Five things to do in the garden this week:
1. If you like red and orange, plant a Mexican cigar plant (Cipher ignea var. David Verity). I have one that is six feet tall by six feet wide and, conservatively estimated, the number of its tubular flowers that are currently in bloom is not less than 2,000. Its diamond-shaped, lustrous, dark green one-inch leaves are an added bonus. According to the literature, it “tolerates some drought.” At the same time, there is an enormous difference in its flowering potential depending on how much water is receives. In the case of my incredibly floriferous specimen, I do not water it at all but my neighbor drip irrigates his adjacent planter bed — opposite my cigar plant’s bed on the other side of our common fence — three minutes every other day. I have a number of cigar plants in another bed that I water once every other week and, although the plants are healthy, the flower production is poor by comparison. This is proof that more water can make a difference where flowering is concerned.
2. Plant pumpkin seeds no later than this week for a Halloween harvest. Pumpkin seeds should be planted in the center of the area in which their vines are to spread. Seeds should be planted one inch deep, either end up, on flat ground where soil drainage is good or, where drainage is less than perfect, on mounds that are 3 inches tall and 12 inches wide in diameter. Seeds may be planted in groups of six and then, as they become seedlings, thinned to three baby plants. Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote. Water frequently at first and, as plants mature, water when soil starts to dry out or leaves are just beginning to wilt. Water copiously and deeply but only as needed. Keep water off of foliage to prevent mildew. When pumpkins begin to turn orange, decrease watering and, to increase storage life, cease watering completely one week before harvest. Harvested pumpkins protected from sun and frost will store throughout the winter.
3. Blossom end rot on tomatoes when the bottom of the fruit turns black should not be a concern. It is merely a consequence of “gray May” and “June gloom” weather. As the temperatures heat up toward the end of this month, your blossom end rot — more of a problem on certain tomato varieties than others — should be history.
4. Here’s a rule of thumb from Greg Alder (gredgalder.com) when it comes to watering fruit trees: Dig into the soil around your tree with your fingers until you encounter the shallowest roots, around one inch deep. Take a clump of soil at this depth in your hand. If the clump easily falls apart, the tree needs water. If the clump sticks together, there is sufficient moisture in the soil and no irrigation is necessary.
5. We sometimes forget that the plants on which bell and chili peppers grow are perennial. I have grown chili pepper plants that lasted three years. Exactly a year ago at this time, I planted a mini bell pepper plant that produced abundantly last summer and fall and is already flowering again. The lesson here is to be patient since there is not much to see during the winter on your pepper plants but, who knows, you just might see another crop of peppers mature the following summer..
Please send your questions, tips and comments to joshua@perfectplants.com.
Related Articles
Why this contrarian approach to gardening offers much to consider
Why germinating seedlings in pots may be the way to go in your garden
30 tips to help your June garden manage water, fruit trees, vegetables and more
A quieter leaf blower? These undergraduates found a way.
Palm trees: What you need to know about these varieties