Hoss Tools - SoundSage

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Join us for a fun “Getting To Know Hoss” video! We thought we would switch it up this evening with something a little different. We are constantly told that many of you would love to know more about us, so here we go. On tonight’s Row By Row Show, we’re asking Hoss the tough questions … Row by Row Episode 260: GET TO KNOW HOSS! Read More »

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We all know that spring gardens are everyone’s favorite to have BUT if you haven’t yet, you really should start planning your fall garden! So why exactly should you have a fall garden, let’s discuss a few reasons. Less work, less hands on, less pest pressure, less weed pressure, it’s cooler outside, and you need … Row by Row Episode 259: Planning A Fall Garden Read More »

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Many gardeners, especially beginners, don’t necessarily always think about cover crops; summer cover crops are even more on the back burner, simply because many people do not typically “garden” in the cooler months therefore, they will plant a cover crop in the winter months to help improve your their soil. We’re trying to change that … Row by Row Episode 258: Summer Cover Crops Read More »

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Why do we garden? Why do you garden? Since we’ve started Hoss, our mission has ALWAYS been “We Help You Grow Your Own Food” and that will never change. When we first started our Row By Row Garden Show we shared our Top 4 Reasons why we garden. Do you think they’ve changed since 2015? … Row by Row Episode 257: Why We Garden | Top 4 Reasons Read More »

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Preserving food not only extends its shelf life but also allows us to enjoy seasonal flavors straight form the garden throughout the year. Some of the oldest methods of preservation are drying, refrigeration, and fermentation. More of the modern techniques include canning, freezing, dehydrating, and freeze drying. The goal is to prevent food spoilage from … Row by Row Episode 256: Food Preservation | Essential Techniques and Tips Read More »

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Over the last several days we have been getting hammered with bad storms and downpours of rain over several hours at a time. A break, maybe we’ve had a day of no rain in the last couple weeks but that’s about it. So, can you garden in the rain? What does all of this rain … Row by Row Episode 255: Can You Garden In The Rain? Read More »

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It’s all about the King Of The Garden tonight, TOMATOES! The winners and losers (in our opinion)! Time for the Tomato Tasting Review 2023! We’ve been harvesting lots of fruit already from the garden, some of which were “trials” for us and it sure has been interesting to say the least. From beefsteaks, slicers, to … Row by Row Episode 254: Tomato Tasting Review 2023 Read More »

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It’s June and boy, is it getting hot in Georgia! The garden is in full-force and we are harvesting every day. The temptation to just harvest and cruise on through summer is also in full-force. Do not just let the garden go, there is still plenty of time to continue plantings. After you harvest your … Row by Row Episode 253: June Garden To-Do List Read More »

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It’s NEVER fun when diseases attack the garden! We’re talking all about controlling spring garden pathogens, like the disease causing microorganisms like fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Below is our list of organic and non-organic controls. The MOST important thing to remember is prevention, prevention is key but we like to give you the helpful tips & tricks that can combat these diseases if they strike! Join us and let’s grow together!

Controlling Spring Garden Diseases: SUMMER & WINTER SQUASHLiquid cop – Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose, Alternaria Leaf Spot
Garden Phos –, Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew; Anthracnose, Alternaria Leaf Blight

Fungi Max – Powdery Mildew
Vegetable, Flower, Fruit and Ornamental Fungicide – Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew; Anthracnose, Alternaria Leaf Blight, Cercospora Leaf Spot

POTATOESOrganic ControlsCrop rotation and using certified – Bacterial wilt
Crop rotation and don’t overwater – Common scab, late blight, bacterial wilt

Non-Organic Controls
Liquid cop – early blight, late blight
Garden Phos – early blight, late blight

CORNNon-Organic Controls
Fungi Max – common rust, grey leaf spot, blight

Organic Controls
Complete Disease Control – common rust, grey leaf spot, blight

TOMATOESCrop rotation and select resistant varieties – Fusarium Wilt, bacterial wilt, Tomato Mosaic virus, early blight and late blight
Complete Disease Control (Drench)- early blight

Fungi max – Bacterial wilt
Liquid cop – early blight, late blight, bacterial spot
Garden Phos – late blight, bacterial spot
Vegetable, flower, fruit and ornamental fungicide – early blight, late blight

WATERMELONSNon-Organic Controls
Liquid cop – downy mildew
Garden Phos – downey mildew, anthracnose, gummy stem blight, damping off (seed treatment)
Complete Disease Control – anthracnose
Vegetable, Flower, Fruit & Ornamental Fungicide – downey mildew, gummy stem blight, anthracnose

FOR MORE DISEASE CONTROL SUGGESTIONS, MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE VIDEO!! Product of the Week Disease Control

Turmeric

Watch the Complete Show on YouTube Below:https://youtu.be/4r4a2G_9rOA

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GROWING POTATOES IN A ROOT POUCH GROW BAGIn recent years, the popularity of container gardening has skyrocketed, and for good reason. Container gardening can provide flexibility, convenience, and the opportunity to grow plants in areas where traditional gardening is impractical. Root Pouch Grow Bags take this concept to the next level.

So, why choose Root Pouch Grow Bags for your potato-growing endeavors? The answer lies in their unique design and the benefits they bring to the table. These specialized fabric containers promote optimal root development, enhance aeration and drainage, and offer portability, making them an ideal choice for urban dwellers, renters, or anyone seeking a versatile gardening solution.

How to Plant Potatoes in Root Pouch Grow BagsTo plant potatoes, depending on the size of your container, fill it with 4 to 6 inches of prepared soil and place it in full sun. Your seed potatoes need a good bit of room to grow so be sure and get the correct plant spacing. For example, the 15 Gallon Root Pouch can comfortably grow 4 potato plants and give the root structure plenty of room for a big harvest. We don’t recommend going smaller than 15 Gallon. The 45 Gallon Root Pouch can grow 12, and the 100 Gallon Root Pouch could grow 20-24 potato plants.

LayeringThe same way that in-ground and raised bed planting requires hilling, container planted potatoes require the same treatment, called layering. To start, put in at least 6 inches of soil, but ideally 10 inches of soil into the bottom of the bag. Seed potatoes should be planted 6 to 12 inches apart and 3 to 6 inches deep. Press your potatoes into the earth as you plant them. Lightly cover your potatoes with 1 to 2 inches of soil. As the plant grows, you will continually add 1 to 2 inches of soil to the top of the plant as it grows to cover the new stems at the bottom until the container is full of soil.

Fertilization for Potatoes in Root Pouch Grow BagsFor a 15 gallon root pouch, fill ¾ with potting soil, add 5 cups of compost or worm castings and 1 cup Hoss Complete Organic fertilizer. Mix together. Then, every 10 days, mix 1 tablet each of Dr. Joe All Purpose and 1 tablet of Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble into 1 gallon of water. Apply as a drench.

Irrigation Root Pouches drain VERY well. They will need watering every 2-3 days, if the weather is very hot, you will need to water every day.

Scratching & Harvesting PotatoesPotatoes can be harvested at different times throughout the growing season based on what you want. Scratching is a term used in gardening, meaning digging up a few of your potatoes before the ten-week maturity date. New potatoes refer to a fresh crop of potatoes that have just recently come out of the ground. You can harvest new potatoes but allow the rest of the plant to keep maturing. Simply dig up the potatoes you want, being very careful not to damage the ones still in the ground, bury the plant again, and water thoroughly. When at least 50% of the tops of the potato vines begin to die off and any flowers have begun to drop off, it’s a good indication that your potatoes are ready to harvest.

Curing & Storing PotatoesMuch like onions, potatoes need to be cured after being harvested. It helps the skin thicken and let any slight damage heal and prevents bacteria from rotting the potato. Arrange your potatoes in a single layer in a well-ventilated area that is out of direct sunlight for a week to 10 days. Potatoes ideally should be stored around 55ºF and will last in storage for months on end. Warm temperatures will bring the potatoes out of dormancy and cause them to start sprouting. Sunlight will turn the potatoes green and should immediately be discarded. The green color comes from an excess of solamine and if eaten, can cause severe sickness.

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It’s NEVER fun when those pests attack the garden! We’re talking all about controlling spring garden pests, the larger organisms like insects and mites (although some of these aren’t very big at all) and pathogens, like the disease causing microorganisms like fungi, bacteria, and viruses in a two part series. The MOST important thing to remember is prevention, prevention is key! Join us and let’s grow together!

Controlling Spring Garden Pests: BrassicasControlling spring garden pests in brassicas is crucial for maintaining the health and productivity of your plants. Start by implementing preventive measures such as crop rotation and companion planting to deter pests. Regularly inspect your brassicas for signs of infestation, such as chewed leaves or egg clusters, and promptly remove any affected plants or pests. Utilize pest control methods such as neem oil or insecticidal soaps to target specific pests while minimizing harm to beneficial insects. By staying vigilant and taking proactive steps, you can effectively manage pests in your spring garden and protect your brassicas.

Organic ControlsGarden Insect Spray– Thrips, Horn Worms, Cabbage Looper
Horticulture Oil– Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Bug Buster-O– Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Monterey BT– Hornworms, Cabbage Looper
Take Down Garden Spray– Aphids, Horn Worms, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Diatomaceous Earth– Cutworms
Neem Oil– Whiteflies, Aphids

Non-organic ControlsBug buster II– Aphids, Horn Worms, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Cabbage Looper

Controlling Spring Garden Pests: Summer SquashOne effective method is to regularly monitor your plants for signs of pest infestation, such as chewed leaves or wilting. Handpick any visible pests, such as squash bugs or cucumber beetles, and promptly remove them from your garden. Applying insecticides can help control pests while minimizing harm to beneficial insects.

Garden Insect Spray – Thrips, Pickleworms, leaf miners, Armyworms, mealy bugs
Horticultural Oil – Aphids, Squash bugs (Nymphs), Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Spider Mites, Beetle larvae, leaf miners
Bug Buster-O – Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Cucumber beetles, Thrips, Mites, Armyworms
Monterey BT – Armyworms, pickleworms
Take Down Garden Spray– Aphids, Army Worms, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Mites, Squash bugs(Nymphs)Vine borer ( Nymphs)
Diatomaceous Earth– Cutworms

Non-Organic Controls
Bug buster ll– Aphids, , Squash Bugs, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Spider Mites, Thrips, leaf Miner, Vine borer, Cucumber beetle, Armyworm

Controlling Spring Garden Pests: Sweet PotatoesSome of the worst pests that can take over your sweet potato plants are flea beetles, Colorado potato beetles, Leaf Hoppers, and/or potato tuber moths. Here are organic and non-organic controls.

Garden Insect Spray – Thrips, Hornworm, Armyworms
Horticulture Oil– Aphids, Stinkbugs, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Spider Mites
Bug Buster-O – Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Take Down Garden Spray – Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Diatomaceous Earth – Cutworms

Non-Organic ControlsBug buster ll – Aphids, Wireworms, Stinkbugs, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Grubs, Thrips, Armyworms

FOR MORE TIPS AND TRICKS, VISIT THE LINK! Product of the WeekPest and Disease Control

Turmeric

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Kohlrabi Growing Guide* When to Plant Kohlrabi * Kohlrabi Plant Spacing * Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer * Pest & Disease Protection * Harvesting, Preserving & Storage * Extra Credit What are Kohlrabi?Kohlrabi is a vegetable that is part of the Brassica family, which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. It is a cool-weather crop that grows best in the spring and fall. Kohlrabi has a bulbous stem that grows above the ground, with leaves growing out of the top. The stem can range in color from light green to purple, and it has a crisp, crunchy texture and a mild, slightly sweet flavor that is often compared to a cross between cabbage and turnip. Kohlrabi is a versatile vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked, and it is often used in salads, slaws, soups, and stir-fries. It is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, and it is also low in calories. Kohlrabi is a popular vegetable in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, and the United States, and it is often grown in home gardens due to its ease of cultivation.

How to Start Growing KohlrabiKohlrabi grows best in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. Cover the seeds with soil and water thoroughly. Kohlrabi needs consistent moisture to grow properly. Water regularly to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Kohlrabi needs regular fertilization. Once the seedlings reach a height of 2-3 inches, thin them to about 6 inches apart. This will give the kohlrabi enough room to grow. It takes kohlrabi 35-45 days to reach maturity, depending on the variety. Kohlrabi works great for succession planting because it matures quickly and is frost tolerant. Kohlrabi should be fully harvested before the heat of summer arrives.

Did You Know?The first European written record regarding kohlrabi is by the botanist Pietro Andrea Mattioli in 1554, who wrote that it had “come lately into Italy”. By the end of the 16th century, kohlrabi was commonly used all over Northern Europe.

Our Kohlrabi Varieties Add to cartKonan Kohlrabi * Add to cartQuickstar Kohlrabi * Add to cartWhite Vienna Kohlrabi * Add to cartPurple Vienna Kohlrabi Kohlrabi SpacingKohlrabi In-GroundRow Spacing – 18 to 24 inches
Plant Spacing – 6 to 8 inches
Planting Depth* – 1/4 inch

Kohlrabi Soil, Irrigation, & FertilizerSoil Requirements To Grow Kohlrabi* Well-draining soil * pH between 6.0 to 7.0 * Rich in organic materials * Good quality compost added to the soil If possible, plant where you have not grown related crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard, turnip, or rutabaga for the past four years.

Kohlrabi Irrigation RequirementsKohlrabi plants need at least 1 inch of water per week. Using drip irrigation is always recommended to be sure that your plants are getting moisture directly to their root system. If you’re using conventional overhead watering techniques, try and use something like the Dramm Watering Can and water and fertilize at the base of the plant to keep moisture off the leaves.

Raised Bed & Container Fertilizer ScheduleSeveral Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 7.0, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After PlantingSidedress 2 cups of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row
Alternate Every 7 Days
Mix 1 tablet each of Dr. Joe All Purpose and 1 tablet of Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble into 1 gallon of water. Apply as a drench per 4 plants.

In-Ground Fertilizer ScheduleSeveral Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 7.0, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After PlantingUsing the Hoss Fertilizer Injector, Mix 1 cup of Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer -AND -1-2 cups of Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 20 ft. of row.
Alternate Every 14 DaysMix 1 cup of Hoss Premium Calcium Nitrate -AND – 1 to 2 cups of Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 20 ft. of row.

Micro-Boost
Hoss Fertilizer Injector
Dramm Watering Can
Complete Organic Fertilizer
20 20 20 Garden Fertilizer Kohlrabi Pest & Disease ProtectionInsectsOrganic Controls
Garden Insect Spray– Thrips, Hornworms, Cabbage Looper
Horticulture Oil– Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Bug Buster-O– Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Monterey BT– Hornworms, Cabbage Looper
Take Down Garden Spray– Aphids, Hornworms, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Diatomaceous Earth– Cutworms
Neem Oil– Whiteflies, Aphids

Non-Organic
Bug buster II– Aphids, Hornworms, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Cabbage Looper

Treat as needed using label instructions.

Common DiseasesNon-Organic Controls

Liquid cop – Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose, Alternaria Leaf Spot
Garden Phos –, Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew; Anthracnose, Alternaria Leaf Blight
Fungi Max – Powdery Mildew
Vegetable, Flower, Fruit and Ornamental Fungicide – Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew; Anthracnose, Alternaria Leaf Blight, Cercospora Leaf Spot

Harvesting, Curing, And Storing KohlrabiHarvesting KohlrabiKohlrabi is ready to harvest when the stem reaches a size of about 3 inches in diameter, or the size of a tennis ball. The vegetable should be firm and the skin should be smooth. Also, the stem should be succulent, tender, and sweet at this size. If allowed to become too large, it can become tough and bitter. Do not pick the vegetable in warm weather, as the root becomes woody. Use a sharp knife to cut the stem about 1 inch above the ground. Be careful not to damage the surrounding plants or the kohlrabi itself.

Storing KohlrabiOnce the kohlrabi is harvested, remove the leaves from the stem. You can use the leaves in salads or soups, or compost them. Kohlrabi can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Wrap it in a damp paper towel and store it in a plastic bag to keep it fresh. Harvested stems can be stored with other root crops in a cool, humid place or in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 4 weeks. You can also freeze kohlrabi after blanching. Remove the leaf stems and wash the stem thoroughly before storing. Bulbs should be peeled before eating as the outside is tough and not palatable.

Check Out Our Kohlrabi!SHOP NOW Kohlrabi Tips & TricksHealth and Wellness BenefitsKohlrabi is chock full of nutrients. While it is about 90% water, kohlrabi is very healthy. The vegetable has high amounts of Vitamin C, constituting 75% of a healthy adult’s DV. Kohlrabi also has moderate amounts of potassium, vitamin B6, phosphorous, magnesium, and manganese.

How to Eat it!When eaten raw, it has a lovely buttery, slightly sweet, nutty, but very mild flavor. Enjoy it in salads or on its own with a little salt and pepper. You can also dice it and roast them or steam them. Kohlrabi can be mashed as a replacement for mashed potatoes as well. The leaves are also edible and can be cooked and eaten similarly to collard greens.

Cultivating the Garden After Heavy RainsCultivating the Garden Area The overall reason for cultivating the garden area is to improve the soil for the next crop planting. Cultivating the garden allows you to break up the soil surface to enhance better penetration of water, air, and nutrients in the soil that plants need access to for all stages of growth.

Read More »July 15, 2019Making Muscadine Wine Straight from the GardenWhat are Muscadines? A staple crop of the South, muscadines can be used for a variety of ways such as fresh off the vine or used in the kitchen to make jelly, cobblers, and wine. The muscadines do best in warmer climates where temperatures don’t get below 10 degrees. Therefore they do best in the

Read More »December 19, 2019Improve Soils with Chickens and Cover CropsBuilding Up Soils in the Vegetable Garden On this week’s episode, Travis shows how he uses the chicken and cover crops to improve soils in the vegetable garden. He set up the poultry fence and added the chicken tractor inside the fencing to allow the chickens to cover more area in the garden than just

Read More »April 23, 2020

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It’s now the beginning of 2023 and it’s the first episode of the year! To start us off right, we have some new seed varieties and collections this year!

