Ants in my container garden

QuestionHello, I was just wondering what I can do about ants migrating to my planters. My garden consists of various edible peppers, spearmint, peppermint, anise, and various cactus and succulents. I live in San Ant

Acorn and butternut Squash

QuestionHow do you know when they are ready to be picked.I know you can pick Zuchinni almost any time. Not sure on these. Thanks AnswerJim, butternut and acorn squash will always start off with a greenish tint that

Soil preperation for 2009

QuestionI have nematodes and molds in our soil, 2008 was not a good year for our garden is there a way to rid these conditions organically? AnswerRandall: The best answer for this problem to to till the soil

Starting a Vegetable patch in Thailand

QuestionHi, I am currently working as a volunteer for an orphanage in Northern Thailand (IHF in Chiang Rai) We are looking for ways to make the project more self sufficient and also for ways to get the children and

Canning sweet peppers

QuestionWhat is the procedure for canning sweet peppers? AnswerPaul: For canning peppers you need to use a vinegar and salt water mixture in hot boiling water. This is a pickling process. Please look on the net fo

Ripening Tomatos

QuestionDoes with holding water from a tomato plant help it ripen quicker on the vine ? AnswerJennifer: It is better not to withhold water from you plants as they will die. Hot weather and sunshine will hasten the

Lots of blossoms, few vegetables

QuestionMy tomato and cucumber plants this year produced a multitude of blossoms buy few tomatoes and cucumbers. Whats wrong? Is my soil lacking in some required nutrients? I was quite diligent in watering my plant

Slugs on tomatoes and potatoes

QuestionI live in the small town of Coleville, Saskatchewan Canada. My question is I have some kind of a slug that chews holes in the potatoes and tomatoes. The potatoes survive but the tomatoes

Tall Bellpepper plants

Question I live in southwest Alabama and I was just wondering what was the tallest Bellpepper plant known to have been grown in this region? AnswerBrian: Dont know how tall the peppers grow. When I lived in

Collard Greens

QuestionThis my first year growing collard greens (or anything for that matter.) They were doing fine until a few days ago I see some of the bottom leaves are turning yellow and have a few holes in them like w

peppers and kiwi

Questionmy jalapeno peppers are turning black,and theyre pretty small. any ideas on what would cause this? My bell peppers are right next to them and are doing fine. Also any tips you might have on growing kiwi wolu

Potatoes; Green

QuestionWe have just dug our potatoes. We grow organically. Many of the potatoes we dug are partially green even though the tops of the potatoes had died. Can I ripen these by sitting them in the s

Growing Tomatos

QuestionI have grown tomatos in the past and always had great plants. But, this year, my plants started out looking good, and i have blooms, but the some of my leaves are shrivling up, which is also affecting my blo

Avocado Propagation

QuestionHello! I know pretty much nothing about plants.. but I recently (as an experiment) put two stints on either side of an avocado seed and submerged it in water. My husband laughed at me.. until tonight I notic

Butternut harvest and storage

Questionhi mike, i am havesting about 1 1/2 acres ofbutternut i planted a little late this year, most are fairly small, but as far as storing them i heard if i wash them in a bleach solution they will keep better ?

Plant problem

QuestionI live in LasVegas,Nevada. I just bought 1 tomato plant, 3 putunias, 1 dahlia only about 2 weeks ago and 2 days ago i noticed my tomato plant started to droop and look its going to die not only that but the

cauliflowers

QuestionQUESTION: Why has my latest crop of cauliflowers produced fantastic foliage but no heads? ANSWER: Coral: My first thought was cross pollination but then I think that the reason could be defficiency in the

Container veg garden coming indoors

Questionhi there, ive had to drag my whole container garden in from my balcony today because it started snowing!! I live in toronto canada and im now wondering which of my plants are worth trying to continue to cu

Germinating seeds

QuestionI have a strange question. My daughter is trying to do a science fair project on which liquids are best for germinating bean seeds - ie. water, Pepsi, vinegar, etc. The procedure we found said to

1st year asparagus

Questionthis past spring i planted some asparagus (Im in Michigan). 6 of the 8 bulbs came up (3 to 11 shoots each) and i now have fern looking plants, turning brown. Ive read i should either cut them to the gr