QUESTION The client called in because his potatoes have spots that look like bugs have eaten chunks. The black inside the potato when cut goes deep, but the potatoes are not green. Potatoes had been grown in that area in the previous … [Read more...]
5 Essential Tools for Gardening Comfort
Bedford Area Master Gardener Phyllis Turner is featured in this AARP article! Phyllis has a wealth of knowledge on this topic and has offered presentations and written fact sheets to help educate people on strategies they can employ to lessen the … [Read more...]
THE FLIGHT OF THE FIREFLIES
With summer comes memories of dark, summer evenings running around the yard catching fireflies. While you may know them as lightening bugs, there was nothing more delightful than capturing these mercurial little insects and watching them light up … [Read more...]
Gardening When It’s Hot – Dealing With Summer Heat In The Garden
In many regions, and especially here in the Southeast, it’s that icky time of year again. The summer heat (and humidity) is back. Dealing with summer heat can be difficult and it’s worse for those who are not accustomed to it. But it’s no picnic for … [Read more...]
Hot Weather Tips For Tomatoes
When the heat is on, tomato plants take a break: they don’t care for excessive heat any more than the rest of us. When daytime temperatures are up in the 90s and nights are in the 70s or warmer, tomato plants may keep on blooming, but the flowers … [Read more...]
Root Vegetables: Underground Culinary Treasures
Like many of my fellow gardeners, I enjoy digging in the dirt, feeling soil textures with my fingertips, and discovering earthworms wriggling around those dark places. Although some people might find this somewhat odd, most young children are eager … [Read more...]
Bacterial Wetwood
The client has a large oak tree that is losing sap. There is a bad odor and a hole at the base of the tree where sap is oozing. What is causing this and how should it be handled? DIAGNOSIS /RECOMMENDATION The problem is termed bacterial … [Read more...]
General Recommendations for Growing Vegetables in Containers
In 2008 and 2009, the Penn State Southeast Research and Extension Center (SEAREC) near Lancaster, PA and the Franklin County Horticulture Education Center in Chambersburg, PA hosted extensive trial plantings of fruiting vegetables in containers. This … [Read more...]
TOMATO DISEASES & DISORDERS
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) can be grown on almost any moderately well-drained soil type. A good supply of organic matter can increase yield and reduce production problems. Tomatoes and related vegetables, such as potatoes, peppers and eggplants, … [Read more...]
June Gardening Tips
With the start of June we now welcome summer and our gardens are now in full swing. With summer we have to keep our gardens watered regularly and keep an eye out for insect and disease problems. Below are gardening tips to help your garden grow … [Read more...]