Follow My Garden's Growth at My New Community Plot: See Everything I Do Over the Year - From Weeding, To Soil Preparation, Planting, Tending, Harvesting and A Lot More!

Follow My Garden's Growth at My New Community Plot: See Everything I Do Over the Year - From Weeding, To Soil Preparation, Planting, Tending, Harvesting and A Lot More!

This year I finally got my community garden plot. I inherited and over-grown plot covered in weeds and wire grass. The fence needed to be replaced and it was in need of lot care and repair.

But it is mine! The first 6 episodes show you how I took it from its neglected over-grown 20-25 foot plot turned into something I am really proud of. If you don't have room or land... you might want to look for community garden plots in your area. Check out the videos for more information and watch me build and grow my community garden.

My Community Garden Plot Episode 1: 

I Finally Got It!, Fencing, Vinegar Brush Killer & Weed Block 

I finally got my 20 x 25 foot community garden plot after a long wait. I will be doing a season long series on how I manage the plot, plant, tend and deal with pests. Some of the space will be used by kids for their first garden and I will show off some of other garden plots in the community. This episode covers quick fencing, vinegar weed & brush killing and putting down weed block. The grunt work.

My Community Garden Plot Episode 2: 

Filling the Beds Cheaply, Planting and a New Gardener! 

I finally got my 20 x 25 foot community garden plot after a long wait. In episode 2, I show you how to cheaply fill your beds and some of the problems I am encountering. My goal is not to have to spend a lot of money to fill the beds this year. The plot has cost about $225 so far to get it in shape. And Leena, a new gardener, starts getting her plot in shape too. She is three!

My Community Garden Plot Episode 3: 

8 Kinds of Raised Beds, A Watering System & Progress 

This is Episode 3 for my community garden plot. I will be doing a season long series on how I manage the plot, plant, tend and deal with pests. The 12 beds are just about prepared. I show you how to use containers to make raised beds. There are 100's of ways to get a garden ready for vegetables. I have covered about 8 ways to prepare the beds in the last 2 episodes. I also show you the beginning design of my container water system that uses a drip hose and eventually a rain barrel.

My Community Garden Plot Episode 4: 

Planted Tomatoes & Peppers, Grow Bags, A Drips System & More 

This is Episode 4 for my community garden plot. I will be doing a season long series on how I manage the plot, plant, tend and deal with pests. The containers were planted with peppers and tomatoes. I started some 7 gallon grow bags with a shredded leaf mix for the containers soil. I am experimenting with a drip systems and Leena waters her garden and enjoys a wheelbarrow ride.

My Community Garden Plot Episode 5: 

Fencing, Trellising, Determinate Tomatoes & A Hose Tip

This is Episode 5 on my community garden plot. I will be doing a season long series on how I manage the plot, plant, tend and deal with pests. Some quick tips on making it easier moving a hose through garden, staking determinate tomatoes, trellis types, and I raise my fence by two feet. The member told me deer can jump 4 foot fences. And a general updated on the growth.

My Community Garden Plot Episode 6: 

Epsom Salt, Tomato Nutrients, Eggplant Flea Beetles & Growth 

This is Episode 6 on my community garden plot. I will be doing a season long series on how I manage the plot, plant, tend and deal with pests. I show you nutrient lacking tomatoes, talk about nutrients, how to use Epsom Salt, flea beetles on eggplants and the progress of my plot. I also show you white patches on zucchini leaves... it is perfectly normal.

Episode 7 will be put out this week. That episode and future episodes can be found on my YouTube Channel!


Good Luck with Your Garden, Gary (The Rusted Garden)

Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

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Benefits of Pruning Peppers: Several Examples with Control Plants

Benefits of Pruning Peppers: 

Several Examples with Control Plants

There are several reasons you may prune peppers. One reason is to develop stronger sturdier stems. This helps plants manage high wind areas and better support heavy crops of peppers. Removing the main growing tip will also create more side-shoot growth in 98% of pepper varieties. I found a few that don't seem to like pruning like 'Banana' peppers. This will create a bushier plant that will branch out and flower more.  The more flowers, the greater the yield of peppers.

