Wheel Hoe Blog

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On this week’s episode, the guys talk about growing garlic and elephant garlic in their southern climate. They begin by distinguishing between hardneck and softneck garlic. Travis mentions that softneck grows well in areas with milder winters, whereas hardneck garlic prefers areas where winters can get pretty cold. Greg explains that softneck garlic is what is traditionally found at the grocery store. He then shares his experience with growing softneck garlic. Garlic needs cold temperatures  or vernalization, which is the induction of flowering or bulbing. This vernalization period is necessary for the garlic bulb to stratify, or produce cloves. Greg mentions that it rarely gets cold enough in South Georgia for that stratification to take place. On the other hand, the guys explain that they have had success growing elephant garlic. Elephant garlic, although related, isn’t a true garlic. Elephant garlic is closer related to leeks than garlic. They plant elephant garlic around the same time they plant onions. They dig a furrow and plant the cloves with the pointed ends up, about 3-4″ deep in the soil.

On the Show & Tell segment, Travis brings the bottom of an okra stalk from his garden. Due to the cool weather, he recently pulled his okra plants from the soil. He mentions that this is a good opportunity to check for root knot nematodes. From the appearance of these roots, there doesn’t appear to be any root knot nematode damage, which is good. He also brought some transplants that are ready to go in the ground, which include romaine lettuce, Brussels sprouts and beets.

On the Q & A segment, they answer questions about soil blocking and pruning Brussels sprouts. Greg mentions that soil blocking is a good technique for people who like to take a long time to do something simple. He explains that the arguments for soil blocks don’t hold water against their heavy-duty seed starting trays. Travis talks about topping Brussels sprouts to get a better harvest. He mentions that once the axillary buds begin to form on the stalks, the tops should be cut with pruners to focus more of the plant energy into the sprouts.

Tool of the Week

Pruning Shears

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On this week’s episode, the guys take a break from the traditional gardening discussion and talk about the best Christmas gift ideas for gardeners. They have a top 10 list that they reveal. They start with some cutting tools including their Watermelon Knife, Hatchet and Village Machete. Greg talks about how a nice machete is a perfect gift for anyone because it is such a versatile tool with many different uses around the farm and garden. Travis continues through the list with a couple of his favorite short-handle tools, which include the Short Single Tine Cultivator and their famous Garden Trowel. He mentions that the Single Tine Cultivator is absolutely his favorite tool for weeding onions, garlic and similar crops. He talks about the strength of the Garden Trowel and how it is guaranteed with a lifetime warranty. They then feature a couple harvesting containers which include the TubTrug Colander and the extremely popular Over-the-Shoulder Harvesting Bucket. Travis speaks about the durability and indestructibility of the Tubtrug Colander and how it won’t become brittle over time. And finally, the number one gift idea is their Single Wheel Hoe. Greg mentions that this is the perfect gift for someone who is just getting into gardening.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk the speculation of the Grand Solar Minimum that has been hypothesized by a UK scientist. Travis mentions that this is supposedly a more extreme, prolonged version of the solar minimum that happens every 11-12 years as a result of reduced solar flares. He mentions that many of the sites giving validity to the Grand Solar Minimum are in the “prepper” community. Greg mentions that he’s not going to worry about anything he can’t control. He also mentions that if anyone is going to be alright, he believes it will be them.

