all day, and don’t feed until sprouts appear, which usually takes 10-14 days. Preserve young seedlings cool at around five °C (40°F) as they develop. This encourages root development instead of stem development, which you want. In most cases, an unheated nursery or cold frame will suffice.

Pinch out the leads if there are 3 or 4 sets of leaves – squeeze the developing tip with the finger and thumb. This encourages strong side branch growth, with the plant’s effort channeled outward rather than upward.

Examine your plants regularly and softly water them if the top is dried. Monitor the bottom of the container for white roots around a month after germination.

If you have sown the sweet peas in the springtime, you can plant them immediately outside during an average time from March to May. You’d have to pot plants up in couples if you seeded them in the fall or winter. Please don’t allow them to become pot-bound inside the root trainers; they’ll not be the same.

A 1 liter narrow and deep pot is good. Water plants in and applies a decent compost.

When the roots have filled the container, it’s better to stick them outdoors — do this in a reasonable period in March or May.

Also Read: How Long Does It Take For Green Beans To Grow?

Growing

Construct the sweet pea field last fall for the most outstanding results. Work the ground to 45cm (18′′) depth, including compost material. Dig in some bone meal as well. Dig 1/4 cup blended organic fertilizer into the background beneath every plant at transplanting time.

Plant vines 15cm (6′′) apart and give trellis assistance—mulch near plants to hold the soil as cold as feasible, and water in dry spells. Keep picking the plants to extend the flowering time.

If planting sweet pea seeds sounds like enough work, you may always acquire sweet pea plug seedlings to have a jumpstart.

Put plants in a sunny spot and remember to look out for bugs, who adore the immature, fresh shoots.

Your plants will become long and leggy while they mature. Pinch off the plant’s ends to stimulate them to develop side branches.

Gently use your fingertips to snip off the stalk’s tip, right above a pair of foliage. Every plant will get considerably bushier and more sturdy due to this. The more branches there are, hence more blooms will be produced by the vine!

Pea Growing Environments

Peas being low-maintenance, are easy-to-grow plants. Plants usually require hydration, care, and harvesting once they sprout. Peas prefer well-drained sandy loam soils with lots of organic material and a pH range of 6.0-7.5.

Peas appreciate a sunny location but not intense temperatures or wind. They want damp soil but just not wet feet! Avoid mulching too closely together in humid conditions since this might produce a breeding ground for fungal diseases.

Garden Maintenance

Overfertilizing will result in vibrant green foliage but few blooms.

 For the early plant’s growth, a mixed 20-20-20 slow-release fertilizer incorporated into the ground at planting performs well.

Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are ideal for sweet peas. Composted manure mulch can help conserve soil water and offer nutrition for healthy plant development and blossoming.

If the flowers aren’t trimmed regularly, deadhead your plant as quickly as the blooms droop. Enabling the plant to generate seed pods will result in a decrease in overall bloom yield. Getting rid of wasted flowers can result in additional blooms.

Also Read: How Long Does Horseradish Take to Grow?

How to Get Your Pea Plants to Bloom Quickly

The Use of Artificial Light

Artificial light causes pea plants to grow quicker than solid daylight. Artificial light encourages development since it is continuous; your plant could get led lighting 24 hours per day.

Plants can develop when exposed to light; by increasing the number of hours the pea plants are exposed to light, you will boost the number of hours they develop per day. Furthermore, the colored light source is more effective for plant development.

Sun daylight provides a broad spectrum of hues, including many yellows and greens. Pea plants, which need chlorophyll to accomplish photosynthesis, don’t accept green light. The most beneficial UV sunbeams to crops are blue and red.

Growing lights with red & blue lamps, or lighting filters, improve the quantity of beneficial Ultraviolet radiation entering the plant and boost its development efficiency.

Also Read: How Much Sunlight Do Green Beans Need to Grow?

Preventing Disease

Grow disease-resistant pea plant types to increase the likelihood of rapid development.

Pea plants are generally not susceptible to illness, although, in some locations, specific pests are an issue.

The fungal disease, fusarium wilt, root rot, and pea enation mosaic virus all can affect pea plants. Plant rotation will lessen the probability of soil-borne illness infecting the pea plants.

Choice of Location

Pea plants will grow the fastest under ideal conditions. Grow peas in elevated beds if feasible; in the springtime, the high bed would be hotter than the neighboring soil. Warm soil encourages pea growth.

Provide sufficient resources for the pea plants, such as a trellis and fence, to help the seedlings develop robustly and quickly. Mulch keeps the soil surrounding the seedlings’ shallow root system cool and humid, allowing the plants to develop quicker.

By spraying pea inoculant over the seed lots before planting, one can increase the production of the garden peas. Inoculant is a widely viable product that includes Rhizobia bacteria which aid in the nitrogen fixation of the pea plant.

Why are eggshells good for pepper plants?

Are you throwing away the eggshells after making a good breakfast? Don’t throw it away because they can be a source of making your plants healthy and green. Eggshells can be a very good fertilizer for pepper plants. The rich level of calcium manages the pH levels and provides nutrients to the soil.

Eggshells are known to be a high source of calcium which when added to the plants helps in preventing the plants from diseases while providing them with enough nutrients to grow into a healthy plant. Calcium also has other nutrients like magnesium, potassium and phosphorous which help the plant to thrive.

These various nutrients provide many helpful things to the plants like transporting the nutrients and water throughout the plant, regulating photosynthesis, the growth of green leaves and developing leaves and fruits.

Not only these nutrients but also the eggshells have an organic matter which gives the soil nitrogen and promotes lush green leaves. The ideal soil type for pepper plants is Loamy soil as it has lots of organic matter and drains the water very well from the soil.

Ground eggshells are used in clay soil to drain out the water easily and also improve in aeration. Whatever the form be they should be added to pepper plants for better nutrition of the plants. They manage the acidity in the soil while adding nutrients to the plants.

Also Read: Why Are My Pepper Plant Leaves Wrinkled?

Proper climate for pepper plants

To grow a perfect pepper plant you need s favourable climate like a hot and humid climate. There are various coloured peppers like yellow, green, red, orange, white and brown. These peppers are grown with much care and love so that they can give us the nutrition which we need. They are grown on well-drained soil and are planted on the spot where they can receive sunlight for at least six hours.

Pepper plants need lots of attention and care as they are delicate plants. They should be taken care of especially at the beginning part as they will grow with green leaves and fresh fruits after the proper nourishment from the beginning.

Eggshells are very helpful in preventing Blossom-end rot in pepper plants. This Blossom-end rot happens to the pepper plants does not get enough calcium from the soil. To combat this disease eggshells are added to the soil so that the plants get enough calcium from it and don’t get affected by this disease.

How to Use: Eggshells for Pepper Plants?

There are various ways in which you can add eggshells into your soil for better nourishment of the plant but also there are some common ways to do it and they are as follows:

 1. You can add eggshells to the compost bin and let them decompose in the soil so that the calcium carbonate and other nutrients mix up with the soil and is ready to use.

2. You can also add the grounded form of eggshells to the soil before planting the seeds or when you are transferring the seeds of pepper plants. You can also add the grounded eggshells in the hole before you start planting the seeds. You can also add crushed shells on the top of the soil for avoiding slugs.

3. You can also add the eggshells to the boiling water and then leave it for a few minutes to a few hours. This mixture is known as eggshell tea and when it is cooled down it can also be used in pepper plants while watering them. It is also helpful for indoor plants as it looks better without the showing of the eggshells on the top of the soil.

4. The eggshells definitely take time to decompose in the soil, so if you want them to show results quickly you can also grind them to a fine powder and then add them to your pepper plants.

