Like us, many of our tropical houseplants love to get outside for the summer. Plants will benefit from the stronger light levels and fresh air. Once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees, you can move your
houseplants outside. In our area, this is usually the time, but keep an eye on that forecast! This can be a good time to rejuvenate that lackluster ficus, fern, or schefflera and fatten up those holiday cactus and succulents. Transplant overgrown plants before placing them outside.
Start by giving the plant a good watering and place it in a shady spot outdoors. Over the next couple weeks, move the more sun-loving plants to sunnier areas. Plants that prefer lower
light levels can stay in the shady spots. Plants outside will dry out more quickly than they did indoors so be sure to keep them adequately watered. Check
them every day just like we do for container gardens and hanging baskets.
Fertilize every couple of weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer such as
Miracle-Gro. If the weather turns chilly again (40s), move the plants back
indoors for the night. After a summer outdoors, you may not even recognize these plants as the same bedraggled specimens you set outside in spring.
Yippee! It's Time to Plant Tomatoes
Finally the ground is considered warm enough for
tomato planting! Now what? Check the plant label for
all the needed information: type and size of fruit,
days to harvest, disease resistance, determinate or
indeterminate growth, etc. A determinate tomato plant
will grow to a certain size and stop, bearing most of
its fruit in a 2-4 week period. Determinate tomatoes
are great for container growing and or smaller
spaces. Indeterminate tomatoes keep growing and
bear fruit all season. Next, select a spot that gets at
least 6 hours of sun. Tomatoes prefer rich, moist,
well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0-7.0. They will grow just
fine in a variety of soils provided you meet their care
requirements. Consistent soil moisture levels are essential
for best results. Tomatoes are heavy feeders; fertilize at planting time and throughout the growing season with Perfectly Natural’s Tomato and Vegetable Fertilizer, a 100% organic plant food.
There are many other fertilizer options too and what you select will determine the frequency of application. Check with our horticulturists for recommendations. Be sure to space the plants about 2-4’ apart so there is good air circulation around them. Provide support stakes or tomato cages especially for indeterminate-type tomatoes. Add mulch at planting time.
If growing a tomato in a container, select a container with a diameter
of at least 14”.
Tomatoes—The Downside
While there is little better than a tomato fresh from the garden, these tasty
veggies do have their share of problems. Understand what the plant needs and how to avoid these problems and you will have a great tomato crop with little fuss. Tomatoes do best with a consistent supply of water. Fluctuations in soil moisture make the plants more susceptible to fruit cracking, blossom drop,
blossom end rot and blights. Perhaps no tomato problem is more distressing
for the home gardener than blossom end rot. When soil moisture levels are
not adequate, the roots are not able to take up the calcium needed for the
developing fruits and brownish-black sunken spots develop on the blossom
end of the tomato.
Most Minnesota soils are not low in calcium so simply
adding calcium will not help. Keep the soil as evenly moist as possible and
maintain a layer of mulch around the plant. Blights or fungal leaf spot diseases can be an issue for tomatoes too. Mulching around the plant and keeping the foliage dry can control these problems. If blight does develop, fungicides sprays can be applied to the plant to control its spread. Remove leaves showing the problems and spray at first sign of disease. Insects such as aphids are an
occasional problem on tomatoes and can be easily controlled by using an
insecticide such as Insecticidal Soap. See our care sheets Tomato Problems: Cultural & Environmental and Tomato Problems: Insects & Diseases
for more information.
Geranium Basics
Geraniums are a long time favorite of gardeners
everywhere. Even with the wide selection of container
garden plants available to us, there is still something to
be said for that big pot of geraniums on the front steps.
Geraniums are easy to grow and will bloom non-stop
from summer until frost. Plant them in well-drained soil
where they will receive at least 5 hours of direct sunlight each
day. They will grow with less light, but will have fewer flowers
and the flowers will be smaller. Once they have settled in, geraniums should
be kept evenly moist or even a little on the dry side. If you are growing them
in containers, make sure they have good drainage. Geraniums are not
heavy feeders; they will bloom best if they are fed every few weeks with a
water-soluble fertilizer like Miracle Gro Bloom Booster or Bachman’s Mighty Bloom.
Over fertilized plants will have lots of foliage and fewer blossoms. For more continuous bloom, remove the flowers as soon as they fade. Insects
seldom bother geraniums, but we have seen the Tobacco Bud Worm in years past. The insecticide Eight will take care of these pests. It’s also possible to
have problems with moldy blooms and leaves caused by botrytis during periods of high humidity. Fungicides are not usually needed; just remove the affected blossoms and yellow or spotted leaves. When watering, keep the foliage dry.
Don’t forget to take a look at the selection of other types of geraniums. There
are ivy geraniums for hanging baskets and window boxes. The fancy leaf
geraniums have pretty variegation patterns and nice flowers too. Check out
the scented geraniums for interesting foliage and fragrances such as lemon, rose, peppermint and more. All of these beautiful plants have the same
care and culture needs as our traditional geraniums.
Sprinkler Systems
Sprinkler systems can sure be a blessing
\when Mother Nature is being a little stingy
with the rain. Most systems are designed to
irrigate our lawns, not our landscape
plantings. Do not rely on your sprinkler system
to adequately water your annuals, perennials,
shrubs, trees, and evergreens. Newly planted
plants should be kept moist until established.
In the case of trees, shrubs and evergreens that
may be a year or more. Once established, 1” of rain per week is usually
enough. More may be needed if you have a sandy soil. If we are not receiving adequate rainfall, water deeply with the hose. The soil should be moistened to a depth of 6” or more. Infrequent, deep waterings are far more beneficial to the plants than the regular, shallow waterings provided by a sprinkler system.
Deeper waterings encourage deeper roots and deeper roots are better able to withstand periods of drought. Shallow waterings encourage shallow roots;
plants dry out more quickly, need watering more often and are more prone to stress. A plant that is stressed never gets a chance to establish itself and grow. Proper watering is essential if your new plants are to survive and thrive.
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
