Mid-Gardening Tips

     Gardening is more than just a hobby or way to beautify our surroundings; it is a valuable tradition that has been handed down through generations. As I weed my garden every morning (okay, maybe not EVERY morning), I am reminded that the seeds of my gardening knowledge have been shared with me by friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. Those knowledge seeds have been watered by their ancestors before them. It is easy to do a quick google search to find the relevant information you are looking for, but the most admirable wisdom comes from those who have endured many years of failures before us. I want to pay a tribute to the wisdom acquired from our ancestors and emphasize the passing down of knowledge to the next generation. Therefore;

Here are some tips and tricks I have learned recently:

  • Prune your tomatoes.
    This technique is very new to me. After planting your tomato plants and after the initial transplant shock, you should prune all but the main 2-3 stems of the tomato plant. As the tomato grows throughout the season, you should also prune the suckers off.  Tomato plants are notorious for producing more leaves than fruit blossoms, and pruning will help balance it out. Do not over prune on determinate tomato plants, as they grow to a certain height and stop. Indeterminate tomato plants grow and grow and grow!

Pluck those suckers!


  • If you are planting new strawberries, pinch of the buds and runners to allow for the root to grow.
    New strawberry plants will produce right away and spread if you let them. However, the strawberries may be small and few as the root system has not yet established itself enough. You can pick off the runners and blossoms the first year, so that the next year you will have large, sweet strawberries. Then you can also let some of your runners go, careful not to let them takeover too much.

  • Trellis/teepee gardening is amazing.
    Cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, peas, beans, etc. will grow UP! You can save so much space in your garden, especially if you are working with small areas like I am. I used the teepee method for my cucumbers, and tomato cages for my tomatoes. I have seen so many people using cattle panel as an arch trellis for cucumbers, and they look great! I may consider it for next year.





*As a disclaimer: You do not have to follow any of this advice. These are some ideas to try out if you need a little help in your garden! Everyone has their own style of gardening.

A great way to grow cucumbers!

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