image from blog.gardenity.com 

     ​      I do believe March is going out like a lion.  Warming up this morning, cold front coming thru this afternoon and then we are to have rain.  ½ to ¾” of rain.  As it gets colder from the cold front, that will change to snow on the back side of the front.  We are told just snow on the grass.  Let us hope that is right.  IF it does snow, #2 on the robin’s tail. 
I am posting on a vegetable that I have tried to like but just don’t have a taste for it.  Many of you do, so here is how to grow it.  KALE….
Ever been told to “eat your greens?” Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables you can grow. It’s crammed with vitamins and powerful antioxidants, and it tastes de-licious. While easy to grow, there are a few crucial things to get right if you want to enjoy a truly bumper crop of health-boosting leaves.
About Kale
This cold-hardy, resilient vegetable can be planted in spring or fall, and is the easiest member of the brassica family to grow. (The brassica family includes cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and other common cole crops.)
There are so many amazing flavors and textures to choose from that you just won’t find in the grocery store: mild, almost salad-like greens, sweet ‘Red Russian’ kales, or the nutty and sometimes peppery flavours of Italian kales, or handsome ‘Cavalo Nero’ or Tuscan kale, also called dinosaur kale because of its texture.
As well as being nutritious, kale is attractive, coming in a stunning range of varieties, from bright greens to dark purples, crunchy leaves to crinkled beauties and everything in between. It’s ornamental value can be appreciated in traditional garden beds or containers, especially in the fall.
PLANTING
Full sun and fertile soil produce the fastest, most tender leaders, though kale will tolerate partial shade as well. Add plenty of compost to the ground before planting and if your soil isn’t especially rich, top up its fertility by working in nitrogen-rich amendments such as blood meal, cottonseed meal, or composted manure into the ground before planting.
When to Plant Kale
For spring, you can set out starter plants quite early—4 to 6 weeks before the average last frost, and they will grow through summer until the weather gets to warm. Note: If temperatures are likely to dip well below freezing, it’s best to cover young plants at night. 
For fall, direct-seed 3 months before your first fall frost date. Note: In areas with hot summers, you’ll need to delay sowing until temperatures start to cool off. The cool fall weather really brings out the sweet, nutty flavor of kale which can withstand hard frosts (25 to 28 degrees F) without experiencing damage.
Kale can also be grown as a winter vegetables under cover or outside in mild winter regions, like the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast. They’ll grow and yield all winter long. We suggest speaking to your local cooperative extension to determine if/when you should plant winter vegetables.
How to Plant Kale
Because the spacing between kale plants is quite big, at around inches, it’s preferable to start kale off away from the main growing areas, as it’s simply a more efficient use of space. It means you can then be growing something else in the ground, while your kale is still at the seedling stage elsewhere.
When planting, add fertilizer (1-1/2 cups of 5-10-10 fertilizer per 25 feet of row into the top 3 to 4 inches of soil).
Plant seeds 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch deep, 1 inch apart in rows 18 to 30 inches apart into well-drained, light soil.
After about 2 weeks, thin the seedlings so that they are spaced 12 to 18 inches apart. Kale likes to have plenty of space to stretch out.
If you’re setting out young plants (transplants), plant them at the depth at which they are growing in the container. Space 18 to 24 inches apart.
After planting, water plants well.
See our video for growing perfect kale every time!
GROWING
It’s important to keep kale well watered and fertilized. If rain is inconsistent, provide 1 to 1.5 inches of water each week (about 1 gallon per square foot).
Regularly feed kale with a continuous-release plant food.
Mulch the soil to keep down the weeds and keep kale cool. Kale won’t grow in hot weather.
Mulch the soil again heavily after the first hard freeze in the fall. The plants may continue to produce leaves throughout the winter.
PESTS/DISEASES
Cabbageworms are a common pest. Chewed holes are the sign of the green or striped cabbage worm.
Flea beetles are tiny, usually black. They make tiny holes in the leaves of kale and several other plants.
Cabbage Aphids are easily solved with a spray of insecticidal soap, but keep your eye out for these tiny bugs which will be clustered between the leaves.
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
‘Vates’, which is a hardy variety and does not yellow in cold weather. It also has curly, blue-green leaves on 15 inch tall plants.
‘Winterbor’, which resembles the ‘Vates’ variety, but is frost tolerant.
‘Red Russian’, which has red, tender leaves and is an early crop.
‘Lacinato’ (aka ‘Lacinato Blue’, ‘Tuscan’, ‘Black Palm Tree’, or ‘Cavil Nero’): heirloom; straplike leaves up to 2 feet long on plants that resemble small palm trees; heat tolerant, and very cold-hardy.
‘True Siberian’: large, frilly, blue-green leaves; cold-hardy; pick all winter in some areas.
Kale varieties
HARVESTING
Kale is ready to harvest when the leaves are about the size of your hand. Pick about one fistful of leaves per harvest, but no more than one-third of the plant at a time. Start harvesting the oldest leaves first from the lowest section of the plant. Discard any yellowed or torn leaves.
Avoid picking the terminal bud (found at the top center of the plant). That’s the part that keeps the plant productive.
Kale will continue growing until it’s 20°F.  Do not stop harvesting. A “kiss” of frost makes it even sweeter.  (See local frost dates.)
To extend the harvest, protect with row covers. Or, create a makeshift cover with tarps and old blankets propped up by hay bales. Here are a few more season-extending ideas.
How to Store Kale
You can store kale as you would any other leafy green. Put the kale in a loose plastic produce bag and store it in the refrigerator. It should last about 1 week.
WIT AND WISDOM
The chill of a moderate frost or light snow improves the flavor of kale.
Kale has a number of health benefits, as it is rich in minerals and vitamins A and C.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/kale
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa  beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365 

image from v/sci.com/seed-graphic 

       ​Temperature is 33 degrees this morning at 7:00 AM.  Warm up a little, be cloudy and guess what the wind will blow.  Rain tonight, and possible snow tomorrow.  March going out like a lion, I am afraid.  Stay warm. Stay safe. 
How to Germinate Plant Seeds for the Garden  by Robin Sweetser
Seeds must “germinate” for gardens to exist. But what makes a seed germinate? There are a few key things that make seeds sprout successfully, but if you ignore them, you may have poor germination. Robin’s latest post helps us understand how seeds germinate.
Instead of buying starter plants, many gardeners prefer to grow their own from seed. Rather than the limited selection of plants offered at your local garden center, you’ll have many more varieties to choose from. You’ll even save some money—assuming you don’t go overboard and buy too many seeds!
Seed starting isn’t hard to do. Let’s take a look at that important first step in a plant’s life: germination.
Germination is the process a seed goes through when it “wakes up” from its dormant state and starts to grow. Seeds are self-contained systems that contain most of what they need to get themselves started, but there are three important triggers that kick off germination: air, water, and warmth.
What’s Inside a Seed?
Inside every seed is an embryonic plant and a starchy food supply—everything needed to make a new plant. When a seed germinates, the root breaks through the seed coat and goes down (thanks to gravity) looking for water. This anchors the plant. The shoot goes up looking for light. Seeds can germinate in the dark, but need light soon after sprouting to photosynthesize and grow.
The first leaves are called cotyledons and don’t usually look anything like the “true leaves” that come later. Most plants are dicots and have 2 seed leaves. Corn and grasses are monocots and have only 1 seed leaf. The true leaves allow the plant to breathe, which they don’t do in quite the same as we do, taking carbon dioxide in and sending oxygen out instead.
Seeds need three things to germinate - air, water, and warmth.
What Do Seeds Need?
Different seeds need different conditions to germinate, so be sure to read your seed packets. They contain a wealth of information!
Temperature
Some seeds—especially many perennials—need to be chilled before they will break dormancy and germinate. This cold period mimics winter, so when they are brought into the warmth, they think spring has arrived and it is safe to get growing. Just pop them into the fridge for the recommended amount of time before planting. This process is called stratifying.
Some seeds need extra heat. Peppers and tomatoes like soil temperatures in the mid 80s (Fahrenheit), while lettuce and many perennials prefer it cooler, in the low 60s. Generally, 65-75ºF (18-24ºC) is best for most seeds.
If sowing multiple varieties in a community flat, be sure they have the same needs for warmth and light, and will germinate in the same amount of time.
Moisture
Another key element to seed germination is water, which softens the protective seed coat. Just like we wear a coat for protection from the elements, a seed’s coat protects it from cold, parasites, disease, and injury. If you soak a seed in water, it swells and splits open, speeding up the time necessary for germination.
Most often, just keeping the soil moist is sufficient, but some types of seeds need to be soaked overnight before planting because their coats are so tough. Sometimes it’s also recommended to gently nick, file, or sand the seed to help break down the seed coat and make it open faster, but if you have ever tried to file a tiny seed, it isn’t easy!
I prefer soaking to nicking and I do soak a lot of my seeds—especially peas, beans, sweet peas, morning glories, and other vines—to speed up sprouting. Only soak them for 12-24 hours or you run the risk of drowning them! Soak them right before you sow them.
Air
Perhaps surprisingly, seeds actually breathe, and as they germinate, their need for air increases. Hard-packed or saturated soil inhibits air flow and reduces or even prevents germination from occurring. A well-drained, loose soil mix with added vermiculite or perlite works best for seed starting, as it will allow plenty of tiny air pockets to form in the soil, which seeds can access.
Light
Most seeds germinate best in the dark. The depth to bury them varies by seed, so check your packet or catalog; the rule of thumb is to sow them as deep as “2-3 times the width of the seed.”
Some seeds actually do need light to germinate, so don’t bury them at all. Just sow them on the surface, press down so they are making contact with the soil, and if you must cover them, use a light sprinkling of fine vermiculite. Water with a gentle sprayer to avoid dislodging them and put them where they will receive sunshine or artificial light.
Once they have germinated, your new plants need less heat and more light—lots of light! We give our seedlings 16 hours of light a day. (Giving them a period of darkness is important, too; it’s when the plants do a lot of their growing!)
Be patient. It can take anywhere from a few days to a month or more for your seeds to germinate. Again: your seed packets should give you a time estimate!
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365

