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Experienced gardeners are well aware of this reality and have even come to enjoy the ephemeral nature of their outdoor spaces.
gardening experts
For such a little tree, this thing sure pumps out a lotta lemons every winter! I harvested a hefty basket of lemons last week, and I didn’t even put a dent in my tree. I’m not sure how many pounds were harvested, but it did require two hands to haul the basket from the garden… For such a little tree, this thing sure pumps out a lotta lemons every winter! I harvested a hefty basket of lemons last week, and I didn’t even put a dent in my tree. I’m not sure how many pounds were harvested, but it did require two hands to haul the basket from the garden to the kitchen (and an extra set of hands to pick up all the lemons that kept tumbling out!). If I had to guess, I’d say this first round yielded at least 60 fat, juicy lemons. And winter’s not even over yet… nor have all my lemons fully ripened. One can only make so much lemonade, lemon bread, and lemon curd in one season, so for the next two weeks, I’ll show you a few different ways to preserve these fruits at home. You don’t need to be a canner or a cook, but you can still have that bright lemony flavor long after the last lemon has been plucked.
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When growing a mango tree, you'll need to know how to properly care for it. The reward is delicious tropical mango fruit! Jillian Balli will share our tips and secrets to mango success!For many of us, mangos are thought to be an occasional luxury treat due to the price and availability of fruit. Luckily, growing a mango tree at home is not impossible. It is time to stop depriving yourself of this delicious tropical treat and grow your own mangos! Although they are tropical trees, mangos can be grown in the ground in zones 9-11 or in containers in zones 4-11. Mango fruit is incredibly delicious to eat on its own but growing your own will allow you to get creative and enjoy them in different ways. The mango fruit can be used in smoothies, salsas, ice creams, and so much more. They can even be frozen or dehydrated so they can be enjoyed any time of the year. Whether you have a large space or a small patio, there’s a mango variety fit for you. There are hundreds of mango varieties available throughout different parts of the world. Local nurseries will carry types that are well adapted to your growing conditions. This guide will cover all the basics of growing a mango tree and provide some information on great varieties.Mangifera indica, commonly known as the mango tree, is a large tropical evergreen tree is known to grow up to 100 feet. It produces sweet, succulent tropical fruit in the summer and is often grown as an ornamental tree in gardens.
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When we first moved into our place about ten years ago, I knew I wanted to grow fruit trees. Our block is not ideally situated for this, in all honesty. It slopes awkwardly, and the front yard is North facing. The soil was very poor limestone. It was planted with eucalypts and palms, with weed matting throughout. The backyard was closely planted with huge conifers and agaves. We paid an arborist to remove the trees and my husband tackled the agaves, and with a blank slate, we planned the garden. Our goal was to have a mix of productive and sensory plants, with the intention to always have something edible to pick from the garden at any time, whether it be herbs, fruits or veggies. A decade later, we have a large herb, sensory, and veggie garden on rich soil, and about twenty different fruiting trees. In the front garden, this includes a black mulberry tree, which was planted nine years ago. I love mulberries, but you can’t buy them in the shops. I have fond memories of visiting my friend’s house in the Summer, climbing her huge mulberry tree and sitting up there and searching around, finding the little black jewels. I still like ferreting around the tree, searching around jewel-like fruits to find the black, ripe berries. They look like they belong in a fairy story. Mulberries are not a commercially viable crop. Picking them takes ages, as the berries ripen at different times. You have to walk slowly around the tree to find the couple of berries per branch ready to pick. They don’t transport well, and the shelf life is not long. So if you want mulberries, you have to grow them. And they are an acquired taste. Not really sweet like commercial berries, mulberries are tart-sweet with an underlying metallic taste that some people do not enjoy. However, they are hard won. I was not expecting to have much of a crop for the first couple of years, but in the past few years we have waited expectantly for fruit that never came. We have had a couple of dry, tasteless berries each season, then the birds have carried off the rest. Last season, I was despondent, then threatening. I told my husband, “That bloody tree has one more season to produce some fruit, or it’s gone!” Then I thought, as with many garden-related issues, maybe the problem isn’t the tree – maybe it’s the gardener. It didn’t fill me with joy to admit it, believe me. I don’t want to accept that perhaps I had been neglecting the tree. After all, the apricot tree gave us a bumper crop last year. So did the lime tree. Clearly, I could get a tree to produce fruit. But just as different kids need different parenting techniques, so might different fruit trees. So, I read up on mulberry trees. Any info I could find on mulberries, I consumed. Of course, there were differing opinions. Some said prune. Some said don’t prune. But almost all the experts agreed mulberries needed two things in abundance. Water and fertiliser. Not so revolutionary after all. Turns out, I had been underwatering and under-feeding the poor tree. I upped the water, which makes a lot of sense on our north-facing hillside (deep water, once a week), and increased the nutrition. From early Spring, I fed the tree with a couple of handfuls of organic fruit tree fertiliser every month around the base of the tree, watered in well.