New Seeds for 2023: + Hossinator Bell Pepper: is a hybrid, bell pepper variety with great disease resistance, has consistent production and is widely adapted to all growing regions. A great organic variety. It produces consistent yields of extra-large, uniform fruits that average 5″ long by 4″ wide. Fruits have a blocky appearance and thick walls. This variety produces large fruit and is a large plant type. Hossinator Bell Pepper is known for its continuous setting ability which makes it a great variety for long-term production throughout the warm growing season. Prolific plants have an extensive cover to protect fruits from sunburn. + Hossinator Slicer Cucumber: is a hybrid, great southern slicing cucumber with a comprehensive disease-resistance package. Extremely prolific. A great variety for both spring and fall. This slicing variety is resistant to just about any disease that could plague cucumbers. In addition to the disease resistance, the Hossinator Slicer has a vigorous, strong plant with hardy skin with fruits that average 8.4″ long and have an excellent texture and flavor. A refreshing choice for platters and salads, perfect for the home grower, and market gardeners. Hossinator Slicer Cucumber is a monoecious variety, meaning it produces both male and female flowers. + Hossinator Jalapeno Pepper: is a hybrid, moderate heat jalapeno pepper that offers growers a unique combination of size, quality, pungency, yield potential, and earliness. This variety produces very large fruit, and has moderate cracking; it is widely adaptive to most growing regions. This popular pepper has very consistent high fruit quality that delivers fruits with good size, smooth exterior with a dark green color. Plants will grow to 3-4′ tall and produce thick-walled fruits that are 3-4″ long. If left on the plant, fruits will mature from green to red. red jalapeños, which are also called “chipotles”, are more flavorful than the green fruits. + Texas Grano 502 Onion: is a short-day, open-pollinated variety that features white flesh and straw-colored skin. Its mild and sweet flavor gives it excellent eating quality and has been known as the “eat it like an apple” onion. It produces a large round, globe-shaped onion. The Texas Grano 502 grows especially well in Southern climates and is widely used for winter onion production. Sweet flavor and stores well for months. + Supersweet 100 Cherry Tomato: is an open-pollinated, indeterminate cherry variety that produces extremely, heavy clusters of super sweet cherry tomatoes. It is a favorite for home gardeners! Vigorous plants produce heavy yields of 1-1.5″ round cherry tomatoes that grow in clusters of 15-25. The clusters make these easy to harvest, although you’ll probably eat them all before you get inside! Plants are prolific and will continually produce tomatoes until the first frost in fall. These can be grown on a paneled trellis in a larger garden, but they also make a great patio plant. You can even plant them in a hanging pot and let them dangle towards the ground for easy harvesting. Great for snacking and salads! + Aspabroc Broccoli : also known as, broccolini in the produce section of your local grocery, resembles a broccoli raab with an asparagus-like stem and offers a sweet, mild taste and a slight peppery undertone. You get to capture the savory flavor of asparagus and broccoli in one plant; the whole plant is edible! This cut-and-come again, hybrid variety is easy to grow and requires very little space. Aspabroc is great for container growing. Great for roasting, boiling, sautéing, and steaming! 50-60 days to maturity. Aspabroc is a cross between two types of broccoli: Chinese Kale (or Gia Lan) and Italian Sprouting developed in the 1990s + Burgundy Broccoli: stunning, hybrid broccoli variety that has beautiful deep purple florets with pale green stems. This variety performs well when grown in the fall and early spring in northern, colder states. It also is a solid producer when overwintered throughout the fall and winter months in southern states. Grow it anywhere in the country with exceptional results! It’s tolerant of a wide arrange of temperatures. Burgundy is a sprouting broccoli variety; it creates one moderate to the small main head but then starts producing generous side shoots. Brassica oleracea.* 40 days to maturity. + Imperial Star Spinach: fast-growing, hybrid variety. This Asian type of spinach has smooth, medium-green leaves. Its relatively early maturity makes it a great spinach variety for succession planting throughout the cooler months. Imperial has an upright plant habit with strong sturdy petioles. Great spinach that will withstand colder temperatures with a low bolt tolerance. Great for the market farmer! Spinacia oleracea. 35 days to maturity + Black Oats: cover crop that works tremendously as a ground cover for weed suppression and nematode control. It is also known to be one of the best cover crops to grow for a beginner. Black Oats produce tons of biomass allowing it to break down quickly, and return valuable nutrients and organic particles back into the soil. This makes it a perfect cover crop to rotate before corn or other heavy-feeding vegetable crops. Black Oats make a great forager for livestock. Avena strigosa. 60 days to maturity + Southern Dolly (Flue Cured) Tobacco:* hybrid, flue-cured tobacco variety that was bred in North Carolina. Southern Dolly is rich in natural tannins which can create its distinct slightly sweet and mild flavor and aroma. A high-yield, medium to late maturing variety with excellent holding ability, with an orange-colored cure. Nicotiana tabacum. Pelleted. 66 days to maturity***.

Flue-cured tobacco tends to exhibit less mold than other types of tobacco; the term “flue-cured” tobacco refers to the type of curing barn used to dry, or cure, the tobacco leaves. Flue-curing barns contained a chimney-like flue with an externally-fed tinder box that allows the tobacco to dry out slowly without exposure to smoke.
+ **Shirey Dark Tobacco:**  open-pollinated, dark Virginian-type tobacco variety with a mild flavor – typically a richer flavor than Virginia Golds. It will produce a large leaf that air cures easily to medium brown color. Its hardy plant can reach up to 6 feet tall in height and withstand moderate to late season frosts. Shirey (sometimes pronounced as “Shirley”) is sweet-scented, produces ornamental flowers that are white to pink, and is wonderful for pollinators. *Nicotiana tabacum*. **Pelleted.** **65 days to maturity**
+ **Heritage Gold (Burley) Tobacco:** is one of the classic burley tobacco varieties, a medium to late maturity for light-air curing or drying, known for its extensive disease resistance package and strong yield. Among the most common tobacco variety cultivated today, Burley-type varieties do well in a wide range of climates. The growth habit of Heritage Gold is semi-upright. *Nicotiana tabacum*. **Pelleted.** **70 days to maturity**.
+ **Lemon Cutie Sunflower:** features loads of lemon-colored flowers, it won the Fleuroselect 2023 Gold Medal for Novelty! This sunflower is a unique, short-habit variety that will only reach around 1-2′ tall, creating a blanket of bright yellow in your garden. Use these to attract bees and other beneficial insects to your garden. The flowers are pollenless with the natural production of nectar for those pollinating insects. A semi-double flower that holds their freshness unusually long! Great for containers. *Helianthus annuus.* **55 Days to Maturity**
+ **Survival Seeds Collection:** premium assortment of 45 easy-to-grow seed varieties. It includes heirloom and open-pollinated varieties, from tomatoes, cover crops, beans, flowers, herbs, peas, squash, and so many more! The Survival Seed Collection is great for any gardener, beginner, or advanced. This kit has been curated for long-term storage from light, and moisture and to have a safety seed vault (just in case). Seed packets come in a large mylar (resealable) bag for safe and dry storage. **Includes 45 seed packs.** $181.56 Retail Value. $99.99
+ **Deluxe Medicinal Herb Collection:** hand-curated, comprehensive collection of premium herb seeds. This herb collection is a great starter collection for those who would like to get started in medicinal herb growing. You can continue to enjoy these herbs year after year. Each of the herbs in this collection has its own specific medicinal properties, each essential to every garden as well as attracting beneficial pollinators. In this deluxe collection, you will not only receive 10 medicinal herb seed packets, but you will also receive 10 heavy-duty, waterproof garden stakes, and 10 growing cards with information on each herb variety. Seeds are packed in a collectible tin that may be used for years.
+ **Premium Medicinal Herb Collection:** hand-curated, comprehensive collection of premium herb seeds. This herb collection is a great collection for those who would like to branch out in more unique varieties of medicinal herbs. You can continue to enjoy these herbs year after year. Each of the herbs in this collection has its own specific medicinal properties, each essential to every garden as well as attracting beneficial pollinators. In this deluxe collection, you will not only receive 9 medicinal herb seed packets, but you will also receive 9 heavy-duty, waterproof garden stakes, and 9 growing cards with information on each herb variety. Seeds are packed in a collectible tin that may be used for years.

How many tomato plants are our customers growing?We recently took a poll from our customers on how many tomato plants they’re currently growing. Check out below how many plants our customers grow:

| Plants | Customers | | --- | --- | | 6-12 Plants | 52 | | 13-20 Plants | 73 | | 21-30 Plants | 74 | | 31-40 Plants | 31 | | 41-50 Plants | 21 | | 51-100 Plants | 46 | | 101-200 Plants | 20 | | 201-300 Plants | 3 | | 301-400 Plants | 1 | | Greater than 500 Plants | 3 |

Product of the WeekPOTATOES PRE-ORDER

SURVIVAL SEEDS COLLECTION

HOSSINATOR SERIES

TOBACCO SEEDS

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It’s getting cooler, even where we are in Zone 8b in SW Georgia. We’re getting ready for Christmas and still harvesting from the garden. Tonight, we’re discussing some of our favorite cold-tolerant plants to grow in the garden. There are those that are cold-tolerant but can’t survive a hard frost, there are those that can do both. Let’s discuss and grow together!

Things To Keep In Mind When Growing Cold-Tolerant Plants* Know the Average Frost Date for your zone (USDA site) light frost 34-32, hard frost below 32 (water in those cells turns to ice, which expands and bursts the cell walls of the plant, plants look sad and wilted) * Variables that can affect: Wind, Humidity, size of the plant, soil moisture, mulching, row covers * Soil Moisture: water has high specific heat and takes more energy to freeze water, dry soil is the enemy. * Size of Plant: more mature plants and those that harden off do better. * Mulching can protect the plants as well row covers can make them colder tolerant and protect them from freeze damage. * Some will become sweeter and more delicious when they go through a frost.

Plants That Will Not Survive A FrostBasil, beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, okra, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and tomatillos.

Most Cold-Tolerant Plants: Hard FrostWhile we know that there are many plants that we can’t grow in the colder months (list above) due to the risk of frost but there are quite a few vegetables that you can grow and will survive cold weather! Check out the list below!

Carrots – roots are more tolerant than tops. Carrot roots can take down to 0 degrees, while the tops can take down to 18 degrees. You’ll want to mulch for more protection. Fun fact: the cooler temps make the roots sweeter.
Garlic – they actually really need cold temperatures and can take down to 0 degrees.
Beets/Chard – these vegetables can take down to 15 degrees
Brussels Sprouts – can handle temps down to 0 degrees, these also need cold temperatures
Collards – this truly depends on the variety, some varieties can tolerate down to 0 degrees
Spinach – spinach can take temperatures down to 20 degrees.
Leeks, Chives & Parsnips – these two varieties can also take temps down to 0 degrees
Onions – short-day onions can take temperatures down to 20 degrees, except for Walla-Walla or green onions, which can take much colder temps
Kale – most, if not all, Kale varieties can take temps down to 10 degrees
Kohlrabi – kohlrabi can take down to 15 degrees

Moderate Cold/Frost Tolerant Broccoli & Cauliflower will do ok with moderate cold temps but the heads can get spongy at times. If the heads are present. you will need to cover or harvest. Cabbage can take up to lows of 25 degrees, the heads have been known to bust if it freezes. The following varieties are great in moderately cold temperatures, cilantro, mustard, turnips, rutabagas, radishes, fava beans, and some lettuces that are bread for cold tolerance.

Cover CropsOur most cold-tolerant cover crop is Winter Rye, this variety can tolerate temperatures bottoming out at -30 degrees!! Frosty Berseem Clover is another variety that can survive pretty harsh temps of -20 degrees in the winter months. Hairy Vetch can typically handle down to -15 degrees, Australian Winter peas down to -10 degrees, Crimson Clover down to 0 degrees, and Daikon Radish down to 10 degrees.

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Growing Guides * Onions * Strawberries * Tomatoes * Watermelons * Potatoes * Corn * Beans * Peppers * Summer Squash * Watermelons * Winter Squash Peanut Growing Guide* Peanut Introduction * How to Grow Peanuts * Peanut Planting Information * Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer * Pest & Disease Protection * Harvesting * Extra Credit Peanut IntroductionPeanuts were first brought to France and Africa from Brazil, and then later introduced into the U.S. during the 1700s. The first commercial peanuts were grown near Wilmington, NC about 1800. Contrary to popular belief, the peanut is not a nut. It’s actually a vegetable belonging to the legume family, which includes peas and beans. Since peanuts are tropical natives, they require about 120 days to mature, but fortunately the peanut plant can withstand light spring and fall frosts. The peanut plant is unique because its flowers grow aboveground, yet the pods containing the seeds develop in the soil. The best part is that peanuts don’t need a lot of fertilizer treatments because they are nitrogen-fixing plants (meaning that they add nitrogen to the soil as opposed to removing it), so they can grow even in relatively poor soil. The Wynne Peanut, the variety we stock, is a Virginia-type peanut that produces high-yields of large peanuts with a pink seed coat that are perfect for boiling and roasting.

How To Grow Peanuts In Your GardenThe ideal time of year to plant peanuts is between late April to mid-June. Pick a location for your peanut that gets at least 8 hours of direct sunlight and has loose, rich, well-drained soil. If choosing to grow in a pot or raised bed, make sure it is at least 18-20 inches across and 18 inches deep per plant. Peanut plants will flower with yellow blooms before pegging. “Pegging down” is the term that describes how this stalk continues to grow into the ground until it reaches a depth of 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.). At the end of each peg is where the seed pods begin to form, encasing the seeds, or peanuts. About six to eight weeks after planting small yellow flowers will begin to form. When this happens, you’ll want to hill a little loose dirt around the plant. Once a flower has pollinated, the petals fall off, and it sends a shoot down into the dirt, where the peanuts will grow! Just one plant can grow 30-50 peanuts, so the plant needs some room to spread out to send as many of its shoots as possible into the dirt. Peanuts spread via “rhizomes”— or underground shoots that new plants form from, so you won’t have to plant new seeds the next year. Peanuts do best in high humidity, high heat situations, as they are native to tropical rainforests, so keep plants protected in colder temperatures.

Did You KnowPeanuts are thought to have originated in South America, where Peruvian Indians cultivated them at least 3,500 years ago and used them as food as well as currency.

In-Ground Row Spacing - 3 to 4 feet * Seed Spacing - 4 to 6 inches * Planting Depth - 1.5 to 2 inches Peanut Planting InformationRaised Bed Row Spacing - 2 feet * Seed Spacing - 4 to 6 inches * Planting Depth - 1.5 to 2 inches Peanut Soil, Irrigation, & FertilizerPeanut Soil Requirements Well-draining, loamy soil * pH between 6.0 and 6.5 * Rich in organic materials * Good quality compost added to the soil HOSS always recommends getting a soil sample to your local extension office several weeks before planting. Once you get your results, you will need plenty of time to adjust your soil accordingly and make sure your plants are getting the best nutrients possible as soon as they hit the ground.
Click Here to find your local extension office.*

Peanut Irrigation RequirementsWe always recommend using a drip tape irrigation system to grow peanuts for several reasons. Drip irrigation ensures the plants are getting the right amount of water directly to the root system during these vital times. Drip irrigation also helps to keep weed pressure down while seedlings are starting to emerge. Overall, the rule of thumb is that peanut plants require 1 to 2 inches of water per week.

Peanut Fertilizer ScheduleRaised BedSeveral Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 cup per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After Planting, Every 7 daysUsing Mix 1 tablet each of Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble into 1 gallon of water. Apply as a drench per 4 feet of row. Apply .5 lbs of row Pelletized Gypsum at first signs of flowering.

In-GroundSeveral Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 cup per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After Planting, Every 7 daysUsing the Hoss Fertilizer Injector, mix 1-2 cups of Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 20 feet of row. Apply .5 lbs of row Pelletized Gypsum at first signs of flowering.

Micro-Boost
Hoss Fertilizer Injector
Complete Organic Fertilizer
Chilean Nitrate Fertilizer
20 20 20 Garden Fertilizer Peanut Pest & Disease ProtectionInsectsOrganic ControlsMonterey BT – Caterpillars, cabbage lopperGarden Insect Spray – Thrips, caterpillars, armyworm, leaf miners, mothsTake Down Garden Spray – Aphids, flea beetle, whiteflies, mothsBug Buster O – Aphids, flea beetle, whiteflies, moths, armyworms, corn earwormHorticultural Oil – Aphids, flea beetle, whiteflies, spider mites, thripsDiatomaceous Earth – CutwormsNon-Organic ControlsBug Buster ll – Aphids, flea beetle, whiteflies, spider mites, thrips, leafhoppers, corn earworm, armywormTreat as needed using label instructions.Common DiseasesNon-Organic Controls
Fungi Max – common rust, grey leaf spot, blight

Organic Controls
Complete Disease Control – common rust, grey leaf spot, blight

Treat as needed using label instructions.

Harvesting And Storing PeanutsWhen To Harvest PeanutsYou’ll know that the plant is ready to harvest when the leaves turn yellow and the plant appears to be dying, usually 120 to 150 days after planting.. This is when it puts most of its energy into growing the seeds. Loosen the soil around plants with a garden fork and lift them by grasping at the base and pulling. Shake the dirt from the roots and pods and let the plants dry in the sun for a week (with the pods on top). Remove the pods from plants and spread them on newspaper in a cool, dry place (such as a garage) for several weeks. Cure peanuts in the sunshine for a few weeks; bring them indoors if rain is forecast. In cold climates or wet weather, hang peanut plants to cure in an airy but shaded place, a garden shed or attic. Peanuts should cure for about 2 months. When the leaves are dry and crumbly, take the nuts off the vines, roast them, and store them. If peanuts are not dry, place them in a mesh bag or cardboard box to dry another 2 or 3 weeks. If peanuts become moldy, place them in the trash. Peanut mold is a dangerous carcinogen.

