Larry’s garden secrets.
Short, sweet, and to the point.
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Plant and seed only when nights a soil are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and higher.
For extra early planting place clear plastic over are to warm the soil 2 weeks prior to planting. Remove just before planting.
Use a bean inoculant for best results.
Harvest often or your harvest may decrease.
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Plant a variety that will side shoot after the main head is harvested (Premium crop, Packman, or Early Dividend are a few).
Pic side shots often and don’t let it go to flower.
Use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) to control cabbage worms and pyrethrums (organic) to control late season aphids.
Plant early spring and cover with a plastic jug (remove when weather warms) for early harvest.
Buy young plants from your local garden center and harden them off before moving into the garden.
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Soil must be loose and have god drainage.
Overly manured soil may grow “hairy” carrots.
Plant shallow and mulch with 1/2” of dry grass; keep moist.
Germination may take up to 14 days.
Water gently - hard watering can deform young carrots.
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Plant early maturing types (Ambrosi, Early Sunlow, Bodacious, etc.)
Plant in blocks, at least a 4x4 square.
Never pull off suckers / side shoots.
Plant in well-prepared soil.
Corn loves rich, moist, well drained soil.
Harvest when the silk has tuned brown and you can feel the mature kernels inside.
If corn earworms are present, they can be controlled with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis).
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Add a 3-4” layer of sphagnum moss to the planting bed and work it 6-8” into the soil.
Add bone and blood meal (as per directions) and mix 6” deep into the soil.
Plant in fall; October 1-15 is best.
Fall planted garlic should be mulched with crumbled leaves / dried grass / straw 2-4” thick.
Water in winter if soil is dry.
They may sprout in the fall (don’t worry, this is is OK).
Harvest in July of the following year.
Some garlic varieties (hardnecks especially) send up a central flower (scape). Pick and use in cooked dishes like you would garlic cloves.
Dry and store like onions.
Save some of the larger bulbs to plant in the fall (plant individual cloves, 3” deep, 6” apart).
Softnecks store loner than hardnecks; use hardnecks first.
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Both lettuce & spinach like well-prepared soil (2-3” of manure or compost worked into the top 8” of soil).
Thin plants to 4” apart for an extra big leaf harvest!
Harvest th outer leaves first for a longer arvest.
Plant a mix of lettuces; some will grow better than others.
Plant lettuce in 2-week intervals in 3’ rows.