Zone 9 Garden » How To

DIY Self-Watering Seedling Container

Dan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:17:02 +0000

One of the most common causes of seedling death is inconsistent watering. A simple solution for that is to build a Self-Watering Seedling Container.

Items Needed

20 oz water bottle (soda bottle will work just as well)
Razor Blade
Drill and Drill Bit

Instructions (Photographs bellow)

Step 1
Use the razor blade to cut the top off of the bottle. Ensure that the top of the bottle, with the cap on, will reach near the bottom of the base of the bottle.
Step 2
Drill approximately 8-20 holes in the cap of the bottle. This is where the water will enter the bottom and wick up to the top.
Step 3
Fill the top of the bottle with a high quality soil. Make sure the soil reaches all the way to the holes drilled in the cap.
Step 4
Plant seedling into the soil. (Purple Basil used in examples)
Step 5
Water the soil until it is evenly moist.
Step 6
Fill the base with water about ¾ full. Make sure it will cover the entire cap and part of the neck of the bottle when it is placed in the base.
Step 7
Place the top of the bottle into the base.

Items Needed
Step 1
Step 1 Results
Step 2
Step 2 Results
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7

How to Grow Roma Tomatoes

Dan — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:46:12 +0000

Roma Tomatoes are one of the absolute best tomatoes for making sauces and are also great for slicing and using in a caprici salad. As with most tomatoes they will grow very well here in Zone 9 and here are a few easy steps to get them growing well!

Sow the seeds indoors 6 weeks prior to the last frost using a soil-less planting medium.

After germinating the seedlings will start to grow normal leaves. Once this happens start to thin and separate seedlings.

Transplant seedlings into a 3-4 in pot using a rich soil that is high in organic matter including compost and make sure to keep evenly moist!

Once the spring weather has warmed the soil transplant the Roma Tomato outside to a very sunny place with rich well drained soil.

Bury all but the top set of leaves. The lower part of the plant will sprout roots leading to a stronger plant.

As soon as the plant begins to reach 3’ tall stake the plant to support its weight. Roma Tomatoes are determinate so most tomatoes will ripen at the same time!

More Info

Roma Tomatoes are determante and will only grow to a predetermined size. Most of the fruit will rippen at the same time. To enjoy a longer harvest period stagger your planting!

Growing Blackberries from a Cutting

Dan — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:31:24 +0000

A friend of mine gave me 3 cuttings from a Natchez Blackberry. This verity of blackberry was developed by The University of Arkansas to be hardy in the southern zones, including zone 9.

After receiving the cuttings I dipped them in rooting hormone and put them into a mixture of peat and pearlite. Surprisingly it only took about two weeks for the cuttings to root. Right after the cuttings put out roots about 50% of the length of the cutting I planted the new Natchez Blackberry plants into small containers, and this is where they are now. I am going to wait until they develop a strong root system before planting them outside!

Growing Lettuce in a Container

Dan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:30:02 +0000

Lettuce is a staple in gardens all around the country. With delicious verities that range from romaine lettuce to bibb lettuce that are all easy and quick to grow it is easy to see why lettuce is so popular. Lettuce naturally has a small, shallow root system. This makes the plant an ideal candidate for being grown in a container.

Here is how it is done:

Sow seed indoors 4 weeks before last frost or 3 months before first frost. Lettuce is a cool weather plant and does best when daytime temperatures are 70 or bellow.

Prepare a container that is at least 2 ½ gallons with a rich potting mix that contains high levels of nutrients and can retain moisture.

Transplant seedling on a cloudy day to the container and place outside in an area that receives 6 hours of sunlight.

Maintain soil moisture as much as possible. Lettuce likes a moist soil and reacts poorly to inconstant soil moisture.

Fertilize with a high nitrogen liquid fertilizer. Lettuce responds very well to liquid fertilizers and because it is fast growing, slow releasing fertilizers are not recommended.

Harvest at maturity. Each type of lettuce matures a bit different but a simple general rule is once the lettuce is big enough to fit on a sandwich it is ready to start harvesting.

How to Amend Sandy Soil

Dan — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:59:24 +0000

Much of the soil that is found in Zone 9 is quite sandy. Sandy soil does not hold nutrients or water well making it a poor substrate for growing most vegetables. Amending the soil in the area of the garden can help create a happy and healthy garden.

One of the biggest issues with sandy soil is that it will not hold any nutrients. When water hits the sand it washes any nutrients out quickly. Adding organic matter to the soil will not only help with nutrient retention but it will also add nutrients its self.

Compost

Compost is the best soil amendment for sandy areas. High quality compost made of many different types of material will add nutrients to the soil and also help retain added nutrients and moisture.

Some good materials to use for compost are vegetable scraps, dead leaves, grass clippings, tea bags, coffee grounds, cow sheep and horse manure, and even saw dust. All compost should be well matured as immature compost can rob the soil of nutrients.