Pruning ultimately lets you make a stronger plant that produces more. I will be doing an ongoing series based on the peppers I am pruning. I will be using control groups when available. Here is what my original pruned peppers look like, about 1 month later after their initial pruning. They are compared to un-pruned peppers of the same variety.

Here is the original pruning video if you would like to see how it is done. Pruning can be done many many many ways. This is just one way that I prefer.

If you are growing peppers indoors it is important to know when to transplant them outdoors or into larger cups/pots. Peppers really like warmth and should go out in the garden when the temperatures no longer get below 50 degrees F. If they are in cups, transplant them when they look like this...

Good Luck with Your Garden, Gary (The Rusted Garden)


Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (5000+ Members!)
400+ HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
Follow and Organize The Rusted Garden on Pinterest

Pruning Pepper Transplants: Greater Yields, Stockier Plant, More Side-Shoots & No Flowers

Pruning Pepper Transplants: 

Greater Yields, Stockier Plant, More Side-Shoots & No Flowers 

Removing the main growing tip of your pepper plants will produce stronger stockier plants and increase the yield of each plant. You end up with a lot more side shoot growth which means more flowers and peppers. You don't want your transplants flowering indoors. Prune them. Let them work on stem strength and side shoot production while inside.

Typically, peppers are started 8-10 weeks indoors before they go outside into the garden. You can start them a lot sooner and prune them. You will have stronger plants that will bring you greater yields. When you start them earlier as I did, about 16 weeks before they will go outside, you need to prune them and remove the flowers.

Good Luck with Your Garden,
Gary (The Rusted Garden)


Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (5000+ Members!)
400+ HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
Follow and Organize The Rusted Garden on Pinterest

Everything You Need to Know About Starting Peas Indoors: It Can Be Done!

Everything You Need to Know About Starting Peas Indoors: It Can Be Done!

Peas are cool weather crops and need to be planted fairly early here in Maryland Zone 7. They prefer well drained soil and soil temperature that is 40 degrees or more. They do best when day temperatures don't get past 70ish degrees. So... I try and get mine outdoors in March. As of today, tomorrow will be March 1st and the ground is covered in snow and frozen. Losing most of March by waiting to plant peas directly in the ground, when the soil is ready, will really reduce my crop.

You can easily start peas indoors in peat pots or styro-foam cups. This will give you a 2-4 week jump on the season depending on the variety of peas you start. The video shows you how I seed start them and when they are ready to be moved into larger containers or outdoors. Remember plants that are started inside, need to be gradually introduced to the sun and temperatures. This is called hardening-off.

Peat pots work really well because you can plant the whole pot and not disturb the root systems. Peas will have strong long roots. If grown in the plastic cells, the will grow out the holes in the cell bottom. They have to be pulled back through that hole and often the roots get damaged. An eight ounce styro-foam cup provides enough room for the roots to grow. Just pop out the dirt plug from the cup and plant.

With the peat pots, the pot and plant go straight into containers or ground. I show you how to put them in a 5 gallon container. The process is essentially the same for putting them in the ground. You can plant them in a row if they are going into earth beds.

Good Luck with Your Garden,

Gary (The Rusted Garden)


Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (5000+ Members!)
400+ HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
Follow and Organize The Rusted Garden on Pinterest

Understanding the Difference Between Pea Types: Snow or Sugar, Snap and English or Shelling

Understanding the Difference Between Pea Types: 

Snow or Sugar, Snap and English or Shelling

There are many variations of the three categories or types. You can get variations that give you white or purple flowers, purple pods, wrinkled peas or dwarf varieties.  Maturity time can also vary by a few weeks.

However, many gardeners want to know: Did I get the flat peas for stir-fry? Are these edible pods? Why do some say Snow Sugar or Sugar Snap? What are shelling peas?

This video will explain the main types you would want to plant and grow in the garden. I hope this video helps you when you select your seeds.

Remembers peas like to planted when it is cool, the ground is about 40 degrees and they hate soggy soil!


Good Luck with Your Garden,
Gary (The Rusted Garden)


Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (5000+ Members!)
400+ HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
Follow and Organize The Rusted Garden on Pinterest