Living in Northern New Jersey

In early spring, we started pumpkin plants in the house, which was a good start. We transplanted them outdoors in May, and they grew well, producing numerous flowers. However, the plants produced little fruit. It appears that animals consumed one immature pumpkin, and another pumpkin rotted on the ground. We have one pumpkin remaining, and it appears healthy, so we may be able to harvest it in the fall.

I am planting Ferry and Morse Early Scarlet Globe Radish seeds again this year. I have a small patch that I cleared with a garden fork, loosening the soil. I planted the entire seed pack in two rows and watered. Now we wait for an autumn harvest in October. The seed pack says it takes 25 days from sprouting to harvest.

The tomato harvest is over, and the cold weather is taking its toll on the tomato plants. The leaves are turning brown and wilting, and the stems are becoming brittle.

It’s time to bundle the tomato cages for storage until next year. I’ll leave the landscaping cloth in place to prevent weeds from growing until I till the garden in the spring.

I noticed a few flowers on the tomato plants. Just a tease before the winter, I doubt that after a few cold nights that there are many active pollinators

Our Garden Bean patch is now filled with young, tender, green garden beans, replacing the flowers that were there previously. The beans are ready to be harvested, and we picked a small basket from just one row. We have four more rows yet to pick, and we plan to grill the beans on the barbecue with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a bit of butter wrapped in foil as a side dish for dinner tonight. The beans are delicious, and we are looking forward to eating them. These garden beans frow fast and should be picked before the seeds form and they loose their tenderness.

Cucamelons, Mexican Sour Gherkins, are tasty little treats that can be picked and eaten right out of the garden. Cucamelons have a cucumber crunch with a mild citrusy flavor.

Summer Squash should be picked when the fruit is 6 to ten inches in length. Cut stem with scissors or pruning shears leaving some stem on the fruit. Picking early and often will encourage the plant to produce more fruit

The cucumber plants have been fun to watch over the past few weeks. They have been generating a large number of flowers, and now the cukes are starting to show. Now begins the search for the mature, green cukes among the large green leaves. This is a very rewarding time in the garden.

Every day I am harvesting more cucumbers than the day before, and it looks like this will be a good year for them. Cucumbers are delicious fresh from the garden, and they are also great for making pickles and relishes. Last year I experimented with pickling and preserving the surplus, and I am glad I did. I have enjoyed the pickles I made all winter long.

Before I make shelf-stable pickles, I make fresh half-sour pickles. I planted dill in my garden this year, and it produced an early harvest. Since I couldn’t use it all fresh, I froze some of it. Now I have a plan to use my frozen dill to make my fresh-pack pickles.

• Try to select cucumbers before the seeds mature.
• As always carefully wash cucumbers removing “burrs”. slice into spears.
• wash and clean 1/2 gallon mason jar.
• Add chopped garlic (4+ cloves) peppercorns (2 tsp) fresh dill, mustard seed (2 tsp), dill seed ( 1 tsp.) to the jar.
• Add to jar 4 cup water and 3-1/2 tbsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. calcium chloride. Mix that the salt dissolves.
• Add cucumber spears to jar.
• ferment using fermentation lid with airlock spout at room temperature for 3-4 days.
• Refrigerate for seven to ten days.
• enjoy deli style half sour pickles for up to two months.

Cherry tomatoes are a delicious snack. To prepare them, we first slice them in half and arrange them on a plate with the cut side facing up. Next, we sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and oregano. The result is a delicious dish! We also like to drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with grated Parmesan cheese. We ate these cherry tomatoes as fast as we could pick them. They were delicious! We are sure to have many more cherry tomatoes this summer. We planted a large number of tomato plants this year, and we think they will produce a bountiful harvest.

I am now harvesting the dried marigold flowers from my garden. I am saving the seeds for next year’s planting. I will store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator with my remaining seeds from spring planting.

