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2. Heirloom Vegetables- Not A Thing Of The Past
By Mary Jane Frogge, UNL Extension Associate
As you plan your vegetable garden this year, you will probably be impressed with the number of new and improved varieties in the seed catalogs. Plant breeders are constantly at work to develop varieties with improved yield, quality, disease resistance and other desirable traits.
Some people, however, are working to preserve old varieties. PItem of the attraction of these heirloom vegetables is simply that they date from years ago. Many of them go back to the settling of the American colonies and came over on the Mayflower, while others were grown by Native Americans before the European settlers arrived.
Another reason to maintain these varieties is to preserve their genetic material for future use. Saving heirloom varieties of corn, beans and other crops keeps their genetic traits available to plant breeders. It also gives gardeners a chance to get a literal taste of the past.
Some heirloom vegetables include scarlet runner bean, late flat Dutch cabbage and Connecticut field pumpkins, which are often available in seed catalogs. Others may be available only from individuals or associations of people who dedicate themselves to maintaining heirloom varieties. Organizations to contact for more information on heirloom varieties are:
- Seed Savers Exchange, 203 Rural Avenue, Decorah, IA 52101, http://www.seedsavers.org/
- Plant Finders of America, 532 Beaumont, Fort Wright, KY 41044
- Native Seeds/SEARCH, 3950 West New York Drive, Tucson, AZ 85705, http://www.nativeseeds.org/
Some seed companies also specialize or carry heirloom varieties.
Gardeners who decide to try some of these varieties may also choose to save and store seeds from year to year. This works better with some crops than with others. Snap beans, peas and tomatoes are usually self-pollinating; so, their seeds will produce plants like the parent plant that produced the seeds. Vegetables that cross pollinate, such as squash, need to be isolated or raised at a considerable distance from other varieties to prevent insects from carrying pollen from one to another. The plants that grow from seed produced by cross pollination might be interesting; but, they probably will not be like either of their parents. If your goal in raising one of these heirloom varieties is to preserve it, you do not want it to cross with something else.
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3. Asparagus- An Early Spring Vegetable
By Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator
Asparagus is the earliest spring vegetable for most Nebraska gardeners and a high value garden crop. It’s a delicious and nutritious food, and with proper care, an asparagus planting can be productive for 20 or more years.
Asparagus is normally planted from dormant, 1-year old crowns. All-male varieties of asparagus, including Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Prince and UC 157 have been shown to out-produce traditional female varieties such as Mary Washington or Martha Washington by 3 to 1. Female varieties put considerable energy resources into seed development, reducing their spear production. Plus the self-seeding of new plants can cause overcrowding in the asparagus bed. Male plants produce thicker, larger spears and do not produce seed. The newer male varieties are also resistant to Fusarium and rust, and have good cold tolerance.
Choose a garden site with well-drained soil, and full sun. Since asparagus is a perennial that will stay in place for many years, advance preparation of the soil will greatly increase future production. Prepare the soil by incorporating 50-100 pounds of manure and 3-4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of planting bed. Plant the crowns 12- 18 inches apart in trenches spaced 5 feet apart. In sandy soils, the trench should be 6 inches deep, but only 4 inches deep in heavier soils. (Research has shown that the deeper asparagus is planted, the more yield is reduced.) Place the crowns in the trenches and fill the trenches with 2- 3 inches of soil. As the plants grow, gradually add more soil until the trenches are filled.
Asparagus spears should be harvested during the first year while the bed is becoming established. Harvest lightly for only 3 to 4 weeks the second year. In subsequent years, harvesting can begin when the newly emerging spears reach 6-8 inches tall, usually about mid-April in eastern Nebraska, and continue for 6 to 8 weeks. Remove the spears by cutting or snapping them off at the soil surface.
If weeds are a problem in an existing asparagus bed then when finished harvesting, snap all the spears off slightly below ground level. Make an application of glyphosate to the asparagus bed to kill any existing weeds. New asparagus spears will appear and should be allowed to remain throughout the summer. An application of mulch will help to prevent the germination of any additional weeds.
