Bits & Bites at Waterhall Farm

 

...Did you know?

 

Last year was my first year doing market gardening on a large scale so that I could sell produce locally, to specialty stores and restaurants. Boy did I learn a lot. I had a couple of retired farmers holding my hand the whole season providing me with invaluable tips and information. Here’s a few...

 

• Have you ever grown crazy carrots that have multiple legs, are deformed and in some cases have hair? Fresh manure causes the hair. The deformed carrots are deformed because of a lack of moisture and/or heavy rocky soil. Too much water will also make carrots crack.

• Problems with wireworm in your carrots? Mix wood ash over the area you are planting carrots.

• Have you ever experienced a sunken, brown or black spot on the end of your tomatoes? It often appears when excessive moisture follows drought. Stressed roots can’t absorb sufficient calcium for strong cell walls in the fruit. To guard against wide fluctuations in soil moisture, plant tomatoes in loose well drained soil that contains lots of organic matter. Mulch with straw, ground bark or newspapers.

• These key ingredients make the difference between boom and bust soil; sand loosens clay; sulfur acidifies alkaline soil; lime improves overly acidic soil; compost and aged manure loosens clay and adds valuable organic matter.

• Have you ever heard of “companion” planting? The following combinations have been repeatedly observed to result in retarded growth when planted in close proximity.

 

Asparagus <> Onions, garlic

Beans <> Onions, garlic, shallots, gladiolus

Beets <> Beans

Brassicas <> Strawberries, tomatoes

Carrots <> Dill

Corn <> Tomatoes

Cucumbers <> Potatoes, all aromatic herb s

Onions <> Peas, beans

Peas <> Onions, garlic, shallots

Potatoes <> Tomatoes, squash, sunflowers

Tomatoes <> Dill, fennel. Corn, all brassicas