I noticed some leaf damage on my eggplants and treated with Captain Jacks Dead Bug. I grew broccoli and cauliflower last year and had problems with cabbage moths, dead bug worked well. This year I am using it on my eggplants for mites. BONIDE Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew is approved for organic gardening to control a wide range of listed insect pests on listed vegetables, citrus, fruits flowers, and ornamentals. I have been using Deadbug for a few years, and I have found it to be very effective on broccoli and cauliflower. After just a few treatments, my broccoli and cauliflower plants were thriving, and I haven’t had to treat them since. This year, I’m using Deadbug to treat spider mites on my eggplants, and I’m happy to report that the good results. After just a few treatments, the eggplants in my garden have less perforated leaves, and they are growing well. Deadbug has been approved as an organic gardening treatment. The active ingredient in Deadbug is Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which is a naturally occurring bacteria that produces a protein (Cry toxin) that is deadly to certain insects.

Cayenne pepper is an effective deterrent for garden pests such as rabbits and groundhogs. I sprinkle the pepper around the perimeter of my gardens, and I purchase it in bulk. The pepper is an irritant to the pests, and they will avoid areas where it is sprinkled. I have found that this method is very effective in keeping the pests away from my plants.

Garden bean flowers (right)

Our Better Boy/Beefsteak tomato crop is doing so well that we’re already getting some early flowering on the plants. We’re really hoping that this means an early harvest, which would be amazing. We’ve been working so hard to make sure that our garden is healthy and productive, and so far, it seems to be paying off. We planted the seeds in March and moved the seedlings outside in late April when there was less risk of frost. We have made sure to keep the plants watered and fertilized, and we’ve even sung and played music to them. It’s not easy growing tomatoes in North Jersey, but we’ve been having fun and are looking forward to the results. Fingers crossed!!

Our cherry tomatoes are already bearing fruit! They’re so sweet and delicious, you can pick them right off the vine and eat them fresh or prepare them with a little salt, pepper, and oregano for a summer treat! I’ve been gardening for many years and I’ve learned to keep a close eye on all of my plants so I can harvest them at just the right time. It’s all part of the fun!

Look at these beautiful cucumber flowers in my garden! I planted the seeds on May 9 and they grew quickly. If you’re a gardener in northern New Jersey, it’s still not too late to plant cucumber seeds and get a harvest! The flowers are yellow and have a pretty bell shape. The flowers have a long stem and bloom one at a time. I love growing cucumbers, especially as i started making pickles last year.

Our pumpkins have been flowering but I don’t think the plant is developed enough to support the fruit

If you’re a gardener in northern New Jersey, you’re in luck! It’s not too late to plant summer squash. I planted mine on May 13, and they’re already flowering. The plants grew really fast, so I think it’s still possible to get a harvest this season. If you’re a squash fan, I recommend getting your seeds in the ground today. In addition to being a delicious vegetable, squash is also very good for you. If you are not already a squash fan, it is time to try it!

Our cucamelon vines have grown so much this year that they’ve enveloped the entire garden fence! The vines are covered with lots of flowers, so we’re expecting a bumper crop of cucamelons this year! But the best part is that the cucamelon plants are producing lots of flowers!

Our Summer Squash plants are getting huge! They have lots of flowers and even some fruit. We are looking forward to harvesting them soon. We are still in the early stages of growth, but the plants are doing well and we are excited to see what the future holds.

Our cherry tomatoes are also bearing fruit and we are waiting for them to change from green to red.

Every day, new flowers are appearing in our garden. The most recent flowering vegetables are watermelon and eggplant. Our cucumbers and tomatoes are also producing flowers and some fruits.

However, we are also encountering new pests, such as grasshoppers, which are consuming our leaves. These pests are a nuisance, but they are also a sign that our garden is thriving and producing food.

We have been using Captain Jack’s Deadbug weekly to control mites and caterpillars on our eggplants. It has been very effective, and we have not seen any damage from these pests. However, now that the plants are flowering, we have stopped using it to protect the pollinators.

