Tomatoes and peppers are two crops you can never have too much of. They freeze well without the difficulty of blanching, and although the texture of tomatoes disintegrates, the flavor remains good. Both tomatoes and peppers offer brilliantly colored fruit that can be particularly attractive in the garden or in containers. Both have the same requirements – a sunny, nutrient-rich site that is well-drained. To prevent disease problems, neither should be planted in a location where tomatoes, peppers or eggplants were grown the previous year. If you’re not growing both tomatoes and peppers, you’re missing out! 

Tomatoes 

Tomatoes come in two different types: determinate and indeterminate. Determinate, or bush varieties, grow 1-3’ tall. When flowers form at the vine tips, the plant stops growing. This means fruit sets all at once – which makes them excellent for canning. Indeterminate types, on the other hand, have sprawling vines that grow 6-20’ long, and keep producing and growing until frost. Indeterminate vines should be pruned to ensure that they do not put too much energy into vine production. Pinch out sideshoots (“suckers”) as they develop to prevent excess growth and encourage more fruit. 

Tomato plants should be set deep in the soil with the first leaf just above ground level. Leggy plants can even be planted horizontally as roots will develop from the planted stem. 

Blossom-end rot can be a common problem with tomatoes. It is a leathery scar that develops on the bottom of the fruit. This is caused from a deficiency of calcium and/or irregular watering. To ensure a supply of calcium, work gypsum into the soil before planting and maintain regular watering. Feed tomatoes once a month with Garden-tone or use Miracle-Gro weekly. Apply mulch around all vegetable plants to help keep the soil moist and cool. 

Another disease, early blight, makes dark, depressed areas on the leaves just as first fruit appears. Late blight appears as black, irregular, water-soaked blotches on leaves and dark-colored spots on fruits. Both diseases usually occur during cool, rainy weather. Destroy plants to keep from infecting other plants and select resistant varieties to minimize future outbreaks. 

Spread by aphids, tobacco mosaic virus will appear as yellow, mottled foliage with fruit possibly being stunted. Severely affected plants should be destroyed. Aphids should be controlled to prevent infection. 

Peppers 

Ranging in selections from crispy sweet to fiery hot and from big and blocky to long and skinny, peppers should be cut from the plant rather than pulled off. Most sweet peppers become even sweeter when they mature as they turn from green to bright red, yellow, orange or even brown or purple. As hot peppers mature and turn red, they get hotter. 

Peppers are also susceptible to blossom end rot and tobacco mosaic virus the same as tomatoes. The same measures should be taken to prevent infection. 

Although we’ve touched on the most common problems with tomatoes and peppers – if you’re not sure, bring in a sample to let one of our experts correctly diagnose the problem and help you find a solution. 

Types of Tomatoes & Peppers 

Tomatoes

• Beefsteak – Large slicer
• Better Boy (VFN) – Medium
• Big Beef – Large slicer
• Big Girl (VF) – Medium
• Celebrity (VFNTA) – Medium
• Champion (VFNT) – Large
• Early Girl (VF)- Medium, early
• Husky Gold (VF) – Medium yellow
• Husky Red (VF) – Medium
• Lemon Boy (VFN) – Yellow
• Patio – Self-supporting, medium
• Roma (VF) – Medium
• Sunray – Yellow
• Supersonic – Medium to large
• Supersteak – Large slicer
• Sweet 100 – Cherry

Notations after the tomato variety designate their resistance to the following diseases: V-Verticillium, F-Fusarium, N-Nematodes, T-Tobacco Mosaic, A-Alternaria 

Peppers

• Biscayne Italian Fryer – Sweet
• California Wonder – Sweet
• Cherry Hot – Hot
• Cubanelle – Sweet
• Golden Bell – Sweet
• Habanaro – Hot
• Hungarian Wax – Hot
• Italian Gourmet Fryer – Sweet
• Ivory Bell – Sweet
• Jalapeno – Hot
• Jupiter Green – Sweet
• Lady Bell – Sweet
• Lilac Bell – Sweet
• Long Hot Cayenne – Hot
• Mandarin (Orange Bell) – Sweet
• Sweet Banana – Sweet

In The Kitchen 

There are hundreds of delicious recipes to try with either tomatoes, peppers or both at once, whether they are fresh or canned. Try this favorite tomato recipe, and use your strong crops of both of these fruits to experiment with different flavors and tastes all year long! 