So, these are some of the ways you can add the eggshells to the soil of the pepper plants. These are just some suggestions you are free to use whatever you feel confident in adding to your plants.

It is also important to see the plant’s growth after adding the eggshells as some plants may not receive the same amount of growth as others.

Also Read: When Is It Too Late to Plant Garlic and Harvest?

How many eggshells you can add to your pepper plants?

The exact number of eggshells can vary from plant to plants as all of them don’t have the same growth pattern. They also are of different sizes and shapes and according to them, they should be given the shells.

Although the pretty common amount of having the eggshells is crushing six eggshells and sprinkling them in the soil.

Six eggshells are the basic amount you can add to the soil and people also generally add that much to the soil for better growth of the pepper plants. The size of the plant decides the number of eggshells but also if you are a beginner at gardening you can add six and that’s it.

The soil in the plants also decides the number of eggshells as the acidic factor in the soil depends on the growth of the plant. As a more acidic factor in the soil reduces the growth of the plant the eggshells are added to neutralize the soil and help the plant to grow and produce fruit.

If you add too many eggshells to the soil it becomes alkaline and is not ideal for growing pepper plants in it. It can even kill the plants if the amount is more than usual. Although if your soil is already rich in alkaline then too much adding it will not make much difference and may not accidentally kill your pepper plants.

Eggshells are also known as shell fertilizer and are beneficial for not only pepper plants but also for many other plants such as tomatoes and eggplants in particular.

They too need this shell fertilizer for their growth. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach are some other kinds that also need a little extra calcium in them so that they can produce healthy fruits.

Also Read: Best Soil for Growing Leeks

Conclusion

We can’t say if this thing is a myth or truth without using it on our plants. It is a trial and error method in which you can see the results after trying out the possible methods to make your plants healthy and green.

Eggshells are not only used in the pepper plants but are also used in many other plants as they have many nutritional values in them when added to the soil. We try different methods to make our garden green and full of fruits and flowers and adding these small things to our soil or in the compost will help in making our plants healthy.

Eggshells also prevent the pepper plants from many diseases as well as from slugs and snails which are the slimy creatures who destroy our plants. They act as very good fertilizer and helps in the growth of our plants.

Some say that eggshells are a myth because they don’t make our plants green and healthy, well it doesn’t work with every plant you grow works on some specific plants and when they are added to them they grow to their fullest.

They are not a myth if it doesn’t work for you and is true if it works for you. Plants are very delicate they should be taken care of very seriously. They should be given very much attention and proper care so that they don’t die. It is the responsibility of the person who has planted it to take care of them.

They can have many different diseases and can also be destroyed by many small creatures we should care for and prevent them from these small things. In the end, it is the decision and the responsibility of the gardener to know about the different things related to the plants.

There are many various ways and natural things that you can add to your plants so that they thrive and make your garden beautiful. They have nutrients that will help the plant grow. Not only adding different natural products will help them but also proper sunlight and watering will help them grow.

Eggshells can also be used as pots to grow plants in them. As they have all the nutrients and minerals in them already you just have to add soil and seeds to grow any plant of your choice. They will thrive in them and will bear fruits.

Whether it is grounded or in the form of shells or it can be used as pots it can give your plants the nutrition it needs. You can add them to the soil for whatever they need to grow. Eggshells have all the nutrients and putting them in the soil will help the plants thrive and grow more. They will not harm the plants and in fact, will help them in their growth.

Cucumbers are the good snack to munch on when there is nothing else to eat, and you know what they are healthy too. You will find cucumbers in every Indian kitchen, as they are an important part of the Indian salad. The good news is that you can grow cucumbers at your home in containers, in a much smaller area.

Although they have sprawling vines but you can train those vines to climb up a trellis and will no longer need to worry about the shortage to enjoy them the whole summer.

How to Grow Cucumbers at Home?

Cucumber is a refreshing vegetable (although botanically it is considered as a fruit as it grows from a flower and has seeds) and demand proper favorable conditions to get mature rightfully.

In hot urban areas or the places with windy dry climate cucumbers growing in container can dry out quickly if not taken care of. Cucumbers are easy to grow on your porch, open veranda or even at your terrace. They require only three things to grow that are sunlight, soil and the right container.

• Sunlight. Cucumbers need full sunlight to grow at their best that means 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
• Highly fertile soil. Cucumbers require highly fertile soil so when selecting the soil, prefer the proper bag mix which will have the suitable nutrients and minerals that are required for the proper growth of the cucumbers. Refrain from using garden soil as it is heavy and might have weed seedlings and other bacteria as well.
• The container. The most crucial part is selecting the right container. As it might be confusing, to figure out what size of container you should use as to give your cucumbers the free space to grow perfectly.

What Size of a Container You Need to Grow the Cucumbers?

Container you need to use should be large enough to allow the roots of the plant to grow completely undisturbed and produce the best fruit possible. So, what size of pot to use to grow cucumbers? Well, the sizes can range from 12 inches to 24 inches in diameter, depending on how many seeds of the plant are you planting in your pot.

In 12 inches diameter pot you can plant 1 to 2 seeds of the cucumber, whereas you can plant up to 4 seeds of cucumbers in a large 24 inches diameter container.

A large container can be a better fit because it will mean that you will need to water your plant in a comparatively longer time period than the other smaller containers in which you will be watering them quite regularly.

Final step of planting the seeds in the container

• Suitable weather. Planting must be done with keeping in mind the weather conditions. As cucumber is a summer or hot weather plant so, you must not plant it until the springs are over completely.
• Sowing of seeds. You can plant the seeds indoor in a warm and well-lighted area before putting them outside after 6 to 8 weeks.
• How deep to put your seeds. Sow your seeds at least ¼ inches deep in a proper mix of soil containing all the required nutrients and minerals.
• Space for seeds. If you are planting more than one seed then, make sure you are putting your seeds at least 1 meter apart from each other to provide them a proper space to grow out of their vines.

Once your seedlings are up and have 4 to 5 leaves appearing on them, select that seedling without pulling out the other seedling and cut them off at the soil line so that you do not disturb the roots of the other plants. Cucumber plant need 60 to 70 days to get harvested.

Also Read: How Long Does it Take for Kale to Grow?

Harvesting the Cucumber

Harvesting the cucumber is easy, where you just have to select the cucumber and cut the stem right below where the stem is connected to the main vine. It is important to harvest the stem right below the main vine as it keeps the main vine intact so that it can continue to grow more flowers and eventually more fruits and the bigger yields in the season.

Fertilizing Period

At the time of harvesting your plant is at a crucial and unstoppable pace where it is producing flowers eventually fruits and also it is putting on new foliage so it might get a bit hungry.

Plant containers uses a lot of fertilizers even more than a regular plant in a garden because of all the water that runs through it each time you water it. So, it is a must to start fertilizing your plant every 10 to 14 days.

Choose the fertilizers correctly and specifically look out for the ones with a nice balance of Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus, which are usually represented as N, K and P respectively.

Check this out: Why Zucchini Plant Leaves Turning Yellow?

Tips and Tricks

Now you know everything about the cucumbers, the containers to use, the harvesting and the fertilization. So, here are some tips and tricks to keep you on guard with growing your cucumbers perfectly.

1. Watering schedule. In the summertime with the hot weather there is a high risk of your plant to completely dry out and die. So, it is better to maintain a watering schedule 1 to 2 inches water per week so as to prevent the plant to dry out and die.
2. Feed the plant regularly. Start fertilizing every 10 to 14 days to provide the required minerals and nutrients to the plant.
3. Harvesting. Harvest at the optimal size that is the size of 5 to 7 inches long.

Also Read: Why Are My Beets Growing above Ground?