Storing PeanutsRaw, unshelled peanuts can be kept in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place for up to 3 months. Dried-shelled peanuts can be stored in a cool, dry place for 10 to 12 months. Shelled peanuts can be sprouted, frozen, used for peanut butter, or roasted for snacks. Shelled peanuts can be stored briefly in airtight containers and refrigerated. For long-term storage, peanuts can be frozen.

Go Nuts for Peanuts! Buy NOW!SHOP NOWPeanuts Tips & TricksRoast Your NutsRoasting peanuts is one of the simplest yet tastiest ways to enjoy peanuts. Place the raw peanuts in a single layer inside a shallow baking pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For shelled peanuts, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, and for unshelled peanuts, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the shells or nuts themselves are lightly golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes.

MulchingMulch around peanuts to keep the soil surface from crusting and becoming hard; this will allow pegs to penetrate the soil, as well as help to keep the planting beds weed-free and cultivate lightly to keep the soil loose. Mulching around peanuts is effective weed control and will make harvesting easier.

Peanut Growing GuidePeanuts were first brought to France and Africa from Brazil, and then later introduced into the U.S. during the 1700s. The first commercial peanuts were grown near Wilmington, NC about 1800. Contrary to popular belief, the peanut is not a nut. It’s actually a vegetable belonging to the legume family, which includes peas and beans. Since peanuts are tropical natives, they require about 120 days to mature, but fortunately the peanut plant can withstand light spring and fall frosts. The peanut plant is unique because its flowers grow aboveground, yet the pods containing the seeds develop in the soil.

Read More »December 19, 2022Cauliflower Growing GuideCauliflower is related to other brassica vegetables including broccoli, turnips, rutabaga, radish, wasabi, kale, cabbage, arugula, collard greens, and kohlrabi.

Read More »September 30, 2022Broccoli Growing GuideA true superfood, broccoli is packed with tons of nutrients. Broccoli is part of the brassica genus, relating it to turnips, rutabaga, radish, wasabi, kale, cabbage, arugula, collard greens, and kohlrabi.

Read More »September 19, 2022Several Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 cup per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After Planting, Every 7 daysUsing Mix 1 tablet each of Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble into 1 gallon of water. Apply as a drench per 4 feet of row. Apply .5 lbs of row Pelletized Gypsum at first signs of flowering.

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Tonight, we’ve got Ryan Thiessen of Thiessen Tillage on the show. Thiessen Tillage is our Canadian Dealer, if you are in Canada, be sure to order your garden tools from them for quick delivery. (link below) Hoss and Ryan are talking about gardening in Canada and the differences, the best garden tools to use, and much more! Let’s Grow Together!

Thiessen Tillage Equipment – Gardening In CanadaAre you gardening in Canada and want some Hoss garden tools? Check out our Canadian Dealer! Thiessen Tillage

Tilmor Farm EquipmentRyan also works with Tilmor (which is a fairly new company) in developing farming and tillage equipment for the small farmer, as well as the home gardener. He develops most of the implements for the larger equipment at Tilmor and Thiessen Tillage is a dealer of Tilmor Equipment. Be sure to check out their website!

What Is A Power Ox? Because the Power Ox 240 is the next generation of two-wheel tractors, it is designed with the small farmer in mind. Its spotlight features are a throttle control handle, Honda GX120 Engine, and a robust drive system. It has a 13.5″ ground clearance, quick handle height adjustment, and 4″ wide bar tires. It has three-width settings on the main frame. Hoss has a Power Ox and highly recommends them. It has got a great cultivation experience. Check it out here!

The finger weeder is an attachment for the Power Ox walk-behind tractor, plus it is the newest attachment that is used a lot in organic farming. Specifically designed for in-row cultivation and it uproots small and just emerging weeds. The attachment is suitable for most small crops planted in rows with (at least) 9 inches between each row and it is very effective on light to medium-heavy clay soils. It is also best when combined with implements such as vegetable knives or spyders that run in front. The weeder attachment has a ground-engaging steel drive plate that turns the flexible polyurethane fingers at a faster speed. Check it out here!

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With Christmas on the way, we know this can be a stressful time of year for many reasons. Don’t let gift-giving be one of those reasons. Let’s talk gifts for gardeners. We’ve got so many ideas for you for the gardener in your life. There’s something for everyone! Get Dirty!

Gifts For GardenersRoot Pouch Grow BagsRoot Pouch Grow Bags are seriously the best grow bags we’ve found and used. They’re made from recycled plastic water bottles, the best part – is they’re reusable, UV-resistant, BPA-free, and non-toxic! Plus they come in several different sizes! Don’t have the land to grow? Grow in grow bags! Check them out!

Push Pull Hoe With its unique V-shaped design, this garden hoe allows you to weed more effectively and efficiently with a push-pull motion. MADE IN THE USA $74.99

Garden HodThe Garden Hodis a multifunctional harvesting bucket that allows you to harvest and rinse your vegetables all in one container. Constructed with weather-resistant wood and heavy-duty mesh wire. MADE IN THE USA! $59.99

Pruning ShearsOur Hoss Pruning Shears are simply the best! Perfect for trimming fruit trees, pruning vegetable and flower plants, and harvesting thick-stemmed vegetables like winter squash or pumpkins. Super-sharp blade with locking aluminum handles, a shock absorption system, and a sap groove to prevent the blade from sticking. $39.99

TubTrug Bundle (4 pack)The TubTrug Bundle is a collection of our favorite UV-resistant, virtually indestructible harvesting containers. Includes TubTrug Colander, Medium TubTrug, Small TubTrug, and Mini Shallow Tubtrug. Colors may vary. $69.99**

Hoe Dag Tool KitOur Hoe Dag Tool Kit includes everything you need to plant, weed, and cultivate your raised bed or container garden. Includes the Hoe Dag, Hand Rake and Hand Shovel. All tools have high-carbon steel blades, and seasoned hardwood handles and are built to last a lifetime! $89.99

Complete Fermentation KitThe Complete Fermentation Kit has everything you need to start fermenting your own vegetables today. Includes Pickle Packer Jar Tamper, Pickle Pipe Fermentation Lids, Pickle Pebble Fermentation Weights, and Instructional Booklet. $59.99

Seed CollectionsPollinator, Herb, Heirloom, Cool Season, Fresh Salad, Cog Hill Farm Sunflower Collection.

Light KitsKitchen Garden Light Kit: $99.99

Indoor Seed Starting Light Kit: $199.99

Microgreen Indoor Starter Kit: $276.99

Hanging Grow Light Kit: $199.99

Seed Starting Kits24 Cell Seed Starting Kit: $39.99

48 Cell Seed Starting Kit:$49.99

Deluxe Seed Starting Kit: $74.99

Premium Seed Starting Kit: $109.99

Product of the WeekLight Kits

Pruners

Seed Collections

Root Pouch Grow Bags

Garden Hod

Push Pull Hoe

Complete Fermintation Kit

Hoe Dag Tool Kit

Seed Starting Kits

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December is arguably the quietest month in the garden but there is still much to do and prepare for. Tonight, we’re discussing December garden chores, what you can be planting, our garden updates, and more. Let’s Grow Together and talk about Gardening In December.

Gardening in December Prune and TrimIf you have fruit trees, bushes, shrubs, or roses, now’s the time to cut off dead branches and trim for shape. It’s easier to see what and where to prune in the winter when there’s less foliage.

Protect Fragile PlantsMost plants can weather the colder months just fine, but some need a layer of added protection. Spring-blooming shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendron, fragile blooms including dahlias, and citrus trees are some plants that could use an extra layer in the winter.

MulchGardeners add mulch in the spring to prevent weeds and lock in moisture, but mulch is also important in the winter. A layer of straw as mulch protects the soil from temperature fluctuations so that the ground stays frozen—and the plants.

Continue To CompostYes, decomposition slows down in winter, but there’s no reason to stop composting. When warm weather rolls around, your compost will start cooking again.

Turn Off SprinklersTo prevent frozen pipes, shut off the water supply to the sprinklers. If you have an automatic irrigation system, shut down the controller. Make sure to empty and store hoses so they don’t crack from freezing temperatures.

Order SeedsCompanies start sending out seed catalogs or putting their new seed varieties on their websites around December, just in time for some couch gardening! Make sure you spend time planning out your spring garden, then get a head start by actually ordering those seeds before they run out.

Prepare Your ToolsTake inventory of all your gardening tools. Replace or fix broken items, clean tools, and sharpen blades. When warmer weather rolls around, you’ll be ready to roll.

Plant Flowers/Trees/Fruit TreesPansies, violas, cyclamen, ivy, and heather are all great plants for a winter display. Sweet Peas can be sown from October to March. Planting them now gives you a better chance of having strong healthy plants when spring arrives. If you’d like to add some roses to your garden, bare-root plants are a cost-effective way to do it – and now’s the ideal time of year to get hold of them. You can plant bare-root roses from November to March, while they are in their dormant phase. Plant Bare Root, blackberries, blueberries, and Hedges: early winter is a good time to plant bare-root trees and hedges, as this is when they are in a dormant state. You can also plant pot-grown trees now. You can also grow herbs indoors throughout winter.

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Why are we talking about native plants? Well, we took a quick trip up the road from us to the Agrirama in Tifton, Georgia. We met with the President, Mary Alic Applegate, of the Coastal Plain Chapter. Their mission is to educate the public about the importance of native plants to our health and well-being … Row by Row Episode 224: Importance of Native Plants Read More »

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Our short-day onion plants have officially arrived at Hoss HQ!! Since we are starting to ship out our onion bundles, we feel like this is a relevant topic, yet again! Knowing the type of onion to grow, spacing, irrigation, and more, it’s all about onions tonight! Grow The Right Onions For Your Area Onion Phases … Row by Row Episode 223: ALL ABOUT ONIONS! Read More »

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It’s November! What should you be doing in the garden this month? Is there anything to even be doing? Let’s talk gardening in November, based on your zone you may need a more ardent winterizing strategy than others. You should always know your hardiness zone! Find it here at Hoss University. The Basics of Gardening … Row by Row Episode 222: Gardening In November Read More »

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Tonight we’re joined by a special guest and friend, Pieter. Pieter has worked in the seed industry for many years and tonight, we will discuss everything peppers! From the different types of peppers, seed germination tips, soil media information, transplanting tips, and so much more! We’re going to even debunk some “pepper myths”! If you … Row by Row Episode 221: Expert Pepper Gardening Tips Read More »

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It’s that time of year again, we always get excited when it’s time for growing strawberries at home. Don’t have a big garden? You can grow them too! Tonight, we give you tips on how you should be growing strawberries in-ground, in containers, towers, and much more! Growing Strawberries At Home Yes, there are many … Row by Row Episode 220: Growing Strawberries At Home Read More »

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We went to Front Royal, Virginia a few days ago to the 2022 Homesteaders of America conference. We were blessed to be able to visit with old and new friends. Greg and Sheila got to meet with some of our affiliates that attended and met new homesteaders, customers, and even fans of Hoss Tools. 2022 … Row by Row Episode 219: 2022 Homesteaders of America Read More »

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Carrots come in all shapes and sizes. From the small Chantenay type to the long, straight Imperator type carrot; will they grow in your garden? We’re reviewing what types of carrots work best in what specific types of soils, and how to be successful growing carrots this season! GET DIRTY! So, are you growing the … Row by Row Episode 218: The Right Carrots For Your Soil Type Read More »

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Cauliflower is related to other brassica vegetables including broccoli, turnips, rutabaga, radish, wasabi, kale, cabbage, arugula, collard greens, and kohlrabi.

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Garlic is one of the easiest crops to grow in the home garden. You can plant a large amount in a small space, it doesn’t have many pests or diseases, and it loves cold weather. In fact, it’s so simple to grow that you can plant it and basically forget about it until you harvest … Row by Row Episode 217: Choosing The RIGHT Garlic To Grow Read More »

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Since it is almost onion planting time, we decided to take our top 10 onion growing questions that are usually asked by viewers, customers, or fellow gardeners. Why are onions a great crop for homesteaders and home gardeners? They’re low maintenance, rarely have any pest or disease pressure, and they have great storage! One key … Row by Row Episode 216: Top 10 Onion Growing Questions Read More »

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A true superfood, broccoli is packed with tons of nutrients. Broccoli is part of the brassica genus, relating it to turnips, rutabaga, radish, wasabi, kale, cabbage, arugula, collard greens, and kohlrabi.

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Let’s talk about Controlled Environment Agriculture and how it’s shaping the future! So, why is CEA becoming so popular? What are the benefits of CEA? Our special guest, Tracy from Sakata Seeds joins us to discuss some insights on the topic of the indoor growing model. And we will also be doing a rapid-fire chat … Row by Row Episode 215: A New Way Of Gardening! Read More »

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Why grow cover crops? This is a topic many gardeners need help with. When growing any cover crop, even fall and winter cover crops is extremely important to know which you should be growing in your garden. Before planting a cover crop, identify which benefits or goals (weed suppression, fall grazing, taking up excess nutrients, … Row by Row Episode 214: Fall and Winter Cover Crops Read More »

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Did you know that Elephant Garlic is closely related to leeks? It has a couple of similarities and differences when compared to regular garlic. Similar to leeks in appearance it contains a tall flowering stalk with flat leaves, but has a bulb that forms large garlic-like cloves.

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No, we don’t mean you should be growing less, just think about other smaller uses to grow your own food. There is a lot more focus on the container and raised bed gardens lately. More and more people are starting to learn how to garden and become more sustainable. One of our favorite times to … Row by Row Episode 213: Growing Small In The Fall Read More »

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So which is it… do you transplant or direct sow fall seeds? Well, obviously it’s going to depend on the variety. Most gardeners plant a combination of seeds and transplants. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method and a lot depends on the vegetable and the time of year. There are some plants that … Row by Row Episode 212: Transplant Or Direct Sow Fall Seeds? Read More »

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Can you turn really bad soil into good soil? Today we talk about one of the most important aspects of growing healthy plants, getting good production, and harvesting the highest quality food you could possibly eat. You will need to know these tips for building and maintaining healthy soils for a successful vegetable garden! Below … Row by Row Episode 211: 4 Tips For Creating Healthy Garden Soils Read More »

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Fall is quickly approaching! Many of us have already started our seeds for our fall gardens, which means that we are thinking ahead about fertilizing, fall garden pests, and common diseases that happen in the fall. The fall is a great time to take a soil test and apply soil amendments to prepare the garden for … Row by Row Episode 210: Fall Garden Pests Read More »

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Tonight, we are talking all about Microgreens and indoor growing. There are vegetables that are packed with nutrients, and typically only take a couple of weeks to maturity. With endless varieties to choose from that have different textures and tastes, Microgreens – you can grow this all year long! Some people mistake growing microgreens as … Row by Row Episode 209: You Can Grow This All Year Long! Read More »

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It’s time to start thinking about your fall garden! Time is quickly approaching, you need to be planning your fall garden now! Be sure to check out the latest Row By Row Episode to get all the details. Planning Your Fall Garden Now By Zone Zone 9 – Here’s What You Need To Be Planning … Row by Row Episode 208: You Need To Be Planning Your Fall Garden Now Read More »

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Fresh peas are one of the garden's most beloved treats. These sweet pods have been around for centuries and are rich in vitamins, minerals, and have an unmatched flavor when grown in the home garden.

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Join Greg and Sheila for another great episode of gardening tips and tricks. This show is packed full of great information on growing fall corn and how fermenting vegetables is so easy, even you can do it! Greg does a deep dive into what corn varieties you should be planting for fall, when to plant … Row by Row Episode 207: Growing Fall Corn and Fermenting Vegetables Read More »

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Carrots are sweet, crunchy, delicious, and nutritious, making them an excellent addition to your home garden. These Vitamin A rich vegetables can be cooked, eaten raw, preserved and make an excellent addition to so many dishes.

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There’s more to growing sunflowers than just gazing upon their beauty. Did you know they’re also good for weed suppression, they’re good for livestock, and more! Let’s talk about the top 6 reasons you should be growing sunflowers. 6 Reasons You Should Be Growing Sunflowers Pollinators They attract many beneficial insects. At the center of … Row by Row Episode 206: 6 Reasons You Should Be Growing Sunflowers Read More »

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Save Time And Money: Reuse Your Drip Tape If you plan on having a year-round garden like we do here at HOSS, drip irrigation is the obvious solution in your vegetable garden. But what happens to your drip tape after you’ve harvested your crops? Spending the money and time replacing your drip tape is not … Save Time And Money: Reuse Your Drip Tape Read More »

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Each type of cover crop (whether it be warm or cool season) has different benefits, so choosing the right type or blend of cover crop(s) is very important for your garden! We’re here to give you the tips on how to choose the right cover crop. What Are Cover Crops? Cover crops have many benefits … Row by Row Episode 205: How To Choose The Right Cover Crop Read More »

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If you're planning your vegetable garden, don't forget about the flowers! Adding flowers to your vegetable garden has a ton of long-term and short-term benefits from the blooms to the soil. Year after year in our gardens, we always make room for beautiful blooms. We've narrowed down our top 5 reasons that we always make sure and have flowers in our garden.

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Do many people think there is a difference between cowpeas, field peas, and Crowder peas but is there? Did you know- field peas are great for soil conditioning since they are high in Nitrogen. Is There A Difference? Cowpeas are grown in the South since they are adaptable, heat-tolerant, and drought-resistant. Southern peas prefer warm … Row by Row Episode 204: What Are Field Peas? Read More »

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It’s HOT down here in SW Georgia. We’ve been harvesting a lot lately and fighting the high temperatures but we are thinking about our Fall gardens and what we should be doing in the garden now! Garden Chores While chore lists may not be everyone’s favorite, this is one chore list that every gardener needs! … Row by Row Episode 203: What You Need To Be Doing In The Garden Now Read More »

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It’s that time of year again! We’re smack in the middle of June, it’s HOT and we’ve got lots of tomatoes growing in the garden. The best gardening tips to grow lots of tomatoes…right here! Blossom End Rot Blossom End Rot is one of the most common diseases when it comes to growing tomatoes. It … Row by Row Episode 202: Best Gardening Tips To Grow Lots Of Tomatoes Read More »

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You don't need acres of land to grow your own food. Vertical and container gardening is an excellent way to maximize whatever space you have available and have food for your family year round!

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Tonight we talk sweet corn and field corn, what is the difference? When should you plant and harvest? How much should you plant for your family? Sheila gives us tips on the best way to preserve your corn harvest! Sweet Corn Vs. Field Corn Field Corn has been around the longest (for hundreds of years), … Row by Row Episode 201: The DOs and DONT’s of Growing Corn Read More »

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Growing pepper plants in your garden is a fun way to add a pop of color and spice to an otherwise simple vegetable garden. These prolific plants come in so many varieties and, more importantly, flavors that there are a million different ways to utilize these spicy treats.

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What is a sweet potato? Even though sweet potatoes originated from Central and South America (the same as potatoes), they are not related to potatoes. Sweet potatoes belong to the bindweed or morning glory family. Let’s do a deep dive into all things about how to grow sweet potatoes. How To Grow Sweet Potatoes – … Row by Row Episode 200: How To Grow Sweet Potatoes Read More »

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What is drip irrigation? What are the advantages of using drip irrigation, if any? Are there disadvantages to using drip irrigation? Do you bury or not? Let’s discuss all things drip irrigation! What is Drip Irrigation? A method of nourishment to crops that involves controlling the amount of water and fertilizer applied across a specific … Row by Row Episode 199: Should You Be Using Drip Irrigation Read More »

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Peppers are a long standing favorite among gardeners who want to grow their own food. They provide a bright pop of color, come in many many varieties and flavors and are usually heavy producers from just a single plant and can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen.

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What should you be doing in the garden now? Let’s talk about Zones 6-9 and the tips you should be applying to your garden now to reap the harvests this season. Don’t forget to check out Hoss University for many growing guides on our most popular vegetables! More to come! What You Should Be Doing … Row by Row Episode 198: What You Should Be Doing In Your Garden In May Read More »

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Food is essential for survival. Could you survive if there was a food shortage, rising prices, and supply-chain issues? What can you do to be ready? Sheila and Greg discuss how you can prepare for a family, ways to preserve, why you should preserve, and what the latest is on the food shortage. Is There … Row by Row Episode 197: How Much Food Should You Grow To Feed Your Family Read More »

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Planning is a vital part of growing enough food to feed your family. Preparing for the unexpected like food shortages, rising prices, and supply chain issues will ensure that even in the worst of times, you have what you need to thrive. While a lot of gardeners prefer to eat their crops fresh, preserving either a portion or the entire harvest for long term storage is ideal.

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So you think you can only grow summer squash during the summer? That’s not true, you need to be growing winter squash. Hoss and Sheila give you the TOP 10 BEST winter squash to start in your backyard grocery store! 🌱 Ask most any home gardener and they will tell you that squash is probably … Row by Row Episode: You Should Be Growing Winter Squash Read More »

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Last week we discussed fertilizers, this week it’s time to talk about pest control. What is a pesticide, what are the benefits of using them, and are there different types of pest control? Tonight we discuss synthetic and organic methods of controlling those pests in your vegetable garden. What is a Pesticide? Any substance or … Row by Row Episode 196: What Pest Control Should You Be Using In The Garden Read More »

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In the world of squash, there are usually two types that come to mind; winter squash and summer squash. Even though they both belong to the Cucurbitaceae family (also known as gourds or cucurbits), they have fundamental differences. For example,

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After you've read our Hoss University Bean Growing Guide and have your big harvest of pole beans, bush beans, or half runner beans, it's time to start thinking about what's next for that garden space. Here in South Georgia (Zone 8B), midsummer gets so hot that there really aren't a lot of vegetables that we can grow that will survive the blistering heat and humidity. So by the time our beans get harvested, we use this opportunity to start planning for our fall garden. This is where crop rotation comes into play.

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Do you know what fertilizer you should be using? What is the difference in synthetic and organic? Do you really need nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium? With so many questions revolving around fertilizers in the garden, we decided it’s time to do a deep dive before we get too far into this 2022 spring/summer season. Facts … Row by Row Episode 195: What Fertilizers Should You Be Using Read More »

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We’re not talking just “flowers”, we’re talking pollinators. What are pollinators? Are they important? Why do we need them in the garden? What is the result of lack of or poor pollination in the vegetable garden, how does it affect the economy, and much more?! Join us tonight as we dig in! What Is A … Row by Row Episode 194: Why You NEED This In Your Garden Read More »

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Greg and special guest, Pieter from Seminis (a company that develops, grows, and markets vegetable seeds for the home gardener) do a deep dive into the seeds you should be growing this season! Discussing heirlooms and hybrids, the difference in parthenocarpic, monoecious and gynoecious varieties, pests in tomatoes, best practices for starting seedless watermelon varieties, … Row by Row Episode 193: Are You Growing The Right Seeds Read More »

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Growing Guides

Onions
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Watermelons
Potatoes
Corn
Beans

Bean Growing Guide

Classifying Beans
Planting Schedule
Plant Spacing
Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer
Pest & Disease Protection
Harvesting, Preserving & Storage
Extra Credit

How To Classify Beans

With the immense diversity in the world of beans, doing the research into the particular variety you are interested in and knowing its specific traits will you help you grow beans with ease. One thing you will come to learn is that beans come in all shapes, sizes, and colors so knowing how to classify these delicious garden treats will come in handy when choosing your variety.

Much like indeterminate and determinate tomatoes, beans can be broken down into 2 growth habits; bush beans and pole beans.
From there, another easy way to classify beans is by when they are harvested and eaten. Immature beans that are eaten with the pod and all are called snap beans which arealso commonly known as green beans. Beans that can be picked when the pods have become more mature but the beans inside are young are known as fresh shelling beans, which are also known as horticulture beans or shelly beans. Lastly, beans that are fully matured and dry on the vine or picked and dried and put up for long-term storage are called dry beans.

However basic these methods may seem, not all beans can be solely classified into one or two of these categories. For example, while the Topazio Garden Bean can be eaten as a fresh shelling bean, it is primarily grown to be used as a dry bean. The White Emergo Runner Bean is a pole bean with pods that can be eaten whole or snapped when harvested early or allowed to dry for long-term storage. Similar to the White Emergo, the Roma II Bush Bean can also be snapped or eaten whole but can’t usually be dried. So be sure and take the time to research the growth habit and traits of each variety when you decide to grow beans in your garden so that you can have a successful crop.

Bush Beans

The growth habit of bush beans is much like that of determinate tomatoes in that they only grow to 1′ – 2′ in a compact, bushy habit. Bush beans are usually planted in long, double rows that will help support each other as the plants mature side by side. However, unlike determinate tomatoes that will produce a large crop at once and be done, bush beans can continue to produce but the following crop will usually not be as substantial as the first. Bush beans are ideal for succession planting to get the highest and most consistent yield. You can also stagger your planting every 2-3 weeks to have a continual harvest of bush beans throughout the season.

Snap Beans

Snap beans are also commonly known as green beans, not necessarily because of their color, but because they are harvested while the beans and pods are still immature and have a “snap” sound when broken. Snap beans can come in all kinds of colors like purple, yellow, and even bright pink. Snap beans are also commonly called string beans for the fibrous “string” that runs down the length of the bean that has to be removed one by one before cooking them. Nowadays, a lot of varieties like the Tongues of Fire Bean shown below have been bred to be stringless and can be snapped and cooked right off the vine.

Fresh Shelling Beans

Unlike immature snap beans that can be eaten pod and all, fresh shelling beans have to be removed from their mature pods and can be eaten fresh but are typically cooked or dried for future use. Also known as soup beans, or shellys, there are a ton of varieties that fall into this category like fava beans, horticulture beans, and edamame to name a few. Here in South Georgia, the most popular shelling bean by far are lima beans but we affectionately know them as butter beans. Fresh shelling beans should be very easy to pop open and extract the tender beans from the inside of the pods.

Pole Beans

Pole beans are similar to that of indeterminate tomatoes in that they climb, sometimes up to over 10′ – 15′ tall. These varieties need a trellis to support their upward habit. Pole beans will produce continually throughout the growing season and many gardeners prefer pole beans because, depending on how and where you trellis, they don’t take up as much space in the garden. You can trellis using a teepee style like what is shown below but we recommend using the Hortonova Trellis Netting because it provides adequate airflow and can be easily trimmed to any size garden.

Dry Beans

The main difference between dry beans and fresh shelling beans is simply that dry beans need to stay on the plant until the pods and inside beans are totally dried out. The best indication that your beans are completely dry is that you can hear them rattling around in their pods and all the leaves have turned yellow and dropped off. If you experience any rain or weather issues, just pull the whole plant out, hang, and continue to dry in a cool, dry area.

Word Of The Day:

Threshing

Threshing is the process of separating dry beans from their pods usually by using either physical force or a machine. Most small-scale gardeners don’t need the large expensive machinery that commercial growers do to thresh acres and acres of beans so it ends up that they do them by hand. If you only have a few plants, it’s likely just as easy to shell them that way but threshing is a good way to save a lot of time.
The most popular way is to put the dried beans in a sack, usually burlap, and beat them with a mallet, against a wall, or stomp on them to crush the dried pods. It’s equal parts time-saving and therapeutic.

Our Favorite Bean Varieties

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Scarlet Emperor Runner Beans * Select options

White Dixie Butterpeas * Add to cart

Top Crop Bush Bean * Select options

Outlaw Bush Bean * Select options

Hoss Green Blaze Bush Bean (PV857) * Select options

Chiba Green Organic Edamame

When To Plant Beans

Beans grow best when direct-seeded outdoors and don’t transplant well because they don’t like having their roots disturbed. While some vegetables have specific dates and windows in which to plant (like potatoes), beans have a little more flexibility to get started in the ground.

Beans don’t like cold, wet soil so if you grow beans in the spring, plant any time after the last spring frost date, when the soil has warmed to at least 48°F. For fall planting, wait until the hottest part of the summer has passed to sow your seeds. When temperatures get above 90°F – 95°F, beans will drop their blooms and not produce.

For hotter zones like HOSS down in 8b, once the temperatures soar, that tends to be the end of our bean season depending on the variety we grow. We like to choose varieties like the HOSS Green Blaze Bush Bean for its remarkable heat tolerance. However, in more temperate zones, short hot spells likely won’t kill your plants but can halt production so depending on your zone, wait until temperatures even out to be sure they’re dead before pulling up your bean plants.

Bean Plant Spacing

When choosing a spot to grow beans, full sun is always recommended. Be careful not to over-plant your beans because they can easily take over and become too difficult to manage and harvest. Using the HOSS Garden Seeder makes planting the right amount of beans much faster and easier.

In-Ground Planting

Row Spacing – 3 feet
Plant Spacing – 3 to 4 inches
Planting Depth – 1 inch

Raised Bed Planting

Row Spacing – 2 feet
Plant Spacing – 3 to 4 inches
Planting Depth – 1 inch

Bean Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer

Soil Requirements To Grow Beans

Loose, well-draining soil
pH between 6.0 and 6.8
Rich in organic materials
Good quality compost added to the soil

Beans use naturally occurring bacteria in soil called rhizobacteria to get nitrogen from the air and then feed this nitrogen to the beans. In return, bean plants then feed carbohydrates back to the bacteria. This relationship is extremely beneficial for soil health because planting beans helps to “fix” the nitrogen levels in your garden for future plantings.

HOSS always recommends getting a soil sample to your local extension office several weeks before planting. Once you get your results, you will need plenty of time to adjust your soil accordingly and make sure your plants are getting the best nutrients possible as soon as they hit the ground.
Click Here to find your local extension office.

HOSS Pro Tip

Inoculate Your SoilIf you have never previously grown legumes in the spot you choose to grow beans, we recommend using our Garden Soil Inoculant during planting to boost nitrogen fixation in your soil and boost performance. The inoculant contains millions of live rhizobacteria that will maximize yield benefits by out-competing the indigenous rhizobia for root nodulation.

Bean Irrigation Requirements

Bean plants need at least 1/2″ of water per day during the blooming period and water every day. Using drip irrigation is always recommended to be sure that your bean plants are getting moisture directly to their root system. If you’re using conventional overhead watering techniques, try and use something like the Dramm Watering Can and water and fertilize at the base of the plant to keep moisture off the leaves.

Conventional Bean Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.8, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
4 Weeks After PlantingSidedress 2 cups of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row

Drip Irrigation Bean Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.8, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
4 Weeks After Planting
Using the Hoss Fertilizer Injector, Mix 1 cups of Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer -AND -1-2 cups of Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 15 ft. of row.

Micro-Boost
Hoss Fertilizer Injector
Dramm Watering Can
Complete Organic Fertilizer
20 20 20 Garden Fertilizer

Bean Pest & Disease Protection

Insects

Organic Controls
Garden Insect Spray – Thrips, Army Worms, leaf miners
Horticultural Oil – Aphids, Stinkbugs, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Spider Mites
Bug Buster-O – Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Monterey BT – Armyworms
Take Down Garden Spray – Aphids, Army Worms, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies
Diatomaceous Earth – Cutworms

Non-Organic Controls
Bug buster ll – Aphids, Horn Worms, Stinkbugs, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Spider Mites, Thrips and leaf Miner Treat as needed using label instructions.

Common Diseases

Organic Controls
Crop rotation and select resistant varieties – Fusarium Root Rot, Bacterial Blight, Mosaic

Non-Organic Controls
Liquid cop – Bacterial Blight
Garden Phos – Pythium, Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew
Fungi Max – Rust
Vegetable, Flower, Fruit and Ornamental Fungicide – Rust, Botrytis Blight, Gray Mold

Treat as needed using label instructions.

Harvesting, Preserving, And Storing Beans

Harvesting Beans

Depending on the variety of beans you are growing, whether it be bush beans or pole beans, harvesting is relatively simple. The only real variations are how often you pick the beans through the season and at what stage of maturity.
To harvest snap beans or fresh shelling beans, simply grab the pod where it connects to the vine and snap it from there. Be careful not to damage the bean itself and be sure to inspect pods for any diseases or pests. If you see any compromised pods, be sure to discard them to avoid any issues while storing.

The Best Time To Harvest Beans

Bush beans have a shorter period of production so you will get a larger harvest at once, making them ideal for canning and storing. While bush beans will continue to produce after harvesting, the crop will typically degrade which is why a lot of gardeners pull up bush bean plants after they’ve stopped producing and, if time allows, will replant a succession crop.
Pole beans, however, have a longer period of growth and can be picked throughout the growing season, giving you the benefit of being able to harvest only how much you need at that time. These plants will continue to produce again and again after harvesting until they are killed off by frost or intense heat, depending on your zone.

Storing and Preserving Beans Properly

When preserving beans, you have to be extremely careful when deciding to can beans for long-term storage. Beans are the most common cause of botulism poisoning due to improper canning techniques. When deciding to grow beans and can them, make sure that you follow the canning instructions and use the right equipment like a pressure canner.
If you don’t have the proper equipment, pickling beans is a good option because the acid from the vinegar will kill any potentially harmful bacteria. If pickling isn’t precisely what you had in mind, freezing your homegrown beans is also a safe storage method.

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Bean Growing Tips & Tricks

Don't Throw Out The Leftovers!

As you’ve learned, legumes (beans) are an extremely good source of Nitrogen, a vital part of good, healthy soil. Once you’ve harvested all of your beans, add the rest of the plant, stems, leaves, and all, to your compost pile. These nutrient-rich plants added to compost help make a great alternative to inorganic fertilizers. But be careful not to add any plants that you suspect have been infected with diseases or pests.

Pick Your Beans In The Afternoon

Diseases like blight and bacterial brown spot are typically spread more easily when plants are wet. Picking your beans in the afternoon after the morning dew has had time to evaporate will help keep any potential diseases from more easily spreading and infecting your crop.

The Other Growth Habit

While beans can be typically classified as pole beans or bush beans, there’s another growth habit to mention. Half runner beans like the Mountaineer Half Runner Bean falls somewhere between those. They can be equal parts bush habit as well as have long vining runners that can benefit from being trellised. So if you’re having trouble deciding, the half runner beans may be a good option to try.

Will the Plow Set Attachment Help Make a Garden Row?

Making Garden Rows On this week’s episode, Travis is discussing whether you need to make garden rows or not using the plow set. When the Plow Set attachment is hooked up to the Wheel Hoe will it create an elevated planting surface to plant seeds? Yes, it can make a garden row when they are

December 27, 2019

Community Gardening – Help a Sister (and a Brother) Out!

We love the idea of community gardening! A few months ago, Hoss had the opportunity to donate one of our Wheel Hoes to the Community of Jesus – an ecumenical Christian community made up of monastic Brothers & Sisters, along with married couples, families and single adults located in Orleans, Massachusetts. This community of 230

August 24, 2012

Sweet Corn Tips to Help you Have the Best Yield Yet

Selecting the Sweet Corn Planting corn can be very intimidating to a beginner gardener, but with these few sweet corn tips, your garden will be popping up in rows in no time! Well, in no time, we mean at least 80 days. As always, the first step in planting anything is choosing which variety you

May 21, 2020

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We’ve all struggled to grow watermelon at some point. Many of you may not even want to try and grow watermelons because of all the stories of struggle but we are here to tell you…it’s easy! With the right tools and knowledge, we will have you growing watermelons successfully!

Types of Watermelon Seedless: Seedless watermelons were developed in the 90’s to have small edible seeds. Typically produce 10-20-pound fruits and mature in 85 days and require a pollinator variety. (Tailgate, Harvest Moon, Summer Breeze, Tripe Play, Treasure Chest, Captivation, Yellow Buttercup,

Icebox: Specifically bred to be small enough to fit in a refrigerator and feed one person or a small family. Round fruits average between 5-15 pounds and mature in 75 days. (Sugar Baby, Black Tail)

Yellow and Orange: Specifically bred to be small enough to fit in a refrigerator and feed one person or a small family. Round fruits average between 5-15 pounds and mature in 75 days. (Tender sweet Orange, Yellow Doll, Orangelo)

Picnic: The largest watermelon variety weighs in between 16 and 45 pounds. Makes a great option to feed large crowds. Oblong fruits will mature in 85-90 days. (Crimson Sweet, Sangria, Georgia Rattlesnake, Moon and Stars, Charleston Gray, Carolina Cross 180, Jubilee, Jamboree, Congo, Dulce Fantasia)

Seed Starting Dates Wondering when you should start your watermelon seeds for your zone? See the list below:

Zone 10 – 12/15

Zone 9 – 1/15

Zone 8- 2/20

Zone 7- 3/15

Zone 6 – 4/1

Zone 5 – 4/20

Transplanting Your Watermelon Seedlings Once your watermelon seedlings have at least 2 sets of true leaves, the weather is warm enough for the soil to maintain at least 70°F, and the plants have a healthy root system, your seedlings are ready to transplant into the ground.

The most important thing to remember when transplanting watermelons is to take extra care with the root systems. They are very delicate and disturbing them could result in the loss of your plant.

When the plants can easily be pulled from the seed tray cells, that is a good indication that they are ready to go in the ground. If they don’t come out of the trays easily, that’s okay. You can help them out by very gently pushing them through the hole in the bottom of the 162 cell seed starting tray.

Watermelon Seedling Planting Depth Row Spacing – 4 to 6 feet

Plant Spacing – 2 to 3 feet

Planting Depth (Plants) – Soil Level

When choosing a spot to plant your watermelons, make sure it it has full sun and won’t be shaded by other plants.

Product of the Week: Black Mountain Watermelon

Orangeglo Watermelon

Lilly Crenshaw Melon

Watch the Complete Show on YouTube Below:

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Small space gardening is growing in popularity and is becoming more of a necessity in these trying times. What can you grow in raised beds? What can you grow in containers? Tonight, Greg and special guest, Tracy with Sakata Seeds go over the Best vegetables you can and should grow in your raised beds and containers.

Container Gardening: Plants that work well for containers The Little Birdy Series includes a great selection of compact, determinant plants. These are great for hanging baskets, containers, grow bags, and raised beds. Rosy Finch, Yellow Canary, and Red Robin

Peppers Lola Banana Pepper

Arapaho Cayenne

Ruby Delite

Lemon Delite

Orange Delite

Cinder Jalapeno

Orange You Sweet

Right on Red

Yes To Yellow

Lettuce Red Tide

Green Tiger

Red Dragon

Herbs Dill

Large Italian Basil

Santo Cilantro

Okra Green Fingers

Jambalaya

Beets Kestrel

Merlin

Broccoli Green Magic

Godzilla

Vegetables for Raised Beds This also includes all of the seeds from the Container gardening list above.

Summer Squash Green Zebra Zucchini

Cometa

Determinate Tomatoes Shelby

Hossinator

Bella Rosa

Roadster

Product of the Week: Seed Starting Supplies

New Seeds for 2022

Root Pouch Grow Bags

Watch the Complete Show on YouTube Below:

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Growing Guides

Onions
Strawberries

Corn Growing Guide

The 4 Types Of Corn
Planting Schedule
Planting Methods
Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer
Pest & Disease Protection
Harvesting
Extra Credit

How To Grow Corn In Your Garden

Corn on the cob has long been a staple on dinner tables and farms across the country. It’s an art that has been perfected by both commercial growers and home gardeners for as far back as we can remember. Corn is probably one of the most versatile vegetables on the planet and exists, in some form or another, in just about everything we do. From ethanol to glue to soda, corn has staked its claim as the #1 crop in most parts of the world but we love it most as an extremely reliable and sustainable food source.

Where did corn originate?Corn, as we know it today, has come a long way from its humble beginnings. It is thought to have been derived from a wild grass called teosinte in Mexico around 10,000 years ago. The very small cobs had only a few kernels surrounded by a hard casing. Over the centuries, as it has spread across the globe, corn has been domesticated and by the 15th century, was a major European food source.

Anatomy of a Corn Plant

Where is the best place to grow corn in the U.S.?While corn can be grown in most parts of the United States, the part of the country known as “The Corn Belt” is one of the most fertile places on earth to grow corn. Over 10 billion bushels of corn a year come from the Midwestern states of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, eastern Nebraska, and eastern Kansas. Corn thrives in this area of the country because the region is flat, the soil is very deep and rich in important nutrients like nitrogen. Corn is a summer crop and loves the hot days and warm nights of the Midwest.

Can I grow corn in raised beds and containers?We have been growing corn here at HOSS for a very long time. So while you may see plenty of information on the internet that might suggest otherwise, growing corn in raised beds and containers is not something we recommend. Corn is pollinated by the wind, not insects, so in order to have a good, healthy crop, you need to be able to plant a minimum of 5 rows of corn to get proper pollination between the plants. From a space standpoint, corn is just not well suited for raised beds and containers.

The 4 Major Types Of Corn

Here in South Georgia and most of the world, sweet corn reigns supreme in our gardens as an excellent food source but there are other types of corn that are very useful too. One major benefit of growing corn is that despite your choice of variety, in most cases, corn has the same requirements for growing but gets harvested and stored slightly differently from type to type. This helps make fertilization, irrigation, and planning much easier from year to year. So when choosing a corn variety, it’s helpful to know the different types based on your intended use. The 4 types of corn typically be broken down into 4 categories; popcorn, sweet corn, flint corn, and dent corn.
While some varieties only fit into one of these categories, for example, Honey Select Sweet Corn only falls into the category of sweet corn, Glass Gem Corn is a popcorn as well as a flint corn.

POPCORN

As the name suggests, popcorn is the type of corn that has hard, shiny kernels that when heated will burst. Popcorn needs to be dried in the husk in the garden for as long as possible.

SWEET

SWEET CORN

Sweet corn is normally what you see in grocery stores and dinner tables. With its high sugar content, sweet corn is harvested at the "milk" stage and the kernels stay tender and juicy when cooked.

FLINT

FLINT CORN

Flint corn, commonly known as Indian corn, has hard, dry kernels and is mainly used to make animal feed, grits, and flour. Very ornamental and some varieties can also be used as popcorn.

DENT

DENT CORN

Dent corn is known as such because of the small indentations in the kernel's crowns. It has a high starch content and is grown to use as ethanol, sweetener, grain, animal feed, grits, flour, etc.

Our Favorite Corn Varieties

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Stowell’s Evergreen Sweet Corn * Select options

Jubilee Sweet Corn * Select options

Trucker’s Favorite White Corn * Select options

Eden Sweet Corn * Select options

Passion Sweet Corn * Select options

Strawberry Popcorn

The Right Time To Plant Corn

Corn is a warm-season crop that is sensitive to cold. We don’t recommend starting corn indoors, as the root systems don’t transplant very well, so direct-seeding is the best way to plant. A good rule of thumb is to plan on getting corn in the ground 2 to 3 weeks after your average last frost date. Your soil should be warmed to at least 60°F to 65°F and need around 60 to 100 days of warm weather to have a good harvest. The earlier you can plant your corn, the better. Earlier planting helps with disease and insect damage.

First Day To Plant In-Ground

Zone 10February
Zone 9February 15th
Zone 8March
Zone 7April 15th
Zone 6May
Zone 5May 15th

How To Plant Corn In Your Garden

Planting corn for the first time can be tricky if you’re not familiar with how corn pollinates. Corn is not pollinated by insects like other some vegetables and instead uses the wind to carry the pollen to fertilize the plants and produce kernels on the cobs. Unlike other vegetables that can easily be planted in one long row, corn should be planted in blocks of at least 5 rows. Planting in one or two long rows will likely just blow the pollen off of the plants and you will end up with blank spots or cobs with no kernels.
Isolation is another major factor in planting corn. Because corn is pollinated by the wind, you shouldn’t plant different varieties within at least 300 feet of each other to keep the plants from cross-pollinating.

How Much Corn To Plant

Each variety of corn has different quantities per pound based on the type of corn you’re growing. Also, the seed spacing and row spacing differ between field and popcorn vs. sweet corn. Be sure and check each product page for how many seeds per pound are included with that particular variety of corn to make sure you’re purchasing the right amount of seed for your space.

Field Corn & Popcorn
Based on 8” seed spacing with 36” row spacing and 5 extra seeds per row to be on the safe side.
20 seeds/10 ft. row (3 rows)60 seeds/10’x10′ Plot600 seeds/1000 sq. ft.This means you would need roughly 29,000 seeds of field corn or popcorn per acre.

Sweet Corn
Based on 6” seed spacing with 36” row spacing and 5 extra seeds per row to be on the safe side.
25 seeds/10 ft. row (3 rows)75 seeds/10’x10′ Plot750 seeds/1000 sq. ft.This means you would need roughly 32,000 seeds of sweet corn per acre.

Corn Planting Depth

Row Spacing – 30 to 36 inches
Plant Spacing – 6 inches
Planting Depth – 1 inch
When choosing a spot to plant your corn, make sure it has full sun and won’t be shaded by other plants. Using the HOSS Garden Seeder makes planting corn using the right spacing much faster and easier.

Hilling Corn Plants

As your corn grows, they will need special maintenance throughout the season. Every 2-3 weeks, they are going to need extra support by mounding up dirt loosely around the base. This process is called hilling and is really vital in the growth cycle and root development. Hilling helps greatly with weed suppression, plant support, and preventing suckering that will stunt development.
Using the Hoss High Arch Wheel Hoe or Double Wheel Hoe with the plow attachments oriented for hilling to make quick work of getting your plants properly hilled. Once the plants get to around 18 inches, hilling is no longer necessary.

Corn Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer

Corn Soil Requirements

Loose, loamy soil that holds water well
pH between 6.0 and 6.8
Rich in organic materials
Good quality compost added to the soil

Did You Know

Native American tradition uses a method called the Three Sisters Garden where you plant corn, beans, and squash together in the same plot. The corn acts as a trellis for the climbing beans while the beans are thought to help support the base of the corn plants against the wind. The large squash leaves provide shade, moisture retention, and help with weed suppression. Some still use this method today.

Corn Irrigation Requirements

We always recommend using a drip tape irrigation system to grow corn for several reasons.
1. Corn has high water requirements during pollination and during final ear filling. Drip irrigation ensures the plants are getting the right amount of water directly to the root system during these vital times.
2. Corn can become stressed in heavy droughts and improper irrigation during dry periods can increase this stress. Drip irrigation ensures each plant is getting the required amount of moisture.
3. Drip irrigation helps to keep weed pressure down while seedlings are starting to emerge.
Overall, the rule of thumb when you grow corn is that corn plants require 1″ – 5″ of water per week while they are growing and only need around 2″ per week once the corn starts to tassel. Depending on your zone, if you have more rain during the summer, be sure and account for extra moisture in your irrigation schedule.

Corn Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.8, mix 2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
1 Week After PlantingUsing the Hoss Fertilizer Injector, Mix 1 cup of Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer -AND -1-2 cups of Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 10 ft. of row.
Alternate Every 7 DaysMix 2 cups of Hoss Premium Chilean Nitrate -AND -1-2 cups of Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 10 ft. of row.
Discontinue fertilizing schedule once the tassel starts to develop.

Micro-Boost
Hoss Fertilizer Injector
Complete Organic Fertilizer
Chilean Nitrate Fertilizer
20 20 20 Garden Fertilizer

Corn Pest & Disease Protection

The most destructive insect to sweet corn is by far the corn earworm. Flint, dent, and popcorn are not as susceptible to this particular pest because of their harder kernels and tighter shuck. The time to treat for corn earworm is when the corn is tasseling.
There are a few things you can do to help combat corn earworms.
1. Plant early in the season to minimize the damage.
2. Apply mineral oil to the silk where it inserts into the ear. The oil suffocates the larvae.
3. When applying pest control, you will need to spray over the top of the corn and let the spray drift down into the plant.

Insects

Organic Controls
Garden Insect Spray – Corn Leaf Aphids, Corn Earworm, Stinkbugs
Take Down Garden Spray – Corn Leaf Aphids, Flea Beetle, Stink bugs, Flea Beetle, Corn Borer
Bug Buster O – Corn Leaf Aphids, Flea Beetle, Whiteflies, Corn Ear Worm
Horticultural Oil – Corn Leaf Aphid, Stinkbugs, Flea Beetle
Diatomaceous Earth – Cutworms

Non-Organic Controls
Bug Buster ll – Corn leaf Aphids, Fall Army Worms, Stinkbugs, Flea Beetle, Corn Earworm, Corn Borer, Cutworms

Click to visit the Pest Control product page for specific pest treatments and choosing the right insecticide treatment for your needs.
Treat as needed using label instructions.

Common Diseases

Non-Organic Controls
Fungi Max – common rust, grey leaf spot, blight

Organic Controls
Complete Disease Control – common rust, grey leaf spot, blight

Treat as needed using label instructions.

Harvesting And Storing Corn

When To Harvest Sweet Corn

Sweet corn is harvested in its immature stage so that the sugars contained in the corn don’t have a chance to turn into starch. This stage is called the “milk stage” because of the milky white fluid in the kernels. A good test to see if your harvest is ready is to push your thumbnail into a kernel and see the color of the fluid. If it comes out watery and clear, it’s not quite time yet. If the liquid is slightly see–through and has a milky appearance, that’s what you’re looking for. However, if you puncture the kernel and the liquid that comes out is thick and not see-through, you’ve likely waited too long to harvest.
But hands down the easiest and, in our opinion, the best method is to just check the silk on the ears. As long as all of the silk has turned brown and there is no green present, your sweet corn is likely ready to harvest. We’ve found that sweet corn is at its very best when harvested early in the morning. Simply twist and pull the ear off of the stalk.

Storing Sweet Corn

Once your sweet corn is picked, the clock starts on how quickly you will lose that signature sweetness. If you don’t plan on eating your freshly harvested sweet corn within a day or two, we highly recommend preserving it somehow. The longer the fresh cobs are off the stalk, the less sweet the kernels will be and they’ll become starchy and closer to what you might find in a grocery store instead of that amazing fresh taste you get from homegrown corn. If you’re planning on freezing your sweet corn, a good idea is to take it off of the cobs beforehand to maximize your storage space in your freezer. Keep your sweet corn in their husks and sealed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat fresh.

Harvesting Popcorn, Dent Corn and Flint Corn

Unlike sweet corn that is picked while immature, popcorn, dent corn, and flint corn have to dry out and cure completely on the stalk before harvesting. In order for these harder kernels to be ground into cornmeal, popped for popcorn, or shelled, the moisture content has to be a certain level.
While this may not be an issue for commercial farmers with the right equipment, it may prove to be more difficult for the home gardener to determine the specific moisture content of a cob of corn. These varieties should be left in their husks on the stalks for as long as possible until the stalks and leaves are totally brown and crunchy. After you see this happening, you can test the corn to see if the kernels easily come off of the cobs. If they do, chances are your corn is ready to harvest and the moisture content is accurate.

Storing Popcorn, Dent Corn and Flint Corn

Popcorn can be left on the cob or shelled depending on your preference and storage space. For popcorn to pop, the moisture content needs to be between 14% and 18%. Again, without proper equipment, it can be difficult to tell if it’s just right. Luckily, popcorn has a very easy test you can perform. Simply remove several kernels from the cob and pop them using a microwave or an air popper. If most of the kernels pop, you’re good to go. If not, let them keep drying and keep testing.
If you are using your corn solely for ornamental purposes, you can leave the husk on the corn and string them up to continue to dry out even further. We recommend giving your ornamental corn a coat of varnish to not only make it shiny and make the colors pop but to also keep potential pests at bay.

Every Corn Variety You Are Looking For!

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Corn Tips & Tricks

Don't Let Bugs Invade!

Almost all corn plants, regardless of their variety, has the presence of weevil eggs somewhere in the cobs. Storing your corn for 3-5 days in the freezer will kill any eggs or larvae that could be present and keep them from eating the corn you worked so hard to grow.

Careful On Your Spacing

Planting corn too close together can result in smaller ears at the base of the plant. Once your seedlings emerge, if you notice that your in row spacing is closer than the recommended 6″, be sure and thin out your crop to prevent stunted cobs from developing.

Corn Growing Guide

Growing Guides Onions Strawberries Corn Growing Guide The 4 Types Of Corn Planting Schedule Planting Methods Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer Pest & Disease Protection Harvesting Extra Credit How To Grow Corn In Your Garden Corn on the cob has long been a staple on dinner tables and farms across the country. It’s an art that

March 15, 2022

How To Grow Watermelons From Seed

Fill each cell in the trays completely with seed starting mix. Use your hands to pack the mix into each cell, saving some for covering the seeds later.

Place starting tray on bottom tray and lightly water from above to generously moisten seed starting mix. Repeat 3-4 times to ensure all of the soil in the cells are moist. Water should be dripping from the bottom of the trays.

Make an indentation

February 15, 2022

Watermelon Growing Guide

Growing Guides Onions Strawberries Watermelon Growing Guide The 4 Types Of Watermelon Planting Schedule Planting Methods Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer Pest & Disease Protection Harvesting Extra Credit Grow Big, Juicy Watermelons At Home Watermelon is the quintessential Summertime treat in most areas of the world. Because of their popularity in home gardens, we get a

January 28, 2022

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One of the most popular vegetables in the United States is corn, especially sweet corn. Scientists believe people living in central Mexico developed corn at least 7,000 years ago. It started from a wild grass known as teosinte. Tonight we discuss when to plant, where to plant, water requirements, and much more.

General Information * Sweet corn is a warm-season crop and must be planted after the soil warms and there is no more danger of frost; at least above 55 degrees F. (13 C.). If you plant super sweet corn, be sure the soil is at least 65 degrees F. (18 C.), as super sweet corn prefers a warmer climate. * Plant the corn seeds about 1 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart in the row. Space the rows 2½ to 3 feet apart. After the plants are up, thin them to 1 foot apart. If you plant them closer, your corn will have small, poorly-filled ears. * Plant in full sun

Part 2 * Sweet corn must self-pollinate or pollinate by a similar variety. Wind moves corn pollen from the tassel at the top of the plant to the silks of the ears, and to lower parts of the plant. * Always plant corn in blocks of at least four rows. Corn planted in a single row will have much of its pollen blown out of the row, and will produce ears that have blank areas where kernels did not form. * If you garden in an agricultural area, try to plant your sweet corn 300 feet from the nearest cornfield. Large acreages of field corn will produce so much pollen that you could spoil your crop unless you plant your sweet corn far enough away. * Different varieties produce pollen at different times, so you can isolate them by time. Since different varieties will respond individually to growing conditions, do not isolate them with less than two weeks until the given “days to maturity” in the variety description. * You can also plant one variety earlier than another variety to achieve the needed difference in pollen production.

Water Requirements * Water sweet corn as needed to keep it from wilting. Do not let corn suffer from lack of water when the kernels are forming. * One inch of rainfall per week is good for your corn. * Drip Irrigation is best to use with corn

Pests and Diseases * Two insect pests that feed on the developing ears of corn are corn earworm and European corn borer.

Smut causes firm, tumor-like growths on leaves, stems, ears and tassels. Look for smut galls throughout the season and cut them out before they produce spores. Remove these galls from the garden and bury them. Do not compost them.
Leaf rust appears as rusty orange streaks on leaves that release an abundance of powdery orange spores. Rust resistant varieties are available and are the best form of control.
Use good cultural control practices to reduce disease problems to a good level and allow for a successful harvest.

Harvesting Corn is ready for harvest about 3 weeks after the tassel grows on top of the corn plant. Corn is ripe when juice from the kernels is milky white, the silk on the ears has turned dark brown. The best time to pick corn is in the early morning or evening when it is cool. Place it uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days. Corn stored for more than 2 days loses its sweetness.

Product of the Week: Sweet Corn

Mexican Sour Gherkin

Austin’s Red Pear Tomato

Hoss Green Blaze Bush Bean

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The Top 5 Reasons To Have Flowers In Your Vegetable Garden

If you’re planning your vegetable garden, don’t forget about the flowers! Adding flowers to your vegetable garden has a ton of long-term and short-term benefits from the blooms to the soil. Year after year in our gardens, we always make room for beautiful blooms. We’ve narrowed down our top 5 reasons that we always make sure and have flowers in our garden.

Reason 1: Bring On The Pollinators!

The first and arguably most important reason to plant flowers in your vegetable garden is to attract pollinators. A pollinator is an insect or animal that carries pollen from male plants to female plants to aid in fertilization. These critters are attracted to the flowers in your garden and will subsequently help to pollinate your nearby vegetables, helping to increase your yields and pollination rates. Even planting pollenless or low-pollen varieties like ProCut Sunflowers are still beneficial not only for their beauty but also for their nectar and keeping all those helpers coming back.

In short: pollinators are the rock stars of the garden and they absolutely LOVE flowers. So the more flowers, the better.

Reason 2: Get Some Help With Weeds

In addition to attracting helpful pollinators, planting flowers densely can help suppress weeds in your garden by shading your soil from the sun. Keeping the sun off of your soil is extremely helpful with weed suppression because the shade that the flowers and foliage provide keeps those pesky weeds from being able to germinate. The root systems of the flowers are also usually quite a bit stronger than those of weeds so they will out-compete them with ease.

Everything You Need For A Great Garden!

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- Cover Crops,
- Heirlooms,
- Peas (Field)

Red Ripper Pea

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$3.99 – $39.99 * Select options

+ AAS Winners,
+ Flowers

Celosia Century Mix

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$4.99 – $19.99 * Select options

+ Elephant Garlic,
+ Garlic

Elephant Garlic

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+ Broccoli

Emerald Crown Broccoli

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+ Carrots

Yellowbunch Carrot

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$4.99 – $29.99 * Add to cart

+ Cabbage

Joi Choi Chinese Cabbage

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$3.99 * Select options

+ Greens

Premium Greens Mix

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$3.99 – $29.99 * Select options

+ Flowers

ProCut Orange Sunflower

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$3.99 – $34.99

Reason 3: Improve Your Soil Health

For years people have been using different flowers as cover crops to help keep nutrients in the soil. In addition to that, planting flowers in spaces that would otherwise be empty in your garden will help with soil erosion, and help keep your soil from getting too compacted.
The real standout flower for helping your soil has got to be sunflowers. Depending on the size of your garden and how much space needs to be taken up next to your vegetables, there are so many varieties of sunflower that will suit your needs. If you have a smaller spot, the Sungold Dwarf Sunflower is a perfect choice and if you have a crop of delicate lettuce that could use some protection from the scorching summer sun, you could try planting the absolutely stunning Firecracker Sunflower.
But what makes sunflowers so special in helping the overall health of your soil is their unique ability to siphon nutrients out of the soil that other flowers can’t. Sunflowers have a really deep tap root and root system that can break into layers of soil and bring them closer to the top of the soil for other plants to use. They’re also very salt tolerant so if you’ve found that your soil has a buildup of salt from either living near the coast or perhaps overusing fertilizers, planting sunflowers can help out!

Which Flowers Are You Going To Grow This Season?

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Reason 4: Share The Love!

Sending flowers to your loved one for Valentine’s Day or a beautiful arrangement as a get-well gift for a friend in need is inherently ingrained in all of us as a symbol of love, friendship, respect and so much more.
But to take that even a step further and present someone with a hand-picked bouquet of fresh wildflowers that came directly from your garden and into their hands can deepen that symbol even further. And the best part is that you don’t even have to have a reason or a holiday to share these beautiful fruits of your labor. Come harvest time, it’s a great excuse to call up a friend or neighbor to tell them that you have a little surprise for them and catch up on old times or just simply to let them know you’re thinking of them.
If you’ve ever grown a vegetable garden, you know that one of the best feelings is sharing your crop with those around you. Whether you are selling at a local market or just have a love of growing your own food, adding flowers to that mix will surely put a smile on the faces of those around you.

Reason 5: Flowers Are Just Downright Pretty

Regardless of if you’re planting your garden in the spring, summer, or fall, there is a flower that will make your already luscious garden that much more beautiful. From the medicinal benefits of Calendula to the amazing wine you can make from Roselle Hibiscus there are a million reasons to plant flowers. But our favorite is looking out over our garden and the joy it brings to our hearts to see such beauty all around us.
So whether you have a single container of tomatoes or a hundred acres of corn, planting flowers alongside your vegetables is a no-brainer.

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While okra may be considered a “southern thing”, it can be grown in most USDA planting zones. There are many benefits to adding okra to your “things to grow this season” list, okra is an excellent source of vitamins and it is one of the easiest things to grow in the garden. Most okra varieties are heat-lovers, have low watering needs, and the beneficial pollinators love the blooms. What variety should you grow? Let’s discuss!

General Information: * Excellent source of vitamins A, C, Folate, and magnesium. Low in calories and carbs. Provides protein that many other fruits and vegetables lack. Contains antioxidants that contributes to brain and heart health. * So many ways to cook, roasted, grilled, sauteed, fried, pickled, soups, gumbo, freeze dried.

Comes in 2 colors, Pods usually green, but numerous red varieties out there as well.
Okra is an annual. Okra grows the best in hardiness zones 6 – 11. You can grow okra in zone 5 but will need to take greater care with the plants.
It does especially well in the south in growing zone 7 and zone 8. In zones 9, 10, and 11, watch for early consistent temperatures over 100 degrees which can stunt growth if they aren’t watered enough.
Okra takes 50 – 65 days to grow and mature
The ideal growing temperature is 75 – 90 degrees.

Starting Seeds: (soak or not to soak?) Takes longer to germinate, have to be patient, 5-17 days

Transplants: Likes soil temps of 65-degree F to germinate. Will need a heat mat with thermostat.

For transplants start 4-6 weeks before last frost date. Will need to harden off before planting outdoors. Be careful transplanting. If root breaks, it will not thrive. (taproot) (fragile roots)

Water immediately after transplanting.

For direct sow: evening temp above 60 after last possible frost date.

(Northerners can lay black plastic over planting location 1 month before planting to raise soil temps)

Plant seeds 3/4″ – 1″ deep.

Plant spacing 2 feet apart, Row spacing 3-4 feet apart (grows over 6 feet and 3 feet wide, need plenty of space) Be sure to read you seed package information specific to the variety you are planting.

Location: * Choose a location that receives full sun. 12-16 hours daylight

Okra loves the heat

Grows best with pH that is close to neutral, anything 6.0-8.0 will work
Well-draining soil amended with lots of compost or organic matter

Water Requirements: * Okra has low water needs and doesn’t like wet feet. * No more than 1 inch per week if no rain. * Water under foliage, right at ground level to avoid getting leaves wet. * Best to water in mornings so water on leaves will evaporate during the day.

Fertilization: * Prior to planting, Complete organic fertilizer, compost, organic matter * Micro boost, Fish emulsion

Pest and Diseases: * Not particularly prone to pest or disease, usually manageable * Use crop rotation, high quality seed, keep garden clean removing old vegetation * Powdery mildew (white and powdery spots) of in humid, overly moist conditions * Fungus is possibility where there is too much moister (drooping yellow leaves) * Root knot nematode * Ants * Aphids

Harvesting: * itching, irritation when harvested. Can grow spineless varieties. Recommend wearing long sleeves and gloves to protect skin. * Check daily, grow quickly within a few days after flowering. * Most varieties intended to be picked when the pods are no longer than 3 inches long. Usually every other day * Pods grow fast, pick frequently to encourage the plant to produce more pods. The larger pods taste woody and need to be tossed, don’t let go to seed. * Best to snip rather than snap due to fragile roots. * Can be stored in fridge 2-3 days

Saving Seeds: * Open pollinated varieties will produce replicas of parent plants * Make sure plants are isolated from other okra varieties * Pollinated by insects that can bring pollen from plants. * Only grow one variety if wanting to save the seeds * Some can remain viable up to several years, best to use them the next growing season

Okra Varieties: * Perkins Long Pod: heirloom variety that dates back to the 1800s. Elongated pods are bright green and tender up to 5″. Productive plants start producing early and often. * Clemson Spineless: standard okra variety for many since it’s All-America Selection in the 1930s. An open-pollinated variety. Pods can reach 7-9 inches * Star of David: heirloom, open-pollinated okra that is our go-to variety for frying. Plants produce short, thick pods with extensive ribs or spines. * Cowhorn: heirloom variety with long, slender pods that remain tender even at 6 to 10 inches long. An early producer. * Red Burgundy: highly-productive, heirloom variety that produces deep, red pods that remain tender at longer pod lengths. * Emerald Green Velvet: heirloom okra variety introduced in the 1950s by the Campbell Soup Company. Dark-green pods that are ribbed and remain tender at longer lengths * Jing Orange: Asian heirloom okra variety with beautiful red to orange pods that are spineless and stay tender at 6″ long * Chinese: heirloom, multi-purpose variety that can be used as okra substitute when harvested young, or for making sponges and other household items if allowed to dry on the vine * Green Fingers: hybrid variety that produces small, flavorful 3-4″ green pods and is ideal for gardens of all sizes. The plants are early producers and the compact plants will start producing at only 15″ tall and will continue to produce until frost. self-pollinator. It is ideal for container growing and for balcony/porch growing! * Jambalaya: hybrid variety that is the most productive

Product of the Week: Green Tiger Lettuce

Red Tide Lettuce

Red Dragon Lettuce

Glass Gem Corn

Outlaw Bush Bean

Speckled Pup Squash

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Whether you are a novice gardener or seasoned veteran, it is very important to understand the differences between transplanting and direct sowing. Advantages and Disadvantages to each method. A lot depends on both the vegetable and time of year.

Direct Seeding Pros * Some things don’t tolerate transplanting. Spinach, beets, carrots, peas are examples that like to start and finish in same place * Things that are quick to germinate. Radishes, beans, peas, beets, and turnips. * Requires less labor and ten to mature faster * More cost effective, especially if growing in large quantity. * Better drought tolerance

Cons * Can be riskier, due to contending with weather and weed pressure * Crowded plants, need to thin so plants don’t compete for light, water, and nutrients. * Direct sown crops occupy the land longer than the same crop transplanted. * Direct sown crops may be harder to get started in cold (or hot) conditions.

Vegetables to Direct Seed Beans Corn Turnips

Carrots Zucchini Bunching Onions

Peas Radish

Spinach Squashes

Transplanting Pros * Starting with baby plants can give you more control and predictable results * Seeds started in more ideal conditions, easier to care for * Transplants give you a huge jumpstart on the season, start earlier * Increase harvest with succession planting. * Transplants can be more resistant to insect and other pest pressure. * Plants that have already developed roots and other systems are stronger, making them less vulnerable to outside conditions.

Cons * Extending the season by starting earlier does mean more work. * It takes extra time caring for the starts, as they won’t get water if you don’t provide it. * Transplant shock can delay harvest – be sure to learn and practice good techniques. * More attention is needed to watering new plants after transplanting, (compared to direct sowing) as some root damage is almost inevitable. (Plug flats and soil blocks minimize root damage.) * You need a good greenhouse set-up if you plan to grow lots of transplants.

Vegetables to Transplant (start in trays) Herbs Eggplant Peppers Cabbage

Collards Kale Scallions

Broccoli Kohlrabi Tomato

Leeks Onion Watermelon

Vegetables to Direct Seed or Transplant Okra Zinnias Sunflowers Beets Roselle Lettuce

Product of the Week: Seed Starting Supplies

New Seeds for 2022

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It’s about to get heated! Hoss is gonna sweat! It’s all about peppers tonight! What types of peppers are there, what is the science behind the heat, how should you grow and what should you avoid? Be sure to check out the podcast or video for ALL the hotness!

Facts About Peppers Peppers contain only 20 calories per 100 grams, making them low-calorie and healthy. They are a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B6. They also contain vitamin E, vitamin B2, vitamin K, folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus.

One pepper contains as much as 300% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C!

Spiciness measurement. There are the SHU scale or Scoville Heat Units. Which was named after American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, who first invented it in 1912. SHU varying from 0 for bell peppers to 3,200,000 SHU for some extremely hot peppers.

Types of Peppers Capsicum annum: (AN-yoo-um) Most common, various shapes and flavors. Almost all sweet and have thicker walls. Ideal for sauces. Bell, cayenne, jalapeno, banana, Poblano, pimento,

Capsicum frutescens: (froo-TESS-enz) Often used as ornamental peppers, typically colorful, small, mid to intense heat levels.

Tabasco Pepper: great for hot sauce or pepper sauce, 90 days

Serrano Pepper: Slightly hotter than jalapeno

Capsicum baccatum: (bah-COT-tum or bah-KAY-tum) Best for drying. Spicy, fruity flavor, generally disease resistant.

Mad Hatter Pepper: Originating from Bolivia and Peru, the Mad Hatter has been widely adapted to grow easily throughout most of the U.S. and matures from green to bright red

Capsicum chinense: (chi-NEN-see) Habanero-type, thin-walled. Fruity flavor, heat dispersed throughout pepper. Hottest species

Ghost Pepper: One of world’s hottest peppers 1,000.000 Scoville units

Helious habanero pepper: Hybrid, Intense heat with citrusy flavor

Chocolate Habanero pepper: 425,000-577,000 Scoville heat with a hint of smoky flavor

Habanero Orange Pepper: chile pepper with a sweet fruity flavor that packs intense pungent heat.

Capsicum pubescens: (pew-BES-enz) Most Unique, meaty, juicy apple-shaped fruit with black seeds. From South America

Product of the Week: North Georgia Candy Roaster

Mattadorres Roasting Pepper

Mad Hatter Pepper

Green Fingers Okra

Seed Potatoes

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Growing Guides

Onions
Strawberries

Growing Watermelons From Seed

Which Watermelons To Plant
Growing Watermelons Seeds
Seed Starting Dates
Supply List
Planting Watermelon Seeds
Extra Credit

Choosing The Right Watermelon To Plant In Your Garden

Choosing the right watermelon to grow can get very technical and oftentimes confusing. Like most fruits and vegetables that can simply and easily be broken down into hybrid and open-pollinated, watermelons can bend, and sometimes break the rules especially when it comes to pollination. To throw a wrench in those gears even further, watermelons also come in seedless varieties that require special circumstances to be pollinated. To keep things simple, let’s cover the differences between seedless watermelons and traditional seeded watermelons.

Seedless Watermelons

The first thing to know about seedless watermelons is that they are actually not technically seedless. No doubt you’ve cut into a watermelon and seen the small white seeds that are dispersed through the fruit. These are actually empty seed casings that are perfectly fine to eat.
What makes a watermelon seedless is actually quite technical from a botanical standpoint. The main takeaway is that when you order a seedless watermelon variety from HOSS, you will actually be getting 2 different seed packs. One is a seed that will produce female flowers but also has male flowers present. The pollen in the male flowers is not typically enough to fertilize the plant. Because of this, we include a separate pollinizer seed that will produce the male flowers needed to guarantee successful fertilization.

Seeded Watermelons

This is the more traditional watermelon that most people have grown to know through the years. Seeded watermelons have thick black seeds within the fruit that are fertile and, depending on the variety, can be saved and planted for another crop. Not all seeds from traditional watermelons can be saved, though. For example, seeds from F1 hybrid watermelons cannot be saved to plant again. Below are our favorite traditional watermelons seeds to grow in our area.

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Sangria Watermelon * Add to cart

Moon and Stars Watermelon * Add to cart

Georgia Rattlesnake Watermelon * Select options

Crimson Sweet Watermelon

Growing Watermelons From Seed

Should You Direct Sow or Transplant Watermelon Seeds?

As any gardener knows, when you have a plant that can either be directly planted in the ground or transplanted, there are pros and cons to both. At HOSS, we always err on the side of starting your watermelon seeds in trays because it has proven to be a more successful strategy for our gardens and our space. We know that every garden is different but we always highly encourage starting seeds in trays when you have the option.

Benefits Of Starting Seeds In Trays

Beginning in seed trays will give you a head start on the growing season. Instead of having to wait for weather conditions to even out, your watermelon plants will have already germinated and established a root system and are ready to go into the ground immediately. This will usually result in an earlier harvest as well.
More control over germination. Most seedless watermelon seeds are expensive and starting in trays will ensure that your investment is protected.
Weed control. Watermelon seeds and root systems are delicate during the first phases of growing. Starting in seed trays will help keep weeds from ruining your potential crop.

Benefits Of Direct Sowing Seeds

There is less cost involved with direct sowing since you don’t have to have the seed starting supplies or greenhouse.
Direct sowing has less labor involved. Direct sowing allows you to simply put the seeds in the ground and let them grow as they will.

Watermelon Indoor Seed Starting Dates

Watermelon seeds should be started indoors at least 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date for your zone. We recommend using our 162 Seed Trays for best results.
Zone 10 – December 15th
Zone 9 – January 15th
Zone 8 – February 20th
Zone 7 – March 15thZone 6 – April 1st
Zone 5 – April 20th

Seed Start Supply List

Depending on your preference, you can choose to start your seeds indoors with a light kit or outdoors in a greenhouse setting. Below is a list of all the essentials to begin growing your watermelons from seed and get them ready for transplant.

Indoor Growing

162 Seed Tray
Heavy Duty Bottom Tray
Hanging Light Kit
Sungro Seed Starting Mix
Dramm Watering Can
Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble
Dr. Joe Growing Bubble
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Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble Plant Food * Add to cart

Dr. Joe All-Purpose Growing Bubble * Add to cart

Dramm Watering Can * Add to cart

Hanging Grow Light Kit * Select options

Sungro Black Gold Seed Starting Mix * Select options

Heavy-Duty Bottom Trays * Select options

162 Cell Seed Starting Trays

Outdoor Growing

162 Seed Tray
Fogg-It Mist Nozzle
Sungro Seed Starting Mix
100 or 150 Watt Germination Mat
Germination Thermostat
Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer
Add to cart

Germination Thermostat * Select options

Hoss Germination Mat (150 Watt) * Add to cart

Hoss Germination Mat (100 Watt) * Select options

Sungro Black Gold Seed Starting Mix * Add to cart

Fogg-It Mist Nozzle * Select options

162 Cell Seed Starting Trays

Planting Your Watermelon Seeds

Fill each cell in the trays completely with seed starting mix. Use your hands to pack the mix into each cell.
Place starting tray on bottom tray and lightly water from above to generously moisten seed starting mix. Repeat 3-4 times to ensure all of the soil in the cells are moist. Water should be dripping from the bottom of the trays.
Make an indentation in the center of each cell using your hands or a pencil. The indentation should be twice as deep as the diameter of the watermelon seed.
Place one seed per indentation and lightly cover with the remaining seed starting mix or vermiculite. Be careful not to add too much mix over the tops of the cells, as it can delay germination.
Whether you are starting indoors or outdoors, the optimal temperature for watermelon seed germination is between 75°F and 85°F, so regularly check temperatures and adjust as needed. Be sure that your trays are placed in an area with full sun or be sure that your grow light is directly above the tray, almost touching them. Move the lights up as the seedlings grow.
Fertilize your watermelon seeds once a week when the plants emerge using the designated fertilizer in the supply list above.
Water your seeds 2-3 times a day. Watermelons are heavy feeders and greatly rely on proper irrigation to properly form.
Once the seedlings have developed a good root system, it will be time to transplant

See The Next Steps To Growing Your Onions

Read The Hoss University Onion Growing Guide

Watermelon Seed Tips

Make Sure To Plan Ahead

All varieties of watermelon have one thing in common: they need lots of room to grow. Contrary to popular belief, even growing smaller varieties like the Sugar Baby Watermelon needs the same amount of room to grow as the massive Jubilee Watermelon. The main thing to remember is that it isn’t the size of the fruit that you’re growing, it’s how far out the vines sprawl that you have to accommodate for. A good rule of thumb to grow watermelons is to dedicate at least 20 square feet per plant in your garden.

Get A Head Start On Your Watermelons!

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Top 5 Reasons To Plant Flowers In Your Vegetable Garden

March 9, 2022

How To Grow Watermelons From Seed

Fill each cell in the trays completely with seed starting mix. Use your hands to pack the mix into each cell, saving some for covering the seeds later.

Make an indentation

February 15, 2022

Watermelon Growing Guide

January 28, 2022

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It’s about that time! We’ve got most of the seed potato orders out, now it’s time to get into the dirty details of seed potato planting! What type of potato should you plant, should you plant in-ground or in raised beds, does soil temperatures matter, and so much more!

What Type of Potato Should You Plant? * 7 types of potatoes: Russet, White, Red, Yellow, Blue/Purple, Fingerling, Petite * Early Season (90 days or less), Midseason (100 plus days), Late Season (110 days or more) * Determinate and Indeterminate Potatoes

Spring Potato Planting Schedule By Zone Soil temperature and maturation timing are extremely important in growing your potatoes. Ideally, you want to get your seeds in the ground 2-4 weeks before the last frost of Spring. The warmer your climate, the sooner you’ll need to plant.

Preparing and Planting * In-ground planting: Rowing spacing needs to be 3-4 feet apart. Plant spacing should be 6-12 inches and planting depth should be 3-6 inches. * Raised bed planting: Row spacing needs to be 2 feet apart. You’ll want to space your plants 6-12 inches apart (same as in-ground planting), and the depth should also be the same (3-6 inches deep).

Hilling Your Potatoes As your plants grow, they will need special maintenance throughout the season. Every 1-2″ that potatoes grow, they are going to need extra support by mounding up dirt loosely around the base. This process is called “hilling”, it is very important in the growth cycle and the root development of your potatoes. Hilling also helps with weed suppression, plant support, and frost protection as well as keeping the potatoes out of the sunlight, which could cause them to turn green and become inedible. Indeterminate potatoes require more hilling due to their upward growth habit.

Growing Potatoes in Containers Potatoes are very well suited to grow in containers and can make an excellent choice for small space gardening. While it is a very similar process as in-ground growing, there are a few differences in the process. Depending on the size of your container, you’ll want to fill it with 4-6 inches of prepared soil and place it in full sun. Be sure to get the correct spacing because they will need a good bit of room to grow. For example, our 15-gallon root pouch can comfortably grow 4 potato plants and give the root structure plenty of room for a big harvest. You’ll want to “layer” your soil the way you would “hill” with in-ground planting. Continually add soil to the top of the plant to cover the new stems at the bottom until the container is full of soil.

Hoss University Be sure to check out the Potato Growing Guide on our website for lots more growing information! More on irrigation, fertilizer needs, disease protection and SO MUCH MORE! CLICK HERE!

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Seed Potatoes

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Let’s talk about the tips & techniques of seed starting. Evaluating your seed starting method is extremely important, is it art or skill? Where should you start your seeds? Are you using the correct soil? Are you planting at the right depth for each variety? Let’s discuss!

Important Tips of Seed Starting Here’s what you need to remember:

Keep Records/Journal to record when seeds are sown, germination, success rate and date transplanted. Tracy (justdigitfarms) did excellent video last week.
Purchase seed from a trusted source (high quality) (germination rates) check seed packet for specific directions
Keep seeds stored properly: Cool dark location with low humidity
Select the correct seed-staring mix
Plant in correct container/seed starting tray (drainage holes) (plant markers)
Plant proper depth
Keep seed starting mix moist
Warm location
Fertilize when seedlings have true leaves
Thin if needed, step up as needed
Pest Control

Evaluate Your Method Indoor Vs outdoor:

Indoor: Got to have lights, Heat mats, more expensive, less fluctuation in temps, limited space. Temperatures of 65 to 75 to germinate (ambient temp). Don’t plant too early
Outdoor, (in green house.) more fluctuation in temps got to run heaters, less expensive (Sort of) can start more seeds. Unpredictable weather

Overall Problems in Seed Starting * Germination: Humidity + temp * Damping off * Leggy seedlings * Nutrition: begin once true leaves emerge

Correct These Issues * Have heat mat and some type of humidity

Drainage! Airflow
Light and light. Strat over if plants are leggy. Harden off if needed/acclimated to direct sunlight

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Seed Starting Supplies

Seed Potatoes

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Our friend, Craig Howell from Sakata sits down with us to discuss all things tomatoes. What’s coming to the home gardener this season, what certain tomato terms mean, what makes a good tomato, and so much more! We also choose our new name for the Hoss tomato variety!

Hoss’ Most Popular Tomato Varieties * Bella Rosa * Red Snapper * Roadster * Tachi * Sweet Hearts * Hossinator (STM2255)

What Makes A Good Tomato * Disease Resistance * Smoothness * Heat Set * Taste

What Varieties Is Hoss Trialing? This season we will be trialing 3 new varieties!

Rambler
Thunderbird
Shelby

Little Known Fact Most organic growers use hybrid varieties as their #1 to grow!

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Hossinator Tomato

Striped Carosello Cucumber

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No matter how large or small your garden is, every grower wants to get the most out of their space. What if you only have a 20 x 20 space? Let’s talk about small space gardening, what important factors to think of when planning your garden, and which varieties to plant.

Garden Site Considerations * Good Soil * Plenty Sunshine * Water Source * Pollination * Possibly Fence

How To Select Varieties * Choose Compact Varieties * Grow Vertically * Companion Planting * Succession Planting * Crop Rotation

20 x 20 Small Space Garden Layout We have taken a 20 x 20 garden and made a Spring Garden Plan to get the most out of every square foot of garden space. This plan utilizes thick planting methods, vertical gardening, and smaller 3.5’ raised beds with a well-producing pollinator breaking up the quadrants. Some of us picked our favorite varieties that we would plant in our space but encourage to try different varieties and see what works for you.

Q1: Kentucky Pole Bean, National Pickling Cucumber, Lemon Boy, Golden Delight Zucchini

Q2: Jambalaya Okra, Merlin Beet, Mini Bell Pepper Mix, Nadia Eggplant

Q3: Elephant Garlic, French Breakfast Radishes, Yukon Gold, Warrior Bunching Onions

Q4: Tarragon and Parsley, Cilantro and Dill, Thyme and Sage, Lemon Basil

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New Seeds For 2022

Seed Potatoes

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Not everyone has a large enough space for in-ground planting, tonight we focus on container gardening and give you some ideas on what to grow this season! We are excited to introduce our newest collection, the Acre Homestead Container Collection was hand-curated by Becky at Acre Homestead. We have partnered with Becky to focus on small space and container gardening. More videos from @Acre Homestead to come!

Container Gardening Container gardening is ideal for those with little or no garden space. Problems with soilborne diseases, nematodes, or poor soil conditions can be easily overcome by switching to a container garden. Being able to use different-sized containers can give you easy access to your fruits or vegetables.

The Perfect Space Whether you have little to no yard, live in an apartment, or only have a driveway, there is still SO much potential! You can use your windowsill, your deck, patio, doorstep. Get creative with where you place your containers. Not only is it important to the size of your container for plant purposes but also for placement.

Sizes It is very important to have the right size containers for certain plants. You will want to consider the size and shape of the plant’s root system and how rapidly it grows. When you are picking your containers, make sure you keep in mind that light-colored containers keep the soil cooler than darker containers. Drainage holes are always essential with containers, if your containers don’t have the proper drainage holes, you could risk root rot or other death to your plant.

Container Material * Clay or terracotta are attractive but breakable and easily damaged by freezing and thawing. * Cast concrete long lasting, but can be heavy and hard to move. * Plastic and fiberglass are lightweight, become brittle with cold or age. * Wood: Choose a naturally rot- resistant wood. Don’t use creosote (toxic to plants) * Root Pouch

Container Preparation You’ll want to put in desired space before filling and planting. Put in appropriate shade/sun according to plant requirements.

Plain garden soil is too dense.

Water Requirements The type of pot will determine water requirements as well as shade/sun placement. Clay pots dry out faster.

Product of the Week: Root Pouch

Dr. Joe Fertilizing Tabs

Arkansas Traveler Tomato

Chiba Green Organic Edamame

Red Dragon Lettuce

Mingle Mix Tomato

Green Tiger Lettuce

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What zone are you in? What should you be doing in the garden now? Let’s go over it! Be sure to check out Hoss University and the Growing Guides that we continue to put out, lots of great growing information.

ZONE 10 Ya’ll in Zone 10 are good to go and can plant most anything right now.

ZONE 9 Now – Inventory seeds, supplies to be ready to start warm-season crops by end of January (lights, heat mats, soil). Start your cool-season Crops inside: Kale, lettuce Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel SproutsGet potato spot ready for planting end of February

February – Plant English peas, carrots and start planning your garden out, remembering good rotation.

ZONE 8 Now – Inventory seeds, supplies to be ready to start warm-season crops by end of January (lights, heat mats, soil). Start your cool-season Crops inside: Kale, lettuce Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts Get potato spot ready for planting the end of February

February – Plant English peas, carrots and start planning your garden out, remembering good rotation.

ZONE 7 Now: Inventory seeds, supplies to be ready (lights, heat mats, soil)

End of January

Start your cool season Crops inside: greenhouse or grow lights, Kale, lettuce Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts

Soil Sample

Grow microgreens and lettuce indoors.
Start intermediate day onion seeds
Start planning your garden out, remembering good rotation.

ZONE 6 Now: Inventory seeds, supplies to be ready (lights, heat mats, soil)

February:

Start your cool season Crops inside greenhouse or grow lights, Kale, lettuce Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts
Soil Sample
Grow microgreens and lettuce indoors.
Start planning your garden out, remembering good rotation

Product of the Week: Potatoes

New Seeds for 2022

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Growing Guides

Onions
Strawberries

Potato Growing Guide

Which Potato Plants Should You Grow?
Spring Planting Schedule
Planting Methods
Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer
Pest & Disease Protection
Harvesting, Curing & Storage
Extra Credit

Grow Potatoes At Home

For centuries, the potato has reigned supreme as one of the most popular plants to have in your garden. Overall, they are a relatively easy crop that don’t require a lot of labor to maintain or harvest, are high in nutrients, and can be grown in even the smallest of spaces. Growing potatoes is an excellent choice for beginner gardeners but has been a staple crop for home gardens, commercial growers and homesteaders all over the world.

What Type Of Potato Should You Plant?

Choosing The Right Potato To Plant In Your Garden

There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes in the United States alone, so choosing which variety to plant can be overwhelming to say the least. Potatoes can be broken down into 7 main types all with distinct characteristics. Russet, Red, White, Yellow, Blue/Purple, Fingerling, and Petite Potatoes are the most common varieties you’ll find both in grocery stores and home gardens. Each variety has its own unique flavor, texture, color and use so experimenting with different varieties is always recommended.

Early Season, Midseason and Late Season Potatoes

Among the different shapes, colors, and sizes of potatoes, perhaps the most important factor when choosing what potato to plant is how quickly they mature based on your area. Potatoes tend to grow best in soil that stays between 60 – 70°F so timing is crucial if you want a good, healthy crop before Summer rolls around.

Early Season Potatoes will get to full maturity usually in than 90 days or less.
Midseason Potato Varieties will take 100+ days to mature.
Late Season Potatoes need 110 days or more to reach full maturity.

Determinate and Indeterminate Potatoes

Another quality to consider when growing potatoes is their growth habit. Much like tomatoes, potatoes can be defined as determinate or indeterminate depending on how they grow. The real difference between the two types is that indeterminate potatoes tend to grow upward and have multiple layers as the plant grows and more soil gets added around the plant. Indeterminate varieties are better suited for those who are choosing to grow your potatoes in containers.

Our Favorite Potato Varieties

Select options

Irish Cobbler Potato * Select options

Purple Majesty Potato * Select options

Viking Potato * Select options

Austrian Crescent Potato * Select options

French Fingerling Potato * Select options

Kennebec White Potato

Spring Potato Planting Schedule By Zone

As we mentioned above, soil temperature and maturation timing is extremely important in growing your potatoes. Ideally, you want to get your seeds in the ground 2-4 weeks before the last frost of Spring. The warmer your climate, the sooner you’ll need to plant.

Zone 10 January 15– 31
Zone 9 February 1 – 15
Zone 8 February 15– 28
Zone 7 March 1 – 15Zone 6 March 15 –31
Zone 5 April 1 – 30
Zone 4 April 15– May 15Zone 3 May

Preparing & Planting Your Potatoes

Once you’ve planned out which potatoes you want to grow in your garden, it’s time to prepare your seed potatoes for planting.
Potatoes are unique in that they are not actual “seeds” in the traditional sense of the word. While potatoes do, in fact, produce seeds, they are actually propagated through what is known as seed potatoes.
Seed potatoes are tubers from previous crops that will mimic the parent plant exactly from harvest to harvest. This is the most popular way to grow potatoes because growers can predict the characteristics of the crops year after year.
Before planting, cut the potatoes into pieces, making sure to leave 1-3 eyes per piece. Let the pieces dry out thoroughly so little to no moisture is present to keep them from rotting in the ground and being more prone to damage from insects. When it is time to plant, be sure and plant with the sprout facing directly up.

Potato Planting Depth

In-Ground Planting

Row Spacing – 3 to 4 feet
Plant Spacing – 6 to 12 inches
Planting Depth – 3 to 6 inches

Raised Bed Planting

Row Spacing – 2 feet
Plant Spacing – 6 to 12 inches
Planting Depth – 3 to 6 inches

Word Of The Day:

Chitting

Chitting is the process of allowing your seed potatoes time to sprout before being planted. Allow 4 weeks prior to planting for the process to be complete. Chitting potatoes is not a requirement but it has been known to help with better yields and a stronger, heavier crop.
Keep your potatoes in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and allow the sprouts to grow to at least 1″- 2″ before planting in the ground.

Hilling Your In-Ground And Raised Bed Potatoes

As potato plants grow, they will need special maintenance throughout the season. Every 1″-2″ that potatoes grow, they are going to need extra support by mounding up dirt loosely around the base. This process is called hilling and is really vital in the growth cycle and root development. Hilling helps greatly with weed suppression, plant support, and frost protection as well as keeping potatoes out of the sunlight, which will cause them to turn green and be inedible.
Because of their upward growth habit, you will find that indeterminate potato varieties are going to require hilling more than the outward habit of determinate varieties. If you have planted your potatoes in rows, use the Hoss High Arch Wheel Hoe or Double Wheel Hoe with the plow attachments oriented for hilling to make quick work of getting your potato plants properly hilled.

Growing Potatoes In Containers

Potatoes are very well suited to grow in containers and make an excellent choice for small space gardens. While the process of growing potatoes in containers is similar to that of in-ground or raised bed planting, there are some differences in the process.
Depending on the size of your container, fill it with 4 to 6 inches of prepared soil and place it in full sun. Your seed potatoes need a good bit of room to grow so be sure and get the correct plant spacing. For example, our 15 Gallon Root Pouch can comfortably grow 4 potato plants and give the root structure plenty of room for a big harvest.
The same way that in-ground and raised bed planting requires hilling, container planted potatoes require the same treatment, called layering. As the plant grows, you will continually add soil to the top of the plant to cover the new stems at the bottom until the container is full of soil.

Potato Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer

Potato Plant Soil Requirements

Loose, well-draining sandy loam
pH between 6.0 and 6.5 but can tolerate as low as 5 pH
Rich in organic materials
Good quality compost added to the soil

Did You Know

0 Acres China is the largest producer of potatoes in the world, with over 5 million acres of potato farmland. India, Russia, Ukraine, United States, and Germany follow with over 85% of the rest of the world's potato plants.

HOSS always recommends getting a soil sample to your local extension office several weeks before planting. Once you get your results, you will need plenty of time to adjust your soil accordingly and make sure your onion plants are getting the best nutrients possible as soon as they hit the ground.
Click Here to find your local extension office.

Potato Irrigation Requirements

Irrigation requirements for your potato plants is largely based on the climate in your area and how much precipitation you get. For example, HOSS HQ is located in Zone 8 and during the potato growing season, we get enough rain that a drip irrigation system is not necessary. But for those in zones that are drier, you could likely benefit from having a drip irrigation system in place. Overall, the rule of thumb is that potato plants require 1.5″ of water per week regardless of your planting method.

Raised Bed Potato Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After PlantingSidedress 1/2 – 1 cup of Hoss Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row.
2 Weeks LaterSidedress 1/2 – 1 cup of Hoss Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row.
Every Week For 4 Consecutive WeeksMix 1 tablet each of Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble -AND- Dr. Joe Tomato & Vegetable Bubble into 1 gallon of water. Apply as a drench per 10 ft. of row.

In-Ground Potato Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before PlantingTest your soil at your local extension office.
1 Week Before PlantingAfter adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.
2 Weeks After PlantingSidedress 1/2 – 1 cup of Hoss Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row.
2 Weeks After PlantingSidedress 1/2 – 1 cup of Hoss Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row.
1 Week Later For 4 Consecutive WeeksSidedress 2 cups Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer per 10 ft. of row.

Dr. Joe Tomato & Vegetable Bubble
Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble Plant Food
Complete Organic Fertilizer
Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer

Potato Pest & Disease Protection

Insects

Organic Controls
Garden Insect Spray
Neem Oil

Non-Organic Controls
Bug buster ll

Treat as needed using label instructions.

Common Diseases

Organic Controls
Crop rotation and using certified seed potatoes – Bacterial wilt
Crop rotation and don’t overwater – Common scab, late blight, bacterial wilt

Non-Organic Controls
Liquid cop – early blight, late blight
Garden Phos – early blight, late blight

Treat as needed using label instructions.

Harvesting, Curing, And Storing Your Potatoes

Scratching & Harvesting Potatoes

Potatoes can be harvested at different times throughout the growing season based on what you want. Scratching is a term used in gardening, meaning digging up a few of your potatoes before the ten-week maturity date.
New potatoes refer to a fresh crop of potatoes that have just recently come out of the ground. You can harvest new potatoes but allow the rest of the plant to keep maturing. Simply dig up the potatoes you want, being very careful not to damage the ones still in the ground, bury the plant again, and water thoroughly.
When at least 50% of the tops of the potato vines begin to die off and any flowers have begun to drop off, it’s a good indication that your potatoes are ready to harvest. Once temperatures warm up and the weather is expected to be dry, digging up your potatoes can be a fun family event.

Curing & Storing Potatoes

Much like onions, potatoes need to be cured after being harvested. It helps the skin thicken and let any slight damage heal and prevents bacteria from rotting the potato.
Arrange your potatoes in a single layer in a well-ventilated area that is out of direct sunlight for a week to 10 days. Potatoes ideally should be stored around 55ºF and will last in storage for months on end. Warm temperatures will bring the potatoes out of dormancy and cause them to start sprouting. Sunlight will turn the potatoes green and should immediately be discarded. The green color comes from an excess of solamine and if eaten, can cause severe sickness.

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Potato Tips & Tricks

Download Your Free Potato Resources!

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Consider Your Real Estate

If you have a small space garden or prefer container gardening, choose an indeterminate potato variety. Because they have an upward growth habit and multiple layers, indeterminate potatoes are more compact by nature. Both indeterminate and determinate varieties are better suited for larger gardens.

Protect Your Potatoes From Harsh Cold

If you are expecting a cold snap after you’ve planted your potatoes, you can simply cover the entire plant (leaves and all) with dirt or clean straw and wait for them to reemerge. Once they grow to 1″-2″, you can continue hilling or layering.

What About Sweet Potatoes?

Contrary to popular belief, sweet potatoes are not in the same family as regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes actually belong to the morning glory family and are actually more closely related to carrots than regular potatoes.

Potato Growing Guide

Growing Guides Onions Strawberries Potato Growing Guide Which Potato Plants Should You Grow? Spring Planting Schedule Planting Methods Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer Pest & Disease Protection Harvesting, Curing & Storage Extra Credit Grow Potatoes At Home For centuries, the potato has reigned supreme as one of the most popular plants to have in your garden.

January 5, 2022

Tomato Growing Guide

Because the world of tomatoes is such a vast one, figuring out what is the best variety and type for you really comes down to preference, use, and location.

December 8, 2021

How To Grow Tomatoes From Seed

Fill each cell in the trays completely with seed starting mix. Use your hands to pack the mix into each cell, saving some for covering the seeds later.

Make an indentation

December 8, 2021

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Want to expand your garden all throughout the year? We know having a garden in the spring and summer months is very popular but you can have a bountiful harvest in the fall & winter months too.

Growing A Winter Garden We know the most popular garden to grow is in the spring and summer months but you can have a bountiful harvest in the winter as well, especially if you are in the warmer, southern states. Here is a list of some of our favorites from our winter garden!

Cabbage Caribbean Queen Cabbage is a hybrid, tropical-style cabbage with a massive, flattened head. Easier to slice and process. Great for making wraps, slaw, soups, sauerkraut and more! 80 days to maturity.

Cauliflower Graffiti Cauliflower is a hybrid variety that produces stunning, bright purple heads that are medium to large-sized. Performs well even in humid conditions. 80 days to maturity. Flame Star Cauliflower is a hybrid variety that produces beautiful, pastel orange heads with great flavor. Plants have high tolerance to heat and stress. 55 days to maturity. Twister Cauliflower is a hybrid with large, dense heads and outstanding wrapping ability. Outer leaves “twist” and protect the head for beautiful, uniform harvests of bright white heads. 75 days to maturity.

Kale Lacinato Kale is an Italian heirloom that is one of the most productive crops you can grow. Produces delicious, long, and slender leaves year-round. 65 days to maturity.

Carrots Chantenay Royal is an heirloom, open-pollinated variety that works great in heavy or clay soils. This chantenay-type produces uniform carrots that are 4-5″ long with wide diameter. 75 days to maturity. Gold Nugget is a hybrid yellow variety with broad shoulders, blunt ends and little tapering from top to bottom. Strong, vigorous tops make it easy to harvest by hand. Great flavor and uniformity. 75 days to maturity.

Beets Touchstone Gold Beet is the preferred variety of golden beet. Orange to gold skin with bright yellow flesh on the inside. Great flavor and retains color when cooked. 55 days to maturity.

Spinach FanTail Spinach is an extremely heat-tolerant spinach variety that is exceptionally resistant to downy mildew. Upright growing habit for easy and clean harvesting. Great for baby leaf or full leaf production. 45 days to maturity.

Turnips All Top Turnips is the perfect variety for those who want to grow heavy-yields of delicious turnip greens. No turnip roots here — just thick, large leaves that can be cut multiple times. 50 days to maturity.

Mustard Savannah Mustard is the fastest-growing and most tender mustard green we’ve found. Early-maturity. Grow as baby greens or harvest at full size. Cut-and-come again type crop. 20 days to maturity.

Collards Flash Collards is a hybrid collard variety with heavy yields and superior heat-tolerance. Slowest-to-bolt of any variety we offer. Vates-type collard that grows on upright stalks.55 days to maturity.

Kohlrabi Quickstar Kohlrabi is a fast-growing hybrid that maintains texture and flavor at larger bulb sizes. Pale green bulbs with slightly flattened appearance. 35 days to maturity.

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Gardening Questions & Answers Part 1 Can you plant potatoes without sprouting first? Yes, you can. If you don’t pre-sprout them, they can take a little bit longer in the ground to come up but yes, it can be done.

How do you calculate how much (or how concentrated) fertilizer to run through your drip? And with the variability of rates (like 1:100 needs x amount of fertilizer per x gallons of water concentrate) currently working towards getting good fertigation set up going with a dosatron I salvaged from our chicken houses, have a five-gallon bucket to mix my fertilizer in. Try not to make it too complicated. The water that you are using is only a carrier for the fertilizer, don’t focus on how much water. You want to focus on how much fertilizer you’re putting out into the area of your garden you are focusing on. It’s very hard to give rates when we don’t know your soil type, temperature, what you’re planting and how big your garden is.

Do you have a printed catalog? We don’t. We stopped printing a catalog about 4 years ago. We are strictly online. www.hosstools.com

What’s the best pea variety to grow for having dried split peas to make soup with? I’ll be honest, we haven’t made split pea soup. Greg isn’t a big fan of split pea soup but you can make it with any of our English pea varieties. Some people have been known to make it out of a yellow-type pea.

How to keep the stink bugs off zucchini? How to kee green worms off cauliflower, kale, and cabbage? Great question, we keep our garden clean, start our plants early, and we don’t wait to have a pest control plan. If you plant these in the springtime, it is often better than in the fall. They’re easier to control when they are young. Try Neem Oil and Spinosad.

Part 2 Do you have any brilliant ways to store all of the attachments for my single-wheel hoe? Right now, they are in various stages of organization. Some have hooks on the barn wall, and some are in a pile on the workbench or floor? Greg uses a lot of hooks in his barn. They are great to hang wheel hoes and attachments. We would love to see your photos of how you organize your garden tools. Send them to custserv@hosstools.com

I’m planning to build a new strawberry-raised bed and want your advice on what soil type and amendments I should add. I have a compost pile I’ve been working for about 4 months and just added 14 bags of leaves and wondered if I should add some of this to the bottom or top of the bed when we fill it. These strawberry plants are coming from an existing area, in case that matters. Yes, you should add it. Add it to the top, the key to it is to incorporate it all in. Compost on the bottom and then add your leaves.

What kind of watermelons do you plant and how do you plant them? Greg plants a lot of different varieties just to try them out. His all-time favorite is the Crimson Sweet Watermelon. He normally plants on drip irrigation with 3 to 4-foot row spacing.

Would you recommend incorporating brassica leaves into raised beds after harvest, or throwing them away? Yes, incorporate them. Sheila would do a “chop and drop”, you don’t want them to rot on top. It will add a good source of nitrogen to your compost.

I have sugar sand soil but has been improved. Which wheel hoe would be best suited for the loose sandy soil, single or double? Any of our wheel hoes will work great in sandy soils. Greg recommends basing it on the size of your garden. If you have a smaller garden, he recommends the single-wheel hoe. If you figure out later on that you made a mistake and needed a different one, we have conversion kits.

Part 3 What type of nightshades are you growing there? Greg and Sheila grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes. That would be Irish potatoes, not sweet potatoes.

I’ve not had much luck with Roselle here in South Central Tennessee but just bought seeds to try again. What is the optimal pH, season, and type of soil for best results? The optimal pH is about 6.0 -6.5. The key to Roselle is planting them early, you need to have the optimal pH, which is very important. They love the heat.

Any plans to sell humidity domes for your seed trays? We do have humidity domes for the Deluxe Seed Starting Kit but we do not have a dome for the 162 seed starting trays. We have not been able to find a US company to make them that will fit.

How do I kill termites in my compost garden beds? After a few weeks of heavy rain, I was aerating the soil and noticed I had termites. I’m looking for a non-toxic solution to get rid of them. Remove any cellulose material. Any wood, you want to make sure they are termites and not ants. They tend to look very similar. If you have termites, take their food source away.

Zone 7b in Oklahoma. We do great with broccoli, any tips you guys can give on cauliflower and recommended variety? Graffiti and Flame Star cauliflower are great varieties that tend to do great for us!

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What should you do to “winterize” your garden? Tonight, we discuss exactly what you need to do in your garden this season. Based on your zone, you may need a more ardent strategy than some others in warmer climates.

Winterizing Your Garden Be sure you bring tender plants inside, cover vulnerable plants (remember to take when the threat of frost passes so they do not overheat).

Clean out annual vegetables and flowers. Some may harbor disease, pests and funguses. Many bacteria and pest eggs can overwinter in debris, and they will take over your healthy plants once spring arrives.
Remove weeds. Like plants, weeds left in the garden through winter can host many pest eggs and pathogens.
Soil Tests.
Nutrients: Lime, Potassium, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen
Amend your soil for spring. Manure, compost, and organic fertilizers.
Plant Cover Crops: Helps regulate soil erosion, break up compacted areas, increase levels or organic matter, and add nutrients
Replenish Mulch: Helps regulate soil temperatures and oisture, protect crops frm frost, added mulch breaks down and incorporates fresh organic material into soil.
Tarp
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Shut off irrigation systems when freeze is indicated

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Tonight, we discuss the difference in seeds. With a lot of confusion on what Open-Pollinated, Heirloom, and Hybrid seeds are, we will break it down for you.

Open-Pollinated (OP) * Occurs in nature, naturally. As long as plants are separated from other varieties, will breed true to type. + Advantages: Save seeds for next season, Superior flavor + Have stable traits from one generation to the next.

Heirloom * Developed outside commercial plant trade + Past down from generation to generation + Identified by how long the seed has been passed down. (50-100 years) Prior to 1940 + Heirloom seeds must be open pollinated, but not all open pollinated are heirloom seeds. + Why Heirloom: Taste (No more pale tasteless tomatoes) - Stability (Characteristics stable from one year to next, plant will be like parent plant) - Expense - Hardiness - Seed Saving

Hybrid * Often called F1 in seed catalogs + A hybrid is created by crossing two different varieties of the same plant. Can result naturally if plants are not separated. Can also be intentional. It is an attempt to tease out the best genetic traits of both parent plants and combine them in a hybrid seed. + Seeds are unstable and can’t be used for saving as the will grow but likely will not be like parent plants. When a hybrid tomato (for example) produces its fruits, the seeds inside those fruits will carry genetics from both, or either parent plant. That means their traits will be less predictable. + Must purchase new seeds every year + Tend to grow better and have higher yields than open pollinated seeds. + Offer higher disease resistance. + Improved Flavor in some cases.

Can you save Hybrid seeds? Plants that grow from seed saved from hybrid plants generally are less vigorous, more variable, and usually have smaller blossoms and yield less than their parents.

Heirloom Vegetable Seeds Vs. Organic Seeds Organic seeds refer to a growing practice (most likely without pesticides.)

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