Scalloped Fresh Tomatoes

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 4 medium, ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup grated sharp cheese
• 1 cup fine, soft bread crumbs
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 2 eggs, well-beaten
• ½ tsp salt

Cook onions in butter until tender. Place half the tomatoes in a 10 x 6 x 11 ½” baking dish. Top with half each onions, cheese and crumbs; repeat. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serves 4-5.

It is an awesome sight to capture a glimpse of a ruby-throated hummingbird hovering over the flower garden on a sunny summer morning. One or two a year may be seen seeking food in the landscape, sampling everything in their path. Unfortunately, they leave as rapidly as they arrive. This season, attract more of these miniature avian anomalies and keep them returning year after year. 

What Hummingbirds Want 

You can charm hummingbirds to your yard with a selection of their favorite nectar-producing flowers. Hummingbirds are not attracted by scent but by color. Red happens to be their favorite, however, pink, purple, blue, orange and yellow will also catch their eye. Tubular flowers accommodate these birds’ long, narrow bills. Select a wide variety of plants that bloom at different times to keep hummers well fed all season long. Refrain from using insecticides when attracting hummingbirds, as they rely on insects for protein in their diets – especially during the summer nesting season when young hummers need extra protein for healthy growth. 

Hanging a feeder is another way to encourage these visitors. Choose one with red parts to resemble the flowers that they prefer. Fill the feeder with a mixture of one part sugar to four parts hot water to help the sugar dissolve. Fill the feeders after the mixture has cooled. Easier yet, fill with instant nectar purchased at our store. Clean feeders every 2-3 days early and late in the season, and daily in hot weather. 

Plants That Attract Hummingbirds 

The easiest way to keep hummingbirds fed without the hassle of refilling and cleaning feeders is to provide a lush landscape filled with their favorite flowers. Fortunately, that’s easy to do because these birds will sample nectar from a wide variety of blooms. No matter what your yard size, soil type, sun exposure or moisture levels, there are plants you can add to the landscape to entice hungry hummers to stop for a snack. 

Annuals

• Flowering Tobacco
• Four-O-Clocks
• Fuchsia
• Geraniums
• Impatiens
• Mealy Blue Sage
• Mexican Bush Sage
• Nasturtium
• Petunia
• Pineapple Sage
• Red Salvia
• Zinnia

Bulbs

• Canna
• Gladiolus

Perennials & Biennials

• Bugleweed
• Bee Balm
• Beard Tongue
• Cardinal Flower
• Columbine
• Coral Bells
• Daylily
• Delphinium
• Gaura
• Hollyhocks
• Hosta
• Phlox
• Spiked Gayfeather
• Lily
• Rose Mallow
• Russell Hybrid Lupine

Vines

• Cypress Vine
• Honeysuckle
• Morning Glory
• Scarlet Runner Bean
• Trumpet Vine

Shrubs

• Azalea
• Butterfly Bush
• Glossy Abelia
• Lilac
• Weigelax

Trees

• Bottlebrush Buckeye
• Catalpa

Fun Hummingbird Facts 

Why not learn a little more about these fascinating birds? The more you know about their amazing abilities and unique characteristics, the more you’ll appreciate having them visit your yard! 

•  Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world.
• There are over 340 species of hummingbirds and they are found only in the western hemisphere. Most species are found in the tropics.
• Hummers can hover as well as fly straight up and down, sideways, backwards and even upside down.
• Hummingbirds beat their wings about 75 times per second.
• They can drink eight times their body weight and consume about 500 insects daily.

Root crops are among the easiest vegetables to grow, and often the first and last vegetables in the garden to mature. Your garden may produce enough vegetables to take you through the entire year and, if kept correctly, root crops will last a long time in storage. These vegetables are great to grow, even in a small space. Many root crops are frost tolerant and with most, the tops, or greens, are also edible. 

