Potato family
Solanaceae
Ny-kan’dra. A single strong-growing species from Peru that has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in tropical America and U.S. Often grown in the garden for its dried seed cases.
Description
Leaves alternate, ovalish, with toothed margins. Flowers large, calyx 5-parted, stamens 5. Fruit a 3- to 5-celled, many seeded berry enclosed in an inflated calyx.
How to Grow (more…)
1. Planting Methods: There are several methods for planting. Picking any of these methods depends on the vegetable, the size of your garden, and your fondness. Three methods of planting, namely, single rows, wide rows, and hills are clarified as follows: A) Single Rows: In this method, seeds are sown in rows or lines that are spaced equal distances apart. The distances between the rows and between the seeds within the rows differ from vegetable to vegetable. If you want the rows to be straight, which gives a pleasant appearance to your garden, stretch a string between two stakes and sow the seeds along it. If you think this is too much work, use a stick to mark a line on the ground and try to make the line as straight as possible. With some training, you will get it straight.
B) Wide Rows: In wide row planting, seeds are sprinkled at equal spacing in both directions over a wide area. The width of the row varies from 6 to 16 inches. The row’s width is limited by your arm’s reach to the area in the middle of the row while standing at the edges. We find that wide rows are convenient and productive for peas and beans. In addition to giving high yield per unit area, they cut down on weeds. Wide rows are also good for starting leaf vegetables like lettuce and spinach. When the seedlings emerge, they can be thinned and transplanted elsewhere. Double rows are a special form of wide rows. (more…)
Vertical gardening is a unique and practical method of maximizing all of your garden space. When plants such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and melons are left to sprawl on the ground; they will take up to 10 times as much space as growing them vertically. With the exception of tomatoes and pole beans, too few gardeners take advantage of this gardening technique.
In addition to saving space, there are a number of advantages to growing vegetables off the ground.
* They are cleaner and more resistant to disease.
* Plants will not be subjected to soil rot which results from the fruit lying on the ground.
* Many crawling and soil borne insects and pests will not bother them.
* Plants receive good air circulation.
* Vertical gardening can provide privacy and screen off unsightly views.
* Gardener’s who find regular gardening physically challenging will enjoy vertical gardening because it eliminates a lot of bending over.
October is the month for planting many kinds of bulbs, perennials and vegetables in the South. Lawn planting, too, is at its height, especially preparing lawns for winter color with overplantings of rye grass.
We have gone through a rather difficult summer season of extremely hot weather and severe droughts in many areas. This has left garden soils badly compacted, enough to restrict root growth of lawn grasses and garden plants. This calls for deep preparation of the soil and pulverizing it thoroughly. Ample quantities of peatmoss should be added to heavy clay and sandy soils to improve their texture and moisture-holding capacities.
Some bulbs such as Madonna lilies, freesias, ornithogalums, zephyranthes and leucojums must be planted immediately. Get these in first. The latter part of the month will be too late. (more…)
Pergolas are charming attachment to your Classicspot in the garden. If you are a little person that would like a straightforward little space where you can relax and unwind from the difficulties of the day, you might want to opt for a corner pergola plan. This is slightly smaller than your regular pergola and it serves a different purpose. You can have a daily silent retreat in this corner pergola while enjoying the scenic view of your garden blossoming.
If you are keen on reading, you can enjoy the arena of literature under the light of the noon sun, minus all of the harmful rays! Yes, having a corner pergola plan means you can at last control the amount of sunlight that penetrates your personal area. Stringers placed far apart supply a more sunny view while those put close together lends a more shady appeal. (more…)
As a species name, means “with leaves arranged alternately,” not in pairs or whorls. For example, most dogwoods have opposite leaves, but the pagoda dogwood, Cornus alternifolia, has alternate leaves.
