What does the new USDA Frost Zone Map mean to you?

You may have been gardening your whole life and never knew that your corner of the country is in a zone. A plant hardiness zone that is. If you live in the United States of America like I do (and you may having something equivalent outside of the USA), then you will come to know, as your vegetable gardening experience continues to grow, that the country is broken into plant hardiness zones.

Plant hardiness zone designations represent the average annual extreme minimum temperatures at a given location during a particular time period. They do not reflect the coldest it has ever been or ever will be at a specific location, but simply the average lowest winter temperature for the location over a specified time.

These zones appear on a map of the US that is distributed by the United States Department of Agriculture. The last time a zone map was released was back 1990 and the zones were created using temperature data from a 13 year period (1974 to 1986).

The USDA believes they have improved upon the original map with new data. There are now 13 zones as opposed to 11, and the new zones are now divided into “A” and “B” zones using 5 degree Fahrenheit differentials.

According to the USDA, “Compared to the 1990 version, zone boundaries in this edition of the map have shifted in many areas. The new map is generally one 5-degree Fahrenheit half-zone warmer than the previous map throughout much of the United States. This is mostly a result of using temperature data from a longer and more recent time period (1976 - 2005).”

Large posters of the new map will no longer be available for purchase. The USDA website at USDA.gov has an interactive map that users can click on down to their exact location and give them detailed plant starting dates.

For example, on the old map, New Jersey, where I am from, was split into zones 6 & 7. Now there is 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b with all 4 zones being spread throughout the entire state. My zone went from 7 to 7a (ironically the same exit off the turnpike {inside joke for New Jersians}), however the temps and cold frost dates are virtually unchanged for my area.

So what does this mean for your growing adventures? Well, the more detailed version will allow you to better estimate when to start your plants indoors and of course move them outdoors to avoid any chance of frost. While this new map is more accurate, according to the USDA, you should always take precautions with your plants outdoors as you never know when you will get that one last blast of frost.


About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#97:Companion Planting

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Start Using Companion Planting in your Home Vegetable Garden

If you are looking to maximize the available room you have in your yard or on your property, while at the same time promoting healthier plants through better soil and other means,companion planting is the way to go.

Listen in as Mike talks about companion planting.

For a full transcript of this podcast visit: http://averagepersongardening.blogspot.com/2011/11/start-using-companion-planting-in-your.html

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Growing Herbs from Seeds for Good Health and Great Tasting Food

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I love growing herbs from seed. With a window sill and some sun, you can grow pretty much any type of herb year round, almost anywhere in the world. My favorite to grow for its wonderful aroma, is basil, but I love the taste of fresh rosemary on chicken. Herbs are easy to grow and maintain and the best part, many are healthy for you. Growing herbs at home is like growing medicine that makes your food taste better. Something that cough syrup won’t do.

I wanted to get an expert’s input on this topic so I turned to Nourishing NYC education director Scott Keatley. At Nourishing NYC, Scott and his team teach low income families how to grow their herbs and use them in healthy dishes. A process Scott claims that their clients love.

When I asked Scott what three herbs he would recommend to someone to grow in their gardens and as to why, he said there are a slew to choose from but he could easily narrow it down to his favorites. He said that basil, rosemary and thyme are three he highly recommends because they will make bland foods that are good for you taste better, increasing one’s likeliness to eat healthier.

What Scott also has found is that herbs give taste to foods that your palate craves which helps deter many from reaching for those sugary snacks. He likes to use basil in his pasta dishes as well as other Italian foods, and like me, Scott loves rosemary on chicken.

Head nutritionist at the Cederquist Medical Wellness Center, Christy Shatlock takes herbs a step further. “While most people know that herbs and spices can be used to enhance the flavor of foods, they don’t realize that these same herbs and spices can also be used to improve their health,” claims Christy. “Many herbs and spices have antimicrobial, antioxidant and even antiviral effects.”

