Growing Techniques:For Gardeners, by Gardeners
Who better to tell you what works then those who have been doing it for years! Below is information and tips on what to grow together, how to improve growth in your plants, and storage tips.
Flowers
VEGETABLES
ASPARAGUS
Plant tomatoes between asparagus and you will have virtually no asparagus beetles.
Marie Mcintosh, Brussels ON
BASIL
To produce more leaves on your basil plant, pinch off the growing tips of the top few branches. Side shoots will develop along the remaining stems. Pinching through the season yields a steady supply of young tasty leaves and keeps the plants productive by discouraging them from bolting.
Olga Gresiuk, North Battleford SKStart your green beans under a Remay Blanket. This helps germinate the seeds faster and also stops birds, skunks and mice from digging up the seeds.
Nina Haleta, Sechelt BC
To hasten sprouting, soak seed in water overnight before planting.
Marjorie Merrylees, Unionville ON
Plant soaked bean seeds along with unsoaked beans. If they are killed by a late spring frost the unsoaked seeds will come up later. If there is no frost, your beans have an early start.
Gerry Irwin, Fort Fraser BC
Plant bush beans with potatoes.Beans help repel the potato beetle and potatoes repel the bean
beetle. They are best companions planted in alternate rows.
Gloria Parker, Hazlet SK
Plant several scarlet runner beans about twelve inches in from the stem of a trellised honeysuckle vine. The beans will use the vine branches for support and will provide blooms when the vine does not. It also keeps the hummingbirds coming.
Barbara Bolce, Caledon East ON
When cooking green or yellow beans (fresh or frozen) I always use one small to medium onion (diced, sliced or whole). For those who do not like onions, use the whole onion and discard it when the beans are cooked. It takes the "rawness" taste out of the beans.
Shirley Halpape, Calgary AB
When growing beets, make sure you keep covering the vegetables with dirt as they grow out of the ground. This will prevent them from becoming woody and tasteless.
Lorraine Stoesz, Winnipeg MB
Seed radishes and beets together. When the radishes are done, your beets are well thinned out.
Sylvia Woloshyn, Kuroki SK
Beets do not mind partial shade. Grow them between tall rows of other crops.
Alvina Sobus, Nokomis SK
Dry beet greens, crumble them and add to soups and stews for a better flavor and nutrition.
Nancy Timm, Wildwood AB
For the first broccoli harvest cut just below the head. New side shoots will continue to appear.
Andre Grenier, Ste. Barbe QC
Plant onions between broccoli andn cauliflower to prevent green worms from attacking the plants.
Linda Teskey, Sudbury ON
I always plant marigolds between cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to deter bugs. A row crop cover ensures protection to young plants.
Linda Franklin, Chetwynd BC
To get rid of worms, soak heads of broccoli in warm water with a drop of vinegar for 15 minutes.
Christine Adler, Port Carling ON
To have brussels sprouts far into the winter, cut stalks at the soil level after first frost. Remove leaves and lower sprouts and keeps stalks in buckets, with a bit of water, in a cold shed or garage. Sprouts keep fresh for several months.
Elizabeth L'Windt, Eastern Passage NS
I find it most helpful using dried crushed up egg shells mixed well into the soil when putting out transplants of any member of the cabbage family. I have had a good harvest of these vegetables using this method.
Marian Braan, Battleford SK
I use flour with the dusting powder to make it go further for dusting cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Put in about half and half. It works!
Rose Calver, Grandview MB
I always plant marigolds between cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to deter bugs. A row crop cover ensures protection to young plants.
Linda Franklin, Chetwynd BC
Mix carrot seeds with old (used and dried) tea leaves so it is easier to plant. Also tea leaves in the row helps to keep worms away.
Eva Dobryden, Regina SK
Before harvesting your carrots, water them well for a few days and they'll stay crisp longer.
Karan Spoelder, Coleman AB
Sprinkle sand in the row before planting. They grow better and pull out easier.
Cameron Bracken, Cremona AB
Place carrot seeds in rows, then carefully pour boiling water over them. The carrots will grow straight.
