Zucchini and squash grow like weeds in a vegetable garden. They are prolific and rewarding! So why mess with something that requires so little and rewards so well? By growing squash vertically on a pole or steak, it allows you as a gardener to squeeze more plants into a smaller space or raised bed. When I stick my squash plants, they only need to be about 9 to 12 inches apart and they grow up rather than all around the ground.
Tying the squash plant to a pole also makes it a lot easier to harvest and prune. The more you prune and remove the older spent leaves, the healthier the plant is. Growing the plant on the trellis pruned allows for more airflow between the leaves, the fruit, and the flowers in the stem. The active leaves above the flowers and fruit can also shade the young fruit. And keeping the zucchini off the ground prevents rot.
Train your squash early and often
To grow squash vertically, start when you plant the small plants you get from the nursery or you grow from seed; this process starts when your squash plants are small. Add a bamboo support like these here or these sturdier stakes when the roots are small.
I like to use this velcro tape, but any gardening tape will do. About two inches up the stem, secure the plant to the pole.
It is important to upkeep this so once or twice a week, cut off the lower, dead stems and support the plant further up the bamboo pole. If you stay consistent it is a small task to teach the plant to grow vertically.
You will find it is easier to harvest, that you have less disease, and you may even find increased pollination levels when you grow your squash vertically!
When strawberries are fresh and in season, they can sometimes be purchased at a relatively low cost and then preserved for later use. Or maybe you grew a…
Fungus gnats are a nuisance that often comes into your home on a new house plant. Thankfully they don’t do much damage beyond being annoying and unsightly. They can harm young plants or seedlings, but for most mature plants having them will only slow their growth and not much else. The good news is that they can be avoided and are pretty easy to get rid of once you learn a little about them.
So what are Fungus Gnats? Fungus gnats are pesky bugs that often invade your houseplants. They look like tiny mosquitos with black heads, clear wings, and thin legs. They are usually sized about 1/8” long. Fruit flies are slightly smaller, rounder, with stubbier legs, and are often more orange rather than black. You will likely find fruit flies coming in from rotting fruit and hovering in your kitchen. If you pull your plant out of its pot, you will likely see the large in the soil as the larvae eat the small roots on a plant and other organic material (think dead leaves). The Fungus Gnats only live for about a week, but in that time, they are proficient (like fruit flies) at reproducing and can lay up to 300 eggs. In nature, they break down organic material. I often see them in my compost bin doing their job. They lay their eggs in the top inch of damp soil and the cycle starts again.
Homemade sticky trap using double-sided tape on a flower pot infested with Fungus Gnats
Choose your plan of action to get rid of Fungus Gnats
1. Change your watering schedule
Most people over water rather than underwater their houseplants. Fungus Gnats (and fruit flies) need moisture. Stop watering your plants for a few weeks and let the top of the soil dry out. Only water when the top two inches of the soil is dry. Not only will it stop the gnats, but it will also be healthier for your plant.
In combination with that, choose planters with a drainage hole to prevent water from accumulating in your planter. Also if the plant is in the bathroom, there may be too much humidity. Consider removing your plant to a different room to see if that helps.
2. Prune and clean up your houseplants
Take some time and trim dead leave and remove the organic debris from the soil that the gnats use as food. This also has the added benefit of making your plant look nicer.
3. Use Sticky Traps to kill existing Gnats
This won’t prevent them in the future much, but it might help with the current ick factor used in combination with the other things on this list. You can make your own sticky track using strong double-sided tape and placing it on the inside and outside of your infected plants. You can also buy sticky traps from garden stores or online from Amazon that work well.
4. Create a gnat and fruit fly trap for existing pests
This free version is quick and effective. Take a jar or even a glass that you have. Fill the bottom inch with vinegar (I also like adding a few pieces of fruit to the bottom). take a piece of paper and make a cone with a small hole in the bottom. Both fungus gnats and fruit flys can be captured this way. They go in but can’t figure out how to get out and eventually drown.