Peat Moss / Coconut husks

Peat Moss and Coconut Husks both serve the same purpose. The aid in moisture retention and help maintain a slightly acidic soil pH. Both can be bought in bulk and is often quite affordable.

When adding peat or husks to the soil mix it at about a 1:2 ratio with compost. Putting to much peat or husks can lower the pH to a dangerous level and even retain to much moisture.

Mixing

Once the amendment materials are decided upon it is time to mix them with the soil. Clear the area that is to be used of any weeds or grass. Layer about 4-5” of amendments on top of the soil and using a shovel or spade begin to mix in the amendments about 4-5” deep. Using a tiller is not recommended as it disturbs the ecosystem too much.

Every season more amendments should be added. If more is not added the amendments will eventually leach out of the soil.

How To Prevent Basil from Bolting to Seed

Dan — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:46:16 +0000

Durring the heat of the summer Basil will continually attempt to bolt to seed. Once seeds have developed the flavor of the leaves diminishes greatly. Here is how to prevent it.

At first sign of flowering (see picture) cut the stems one-inch bellow flower bud and continue to do so at first sign of any flowering.

Harvest 1/3 of each stem and dry harvested portion (or use fresh) at least 3 times during the summer, or as often as needed.

Harvest the plant the leaves of the basil plant frequently to prevent flowering. Frequent harvesting also encourages rapid growth.

More Info

Cut stems at first sign of flowering

Basil flowers form a large bud compared to plant size, which makes it very easy to tell when flowers are about to develop. At first sign of flower development cut the stem about 1” directly bellow the developing flower.

Harvest top 1/3 of each stem

After first sign of flower development it is time to harvest the top 1/3 of each stem. This practice will cause the plant to revert back to growth mode and get out of flowering mode for a short period of time.

Harvest leaves often

If the plant is prevented from developing flowers it will grow rather rapidly. Because of this rapid growth the leaves should be harvested frequently. The frequent harvest will also encourage even more rapid growth!

How to Grow Cowpeas in a Container

Dan — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:55:04 +0000

Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas) are a great vegetable to grow in a container. They develop a fairly small root system compared to the plant size and the roots tend to run shallow. Here is a step-by-step guide to growing cowpeas in a container.

Fill a medium container (3-5 gallons) to near the top with a high quality potting mix and water the mix until it is uniformly damp.

Sow 2-3 seeds per container about 4-6” apart planting each seed 1” deep. Maintain soil mosture until the seeds germinate.

After germination thin seedlings to 1 per container. Choose the largest and strongest looking seedling and remove all others.

Fertilize with a high quality 10-20-10 fertilizer after thinning seedlings and once again once the plant begins to set fruit.

Harvest cowpeas once they have reached the desired maturity then remove the plant and compost it.

More information Container Size The size of the container can be important. If the container is too small the plants growth will be stunted. 3-5 gallon size containers are normally adequate. Both of these cowpeas were planted the same day in the same potting mix and get watered the same amount on the same day. There is an obvious difference in plant size, health and production Potting Mix There are many high quality potting mixes available commercially, but if a home made one is desired use 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite. Plant Spacing Cowpeas can stand a little bit of crowding but for each plant to produce the optimal amount of fruit it is best to have only one per container. Fertilizer Cowpeas take nitrogen from the air and fix it to the soil to be used latter in development of flowers and fruit. High nitrogen fertilizers should not be used. A good quality 10-20-10 should be fine! Harvest Cowpeas can be harvested at 3 different times. Immature pods are used in the same way a green bean would be used. Mature pods are picked, shelled and used fresh in dishes Dried pods are used the same way a dry black eyed pea would be used in any recipe.

How to Grow Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas)

Dan — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:51:30 +0000

Cowpeas, also known as Black Eyed Peas, are one of the oldest grain crops known to man. They are easy to grow and can be used in many different ways, fresh, dried, powdered for flower and much more. Cowpeas are not a cold hearty plant, but they are very heat tolerant. Originally coming from the hot climates of Africa, Cowpeas make an excellent summer crop.

Choose a section of the garden that receives full sun and has a rich well-drained soil. Soil that retains too much moisture could lead to yellow leaves and even rot

Amend soil with a fair amount of compost or other organic material. High quality compost can lead to a much larger harvest.

After all threat of frost has passed sow the seeds about 3” apart from each other in rows that are about 3’ apart.

Once the seeds have germinated feed them with a high quality 10-20-10 fertilizer to give the plants a good start.

Harvest! Cowpeas can be harvested at 3 different times, small green pods, mature beans and dried beans.