Chris Shirran, Leaf Rapids MB
Soak carrot seeds in hot tea for a minimum of one hour to speed germination. Place in a bowl lined with a paper towel or cloth for easy draining. Mix with fine dry sand to absorb excess moisture and to prevent from seeding too thick.
Ernest Sommerfeld, Rockyford AB
Sprinkling wood ashes in the row will eliminate carrot maggots.
Mary Nevocshonoff, Grand Forks BC
Mix your carrot and radish seeds when planting. As you pull out the radishes, you will not have to thin the carrots.
Mary Semchuk, Regina SK
When carrots are cleaned and stored in plastic bags in the fridge crisper, they will keep as fresh as from the garden for three to four months. Excellent!
Leslie Rutledge, Dawson Creek BC
To keep carrots, cut off the tops and bottoms (so there is no chance of them growing) and layer them in a container with peat moss.
Olive Macrae, Eastend SK
For longer storage of carrots put semi-moist garden soil on the top of a pail that is three-quarters full of carrots (cut tops off and do not wash the carrots). Store in a cool place. Carrots will last until spring.
Marcus Sannerud, Battleford SK
In the fall, I purchase a few inexpensive laundry bags of meshlike fabric. I rinse the carrots, cut off the tops and place them loosely in the bags. Put them in the washing machine, on gentle cycle, using cold water wash and rinse. The carrots are ready for pickling, cooking or eating. A great time saver!
Gail Meir, Dauphin MB
CAULIFLOWER
To achieve snowwhite cauliflower, gather the long young leaves when the cauliflower is no bigger than a baseball. Tie them together loosely at the top. Let the cauliflower grow until maturity.
Rose Arvi, Tillsonburg ON
I put panty hose over my cauliflower to keep the bugs off. Just cut off the legs and slip over a plant and tie it up. Works great!
Jean Friday, Lloydminster SK
I always plant marigolds between cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to deter bugs. A row crop cover ensures protection to young plants.
Linda Franklin, Chetwynd BC
I usually plant sixteen celery stocks three inches atitle in a square area. When they are sixteen to eighteen inches tall put a string around the whole patch. They stay tight and it saves holding each plant separately for blanching.
C. Bond, Englehart ON
Celery will stay tender if it is not allowed to dry out. I dig two trenches, a shallow one to plant it in and a deeper one to keep the roots wet. Make the deeper one like a moat and keep filled with water.
Ruth Hehir, Prince George BC
To warm the earth before planting corn, spread black plastic over it for a few days in sunny weather.
Ruth Longman, Maryfield SK
I presprout my corn before planting which helps it come up much faster especially if it happens to be a late spring. To presprout, place the corn seeds between damp paper towels and place in a warm spot.
Francine Poulin, Wainwright AB
I cut the tips off the corn once they turn brown and have a seedy texture. This tends to mature the corn faster.
Eileen Yufrym, Danbury SK
When planting corn, work crushed zinc tablets into the row. Corn grows faster and sweeter.
Myrna Woytuck, Olds AB
Pollinate the plants by putting on a jacket and walking through the patch with arms extended. Leave for a couple of days. Then cut off the seed title down to where the cobs start to form. I find that it allows all the growth to go into developing cobs. I always have a good crop with big, full cobs!
Wilma Will, Star City SK
When planting corn make sure there is not too much peat moss where you plant it. The moss will stunt the corn's growth and holds it back.
Alfred Bernesky, Arborfield SK
I usually plant cucumbers in the shade of the corn. This way they do not wilt in the hot sun. A cloth dipped in a tub of water and draped over the edge, acts as a self-waterer and works well in hot, dry weather.
Angela Jarvie, Kinosota MB
I plant sweet peas in between my sunflowers so they can grow up the stalk.
Daniel Braithwaite, Landis SK
We plant dwarf nasturtium seeds around the base of corn. The nasturtiums provide a great source of water retention for the corn and an abundant display of color.
Cheryl Whittle, Edmonton AB
Sunflowers planted among the corn help to keep away the "corn borer" which attacks the corn.
