Row by Row Episode 165: Ask A Gardening Expert - Part 2
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Tonight, Greg and Sheila do a rapid-fire Q & A session. We asked our followers and members of the Row By Row Facebook group to send in gardening questions that they may have for Greg to answer.
Questions & Answers Part 1:
Thoughts on using Round-Up Weed Kill around the edge of the garden? I'm in Zone 8 a/b and hybrid Bermuda grass runners are hard to keep out. "There is a lot of controversy out there regarding using "round-up" but I use it around the edge of my garden. It is ideal to use for the grass runners but ultimately it is a personal preference. I do not use it in my vegetable garden but I have been known to edge my garden with it", Greg states.
Will there ever be a clear dome made for the Heavy-Duty Bottom Trays? I don't have a greenhouse and it would be helpful for us in germinating our seeds in the house. "Probably not, the heavy-duty bottom tray is a catch basin for overflow of water for the 162 cell and 338 cell seed starting trays. There are no domes currently out there that are USA-made that we can find to carry. We do have smaller trays that have domes but for the larger trays, we do not have them", Greg answers.
All of my fall crops are loaded with whiteflies. They fly out like crazy. I sprayed with Sevin but it doesn't even phase them and I spray them when they are flying out as well, doesn't seem to affect them. "Whiteflies are tough to get rid of. We have done a couple of videos on this exact issue. You want to use Horticultural Oil (you can even use dish detergent), spray early in the morning or late in the evening, spray underneath the leaf." Greg says.
What vegetable or flower should never be grown in a pot because their roots grow so deep? "I'm not saying it can't be done but I would not grow corn, okra, or roselle in pots because of their deep root system.", Greg states.
Questions & Answers Part 2:
How do you know when to harvest the Roselle bush? "You want to pick it 7-10 days after it blooms, harvest it when it's tender, not when it's dry. The more you harvest, the more blooms you will have and will be able to continue to harvest for a few weeks.", Sheila answers.
Can I plant swiss chard right now in Zone 8? "Heck yeah, you have plenty of time to plant swiss chard. It does plenty of cold weather, I would say you can plant all the way up to November.", Greg says.
Can potatoes be planted again in summer or fall? I live in North Georgia, Zone 7B. "Potatoes can be grown either time, it is a lot more difficult to get seed potatoes in the fall but it can be done. Potatoes do not like the summer heat, we will plant them in the early spring and leave the summertime for okra", Greg answers.
What are tomato varieties that you have that would do good for fall and when should they be started? "Seems like you may be a little late, we normally plant our fall tomatoes in July in Zone 8. The two varieties that I am growing that I believe would be good for almost anywhere in the fall is Florida 91 and Homestead varieties."
Questions & Answers Part 3:
When to plant collards, sown in the ground in Zone 8a for the fall? Greg says, "You can plant them now and continue to plant them up until early November."
When do I start onions and garlic in Zone 7b, slightly north of Atlanta? "With garlic, you want to plant it 2-4 weeks before your first frost date. If you are growing a short day onion variety it will be the same thing, 2-4 weeks before the first frost. Anytime between October 15th and the first of November would be the ideal time to plant both, garlic and onions in Zone 7."
I'm in South Florida, I've heard that peppers love the sun. I've had some issues with my pepper plants not producing any fruit, can heat be the problem? Greg states," We typically don't grow peppers in the heat of the summer. I have found that tomatoes and peppers do not do well in extreme heat. They do love the sun but early spring and early fall sun are best."
What is the best storage method to save seeds for next year? Do the seeds need to go through a frozen cycle to germinate in the spring? "They do not have to go through a frozen cycle. We do recommend keeping them in a temperature-controlled environment, you can put them in the refrigerator. Be sure they are in a sealed container. Putting them in the freezer or a frozen cycle is called "Stratification", which means to simulate natural conditions that seeds would experience in the soil over-winter.", Greg says.
Questions & Answers Part 4:
Are your sunflower seeds 2020 or 2021? "We don't date our seeds necessarily, we do move a lot of sunflower seeds so we always have a steady supply coming in. Our main concern is germination, we do constant testing on germination for our seeds and keep them all in a temperature-controlled environment."
I planted the Peaches & Cream fall crop and it is tasselling at around 4 feet tall. What caused the corn to tassel before it gets to normal height? "We see a lot of times if a corn crop has any type of stress, especially heat stress or dry weather, it won't get as tall as it normally would. It will still produce corn though."
Is it better to cut a cover crop and let it dry or till it in the soil immediately? "I like to cut it and till it into the soil as quickly as I can. It breaks down a lot quicker and keeps the microorganisms in the soil and alive. The quicker you can till it in, the better off you'll be.", Greg states.
What cover crops will boot your soil microbes the most? Are there any vegetables you don't want to follow with certain cover crops due to pests or certain plants emitting things, etc? " The cover crops that have the most potential are the ones that have the most bio-mass, the cool weather cover crops are clovers. If you planted Impact Collards as a cover crop, I would not follow up with any brassicas or greens because you have more potential for disease."
Questions & Answers Part 5:
Do you believe eating microgreens has improved your health in your opinion and what is the best tasting healthier dressing that Mrs. Hoss has made? "I have been trying to incorporate microgreens and lettuce into my meals every day, so I do believe it is helping me. The jalapeno pepper sauce is probably my most favorite."
I just purchased your strawberry plugs, I want to get my plot ready soon. Should I fertilize when planting or a few weeks before and what is the best fertilizer for strawberries? "The complete organic fertilizer is one you definitely should incorporate into the soil before you plant your strawberry plugs, incorporate about 5-7 days before you are ready to plant.
I'm in Henry County, Alabama. It's been extremely hot and humid. When should I plant a cover crop for my backyard garden and what cover crop would you suggest? Greg suggests, " I would get Buckwheat in. You still have plenty of time to plant Buckwheat before you get into a cool season."
I'm breaking some new ground this fall for a spring garden next year. What would you recommend for a good winter cover crop? Going to plant corn, beans, okra, and squash for the spring of 2022. "One of my favorites to do for a new plot would be a cocktail. I would mix tillage radish, rye, and hairy vetch. You get so many benefits from using a mixture of all 3 of these."
Do you recommend to over-winter pepper plants or just start fresh? Is the outcome any different? "A lot of people will do that down in the south, especially if they have a greenhouse. I do not see a problem overwintering them especially if they are a novelty type."
Questions & Answers Part 6:
Greg, you said in a previous video that if you're in Zone 8a we still had time to grow corn. I went yesterday to get seed and the owner at the feed and seed store said that the nights starting in October would slow it down and wouldn't make it before frost. What's your response? "Depending on the maturity date and the planting date really depends on when you should plant fall corn. We planted Ambrosia in mid-August which has a shorter maturity date. If you tried to plant now, it may not produce before frost."
I never see the full setup of the drip tape with the regulator combo and the injector, for a backyard operation. Would like to have it set up so that I can bypass the injector when not fertilizing, without unscrewing things. It would be all parts set up at the spigot. Greg suggests," If you do keep it hooked up all the time, make sure it is out of direct sunlight. We typically like to take our injector and put it in storage when we're not using it. We will do more videos on that."
What do I need to order to convert my double wheel hoe into a single wheel hoe? I am thinking it may be handy to be able to convert down occasionally for narrow rows. "All you should need is a shoulder bolt; you would need to take off the double wheel axle, the wheels and move the brackets to the opposite sites and then put your single wheel on with the shoulder bolt and that should be all you need."