NOTES

Cowpeas, like many other legumes, will fix nitrogen from the air into the soil when young. The plant uses this nitrogen to develop the pods; so once the plant starts to flower.
Heavy nitrogen fertilizers are not recommended. Watch for signs of nitrogen deficiencies after flowering and adjust feeding as needed.
Cowpeas can cope, and even thrive, with a little more crowding than most other plants.
Harvest young pods to be used like green beans, but the pods will get very stringy quickly.
Harvest mature peas once they reach full size and the pod is still green for use in fresh dishes.
Harvest dried pods and seeds for storage or use in recipes that call for dried peas.

How to Grow Pole Green Beans in a Container

Dan — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:15:15 +0000

Green Beans are a favorite crop to grow in almost any vegetable garden. They are easy to germinate, easy to grow, and taste great. Pole beans can be easily grown in a container as well. Here is a step-by-step how to:

1. Fill large container 80% full with high quality soil.

2. Wet soil until all soil is damp

3. Sow each seed 5-8” apart

4. After germination put bamboo stakes (or other material) stakes inside container

5. Allow to grow up stakes

6. When plant starts to bloom fertilize with 10-20-10 fertilizer

7. Harvest often

1. Fill large container 80% full with high quality soil. Pick a wide container; it does not have to be very deep, as green beans do not send out deep roots. They like a fertile well-drained soil. When planting in a container it is good to use a mixture of compost, peat moss and vermiculite in even quantities. If you are using soil from your existing garden make sure not to use soil that that has recently had beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage or lettuce planted in it.

2. Wet soil until all soil is damp While beans germinate quite easily, they do require a fair amount of moisture to do so. Making sure the soil is evenly damp throughout will encourage faster germination. Keep soil evenly damp until germination.

3. Sow each seed 5-8” apart Each seed should be sown about 5-8” apart. This will give them enough space to spread out their roots. The vines are not very wide, but ample room should be provided for the roots to spread.

4. After germination put bamboo stakes (or other material) stakes inside container Once the seeds have germinated the plants will grow fairly rapidly. Pole beans will need something to climb so it is time to put bamboo stakes next to each seedling. These stakes should be about 5-6’ tall.

5. Allow to grow up stakes The plants should naturally find the stakes and start to grow up them. From time to time the plants will require some training. Simply take the plant that cannot find its stake and gently wrap it around it once or twice. In a day or so it should be growing right up it!

6. When plant starts to bloom fertilize with 10-20-10 fertilizer Once the plant starts to bloom it will start to suck up more and more nutrients. Fertilize the plant with a high quality 10-20-10 fertilizer according to the fertilizers directions. Continue to do so, at the frequency recommended by the fertilizer bag, until the growing season is over.

7. Harvest often Green Beans are ready for harvest once they are about the width of a pencil. Harvesting green beans often will cause the plant to set even more fruit. So harvest often

8. Eat and Enjoy

Helpful Recipe: How to Cook Fresh Green Beans

How-to Propagate Bell Peppers

Dan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:18:31 +0000

Bell Peppers are often said to be an annual plant (a plant that can only live one year), and because of this it is rare to hear of these plants being propagated from cuttings. But here in zone 9, and a few other warm weather climates Bell Pepper plants are perennial and can live many years.

A long-lived plant that produces well is a great plant to propagate using a cutting. The plant that grows from the cutting will be a clone of the parent plant and will produce and grow in a similar fashion.

Bell Pepper Propagation Step by Step

1. Cut a small branch off the parent plant

2. Fill a small container with water

3. Cover glass with cling wrap

4. Poke a hole in cling wrap

5. Push stem threw hole in cling wrap

6. Wait for roots to grow to 50% the length of the stem to grow

7. Plant cutting in a rich well-drained soil 8. Enjoy

Step 1

Cut a small branch off the parent plant

When cutting the parent plant it is best to choose a stem that is new growth and has healthy looking leaves. Make sure to make the cutting 3-6” long.

Step 2

Fill a small container with water

A shot glass is the perfect size for this. Use tap water that is room temperature. The water level should be even with the top of the glass.

Step 3

Cover glass with cling wrap

This cling wrap will help prevent the water in the glass from evaporating too quickly. The only water loss should be from the cutting drinking the water.

Step 4

Poke a hole in the cling wrap

Using a pen or pencil poke a small hole in the cling wrap. This hole will be where the cuttings stem will go threw so make sure it is large enough for the stem to fit.

Step 5

Push stem threw cling wrap

Push the stem threw the cling wrap until it is almost touching the bottom of the container. The more of the stem that is in the water the more stems that will grow.

Step 6

Wait for roots to grow to 50% the length of the stem to grow

This will take a little bit of time. Sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks and sometimes it takes even a little longer. Be sure to keep the water level in the container above the stem.

Step 7

Plant cutting in a rich well-drained soil

After the roots have developed plant the cutting in a rich and well-drained soil in a container that gives it ample room to grow a strong root system!

ENJOY