Pests and Disease Control

Any plant can be prone to a bacterial or fungal infection and so, here are few things to keep in mind and to watch for,

• Powdery Mildew. It is a plant disease which causes growth of powder like substance on the surface of plant leaves, shoots and buds. It usually happens in the humid climate conditions and the plants get stressed. Providing good ventilation and air circulation can help prevent the disease. If you spot the disease, try using the homemade remedy by mixing 1 teaspoon baking soda with a drop of dish soap and some water. First by removing the severely affected leaves spray the mixture on the plants directly. It raises the pH level of the leaves which makes them less attractive to spores.
• Cucumber beetles. Cucumber beetles are the beetles that start degrading your plant fruit from the inside giving them a bloated weird outer appearance. The beetles can do damage in any stage of the plant life. With no easy solution to fight these beetles some preventive measures can be taken to control them. The adult beetles feed on the leaves and mature plants while larvae feed on underground roots and stem. They can cause irreversible damages.

Here given are some techniques to use to get rid of cucumber beetles:

1. By Handpicking them. One way to get the beetles out of your plants is by handpicking them on the very early stages. You can handpick and collect them in a bucket having soap water to kill them. Make sure to kill the larvae by smashing them right away.
2. Vacuuming. By high vacuuming you would be able to suck all the beetles and larvae out of the plant.
3. Integrated pest mechanism. It can be helpful in treating the heavy infestation of pollinators. It is completely based on the chemicals and so it can be bad for the bees as well.
4. Home remedies. You can spray neem oil on the leaves as well to prevent these beetles to break into the plant. And also, you can cover the new seedlings with garden fabric or covers until they start to bloom.

THE ADVANTAGES OF CONTAINER GARDENING

• Container gardening occupies smaller spaces and adds value to the vacant spaces as well as making the houses and architecture look beautiful.
• They are movable and manageable.
• They are accessible and feasible.
• Managing requirements and taking care of them is very easy.
• There are very less chances of pest damage and management is easy.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF CONTAINER GARDENING

• They require more water even than the usual garden plants or there are higher chances of them to dry out completely.
• Also, there are more frequent requirement of fertilizers to feed them.
• There are limited number of crops which can be grown in the containers.
• Choosing a wrong pot or container can restrict plant growth and hence not give the productive results.

Vegetables to grow in containers

Although there are limited numbers of plants that can be grown by the method of container gardening.

Some of the vegetables are chili, lettuce, pepper, potatoes, reddish, cucumbers, etc. Apples, blackcurrant, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries are some of the examples of fruits that can be grown by the method of container gardening.

Nutritional benefits of Cucumber

One serving of cucumber does contain about 8 calories. It contains Vitamin K and Vitamin A and are made of 95% of water.

1. Cucumber is a good source of water and will keep you refreshed and hydrated.
2. It is rich in fiber and helps in avoiding constipation.
3. Vitamin k possessing cucumber helps in getting rid of blood clot and keep your bones healthy.
4. Vitamin A helps in improving the vision and the immune system. It also regulates and checks the proper working of the heart, lungs and kidneys.
5. Cucumbers has many antioxidant properties which helps in repairing the damaged cells.
6. It also gives hydration by putting them on your skin and helps in deals with sunburns, swelling and puffy eyes or under eye bags.

With benefits comes risks as well. They are:

• It is better to peel your cucumber’s skin before eating it because it may have grown pesticides on them. So, by peeling the skin off makes it safer to eat. Although you can eat the peel of the cucumber as it is rich in fiber and Vitamin A, but make sure to wash it properly with water.

HOW TO STORE CUCUMBERS?

Usually people wash, peel, slice and toss their cucumbers into a salad.

Storing them in this way in a salad it loses excess amount of water and makes the salad watery and if you want to prevent that, you can soak your cucumbers in the salt water for some time before adding them to your salad. This lowers their water level making them less watery.

You can store cucumbers unpeeled in the refrigerator’s chiller compartment. And look out the ones that do not have the shiny wax coating on them. Use such cucumbers withing 2 days, the shiny ones can be used within a week.

Summary

Summing up all, container gardening is a best technique in todays’ world of adulteration as it gives you completely organic and unadulterated food items.

With all being said about everything cucumbers, we hope you will try out container gardening and get the best out of it with healthy and organic food for you and your family.

Asparagus is known to be one of the most nutritious and easily grown plants available to the potential gardeners. Not only are they less demanding, but also can be used at a variety of different places.

Whether you want to cook up some warm soup or need an ornamental for your home, asparagus always comes to the rescue. However, you can only make use of this plant if they are grown properly. To grow them properly, one needs to be aware of all the specifications of the plant.

One of the most important considerations while growing asparagus comes from the depth and length of its root system. Many people are uncertain about the same and end up making wrong decisions about the soil bedding.

If you are also looking for an answer for how deep do asparagus roots grow, then here is a quick one. On an average you can expect the length of your asparagus root system to go about 10 feet deep. But that’s not it. There are a lot of exceptions to this 10-feet rule and a lot depends on how you take care of your plant.

The following article will help you pave the right way to plant and grow your asparagus while also giving you the most accurate information about how deep do asparagus grow.

How Deep Do Asparagus Roots Grow? 

As the spring season arrives, asparagus becomes the first plant to bloom. Most people choose to grow asparagus from harvest and it is a brilliant idea.

However, having a general knowledge about the depth of asparagus plant roots often makes the job a little easier.

Before diving into the details, let us gather some basics about the roots of asparagus. The root system of the plant follows a contractile pattern. In general terms, this means that the roots of asparagus have the ability to slowly pull the soil crowns at a point that they are comfortable with. This is a gradual process, but this is what makes the plant an independent foliage.

Most people follow the practice of ripping up an 8-inch grown asparagus plant and refilling it with new stalks. It requires placing the crowns at least 4 inches deep in the soil. But, why go through so much trouble, when we can easily achieve our goal?

The first thing that you need to know is to plant your asparagus stalks at least two feet apart. This is because the root system of your individual asparagus can intertwine with each other, making the growth of each of them difficult.

Many people don’t realize that this simple step can help sustain the growth of their plant for as long as 20 years. During this time, the crown of your asparagus develops a huge root system and planting them two or more feets apart can help attain this level of optimum root growth.

Also Read: How Long Does Horseradish Take to Grow?

In the process of identifying the ideal root system of your asparagus plant, it is also important to pay heed to yet another very important aspect of general plant growth, that is, weeds. When asparagus are at their earliest stage, the growth of weeds around them has a big hand in determining the root depth and length.

While it is true that weeds should not be present anywhere near your asparagus plant, it is also true that if you want a healthy root system of your plant, weed removal should be done at the earliest stage.

Getting rid of weeds at the later stage is difficult because the chance of root death increases. While at the earliest stages, digging out all the weeds is not that difficult and requires no additional skill.

Another important aspect to take care of is the growth of your asparagus plant stalk. Many people, unknowingly, or intentionally, end up cutting the stalks of the asparagus plant before the root system is established accurately. This can harm the plant in the latter stages, even causing death of the plant.

If, however, you deem cutting the stalks of asparagus as extremely important and unavoidable, you can safely harvest them by marking a very small diameter before the summer months hit. This is as harmless as it can actually get.

As mentioned earlier, the roots of asparagus plant can grow as deep as 10 feet. In some cases, the length can increase more than this and it is perfectly normal if it does. This information is precisely important for those who are looking to grow their stalks in raised beds.

Raised beds demand more room if the roots grow large enough, and that is why one should take care to leave about 12 feet of growing space for roots in raised beds.

The growth process of asparagus starts with planting the crowns of the plant. In order to make sure that the roots have enough space to flourish, the crown-growing trench should be kept 12-18 inches wide apart and at least 7 inches deep. You can adjust the parameters according to your root growth.