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4. Growing Broccoli
By Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Educator
Most home gardeners don’t realize there are two types of broccoli: heading and sprouting. Most garden broccoli is of the heading types, which is closely related to cauliflower and forms a large central head. When this is removed, side branches will form throughout the summer. Sprouting, or Italian, broccoli, forms may florets or small heads but these do not produce a large solid head. Cultivars, or cultivated varieties, of broccoli and cauliflower recommended for Nebraska include the following:
- ‘Green Comet’- 55 days, small heads, freezes well, heat tolerant
- ‘Premium Crop’- 71 days, freezes well, holds long
- ‘Packman’- 57 days, very large heads, excellent side shoots
Broccoli prefers full sun, well-drained soil with high organic matter, and a 6.0-7.5 soil pH level. Broccoli is a hardy, annual plant that prefers cool growing temperatures, 60-65 ° F. To raise broccoli, buy transplants locally or produce your own and set them out from April 10-30 for an early summer crop, or July 15-30 for a fall crop. Set plants 15-24 inches apart in rows 24-36 inches apart. Sprouting broccoli is sown directly in the garden in spring. Broccoli requires a high level of fertility, which is best provided through slow release or organic fertilizer sources to avoid the development of hollow stems. During soil preparation, work compost or rotted manure into the soil. Use a starter fertilizer when transplanting, and sidedress the plants three weeks after planting with 1 ½ ounces 33-0-0 per 10 foot row.
Broccoli has a relatively shallow, fibrous root system, so cultivate carefully when needed for weed control, then apply an organic mulch. Provide an even amount of moisture to the garden, especially after transplanting and during the maturation of the heads. Moisten the soil at least 6 inches with each application to encourage deeper rooting, but the never let the soil become waterlogged.
The heads of broccoli are really flower buds. These must be harvested before the yellow flowers begin to open. Mature heads normally measure 3-10 inches across. Harvest the heads with 6-8 inches of stalk. The lateral heads that develop later are smaller, but can be harvested continuously through the summer. Eat fresh, or freeze the surplus.
Broccoli can have problems with several insect and disease problems in the garden including cutworms, cabbage looper, imported cabbage worm, flea beetles, aphids, blackleg, blackrot and fusarium wilt. Flea beetles can severely damage small transplants in spring. Control insects before the heads start to develop, or protect the heads with a physical barrier like row covers.
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5. Blossom End Rot- A Potential Problem for Tomato Growers
By Gary Lesoing, UNL Extension Educator
One of the common questions I have received over the years on gardening has been about tomatoes. People call in and say their tomatoes were rotting or turning black on the bottom or blossom end of the tomato. This problem is caused by a calcium (Ca) deficiency in the fruit of the tomato plant. This condition is called blossom-end rot.
Blossom-end rot occurs because there is a problem of calcium transport, getting enough calcium to the tomato fruit. The reason they rot is because of low calcium in the cell walls. Some popular tomato varieties are also more susceptible to blossom-end rot. These include the popular varieties 'Better Boy' and 'Big Beef'. There have been some varieties developed that are more tolerant or resistant to this problem. These include 'Mountain Delight', 'Mountain Fresh' and 'Mountain Spring'.
If you have no other problems with tomato production except blossom-end rot, what can you do to alleviate this problem besides plant a tolerant or resistant variety? Maybe you particularly like some of the susceptible varieties and want to continue to plant them. If you haven’t had your garden’s soil tested for several years, it would be a good idea to take a soil sample and determine the level of nutrients in your soil. Low soil calcium levels and an improper pH level may cause blossom-end rot if environmental conditions are favorable. Ideally soil pH should be 6.5 – 6.7. Another factor that promotes blossom-end rot is erratic soil moisture conditions. The use of irrigation and mulches to avoid drought stress and wide fluctuations in soil water will reduce the risk of blossom-end rot and help in the proper growth and development of the tomato plants.
Other conditions that may contribute to the development of blossom-end rot include: high temperatures, high humidity, root pruning, and excessive fertilization with ammonium (NH 4 +), potassium (K +) and Magnesium (Mg ++). When there are high temperatures, fruits are growing rapidly and cell growth is rapid. The tomato plant cannot get enough calcium and blossom-end rot develops.
Under conditions of high humidity, transpiration is reduced, transport of calcium in the xylem will be reduced and consequently uptake of calcium is lower. Tomatoes go through a vine growth stage prior to fruit set. If roots are cut off (pruned) from cultivating or hoeing, this will stress the plant, limit root growth and increase the plant’s susceptibility to blossom-end rot.
Finally it is important to avoid using fertilizers that will compete with Ca for uptake by the plant. For nitrogen fertilizer, instead of using NH 4, use nitrate (NO 3) fertilizer.
If blossom-end rot develops on your tomatoes, apply calcium fertilizers like calcium nitrate (17% Ca) with irrigation around the base of the tomato plant so the roots can take it up.