Mary MacKenzie, Meagher's Grant NS
After picking corn on the cob, immerse it immediately in cold water. It will be sweeter when cooked or prepared for the freezer.
Carol Oelke, Leduc AB
For fresh tasting corn, freeze it without blanching. Husk corn, remove silks, then wrap cob in the husks and cover with plastic wrap. Store in a brown paper bag, then in a plastic bag and place in the freezer.
M. Kerber, Saskatoon SK
(top)
Take a wad of old panty hose and put it under each cucumber plant to keep the cucumbers from rotting or mildewing.
Violet Spendlow, Pincher Creek AB
I like to plant cucumbers in a circle around a small hole, which holds a large margarine container, of which the bottom has been perforated with two to nine small holes. This makes it very easy to keep them watered, which is most rewarding after the fruits are set and doubles the yield without stem damage.
Violet Copeland, Maidstone SK
To give cucumbers a head start, fold a paper towel in two, dampen it and lay the seeds on it spacing evenly. Place another folded damp paper towel over the seeds. Slip into a plastic bag. Seal the bag by folding the open end under. Place in a warm location. In a few days the seeds will sprout. Plant as usual in the garden and cover with clear plastic until the seedlings appear.
Anne Senga, Komarno MB
Sprinkle brown sugar over your cucumber blossoms to attract bees. I find that I get a better and bigger crop of cucumbers.
Bonnie Wells, Eston SK
Spread old leaves and grass clippings in a low area to absorb moisture. Add a good six inch layer of rotted manure, plant the cucumber seeds, keep the soil moist and be ready with a lot of pickling jars!
Anne Judd, Port Elgin ON
For earlier cucumbers, plant seed in wide rows or hills, which have been mounded up a bit, to warm up the soil. After planting and watering, cover with black garbage bags for four or five days or until the seedlings start to emerge. Then spread a thin layer of dry grass clippings around the plants to retain moisture.
Margaret Davis, Camrose AB
Water cucumbers the day before you pick them and they will not be bitter.
E. Basaraba, Prince George BC
Pinch off ends of runners on cucumbers. They produce earlier and more.
Mrs. B. Anderson, Swift Current SK
Use tomato cages amongst cucumbers. It uses much less space, cucumbers will stay clean and are much easier to spot and pick.
Judy Grzybowski, Saskatoon SK
When growing cucumbers trim the shoots back about two or three inches every three to four days. You will have an earlier and heavier crop.
K. Harvey, Halifax NS
I usually plant cucumbers in the shade of the corn. This way they do not wilt in the hot sun. A cloth dipped in a tub of water and draped over the edge, acts as a self-waterer and works well in hot, dry weather.
Angela Jarvie, Kinosota MB
Plant four to six radish seeds in the middle of each mound of squash, pumpkin, zucchini or cucumber. Let the radishes bloom. The striped cucumber beetles have stayed away from my crops.
Maureen Pardy, Bear River NS
Before pickling, never soak the cucumbers in water. They will fill up with water, which prevents the brine from soaking in. This is the reason for most pickle failures.
Gloria Mock, Medicine Hat AB
Bring delicate herbs, such as rosemary, in for the winter and replant them in the spring.
Lori Lane, Red Deer AB
When herbs are ready to dry, pull the plant out, gently wash the entire plant and pin the plant root to the clothesline. They dry very well.
Eva Digney, Raymore SK
After harvest, hang herbs in bunches to dry. The best place to hang them is someplace dark, with good ventilation, low humidity and soft breezes (e.g. a dry attic or loft). When dry, store in jars away from light and heat.
Lenora McDonald, Brandon MB
Plant herbs in flowerbeds near the house. They add attractive foliage and aromas.
Barbara Plett, Landmark MB
When the tops of the garlic have grown to mature length, tie them very carefully into a knot. Then your garlic will produce cloves.
Sherry Bomok, Speers SK
Plant garlic bulbs in the hardest soil in your garden. When weeding, do not soften the soil around the bulbs. You will grow larger garlic bulbs and fewer tops.
