Now, you can finally stop wondering why your plants aren’t taking off in the way that they should.
We’ve got 10 fascinating facts for gardeners to know and practice!
1. Watch Out for Nitrogen Deficiency in Plants
Nitrogen is as important to plants like protein for animals. Plants deprived of this essential chemical will take on an appearance that’s paler than normal, and their lower leaves start yellowing which can be especially noticed in heavy feeding annuals such as squash or peppers where the deficiency becomes most apparent. For best results follow along with your specific needs!
You may have to adjust how much fertilizer you use for certain plants. If the soil is sandy, it’ll wash away nutrients quickly and if bagged chicken manure was sitting at nursery too long before purchase then there’s also a chance that some of its nitrogen volatized into air as well which means less will end up where plant needs it most.
You need to be cautious about this though; otherwise things could get out of control!
2. When to Use Transplants
Whether you need to give a crop a head start on the weather or make plant spacing easier, transplants are always an option.
In most countries where longer-season crops like tomatoes grow in abundance, only these plants should be grown from seeds with extended growing seasons. Follow timing instructions closely when planting out new rows for best results!
And, when you decide to purchase transplants for your garden center choose strong plants that aren’t much bigger than the pot they’ll grow in.
Garden centers like selling their biggest and most expensive options but these are often stressed or root-bound after being uprooted from their original home soil, and usually don’t grow well.
3. Success with Short-Day Plants
Some plants are so sensitive to the length of day that they need darkness for growth. Other, short-day species only bloom in spring and fall while some long-day types can be grown at any time with ample sunlight.
Cilantro is a short day plant that needs cooler weather. To get the best results, you should plant it in late summer and let nature take its course until the first frost arrives.
4. Basic Botany Vocabulary
A common question among gardeners is what defines a plant. To answer that, let’s take a look at some edible-plant facts that can cause confusion and how they’re defined in the dictionary.
Hybrid and open-pollinated seed is the foundation of any successful garden. Hybrids are created by crossing two different parent plants, whereas an “open” variety simply contains male or female parts to pollinate themselves without help from other flowers; this type includes tomatoes which self-pollinates its petals so their pollen can fertilize itself!
Some plants, such as squash and cucumbers produce flowers that can cross-pollinate.
In order to save seed, you’ll want to grow open-pollinated varieties which can duplicate themselves “true to type”. They are often noted as “OP” in catalogs for this reason. If growing multiple crosses of a pollinating crop and need separation between plants by distance or barriers then these will be needed too!
Hybrid varieties are crosses between two closely related plants or animals identified in catalogs as “Hybrid” or F1. These can offer valuable characteristics, including disease resistance and high yields that don’t vary from plant to plant like their parent species would have done without hybridization!
GMOs are a type of genetically modified organism created in the laboratory through an extremely complex process. Genes from any organisms which possess desirable traits may be inserted into plants, regardless if they’re related or not.
GM sweet corn, papaya and summer squash are in supermarkets. The USDA has approved GM potatoes as well!
5. Warm-Weather Crops vs. Cool-Weather Crops
Edible plants are made up of two groups: warm and cool season crops. These rules will help you identify which produce is in seasons!
So, if you eat the tuber, root, leaf or flower bud of a vegetable, it means that it prefers cooler conditions. If instead you prefer to consume its fruit/seeds, it will need warmer weather conditions.
For many vegetables, the climate they prefer can be determined by what part of their body. For example: cool season veggies like carrots and spinach need a cooler temperature to thrive in order for them grow well while warm weather crops such as broccoli or tomatoes prefer a warmer environment with more sunlight than shade from hot sun rays.
6. Climate Considerations When Growing Tomatoes
For a proper development of the tomato, each ovary needs to be fertilized. Nowadays we hear a lot about how many large heirloom tomatoes are bitter and flavorless because they only have one seed per flower- this includes brands like Brandywine but it’s not true for all types!
The temperature has a significant impact on how your tomato plants grow. Daytime highs should range between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, while night time temperatures vary from 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. Smaller varieties of tomatoes can tolerate harsh weather better than large ones do.
7. Indeterminate Tomato Varieties Have Better Tomato Flavor
Determinate and indeterminate are terms used to describe a tomato variety’s growth habit.
Most determinate plants have fewer leaves per fruit than their sprawling counterparts, which is why they’re better for growing greenhouse or farming in pots on your balcony!
Determinate plants can grow better in containers because they produce a harvest all at once, but the flavor will not be as intense.
8. When to Use Grafted Vegetables
Grafted plants are great for gardeners who like the idea of growing their favorite fruit or vegetable on a larger tree.
Grafting is more complicated than simply planting seeds, but once you get started there’s no limit to what kind of produce will grow! Varieties that succeed best as grafts include ‘Brandywine’, ‘Cherokee Purple’ (a sweet orange), Mortgages Lifter and San Marzano.
9. Grow Blueberries in Acidic Soil
The little blueberries delicious and can be found all over the world, but you have to know where they like it best.
Blueberries need acidic soil (pH 4.5 – 5) with plenty of organic matter in order for their roots to thrive- so make sure there’s not too much salt or clay before planting them!
10. Herb Flavor Families
It’s difficult to single out the flavor of a specific herb, but when oils from different plants are mixed together they can often provide similar flavors.
For example geranium produces citrus overtones in lemon thyme while also being present in lemon balm as well!