Thursday, June 30, 2011

Green Thumb Tip #2

I apologize that it has take so long to get a new post up, but here it is.

This week it is on Broccoli and how to keep pesky pests out of your plants.  Included also is a link to why growing broccoli is a great way to maintain your health.  Enjoy!



Growing Broccoli whilst minimising pest problems will mean following some sort of crop rotation plan.
This simply means not growing vegetables of the same family in the same piece of earth year after year...it encourages pest build up in the soil. For Broccoli this also means - Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Turnip, Cauliflower.

Purple Sprouting Broccoli Protected From Cabbage Root FlyCabbage Root Fly can be a problem so use protective discs at the base of the growing Broccoli as they lay their eggs in the soil at this point and when they hatch the little maggots burrow down and feed on the roots.
These discs can be made from old bits of hession backed carpet, underlay or roofing felt - use your imagination, or purchase them ready made from a garden nursery or DIY store.
Also cover with gardening fleece when the plants are young. Fleece is a great friend to the gardener, it allows rain and light through but insulates against frost and deters pests.
Keep a watchfull eye for the appearance of Caterpillars as left unattended they will devastate your growing Broccoli plants. They feed on the underside of the leaves and the best answere is to just pick them off and... squish `em.
They also lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves too so look for yellow clusters aannndddd... squish `em. If you you haven't the time to keep squishing - or the stomach, then use `Just Caterpillar`. It uses nematodes to provide an environmentally safe and efficient treatment which can be watered straight onto edible plants.
Use `Just Caterpillar` once they are seen on the plant, preferably whilst they are still small, and the nematodes will quickly seek out the caterpillar and kill it. Get it from your garden centre.
It`s a blood thirsty game learning how to grow Broccoli - the carnage is terrible. ;0)


Mealy Aphids from how to grow brussel sprouts http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/how-to-grow-brussel-sprouts.htmlLarge White butterfly eggs from how to grow brussel sprouts http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/how-to-grow-brussel-sprouts.htmlSmall White caterpillar from how to grow brussel sprouts http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/how-to-grow-brussel-sprouts.html
Aphids are a serious pest, weakening your growing Broccoli plants and introducing viruses which further weaken plants. Spray with Derris if infestation is serious.


Eggs of the Large White butterfly. Caterpillars can defoliate a plant quickly so watch out for them. Inspect the underside of the leaves for clusters and squish them. Practice your tennis strokes when the butterfly is aboutCaterpillar of the Small White butterfly. Defoliates plants quickly, watch out for them. Pick off and destroy, use a nematode spray or spray with Derris. Eggs are laid under leaves in a random way, not in clusters, nor are they brightly coloured.


Club Root is a fungus and all brassicas (thats the family umberalla for Broccoli along with Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Turnip, Cauliflower) can be affected.
The roots of your young growing Broccoli become stubby and swollen. Leaves become yellow and wilt causing severe stunting of growth. This causes swelling and reduces the flow of water and nutrients to the plant. Spores are produced and can survive in the soil for up to five years.
Prevent club root by practicing crop rotation and take extreme care if you buy in seedlings from outside as this is often the way this fungus is introduced.
Reducing the acidity of the soil by adding lime will help.

Aphids can be a serious pest by weakening your growing Broccoli plants and introducing viruses. Try planting Marigolds or Tagetes plants among the crop. They attract beneficial insects like hover flies and ladybirds which feed on the Aphids and will help reduce the infestation.
Knowing how nature operates helps us understand how to grow Broccoli and other vegetables in a way that helps your environment positively. But spraying is the only way to make a real impact on badly infested plants.
Get advice from your garden center for sprays that can be used - they change so regularly as new legislation takes effect.
Flea Beatles are tiny beetles that can make sieves out of your brassica leaves. When you touch the Broccoli leaves they ping off just like regular fleas, only these won't bite you! To deter them:
  • Use horticultural fleece placed over your broccoli, as soon as you transplant them outside; a floating row cover.
  • Lightly hoe over the soil regularly to destroy eggs and larvae and expose them to predators.
  • Give your plants a mid-day shower with the hose (not in full sun though), as they're most active then and they don`t like wet conditions.
  • Try `Companion Planting`, to attract the beneficial insects.

Vast changes have taken place in the UK and Europe concerning the availability of pesticides during recent years to the extent that most have been removed from retailers shelves. Visit your garden centre or nursery and seek their advice as what to use.

When your learning how to grow Broccoli, it is important to be able to recognise the pests from the goodies - you don`t want to kill the goodies if you can help it. So observation is the way to to become knowledgeable... it all adds to the enjoyment.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Now on Twitter!

Hey All,

For the latest news and tips you can now follow us on twitter and get connected with gardening blogs as well as farmers markets tips.

Thanks!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Happy Flag Day

Hello Everyone,

This week so far has been a wet one, but we have finally seen an increase in our temperatures and a bit more sunshine.  With such a big demand for our radishes last week, we will be increasing the amount we bring to the market this week. So if that is something you are looking for and we didn't have it last week then we will have it this week.