Next, is how you have prepared your soil. It shouldn’t be tough since it will be compacted, not leaving enough space for the roots to develop. Therefore, loosen your soil or use mulch till at least 14 inches of depth. The recommended range is 12-15 inches, and again, can vary according to your plant growth.

Growing Asparagus: Plant Care Tips

To know how an asparagus plant can be grown properly is a virtue that is quite easy to learn. If you are looking for the most effective ways to grow asparagus and how to take care of them, your search ends here. Given below are some quickest and efficacious asparagus plant care tips to get the most out of those plant stalks:

Check this out: Why Are My Radishes Long and Thin?

Soil

As mentioned earlier, we cannot anticipate the growth of asparagus roots well ahead of time, but what we do know is that the roots grow up to 10 feet on an average.

In order to provide room for your asparagus roots to grow, the soil shouldn’t be too compacted or tight. One should always prefer going for soil that is left loose, moist, and has good drainage properties. Going for a soil rich in nutrients and showing a slightly acidic pH level is also recommended while growing asparagus.

Light

Long hours of bright and direct sun exposure to the asparagus plant can ruin its progress. Always prepare a region of enough shade and less light to plant your asparagus fern. It thrives in a shady and humid environment and prefers to stay away from sun for most part of the day.

Water

Asparagus loves to live in a humid environment. This is what makes it difficult for the gardeners to keep these plants always happy and hydrated. They need plenty of moisture and water to thrive.

To make up for its overwhelming hydration needs, one needs to make sure that they mist the stems of the asparagus fern at least two times each day. Take special care of this if you are growing your plant indoors in the dry season.

You can tell that the plant needs more water if its leaves become droopy and change their colour to brown. It is also important to keep the soil moist regularly, especially when it feels dry on the surface to touch.

Also Read: How Often to Water Broccoli?

Fertilizer

Fertilizing asparagus is important as it helps to feed the plant those nutrients that are not made available otherwise by natural sources.

The best fertilizer type that you can use for asparagus fern is a water-soluble one that has been diluted with a liquid to at least half of its present concentration. If used without dilution, it can come out as a bit strong to the plant, thus ruining its growth.

One should fertilize the asparagus monthly in winters and weekly in summers, especially if you are growing the fern plants in containers.

Check this out: Is Cow Manure Good for Potatoes?

Temperature and Humidity

The ideal temperature range to grow asparagus is from 55 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Try not to go beyond this range at either anchor end or your plant will not be able to tolerate it.

During summers, consider shifting your plant under a bigger plant or a shady porch. You can also grow them indoors near a window, taking special care to not expose them to direct sunlight. Too much sunlight can harm the plant and can cause the yellowing of leaves, followed by root rot and eventually plant death.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, the depth of your asparagus plant root system can dramatically vary according to the type of asparagus you grow and the conditions in which you grow them. The catch is that you can predict the growth of your asparagus plant by taking constant care of it, using the aforementioned plant care tips.

Asparagus doesn’t pose heavy demands and expects the bare minimum to thrive, so taking a perfect care of your plant is actually not as overwhelming as it seems. If you have any more doubts about the growth of this perennial plant or the frequent problems it causes, you can look up more of our articles.

Everyone wants to take advantage of the chance to cultivate a tasty and nutritious crop, such as broccoli, in their home garden. Raising and caring for broccoli will have its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

When producing broccoli in your garden, you are probably wondering, “How much watering do broccoli crops require?”

Put, broccoli crops require a continuous watering schedule which provides at minimum 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week, except rainy days.

But wait! This isn’t it! Nurturing broccoli correctly entails far more than just providing 1-1.5 inches of moisture once a week. The broccoli plant might cause more damage than benefit if not correctly cared for.

So, how could you guarantee that your broccoli plant receives just enough water at the appropriate time and rate? Scroll down to get solutions to your queries.

Broccoli Facts

Broccoli is good enough to justify cultivating only for its nutritional benefits. This cole plant is rich in many nutrients and is an excellent vitamin A, potash, folic acid, iron, and fiber supplier.

Broccoli develops slowly, so be calm! Once the primary crown of a broccoli crop has been harvested, it will usually continue to produce tiny side sprouts, which can be eaten for months at least.

Also Read: How to Avoid Overwatering Kale?

Producing Broccoli in a Nutshell

• Sow broccoli in the initial spring and late autumn when the temperature is cold. It may be grown in pots and an in-ground area.
• Plant broccoli seedlings as per the package instructions (typically 18 inches away). Pick a good spot that gets enough light, has ready accessibility to water, and has healthy soil with a pH around 6.0 and 7.0. (prepare the ground with lime if needed).
• Before sowing, stir many inches of composting or other rich organic components into the native ground.
• Give broccoli seedlings 1 – 1.5 inches of watering every week to maintain the soil wet.
• Take the most out of your broccoli-producing efforts by treating it with continuous-release seedling-based foods regularly.
• To keep soil water and weeds at bay, apply a generous amount of mulching crafted from thinly ground foliage or bark.
• The importance of scheduling and heat in profitable cultivation cannot be overstated. The optimum temperature range for growth would be 65 to 80° F.
• Harvest broccoli whenever the center crown is densely packed with tiny, green buds.

Where Can You Grow Broccoli?

Broccoli grows best in a sunny area with some shelter. A location that obtains 5-7 hours of sunshine is ideal.

Sow your broccoli seedlings in the productive, hydrated, and well-draining land. Before sowing your seeds, cooperate on a light coating of compost or 2-four inches of fertilizer to help the plant grow.

How Often to Water Broccoli?

Broccoli plants require a minimum of an inch of downpours each week to thrive. If there is no rain in your region, you will have to hydrate them yourself. Slow, profound washes are preferable.

If you’re using a water hose, maintain the water force minimal to prevent soil destruction at the plant’s foundation. It’s okay to attach a sprayer to the extreme of the hose. Quickly put the sprayer to a reduced pressure setting like light sprinkling or mist.

You could also use a jar or watering cans to hydrate your plants. While watering broccoli, concentrate your efforts on the plant’s foundation. Ailments would be less likely to grow if you prevent drowning the heads of the plants.

To hold the soil wet, apply a coating of mulch all over broccoli seedlings. Mulch can be made from grass cuttings, sliced-up foliage, or straw.

They furthermore help keep weed growth at bay in one’s broccoli surface. At the close of the growing period, these components can be tilled underneath to add nutrition to the land.

Also Read: Why Are My Beets Growing above Ground?

Container Maintenance

The seedlings are simple to start caring for when they’re in the pot. Please place them in bright sunlight underneath a grow lamp indoors, near the window. They’ll be delighted if you offer them one through one and a 1/2 inches of water every week.

The soil must be hydrated but not wet – and keep in mind that soil in pots can fade out faster than land in the vegetable patch.

Put your fingers around an inch into the sand to see if your seedlings require water. You shouldn’t need to water the plants if the soil is moist. If it appears to be dry, add some water.

You could bypass watering over many occasions for a week if it starts raining. In heavy downpours, quickly relocate your jars to a location where they will not become soggy.

Overwatering signs on the plant

If the stalks of broccoli seedlings are wet when they drop dead, it’s because you overwatered them, or they were subjected to excessively many downpours. When the ground where you’ve sown your broccoli becomes overly wet, one’s plant is more likely to become infected with fungus.

While tinier plants are unlikely to recover from a severe fungal infection, individuals can avoid this in the long run by planting the broccoli in a place with decent drainage.

When you’re only starting to grow either one or two seedlings in a pot, ensure enough room in the jar and drainage openings in the bottom. Unless you’re growing in reprocessed jars, cut away gaps in the bottom with a sharp knife.

