What’s the Best Shovel for Your Garden From Master Gardener David Wall
Mar26

What’s the Best Shovel for Your Garden From Master Gardener David Wall

March 26, 2024 – For most of us, a shovel is a shovel is just a shovel, never mind that there are so many types; short-handled, long-handled, rounded, round-point, flat, ditching, long bladed, trenching, and serrated.  Additionally, there’s the digging spade, garden spade, perennial spade, and scoops. They’re made from steel, plastic, stainless steel, carbon fiber, and aluminum. And, there’s the price from under $10 to over...

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Coffee Grounds in Your Garden Soil From Master Gardener David Wall
Mar17

Coffee Grounds in Your Garden Soil From Master Gardener David Wall

March 17, 2024 – Many of you use your “used” coffee grounds for fertilizer in your gardens. You like the results but have to experiment to find the best way to do so. Used coffee grounds for fertilizer is not exactly a new idea. Additionally, many of you put coffee grounds in your compost piles where it mixes with other organic contents, eventually resulting in great soil additives. It must be noted, however, that this is done...

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Change is Inevitable From Master Gardener David Wall
Mar10

Change is Inevitable From Master Gardener David Wall

March 10, 2024 – Inevitably when gardening, things that were standard a few years ago become outdated or just wrong. For example, the literature used to recommend placing an egg and banana in the tomato planting hole. In fact, you can still occasionally find such a recommendation today. Such recommendations, however, ignored the rotting time needed before the basic elements could be used by a growing tomato plant. Then, placing...

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Try Milk in Your Garden From Master Gardener David Wall
Mar03

Try Milk in Your Garden From Master Gardener David Wall

March 3, 2024 – Powdered milk is made by evaporating milk until only a powder remains. A major benefit for gardeners is the powder is rich in calcium, and other nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, elements all plants need. If you are looking for powdered milk, be sure to read the contents and choose a product that has been fortified with calcium. Next, read the label, and mix with water according to...

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Interesting Facts for February From Master Gardener David Wall
Feb25

Interesting Facts for February From Master Gardener David Wall

February 25, 2024 – While most people avoid them, watermelon seeds are rich is proteins, vitamins, omega 3, zinc, fatty acids, and so on! Blue whale hearts weigh nearly a ton and only need to beat once every 10 seconds. Sunlight converts cholesterol in our skin to vitamin D3. Eating kiwi fruit reduces eye problems and increases eyesight. China is constructing the world’s first forest city where all buildings are covered by a...

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Is Pine Needle Compost OK for Vegetable Gardens? From Master Gardener David Wall
Feb11

Is Pine Needle Compost OK for Vegetable Gardens? From Master Gardener David Wall

February 11, 2024 – There are two uses for the pine needles in your garden. For the first, pine needles make an excellent mulch for your vegetables. They don’t press on the soil and let plenty of air through them. They don’t affect soil pH, because they are above ground. It’s that simple. On the other hand, should we allow needles to be used in compost? It’s an interesting question, and the answer, after studying, is easier than...

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Try a Beit Cucumber in 2024 From Master Gardener David Wall
Feb05

Try a Beit Cucumber in 2024 From Master Gardener David Wall

February 5, 2024 – Most know of the “standard” cucumbers for gardens, which include Straight 8, Marketmore and Marketmore76. These are excellent cucumbers and typical results are usually 15-20 fruit per plant, although in excellent soils, the totals can reach and possibly exceed 25. Quite a few years ago, Israeli farmers created a family of “Beit” non-hybrid cucumber plants. While seeds cost more, the plants produce more. The...

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Wood Ashes Can help Your Tomatoes From Master Gardener David Wall
Jan29

Wood Ashes Can help Your Tomatoes From Master Gardener David Wall

January 29, 2024 – By saving fireplace or wood stove ashes this winter, you can use them in April to help grow bigger, better, and more productive tomato plants. Actually, wood ashes are very beneficial all over the vegetable garden. Besides raising the pH in overly acidic soils, wood ashes contain large amounts of calcium and potassium (potash), two nutrients tomato plants need in large quantities plus numerous other nutrients....

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It’s a Red Oak, BUT!!! From Master Gardener David Wall
Jan21

It’s a Red Oak, BUT!!! From Master Gardener David Wall

January 21, 2024 – You’ll recall (I hope!) that all oaks are either red oaks or white oaks. With only a very few exceptions, all red oaks have pointed lobed leaves, while white oaks have rounded lobes. With that introduction, the tree for discussion this week is one that few in our area are familiar, the shingle oak (Quercus imbriicaria). It’s a red oak, BUT it has no pointed lobes. Shingle oaks are no longer regarded as a tree...

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Plant Carrots Now! From Master Gardener David Wall
Jan16

Plant Carrots Now! From Master Gardener David Wall

January 16, 2024 – OK, why grow carrots when they’re so easy to pick up at the grocery store already peeled, cut into bite sized morsels, cleaned and packaged?  Well, I have to admit, these are pretty good reasons for using the grocery store. On the other hand, growing them for self and the needy provides a great service and satisfaction for the grower. Many of us had grandparents who gardened and tried to instill a...

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