 |
The Monterey Garden Club - in magnificent Highland County, Virginia our next meeting:Tuesday, May 3rd Field trip to Shenandoah National ParkTimes and carpool information will be posted here as soon as available PHOTOS FROM OUR TERRIFIC ANNUAL LUNCHEON APRIL 9 AT THE HIGHLAND INN APRILtips & hints April is the month when the hummingbirds return to us!!Did you know that the hummingbirds find a good portion of their food before the flowers appear by following the yellow-bellied sapsuckers and drinking from the "wells" that the larger birds drill in trees to collect sap? And they find the insects attracted to the sap there as well.Be sure to plant hummingbird attractive flowers, such as red weigela, columbine, lupine and Japanese flowering quince. And to attract the birds to your property, be sure to put out your hummingbird nectar feeders early in the month, well before the traditional season. A QUICK REPEAT OF PART OF MARCH’S MESSAGE BEARS REPEATING:Danger lurks in these false spring days: the urge to get started on the garden, to rake and dig, to remove the trappings of winter. We can’t wait to get out into the spring and get to work.BUT - it is too early for some garden activities. Don’t be misled by the shallow surface thawing which, in sunny spots, often follows a few warm days. Take a stick and gently poke around the roots, and if you hit ice a few inches down, leave all coverings in place for another week or so, and then test again. FROST DATESare most relevant for vegetables, herbs and annuals. Use the dates as a general guide: climates and hardiness zones, like all other aspects of gardening, are not absolute. Local conditions and microclimates are very variable.Example:a garden in an exposed, windy site or at the bottom of a hill where cold air collects may have growing conditions equivalent to those of the next zone north!Conversely, a bed next to the south facing wall of a house is more sheltered than the local norm: plants in that location will bloom earlier than ‘usual’ and you may be able to grow some platns that are not ordinarily hardy in our zone.Use the dates as a guide, but remember that they represent an average and will vary from year to year according to weather conditions. JUST USE COMMON SENSE WHEN PLANTING. If you want to set out tomato plants and the spring weather has been cooler than normal, wait an extra week or two before planting out. As a general rule of thumb, the bulk of our spring planting takes place in May, as Highland County ranges from Zone 5 to Zone 6. (Fall planting is done in September or October.) MORE AND MORE OF US ARE PLANNING OURVEGETABLE GARDENS THIS YEAR.For a more successful garden, be sure to test your soil before planting. Soil test kits are available in almost all garden centers and ‘big box’ stores. SOME IDEAS FOR VEGETABLE GARDEN PLANTING THIS MONTH: The following crops to plant within the next four to six weeks: Broccoli:Place plants 14-16 inches apart in rows 24-30 inches apart. Moon-favorable dates for planting are March 26 to April 7. Spring broccoli should be planted no later than May 1 as it prefers cool weather. It is generally tolerant of cold weather down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.Some good varieties are Packman, Premium Crop and Waltham 29. Many gardeners prefer to use transplants rather than sowing seeds. Cabbage:Place transplants 12-18 inches apart in rows 24-30 inches apart. Moon-favorable planting dates are March 26 to April 9. Heat-tolerant varieties can be transplanted as late as May 15.Early Jersey Wakefield, Stonehead and Early Round Dutch are some good choices for early spring. Lettuce: Sow seeds March 26 to 31 or place transplants during the first two weeks of April. Sow seed 1/4 inch deep and thin 10 inches apart. Transplants should be placed 8-12 inches apart in rows 24-30 inches apart.Some favorites for early planting are Buttercrunch and Black-seeded Simpson. Peas:Snap peas, English peas and Snow peas should all be sown from seed from the last week of March, continuing planting every ten days until April 21. Sow seed 3/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Rows should be 30-36 inches apart.Some local favorites include Sugar Snap, Wando, and Mammoth Melting Sugar. Potatoes: Some traditions dictate that potatoes should be planted when you see the first dandelions in the lawn. If your lawn is weed-free (c'mon!), plant potatoes April 7-23. Place certified seed potatoes 4 inches deep and 8-10 inches apart in rows 30-36 inches apart.Some local favorites are Kennebec, Red Pontiac, and Yukon Gold. Radishes:Moon-favorable planting dates are April 15-23. Sow seed 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Rows may be as little as 12 inches apart. Do not sow after May 1, as radishes prefer cool soil and moderate air temperatures.Some suggestions: CherryBelle (round) and French Breakfast (oblong) varieties. Spinach: Moon-favorable dates for sowing spinach seed are March 26-April 9. Sow 1/4 inch deep and one inch apart in rows 24-30 inches apart.Some favorites: Tyee and Bloomsdale varieties
Montereygardenclub.com ~
Site Info
Whois
Trace Route
RBL Check
|
 |
Thermapot
Thermapot is ideal for serving hot items of the Barbeque grill. It is also excellent for vegetables, steamed rice, potatoes and virtually anything you want to keep hot.
Nomorecoldmeat.com ~
Site Info
Whois
Trace Route
RBL Check
|
 |
Outdoor Cooking
Outdoor Cooking Magic provides tips and recipes for doing all types of cooking outdoors, including grilling, barbecuing, campfire cooking, dutch oven cooking, smoking, and much more.
Outdoorcookingmagic.com ~
Site Info
Whois
Trace Route
RBL Check
|
 |
Peak of the Market v3
Peak of the Market is a grower-owned not for profit vegetable supplier and operates in Manitoba under the Farm Products Marketing Act. Peak of the Market has grown quality produce in Manitoba for 69 years and supplies over 120 different varieties of Manitoba grown vegetables. We are year round suppliers of various vegetables as Manitoba growers have one of the most technologically advanced storage programs anywhere in North America. Many vegetables can be stored for long periods in controlled environment storage facilities. In these storage facilities, the temperature, humidity and air movement are carefully monitored to ensure the vegetables are maintained in optimum condition to provide excellent quality and value to consumers. Some of the vegetables that can be stored for long periods are Potatoes, Carrots, Onions, Parsnips, Beets, Cabbage and Shallots.
Peakmarket.com ~
Site Info
Whois
Trace Route
RBL Check
Similar Sites:
peakofthemarket.com
|
|
|
|
Site Info