Top 10 Christmas Gift List

10. Watermelon Knife

9. Hatchet

8. Short Single Tine Cultivator

7. Village Machete

6. Garden Trowel

5. Complete Fermentation Kit

4. Old Hickory 8″ Slicer

3. TubTrug Colander

2. Over-the-Shoulder Harvesting Bucket

1. Single Wheel Hoe

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On this week’s episode, the guys talk about the most cold tolerant crops to grow in a vegetable garden. They begin by discussing factors that will increase cold tolerance. These include pre-conditioning and the amount of soil moisture present. If plants have been pre-conditioned to cooler temps, they will be more likely to survive than plants that experience a drastic drop in temperature. And because water has a high specific heat, it insulates soils and keeps them from freezing. They talk about the crops with the greatest cold tolerance which include carrots, beets, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, parsley, spinach and leeks. Travis mentions that even with temperatures in the teens last year, he saw no damage to his carrots. They discuss the fact that collards are probably the most cold tolerant crop of them all, as some varieties have been noted to be cold tolerant down to zero degrees Fahrenheit. The crops that have moderate frost tolerance include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, mustard, onions, shallots, radishes and turnips. These crops will not die from a light frost, but it may burn the tips of the leaves or foliage.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about sweet corn in late fall and collards. Travis has an ear of corn harvested from the demonstration garden at the Hoss Sustainable Living Center. He mentions that most people only grow corn in the spring/summer, but that it can be grown throughout most of the year when no threat of frost is present. They also discuss collard varieties and reference a conversation between a seed representative about a trial between Tiger, Bulldog and Top Bunch collard varieties.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about trimming onions and planting shallots. Greg explains that he can’t see any reason to trim the tops of onions for an upcoming frost. The tops are the location of photosynthesis which is critical to the plant. And even though they may burn a little in the frost, they’ll be okay.  Travis mentions that shallots can also be planted at the same time as onions, but explains that green onions can be harvested as a smaller version of the Yellow Granex or Texas Legend onions they grow.

Tool of the Week

Digging Tool

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On this week’s episode, the guys talk about planting and growing onions. They talk about the difference between short-day, intermediate-day and long-day onions and how you can determine which type is best for your area. They also discuss the varieties that have worked well for them which include Texas Legend, Yellow Granex, Southern Belle Red and Red Creole. Greg and Travis discuss how they like to plant their onions thick and thin later when harvesting some as green onions. Travis mentions that growing onions can be broken into two phases — the foliage stage and the bulb stage. He explains that you want to grow as much foliage as you can, which in turn will create nice, large bulbs during the latter stages of the plant growth. They also talk about fertilizer needs for onions. They mention that onions need a complete fertilizer with phosphorous and potassium initially, but then mostly nitrogen throughout the rest of the foliage stage.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about some radishes that were just harvested from Travis’ garden. Greg mentions that he recently planted several rows but is concerned about the heavy rains affecting the germination. Travis also explains the difference between multiform and monogram beet seed, and the need for thinning when using multiform beet seed. He prefers to grow beets from transplants because he can thin in the greenhouse versus thinning in the field.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about phosphorous and glyphosate. Greg explains the different sources for adding phosphorous to garden soils, which include soft rock phosphate, hard rock phosphate, bone meal and triple phosphate. He mentions that soft rock phosphate would be his preferred organic solution, but that the inorganic forms work very well also. Travis explains that glyphosate will not kill mature weed seeds and is only engineered to kill the plant.

Tool of the Week

Dibble Wheel Attachment

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On this week’s episode, the guys talk about planting carrots. They start by discussing the four different types of carrots that are defined mostly by their shape. The Danvers type is the traditional “bugs bunny” carrot that has broad shoulders and tapers down to a pointy tip. The Nantes type, which is Travis’ favorite, is more cylindrical with a blunt end. The imperator type is slender and long and would be best suited for softer, well-drained soils. Finally, the Chantenay type is a short and stubby carrot that would be best suited for harder, clay soils. Travis mentions his favorite varieties to plant which include Miami, Bolero, Yellowstone and Purple Haze. Greg talks about some of the mistakes he has made in the past when planting carrots. These would include not planting them thick enough and not having enough patience for germination.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, Greg talks about his sweet potato crop that he recently dug. He has two really nice sweet potatoes that he brought to show the audience. He mentions that it is probably the best crop he has ever grown and that they will have sweet potatoes to eat for many months. Travis provides an update on getting onion plants from Dixondale Farms and mentions that it looks like it will be the end of November before they will ship onion plants.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about no-till farming and ants in the garden. Travis mentions that true no-till farming can only be done with heavy commercial equipment because it’s tough to penetrate uncultivated soil with hand seeders. And although many market farmers claim to be “no-till,” they are actually minimum till. Greg and Travis prefer minimum till and only use the tiller when removing crop debris or leveling the soil. For ant control, Greg mentions that there are many toxic solutions on the market. But for use around the food garden, he prefers to use something like the Monterrey Ant Control which has non-toxic ingredients.

