Attract Insects to keep your Garden Insect Free?

A couple of the biggest myths of organic gardening is that it is hard work and time consuming.. While both might be true, neither term applies to anything you have to do. Let me explain. Part of organic gardening is being able to keep bad insects, such as aphids, beetles and armyworms, off of your plants with good insects also called beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, hoverflies and lacewings. The only work you need to do is to attract the beneficial insects. This requires some upfront work, but once that is done, the beneficial insects do the rest.



You could even go the easy route and actually purchase beneficial insects from a local garden store, but for me that seems like a waste of money when you can simply attract them to your property yourself with very little effort. The hard work is performed by those beneficial insects you attract and as for the time consuming part that simply depends how much time you want to spend planting items that will attract these beneficials.



There are a number of beneficial insects you can attract to your garden that will suffice in helping you get rid of those insects that do damage to your vegetable plants. Which ones you should attract really depend on what you are growing. For example, if you grow corn, your crop immediately becomes subjected to a possible attack by the corn earworm. As their name suggests they love to eat your corn. Not to worry though, bring in some Trichogramma wasps and the corn earworm will soon disappear.



For each destructive insect, chances are there is a beneficial one that will eat it. When in doubt of a destructive insect’s beneficial counterpart, just bring in the old reliable praying mantid. Be careful about these guys though, they have tremendous appetites and they will also eat some beneficial insects as well.



If you are like me and not an entomologist how do you know which beneficial to attract? My rule of thumb is to take the necessary steps to attract the ones that tackle the problem insects in my area. In my area aphids are a huge problem. So what I do is plant dill, fennel or cilantro along with some morning glory and in no time I increase the ladybug population who then consumes the aphids.



I can write an entire novel on the insect population and how you can use insects to actually control the population by pitting one against another. It’s all part of the food chain. You are simply bring them together at the same spot.



Just like with anything else, start off slow to get an understanding of you need to do to make this process work for you. Ask your local co-op in your area, they are filled with tons of information on this very subject. With a little prep work your garden can be insect free in no time. That’s bad insect free.



About the Author
Mike Podlesny is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC, who operates the largest Vegetable Gardening page on Facebook and the widely popular Seeds of the Month Club.

Avoid these 6 Mistakes when Starting Tomato Seeds

Germination and development are critical phases for tomato seedlings. If you know what seed starting mistakes to avoid, you have an excellent chance to grow strong, healthy tomato plants to set out in your garden.

Mistake #1: Wrong planting medium
Fungi and bacteria in non-sterile soil can lead to damping off. When seeds dampen off, they don’t germinate. When sprouted seedlings contract damping off, they thin at the soil line, flop over, and die. Do everything possible to prevent damping off organisms from infecting your tomato seed starting flats. Avoid using garden soil to start seedlings because it is packed with bacteria and fungi. Potting soil is not the best option for starting seeds, either, because it is heavy and too high in fertilizer. Sterile potting mix, either purchased or home made from peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite, is a better choice for planting tomato seeds.

Mistake #2: Overwatering
Soggy potting mix can lead to seed rot, which can mean no germination. No sprouting = no tomato seedlings = no plants. Keep your potting mix evenly moist.

Mistake #3: Cold or drafty room
Maintain your room temperature between 70-80° F. Sustained cool temperatures can mean slow germination and slow growth. But be careful that the area is not too hot either, which can lead to leggy plants.

Mistake #4: Poor light
Sometimes tomato seeds will germinate and grow well for a couple of weeks. But when they are a couple of inches tall, they may bend toward the light and look stringy. Avoid scraggly plants by providing adequate light. Make sure plants are in a sunny window with 12-16 hours of light a day or place them 1-3 inches beneath grow lights.

Mistake #5: No transplanting
The purpose of transplanting seedlings is to stimulate root development. Plants started in smaller containers (cell packs, peat pots, or seed trays) and then moved to 4-6 inch pots develop stronger root systems than plants which are not transplanted at all. When transplanting, it’s wise to submerge the exposed stem deeper into the soil, thereby supporting the plant, preventing legginess, and stimulating root growth along the buried stem. Seedlings that are not transplanted fail to develop as strong root systems. Transplant seedlings when plants have two full sets of leaves.