My garden is a riot of color and growth. The weeds are growing abundantly, but the cherry tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes are thriving, and the eggplants are flowering. I love the look of my garden, even though it looks like a joyful mess.
I prepared my garden by laying down ground cloth and securing it with garden staples. The ground cloth serves two purposes. First, it acts as a barrier to prevent weeds from growing. Second, it helps to retain moisture in the soil. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans for the garden this year. weeds grew as well as my vegetables. Despite this setback, my granddaughters inform me that there are 110 tomatoes growing!!

Eggplants seem to attract a variety of insect pests. First there were caterpillars and spider mites which I treated with Captain Jacks Deadbug, a naturally occurring bacteria called Spinosad. Spinosad is a leading pesticide used worldwide in the production of organic produce.

The stackable plant containers I purchased last spring were a great success! We were able to harvest a bountiful crop of dill, which we enjoyed fresh and froze for future meals. We also harvested cilantro and basil, and today we planted a new crop of these herbs. In addition to the herbs we grew marigolds and snapdragon for color. The best part is that the containers are so easy to move around that I can put them in the best spot for each plant.

Using a small electric rototiller, I made quick work of my tomato bed! These small electric tillers are essential for creating a garden. They are lightweight and straightforward to use. Hardware stores and rental facilities offer them for rent, but you can also buy them. In the past, I rented gas-powered tillers, which were quite heavy and required gas and oil, but they got the job done. I am using my electric tiller to cultivate my garden this spring.

I’m getting ready to plant my garden, and I’m thinking about pest and animal control. Never too early to sensitize and condition garden pests to avoid your garden. I sprinkle cayenne pepper powder around my garden fencing. I buy bulk cayenne pepper packages and use dredge shaker to scatter the pepper around perimeter of my gardens. I’m hoping that once a groundhog or rabbit gets a snootful of this, they won’t return.

I planted an additional row of carrots. The sunflowers I planted in February are thriving and should be ready for transplanting in the next few weeks.

I am still in the process of removing lawn debris from my yard. I have a lot of work to do, and I am taking my time to do it right. I need to clean up the yard before I can apply lime and seed it. I am going to start by removing the dead grass and weeds, then I will spread lime to neutralize the soil. Finally, I will seed the yard with new grass. This process will take several days, and I am looking forward to having a lush, green lawn again.

To adjust pH, I add lime. I prefer pelletized lime over pulverized lime because it’s less messy. I use a Scotts Mini Broadcast Spreader set at 6 to apply the lime. I try to apply it before it rains to help it absorb into the soil.

I planted bush beans today. I purchased a bulk pack of Blue Lake Bush Beans last year. I think I will have enough for next year as well. Bush bean seeds are robust, and the plants are straightforward to grow. They produce a good yield over a week or two. I like to pick the beans when they are young and tender. I also like to eat them fresh. They are delicious!

I prepared the plot by removing any large stones and debris. Then I covered it with a tarp to prevent weeds from growing. After a few weeks, I removed the tarp and made rows in the soil with a hoe. I sowed the seeds in the rows, covered them with soil, and watered the plot generously.

Today I tilled the garden where I will soon plant cucumbers. I used a ssmall electric rototiller, which made the task a lot easier. I had never used a rototiller before, and I was surprised at how easy it was to use. I was able to till the entire garden in a matter of minutes. I am looking forward to planting my cucumbers and watching them grow.

The warm weather has finally arrived in northern New Jersey, and I am preparing to move my indoor-sown tomatoes and marigolds outdoors. The predicted overnight temperatures are in the 50° F range, which I believe is safe for acclimating them to outdoor conditions. I will also move the marigolds outdoors. I am looking forward to seeing my plants thrive in their new outdoor environment.

Today is a big day in the garden. I am finally transplanting my tomato plants to the outdoor garden. I started the plants indoors in March, and they have been growing steadily ever since. But now they are ready to be moved outdoors. I am using landscaping cloth to protect the plants from pests and diseases. I am also installing tomato cages at this time so that the tomato plants will grow into them. I am so excited!