image from foodandbeveridge.com 

     ​We woke up this morning to a dusting of white snow on the grass.  On the roads it has melted, but still makes us realize that we could still have winter.  Mother’s birthday on the 23rd, and we had snow.  Temperature is at 31 warming up to 40’s today and then tonight 30.  But looks like a slight warm up for the rest of the week.  Stay safe. 
I forgot about nasturtiums.  Mother always had them, and I will plant some for me and for you in peat pots.  I will let you know how that goes.  How about you?  Give them a try.
 
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Nasturtiums  by the editors
The nasturtium is a cheerful and easy-to-grow flower! Their bold blooms and edible leaves, flowers, and seedpods make them an especially fun flower for kids to plant and a favorite companion plant in the garden. Here’s how to grow your own nasturtiums!
About Nasturtiums
These lovely plants, with their unique greenery and vibrant flowers, grow well in containers or as ground cover around vegetable gardens. In fact, they are often used as a trap crop in companion planting, drawing aphids and other garden pests away from the more valuable vegetables.
Nasturtium is a friend of: bean, broccoli, cabbage, cucumber, kale, melon, pumpkin, and radish.
Pests aren’t the only thing nasturtiums attract, however. They are also a favorite of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and their pretty fragrance makes them a good choice for cut-flower gardens, too.
Nasturtiums are grown as annual plants in most areas, though they may perennialize in frost-free zones.
 
Types of Nasturtiums
There are many varieties of nasturtiums, which are divided into two main types: trailing or climbing types (Tropaeolum majus) and bush types (T. minus). As their names suggest, the main difference between them is their growth habit, with trailing nasturtiums forming long vines and bush nasturtiums remaining more compact. (Bush types are also sometimes called “dwarf” nasturtiums.)
Trailing nasturtiums are a great choice for growing in a window box or hanging basket, as their vines will drape and climb beautifully. Bush nasturtiums are a better choice for smaller gardens where space is limited.
Edible Flowers
An important feature of all nasturtiums is their edibility! Nasturtiums’ leaves, flowers, and seedpods have a peppery, almost mustard-like taste, which makes them lovely as a garnish in salads. The seedpods may also be pickled and used like capers.
PLANTING
When to Plant Nasturtiums
Nasturtium seeds may be sown directly in the garden (recommended) or started indoors. Their fragile roots are sensitive to transplanting, so we prefer to direct-sow them.
Indoors: Start seeds 2 to 4 weeks before your last spring frost date.
Outdoors: Sow seeds 1 to 2 weeks after your last spring frost date. Soil temperatures should ideally be between 55° and 65°F (12° and 18°C). Plan to protect young seedlings from late frosts.
Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site
Nasturtiums do well in poorer soils and do not typically need extra fertilizer (unless your soil is extremely poor). Too much nitrogen will encourage more foliage than flowers.
Soil should be well-draining.
Plant nasturtiums in full sun (6–8 hours of sunlight) for the best results. They will grow in partial shade (3–6 hours of sunlight), but won’t bloom as well.
Be conscious of the growing habit of the type of nasturtium you’re growing. Plan to provide supports for trailing types.
How to Plant Nasturtiums
Sow the seeds about half an inch deep and 10 to 12 inches apart in the garden.
Plants should appear in 7 to 10 days.
Nasturtiums with colorful flowers
GROWING
How to Care for Nasturtiums
Water regularly throughout the growing season, but be careful not to overwater your plants. Nasturtiums are somewhat drought tolerant, but still prefer to grow in moist soil. Plus, water-stressed plants will have subpar blooms and flavor.
Cutting off the faded/dead flowers will prolong blooming.
If you’re growing nasturtiums in containers, they may need to be trimmed back occasionally over the growing season. This encourages the plants to produce new foliage.
In summer, nasturtiums may stop blooming if they become heat-stressed. Their flavor may become more intense, too. Keeping them sufficiently watered can help to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures.
PESTS/DISEASES
Aphids
Caterpillars
Flea beetles
Slugs
Whiteflies
Nasturtiums planted near cabbage as companion plants
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
‘Alaska Variegated’ has variegated foliage and a mix of flower colors.
‘Salmon Baby’, to add a pretty salmon-pink color to your garden.
‘Variegatus’, which is a trailing type with red or orange flowers.
‘Peach Melba’ has creamy yellow flowers with orange-red centers.
HARVESTING
How to Harvest Nasturtiums
Leaves and flowers can be harvested at any time.
Seedpods should be harvested before seeds have had a chance to mature and harden.
Snip off leaves, flowers, and seedpods with scissors to avoid damaging the plant.
If you allow the seedpods to mature, you can save the nasturtium’s chick-pea–size seeds and replant them in the spring! Let the seeds dry out on the vine; they’ll fall off. Collect them, brush off the soil, dry them, and store them in a paper envelope in a cool and dark place.
WIT AND WISDOM
Nasturtium flowers are said to symbolize patriotism. Find out more flower meanings here.
Nasturtium flowers are one of several common garden flowers that are edible!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/nasturtiums
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa  50433 beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365
 