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Single Tine Cultivator

Short Single Tine Cultivator

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On this week’s episode, the guys talk about soil chemistry and the importance of having the correct soil pH. They define pH as the concentration of free hydrogen ions and explain how the pH scale works. Most vegetable annuals prefer a soil pH that is just slightly acidic, usually around 6.5.  They talk about factors that can lower soil pH, which include rainfall, addition of fertilizer and certain cover crops. Greg talks about the importance of performing periodic soil tests to keep an eye on the soil chemistry. While soil pH can be easily raised with the addition of lime, it is extremely impossible to lower pH if you get it too high. That’s why it’s important to have a soil test so that the correct amounts of any pH adjusting material are added. Finally, they discuss the important of macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and sulfur. If pH is incorrect, then the availability of these nutrients will be affected.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, Travis talks about his recent sweet potato harvest and brings an extremely large sweet potato to show the audience. He mentions several techniques he tried this year that seemed to work well on his sweet potatoes. They also talk about the Rattlesnake pole beans growing in Travis’ garden. These have been a very prolific crop thus far and are very appealing to the eye because of their purple color.

On the Q&A segment, they answer a question about composting and whether it should be applied to the entire garden or just where the plants are going to be. Travis mentions that compost can serve two purposes — to improve the workability of the soil and also to provide nutrients. He also mentions that most composts are carbon-based, while they use mostly manure-based compost which has much more nitrogen. The carbon-based composts may be applied to the entire garden area as a way to amend or improve the soil structure, while the manure-based composts are typically only applied along the row due to the high nitrogen content.

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Garden Fork

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On this week’s episode, the guys discuss the recently popular “Back to Eden” gardening technique. This technique involves mulching the entire garden area with straw or wood chips in an attempt to reduce weed pressure and conserve moisture. Travis mentions that while it does suppress some weeds, there will still be weed seed inputs from wind, water and animals. And those weeds would require pulling by hand because of the inability to use a cultivating/weeding tool in a heavily mulched area. Greg mentions that replicating a forest environment is not a good idea for vegetable plants. When growing a vegetable garden, we must manipulate the environment because these plants such as tomatoes, peppers or watermelons are not native. As a result, mulched areas create an unnatural environment for these cultivated varieties. Travis also mentions that the Back to Eden method is not a very time-efficient method of gardening. With short-term annual crops, it requires too much time to remove mulch when you plant versus simply cultivating the area once a week.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about their upcoming event at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. Greg says the garden is looking good with corn, collards, cut flowers and more. Greg also has some Seminole Pumpkins that he recently harvested from his personal garden. This pumpkin variety is very resistant to viruses and diseases that typically plague pumpkins grown in southern climates. Travis mentions that the Seminole variety has great flavor and is perfect for making pies or even baby food.

On the Q&A segment, they answer a question about tillage radish spacing as a cover crop. Travis explains that recommendations suggest spacing of rows 6″ to 14″ apart, but that he would err on the side of having rows closer together. He suggests planting rows 6″ apart if planting tillage radish with a walk-behind seeder. Greg talks about the benefits of tillage radish as a cover crop because it acts as a sponge for nutrients and breaks down easily when incorporated into the soil.

Tool of the Week

Chilean Nitrate Fertilizer

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On this week’s episode, the guys discuss the wide variety of attachments that are available for the Hoss Wheel Hoe. They go through each attachment and help to explain which are the best wheel hoe attachments for each particular garden or situation. They talk about the new Winged Sweep attachment that just became available and how it has more “bite” than the cultivator teeth. This additional bite or angle of cultivation will be helpful to those with harder, clay soils or those with heavy weed pressure. They also differentiate between the standard Sweeps and the Oscillating Hoe attachments. They mention that the Sweeps are for lighter jobs, while the Oscillating Hoes are some of the best wheel hoe attachments for heavier applications. They discuss the usefulness of the Disk Harrow attachment for light cultivation in softer soils and talk about the Drip Tape Layer attachment being a huge labor-saving device.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about the variety of collards that they are growing this fall. This “Tiger” variety of collards is very similar to the Top Bunch variety that was so popular for many years. However, due to a crop failure, the Top Bunch variety is no longer available. They also provide an update on the demonstration garden at the Hoss Tools Sustainable Living Center for the Sunbelt Ag Expo and mention that they will be planting some mixed greens and cover crops there in the next few days.

On the Q&A segment, they answer a questions about well water vs. tap water and using drip tape on onions. Greg mentions that tap water, or “city water”, can affect the pH of your garden soil over time. He believes the chlorine concentrations are low enough to not have a significant effect, but that the pH should be monitored if one is using municipal water on their vegetable garden. Travis then explains his system for planting onions on drip tape, with two rows of onions per one line of drip tape.