Today I am planting cucumber seeds in the outdoor garden. I first lay out a ground cloth. The ground cloth keeps the soil moist and prevents weeds from growing. Next, I cut holes in the cloth and plant the cucumber seeds. Cucumbers grow quickly, so I plant the seeds directly in the outdoor garden.

I found another asparagus spear.

Today I transplanted my indoor-sown marigolds to a rock wall border in my garden. I supplemented the plants with leftover seeds. I like to sow marigolds indoors because they get a head start on the season. Also, I purchase large packages of marigolds because I use them in many locations. Marigolds are straightforward to grow, and the seeds can be collected at the end of the season.

Today I transplanted my indoor-sown pumpkins to my new outdoor pumpkin patch. To begin, I tilled the soil, then raked out the rocks and debris, and finally leveled the surface. This was a lot of work, but it was necessary to provide the best growing conditions for my pumpkins. Next, I laid down ground cloth and secured it with landscape staples. This will help to prevent weeds from growing and will also help to retain soil moisture.

I use my hand as a template to cut holes in the landscape cloth. I then placed one pumpkin plant in each hole. I sprinkled the area with cayenne pepper to discourage animals from entering. I am using pavlovian training to condition animals to avoid ground cloth. The cayenne pepper acts as a natural repellent, and is the primary deterrent to train the animals to stay off of all ground cloth.

I weeded my strawberry patch today and uncovered quite a few strawberries that are almost ready to pick. Unfortunately, a garden pest got to my strawberries first. I have a fence around the patch and a screen on top, but I neglected to put down a barrier of cayenne pepper. Lesson learned!

Not the prettiest setup, but it works! It is constructed from PVC pipe and PVC connectors, both of which are readily available at local hardware stores. The 36-inch shop lights are suspended by a chain, and I employ full spectrum fluorescent bulbs connected to a timer outlet. I configure the timer to provide approximately 10 hours of light to the seedlings. I do not use the light until the seedlings have sprouted. Not the prettiest setup, but it works!

I set a few containers out for winter sown Sunflowers. I reused a few containers from last year, I like the juice containers better than milk jugs as they are more rigid and easier to tape closed. I just leave these outside on my deck until they germinate and then plant in my garden. I use a variety of plastic containers for winter-sowing including juice bottles, soda bottles and milk jugs. I drill 1/4 inch holes in the tops and bottoms, and then cut the bottles in about 1/3 from the base. Then i fill the base with potting mix and add seeds, water and close with duct tape, then set outside and wait.

I have been winter-sowing for a few years.I tried vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach which worked well using this method I tried various flowers including marigolds which turn out much hardier and fuller plants, but decided to just sow in the garden when the weather gets warmer as they are fast growing. I tried Mexican Sunflowers but I found they are cold sensitive and need hot weather to grow properly. I like starting Sunflowers this way because they bloom earlier.

Herbs and spices are easily grown indoors. I was gifted a tiered nested planter that I use to grow Basil and other herbs. Before i need to use my light setup for vegetables, I try to get basil established in these containers.

February 20, 2024 -Started Chives in some plastic containers.

I use a few methods to start seeds. First and simplist is use a small flower pot with some potting soil mix from the supermarket. I save old nursery trays and containers to plant a “flat” of seedlings.

More about starting seedlings

Another method is to use a tray/peat pellet system. These are plastic trays with transparent covers creating a small greenhouse. Inside the trays are small flat peat discs which are activated by adding water. The pellets absorb water and expand into small containers for the seed and seedlings.

Watermelon also sprouted, the seed pack gave no indication of germination period but I noticed this sprout today. Impatiently I reseeded the pots yesterday so I am hopeful that I will have plenty of watermelon to replant outside!

I was able to get outside today to check on my front yard flower garden. A Sunny day with temperatures in the higher 30s, I decided to rake out flower stems from last year. I uncovered daffodils sprouting! Early March is a great time to begin cleaning and raking the garden because of cool, comfortable temperatures without insects and before weeds start sprouting.

