Beyond the Garden Basics

One question I have been getting a lot of lately: Should I prune off (snip off, pinch out) the first tomato flowers that appear, in order to get more tomatoes later?

Those early tomato flowers, especially if the weather doesn’t cooperate, will fall all by themselves, thank you. Your assistance is not needed.

In today’s newsletter podcast (above), Sacramento County Master Gardener and vegetable expert Gail Pothour explains the myths behind pruning off tomato flowers.

Flower drop and tomato fruit set failure can happen in May and June for a number of reasons, including night temperatures below 55; daytime temperatures above 90; excess nitrogen fertilizer, too much shade, too much smog, plants set out too early in spring, or planting the wrong variety for your area (a Beefsteak tomato attempting to grow in cool, damp San Francisco is not a match made in heaven).

However, by removing those flowers once they are in a situation where they can be pollinated successfully, what is accomplished by removing those flowers? FEWER TOMATOES! And, unless you are trying to stop production, it would be counterproductive to your ultimate goal: shoving that beautiful red orb into the face of your non-gardening neighbor on the Fourth of July, singing, “Nyah, nyah, nyah!”

Wow, where did this tomato flower pruning fallacy begin? One questioner offered a clue when he prefaced that question with, “Last night, the local TV Weatherman said…”

Bad move, taking gardening advice from a person who guesses for a living.

Still, that piece of poor advice must have some historic legs to it. And sure enough, there are many people at social media garden pages who are passing on this wrong-headed notion. And as far as I can tell, it’s the result of one gardener reading a piece of research on tomato pruning, and mangling the retelling of that research.

For example, wholesale tomato plant grower Bonnie Plants offers this online piece of advice at their website page, “How to Prune Tomatoes for a Big Harvest.”

As the growing season draws to a close, tomato plants are often still loaded with fruit. To speed ripening late in the season, remove the growing tip of each main stem about four weeks before the first expected fall frost. Called "topping," this type of pruning causes the plant to stop flowering and setting new fruit, and instead directs all sugars to the remaining fruit. This way, the fruit will ripen faster, plus it becomes more likely that the green tomatoes you pick before frost will actually ripen when you bring them indoors. It may be hard to bring yourself to do this, but it will be worth it if you wish for ripe tomatoes! Of course, if you prefer your tomatoes to remain green for use in frying and jelly, you can certainly skip this step.

Gardener A reads this, and then retells the story to Gardener B, omitting the fact that this advice applies to late season, indeterminate tomatoes only. Gardener B then tells Gardener C: “Pruning tomato flower buds is recommended by Bonnie Plants.” Gardener C then goes online and writes: “Remove flower buds on tomato plants to increase the number of tomatoes.”

Or something like that. And another digital gardening virus is born.

Please become a paid subscriber to the “Beyond the Garden Basics” newsletter. I would like my own chair. Thank you.

When and how should you prune tomatoes?

Very little, only when necessary, to keep the plants within bounds. If you grow your tomatoes in cages (recommended), you would only need to remove those branches that escape and are threatening to wrap itself around a nearby pepper plant…or your head.

If you grow your tomatoes using stakes for support, you may need to do some pruning, according to the University of California Sonoma County Master Gardeners:

“The Traditional One Stake Method features a stake 6–8 foot tall, which is used to tie tomato stems to. Requires pruning out all but about three main stems.”

And, it should be pointed out, that if you follow those pruning guidelines for staked tomatoes, you are sacrificing about 25% of your eventual tomato crop. An that’s yet another good argument to cage, not stake your tomatoes. Cages can be made from sheets or rolls of concrete reinforcement wire with a six inch mesh (the six inch opening makes it easier to reach those tomatoes). The sheets are usually 42” by 84”. Bend it into a circle, secure the ends with zip ties, and you have a tomato cage that’s 42” tall and about 27” in diameter. And it will last for decades. Some retail nurseries have gotten wise to this and offer huge tapered cylinders, some of them eight feet tall, constructed of heavy duty livestock panels, that you could afford to buy if you give up your daily Starbucks habit for a month…or longer.

Cornell University says hacking back your tomato plants is not necessary:

You can grow great tomatoes without pruning, but if you want to prune, here are a few guidelines.

For determinate types, don’t bother pruning. It will only reduce your harvest.

For indeterminate types, allow one, two, or three suckers to grow from the base of the plant. Clip or snap off the rest. It’s helpful to find the first flower cluster on the plant. It will be small but obvious. Always leave the first sucker below the flowers. Then it’s up to you whether you want to leave one or two more suckers below the first. Each of these will become main stems with lots of fruit.

Remove suckers below these and any above the flower cluster. The best time to remove the suckers is when they are 2 to 3 inches long. If larger, you can sometimes damage the main stem.

The book, “Ortho’s All About Tomatoes”, puts it more succinctly, quoting the late Dr. Phillip Minges of Cornell: “Tomato yields per plant may be lowered by pruning. Removing the leaves or shoots does not conserve food for the crop, it tends to reduce the total food supply…use training methods that require little pruning.”

A final hint when searching for garden answers on the Internet. Be leery of advice from gardening social media sites, unless that advice is linked to a study or research that you can also access. When using a search engine, include the words to identify a prominent agricultural school where the advice is reviewed by multiple parties before publication: UC (University of California), WSU (Washington State), Cornell, TAMU (Texas and M), etc.

For example Googling the phrase “tomato worm UC” will lead you to the University of California Integrated Pest Management website first. If you were to just enter the words, “tomato worm”, well…good luck.

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends. And your subscription to this newsletter helps keep the Garden Basics podcast alive, as well. Thank you for your support.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

Consider becoming a paid subscriber to help keep this newsletter, as well as the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast alive and well! Thank you.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter expands upon a topic we were briefly discussing in Episode 395 of the Garden Basics Podcast, “Survival Garden Basics”. In this case, the short chat was about the value of microgreens, and how they are easy to grow, and because of their small size, super-packed with nutrients.

In today’s “Beyond the Garden Basics” newsletter podcast (above), Sacramento County (CA) Master Gardener Gail Pothour discusses how to grow and harvest microgreens, and how they can be used in various dishes. This conversation originally aired on a Garden Basics podcast back in 2020.

Beyond The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. It will also help feed these two hungry rescues…and this (formerly) stray cat.

The ABCs of Microgreens

One great resource for gardeners about microgreens comes from Penn State Extension, entitled, “The ABCs of Microgreens”. Among the highlights of that article:

Many edible plant species can be used to produce microgreens. Among the standard vegetable species, the most popular ones are those belonging to the broccoli family (Brassicaceae), such as broccoli, radish, cauliflower, arugula, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, mizuna, cress, broccoli raab, etc., which are characterized by a very short growth cycle (7–8 days maximum) and by the typical pungent taste of cole crops which is primarily due to their content of glucosinolates, natural compounds considered anti-cancer per excellence.

Other vegetable species commonly grown as microgreens include beet, Swiss chard, spinach, amaranth, lettuce, chicory, endive, carrot, celery, fennel, leek, onion, and cucumber. Microgreens are produced by also sprouting cereals such as barley, oat, wheat, corn, and pseudo-cereals like quinoa, legumes such as pea, alfalfa, bean, fava bean, lentil, clover, chickpea, and fenugreek, and even oleaginous and fiber species like sunflower and flax, respectively.

Interesting microgreens are also produced using the seeds of aromatic herbs such as basil, cilantro, dill, chives, and cumin, or using the seeds of some wild edible species such as borage (Borago officinalis L.), wild chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber), sea asparagus (Salicornia patulaDuval-Jouve), etc.

In some cases, mixes of different species are used to obtain specific color or taste combinations. When mixes are used it is very important to balance the seed density as well as to make sure that seeds of different species or cultivars will germinate and grow at the same time.

Some common vegetable crops like tomato, pepper, eggplant, and potato are not edible at the seedling stage and are not suitable to produce microgreens because they contain alkaloids, which at high levels, are toxic for humans. If using wild species, it is very important to recognize the plants from which seeds are collected because many spontaneous species contain toxic compounds while they may look like edible plants. Therefore, if you are not a plant expert, refrain from using wild plants to produce microgreens. Also, you should exclude any species for which you may have an allergic reaction.

That Penn State Extension article did point out one very important fact about growing microgreens at home: remember, different seed varieties grow at differing rates, so be cautious if using a mix of microgreens. Probably better to purchase each variety separately and grow each in its own container. And, a good portion of the article dealt with the microgreen mathematics involved: because you should sow the seeds thickly, how many seeds should you sow in a single container? No worries. There’s a link to an Excel file that does the calculation for you.

How Nutritious are Microgreens?

I’ve often heard from dietitians and health food aficionados that consuming microgreens and baby greens provide more nutrition than their full grown counterparts. Is that true? In a 2021 published study of two greens - spinach and roselle - researchers discovered that these plants - when harvested within 20 days of sowing - have some critical nutritional benefits greater than the full grown plant, according to the National Library of Medicine:

“Compared to field grown mature foliage, greenhouse-grown micro/baby-greens were lower in digestible carbohydrates and CA (calcium) but higher in digestible protein, P (phosphorus), K (potassium), Mg (magnesium), Fe (iron), Mn (manganese), and Zn (zinc).”

From the National Library of Medicine (Nov. 2021): Nutrient Content of Micro/Baby-Green and Field-Grown Mature Foliage of Tropical Spinach (Amaranthus sp.) and Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

Note: “DAS” - Days After Sowing

So, for certain nutritive boosts, nature’s “fast food” (greens harvested at microgreen or baby green stage) is the way to go. Better yet, it’s quick from the garden to the plate, reaching cutting stage in 10 to 20 days after sowing in optimum conditions and temperatures.

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends. And your subscription to this newsletter helps keep the Garden Basics podcast alive, as well. Thank you for your support.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

Consider becoming a paid subscriber to help keep this newsletter, as well as the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast alive and well! Thank you.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

If you’re reading this as May turns into June, and you live in the West, you know you’re going through a heat wave, including triple digit temperatures in parts of California. A more widespread - and longer - heat wave is expected in mid-June. And, long range forecasts are calling for a much hotter summer (July through September) than usual throughout most of North America.

This is not good news for your south and west facing backyard tomatoes, especially.

Give a listen to today’s newsletter podcast clip (a short one) from Episode 383 of last March, the 2025 Tomato Preview Show. Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis offers tips on protecting your young, west-facing tomatoes (as well as bell peppers) from developing sunscald or sunburn during an extended heatwave.

It’s a technique that allows commercial tomatoes to be picked early in their life, stored, possibly treated with ethylene gas, and then shipped to grocery stores after they’ve reddened up and gotten a bit soft…with parts of their stem still attached. These tomatoes receive a premium price, because they are labeled as “vine-ripened”.

Processors and grocery stores insist this fits the definition of “vine-ripened”. Actually, there is no legal definition of “vine-ripened”, according to the USDA. The closest they come is in their “standards” for a mature tomato, which might come as a shock to you who grow backyard tomatoes.

Thank you for becoming a paid subscriber. It helps me feed the animals that reside here. And the people who are building me a new bike.

From the USDA’s “United States Standards for Grades of Tomatoes on the Vine”:

§51.2172 Mature.''Mature'' means that the contents of two or more seed cavities have developed a jellylike consistency and the seeds are well developed. External color shows at least a definite break from green to tannish-yellow, pink or red color on not less than 10 percent of the surface.

You may have assumed that those grocery store “vine-ripened” tomatoes were picked red and shipped immediately. You may have noticed that the tomatoes had a “tomato aroma”. Actually, if they still have a piece of the vine attached to them, that is the part that is emitting the aroma, according to “America’s Test Kitchen”. They also quickly point out, however, that “…in blind side-by-side tastings, my colleagues and I have never been able to consistently find a difference in flavor” between on-the-vine and ethylene-ripened tomatoes.

They quote a study that reaffirms their findings. That study was published in “The Journal of Food Science - a Publication of the Institute of Food Technologists”. It was conducted primarily by the staff of Rutgers University Food Science and Plant Science Departments, with support from the New Jersey-NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training. Do any of these firms have ties to the commercial tomato industry? I’ll let a newspaper or magazine with a team of researchers try to track down that answer.

The title of the study was: “Quality Comparison of Hydroponic Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) Ripened On and Off Vine”.

Before moving on, a clarification for you real tomato heads from NeetPrep.com (which bills itself as “India’s #1 Classroom Test Series”) regarding the question of the correct biological name for the tomato:

“In 1753, Linnaeus placed the tomato in the genus Solanum (alongside the potato) as Solanum lycopersicum. In 1768, Philip Miller moved it to its own genus, naming it Lycopersicon esculentum. Genetic evidence has now shown that Linnaeus was correct to put the tomato in the genus Solanum, making Solanum lycopersicum the correct name. Both names, however, will probably be found in the literature for some time.”

OK, lets ask the first obvious, basic question about this tomato taste test: What is the difference between the taste of a hydroponically-grown indoor tomato and an in-ground outdoor grown tomato? Although I was entertained by the variety of answers I read at crowd-aggregation site Quora, primarily from hydroponic enthusiasts, permaculturists, and way too many people not clear on the concept, I will rely on Google’s AI summary of the difference, which may have problems of its own:

* Hydroponic Tomatoes:

* Controlled Environment: Hydroponic systems allow for precise control over nutrient levels, light, temperature, and humidity, which can lead to larger, juicier fruits but sometimes with a less complex flavor.

* Less Soil Interactions: Soil-grown tomatoes benefit from interactions with beneficial bacteria and fungi, which can contribute to unique flavors and compounds.

* Potential for Bland Taste: Hydroponically grown tomatoes may have a lower concentration of certain flavor compounds, leading to a more muted taste.

* Sweeter Taste: Some studies have shown that hydroponic tomatoes can be sweeter due to increased water and sugar content.

* Soil-Grown Tomatoes:

* Complex Flavors: Soil provides a diverse environment with organic matter, beneficial microbes, and minerals that can contribute to a more complex and nuanced flavor profile.

* Natural Conditions: Soil-grown tomatoes are exposed to natural variations in weather, sunlight, and nutrient availability, which can affect their flavor.

* Tangy or Earthy Notes: Soil-grown tomatoes may exhibit more tangy or earthy notes due to the complex interactions in the soil.

* Lower Sugar Content: Soil-grown tomatoes may have less sugar content than hydroponic tomatoes.

In summary: While hydroponic tomatoes can be convenient and productive, their flavor may not be as complex or intense as those grown in soil, though some varieties are being developed to address this.

===========================

When I die and go to Purgatory to burn off my sins, I am sure I will be placed on a panel that does nothing but taste-test hydroponically grown tomatoes, trying to differentiate between bland and blander.

In other words, that’s not a study that backyard tomato growers could relate to. The look, aroma, taste and juiciness of a freshly picked, homegrown heirloom tomato will have you saying what my wife says every winter: “I WILL NEVER BUY A GROCERY STORE TOMATO THIS TIME OF YEAR!” Yes, after growing backyard tomatoes for every year of our 45 year marriage, I’ve created my own personal tomato Frankenstein. Hell, she won’t even touch grocery store tomatoes in the summer. Well, frankly, in this household, there’s no reason to buy a tomato in the summer. Just step into the back yard with your snippers, and have at it!

For those who have never grown tomatoes in the back yard (or front yard), your best chance for really tasting what a tomato is supposed to taste like is to head to a farmers’ market this mid-summer, and purchase a just-picked-that-day, mid-size heirloom tomato (not a one-ounce cherry tomato; not a 16-ounce supersized beefsteak-style tomato) and eat it as soon as possible. Your next stop after the farmers’ market just might be at a well-appointed nursery, to get an heirloom tomato plant that has been upsized from a four inch pot into a 2-gallon pot and is selling for $20. Or better yet, prepare your yard for planting a few tomatoes next Spring. You’ll find plenty of info on how to do that, including the tastiest tomato varieties, in the archives of the Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter as well as several podcast episodes at Garden Basics with Farmer Fred.

Oh, you want to check out past editions of the Beyond The Garden Basics newsletter? Although the current edition is free to all subscribers, only paid and Founding Members get access to past issues.

Be Your Own Tomato Junior Scientist!

Here is where we nicely dovetail the topics of upcoming heatwaves and tomato tasting: When an extended heatwave, especially the ones where temperatures that will exceed 100 degrees are forecast, do what Don Shor suggests in today’s newsletter podcast:

• Before the onset of heat, help protect your tomato crop from sunburn or sunscald damage by harvesting those exposed tomatoes that are at the breaker stage of development (just beginning to turn from green to yellow/pink) that are located on the west side of the plant (for those areas of the country where the heat builds up throughout the day) or the south side (if your heat tends to peak midday).

• Place the tomatoes in a shady spot on your kitchen counter. Don Shor says they will ripen to red in seven to ten days. Other sources say it may take a couple of weeks.

• Whenever they develop a nice shade of red and have a bit of “give” to them when you gently squeeze them, cut them open, examine and taste them. Note their look, aroma, flavor, and sweetness or acidity. Give each of those categories a score of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest grade).

•Perhaps at the end of that two week waiting period, there may be other tomatoes of the same variety growing in the yard that have reached full redness and feel ready to pick. You may have to wait longer than two weeks to do this portion of the taste test, hence the reason for writing the scores down.

• Pick them, examine them, taste them, and then grade those garden-ripened tomatoes.

• Was there any difference in the scores of look, aroma, flavor, and sweetness or acidity between a counter-ripened tomato and a garden ripened tomato? Let us know in the comments which tomato varieties you used in this experiment, and the scores!

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends. And your subscription to this newsletter helps keep the Garden Basics podcast alive, as well. Thank you for your support.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s)

Beyond The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, including the Garden Basics podcast, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Tariff-Free!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

Both free and paid subscribers have full access to the Friday edition of the Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter. Because cutting off free subscribers in the middle of a newsletter isn’t a nice thing to do.

At the top of the page: an excerpt of a conversation with Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery about growing tomatoes with drip irrigation in raised beds from Episode 288 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast.

Another podcast episode that really delves into drip irrigation was Episode 227, Understanding Drip Irrigation”. That featured an in-depth chat with author Robert Kourik, who literally wrote the book about good drip irrigation techniques and equipment. Give that a listen.

Drip Irrigation Lessons Learned the Hard Way

After working with drip irritation systems in the garden for more than 40 years, consider this my “Lessons learned the Hard Way.”

Example One: my original raised beds, from the early ‘90’s featured three parallel drip lines with inline emitters running the length of a four foot wide bed. Also lacking: no individual on-off valves for each bed. All the beds were, in effect, running on a single circuit simultaneously. The irrigation was running for two to three hours a day, four or five days a week, to achieve plant growing success.

The problem was the lack of water during a single irrigation flowing from the one-gallon inline emitters spaced 12 inches apart, on lines that were 18 inches apart in the raised beds. Complicating the matter: no attention was given to the cross-spacing of the emitters between lines. If all the emitters were lined up like little soldiers on those three lines, there were large areas of soil that had a hard time getting water.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned about raised bed gardening is something that Don Shor of Redwood Barn Nursery has pounded into our heads for decades: you have to consider a raised bed as just a large plant container, with all the limitations involved of dealing with potted plants:

• It dries out quicker.

• Drainage could be problematic.

• Tall plants, such as corn, tend to fall down and go boom much more readily in a raised bed than in an in-ground planting during a summer windstorm. A couple of reasons for that: the raised bed soil is not very good at anchoring roots. The water pattern in a raised bed does not encourage a wider plant root system. Roots will follow the water, not vice-versa.

Water tends to go straight down in a raised bed instead of spreading out, due to a higher content of loose, friable, potting mix-like sandy soil. In the backyard garden, there is probably a higher content of clay, which allows water to spread out. For example, in a freshly filled new raised bed with a premium potting mix, the water released from a drip emitter may only have a diameter of 8 inches across, as it descends through this mix.

In your backyard soil, that probably has a lot more clay? That water diameter may spread out 18 inches as it trickles downward.

Did you know that the paid subscribers to the Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter are helping to keep the neighborhood abandoned cats happy by distracting them from the garden?

Cut Your Drip Irrigation Woes with These Tips

The solution? Add more parallel lines. Add mulch.

Solution number two: Stagger the lines so that emitters were not side by side.

But there was one more trick to employ to help preserve soil moisture: grind up fallen leaves from neighborhood oak trees, and use it as a mulch, several inches thick, year round.

Mulch, as I have reminded you for decades:

• Retains moisture.

• Keeps soil temperature constant, reducing plant stress.

• Suppresses weeds.

• Gradually increases soil organic matter, feeding the soil.

• Attracts beneficial organisms that improve soil fertility and porosity.

• Encourages healthier plants, reducing the needs for pesticides and fertilizers.

• Protects roots and plants from mechanical injury.

• On hillsides and around rural homes, certain mulches can suppress the spread of brush fires.

One solution occurred to be early on in my adventures in drip irrigation of raised beds. Using 4’x5’ sheets of concrete reinforcement screening, with six inch mesh spacing, to keep the dogs and cats out of the raised beds.

Note as well that even though you can bury the in-line emitter drip tubing beneath the mulch, I like to keep the end caps visible. That’s a reminder to occasionally undo them and flush any debris or impurities out of the lines.

Paid subscribers to the Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter can read the archives of over 200 editions of this newsletter! And they get a special Monday edition, as well. And besides, I need a new bike. Thank you.

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends. And your subscription to this newsletter helps keep the Garden Basics podcast alive, as well. Thank you for your support.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

In Episode 390 of the Garden Basics podcast, Master Gardener Gail Pothour offered some great tips for growing peppers this spring and summer. We also discussed sweet, warm and hot pepper varieties that might be worth a try in your own garden. That portion of our discussion is also in the newsletter podcast at the top of the page.

Also in today’s newsletter podcast, Diane Blazek, the Executive Director of the All America Selections plant winners, talks about her favorite award-winning, not-so-hot peppers.

Gail Pothour did share a little gardening secret of hers: if she is in doubt about the quality of the bargain potting soil she’s using, she will toss in her “fertility mix”: a concoction of organic materials to give a boost to that potting soil. Gail explains:

“The organic fertility mix recipe is from John Greenler of Zephyr Community Farm in Stoughton, Wisconsin (who I believe may be, or previously was, a professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a PhD focused on plant biology). I found it in a book, “Great Garden Formulas - The Ultimate Book of Mix-It-Yourself Concoctions for Your Garden” (Rodale Press). The recipe for Zephyr Farms Original Organic Fertility Mix is as follows:

2 cups rock phosphate

2 cups greensand

2 cups blood meal

1/2 cup bone meal

1/4 cup kelp meal

Mix all ingredients together. Makes 6 1/4 cups of fertility mix. Sprinkle mix over 15 gallons of commercial potting soil. (Note: a 2 cubic foot bag of potting soil = <13 dry gallons).

**Rock phosphate provides phosphorus

**Greensand and kelp meal provide potassium and trace minerals

**Blood meal provides nitrogen

**Bone meal provides phosphorus and calcium

I generally am not a proponent of DIY concoctions, but this fertility mix seems to provide a good blend of nutrients to potting soil that is sometimes lacking in nutrition. In my opinion, you get what you pay for when it comes to potting soil. But I am also always looking for a bargain, so if what I have purchased does not have a long list of good quality organic ingredients, then I add this fertility mix.”

Peppers Worth a Try

Peppers worth a try, from the conversation between myself and Gail. Most of these are sweet to mildly hot. Sweet peppers generally come in at 0 Scoville Units. The exceptionally hot ones are noted, as well.

Pot-a-Peno

(mildly hot. 5000 Scoville Units)

“Plentiful small, green jalapeño fruits have a traditional spicy zip that is great in any dish where you want a little punch of spice. Simply leave the fruit on the vine a few extra weeks and they will ripen to red for a sweet, spicy flavor. This variety is earlier to mature than other jalapenos giving you a head start on your garden’s harvest. A unique trait of Pot-a-peno is how the fruit hangs down beneath the plant making it very easy to harvest without damaging the appearance or productivity of the plant. A dense foliage canopy makes for an attractive addition to your patio or balcony garden.”

Tricked You

“90 Days. An improved version of the very popular Fooled You that is sure to become a favorite in its own right. Easy-to-grow, 4" fruits have excellent jalapeno flavor without the heat. Great for combining with hot jalapenos to customize the level of heat in homemade salsa and hot sauce. An X3R® variety.”

Red Impact

“Lamuyo-type peppers are notoriously difficult to grow, but the new Red Impact variety is here to change that. This AAS Winning pepper is easy to grow and produces thick, sweet walls, even when green. It is also much sweeter than other varieties and loaded with fruits for a high yielding gem. Red Impact plants are upright and tidy, with a strong disease package that protects your investment. The fruit is dark red, highly uniform in shape and size.”

Sheepnose Pimento

“80 Days. A tried-and-true heirloom. Pimento-shaped, 3 by 4" fruits are very sweet and meaty, making them ideal for canning, freezing and eating fresh. Plants are very productive, and fruits keep for weeks in the refrigerator.”

Flamingo

From Harris Seeds: “The vigorous hybrid pepper plant is resistant to TMV and prolific. Its smooth, tapered fruit are a good size (3-1/2 x 3-1/2" ) They have a waxy finish and turn from ivory-yellow to orange-red. Flamingo is a beautiful, sweet salad pepper with a bright color. If you are using Gypsy in your program, you should grow Flamingo for its improved yields and much larger size.”

Gypsy

“The early and heavy production of the yellow sweet pepper Gypsy provides color and flavor variety to your salads and dips. The 3-4 inch wedge-shaped fruits are very tender, crunchy and sweet. The plants average 18-20 inches in height with a 14-18 inch spread and are resistant to tobacco mosaic virus disease.”

Mariachi

mildly hot. 500-2000 Scoville Units

“Mariachi sets fruits and produces an abundant crop of high quality, mild chile peppers. The chile peppers are pendant meaning they will hang below the stem. It is a fleshy pepper that ripens from creamy white to rose, then red. Some people may wait for the mature red pepper, but because its flavor is delicate and complex, having fruity undertones reminiscent of melons, the gardeners will harvest them at the creamy white stage. Mariachi peppers are moderately pungent, with Scoville readings in the 500 to 600 range when grown under non-stressful conditions. Add stress, such as extremely hot weather or overly dry soil, and Scoville readings may rocket to 1500 or 2000. Mariachi chiles can be used in salsas or sauces and are especially flavorful when roasted whole on the grill or under the broiler.”

MexiBell

mildly hot. 100-2500 Scoville Units

“MexiBell looks like a sweet pepper, but it’s not. This bell pepper has an entirely new flavor – pungent. It combines a 3 to 4 lobed blocky bell fruit shape with the flavor similar to an Anaheim pepper. If desired, you can control the heat by cutting out the entire seed core, removing all seeds and white ribs. The productive 24-inch MexiBell plants are tolerant of Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Foliage provides an excellent canopy over the peppers that can be harvested in 120 days from seed when mature green or at 140 days to red.”

Tequila

“75 Days. A true purple sweet bell, deep in color with early maturity. Its 3 to 4-lobed fruits mature to a medium red. Attractive fruits make excellent stuffed peppers and stir-fries. Resists Tobacco Mosaic Virus.” A Farmer Fred Favorite!

NuMex Joe E. Parker

mildly hot. 500-2500 Scoville Units

“Renee’s Garden favorite authentic New Mexico style chile with long, straight, 6-7 inch meaty pods, a medium heat level and rich, full flavor. Early-producing plants have heavy, consistent yields, and dense foliage that protects pods from sunburn. Harvest thick-walled, juicy pods at either the green or red stage. Perfect for memorable green or red chile, wonderful salsas, or for grilling, sautéing or adding gentle heat to any dish.”

Jimmy Nardello

According to the Baker Creek catalog: “This fine (sweet) Italian pepper was grown each year by Giuseppe and Angella Nardello at their garden in the village of Ruoti, in Southern Italy. In 1887 they set sail with their one-year-old daughter Anna for a new life in the U.S. When they reached these shores, they settled and gardened in Naugatuck, Connecticut, and grew this same pepper that was named for their fourth son, Jimmy. This long, thin-skinned frying pepper dries easily and has such a rich flavor that this variety has been placed in “The Ark of Taste” by the Slow Food organization. It ripens to a deep red, is very prolific, and does well in most areas.”

Orange Blaze

“This variety proved itself a winner in AAS Trialing Grounds across North America due to early maturity, sweet flavor, and disease resistance. It matured to a beautiful orange color earlier than the comparisons. Expect a very sweet flavor at full orange color about 65-70 days from transplant. Orange Blaze F1 produces 3 to 4-inch long fruits about 1 1/2 inches wide with 2-3 lobes.”

Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry

According to the Gurney’s catalog: “For gardeners, Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry Hybrid Sweet Pepper is like Christmas in July! Very ornamental plants bears lots of deliciously sweet, striped fruits! This early maturing variety produces attractive green fruits with unique white stripes that change to chocolate and cherry red as they mature. The mini bells are deliciously crisp and sweet—and can be eaten at any stage of ripeness. They're great for snacking, raw vegetable trays or cut up in salads. Growing 18-24 in. tall, the compact plants have variegated foliage and are very ornamental, so they're ideal for the edible landscape, tucked into a perennial bed or even grown in a container. 70-75 DAYS.”

Pick-n-Pop Yellow

“These are cute, snack-sized mini peppers that are extra sweet with just the right amount of juiciness and crunch. They produce continuously on a moderate sized plant with outstanding bacterial leaf spot resistance and produce a prolific number of bright, canary yellow-colored, uniformly shaped peppers.”

Orange Habanero

(very hot. 200,000-350,000 Scoville Units)

According to the Pepper Joe’s catalog: “The orange habanero pepper plant is very productive producing large amounts of 1-3" shiny, scorching peppers, and will stand out beautifully in your garden or patio. The plants are very tolerant to cool conditions and perform well in cooler climates like the Northeast. This orange habanero pepper has a Scotch Bonnet shape that matures to a gorgeous, bright orange color that will not be hard to find in your garden. It will take 80 days to mature to green, and 100 days to mature to orange. The Habanero Orange chili contains fruity flavors that make it perfect for hot sauces, chili powder, and even add to your Jamaican jerk sauce.”

Trinidad Scorpion

(very, very, hot. 1,200,000-2,009,000 Scoville Units)

According to Pepper Joe’s catalog: “The Trinidad Scorpion is a super hot variety that was once one of the hottest peppers in the world! It held the distinguished honor as the world's hottest pepper, before it was dethroned by the Carolina Reaper. It is still a highly respected pepper for its volcano-level heat. The heat on this pepper is so strong, it may feel like your tongue is being stung by a scorpion! Heat levels can reach as high as 2,000,000 SHUs.

Ghost pepper

(hot, hot, hot. 900,000-1,000,000 Scoville Units)

According to the Pepper Joe’s catalog: “The Red Ghost Pepper, also known as the Bhut Jolokia chili, is an heirloom varietyoriginating from India that was once the hottest pepper in the world. The hot Ghost Pepper chili took the crown in 2007 and held the record for 4 years. Most ghost peppers run around the 900,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units) mark but have been recorded at over 1,000,000 SHUs. As one of the spiciest peppers in the world, the Indian Army onceweaponized these to make chili hand grenades!”

Jalafuego

(hot. 4000-8000 Scoville Units)

According to the Pepper Joe’s catalog: “The Jalafuego hybrid is noticeably more robust in its size and its flavor than other Jalapeno varieties, which make them a must have for growers and chefs.

Plant these pepper seeds into the ground and watch them grow into 3 ft. tall, sturdy Jalafuego plants. You will see 4-6” long fruits form, starting out a deep green and ripening to a mature red. Jalafuego peppers are extra wide with smooth and glossy skin. These plants are more productive than other Jalapeno varieties, so be prepared for heavy yields.

What you’ll get is more heat and flavor with these peppers. Jalafuegos can be harvested at their green stage (70 days) or when they ripen to red (90 days). Green Jalafuego peppers will have less heat and a lighter flavor best used in fresh foods and for cooking. Red Jalafuegos have more of a bite and peppery flavor to them, making them ideal for drying, salsa, and sauce.”

Inferno

(kind of hot. 2500-4500 Scoville Units )

According to the Pepper Joe’s catalog: “The Inferno F1 is a very productive hybrid pepper plant with high yields. Easy to grow, the Inferno pepper plant will produce approximately 8" long pods, which will be one of the bigger peppers you’ll grow. The smooth-skinned pods look identical to longer slender hot peppers like the Red Long Cayenne Peppers, or are even shaped like bananas. The large Inferno pepper will ripen from pale-lime/green, yellow, to then turning red. You can harvest the Inferno hot pepper at any stage depending on the level of spiciness you want, but we recommend harvesting them when they turn yellow or red because they have more unforgettable flavors! The Inferno chili is great for roasting, pickling, and frying, and to use as a topping like pizzas and burgers.”

Roulette Habanero

“Roulette F1 resembles a traditional habanero pepper in every way (fruit shape, size and color, and plant type) with one exception – No Heat! This AAS National Winner’s one-ounce fruits are red with thick walls when it matures and a nice citrusy (no heat) habanero flavor! Gardeners will be delighted with the earlier production of large, uniform fruit and a very high yield. One judge noted that each plant easily produces 10-11 fruits at one time and up to 100 per season so there are plenty to eat fresh, cook with, and enjoy! For an early fruit production of a habanero pepper that will charm even those that don’t like it hot, take your chances…Roulette is the perfect choice.”

=======================================

The Robots at Substack are telling me I write too much and to shut it down. So, I will save the pepper variety pictures and comments that we discussed with Diane Blazek for the Monday Beyond the Garden Basics Newsletter. Which is available only for paid subscribers. You could become one today! Especially if you found anything here that helped you out. Tip your server! Thank you.

Paid Subscribers get a special extra newsletter each week, along with access to our backlog of nearly 200 Beyond the Garden Basics newsletters. And I promise never to delve into politics. Doesn’t that make it worth $5?

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends. And your subscription to this newsletter helps keep the Garden Basics podcast alive, as well. Thank you for your support.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

A bout of colder, wetter weather means ants will have begun their march towards the warmth and comfort of your house, greenhouse or outbuildings. In today’s newsletter podcast, America’s Favorite Retired College Horticulture Professor, Debbie Flower, lists many ways to control ant populations, both indoors and outdoors. She includes her home recipe for a lethal (but only lethal for ants) outdoor ant bait:

1 part boric acid (1 teaspoon, e.g.) - available at most garden centers

9 or 10 parts sugar (9 or 10 teaspoons sugar)

Add enough water to make a slurry.

Put slurry in a small container, tuna can size.

Add 2 or 3 cotton balls and rotate them until they are completely covered in the slurry.

Put a lid on the container. Lid must have holes big enough for ants to crawl through (about 1/8”).

Bury in soil so lid is at soil level.

Leave it alone. You won't see dead ants. They visit, take the bait back to the colony, and kill the entire colony.

Commercial boric-acid ant baits are available, as well, for placing near outdoor plants where you see ants climbing up and down, herding aphids or gathering nectar.

A word of praise for ants.

Ants are a beneficial part of any successful garden. According to “Ants Are Ecologically Beneficial”, a publication of Iowa State University:

“It is hard to imagine any other insect or animal that has a more important and positive impact on the terrestrial environment that sustains us. Ants are among the leading predators of other insects, helping to keep pest populations low. Ants move approximately the same amount of soil as earthworms, loosening the soil in the process and increasing air and water movement into the ground. They keep the ecosystem clean of dead insect carcasses and aid in the destruction and decomposition of plant and animal matter. By carrying bits of plants and animal remains into their nests, the soil is fertilized, and nutrients recycled through the world’s ecosystems. They carry seeds and help plants disperse into new areas.”

However, as any gardener will swear, there are a couple of double-edged swords in that statement. Ant tunnels beneath the surface of a garden bed could move water too quickly to lower levels, making it unavailable to plant roots, especially in sandier soils. The solution for that: mix in compost on a regular basis. And those plant seeds that ants can disperse into new areas? There might be weed seeds in that mix. Yet another reason to own a long-handled hoe.It’s when ants start invading your house that homeowners need to act.

Homeowners might reach for the spray can to douse those little scavengers. Many of those spray pesticides are only effective with direct contact on the ants. In addition, the stronger sprays, with residual action to thwart the next wave of ants, are potentially harmful to you, your children, and your pets.

Here are some more modern, family-friendly indoor ant control methods from the University of California Ag and Natural Resources’ “Home, Garden, Turf, and Landscape Pests” publication, “Ants”:

• Find where the ants are entering the house, then caulk any cracks and crevices both indoors and out.

• Wipe up ant trails with soapy water when you see them.

• Store food that is attractive to ants in closed containers.

• Ant-proof kitchen garbage pails with sticky barriers like petroleum jelly.

• Clean up grease and spills, pet food, and other possible food sources for ants.

• Place pet food dishes in a moat of water with a drop of dishwashing liquid. The soap will keep the ants from floating.

• If you decide to use a pesticide, choose prepackaged or refillable bait stations instead of sprays. Place them near ant trails and nest openings. Ant bait stations take time to work. It can take five to 10 days before you start seeing fewer ants. In the meantime, keep washing away the ant trails.

In my experience, weak liquid boric acid combined with water in specially designed, refillable ant bait stations have proven effective, if given time. Boric acid powders and outdoor refillable ant bait stations are also available for outdoor ant control, especially if they have taken up residence in a long-neglected mulch pile of chipped/shredded tree parts. You’ll discover them in your first shovel full when you finally get around to using that mulch. Put down the shovel and pick up the powdered boric acid. Sprinkle it on the mulch pile and turn it into the middle of the pile. The ants will find it. But give them a couple of weeks before you return to that mulching task.

Around the outer foundation of the house, the UC Integrated Pest Management team reports that several refillable bait stations are recommended, including the Ant Café, Antopia, Ant-No-More, and KM AntPro.

A slow, but effective way to control Argentine ant populations is with a diluted, liquid boric acid product in a reusable ant bait station. Place the station outdoors near foundations where you see ants on the march.

(A version of this appeared in the Dec. 30, 2022 edition of Beyond the Garden Basics)

Thank you, also, for listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

In Ep. 381 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast, Urban Chicken Consultant Cherie Sintes-Glover offered tips on how to protect your backyard chicken flock against the spread of the current version of avian influenza, the deadly H5N1, also known as the Bird Flu.

The discussion on the Garden Basics podcast about protecting your flock from the bird flu took up about a half hour. At the top of this newsletter is our full conversation, which is over an hour in length, and touches on many aspects of being a backyard chicken flock owner.

In this newsletter podcast, Urban Chicken Consultant and poultry health inspector Cherie Sintes-Glover of ChickensForEggs.com delves into the numerous variables that come into play for first-time chicken owners, including decisions around housing, feeding, and the necessary care and attention required. A significant point we cover is the myth that raising chickens is easy and low-cost; rather, it requires a solid understanding of animal husbandry and commitment to regular care. Cherie warns against believing everything we read online regarding chicken raising, stressing the necessity of consulting reliable sources.

In addition, we tackle various questions, including how to differentiate between laying hens and roosters when purchasing chicks, and the importance of understanding the risks associated with chicken health, especially in the context of recent avian flu outbreaks. The discussion also outlines best practices for maintaining biosecurity, including the steps to take when introducing new birds to an existing flock and how to monitor them for signs of illness.

Furthermore, we take a closer look at the environmental factors affecting chicken health, from extreme weather conditions to predator threats that can jeopardize backyard flocks. Cherie emphasizes constructing a predator-proof chicken coop while providing ample outdoor space for the birds to thrive.

Alongside practical advice, Cherie shares insights into handling sick birds—detailing symptoms to look for, quarantine measures, and where to find local veterinary resources for poultry diagnostics. We address the societal ramifications of the bird flu crisis, particularly on the future of poultry show circuits with youth programs like 4-H and FFA, which are vital in cultivating a new generation of knowledgeable poultry enthusiasts.

Bird Flu Infographics from the Center for Disease Control

Cherie Sintes-Glover has appeared several times on the Garden Basics podcast over the years. Among the topics of interest to backyard chicken owners:

Ep. 315 Choosing Backyard Chickens

Ep. 310 Homegrown Chicken Food?

Ep. 220 Chickens vs. Summer Heat

Ep. 204 Backyard Chicken Care

Ep. 006 Backyard Chickens! (Beginner’s basic info)

Thanks for reading Beyond Basics: The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter! Subscribe to receive new posts and support my work.

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

If you’re reading this today, Friday morning, a gentle reminder: did you forget today is Valentine’s Day? Oops. If you are about to scurry out the door for a "run to the supermarket" or "the trip to the hardware store" to find something romantic for your gardening sweetheart, take your phone with you, especially if you’re headed to the flower shop. You may need to call 9-1-1 for an ambulance when you see the cost of a florist’s bouquet. A dozen long-stemmed roses, in a nice vase, can easily cost you over $100.

A more reasonably priced alternative: living plants, currently in bloom. Widely available at nurseries, home centers and florists, these plants will not only save you money, but look nice in the home or office for a lot longer:

• One colorful Valentine’s Day present: orchids. Reasonably priced and easy to grow, choose the Phalaenopsis orchid, also known as the moth orchid. It’s not fussy about light or temperature and comes in a wide variety of flower colors, which tend to bloom primarily in winter and spring. Include a tray and small gravel. Set the plant on a tray of gravel, partially filled with water. Be sure the pot is slightly elevated on the gravel so that it isn’t sitting in water. Add a high-phosphorus, water-soluble orchid fertilizer to your gift package.

• African violets. Not as temperamental as you might believe, African violets can bloom several times a year, given the right environment: bright, indirect light (such as a south window protected by a sheer curtain), regular water and high humidity, which can be provided by placing the pot on a watery bed of gravel. If in doubt about your sweetheart's gardening luck, choose the easier-to-grow varieties of African violets with solid green leaves, instead of the more difficult kinds that have variegated leaves.

• Azaleas. Both evergreen and deciduous varieties come in a wide array of flower colors, from white to deep purple, and just about every shade in between. Transfer these to a permanent home in the garden after the blooms drop, in an area that is protected from our hot, afternoon sun, in well-drained soil that gets regular water. No garden? No problem. Small evergreen varieties make suitable houseplants. Just be sure to give them curtain-filtered sunlight at least four hours a day, out of the direct path of heaters and air conditioners.

• Begonias. Rex begonias are noted for their striking, multi-colored leaves, and are sure to look spectacular on the dining room table during a candlelight dinner. Just be sure to place it in an area that gets bright, indirect light afterwards. Since the begonia thrives in high humidity, rest the pot in a tray that contains a layer of gravel and water. Keep the pot just above the surface of the water, though.

• Cyclamen. The heart-shaped variegated green leaves are topped with white, pink and red blooms that resemble butterfly wings. When the plant dies back, transplant the tuber outdoors to a raised bed or pot on the shady, north side of the house. The plant will regenerate next winter, producing more blooms.

• Nursery shopping for other colorful plants for Valentine’s Day? Don’t overlook the containers of mixed succulents. Combinations of sedums, sempervivums, and echeverias have shallow roots and stay in bounds for quite a while.

• Among the colorful shrubs available now are camellias and azaleas.

• Although this may not sound romantic, the hard-core gardener in your life will hug you tightly if you return from your morning dash to the nursery with bags of high quality potting soil, compost, mulch, seed starting mix, or… worm castings.

• You’ll get bonus points if you convince a tree company to drop off several yards of a mulch consisting of chipped/shredded tree trimmings onto your driveway today. Top it with a heart-shaped, red balloon. And you can earn a gold star if you help shovel it into the raised beds, garden areas, and walkways tomorrow.

Thanks for reading Beyond Basics: The Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Newsletter! Subscribe to receive new posts and pledge a subscription to help support my work.

Thank you for also listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

Recently, a listener’s question did not get fully answered on Episode 378 of the Garden Basics podcast. Katie was asking about how to thwart the squirrels and raccoons that attacked her persimmon tree fruit. But she included this little scenic bypass: “So when the persimmon tree we’ve waited on for NINE years to fruit (it did get fruit in years 6, 7, and 8, but they all dropped. Overwatering? Underwatering?) — when said persimmon developed abundant fruit this year and it began to ripen, I decided to try to ward off the squirrels with stainless steel fruit sleeves.”

Debbie Flower and I immediately delved into pest control techniques, but totally overlooked her question about the fallen fruit and watering. Thus the purpose of this edition of the Beyond the Garden Basics newsletter.

You can find a good explanation of correct persimmon watering techniques below, answered by the California Rare Fruit Growers. Before that, though, here’s more about persimmons:

California's Central Valley was ablaze in October and early November with the other “orange” fruit tree: the brightly colored persimmon. And it's not just the fruit.

Persimmon tree leaves can turn a brilliant hue of red before the first big wind and rain storm of late November washes them off their branches. What's left behind is the unpicked fruit, dangling like holiday ornaments during December. That's a feast for our eyes...as well as a banquet for hungry birds and squirrels.

Persimmons have adapted well to our California climate: warm, dry summers and mild winters. At least 500 different Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki) varieties were brought to California during a major planting spree from 1870 to 1920. In 1877 alone, more than 5,000 plants in 19 varieties were imported from Japan. As a result, 99% of the U.S. commercial persimmon crop is grown here in California.Persimmons are quite nutritious, as well, loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Fiber, and antioxidants such as Beta-Carotene and Lycopene.

If you live in the Central Valley, Southern California, Bay Area or low foothills as well as throughout USDA Zones 8 and 9 ... you can grow that! Japanese persimmon trees will be available at local nurseries throughout late winter. Give them full sun and regular irrigation in the dry months for best production. Persimmon trees can tolerate partial shade.As Warren Roberts explained in the newsletter podcast, persimmons are usually classified as either astringent or non-astringent. For fresh eating straight from the tree, choose a non-astringent, self-pollinating variety such as Fuyu, Giant Fuyu, Yemon or Izu. Astrigent varieties, which need to soften thoroughly before they sweeten, include Hachiya, Chocolate or Tamopan. Those varieties are self-fruitful, as well.

Persimmon growing advice (including irrigation info) from the California Rare Fruit Growers (CRFG):Location: Full sun with some air movement is recommended for persimmon trees in inland areas, although they will tolerate some partial shade. Persimmons grown in cooler areas should have full sun with protection from cooling breezes. As an attractive ornamental the tree fits well in the landscape. It does not compete well with eucalyptus.Soil: Persimmons can withstand a wide rage of conditions as long as the soil is not overly salty, but does best in deep, well drained loam. A pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 is preferred. The tree has a strong tap root which may mean digging a deeper hole than usual when planting (when on D. kaki stock).Irrigation: Persimmon trees will withstand short periods of drought, but the fruit will be larger and of higher quality with regular watering. Extreme drought will cause the leaves and fruit to drop prematurely. Any fruit left on the tree will probably sunburn. Some 36 to 48 inches of water are needed annually, applied gradually in spring and tapering off in the fall. Hot inland areas may require 2 or 3 applications weekly, while coastal areas may need watering only once every 6 weeks, depending on the soil. If a drip system is is used, the emitters should be moved away from the trunk as the tree matures.Fertilization: Most trees do well with a minimum of fertilizing. Excess nitrogen can cause fruit drop. If mature leaves are not deep green and shoot growth is less than a foot per year, apply a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 at a rate of 1 pound per inch of trunk diameter at ground level. Spread the fertilizer evenly under the canopy in late winter or early spring.Pruning: Prune persimmon trees to develop a strong framework of main branches while the tree is young. Otherwise the fruit, which is borne at the tips of the branches, may be too heavy and cause breakage. A regular program of removal of some new growth and heading others each year will improve structure and reduce alternate bearing. An open vase system is probably best. Even though the trees grow well on their own, persimmons can be pruned heavily as a hedge, as a screen, or to control size. They even make a nice espalier. Cut young trees back to 1/2 high (or about 3 feet) at the time of planting.Pests and Diseases: Persimmons are relatively problem-free, although mealybug and scale in association with ants can sometimes cause problems. Ant control will usually take care of these pests. Other occasional pests include white flies, thrips which can cause skin blemishes and a mite that is blamed for the "brown lace collar" near the calyx. Waterlogging can also cause root rot. Vertebrate pests such as squirrels, deer, coyotes, rats, opossums and birds are fond of the fruit and gophers will attack the roots. Other problems include blossom and young fruit shedding, especially on young trees. This is not usually a serious problem, but if the drop is excessive, it may be useful to try girdling a few branches. Over watering or over fertilization may also be responsible. Large quantities of small fruit on an otherwise healthy tree can be remedied by removing all but one or two fruit per twig in May or June.Harvest: Harvest astringent varieties when they are hard but fully colored. They will soften on the tree and improve in quality, but you will probably lose many fruit to the birds. Astringent persimmons will ripen off the tree if stored at room temperature. Nonastringent persimmons are ready to harvest when they are fully colored, but for best flavor, allow them to soften slightly after harvest. Both kinds of persimmons should be cut from the tree with hand-held pruning shears, leaving the calyx intact Unless the fruit is to be used for drying whole, the stems should be cut as close to the fruit as possible. Even though the fruit is relatively hard when harvested, it will bruise easily, so handle with care.Storage: Mature, hard astringent persimmons can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a month. They can also be frozen for 6 to 8 months. Nonastringent persimmons can be stored for a short period at room temperature. They will soften if kept with other fruit in the refrigerator. Persimmons also make an excellent dried fruit. They can either be peeled and dried whole or cut into slices (peeled or unpeeled) and dried that way. When firm astringent persimmons are peeled and dried whole they lose all their astringency and develop a sweet, datelike consistency.

And we are in total agreement with the CRFG: persimmons make an excellent dried fruit, a great sweet snack or for use in cookies or breads, or as a homemade holiday gift.According to our favorite book on dehydration techniques, "How to Dry Foods" by Deanna DeLong:

• Wash and remove the stem cap. Cut fruit in half and then into 3/8-1/2" slices.• Place on a dehydrator sheet in single layers.• Dry at 140 degrees for 1-2 hours, then reduce heat to 135 degrees for an additional 7 hours (approximate).• When done, they should be tender and pliable, but not sticky.At that point, you can either vacuum seal them in plastic bags for long term preservation, or store the dried persimmons in a canning jar for quick use.Backyard gardeners who do a lot of drying are passionate about their choice of dehydrators. Some prefer the rectangular Excalibur dehydrator or other rectangular models. Others (including our household) enjoy the circular Nesco American Harvest or Garden Harvest Dehydrator . Our largest complaint about the Excalibur: the fan blows from the back to the front, which can rearrange any lightweight herb leaves that you might be trying to dry. The Nesco dehydrator's fan moves warm air from the bottom up, offering less disturbance to the drying crops. Still, the Excalibur is a good choice for most fruit and vegetable drying.

Thank you for listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County. And he likes to ride his bike(s).

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe

Podcast Bonus: High Scoring Roses for Most of the United States

We like to check in with Master Rosarian Charlotte Owendyk of the Sierra Foothills Rose Society, to find out which roses have captured her fancy in the last year or two. And beyond that, which roses she recommends because they can be easy to grow in a variety of climates. The Sierra Foothill Rose Society, after all, has California members from near sea level in Sacramento and Roseville all the way up to Lake Tahoe, more than a mile up in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Is there a rose that can be grown in such varied climates? Sure enough, Owendyk has a list that she likes to call, “Bulletproof Roses”.

Owendyk didn’t hesitate to respond about her favorite, widely adaptable rose. “One rose that can really take the heat and the cold is ‘Distant Drums’, which has a very distinct coloration,” she says. “The petals are apricot-colored in the center, surrounded by lavender on the outer petals. It’s hardy down to USDA Zone 4, and has a wonderful strong scent with great disease resistance.”

 We here are considered to be in USDA Zone 9, where winter lows seldom drop below the upper 20’s. USDA Zone 4, on the other hand, has seen lows dip down to 31 below zero in the winter. Yet, ‘Distant Drums’ can do well for your aunt and uncle in North Dakota. Lake Tahoe (USDA Zone 6) is relatively balmy in comparison, where January overnight lows average about 26 degrees above zero.

Another top performing rose for most of the United States, according to Owendyk is the floribunda rose, ‘Iceberg”, and its close relative ‘Burgundy Iceberg’. Floribunda roses are noted for their massive, long-lasting, colorful displays of large clusters of white flowers.

However, when it comes to a quick turnaround for getting new blossoms, nothing beats “Secret”, says Owendyk. “Normally, hybrid tea roses take five or six weeks to rebloom after deadheading,” says Owendyk. “For ‘Secret’, it’s only four to five weeks. That’s why it’s one of my favorite roses. Plus, it’s very fragrant.”

Other rose varieties that Owendyk is fond of in 2022, the ones she recommends for rose growers across the country, include:

• “Belinda’s Dream”, a shrub rose (“A tough, soft pink rose, with great disease and heat resistance” says Owendyk.)

• “Cinco De Mayo” (“Wonderful ruffled, smoky lavender flowers”).

• “Lyda Rose” (“The flowers look like apple blossoms, absolutely stunning”).

• ”Gemini” (“This All-America hybrid tea rose winner is very vigorous, with coral-and-cream colored petals”). 

• “Memorial Day” (“Extremely fragrant rose that blooms all summer, plus the canes don’t have many prickles or thorns”).

• “Sally Holmes” (“A shrub rose that can get seven feet tall and is tolerant of some shade”).

Other honorable mentions in Owendyk’s list of roses for everyone include “Betty Boop”, “Dick Clark”, Cherry Parfait“, “Julia Child”, “Marilyn Monroe”,  “Playgirl”, “Rock N Roll”, and “Quietness”.“Floribunda? What’s That?” A Modern Rose Glossary

Master Rosarian Charlotte Owendyk and I talked rose pruning in both Episode 162 and was repeated in Episode 377 of the “Garden Basics with Farmer Fred” podcast. The episode may have had you wishing for The American Rose Society’s “Handbook for Selecting Roses” , a great, pocket-sized encyclopedia of roses, and rose information, perfect for anyone shopping for good rose varieties. Plus, it has a lot of handy definitions when trying to decipher head-scratching questions such as, “What’s the difference between a floribunda and a grandiflora rose?” Here then, is a brief glossary of rose varieties, courtesy of the ARS:

GRANDIFLORA ROSE

In 1954, the introduction of a rose crossing between the ‘Charlotte Armstrong’ (a hybrid tea rose) and the floribunda rose, ‘Floradora’, resulted in a flower with carmine rose and dawn pink coloration. The cross had the characteristics of a hybrid tea rose, but also the ability to bear clusters or trusses and grow to a commanding height of six to eight feet or more. Thus, the class of Grandiflora was born. The first Grandiflora was named “Queen Elizabeth” in honor of the (at the time) very young queen of England.

FLORIBUNDA ROSE

The floribunda class of roses is characterized by its profuse ability to bear flowers in large clusters or trusses with more than one bloom in flower at any one time. Floribundas provide massive, colorful, long-lasting garden displays. Floribundas have the edge on hybrid tea roses. Hybrid teas bloom in cycles every six or seven weeks. Floribundas, on the other hand, can bloom continuously. One standout floribunda, with an ARS rating of 8.6, is ‘Lavaglut’.

HYBRID TEA ROSES

Probably the most recognizable class of roses, due to the large, shapely blooms, with each flower containing 30 to 50 petals. Flowers are borne on long stems either singly or with several sidebuds. One highly rated hybrid tea rose that is widely available at nurseries is ‘Mr. Lincoln’.

MINIATURE ROSES

The height of the average miniature rose is about 15 to 30 inches, making them ideal for edging beds and containers. Miniatures have been developed from many hybrid tea and floribunda roses. My favorite? ‘Joy’.

CLIMBING ROSES

Their long, arching canes have the ability to climb up fences, over walls and through trellises, arbors and pergolas. They offer a wide range of flower forms, shapes and colors. Among the highly rated climbing roses: ‘Don Juan’.

SHRUB ROSES

If you’re looking for easy care roses, consider the shrub roses. They can grow five to fifteen feet in every direction, depending on the climate. Shrub roses are noted for their hardiness, vigor, and large quantities of clusters of flowers. The ‘Knock Out’ varieties of shrub roses are especially hardy and highly rated. And you have to be hardy to thrive next to the drive-thru lane at Jack in the Box.

How to Prune a Climbing Rose

If you listened to Episode 162 of the '“Garden Basics with Farmer Fred” podcast (which was repeated in Episode 377) “‘PRUNE’-ciples: Tips for Pruning Roses”, you know Charlotte and I came to a grinding halt when it came time to talk about pruning climbing roses. It’s not a subject that lends itself very well to an audio format.

You need to see it in action to better understand the nuances of training climbers. We mutually decided on one very good Youtube video on pruning climbers you might want to watch. Enjoy.

If you listened to the podcast episode, you know Charlotte and I did a deep dive into the proper tools and clothing required to take on the somewhat dangerous task of pruning roses. To that conversation I would like to add a fairly new addition to the armor for rose growers: prickle (thorn) resistant protective sleeves, that run up the length of your arm and hook around your thumb.

Pruning gloves, arm protectors for working around roses

Bypass-style Hand Pruners

Bypass-Style Loppers

Rechargeable Reciprocating Saw

By the way, here on Substack, I do not get a commission from Amazon for recommending any of their products. But I do use the Amazon links so you can get a better idea of what the products strengths and weaknesses are, as well as the opinions of those who have used the products.

P.S. Those sharp things on rose canes? They’re not thorns. They’re prickles. Really. Debbie Flower, retired college horticulture professor, explains.

Thanks for Subscribing and Spreading the Word About the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred newsletter, I appreciate your support. 

And thank you for listening to the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Please share it with your garden friends.

Fred Hoffman is also a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Sacramento County.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gardenbasics.substack.com/subscribe