Keep tomatoes in containers?

QuestionHi, Mike, I have 2 husky cherry red tomato plants in medium sized containers. I think the containers are too small though because when I checked underneath them, the tomato roots were starting to spro

shallots being invaded!

QuestionQUESTION: Hi Elyse My lovely thick growing shallots have been invaded by a cluster of tiny (too small to take a photo of) black bugs! They like to crowd around the stem part (just where it starts to g

Butternut harvest

QuestionHi Mike, Please advise whether Butternuts will ripen if harvested whilst not ripe. I picked a couple - the skin was not dark enough and the inside was pale - will the rest ripen completely if off the vine?

Gardening Resources

QuestionHello! I have recently become intrigued by vegetable/herb gardening. I was wondering what your favorite (preferably free) resources for topics such as garden design, organics, seasonal availability of plants

Soil preparation

QuestionI just bought a home and have been looking forward to planting my 1st significant veg. garden. I just realized that the tenant that has been living there for 2+ years has been allowing his labor retrie

Seed Starting in Basement

QuestionHi Mike, I start my own tomato plants from seed every year but struggle with them getting tall and thin. I live in a windy place so I had no where with light and coolness to harden them off. Last year I put

Our first garden

QuestionHi Mike. We live in northern va and have a three acre flat and open yard. Most of it is in full sun, with a few areas getting partial shade late afternoon. We would love to start a vegetable garden this spri

Gardening

QuestionI HAVE PRETTY RICH SOIL I USUALLY THROW SOME DIRT FROM THE PASTURE IN EVERY YEAR BUT WHAT IS THE BEST FERTILIZER FOR TOMATOES AND HOW MUCH AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD TOMATOES BE FERTILIZED AND MY JALEPENO PLANTS D

seedlings

QuestionWe planted seeds tomatoes, peppers, dill, broccoli...etc last Sunday. Today Friday they are mostly all up. I am now wondering when do you moved them from the starter 72 packs to their own p

Garlic

QuestionWhat is time to grow garlic in hilly areas,and what is the procedure to grow and maintain it. AnswerThe best time to plant garlic is in late fall, just before the first hard freeze, However, you can plant g

Jalapeno peppers

QuestionIs there any time of year that fresh jalapeno peppers are not grown in Northern Thailand? AnswerThe growing of jalapeno peppers in north Thailand is difficult under the best of circumstances. For example th

Dried tomatoes from Italy:

QuestionIf my daughter brings me a couple of dried tomatoes can I take the seeds out and ferment them for planting? AnswerDonna, it all depends on whether the plants are hybrids or heirlooms. Heirlooms will always

My tomato plant

QuestionHello! I currently have a tomato plant and some basil growing together, but Im having some problems with insects, especially regarding my basil. The leaves get eaten away by something pretty quickly, and som

When to plant squash and cucs

QuestionHello Mike. I am new to gardening and have a question on times for planting yellow straight-neck squash and cucumbers (pickle-type). I live in Carlsbad, New Mexico. It is really dry here until about May. We

Tomato Problem

Question Tomato Plant Hi, I have two cherry tomatoes(sweet williams) in large canvas type pots. They are about 2ft high with lots of flowers and were planted about 3 weeks ago. The bottom leaves look fine, bu

Fertilizing

QuestionHi Mike, I have a small backyard vegetable garden that is aprox. 14 x 24 (336 sq. ft.) I just limed it to raise the ph and am wondering if I can go right behind it and fertilize. I bought

Moving garden

QuestionI have decided this year to change veggy garden locations due to lack of success in past spot.It was there about 15 years and seemed to have lost its life recently(not sure if it was ph levels or what but it

Soil Types for Tomatoes

QuestionQUESTION: Hello Mike, Im going to attempt to raise 5 tomatoe plants in 5 gallon plastic buckets on my apartment balcony on the first floor this year. A woman at a nursery told me Id have to use potting soil

GARLIC & ONIONS IN CONTAINERS

QuestionPLANTED GARLIC & ONIONS IN SEP CONTAINERS IN OCT.BEAUTIFUL TALL GREEN PLANTS BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY NOW.DUG UP 1 OF EA.MYLG WHITE ONION IS LIKE LG SPRING ONION.GARLIC HAS NO BULB-LOOKS LIKE SPRING ONIO

spots on lettuce leaves

QuestionI am trying to grow different varieties of lettuce in containers and find there are lots of tiny tan spots all within the leaves themselves. Im wondering if they are bugs that just grew into the leaves