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The name green onion refers to many different types of onions. Learning how to grow green onions ensures you’ll always have access to the freshest, most flavorful alliums you can find! The true green onion is Allium fistulosum, also known as scallions, bunching onions, or just plain old green onions. These are the ones we’ll focus most of our attention on today. Traditional onions, Allium cepa, have a red or white bulb, but they can be harvested before the bulbs form, and the young stalks can be used like green onions. Finally, there is Allium proliferum, called tree onions or Egyptian onions. These onions are harvested specifically for their long green leaves. They develop in tight knots of multiple bulbs and stems attached together, and tend to spread over time. If you’re wondering how to get all of these delicious varieties of green onions, we have tons of information to share! We will go over how to start green onions from seeds, starts, or other methods. Let’s jump into how to plant green onion seedlings in your garden. All About Scallions Allium fistulosum, or green onions, are also commonly called bunching onions, scallions, Welsh onions, or Japanese bunching onions. It is likely that they were foraged in the wild before becoming popular in China and Egypt. Tokyo Long White, Evergreen, and Heshiko are some of the most popular varieties. Green onions look similar to the traditional onion, Allium cepa. They have tall, green stalks, and are usually 1-2 feet tall. They have slender white bulbs at their base that do not get large enough to form an onion. In hot temperatures, scallions will bolt to seed, forming a globe shape of tiny white flowers. Green onions are perennial and the scallion leaves can be harvested for several years in mild climates. All parts of scallions are edible, including the flowers. Thinner scallions will have a milder taste, while thicker onions will have a stronger flavor and hold up to cooking better. One interesting fact about scallions is that you can tell the variety by looking at a cross-section of the leaves where they turn white: if it is D shaped or flat, it is A. cepa, but if it is O shaped, it is A. fistulousum. Planting Green Onions Begin to sow seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost. Keep the seeds moist and they should emerge in 7 to 14 days. If direct sowing seed, sow each seed ¼ inch deep when temperatures are at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. A seedling heating mat can help with germination. Thin seedlings so they are 2 inches apart or leave them to separate later. When the seedlings are ready to transplant, separate the seedlings. Begin to transplant 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost date in the spring, but if desired you can keep planting throughout the spring and summer season and into the fall. Space seedlings one to two inches apart, with rows spaced 6 inches apart. Consider interplanting with your other crops as green onions may help to repel pests from your garden. Be sure to irrigate regularly as onion plants have shallow roots. Plant traditional onion sets 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost date. Care for them like you would a transplanted green onion, but plant at least 2 inches apart to allow space for bulb growth. Remember, the green leaves can be used just like green onions are, but an Allium cepa will eventually form a larger onion bulb. Grow green onions in a garden bed, or in containers, like the Root Pouch grow bags, Air Pots, or tiered GreenStalk planters we stock in our online store! Care Now that you know more about the types of green onions, let’s learn how to take care of them so they can mature! Let’s go over more of the specifics on how to care for scallions. Sun and Temperature Plant in a sunny location that gets at least 6 hours of full sun. Scallions form best in zones 6-9 and thrive in temperatures between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. If you plan to grow scallions through the winter, mulch around your planted bulbs in the fall with straw or other organic matter to protect them from cold temperatures and prevent weeds. In zones warmer than 9, you might want to plant your green onions somewhere in the garden where they will receive afternoon shade. Since onions like full sun, it is definitely possible to raise scallions in hot climates! Growing green onions indoors is also an option, particularly for those who have cold winters. Make sure they have plenty of light and warmth during the cold season and you’ll have scallion harvests through the winter and well into the spring. Water and Humidity Morning is the best time to water to reduce soil moisture evaporation. This also allows foliage to dry out during the day so they’re less prone to disease. Scallions are sensitive to drought. Aim for 1 inch of water per week. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation. Ditch or “furrow” irrigation is another viable method. Dig a long trench in the soil an inch or two from your plants and flood the furrow, allowing the bulbs to absorb moisture. If you have sandy soil, you will need to irrigate more frequently. In a cooler season or mild climate conditions plants develop more slowly, so less watering is required. Soil Scallions prefer fluffy, well-balanced, and loamy soil. If you have poor soil, amend it with organic matter like compost at least six inches deep. While onion bulbs are able to develop in clay soil, they have a hard time if it dries out, and the soil may hold a little too much moisture for their liking. It’s best to amend to allow for good drainage while still keeping the soil moist. To grow scallions, the optimal soil pH range is between 6.0 and 7.0. These bulbs can tolerate soil pH a little lower than 6.0, so if you’re planting them near tomatoes or other solanaceous plants, they’ll manage. If soil is too alkaline, these may struggle to get off to a good start. Fertilizing Since scallion plants are leafy greens, you’ll want to fertilize them every regularly with a nitrogen-rich amendment. Liquid fertilizers such as fish fertilizer or comfrey tea have nutrients immediately available to your plants, so consider watering with a liquid fertilizer during the growing season to provide nutrients when your plants need them most. For a longer-term solution, use granular fertilizers that will be released slowly into the soil. Look for one that is high in nitrogen (the “N” in N-P-K). If desired, top-dress with rich compost. Pruning Most of the time, pruning is only done for harvesting purposes. Plants can be trimmed for cosmetic purposes, such as removal of wilted leaves, but otherwise should be left until it’s time to pick them. If your green onions bolt to seed and you want to prevent seed drop, trim off the flower stalk. Often, you may experience leaf wilt during flowering as well. Early trimming of the bud and stalk (referred to as an onion scape) will redirect your plant’s energy towards leaf development. If you’d like to collect seed, let the flowers fully open. Onion flowers are pretty impressive. They create a large, almost ball-shaped umbel. As the flowers start to fade, tie a paper bag over the top and tightly secure it to the stalk. The seeds are very tiny. Cut the stalk once it begins to droop, and set it somewhere so that the head can dry out and the seeds can drop out of the flower. Propagation One method of propagation is bulbs or “sets”. The best way to use sets is by planting them in late fall and overwintering them in the garden. In the spring they’ll start pushing up new growth. You can also use nursery starts of Allium cepa, and plant them to achieve the green onion stalks. Keep in mind that only Allium fistulosum will produce tree green onions with no onion bulb. True scallions have a milder flavor than A. cepa, which has a stronger onion flavor. If you save rooted bulbs from store-bought green onion plants, you can easily regrow green onions. They’ll happily produce tall, green leaves every couple of weeks and give you a bonus crop. This works both indoors and outdoors, so if you’d like to save your young green onion bases from the supermarket and pop them into moist soil under a T5 light, you’ll see new growth rapidly emerge! And, of course, starting from seeds is definitely an option. There’s a wide variety of seeds available for many different species of scallion or bunching onion types. Follow the directions in the “planting” section above for how to sow seed. Harvesting and Storing Wondering what to do once you have mature green onions? Let’s talk about how to harvest the plant and what to do with your delicious scallions! Harvesting Start to pick your green onions as soon as they reach a usable size. The best time to harvest is when the bulbs are white and have a diameter about the size of a pencil, but even smaller seedlings can be harvested. In fact, it’s possible to sow onion seeds and harvest onions as microgreens if you