     ​      We are having rainy, cloudy weather.  Rain most of the night and looks like we will get some more today.  At least it isn’t snow.  Many 23rd of March we had snow I remember because it is my mom’s birthday.  HAPPY birthday in heaven mom  1908-2002
How to Grow Snap Peas  by Robin Sweetser
Are you a fan of sugar snap peas? You’re in luck. Last year I planted a disease-resistant version of the beloved ‘Sugar Snap Pea’ and the yield was excellent—plus, all the pods were the fat, crunchy ones we have come to love! Learn more about sugar snap peas and how to plant this spring crop.
Maybe I should have planted my snap peas while I still had bare ground in my garden! Now we are expecting our third nor’easter in two weeks. Fortunately, snow is good for growing snap peas.
I had a neighbor years ago—an old farmer who always planted his peas as soon as the ground could be worked in the spring. Many years his newly planted pea rows were soon covered by a foot or more of wet spring snow. He would calmly remark that it wouldn’t bother the peas and in fact was helpful. “Poor man’s fertilizer” is what he called it and he always had the earliest and tastiest peas in town.
There actually is some truth to this bit of gardening lore. Falling snow absorbs ammonia from the air which breaks down when the sun melts the snow, releasing a small amount of nitric acid into the soil. Since in the spring most of the ground has thawed it is able to absorb the meltwater rather than having it run off. French peasants believed that a spring snow was as beneficial to the garden as a coating of manure and old-time farmers took it a step further, plowing a spring snowfall under to capture all its goodness.
Peas actually don’t need this extra nitrogen boost since as a legume they can take nitrogen directly from the air with the help of nitrogen-fixing bacteria on their roots. You can aid this process by inoculating the seeds with rhizobial bacteria before you plant them. Most garden centers and seed catalogs sell it; just be sure to get the one specifically meant for peas and beans. Don’t worry about sticking each little seed with a needle, you only need to moisten the seeds and roll them in it before planting. Easy-peasy.
What are Snap Peas?
Sugar snap peas are a cross between garden peas and snow peas. (Snow peas are the flat ones.) With snap peas, the whole pod is eaten and has a crunchy texture and very sweet flavor. Remove the “strings” at the end; many snap peas varieties have the strings removed now.
If you are a fan of ‘Sugar Snap’ peas like me, you might have noticed that the seeds have not been growing true to type. The past few years, no matter where I source my seeds from, my plants yield as much as 30% snow peas mixed with the snap peas. Because of this lack of reliable seed stock, many companies have discontinued ‘Sugar Snap’ in favor of other “improved” varieties. Since I am always skeptical of anything claiming to be an improvement, last year I planted half the bed with regular ‘Sugar Snap’ and half with ‘Super Sugar Snap’.
Super Snap Pea Variety
The super variety really was better! The peas were ready to harvest much earlier and delivered a higher yield than the regular ‘Sugar Snap.’ Plus, all the pods were the fat crunchy ones we have come to love. This year it will be all ‘Super Sugar Snap’ for me and maybe I will try ‘Sugar Magnolia’ for a touch of color.
It bears a little later but has purple pods that will look great in a veggie platter or salad and it has lovely two-tone flowers as well.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/growing-sugar-snap-peas
Article about the difference between snow peas and sugar snap peas.  I didn’t know, so here it is. 
Bottom Line
Peas come in different varieties — with snow peas and sugar snap peas being two popular options that are often confused for one another.
Both are moderately sweet legumes that offer an abundance of similar nutrients.
While they’re comparable in many ways, they have a few notable differences.
This article explores the main similarities and differences between snow and sugar snap peas.
Belong to the Same Family
Snow peas and sugar snap peas have similar qualities because both belong to the legume family.
Confusingly, the French name, mangetout — meaning “eat all” — is often used for both.
However, though they’re closely related, they’re still two separate varieties.
Snow Peas
Snow peas have been cultivated for centuries.
They’re sometimes referred to as Chinese pea pods, as they’re said to have originated from Southwest Asia.
Snow peas have a flatter pod than sugar snap peas and contain very small peas. In fact, most of the time, they’re harvested before the peas have fully developed in the pod.
Before eating, you generally remove a tough string along the edge of the pod.
Like sugar snap peas, snow peas are members of the legume family, but they’re the plant of the Pisum sativum var. Saccharatum species.
As they can withstand frost and snow, snow peas are generally available year-round, though their peak season is spring through the beginning of winter.
Some people believe that the common name “snow peas” stems from their ability to deter harsh winter conditions.
Sugar Snap Peas
Sugar snap peas — or simply snap peas — were created as a cross between the snow pea and the garden pea in the 1970s.
The garden pea is slightly sweeter than the snow pea but has a much tougher outer pod that needs to be shelled and discarded before eating.
Crossing snow peas and garden peas creates slightly sweeter peas that don’t require the extra work of shelling or discarding the pod — the best of both worlds.
Sugar snap peas have a more rounded pod compared to the flat and thick pod of the snow pea.
Like snow peas, they have a tough string on the edge of the shell that is removed before eating. However, some stringless sugar snap varies are available.
Sugar snap peas are also generally available year-round, though their peak season is March through April.
SUMMARY
Snow and sugar snap peas are both members of the legume family. Technically, they’re two different varieties of the same species. Sugar snap peas are a cross between snow peas and garden peas.
Difference in Taste
Snow and sugar snap peas can easily be interchanged in many recipes and dishes, as their flavors are quite similar.
The main difference in regard to flavor is their level of sweetness.
Snow peas are a slightly tender — yet crisp — sweet pea.
Sugar snap peas are also tender yet crisp but tend to have a sweeter flavor profile, as they’re crossed with the garden pea.
In fact, they’re often considered the most flavorful variety of pea.
SUMMARY
Snow peas and sugar snap peas have very similar flavors. However, sugar snap peas tend to be sweeter and more flavorful.
Identical Nutritional Profiles
Snow peas and sugar snap peas are identical in their nutritional profiles.
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of either snow or sugar snap peas provides
Calories: 42
Carbs: 7.5 grams
Fiber: 2.6 grams
Protein: 2.8 grams
Vitamin A: 22% of the Daily Value (DV)
Vitamin C: 100% of the DV
Vitamin K: 31% of the DV
Folate: 10% of the DV
Magnesium: 6% of the DV
Phosphorus: 5% of the DV
Potassium: 6% of the DV
Manganese: 12% of the DV
Unlike your typical shelled pea, both snow peas and sugar snap peas are much less starchy — meaning they contain fewer carbs.
In fact, both provide less than 8 grams of carbs in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) (1).
Both varieties offer various important nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K and folate — while being low in fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Whichever pea you prefer can be a low-calorie, nutritious addition to your diet.
SUMMARY
Sugar snap peas and snow peas share identical nutritional profiles and are less starchy than a typical shelled pea. They’re also low in calories and provide many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and folate.
Potential Health Benefits
The nutrients in snow and snap peas may offer certain health benefits.
Vitamin C
Snow and sugar snap peas are an excellent source of vitamin C, providing 100% of your daily needs in just 3.5 ounces (100 grams)
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant associated with impressive health benefits, such as reduced heart disease risk and improved blood pressure control and immunity.
Additionally, peas are rich in other antioxidants, such as flavonoids and carotenoids .
These have been shown to decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke by preventing cell damage.
Both sugar snap and snow peas are good sources of vitamin K.
This nutrient is involved in various bodily functions, including blood clotting and bone metabolism.
Many studies suggest that vitamin K plays a key role in increasing bone strength and density .
The correlation between inadequate vitamin K intake and osteoporosis is strong.
This vitamin also appears to be important for heart health — it helps prevent the calcification of your blood vessels, which could decrease your risk of heart disease.
What’s more, many studies indicate that vitamin K may lower blood pressure by relaxing constricted blood vessels and allowing your heart to effortlessly pump blood through your body
Fiber
Snow and sugar snap peas are relatively rich in fiber — which is important for your overall health.
Fiber can promote digestive health by preventing constipation and may be beneficial for blood sugar control (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
Furthermore, fiber promotes feelings of fullness and may aid weight loss (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Due to their vitamin C, vitamin K and fiber content, both sugar snap and snow peas may offer various health benefits, including reduced heart disease risk, improved blood pressure control, gut health and weight loss.
How to Enjoy Them
Both sugar snap and snow peas are available fresh and frozen.
One of the best and easiest ways to enjoy these types of peas is to simply remove the tough string around the pod and eat them raw. You can also dip them in hummus or yogurt vegetable dip.
In addition, their tender yet crispy texture and sweet flavor make great additions to various salads.
Both types can be roasted with olive oil, lightly sauteed with garlic or enjoyed steamed as a side dish.
Plus, adding snow and sugar snap peas to stir-fry and pasta dishes is a great way to boost your vegetable intake.
Be mindful not to overcook these legumes, as they will become limp and lose their crispness.
SUMMARY
Sugar snap and snow peas can be enjoyed raw as a nutritious and healthy snack — simply remove their hard outer string. Both can also be added to stir-fries or salads for an extra boost of sweetness.
The Bottom Line
Sugar snap peas are a cross between snow and garden peas.
 
