Vegetable Varieties to Try in Your Community or School Garden

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I was asked to rerun this popular post on vegetable varieities from 2015.  So by popular demand….

One major step towards success in a community or school garden is to start with varieties that are proven in Georgia.  As you may have experienced, some varieties of vegetables that work well in a large farm setting don’t always do well in a school or community garden setting.

Tomatoes growing at the Reconnecting Our Roots Garden in Cobb County
Tomatoes growing at the Reconnecting Our Roots Garden in Cobb County

Happily we have recommendations from Robert Westerfield and UGA’s Research and Education Garden specifically for smaller, intensive gardens.  These varieties should be easy to find in big box retailers as well as feed and seed stores:

Tomatoes – Salad or Cherry:  Juliet, Maskotka, Cherry Falls, Tumbling Tom

Tomatoes – Determinate:  Celebrity, Rutgers Select, Amelia, Bush Beefsteak, Super Bush Hybrid, Roma

Tomatoes – Indeterminate:  Beefmaster Hybrid, Delicious, Princess Hybrid, Big Beef

Peppers:  Big Bertha, Cubanelle, Giant Marconi, Banana Sweet,

Jalapeno

Eggplant:  Patio Baby Hybrid, Black Beauty, Ichiban

Squash:  Easy Summer Crookneck, Easy Pick Gold Zucchini, Sunburst (Pattypan type), Raven Hybrid (Zucchini type), Commander Hybrid (Zucchini)

Squash plant from Reconnecting Our Roots Garden
Squash plant from Reconnecting Our Roots Garden

Cucumber:  Bush Cucumber, Burpless Hybrid, Straight 8, Lemon

Beans:  Roma II, Blue Lake, Tender Crop

Asparagus:  Jersey Supreme Hybrid, Jersey Knight Hybrid, Purple Passion

Thinking ahead towards fall planting try –

Cabbage:  Kaboko Hybrid, Minute, Rubicon

Broccoli:  Packman Hybrid, Green Magic

If you have any questions about vegetable varieties contact your local UGA Extension agent, he/she has experience with lots of vegetables.

Whatever plants you choose, Happy Gardening!

 

 

Site Assessment: The Tree

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Take a Good Look at the Tree

Take a Good Look at the Tree

Safety isn’t just a slogan, it’s a way of life.

Before you cut or climb a tree, take time to assess the tree for hazards. Put your hard hat on and take a good look at the tree. Some tree dangers are readily visible, but others can be hiding inside the tree. Danger signs may be subtle, so make a thoughtful inspection of the tree from the ground on up to the top of the crown or canopy.

Inspect the Tree

Make sure you can see the tree clearly.

Pull all the leaf litter and/or mulch away from the base and the root flares. Then remove all vines from the area and the trunk so you can do a clear, visual examination.

Inspect the tree for weaknesses at the base. These are signs and symptoms of root collar decay:

  • Loose and dead bark
  • Conks or mushrooms
  • Crack in the lower trunk
  • Sap flow from lower trunk
  • Abnormal root flares, diminished, or loss of root flares.
  • Soil mounding or grade changes
  • Cracks in the soil from ground heaving

Look for cracks, cankers and cavities in the trunk. Strike the base of the tree with a rubber mallet. If this produces a dull sound, the tree is rotten.

Look up into the canopy and among the limbs. Look for fungi on branches and identify dead, broken and/or lodged branches. These are potential falling hazards known as “widow-makers.”

Beware of the Resident Wildlife

Cavities may host more than rot: They may also be nesting sites for wildlife, including slumbering bats, defensive birds, and stinging insects. Noise, droppings, stains on the bark, and insect or animal activity are indications that some critter calls the tree cavity home. Squirrels, birds, and bats may roost in limbs, as well.

Consider the Tree’s Environment

Environmental conditions and surrounding trees should be considered. In wet conditions, saturated soil can lead to root destabilization and trees prone to uprooting. Root pruning caused by construction can increase the chances a tree will fall. Removal of surrounding trees that exposes trees to strong winds can also weaken trees. Check out the video below.

 

Eerie Footage of Earth Breathing in Nova Scotia 2015

Eerie Footage of Earth Breathing in Nova Scotia 2015

Have you seen this earth breathing video? It is all over the internet and there are many silly explanations offered. This one has it right.

Blueberry Pollination in Your Community or School Garden

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With the recent cold damage to the commercial blueberry crop in South Georgia, the blueberries in our community, school, or home gardens are all the more precious this year.   As a result, it seems like gardeners are paying more attention to their blueberry flowers.  I have gotten several emails asking about slits appearing in the sides of blueberry flowers.  This is not unusual and it probably happens every year, gardeners just don’t notice it.

