Vanessa Myers

Preparing Your Garden for Winter

September 27, 2017 by Vanessa Myers

As the gardening season slowly draws to a close, it’s time to think about closing down and preparing your Garden for winter and the following spring. Taking the time to do these steps will help you have greater garden success during the following year.

There are steps you should take when you are preparing your garden for winter

Leaf Image by Mark Turnauckas under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

Perform a Garden Assessment

Now is a great time to look over the gardening successes and failures that you had during this gardening season. Did you fruit trees get attacked by certain insects? Did a certain new kind of vegetable perform especially well? Documenting the events in your garden (perhaps in a garden journal) will help you recognize trends and remember what worked.

Water Your Trees Less

As winter approaches, you want to make sure that your trees will be ready for their slumber. At the beginning of fall, stop watering them. You shouldn’t have to worry too much about them having problems, as there is usually sufficient rain during this period. Wait until all of the leaves have fallen off, then give it a good long watering session. This will help make sure that they don’t start too much new growth.

Leaf mulch is a great way to add nutrients back into your garden

Leaf Mulch Image by Bobby McKay under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution – NoDerivatives License

Save Your Leaves for Mulch

As your trees start to drop their leaves, why not add them to a compost pile to enrich next year’s soil? If you run over them with a mower, they will break down faster, though you can still put them in whole if desired. Add a nitrogen source like urea to your leaf mulch to help it decompose. It should be ready for use by spring.

Get Ready to Prune

You can prune out at any time the parts of your trees and shrubs that have become dead, diseased or damaged. Otherwise, wait until they have gone dormant before you do any work. If you do it too early, the plant can start producing new shoots that could be harmed by frost. It’s also easier to see where you want to prune when the leaves are gone and you can see the skeleton of the tree.

Pick up spoiling fruit as part of your fall cleanup

Spoiling Fruit Image by Groume under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution – ShareAlike License

Remove All Dead Annuals, Weeds, and Spoiled Fruit/Vegetables

As your vegetables and other annuals start to wither away, pull them out of your garden plot. If they are left there over the winter, the dead plants can serve as insect and disease shelters during the winter. Your annuals can go into a compost pile or you can turn into the soil if you like. The same is true for any spoiled fruits or vegetables. You do want to make sure that the weeds are taken out and properly disposed of or else they will add more weeds to next year’s chore list.

What do you do as part of preparing your garden for winter?

Can You Grow Blueberries in Utah?

July 7, 2017 by Vanessa Myers

July 10th is National Pick Blueberries Day! Read this article to help you decide whether to grow and “pick” your own in Utah or just “pick” them up at the grocery store.

Perhaps you have heard about all of the health benefits of blueberries like antioxidants and Vitamin C and would like to start growing them. Residents here, however, may find them to be quite a challenge to raise successfully. Why would we have a hard time growing blueberries in Utah?

Blueberry Image by Fixed in Silver under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution – ShareAlike License

What Kinds of Conditions Do Blueberries Need?

Blueberries belong to the Ericaceae, or heath family. Other members that you are likely familiar with are azaleas, rhododendrons, cranberries, and heather. As a general rule, they need acidic conditions in order to grow and thrive.

Conditions in Utah, however, are quite the opposite. In many areas, the soil registers on the alkaline side of the pH scale, as does the water. If you tried to plant blueberry bushes straight into your garden without any adjustments, they might try to valiantly struggle along for a while, but won’t be able to grow well and will likely just die in the end.

There’s also the matter of the texture of our soil. Blueberries like to have looser/coarser soils like sand since they form a network of thinner roots instead of a large one. Many areas around here are the finer clays that would make it harder for the bushes to properly spread out their roots and get all of the water and nutrients that they would need for success.

Test your soil before you try to grow blueberries in Utah

Soil pH test Image by michaelstyne under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution – ShareAlike License

So How CAN You Grow Blueberries in Utah?

You would need to acidify your soil in preparation for planting these and plan on the possibility of needing to repeat the process in the future. Start by buying a pH test kit or send off a sample to the Extension service to gauge how much change would be needed.