A spice many don’t think of that is very valuable, according to Christy, is cinnamon. While it tastes great, it also has antimicrobial affects that helps improve insulin resistance for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Along with the many health and taste benefits that herbs provide, they do not add virtually any extra calories to a dish. This allows you to flavor up your foods without the fear of packing on unwanted calories.

Someone suggested to me that I grow basil next to my tomato plants and I will be amazed with the flavor of my tomatoes. While I have not tried that yet, (I plan to though), I have heard this tip from a few people now, and it makes me want to do more research on herbs, and find out ways that they can help enhance my garden. This is one of the reasons why we add one pack of herb seeds to each monthly shipment in our Seeds of the Month Club for our members.

If you are looking to spice up your food with better taste and add something healthy to your dish in the process, then clear off that window sill and make room on the back patio. You can grow your favorite herbs from seed with very limited space.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Start your Cucumbers from Seeds

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Last year was by far the best year for cucumbers that I have ever had. With a good mix of care and of course, excellent weather, the cucumbers I started from seed, blossomed and produced unlike any season before. Here is what I did last year. Hopefully you will have great success as I did.

I love to start all of my vegetable garden plants from seed as opposed to picking up plants at a local garden nursery, garden center or home center. I enjoy the challenge of it as well as knowing that I was involved in the plant’s growing process, literally, from beginning to end. There is a sense of self accomplishment there.

Cucumbers are no different. I like to start my seeds indoors about 3 to 4 weeks from the final frost date in my area. I also like to use a propagation dome indoors for all my seeds to create that greenhouse atmosphere for them. This keeps a constant temperature around my seeds which aids in the germination process.

There are a number of ways and items to use to start your seeds. For me, I like to use left over yogurt, cottage cheese and k-cups as my seed starting pots. For my soil I try to use the soil from garden, since that is where they will end up anyway, however if you are unable to do that, there are plenty of seed starting soils out there which are excellent as well and available at any home or garden center for a few bucks.

When planting your seeds, one half to one inch deep is all you will need to go. Any deeper and they might not be able to produce enough energy to push through the soil.

Under optimal conditions expect your cucumber seeds to germinate in 3 to 4 days, however don’t be discouraged if it takes a bit longer. Also, if you are using the smaller k-cups like I do, or seed starting pods, you will want to transfer them to larger pots once they get about 2 inches tall. For pods, you will start to see their roots grow through the outer netting. Once you do, get them in a pot.

Just like you would with any other vegetable plant, you will want to acclimate them (harden off) to the outdoor environment slowly. Once temperatures begin to warm up, take your plants outdoors during the day and bring them back in when the sun sets.

Once the outdoor temperatures are ready for growing (above 70 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect) transfer them to their final growing spot, where they will receive full sun. As a side note, if you are growing indeterminants such as straight eights, put up a trellis to support the growing vine. You will get straighter cucumbers that way and they are easier to harvest.

Once planted, a moderate watering is all you will need until they begin to flower. Once they flower, start a heavy watering regimen until you begin to harvest, then return back to moderate.

Some final thoughts and observations. The larger you let your cucumbers grow the more seedy they will be. Try to pick them when they are 10 to 12 twelve inches, shorter if you want more of a crispier and crunchier cucumber. Avoid other vegetables in the cucumber family when rotating and try not to plant near potatoes as they make for a bad companion to cucumbers.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#96: 5 Power Fruits to Grow at Home

Listen in as Mike continues his series on power foods to grow at home. Once again he talks to experts in the nutrition field on 5 fruits that you can add to your garden and of course how to grow them.

For a full transcript of this podcast, visit: http://averagepersongardening.blogspot.com/2011/10/5-power-fruits-to-grow-in-your-garden.html

3 Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes from Seeds

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There is nothing more popular to grow in the home vegetable gardening world then tomatoes. By more than 3 to 1 it outshines it’s next counterpart (peppers or cucumbers, depending on which poll you read). Who can argue? Tomatoes taste great, have many uses, and there are so many varieties to choose from, that there is sure to be one kind for everybody.