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Spinosad Garden Insect Spray

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On this week’s episode, the guys discuss the best solutions for vegetable garden irrigation. They discuss which crops are more suitable for overhead irrigation or hand-watering. These would include very short-term crops like potatoes, mustard, or mixed greens. Because they have such a short maturity date, it’s really not worth the time to install drip irrigation on these crops. With longer maturing crops, they recommend using drip irrigation for many reasons. Using drip tape for garden irrigation saves time from having to move sprinklers around the garden and it also uses less water because the water is applied directly to the plant roots. Drip irrigation will also reduce weed pressure and plant diseases by limiting leaf moisture.  They explain the difference between surface and sub-surface drip irrigation, and they recommend burying drip tape as this is the most effective usage. They answer some frequently asked questions about emitter spacing, run time, using it with a gravity-fed system, lifespan and removal.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they provide an update of the demonstration garden at the Hoss Tools Sustainable Living Center as part of the Sunbelt Ag Expo. Greg mentions that things are growing well despite some heavy whitefly pressure. They have a good stand of Ambrosia sweet corn growing and it will need hilling soon. Travis mentions that his okra is producing very well and he’s been using a new technique called the “prune and whoop” which has been effective.

On the Q&A segment, they answer a question about planting cover crops. Greg mentions that cover crops will need a light layer of soil on top of them to germinate. So after broadcasting on top of the soil, a light raking is needed to cover the seeds for germination. He mentions that a disk behind a tractor would bury the seeds too deep, but that the Disk Harrow attachment for the Hoss Wheel Hoe is a great way to cover those seeds.

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Rabbit and Squirrel Repellent

Broadleaf Mustard Cover Crop Seed

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On this week’s episode, the guys discuss growing cover crops to improve garden soil health. Hoss recently added a complete line of cool and warm-season cover crops on their website, and the guys are excited to share these with the audience this week. Growing cover crops has many benefits including nitrogen fixation, soil building, weed suppression, erosion control, pest and disease suppression among others. They discuss the five cool-season cover crops that should be planted in fall, giving the crops enough time to establish before winter frost arrives. These include crimson clover, hairy vetch, Austrian winter peas, winter rye and tillage radish. Clover, vetch and winter peas are all great nitrogen-fixers which sequester nitrogen from the atmosphere and add it to your garden soil. For harder, clay soils, the guys recommend using tillage radish to aerate hard soils and improve drainage in areas that hold too much moisture.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about their sweet potatoes that are still growing. They planted these in the middle of June and sweet potatoes usually require about 100 days to maturity. However, their plants were fairly weak when planted, which may delay this time to harvest. Travis brought a few small ones that he dug and mentions that they probably still need another 30 days or so to get larger. Travis also shows a photo of his Ambrosia sweet corn that was recently side-dressed with Chilean Nitrate and hilled with the High Arch Wheel Hoe. Greg shows a photo of his Pro-Cut Sunflowers that have started to bloom and are adding lots of color and pollinators to his fall garden.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about blood meal and baby lima beans. Greg mentions that blood meal is a fast, organic nitrogen source that can be used for heavy feeders like cabbage. He also mentions that he would probably not use it when close to harvest time. Travis addresses the baby lima bean issue and mentions that baby lima beans are a specific variety that have been bred to produce smaller beans.

Tool of the Week

Dibble Wheel Attachment

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On this week’s episode, the guys discuss their favorite fall garden varieties that they’re growing this year. The crops include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, lettuce, collards, beets, kohlrabi, cabbage and mixed asian greens. Their favorite variety of broccoli is called Green Magic and they like it because it is very heat-tolerant and does well planted early in fall. They do mention that broccoli should be harvested before it gets too “seedy”, as it is not very palatable once that happens. For cauliflower, their preferred fall garden varieties include the Denali variety for a white cauliflower. Last year they tried the purple cauliflower variety called “Graffiti” and it did really well up until the first frost.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about the Christmas Lima Beans that Travis has growing on a panel trellis in his garden. These are a speckled, running butterbean variety that has been very prolific when grown in previous years. The seed has a red and white variegated color that turns grey when cooked. These beans preserve well, dry well, and are also great for cooking fresh. Compared to a traditional green butterbean, these have a nuttier flavor that is great in soups.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about nut grass and choosing between the High Arch and Double Wheel Hoe. Nut grass can be one of the most persistent and annoying weeds in a vegetable garden. Travis mentions that it can be controlled by “aggravating it to death,” which simply means frequently cultivating a few times a week. He prefers to alternate between the cultivator teeth and the sweeps on the Wheel Hoe. Greg distinguishes between the High Arch Wheel Hoe and the Double Wheel Hoe. He mentions that the High Arch Wheel Hoe would be his preferred choice because of the versatility it offers with cultivating and weeding attachments.

