Your 2025 Garden

[NanaK]

I sniff cantaloupes when I buy them in the store. You should be able to smell a nice fruity scent.

I think this is true about many types of fruit at the store. I've noticed apples and peaches that have no smell also have no taste.

 

[Sally PB]

I'd never thought to sniff apples! But that surely makes sense.

 

[jxp]

Something got through the fence and bedded down in the second planting of corn. Totally killed the winter squash in that area.

 

[R2elk]

I think this is true about many types of fruit at the store. I've noticed apples and peaches that have no smell also have no taste.

Works for choosing pineapples and checking that the segments are equal size.

 

[R2elk]

Early Pride
10 ¾" long

 

[tripletfeb]

Works for choosing pineapples and checking that the segments are equal size.

Also works for getting good strawberries. If you can't smell them through the container, they won't be good

 

[jxp]

I added Epsom salts and ... something else . ... to the soil before transplanting last spring. That's supposed to help make them sweeter.

Borax.

 

[R2elk]

Borax.

There is way too much advice about what to add to your soil that will supposedly help.

Before you add anything, have your soil checked at least for pH.

It doesn't help to add what your soil already has in sufficient amounts and may make things worse.

 

[NanaK]

I don't add much to my garden soil. I had testing done several years when I first started gardening on this property. After a while I noticed the main thing I had to do was adjust the ph every 3 or so years. Our soil tends to be very acidic. Great for blue hydrangeas not so much with most vegetables.

Other than this I only add compost or rarely a nitrogen source. I think the best thing I ever did for my garden was getting chickens. Well composted manure works wonders.

Now, my potted tropicals are a different story. I have to feed them to get them to bloom.

 

[R2elk]

Armenian cucumbers