GARDEN + GARDENING + GARDENING TIPS & ADVICE

When you want to cultivate your own stevia plants, there are two possibilities to do this. The more easier one is to get young or full grown plants at the gardening store and place them in your garden. The more original and also cheaper method is to buy the Stevia seeds and raise them up until you can place them in the garden too. Though it will take you a longer time until you see the first results. Maybe you can buy the seeds in the gardening area of your shopping center and if they don’t have them you can simply order them in the Internet, for example at amazon.

After getting the seeds you have to fill a little pot or frame with gardening soil. The soil should be very light and porous, you can try to mix the earth with coarse sand to improve it. Then you press the seeds slightly on the surface of the soil. Make sure to let enough space between them. This way it becomes easier for you to repot them in their own jars when the time has come, as the roots will not knot with other plants ones. Also make sure to let the seeds on the surface of the soil! Stevia seeds will only sprout when they are in contact with light. They also need warmth, wherefore you should put a plastic wrap or a glass over the pot. When now the sun will shine on it, the covering will keep the warmth inbetween. The foil also will prevent the seeds from vermins.
But before this you have to water the seeds for the first time. The best will be when you use a small water sprayer instead of a can for this, as you mustn’t flood the pot with water. But you have to keep the soil wet permanently to make the seeds sprout. Always remember to put the wrapping film or the glass over the pot again, after wateringspilling.
After approximately ten days the first germs will show up. Now you have to wait another few days (3-5) until little plants with some roots have developed to place them in their own pots. Choose some jars which are at least 6 to 7 inches high and also have a diameter of the same size to let enough space for the roots to build up. When the plants are powerful enough you can place them in your garden, but always keep in mind to get them back indoors through the winter to keep the plants alive!

When you need more help for the cultivation of stevia, and how to keep your plants alive, you’ll get some here: Growing Stevia . When you have concerns about the healthiness of the sweetener, here you can read something about the side effects of Stevia .

Get practical information about the topic of heirloom organic seeds – please study the site. The times have come when concise information is really only one click away, use this opportunity.

Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable (or fruit if you want to get into that argument!) people grow in their home gardens. Unfortunately, tomato plant problems, including damage from insects, diseases and fungus, are also very common.

When gardeners discover something is wrong with their precious tomato plants, it is sometimes too late to correctfix the problem which may result in a total loss of the plant or the entire crop.

If home gardeners use a few easy, preventative measures and perform regular weekly maintenance during the growing season, many frequent problems can be avoided before they even start.

Prevention starts before the growing season. Soil preparation, crop rotation and seed or seedling selection are all important steps to get your tomato crop off to a good start. Plant spacing is also important. A minimum of 18 inches or more should be left between seedlings to allow future growth and proper air circulation around the plant. The air circulation prevents excess moisture around the plant which may ultimately lead to diseases.

Once you get your tomato plants off to a good start, regular weekly maintenance will insure they are the healthiest they can be. In turn, the plants will fight insects and disease by themselves and will reward you for all your hard work with fresh, juicy, home grown tomatoes.

Regular inspection of the plants is very important. Without disturbing or handling the plant too much, taking a look at every aspect of the plant at least once a week will insure you catch any potential problems early. Inspect the stems, tops and bottoms of leaves and any tomatoes that have already formed on the vine. Research and treat anything that does not look quite right.

Tomato plants also need a lot of water for proper growth. If Mother Nature does not provide at least 1-3 inches of rain weekly, make sure each plant receives at least 2 gallons per week once they are established (two weeks after seedlings are planted in the ground). This regular watering schedule will avoid many common problems tomatoes experience on the vine including cracking and splitting.

To retain moisture in the soil and prevent the roots from drying out, mulch around the base of each tomato plant with dried grass, straw or pine needles. The mulch will also help keep weeds from growing and stealing nutrients away from the tomato plants. Grass clippings from your lawn can be used but in moderation.

If left unattended, tomato vines would crawl all along the ground and take up quite a lot of space in your garden. This would leave the tomatoes on the ground very vulnerable to insects. Most gardeners stake or cage their plants to avoid this problem. Which one works better? It is really a matter of preference. If you tie tomato plants to a stake, just make sure you do not tie them too tight. Leave plenty of room for the tomato plant to grow.

“Suckers” are the leafy shoots that develop between the main stem and branch of the tomato plant. Home gardeners debate about whether to pick suckers off the tomato plants or not. Again, it is a matter of preference. If you regularly pick all the suckers, you will end up with a single stem plant and larger, but fewer tomatoes. If you do not pick any suckers and let the tomato plant grow unchecked, you will end up with a very bushy plant with lots of foliage and smaller tomatoes. Many gardeners agree that leaving some suckers on the plan is a good compromise.

When the tomato plant reaches 12 to 18 inches in height, leave two or three of the new suckers alone. They will develop into several new main stems. From that point on, pick as many of the suckers as you can find. This will give you a bushy plant that produces a maximum amount of fruit without stressing the plant with too much foliage.

If you follow even a few of these tips, your tomato plants will reward you with fresh healthy tomatoes all summer long.

Visit the author’s detailed, illustrated article Preventing Tomato Plant Problems for more information about curing common tomato plant problems… and make sure you spend a little time in Suzy’s Garden – a great place for more gardening and crafting information and fun !

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