It is a good idea to test your soil in an existing garden every 2 to 3 years. Don’t wait till you start having problems. By doing regular testing you can stay on top of it. Especially soil ph. Even if you have a good fertilization technique, the ph still can change.
I don’t think I can even express how important this is. I have seen gardens that year after year would hardly produce anything changed into a absolute wonder- producing an over abundance of vegetables in one year just from changing the soil ph.
If you are planting a new area this is a must. It will tell you what the soil needs, the ph, and exactly what type of soil you are dealing with.
Home soil test kits work well. But if you don’t what to do the math and want a professional recommendation have it done though your local agricultural extension agency. Let them know what you are planting, fruit trees, vegetable garden or berry patch, if berries let them know what kind. The report you receive back from them will tell you exactly what your soil needs. It will also make recommendations for commercial and organic fertilizers. It is usually well worth what they charge.

If you are planting a good size garden you will want to take your samples from several locations. Use a garden thrall and dig down about 6 inches. Take a swipe down the side of the hole going the full depth and place the soil in a clean pail. Be sure you get a sample the whole 6 inch depth of the whole. Depending on the size of the garden do this 5 or 6 times in different locations. Place all your soil samples in a clean bucked and mix them together thoroughly with your garden thrall. Don’t use your hands. After you are done transfer the soil to a clean plastic bag. Their you have it, done. Follow the directions that came with you soil test kit to test it or send it to you agricultural extension agency for testing.
For the purpose of this article being mainly on how to test the soil I will just briefly touch on the results you can expect.

The first thing you want to look at in your soil test results is ph. This number runs from zero to 14. Neutral is considered 7. Vegetable gardens require a soil ph of 6 to 6.8. The fertilizers perform best at this level. Anything above 7 would be considered sweet or alkaline. Anything below 7 would be acidic.
To lower soil ph agricultural sulfur is usually recommended. To raise soil ph lime is used. Follow the recommendations from your extension agency or from the instructions that came with your test kit.

Nitrogen-Be careful of this one. Follow the recommendations closely. To much can burn your seeds and your plants. It can also create a big plant and no vegetables. But it is very necessary. A sign of nitrogen deficiency would be, pale green leaves, leaves turning yellow or just plain slow growth in leaf crops like lettuce and spinach.

Phosphorus- Great for root crops. Also necessary for good root development in all plants. Many times a phosphorus deficiency will show up as purple leaves toward the lower part of the plant.

Potassium- Necessary for healthy plant growth. If you garden just plain isn’t doing well this could be a sign of potassium deficiency.

Well their you have it- those are the main three along with the soil ph.

So maybe not so perfect, but it is nice to dream.
You have done everything right. You are a month into the growing season and most all your vegetable plants look great. As the plants grow larger more food will help keep them strong and healthy. Some vegetable plants require more food than others. Be careful though not to over fertilize- a little less is better than to much. I have listed below what I go by for side dressing each vegetable plant. Along with some gardening tips on how to apply the fertilizer.
Work the fertilizer in around the plant. Mainly what you want to do is cover it enough so when you water or when it rains it doesn’t splash up burning the plant.

Tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.
Apply when you see the first blossoms start to appear.
If the leaves start to turn a yellowish color-this could be a sign of not enough nitrogen.

Corn
It’s a good idea to side dress the corn a couple of times during the season.
Once when it is about knee high and then again when it starts to tassel and form silk on the stalks.
1 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant or about 3 cups per 25 foot row.

Zucchini Squash
Side-Dress when they start to blossom
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.

Beans
Don’t usually require any.

Potatoes
Side dress potatoes just before you hill them. That way the soil from hilling will cover the fertilizer.
1 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant or about 3 cups per 25 foot row.

Broccoli
Apply the side dressing when the head starts to form.
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.

Cauliflower
When the plants are good size just before they start to head.
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.

Cabbage
Side-Dress just before the head starts to form.
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.

Brussels
Side dress when sprouts start to form.
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.

