Home-grown vegetables not only save money on your food bill, they also taste absolutely divine. Whether you’re growing vegetables in containers or have a full backyard garden, here are four key points to getting the best flavor and yield.
Water - How Much is Too Much?
Once seedlings are established, they need less water. One or two inches a week should be enough. Make sure you’re not overwatering, but don’t let your plants get too dry, either. A layer of mulch can prevent water loss from the soil during the hottest part of the summer. An added bonus is that mulch can prevent weeds from growing.
Bugs - Friend or Foe?
Before applying pesticides, identify the type of insect you’re dealing with. Some types of beetles control aphids. Damsel bugs control cabbage worms. Ladybugs prey on aphids and whiteflies. Butterflies and bees pollinate your crops. Plant some flowers or herbs that attract good bugs to reduce the problematic pests in your garden before resorting to harmful chemicals.
Weeding - Get the Right Tool
If there’s any gardening chore worse than weeding, we’d be hard-pressed to find one. To prevent weeds from choking out your good plants, you’ll want to spend time tackling them. Make hoeing easier by keeping your tool sharp. Our Terra Weeder has four tapered tines that act like a claw hammer, locking and holding the weed for complete root removal. The second beveled straight edge can be used for cutting roots.
Harvest Regularly
It can be tempting to leave vegetables for just one more day, hoping they’ll get a little riper. Tomatoes that go too long on the vine get mealy. Lettuce can get bitter when it goes too long. Small zucchinis have a lot of flavor and aren’t as watery as when they grow larger. This applies to cucumbers, too.
Every year you grow vegetables, you’ll learn more about how to tend to your plants and get the best yield.
There's no better time than now to start growing your own healthy, organic, and tasty vegetables right at home and Yard Butler is here to make it easier.