Mistake #6: Inappropriate tomato varieties
Even when you start and grow healthy plants to set out in the garden, if you choose varieties that are inappropriate for your zone or for your gardening conditions, you may not harvest a quality crop. For instance, if you live in a cool, wet climate and start tomato varieties that do best in hot, dry areas, your crop may not produce high numbers or quality fruit. Or you may plan to grow container tomatoes, which require dwarf or tumbling varieties to do best. But the large garden varieties you started indoors won’t flourish in containers. Take time before you plant seeds to choose tomato varieties that are best for your situation. Then by carefully monitoring your tomato seedling crop, you can ensure a healthy, productive outcome this tomato season.

About the Author
Kathy Widenhouse is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises and owner of Tomato Dirt (www.tomatodirt.com), a leading source for information on growing tomatoes and using them.

Which Potting Medium is Best for Starting Tomato Seeds?

Choosing a potting medium wisely is an important step to take when growing tomatoes from seeds. The potting medium you select will be home to your tomato seedlings while they sprout and during their first few weeks of life.

A potting medium’s main jobs are to get the seeds to sprout and to keep new plants disease-free. There are three kinds to choose from: garden soil, potting soil, and potting mix.

Garden Soil
When it comes to starting tomato seeds, garden soil (dug up from your outdoor patch) has three drawbacks: extra seeds, texture, and undesirable organisms.

First, garden soil is full of weed seeds. Good sprouting conditions mean weed seeds will compete with tomato seeds for space, light, nutrients, and water. Moreover, garden soil’s texture is heavy. It compacts easily in small containers, which prevents good circulation and can choke seedlings. Worst of all, garden soil is crammed with bacteria and fungi, which are the main culprits in damping off disease. Damping off has claimed many tomato crops as soon as they sprout – or even before, by killing off the seeds.

The best thing that can be said about garden soil as a seed starting medium is that it’s free.

Potting Soil
Check labels carefully when shopping for potting mediums at your local nursery or home improvement center. Note some are labeled “potting soil” and others are “potting mix” – a subtle difference on packaging, but a huge difference in content. In general, potting soil is heavier than potting mix. Content listings reveal additives like clay, sand, and compost. While these combinations are excellent for established plants, they are a less helpful environment for seeds and newly-sprouted seedlings. When potting soil compresses with planting and watering, there are fewer air pockets, which make it harder for seeds to sprout.

In addition, most potting soils have a higher percentage of fertilizer than potting mixes. Tomato seedlings don’t need to be overfed. They acquire their initial nutrients from the seed. In fact, too many nutrients for brand-new seedlings can cause them to grow too tall and thin too fast.

Potting Mix
Potting mix is the best choice for starting tomato seeds. It is sterile, lightweight, holds water, and is low in fertilizer. Purchase commercially-prepared potting mix or make your own. A good prepared potting mix contains ingredients like sphagnum peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite. Sphagnum peat moss has anti-fungal properties that help keep seeds and seedlings disease-free. Vermiculite and perlite provide air pockets to keep the mixture light and allow circulation, while still retaining moisture.

Whichever potting medium you choose, prepare it before planting seeds by adding warm water and stirring until the mixture is evenly damp. Press it lightly into your seed starting containers, plant tomato seeds, and get ready for a wonderful tomato crop.

About the Author
Kathy Widenhouse is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises and owner of Tomato Dirt (www.tomatodirt.com), a leading source for information on growing tomatoes and using them.

Add Tomatillos to your Home Vegetable Garden

They are in the same family as the tomato and closely related to the cape gooseberry. They have the shape of a sphere and produce a green (sometimes green-purple) fruit and tomatillos are readily used in Mexican cuisine. Believe it or not they are easier to grow than you think and can be added to virtually anyone’s home vegetable garden. Just keep in mind that in order to have successful tomatillos in your home vegetable garden, you must grow at least two plants. Two or more grown close to each other will ensure proper pollination.

Because they are in the same family as tomatoes, and if you have grown tomatoes before, the learning curve to grow tomatillos in your home vegetable garden will be small. Just like with tomatoes, you can start your seeds indoors about 7 weeks prior to the end range of your frost area as noted by the USDA frost zone map. For example in my area, zone 6, the range is March 30 to April 30. I will start 7 weeks from April 30.