The slits are made by carpenter bees who are “robbing” the flower.  They chew slits in the sides of the flowers and get the nectar without having to go into the flower.  A result of robbing is that the bees don’t leave or pick up any pollen.   Pretty sly bees, right?  Research shows that this action still results in some pollination, it is just not ideal.   Other bees may use these slits as well to retrieve whatever nectar is left.

Blueberry Pollen is Heavy

Blueberry pollen is heavy and sticky.  It does not move around easily and isn’t wind blown.  The blueberry flower shape does not lend itself to adequate self-pollination so pollinators are needed even with the self-pollinating types of blueberry plants.

Blueberry Pollination in Your Community or School Garden
Southeastern Blueberry Bee. Photo by Hannah Barrack of NC State.

Bee Pollination

Several native bee species pollinate blueberries including the Southeastern blueberry bee.  This bee also pollinates several flower types that bloom at the same time.  The male Southeastern blueberry bee has a yellow face.

The smaller native bees are shown to be superior pollinators in these plants.  You will also see bumble bees in the blueberry patch.  They vibrate their flight muscles inside the flower aiding in pollen exchange, flower sonication.  Also, honey bees are often brought into blueberries fields to aid in pollination.  To learn more about bees in the blueberry patch visit North Carolina State’s Blueberry Pollinators .

Blueberry Pollination in Your Community or School Garden
Honey bees on the fly! Photo by Joe Thompson.

I enjoy pulling up a chair near my blueberry plants to watch the pollinators at work.  Try it and you will be amazed at the different insects you see.

If you don’t have blueberries in your community or school garden, why not?  They are a fantastic addition to the garden.  Being perennial shrubs they add a nice permanent shape to the space.  School gardeners should look at later season varieties.

Happy Gardening and I wish you all a very large blueberry harvest this year!

Cool Cut: The Stump Cut

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Safety isn’t just a slogan, it’s a way of life.

Warren Williams of North American Training Solutions demonstrates a cool cut below. This stump cut can come in handy when one of your clients wants you to make a plant stand out of the tree stump or just wants the stump cut low.

After the initial starting cut, the cut is made with the top of the saw. Keep the tip of the saw in the tree. The saw tosses the chips into the cut (pictured above) and the cookie floats on the chips. As a result, the saw doesn’t get pinched. A very large cookie from a large tree floating on theses chips can easily be pushed off the stump.

This is not a cut that should ever be used to take down a tree, but it can come in handy at cleanup.

Flower Pot Cut or Impress Your Stump Grinder

Warren Williams of North American Training Solutions demonstrates this cut.

Warm-Season Vegetable Planting Chores for Georgia

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Warm-season vegetable planting time is almost here for most of Georgia.  Here is your “to-do” list from UGA’s Vegetable Garden Calendar for this time of year:

Warm-Season Vegetable Planting Chores for Georgia
Belvedere Community Garden
  • Get rows ready for “warm-season” vegetables to be planted during the last week of March or first week or two of April as weather permits.  Check your soil temperatures at georgiaweather.net.
  • You might want to risk planting out a few of the more tender crops and keeping them covered during bad weather.
  • Watch out for insects, especially cutworms, plant lice (aphids) and red spider mites.
  • Put down mulch between rows to control weeds.
  • Plant your choices of the following “warm-season” or “frost-tender” crops: beans (snap, pole and lima), cantaloupe, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, okra, field peas, peppers, squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
  • Plant tall-growing crops such as okra, pole beans and corn on the north side of other vegetables to avoid shading. Plant two or more rows of corn for better pollination.
  • Make a second planting within two to three weeks of the first planting of snap beans, corn and squash.
  • Within three to four weeks of the first planting, plant more lima beans and corn. Remember: for better pollination, plant at least two or more rows.
  • Be sure to plant enough vegetables for canning and freezing.
  • Cultivate to control weeds and grass, to break crusty soil and to provide aeration.
  • For the crops planted earlier, side-dress as described above.
  • Plant tender herbs.
  • Remember: Do not work in your garden when the foliage is wet to avoid spreading diseases from one plant to another.

Contact your local UGA Extension office if you need any help choosing varieties!

Happy Gardening!

 

Three More Critical Saw Safety Features

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Three More Critical Saw Safety Features

Safety first…because accidents last.

The throttle interlock trigger prevents the throttle from engaging accidentally. If the interlock is not depressed, the throttle cannot engage. The feller must have his left hand firmly on the handle to depress the interlock and trigger at the same time. The throttle interlock prevents the chain from being driven if the trigger is accidentally engaged.

The broad bottom of the handle and the chain catch work together to protect you if the chain breaks. Turn the saw over and take a look at the chain catch. These break off and get lost occasionally. They can be purchased at the saw shop and easily replaced.

If the throttle interlock is not functioning properly, the handle is damaged, or the chain catch is missing, the saw should be immediately locked out of service and tagged for repair. Take the bar off so nobody grabs the saw and loads it up.