Vine crops-melons, winter squash, pumpkins and cucumbers. Side Dress the plants just before they start to run.
1 to 2 tablespoons fertilizer 10-10-10 or equivalent for each plant.

If you live in the north country and grow garlic you are probably looking forward to harvesting it around the middle of July. There is nothing like fresh garlic to sauté and use in your favorite recipes.
If you are new to planting garlic in your vegetable garden it is not difficult. In the north country this is usually a fall planting around the end of September to the middle of October. So now is a good time to be doing your planning. You can use garlic from a grocery store or order whatever variety suites you best . Many mail order companies will ship your bulbs in the fall right around planting time for your area.
Plant regular size garlic 3 to 4 inches apart. For elephant garlic you should give them little more room- about 6 inches should do the trick. Plant them in a wide row. Push the clove pointed end up into the ground to just below the surface. Water them good and cover your patch with mulch to protect them over the winter.
In the spring give them a side dressing of fertilizer. About mid summer when the garlic tops fall over and die, pull up the bulbs. Let them dry in the sun for a few days. You can braid the tops or store them in mesh bags.

My Mother plants some rows of vegetables next to a fence. I have a real tough time getting tight enough along the fence with my regular tiller. Now I run the regular tiller along the fence then finish it of with the Mantis. Because of it size its gets into those really tight areas. It comes with a great 1 year money back guarantee.

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When I first started gardening my soil was 98% sugar sand. I can remember thinking what kind of a vegetable garden is this going to be? To my surprise with some work it grew some of the nicest squash and melons I had ever tasted.
Unfortunately we cant always choose the type of soil we have. The gardening area I plant in now started out to be about 98% clay with very little organic matter. I soon learned I much preferred the sandy soil. Though the years besides tilling in the garden scraps I have also added additional organic matter which has improved the soil tremendously. So I guess the point here is you do have some control.

Getting back to the sandy soil.

When you were a kid if you ever built castles in the sand or played in a sand box-that is sandy soil. As far as I am concerned here in Upper Michigan it doesn’t get any better than that. We have a short growing season so I like to start planting as early as possible. In the spring the sand drains very fast from the melting snow and can be worked as early as the middle of April. It also absorbs heat very quickly. The biggest downfall to sand is watering. It does have to be watered a little more frequently during dry periods. Adding organic mater or green manure crops helps a lot. The sand gets so hot on the surface you cant walk on it bare foot-great for growing melons .

Clay Soil
Slippery stuff. Usually good soil but hard to work with when its wet. I have tried adding sand to it and after some time the sand just disappears to no where land. It is almost impossible to work in early spring, just too wet. I have added leaves, corncobs and tilled in some other organic mater. It has helped a lot by keeping the soil broken up. Using raised beds works well for vegetables or berries that need good drainages and also helps raise the soil temperature a little bit. One big advantage with clay soil is the watering. I have found if I plant closer together in the clay the shade from the neighboring plant will help keep the ground moist during a dry spell. It just does not dry out as fast as sand.

Loam Soil
High in organic mater and fertile, also drains well-said to be the best.

No mater what soil type you have when you are done harvesting a row in your vegetable garden- till the rest of the plant into the garden- it is a great source of organic mater.

This is a problem I have dealt with all of my gardening life. If you live in an area with a large deer population then you know this problem can be huge. There is nothing more disappointing then to have a very nice garden full of vegetables and have it wiped out or destroyed in one night.
What works and what doesn’t. I can give you some ideas that will help- but nothing outside of a 12 foot high fence seems to be iron clad.

I will start with my favorite.
Electric fences seem to work the best for me. They are not real expensive to set up and if done right work very well. You can purchase fence chargers that plug into your household current. If your garden is located in an area with no electricity you can also buy solar and battery powered units.
Follow the manufacturers instructions for setting up your charger.

Keep the fence wire close to the ground, about 18 inches. This seems to low but it is not. You want the deer to walk into the fence. Not to walk up to it and jump it.
I can remember the first time I set one of these up. The deer some how managed to get inside. They must of bummed the fence after getting in. You could see from their hoof prints where they had jumped and hit the ground hard sending the dirt flying- on their way out. Knocking part of the fence down in the process. I didn’t see a deer for the rest of that summer.

