We have some tomatoes growing but for some reason the bottom leaves are turning to yellow ? we have been faithfully making sure it is watered and not overwatered.. any advice ? Oh by the way they are still in pots, we were afraid to transplant them since they were so far ahead .. Kathy

This entry was posted on Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 5:05 am and is filed under Ask A Master Gardener. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Watching birds congregate is blissfully relaxing, and birding is one of nature’s most pleasant hobbies. Why not make your garden a haven for birds and butterflies? First, you need to provide a varied food supply to attract and then keep the colorful guests hanging around your backyard wildlife sanctuary. Check out our wide variety of suet cakes, seeds, nuts and nectars that will keep your new friends flocking to your garden year-round. GHS carries a complete menu of feed and feeders. Songbirds and hummingbirds have specific diets, so plan your refuge to include tempting treats for a good mix of visitors. In addition to meals, there are two other survival necessities for birds: shelter and water. Incorporate water features for the birds to drink from and bathe in, and make sure the water is always clean. Bird baths and fountains are a focal point of the garden and we are sure to have a style to match your tastes and budget. Birds need to eat constantly, every day, no matter the season. If birds nest in your yard to stay through the winter, you will need to supply them with food that isn’t available from living plants. Our selection of bird feeders is extensive and there are plenty of style and size options to fit your landscape and viewing preferences. Some are meant to hang from tree limbs or roof overhangs; others are best suspended from posts. You’ll want to keep plenty of food on hand to ensure the feeders are replenished as often as needed! Evergreens in the winter months provide berries and cones that birds feed from, as well as protective shelter. Late-season seeds, acorns and berries also feed through the cold months. Bird houses offer birds a safe haven all year long, and are an attractive addition to your trees and shrubs for inviting winged guests. It’s great fun to plant a garden with a cafeteria of flowers, seeds and nectars available in warm months like bright, seeded sunflowers and fruiting trees and vines, as well as hanging baskets of brilliant fuchsia flowers near your windows to summon hummingbirds and stunning butterflies. Start small, and each planting season, increase the types of plants and feeders that work best for the type of environment you wish to create—and the types of wildlife you wish to tempt. Remember, much of the enjoyment of working with nature is the time and patience invested to get to the desired payoff!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 at 8:09 am and is filed under Product Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

I plant flat-head Dutch cabbage and I was wondering where the seeds come from. Do the plants make seeds?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 6:29 am and is filed under Ask A Master Gardener. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Hi Master Gardener, Let me start off by saying how much I love the plants I received from Garden Harvest Supply and how impressed I was with the quality and care with which they were sent. But my question is about my strawberry plants, which arrived yesterday. 1 Ovation and 1 Earlyglow. Turns out 50 little plants is a whole lot and I want to share with some friends. For how long can they stay in the plastic bags until planting? And do they need to be wet, damp or stay dry-ish, as they were when they arrived. Thanks for your expert advice. Best regards, Peggy.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 6:26 am and is filed under Ask A Master Gardener. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

If you have been doing gardening for very long and are the type of person who wanted the earliest tomato plants possible, then you probably have heard of the Wall O’ Water plant protectors. The Wall O’ Water was a product that you placed around your tomato plants about six weeks before your last frost date. It kept your tomato plants warm and growing until the weather was warm enough that you did not need it any longer. Of all the plant protectors that were available, the Wall O’ Waters were the best. Just ask anyone who was using them. The problem is, the company that manufactured them, Terracopia, Inc. out of Salt Lake City, Utah, is no longer in business. There are still companies (and eBay sellers) selling the Wall O’ Waters simply because they had a large inventory before Terracopia went out of business. BEWARE: do not purchase any Wall O’ Water products that are being sold, as the quality is not good. We used to purchase the Wall O’ Waters directly from Terracopia. About two months before they went out of business, the product they were manufacturing became totally inferior. About half of the Wall O’ Water products we sold during that time were bad and had to be replaced. Because the Wall O’ Water was such a great product, it left us scrambling, looking for a replacement. We discovered the Season Starter™ plant protector that is manufactured by Dalen. We are thrilled to say that this product is as good as, if not better than, the original Wall O’ Water. So if you are in the market for a quality plant protector, then we suggest trying the new improved option, the Season Starter™. You will have the earliest ripe tomatoes in your neighborhood.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 6:30 am and is filed under Product Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.