Sonya Kobylanski, Rycroft AB
I plant garlic beside each of my rose bushes. A very effective way to keep my rose bushes insect free.
Pat Bolen, Salmon Arm BC
When cutting leaf lettuce, do not cut it below one inch above the stock. It will regrow itself many times.
Linda Enslen, Schuler AB
I plant my lettuce in October before the ground freezes. In springtime we eat lettuce two weeks before my regular garden.
Mary Kalynowski, North Battleford SK
If you have trouble with lettuce during the hot months, drive tall stakes into the ground and create a canopy with burlap. It helps to keep the lettuce from bolting.
C. Keenan, Roblin ON
To save space, sow radish and lettuce together in the same row. Radish will mature and get picked
early, leaving the lettuce, which takes longer, to finish growing and fill out the row.
Hilda McPhail, Belmont MB
We plant lettuce in the shade of corn. The lettuce still gets the sun it needs to grow, but is protected from the intense sun that makes it fail to thrive in late summer.
Madeleine Blades, Jordan Falls NS
Transplant head lettuce or romaine between broccoli plants. They appreciate the shade and are usually harvested before the broccoli heads are up.
Lorraine Falcioni, North Augusta ON
Bend over the onion stalks before they form seed pods and the onions will grow larger and firmer.
Miriam Gair, Peace River AB
If you want your onions to grow big, remove the dirt from around the onion without disturbing the roots.
Emily Haidey, Melfort SK
In September, using a fork, loosen onions until some of the roots break. This will speed up drying and closing of the onion necks, therefore, they will not rot in storage.
Doris Severyn, Fort Saskatchewan AB
Make your life easier! There will be no weeds if you lay down a mulch of newspaper on onion beds. Water the mulch thoroughly and weigh it down with rocks or lumber to prevent it from blowing away. Plant onion sets in holes punched in the mulch.
Malleen Veroba, Fox Creek AB
Plant annual poppies in the row with onions and radishes to prevent worms in these vegetables.
Vera Chambers, Wabamun AB
Plant onions and mint together to discourage root maggots in the onions.
B. Davis, Livelong SK
You will not have worms in your onions if you plant onions and carrots together or plant a row of carrots close to the onions.
Laura Thompson, Lloydminster SK
To dry onions, put them in a nylon stocking. Tie the stocking after each one, so if one spoils, it will not affect the rest. Fill the stocking and hang it on the clothesline until the onions are dried. When you want an onion, just cut the stocking below the knot.
Eileen Winters, Frontier SK
(top)
We leave our parsnips in over the winter, but dig them before they start to grow in the spring. You will have parsnips so sweet they could be used for dessert! Plant in a title of the garden where they will not be trampled in the late fall or early spring.
Keith Law, Saskatoon SK
We plant our parsnips with some radish seed. Take care when pulling the radishes and you will have a good parsnip crop.
Clifford Johnston, St. Gregor SK
Mix parsley seeds with parsnip and carrot seeds. The parsley and parsnips seem to germinate better in the same row with carrots.
Stella Sloboda, Henribourg SK
Parsley planted among roses enhances their fragrance and also discourages pests.
Eva Chernishenko, Virgil ON
Mix parsley seeds with parsnip and carrot seeds. The parsley and parsnips seem to germinate better in the same row with carrots.
Stella Sloboda, Henribourg SK
Once the plants are five to six inches high, I hill the soil on both sides of the rows. It gives the plants more support, holds the moisture better and also makes it easier for rototilling.
Ruth Ohlde, Coronation AB
When planting peas, plant two rows close together (about six inches atitle). When they are up and about six inches high, pound in a row of tall wooden pegs between the two rows and attach chicken wires to the pegs. It is so easy to pick the peas when you stake them this way. No bending over!
Margaret Youck, Regina SK
Plant sweet peas with your regular garden peas. They give a lot of color and scent when you are
working in the garden. You will also need only one set of wire for the climbers.