The pods of snow peas are flatter with small, premature peas, whereas sugar snap peas are more rounded.
Both have an identical nutritional profile and very similar flavors. Still, sugar snap peas tend to be sweeter and more flavorful.
While snow peas and sugar snap peas have their similarities and differences, both make an excellent addition to a well-balanced diet.
Taken from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/snow-peas-vs-sugar-snap-peas
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from wallpaperflare.com 

      ​It is raining out, and sounds like all day and into the night.  One inch to inch and half is predicted that will be nice.  March 23rd is my mother’s birthday, and we had more snow storms on her birthday then we have had rain.  BUT we will take this.  Temperature at 7:50 AM is all ready 42 degrees with tonight a low of 38.  BUT with the rain of course it will be cloudy.  One more sign of spring. 
With the warm weather last week and now this week you might be thinking it is time to plant.  Here are some things to watch for before you plant.  DON”T plant too early we can still have lots of cold weather yet.  Yes I said it we could have more cold weather. 
What is springcasting? 
Springcasting: When to Plant as Defined by Plants!
Don’t be tempted to start planting too soon! Average spring frosts are just a rough guide. Springcasting is a way to predict and track the progress of spring across the continent—as defined by plants. See when spring “officially” makes it to your neck of the woods.
During an unusually warm stretch of weather in March, I was greatly tempted to start planting. Thankfully, I did not succumb to that temptation because the next week turned cold cold cold.
How do you know when to plant? Spring frost dates are a rough guide. But also keep in mind that a frost date is not an “actual” date; it’s a probability of frost based on decades of historical information. Think of it as a future estimate of your last frost date. See the Almanac’s Frost Date Calculator for your zip code.
Taking Soil Temperature
Taking my soil temperature to gauge when it is safe to plant is something I do every spring, but I recently found out from a Master Gardener that I was doing it wrong. I usually took the reading in late morning to early afternoon. Not a wise move since by then the sun has had a chance to warm the soil and give a temperature on the high side.
For a more accurate reading, it is recommended that we take the temperature 2 inches down at 9 AM every day for at least 5 days in a row and then average the numbers to get a picture of soil warmth after a cold night. When the soil is 40 degrees or above it is safe to start planting your cold weather crops like peas, radishes, spinach, etc.
Springcasting is a way to predict and track the progress of spring across the continent. Knowing when different local plants—such as dogwood and lilac—leaf out and blossom is the natural way to determine when to plant.
To forecast spring, the Phenology Network tracks the first leaves and the first blossoms on lilac, dogwood, and honeysuckle plants across the nation. By studying phenomena like the flowering of native plants, we also learn about the emergence of insects and pollinators and the migration of birds and animals. Learn more about phenology in the garden.
Comparing Cloned Plants
Another way to track spring is to compare cloned plants. The Phenology Network invites you to participate in project by planting a lilac and/or dogwood to observe them over 6 weeks each year to compare growth and blossoming with previous years. Things like leaf emergence, bud break, full flowering, and seeds are noted.
Why cloned plants? They are are genetically identical so no matter where they are grown in the country you will be comparing identical plants or “apples to apples.” The Phenology Network tracks 2 specific varieties: ‘Appalachian Spring’ dogwood and ‘Red Rothomagensis’ lilac.
We all know about the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. Three hundred Yoshino cherry trees were given to the US by the mayor of Tokyo in 1912 as a gift of friendship. Cherry blossoms are a classic indicator of how quickly spring is traveling from south to north. The blooms have peaked as early as March 15 (1990) and as late as April 18 (1958).
The Yoshino cherries have white single blossoms with just a hint of pink. There are also Kwanzan cherries growing in the Tidal Basin area of Washington DC that bloom a little later. They are darker pink and have multi-petals.
Why cherry blossoms? These trees are very sensitive to temperature changes. If the temperature drops below 28 degrees for 30 minutes or more, it can kill the blossoms.
Warm weather in 2021 sped up the development of the flowers and caused them to peak on March 28 which is four days earlier than the 20 year average date of April 1.
This is in sync with the cherry trees in Kyoto which bloomed 10 days early this year.
These early bloom times are attributed to global climate change. If flowering plants blossom too early the pollinators they rely on may not have emerged yet which is bad for both bug and plant. Since 1921,
When the forsythia blooms, plant peas, onion sets, radishes, and spinach.
I live further north than many of my fellow gardeners. So, I have been faithfully taking my soil temps this week and they are rising each day but I am also keeping an eye on the forsythia in my yard. The buds are coloring up and elongating. As soon as they start to open, I will know it is time to plant. That little bit of phenology has served me well over the years.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/springcasting-when-plant-defined-plants
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from wallpaper cave 