5. Dress your plant up with gravel or decorative rocks
Fungus gnats are looking for a moist environment. Combing a reduced watering schedule with decorative rocks can help a lot. Adding up to an inch of rocks on top of your soil keeps a dry layer at the base of the plant where gnats normally lay their eggs. Decorative rocks have the added benefit of dressing up your planter to give it a more finished look. Dressing your plant with rocks also prevents the gnat’s larvae from climbing out of the soil and prevents them from maturing. Make sure to pack it in well. The larvae will die trapped beneath, and you should be pest-free within a day or so.
5. Spray those Gnats
Another quick solution that is great to combine with longer-term preventative measures, is to spray Fungus Gnats. A homemade solution of water and soap can be used to spray on the top layer of soil. For those not inclined to concoct a solution, the same effects can be had by using a Neem oil solution spray that you can purchase online or in your local garden center. This natural treatment is safe to use inside the home and after a few treatments should rid you of those pesky gnats.
Hanging planters are a fantastic way to add houseplants to a restricted space. I have been a fan of living walls and have been contemplating purchasing a hanging…
I love plants (thus the gardening blog) so having a vegetable garden is something I do most years. At the very least I have tomatoes in pots and maybe an herb garden. I like to experiment and have fun. While I enjoy cooking with the fruits of my labor, I have never really relied on it. This year feels different and I have decided to go old school and plant a Victory Garden.
During Covid-19, I have not been hoarding, but I find myself obsessing about food as a way to control. It also is a hobby to find some joy through eating. I started a garden from seeds as something to do with my kid during quarantine. It hasn’t really produced but it has been fun. This garden feels more purposeful.
Arugula and Basil from seeds
During World War II, people living in the United States planted Victory Gardens as a way to help their country in the war effort. Many canned foods, cheese, milk, and eggs were rationed. At the time, mostly only men worked outside of the home, and when the young men went off to war, there was a shortage in the labor and transportation markets. To ease the burden on those industries, the United States asked its citizens to grow its own food. They even gave them a catchy name, Victory Gardens. People would eat what the could grow and preserve the rest by canning it and saving it for later.
I started my garden from seeds in my kitchen.
I decided to start my own Victory Garden. I ordered a raised bed online and started the seeds inside. I was so pleased watching the seeds sprout in the safety of my kitchen, but as I transplanted them outside, the plants that seemed healthy and robust died. Only those seedlings that were small were able to make the transfer. After I noticed this though, I planted more seeds and many have sprouted. Next year, I will start them out that way in the first place and skip the transfer which seemed to sap their will to live.
Here is my lovely little raised be in the front yard.Look at this lovely green bean seedling planted directly in the raised bed!This young Roma Tomato plant survived the move from kitchen to yard.The basil was started inside and had barely sprouted when brought outside and replanted.
More About the Raised Bed
I planted this in the front yard for three main reasons. The first being that our front yard gets more sun. The second, that we redid the back yard and it doesn’t really fit. Most importantly though is that our Boston Terrier has free reign of the backyard and will use my garden as his own personal feeding trough. That little dog has been my most notorious garden pest!
I purchased a garden bed from gardeners supply and while it is a little smaller than I like, it came together easily and is certainly worth a try. It made setting it up a breeze. The soil (and some steer manure) I ordered it online and picked up at Home Depot.
I planted:
Zucchini Squash
Mexican Squash
Eggplant
Early Girl Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes
Jalapeno Peppers
Two different types of Basil
Cilantro
Parsley
Leeks
Strawberries
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Marigolds as companion plants
Good luck growing your own Victory Gardens (or potted tomato plant). I encourage you to try growing something and eating it. Not only can the results be delicious, but deeply satisfying.
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I have nothing but praise for the IKEA’s PS VÅGÖ chair. I originally bought these inexpensive outdoor chairs six years ago when I was looking for a more…
I bought this in the larger size last year and this year I plan on buying this smaller version for a plant in the guest room. I love the bold geometric look paired with white so it adds texture, but can blend in with the rest of your decor.
Love, love, love! The colors and pattern are fun and the perfect amount of play to update a patio or table top. Any sort of structural plant would look lovely living in this pot.
No joke, I have been looking for a planter like this for three years. Thank you Target for making it so beautiful and in my price range. I only wish that I had a spot to put them all.