S. Daigle, 100 Mile House BC
Plant peas and bush beans in double rows eight to ten inches apart with a row of compost in between. As the plants grow together, they shade their roots to retain moisture and prevent weeds from robbing the nutrients supplied by the compost. Also makes harvesting doubly rewarding!
Leonard Mailloux, Tilbury ON
A time saving tip when canning peas: blanch them for three minutes in hot (not boiling) water. Dip them out with a wire sieve and into cold water, saving the hot water for the next batch. While still warm, shell the blanched peas.
Annie Penner, Altona MB
(top)
As bell peppers begin to form, pinch off all but four or five per plant. The peppers will be larger, mature faster and be very sweet. This is helpful in short growing season areas.
B. Fahlman, Sioux Lookout ON
If you want bigger and bug free peppers, sprinkle epsom salt around the ground. This is one of my grandmother's tips many years ago. It truly works!
Maureen Dombroski, Eganville ON
Place a layer of tin foil around the base of each plant. This reflects more heat to the plant, keeps the roots cool and keeps incontents away from the plants.
Lorraine Hargreaves, Brandon MB
I place a couple of matches, from a matchbook, in the hole when I transplant seedlings. I get pestfree and diseasefree peppers from each plant. In twenty years I have never had a pepper crop failure.
P. Sidney Irwin, Morrisburg ON '
Plant a few pepper plants in pots and sink them in the garden. Then in the fall they will produce indoors for many weeks.
Kristina Altun, Kelowna BC
Pinch off the tips of the pumpkin vines when four to six pumpkins have appeared. Growth will go into the pumpkin and not the leaves and vines.
Joan Williams, St. Stephen NB
When pumpkins start to form, take a ballpoint pen and print your grandchildren's or special names on them. The name will enlarge as the pumpkin grows.
Mrs. L. Freeth, Winnipeg MB
Place boards under developing pumpkins to help keep them from rotting. To keep pumpkins round and evenly colored, lift and turn them regularly.
Maryann Yarga, Rock Glen SK
To grow pumpkins in colder climates, plant them on top of a compost pile. Plants that normally take one hundred to one hundred and twenty days to bear fruit, will do it under sixty days.
Mrs. G. Goldsmith, Prince George BC
Plant four to six radish seeds in the middle of each mound of squash, pumpkin, zucchini or cucumber. Let the radishes bloom. The striped cucumber beetles have stayed away from my crops.
Maureen Pardy, Bear River NS
We grow our pumpkins under our old apple tree and train the vines to grow up the branches of the tree. In the fall, you see yellow fruit hanging down or sitting on the tree branches.
Mrs. I. Maslanko, Fruitvale BC
Freeze pumpkin in one or two cup packages to be in required quantities commonly used in recipes.
Dorothy Nelson, High Bluff MB
After planting and harvesting your spinach, plant radishes in the same row. Your radishes will not have any worms.
Mrs J. HermannRoll, Shelburne ON.
Every ten days, I plant new radishes from the first of May until well into the summer. This way we never run out of fresh salad produce and less goes to waste.
Laurie Hodgins, Pipestone MB
To save space, sow radish and lettuce together in the same row. Radish will mature and get picked
early, leaving the lettuce, which takes longer, to finish growing and fill out the row.
Hilda McPhail, Belmont MB
Seed radishes and beets together. When the radishes are done, your beets are well thinned out.
Sylvia Woloshyn, Kuroki SK
Plant annual poppies in the row with onions and radishes to prevent worms in these vegetables.
Vera Chambers, Wabamun AB
Plant radishes and parsnips together in the same row. The radishes come up first and help break the way for the parsnips.
Marilyn Hoegl, Lloydminster SK
(top)
Nitrates lightly raked in around the soil of your rhubarb patch will give a bountiful crop. This should be done between February and March.
Lili Muise, Yarmouth NS(top)
Grow in clay pots buried just beneath the surface of your garden's soil. Doing so facilitates moving them indoors when the weather gets cold since they are temperature sensitive and may perish if you do not protect them.
Audrey Rooke, Grande Prairie AB
(top)
Plant in the fall so you can be eating spinach from the garden in the first week of May even on the prairies.