so choose! Either dig up the whole plant if you plan to eat the mild white bulb, or snip the stem off just above soil level and allow it to continue growing. A clean pair of kitchen scissors or garden snips work well for this. Cut-and-come-again harvests like the latter method mean you can enjoy a continual harvest by leaving the roots and base of the plant in the ground and cutting the stalks off an inch or two above the soil line. The plant will quickly send up more edible shoots! When growing traditional bulb onions as green onions, harvest the green leaves early and use them like scallions. Egyptian onions should be harvested from the second season onward. If your plant is bolting, the stalk and unopened bud are referred to as an onion scape. Onion scapes are just as delicious as the leaves are, and can make an incredible addition to a stir-fry or other meal. Storing Store green onions in a partially filled jar in your fridge, with just enough moisture to come partway up the bulbs. If you harvest stalks without bulbs, store the stalks wrapped in a paper towel in a plastic storage bag. Alternatively, slice them and refrigerate them cut, also in a plastic bag. Moisture is the enemy to your green onions as they’re being stored with these methods, so the paper towel is crucial to keep bulbs and leaves dry. To freeze green onions, rinse them off and thoroughly pat or air dry them before freezing. The texture will often be a bit mushy when they thaw out, so this is best if you plan to use them in cooked food rather than as a garnish If you have a dehydrator, dehydrating the stalks and grinding them into a powder is a great option for long-term storage. Troubleshooting Now let’s discuss some problems you might encounter while growing scallions. Since scallions are in the Allium family, they tend to repel many pests with their odor, although they are susceptible to a few pests and diseases that are easily treatable. Growing Problems Too much moisture can cause your growing scallions to develop some forms of root rot. Be careful to provide just enough moisture for them to thrive. Use a drip hose or other irrigation system to keep the soil damp. On the flip side of that, too little moisture causes leaf wilt or yellowing, so make sure they aren’t thirsty. If it is too hot, your onions will bolt to flower. Be careful to plant them at the right time for your growing zone. Competition from weeds can cause scallions to be small and weak or even die. Check your plants regularly and pull any weeds out from around them, especially ones in their root zone. Mulching can reduce weeds as well. Pests Thrips and aphids are common pests in onion crops and can be blasted off with a strong stream of water from a hose. If they persist, use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Severe infestations can be treated with pyrethrin. Onion maggots can be prevented by following crop rotation in the garden. You can also use floating row covers as a barrier against the flies that lay onion maggot eggs. Beneficial nematodes are natural predators of onion maggots. Most pyrethrin insecticides that work on thrips will also help manage onion maggots. Slugs and snails are also an issue, but they’re easy to treat. A beer trap can be placed amongst your crops to catch some of these annoying pests. As long as it’s about as deep as a pie pan, snails and slugs will be attracted to the aroma of the beer and it’ll be deep enough to drown them. If you don’t want to use beer traps, an organic slug and snail bait is another great option and will draw the pests away from your greens. Diseases White rot can cause mold or rot at the base of the plant and yellowed, wilted leaves. If you notice diseased plants, remove and dispose of them. Avoid planting alliums in that location for a couple of years. Good crop rotation is essential for your allium’s health. Onion downy mildew (Peronospora destructor) can cause irregular spotting and decreased size. Copper fungicides can be used to treat, but use a 3-year crop rotation between allium crops in that bed. Botrytis leaf blight causes white spots on leaves, and the plant may wilt and die. This is most common when plants are wet for 20 hours or more during cool temperature conditions. Provide proper airflow to allow plants to dry out. Treat with alternating copper and sulfur fungicides until the blight is eliminated, or remove infected plants and destroy them. Do not compost blighted material.
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