Secrets for Success
Sheldon:
• Plant tomatoes deep. If you plant half the stem in the soil, the plant will grow a stronger root and support system. Also, use a wilt-resistant variety of tomatoes—check the label for this information.

• Trellis tomatoes as soon as you plant them—it’s much easier to do it early on than when they get larger. This applies to beans, too, and anything else you might want to trellis.

• Harvest your plants regularly, especially with squash and okra. Regular harvesting will help them continue to bear fruit all season long.

Joe:
• Try succession planting. Vegetables like squash may peter out before you want them to, so plant a second batch of squash about two weeks after you plant the first and you’ll have squash all summer long! This works great with lettuce, too. You’ll always have a fresh harvest.

• Flowers can be really pretty and beneficial because they attract bees and butterflies. The more pollinators you have, the more veggies you’ll have! Zinnias are a great choice because they are pollinator magnets and they come in tons of different colors.

• Do research on companion plants that can benefit specific vegetables. Basil is a good companion for tomato plants, and marigolds are a good companion plant for almost anything because they have roots that benefit the soil.

• Have a spot in your garden, like a pretty mailbox, to store your most-used gardening tools. This little time saver really will make you more apt to get out there and work.

• If you end up with more veggies than you can handle, donate some to your local food bank. Don’t let any go to waste!

Walter:
• In June, propagate tomatoes! Cut off a 12-inch branch of a tomato plant, stick it in the soil, and use a cutting from an evergreen plant, such as holly, as an umbrella for the new transplant. In about 10 days, the tomato should root and start to grow.

• Okra is a typical Southern veggie, but it can be the devil growing it from seed. To help it out, soak seeds in warm water for at least 12 hours before planting them—they should all germinate at the same time.

• To get your carrots to grow, plant the seeds shallowly, then put a plank over them. Peek underneath each day, and when you start to see sprouts (probably after 4 to 5 days), remove the plank.

• Be patient with veggies like squash, melons and cucumbers. They produce male flowers first, which don’t bring forth veggies, so don’t get frustrated if the vines bloom like crazy and then all the flowers fall off—the female flowers, which bear the fruit, come a little later.

• One folk tale that is definitely true is that that planting flowers in your vegetable garden is a great idea! Mixing flowers in with veggie plants confuses bad insects and attracts good insects. Use the flowers of your choice!

• Another old wives’ tale that seems to be true is that aspirin water enhances growth and strength of plants. Grind up four aspirin and mix them in one gallon of water. Do this once, at the beginning of the growing season, when the plants are about a foot tall. Be sure to keep shaking the mixture the entire time you’re watering so the aspirin powder doesn’t settle!