The easiest way would be to get a large container that you could fill with acidified potting soil. You could also try preparing special planting beds with soil that has had materials like peat worked into it to make it more acid. Over time, though, it will continue to move back towards alkaline here in Utah (especially if you use untreated water) and you will have to fuss over it.

University of Utah’s Extension service offers a more extensive discussion on the specific ways that you can work on acidifying soil and water found in Utah, along with the challenges that can come along with it.

Blueberries in Utah can be a pain to grow

Image by words under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution – NoDerivatives License

Is It Worth It?

I am always up for a challenge and like to see if I can grow plants that are a bit more work. You may feel that way, too. However, if you’re just wanting to enjoy some fresh blueberries, it would be easier to concede in this case and buy some at the local store, saving your space for all of the other fruit trees, shrubs and plants that do just fine in Utah.

Have you tried to grow blueberries in Utah?

It’s Time to Thin Fruit Trees

June 8, 2017 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome Gardening Friend! Glad you dropped in.

Did you know it is important to thin fruit trees from all the blossoms that were pollinated? Read why it is important and some tips on how to do it!

If all went well in your garden this year, your fruit trees were covered in blossoms that were successfully pollinated. Now your tree branches are filled with a plethora of small fruit that promises to be a bumper crop. All that’s left to do is to keep an eye out until harvest to treat any insects or diseases, right?

Now is the time to thin your fruit trees and remove a lot of the developing fruit.

“Wait,” you say. “Don’t I want all the fruit that the tree produces? I was hoping to can up lots of jams, as well as eat them fresh. If I take some off, I certainly won’t have enough!”

Fruit that is too close on a tree won't be as good as if you had thinned it, likely

These are clustered far too close together. Image by Swallowtail Garden Seeds under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

Think About How the Tree Produces Fruit

Each year, the tree is driven to create flowers and fruit in an effort to reproduce itself. Since at least some of them are destined to fail (frost at a tender time, failure to pollinate, and other disasters), the plant will produce as many fruits as possible.

The most important part of the fruit, reproduction-wise, is the seed inside. The fruit surrounding it is meant in part to help entice animals to eat the fruit and deposit the seed somewhere else, where it can germinate. However, it takes energy and nutrients to form the sweet flesh. When the tree is loaded up, these nutrients have to be spread out between them and you get smaller fruit overall. They will also likely not be as sweet as they could have been if thinned.

You Also Run the Risk of Tree Damage

Even though the sight of a tree branch completely loaded with fruit is a delightful thought, it can be very stressful for the tree if it has to bear so much weight. In some cases, it can even cause the tree to break. You could try to prop up the branch in an effort to avoid this, but it is safer if you just remove the proper amount.

Thin you fruit trees for optimal production

These peaches are properly thinned and look like they’ll be luscious! Image by Forest & Kim under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

How DO You Thin Your Fruit Trees, Then?

When the fruits are about 3/4″ in diameter (about the size of a dime), it’s time to perform this task. Grab a pair of trusty hand pruners and head on over to your tree. You may also need a ladder, depending on height. Start looking over the branches to find the best fruit. Take off any of them with visible damage or that is smaller than others in the cluster. Leave only one fruit out of each bunch. In the end, you want all fruit to be no closer than 6″ for optimal results.

In the end, you want all fruit to be no closer than 6″ for optimal results. Your tree will thank you, and the fruit that you harvest will be large and higher quality.

Have you thinned your fruit trees yet?

Unusual Strawberry Plants to Try

May 10, 2017 by Vanessa Myers

Hello Gardener, Welcome!

Many gardeners put in a strawberry patch so they can enjoy growing their own delicious red delights. However, did you know that not all strawberries are red and not all blossoms are white? Here are a few of the more unusual strawberry plants that you might want to experiment with during this growing season.

Alpine Strawberries

Image by wheany under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

If you have ever tried foraging in Europe, it is likely that you came across the alpine strawberry. These delicious little fruits grow in abundance in the wild. Good news is that they are slowly starting to become more available in nurseries in the United States. You can also try starting them from seed. They are smaller than the strawberries that we are used to eating but packed with an abundance of flavor.