Bill Ritchie, Edmonton AB
Cut spinach to the ground, in late fall, leaving the roots in and mulch them well. It will survive very cold temperatures and yield new growth in early spring.
Andre Grenier, Ste Barbe QC
Scatter spinach seeds between cucumbers or between onions. You will get larger spinach leaves and you save space.
V. Bizon, Edmonton AB
Build a mound of soil with a gravel base twelve feet in diameter and three to four feet in height to grow squash. Enrich the soil with wellrotted manure. Squash can be planted in less space.
Harry Lasn, Shabaqua ON
Plant on or around manure and compost piles. Squash like rich conditions and since they need a lot of area, they will cover the unsightly piles and free up valuable space for other vegetables.
John Hutton, Norval ON
Plant four to six radish seeds in the middle of each mound of squash, pumpkin, zucchini or cucumber. Let the radishes bloom. The striped cucumber beetles have stayed away from my crops.
Maureen Pardy, Bear River NS
I plant early spinach and squash in the same bed. The spinach is harvested by the time the squash plants are taking up space. A handful of zinnia seeds in amongst the squash is also nice. They pop up through the tangled vines and look very pretty.
Devina Brookman, Chemainus BC
(top)
Do not dig up your swiss chard in the fall. Just leave "as is" and you will have a great crop the next year.
Lois Wilson, Toronto ON
Mix some fresh grass clippings with the soil, when you plant your tomatoes. It generates warmth and the tomatoes thrive.
Marlene Wilkie, Okotoks AB
I grow my tomatoes right beside the house over the weeping tile. There is always good drainage and they never get water logged. They also get radiant heat from the side of the house.
P. Shebaylo, Winnipeg MB
To enjoy larger tomatoes pinch off all the flowers that have not started to form a fruit after the first three weeks that they started blossoming. Pruning is also required.
Roland Proulx, Sudbury ON
To prevent rot on the ends of my tomatoes, I put milk, that has soured, on the ground beside the plants or mix six tablespoons of powdered skim milk with two quarts of warm water and pour this on the soil. Tomatoes love it!
Annabelle Slattery, Hussar AB
Shredded paper or newspaper put in the bottom of the hole when planting seems to keep the plants healthier and incontent free.
Ardith Speaker, Boswell BC
When transplanting tomatoes, pinch off all the leaves except the few on top. Dig a deep hole and bury the plant to the top leaves. The transplant will be set back a little, but the entire stem will produce roots and the extra nutrition will give extra fruit production.
Claire Bruce, Winfield BC
Plant tomatoes in a sunny location, in welldrained soil. The richer the better! Water frequently when dry periods occur.
Steve Andrusiak, Flin Flon MB
Make a mound around your tomatoes to keep excess water away from the roots.
L. Bradbury, Newbridge NB
In mid August pinch off the growing tips of your staked tomatoes. This will encourage the ones left to develop quickly and ripen before frost.
D. Peebles, Keswick ON
In really hot weather, take large plastic milk bottles, drill a small hole into the cap and a small hole into the bottom. Turn upside down and put next to the plant (about onequarter of the bottle). Fill with water. This will keep the roots moist and help the plant.
Yvonne Greenwood, New Sarepta AB
When your tomato plants are safely in the ground and cages placed over them and one of those blustery chinook winds hit everything head on, do not panic. Raid your husband's closet, bringing out all his shirts. Button them around the cages one by one. The collar drops neatly into the cages, tie the sleeves in front and they can ride out a warm blizzard cozily. When the storm is over, toss the shirts into the washing machine. He will never know!
Eleanor Long, Red Deer AB
When tying tomatoes to stakes, use old nylons and they will not cut the stems of the plants. The nylon gives in the wind and does not break the plant plus you are recycling for the environment.
Lois DeBlois, Willow Bunch SK
Wood shavings, around plants keeps moisture in and keeps the tomatoes clean and free of slugs.
Anna Bauman, Waterloo ON
After your tomatoes have blooms, go out early in the morning when the dew is still on them and brush your hand over the blooms. This pollinates them quicker and they set tomatoes sooner.