            Spring will start on Sunday March 20th, but I thought these facts were interesting to share with you now.  This week we had a couple of spring like days, now as it is still March we are getting cooler weather and possible snow.  But spring type weather will be coming more and more as we get closer to April.  Stay safe. 
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When does spring start this year? In 2022, the spring equinox happens on Sunday, March 20! This event marks the astronomical first day of spring around the Northern Hemisphere at exactly the same time. What does equinox mean? What happens on the equinox? Before you try to balance that egg, read this!
What Is the Spring Equinox?
In the Northern Hemisphere, the March equinox (aka spring equinox or vernal equinox) occurs when the Sun crosses the equator line, heading north. This event marks the start of the spring season in the northern half of the globe. After this date, the Northern Hemisphere begins to be tilted more toward the Sun, resulting in increasing daylight hours and warming temperatures. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the March equinox marks the start of autumn, as the Southern Hemisphere begins to be tilted away from the Sun.)
When Is the First Day of Spring?
In 2022, the March equinox happens on Sunday, March 20, at 11:33 A.M. EDT. In the Northern Hemisphere, this date marks the start of the spring season.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the March equinox marks the start of autumn, while the September equinox marks the start of spring.
Spring Equinox Dates and Times
Year       Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)  Spring Equinox (Southern Hemisphere)
2022       Sunday, March 20, at 11:33 A.M. EDT      Thursday, September 22*
2023       Monday, March 20, at 5:24 P.M. EDT       Saturday, September 23
2024       Tuesday, March 19, at 11:06 P.M. EDT    Sunday, September 22
2025       Thursday, March 20, at 5:01 A.M. EDT     Monday, September 22
*Due to time zone differences, this equinox will technically occur on the next day in some parts of the world.
What Does Spring “Equinox” Mean, Exactly?
The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night”—aequus (equal) and nox (night).
On the equinox, the length of day and night is nearly equal in all parts of the world.
With the equinox, enjoy an increasing amount of sunlight hours, with earlier dawns and later sunsets! See your personalized Sun rise and set calculator.
What Happens on the March Equinox?
On the March equinox, the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north. It’s called the “celestial” equator because it’s an imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator.
If you were standing on the equator, the Sun would pass directly overhead on its way north.
Equinoxes are the only two times each year that the Sun rises due east and sets due west for all of us on Earth!
While the Sun passes overhead, the tilt of the Earth is zero relative to the Sun, which means that Earth’s axis neither points toward nor away from the Sun. (Note, however, that the Earth never orbits upright, but is always tilted on its axis by about 23.5 degrees.)
After the spring equinox, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the Sun. Although in most locations (the North Pole and Equator being exceptions) the amount of daylight had been increasing each day after the winter solstice, after the spring equinox, many places will experience more daylight than darkness in each 24-hour day. The amount of daylight each day will continue to increase until the summer solstice in June, during which the longest period of daylight occurs.
Spring Equinox FAQs
Q: Does Spring Begin on March 1 or on the Equinox?
A: Well, both. The answer depends on your definition of “spring.” Both dates are accurate; they’re just from different perspectives. We’ll explain …
Astronomically speaking, the first day of spring is marked by the spring equinox, which falls on March 19, 20, or 21 every year. The equinox happens at the same moment worldwide, although our clock times reflect a different time zone. And, as mentioned above, this date only signals spring’s beginning in the Northern Hemisphere; it announces fall’s arrival in the Southern Hemisphere.
Interestingly, due to time zone differences, there isn’t a March 21 equinox in mainland U.S. during the entire 21st century! We won’t see a March 21 equinox again until 2101.
Meteorologically speaking, the official first day of spring is March 1 (and the last is May 31). Weather scientists divide the year into quarters to make it easier to compare seasonal and monthly statistics from one year to the next. The meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles rather than on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun, and they more closely follow the Gregorian calendar. Using the dates of the astronomical equinoxes and solstices for the seasons would present a statistical problem, as these dates can vary slightly each year.
Q: Are Day and Night Equal on the Equinox?
A: No, but they are quite close to equal. In reality, day and night are not exactly equal on the equinox for two reasons: First, daytime begins the moment any part of the Sun appears over the horizon and is not finished until the last part of the Sun disappears below the horizon. If the Sun were to shrink to a starlike point and we lived in a world without air, the spring and fall equinoxes would truly have equal nights.
Q: According to folklore, you can stand a raw egg on its end on the equinox. Is this true?
A: This egg folklore became popular in 1945 following a LIFE article about the spring practice. “The origins of this myth are attributed to stories that the ancient Chinese would create displays of eggs standing on end during the first day of spring,” according to John Millis, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Anderson University in South Carolina. “The ancient Chinese celebrated the first day of spring about six weeks earlier than the equinox”—not just on the equinox itself.
As with most folklore, it’s only partly true. You should be able to balance an egg on its end on the equinox, but it’s possible to balance an egg on other days, too!
Folklore or not, this egg trick sounded like fun to us. One spring, a few minutes before the vernal equinox, several Almanac editors tried this trick. For a full workday, 17 out of 24 eggs stood on end. Three days later, we tried this trick again and found similar results. Perhaps three days after the equinox was still too near. Perhaps the equinox has nothing to do with it. Perhaps we just don’t like to take ourselves too seriously!
Try this yourself and let us know what happens. (Tip: You’ll probably have better luck balancing an egg if you try it on a rough surface or use an egg that has a bumpy end.)
Q: Which Day Has the Most Sunlight in North America?
A:  The Summer—or “June”—Solstice is called the “longest” day of the year! The date of the longest day actually varies from June 20 to June 22, depending on the year, and the local time zone. By “longest day,” we mean the day that gets the most daylight (versus darkness). See our Summer Solstice page.
How Do You Celebrate the Vernal Equinox?
To us, the vernal equinox signals new beginnings and nature’s renewal in the Northern Hemisphere.
Many cultures celebrate with spring festivals, such as Easter and Passover.
Observe nature around you!
Are worms and grubs reappearing? (The March Full Moon is called the “Worm Moon” for this very reason!)
Watch the arc of the Sun across the sky as it shifts toward the north. Birds are migrating northward, along with the path of the Sun.
Are you noticing that the days are getting longer? Did you know that the increasing sunlight inspires birds to sing? Cool, eh? Enjoy our Bird Songs page.
Are daffodils poking up their heads? Trees, shrubs, and flowers are sensitive to temperature and day length, too! Since ancient days, people have used natural events as indicators of when the weather is right for planting. For example: Blooming crocus are your cue to plant radishes, parsnips, and spinach. See more of nature’s signs.
Can you feel the Sun getting stronger? The longer days bring high temperatures. Both we and the animals around us discard our warm clothes and heavy coats!
Do you plan to garden? See which days are the best planting dates according to your local frost dates or consult our Vegetable Gardening for Beginners guide for gardening tips!
Are you craving fresh foods after a long winter? A Spring Tonic, using the early greens of spring, may be just the thing you need! Also, find some new spring recipes using what’s fresh and seasonal!
Ancient Equinox Traditions: The Snake of Sunlight
Scientific explanation aside, our ancestors were more connected to the Sun than we are today. They observed its pathway across the sky, and they tracked how the sunrise, sunset, and day length changed, using the Sun (and Moon) as a clock and calendar.
There are many ancient sites that mark the equinoxes (and solstices). One of the most famous ancient Spring equinox celebrations took place at Chichen Itza in Mexico. The Mayans built a huge pyramid around the year A.D. 1000. Even today, the way the Sun’s light falls on it signals the beginning of the seasons. On the spring equinox, it looks like a huge snake is slithering down the steps. Mayans called this day “the return of the Sun serpent.”
Verse
For glad Spring has begun,
And to the ardent sun
The earth, long time so bleak,
Turns a frost-bitten cheek.
- Celia Thaxter, American poet (1835–94)
 Spring-time sweet!
The whole Earth smiles, thy coming to greet.
- Unknown
 Never yet was a springtime,
Late though lingered the snow,
That the sap stirred not at the whisper
Of the southwind, sweet and low.
- Margaret Elizabeth Sangster, American writer (1838–1912)
Quotes
Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”
- Robin Williams (1951–2014)
Sayings
Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring.
One swallow does not make a spring.
In spring, no one thinks of the snow that fell last year.
When the dandelions bloom early in spring, there will be a short season. When they bloom late, expect a dry summer.
Don’t say that spring has come until you can put your foot on nine daisies.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-spring-vernal-equinox
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa  beckmall@netins.net 641-794-3337  cell phone 641-+03-9365