Like many of you, I enjoy growing tomatoes and especially starting them from seed. While I won’t say it is overly difficult to grow tomatoes from seed, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of success. I put together a short list you can follow.

Start Indoors
As with many other other vegetable seeds, tomatoes are no different. Start them indoors. I had one friend who started his tomato seeds in February here in NJ. While that was way too far in advance, even he admits it as he lost all of his window sills for quite sometime, starting them indoors and being able to move fairly grown plants outdoors will get you to a tomato crop much faster. If you have a short growing season, starting them even earlier indoors isn’t a bad thing though.

Acclimation
More commonly known in the vegetable gardening world as “hardening off”, you will want to acclimate your tomato plants to the outdoors gradually so as to not shock them. As temperatures warm up out doors during the day, take your plants outside for a few hours at a time before you transplant them to their final destination. When the night time rolls around, bring them indoors. It may see like a lot of work, but it’s really not. It will become part of your daily routine for a couple of weeks.

Sun, Sun and more Sun
While many varieties of tomatoes will grow in partial shade, one thing is for sure, they love the sun. The more sun they get, the better off they will be. If you are limited with space available where full sun is possible, don’t be afraid to put some tomato plants in large pots and move them around.

What are some of your tips for starting tomatoes from seed? Be sure to post them in the comment section below and share with others.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

#95: Five Power Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden

5 Power Foods you can Grow in your Vegetable Garden

I recently had a chance to speak to some health and nutrition experts and ask them what vegetables they recommend to their clients for better health. Listen in to find out what 5 power veggies they recommended and how you can grow them in your garden. For more information on growing vegetables, be sure to visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Has this happened to you?

This service announcement brought to you by the Seeds of the Month Club. Please share. No one should have to go through this alone.

What are Open Pollinated and Heirloom Variety Vegetable Seeds?

Over the past few years there has been a large movement towards growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs from seeds. The top three reasons people gave in a recent study conducted by the National Gardening Association, were to put fresh produce on the table, save some money and to know that what they were growing was safe.

Who can argue about all three reasons? Can there be anything in the store that is fresher than walking out of your back door, picking a tomato off the vine and then eating it right at that moment? I don’t believe so. As for saving money, the cost of a single vegetable seed is less than a hundredth of a penny. Yes that is one, one hundredth of a penny. Now of course you still need to water and tend to the plant, but in a recent USDA study, one tomato seed can produce over $50 worth of tomatoes. That’s a pretty good return.

When it comes to the safety of your vegetables, growing your own puts you in control of it. Unlike produce in stores, that are harvested in places you didn’t even know existed, you get control what goes into your soil and whether or not you want to treat your plants with a fertilizer. In other words, you make all of the decisions. That’s freedom to me.

This surge, and for these reasons, has lead to another push toward something. A variety of seeds that make vegetable gardeners feel safe when they plant them. They are open pollinated and heirloom varieties. Most of the time they can go hand in hand, but that is not always the case.

Open pollinated seeds are ones that have pollinated naturally. This type of pollination occurs when something helps pollinate the plants without “human” intervention. For example, the wind could be a source of pollination (this is also called Abiotic pollination), or some organism, such as a bee (Biotic pollination). The fruit of seeds that have been open pollinated will vary in size and shape. Unlike what you see in the store, all of your tomatoes won’t be the same bright red color or shape, but the ones from your garden will taste a heck of a lot better. A huge benefit of using seeds that are open pollinated is that you can save seeds from the fruit of the plants that you grow and get the same plant variety the following season (after you have dried out the seeds). That leads us to heirloom.

A great book to read on the subject is The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Heirloom Vegetables by author Chris McLaughlin. In there she talks about what an heirloom is, a little history on various heirloom varieties and importantly, a list of what types of heirloom seeds you can find today. As the name heirloom implies, it is simply a variety that has been passed down from one generation to the next. As you can see, open pollinated and heirloom can go hand in hand, however there are times when many gardeners hand pollinate their plants if it seems that natural open methods simply aren’t working. That doesn’t mean you can’t pass down the seeds from your heirlooms, it just means they weren’t open pollinated.

