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Grow Cucurbits in a Mature Compost Pile
GardenZeus Quick Tip for Your California Garden: Grow Your Cucurbits (Summer Squash, Zucchini, Winter Squash, Pumpkins, Cucumbers, Melons, and Watermelons) in a Mature Compost Pile If you’ve had trouble with low yields from cucurbits, try planting pre-germinated seeds directly into a mature compost pile. If planning well in advance, construct a compost pile inside a wire […]
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Timing for Growing Halloween Pumpkins in Hot-Summer California Areas
May 26, 2017
GardenZeus Southern California
/ Holiday and Seasonal
/ Organic Gardening: Vegetables
/ The Mighty Garden Archive
By: C. Darren Butler
Pumpkins grow and produce best at daytime temperatures of about 65° to 75°F, and while many varieties tolerate heat, growth and fruiting may be diminished at temperatures above 85°F. This creates a conundrum for California gardeners in hot-summer areas who want to grow pumpkins for Halloween. With many California areas having highs above 100°F and some […]
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Is Your Corn Ready for Harvest? Here’s How to Find Out!
Corn ears are harvested by quickly bending ears downward and twisting. After corn silks have appeared, corn is usually ready to harvest a few weeks later (usually 17-24 days). The ear should feel plump and completely filled out. If harvesting for sweet corn, the corn silks should be browning, but not dry. With the exception […]
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Pole Beans: How Important is Companion Planting?
Plant pole beans with carrots, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potatoes, radish, and strawberries. Avoid planting near chives, garlic, leeks, and onions. Pole beans and beets may stunt each other’s growth. Some sources recommend planting beans or other legumes with plants that need a lot of nitrogen, but this advice may be misguided. Beans […]
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Tomatoes and Companion Planting
May 20, 2017
Nothing But Tomatoes
/ Organic Gardening: Vegetables
/ The Mighty Garden Archive
By: Ann Clary
GardenZeus expert Darren Butler has found tomatoes generally to be unfussy companions for many other garden vegetables. Most varieties don’t need insects for pollination, so planting fragrant herbs and flowers to attract pollinators is less important for tomatoes than for other garden vegetables, such as cucurbits. It is important to consider where tomatoes will be […]
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How Well Do You Know Zucchini? Take Our Short Quiz!
How well do you know your zucchini plants? Take our short quiz about whether situations as described for zucchini are a problem… or not. See correct answers at the end of the article. Question 1: After 10 days on vacation you return home to find that your zucchini plant is still thriving and has matured […]
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4 Tips for Harvesting Snap Peas
Snap peas are delicious and nutritious. Here are some tips to maximize your harvest and your enjoyment. When to harvest. Snap pea pods are sweetest and most tender in cool weather when they are young and while still increasing in size. GardenZeus recommends harvesting when pods have swelled but before they are fully plump. GardenZeus […]
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Six Common Problems and Non-Problems With Pole Bean
Gardeners growing pole beans see a range of issues: some are problems, some are not. Here is a quick overview. Problems With Pole Beans Blossom drop: Bean plants will drop blossoms due to low humidity, excessive smog or air pollution, dry soil or uneven water, wind, excessive soil nitrogen, daily or consistent high temperatures above […]
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Growing Cucumbers in the California Home Garden
What would life be like without cucumbers? The more popular and perhaps more charismatic garden vegetables such as tomatoes and zucchini may generate more excitement and dedication from gardeners and cooks, but nothing could replace cucumbers for their texture, crunchiness, and their many uses both fresh and pickled in the kitchen. At the same time, cucumbers can […]
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