image from wallpaper cave 

image from commons.wikimedia.org 

Good morning.  I have been working hard in the greenhouse.  On Tuesday, the grower’s truck dropped off 23 boxes of plugs.  My part time help has started so here we go, getting plants ready for your garden.   We are having 20 degrees above normal temperatures today.  This is awesome.  BUT you remember it is still the middle of March we can have some winter weather coming but it will not last long.  ENJOY this day. 
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Many of us remember hunting for that elusive “four-leaf clover” as a child, and we’ve all seen that green shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day. That brings us to today’s garden musings. Let’s talk about what a shamrock really is—and what it isn’t!
What Is a Shamrock?
The shamrock is a symbol that we commonly associate with St. Patrick’s Day and with Ireland. It can be seen all over St. Patrick’s Day decor, representing the rebirth of spring.
Sometimes, the shamrock is depicted as a four-leaf clover, but this isn’t quite accurate. Traditionally, a shamrock is a three-leaf clover.
Why three leaves and not four? According to legend, St. Patrick used a three-leaf shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, with one leaf representing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, respectively. More recently, the four-leaf clover has also come to represent the Holy Trinity, with the fourth leaf symbolizing God’s Grace.
The True Shamrock
The word “shamrock” comes from the Irish word Seamróg, meaning “little clover” or “young clover,” but there isn’t a consensus on which species of clover is the “true” shamrock. In fact, there are a few plants that go by this nickname!
In Ireland, the plants that are most often associated with the name “shamrock” are the suckling clover (Trifolium dubium) and the white clover (Trifolium repens). Both clovers are native to Europe, but can be found throughout the world today. Their genus name, Trifolium, means “having three leaves”—an appropriate description!
White clover is thought to be one of the “true” shamrock plants.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, a number of other similar-looking plants go by the name “shamrock”:
“Shamrock [refers to] any of several similar-appearing trifoliate plants—i.e., plants each of whose leaves is divided into three leaflets. Plants called shamrock include the wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) of the family Oxalidaceae, or any of various plants of the pea family (Fabaceae), including white clover (Trifolium repens), suckling clover (T. dubium), and black medic (Medicago lupulina). Wood sorrel is shipped from Ireland to other countries in great quantity for St. Patrick’s Day.”
As mentioned, “shamrock” can also refer to a plant called common wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella). Wood sorrel looks very similar to clover, though the plants are not related. Tropical relatives of wood sorrel are often sold in stores as “shamrock” houseplants, since they’re better suited to the indoor environment than clover species are.
How Rare Is a Four-Leaf Clover? Why Are They Lucky?
As kids, we would spend hours searching for that lucky four-leaf clover—and often come home empty handed!
A four-leaf clover isn’t a special variety of clover; it’s just an unusual mutation of a three-leaf clover, but it’s a “lucky” symbol because it’s so hard to find. In fact, your chances of finding a four-leaf clover are 1 in 10,000! That’s where the luck comes in, apparently. According to popular lore, if you do find a four-leaf clover, giving it to someone else doubles your luck.
Traditionally, four leaves were considered lucky because they reflected the shape of a cross and were thought to be magical or sacred. Eve supposedly took a four-leaf clover with her when she was banished from the Garden of Eden, too.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that carrying a four-leaf clover would enable you to see fairies, recognize witches and evil spirits, and be protected from the evil eye. Even dreaming of clover was supposed to bring good luck.
Superstitions aside, clover is valuable plant in many ways. Bees and other pollinators can’t resist its flowers (red clover is especially attractive to bumblebees), and the plants can be turned into the soil as green manure, too. Additionally, the roots host nitrogen-fixing bacteria that enrich the soil, and the plants are high-quality forage for many animals. The reasons to grow clover are endless!
The Value of Clover
In recent years, the idea of growing clover has been making a comeback. White clover (Trifolium repens) is well known for crowding out broadleaf weeds while growing harmoniously with grass. It will thrive in areas that are poorly drained or too shady for a conventional lawn, making it a great grass alternative.
As a legume, clovers have the ability to convert nitrogen into fertilizer using bacteria in its root system (a process called “nitrogen fixation”), practically eliminating the need for additional fertilization.
Despite today’s push for perfectly green lawns (which often involves a lot of chemicals), clover was not always viewed as a “weed.” The University of Minnesota Extension Service points out that, until relatively recently, it was standard practice to include clover seed in lawn seed mixes:
“Until the 1950s, clover was included in lawn seed mixes, as it was regarded as a prestigious lawn plant. It may be considered an attractive, low-maintenance ground cover that is soft to walk on, mows well and will fill in thin spots in a yard.”
Today, it seems clover is returning as a more eco-friendly lawn alternative. Since it is nitrogen fixating, it can supply its own nutrients to poor soil. Overseeding clover seed into your existing lawn is an easy way to establish a clover lawn. For lawns, the most popular is the white clover because it is relatively low growing, tolerates close mowing, and outcompetes weeds.
The False Shamrock
The last piece of the shamrock puzzle is a houseplant that also goes by the name “shamrock.” It usually crops up in grocery stores and nurseries around St. Patrick’s Day. This plant is not related to clover (the “true” shamrock), but is in the same genus as wood sorrel (Oxalis).
Oxalis are native to many regions of the world, but they’re most numerous in the tropics, which is where the houseplant species come from. Depending on the species, they can have green or purple leaves and white or pink flowers, and some cultivars, such as ‘Irish Mist’, have green leaves flecked with white. The whole plant is photophilic, meaning the leaves and flowers close up at night and open wide again in the morning.
Oxalis can be grown outdoors in the spring and summer in Hardiness Zones 6 to 11, but they also make for great houseplants year-round. They like bright, indirect light and tend to bloom in fall, winter, or spring.
Since they are grown from bulbs, let them dry out a bit between waterings to prevent rot. Don’t fret if your indoor Oxalis loses all its leaves in summer. It isn’t dead. It just needs a dormant period, so let it dry out and put the pot in a dark place until it decides to resume growth in a few weeks. As soon as new leaves appear, bring it into the light and resume watering. These plants are low maintenance and long lived.
Here are a few of the more popular Oxalis houseplant species:
Sometimes called False Shamrock, Oxalis regnellii are native to South America. Pictured above, they have heart-shaped leaves instead of the clover’s oval-shaped leaves.
Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) is a subspecies of O. regnellii that hails from Brazil. It has large, handsome, purple leaves and pale lavender-pink flowers.
Lucky Leaf or Lucky Clover (Oxalis tetraphylla) is also known as four-leaved sorrel. Native to Mexico, it has four split green leaves with a dark maroon eye. The trumpet-shaped flowers of ‘Alba’ are white, ‘Iron Cross’ has pink flowers.
Oxalis houseplants all contain oxalic acid, the same chemical that makes rhubarb leaves and daffodils toxic. If eaten in large quantities, they can be poisonous to pets and small children, so don’t go feeding the leaves to your pet rabbit!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/clover-shamrocks-and-oxalis-whats-difference
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from mygardyn.com

     ​     COLD, and more cold coming in tomorrow.  -1 Saturday morning, but then on Sunday it is going to warm up and for all next week.  This will be good. Till then stay warm. 
 
    This isn’t a new concept with having 3 seasons in your flower bed.  IT is so worth the planning to have this.  Hope it gives you new outlook for your flower beds. 
A Flower Garden Design for Spring, Summer, and Fall Color by Doreen G. Howard
Imagine a gorgeous flower garden drenched with color from early spring to the first frost of autumn.
A daydream, you say? Not anymore! This flower garden design fills the wish list of amateur and expert gardeners alike with …
Constant color: Spring flowers and foliage in burgundy, pink, and blue give way to yellow, orange, blue, and ebony for summer and autumn.
Effortless impact: This plot is almost maintenance-free. For at least five years, it will need no staking, dividing, or pruning—only fertilizing, feeding, and maybe a bit of weeding.
Easy adaptability: The plot size can be reduced or expanded to suit your space (and time), and these plants tolerate most climates, whether the first freeze occurs on September 10 or November 15. (Because most of these perennials need winter chill, this garden is not appropriate for subtropical climates such as southern Florida and southern California.)
Three Seasons of Color
Spring Color
‘Black Lace’ elderberry
Rozanne geranium
‘Foxtrot’ tulip
‘King of Hearts’ dicentra
‘Obsidian’ heuchera
Wine & Roses weigela
Pink and white tulips.
Tulips
Summer Color
‘Connecticut Yankee’ delphinium
‘Goldsturm’ rudbeckia
‘Mardi Gras’ helenium
‘May Night’ salvia
‘Mönch’ aster
‘Summer Sun’ heliopsis
(‘Black Lace’ elderberry, Rozanne geranium, ‘Obsidian’ heuchera, and Wine & Roses weigela will still bloom.)
Heliopsis 'Summer Sun'
Heliopsis
Fall Color
‘Arendsii’ monkshood
‘Mönch’ hardy aster
(‘Black Lace’ elderberry, Rozanne geranium, ‘Goldsturm’ rudbeckia, Mardi Gras helenium, ‘May Night’ salvia, ‘Obsidian’ heuchera, ‘Summer Sun’ heliopsis, and Wine & Roses weigela will still bloom.)
Garden Ground Rules
The bed is 16 feet long and 6 feet wide.
The garden requires at least six hours of sunlight a day.
The 13 plant varieties are massed in numbers of each for maximum color and instant curb appeal. The plan is customizable to your best advantage, as a border or an island.
To create larger beds, double or triple the number of plants
If space (or time) is at a premium, cut the length of the bed to 8 feet, reduce the number of plants accordingly, and forgo the large ‘Black Lace’ elderberry shrub.
For a centerpiece in the middle of a lawn, place the elderberry and taller perennials in the middle and surround them with plants of shorter stature, ending with Rozanne geranium and ‘Obsidian’ heuchera at the edge of the bed.
Best Three-Season Plants List
A three-season garden requires three essential ingredients:
Perennials that bloom copiously year after year
Small shrubs with color-saturated foliage all season long
Plants that do not spread aggressively.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/flower-garden-designs-three-season-flower-bed
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from masterofhort.com 