As a side note there are two terms that get thrown in this mix that many new vegetable gardeners misunderstand. Open pollinated heirloom variety does not equate to organic. For a seed to be organic it has to meet the criteria of the USDA’s National Organic Program guidelines. Furthermore, a hybrid vegetable does not mean that a plant has been genetically modified. A hybrid is a cross between two plants to produce an offspring that has characteristics of both the parent plants. However the seeds of a hybrid child (referred to as F1) will not necessarily produce the same exact plant from which it came.

I hope this clears up some of the terminology.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Get an "I Love Vegetable Gardening" bumper sticker

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Anyone want an “I Love Vegetable Gardening” bumper sticker? For free of course. Just visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com/bumpersticker … fill out the form and click submit.

#94: Community Vegetable Gardening

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Listen in as Mike gives you some tips on community vegetable gardening and how those with small space may be able to benefit. For more information on community gardening, be sure to visit: http://www.averagepersongardening.com.

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Tom asks: "Can we dehydrate and or dry and save nasturtium flowers and leaves?"

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Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

3 Vegetable Seeds that have a Large Yield per Seed

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If you had room to plant only three vegetables, what would they be and why? I was recently asked this question by a friend. Before I get into what I would grow let me address why I would grow the ones I did choose. If I only had space for three vegetables I would make sure I first grow something that has a high yield and second, make sure I am growing something that I and my family would enjoy eating.

If you have limited space, just like any other product you buy, you want to get the greatest return from what you are growing. For example, if you only had space to plant three items, cauliflower will more than likely not be one of them, unless of course you absolutely love cauliflower. I personally would not choose this item because you are only going to get one plant in one space with one seed. Not a very good return with limited space.

Your best choices are items that will produce a lot on a single plant and preferably can grow up as opposed to out as you will see in my list.

Pole Beans

I love having fresh picked beans with dinner and if you grow pole beans then you already know the amount you will get from a single seed. Pole beans are a great first choice because they fit the bill of both of our ROI (return on investment) requirements. They grow up as opposed to out and their yields are tremendous. Good choices are Blue Lake pole, Kentucky Blue, Kentucky Wonder Brown and Stringless Blue Lake. A single seed can produce hundreds of beans and if you are growing an heirloom variety be sure to save a few to plant again next season.

Cherry Tomatoes

Ok, technically speaking, tomatoes are botanically a fruit, but who can argue the choice of tomatoes. One single seed, according to a recent USDA study can produce over $50 worth of tomatoes. A tremendous return on the investment of time, space, work and cost. To maximize your limited space, choose a variety that produces an even larger amount such as cherry, grape, and yellow or red pear. These tomato varieties keep producing and producing and producing and … you get the point..

Zucchini

If you have grown any type of zucchini before then you already know what the return of just one zucchini seed can give you. My neighbor even told me one time of the old saying “zucchini plants produce so much, so fast, that you can literally watch the zucchini grow before your eyes.” While I won’t say that I have experienced that, I have planted just a couple of seeds and was able to not only keep plenty for my family, but give basket fulls away to neighbors, friends and relatives. Different varieties of zucchini (or other types of squash) will vary on yields. My favorites are the striped zucchini and black beauty.

Your list of vegetables grown from seed in limited space, I am sure, will be different, but these are my favorites. Cucumbers would be 4th on my list, just slightly behind the zucchini. What vegetable seeds would be on your list?

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

5 Ways to Maximize the Germination Rate of your Vegetable Seeds

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As a vegetable gardener you absolutely love it when the time rolls around that you can get your vegetable seeds started. However, nothing is more frustrating when the seeds you plant take either too long to germinate or in some cases, not at all. Here are 5 tips that Mike uses to help increase the germination rate on vegetable seeds. For more information on vegetable seeds be sure to visit Mike’s website athttp://www.averagepersongardening.com

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club: