Raised bed gardening transforms challenging growing conditions into productive garden spaces. Whether you’re dealing with poor soil, limited mobility, or want better control over your growing environment, raised beds offer a practical solution that delivers impressive results.
Why Choose Raised Beds?
Raised beds solve common gardening problems. They warm up faster in spring, drain better after rain, and keep soil from compacting. You’ll spend less time bending over, and weeds have a harder time invading your growing space.
The elevated design also protects plants from ground-dwelling pests and gives you complete control over soil quality—especially valuable if you’re working with clay, sand, or contaminated ground soil.
Selecting the Right Location
Place your raised beds where they’ll receive 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Most vegetables need full sun to produce well. Position beds running north-south to maximize light exposure on both sides.
Consider water access when planning placement. You’ll be watering regularly, so having a hose or irrigation system nearby saves time and effort. Avoid low-lying areas where water collects after rain.
Choosing Bed Dimensions
Standard raised beds measure 4 feet wide—allowing you to reach the center from either side without stepping on the soil. Length varies based on your space, but 8-10 feet works well for most gardens.
Height matters too. A 12-inch deep raised garden bed suits most vegetables, while 18-24 inches provides even better drainage and root development for larger plants like tomatoes and peppers.
Filling Your Raised Bed
Quality soil mix determines your success. Start with a blend of 60% topsoil, 30% compost, and 10% aeration material like perlite or vermiculite. This creates the drainage, nutrients, and structure plants need to thrive.
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil provides an excellent base for raised beds, already loaded with beneficial microbes and nutrients. Mix it with native soil and compost for a cost-effective fill that performs beautifully.
Avoid using straight garden soil—it compacts in raised beds and drains poorly. The investment in quality mix pays off with healthier plants and better harvests.
Starting Your First Plants
Begin with easy, productive crops. Lettuce, radishes, and herbs give you quick wins. Tomatoes, peppers, and squash produce abundantly once established. If you’re new to container and raised bed gardening, start small and expand as you gain confidence.
Fabric grow bags work great inside raised beds, letting you test different soil mixes or move plants around as needed.
Plant spacing matters in raised beds. Use intensive planting methods—closer spacing than traditional row gardens. This maximizes yields and shades out weeds naturally.
Watering and Maintenance
Raised beds dry out faster than ground-level gardens. Check soil moisture daily during hot weather by sticking your finger 2 inches deep. Water when the top inch feels dry.
Mulch heavily with straw, wood chips, or shredded leaves. A 2-3 inch layer conserves moisture, regulates soil temperature, and suppresses weeds. Learn proper mulching techniques to get the most benefit.
Add compost each season to maintain soil fertility. Spread 1-2 inches of finished compost over the bed before planting. This replenishes nutrients and improves soil structure without complex fertilizer schedules.
Season Extension
Raised beds excel at extending your growing season. The elevated soil warms faster in spring, letting you plant weeks earlier. In fall, add simple hoops and row covers to protect crops from frost and keep harvesting longer.
Many gardeners get three seasons of production from raised beds with smart succession planting and cold-hardy varieties.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t skip the weed barrier underneath. Landscape fabric prevents grass and weeds from invading from below while still allowing drainage.
Avoid treating raised beds like containers. They need less frequent watering than pots but more than ground gardens. Find the balance for your climate and soil mix.
Never use pressure-treated lumber containing harmful chemicals near edibles. Cedar, redwood, or food-safe composite materials last for years without contaminating soil.
Getting Started Today
Raised bed gardening rewards beginners with faster results and fewer frustrations than traditional gardens. Start with one 4×8 bed, fill it with quality soil mix, and plant crops suited to your season.
As you gain experience, expand your setup and experiment with different growing containers and techniques. The flexibility of raised beds lets you adapt and improve season after season.
Your first harvest from a raised bed proves the value of this approach—better soil, easier maintenance, and more productive plants all in one elevated space.
Nothing ruins a gardener’s summer faster than yellowing tomato plants and a disappointing harvest. You’ve done everything right—started seeds indoors, hardened off your transplants, picked the perfect sunny spot—but your tomatoes still look anemic. The culprit? Almost always, it’s fertilizer (or the lack thereof).
Here’s the truth most beginner gardeners learn the hard way: tomatoes are hungry plants. Really hungry. They need specific nutrients at specific times, and getting this wrong means the difference between a handful of small, bland fruits and bushels of juicy, flavorful tomatoes that make your neighbors jealous.
In this complete guide, we’ll break down exactly what fertilizer tomatoes need, when to apply it, and which products actually deliver results. Whether you’re growing heirlooms in raised beds or determinate varieties in containers, you’ll walk away knowing exactly how to feed your tomato plants for maximum yield.
Why Tomatoes Need Special Fertilizer
Tomatoes aren’t like lettuce or herbs that can get by on mediocre soil. These plants are what horticulturists call “heavy feeders”—they extract massive amounts of nutrients from the soil throughout their growing season.
Think about what a tomato plant actually does: it grows from a small transplant into a 6-foot vine, produces dozens of flowers, and converts those flowers into pounds of fruit—all in about 90 days. That kind of explosive growth requires serious fuel.
Here’s what makes tomatoes particularly demanding:
Long growing season: Unlike quick crops like radishes, tomatoes occupy soil for 3-4 months, depleting nutrients continuously
Fruit production: Each tomato contains nutrients the plant pulled from the soil—more fruit means more nutrient demand
Calcium requirements: Tomatoes need consistent calcium to prevent blossom end rot, a common frustration
Generic “all-purpose” fertilizers often fall short because they don’t account for tomatoes’ shifting nutritional needs throughout the season. A fertilizer that’s perfect for leafy growth early on can actually hurt fruit production later.
Understanding NPK for Tomatoes
Every fertilizer bag displays three numbers—like 10-10-10 or 3-4-6—called the NPK ratio. Understanding these numbers is the key to feeding tomatoes correctly.
What NPK Means
N (Nitrogen): Drives leafy, vegetative growth. Essential early in the season when plants are establishing themselves.
P (Phosphorus): Supports root development and flower/fruit production. Critical once plants start blooming.
K (Potassium): Strengthens overall plant health, disease resistance, and fruit quality. Important throughout the season.
The Ideal NPK Ratio for Tomatoes
Here’s where many gardeners go wrong: tomatoes need different NPK ratios at different growth stages.
Early season (transplant to first flowers): A balanced or slightly nitrogen-heavy fertilizer (like 10-10-10 or 5-5-5) supports strong stem and leaf development. You want robust plants before they start fruiting.
Flowering and fruiting: Switch to a lower-nitrogen, higher-phosphorus formula (like 5-10-10 or 3-4-6). Too much nitrogen now produces beautiful foliage but fewer tomatoes. Phosphorus and potassium drive fruit production.
This two-phase approach is why dedicated tomato fertilizers outperform generic options—they’re already formulated with the right balance for fruiting plants.
Beyond NPK: Secondary Nutrients
The best tomato fertilizers also include:
Calcium: Prevents blossom end rot (that black, sunken spot on the bottom of tomatoes)
Magnesium: Essential for chlorophyll production and photosynthesis
Sulfur: Contributes to disease resistance and flavor development
When comparing products, check for these secondary nutrients—they make a real difference in plant health and fruit quality.
Best Organic Fertilizers for Tomatoes
Organic fertilizers release nutrients slowly as soil microbes break them down, providing steady nutrition without the risk of burning plants. They also improve soil structure over time. Here are the top organic options for tomato growers:
1. FoxFarm Liquid Nutrient Trio
Fox Farm Liquid Nutrient Trio Soil Formula – Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom Pint Size (Pack of 3)
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FoxFarm’s trio system (Grow Big, Big Bloom, and Tiger Bloom) is the gold standard for serious tomato growers. The three-bottle system lets you adjust nutrition as plants mature—Grow Big for vegetative growth, then transitioning to Tiger Bloom and Big Bloom during flowering and fruiting.
Why it works: The liquid format provides quick nutrient uptake, while the organic ingredients support beneficial soil biology. It’s particularly effective for container tomatoes where soil nutrients deplete quickly.
Best for: Container gardening, hydroponic setups, and gardeners who want precise control over nutrition at each growth stage.
2. Espoma Tomato-tone
Tomato-tone is a granular organic fertilizer with a 3-4-6 NPK ratio—ideal for fruiting tomatoes. It contains 15 essential nutrients plus beneficial microbes that enhance nutrient uptake.
Why it works: The slow-release formula feeds plants for weeks, reducing the frequency of applications. The added calcium helps prevent blossom end rot without separate supplements.
Best for: In-ground tomatoes and gardeners who prefer a “set and forget” approach to fertilizing.
3. Dr. Earth Organic Tomato Fertilizer
Dr. Earth combines fish bone meal, feather meal, and kelp with their proprietary blend of beneficial soil microbes. The 4-6-3 formula emphasizes phosphorus for abundant flowering.
Why it works: The diverse organic ingredients create a complex nutrient profile that mimics rich, natural soil. The probiotics help plants access nutrients more efficiently.
Best for: Gardeners focused on building long-term soil health alongside immediate plant nutrition.
4. Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer
This liquid concentrate combines fish hydrolysate with seaweed extract for a nutrient-dense organic option. The 2-3-1 NPK is supplemented by over 60 trace minerals from kelp.
Why it works: The seaweed component provides natural growth hormones and stress-resistance compounds. Plants fed with fish-seaweed fertilizers often show improved disease resistance.
Best for: Gardeners dealing with stressed plants, poor soil, or those wanting to boost overall plant vitality.
Best Synthetic Fertilizers for Tomatoes
Synthetic (chemical) fertilizers deliver nutrients in immediately plant-available forms. They work faster than organics and allow precise control over exactly what your plants receive. Here are the top synthetic options:
1. Miracle-Gro Tomato Plant Food
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The classic choice for millions of gardeners. Miracle-Gro’s tomato formula (18-18-21) delivers high concentrations of all three macronutrients plus calcium and micronutrients. It’s water-soluble for quick uptake.
Why it works: Immediate availability means you’ll see results within days, not weeks. The balanced-but-potassium-heavy ratio supports both growth and fruiting.
Best for: Gardeners who want fast, visible results and don’t mind frequent (every 1-2 weeks) applications.
2. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food
Osmocote’s coated granules release nutrients gradually over 4-6 months based on soil temperature and moisture. One application can last the entire growing season.
Why it works: The controlled-release technology prevents nutrient burn and eliminates the need for repeated applications. It’s nearly impossible to over-fertilize with Osmocote.
Best for: Busy gardeners, container tomatoes, and anyone who tends to forget regular feeding schedules.
3. Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes
Pre-measured fertilizer spikes that you push into the soil around your plants. The 6-18-6 formula is heavily weighted toward phosphorus for maximum fruit production.
Why it works: Zero measuring, zero mixing, zero mess. Push them in every 8 weeks and you’re done. The nutrients release directly into the root zone where plants need them.
Best for: Absolute beginners, gardeners with just a few plants, or anyone who wants the simplest possible fertilizing routine.
4. Jack’s Classic Tomato Feed
A professional-grade water-soluble fertilizer with a 12-15-30 ratio. The extremely high potassium content promotes exceptional fruit quality and flavor development.
Why it works: Originally developed for commercial greenhouse production, Jack’s delivers professional results. The high potassium drives sugar production in fruits, resulting in better-tasting tomatoes.
Best for: Experienced gardeners focused on fruit quality, greenhouse growers, and those with demanding indeterminate varieties.
When to Fertilize Tomatoes: Timing by Growth Stage
Proper timing is just as important as choosing the right fertilizer. Here’s a stage-by-stage breakdown:
At Transplanting
Mix a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or compost into the planting hole. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers right at transplant—they can burn tender roots and push top growth before roots establish.
Pro tip: Add a handful of crusite or eggshells to the planting hole for extra calcium.
Two Weeks After Transplanting
Once plants show new growth (indicating root establishment), begin regular feeding. Start with a balanced fertilizer to support continued vegetative growth.
When Flowers Appear
This is the critical transition point. Switch to a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus/potassium fertilizer. Continuing heavy nitrogen feeding now results in massive plants with few fruits.
During Fruit Development
Maintain consistent feeding every 2-3 weeks with your flowering/fruiting formula. This is when plants need the most nutrition—they’re simultaneously growing, flowering, and ripening fruit.
Late Season
For indeterminate varieties, continue feeding until 4 weeks before expected first frost. For determinates, you can reduce or stop fertilizing once most fruits have set, as the plant’s job is essentially done.
How to Apply Tomato Fertilizer
Application method matters as much as the product you choose. Here’s how to get the most from your fertilizer:
Granular Fertilizers
Sprinkle around the drip line (edge of the leaf canopy), not against the stem
Scratch lightly into the top inch of soil
Water thoroughly after application
Reapply every 4-6 weeks depending on product
Liquid Fertilizers
Dilute according to package directions (more is NOT better)
Apply to moist soil—never fertilize dry plants
Water at the base, avoiding leaves to prevent burn
Apply every 1-2 weeks during active growth
Foliar Feeding
Some liquid fertilizers can be sprayed directly on leaves for rapid absorption. This works well for addressing specific deficiencies quickly but shouldn’t replace soil feeding.
Spray early morning or evening (never in hot sun)
Use diluted solutions—half strength or less
Cover both tops and undersides of leaves
Container Tomatoes: Special Considerations
Container-grown tomatoes need more frequent fertilizing because:
Limited soil volume means limited nutrient reserves
Frequent watering flushes nutrients out the drainage holes
Roots can’t spread to find additional nutrients
Plan to fertilize containers at half-strength twice as often, or use slow-release granules to maintain consistent nutrition.
Signs of Over-Fertilization and Under-Fertilization
Learning to read your plants helps you adjust your feeding program in real time.
Signs You’re Under-Fertilizing
Yellowing lower leaves: Nitrogen deficiency—older leaves yellow while new growth stays green
Purple-tinged leaves/stems: Phosphorus deficiency, especially in cool weather
Brown leaf edges: Potassium deficiency, often called “leaf scorch”
Stunted growth: General nutrient deficiency across the board
Poor fruit set: Flowers drop without forming fruit, often from phosphorus shortage
Blossom end rot: Calcium deficiency (though inconsistent watering also contributes)
Signs You’re Over-Fertilizing
Lush, dark green foliage but few flowers: Too much nitrogen—plants put energy into leaves instead of fruit
Leaf tip burn: Brown, crispy leaf tips indicate fertilizer salt buildup
White crust on soil surface: Visible salt accumulation from excess fertilizer
Wilting despite moist soil: Root damage from fertilizer burn
Blossom drop: Excessive nitrogen can cause flowers to abort
Recovery tip: If you’ve over-fertilized, flush the soil with plain water (several times the container volume for potted plants). Skip the next 1-2 scheduled feedings to let plants recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular fertilizer on tomatoes?
You can, but you’ll get better results with tomato-specific fertilizers. General-purpose fertilizers like 10-10-10 work during early growth, but they often have too much nitrogen for the fruiting stage. Tomato fertilizers are formulated with the right nutrient ratios and usually include calcium to prevent blossom end rot.
How often should I fertilize tomatoes?
It depends on the fertilizer type. Liquid fertilizers typically need application every 1-2 weeks. Granular fertilizers last 4-6 weeks. Slow-release formulas like Osmocote may only need one application per season. Container tomatoes generally need more frequent feeding than in-ground plants.
Is organic or synthetic fertilizer better for tomatoes?
Both can produce excellent results. Organic fertilizers improve soil health over time, release nutrients more slowly (reducing burn risk), and support beneficial soil organisms. Synthetic fertilizers work faster, offer precise nutrient control, and cost less per application. Many successful gardeners use both—organics as a base with synthetic supplements when plants need a quick boost.
Should I fertilize tomatoes when it’s hot?
Apply fertilizer in the morning or evening, not during peak heat. Water before and after granular applications. Avoid foliar feeding when temperatures exceed 85°F (29°C)—the combination of fertilizer and heat stress can damage leaves. During extreme heat waves, plants may benefit from reduced fertilizer concentrations since stressed plants can’t efficiently use nutrients.
What’s the best fertilizer for tomatoes in containers?
Liquid fertilizers like FoxFarm’s nutrient trio or water-soluble Miracle-Gro work well because they deliver nutrients immediately and you can easily control the concentration. Alternatively, slow-release granules like Osmocote provide steady nutrition without the need for frequent applications. The key is fertilizing more often than in-ground plants since containers lose nutrients through drainage.
Final Thoughts: Feed Your Tomatoes Right
Growing amazing tomatoes isn’t complicated once you understand their nutritional needs. Start with a quality fertilizer, time your applications to match growth stages, and pay attention to what your plants tell you.
Remember the key principles:
Balanced fertilizer early, low-nitrogen/high-phosphorus once flowering begins
Consistent feeding beats heavy occasional doses
Include calcium to prevent blossom end rot
Container plants need more frequent feeding than in-ground tomatoes
Watch your plants and adjust based on what you see
Whether you choose organic options like FoxFarm and Espoma or synthetic choices like Miracle-Gro and Osmocote, the most important thing is consistency. Feed your tomatoes regularly throughout the season, and they’ll reward you with a harvest worth bragging about.
Now get out there and grow some incredible tomatoes!
Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together for mutual benefit. This time-tested technique can improve yields, reduce pests, and create a more resilient garden ecosystem. Here’s your complete guide to companion planting for 2026.
How Companion Planting Works
Plants interact with each other and their environment in complex ways. Some combinations offer benefits like:
Pest deterrence – Strong-scented plants can confuse or repel pests
Pollinator attraction – Flowers draw beneficial insects to your vegetables
Nutrient sharing – Legumes fix nitrogen that neighboring plants can use
Physical support – Tall plants can shade or support shorter ones
Space optimization – Plants with different root depths can share space
Classic Companion Planting Combinations
The Three Sisters
This Native American technique combines corn, beans, and squash. Corn provides support for beans, beans fix nitrogen for all three, and squash leaves shade the soil to retain moisture and deter weeds.
Tomatoes + Basil
Basil may repel tomato hornworms and aphids while potentially improving tomato flavor. At minimum, they share similar growing conditions and make a great culinary pairing.
Carrots + Onions
The strong scent of onions can confuse carrot flies, while carrots may help deter onion flies. They also don’t compete for the same soil nutrients.
Roses + Garlic
Garlic planted around roses may help deter aphids and other pests while adding to your edible garden harvest.
Best Companions for Popular Vegetables
Tomatoes
Good companions: Basil, carrots, parsley, marigolds, nasturtiums
Avoid: Brassicas (cabbage family), fennel, corn
Peppers
Good companions: Tomatoes, basil, carrots, onions, spinach
Avoid: Fennel, kohlrabi
Cucumbers
Good companions: Beans, peas, radishes, sunflowers, corn
Avoid: Potatoes, aromatic herbs
Lettuce
Good companions: Carrots, radishes, strawberries, chives
Avoid: Celery, parsley
Beans
Good companions: Corn, squash, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage
Avoid: Onions, garlic, fennel
Flowers That Benefit Vegetable Gardens
Marigolds
The classic companion flower. French marigolds release chemicals that deter nematodes and may repel whiteflies. Plant throughout your vegetable garden.
Nasturtiums
These edible flowers act as “trap crops,” attracting aphids away from your vegetables. They also deter squash bugs and cucumber beetles.
Sunflowers
Attract pollinators and beneficial insects. Their tall stalks can provide shade for heat-sensitive crops and support for climbing beans.
Calendula
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings that prey on garden pests. Also has medicinal properties.
Companion Planting Tips
Start with proven combinations before experimenting
Consider plant heights and sun requirements when planning
Rotate companion groups yearly to prevent soil depletion
Keep records of what works in your specific garden
Remember that results can vary based on local conditions
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Conclusion
Companion planting is both art and science. While not all traditional pairings have been scientifically proven, many gardeners swear by these techniques. Experiment in your own garden and discover what works best for your growing conditions.
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If you have ever grown tomatoes in your garden, you will know that tomatoes are very susceptible to aphid infestations. These little critters can cause incredible damage to your crop if you do not take care of them early. In this article, we will be talking about aphids on tomato plants: How to naturally get rid of them.
If you have kept tomatoes for long enough, there’s a high likelihood of finding aphids on the plants. Aphids are common, even in an organic garden. They can quickly take over the garden and can be frustrating to deal with. If you are faced with this problem, do not despair. We have a lot of tips, tricks, and control methods that we will give to you.
What Are Aphids?
Aphids are small pests that belong to the family Aphididae. Worldwide, there are more than 4000 species of aphids. They occur mostly in moderate and warm climates.
Aphids have tiny bodies that are soft and pear-shaped. A lot of them are similar in size, which is about an eighth of an inch; aphids vary in size. They come in different colors. Depending on the type, they can be pale green, or black aphids on tomato plants, red, yellow, or white aphids on tomato plants.
They usually occur in clusters at the base of leaves and stems of plants. They then bite into these plant parts and suck out the liquids inside.
Tomato plants usually get infested with potato aphids. This type is usually red aphids on tomato plants. Tomatoes can also get infested with peach aphids, which appear as green bugs on tomato plants.
Early in the spring, aphids migrate to tomato fields from hosts in the wild, and then they establish their colonies on the plants. Aphids have a very high rate of reproduction. A single aphid can easily lay up to a maximum of 100 eggs in its lifetime. Because of this, colonies of aphids increase very quickly in population.
Aphids in small populations are not a very big problem, however, if they are left untreated, they can completely destroy your crop.
Symptoms of Aphid Infested Tomatoes
Once aphids are present in high numbers in an area, they develop wings that help them spread to form colonies in other areas with susceptible plants, such as a tomato garden. They may be hard to spot if you are not paying attention to them. There are some symptoms that you can look out for.
Because aphides like to colonize the bottom parts of leaves, they can easily suck up the sap from the leaves unnoticed. This will cause the leaves to wilt and turn yellow. New growth on the plant may have become stunted growth. The result of this is that the tomato yields will be reduced and the fruits may become deformed.
Stunted leaves with a deformed appearance or curled edges are a clear sign of aphid damage on tomato leaves. When these pests suck the sap and nutrients from the leaves and stems of the plant, the leaves will not grow properly.
Aphids produce honeydew, a clear and sticky substance that coats the areas that the aphids have been on. Because honeydew is sugary, it attracts ants. If you notice populations of ants on your tomatoes, it could be a sign that you have an aphid infestation.
If the leaves and/or stems of your tomato plants appear black, it could be another sign that aphids have been infested. The honeydew produced by aphids can be a haven for sooty mold which paints the plant black.
Other symptoms of aphid-infested tomatoes include the wilting of plant stems from the loss of sap by the aphids feeding on them.
Although aphids are noticeable to the naked eye, it’s a fact that they can still be very small and difficult to see. The signs and symptoms listed above can help you identify when your tomato plants have been infested so that you can take care of the issue before it becomes a big problem.
Do Aphids Like Tomato Plants?
Tomatoes are great at attracting aphids into gardens. They especially enjoy sucking the sap from young plant leaves and fruits.
While aphids are generally attracted to tomatoes, they are not going to cause any damage if they are in small populations. But as soon as the infestation increases and takes over, the destruction of the plant tissues will begin and can eventually kill the plants.
In cases where aphids do not kill the plant, they can stunt the growth of plants. This would be a better scenario for the outcome of an infestation. Usually, an aphid infestation kills the plants by overfeeding the sap and transmitting diseases. Aphids feed on the plant sap by sucking it out with their piercing and sucking mouthparts.
Tomatoes are quite resilient to large numbers of aphids without suffering much damage. In severe cases, however, symptoms of damage such as leaf curling and stunted plant growth may be observed. The reduced leaf area will expose the fruit to sun scald, which will ultimately reduce yield.
Aphids are vectors of certain plant viruses. This means that even if they are not in high enough populations to damage the plants by overfeeding on the sap, they can transport certain viruses that may cause damage or even kill the plants. It is therefore best to take care of an aphid problem because it causes irreversible damage.
How to Get Rid of Aphids on Tomato Plants
Fortunately, there are numerous options you can choose from to get rid of aphids on your tomato plants. There are biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods you can use. But if you want to be safe and not introduce any potential threats to your crop, it is best to stick to natural options and biological methods such as;
Manual removal
If you spot aphids on your tomato plants while they are still only a few, you can simply pick them and put them in a bucket filled with soapy water to kill them. Check the undersides of tomato leaves to make sure that you get all the pests off.
After the first time picking off the aphids, repeat the inspection daily for a few days to check whether or not you may need to take further steps to get rid of them.
Water spray
A water spray with a garden hose is another great way of getting rid of aphids. Use a sharp but gentle blast of water to knock them off the tomato leaves and stems. This will surely decrease the aphid populations. Check every few days again to determine whether you need to repeat the process.
Be careful when using a water hose as it may also knock off beneficial insects from your plants, and may break the branches of the plant, especially the young ones.
Bug repellent
Instead of buying store-brand bug repellents, you can use garlic, rosemary, peppermint, water, and dish soap to make your own at home. These are all-natural ingredients and will safely get rid of aphids from your tomatoes, as they are gentle.
This mix does not kill the bugs, but what smells will mask the scent of the tomato as the host plant so they will not be able to locate it.
Water and dish soap
A mixture of water and dish soap will also work fine to repel aphids from your tomato plants. Mix a few teaspoons of liquid dish soap with one quart of water. Simply spray this mixture on the plant leaves and it will kill the bugs by suffocating them.
Introduce predatory insects
The introduction of predatory insects into a garden that aphids have infested is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of or control them. Many people introduce insects such as ladybugs and lacewings into their gardens.
Birds such as hummingbirds are another great predator of aphids as they love to snack on them. Invite birds into your garden by strategically placing bird feeders in various places and they will help you out a lot.
Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made from fossilized algae that are rich in silica. It can be deadly to aphids. The edges of the DE grains cut into the soft bodies of aphids, causing them to dry up and die.
Sprinkle some DE onto both the soil and your tomato plants to kill aphids. Be careful to select food-grade DE when your purchase it from the store. It is safe for humans and can be used on plants, unlike filter-grade DE which is not. Only apply DE early in the morning or later in the evening when the dew has dried, as it does not work when wet.
Neem oil
Neem oil is a natural bug repellent that is useful against many different types of bugs and insects. It works similarly to insecticidal soap, that is by suffocating the aphids when sprayed on them. It also works systemically by interfering with the hormone receptors in the insects, hence it is referred to as a broad-spectrum insecticide.
Alcohol sprays
Rubbing alcohol is an easily available, affordable, and simple solution to aphid infestations. Mix equal parts water and alcohol in a sprayer bottle, add a teaspoon of soap to make the mixture more effective, and spray it on your infested plants.
Humus
Adding humus as a soil amendment around your tomato plants will control infestations, as aphids do not like it.
Pruning
If you notice that only certain leaves of the tomat0 plant are heavily infested, and perhaps have started showing signs of damage, pruning them off may be the best way to get rid of the clusters of aphids and will stop them from breeding.
In summary, natural options such as rubbing alcohol and neem oil are great products to use for treating aphid infestations on tomato plants. If these are unavailable to you, mix a few teaspoons of liquid dish soap with one quart of water. Always make sure to check the undersides of tomato leaves to get rid of aphids efficiently.
How to Prevent Aphids on Tomatoes
As you probably know, prevention is better than cure. Instead of waiting until you get an infestation to deal with, there are certain proactive steps you can take to prevent or minimize the risk of getting an aphid infestation on your tomatoes;
Healthy soil and healthy plants
Insects and other pests prey on weak plants that are growing on low-quality or degraded soil. The best way to avoid this is to build up healthy soil in your garden by mulching or adding organic matter so that there is a constant availability of nutrients to your plants.
Companion planting
Planting fragrant flowers and herbs alongside tomatoes can help control pests. Plants such as marigolds and basil are great insect and pest repellents that can ask the scent of tomatoes, hiding and protecting them from aphids.
Sticky traps
Aphids are attracted to bright colors such as yellow. You can purchase yellow sticky boards and place them around your tomatoes. The aphids will get attracted to them and will get trapped before they get to the plants.
Attract more aphid predators
Aphids have natural predators such as lady beetles, syrphid flies, and lacewings. If you can find a way to grow these insects in your garden, they will do a great job of helping you out with pest control.
Setting up birdhouses and feeders in the garden before there is any noticeable infestation may be a great idea t keep it at bay.
Row covers
Place row covers over your tomato plants immediately after planting them. This will help to protect them from extreme weather conditions and changes that could potentially hurt the growth and health of their plants, making them susceptible to opportunistic pests.
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02/24/2026 04:04 am GMT
Conclusion – Aphids on Tomato Plants
Aphids can cause great destruction to tomato plants if left unchecked. It is therefore best to tackle them as soon as you notice them in your garden before they cause devastating that they are very well capable of in large populations. Another great way to deal with a possible infestation is by being proactive and placing systems and measures in place that will prevent infestations from taking place.
Use the tips and tricks provided in this article to get rid of aphid infestation problems in your tomato plants so you can get a good harvest.
Are your tomatoes not turning red despite being big enough to be ripe and have been in the ground for long enough? This is a common frustration that many tomato gardeners face. Do not despair, there are ways to diagnose this problem and solutions to it. In this article, we will give you 14 tips for ripening tomatoes.
Tomatoes are some of the most common and versatile vegetables that are used in every household. Fresh garden tomatoes are some of the best and freshest you can ever taste. So it can be discouraging when your tomatoes don’t ripen when you expect them to. Keep reading this article to learn all about tomatoes not turning red.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are described as edible berries of the plant Solanum lycopersicum, which is commonly referred to as the tomato. The tomato plant originates from South America, Mexico, and Central America.
Many different types and varieties of tomatoes are used for different purposes, such as cooking, salads, pickling, etc.
Indeterminate tomato plant varieties are perennials in their natural habitat, however, they can be cultivated as annuals. Depending on the cultivar, plants can grow up to 1/2-4 inches in width.
Tomatoes can come in different colors too, with most of them turning red when ripe. As a result, it can be quite frustrating when tomatoes don’t turn red when you expect them to.
Why Are My Tomatoes Not Turning Red?
There are different reasons why tomatoes are not turning red.
The first and most obvious reason is that they may not be ripe yet. Tomatoes have a long growing season. Depending on the variety, they may take anywhere between 60 to more than 100 days from the day they are transplanted to when they are ready for harvest. If you are not sure what the exact timeframe for the ripening of your plants is, check the packaging, as this information is usually provided.
Another reason is that some tomatoes are just not red when ripe, so they can not be expected to turn red even when they are ready for harvesting. Some tomatoes have unique colors. Examples of these include;
Sungold cherry, garden peach, and Persimmon, which are yellow when ripe
Black krim, which is a beautiful black color
Green zebra, which is a modern heirloom tomato that is known for its lime green color.
While these tomatoes have unusual colors, they are great to grow if you want to try something different.
As tomatoes mature in the summer, they can become big and overgrown. When it happens, the plants direct most of their energy toward producing more leaves and flowers, instead of ripening the tomatoes.
The number one cause of tomatoes not turning red when the time is right is temperature. Regular tomatoes will not turn red if the temperatures for their ripening are off. Temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit are too high, and anything below 50 degrees Fahrenheit is too low. The bigger risk of the two, however, is the high temperatures that can often occur during a heatwave.
Outside the temperature range of 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit, the tomato plant is unable to produce enough carotene and lycopene that cause the color change for the ripening process. The best temperature for tomato ripening is 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Although tomatoes love heat, too much of it can be bad. Extended periods of heat stress can cause plants to stop developing and this may prevent the tomatoes not to turn red. Too much cold temperatures stop the production of the carotene that is needed for the ripening of the tomato. This usually happens at the end of the growing season.
Excessive watering and feeding of the plants can also be bad. If tomato plants are provided with more nutrients than they need, it can cause them to direct their energy towards producing new growth instead of ripening the fruit.
When Do Tomatoes Turn Red?
Tomatoes have a long growing season. To be a tomato gardener, you must have a lot of patience. Tomatoes will turn red when ripe, provided all their growing and ripening conditions are being met. If you are unsure when exactly this time should be for the particular variety of tomatoes in your garden, check the packaging that the seeds or seedlings came in. The growth period of the tomatoes should be given there. If you do not have access to the packaging, a quick Google search might be helpful to estimate the approximate time you should expect your tomatoes to ripen.
Generally, most tomatoes take between 60 to just over 100 days to ripen. This is between the day they are transplanted into the soil and the day they are ready to harvest. The speed with which they ripen will depend on variety, environmental conditions, and the size of the tomato fruit. For example, cherry tomatoes ripen faster than larger tomatoes.
To get them to ripen at the right time, you have to plant them in the soil at the right time. The best time to do so is to start the seeds about 6-8 weeks before the last frost date.
Keep in mind that not all tomatoes will turn red. Some tomatoes are yellow, orange, purple, or even green when ripe. Know what the variety of the tomatoes you are planting is, so that you know what they should look like when they are ripe.
What to Do When Your Tomatoes Are Not Ripening
Both larger and small tomatoes such as cherry tomatoes not turning red can be due to various reasons, as we have already discussed. Here are 14 tips for ripening tomatoes when they won’t ripen.
1. Stop the plant from growing
One of the major reasons this happens is the result of overgrown plants. This then causes the plant to divert more energy into producing new plant growth, instead of toward the fruit and seed. One way to deal with this is to stop the plant from inefficiently utilizing energy. Do this by pinching or cutting off the top point of the plant that is growing, so that the plant will not get any bigger.
Also, cut off any new flowers that have not produced any fruit yet. They will never be able to do so as there is not enough time left in the growing season.
2. Cut off the outside shoots
Tomatoes are very strong growing plants and produce a lot of foliage. Even if you keep trimming them, shoots keep reappearing. You should always pinch off or cut off any side shots that develop after the plant has matured. Always keep an eye out for them and remove them as soon as they appear. This will save the plant from using energy for growth, which it should rather direct towards fruit ripening.
3. Trim back plant foliage
Like all other plants, tomatoes need light for good growth and health. If there is too much foliage that covers the plant and minimizes the amount of light that it gets, the plant will not grow very strong. Trim off as much of the foliage as you can without damaging the plant. This will enable the plant to get direct sunlight that will warm it up, helping to speed up ripening.
4. Provide heat
If you can provide your plants with some form of heat, it will help ripen them. If you can install grow lights that can increase the temperatures even slightly, the ripening process would speed up.
Tomato plants are great for growing indoors. If your tomatoes were planted in a movable grow bed or pot, moving them indoors where you can control the temperature to make them more suitable for ripening will greatly benefit the plant.
Excessive fertilizing of tomato plants can do more harm than good. Ideally, tomatoes should only be fertilized about 2-3 times during their entire growth cycle. Do not fertilize the plants when they are close to harvest, and this will cause them to direct energy towards growth and not ripening.
7. Reduce watering
Excessive watering can also delay tomato fruit ripening. Reduce the rate of plant watering by only watering when you notice signs of wilting on the plant. This can help to push the plant towards fruit ripening.
8. Wait for cooler temperatures
If your tomatoes are not turning red because of high temperatures, you may just have to wait until the weather cools and ripening resumes.
9. Hang the plant upside down
Uproot whole plants when tomatoes won’t ripen. Hang the plant upside down in a warm and dry room where it will be protected from extreme temperatures and frost. The fruit can ripen as the plant dies. When trying out this method, try to get some of the soil out with the root.
10. Put the tomatoes in a bag with a banana
If you still can’t get your tomatoes to ripen, try this trick of putting them in a bag with a ripe banana. The ripe banana releases ethylene which is a great promoter of tomato fruit ripening. If you choose to try this method, check your tomatoes regularly for any sign of rot. If you notice that any are starting to rot, remove them before they damage the others in the bag.
11. Put the tomatoes in a bag with a ripe apple
This method is the same way as the previous method described, just with a different fruit.
12. Pick individual tomatoes to ripen
You can also pick tomatoes individually to ripen them by placing them on window sills, and they will eventually turn red.
13. Plant the next crop of tomatoes on time
As more of a proactive way to ensure that your tomatoes ripen, plant them at the right time so that they have enough time in the growing season to grow and ripen before the temperature gets bad.
14. Pick the green tomatoes
If all efforts of ripening your tomatoes fail, you can pick them green. Green tomatoes are great for pickling.
Can Tomatoes Ripen Off the Plant?
Normally and ideally, plants should be left on the plant until they ripen, and then they can be picked off, However, some conditions occur that may require you to pick them off the vine and attempt to ripen them indoors. These factors are usually associated with environmental conditions such as temperature and frost.
You can pick unripe tomatoes and ripen them off the plant, provided that you can give them good ripening conditions as described above.
Why Are My Tomatoes Not Ripening? – Summary
Tomatoes are very easy plants to grow, as long as you know the variety and their ideal growing conditions. Key points to remember are that tomatoes won’t turn red if it’s too hot (above 85°F) or too cold (below 50°F), If your tomatoes do not grow well, they may be stressed and this may affect ripening. Smaller tomatoes are the result of stressed tomato plants.
Tomatoes produce carotene and lycopene which will promote ripening at the end of the growing season. Make sure that your plants are provided with good growing conditions so that they can produce enough carotene and lycopene.
Tomatoes are slow to ripen on the vine because they are overfed, overwatered, overgrown, or the weather is too cold. Adjust your maintenance schedules to get the best out of your plants.
We hope this article provided you with enough information, tips, and tricks that you will use to ripen your tomatoes that may not be turning red on their own.
The potato is one of the world’s most commonly grown, consumed, and versatile vegetables. Its ease of growth contributes to its popularity. Knowing how many potatoes will grow per plant is crucial to knowing how your plants will perform and to deciding how many you should plant to fulfill your needs.
How many potatoes will grow per plant will depend on certain factors such as the type or variety of potatoes being grown, environmental conditions, and how well their growing needs are being met.
Keep reading to know how many potato plants to plant to ensure that you harvest enough to last you and your family until the next growing season.
How Many Potatoes Per Plant?
How many potatoes per plant can you expect from your harvest? Under ideal growing conditions, the average number of potatoes a potato plant can produce per plant is between three and eight. Different varieties may produce fewer or more potatoes than others. The tubers’ sizes may also differ, ranging from small to extra large.
If you want to provide for a family, about 40 potato plants may be sufficient for the year. If these plants all grow healthily until harvest, you should expect a harvest of around 125 pounds of potatoes.
How Many Potatoes Grow From One Potato Seed?
Seed potatoes vary significantly in size. A small-sized seed potato is planted whole, and a single potato can be produced per plant. However, Larger seed potatoes can be cut into halves or quarters, grown, and produced between two and four potato plants.
Planting seed potatoes whole will usually produce more vigorous plants. It is, therefore, unnecessary to cut the seed potato unless it is huge.
A single-seed potato that grows well will produce one plant, and this one plant will produce between 8 and 10 full-sized potatoes. In addition, each potato plant is likely to have a couple of smaller baby potatoes as well.
Do Different Potato Varieties Produce the Same Number of Potatoes Per Seed?
How many potatoes per plant seed can differ between different cultivars? To find out how many potatoes your particular variety will produce, read the plant descriptions on the packaging or the resources available online.
However, the average yield per potato plant listed assumes that ideal growing conditions are met for that particular potato variety. If the conditions are not ideal, the plant may produce fewer potatoes or nothing at all.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Optimal Potato Yield
While different potato cultivars will have different specific environmental conditions for maximum yield, here are some things you can do to help ensure that you get optimal productivity out of your potatoes:
1. Planting distance
Potatoes are tubers that grow underground. Because of this, they need plenty of space to grow, so it is important to provide them with sufficient room.
If potatoes are planted too closely, young tubers will not grow as well as you would expect them to, resulting in a poor yield.
Another reason not to plant them too closely is that they will compete for nutrients, further negatively impacting their growth.
Potato plants should be planted 12 -14 inches apart and have 3 feet between rows to achieve the best growth and optimum yield. If you plan to harvest your potatoes at the baby stage, however, you can plant them closer to each other, as they will require less space to grow.
If you have adhered to this recommended planting distance, you should not have to worry about the possibility of them crowding up in the soil. They will adjust themselves and spread out as needed, provided the soil they are planted in is right. The plant roots and tubers will grow well.
2. Planting depth
How deep you plant your seed potatoes will have a massive impact on the eventual yield. Seed potatoes need to have enough soil covering them so that no part of the tuber is left exposed. If they do not get completely covered and are exposed to the sun, they will turn green due to the solanine in them. If these potatoes are consumed, they will cause solanine poisoning. Green potatoes should not be eaten and must be immediately discarded. This will lead to a loss of crop yield.
The best depth to plant your potatoes is 4-6 inches. Start with this depth and hill them up as the plants continue to grow taller to keep them protected.
You can hill your potatoes up by mounding the soil around them with a spade, hoe, or other implement that you have. Hill them up to within 2-3 inches of the plant foliage. Start hilling them when the plants have attained a height of 8-10 inches, and repeat the process when they get new growth of 8-10 inches.
The process of hilling your plants will help to provide them with sufficient soil for adequate growth and expansion of tubers underground. The higher level of soil will also help to support the growing foliage on top of the ground. If your plants are not provided with enough soil, they will be exposed to the sun, which will diminish your crop yield.
3. Soil type
Potato tubers need to be planted in loose soil for them to grow well and expand underground. Using loose, soft, and well-draining soil will help to increase your potato yield. Potatoes require plenty of space to spread their roots and grow large potatoes.
Growing potatoes in compacted soil will produce only small potatoes as they will struggle to push against the dirt to increase in size.
4. Soil fertility
Soil fertility is an important aspect of increasing your potato yield. Before your potatoes are planted, apply a suitable fertilizer to the soil. It is important to use a fertilizer that is specific for potatoes when you first plant them and mid-way through the season so that they get the boost of nutrients they need to produce as many potatoes as they can.
Use a 5-10-10 fertilizer in the planting rows and carefully work it into the soil. Follow the instructions on the packaging container. You must also side-dress the potatoes with the same fertilizer before the first hilling.
5. Soil moisture
Potatoes need adequate, but not too much watering. Potatoes need about 1 to 2 inches of rain per week. If your area does not receive this amount of rain, you will need t give your potatoes supplemental water.
Water your potatoes enough to saturate the soil up to the level of the roots and tubers. Water each time the first two inches of the soil feel dry.
Going for long periods without watering or adequate water will lead to malformations of your potato tubers, which can lead to poor yields. This is because insufficient moisture will cause the potato tubers to grow slowly if they even grow at all.
If you resumed watering your potatoes or got plenty of rain after a period of no rain, it will cause the tubers to grow rapidly and split or develop malformations.
To get the best yield out of your potatoes, and get the best shapes, you will need to water them regularly during their growing season.
6. Pests
Pests can have a detrimental impact on your potato crop yield. Treat them as soon as you notice them before they have any significant damage to the plants. Insect pests such as the Colorado potato beetle can completely destroy the foliage of the plants. If this happens, the growth of tubers underground will stop because the plants will not have enough support. Eventually, you will have reduced yield and small potatoes.
7. Sunlight exposure
Like all other plants, potato plants require sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. Without sufficient sunlight, the growth of the plant will slow down and result in your potato yield is poor.
Make sure you plant your potatoes in an area that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day, for the entire duration of the growing cycle. The plants can and will grow with less light, however, their growth will not be as good as it would be if they received more light. So to get the best growth, health, and ultimately good yield from your potatoes, provide them with plenty of sunlight.
8. Proper hilling
Hilling your potatoes at the time they are first planted, and one or two more times during their growing season will help improve crop yield. Hilling provides support for the growing plant foliage, which will force it to grow upwards toward the sunlight and consequently increase the growth of tubers.
9. Choosing the right potato variety
There are hundreds of potato varieties to choose from that are readily available from local seed stores and online shops. Before you choose the variety to grow. Do a bit of research around it to find out if it is suited to your climate, or if you will be able to provide it with the growing conditions it requires.
It is also helpful to know information such as the length of the growing season, the amount of space they need for growth, specific uses of that particular potato, and as well as resistance or susceptibility to disease and parasites.
Potato varieties such as Pontiac Red, Kennebec White, and Purple Majesty are all great varieties of potatoes that consistently produce high yields of potatoes. If you are you do not know much about potato varieties, you can begin by researching these three to see which one would be best suited to your environment.
10. Plant your potatoes at the right time
Potato plants have an ideal time that they should be planted to get the best chance of survival. You should plant them when the soil warms up to about 45 degrees Fahrenheit. In most areas, that would be about two weeks after the last frost date.
While looking at the timing, it is also key to monitor the soil moisture content. If you have had a wet spring, wait a few weeks until the ground has dried up a bit. If the soil is too wet, it can cause the potato tubers to rot.
If you have no choice but to plant potatoes earlier than this, look for the varieties that mature earlier, as they are better able to withstand cold conditions. You can plant these up to six weeks before the last first date.
How Many Potatoes Does a Potato Plant Produce?
Typically, a single potato plant will produce anywhere between 3 and 5 pounds of potatoes. This may be enough to feed a family of four people twice.
Keep in mind, however, that different varieties of potatoes will produce different numbers of potatoes. In addition to this, the growing conditions such as sunlight, nutrient provision, adequate growing space, and a good irrigation schedule have to be maintained well to achieve optimum growth.
Can I Use Store-Bought Potatoes as Seeds?
Technically, yes. Store-bought potatoes can be used as seeds to grow potatoes. You will have figured this out when you left potatoes out for too long and they started sprouting. If you plant them in the ground during the right growing season, you should harvest some potatoes.
However, potato growth experts advise against using shop potatoes as seeds. They recommend only using certified potatoes to plant in your garden.
The reasons for this include that potato growers put sprout inhibitors to slow down the rate of budding when the potatoes are being shipped, and while they are at the store. This may cause the potatoes to grow weak or not produce any growth when planted.
Another reason that you should not use shop potatoes as seeds is that they often contain a lot of microorganisms and diseases. These can easily spread to plants and completely destroy all other plants in your garden. Seed potatoes that are certified will come with a guarantee that they are free of any diseases or microorganisms that can destroy the potato and other crops.
Certified seed potatoes are usually strong and healthy, and have a higher chance of having vigorous growth, producing large and strong potatoes, and ultimately a good yield.
How Do I Know That My Potatoes Are Growing
Because potatoes grow underground, it may be difficult, especially for new and inexperienced growers to be able to tell what stage their plants are at. It can be difficult to tell whether or not your potato tubers are growing. There are signs that you can look out for.
Flowering is a great indicator that your potatoes have started growing. If you want to harvest your potatoes in the baby stage, you can go ahead and do so at this point. After the flowers have come and gone, the foliage at the top of the soil will die back. This is so that the plant will start directing its energy towards growing the tubers larger. If you want to harvest full-sized potatoes, you should do so after the plants have died back.
Another way to know that your potatoes have matured is when the stems of the plants have started to go yellow and die off. This usually happens at the end of summer, or early in the fall.
If you still want a bit of reassurance that your potatoes are ready to harvest, you can dig a small test spot and get a few tubers out to gauge if they are at your desired harvest size.
Quick Summary – How Many Potatoes Per Plant (and From ONE Seed)
Different varieties of potatoes will produce different amounts of potatoes at harvest time. You will need to read the information on the seed packaging to get an idea of how many potatoes per plant your particular variety will produce. Generally, with potatoes, however, if the plant is healthy, you can expect to dig up about five or six full-size potatoes per plant.
Potato plants yield from five to 10 potatoes per plant depending on the variety, climate, and whether the growing conditions of the plants are met. Usually, a single potato plant produces anywhere between 3 and 5 pounds of potatoes. Knowing this can help you to plan how many plants to plant to you can have enough potatoes until the next growing season.
Follow the guidelines and tips provided in this article to increase your potato plant harvest. Remember that a single plant has the potential to produce between three and four pounds of potatoes, and a single seed potato will produce above four or five plants. Start from there and then plan how many potato plants to plant for an adequate supply.
We hope this article has given you all the information you need to know on how many potatoes per plant you can expect from your potato plant. Happy growing!
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Potatoes are some of the most versatile and commonly consumed foods around the world. There are so many ways in which this root vegetable can be prepared. But can you eat potato leaves in addition to the root?
The harvested root of the potato plant is used for many culinary purposes such as making salads, chips, crisps, and many other dishes and snacks. It can even be ground into flour to make various baked goods. Keep reading to find out if the leaves of the potato plant are as versatile as the root.
What Are Potatoes?
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are a perennial vegetable belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Native to the Americas, they were domesticated by Native Americans in multiple locations. Wild species of potatoes can be found in various areas of the United States and Chile.
Potatoes have now been introduced and are cultivated in just about every continent in the world and are one of the world’s largest food crops.
All the different types and species of potatoes make a delicious and nutritious addition to any diet. They are a great source of vitamins C and B6 and have twice as much potassium as those found in a banana.
However, not all parts of the potato plants should be eaten. Just like other plants in the nightshade family such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, some parts of the potato plant are poisonous if consumed.
Vegetables in the nightshade family produce fruits that are healthy and safe for consumption, but other parts of the plants and their foliage may contain a high concentration of a compound called solanine that is toxic to humans and many animals.
Are Potato Leaves Edible?
The simple and straightforward answer is no! “Irish” potato leaves are not edible and should not be consumed at any cost. Generally, however, depending on the variety of potatoes you can and can not eat potato leaves. Irish potato leaves produce steroidal alkaloids, solanine, and chaconine. These toxic compounds can be present in high concentrations in the leaves of potatoes, which could be harmful if consumed by both animals and humans. Sweet potato leaves however are perfectly safe to eat.
Solanine and chaconine are produced by plants as natural pesticides to protect themselves from insects devouring them. These two compounds, therefore, make the plants bitter tasting. This also helps the nightshade plants avoid being eaten by herbivores and various pathogens.
Solanine is present in all parts of the potato plant, but it is more concentrated in the leaves and stems, which are the parts of the plants that have to do with photosynthesis.
Some people are more sensitive to solanine and even a small amount can cause them to get sick. Children and small pets are also at a higher risk of solanine poisoning due to their small size. A concentration of 20mg of solanine per 100g of plant consumed can be toxic. Potato leaves are not and should not be used in the kitchen. Keeping them out of your kitchen will help you avoid accidental ingestion.
If you eat any part of a potato and it tastes bitter, you need to stop immediately. That bitter taste could be an indication that there is solanine present. If you ever accidentally consume it accidentally, however, there is no need to panic. Just drink plenty of fluids to try and flush it out. Monitor your symptoms over time. If you continue to feel worse, contact a doctor immediately. Potato leaves should never be eaten
Can You Eat Potato Greens?
Are potato leaves poisonous? Can you eat them? Absolutely not. The only part of the potato plant that you should eat is the root. Any part of the potato that is or has a green color should by no means be eaten. If eaten, it can lead to serious health issues and even death due to solanine poisoning.
Are Potato Plants Poisonous?
The whole potato plant is not poisonous. There are only certain parts of the potato plant that are poisonous. Potato leaves and plant parts that are not the actual potato are not edible and can be poisonous.
The leaves stem and any new shoots and buds of the potato plant contain high amounts of solanine. In addition to this, potato tubers (the actual potato) that have been exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time and turned green also contain high amounts of solanine and should not be eaten.
The only part of the potato plant that is safe to eat is the underground tuber which has not been exposed to the sun and has no green color on it. If you have stored your potatoes and they start to sprout, you must remove the sprouts before eating them. As long as the potatoes have no green pigment, they should be perfectly fine to eat.
If your stored potatoes have a small patch of green on the surface, you can simply trim it away and wash the potato and cook it. If you find that the flesh is also green, however, you should toss the whole potato.
Another part of the potato plant that should not be eaten is the little fruit that the flowers produce. These fruits look like small tomatoes and may be confusing especially to small children. They should not be eaten because they are also poisonous.
Animals should also be kept from eating any green parts of the potato plant. To keep your animals safe, fence off any areas where the plants are. Remove any leaves that fall onto the land where they may be accessed and consumed by livestock.
If you suspect that an animal has eaten any poisonous part of the potato plant, immediately seek veterinary care, and with the proper treatment, the animal should be fine.
Solanine poisoning rarely ever leads to death because you would have to eat extremely large quantities for it to have that effect. If you consume small quantities of solanine, here are some symptoms of poisoning that you may experience;
Gastrointestinal pain such as a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, pain in the abdomen, loose bowels, nausea, and vomiting.
Skin discomforts such as an itchy neck and overly sensitive skin
Headaches
Difficulty with breathing
Fatigue
Feeling weak
Weak or rapid pulse
Hallucinations
Delirium
Coma
and in rare cases, death
Never make the mistake of thinking that cooking will destroy solanine from potato plants because it does not. It does not matter whether the potato is raw or cooked, they’re both toxic. Any part of the potato plant that is green is not fit for consumption, and uncooked potato tubers are inedible even if they do not have a green color.
Solanine poisoning
Solanine poisoning is mostly displayed via gastrointestinal and neurological complications. Symptoms usually occur between 8 and 12 hours after ingestion of high-solanine foods.
Some scientific studies have shown that there is a correlation between the consumption of potatoes that have late blight, which increases the levels of solanine and other glycoalkaloids, and the occurrence of congenital spina bifida. birth defect in humans.
Although the mechanism of solanine poisoning is still to be well understood, it is best to avoid any vegetables that could potentially lead to poisoning.
Are Sweet Potato Leaves Edible?
Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are often mistaken for nightshade because of the name similarity with potato, it might be tempting to think they are from the same family. Despite the name being similar, sweet potato does not belong to the nightshade or Solanaceae family and are not related to regular potatoes.
Unlike potato leaves, sweet potato leaves are edible. They do not contain any solanine and are not toxic. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooled and served as a side vegetable like spinach. They can also be added to stir-fries. Sweet potato leaves are a common ingredient in many Asian-style dishes.
Sweet potato leaves are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and therefore can be an excellent addition to your diet. They are rich in vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as manganese and potassium. The composition of these nutrients will depend on the variety of sweet potatoes.
Potato vs Sweet Potato Leaves
To avoid mistaking potato leaves for sweet potato leaves, it might be helpful to know how to clearly distinguish between the two by knowing their descriptions.
Potato leaves have a smooth leaf edge compared to the serrated edge of regular leaves. The leaf has an oval shape and may have notches that separate large lobes. They have a dark green color and would be bitter if you tasted them.
Sweet potato leaves on the other hand form a trailing vine. They are heart-shaped or have deep notches The leaves have a glossy green appearance that may also have a reddish tint. They have prominent veins that radiate from the base of the leaf. They can be medium to large in size and have a cordate or heart shape with pointed tips.
Sweet potato leaves grow in an alternating pattern and may have multiple lobes, known as palmate, depending on the variety. The colors of sweet potato leaves can range from dark to yellow green, and purple, and they usually have a darker surface and be lighter on the underside of the leave. They glow on green, slender terms on creeping vines that can grow up to four meters in length. The top 10 cm of the leaves and stems are the most tender parts of the vine and are the most commonly consumed.
What to Do With Potato Leaves?
Since you cannot eat potato leaves, what can you do with them? One thing you can do with potato leaves is to compost them. Composted potato leaves can be an excellent source of nutrients to help enrich or improve the quality of your soil. If you decide to do this, be careful not to add too many of these leaves to your compost heap as they can cause the compost to become acidic. This would limit the number of plants you would be able to use your compost on.
Another thing you can do with potato plant leaves is to simply throw them away. Throw them away in a place that your animals will not be able to reach, as this may lead to various health problems. If you can, dig a hole in the ground and bury the leaves in there. Just remember not to plant anything in that area that does not like acidic soil or it will not grow well and may even die.
Can You Get Poisoned By Touching Potato Leaves?
Since we have explained extensively the problems associated with potato leaf consumption and solanine poisoning, you may be wondering if it is possible to get poisoned by touching or handling them. There is no need to worry about this because handling potato foliage poses no risk to you or your pets.
You would only get poisoned if you infested considerable amounts of the poisonous parts of the plant. You can safely handle or carry all the green parts of the potato plant without worrying about any possibility of poisoning.
Conclusion – Can You Eat Potato Leaves?
Potatoes are a popular and versatile vegetable that is consumed by all cultures throughout the world. This amazing vegetable however has certain parts of it that are not fit for consumption as they can lead to terrible health effects and even health if consumed in large enough quantities.
The stems and leaves of potatoes, along with those of all the plants in the nightshade family should not be consumed by humans or animals. The solanine contained in them is toxic. This also goes for any potato tuber that may have a green pigment on its flesh. It should be gotten rid of or used for composting.
You cannot destroy the solanine contained in potato greens by cooking. Under no circumstances should potato greens be consumed.
Sweet potatoes are from a different family to “Irish potatoes”. Even though it might be easy to think they are related, sweet potato leaves can be safely consumed and actually have various health benefits.
To avoid accidentally consuming poisonous potato leaves, learn how to distinguish between the two. You can read the guidelines provided in this article or use other resources to assist you in this regard.
We hope this article has been of great help in improving your understanding of potato plants and their dangers. While the risk of death from solanine poisoning is quite low, it is better to be safe than sorry. In conclusion, avoid any green parts of the potato plant.
Do you like a bit of heat if your food? That zang when you bite into your meal. If this is you, you may want to know when to pick jalapenos so you can get the ideal flavor and heat level that you want.
Jalapeno peppers are extremely easy to grow and if you enjoy them, you can grow them at home regardless of the amount of space that you have. Let’s keep reading to find out more.
What Are Jalapeno Peppers?
Jalapeno is a medium-sized chili pepper cultivar belonging to the species Capsicum annuum. These peppers grow fairly slowly and because of this, it can be quite tough to tell when they are ready for harvest.
The peppers are a summer favorite for gardeners everywhere. They add some spice to dishes without the overwhelming heat that some peppers have. Give them a good amount of heat and sunlight and they will grow happily and produce a pepper with a lovely mild taste that can be used in many dishes such as salsas, stir-fries, and nachos and to make the sauce.
Jalapenos can easily be grown in containers and on the ground. So even if you don’t have a lot of garden space, you can still be able to grow and enjoy these peppers at home.
Jalapeno plants produce a large yield of dozens of glossy green fruits that are easy to grow if provided with the right growing conditions.
On the Scoville scale, which is the measure of the hotness or spiciness of peppers, they are in the range from 2500 to 8000 and are considered mildly hot. The compound capsaicin gives hot peppers their heat. When jalapenos are fully ripe and have a red color, the level of capsaicin is higher and results in the peppers being hotter than when they are still green.
Harvesting Jalapenos
Harvesting jalapenos is an easy process. If you follow the guidelines that will be provided in this article, you can confidently harvest them right.
Continual harvest of peppers is good for them and will encourage the plant to keep producing more. Therefore, it is impossible to use up peppers by picking them often. As long as you harvest them, they will keep blossoming and producing more peppers.
On the other hand, if you leave the peppers too long on the plant, your red jalapenos will start to rot or will not last very long after you pick them.
No matter the color of your papers when you pick them, always pick them before the frost falls. Peppers are a summer crop and are therefore very sensitive to cold weather. They may suffer frost damage if the temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you are not quite prepared to harvest your peppers or they are not quite ready as the cold weather approaches, you can cover the entire plant with fleece covers. This way you might be able to save the peppers from damage.
How Do I Know When My Jalapenos Are Ready to Pick?
When it comes to harvesting jalapenos, when do you know or decide when your peppers are ready to pick? You pick your jalapenos when they are the right color depending on the level of heat you want.
Jalapenos turn red as they mature, and as they mature their level of heat increases. Most people prefer to harvest their jalapenos when the fruits are dark green and only have mild heat.
If you are unsure that your green jalapenos are ready for harvest, check their appearance. They should be picked when they are about 3-5″ in size, and feel firm to the touch.
How to Tell When Jalapenos Are Ripe
Telling when jalapenos are ripe can be tricky because they are usually harvested off the same branch and start in. And if you grow them at home, you may have a different variety to the ones you find at the store so they may look different.
When you plant your own jalapenos at home, start harvesting them when they are about 5 to 6 months old. After this period, the peppers should be at least 3-5 inches long. They are then ripe and ready to harvest. The exact length of the pepper will depend on the variety you are growing, as well as the growing conditions that you have provided for them.
If your plants are grown in an area that does not receive a lot of sunlight, they may be smaller and take longer to mature. Regardless of size, mature peppers are deep green or red, as soon as they get these colors, they are ripe and ready to pick.
How to Harvest Jalapenos – Simple Guide
Once you have ascertained that your peppers are ready to harvest, you need to do it properly so that your plants keep producing fruit. Here are the steps you need to follow;
1. Locate the peppers that have your desired heat level
Green jalapenos will have a mild flavor. The lighter the shade of green, the milder the pepper is likely to be. As the peppers mature and get a red color, they get hotter. The redder they are, the more heat they will have.
2. Hold the branch that has the jalapenos you want to harvest
This is so that you can support the stem while plucking the peppers so that it does not break.
3. Cut off the pepper
With your free hand, use a pair of sharp running shears or garden scissors to cut off the pepper at the base where it attaches to the main stem. While doing this, do not give in to the urge to tug on twits the peppers of the plant even if they give you a hard time. This may end up leading to damage to your plant.
When to Harvest Jalapenos
Knowing when to pick jalapenos off the plant is important to get a good harvest. Jalapenos take anywhere between 70 and 85 days to mature, from the day they are transplanted outside. At this stage, they should have a firm texture, have dark green pods, and be 3-4 inches long.
If you are looking for mild heat from your peppers, pick the younger green ones off the plant. The younger ones will have a light green color and will not have any corking, which is the appearance of little stretch marks on the body of the jalapeno.
When jalapeno peppers grow fast, the skin has to stretch quickly and this results in the pepper having little lines or striations on them. When you see these marks on the pepper, that is a clear indication that it is ready to pick and healthy.
Different jalapenos have different levels of heat. If you prefer mild to no heat, the best varieties to go for are the Mammoth Jalapeno, TAM Jalapeno pepper, or the heatless Coolapeño pepper. You can get seeds for many of these varieties on the Etsy online marketplace.
Can You Ripen Jalapenos Indoors?
If you can not wait for your jalapeno peppers to mature while still on the plant, or if a branch with some peppers that have not ripened breaks off, you can harvest them indoors.
Jalapenos can be ripened off the vine. This process can take period of a couple of days to a few weeks. The speed with which this happens will depend on various conditions such as the ambient temperature in which they are kept, as well as whether the peppers themselves have started changing color.
Jalapenos, just like other peppers can ripen indoors, on a windowsill or countertop. The ideal temperature to get this to happen is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit for quick results.
If the peppers are at the end of the growing season, you can cut off branches with immature jalapeno peppers and hang them upside down indoors, or stick them in water to speed up the ripening process.
Keep in mind however that after your peppers have been harvested, they will no longer grow in size. They will only ripen but remain the same in size.
How to Preserve Jalapenos
Depending on the size of your harvest, as well as how long you would like to store your jalapenos, there are various methods that you can use to preserve them. These are;
Refrigeration: If you plan to consume your jalapenos in about two weeks, you can store your peppers in a ziploc bag and store them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge. Make sure that both the peppers and storage bag are completely dry before you store them
Freezing: You can store jalapenos in the freezer for up to eight months. Before freezing, wash and dry them carefully and store them whole in freezer bags. You can use your frozen peppers in stews, soups, and other dishes. You will obviously have to thaw them out before doing so, and they may lose a bit of crunch from when they are fresh. Just keep them in mind. If, for whatever reason, your frozen peppers start to turn black before you consume them, toss them away as they may no longer be suitable to eat.
Food dehydrator: dehydrated jalapeno peppers can be stored for up to a year. To prepare them, thoroughly wash and dry them with a dry towel or let them air dry. Cut your washed peppers into even pieces. Ly them on a flat tray and make sure that they do not overlap so that they can dry properly. Dehydrate your peppers at 125 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 to 12 hours. You will see that your peppers are completely dry when they become leathery (if you want to rehydrate later), or when they get brittle (if you want to grind them into powder). Store your dehydrated peppers in sealable containers and keep the, away from the sun.
Pickling: Some gardeners prefer to pick their jalapeno peppers early. Green jalapenos are crispy and crunchy and are great for pickling. So if you want to pickle your peppers, pick them when they are still young and green, and you can keep them for as long as you like.
When you harvest your peppers for storage in whichever method you prefer, yous should also consider saving some seeds for the next planting season. This will save you money and the trouble of having to look for new seeds or seedlings.
Another advantage of growing jalapenos from your own seeds is that those peppers will be better adapted to your growing environment, and will have a higher chance of survival and production with each passing growth season.
Conclusion – When to Pick Jalapenos
Jalapenos are an extremely easy crop to grow. You can grow them both indoors and outdoors, as long as you can provide ideal growing conditions for them, they will grow beautifully and successfully.
Harvesting jalapenos is an important factor in their growth and getting a successful harvest. Knowing when and how to harvest your peppers is absolutely crucial if you want your plant to keep producing. Knowing what indicators to look out for, that show that your peppers are ready for harvest will determine the quality of your crop, as well as how long your plant will keep growing.
If you like a mild eat on your peppers, harvest them while they are still young and green in color. If you love hot peppers, wait for your peppers to turn red because at thing stage they will have a lot of heat.
Pick your jalapenos often so that they can keep producing more fruit for you to enjoy. Do not worry about any possibility of having too much fruit, because you can always store your peppers for as long as you with with the different methods provided in this article.
Never wait for all your peppers to ripen before harvesting them, as this will slow down the growth and productivity of the plant. Keep harvesting for it to keep growing. You cannot out-pick the plant.
We hope you found all the information, tips and tricks pin this article useful, and you will not confidently grow and harvest your jalapenos knowing that you are doing it right.
Homegrown potatoes are arguably better than anything you can buy at a supermarket. Growing them however can be a bit tricky if you are inexperienced. One of the key things with growing them at home is to know when to pick potatoes.
Knowing how to harvest and handle homegrown potatoes after harvest will help you to end up with the maximum possible harvest your garden can produce. You will also be able to store them for a long, even through the winter months. To get to know when to pick potatoes, keep reading.
The Potato Plant
Solanum tuberosum, commonly known as potato is one of the most commonly grown and consumed vegetables worldwide. It is a staple for many traditional dishes and is used to make many fast food dishes and snacks.
Potatoes are a cool-weather vegetable and can be grown as a winter crop in areas with a warm climate. They belong to the nightshade family of plants which also has peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants.
The potato plant has green leaves that grow on top of the soil and help you to see where your potatoes are planted. It also has a tuber, which is the enlarged underground portion, which we refer to as “the potato”. The tuber develops underground once the plants get to about 6-8 inches in height. This usually happens around 5-7 weeks after planting.
There are over 100 types of potatoes. They differ in skin and flesh colors, shapes, and sizes. Some of these are ideal for mashing, roasting, frying, and for making salads. Potatoes are also nutritious. The skin is especially nutrient-rich and provides u to 45% of an adult’s daily vitamin C and 18% potassium requirements.
Growing Potatoes
Potatoes will grow well as long as they are provided with the right growing conditions. They do well in most types of soils and will produce a lot of good potatoes for your harvest.
Grow potatoes in an area where they will receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. The soil should be fertile, loose, and well-draining. Refrain from using any hard or compacted soil as it will lead to disfigured potatoes and will make harvesting difficult when the time comes. You can improve the quality of the soil by adding compost, and soil amendments, and preparing the soil before planting.
The ideal soil pH for growing potatoes is acidic and should be between 5.8 and 6.5. The temperature should be 45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
The best time to plant potatoes is in the spring 2 to 4 weeks before the frost day in your area. The temperatures should still be ideal at this time. If planted at the right time, you should expect to harvest them late in the summer and can store them through the fall and winter months.
Harvesting Potatoes
Harvesting potatoes can seem tricky, but it is pretty simple if you know what you are doing. Knowing when to pick potatoes is also key. They are best harvested on dry days as harvesting in the mud when it is raining may cause issues. Since you cannot see the tubers underground while you harvest, you need to be extremely careful not to puncture the tubers. If the soil is loose, it should be pretty easy to maneuver with your fingers, this will help you to avoid cutting on causing bruising on the skin of the potatoes.
Potatoes can tolerate light frost, but when the first hard frost is expected, it’s time to get out the shovels and start digging potatoes.
Knowing the right time to harvest potatoes and doing so will keep the vegetables from sitting too long in the ground, and will reduce the chances of attack by pathogens that target potatoes.
The size of your tubers should be about the size of a chicken egg or bigger when you harvest them. You can leave them to grow a bit more if you prefer. You should use a digging fork from around the edges and work your way into where your potatoes are planted. This should help loosen the soil without puncturing the potatoes. Once the soil has loosened, you can use your fingers to feel around and get the potatoes that you want out.
Here are some considerations to keep in mind when harvesting potatoes:
Toughen up your potatoes for storage before harvesting them, by limiting how much you water them after the middle of August.
Before harvesting your entire crop, dig up a small test hill to see how big or mature your plants are. The skin of mature potatoes will be thick and firmly attached to the potato flesh. Those that are still young will have thin skin that comes off the potato when gently rubbed.
If the soil is wet when you harvest the potatoes, let them air dry completely before storing them.
Check for any green pots on your harvested potatoes, if it is just superficial and can be trimmed off, the potatoes should be fine to keep. If the green goes deep into the flesh, throw away the potatoes as they may be poisonous.
Cure your potatoes before long-term storage. Do this by letting them sit in temperatures of 45 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for about two weeks. This time will give the potatoes time to heal or harden any small cuts that may be present. You do not need to cure them if you are going to eat them right off the ground.
Store potatoes in a cool, dry, and dark place after harvesting. Too much light will turn them green, rendering them unsuitable for eating.
Store the potatoes that are damaged, diseased, or bruise-free to avoid any storage problems.
Store your potatoes in baskets, cardboard boxes, or crates with holes on the sides so the vegetables get enough ventilation to prevent rot.
Regularly check on your stored potatoes and remove any ones that may get damaged or start to rot before they infect the others.
When to Harvest Potatoes in Containers
Whether you are harvesting potatoes from the ground, grow bags, containers, or grow beds, the method to follow is the same. When to pick potatoes, and how exactly to do it, will be the same.
Once your potato plants start to flower, you know it is almost time to harvest. Wait for a bit, just until the flowers start to dry and drop off the plant. After this happens, the potatoes will remain tender for about 2-3 weeks.
If you prefer to pick your potatoes at this stage, keep in mind that you will need to eat them soon after harvest as they do not store well. They are delicious but have really thin skins that affect their shelf life.
To harvest larger, more mature potatoes, you should leave them for longer than this in the soil. Growing them in a potato grow bed will help you easily monitor the size of your potatoes.
The longer you intend to let your potatoes grow for, the more you will need to protect them from animals, children, and pets so they can grow and mature well.
Because potatoes can be damaged by frost, you should always harvest them just before the frost hits, whether they are mature or still in their baby stage.
How to Know When Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest
So how do you know the best time to pick potatoes? Knowing when to harvest potatoes can be quite easy. Once the potato tubers have started to set, they are ready to harvest. You will know that they have reached this stage when you notice them flowering.
To harvest baby potatoes, dig up potatoes just as the plants have started to flower. Wait until the tops of the vines have completely died to harvest full-size potatoes. This shows that the plant has now directed all of its energy into growing the tubers.
As you figure out when to pick potatoes, watch out for other symptoms of disease with the die-off of your plants, as not all browning and die-off are part of the plant’s natural cycle.
Potatoes can tolerate light frost, however, when the first hard frost is expected you should pull off the shovels and start digging potatoes. So you should harvest all your potatoes before the frost hits or you might lose your crop.
If you do not harvest your potatoes, you will create a perennial patch of potatoes. Potatoes left in the ground and not harvested will either grow new plants, or sprout and produce new plants in the spring of the following growth season. Which of these happens will depend on the climate where you live.
How to Store Potatoes
How you store your harvested potatoes depends on the size of your harvest and how long you intend to store them for. If you are harvesting potatoes to consume within a few days, storage should not be a concern as you can store them anywhere.
To store them for longer, however, you should find them some space in a cool place with temperatures of between 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you store them in a warm place, they will be susceptible to diseases, decreasing their shelf life.
The storage space for potatoes also needs to have a humidity of about 80%, or the tubers will wither and dry out.
Make sure that the place is also not exposed to sunlight as this will cause the greening of the potatoes. Fresh air and ventilation are crucial for storing potatoes, airtight containers should not be used.
Never store potatoes with apples. The ethylene gas from apples will cause the potatoes to spoil.
Avoid storing potatoes in the fridge. This is because after potatoes are harvested, they convert starch to sugar depending on the temperature. They will do this if stored in the fridge, and the potatoes taste weird. Another reason is that storing potatoes in the fridge leads to an increase in the levels of acrylamide. This compound is produced when you cook potatoes at high temperatures. Acrylamide causes cancer in animals, so there is a good chance it might also be harmful to humans.
Depending on the variety, potatoes can last 4-6 months if stored well.
Conclusion – Know the Best Time to Pick Potatoes
Growing and harvesting potatoes at home is one of the most satisfying things to do. Digging them up makes for a fun activity that can be done with kids. Knowing when to pick potatoes and the best method to harvest will ensure that you get the best harvest and can store your potatoes well if you wish.
We hope you found this article on how to know the best time to pick potatoes informative and helpful.
Happy growing.
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Kale is one of the easiest and best leafy greens to grow currently. Also dubbed a superfood due to its many health benefits, if you’re a health enthusiast, you definitely want to know how to harvest kale so the leaves keep growing and give you a continuous harvest.
To learn how to do this right, let’s keep reading.
Summary: How to Harvest Mature Kale
To harvest Kale, grasp the stem of the mature outer leaf at the base of the main stalk and pull down and out, away from the center, until it breaks. Ensure that you leave at least 5 central leaves on the plant so that it keeps growing.
What is Kale?
Brassica oleracea var. sabellica, commonly known as kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family and is grown for its edible leaves.
Mostly eaten raw in salads, but can also be eaten cooked, kale has a variety of micronutrients such as vitamins A, C, and K, minerals, antioxidants, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and polyphenols, all of which are beneficial to human health.
If you plant kale at the right time, you will have a long season of harvest which will give you ample time to enjoy your fresh greens. Kale is typically a cool-weather vegetable but you can get a longer harvest if you plant it late in the summer to harvest in the fall and winter. It is also surprisingly hardy and frost tolerant. Certain cold-tolerant varieties will keep growing as long as the weather stays above 20°F.
This plant produces so many large leaves that when it is mature, it takes you only a few minutes to gather enough for a nutritious meal.
Most varieties of kale are biennial, meaning they have a two-year life cycle but people mostly grow it as an annual with a one-year growth cycle. Some kale varieties are perennial and can live for 5-7 years.
When to Harvest Kale
Kale is as easy to harvest as it is to grow. However, you need to know exactly the method and the right time to harvest it. So when is the best time to harvest kale? Well, this will depend on the variety or cultivar of kale that you are growing as they have different rates of growth.
There are also two distinct harvesting stages of kale, baby kale, and mature kale. The timing of the harvest will depend on what stage you want to harvest the leaves at.
Kale typically matures approximately 60 days after the seeds have been planted in the soil. By the time healthy plants reach this point, they will have at least 10 leaves with the larger ones on the outside and the smaller ones on the inside.
If you want to harvest your kale leaves while they are in the baby stage, this is best done 25 to 30 days after planting the seeds.
Kale is usually harvested in the late spring months, early summer, and again in autumn.
The time of harvest can also depend on the growing zone you are in and the time of the year. If you have a climate that greatly favors kale growth, you can harvest kale every one or two weeks.
Some kale gardeners even like to plant kale in the fall so that it can go through a frost before harvesting. The cold weather causes the plants to convert their starches to sugar, which greatly improves their taste.
How to Cut Kale From Garden
Harvesting kale is an extremely simple process. You can easily cut off the individual leaves without damaging the entire plant. This is as long as you don’t cut the central bud.
Here are the considerations to keep in mind when harvesting kale from the garden;
Cut off the leaves where the leaf stem meets the main stem of the plant – instead of cutting, you can also break the leaves from the stem by pushing it down with your thumb and pulling it away from the plant.
Do not cut the main stem of the plant – if you cut the team off, the plant will stop producing
Leave about 1/3 of the leaves on the plant so that it can regenerate over time – pick as many leaves as you want from the kale plant, but do not leave it bare if you wish to continue harvesting
Do not cut the root of the plant – this should go without saying, but if you cut the roots of your kale plant it will die
Pick the largest and oldest leaves first – this will give the younger plants time to grow before they can be harvested
Use the same method whether you are harvesting kale in the baby or the mature method – this way, your kale will keep growing
While harvesting, watch out for and remove yellow or spotted leaves – remove any yellow or spotted leaves as soon as you notice them. Leaving sick or dead leaves on the plants will take up energy that the plant should be channeling toward healthy growth to extend your harvest. If you consistently spot any yellow, spotted, or wilted leaves on your plants, it could be a sign of distress. Check for any possible causes such as common kale pests like cabbage worms and aphids, overwatering, or a nutrient deficiency. Once you have established what the cause is remedy it as soon as possible to give your plant the best chance of survival. If it is a watering issue, adjust your watering schedule, if the cause is pests, include pest control in your maintenance routine, I recommend you read the article Amazing Natural Insect Pest Control Methods that Works.
How to Harvest Baby Kale
If you’re growing baby kale for use in salads, the best time to harvest them is 25-30 days after planting. The best variety for baby kale is the Red Russian and it is commonly grown for this purpose
Wait until the plants have multiple leaves that are about 2-3″ in length. Just keep in mind that when you harvest the leaves smaller, the yield per plant will also be smaller.
To harvest small kale leaves, simply use your fingers to pinch each individual leaf at the base of the stem. You can also use a sharp pair of scissors or a knife to cut the leaves. Grab a handful of leaves and cut them off about two inches above the ground. This will enable your plant to keep growing as long as you keep the central point intact.
To keep harvesting young kale leaves, watch them carefully for about 3-4 weeks because kale can quickly outgrow the baby stage.
How to Harvest Mature Kale
Full-size, grown, or mature kale leaves have a tougher texture and a stronger flavor than baby leaves. Older leaves can become discolored and eventually fall off the plant. If you notice this happening, remove these leaves and only harvest the ones that still look green and healthy. When you pick mature kale leaves, ensure that you leave at least 5 central leaves on the plant so that it can continue to make food via photosynthesis and keep growing.
For mature kale leaves, it is best to cook before consuming them or use them to make kale chips. You can also massage them thoroughly before eating them if you don’t want to cook them
When they’re mature, they should be about the size of an adult’s palm or bigger. To harvest them, grasp the stem of the mature outer leaf at the base of the main stalk and pull down and out, away from the center, until it breaks. Repeat the same process until you have harvested all the leaves that you want. If your plants are still new or you are worried about damaging them, you can also use a knife, scissors, or running shears instead of your hands to harvest. This will help to prevent snapping the stem.
Kale Growth Period
Kale days to harvest is about 55-60 days after planting, as that is the regular period it takes to mature. If the kale is planted from seed in the soil, however, it can take closer t 3 months before they are full-sized.
How to Store Kale after Harvest
Freshly picked kale leaves can be stored and last up to 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator if stored well. Do not store it without protection in the fridge because it will quickly wilt. Put the leaves in a ziplock plastic bag or a storage container.
Kale can also be frozen, and last about 4-6 weeks before turning bitter. To do this properly, wash and chop the leaves before freezing them.
If you want to keep kale in the freezer for more than 6 weeks, you can blanch it before freezing. This way it will store for about 8-12 months.
Whichever way you decide to store your kale, follow these basic preparation steps:
Step 1: Wash
Wash all the harvested kale leaves thoroughly with cold water, because hot or warm water will make them wilt, and you want to maintain the crunch.
Step 2: Cut
Remove or cut off the stems, unless you want to eat them.
Step 3: Dry
Pat the leaves dry with a towel or let them air dry for about 10 minutes.
Step 4: Put them in a bag
Put the clean and dry leaves in a resealable storage bag or container, with a piece of paper towel to absorb moisture and prevent it from damaging the leaves.
Step 5: Squeeze out the air
If you’re storing them in a bag, squeeze out as much of the air as you can.
Step 6: Store
Store the leaves in your preferred place. If the leaves go yellow before you eat them, throw them away.
You can grow many other green leafy vegetables like Spinach or Lettuce
Conclusion – How to Harvest Kale So the Leaves Keep Growing
Kale is a nutritious vegetable and can be used to prepare delicious dishes with a bit of information. Knowing when and how to harvest kale is also important, depending on what you plan to use them for. This article provided you with all the information you could ever need on how to harvest kale so the leaves keep going, kale days to maturity, and how to store your harvested kale. We hope that you found it very helpful and will now go and grow your kale and harvest it properly for long periods of time.
Happy growing!
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Do pepper plants come back every year? Let’s get the answers to that here. Pepper is both classified as a fruit and a vegetable according to botany and culinary definitions.
It’s a great feeling to plant, grow, nurture, and then begin to harvest your vegetables. What is more tempting is wishing you could keep your healthy vegetables growing year after year. This applies to most pepper farmers, as the plant is a slow grower, which makes it desirable to want it to keep growing.
It will be nice if pepper plants do grow back every year. If you live in a region where the winter is not so serious, you can definitely give it a thought. The thing is, in most parts of North America and any other place where the winter is really serious, pepper plants won’t be able to survive if they are left outside.
The best thing is to bring your pepper plants indoors and provide them with the best indoor care, especially if they are the potted indoor variety.
Keep reading to get more answers to the question: Do pepper plants come back every year? You will also get some tips for keeping your pepper growing year after year.
Do Pepper Plants Come Back Every Year?
Normally, all kinds of pepper are grown as annuals by most growers. Pepper is sown, grown, picked, and then thrown into the compost heap when the season ends.
But the truth of the matter is that pepper plants are perennials, and if you grow them and give them in the appropriate conditions, they can grow every year.
Ideal Conditions to Help Pepper Grow Back Every Year
As we mentioned, pepper plants can grow every year if you provide them with good conditions. So, let’s take a look at how to be successful at growing peppers in any type of climatic condition.
1. The growing temperature
Peppers are perennials that can come back in the spring after being dormant in the previous season. This will be surprising to many North American gardeners. Peppers are mostly grown as annuals in the United States and most temperate regions in other parts of the world.
This is because the plant will die when temperatures dip low, especially during low winter temperatures and shorter days. Peppers can’t survive the cold winter let alone when it’s freezing cold.
In fact, during a temperature as low as 55 degrees Fahrenheit and below, it will be a waste of time sowing seeds directly into the soil. The seeds won’t even germinate at all. And this will also have you wondering if pepper plants really do grow back every year.
You can, however, proffer a solution of laying down black plastic mulch or other non-treated mulch to keep the soil temperature warm with a heating pad.
2. Soil and fertilizer type
The ideal soil for growing peppers successfully is slightly acidic soil with pH levels of 6.5-7. Before transplanting seedlings, endeavor to break the soil up. This will help get their roots established.
Breaking up the soil before transplanting, will also drain well, as well as retain moisture. The best type of fertilizer for peppers is compost. You can as well conduct a soil test before adding fertilizer to the soil.
For example, if the test shows that the soil is lacking in phosphorus, a fertilizer with phosphorus can be added to the soil. Otherwise, if the reverse is the case, there will be no need to add phosphorus to the soil. Another thing is that you need to be cautious when adding nitrogen to the soil as too much nitrogen can make the plant produce large foliage.
For a successfully grown pepper plant, full sunlight of about six to eight hours must be available to the plants. Or rather, provide a grow light and make sure the soil temperature is constantly around 80 degrees Fahrenheit if you’re starting your pepper seeds indoors.
Pepper plants also need constant thorough moisture. This can be achieved by not letting the soil become dry. You can encourage healthy root development by watering deeply. Too much watering may not be required during rainy seasons.
And if you’re growing your pepper plants in sandy soil, watering will be needed more frequently. This is because, unlike loam or clay, sand cannot retain moisture.
4. Prepare your plants before overwintering
It is better to plant your pepper in pots or portable raised beds if you’re planning to save them for another year.
You can also re-transplant mature plants that were planted directly in the ground. However, re-transplanting pepper plants may lead to damaging the plants’ roots badly if you’re not careful.
5. Move pepper plants indoors
Peppers can’t tolerate frost; hence the temperature doesn’t need to become freezing cold before they begin to die off. When the temperature constantly dips low to around 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit, move them indoors.
It doesn’t even have to be inside the house. It could be a secluded spot or covered place that can shield the plants from the chilly temperatures.
So, when the sunlight your plants usually receive per day doesn’t stay constant at six to eight hours anymore, it indicates that your pepper plants should be moved indoors.
Also, when you move them indoors during frost, you can use a heating pad under your pot to provide heat.
There are cold-resistant pepper varieties, early maturers, and those that can adapt to many conditions.
So, choosing any of these types of varieties will also help increase your chances of being successful at overwintering and growing back every year. Gardeners in the northern region will love the idea of planting these varieties, especially in regions where they have short growing seasons.
There are also cold-tolerant varieties that can tolerate both cold and heat. You will also get to enjoy most of the cold-tolerant varieties because they are either mild or sweet.
So, examples of cold-tolerant pepper varieties are Ratund, Highlander, Chile peppers, Carmen, Ace, and Obriy.
Do Capsicum Plants Regrow?
You may be curious as to whether capsicum plants regrow, like other types of peppers. And the simple answer is: yes they do. It just requires both time and cares to ensure their regrowth. Let’s take a closer look at some top tips to ensure they make it through the winter.
As soon as you notice the temperatures plummeting, you should place some hay bales around your plants, and ensure the plants are the same height.
You’ll also need to remove any peppers from the plants too. At this point, you can cover the plants and bales with a layer of glass.
When the frost is predicted, you may also want to cover it with a sheet, for an extra layer of protection.
Check that your soil is moist enough, and water when needed.
Once the weather begins to warm up, you can remove the glass, and then remove the hay bales once Spring hits. At this point, your capsicum is ready to regrow!
How Long Will a Pepper Plant Live?
When it comes to pepper plants, a range of factors can affect how long they’ll live. However, the average life span is around 3-5 years.
Some factors you’ll need to consider when extending the life of your pepper plant are as follows:
Environment. The environment is the main factor. The more consistent the environment, the more likely your pepper plant will have a longer life. In fact, pepper plants have been known to last up to ten years when cared for adequately indoors. Your plants can last many years if grown outdoors too. However, you need to ensure they’re overwintered. If not, they will likely die before the next growing season.
Plant species. Some species of pepper will survive longer than others, as it’s just part of their nature. For example, Rocoto and Manzano peppers are both varieties that have a long life expectancy.
How Tall Do Pepper Plants Grow?
Unfortunately, there is no set height that your pepper plants will grow, because it all depends on the variety of pepper that you’re growing. For example, some may grow to only 20 inches in height, whereas others can grow up to 6 feet in height. It’s important to research the type of pepper you’re choosing to grow before you plant it.
How to Overwinter Pepper Plants
If you’re looking for a quick guide to overwinter pepper plants, then look no further. Let’s take a closer look.
Add soil to your new pot; around 1-2 inches.
Bring your pepper plant indoors and remove any remaining peppers. You’ll also need to prune the plant.
Remove all leaves from your plant, as well as the root ball.
Use scissors to trim the roots and then place them in your fresh soil.
Water thoroughly and place in a warm area, where the sunlight reaches.
Monitor and prune weekly until the growing season comes around.
When to Overwinter Peppers
The best time to start overwintering peppers is before the first frost. You should never let the temperature of your pepper plants go below freezing, as they are unlikely to survive.
Will Pepper Plants Come Back After Winter?
Yes. As long as extra precautions and care are taken with your pepper plants, they absolutely can come back after winter. And are likely to give you peppers for years to come!
Conclusion: Do Pepper Plants Come Back?
To conclude answer your question; do pepper plants come back? Be rest assured that even if pepper plants are grown as annuals in most regions, you can successfully grow them as perennials.
Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to ensuring that your pepper plants come back every year? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
How do I save pepper plants for next year?
You can save your pepper for the next year by supplying adequate growing conditions to your pepper plants. Pepper is naturally a perennial crop so it’s possible to grow them for the following year.
How many years can pepper plants live?
The duration pepper plant can live is between 1.5 years to 3 years. So, this shows that pepper plants are perennials if you provide them with the right growing conditions to live through another year.
Will pepper plants come back after winter?
If you expose your pepper plant to chilly temperatures, they may not survive. So, your pepper plant may not come back after winter. This is why you need to shelter your pepper plant if you want them to overwinter.
You can soak beans before planting and make the germination process faster, which can sometimes be derailed by external factors.
Why pay more for green beans when you can grow your own? It is one of the easiest ways to save money if you have a garden. If you saved some seeds from last year’s harvest, you don’t need to buy new seeds as you can use the same ones to plant a new crop.
One of the easiest ways to guarantee germination for your green beans is to germinate them in water. When kept moist for several days, the outer shell cracks open and begins to sprout without having to push through any soil or planting matter in the process.
Soaking seeds in water increases your germination rate and reduces potential diseases that prevent the seeds from proper germination.
Which Seeds Are Appropriate for Soaking?
Seeds with hard coats are the best for soaking. They include beans, peas, pumpkins, squash, corn, etc. Smaller seeds like carrots, lettuce, radishes, and the like are hard to soak and don’t need it at all.
But do you know you can soak your flower seeds before sowing? For example, sunflower, sweetpea, lupine, and nasturtium take to soaking very well.
How to Soak Beans Before Planting
This is an easy process. However, the three ways you can do it are as follows:
Option 1. Put the seeds in a shallow bowl and cover them with water. Leave them for several days, observing them daily until you see them sprouting. Once they are fully sprouted they are all ready for planting.
Option 2. Soak in an acidic environment by adding a tablespoon of coffee or a few drops of kitchen vinegar. The idea is to create conditions where the seeds first get warm and dump to germinate. The acidic environment creates the warmth that the seeds need to germinate quickly.
Option 3. Use a wet paper towel or napkin for germinating your green bean seeds. Wet your paper towel with water but don’t make it too wet. Lay the paper towel on a clean surface and spread a single layer of seeds, leaving enough room between them and around the edges. Fold the other half of the towel over or lay another towel on top of the seeds. Secure the borders to ensure no seed falls out and set them aside. Place the wrapped seeds into a Ziploc bag or a jar and tightly shut them to hold in moisture and keep them in a warm area out of direct sunlight. Check for sprouting after five days by opening the paper towels likely and peeking in without unwrapping all of the seeds. If they haven’t germinated yet, reseal the bag and leave them for a few more days.
How Long to Soak Bean Seeds Before Planting?
Soak your seeds long enough for them to swell but not too long before they begin to turn sour and rot. Overnight is a reasonable amount of time, although many sources recommend 8 to 12 hours and no more than 24 hours.
Too much soaking will cause the seeds to start decomposing. If you use boiling water, the soaking time decreases. Most people swear by using warm water and soaking at bedtime and removing them first thing in the morning. Hard seeds like beans benefit from scarification before soaking, but be careful not to puncture the seed completely.
Other Considerations: Soak Beans Before Planting
Don’t soak your seeds the night before rain is expected but wait until the forecast promises a good planting season. This helps you be able to get into the garden and not compact the soil too much. You don’t want to hold onto seeds you already germinated; instead, you want to immediately get them in the ground.
Remember, just because you soaked your seeds doesn’t mean you will not need to water them as soon as you plant them. Your seeds will only hold the right amount of moisture around the seed, not around the soil. They will need more water around the soil to necessitate their growth.
For those who use damp paper towels for germinating the seeds, be delicate with the seeds when moving them to the garden or the pot to avoid breaking the stem or root. Don’t worry if the shoot is on its side; gravity will help it find its way down or up.
Saving Green Bean Seeds – Step by Step
So to be able to plant your seeds, you will need to have saved them from the previous harvest. Saving green bean seeds is easy; all you have to do is follow a few steps.
Select a few healthy plants you would want to save the seeds from until the final harvest. Select the first plants to produce mature beans, tall and robust with dark green leaves with a high number of pods.
Step 2: Mark the seed-grown plants and wait
To ensure you don’t destroy your harvest early, you can try tying something around them. Let the pods grow to maturity before you harvest them.
Step 3: Pick the dried-out pods
Please wait until the pods turn completely brown before you harvest them. There should be no green on them at all. You will know the seeds are ripe when you shake the pods and hear the rattle of beans moving around inside. Squeeze the pods, and they should be crunchy to the touch, then you know they are ready to pick.
Step 4: Remove the seeds from the pods
Once you harvest the dry beans, remove them from the pods safely without damaging the seeds. Examine every seed, saving only the perfect ones. Throw away any seed eaten by insects, wrinkled, or has a different color from the rest of them.
Place the seeds on a paper towel to air dry for several days and finally, store them in a clean, dry container that is labeled waiting for the next season to plant them.
How to Germinate Beans Fast
You may be wondering what the quickest way to germinate beans is. While many beans can be germinated both indoors and outdoors, I find it best to do it inside, where you have control over all factors. When they’re ready to grow outdoors, they can be transplanted outside with ease.
Some quick germination methods for beans are:
Method #1. Place seeds in a bowl and cover with water. Leave in a warm, dry place and check daily. After a few days, your beans should begin to sprout.
Method #2. Grab a seed and try to fill each hole with potting soil. Add seeds to the soil and keep on a heat mat.
Method #3. Grab a paper towel and soak it in water. Rinse the towel until it’s moist, but not dripping. On one side of the towel, add the seeds and then fold the other half of the paper towel over the top. Add the towel to a plastic bag and keep it at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.
It’s important to keep the conditions as ideal as possible during germination, as this is the most important time of a plant’s life. Some key factors you should consider are:
Warm environment. Germination is sped up by a warm environment, so using grow lights, a heat mat, or even the use of a greenhouse will aid your germination.
Weather. It’s best to plant seeds when the soil is at its warmest, which is often during the day. Some say that it’s best to soak your seeds in warm water, and then place them in warm soil, around late morning.
What Do Green Beans Look Like When They Sprout?
You may be curious as to what green beans look like when they sprout. Green beans go through four stages in their life, and they look different in each one. Let’s take a closer look.
The first stage is the seed. This is what it starts as, and what needs to be planted for your seed to grow.
The second stage is germination. This stage is sometimes also known as sprouting. This means that the roots of the plant are beginning to form. At this point, they’ll be loops start to form in the soil. They’re usually firm and thick.
The third stage is growth. This is the stage where your beans will really start to take shape. You’ll often notice that the leaves at the bottom are the largest; this is to ensure the plant can absorb everything it needs to thrive. At this point, you should also see the beginnings of a small plant.
The final stage is flowering. With plants such as green beans, you can expect them to flower after around two months. At this time, you may notice that wildlife such as insects and birds are interested in your plants.
Can I Plant Fresh Green Bean Seeds?
It’s not recommended to use fresh green bean seeds for your planting, but instead, it’s best to leave them on the plant until they start to change in color and rattle when shaken. This is likely to take a few extra weeks, but it’s the best way to do this. Once you’ve harvested them, take them out from the pods and leave them inside for a few weeks. Once ready to plant, shell them.
Final Thoughts: Soak Beans Before Planting
To soak green beans before planting couldn’t be easier! You can also save yourself some good-quality seeds from your green beans. Don’t shy away from keeping your seeds, especially if you notice the variety you’re growing is excellent.
Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to soaking beans before planting? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
Do green beans need to be soaked before planting?
Green beans are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but they do have a few quirks. They require a long growing season, but if you have a greenhouse, or can plant them early in your garden, they will produce well.
Yes. Green beans must be soaked in a solution of water and potassium nitrate for at least 6 hours, up to 24 hours. Potassium nitrate is available at your local garden center. This step will help the bean seeds to germinate more quickly, as well as make them more resistant to disease.
If the instructions say to soak them for 24 hours, then they are probably just referring to an old-fashioned method of planting.
Newer methods call for rinsing the beans to get rid of any excess dirt and sand, and then planting them right away. I don’t think soaking for 24 hours is necessary. If you soak beans in a solution of water and salt, it helps prevent bean disease. There are two diseases that can affect beans. The most common is Fusarium wilt, which occurs when the soil is too wet and cool and the roots have no air circulation. Soaking the beans in a solution of water and salt is supposed to kill off any spores that might be on the beans when they are planted. The other type of bean disease is Phythophthora root rot. This occurs when the soil is too dry and hot, with no air circulation. Soaking beans in a solution of water and salt also kills off any spores that might be on the beans when they are planted.
How do you soak green beans?
Soaking beans is very easy. Just place the seeds in a bowl and cover them with water. Let the seeds soak for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours depending on your beans. After they are soaked, drain the seeds and place them in a mesh bag (or paper towel) in a warm place where they will germinate. You want the temperature to be around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature for germination is between 70-80 degrees.
The seeds need light but not direct sunlight. If you put the seeds in direct sunlight, they may get scorched. Keep the seeds out of the fridge or freezer because this can stop the germination process.
How do you dry green bean seeds for planting?
Depends on how much seed and the climate you live in. It is not necessary to dry them completely. They will germinate more easily if they are moist, but not soaking wet. If your seeds are damp or wet, you can place them on a cookie sheet and put it in an oven on the lowest setting, about 200 degrees F for an hour or two. This will dry them out just enough so they will sprout.
How much bone meal per tomato plant? This article will help you determine how much bone meal you should give per tomato plant and how to effectively use bone meal for tomatoes.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and require a lot of nutrients. Bone meal is one of the easiest ways to give an extra boost to your tomato’s health and growth. Let’s take a closer look at using bone meal for tomatoes.
Bone Meal Nutrition Facts
Bone meal made from animal bones is rich in phosphorus, calcium, and nitrogen. It can be used as fertilizer for tomato plants. Both fresh and dried bone meals are available on the market; however, make sure that you buy organic bone meals without any chemical fertilizers or fillers added.
Fresh bone meal contains a high amount of water (moisture) which can cause problems if not removed before storage. The dried form provides more nutrient content than the fresh form because it has fewer moisture contents; thus, making it easy to store for a long time without spoiling.
One tablespoon of bone meal provides seven grams of phosphorus and nine grams of calcium, which equals 13% of the recommended daily value (RDA) for phosphorus and 18% RDA for calcium.
Bone meal supplies important nutrients that help encourage health in plants because it contains both phosphorus and calcium. The ratio between these two minerals can affect how each nutrient contributes to your plants’ overall health. Using too much phosphorus can cause growth problems, especially for seedlings. Excessive phosphorus can stunt a plant’s root growth and interfere with how well a plant absorbs other nutrients.
Bone meal is an organic fertilizer that contains a high amount of calcium, an essential nutrient for promoting strong cell wall development in new blossoms and fruits. Calcium also helps fruit to mature properly after harvest.
You should use bone meal as soon as possible after opening the package because the moisture from the soil or environment may cause it to become moldy or change color over time.
Is Bone Meal Good for Tomatoes?
Bone meal is good for tomato plants. It contains a high amount of calcium that helps in fruit formation. It contains nitrogen and phosphorus which are required by plants to produce chlorophyll while the growing stage and calcium during the fruiting stage.
Please note: you can add bone meal directly to the soil without any preparation or cooking process. However, if you want it cooked before adding it to the soil, you can add it to the compost because raw bone meal contains a high amount of ammonia that can burn roots once mixed with soil.
Now that we know the benefits of this organic fertilizer to tomatoes, how much bone meal per tomato plant?
Use 3 pounds of fresh or 1 pound of dried bone meals for 100 square feet of garden space. For example, how much bone meal per 10 tomato plants? You will need 1/2 pound of bone meal per tomato plant.
Can You Add Too Much Bone Meal?
It is possible to add too much bone meal and hurt your crops. Do not add too much bone meal to the soil because it will cause phytotoxicity in tomato plants. Excess amounts of nitrogen contained in it can damage leaves and slow down fruit formation or growth.
You should avoid adding more than 0.25% nitrogen level to the soil because even if it contains plenty of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, sulfur, and other nutrients, an excess amount of nitrogen will burn the roots after absorption by the soil.
Bone Meal for Tomatoes Benefits
Ways to use bone meal for tomato plants:
To boost the health of tomato plants, you can give it every week during the first couple of months of growth. You can also use it as transplanting fertilizer or seedling fertilizers at half the rate of how much you would give to mature plants later on. Bone meal works well for this purpose because it is rich in phosphorus which helps with root formation and healthier stem structure.
Bone meal gives a calcium source that is beneficial for both humans and soil microbes. Calcium accelerates the decomposition speed of dead materials, thus increasing nutrient availability to growing tomatoes faster than compost alone. Organic matter content also improves due to the presence of calcium in bone meal.
Can You Add Bone Meal After Planting?
Bone meal can be added after planting tomatoes if it is dry. However, do not add bone meal to the soil until you are ready to transplant seedlings into them because tomato plants cannot grow properly when nitrogen levels are too high. Especially for seeds that have just emerged, adding too much bone meal will result in yellow leaves or stunted growth.
If you want to use bone meal for tomatoes as fertilizer, it is better to mix organic fertilizers with soil before planting tomatoes.
Bone meal can be used with other organic fertilizers. For example, blood meal, cottonseed meal, and kelp extracts. This combination will provide essential nutrients needed by growing tomatoes. If bone meal is added directly into the garden or container without mixing with other ingredients first, soil microbes may not be able to absorb them properly which can lead to loss of nutrients in time.
Bone meal works best when mixed with compost piles because they allow microbes to break down the materials slowly over time.
You should always water your tomato plants after adding any kind of fertilizers into the soil because soluble nitrogen releases quickly into roots which affects how well it absorbs water. Watering your plants first will allow them to take up the nutrients gradually without getting too much nitrogen.
Using Sugar, Epsom Salt, and Bone Meal for Tomatoes
You may be wondering how else you can use bone meal for your tomatoes. I’ve found that the use of bone meal, along with sugar and Epsom salt works very well. These three are a good trio because the sugar adds sweetness to your tomatoes, the Epsom salts add both sulfur and magnesium and the bone meal adds phosphorus.
To plant your tomatoes, you’ll need to make a hole larger than you usually would for your tomatoes. Then you’ll need to add a cup of bone meal and a cup of sugar, along with a reasonable amount of mulch. Mix them and place them in your hole, evenly distributing them in the soil.
Carefully place your tomato plant into the soil; be sure to bury it reasonably deep. Once planted, add around a cup of Epsom salts on top and mix them into the top of your soil using your hands. Finally, water your tomato plants with a good amount of water – and your tomatoes are ready to go.
Disadvantages of Bone Meal
We’ve already looked at the benefits of using bone meal for your tomato plants, but you may be wondering if there are any disadvantages. While there aren’t too many negatives, there are a few that you may want to be aware of. Let’s take a closer look.
You can only use bone meal in soils below 7 on the pH scale. This may not be ideal. However, a good alternative is rock phosphate, which we’ll be taking a look at later in this article.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, then this probably isn’t the best choice for you, as it’s a fertilizing choice that releases slowly.
If used too much, overfertilization can occur. If this happens, problems may arise for your tomato plants such as yellowing leaves. It can also lead to deficiencies in other nutrients, like zinc and iron.
If not used correctly, the smell can attract unwanted wildlife. However, as long as it’s adequately mixed in, this should not be a problem.
Bone meal is only a good source of phosphorus, so you’ll need to use other fertilizers too, to ensure your tomato plants are receiving all of the nutrients they need.
Rock Phosphate vs Bone Meal
Earlier, we mentioned rock phosphate, which is a great alternative to bone meal, if you’d prefer. However, there are quite a few differences between the two. Let’s take an in-depth look at the two.
They’re similar in that they both contain phosphorus. However, that is where the similarities start and end. The differences between the two are that for the short supply of phosphorus, bone meal is best, whereas, for a long-term supply, phosphorus is best, as it’s slower.
Another main difference between the two is the price. Bone meal starts at around $13 per lb, whereas rock phosphate starts at around $30 per lb. So if you’re looking for a more affordable option, it’s best to use bone meal.
Rock phosphate works best on flowers and other leafy plants, whereas bone meal works best on rooted plants, such as carrots and onions. However, you can choose to use both together, if you’d prefer – and reap the benefits of both.
Final Thoughts: Bone Meal for Tomatoes
Bone meal for tomatoes is beneficial in most cases. Adding too much nitrogen to the soil will hurt plants, although you can add it if your plants are mature enough. You should only use bone meal after preparing the soil with compost or manure and not mix it directly into planting holes.
It s evident that bone meal provides your tomatoes with plenty of benefits like boosting up the nutrient content of the soil, by adding calcium source which creates healthier stem structure and roots.
FAQs
How should you mix bone meals for best results?
You should not mix it directly with planting holes because adding too much phosphorus can affect how healthy tomatoes grow even if they are combined with other organic fertilizers. Therefore, it is better to prepare compost piles or manure before mixing into the soil or using as transplant fertilizer after seeds have germinated and grown some roots.
When should I start fertilizing my tomato plants?
Bone meal should be added to the soil when the first set of tomatoes starts growing. Wait until your plant is about 6 – 8 inches tall before adding bone meal fertilizer. If you add it too early, it will affect how healthy or how tall they grow.
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Should you store tomatoes in high or low humidity in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life, or where is the right place to keep them?
There is no joy like going to the farmers market or the grocery store and shopping for your week or months-long groceries. However, before you spend a ton of money on these expensive fruits and vegetables, be sure you know how to them fresh for the longest.
Let’s learn the proper humidity of vegetables that will enable us to store our fresh produce in the right place in the refrigerator.
The Refrigerator
A refrigerator has many compartments to store different kinds of foods. The two drawers in the bottom of your refrigerator are called crisper drawers, and they preserve your vegetables. If you want your vegetables and fruits to last long, it matters where you put them.
Most vegetables should go into the high humidity drawer, while most fruits should go into the low humidity. Of course, there are some exceptions to this, so let’s look into it.
Some crisper drawers are labeled fruit and vegetable making it easy to know where to keep your supplies. You can adjust the humidity level of the drawer by moving the slider. The high setting allows the slider to close the window and hold more air and moisture inside. At the same time, a low humidity setting allows the slider to open the window, letting in more air out of the drawer.
So Why Does it Matter: Vegetables Low or High Humidity?
It matters because of ethylene. Ethylene is a plant hormone available in fruits and vegetables. Lots of fruits and vegetables release this hormone as a sign for fruit vegetables to ripen.
Not all vegetables respond to Ethylene the same. For susceptible vegetables, this gas makes them get over-ripe and go bad very fast. For example, suppose you trap an ethylene-sensitive vegetable like lettuce inside a high-humidity drawer when it’s closed with an ethylene-producing fruit like an apple; in that case, the lettuce will go bad fast.
Now you know why your veggies have been going bad too fast. It’s because you mixed them with the wrong vegetables and fruits, and kept the drawer closed.
However, opening the little window in the drawer to make it a low-humidity drawer is enough to let the Ethylene out. The rest of the refrigerator is big enough to dilute this gas for a limited effect on the rest of the produce in the refrigerator. Ethylene is a plant hormone and does not affect people at all.
So Do You Store Tomatoes in High or Low Humidity?
That said, what should you store in a low-humidity-open window drawer? Fruits and vegetables that produce Ethylene should be stored there. These include apples, tomatoes, avocadoes, citrus fruit, kiwi fruit, blueberries, green onions, melons, okra, peaches, mushrooms, nectarines, plums, grapes, and pears.
What about the high-humidity closed window drawer? In this drawer, you should store fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to the effects of ethylene. They include – zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, cucumbers, leafy greens, green beans, lettuce, peppers, peas, spinach, and summer squash.
The humidity settings on both of these drawers work best when the drawers are 2/3 full. Ensure that you do not stock up on these drawers too full.
Now to answer the question, should you store tomatoes in high or low humidity? If you have to keep them in the refrigerator, store them in low humidity with an open window. However, the best way to store them is out at the counter.
The Best Way to Store Your Produce
It is best to store your produce in the packaging you bought them in. If you need to change it, loosely wrap it in paper or perforated plastic bags. Allow your produce to breathe. This allows the ethylene gas to escape, keeping away any extra moisture from getting trapped inside. Extra moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria and can make your produce go bad fast.
There are plastic vented containers that you can buy to help you store your produce in better condition. They help keep your fruits and vegetables in a healthy state, away from any danger of rot. They have a tray that collects the water sitting in a puddle of water, and the lid is invented to let the Ethylene out. These two qualities keep your produce fresh.
Is Everything Else Stored in the Refrigerator?
Please note, not everything belongs in the refrigerator! Some fruits and veggies will do best when left on the counter. And the best thing is the more you see them, the much you are bound to eat them.
Bananas and tomatoes are some of the food that should never go into the refrigerator. The refrigeration temperatures keep bananas from getting any riper and sweeter. Tomatoes will get a mealy texture and lose their natural flavor when refrigerated. Keeping your tomatoes out of the compressed humidity helps them last longer.
Citrus fruits can also be stored at room temperature on the counter for 7-10 days. If they are refrigerated, they pick up some odors from the refrigerator.
Melons, summer squash, cucumber, eggplant, and zucchini all do better on the counter at room temperature. Once melons ripen, consume them within 7 days. The vegetables can only last a couple of days on the counter, so use them as soon as you can.
Some fruits and vegetables even ripen better if you leave them on the counter. If you are not ready to eat them when they get ripe, you can now put them in the refrigerator to extend them a few days. Fruits like avocados, apples, kiwis, peaches, nectarines, pears, and plums all fall into this category.
Once you cut your fruit and vegetables, all the remaining pieces should be refrigerated and used within 2 to 4 days.
Best Humidity for Vegetable Drawer
You may be wondering what the humidity should be for your vegetable dray. Well, the truth is, the refrigerator vegetable drawer humidity setting all depends on which fruit and vegetables you’re storing. For example, some prefer high humidity, while others prefer low.
Generally, it’s best to keep your drawer at low humidity. This is to stop the food from perishing too quickly. If your food is prone to rotting quickly, opt for low humidity. If your food is prone to wilting quickly, opt for high humidity. Let’s take a closer look at some examples.
Some foods that should be kept in a high-humidity drawer are as follows:
strawberries
watermelon
asparagus
eggplant
green beans
okra
peas
cucumber
lettuce (and other leafy greens)
peppers
cauliflower
broccoli
carrots
Brussels
herbs
Some foods that should be kept in a low-humidity drawer are as follows:
peaches
pears
plums
avocado
bananas
figs
mangoes
melons
apples
papayas
kiwis
What Should the Humidity of Refrigerator Be?
You may be curious as to what the humidity of your refrigerator should be. It may surprise you that many factors can affect the humidity of your fridge, which is why you should be careful where you store certain foods. For example, foods that are prone to wilting should be kept in a high-humidity drawer. Whereas foods that are prone to rotting quickly should be kept in a low-humidity drawer.
The humidity can change when:
You open your fridge. If you leave your fridge open for more than a few seconds, warm air will enter the fridge and even when closed, the humidity will have risen dramatically.
Contents. This is why it’s recommended to allow food to come to room temperature before you place it in the fridge. If you place hot food into the fridge, the humidity will rise dramatically.
All you need to know is the best places to store certain foods; at either high or low humidity. The temperature of your refrigerator often changes slightly throughout the day, so there is no set humidity in your fridge should be.
Humidity Control in Fridge for Vegetables
You may be curious about how to control the humidity in your fridge for foods like fruits and vegetables. The best way is to use the zones in your fridge correctly. For example, foods prone to perishing quickly such as plums and pears should be kept in low humidity. Whereas foods prone to wilting, such as asparagus, need to keep in high humidity.
You should also only leave your fridge open for very short bursts of time, and never place hot food directly into the fridge. Both of these will help to control the humidity in the fridge.
Should Tomatoes Be Stored in the Refrigerator?
It is not recommended to store tomatoes in the refrigerator, but that’s not to say you can’t if you want to. It’s not recommended because it can alter both the flavor and texture – and not for the better! However, if you opened your tomatoes, or chopped them pre-emptively, you should keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for best results.
Conclusion: Tomatoes High or Low Humidity?
It is essential to learn the nitty-gritty of every sector of life, and learning about high or low humidity for veggies is part of our daily life. The last thing we want is for you to spend all the money shopping only to lose half of the stuff you bought because you stored them in the wrong place.
Remember always to keep your refrigerator clean and well-stocked for that quick dinner when you are running late from work. Besides, appreciate your counter and pantry where you also store other types of foods. Keep your potatoes in the pantry in a cool, dry place away from moisture.
I hope this post has helped to answer the question of whether it’s best to keep tomatoes in high or low humidity. If you have any tips or tricks when it comes to storing tomatoes, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
What is the best way to store tomatoes?
The best way to store tomatoes is in a cool, dark place. Tomatoes are sensitive to light and heat. So what you should do is store them in an open window drawer that has low humidity.
However, the answer to this question depends on your needs and goals. If you just want to store tomatoes for a few days, there are several ways that can work. I have found the easiest way is to simply put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. This will keep them safe and preserve their flavor. If you want to store tomatoes for longer periods of time, then you will need to use something different.
Generally speaking, a refrigerator is not a very good place for storing tomatoes. They will shrivel and lose flavor if left at room temperature.
The first thing I do with any produce is cut it into slices.
Then I place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I then cover the whole thing with a plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. This helps keep the produce from drying out and keeps it fresh for longer.
How does the ripening process work?
When the tomato is ripe it releases a chemical into the pod. This chemical causes the pod to ripen. It also allows the fruit to be eaten. This process is called “ripening” or “de-greening.” The skin of the tomato is made up of two layers, the exocarp and the endocarp. The exocarp is the outermost layer of the fruit. The endocarp is the innermost layer. The exocarp is what you see when you pick up the tomato. It is the part that has been cut off from the stem. The endocarp is the part that is left on the stem. It is the part that is used in canning. It is important to note that both layers are edible.
This is the best way I’ve found to keep my tomatoes from turning green. The idea is to keep them in the refrigerator. As long as they are kept cool and out of direct sunlight, they should remain fresh for a week or two.
What’s a good alternative to canning them?
If you don’t want to can them, your best bet is to freeze them.
You’ll want to let them thaw out first, then place them in the fridge. This should keep them from getting moldy.
Unusual things may occur with your cucumber plants such as them turning round. Then you begin to wonder: Why do I have a round cucumber?
This is due to them noticing an unusual growth pattern of cucumbers. Instead of the familiar long protruding shape of a cucumber, the cucumbers turn out to be deformed and round in shape.
Most times, it could be due to external influences such as water, light, heat, nutrients, pests, and diseases, as well as pollination. And sometimes, it might be the type of variety that was planted.
Although, cucumbers are a very fast-growing plant, such that, they can start producing fruits and can be harvested within six weeks after planting, with all things being equal. If you put the right things into practice, getting a successful result of long green juicy cucumbers is possible.
Let’s get more answers to your question: why do I have a round cucumber?
Round Cucumber Varieties
Different varieties of cucumbers come in different shapes and sizes. Apart from the regular long thin green cucumbers, which can be up to 8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter, there are other types.
There is the fat and dwarf type of cucumbers. Their lengths are usually about 5 to 6 inches. And there are also round types of cucumbers too. So it happens that cucumbers can take different types of forms due to their variety.
Why Are Your Cucumbers Round?
Sometimes, you get to your garden or even at the grocery store and you see cucumbers with unusual shapes, unlike the regular long thin ones.
This keeps you bothered because you’ve put in the work to grow your cucumber plants. You are also in the expectation of harvesting the type of cucumbers you want.
Let’s take a look at the reasons why cucumbers become round and deformed.
1. Shortage of nutrients
A situation whereby there’s a shortage of nutrients available to cucumbers can be unpleasant to the plants. This can lead to the cucumber becoming round, stout, or short. And then you keep wondering and asking; why do I have a round cucumber?
Cucumbers require lots of nutrients while growing. Before planting your cucumber, prepare the soil first by mixing compost and organic mulch in the soil. Do this a few weeks ahead of planting your cucumbers.
This will help in making the necessary nutrients available for the plants. However, you can first add little or no fertilizer to the soil if it’s fertile. Once you notice a kind of abnormal growth or unusual changes in your cucumbers, like yellowing, get a fertilizer with an NPK of 5-5-10.
The plants need lots of phosphorus, potassium, and even more, nitrogen to be healthy again.
Water in the right proportion is a necessity for cucumber plants for healthy growth. This means not watering your cucumber plants well can affect the growth of the cucumbers. This will result in a low harvest and deformed cucumbers.
Lack of water also leads to wilting of the plants in the sun due to dehydration. The solution is for you to water your plants once or twice every week, depending on the condition of the soil, if it’s wet or not.
Make sure you always check for soil dryness to know when it needs watering.
Water the plants more if it is dry. This way, they get to have enough water for themselves but endeavor not to over-water the plants.
Another factor that can affect the looks of cucumbers is the environment where they are being planted. The soil for growing cucumbers must be well-draining. This helps to foster the aeration, draining, and circulation of water in the soil.
Another factor to look out for is the temperature. If the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and no form of light is available to the plants, their growth will be stunted. Furthermore, a high temperature of around 95 degrees Fahrenheit and above is a no-no for these plants. This will reduce pollination, thereby resulting in lower plant yield, fruit size, shape, and quality.
4. Poor pollination – Why are my cucumbers round?
The main cause that can be attributed to underdeveloped or deformed cucumbers is pollination. The cucumbers won’t develop well or will have stunted growth if the flowers are not pollinated fully. On the same plant, there are cucumber cultivars with male and female flowers.
To transfer the pollen in them, they need pollinators. Hence, the lack of pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, in the garden, may lead to the ineffectiveness of the pollination process. To have more pollinators come to your cucumber garden, grow plants that have much pollen and nectar.
Furthermore, adopt more natural and eco-friendly methods of preventing the rampaging of pests in your garden. Like handpicking, shielding, and setting traps. Do this instead of the use of pesticides. This is because pesticides will kill the pollinating insects also.
Tips for Growing Better and Healthy Cucumbers
The following cucumber growing tips will help you in growing healthy cucumbers and harvesting quality cucumbers in your garden:
You can start your cucumbers with seeds indoors. Start them indoors three to four weeks ahead of the time you will be transplanting them into the ground.
Make sure the temperature of the soil is above 70 degrees Fahrenheit before you transplant the seedlings directly or plant the seeds in the ground.
If you’re planting the seeds directly, plant the seeds with a space of at least 36 inches apart.
Cucumber plants prefer loose well-draining soil. Hence, don’t choose a location with hard soil and small planting space.
The best soil to plant your cucumbers in is light and lovely sandy soil.
For clay soil, mix peat or compost in the soil for better soil.
Add more compost to the soil once you notice the appearance of new shoots. This helps the buds to grow more.
The habitat where your cucumber plants are grown must have good drainage. This will help the plants not to get rotten because the surrounding won’t get waterlogged. Hence, water gets to drain quickly.
Types of Round Cucumber
Many cucumbers actually grow round, so if you’re growing these varieties and notice that they’re growing round in shape – it simply means you’re looking after them as they should be, and they’re thriving! Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular varieties.
Lemon cucumber
You may be wondering what does a lemon cucumber look like? And these cucumbers get their name because they simply look like lemons! Their scientific name is Cucumis sativus and they’re a fast-growing cucumber. When full-sized, they’re around 2-3 inches in length. While they are small, they are absolutely delicious! They are mild in taste and work well in a salad. What’s great about lemon cucumbers is that not only are they lemon shaped, but they’re also yellow too!
It’s important to plant your lemon cucumbers in a place where they have full sun. They need full sun to thrive. They do best in temperatures between 60-90F. As well as this, they’ll need around an inch of water per week to keep the soil moist. It’s important to keep the routine of watering your plants, so as not to stress your cucumbers.
The pH of the soil should be between 6.5-7.0 and if cared for, will reach maturity in around 60 days.
Apple crystal cucumber
The scientific name for this cucumber is Cucumis sativus and they’re a fast-growing cucumber. When full-sized, they’re around 3 inches in length. It gets its name because once grown, it looks just like a green apple; in shape and color. It’s a sweet variety that works well in dishes such as salads.
This cucumber needs around 6-8 hours of sunlight per day to thrive. They do best in temperatures above 60F. They’ll need watering 2-3 times a week.
The pH of the soil should be around 6.5-7.0, and if cared for, will reach maturity in around 60-70 days.
Mandurian round cucumber
The scientific name for this cucumber is Cucumis melo and they’re a fast-growing cucumber. When full-sized, they’re around 2 inches in length. It is often mistaken for a small watermelon! And this variety is another great addition to salad dishes.
This cucumber needs around 6-8 hours of sunlight per day to thrive. They do best in temperatures around 85F. They’ll need watering around once a week. However, you’ll need to increase this in hotter months.
The pH of the soil should be around 5.6-7, and if cared for, will reach maturity in around 65-80 days.
Maroon cucumber
The scientific name for this cucumber is Cucumis anguria and they’re a fast-growing cucumber. When full-sized, they’re around 2 inches in length. It’s usually pale green, is mild in flavor, and works well in dishes such as salad.
This cucumber needs full sun to thrive and soil should be kept moist at all times. The temperature should be kept between 60-90F.
The pH of the soil should be slightly acidic, and if cared for, will reach maturity in around 60-65 days.
Cucamelon
The scientific name for this cucumber is Melothria scabra and they’re a fast-growing cucumber. When full-sized, they’re around an inch in length. They’re quite bitter, which is quite unusual for a cucumber!
This cucumber needs full sun to thrive and be sure to give at least one inch of water per week. The temperature should be around 78F.
The pH of the soil should be slightly acidic, and if cared for, will reach maturity in 65-75 days.
Conclusion: Round Cucumbers
At this point, it is certain that you already have an answer to the question: why do I have a round cucumber?
With the tips mentioned above on how to improve the unpleasant state of cucumbers, you should now be able to get the best results out of your quest of planting cucumbers. Do you have any of your tips and tricks when it comes to round cucumbers? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
Are round cucumber edible
If the cucumber is not the variety that is round in shape, then it is not edible. When cucumbers grow into a round deformed shape, it means they are not healthy and they are low in quality. Hence may not be a good idea to eat them.
What causes curved cucumber
Deformity in the development of cucumbers is a result of factors like ineffective pollination process, shortage of nutrients, lack of water, and many others.
Why are my cucumbers yellow and round
A number of factors can lead to your cucumbers being yellow and round but the main cause for it is poor pollination. This is when there are not many pollinators in your cucumber garden. Pollinators help to affect the process of pollination and fertilization of the pollen in the male and female flowers. Other factors like overwatering, lack of nutrients available to the plants, and others can lead to cucumbers becoming yellow and round.
There are different types of string beans you can grow and enjoy amazing recipes from them despite their differences.
Did you know that green beans, string beans, snap beans, and wax beans are all but the same thing? The slight differences they have are mainly in shape or color that separates one type from another.
All of these green beans are interchangeable in recipes, with each standing out in its delicacy. Some beans have a bit more texture and are chewy, while others are smooth and cook quickly. Bigger beans like Romanos take longer to cook than skinnier beans like haricot verts.
With this information in mind, feel free to grow different types of string beans in your garden, mixing them around for a better crop.
Green beans or string beans are easy to grow from seed and do well almost in every area of the US. You can choose from many varieties, but you need to be aware of the care and maintenance of a particular type requires.
Fun Facts About Types of String Beans
There are over 500 cultivars of green beans, and some of them are not even green in color. You can grow purple, red, streaked, or white string beans if that’s what strikes your passion. However, the beans inside the pod will always be green.
Many years ago, green beans originated in the Andes, which is now Peru. Columbus brought them to the new world in 1493.
The strings were bred out of string beans in 1894, with almost all varieties being stringless today.
Green beans are nitrogen fixers meaning the plants give nitrogen into the soil. This eliminates the need to add nitrogen fertilizers before planting the next crop.
The US produces 60% of commercially grown green beans; primarily produced in States like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Green beans contain carotenoids associated with red veggies and oranges. They are also rich in Vitamin C and full of fiber and protein.
The first bush bean was drawn in 1542 by a German doctor interested in plants’ medicinal properties.
For the longest time, native Americans planted beans together with corn and squash, calling them the three sisters. Corn was planted first, followed by beans to help support the bean bushes, which in turn provided nitrogen for the corn. Squash was later planted to provide shade and help retain water.
Purple string beans are a purple version of the classic green beans. Once cooked, they lose their purple color. If you want to preserve as much color as possible, you can consider them for recipes or lightly steam them and dip them in ice water.
Green beans
Green beans are long, rounded, and green in color. Heirloom varieties still have a favorite strain running down the sides. However, most varieties today have been bred out of the strings. Steamed green beans are delicious with a sprinkle of salt and a put of butter. You can also turn them into pickles and enjoy them for prolonged seasons.
Romano beans or flat beans or Italian green beans
Romano beans are wide and flat with a good flavor. The smaller ones tend to be more tender, while the larger ones have developed beans inside. Romano beans require a little more cooking than other pole beans, but they also have more flavor. Try braising your Romano beans to bring out the nutty, sweet flavor.
Fillet beans or haricot verts or French green beans
These beans are skinny and delicate. They are green in color, but yellow varieties are also available. Most gardeners consider haricot verts the best green beans because they cook fast and are tasty. Most people like to blanch them quickly and use them in salads.
Long beans
Also known as yard-long beans, they are entirely different from most green beans. They are extraordinary in length, similar in flavor, and lean on green beans mainly in the way they are cooked. These long beans can grow between 12 and 18 inches long, retaining the best flavor and tender texture.
Wax beans
Wax beans look like green beans except for their yellow coloring. You can use them in any dish as you would green beans if you’re not affected by their color. Remember that the color of the final dish will be different.
Caring For Types of String Beans
String beans require plenty of sun and tolerate different soil conditions. They do not require fertilizers because of their ability to draw nitrogen into the soil. However, like most vegetables, they benefit from organic compost manure.
If you plant your string beans from seed, ensure that the danger of frost has already passed to protect your seats from dying. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings appear, then you can allow your soil to dry in between waterings. Once your beans flower and pods begin to grow, soak them in water during the summer season to prevent mildew from forming.
Pick your pods when they are smaller without any beans inside. If you allow them to grow any more significantly, they will be tough. Carefully use your two hands when picking the pods so that you don’t damage the plant. Harvest every few days to keep new flowers and beans growing.
Different Cuts of Green Beans
There are many different cuts of green beans. However, the most popular cut is French-cut green beans. However, to cut them this way, you need to familiarize yourself with the preparation and technique. Let’s take a closer look.
For loose green beans, the best way to do this is to prepare a bowl with water and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Mix well and add your loose green beans. Leave for around 10-15 minutes and then remove your green beans, and leave them to dry. Once dry, cut off the string on each side of the beans.
For bagged green beans, shake your bag and cut the bag and beans, and rotate a few times. Then wash them using the method above.
If you don’t have a bean cutter to French cut your beans you’ll need to do this a different way to ensure they’re even in size. Use the slicer blade of your blender to cut the beans, and pass them through gently. As well as looking great visually, it helps them cook quicker and taste better.
How Many Types of Green Beans Are There?
When it comes to green beans, you may be wondering how many different types there are. There are actually over 130 varieties! They all taste and grow slightly differently. Let’s take a closer look at some of the common favorites we’ve not already looked at in detail.
Tendergreen. A particularly easy green bean to grow produces many beans. It’s an heirloom bean, that grows tender pods that are versatile. They can be kept fresh or frozen.
Contender. Quite a strong-tasting green bean, that tends to grow reasonably quickly too. Can be kept fresh, canned, or frozen.
Kentucky Wonder. A sweet bean will take around 65 days to grow. This is a type of pole bean and you need a trellis to grow this effectively.
Kentucky Blue. This pole bean also needs a trellis to grow. Another sweet green bean, that has a great flavor.
Rattlesnake. This bean has an almost purple hue. They like to grow in humid climates and have an intense sweet flavor.
Scarlet Runner. Another bean is almost purple. A type of pole bean that needs to be grown on a trellis. This bean plant doubles up as an ornamental plant.
Blue Lake. A common bean that can either be grown on a trellis or as a bush bean. This is a versatile bean, that makes for a great side. The pods are sweet in flavor.
Royal Burgundy. As the name suggests, another purple in the color bean. A bush bean that doesn’t need a trellis to grow. These beans love the sun and need at least 8 hours a day.
Do Beans Need a Trellis?
If you’re wondering whether your beans need a trellis to grow, some types do. It all depends on whether you’re growing bush green beans, or pole green beans. Let’s take a closer look at the two.
Bush beans only grow to around two feet tall, because of this, they do not need any vertical support. However, pole beans can grow up to a staggering fifteen feet tall! For this reason, they need a trellis to grow effectively.
They both take a similar amount of time to grow, with pole beans just taking slightly longer. Bush beans are low maintenance, while pole beans need slightly more care and attention.
Final Thoughts
Sadly, the many types of string beans might be obsolete, with many people preferring the stringless varieties. Whether you enjoy the string beans or the stringless, keeping the bean’s culture thriving is essential. Every person in this whole wide world can attest to the beauty of enjoying some type of string beans in their meal.
There you are, go ahead and get busy growing any type of string beans that you like. Try growing one type at a time or grow them mixed depending on the ones you want. In addition, don’t forget to share your produce once it matures, as it will be overwhelmingly good.
Happy gardening to you all hardworking gardeners!
FAQs
What’s the history of string beans?
The answer to this question has to do with the history of the string bean. The history of the string bean can be traced back to China. In the early 1900s, the Chinese had developed a method of growing the string bean in a way that made them grow in long strings that were easy to pick and eat. By the mid-1900s, the United States and other countries were growing these string beans in their own fields and were selling them to customers. This is how the string bean came into existence. It wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s that the first American farmers grew these string beans. Today, they are grown all over the United States as well as Canada and other countries. The first American farmer who started growing the string bean was named John R. Boudreaux. He grew the string beans in his garden and sold them to local farmers markets and to customers. Eventually, he started a company called the Louisiana Bean Company that was based in New Orleans.
What are the different types of string beans?
String beans are also known as asparagus peas. There are many types of these green vegetables.
There are many different kinds of string beans, some that are used as a vegetable and others that are cooked into sauces and soups. There are green string beans and purple string beans. There are string beans that are white, green, purple or yellow. And then there are string beans that are used for other purposes like the string bean sprouts which are a type of bean that is eaten raw.
What are they good for?
They are good for people who want to lose weight. They contain high amount of fiber and protein which helps to keep you full. They help in maintaining your healthy weight. You can eat them raw or boiled.
What are the best string beans to plant?
The best string bean to grow is probably the runner bean. This is a hardy, bush-type bean that grows to about 1 foot in height and produces large pods, some of which are more than 5 inches long. You can also use pole beans as a string bean. These are vines that grow up to 20 feet long, produce pods in bunches along the vine, and usually only grow to 1 foot high. Pole beans do well in containers.
Tomatos or tomatoes? What should more than one tomato be called? You may sometimes find it not so easy to remember how to spell some words because pluralization in English can at times be complicated. But you can still find an easy way to remember how to spell most of these words.
Tomatoes are one delicious fruit that contains a good amount of essential nutrients for human development. It is often believed that tomato is a type of vegetable. But technically speaking, it is a fruit that is derived from the tomato plant.
Most people often get the spelling of the delicious red food that goes by the name tomato wrong, especially when it comes to the plural spellings. When it comes to the spelling of some words in English, there are different rules to be followed, especially when it has to do with the construction of plural words.
In this post, we will compare tomatos and tomatoes and find out which is the correct spelling. So, let’s delve into this.
Some Info About Tomato – Tomatos or Tomatoes
The big, round, pulpy, tomato berry is from the genus Solanum of the nightshade family. There are more than ten thousand tomato varieties you can find.
The tomato is mostly red. However, some varieties can be yellow, orange, pink, black, green, or purple. But what we mostly see is usually red tomatoes.
If you wish to see or find a multiple-color variety of tomato, you can just head to your local farm shop or greengrocer.
As we mentioned earlier, tomato is a type of fruit but sometimes it can be regarded as a type of vegetable. So, it is an edible fruit that can be eaten raw and integrated into foods like salads, or you can cook them in different meals.
This tomato fruit is loaded with many great nutritional benefits. This includes being a great source of vitamin C, folate, potassium, and vitamin K. They are also rich in antioxidants that can help get rid of toxins.
This great-tasting fruit is also rich in lycopene which is available to us naturally. This lycopene is a very strong antioxidant that is crucial for the health of the prostate gland that is found in men. Also, some reports have claimed that lycopene can minimize and protect against certain types of cancer.
Tomatos or Tomatoes: Which is the Correct Plural Form?
It’s general knowledge to always add –s to noun words when you’re referring to the word in the plural. However, this may not be the case for some words.
Generally, when it comes to spelling nouns in English words that end with –o, the plural form of the word often ends with –s added to the words. For example, we have words like -zoos, patios, radios, studios, embryos, avocados, tacos, videos, and so on that end with –s. However, this is not the case for words like a tomato that ends with –s.
Some people usually make the mistake of adding –s to tomato when it comes to using tomato in the plural. But this is wrong. This is mostly because the singular word for ‘tomato’ doesn’t contain –e at the end of the word. So, it can be understandable when some people get the plural spelling wrong by just adding –s to the end of the word.
However, the ideal or correct way of spelling tomato in the plural form is to add –es. Hence, the correct spelling for the plural of tomato is tomatoes.
Other words ending with –o, just like a tomato, also fall into this same category of adding –es to form plural words. Below is a list of other words apart from tomato that also ends with –o that needs –us to be added to the end of their words to form the plural word:
Potatoes
Heroes
Torpedoes
Mosquitoes
Echoes
Vetoes
Buffaloes
Tomato or Tomatoe: Which is the Correct Singular Form?
It’s understandable if some people get the spelling of tomato confused. This is why we need to know what the right spelling is.
The correct singular spelling is “tomato.” The singular form or spelling of tomato doesn’t require the addition of ‘e’ to it.
Tomatoes are wonderful food that can offer us great nutritional benefits that can aid in proper body functioning. Some of these benefits include:
Tomatoes are a wonderful source of vitamin C and vitamin K. It is also rich in potassium and folate (or vitamin B9).
Tomato can be beneficial to your blood pressure control and it can serve as a protection against heart disease. So, regular consumption of tomatoes can help reduce or protect against heart disease; which includes heart attacks and strokes.
They are a great source of fiber that can provide around 1.5 grams per average-sized tomato.
These fruits are great antioxidants that can help flush out toxic radicals from your system.
The lycopene found in tomatoes can help reduce the risk of cancer as well as give some protection against cancer.
Your skin can also benefit from tomato use. For instance, food that is based on tomatoes is rich in lycopene as well as other plant compounds that may protect against sunburn. Some studies have even shown that individuals that consume 1.3 ounces (i.e. 40 grams) of tomato paste get about 16 grams of lycopene. Now, when this is combined with olive oil every day for 10 weeks, it can cause 40% fewer sunburns.
Nutritional Value of Tomatoes
You may be wondering what the nutritional value is when it comes to tomatoes. Let’s take a closer look. Every 100g of tomatoes contains the following:
calories: 18
fat: less than 1g
cholesterol: 0mg
sodium: 5mg
carbohydrates: 3.9g
fiber: 1.2g
protein: less than 1g
Popular Varieties of Tomatoes
There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes; big and small, ranging in color and flavor. But some varieties are more popular than others. Let’s take a closer look.
Roma Tomatoes. You may know Roma tomatoes better than plum tomatoes. These types of tomatoes are usually somewhere between small and medium in size. They’re usually sweet, plump, and flavorful. Perfect for soups and salads.
Cherry Tomatoes. They’re small tomatoes that tend to explode with flavor as you eat them. I find that these tomatoes work well as a snack, or in sauces.
Beefsteak Tomatoes. These are large and plump in size. These work great for when you’re looking for tomato slices to add to your burgers. They’re often mild in flavor, but very juicy.
Heirloom Tomatoes. These tomatoes aren’t typically uniform, coming in a selection of sizes and colors. These tomatoes are usually sweet and rich in flavor. These tomatoes work well in any dish and are known as the “purest” tomatoes.
Vine Tomatoes. As the name suggests, they grow on the vine and are then sold that way. This means that they’ll be as fresh as possible when you pick them off the vine. They’re versatile and can be used in many dishes.
Green Tomatoes. Green tomatoes can either be ripened or unripened; depending on the variety. Green tomatoes are surprisingly common in the US. They have a different taste from usual tomatoes and they can even be quite sour. They’re typically firm, but not as juicy as other varieties.
Grape Tomatoes. These are the smallest cherries. They aren’t particularly juicy, but because of their size, you may not want to use them in cooking and they may be best suited as a snack.
Tomatoes Tomatos Saying
You may have weird the expression, “tomato, tomahto”, or, “potayto, potahto”; both of which are used interchangeably. It simply means that you have differences, but you’ll have to agree to disagree.
As well as this, it was also made famous in a popular song by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, called Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off. The lyrics are, “you like potayto, I like potahto, you like tomayto, and I like tomahto, potayto, potahto, tomayto, tomahto, let’s call the whole thing off”. This is essentially saying that we have our differences, but let’s settle this now and stop.
It is also a cultural difference. British people tend to see “tomahto”, whereas Americans tend to say “tomayto”. Either way is correct!
Do You Say: Some Tomato or Some Tomatoes?
If you have more than one tomato, you should say some tomatoes, rather than some tomato. Some tomato does not make grammatical sense and should not be used when you have more than one tomato.
Tomato Plural Dictionary – What Does the Dictionary Say?
If you take a look at dictionary.com, tomato is described as a noun, and the plural for a tomato is to·ma·toes.
Final Say – Tomatos or Tomatoes
Even though there may be different ways of tomato pronunciations, the right spelling must be followed. So, when it comes to spelling tomato, there is only one way to spell this word. The word tomato is often misspelled and this is common when it comes to their plural spellings. But ‘tomato’ is the correct singular spelling, while ‘tomatoes’ is the correct plural spelling.
Do you know of any other words that end in -o, that are then added with an -es plural? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
Which is correct tomatos or tomatoes?
People often misuse or misspell the word ‘tomato particularly when it has to do with the plural spelling. Even though most words that ends with -o usually have s added to their back when it comes to their plural spelling, this isn’t the case for tomato. So,’Tomatoes is the correct spelling for the plural of the word tomato.
How to spell tomatoes or tomatos?
The singular spelling for tomato is ‘tomato’ then the plural is spelled ‘tomatoes.’ So, take note not to get these confused.
Do you say tomatoes or tomatos?
Often times words that ends with -o have -s added to them when we want to spell them in their plural form. For example, videos, radios, tacos, and so on. But for the case of tomato that also ends with -o, the plural form is totally different. The correct plural word is tomatoes.
Why is tomatoes spelled with an E?
Tomatoes is spelled with E because this is the way the plural of tomato is spelled. Instead of adding -s to the back of the ‘tomato’ word, -es is added to form the plural word for tomato.
Using the best fertilizer for green beans when growing the plant will no doubt greatly improve the yield.
The importance of fertilizers in the place of plant growth cannot be emphasized enough. These supplemental nutrients help plant yield. This is why we would be looking into some fertilizers needed by your green bean to thrive.
Green beans are one loved vegetable amongst other plants. They are very nutritious and easy to grow if you gain the right knowledge about them.
In this post, we will be looking at some of the best fertilizers for green beans. So, continue reading to gain some knowledge about this.
Brief About Green Beans Vegetable
Before we delve into fertilizers for green beans, let’s discuss some things that you should know about green beans and the nutrient requirement of green beans.
Green beans which are also known as string beans or snap beans are green vegetables with huge nutritional benefits. There are over 130 varieties of green beans in the world presently.
Green beans are of two varieties namely bush bean and pole bean. This variety majorly distinguishes them based on their growing styles.
Bush beans are inclined to grow compactly and usually don’t require support. They are therefore perfect to be grown in raised beds as well as in a garden with little space. Their growth height is usually around 12 to 24 inches tall.
Pole beans on the other hand are inclined to grow in a vining manner and will usually require support such as a trellis or cage. The growing height of pole beans can be as tall as 6 feet or more.
Green beans are also loaded with great nutrients. It has a high amount of Chlorophyll, which can greatly help reduce the chances of having cancer. For women of childbearing age, green beans are a great method of improving fertility.
Apart from the above, green beans have some other wonderful health benefits such as reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and mortality generally. Green beans contain calories, fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein, calcium, iron, etc.
Fertilizer for Beans
Generally, bean plants are not so demanding when it comes to fertilization requirements. This is because they are legumes and they basically fix nutrients such as nitrogen. Therefore, they are capable of supplying some of their nitrogen usually. So, all you need may just be a 3 to 4 inches layer of work in compost.
However, if you have less fertile soil or they lack just one crucial nutrient, your green bean plant may not flourish well.
Do a soil test to determine the status so you can know if there are any deficiencies in essential nutrients.
Homemade fertilization of green beans can be derived using organic materials such as fish emulsion, compost tea, as well as other organic fertilizers.
Bean Fertilizer
Here are some major fertilizers that tend to increase the growth rate of beans:
Phosphorous – Best fertilizer for green beans
Phosphorus is one essential nutrient bean plants need to majorly develop a good root system. But as we have mentioned earlier, beans are not heavily nutrient-requiring. Therefore, you can simply use a 3 inches layer of compost to enhance the growth of your green bean plant.
But in the case where your garden soil test result shows that phosphorous is insufficient or lacking, you can use a 5-10-10 fertilizer. You can optionally make use of 1 pound of bone meal per 100 square feet to achieve moderate nutrient feeding.
Potassium
Potassium is another nutrient that can help green beans to grow efficiently. It is like a supporting nutrient in the growth of beans.
Although potassium doesn’t really offer a major effect on the stem or growth like nitrogen and phosphorus would, potassium will still help in keeping beans healthy. This will therefore encourage or support the growth of the green beans.
A moderate supply or feeding of compost is fine to supply the needed potassium for green beans.
However, if the soil tests in your garden show very low or infertile potassium, you should make use of 5-10-10 fertilizers. Alternatively, you can make use of 10 pounds of ground granite or 10 pounds of greensand per square foot.
Is nitrogen needed in beans?
The very first fertilizers any gardener would think of when it comes to the growth of the plant is nitrogen fertilizers. However, when it comes to legumes such as beans, these plants are nitrogen fixers.
Hence, they are capable of fixing nitrogen into the soil and this nitrogen is gotten from the air.
Therefore, avoid supplying your green beans with fertilizer rich in nitrogen because this can hurt your plant. Excess nitrogen can result in excess stem and leaf growth and offer you little or small beans.
Growing Green Beans
Green beans are very easy to grow. They are warm-loving crops that should be planted when the danger of frost has elapsed in your zone.
The ideal growing temperatures for green beans range from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For that successful seed germination, the temperature of your soil should be around 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
So, once you’ve planted your green beans, monitor your beans to notice any signs of nutrient deficiencies.
One sign of low nitrogen level is expressed by slow growth and pale green or yellow leaves. You can help the plant by spraying a balanced liquid spray on the green bean plant. This will supply direct nutrients to the plants rather than the soil first.
Best Branded Fertilizers for Green Beans
There are many branded fertilizers you can use for your green beans, but I’ve found that some are far better than others. Let’s take a closer look at some of our personal favorites.
Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food. This is usually the most popular fertilizer to use on your green beans. It’s an all-around favorite and Miracle-Gro is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to gardening. You can use this fertilizer every few weeks on your green beans and you’ll quickly see the effect. This fertilizer is 24-8-16.
Old Farmer’s Almanac Fertilizer. This fertilizer is completely organic and made just for veggies, such as green beans. It helps both growth and root structure. This fertilizer is 8-4-8.
Osmocote Vegetable Plant Food. Easy to use and can be used for both perennials and veggies, such as green beans. It helps both root structure and plant growth. This fertilizer is 15-9-12.
Miracle-Gro Shake ‘n’ Feed. As mentioned, you can’t go wrong with Miracle-Gro, as it’s such a well-trusted and loved brand. It contains a range of micronutrients, as well as calcium. This fertilizer is 8-2-12.
Jobe’s Organic Vegetable Fertilizer. This product is absolutely ideal for green beans. It has a range of benefits besides producing tasty green beans, such as helping the soil and warding away any unwanted pests and diseases. As well as this, it’s also organic. This fertilizer is 2-7-4.
Dr. Earth Organic Fertilizer. Another great choice for any green bean enthusiast. It’s non-GMO, bursting with goodness and microbes, and even pro-biotics. This fertilizer is 4-6-3.
Best Fertilizer Without Nitrogen
Low nitrogen or nitrogen-free options are important when working with green beans. Some of the best options to use are:
bone meal
wood chips
potash
wood ash
cow manure
kelp meal
seaweed fertilizer
Best Liquid Fertilizer for Beans
The best liquid fertilizer for green beans is without a doubt Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food. It’s a 24-8-16 fertilizer and is a multi-use fertilizer that can be used for any of your gardening needs. Just simply use your liquid fertilizer every few weeks to start seeing top results.
pH for Green Beans
The soil pH when growing green beans is very important. It should be kept anywhere from 6-6.5. This means that the soil should just be a little acidic. If this need isn’t met, it’s unlikely that your green beans will thrive and will likely have stunted growth.
If you test your soil and notice your soil is too acidic, you’ll need to add something alkaline, such as powdered lime to neutralize the soil. The more acidic your soil is, the more powdered lime you’ll have to add to reach the correct pH of 6-6.5.
If you test your soil and notice your soil is too alkaline, you’ll need to add something acidic, such as sulfur. The more alkaline your soil is, the more sulfur you’ll have to add to reach the correct pH of 6-6.5.
Conclusion on Best Fertilizer for Green Beans
The basis of what you need to know about the best fertilizer for growing green beans has been covered in this guide. To attain the best possible result, ensure you first test your soil to determine any nutrient deficiency. Then supply your green beans plant with the appropriate fertilizer.
So, anytime you need to grow green beans, consider any of the above fertilizers mentioned to help boost your plant yield. Be careful when applying to make sure you are applying the proper way.
Do you have any tips or tricks for choosing the best fertilizer for green beans? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
I’ve grown green beans successfully in the past using the following mix: 20-30% Nitrogen (N) 40-50% Phosphorus (P) 10-15% Potassium (K) The only thing I can think of that would help is to add some sulfur. If you have any, use it, as sulfur is an essential nutrient for plants. The best time to plant green beans is from mid-May to early June. You can start seeds indoors or buy plants ready to be transplanted.
