How to Have Perennial Food Plants & No Disease for Your 2015 Garden

Okay, maybe not NO disease, but insignificant diseases and pests sounds good, right? Plus, perennial fruits and veggies mean less work for more harvest. Eliza loves teaching the two class topics available this week at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery. Click here to sign up for class or click here to see the full 2014-2015 class schedule. THIS WEEK:…

How to Identify Fusarium Wilt and Septoria Leaf Spot in Tomatoes

I felt silly displaying a potted ‘Tumbling Tom’ tomato for the Urban Farm Tour since we already had 80 tomato plants in the ground but last week it paid us back with extra early ripe cherries. Now the garden is producing handfuls of medium-sized varieties, leading up to the bumper crop we’ll be able to sell to the public. I’m…

How to Spray Milk to Prevent Powdery Mildew Disease

In the humid south we can usually expect plant diseases to start showing up in June and July. Some of them are difficult to manage at all, but powdery mildew (PM) has a surprisingly effective organic solution… milk! I know, milk… it seems like one of these too-good-to-be-true crank organic remedies, right? The September 1999 issue of Crop Protection reported…

How to Get Peppers off to a Good Start (w/More Fruit that Ripens Faster)

Peppers can be very easy to grow but many gardeners struggle with productivity, sun scald, or getting those darned red ones to ripen. A few simple tricks can make a big difference in getting a successful harvest. The most important first step, whether you grow from seed or buy transplants, is to get started with sturdy, healthy seedlings. If you…

How to Grow Eggplants Faster than the Flea Beetles Can Kill Them

A common problem for southern eggplant-lovers are flea beetles. Though they resemble their namesake in appearance and behavior, flea beetles would rather turn our eggplant foliage into Swiss cheese than drink blood. Some of us would prefer the bloodletting since a large infestation of beetles can kill a crop before it even sets flowers! Fortunately for organic gardeners everywhere, there…