Any garden should have one fun plant or a focal plant just to add interest to the garden and yard. One of the most unusual plants I have grown is the Easter Egg plant. And yes the fruits do look like small oval Easter eggs. This is an annual plant that is easy to grow and really gets attention.
photo credit: Zelda Go Wild

Living in a zone 5 climate I start my seeds indoors about 6 weeks before I plan to set them out. The seeds started very easily and transplanting them outdoors did not seem to set the plants back at all. Because it’s a unique plant I usually leave two in decorative pots.

The plant and fruit is like an eggplant. There are two varieties of the plant, one grows edible fruit (S. melongena) and the other does not (S. ovigerum) The fruit starts out white and look just like an egg. As the season extends the fruit will mature to deep pastel cream, yellow, orange or possibly green. I have heard a few people say they had a reddish color and purple colored egg.

The plants prefer a sunny, well-drained location. It will grow to 12 to 18 inches tall. You will need to check the plant for mites, but a homemade garlic recipe should keep any insects off the plants. If you plan to harvest seed from the plant let the fruit get overripe, then remove the seeds, wash and dry.

The Easter Easter Egg plant is actually a member of the Potato family, with wide green foliage protecting the fruit, giving the plant a lush look. This plant makes a great accent plant and adds adventure to the garden area as you wait to see what colors you will grow on your unique plant.

Note: Make sure you know for sure if you are growing the edible or inedible Easter egg plant.

Technorati Tags: creative gardening, easter egg plant, gardening tips, vegetables

Peas are one of my favorite vegetables. I like them fresh out of the garden. And since I do not use chemicals of any sort in my garden I can sample the crop right in the garden!
photo credit: NatalieHG

Peas used to have to be grown only in the early spring or later in the season as a fall crop. But with the new heat resistant varieties the season has been extended. I have also found planting the later crops near a tall plant that will shade them during the hottest hours of the day helps too. So for a season long crop of peas stagger you planting time by two to three weeks.

How to plant peas

First choose a site that gets full sun. If you have a garden spot with a slight slope and southern exposure that would be a perfect location to plant your peas.

Peas do not grow well in wet soil so check the drainage. Adding compost should provide the right texture and help with drainage. At this time also check the soil for a ph of 6.0 to 6.8. Testing kits can be picked up at any garden center.

I have found growing peas in raised beds makes soil maintenance easier and I also add a fence to one side of the raised bed for the peas to vine up. Growing you peas vertically makes them easier to harvest and saves space in the garden.

Pea seeds germinate so easily, and because you’ll want to make successive plantings, there’s really no advantage to buying started plants. Most people sow peas directly in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. This is usually about five weeks before the last expected frost. For my first batch of peas I start the seeds in pots in the house. I have found that I have a better germination rate and loose fewer plants for the first planting, but I live in a cool zone 5 with an unpredictable wet spring.
photo credit: S0MEBODY 3LSE

If this is your first time for planting peas you will want to plant the seeds an inch deep, 3 to 4 inches apart, in rows about 3 feet apart. Place your supports the same time as you plant your peas. This ensures that you will get them in the ground before the plants intertwine. (I always used to put off getting my supports up and that ended up making more work later on) Start guiding the vines up your supports as soon as they’re long enough to climb.

If you want a continuous supply of peas during the growing season plant a different, heat-resistant variety a few weeks after the first sowing. Then 8 to 10 weeks before the first frost date, plant a crop in another bed for an early autumn harvest

There are three different varieties of peas: English or garden peas (only the seeds are eaten), Chinese or snow peas (picked when the pods have reached full size but the seeds are still small and eaten pod and all), and snap peas (picked when both pod and seeds are mature; both are edible).

Peas will be ready for picking about three weeks after the plants begin to flower. Pick early and often for sweet peas and a larger harvest.

I have also found that I have very good luck growing peas in a large container. The container garden has a fun look with peas growing on a trellis and I add a few flowers and herbs for color. This makes a perfect patio or porch container garden

Technorati Tags: vegetables

Peanuts have been a profitable crop in many countries for centuries. They originated in South America but their popularity has made growing peanuts popular around the world. Peanuts need 130 days to grow before harvest, so are considered a warm weather crop. But they can be grown in cooler climate by starting them indoors or by using wind tunnels. They also make an interesting indoor crop.
photo credit: tillwe

Growing Peanuts Outdoors

Make sure you have raw peanuts. You can purchase seeds for a catalog or garden center or buy raw peanuts at the grocery store.

Growing Peanuts with the Garden Soil Method

Growing peanuts in the soil is the way peanuts have been grown for years and is recommended if you are going a large crop. I am talking acres!

• Plow the ground deeply. This will be at least seven inches or more. I myself prefer 12 inches.
  Plant the peanuts after the last frost in very sandy soil. This will ensure good drainage. A good peanut crop requires that the soil drain well.
• Sow the peanuts two inches deep and space the seeds seven inches apart. Make sure that any peanut seed is whole. A broken peanut will not germinate. 
• Peanuts are heavy feeders so add a lot of compost and manure.
• Mulch! This will keep the soil loose so that the peanut crop will grow well. It also cuts down on weeds and will retain moisture.
• Water well when planting. Do not water again until the peanut plant sprouts.

Growing peanuts using Square Foot Gardening method.

This is the way I plant peanuts. I find it suits my gardening zone better plus I like square foot gardening.

• Set up your garden bed using the Square Foot Gardening method.
• For growing peanuts I use a one foot garden raised bed width and build the raised bed about 1 foot high.
• I add rich compost to the garden bed every 7 inches, where I plan to plant each seed. I dig a hole, remove the soil and place a one-pound coffee can of compost in the hole.
• Follow the planting instructions above.

Taking care of and harvesting your peanut crop

• Using either method your peanuts should germinate and appear above ground in one week. When you begin watering the plants regularly, do not over-water. Over-watering will create poor peanuts or no peanuts.
• Keep the peanut garden area free from weeds. Weeds hinder peanut plant growth and take away nutrients form the peanut crop growing below
• In 130 days your plants will be mature and the crop should be ready to harvest. You will be harvesting you crop in the fall and will pull the whole plant out.

Tip: If you use a spading fork first to loosen the soil, the plants will remove easily. Foliage on the plant will be yellow when ready for harvesting.

Allow the peanuts to dry for two to four weeks, Store in a cool place until you are ready to roast them.

The reason I like square foot gardening for raising peanuts outdoors is that they are easier to harvest and the square foot gardening methods using mulch creates a no weeding effect. The peanuts are also cleaner and I think you have a larger crop in a much smaller area.

Technorati Tags: Square Foot Gardening, vegetables