Take your fence down in the fall. Wrap your wire up. You don’t want the deer to get use to it being their. You want to catch them by surprise in the spring when you get the fence operating again.

So you have some smart deer and they keep getting though your fence. Try This-my wife says it is mean- But it works great!
Use aluminum foil and make some envelops or pockets out of them. Put salt in the pockets and hang them on your fence. A wet tongue, salt and electricity don’t mix very well. Chances are once the deer get a taste of this you wont have trouble again with them for the rest of the summer.

Sprays
I have used sprays with some success. When I first applied them they seemed to work really well. The problem was every time it rained I had to spray again. If you have a wet summer this can get very expensive. If you have a small garden this may be a good option. Another thing I don’t like about the sprays is that it is being applied to a vegetable garden. That you plan on eating.

Deodorant Soap
Most articles I have read on this suggest dial soap. I have used both dial and the store brand deodorant soaps. Their seems to be no difference except the store brand is a lot cheaper. I cut a bar into quarters, wrap it in a piece of nylon stocking -then hang it in my fruit trees. I have good luck with this. It does not stop the deer completely but if they do damage the tree it is usually not very severe. I also use this on my blueberry bushes

Delicious blueberries in the summer-beautiful red ornamental leaves in the fall.

To grow high bush blueberries in zone four at one time was almost impossible. Though the years the development of new varieties has made it very possible. I guess for the most part it is kind of an in-between.

The plants don’t get as tall but still produce a large abundance of fruit. The blueberries are of good size and quality. If you are in zone 4 but close to one of the great lakes( with in 10 miles ) you can probably get buy with one of the more hardy zone 5 varieties. Try to avoid low areas where frost pockets could form.

You can plant them in the spring or fall. If you plant them in the fall you might be able to harvest some berries the following summer.

In most cases you will need to plant two different varieties for pollination. There are a few blueberry plants that are self pollinating -Elliott, Chandler and Blue Gold are a few of the most popular.

When choosing a planting site keep in mind Blueberry plants are very brittle. Try to plant them where they are out of the way of children and pets. The branches break very easily.

Do yourself a favor and give them lots of room. Space the plants 5 to 7 feet apart. If I am planting more than one row , I will space the row 7 feet.

Small plant-big hole. Dig your hole about the size of a bushel basket.

Blueberries need acid soil in a range from 4.5 to 5. If your soil is not acidic enough mix 50% sphagnum peat moss with the soil you are going to be returning to the planting hole. After the blue berry is planted you can add one cup of agricultural sulfur per plant. Work it gently into the surface of the soil to keep the rain from washing it away. This will slowly dissolve and help hold the ph down.

Plant the blue berry plant so the roots are one to two inches below the surface. And give them a good watering.

It is a good idea to mulch your plants to keep the soil moist an help hold the weeds down. I have tried several different kinds of mulches. I have a large number of plants so it has become a challenge. Old news papers work very well. I lay down several layers and place rocks on top in different places to hold them down. If you don’t mind using plastic, black plastic also works very well. For a smaller number of plants you have a lot of choices. Pine needles work well and also add some acid to the soil. Sawdust also works good but you have to keep and eye on it. As the wood rots it will rob some of the nitrogen from the soil so you might have to add some additional fertilizer.

Four weeks after planting sprinkle about 1 ounce of 20-0-10+5 (N-P-K-Mg) or a similar analysis fertilizer within 12 to 18 inches of each plant, but not directly on the crown or stems.

Go easy on the fertilizer. Many times blueberries don’t need much.

As far as varieties I have had good success with Blueray, Northland, Patriot and Elliot.