White Carolina Pineberries

If you like the taste of pineapple, try a pineberry for a sweet treat

Image by DaveCrosby under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

At first blush, it seems like this is simply a strawberry experiment gone wrong. After all, the outer flesh is white and the seeds are red. This, however, is merely the result of crossing together a white strawberry from South America with our familiar red strawberry. Look for a plant as the seeds will not run true to type. The flavor is said to be reminiscent of pineapple, inspiring its common name.

You would want to place these near your other strawberries to help pollination rates. Yield is not as abundant as standard strawberries, as well as being a bit more of a delicate plant, so these are best treated as a fun novelty. They do bloom in the spring and again in the late summer, almost like an ever-bearer.

Purple Wonder Strawberries

If we’re getting into technicalities, the ‘Purple Wonder’ is more of a deep rich reddish burgundy. However, the difference is indeed notable when placed next to a traditional strawberry. I usually find that the darker strawberries are sweeter, so a whole patch full of these would be heavenly! They can be grown from seed.

Red and Pink Flowering Strawberries

Choose a pink flowering strawberry as one of your varieties

Image by seelensturm under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

When I think of a strawberry blossom, the color white usually comes to mind. Some cultivars, however, have been developed because they produce flowers that come in hues of red or pink. One of my favorites is called ‘Tristan’ bearing deep rosy blossoms, ‘Tarpan,’ ‘Gasana,’ or ‘Frisan’ all bearing light pink blossoms. Some delightful more traditional varieties geared for our Zone 5 climate include ‘Ozark Beauty’ which is excellent for jam, ‘Eversweet’, or ‘Ft. Laramie’.

A most tasty unique strawberry that is often served in European fine restaurants is the strawberry called ‘Yellow Wonder’. Yes, it is a yellow berry. Because of it’s color, the birds are fooled into thinking the berries are not ripe; hence, no need for a bird net to protect your berries from the scavengers!

Western Gardens has most of these unusual strawberry plants for you to explore, but they won’t last long.

Have you grown any of these unusual strawberry plants? Which would you recommend?

Plant a Rose in Honor of National Peace Rose Day

April 28, 2017 by Vanessa Myers

WELCOME, glad you stopped by!

Chances are if you ask a gardener to name a cultivar of rose that they adore, ‘Peace’ would come up many times. This beloved rose is so renowned that it even has its own holiday. National Peace Rose Day is celebrated on April 29th.

This beauty is the quintessential example of a hybrid tea rose at its best. Large perfumed blossoms are made up of creamy yellow petals that are edged with pink. The foliage is a rich glossy dark green that contrasts nicely and the long stems make them a good choice for floral arrangements.

How Did the ‘Peace’ Rose Come to Be?

Plant the celebrated Peace rose on National Peace Rose Day

Image by hartjeff12 under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

The name ‘Peace’ is apt. Francis Meilland, a plant hybridizer from France, created this cultivar during World War II. He called it Mme A. Meilland in honor of his mother. Instant success ensued when it was introduced to France, Germany, and Italy.

A few years later, the Conard-Pyle Company was able to introduce it to the United States, dubbing it the ‘Peace’ rose. Interestingly enough, the day that it was released was also the end of the war since Berlin fell. It has been one of the most popular roses ever created since.

Why not plant a ‘Peace’ rose or one of the other rose cultivars that claim it as a parent this year to celebrate?

Image by digiteyes under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives License

Chicago Peace

If you are a fan of pink roses, choose ‘Chicago Peace’. This kind is much pinker than its parent, with a little bit of cream at the base of each petal.

Image by audreyjm529 under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

Climbing Peace

As you might imagine, this version is very similar to the original ‘Peace’, with the distinction of being one of the climbing roses. Train it up on a trellis or pergola for a gorgeous display.

Desert Peace

Richer hues of pink and gold dance through the blossom of a ‘Desert Peace’ rose, adding pops of color to your landscape. The long stems make it perfect for a vase display.