Joy Cockrum, Meadow Lake AB
Put a package of matches in the hole when you transplant tomatoes. The sulphur makes the tomatoes larger and sweeter. Excellent!
Margaret Varga, Kelowna BC
To prevent tomato skins from splitting, you need to give them a steady supply of water, rather than waiting until they are dry and giving them a lot of water at once.
Michelle Dunn, High Prairie AB
When planting new seedlings into the garden, use half a milk carton around the seedling, fill with soft soil and vegetable or potato peelings. As it grows fill in around the plant. It supports and feeds it producing a superior strong tomato plant. We lost "zero" plants last year with this method!
Glenna Seppala, Chitek Lake SK
Plant tomatoes in a shallow trench laying the stems lengthwise in the trench. Cover with soil, leaving only the top leaves exposed. No need to protect plants from wind and sun exposure.
Pauline Cameron, Carlyle SK
Last year I had one tomato seedling left with no place to put it, so I planted it right in the compost pile. It had three times more tomatoes than the ones I pampered.
Donna Fleet, Woodstock ON
Water your tomatoes with lukewarm water. Cold water will stop them from growing for up to eight hours. Use green manure to water them with (onethird titles green plants, and twothirds titles water). Let stand for seven days, then pour onto plants.
Brenda Volke, Kelowna BC
Sprinkle baking soda on the soil around plants to keep pests away. It also cuts back on the tomatoes acidity.
Bill Jewell, Elnora AB
To have healthy tomatoes, seed helpful partners such as nasturtiums, poppies and marigolds, which attract the insects that eat aphids and other pests.
Richard Wandler, Fox Valley SK
Plant garlic with tomatoes to repel red spider mites.
Janice Cunningham, Fairview AB
My husband and I grow a large patch of tomatoes each year. I have been growing the herb, borage, with my tomatoes. It is amazing to see the number of bees that this attractive herb brings to our garden. We have noticed an increase in our tomato crops as well as the cucumbers and anything else which benefits from bee pollination.
M. Lessmeister, Lake Lenore SK
Plant calendula flowers on both sides of tomato plants to discourage tomato hornworm.
Florence Fawcett, Stratford ON
When the growing season for tomatoes has ended, pick the vines (roots and all) containing the unripened tomatoes. Bunch the vines together and tie them. Hang them upside down and store them in a cool, dark place. This will provide you with fresh tomatoes for an extra few months during the winter season.
Selina Fry, Brigus NF
When freezing whole tomatoes cut out the stems and place the tomatoes in plastic bags. Once you take them from the freezer, dip them in hot water and the skins
come off easily.
Thelma Smith, Dryden ON
To keep turnips fresh for weeks, wash them and put them in a large plastic bag with small holes punched in it to allow them to "breathe". Small whole turnips can be washed, then put in the freezer for soups or stews. When you take them out of the freezer, put them in cold water for just a few minutes (do not let them thaw). Peel and cut them when
the flesh part is still frozen. They are very sweet.
Joyce Gauthier, Cochrane ON
(top)
When enough fruit is fully grown, I snip eight to ten inches off the vine ends to encourage faster ripening of the fruit.
Kathy Hildebrand, Halbstadt MB
Rather than waiting for fully matured watermelons, pick them while they are still young and about two inches in diameter. Steam them and serve with butter. Tastes great!
Mrs. S. King, Bengough SK
For the sweetest, tastiest watermelon include the equivalent of two double handfuls of chicken manure (well rotted) at planting time. When July arrives, repeat and keep plants well watered. Harvest when ready and enjoy a dazzling, mouthwatering treat.
Robert Cerna, Port Burwell ON
ALYSSUM
I like to plant some white alyssum behind some petunias in my flower border. It gives the sense of depth to the flowerbed.
Diane Garrod, Oakbank MB
To keep baby's breath from falling down, I cut the bottom out of a whiskey barrel and placed it around the plant. I put a red pump beside it. It looks like a barrel of sudsy bubbles!
Cheryl Kayter, Moose Jaw SK