 
Tags: blueberries, gardening, how to plant blueberries

Because of the fruit trees I grow-mainly the cherries-I don’t encourage birds to come on my property. A flock of Blue Jays can wipe out a tree full of cherries in a hurry.
I make an exception for the Hummingbirds. What an amazing little creature. How such a small bird can consume so much food or nectar is beyond me.
Last fall we took the Hummingbird feeder down for the winter. To my amazement this spring they came back looking for it.
Hummingbird feeders are inexpensive and you can make the Hummingbird food yourself very inexpensively.
The Hummingbird nectar you buy in the store is colored red. It is not necessary to add the food coloring. I have used the homemade and store bought -they both work equally as well.
Set your feeder up where you can enjoy watching them. They are not shy. I have found myself more than once ducking to get out of the way of an incoming Hummingbird.

Recipe for Hummingbird Nectar

½ cup white sugar
2 cups of water

Mix the water and sugar. Heat the mixture to the boiling point to dissolve the sugar.
Let it cool and it is ready to use.
( I make this as I need it to refill the feeder. But if you don’t have the time you can make extra and refrigerate it.)

I love melons-especially the fresh ones. To be honest I never liked cantaloupes when I was younger. They never seemed to have any flavor. Then I grew my own. They were great! You just cant beat the flavor of vine ripened.
The first thing is you have to realize you can grow the bigger watermelon varieties in Northern Gardens. Most vegetable gardeners in the North don’t try it because they think it can’t be done. In a good season this method will produce some 20 to 30 lb melons. I have not tested this with the seedless water melons but I think the results still should be very good.
I was first introduced to this system when I was working for Michigan Farmer here in Upper Michigan. They were conducting an experimental program in the Chassell Michigan area. This experiment was targeted toward commercial production so I made some small changes to adapt it to my home vegetable garden.
I have grown Crimson Sweet, Charleston Grey, and Dixie water melons very successfully. With some of the melons hitting the 30 pound range.

For soil- sand is the best. They like and need water but you don’t want them sitting in it. Some of the largest and best tasting melons I have grown were in sugar sand.

Watermelons do not transplant well. Start with Jiffy 7’s about two weeks before you plan on planting them. At planting time you want the first set of leaves open there is no need for them to be any farther along then that. The roots are very young and they will transplant well.

Well you are waiting for your plants to get started you can get ready to plant.

You can plant in raised hills, or in raised rows. I have used both-it is a mater of preference and how you have your garden structured. The idea here is to raise the soil temperature. If you are planting in heavier soil it will also help with the drainage. Rake the top of the hill or bed smooth for planting. Then water it very thoroughly.

For the next step you will need a row of clear plastic. 2 feet wide/4 to 6 mill. The heavier is better. ( DO NOT USE BLACK you will not get the results you need I tried it) The clear plastic raises the soil temperature significantly. You will get some weed growth but it will be very limited.
Run the plastic the length of your row or hill. Cover the edges with soil to hold it down and keep the air out.

Ok, you have your planting area all prepared. The plastics has been covering the ground for probably a few days and has made the soil nice and warm just like a blanket. Your plants are up with their 1st leaves open and you are ready to plant. If you are planting in hills-plant 3 plants per hill. In rows -space them 1 ft apart. Use a box cutter and cut holes in the plastic about 3 x 3 inches to plant your plant growing in the Jiffy 7. Space them equally apart in the hill or down the center of the row. After planting water each plant with a gallon of water. I water them once a week unless we are getting a lot of rain.

The final item you will need for this system are standard Hot Caps. Place the Hot Caps over your plants and cut a slit in the top for air and to water. As the plants grow you will see the leaves start to push against the inside of the caps. At this point peal them back to let the plants out so they can start to run. At this time it is a good idea to fertilize the plant while you can still get at it. I use one tablespoon triple 10 per plant or an organic equivalent. That’s about it! With a little luck and some good weather you should start to see small watermelons forming on some of the plants around the 4th of July and some ready to eat the 1st week in August.

Inspect the roots of the tree for damage. Use a set of pruning shears and cut off any damaged roots just before the break with a nice clean cut.

With some care-proper water and nourishment the fruit tree will start to bare and you will have fresh fruit for years to come.