Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

I know everybody is just coming down from the busy-ness of the Summer gardening season, especially for you hard working people still canning and processing (tomato sauce, apple sauce, pear sauce, whatever sauce), but don’t forget about the wonderful bounty Fall can provide! I’ve been planting onions, garlic cloves, broccoli starts, and seeds of all sorts of greens. It’s so exciting to think about the deliciousness these favorites will provide! Of course, onions and garlic won’t be ready to harvest until July, but the greens and brassicas will be enjoyed through Winter. For anyone who hasn’t had success growing broccoli in the Spring, try now instead. It’s a struggle in the Spring when temperatures warm up rapidly to keep the plants from bolting, but in the Fall, broccoli (and other brassicas-cauliflower, cabbage, brussellsprouts, etc) just gets sweeter as the temperatures get cooler (for those of us who like to know the “why”, it’s because brassicas produce sugar to act as an “antifreeze” to protect their cells from being damaged by cold-cool, huh?).
Happy Fall!

I am planning on relocating from SW Florida to the Asheville area of N.C. Can someone let me know what types of planning would work there and during what months are the best times to plant. Thanks!

I just received three Muscat of Alexandria bare-root grapes.  They are planted, watered, well mulched.  Do I have to prune them back?  Since it is January, they will have a great root system by spring.

Many Thanks
Barbara

Hi Barbara,

Our instructions also say to prune back to two or three buds, and I think the timing is good for pruning.  The benefit of pruning soon after planting is that it will encourage the roots to start growing.  Grapes are vigorous growers, so they really need their root systems stimulated in order to keep up with the vine growth.

Hope that helps and thank you for growing organically!
Amber

“Hi,

I got a blueberry plant for Christmas and was hoping to buy a second plant to cross-pollinate. However, I live in an apartment and have
very limited space, so I need to grow in containers. I was wondering what size container you would recommend for your bare root blueberry
varieties? I can repot later on, but how much growth would you expect in the first year?

Thanks!
Simone”

Hi Simone,

Here’s some good planting info for container blueberries:

http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/promotion/bluecontainer.html

You’d start in a 2 to 5 Gallon container, then transplant into a 16 to 20 inch.  I’d estimate that you’d get 6-8 inches of growth per year.  They reach mature height after about six years, usually reaching six feet high and wide, but in a container probably smaller (maybe four feet).  You can, however, prune them to whatever size you want.

Hope that helps and thank you for growing organically!
Amber

Dear Peaceful Valley,

I live on Long Island, New York.
I live in a pine wooded area
I have cleared land for my organic garden and would like to plant some fruit trees.
I have fenced it in to prevent deer access.
My soil is sandy.
Can I mix in dirt and compost in the sandy soil for each tree?
But how deep and wide do I need to add materials compensate for the sandy location?
What fruit trees would grow in these conditions?
What fruit trees will bare fruit sooner than later?
And…the ones you say are appropriate…do I need a pollinator?

Am I still in time to plant?

Thanks and….
Regards,

Eileen

Dear Eilleen,

According to the USDA zone map we have and considering your particular micro-climate, You are probably in zone 5 or 6. Sandy soil is usually better drained than clay soil and adding compost will help with moisture retention. (more…)

We have such a great selection of bare roots this year and our customers have appreciated it!  We’ve sold over 5,000 and only have 800 left, so hurry and get your bare roots while there is time to get them in the ground!