     Good morning…it is darn cold here in Northern Iowa, but I heard from our daughter in Wyoming and they are at -4 this morning, so we can’t say darn cold I guess.  Temperature is at 15 degrees with it only warming up to 22 degrees.  IT will be colder than normal till Sunday but all next week we will have the above normal temperatures so that gives us the average for the month when we are below normal at some time, we will be above normal. 
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      I am thinking about order these potatoes.  What do you think?  Do you grow them?  Let me know. Potato Fingerling Russian Banana  This attractive all-purpose fingerling potato has yellow skin with yellow flesh and a distinctive nutty flavor. Potatoes have a firm texture and are about 4-5" long. Banana Fingerling potatoes are perfect for baking, boiling, frying or even in salads due to their firm texture. Approximately 10 seed potatoes per pound. Supplied as certified seed potato.
Here is how to grow them.
What Are Fingerling Potatoes: Tips For Growing Fingerling Potatoes
Have you noticed that potatoes have moved beyond baked, split, and buttered? For some time now, potatoes have taken on a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and sizes. Many have them have always been around but just fell out of favor. Take fingerling potatoes, for instance. What are fingerling potatoes? What are fingerling potato uses? Read on to find out how to grow fingerling potatoes and other fingerling potato info.
What are Fingerling Potatoes?
Fingerlings, like most potatoes, originated in South America and were brought to Europe. European immigrants brought them to North America. They are heirloom potatoes with long, knobby finger-like shapes. Some say they look like adorable, chubby baby fingers, but some of them more resemble the gnarled fingers of a Disney witch. To each their own.
Regardless of how you view them, the fact is that these spuds are delicious and are featured more often with restaurant cuisine, but they may be found at the local grocers too. They are naturally small when mature with a thin skin and smooth, moist texture.
Fingerling Potato Info
Fingerling potatoes often come in colors such as yellow, red, and even purple. Scientists have shown that these colors are more than just pleasing to the eye. Brightly colored crops have more nutrients than their drab counterparts, so eating fingerlings will provide you with an extra helping of phytonutrients, the natural compounds found in fruits and vegetables that promote good health.
Yellow fingerlings produce carotenoids or pro-vitamin A and the red and purple varieties produce anthocyanins, which act as antioxidants and fight free radicals that, in turn, may offer anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits.
Fingerling Potato Uses
Because of their thin skins, fingerlings do not need to be peeled. They work well in any way a potato can be used, from roasted, baked, broiled, and grilled to steamed, sautéed, and boiled. They complement salads, purees, soups, and sauces.
How to Grow Fingerling Potatoes
If you’ve seen fingerlings at the grocers or the farmer’s market, then you know that they cost more than the basic baking potato. This is no doubt because the thin skins make them less storable than other types of potatoes. No worries, you can easily grow your own. It’s no different than growing any other potato.
Some gardeners begin growing fingerling potatoes in summer for a fall harvest that can be kept throughout the winter months. This works well for folks that live in warmer regions, but for those in colder areas, plant them in early spring. They take 120 days from planting to harvest. Select disease free certified seed potatoes.
Prepare a bed for your spuds that is deeply dug and free of large debris. It should be moderately fertile with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Plant the seed potatoes two weeks after the last frost free date for your area. Plant them 2-4 inches (5-10 cm.) deep and a foot (30.5 cm.) apart in rows that are about 30 inches (76 cm.) apart.
As the plants grow, hill up around them with soil [3] to keep the spuds from getting green [4]. Potatoes do best in cool, moist soil, so mulch the hills with hay or straw to keep them cool and retain moisture.
Taken from Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa  beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from floraexplorer.com

      Good morning:
Temperature at 9:00 Am is at 19 degrees with first cloudy skies, now it is clearing off and partly cloudy.  BUT to the west it is dark, so see what happens.  Tonight, a low of 22.  BUT wait till next week, a warming trend is going to take place.  Stay safe.
We will be getting our seed potatoes at the end of March so stop in and pick yours up along with onion sets.  IF you stop early, you will see what and how we are growing plants. 

