For several years, we have been on the provider list for the community gardens of Mason City. Yesterday we worked on a big one at East Park and dropped plants off at Central Park. All the gardeners you see in the picture are from the Gardeners of North Iowa which is of course a garden club that I belong to.
It was a great day for planting and thanks to all that came to plant. The planting went well, and the flower bed looks awesome. When planting a large area, the key is to plant close together to give the bed a WOW effect. I designed the bed, so in the future I will be taking pictures to show you what it looks like. I have dark plants, then have plants with color, dark plants and plants with lots of color. One part of the bed is red, white and blue. In the picture doesn't do tell how nice it looks, but as the flowers grow the wow will grow too.
Gardening HINT: I was told by an older gardener in 1980's about planting cucumbers. Bridget Conway told me that cucumbers, squash, watermelon, and all vine plants should be planted from June 5th to June 20th. Here is what I found out from Iowa State Extension service. It doesn't say we have to wait till June 5th but we can plant till July. So I am still saying it is now the time to plant the vine plants. Soil temperature has to be right, night time temperature has to be right.
Cucumbers are a warm-season crop. Plant cucumbers after the danger of frost is past and soil temperatures have warmed to 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In central Iowa, cucumbers may be planted in mid-May. Gardeners in southern Iowa can plant 1 week earlier. Plant 1 week later in northern portions of the state. The last practical date to sow cucumbers is July 20. Cucumbers are normally planted in “hills.” Plant 4 to 5 seeds per hill at a depth of 1 inch. Later, remove all but 2 or 3 plants per hill when seedlings have 1 or 2 true leaves. Hills of cucumbers should be spaced 3 to 5 feet apart within the row. Rows should be 4 to 5 feet apart. For bush varieties, a three-foot spacing between hills and rows should be adequate. Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
It was a great day for planting and thanks to all that came to plant. The planting went well, and the flower bed looks awesome. When planting a large area, the key is to plant close together to give the bed a WOW effect. I designed the bed, so in the future I will be taking pictures to show you what it looks like. I have dark plants, then have plants with color, dark plants and plants with lots of color. One part of the bed is red, white and blue. In the picture doesn't do tell how nice it looks, but as the flowers grow the wow will grow too.
Gardening HINT: I was told by an older gardener in 1980's about planting cucumbers. Bridget Conway told me that cucumbers, squash, watermelon, and all vine plants should be planted from June 5th to June 20th. Here is what I found out from Iowa State Extension service. It doesn't say we have to wait till June 5th but we can plant till July. So I am still saying it is now the time to plant the vine plants. Soil temperature has to be right, night time temperature has to be right.
Cucumbers are a warm-season crop. Plant cucumbers after the danger of frost is past and soil temperatures have warmed to 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In central Iowa, cucumbers may be planted in mid-May. Gardeners in southern Iowa can plant 1 week earlier. Plant 1 week later in northern portions of the state. The last practical date to sow cucumbers is July 20. Cucumbers are normally planted in “hills.” Plant 4 to 5 seeds per hill at a depth of 1 inch. Later, remove all but 2 or 3 plants per hill when seedlings have 1 or 2 true leaves. Hills of cucumbers should be spaced 3 to 5 feet apart within the row. Rows should be 4 to 5 feet apart. For bush varieties, a three-foot spacing between hills and rows should be adequate. Till next time, this is Becky Litterer from Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
