May Tomatoes

May is a great month to plant your tomatoes; it is a good idea to add lime to the soil when planting to help prevent blossom end rot.  For more tips on tomato planting go here: How to plant your tomatoes.  With tomato planting season going in full in May, I need to mention an old myth going back many years.  Some will say to make tomatoes ripen you need to cut back on watering.  There might be some science behind this, stressing a plant will often cause it to product off-spring as a way of continuing the species.  As someone who ran a nursery for 20 years I can say this: it may ripen your fruit faster but the resulting damage it causes to the plant may mean it will not produce again.  When you stress a plant to the point that it thinks it is going to die, you may kill it.  Further, over the years have watered my tomatoes every day and the only thing that keeps them from ripening is weather, too hot or too cold.  In May I feed my tomatoes with a high nitrogen fertilizer, but change to high phosphate one later in the year.  This is because in spring I want to get the plant big and strong, but when fruit starts to form I want the energy to go to fruit production, thus the higher phosphate.  For more descriptions and pictures of tomato varieties go to: Tomatoes

6 Herbs That Naturally Repel Mosquitoes and Fleas

Summertime is full of fun stuff – sun, surf and big, silly blockbuster movies – but there’s one part of summer that’s not so fun: the BUGS. ‘Tis the season for mosquitoes, fleas and other itch-inducing insects to come out in full force, leaving your skin covered in bites and your fingers frantically scratching away, desperate for a little relief.

I’ve always been a magnet for mosquitoes and other bite-happy bugs, and my skin is super-sensitive to bug bites. Once, when I was in elementary school, my dog Louie became the unwitting host to a pretty extraordinary number of fleas that arrived very suddenly one weekend. Unaware of his unwelcome visitors, I spent the weekend playing and snuggling with him as usual. By that Monday, I was so completely covered in angry, itchy red bites that my teacher sent me home thinking I had chicken pox!

So come summertime, I’m always on the lookout for new natural ways to repel those pesky little biters. Commercial bug repellents like Cutter and Off are full of nasty chemicals like DEET, so they’re unwelcome anywhere near my skin. Call me crazy, but since I try my utmost to keep pesticides off my veggies and out of my diet, I’m not about to go rubbing pesticides on my skin!

How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Bugs and Love My Lemon Balm

A few weeks ago, I planted lemon balm in my herb garden. I’d never used it before, and didn’t know much about the herb, but I was attracted to the scent and the pretty, bushy leaves and thought it would be a nice addition to my herb garden.

I did a little research on lemon balm to see how I could put it to practical use, and now I’m very happy I did!

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family, and looks quite similar, with soft, grooved, slightly “furry” leaves. But rather than having a minty fresh scent, it has a strong lemony aroma, somewhat similar to lemon verbena and citronella.

Here are a few cool benefits of lemon balm that I found:

• Improves digestion
• Promotes relaxation
• Alleviates stress and anxiety
• Helps cold sores and blisters—crush leaves and apply to the affected area
• Attracts bees and butterflies

But while bees and butterflies love lemon balm, other, less desirable bugs don’t feel quite so favorably about it.

Lemon balm is a natural bug repellent.

It contains high levels of a compound called citronellal, which gives it its lemony aroma and flavor that bugs find so unpleasant. You’ll notice that “citronellal” sounds a lot like “citronella,” another plant used in many bug repellent sprays, lotions and candles.

But why shell out money for one of these products that almost always contain other, potentially questionable or downright toxic ingredients? You can just plant a cheap little lemon balm plant (mine cost $2.99) and you’ll have a near-endless supply of bug repellent just sitting in your yard, ready whenever you need it!
 

How to Use Lemon Balm

Crush the fresh leaves and rub them directly on your skin, especially around the ankles, arms and other areas most exposed and vulnerable to bug bites. The lemon scent, which repels the bugs, is very strong. It rubs off very well onto skin. You can just sort of crush the leaf up a bit, and then use the leaf like a wipe.
 

How and Where to Grow Lemon Balm:

Plant the lemon balm outside, perhaps near your front or back door, or on your deck, patio or wherever else you often sit outside, as the plants will help ward off bugs in those areas.
Lemon balm happily thrives in sun or partial shade, and should be kept in moist, well-drained soil. Keep in mind though that, like other mints, lemon balm is invasive, and it will spread and take over your garden like a weed if you let it. For that reason, it’s best to keep it contained in a pot.
 

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5 More Plants That Repel Biting Bugs

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Lemon balm isn’t the only herb on the block that keeps bugs at bay. Here are 5 more herbs that work as bug repellents. Like lemon balm, you can plant them in areas you want to keep bugs away from, or crush the leaves and rub them into your skin. If your pets suffer from fleas, you can also use these herbs for them.

1. Citronella

Sort of “the original” for bug repelling, with a powerful lemony scent. It’s used in many commercial bug repellents and candles. I’m a little hesitant to plant it though, as I understand it can be a skin irritant. It’s also not quite as portable as lemon balm or the others listed below. It’s a grass-like plant that grows up to 6 feet tall! If you’re looking for citronella, make sure you get the varieties Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus, as some other citronella varieties won’t have the same effect—some aren’t even true citronellas, they’re just citronella-scented.
 

