Peterborough & Area Master Gardeners

Q: Name some vegetables that can give a high yield.
A: Tomatoes (especially indeterminate varieties grown in cages), pole beans, sugar snap peas on poles or a trellis, onions, beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes and summer squash (zucchini) are all popular favourites.

Q: What is "NPK"?
A: They are the chemical symbols for the main components for fertilizer Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium).

Nitrogen

Q: Can I use wood ashes in the garden?
A: Wood ash contains a lot of calcium carbonate which acts like lime to raise the soil pH and make it more alkaline. It would not be a good idea to put it near acid-loving plants like rhododenrons or blueberries. However, if your soil could use a lime treatment without causing trouble, you could use it there. Typically, wood ash contains less than 10 percent potash, 1 percent phosphate and trace amounts of micro-nutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, copper and zinc. Trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium also may be present. Wood ash does not contain nitrogen. These substances are in highly soluble form and will leach out of the ash rapidly so should cause few lasting benefits or harm. As long as you do not use it excessively in one place, there is no reason not to use it on your garden or on your compost pile. It can be used ours on the ice of driveways and walks. By the time spring rolls around, the chemicals are well diluted. When applying, it is not good to leave piles or lumps because it may increase salts too much and make the soil toxic. Spread evenly.

Q: What is a yard of top soil?
A: One cubic yard covers a 10' X 12' area to a 1" to 2" depth.

Q: How old are these seeds and will they still germinate?
A: Place ten between damp sheets of paper towel and wait one week The number that germinate is a good indication of the percentage that will grow for you.

Q: Will Rosemary Overwinter?
A: Rosemary is a tender perennial so pot it up and treat it as a houseplant. It needs a lot of humidity, so spray the foliage several times a week. Put pebbles into a deep saucer, add water to below the top of the pebbles and place the pot on the pebbles to increase humidity. Renew the water as it evaporates. Water deeply when the soil is dry to the touch and be sure that the plant is not situated in an area where there is hot air blowing on it (ie forced air heating vent). Begin fertilizing in February or March.

Q: What herbs do well indoors in winter?
A: If there is plenty of good light, parsley, basil and bay do well. They will dry out quite quickly in the house. Check daily for dryness by putting your finger into the soil to a depth of about inch. If it is still dry, water. When watering, allow the water to run out into the saucer. Let the pot sit in the water for 30 minutes to ensure that the soil is thoroughly moist, then pour off the remaining water. Thyme, oregano and sage do not do well, as the house is too dry, light too poor and they really need a dormant period for best performance. They will become quite spindly and buggy when kept indoors if they make it through the winter at all. If these plants are close to the house and you can reach them in the winter, their leaves are still good used in soups or stews.

Q: What herbs do well in containers?
A: A half-barrel would hold five basil, two parsley, and oregano, sage, dill or fennel and a thyme or two. (Do not plant the dill and fennel together as they will cross-pollinate and seeds will be spoiled.) The oregano, sage and thyme should then be planted in the ground in early fall as they are perennials and will die if left in the barrel to winter. Mint will also do well in a container, provided it has midday shade and is well watered. It is less likely to wander if contained, just watch that the stems that hang over the sides of the container don't start growing in the soil at the side of the pot. In the fall, sink the pot in the ground to avoid winter kill.

Q: What are propagation methods (herbs?
A: Cuttings: Take 4-6" slips from chosen plant. Remove lower leaves, dip in rooting hormone if using this, and insert end in slightly moistened soil. Put several to a pot and don't allow foliage to touch; Place pot in clear plastic bag, insert a tall stick. Loosely tie the bag around the stick; Place pot in good light - not direct sun - observe for humidity buildup and release tie for several hours to allow for air circulation; New leaf growth indicates plant has rooted; Transplant into pots, shade for a few days to reduce transplant shock. Layering (Starting new plants while stems are still attached to the mother plant): Scratch out a shallow trench under chosen stem, measure stem for length to be inserted into the trench, remove all foliage from section to be planted, scratch along that section to rough up the stem and encourage rooting, leaving a short section of stem above ground at end away from the mother plant; Cover the stem with soil, hold down with a forked twig or stone and mark location; When tips begins to show new growth, carefully dig down and check for roots; If plantlet is well rooted, sever from mother and transplant. If not, leave until next spring.

Q: Are there herbs for shade?
A: Angelica, sweet cicely, parsley and sweet woodruff do well in shade. If the shade is light or dappled, basil, chives, lemon balm, French tarragon and lemon thyme should do very well.