This condition is usually worse early in the season. There is competition for Ca between the leaves and the fruit and the leaves win. Many times the first tomatoes of the summer will be affected by blossom-end rot, but tomatoes later in the season will be fine.
With Nebraska's normal fluctuations in spring temperature and rainfall we often face environmental challenges in our gardens, including blossom-end rot.
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6. Bird Gardens Are For You
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
In attempts to get closer to nature, more and more people are planting bird gardens. No, they are not places to grow birds. Rather, they are gardens filled with plants appealing to birds.
More people today are planting bird gardens as a hobby to watch these feathered friends in their own backyards. In addition, the garden's flowers and shrubs can add beauty to a landscape.
These gardens are also beneficial for the birds by providing special places with food, for nesting and protection from the weather.
Many varieties of flowers and grasses can be used to attract birds. Annuals include bachelor buttons, coreopsis, marigolds and sunflower seeds. Perennials like black-eyed Susans, butterfly flowers and goldenrods are also good choices. In addition, many kinds of ornamental grasses, like the little bluestem, can supplement the bird garden.
Trees and shrubs are also important attributes to a healthy bird garden. Viburnum is a popular shrub because it has more than 20 cultivars suitable in Nebraska, besides producing tasty red berries for the birds. Elderberry and serviceberry bushes, dogwoods, and crabapple trees also attract birds.
April and May are good times to buy some of the plants because they are cheaper, being sold as bare root materials. The plants are also sold as container materials and can be planted almost anytime throughout the season.
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7. McCain Foods Of Grand Island Seeks Commercial Onion Growers
By Jim Hruskoci, UNL Extension Educator
McCain Foods USA operates an onion ring manufacturing plant in Grand Island, Nebraska. McCain purchases and processes 50 million pounds of onions annually (1 million pounds each week) at the local Grand Island plant. Prior to the year 2002, all of the onions processed in the plant were grown and purchased from Out-of-State. This represents a potential revenue of $7 million.
2002 marked the first year McCain Foods purchased from a local Grand Island grower (30,000 pounds) thanks to efforts by UNL Extension in assisting the grower and to the UNL onion variety testing program. In the 2003 crop year, two local producers marketed onions to McCain foods, (42,020 pounds and 24,070 pounds) representing a revenue of $9252.60.
Fresh market onions were also sold at Farmers Markets and roadside stands and offered producers with approximately $3000 of additional revenue.
McCain has continued to make local purchases of onions from local growers and still plans to continue for 2006. For all involved, onion production can be a win-win situation, with the producer finding a good marketing avenue through McCain Foods, and McCain Foods benefits from local sales as this represents a savings in shipping costs to the company who otherwise makes purchases from States as far away as California and Oregon.
McCain Foods is still interested in the growth and success of local onion production. UNL has ceased the variety testing program, but will still assist interested growers who want to look into onion production. Interested individuals can contact: Jim Hruskoci, UNL Extension in Hall County, 308-385-5088.
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8. Pruning the Neglected Fruit Tree
By Jim Hruskoci, UNL Extension Educator
Many gardeners start out planting a fruit tree with good intentions but unfortunately, it may eventually join the ranks of what is known as the “neglected tree”. Perhaps you no longer have time to care for and prune the tree or maybe you have simply lost interest. You soon find fruit yields begin to drop. Well, there is still hope for that old tree, so don’t give up on it completely.
Apple trees left unpruned for several years will often produce so many branches that little energy is left over for fruit production.
Overgrown apple trees are also difficult to harvest and spray. Gardeners who have such a tree are often at a loss as to how to get it "back in shape."
Often the best recommendation for such a tree is to make one pruning cut at ground level and start over with a new tree.
However, trees may have sentimental value that will make it worth the time and effort to bring the tree back in shape. Realize that this will be a multi-year process because we should never remove over 30% of the tree in one year.
First, start by removing all the dead wood. This does not count as a part of your "30%."
Second, remove all the suckers from the base of the tree.
Third, choose approximately 6 of the best branches, that originate off the main truck to keep as your scaffold branches. Remove all others.
Branches should be cut flush to the branch collar. The collar is the natural swelling that occurs where a branch connects to the trunk or to a larger branch. Removing the collar would leave a larger wound that would take additional time to heal. You do not want to do that. Also: Do not paint wounds! Wounds heal more quickly if left open.
Candidates for removal would include those with narrow crotch angles (more subject to breakage in wind and ice storms) and those that cross branches that you will keep. This may be all that is possible the first year if you reach your 30% after you have done this first round of pruning.