Georgia Ag Awareness Week

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This is Georgia Ag Awareness Week, a week that has been set aside to celebrate Georgia’s agricultural industry.  There are events planned across the state to connect farmers with schools, to support local food banks, and to celebrate eating local.

As community and school gardeners we are all well aware of how hard it is sometimes to grow our own food.  It can seem like disease, pests, and weather are all against us.  But, we know that if we fail we can rely on the grocery store to fill our dinner plates.   And, we all want to eat as local as we possibly can.  Thank you Georgia farmers!

We are all a small part of Georgia Ag by raising our own food, growing food for Farmers Markets, and/or supplying food for your local food banks.  Take a moment to celebrate what you do!  It is important.

If you want to really get involved in the celebration this week, take a look at recipes featuring Georgia products.  Several of the crops won’t be in season yet, but you should be able to find something delicious for your dinner table.  What are you growing in your garden that you are harvesting now?  The warm winter means I have delicious greens at my house and I will be hosting a Georgia Grown dinner during the week.

Goods and services related to Georgia’s agriculture and natural resources affect each of the state’s communities every day. Agriculture is Georgia’s largest industry, with $74.9 billion of direct and indirect economic impact annually. More than 411,000 Georgia jobs are involved directly in commodity or food- and fiber-related industries.

UGA Extension faculty and staff play a key role in the success of this industry by sharing university-based research for Georgians to use on the farm and at home. Recommendations in areas including soil fertility, pest management, plant and crop varieties, water quality, and herd health and management focus on maximizing production and profits while minimizing environmental impacts.  Make sure you are connected with your local UGA Cooperative Extension office!

Happy Georgia Ag Awareness Week!  #GAAgWeek  #agdawg

 

Inertia Chain Brake

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Inertia Chain Brake

Avoid the worst. Put safety first.

The inertia chain brake is a very important safety feature of the modern chain saw. It improves the safe use of the chainsaw in 3 separate ways:

  1. It acts as a hand guard protecting your left hand from being slapped and stabbed by tree branches while limbing, bucking, and clearing.
  2. When activated between cuts it can prevent you from getting accidentally cut while walking. If you were to slip or trip while traveling between cuts, natural reaction could cause you to squeeze the trigger, potentially cutting yourself in a variety of gruesome ways. ANSI and OSHA standards recommend taking no more than 3 steps without engaging the chain brake. Glen Peroni of North American Training Solutions suggests activating the brake when you take even one step.
  3. In the event of sudden or rapid movement of the chainsaw, such as when kickback occurs, the brake is designed to engage automatically through the force of inertia. Since kickback occurs suddenly and with great force most people cannot react fast enough to activate the chain brake manually. Chainsaw manufacturers spent a lot of time and money researching a way to help us. The chainsaw brake handle, brake spring, and band are designed to be of the perfect weight and tension to activate at kickback by the rapid movement of the saw. It is similar to a seat belt in a car; it works when you need it.

Test this safety feature on your saw.

Set a piece of wood or log on the ground. Hold the saw in front, at approximately shoulder level, with the brake disengaged. Then simply let the saw fall onto the piece of wood. The chain brake should activate. If after 3 tries it does not activate the chainsaw should be taken out of service until the brake can be fixed. Normally this means it needs a good cleaning.

What is the best way to lockout-tagout a saw?

Take the bar off. That way nobody is likely to put it on a truck and take it out.

Kickback Demonstration by Chainsaw Instructor Joe Glenn

Kickback Demonstration by Chainsaw Instructor Joe Glenn

Joe demonstrates kickback here and you can see the chain brake activates on the third demo.

Always Remember to Use Your Chain Brake

This is one of Peroni’s incredible saw sound imitations. You can hear the clicking on and off of the chain brake. How many steps does he take while limbing this tree?

Growing the Underappreciated Radish

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If you haven’t grown radishes in your garden, you should.  They are the underappreciated cool-season vegetable and perfect for raised beds in the community or school garden.  What radishes have going for them:

  • They mature quickly, sometimes as short as 28 days!
  • They are nutritious – full of vitamin C, vitamin K and B6
  • They are easy to grow

Radishes also come in many shapes and sizes.   The variety “Watermelon” is large, think soft ball size, but the traditional “Cherry Bell” is smaller.  “Icicle” is long and white, almost like a small carrot.  Visit your local feed-and-seed stores to see what varieties they have available or order from one the seed catalog companies.

Planting

The seeds are small but easy to plant in a prepared bed with plenty of drainage:

After the seeds are spread, cover with 1/4 -1/2 inch of soil and tamp down the soil using a light touch.  This ensures good seed to soil contact.

Finally, cover with mulch to keep the soil temperature and moisture levels even.  Water in and keep the soil slightly moist until the seeds germinate.  Thin using scissors, not pulling up seedlings.

Start looking at your radish recipes because your crop will come in quickly!

Happy Gardening!

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