FARMING TIPS Content

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

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

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

Planting peas: Peas will appreciate a good sprinkling of wood ashes to the soil before planting.

Planting onions: Soil needs to be well-drained, loose, and rich in nitrogen; compact soil affects bulb development.

Harvesting peas: Pick peas in the morning after the dew has dried. They are crispiest then.

Storage Cucumbers: They will keep for a week to 10 days when stored properly in the refrigerator.

Water blueberries with rainwater as the lime in tap water will reduce the soil acidity over time.

Autumn fruiting raspberries are self supporting so you can plant them in containers or in clumps throughout your garden.

Planting Cucumbers: Cucumbers are best picked before their seeds become hard and are eaten when immature. Do not let them get yellow.

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

Planting Citrus: If the soil is not well-drained, plant the trees on a slight mound to prevent waterlogging.

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.

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

Apples with full color have absorbed lots of sunlight which leads to great flavors.

Planting onions: Practice crop rotation with onions.

Selecting the Perfect Apple: Check the apple firmness: Avoid apples that are noticeably soft, discolored, or indent easily after you press the skin.

Visually examine the apple: Some marking on the fruit like a scuff or specks comes from nature and does not signal a bad apple.

Harvesting Citrus: Depending on the climate, citrus fruits may take 6 to 8 months to ripen.

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