How often do you fertilize green beans?
You should fertilize your green beans when they are 4 to 6 inches tall, because that’s when they start to produce seeds. Use a fertilizer that has a low phosphorus-to-nitrogen ratio. This will allow your plants to focus on making seeds instead of growing roots. You should also try to keep the phosphorus-to-nitrogen ratio around 1:3 or 1:5. If you live in an area where your soil is acidic, then you should fertilize your green beans with a compound called lime. Lime is a form of limestone that has been treated with sulfur. In general, fertilize our beans once a week.
What nutrients do green beans need to grow?
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the three main nutrients for growth of plants. Green beans are easy to grow, and they grow well even in average soil. They prefer full sun, but will tolerate partial shade. They can be grown year-round in most climates, but if you live in a cold climate, it is best to start them indoors in late winter or early spring.
How do I grow green beans?
Seeding green beans is easy. They like to be planted about one inch deep and three inches apart. They also like to be fertilized at planting time with compost, manure or a general purpose fertilizer. As soon as they have sprouted, thin the plants to two inches apart. Water them frequently, especially during the first few weeks. If you are growing green beans in containers, keep them watered until they are tall enough to handle their own weight. In the fall, you can harvest your beans and store them for winter eating.
How can I increase the yield of my green beans?
The yield of your green bean crop is directly related to the amount of sunlight that reaches the plant during its growth period. During the early stages of growth, the plant needs to grow quickly, and therefore must be able to capture as much light as possible. The more light it can capture, the bigger it will get. As a result, your plants will be larger and the yields will be greater. Also, the quality of your green bean crop is directly related to the soil conditions in which the plants are growing. The more nutrients that are available to the plant, the better the quality will be.
Ever wondered: are beefsteak tomatoes determinate or indeterminate? Let’s look into this. The bulky meaty beefsteak tomato fruit is one loved tomato variety that can be a great addition to your home garden.
One common classification you may come across on the label of a tomato plant or a tomato seed packet is indeterminate or determinate. What these two terms are majorly talking about is the growing style of the tomato plant.
So, regarding the beefsteak tomato, most people would like to know if this tomato variety is determinate or indeterminate so they can select the appropriate tomato for their garden. Not to worry because we will be enlightening you by looking more into this.
About Beefsteak Tomato Plant
Beefsteak tomatoes are huge, bulky, meaty, and juicy tomato variety and it is botanically named Solanum Lycopersicum.
They are one of the largest types of tomato in terms of weight. They can weigh up to a pound or even more. Their color ranges from vibrant red to pink, and then orange. The majority of beefsteak tomatoes have a smooth shape but we can also have ribbed varieties such as Coustralee and Red Ponderosa.
Beefsteak has this classic tomato flavor and with their different varieties, they can offer a different sweet taste.
This tomato plant tends to grow up to 6 feet tall and their late-maturing plant will yield an abundant harvest around 85 days after planting. The size of the beefsteak tomato variety makes it a perfect choice for summer sandwiches or sliced snacks with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Are Beefsteak Tomatoes Determinate or Indeterminate?
So the question we would like to know is: are beefsteak tomatoes determinate or indeterminate? The answer is beefsteak tomato variety is primarily indeterminate.
But let’s further look into what determinate and indeterminate tomatoes are to understand their characteristics.
Determinate tomato
Determinate tomato growth is mostly fixed. They will grow and mature to a fixed size and their growth will cease once and they will produce their fruits all at once. But they are still highly productive.
Therefore, they have a limited growth pattern. This makes them perfect for container gardening or for planting in areas with limited growing space.
The majority of determinate tomato varieties tend to grow about 4 to 5 feet long. They are also regarded as a bush-type variety because of their small and compact size. Hence, they usually do not require support or staking, or a cage.
Indeterminate tomato: Is beefsteak tomato determinate or indeterminate?
Beefsteak tomatoes are indeterminate. Indeterminate tomatoes on the other hand tend to grow in a vining manner. They will continue to grow and yield fruits throughout their growing season. So their growth won’t cease until frost kills them.
This tomato plant variety can also grow in a bulky shrub manner. Therefore, indeterminate tomatoes usually need staking or caging.
They really don’t have a particular growing length. But we can roughly say they can grow up to 3 feet long in a place that has a short growing season. They can also grow more than 6 feet long in an area with a long growing season.
The majority of beefsteak tomato variety often takes up to 85 days to attain maturity and harvest. This is usually unachievable in most parts of the United States. Therefore, we recommend you begin your seedlings indoors.
Seedlings should be commenced indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your region’s first frost of spring. They should be ready for transplanting by this time. Around March is usually the best time to plant beefsteak tomatoes indoors.
Seeds should be sown in flats and you should continue to care for them until they attain a height of at least 8 inches. Make sure you harden off the seedlings before you transplant them.
Once it’s time to transplant, select a sunny spot and a properly draining garden bed. Supply beefsteak tomato plants with direct sunlight of at least 8 hours or even more daily. Also, ensure no shadows are cast from any nearby trees or buildings.
Remember before planting, you should work in compost or other organic amendments into the soil. You should also integrate a starter fertilizer just to get your little plants off to a good start.
There should be adequate spacing to encourage good air circulation. Spacing should be around 19 to 36 inches apart. Beefsteak tomato usually requires lots of spacing as well as training and support.
Caring For Beefsteak Tomato
One major part of caring for beefsteak tomatoes as they grow is staking. Staking is important to train your plant the right way or else they will begin to bend towards the ground.
Ensure you minimize weed growth by removing unwanted weeds and mulch between the rows. You will also be conserving moisture by doing this.
Apply fertilizer every 3 weeks.
Water is about 1 to 2 inches deep per week.
You should know that all beefsteak tomato varieties are susceptible to pests and diseases. Therefore, we encourage you to always monitor your plant so you can identify and solve the problems as soon as you notice them.
Prune your plants appropriately once they begin to grow. Ensure you trim off any sucker, leaves, as well as stems just below the first branch that has fruits or clusters. This will keep leaves off the ground and doing this can reduce the chances of disease and pests. This should be done weekly all through their growing season and make sure the plant doesn’t grow more than one or two main stems. Doing this will make the plant grow easier with a trellis and will encourage better branching.
Why Are My Beefsteak Tomatoes Small?
Unfortunately, beefsteak tomatoes growing on the small side is one of the most common problems that occur when growing them. This can happen for a range of reasons, including lack of water, pests, disease – and so much more! These reasons can then cause stunted growth. Let’s take a closer look.
Wrong variety. It may be that you’ve done nothing wrong at all and that you have simply purchased the wrong seeds. If this is the case, they’ll definitely be on the smaller side if they’re not beefsteak tomatoes!
Lack of water. Tomatoes are very thirsty plants and they need plenty of water to keep them moist and juicy. So much so, that the top 4-6 inches of water need to be kept moist at all times. It’s also best to water in the morning.
Root problems. When transplanting your tomatoes to a garden, root problems can occur if you do not do this gently enough. The roots of beefsteak tomatoes are very prone to breaking, so as long as you’re careful, this shouldn’t happen.
Not enough sunlight. Tomatoes need lots of direct sunlight, to thrive. If you plant them in shade, or somewhere that doesn’t receive much light, this is sure to stunt the growth and end with smaller tomatoes.
Too much fertilizer. While small amounts of fertilizer will help your tomatoes to thrive, too much can have the complete opposite effect. Not only can it stunt growth, but it can also change the flavor too! Using a low-nitrogen fertilizer is ideal.
Suckers. Too many suckers can cause the growth of your tomatoes to slow down rapidly. This is why it’s best to remove as many as you can from your tomato plant to encourage plump tomatoes.
Heat. The temperature of your environment is very important when it comes to beefsteak tomatoes. The hotter it is, the less likely they are to survive. If it is particularly hot, just ensure your tomatoes are kept watered and offer them adequate shade.
Beefsteak Tomato Sprouts – How Long Does It Take?
You may be wondering how long it will take for your beefsteak tomatoes to sprout from a seedling. If cared for correctly, you’ll notice signs of sprouting from around 5-10 days after planting.
Beefsteak Tomato Plant Flowering – How Long Does It Take?
You may be wondering how long it will take for your beefsteak tomatoes to flower. The truth is, it all comes down to the variety that you’re growing. However, it can be anywhere from 20-60 days. The general rule of thumb is that the larger the variety, the longer they’ll take to flower.
Beefsteak Tomato Varieties
There are over 50 different varieties of beefsteak tomatoes. Ranging from orange in color, to pink, to deep red. However, some are tastier than others. Let’s take a look at my top 6.
Orange Wellington Hybrid. This type of beefsteak tomato is medium in size and doesn’t have many seeds at all. They’re bright in color but have a sweet flavor profile. What I love about this type is that they can last all season, in all types of weather; when cared for correctly.
Delicious. Bursting with flavor, but it has quite a traditional taste. It’s not too sweet and it’s not too acidic. Perfect for slicing and it should go without saying – absolutely delicious!
Cherokee Purple. The perfect combination of sweet, yet smoky. As the name suggests, this tomato is extremely dark in color. They are large and extremely tasty.
Big Pink Hybrid. This type of tomato is medium in size and as the name suggests, is a blush pink color. It’s slightly sweet in flavor.
Darkstar Hybrid. These can come in a range of colors but are on the smaller side of beefsteak tomatoes. It’s a rich tomato flavor but doesn’t have much acidity.
Brandywine Pink. If you’re a fan of sweet tomatoes, this is the variety for you. This is known as one of the sweetest, if not the sweetest, beefsteak tomatoes.
Conclusion: Are Beefsteak Tomatoes Determinate or Indeterminate?
So, we have concluded that the beefsteak tomato is an indeterminate plant variety and not a determinate variety. Indeterminate tomato variety tends to grow in a vining manner and they will keep growing and yielding fruits all through their growing season.
Do you have any other useful facts about beefsteak tomatoes? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
How do I know if I have determinate or indeterminate tomatoes?
Tomatoes are an easy-to-grow plant that can be grown indoors or out. Some varieties are determinate, which means they grow to a certain size, while others are indeterminate, which means they continue growing until the plants are harvested.
A determinate tomato is a small, round tomato. Indeterminate tomatoes are larger, and they keep growing for many years. Indeterminate tomatoes tend to be more popular in warm climates. They are also more prone to fungal diseases than determinate tomatoes. Determinate tomatoes need to be transplanted at least twice a year. Determinate tomatoes are generally considered to have fewer diseases than indeterminate tomatoes.
Determinate tomatoes are usually less expensive than indeterminate tomatoes.
Can you tell which kind a tomato is by looking at it?
You can’t tell by looking at a tomato plant if it is determinate or indeterminate. It is determined by the number of nodes on the stem. Indeterminate means that the plant will keep growing, producing more leaves, until it reaches a certain size. Determinate means that the plant will stop growing once it reaches a certain size. The main difference between the two types of tomatoes is the time to maturity. Indeterminate tomatoes will take longer to mature than determinate ones, so they are more productive over the long run. Beefsteaks are determinate, so they don’t keep growing. Indeterminate tomatoes will produce for several weeks and then stop producing. Determinate tomatoes will only produce for a few days.
Are beefsteak tomatoes determinate or indeterminate?
The answer is that they are indeterminate, and there are many reasons for this. First of all, the tomato plant does not have a single determinate fruit in the usual sense of the word. Instead, it produces a variable number of fruit, which can be anywhere from 1 to about 20 or 30 depending on the variety.
Are beefsteak tomatoes easy to grow?
Beefsteak tomatoes are easy to grow and can be harvested at the end of summer. They are a good choice for beginners because they are hardy, long-lasting and have a compact growing season. In addition, they are easy to grow and maintain, and they are available at most grocery stores.
Beefsteak tomatoes are the largest tomato that can be grown in the home garden, and they have a compact growing season. Their fruits are usually harvested when they are ripe and red, and they do not require much care to produce large amounts of fruit. They are a good choice for beginning gardeners because they are relatively easy to grow, and they are available at most grocery stores.
In general, you can plant beefsteak tomatoes in late spring or early fall. You can also plant them in the fall if your soil is still cool enough. If your soil is too warm, you may get more heat stress.
Why do I have green spaghetti squash inside, is it supposed to be this color when ripe, and is it safe to eat?
Spaghetti squash is one of the most popularly grown vegetables that most people love to eat. It’s like pasta but it’s not pasta.
Sometimes people notice that the spaghetti squash is green inside instead of its usual yellow or golden color. “Why do I have green spaghetti squash”, this question is typed all over the internet meaning so many people want to find out the answer.
To demystify this question, let us look at all the information about spaghetti squash.
Why Do I Have Green Spaghetti Squash Inside?
When you are at the store buying a spaghetti squash, look for those that have a nice lemon yellow color. If you notice a squash is green inside, it means it isn’t ripe and will have to stay longer before you can use it.
If a spaghetti squash is green and soft, it is more likely to rot than ripen when off the vine. If it has hints of yellow and the squash appears to be full-sized and sounds solid when tapped, it could be mature and ready for eating.
If you are growing spaghetti squash in your garden, look for those that have smooth skin and feel heavier than others. Those are signs of a perfectly ripe spaghetti squash ready to be harvested off the vine.
However, if the fruit is too mature it may already be rotting inside, so it’s hard to tell what stage it is at by just looking at it. Go ahead and try to cut into the fruit by gently prying open the rind just enough to see inside then softly pressing back together. If you notice any green spots or dark discoloration on the seeds, that is an indication that it has begun to rot.
How Do You Know if Spaghetti Squash is Bad Inside?
There are several signs to tell if your spaghetti squash is bad inside. They include:
Check to See if it is Green Inside. The first rule of thumb is to not eat or cook spaghetti squash if it is green or almost completely green. The easiest way to know if it’s ready for eating is by looking at its color. A fully ripe one should have a bright yellowish-orange tone.
Check the Rind for Any Discoloration. Any discoloration on the rind means the spaghetti could be rotten on the inside. If the rind appears to be saggy or has a dark spot, do not cook it.
Check for Any Soft Spots on the Exterior of the Fruit. Any small soft spot can turn into a large dark patch very quickly so if you notice anything with discoloration toss them immediately.
Are the Seeds Brown? When you are cooking spaghetti squash at home, do not eat those that have already begun to turn brown on the seeds as this may indicate the presence of harmful molds that can cause foodborne illnesses.
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Store it in a cool dry place, away from any direct sunlight for about ten to twelve weeks. Simply put, store spaghetti squash as if you store bananas because they both ripen faster when kept at room temperature instead of cold storage area.
Keep it on top of your counter. Ripen spaghetti squash at home by keeping it on top of your counter or kitchen table to allow the fruit to breathe well and avoid overly moist conditions.
You can also ripen this winter gourd off the vine but make sure to leave 1/2 inch space between each other so there is enough air circulation around them.
To know if your spaghetti squash is ripe, check the bottom for any indentations. Mature spaghetti squash will have roots on the bottom while immature ones do not.
How long does spaghetti squash stay outside after picking? Spaghetti squash has a short storage life and should be kept indoors at room temperature for no longer than ten days, so it’s best to use them as soon as possible after harvesting or purchasing from the grocery store!
Leaving winter squashes out can cause faster deterioration due to moisture loss and rotting because of a quicker oxidation process happening inside the fruit.
What Color Spaghetti Squash Should I Pick?
The skin of your spaghetti squash should be a yellowish-golden hue. It will start as creamy and then transition to bright. If the squash has an even yellow color, it’s ready for harvest. If you notice green-yellow spots, leave it to grow a little more. But be careful. Once your spaghetti squash reaches an orange hue, you will only be able to preserve it for a short time.
You can use other methods besides color to determine if your spaghetti squash is ready for harvesting. Just relying on the color can leave you unsure. Here are two other ways to determine ripeness:
Check the Skin: Ripe spaghetti squash will have almost flawless skin. There won’t be any bruising or indentations. If these are present, your squash is damaged or overripe.
The Fingernail Method: You can try pushing your fingernail into the squash skin. Mature fruit will be tough and challenging to penetrate. If you can puncture the squash skin, it needs more time to grow.
Spaghetti squash starts as a small fruit with white or green skin. It takes up to 110 days for it to mature. You can use this timeline as another indicator for ripeness if you’re unsure about the color of your squash.
Can You Plant Spaghetti Squash in August?
Spaghetti squash can be grown for a summer or fall harvest. If you’d like a fall harvest, you can plant your spaghetti squash in August.
You should choose a spot that gets full sun for at least 8 hours daily. Starting your seedlings indoors can help you yield healthier plants. They’ll be ready to transplant outdoors in August if you start them in June or July. Dig a hole that’s a little bit larger than the plant root. Carefully place the plant inside and fill it with organic soil.
If you want to sow your seeds directly outside, ensure they’re 1 inch deep. You should leave approximately 12 inches between each seed, so your plants have enough space to grow. Spaghetti squash needs watering directly after you’ve planted them.
You’ll start seeing fruit form about 8 weeks after you’ve sowed your seeds. The squash will be ready to harvest in another 7 or 8 weeks, ensuring that you have fall squash.
When to Harvest Spaghetti Squash?
The best time is just before the first winter frost has made its way. This is usually around early fall time. One of the easiest ways to tell when your spaghetti squash is ready to harvest is to make a note of when your spaghetti squash has bloomed. Then anywhere from 40-50 days after that, your spaghetti squash is likely to be ripe and ready to harvest.
When is Spaghetti Squash Ripe?
As soon as the spaghetti squash turns yellow, either golden or dark yellow; this usually means it’s ripe and ready to pick! This can happen anytime from around 40-50 days after your spaghetti squash has bloomed. Your ripe spaghetti squash should be firm, not soft, or brown.
How to Tell if Spaghetti Squash is Ripe
If you’re wondering what the best way is to tell whether your spaghetti squash is ripe, there are actually a few easy methods to ensure you pick your spaghetti squash at just the right time. Let’s take a closer look.
Color. If you have green spaghetti squash, it is simply not ready to be picked and it should be left longer. And if you have light orange spaghetti squash, you’ve likely waited too long and it’s now over-ripe. The ideal color for ripened spaghetti squash is golden yellow.
Clear Skin. If your spaghetti squash shows any markings, bruising, or indentations, it’s likely too late to save your spaghetti squash. It should have clear skin.
Use Your Finger. Gently press your finger onto the spaghetti squash skin. When you press down, it should be firm and not go straight through. However, if it does, then you should discard the spaghetti squash, as it’s now too ripe.
Use Your Fingernail. You can also try this with your fingernail. Gently press your fingernail into the spaghetti squash skin. If your fingernail doesn’t go through, it’s a sure sign your spaghetti squash is firm enough to harvest, and enjoy.
Spaghetti Squash When to Pick: The Ideal Time
You may wonder when the ideal harvesting time is for your spaghetti squash. The best time to harvest is either in late summer or early fall, before the first winter frost hits. You’ll know when they’re ready because the squash will have turned a golden yellow or a dark yellowish color.
Nutrition of Spaghetti Squash
Many people choose spaghetti squash over carbohydrates such as pasta. So, you may be curious as to what the nutrition is when it comes to spaghetti squash. Each cup of spaghetti squash contains the following:
calories: 31
fat: 0.6g
saturated fat: 0.1g
carbohydrates: 7g
dietary fiber: 1.5g
sugar: 2.8g
protein: 0.6g
cholesterol: 0g
sodium: 17.2mg
potassium: 109mg
As you can probably tell from the nutrition, spaghetti squash is much healthier than traditional pasta, so it’s a great substitute if you’re on a low-carb diet, or simply trying to be healthier.
Conclusion: Green Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash, also known as vegetable noodles, has a delicious taste and texture. The flesh of the spaghetti squash has a very mild flavor which makes it a good choice for pairing with almost any sauce or side dish.
Slice your spaghetti squash thin and use it in place of regular pasta; just be sure to cook it first before you serve. If you’re not planning on using your spaghetti squash right away after cooking you can freeze the remaining half and then thaw it out for later use.
To freeze cooked spaghetti squash, just cool the leftovers of your spaghetti squash to room temperature then transfer them to an airtight container and place the container in the freezer.
Why do I have green spaghetti squash? Hopefully, after reading this post you are wiser and can enjoy your spaghetti squash before it goes bad. How about you try new recipes as accompaniments for your spaghetti squash to consume it more often without getting bored?
Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to green spaghetti squash? If so, please feel free to let us know in the comments below. And remember, sharing is caring!
FAQs
Is it safe to eat green spaghetti squash?
Yes, but do not eat them if they are too mature. Spaghetti squash turns green on the inside when it becomes overripe.
Why is spaghetti squash turning yellow before its time to be harvested?
Spaghetti squash starts turning yellowish orange or dark greenish color once reaching optimal maturation stage of harvest.
How do you know if spaghetti squash is bad inside?
There are several signs to tell if your spaghetti squash is bad inside, they include rind discoloration, green flesh, or soft spots on the exterior of the fruit.
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