Greenhouse Archives

How to Protect Your Plants During Hot Weather

in Flowers, Greenhouse, Summer, Veggie Advice

Water early in the morning before the worst heat of the day hits.
Water thoroughly. Make sure the the water gets down to the roots or comes out
of the bottom of the pot. Most overhead lawn watering systems aren’t on long
enough for your annuals and perennials. It’s better to water more one time per
day rather than just a little several times per day.
Check pots and containers twice a day. Make sure the the water comes out of
the bottom of the pot and that the entire root ball is wet!
If possible, on super hot days, move your containers into a little bit of shade.
Mulch your garden beds with possible with a couple of inches of hay, straw,
leaves , grass clippings or mulch. This cools the roots and holds moisture in.
Shade netting helps if you can do it. It protects tender tomato blossoms, etc…
There are great YouTube videos on hanging shade netting.
Cut off old flowers and buds and extra long stems to encourage new blossoms.
You can also harvest fruit like tomatoes once they are showing a bit of color and
let them mature in your home and pick zucchini when they are younger – this will
encourage a healthier and less-stressed plant.
Use slow release fertilizer on your plants to keep them healthy. We use and sell
a product called Osmocote. It’s simple and easy to use and will not stress your
plants. During really hot weather (90 degree days) do not use additional liquid fertilizer on vegetables and fruits. Resume liquid fertilizer when temperatures drop a bit.
Good luck and stay cool!

Dave’s Dollar Deals

in Flowers, Fruits & Vegetables, Greenhouse, Herbs, Summer

Herbs on the Windowsill

in Herbs, Spring

So Easy!

So Fun!

So Healthy!

So Gourmet!

Ludema’s has cute little “Plain Jane” black pots of herbs for only $1.00! Easy to fit on almost any windowsill or transplant into your favorite container.

How about a little dill snipped over your fish, a little basil on a salad, or cilantro on paste? Many varieties to choose from. Even catnip for your pets!

Veggie Advice: Seasonal Planting

in Summer, Veggie Advice

What veggies like warm nights and warm soil to grow in? If planted too early some veggies will get cold feet and do nothing or even wither up and die. Some like it hot! Such as:

Tomatoes

Peppers

Beans

Corn

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Melons

Pumpkins

Squash

All available at Ludemas!

What veggies can thrive with cool nights? Who can wait until the end of May to plant some veggies? Not I says Mr. McGregor. Several veggies can be planted in early May or end of April. They don’t mind cool nights.

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Onions

Carrots (from seed)

Brussel Sprouts

Lettuce

Peas (from seed)

Kale

Collards

All available at Ludemas! (except for seed items)

Totally Tomatoes

in Fruits & Vegetables, Spring, Summer

Why do we grow so many tomatoes? Are we crazy or what? Yes – crazy about our customers having a good choice of the most popular vegetable (or fruit).

How about a medley of different colors of cherry type tomatoes mixed in a pasta salad. So gourmet and fresh! Cherry Type Tomatoes:

Bumble Bee Sunrise: Golden w/orange-red stripes

Yellow Pear: Yellow pear shape

Baby Boomer: Red, compact for container

Fantastico: Red Grape

Napa Grape: Red Grape

Rapunzel: Red

Sunsugar: Golden

Supersweet 100: Red

Sweet 100: Red

Sweet Million: Red

Sweetheart of the Patio: Red, compact for container

Midnight snack: Reddish purple

Do you like a nice firm tomatoes for sauce, or cutting for a salad? Try these varieties:

Fresh Salsa

Health Kick

LaRoma III

What about heirloom tomatoes? Always interesting and fun. Try these varieties:

Cherokee Purple

Brandywine Red

German Johnson

Rutgers Select

So many tomatoes so much fun to plan the garden. Check these out:

Chef’s Choice Orange

Chef’s Choice Green

Bush Early Girl – compact plant

Early Girl

Super Fantastic

Supersonic

Supersteak

Big Beef

4th of July

Big Boy

Better Boy

Big Daddy

Better Bush – good for container

Madame Marmande – French Tomato

Skyreacher – red & orange stripes

Bushsteak – good for container

Pansies & Violas

in Flowers, Greenhouse, Spring

What could be prettier than a pansy? They look so delicate but they’re really very tough. Pansies and violas (they look alike but violas have a smaller flower) can take cold weather. A frosty night here or there might make them lay over a bit but then they pop right back.

You might think of pansies as old-fashioned flowers that die when the weather gets warm. That’s a thing of the past. Pansies are not just pansies! They have so many great qualities:

They can be planted in April (when it’s done snowing!)
You can plant spreading types – cool wave pansies
Or there’s trailing types for hanging baskets.
There are pansies with ruffled petals – Frizzle Sizzle pansies.
If you like huge flowers, get Majestic Giants

New types of pansies & violas can take summer heat much better than older varieties. All they need is a little bit of afternoon shade and they will bloom for you all summer.

A favorite thing about pansies & violas is they are edible!! They have a very mild taste but look so beautiful in a salad. Think about using them as a garnish on a plate. Can you imagine how lovely they would look on a cake or cupcakes? Remember Mother’s Day is coming.

If you plan to use pansies or violas with food it’s best to cut off the open flowers on the plants when you purchase them and discard these. Use the new flowers that open up on food. This is just a cautionary measure in case the flowers right from the garden center might have something on them.

Pansies & violas can also be used in art projects. They press very nicely and can be used to make pictures and cards.

All available at Ludemas! Looking to have pansies delivered? Check out our Pansy Bowl!

How to Protect Your Plants During Hot Weather

Dave’s Dollar Deals

Herbs on the Windowsill

Veggie Advice: Seasonal Planting

Veggie Advice: Planting Early

Totally Tomatoes

Pansies & Violas

Forget Me Not

Ludema’s

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