They ought to be big enough to permit water drops to pass through yet not so big that soil will seep out. If you’re growing in a vegetable patch bed, ensure you’ve sown on breathable soil.

For instance, if you created the bed on the pinnacle of a cover or a rock, broccoli may not have enough room to drain, allowing the fungus to grow.

Signs that the plant is being underwatered

Realizing whether your plants are being overwatered and underwatered is critical to allowing your potted plants to prosper. Both can destroy one’s plants, but houseplants are more susceptible to overwatering harm.

Outdoor plants are more vulnerable to water harm. It is critical to recognize if a plant is overwatered or underwatered, even though your plant may die if immediate action is not taken.

Insects or diseases can cause wilting, but it is most prevalently caused by the lack of moisture in the soil. If the topsoil is wet, don’t presume the seedlings have quite enough humidity.

With most vegetable plants and other annuals, delve deeper down to ensure it is damp to a depth of approximately 6′′. If the soil becomes too dry, meticulously water the plants; they must be restored within 24hrs.

Check this out: How Not to Water Lemongrass?

When Should You Water Your Broccoli Plants?

Take the proper strategy to irrigate garden veggies to maximize crop yield. Most vegetable plants require approximately 1 inch deep each week (1 to 2 inches in warm, windy, dry environments).

Unless you don’t get rainfall, you’ll have to bring it in. Here are a few basic guidelines for deciding when to water your seedlings:

Whenever the ground has dried adequately to rewater, one’s finger seems to be the strongest predictor: Dig a few inches into the land; if the soil is parched three to four inches lower, it’s time to water.

Withered plants can indicate that your land is dehydrated: Wilting occurs when a plant’s foliage or stems curl, bend off, and appear limp. Even so, these signs can be deceptive at times.

Even though the soil is wet, a few plants, such as tomatoes, chilies, and eggplants, fall a little during the day’s high temperatures. If your seedlings aren’t standing high off the ground and proud, and the environment feels dull, give them some water and observe them level up quickly.

Plants wilt when they are overwatered, so inspect the land before soaking. When the soil becomes waterlogged, the root systems die due to a lack of oxygen. Plants wilt because they can’t get the moisture they want from the land. After all, they have fewer roots. Shrinking too is caused by insect and illness harm.

Every vegetable has a pivotal moment when you must be extra careful with watering: Your harvest may be wrecked if you taper off during these occasions.

Broccoli Planting Instructions

Broccoli grows best in the well-fertilized ground. Sow the broccoli seedlings around 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and 12-20 inches off when utilizing the straight-line method.

Because broccoli seedlings may develop up to three feet tall, it is vital to provide enough space. Broccoli seedlings require many areas to thrive since they are vigorous eaters.

Placing them too close together will stifle their development. Maintain a 3 feet space between broccoli growing rows. To maintain your plants’ health, water them twice a week. Water must be put on the base of the plant rather than the head, as this may increase flowering.

Check this: Should I Cut Off Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants?

Broccoli Harvesting

Extract broccoli in the early hours, before the top flower, once the head blooms are solid and rigid. If you notice yellow petals, collect them immediately because the quality will deteriorate quickly.

Remove the plant’s tops, leaving at least six inches of stalks. Create a sloped cut in the stem to permit water to run off. (Water can draw in the center of a flat-cut branch and decay it, causing secondary heads to run.)

Many kinds have side shoots that keep growing after the primary head has been harvested. Unless the summer isn’t quite so hot, you could gather from a single plant for several weeks, including from spring to autumn in certain instances.

Broccoli Maintenance

Fertilizing

Three weeks upon transplanting, apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer. If you observe that one broccoli plant is turning yellow, apply a few blood meals to the lower portion of the crops.

After harvesting the core head of broccoli, scrape in old manure or bone meal surrounding the base to stimulate side-growth formation.

Temperature

Broccoli grows best in temperatures ranging from 45 to 75 ℉, yet it can accept temperatures as minimal as 20 °.

If you’re concerned about the broccoli enduring a cold spell or if you sow it late, you could buy suspended row covers from one’s local nursery.

Floating row drapes can raise the air temperature by 4 to 8 °. Broccoli can thaw and fully recover, but this should not be subjected to continuous freeze-thaw cycles.

Cold weather can transform the buds purple and soften the tops, but it is still safe to eat.

Weeding

Remove every weed as quickly as possible. Tearing larger, more-established weed growth might interrupt the broccoli plant’s narrow root system. Weeds can be kept at bay by mulching around the plant’s foundation.

Also Read: Watering Cabbage Plant: How to?

Final Thoughts

Insect outbreaks, lack of growth, and even death of the plant are all possible problems. There is no requirement to be concerned; these problems happen and are quickly resolved. If you followed these simple suggestions and quick fixes, your plants would be fully healthy. Broccoli watering requirements are minimal; you need to be consistent. Happy gardening!

As opposed to its counterparts, growing beetroots is believed to be one of the most complicated practices in the world of gardening. While there are a number of reasons for this, one cannot always be certain that the hard work they put in growing beets will reap perfectly.

One such indicator pops up when beets, defying the laws of gravity, start growing above the ground. This problem is not only prevalent with beetroots but can also be commonly seen in plants like radish and turnips.

When such an abnormal activity sets its course, one is bound to be confused. One explanation of the beets growing above ground is that it is part of a natural process that shows that your plants are fully grown and are ready to harvest. Other reasons might be soil texture and temperature inconsistencies, inadequate water, and light amongst many others.

If you are too confused about the inverse growth of your beets and want them to yield happy results, the following article is for you. Here we discuss in detail the reasons for this event and other troubleshooting solutions for your beets. 

Why Are My Beets Growing above Ground?

While it is true that beets require a little faith to grow, it is also true that if the right practices are followed, it is not that difficult to have a perfect beetroot produce that you can enjoy with your meals.

Beets growing above the ground can stem from different reasons, the most common of them being that it is ready to harvest. It comes as a huge sigh of relief for those who identify this as a natural process, but if the reason includes improper growing conditions, then you must act quickly or the plant can die.

Also Read: Why Are My Radishes Long and Thin?

Tough soil

One such example of improper growth condition is a soil that is extremely tough for the beets to breathe in. Soil that is filled with gravel and is tightly compacted doesn’t leave the beetroot seedlings with enough space to grow. Thus, they seek comfort by sprouting above the ground.

This is a problem because they cannot achieve the adequate nutrients required for growth above the ground, thus leading to sudden death of the plant.

To curb this situation, one should consider mulching and weeding the soil regularly. Make sure to prepare your bed well in advance before planting beets and not to step on that bedding as it can lead to a compacted soil.

The soil should be organically backed with enough compost, devoid of all the small rocks and gravel, and a well aerated texture that allows enough room for the beetroots to facilitate nutrient absorption.

Check this out: Is Chicken Manure Good for Tomato Plants?

Harvesting beets

If you feel that the soil in which you are growing your beets is solid enough and requires no moderation according to the requirements that we have listed above, this means it is finally time to harvest your beets and your plants are conveying you with the idea of the same.

Harvesting beets the right way is very important since it is the final stage before you can finally consume them and a lot of your hard work depends on whether or not you harvest your beets with the right technique.

Here are some quick, easy, and extremely useful tips to get the best out of harvesting your beets:

Usually, the month in which you harvest your beets depends a lot on when you started growing them. But, if you are a beet-lover and have been into the gardening business for a long time, then it will not come as a surprise to you that beets grow to their fullest potential in cold weather months. This makes the onset of spring the best season for beets to harvest.

If you have missed the early spring months, your next best bet would be to give a chance to the months of fall. Harvesting beets, or any other plant, in the right season helps you extract the best out of them.