Raking dead grass and thatch is the first step to a carpet-like, luxurious green lawn. Thatch is a mix of dead and living plant material that forms at the base of grass plants. Although a small amount of thatch is not necessarily a problem, buildup of 1/2 inch or more prevents air, nutrients and water from reaching grass plant roots and increases vulnerability to insects and diseases.

The good news is raking is a low-tech, inexpensive way to manage this problem. Starting early in the spring, divide the work into small areas and work through the lawn methodically is a good strategy.

More Spring Lawn Cleanup

Seeded 72 cell Burpee Self-watering seed tray with Gardener-Basics Better Boy and some 2021 Burpee Super Beefsteak tomato seeds.

On March 7, 2024, planted Sow Right Large Cherry Tomatoes in a 72 cell burpee seed tray. These cherry tomatoes are perfect for snacking in the garden 🙂

Seeded Garden Basics Heirloom Black Beauty Eggplant in Jiffy self-watering seed tray. These eggplants do well in northern New Jersey but need to be planted early. New Jersey hot and humid summer weather seem to promote good yield.

Peat pots filled with supermarket potting soil seeded with watermelons and cucamelons.

Cucamelon Tycoon: read more about our cucamelon adventure here!

Better Boy Tomatoes peeking up out of Burpee seed starter tray. The Sow Right Large Cherry Tomatoes sprouting less than a week after seeding!

Seeded an old, used flat from last years nursery purchase with Marigolds. Marigolds grow quickly and should have flower buds in time for replanting outdoors.

Daffodils are growing well with many flower buds!

Taking advantage of a sunny, mild day to clean up an area used for root vegetables. This area is used for radishes and carrots. Carrots take months to mature while radishes are ready to pick in as little as 28 days.

After raking out loose material and leaves, cover the area with a tarp to stop weed growth.

Cleaned up Summer Squash garden and covered with a tarp. Had some luck last year in this area alongside the driveway.

Daffodils budding! These bulbs were planted about 5 years ago and flower every year since.

Planted more basil and marigolds using stackable plant containers.

I expanded my artificial light system to accommodate the newly sprouted marigold, eggplant, and tomato seedlings. I employed a spare fluorescent fixture and an old keyboard stand to create additional space for plant trays. I am using the same artificial light system that I used last year, but this year I added a second set of fluorescent lights to increase the area for growing plants.

Today was a mix of rain and wet snow, which made for a dreary day. The good news is that the daffodils are blooming, and there are lots more coming! The colder weather in the last few days has put a damper on outdoor work, but indoors the pumpkins have started to sprout, and the veggies and flowers are coming along. Thoughts turn to spring planting, which is just around the corner.

Another rainy, cold March day has arrived, and I am unable to garden outdoors today. I am pleased to report, however, that my cucamelons, mexican sunflowers, and pumpkins have sprouted while the tomatoes , eggplants, and marigolds are growing well.

I inspected my “winter-sown” containers today and discovered that the sunflowers have sprouted. I placed these containers outdoors on February 10th, and since then freezing temperatures and several snow storms have not prevented the seeds from germinating.

Filed under lessons learned: Do not plant saplings too close to stairs, patios, or walkways. I planted this a few years ago, and I did not expect it to survive. I was wrong. Not only did it survive, but it thrived next to my front steps! I thought it would be a nice addition to my garden, but unfortunately, it has since grown to an unwieldy size and must be removed. I intend to transplant it to a more suitable location where it can grow to its full potential.

I am attempting to relocate this arborvitae to a more suitable location. I began by digging a trench around the trunk and then twisting the tree to loosen the roots. The next steps involve severing some of the larger roots. I am concerned about damaging the tree, so I will proceed with caution.

UPDATE! Finished!