Image by chipmunk_1 under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Love and Peace

This cultivar holds the honor of being one of my favorite flowers. I had the opportunity to work in the rose breeding department at Bailey Nursery with Ping Lim, the man who created this ‘Peace’ descendent. The blossoms are big enough that it fills both hands as you bring it closer to inhale the sweet heady fragrance, and the outer petals feature a heavier outline of pink than its parent.

Which of these roses with ‘Peace’ rose parentage is your favorite? Plant one for National Peace Rose Day!

Beneficial Insects You Want in Your Garden

September 15, 2016 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome Gardening Friends! Thanks for stopping by.

Do you ever see insects in your garden and wonder which ones are friendly and which ones aren’t? Which ones are helping and which ones are harming? Then keep reading, I’ve put together 10 Beneficial Insects You Want in Your Garden!

Ladybugs are definitely beneficial for your garden

Image by snowpeak under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

10 Beneficial Insects You Want in Your Garden

Bees will help pollinate many of your flowers

Image by zoxcleb under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

1. Bees

Bees are pollinating powerhouses and you want to see as many of them in your garden as you can get. The more pollinators you have in your garden, the more fruit your plants will produce.

Braconid wasps lay their eggs in caterpillars

Adult Image by berniedup under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Pupae Image by Bev Wagar under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

2. Braconid Wasps

If you have ever found a tomato hornworm on your plants, you have seen the havoc that they can wreak. It won’t take them long to munch away all of the leaves on your tomato plants and you should squish it as soon as possible. However, if you ever find one that looks like the picture above, leave it alone. Braconid wasps are predatory and these beneficial insects lay their eggs in pests like the tomato hornworm. The larva feed on the caterpillar’s body, then emerge and form cocoons. This ultimately ends in the demise of the hornworm and more wasps to hone in on your other pests.

Some Pests Targeted by Various Braconid Wasps:

Aphids
Beetles
Caterpillars
Squash Bugs
Stink Bugs

Butterflies and moths are good pollinators for your garden plants

Image by Michael Khor under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

3. Butterflies and Moths

Butterflies and moths are not just dainty beauties that like to flit around your garden. They serve as pollinators for many different flower species, enabling them to produce fruit. They can potentially be harmful while in the larval stage as caterpillars since they eat away at leaves. Many times, though, it’s not enough to ultimately harm the plant and you can allow them to complete their metamorphosis.

Damsel bugs are one type of beneficial insect

Image by Bennyboymothman under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

4. Damsel Bugs

Don’t confuse damsel bugs with damselflies, which are similar to their relatives, the dragonflies. Damsel bugs are true insects that love to go after many of the pests that snack on your vegetable garden plants.

Pests Targeted by Damsel Bugs Include:

aphids
small caterpillars
moth eggs

Image by Join the Dots under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

5. Dragonflies

Dragonflies can consume their bodyweight in bugs every 30 minutes, so they’re a great help in keeping the pests at bay!

Hover flies will eat aphids, scales and thrips

Image by Smabs Sputzer under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

6. Hover Flies

Hover flies, also known as syrphid flies, flower flies and drone flies, are great for controlling aphids, thrips, scale insects and caterpillars. They are almost as effective as lady bugs in controlling aphids!

Lacewings will eat a large variety of harmful insects

Image by Mick Sway under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives License

7. Lacewings

Lacewings are a helpful addition to the garden because the larvae are voracious predators of many pests including: aphids, spider mites (especially red mites), thrips, whitefly, leafhoppers, some beetle larvae, eggs of pest moths, and mealybugs.

Both ladybug larva and adults are beneficial insects

Image by norio_nomura under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

8. Lady Beetles

Lady Beetles, more commonly known as Lady Bugs, are a popular addition to many gardens. They are sold in local nurseries because they’re so effective at controlling aphids and other pests like small caterpillars, thrips and other soft-bodied insects.

One insect that is beneficial in your garden is the minute pirate bug

Image by gbohne under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

9. Minute Pirate Bugs

Minute Pirate Bugs are tiny bugs (less than ⅕ of an inch long!) that are helpful in ridding your garden of pests including: aphids, spider mites, and thrips. They are very predatory, and can consume up to 20 thrips larvae every day!