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Garden Knife Combo

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On this week’s episode, the guys discuss muscadine grapes. Muscadines are a staple of the south and are not tolerable of extended cold periods below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Travis shows examples of the four different varieties of muscadines planted on his homestead. He two “bronze” varieties and two purple varieties. The larger bronze variety is called Scuppernong, which is probably the most prevalent variety. The smaller bronze variety grows in huge clusters and is great for making wine. Although the variety is unknown, the larger purple variety appears to resemble the popular “Cowart” variety, while the smaller purple one appears to be similar to the popular “Noble” variety. They discuss how muscadine vines are relatively maintenance free once established, and how they only need routine pruning once a year. Greg talks about the muscadine wine that they make and mentions that too much can cause one to have the “zoomies.”

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about the crops they’ve been planting for fall. Travis has just planted a row of Rattlesnake Beans and Christmas Lima Beans on a panel trellis and they are just starting to emerge from the ground. Greg has a patch of Seminole pumpkins that are doing really well and starting to set small fruit. They also have recently planted fall potatoes for the first time and are very hopeful for that experiment. At their demonstration garden for the Sunbelt Expo, they’ve planted zinnias, cockscomb and okra thus far with much more to come.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about drying Indian corn and seed tray planting technique. Greg mentions that he puts his field corn in the greenhouse under a fan to keep the weevils off the corn until it dries completely. Then he’ll put the corn in the freezer which keeps the weevils dormant. Travis answers a question about overcrowding seed trays and he explains that they’ve never had any issues with their heavy-duty seed trays. He has a flat of scarlet kale for demonstration that is beautiful and ready to be transplanted.

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Dura Rake

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On this week’s episode, the guys talk about growing vegetable transplants. They cover everything from the best seed starting mix, the best seed starting trays, how to seed the trays, how to fertilize once the seeds germinate and more! They discuss several different methods for growing transplants including soil blocks, cheap, flimsy seed trays, and quality seed trays that last a lifetime. They debut the new Premium Seed Starting Kits for fall. These kits allow you to grow over 300 plants in one complete kit. Travis also explains why organic fertilizers don’t work well on vegetable transplants because it takes too long to convert the organic sources to a usable form of nitrogen. As a result they recommend using a conventional fertilizer like 20-20-20 to get fast results and keep plants happy.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they show a tray of zinnia transplants that are ready to be planted in their demonstration garden at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. They talk about how the root ball has developed nicely around the Pro-Mix seed starting mix.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about cover crop planting frequency and the most problematic weeds in their gardens. Greg mentions that cover crops should always be cut and incorporated into the soil before going to seed. Therefore if spring crops are finished, you would need to plant a summer cover crop and follow that with a cool season cover crop in the fall. Travis suggests growing buckwheat or millet during the summer, mowing that and incorporating it into the soil, then planting some crimson clover in the fall. Greg mentions that his most problematic weeds include pigweed, nutgrass and crabgrass. Travis has a sample of some purslane from his garden and he explains that this weed is problematic for him because it doesn’t dry and die as easily as other weeds.

Tool of the Week

Pro-Mix Organic Seed Starting Mix

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On this week’s episode, the guys air an interview with Bruce Frasier of Dixondale Farms. While at a meeting in Chattanooga, Bruce and Greg had a chance to sit down and record a conversation for the Row by Row Garden Show. Dixondale Farms is the largest onion plant producer in the United States. As Bruce explains, if you purchase onion plants for your garden, there’s a very high chance they were grown in Texas. Dixondale grows over 800 million onion plants per year, which include short-day, intermediate-day and long-day varieties. Bruce explains that the type of onion you grow will depend on your climate. Greg mentions that the Texas Legend is his favorite variety to grow, and Bruce provides some other great variety suggestions for those living in northern climates. Bruce also mentions that they’ve recently started carrying shallots and leeks which are fun to grow and great in soups.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, Greg has some pickled beets that a friend gave him. The guys have been growing beets consistently for a couple years now and they intend to try picking some this year. Travis explains that he prefers to transplant beets as opposed to direct seeding them into the garden. This is because he can control the germination easier and get more consistently-sized beets and greens.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about weeding slow-germinating crops like carrots and cover crops for clay soils. For slow-germinating crops like carrots, Travis suggests several techniques that can be used to control weeds until the plants are able to outpace the weed growth. These techniques include flame weeding and wire weeding in addition to ensuring the weed seed bank is reduced as possible. For clay soils, the guys recommend rooted vegetable cover crops like purple top turnips and daikon radishes. Because their roots penetrate deep into the soil, they do a great job of making the soil more workable while adding quality organic matter.