Rainy weather is greeted by forsythia blossoms. Forsythia are shrubs which bloom early in the spring. Forsythia was “discovered” by Europeans in China in the 19th century. The shrub is named after William Forsyth (1737–1804), a Scottish botanist who was a royal head gardener and a founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

These daffodils were a discount purchase from Walmart years ago. I planted them in the garden and they still bloom every year! They are a cheerful reminder of spring and a bright spot in the garden!

I removed the tree and loaded it on my wheelbarrow.

The roots look okay and I hope they will thrive in the new location.

I prepared a hole in the new location and planted the tree supplementing the soil with some top soil from the supermarket.

I’m taking advantage of the cool weather to get this strip alongside the driveway ready for planting vine plants like pumpkins and watermelon. I’m hoping the soil will be warm enough to plant the seeds by late April, and the plants will be ready to harvest by the end of July. If the weather cooperates, I’ll be able to enjoy fresh pumpkins and watermelon all summer long.

I’m marking the forsythia because the flowers are pretty, but when they die, the plants look like weeds. I want to remember where they are so I don’t cut them down by mistake. I’m also marking where I planted my daffodil bulbs so I don’t dig them up by accident when I’m planting the pumpkins and watermelons. It’s a good idea to mark your bulbs, especially if you plant them in a container. If you don’t, you might not remember where they are when they start to grow.

My pruning shears were not moving freely and showed signs of rust. I applied a lubricant, namely 3-in-1 oil, and a penetrating oil spray. The 3-in-1 oil will create a moisture barrier to prevent rust, and the penetrating oil will lubricate the mechanism. I chose these products because they are non-toxic and biodegradable.

I am cleaning up the area around my recently replanted tree. I am raking leaves, cutting vines, and gathering dead branches. My goal is to create a productive area for growing vine vegetables. I am excited to see how this project turns out.

I have some dead shrubs in this area that I am cutting down with a reciprocating saw equipped with a wood-cutting blade. I will now have to excavate the stumps, which is a task I’m not looking forward to.

Today I tilled my bean garden. It is too early to plant bush beans, but I use this garden for carrots and radishes also which I planted today. I will harvest the radishes in about 30 days and the carrots at the end of the summer. In between, I will be harvesting the garden beans.

I am using a wooden plank to plant carrots. I press the plank into the soil, tilt it back, and water the depression that is created. Then I sprinkle carrot seeds into the depression and replace the plank. This method secures the tiny carrot seeds in place until they germinate, at which time the plank is removed. The plank helps to keep the seeds in place, and the water helps the seeds to germinate.

Using a hoe, I created two furrows adjacent to the carrot row. I sowed radish seeds in each furrow, covered them with soil, and watered them. I covered the remainder of the garden with a tarp and will wait for warmer weather to plant bush beans in this plot.

Today I moved the tomato and marigold trays outside for acclimating. The temperature is 60° F with a light rain. I will probably bring these trays inside before sunset. My winter-sown sunflowers are also doing well.

I upgraded my indoor lighting today by adding a metal shelf and two 36-inch shop lights to my existing setup. I chose the shelf because it doesn’t take up a lot of floor space, and the lights because they provide the right amount of light for my needs. While the shelf is not large enough to hold all my plants, it does provide enough space for my immediate needs. Overall, I’m happy with this upgrade.

I relocated my stackable herb garden outdoors today. I am concerned that it may be too early in the season to do this, and I may have to move it indoors at night. The herbs are getting quite large, and I don’t want to risk damaging them by leaving them out overnight. I think I will need to monitor the temperature closely for the next few weeks and be prepared to move the garden back indoors if necessary.

Although the asparagus is growing, it is quite small. Therefore, I will not harvest it this year and instead allow it to grow to strengthen the crown and roots.

I am cleaning the tomato garden in preparation for spring. I have already started some tomato plants indoors, and I will soon be setting them out in the garden. I am also planning to expand this garden soon, so I am making room for more plants.

My radishes have sprouted, and I can see them poking through the soil. I also removed the plank from the carrots, as they too are starting to grow.