Praying mantises are so named because of how their legs are folded

Image by siamesepuppy under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

10. Praying Mantises

Praying Mantises are helpful hunters because they prey on flies, crickets, beetles & moths. These are great bugs to see in the garden! But you should note that they are indiscriminate hunters…they eat pesky insects as well as beneficial ones, so just prey that they eat the pests! 😅

Honorary Mention: Spiders

Spiders are not included on this list because they are not actually insects. Like other arachnids, they have eight legs, while insects have six. Many people shudder just at the thought of them. However, they truly are one of the most beneficial creatures to have around your garden since they take care of a lot of pests. If you can stifle the urge to squash any that are nonpoisonous, your garden will thank you!

What are your favorite beneficial insects? Let us know in the comments below!

Cool Season Vegetables vs. Warm Season Vegetables

May 19, 2016 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome, I’m so glad you’re here!

Are you itching for beautiful weather so you can get your veggies planted? You are not alone! Fresh vegetables are the highlight of most gardens, with fresh, healthy and delicious produce. Just make sure to plant the right veggies at the right time to get the best results!

Vegetable garden season is upon us and many gardeners are happily planning out their shopping trips to the nursery. It’s tempting to put out every kind of vegetable that you want to grow, all at the same time.

However, it’s important to know whether the types you are planting are cool season vegetables or warm season vegetables so that you can plant them at the appropriate times and help ensure the best crop possible.

Click NEXT to see the Cool Season Veggies and when to plant them!

Image by *Jay~bay* under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives License

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10 Tomato Varieties You Should Grow

May 4, 2016 by Vanessa Myers

Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here!

Do you love home-grown tomatoes? Then you’re in the right place! There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a vine-ripened tomato fresh from the garden. They offer bold flavors not usually found in grocery store varieties, which are often chosen for how well they ship and store on the shelf, instead of taste.

You will come across a wide selection of tomato varieties when you are shopping for seeds or starts. Before you rush out to pick out the first tomato plants you see, research what will do best in your yard and fit your culinary needs.

Tomato varieties come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors

Image by aurélien under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

Considerations for Picking Tomato Varieties

General types of tomatoes include:

Beefsteak (big, great for slicing)
Cherry (small for salads and eating out of hand)
Plum (good for sauces and pastes)
Salad (medium, good for general use)

Tomatoes are also divided into whether they are determinate or indeterminate. If one is determinate, it will grow to a certain height and width and then stop. One crop will be produced before the plant dies. On the other hand, indeterminate plants will keep growing throughout the season. This is important to know if space is a consideration as indeterminate varieties can turn into a jungle if the conditions are favorable.

Finally, they will be labeled as either hybrid or heirloom. If a plant is hybrid, it is the result of crossing other varieties. They are not likely to retain their desired characteristics if you try to save the seeds for the next year, and they may even be sterile. In contrast, you can collect seeds from heirlooms because they do generally keep the same genetics in their seeds.

Tomato Varieties to Check Out

The Black Krim tomato can have dark skin and flesh

Image by bert_m_b under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

1.Black Krim

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 80

Interested in trying a tomato that isn’t red? Go for the Black Krim! This Russian variety sports fruit that bears a rich purple-red hue and is packed full of flavor.

Image by timlewisnm under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

2. Brandywine

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 78

This is the most common type of heirloom that you will see available for sale, and has been planted since the 1800s. Each pinkish-red tomato can weigh over a pound!

Early Girl tomatoes are indeed one of the first varieties to mature

Image by Prestonbot under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License

3. Early Girl

Type: Salad
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Hybrid
Days to Harvest: 54-59

This variety is very popular due to its early harvest date. Early Girl will work well as a general purpose tomato for all of your favorite recipes.

Great White tomatoes will live up to the name and be white in hue

Image by quinn.anya under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

4. Great White

Type: Beefsteak
Growth: Indeterminate
Genetics: Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 85

In addition to red, orange, pink, purple, green and yellow, tomatoes can also be white when ripe. This variety is notable for being especially sweet, making it a delight to eat fresh!

Click NEXT for 6 more delicious varieties!

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