Another important question that many beet gardeners have in mind is when is the right time to harvest it. One, is what we have been talking about all while long, that is, when they start growing above the ground. Generally, many people prefer to harvest beets when they are small (rough 2” in diameter), as opposed to when they are fully grown.

Small beets are sweeter in taste and offer the same health benefits as compared to fully grown grocery store beets. Beets can be enjoyed when harvested at any stage of growth.

However, if you are not a fan of the sweetness they offer, you can harvest the plant at about 4” in diameter. That’s when they have a neutral taste. Do not wait for the plant to grow bigger than this before harvesting, or you might end up with nothing to harvest.

Also Read: How Often to Water Cabbage?

Many people are confused between harvesting beetroots and beet greens and often end up making the wrong decision, either by harvesting one before the other or doing the jobs simultaneously. As long as the roots are concerned, you can harvest them in any order, either before or after the greens.

It is the beet greens that one has to take extra caution about. These delicate beet parts are the main source of energy for the roots. If you want to harvest them prior to the roots, do not take all the greens together. This can cause harm to the rest of your beet plant.

Instead, you can carefully prune and harvest one or two beet greens from each of your plants to maintain the constant flow of energy from the rest of the greens to the roots.

It is useful to harvest your beets only when you are ready to consume them. This is because if you harvest the roots and wash them only to keep them away in the corner of the kitchen, the excess moisture will cause the rotting of your prematurely harvested beet roots.

It will neither be safe to consume or just simply store for later use. Brush off the soil or excess dust of your roots immediately after you harvest them to avoid any further health problems after consumption.

With all the considerations carefully followed, it is difficult to engage in premature harvesting and pruning of the beet plants.

But, if at any stage you feel that you have engaged in the act a bit early, you can really not do much about it.

In fact, if it’s any consolation, it does not ruin your plant progress and you can still include them in your meals as it is.

Finally, after harvesting the beets successfully, it is important to store them right so that you can use them as and when required. The easiest way to do so is to place them in a vejibag and keep them refrigerated without exposing them to moisture. This goes well for about 4 weeks. Do not try to extend this stay or they will go bad.

Also Read: Why Are My Spinach Leaves Curling?

Conclusion

Now that we know what all can cause your generously grown beet plants to show an upward growth, we should also keep in mind that one should not forget the general practices that are key in taking care of a good produce in the future.

If you are facing issues with maintaining the health of your garden plants, checkout our other helpful articles to aid you in nurturing a beautiful backyard or house garden. Happy gardening!

It’s frustrating for a grower to make the time and effort to develop radishes just to discover that the origins are long and skinny when it’s ready to collect. Even so, there are particular reasons why radishes develop in this manner, and also there are methods to avoid it.

So, why are my radishes long and thin?

Due to the hot climate, poor soil, and competition from other seedlings, radishes will sprout long and thin. Radishes could become long and thin when there is excessively quite enough nitrogen within the soil.

Let’s look more closely at why radishes become long and skinny in these circumstances. Then we’ll take a glance at certain strategies for avoiding these issues and preserving your harvest.

Radishes rely on soft soils to broaden and deepen thick origins into bulbs like a root crop.

Watering

Do Radishes require a lot of moisture in addition to all the above? Radishes require water, and not excessive amounts. Radishes will prosper in a well-drained seedbed. Retain the soil moist however and not drenched. Before watering, make sure the soil isn’t totally dry.

Overcrowding and competition

Radishes become long and thin due to overcrowding and competitive forces.

Competition with those other crops (along with neighboring radishes!) is yet another reason why radishes develop long and thin. Plants will start competing for nutrient content and moisture when there are too many of them in one place.

Also Read: Why Are My Spinach Leaves Curling?

Spacing

Radishes are among the most rewarding spring crops for gardeners. It only takes 3-5 weeks to gather radish seedlings after they have been planted. What a great example of immediate satisfaction! They thrive when planted in April (through initial May) when home farmers are eager to go out into the vegetable patch but the weather is also too cool to sprout summer crops.

It’s critical to ensure proper spacing when straightforward seeding crops such as radishes. Remember to check the seed parcel for appropriate seed separation distance suggestions; the radish layout can vary from 1-3 inches based on the variety.

Some farmers go to extraordinary lengths to place one seed every other inch or more in their vegetable patch; however, most growers will simply scatter the seeds throughout the vegetable patch and thin them out once they’ve sprouted.

Thin the plants before the root systems become plump, which usually happens before the seedlings get their 2nd series of foliage. Plants could become underdeveloped and roots could become tiny and disfigured if you do not really thin your plants and the roots develop too close around each other.

Also Read: Why Are My Radishes Growing Above Ground?

Bolting

Bolting Radishes Because of the Hot Temperatures. Radishes are considered a cool-season crop. The ideal temperature for expanding radishes, as per Clemson University, is 50 to 65 ° Fahrenheit (10 to 18.3 degrees Celsius).

One’s radish crops could bolt if the heat rises much higher than this. Overcrowding can be an issue if indeed the crop bolts to seed before actually forming a useful root. Put another way, the plant may be exposed to even more direct sunlight, especially during the hottest hours of the day.

Radishes require sunshine to grow but favor the cooler, damper conditions of summertime and autumn over the blazing hot forceful summer heat. Strive to provide some shade and protection for sunny harvests, with around 6 hours of daytime or afternoon shift sun to be ideal.

Also Read: How Long Does Horseradish Take to Grow?

Why Are Radishes Not Growing Bulbs?

For the grower who desires radish pieces for their salad, radishes which do not form bulbs are useless. Extreme heat is by far the most prevalent trigger of radishes beginning to grow just greens. The radish seedlings bolts and seek to set seed when the weather gets warmer.

Planting too densely and not thinning 1–2 inches among plants causes a lack of growth. If the seedlings are brushing against one another in bed, they would then detect that there isn’t sufficient room for them to grow, and then they might go to seed.

Lack of development in radishes can also be caused by a lack of sunshine. Radishes can tolerate some shade, particularly as the weather warms up, however, and they require numerous hours of bright sun to fully mature.

One of several lengthy, slender radishes, such as ‘white icicle,’ could be a better choice. This radish species produces a lengthy root that takes up little space than round worldwide radishes. It may take several days for them to reach maturity, but you won’t want as many of them.

If you would like to completely avoid this situation, start growing edible-podded radishes, which are radishes cultivated for their crunchy, zesty seed pods, such as ‘rat tail.’ The plants thrive in warm temperatures, are resistant to pests, and do not form bulbs.

Also Read: How Often to Water Cabbage?

Tips for Radishes That Aren’t Growing Bulbs

If your radish harvest isn’t continuing to produce bulbs, you’ll need to take a cultural as well as situational approach to this issue. Just choose a garden bed that is subjected to the light source for the majority of each day and not during the hottest part of the day. For bulb creation, 6 hours of sun in the morning or afternoon is adequate.

Organize the bed by fertilizing this to a depth of approximately 8 inches in organic manure or sand, if the soil is heavy (20 cm.). Avoid over-fertilizing the soil with nitrogen, as this will only encourage leafy tops. Sow seed directly on the soil’s skin, with only a light dusting of concealing earth.

The planting schedule is also a component in the complete absence of bulb production. Plant seeds as quickly as the soil is usable. Sow consecutive crops till the late spring, and yet avert sowing in warmer months because radishes may not produce and those who do are ruptured and bitter.

Sowing

Radishes should be planted in a bright location. If radishes are sown in far too much shelter, or if they are shaded by neighboring vegetable seedlings, they will expend all of their energy on generating bigger foliage.

