The long 4th of July weekend is just about the latest to plant heat-loving vegetables such as cucumber, squash, sweet corn and beans to continue a plentiful harvest in late summer and early fall.
Another timely “to do” is to trim all Chrysanthemums including Dendranthemums which include the Igloo series of mums in order to make them compact for fall blooming.
Early July is a great time too to trim various evergreens including Azaleas in order that they can form flower buds this summer for their spring show.
In about 3-4 weeks, the first ripe tomatoes should be coming on line but it looks as though our “tunnel tomatoes” that were planted in late April will be ready in about 1-2 weeks.
We planted the tomato plants in a fabric pot called a smart pot that tends to root prune the root system as it grows outward which results in a more extensive root system to promote growth. The size of the pots are the equivalent of a nursery trade 10 gallon size that’s about 13 inches wide by 13 inches deep. The potting soil is our own tree and shrub planting mix that can be supplemented with more calcium from gypsum or calcium sulfate. Finally, the nutrients and water are supplied by a drip irrigation system that we must turn on every day regardless of the weather as the plants require large amounts of water.
The smart pot system is one you can use at home to grow plants on the patio or deck as long as you are willing to fertilize and water them regularly.
Most of the annual flower greenhouse will be closed after this week; however, we will still be supplying liquid fertilizer for free for flower and vegetable plants as long as you bring your own jug.
Happy 4th of July.
Tom
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