FARMING TIPS Content

Plant onions as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring, usually late March or April. Make sure temperature does not go below 20 degrees F.

Planting onions: At planting time, you can mix in some nitrogen fertilizer, too, and side dress every few weeks until the bulbing process begins.

Apples: A well established apple tree is a real asset, and there is an apple to suit every size of garden.

Planting peas: Peas are best grown in temperatures below 70 degrees F.

Selecting the Perfect Apple: Check the apple firmness: Pick up the apple and gently press a small area of the fruit skin.

Growing strawberries: Planting site must be well-drained. Raised beds are a particularly good option for strawberry plants.

Insecticidal soap controls various common garden pests including mites, aphids, scales, whiteflies, thrips and leafhoppers.

Planting peas: Water sparsely unless the plants are wilting. Do not let plants dry out, or no pods will be produced.

Arrange sunflowers in tall containers that provide good support for their heavy heads, and change the water every day to keep them fresh.

Sunflowers grow best in locations with direct sunlight (6 to 8 hours per day); they prefer long, hot summers to flower well.

Fungicides: Fixed copper sprays are a garden staple used to control a wide array of fungal and bacterial diseases that attack apple trees.

Rhubarb: For really easy fruit try growing rhubarb. Incredibly hardy in even the coldest of gardens!

A fresh, high-quality apple should have a pleasant aroma. This will vary by variety with some apples like Gala having a stronger fragrance than others.

Harvesting Sunflowers: Handle sunflowers gently. The flowers should last at least a week in water at room temperature.

Growing Honeyberries: For the best yields on tasty Honeyberries grow them in pairs to increase pollination.

Apples with bruising or obvious signs of decay are not going to provide the best eating experience and should be avoided.

Planting peas: To get the best head start, turn over your pea planting beds in the fall, add manure to the soil, and mulch well.

Planting Cucumbers: A cucumber is of highest quality when it is uniformly green, firm, and crisp.

Harvesting Citrus: Citrus fruits will not ripen off the tree, so refrain from picking them too early.

Visually examine the apple: As you check firmness, turn the apple completely in your hand to visually check for quality.