Radish plants, such as carrots, are mainly grown for one‘s roots. Even though the ground must be rich in natural matter, it must not be packed. If your ground is clay-like, add some organic material to soften it up and enhance drainage.

If your ground lacks organic compounds, add a few inches of weathered compost or all-purpose fertilizer (quantity on the package) to the intended site as soon as the ground is effective. Before planting, one grows a bed to eliminate any rock formations or dirt clods.

Rotate crops every three years. In other words, seed radishes just every 3rd year in much the same location. This should help to prevent maladies from wreaking havoc on your plant.

When Should You Plant Radishes?

Sow seeds four to six weeks well before the typical deadline of your last frosts for a spring plantation. Local frost dates can be found here. Radishes can also be planted in the fall. Radishes can be planted later than just about any other root vegetable in late warmer months or initial fall and yet still yield a harvest. Sow seeds four to six weeks before the first winter of the season.

How to Plant Radishes Seedlings to Grow Delicious Radishes?

Another advantage of radishes seems to be that they could indeed be managed to grow in small spaces, raised beds, or containers. For a good root length, every radish requires 1-2 inches of garden area.

Plant those very shallowly – no more than 1/4 inch underground.

Plant radish seeds as follows:

– Arrange seeds two inches off in a row.

– Row spacing of 2-3 inches.

– Plant seeds a quarter-inch deep.

Cover the seeds with soft soil. Radish tops will begin to appear in the next week or so. Following that, we’ll go over how to prepare for the crops so that they grow wonderful radishes.

Growing Advice for Radish Plants

Take into account the six suggestions below to maximize radishes yield:-

Avoid using fresh compost, organic materials, or nitrogen-rich fertilizers when gearing up the soil. An excessively rich soil will promote lush greenery at the cost of crisp, flavorful roots.

Thin the radish seedlings to three-inch distances when they are approximately two inches in height. If the roots are not trimmed, they will become shriveled and inedible.

Compost nourished with wood ashes should be used to mulch the veggies. It does not just stop root maggots, but that also aids in soil water retention, which might make the difference between ideal and dreadful radishes.

Use water cautiously. Radishes might well bolt if the ground is much too dry, becoming pithy and odorous to taste. If the root systems become too wet, they will divide and decay. Don’t let the soil dry out, and also don’t hold it in a slushy mess.

Radishes make excellent companion crops, especially for attracting aphids, flea beetles, as well as other insects ahead from chilies, squash, cukes, or other veggies.

Harvest. When vegetables are fresh and tasty, pick them. Spring radishes should be no larger than 1 inch thick. Cold weather radishes and daikon could be picked up as needed until the first cold snap, but also be prepared to secure them from the elements by covering them with straw mulch or organic manure.

Spinach plants have recently grown in popularity due to the ease with which they can be grown and the benefits that home grown spinach plants provide, be it medicinal or of nutritional value.

However, one drawback of growing spinach plants is that they attract a number of pests and diseases to themselves, making their care difficult and extremely troublesome. Diseases and pests are often detrimental to the health of your spinach plant, and can also be a major reason for its sudden death.

To prevent this, the first step that you can take is to look into and identify the potential symptoms that your plant has been attacked. One such symptom is the curling of the spinach leaves.

Cucumber mosaic virus is one of the most common bacteria, caused by cucumber beetles, that leads to sudden change in the shape and texture of your spinach plants, which is usually prevalent as curling.

However, there is more to it than just the presence of cucumber mosaic virus, which we will discuss in the following article. If you want to get greater information about your spinach leaves curling, keep reading.

Why Are My Spinach Leaves Curling?

If your spinach plant leaves have started to crinkle and curl inward, it certainly indicates the presence of pests like aphids and cucumber beetles that are widely responsible for spreading diseases like the cucumber mosaic virus.

• Spinach plant is inherently vulnerable to many plant diseases, making it a very delicate plant to take care of.
• Apart from the presence of pests, bolting is another very rare cause of your spinach plant leaves to curl inwards.
• Bolting leads to stunted growth of the plant and is often a result of underwatering or too much water stress.
• Apart from this, one should also avoid exposing the spinach plant to too much direct sunlight during summers or it can lead the plants to blot and eventually die.

Also Read: Why Zucchini Plant Leaves Turning Yellow?

How to Stop Spinach Leaves from Curling?

Spinach plants are very delicate and require the right blend of care to function optimally in the long run.

To keep spinach plant leaves from curling, one has to do nothing different than taking care of all the environmental aspects like light, water, nutrition, temperature and humidity.

However, since we know that the primary reason for the curling of spinach plant leaves is the presence of the cucumber mosaic virus, our first intervention strategy should aim at eradicating all the possibilities of inviting the virus to the plant.

Once your plant is infected, there is nothing much you can do about it, since the virus seeps deep into the plant roots making them weak and unable to absorb nutrients for growth.

Therefore, prevention is actually the cure when trying to get rid of the cucumber mosaic virus.

Maintaining a very stringent aphid control mechanism is how you can take the first step towards getting rid of the cucumber mosaic virus since aphids and cucumber beetles are its only source of infection.

Identify the weeds growing in your garden, not only around the spinach plant, but the entire garden, and remove them with care. Weeds invite aphids and harbor their growth, thus increasing the risk of your plants actually getting infected with the virus. 

Another very convenient tip to keep your spinach plants from catching the virus is to purchase plants that have been de-infected in the nursery and are substantially virus free. Virus free plants eliminate all the possibilities that your leaves or any other part of the plant will ever get affected by the presence of aphids or beetles.

Check this out: Should I Cut Off Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants?

Propagating the right way

If you propagate your spinach plants or other vegetable plants, wash the tools properly and disinfect them both before and after using. This minimizes the spread of this virus dramatically as we often use the tools without washing, thus exposing our plant’s health to great risks.

Try changing the method of propagation you use on your plants. It has been found that vegetative propagation methods increase the chances of the virus commuting from one plant to another.

Instead, try using seed propagation to keep all the potential sources of risk away. It is comparatively easier and safer.

Important tips while gardening

When working in your house garden or backyard, always make sure to use clean gardening gloves.

Our hands can be a very powerful source of transfer from an infected plant to a healthy plant, and more often than not, we might not even be aware of it. If possible, try changing your gardening gloves after every second or third use.

Either discard them or wash them before reusing. This small change can help you witness a lot of improvement in the shape of your spinach plant leaves and the stunted growth.

Also Read: Is Chicken Manure Good for Tomato Plants?

This is important

Once you see visible signs of this virus on your plant, quickly separate it from the rest of your plants and get rid of it. The virus takes no time in spreading from an infected plant to a healthy plant.

Taking Care of Spinach Plants

While curing the curling problem of your spinach plants is one important aspect of taking care of it, we cannot stop at doing just that. In order to make sure that your plant stays in the best of its health, one needs to follow other potential steps towards achieving a healthy spinach plant yield.

Here are some of the easy and most important tips to keep in mind if you want to get a good spinach plant produce every season without any extra hassle:

• The first step for growing the right and tastiest kind of spinach is to understand where you will plant the spinach.
• To keep your spinach in good condition throughout, it is ideal that you plant them at a place where the sun exposure is maximum and the soil supports a thorough drainage system.
• If you are worried about overexposure to the sun, you can look for a place that is partially shaded by other plants.

Spinach plants should always be grown in the winter season under optimal soil temperatures, that is, not crossing the 70 degree mark.

As the spring sets, you should start preparing your garden with enough drainage facilities to plant spinach.

Also Read: How Often to Water Lemongrass?

Excessive exposure of spinach plants to sunlight can cause bolting. This is something we have already observed earlier. So, it is ideal to expose them to partial sunlight at least 6 hours a day in winters.

Sunlight is very important for spinach to make its food and it should not be barred from receiving the light because of the potential fear of bolting.