2. Catnip

Studies suggest that catnip may be even more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET (the ingredient used in most commercial bug repellents, which is highly toxic). It also repels cockroaches, an attribute that many of us living in urban areas can certainly appreciate. It can be used similarly to lemon balm; crushed and rubbed onto the skin. A word of caution to cat owners: watch where you plant your catnip! Your cat may want to roll around on it and play with it. Plant catnip apart from the rest of your garden so your cat doesn’t accidentally damage any other plants nearby.
 

3. Marigolds

In addition to mosquitoes, marigolds repel garden pests, too! We have lots of marigolds growing in the Gerson Institute’s garden to keep the bugs away from our veggies. The flowers are edible as well, and add color and flavor to salads or can be a gorgeous garnish when you want to dress up a dish.
 

4. Lavender

Grow it around the house and garden to keep bugs away. It’ll grow inside too, if you keep it next to a sunny window. Has a lovely scent, pretty purple flowers and calming properties as well, so it’s a charming addition to your garden or home for several reasons!
 

5. Peppermint

Biting bugs don’t like the scent of peppermint, so you can crush up the leaves and rub it on your skin to ward them off. As an added bonus, peppermint also can also do double-duty as itch relief if you do get bitten!

Growing Potatoes In a Box!

February Gardening

Don’t let the cold weather of February discourage you.  Now is the time to add amendments to your garden.  Put a few bags or even a pick-up load of soil into your garden beds.  It may seem odd but you can even plant some seeds this time of year.  Get a jump start on your vegetable garden early with:

Beet, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Chard, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard, Radish, and Turnips

If you are looking for some color in your garden try these quick from seed flowers you can plant now:

Baby’s Breath, Calendula, California Poppy, Cornflower, Forget-me-not, Larkspur, Nasturtium, Nicotiana, and Snapdragon

If you are too impatient you can head down to your local nursery and pick-up some Pansy, Snapdragon, and Viola plants.

How To Choose And Plant Climbing Roses - This Old House

How to Make A Cold Frame Step-by-Step

Fall Gardeneing

Winter Vegetables

Did you know that you can plant a fall vegetable garden?  Nurseries will have fall and winter vegetable starts this time of year.  You can plant lettuce, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and many others.  Harvest the last your summer vegetables have to offer, and remove the plants.  This would be a good time to amend your soil whether you plan to plant or not.  The amendments will work their way into the soil for next year’s garden. 

When the weather gets colder you can cut your perennials back to a few inches and top with a layer of organic mulch.  It would be good to mulch your entire garden with a couple of inches of decomposed organic matter.  This will help keep weeds down, and insulate the earth from heavy frost.  Keep it away from the trunks of trees and shrubs.  You will want air circulation during the cooler wet weather to help avoid diseases. 

Rake up fallen leaves from your yard.  A pile of wet leaves is the perfect breeding ground for mildew and diseases that will attack the rest of your garden in the spring.  If you don’t have a leave shredder you really don’t need to buy one.  Fill your trash can with the leaves and use your string trimmer to shred your leaves for better composting.

Chrysanthemums

Every nursery will be selling chrysanthemums right now.  If you don’t have any, now is the time to get them.  Look for plants with plenty of unopened buds.  These beauties will get a second bloom but it is not nearly as showy as the first flush of color.  You can use these flowers to decorate your house and front porch by leaving them in the pot, and planting them in the spring.  Make sure you don’t leave them indoors too long, they prefer the outdoors.  Don’t limit yourself to the traditional mums either; there are wide variety of colors and bloom types.  

Fall is the perfect time to plant any of the larger trees and shrubs you have been holding off from planting in the summer.  The cooler weather means less chance of transplant shock, and easier to maintain adequate moisture.  Plus the cooler weather and damp soil should make for easier digging.  I like to choose my trees in the fall so I know what color they will be.  Sometimes the tags on the plants cannot fully capture the color changes the plant will go through.  Ask your local nursery workers for suggestions on color and landscape need.  The wide variety of fall color can suit any size garden in sun or shade.  Learn more about Planting Trees & Shrubs.

The fall is my favorite time to get out and see the wonderful colors nature has in store for us.  Traditionally my wife and I go to Hope Valley near Lake Tahoe, but this year I heard about the Davis Arboretum.  We will still og to Hope Valley, but we will have to compare.  Tahoe has the yellows and browns of the Aspen tree, and if you haven’t seen them you must.  The is probably a plase to view fall color near you, just ask a friend.  The east coast is famous for the fall color they get up north.  Also the Rockies have the wild aspens and birch.  Take a ride to the foothills near your home and explore.  If you can ski there in the winter and swim there in the summer, then chances are it will have beautiful fall color.  Find out more about the Science Behind Fall Color. 

Fall is a great time to have a family portrait taken.  These pictures will make for some great Christmas cards.  Hire a professional or head out with the family for an adventure.  Below is a list of beautiful fall color locations nearby.

1. William Land Park

2. Capitol Park

3. Gibson Ranch County Park and Cherry Island Golf Course

4. American River Parkway

5. Ancil Hoffman Regional Park

6. Effie Yeaw Nature Center

7. Elk Grove Regional Park

8. Cosumnes River Preserve

9. Maidu Park, Roseville

10. Auburn State Recreation Area at Cool