What Root Crops Need 

To get the best harvest of root crops, no matter which types you opt to add to your garden, you need to meet their cultivation needs. 

• Soil
  Root crops grow best in deep, loose, rock-free soil that will allow the roots to form and grow easily. To nourish the plants, supplement the soil with plenty of organic matter.

• Fertilization
  Root crops require a high phosphorus fertilizer for optimum growth, but check the needs of individual crop types to choose the best mixture. Always apply fertilizer according to the proper directions to prevent burning.

• Temperature
  Most root crops are considered cool season vegetables and are planted both early and late in the growing season. Warm days and cool nights are most beneficial for root expansion.

• Light
  Full sun is best.

• Planting
  Seeds should be sown 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost date and subsequent plantings made every three weeks thereafter as weather permits (some exceptions apply). Planting depth varies depending on the type of plant; follow the directions on the seed packet. After seedlings emerge, thin to desired spacing as determined by the diameter of the root at harvest time. Beet and turnip tops that are thinned are edible raw as salad greens or they may be cooked. Root crops are generally not transplantable because they have a tap root.

• Mulch
  Mulch plants that have already been thinned with salt marsh hay to retain soil moisture and minimize weed growth.

• Pest Control
  Maintaining appropriate cultivation requirements will reduce or eliminate the need for pest control. As with all vegetables, it is important to rotate crops each year. Rotating root crops will discourage root weevils.

• Basic Storage
  All root crops may be stored for a time before being eaten. In general, store at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and 95 percent humidity. Leave the crops in the garden as long as weather permits, then dig. Store the harvest in a root cellar or refrigerator.

Tips for Favorite Root Vegetables 

• Carrots – Plant in sandy soil if you want the classic, long, narrow type.
• Beets – You may harvest 1/3 of the tops without affecting the root.
• Garlic – Best planted in the fall.
• Horseradish – Use caution when planting this aggressive perennial.
• Kohlrabi – Has a mild, sweet cabbage flavor.
• Leeks – Flavor is best if harvested after a light frost.
• Onions & Shallots – Plant from seed or sets.
• Potatoes – Best planted from ‘seed potatoes’ to match variety.
• Radishes – Mature in as little as three weeks.
• Sweet Potatoes – Warm weather root crop, will not withstand a frost.
• Turnips – For a fall crop, sow seeds in midsummer.

And, they’re off!

As the iconic Kentucky Derby approaches, there’s no better time to refresh your mint knowledge and prepare for a thirst-quenching round of flavorful mint juleps.

The Early Times Mint Julep Recipe

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Sprigs of fresh mint (spearmint is the favorite)
• Crushed ice
• Early Times Kentucky Whisky

Make simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight to allow the mint flavoring to infuse.

Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup.

Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

(Recipe from www.kentuckyderby.com/party, with permission)

Growing Your Own Spearmint

Want to add a personal touch to your mint juleps – or any other mint recipes – by growing your own spearmint? Nothing could be easier. However, there is one word of warning – containment. Mints quickly become invasive when left to their own devices so it is imperative to plant mint in a container or an area from which it can’t escape. Growing mint indoors is the ideal solution and ensures it is easily at hand whenever you have a recipe that calls for mint’s refreshing taste.

Easily grown from seed scattered on a moist surface, mint also transplants easily from purchased pots or from a friend’s garden. It thrives in moist shady areas and grows to 3′ tall. A light application of compost or a well-balanced fertilizer improves the quality but be careful; too much adjustment can also affect the overall flavor of the mint.

Harvesting is also easy. Whenever you want to use your mint, just wait until after the dew dries then cut the plant 3″ from the ground. Preserve by drying, freezing or storing in salt, sugar syrup, alcohol or oil. This method allows the mint oil’s distinctive taste and aroma to infuse the medium for future use.

Aside from mint juleps, varieties of mints flavor a wide assortment of foods from salads to sauces and cookies to ice cream. In the upcoming hot months, put spearmint in your lemonade (or beverage of choice). Of course, fresh mint has the strongest taste, so just pluck some, put it in a glass, and pour in the lemonade for a cool delightful thirst quencher with a sprig of freshness infused in every taste.