Finally, thin the branches on each scaffold branch. Remove crowded branches to open up the tree to light and allow moisture to escape. Shorten each scaffold branch by cutting back to a side branch. When you are through, the tree should have enough wood removed that a softball can be thrown through the tree.
Severe pruning will often cause an apple tree to produce vigorous side shoots from the trunk called water sprouts. These should be removed through the growing season so the center of the tree stays open. Instead of pruning these vigorous shoots, put on a pair of leather work gloves and rip them out of the branch or tree base. You don’t want these shoots coming back which would occur if you pruned them, but if you rip them out you might also remove the initial bud that is based in the cambium and the shoot will not regrow.
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9. Acreage Landscape Sustainability
By Steve Rodie, UNL Landscape Horticulture Specialist
With spring just around the corner, many acreage owners are anxious to get started on outdoor landscape projects. Specific tasks, such as new tree planting, a vegetable garden expansion, or solving a drainage problem, may top this year’s to-do list. Regardless of how straight-forward each project seems individually, however, it never hurts to step back and carefully consider the “big picture” of your acreage setting. If you’ve just moved in, or are just now getting to the landscape after several years of indoor priorities, now may be a good time to consider your property in its entirety.
One of the most important benefits derived from a “big picture” viewpoint is the potential for enhanced sustainability. A sustainable acreage landscape is typically very self-sufficient and although not maintenance-free, requires significantly fewer inputs than a traditional acreage property. A well-designed sustainable landscape successfully integrates landscape uses, features and environmental conditions into an enjoyable, beautiful, personalized and more affordable outdoor setting.
The information below summarizes some of the principles that should be considered in the design and implementation of acreage landscapes. For additional information, refer to:
Nebguide G1205- Landscape Sustainability, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1405/build/g1405.pdf
For additional information on design and planning for acreages, refer to:
A Place In The Country- An Acreage Owner's Guide, http://lancaster.unl.edu/acreageguide/plan.htm
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- Windbreaks and shelterbelts conserve energy, control drifting snow, provide food and shelter for wildlife, screen unwanted views, filter dust and noise, and create microclimates which benefit plant health.
- Berms (gradually sloped mounds of soil) help define landscape spaces by creating sloping "walls" along pathways or between different areas, elevate plants for better visibility, and improve drainage and growing conditions for plants in poor soil.
- Ornamental grasses tolerate a wide variety of conditions, provide food and cover for wildlife and offer year-round visual interest. Many of these ornamental grasses are native to the Great Plains.
- Groundcover plants used on steep slopes eliminate dangerous turf mowing conditions, lessen precipitation runoff and soil erosion, and provide additional visual interest and biodiversity.
- Grouping similar plants into masses creates a stronger visual impact and interest in the landscape, copies natural plant community structure, and produces stronger edges in the landscape which are important for both aesthetics and habitat.
- Selectively use higher maintenance turfgrasses in areas of high visibility, access and use.
- Use lower maintenance turfgrasses and prairie or adapted grasses in areas of low use and access (not necessarily low visibility).
- Use organic mulch in all planting beds to increase soil water retention, reduce weeds, visually strengthen bed lines through the color and texture contrast between the mulch and turf, minimize short-term swings in soil temperatures, and enhance soil structure and organic matter content.
- A properly designed, installed and calibrated irrigation system minimizes uneven or wasteful water application.
- Group plants with similar water needs to avoid over or underwatering.
- Use drip irrigation for shrub beds and other beds to minimize water waste.
- Properly select plants for the conditions in which they are placed (example: sun and wind exposure, soil type and soil moisture conditions). Properly selected plants will ensure a healthy landscape with minimal need for chemicals or additional management.
- Landscape "vertically" as nature does. Placing small plants and groundcovers under small trees under large trees enhances both visual and biological diversity.
- Creating wildlife habitat draws birds and other animals, which add to the aesthetics of the landscape and offer biological control of unwanted insects.
- Composting garden waste and applying the resulting organic matter in the landscape improves growing conditions and recycles valuable resources.
- Using recycled and/or local-source building materials (plastic lumber, prairie fieldstone, etc.) can help develop markets for recycled products, lessen product and installation costs and visually tie developed landscapes to the character of natural landscapes.
- Manipulating microclimates by using overhead vines, shade structures and trees enhances the livability of outdoor spaces.
- Raised beds improve access to plants, make it easier to manage the soil, and improve growing conditions by increasing soil aeration and drainage.
- Where feasible, use plantings to connect developed landscapes with natural landscape areas. These integrated landscapes are considered more environmentally valuable than small, scattered areas of vegetation.
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