It is ideal to keep the pH of the soil neutral when growing spinach. Unlike most of the vegetable plants, an acidic or alkaline pH level of soil can damage the plant in the long run.

Additionally, when growing spinach, the soil should be nutritious, organically rich and silty loamy to facilitate appropriate drainage. These soil properties help prevent the condition of root rot in plants.

Spinach needs water to grow to its full potential. Too little of it can cause plant death, but overwatering can result in the soil being soggy, which can slow down the growth process.

To know the right amount of water required by your plant, keep the range not more than 1.5 inches per week.

You can increase the amount in summers by half inches to prevent the plant from going into the bolting stage.

Another pro tip is to engage in several watering sessions than just one dedicated watering day in a week. It allows the plant to slowly absorb all the nutrients and speeds up the growth process.

While it is true that spinach likes to grow and flourish in the winter season, a very heavy frosty weather can seriously damage the plant. Therefore, you should take special care that the temperatures don’t go beyond the 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit range.

However, one thing that the plant isn’t too fussy about is its humidity levels. If the soil needs are adequately met, humidity is not an issue while growing spinach.

Use nutrient supplements like nitrogen rich fertilizer, soy meal, and fish emulsion in moderation to give an adequate boost to the health of your spinach plant.

Conclusion

Now that you know everything about why your spinach leaves curl and what you can do to prevent and terminate this situation, here is a bonus tip that will help you identify the symptoms better.

Spinach plants come in a variety of different species and not all of them can inform you about their condition by curling their leaves. In some spinach plants identical illness symptoms are visible and should be identified so that treatment can be started in due time.

If you observe that certain leaves of your plants have started to turn yellow or have developed unexplained brown or grey patches underneath the leaf skin, this is another cue for the presence of the cucumber mosaic virus on your plant.

Rest assured, with the tips mentioned above, your spinach plant will always stay in the best of its health and continue to yield amazing and delicious produce.

Squirrels appear to always be out in front of gardeners with regards to the harm they inflict on our bloom and vegetable beds. Seldom does anyone single technique accomplish total squirrel control, however with some diligence and a multi-pronged methodology you can place a damper on the devastation these rodents unleash in the scene.

About Squirrel

Squirrels are particularly dynamic in pre-fall and harvest time when they stock up for winter. They don’t rest so their underground storerooms are fundamentally significant winter stockrooms. They have a significant instinct for hoarding food, which assists them with surviving. Dark squirrels stash food by burying it in a spread style around their territory.

Albeit North America is home to a few types of squirrels, it is the rural area smart dark squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, that gives gardeners (and individuals who feed birds) the most sorrow. How did the sharp critters find those blossom bulbs, at any rate? For what reason do they scour a few boundaries and let others be?

The normal squirrel accumulates oak seeds, pinecones, nuts, bark, natural product, berries, organisms, and insects, however, isn’t above stealing bird eggs and bulbs. Once in a while, they will even ruin your blossoms only for entertainment purposes!

Check this out: Should I Cut Off Yellow Leaves on Tomato Plants?

Issues Brought by squirrels in the garden

Creature sweethearts are enchanted by the aerobatic moves of squirrels and find them brilliant.

Be that as it may, when a gardener enters their vegetable garden to find their corn wrecked and their tomatoes dispersed over the ground with precisely one nibble out of every, they are anything BUT enchanted.

Squirrels are a steady wellspring of disappointment for any vegetable gardener and as far as one might be concerned, everybody is always looking for new, and regular, ways for keeping squirrels out of my garden. Red Squirrel in a bowl.

Also Read: How Often to Water Lemongrass?

Ways to keep Squirrel out of the yard

Here are some tips to keep squirrel out of the yard :-

1. Give them a drink: If squirrels are munching on your tomatoes or other delicious organic products or vegetables, they may simply be parched. During the growing season, furnish the squirrels with a dish of new water… and the squirrels will most likely pass on those tomatoes for you to reap.”

Assuming you just choose to allow them to run their course (in a real sense) in your yard or garden, it additionally points out that they will eat fallen seed that won’t grow into weeds, assist with trimming trees by keeping branches clean, and might add some humor.

2. Squirrel Repellents: There are numerous squirrel anti-agents available, however, the majority of them depend on predator urine or hot pepper. Hand-crafted plans may likewise include garlic or onion, vinegar, or peppermint oil.1 Repellant might have some achievement being utilized related to different obstacles, however, gardeners should be watchful about reapplication. Wind, water, and daylight will make repellants separate rapidly. Repellants additionally have the disservice of repelling the gardener.

3. Stowaway or move their food. Be constant about cleaning up fallen nuts, oak seeds, and berries. Make the cycle quicker and more straightforward with a helpful nut finder. These food sources can be moved to an area where squirrels are gladly received, like a back corner of your yard. Additionally, keep garbage bin covers safely shut also.

4. Squirrel Fences: Fencing has a ton going for it as an irritation rejection gadget for any creature, however, fencing can likewise be costly and unattractive for bigger regions. Confine is a more precise term than a fence, as no fence can keep out the nimble squirrel. Even though squirrels can beat an exceptionally solid obstruction with their digging and gnawing, a floating column cover is surprisingly powerful as a hindrance in the vegetable garden. Squirrels try to avoid the feeling of walled area, which would forestall their capacity to sprint away from a predator.

5. Sprinkle Cayenne Pepper: Some gardeners depend on sprinkling a blend of cayenne pepper, red pepper pieces, paprika, or different combinations of zesty seasonings around the foundation of the plants. Stunt squirrels into thinking your product is anything but a delectable treat after all by dusting a couple of the organic products in the hot combination, too.

6. Utilize normal predators: Use a squirrel’s regular predators for your potential benefit by attracting falcons or owls by placing raptor roosts or owl settles close by. However, this approach isn’t suggested assuming you have little creatures in the yard that you might want to keep there.

7. Netting in Action: Protect ripening organic product by swaddling it with plastic bird netting. This treatment continues to snack rodents (squirrels, chipmunks, mice) under control, alongside birds and wood turtles, who love to nibble on easy pickings. Cut little bits of netting and fold it over coloring organic products. Store netting pieces in the garden cut to tomato upright.

8. Give them their food. Albeit a contested technique, as this might wind up attracting more, giving in to the little men may very well be a choice. Assuming you have an enormous region, make them their feeding ground that is well away from your garden beds. Utilize a squirrel feeder to take care of their sunflower seeds, peanuts, and feed corn. A few gardeners venture to such an extreme as to establish additional tomatoes to keep them fulfilled and away from theirs.

9. Get a Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder: If you like the sights and hints of spring birds, make a point to invest in a bird feeder with a confound hood that keeps squirrels from accessing the food. The astound of this DIY bird feeder, a mixing bowl hung topsy turvy, stops squirrels from getting into the food basin.

10. Get a canine. Most canines love to pursue squirrels. Set them on a squirrel watch and let them drive the squirrels off.

11. Seal Trash Cans: as well as removing any nuts and berries that might tumble to the ground and give a nibble to squirrels, additionally ensure garbage bins have tight tops and are covered around evening time.

Also Read: Is Chicken Manure Good for Tomato Plants?

What Plants Do Squirrels Eat?

Squirrels relish a considerable lot of the very plants that we do, including leafy foods, seeds, nuts, and berries. They will likewise deal with tulip bulbs, and even tulip blooms. However, there are many plants that squirrels find offensive. These plants have solid smells or flavors that squirrels loath. Consider adding onion, garlic, daffodils, Galanthus, lily-of-the-valley, geraniums, fritillary blossoms, goldenrod, and bleeding hearts in your beds, boundaries, and hanging bushels.