Fruits/Vegetables
Question: Our tomato plants (Fantastic variety) are not doing well. They are very small when ripe and have very tough skins. What are we doing wrong?
Answer: The Fantastic variety of tomato is not a very large size tomato typically, but should be medium size. It is difficult to say for sure, but the tough skins tells us that they are probably lacking water Perhaps the soil is not of the consistency to hold the moisture you give it. You could fertilize with vegetable food (8-20-20). Good luck.
Question: We have a few asparagus plants in our garden. They are now in seed and I would like to know if we can cut down the tall fern like growth or not?
Answer: Leave the foliage on the plant until it urns brown in the fall, then remove. This allows the plant to continue producing more roots through the rest of the growing season. Seed heads can be removed though as they appear.
Question: I have a packet of Cucumber seeds. It suggests using garden netting to ensure more slender and smooth fruit. What is Garden Netting and how does it help?
Answer: Cucumbers can be grown on trellises, netting or other types of supports. The thought is that the fruit will develop better if it's hanging vertically, and the plants won't take up as much room if the growth develops up instead of down. Garden netting is a mesh fabric that is used for growing sweet peas or any other vining type of plant on. It's available in different sizes and with different sizes of openings, depending on what you're using it for.
Question: I grew Beefsteak tomatoes from seed. 6 are planted in the garden (covered with styro huts on cold nights) & 10 are still in pots & put back into the (heated) greenhouse overnight on the cold nights. The garden ones first started with the leaves appearing
Answer: Usually when tomato leaves turn white it's an indication that they got too cold at night, or that they got some sunscald during the day. It's not a disease, and there isn't really anything you can do about it except wait for the plants to outgrow it, which they will do. Be patient, and all will be well.
Question: I was told that that you have to plant peppers close together in a row for best results. Is this true. I have always planted 2 together, to hold each other up. I do not get very many peppers this way. What is the best way?
Answer: NA
Question: I would like information on pruning summer bearing raspberries and what attention strawberries might need?
Answer: To prune summer-bearing raspeberrie, you remove the canes that produced fruit this year right down to ground level. Take out any new canes that are wispy and look unlikely to get big enough to do anything next year as well. Strawberries don't need much. Some people dig up the runners for new plantings in September, but it depends on how old the plants are and how many runners are being produced. Keep them well-watered and watch for mites.
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