When planting your seeds indoors make sure the seed does not exceed ¼” in depth. The seeds are fairly small and if you put too much soil on top of them they may not generate the energy needed to push through. You can expect your seeds to germinate anywhere from 7 to 15 days. Using a humidity dome, cold frame etc, will definitely speed things up.

Like tomatoes, tomatillos like the soil to be a bit more acidic, so try and get the pH range of your soil in the 6.0 to 7.0 area. Now would be a good time to invest in a pH soil tester if have not done so already. Tomatillos grow best when the temperature of the soil is around eighty degrees Fahrenheit. You can help warm the soil up by putting down a clear plastic tarp over the area and letting the sun do the rest of the work.

When the day finally comes to move your tomatillos to the outdoors make sure you give them plenty of space. As a rule of thumb, stick with 3 feet from one plant to the next. This will give the plant and their roots plenty of room to grow, but at the same time be close enough for pollination purposes.

Make sure the plants are in an area that receives full sun and don’t forget to give them a moderate watering. Every other day should suffice, unless you are experiencing periods of extreme heat. Then give them a daily watering, first thing in the morning just as the sun is rising.

You will know it is time to pick a tomatillo because the outer layer, called the husk, will start to turn brown and/or split. Just use a pair of garden scissors to snip them off.

For you advanced home vegetable gardeners out there who practice in crop rotations and companion plantings avoid following eggplants, potatoes,tomatoes and peppers in a rotation and stay away from pole beans, dill, fennel and potatoes in your companion plan.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC, who operates the largest Vegetable Gardening page on Facebook and the widely popular Seeds of the Month Club.

Think Before You Spray

Too many times when we have a pest invasion in our garden, we reach for the chemicals. It’s an immediate reaction; I mean how can you not? The bugs often invade fast, and it’s the panic that gets you….back in the day that was my reaction too. Not now.

Before you spray, do your research. Despite what most of the chemical pesticide, insecticide (etc.) companies tell you, it’s not the only answer. Over the years I have found sure fire ways that work just as well (maybe a little more effort is involved) and you don’t have to worry about chemicals on your crops. I have quite a few animals, and between gardening and them, I have been able to banish most chemicals from my property. I worry most about my 4 dogs, and if you have dogs yourself, read up on the chemicals you use; it is scary how most chemicals used just on lawns raise the lymphoma rate in dogs by 50%. Frightening, right?

If you look to your organic remedies, even some of those aren’t safe for you to handle. That makes me uncomfortable. If it’s not safe for me to handle, I don’t want to spray it in my yard for my critters to come in contact with, no way. Like I said though, there are other options!

Aphids for examples, regular spraying with a “weak” soap water solution will kill them in no time (2 tablespoons per gallon, but I use a little stronger solution). I prefer to use Dr. Bronner’s organic, free trade soap in peppermint or orange. This same mixture also works great on spider mites, which are prolific during the summer here (zone 9). It may have been made for people, but works great for the solution as well….not to mention it smells wonderful, and now worries about the mist….it’s all safe!

Fungus gnats? Put out a bowl filled with apple cider vinegar mixed with a tiny bit of soap, or left over beer. They are attracted to fermentation/decomposition, and they drown in either solution. I use both in my home greenhouse. It will not wipe them out immediately, but much better than worrying about what is going to contaminate your food. Even better set a trap for them, they are attracted to wheat which acts as a good decoy plant.

A great natural preventative is planting garlic (or a lot of other things in the onion family). I’ve planted it among a lot of different crops, and it seems to deter/greatly reduce the pests. For every rule there an exception though! We get black aphids during the cold weather which seem completely happy eating ANYTHING in the onion family.

Just remember, think before you spray! With a little research, and a little extra effort you can ban the toxic chemicals forever! Good luck and happy gardening!

About the Author
Megan McDonald is a garden blog writer for Heirloom Garden Girl. Megan’s garden specialties are tomatoes, peppers, heirlooms and organics. She is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC, who operates the largest Vegetable Gardening page on Facebook and the widely popular Seeds of the Month Club.