​
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Potatoes by The Editors
Our Potato Growing Guide covers planting, growing, and harvesting one of our favorite vegetables! Also, see tips on how to store potatoes to keep them fresh and some homemade potato recipes.
About Potatoes
Potatoes can be planted very early in the gardening season, as you soon you are able to work the soil!
Folklore offers many “best days” for planting potatoes:
Old-timers in New England planted their potato crops when they saw dandelions blooming in the open fields.
The Pennsylvania Dutch considered St. Gertrude’s Day (March 17, aka St. Patrick’s Day) to be their official potato-planting day.
Many Christian farmers believed that Good Friday was the best day to plant potatoes because the devil holds no power over them at this time.
PLANTING
When to Plant Potatoes
Potatoes prefer cool weather.
In Northern regions, some gardeners will plant the first crop of early-maturing potatoes in early to mid-April, 6 to 8 weeks before the average last frost date or as soon as the soil can be worked. Potatoes can survive some cool weather but the threat of frost is a gamble. If there is a threat of frost at night, temporarily cover any sprouted foliage with mulch or an artificial covering, such as old sheets or plastic containers (and be sure to remember to remove the coverings in the morning).
To avoid frost, consider planting potatoes 2 weeks after your last spring frost. You may plant earlier, as soon as soil can be worked, but be aware that some crops may be ruined by a frost or overly wet soil.
The soil, not the calendar, will tell you when it’s time to plant. The temperature of the soil should ideally be at least 45° to 55°F (10°C). The soil should also not be so wet that it sticks together and is hard to work. Let it dry out a bit first. Like other seeds, potato seed pieces will rot if planted in ground that’s too wet.
In Southern regions, potatoes can be grown as a winter crop and planting times range from September to February. Where winters are relatively mild, you can plant a fall crop in September. In central Florida, gardeners plant potatoes in January; and in Georgia they plant in February.
Spacing for Potatoes
Preparing the Planting Site
Potatoes grow best in cool, well-drained, loose soil that is about 45° to 55°F (7° to 13°C).
Choose a location that gets full sun, at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.
Grow potatoes in rows spaced about 3 feet apart.
With a hoe or round-point shovel, dig a trench about 6 inches wide and 8 inches deep, tapering the bottom to about 3 inches wide.
Spread and mix in fully rotted manure or organic compost in the bottom of the trench before planting. (Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.)
Man planting potatoes. Photo by tanyss/Getty Images.
Preparing seed potatoes for planting. Photo by tanyss/Getty Images.
How to Plant Potatoes
In each trench, place a seed potato piece (cut side down) every 12 to 14 inches and cover with 3 to 4 inches of soil.
If your garden soil is very rocky, put the seed potato pieces directly on the ground. Sprinkle with a mix of soil and compost. Cover them with straw or leaves, hilling the material up as the potatoes grow.
The best starters are seed potatoes. Do not confuse seed potatoes with potato seeds or grocery produce! Select seed potatoes that have protruding eyes (buds).
Use a clean, sharp paring knife to cut large seed potatoes into pieces that are roughly the size of a golf ball, making sure that there are at least 2 eyes on each piece. (Potatoes that are smaller than a hen’s egg should be planted whole.)
If you are cutting up potato pieces yourself, do so 1 to 2 days ahead of planting. This will give them the chance to “heal” and form a protective layer over the cut surface, improving both moisture retention and rot resistance.
12 to 16 days after planting, when sprouts appear, use a hoe to gently fill in the trench with another 3 to 4 inches of soil, leaving a few inches of the plants exposed. Repeat in several weeks, leaving the soil mounded up 4 to 5 inches above ground level (this is called “hilling” and is explained more here.).
After the potato plants have emerged, add organic mulch between the rows to conserve moisture, help with weed control, and cool the soil.
Potatoes also can be grown in large containers or baskets. The same planting guide applies.
ROWING
How to Grow Potatoes
Hilling Potatoes
A critical part of growing potatoes is to not let their tubers (i.e., the potato crop) be exposed to sunlight for too long. Exposed tubers will turn green and produce a toxic compound called solanine, which makes the bitter, inedible, and potentially nausea-inducing.
To combat this, we employ a technique called hilling.
Hilling is simple: As a potato plant grows, it produces a main stem with leaves and flowers above ground. Meanwhile, underground, tubers form on secondary stems that branch off from the main stem. In order to prevent shallow tubers from being exposed to sunlight and to encourage the plant to keep producing more tubers, a few inches of soil are periodically “hilled” up around the base of the stem. This is typically done three to four times during the season.
Tips for growing and hilling potatoes:
Do the hilling in the morning, when plants are at their tallest. During the heat of the day, plants start drooping.
Maintain even moisture, especially from the time when sprouts appear until several weeks after they blossom. The plants need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. If you water too much right after planting and not enough as the potatoes begin to form, the tubers can become misshapen.
The last hilling should be done before the potato plants bloom, when the above ground part of the plant is at least a foot tall. Hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the tubers as well as to support the plant.
Practice yearly crop rotation with potatoes.
In cool growing seasons, potato vines sport berries. The berries are the fruit. Cut one open and see how it resembles its cousin, the tomato. The berries are poisonous, so they are not edible. They will not produce potato plants that resemble the parent. Discard the berries.
PESTS/DISEASES
Potato Pests and Diseases
Pest/Disease     Type      Symptoms          Control/Prevention
Aphids  Insect   
Misshapen/yellow leaves; sticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black mold
Grow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of dish soap (no additives) and water every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Blight (early)      Virus     
Leaves, beginning with lower ones, develop dark, concentric spots, often with yellow outer ring, and eventually die; tubers/stems also may be affected
Destroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties; maintain proper soil fertility; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; water in morning; disinfect tools; rotate crops
Blight (late)        Insect   
Small, greenish gray, water-soaked spots on leaves that enlarge and turn brown, sometimes with yellow halo; white, fuzzy growth on leaf undersides; stems also affected; tubers develop reddish brown dry rot
Destroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties and certified, disease-free seed potatoes; ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; remove plant debris; rotate crops
Yellow-orange eggs laid in clusters on leaf undersides; larvae and adults chew holes in foliage
Handpick; use straw mulch; weed; use row covers; destroy crop residue; rotate crops. In the nymph state, they can be controlled with diatomaceous earth (food grade). If they continue to be a problem, a few sprays of Spinosad, an organic pesticide, will get rid of the beetles. Always use products at dawn or dusk to avoid harming beneficial insects.
Tiny black beetles that jump when spooked. Numerous tiny holes in leaves; clusters of holes, as if leaf was hit by shotgun
Use row covers; mulch heavily; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
White shed skins on leaf undersides (from nymph molting); stippling (many tiny spots) on leaves; “hopperburn” (leaves yellow/brown, curled, or stunted); reduced yield
Knock nymphs off leaf undersides with strong spray of water; use row covers; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; weed; destroy crop residue
Choose resistant varieties and certified disease-free potato seed; maintain soil pH between 5.0 and 5.2; dust seed potatoes with sulfur before planting; use pine needle mulch; keep soil moist after tubers start to form; do not use manure; rotate crops
Chewed leaves (initially toward top of plant); rapid defoliation; black/green excrement
Handpick (leave larvae that have white, ricelike cocoons, which house braconid wasp parasites); till soil in fall and spring; weed; add native plants to invite beneficial insects; grow dill as a trap crop or basil/marigolds as repellents; spray Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
Sticky “honeydew” (excrement); sooty, black mold; yellow/silver areas on leaves; wilted/stunted plants; distortion; adults fly if disturbed; some species transmit viruses
Remove infested leaves/plants; use handheld vacuum to remove pests; spray water on leaf undersides in morning/evening to knock off pests; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap; invite beneficial insects and hummingbirds with native plants; weed; use reflective mulch
Seedlings severed; stunting/wilting; roots eaten; tubers/bulbs bored
Trap by digging 2- to 4-inch-deep holes every 3 to 10 feet, fill with mix of germinating beans/corn/peas or potato sections as bait, cover with soil or a board, in 1 week uncover and kill collected wireworms; provide good drainage; remove plant debris; rotate crops
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
There are more than 100 varieties of potatoes! In the home garden, most people grow tan-skinned or red-skinned potatoes with white flesh.
To chose a potato to grow, think about how you like to eat them.
Russets and long white potatoes are used to make baked, boiled, or fried potatoes.
Round white potatoes are used for either boiled potatoes or potato chips.
Red-skinned potatoes are often used for boiling or for potato salads.
There are also speciality potatoes in many shapes, sizes, and colors, including all-blue potatoes as well as potatoes with red or yellow flesh. We also love All Blue Potatoes! They’re delicious and, well, they’re truly blue!
Early Varieties:
‘Irish Cobbler’: tan skin, irregular shape (great heirloom potato for delicious mashed potatoes!)
‘Norland’: red skin, resistant to potato scab
‘Mountain Rose’: red skin and pink flesh, resistant to some viruses
Mid-Season Varieties
‘Red Pontiac’: red skin, deep eyes (easiest and most adaptable red potato there is to grow)
‘Viking’: red skin, very productive
‘Chieftan’: red skin, resistant to potato scab, stores well
Late Varieties
‘Katahdin’: tan skin, resistant to some viruses
‘Kennebec’: tan skin, resistant to some viruses and late blight
‘Elba’: tan skin, large round tubers, resistant to blight and potato scab
HARVESTING
When to Harvest Potatoes
Regular potatoes are ready to harvest when the foliage begins to die back. (See each variety for days to maturity.) The tops of the plants need to have completely died before you begin harvesting.
“New potatoes,” which are potatoes that are purposefully harvested early for their smaller size and tender skin, will be ready for harvest 2 to 3 weeks after the plants stop flowering. New potatoes should not be cured and should be eaten within a few days of harvest, as they will not keep for much longer than that.
Toughen up potatoes for storage before harvest by not watering them much after mid-August.
Dig up a test hill to see how mature the potatoes are. The skins of mature potatoes are thick and firmly attached to the flesh. If the skins are thin and rub off easily, your potatoes are still too new and should be left in the ground for a few more days.
Potatoes can tolerate light frost, but when the first hard frost is expected, it’s time to get out the shovels and start digging potatoes.
How to Harvest Potatoes
Cut the brown foliage off and leave the potatoes for 10 to 14 more days before you harvest. This allows the potatoes to develop a thick enough skin. Don’t wait too long, though, or the potatoes may rot (especially in moisture-laden soil).
Dig potatoes up on a dry day. Dig up gently, being careful not to damage the tubers. Avoid cutting or bruising potato skin. Damaged potatoes will rot during storage and should be used as soon as possible. The soil should not be compact, so digging should be easy.
If the soil is very wet, let the potatoes air-dry as much as possible before putting them in bags or baskets.
Don’t leave the potatoes that you have dug in the sun for long after they have been dug up from your garden, otherwise your potatoes may turn green. Green potatoes have a bitter taste due to the presence of solanine, and if enough is eaten, can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Small spots can be trimmed off, but if there is significant greening, throw the potato out.
Curing Potatoes
Allow freshly dug potatoes to sit in a dry, cool, dark place (45 to 60°F / 7 to 15°C) for up to two weeks. This allows their skins to cure, which will help them keep for longer.
After curing, make sure you brush off any soil clinging to the potatoes.
Whether you dig your own potatoes or buy them at a store, don’t wash them until right before you use them. Washing potatoes shortens their storage life.
After curing, do not put potatoes near apples; the apples’ ethylene gas will cause potatoes to spoil and go bad.
Storing Potatoes
If you’re buying potatoes to eat within a few days, storage is not an issue. You can store anywhere.
For long-term storage, potatoes need the following conditions: ventilation, cool temperatures, high humidity, and no light. Storing potatoes in your home isn’t easy unless you have a root cellar. Most home temperatures are kept at 65 to 75 degrees F and potatoes need be stored at cool temperatures to avoid sprouting.
Store at cool temperatures (42 to 55 degrees F). Warm temperatures encourage sprouting and disease. Storage options include: an extra refrigerator set a few days higher than normal; an unheated entrance, spare room, closet, attic, cabinet, basement, or garage insulated to protect potatoes from freezing.
The room must have high humidity. Potatoes are 80% water so it’s too dry, potatoes wither and dry out. Options are a damp cellar OR you can elevate humidity by storing tubers in plastic bags that are perforated (with many holes cut in the side) to provide fresh air OR/AND placing large pans of water in front of air source.
Avoid all light to prevent greening. The location must be dark or use dark-colored, perforated plastic bags with many holes cut in the side to allow for air movement.
Potatoes need ventilization. Even after harvest, potatoes still use oxygen and give of carbon dioxide so they must have fresh air.  Never put potatoes in airtight containers Use perfermated bags as mentioned in steps above.
Potatoes
The fruit (metaphorically speaking) of a very happy potato plant!
WIT AND WISDOM
Before planning your garden, take a look at our plant companions chart to see which veggies are most compatible with potatoes.
Did you know: Potato promoter Antoine Parmentier convinced Marie Antoinette to wear potato blossoms in her hair.
Grated potatoes are said to soothe sunburnt skin.
“What I say is that if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow.”
–A. A. Milne, English writer (1882–1956)
COOKING NOTES
Potatoes are naturally healthy. Not only are they fat-free and cholesterol-free but also an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium.
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/potatoes
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa beckmall@netins.net  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365