On another happy note, we will be bringing to the market our fresh spinach and lettuce along with our red potatoes, hydroponic tomatoes, leeks and radishes. We will also have our beets ready to come to the market in another week or two. 

Thanks for being so patient as we have slowly built up our fresh produce. 

Visit us again this Thursday for our next weekly Green Thumb gardening tip. 

Until Thursday!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Green Thumb Tips #1 Tomatoes

Here is the beginning of a long list of Green Thumb gardening tips we will be exploring.  Every Thursday a new post will appear with a new tip for you. These gardening tips will also be available at our booth.
This week's tip deals with growing great tomatoes.  We will explore different methods of helping your plants to grow healthy and produce a lot of fruit.

After you have transplanted your tomatoes into your garden you can follow these tips to help you through the season.

Pinch & Prune for More Tomatoes
Tomato Suckers in the Joint of Branches.Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc.
Pinch and remove suckers that develop in the crotch joint of two branches. They won’t bear fruit and will take energy away from the rest of the plant. But go easy on pruning the rest of the plant. You can thin leaves to allow the sun to reach the ripening fruit, but it’s the leaves that are photosynthesizing and creating the sugars that give flavor to your tomatoes.
 
Water the Tomato Plants Regularly.
Blossom End Rot.Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2009) licensed to About.com, Inc.
Water deeply and regularly while the plants are developing. Irregular watering, (missing a week and trying to make up for it), leads to blossom end rot and cracking. Once the fruit begins to ripen, lessening the water will coax the plant into concentrating its sugars. Don’t withhold water so much that the plants wilt and become stressed or they will drop their blossoms and possibly their fruit.
 
 
Blossom end rot, which appears in the picture above is common in many tomato varieties. From my experience, however, Romas seem more suseptible to the fungus than others.  Other methods I have found in addition to regular watering is to put a tsp. of  Miracle Grow Tomato plant food in with a pitcher of water and pour at the base of every plant at least once a week. This should reduce the amount of tomatoes that will develop the fungus.
Look for more tips each week at the Fruitful Nut.
 
Thanks and we'll see you at the market!
 
New items available this week:
Radishes
Fingerling potatoes
Red potatoes
 

Monday, June 6, 2011

Radish Time!

After a beautiful weekend we opened up our hoop tunnel greenhouse this morning to find that all of our plants have shot straight up.  Our radishes are ready to be harvested and our tomato plants have many large green tomatoes forming that will be ready to be picked in another two to three weeks.

Last week we began a promotion where if you buy two or more packages of product you will receive a coupon for 10% off your next visit to our booth.  This promotion is continuing on this week!  So be sure to mark the day and the time and come see us at one of our two locations in Rexburg or Snake River landing in Idaho Falls.

Watch for the next post on Thursday for our weekly Summer Gardening Tip.

Have a great week and we look forward to seeing you at our markets!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Market Day!

This weekend promises to be a wonderful one with sunshine and great products that need a home.
At the Fruitful Nut, we are bringing in a new variety to add to our Potato Jazz line. They are fingerling potatoes.

These little potatoes are great to spice up any meal or to eat alone. Packed with good carbs, they are healthy as well as delicious.



For this week's market we are also adding fresh baby red potatoes.  These will come at about $2.75 each.  These are great in recipes such as Cream Peas and Potatoes or to make creamy mashed potatoes.  If you prefer a more simple method, boiled red potatoes are great by themselves.   For recipes see below.  Also don't forget about our discount promotion going on.  If you buy two or more items you will receive a coupon for 10% off your next visit.






To give you a heads up next week we launch our weekly gardening tip to help you in your Green Endevors. We will cover such topics as box gardens, pest management, high yield tips and planting methods.  We will also feature news articles related to our topic of the week.

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you at the market!

Creamed Peas and Potatoes



  • 6 Servings
  • Prep: 10 min. Cook: 25 min.
102535

Ingredients

  • 1 pound small red potatoes
  • 2-1/2 cups frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 green onion, sliced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Dash pepper
  • 2 cups milk

Directions

  • Scrub and quarter potatoes; place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
  • Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion; saute until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended; gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Drain potatoes and peas; toss with sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup equals 236 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 355 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein.
Creamed Potatoes & Peas published in Taste of Home April/May 2009, p65


Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Discount Week!

With beautiful weather on the way we expect to have an exciting and fun filled market.  This weekend at both the Rexburg Market and the Pier View Market in Idaho Falls we are offering a discount to customers who buy two or more items at a time.  They will receive a coupon for 10% off their next visit to our booth.  Merchandise, including nuts, dried fruits, and the Potato Jazz products are included in this offer. (This offer is not valid with the sole purchase of tomatoes.) 

If you have any questions, leave a post and we will get an answer back to you promptly.

Have a great Wednesday and keep checking for more great deals and updates!

A view of our hydroponics Tomato greenhouse
Potato Jazz Medley


Fresh Leeks