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Diamond Hoe

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about wheel hoe history from the Planet Jr. to the modern day Hoss version. The Planet Jr. was a staple piece of farm equipment in the early 1900s, but production of the Planet Jr. Wheel Hoe was ceased in the 1960s. It wasn’t until the 21st century that the Wheel Hoe regained popularity as the ideal weeding and cultivating tool for small market farms and backyard gardens. Planet Jr. made a single wheel model and a double wheel model of the wheel hoe. The double wheel model was similar to the modern-day version of the High Arch Wheel Hoe, with the extra clearance for taller crops like corn, beans or peas. Planet Jr. had a wide variety of attachments, many of which are still made by Hoss today.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, the Greg has some pickled okra in a jar and mentions that it is one of his favorite snacks from the garden. He pickles the okra with two different recipes, a sweet version and a spicy version. Travis talks about some of the eggplant varieties growing in his garden this year. He mentions that he grows the unique varieties as opposed to the traditional Black Beauty variety. He especially likes the Japanese style eggplant which are long and slender and are really great for frying eggplant chips.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about pruning eggplant and nematode control. Travis mentions that he always prunes his eggplant mid-season because the plants get too wide. For nematode control, the guys suggest employing strategies of crop rotation, cover crops and solarization. Proper crop rotation of nematode-susceptible crops should be practiced so that the nematode populations don’t continually flourish. According to university research, cover crops of mustard are effective in reducing nematode pressure. In addition, solarization with a clear tarp can create enough heat to kill the nematodes.

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Garden Trowel

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about their yearly demonstration garden at the Hoss Sustainable Living Center. The Hoss Sustainable Living Center was started in 2014 as part of the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo in Moultrie, Georgia, which occurs every year in the third week of October. The Sustainable Living Center consists of an approximately half-acre demonstration garden in addition to a pavilion with exhibitors related to gardening and sustainable living. Over the years, they have been able to experiment and determine which crops perform best in this planting area. Because the garden is surrounded by a 400+ acre research farm, the insect and disease pressure is troublesome. In addition, the garden is located in an old airfield that is extremely flat and drains poorly. Crops that do well there include kale, sweet potatoes, corn and chard. Although winter squash is timely for the annual agricultural expo, they don’t grow very well there due to whiteflies and powdery mildew. This year they are trying fall potatoes for the first time and hoping that will be a success.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, the guys talk about pears and okra. Greg is eating a pear that he got from his neighbor’s yard. He mentions that these old varieties of pears are harder, but tend to have great flavor and make great pies. Travis talks about his succession plantings of okra in his garden. He mentions that the first planting is getting too tall to harvest, and that he may soon remove it and start harvesting the second planting.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about drip irrigation and amending clay soils. Travis explains how to calculate your water flow rate using a stopwatch and a 5 gallon bucket. Once the flow rate is calculated, it’s easy to figure how much drip tape your well or water supply can support. Greg answers a question about amending clay soils and mentions that adding significant amounts of gypsum or land plaster can improve clay soils. In addition, adding organic matter via cover crops and compost will improve soil workability and drainage.

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Seed Starting Trays

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about using a tiller in the vegetable garden. The guys discuss several situations when it is appropriate to use a tiller, and other situations when it is not appropriate. It’s not a good idea to use a tiller immediately before planting. This is because tilling introduces many air pockets into the soil which can result in less than ideal seed germination. It’s also not appropriate to till when garden weeds have gone to seed because that will simply bury those seeds where they can remain dormant and germinate later. Finally, tilling should not be done when plants are established because this can cause severe damage to feeder roots. Tillers should not be used as a cultivating tool because they create too much disturbance. Tillers are great tools in certain applications. These include breaking new ground, preparing ground for root crops, incorporating cover crops into the soil and leveling the ground after hilled crops like corn or potatoes. Lastly, they talk about the different brands of high-quality tillers on the market. Up until 2001, the Troy-Bilt tiller was the top-notch rear tine tiller on the market. But that company experienced a buyout and are no longer the quality they once were. Currently, the top two brands available are the Grillo and BCS tillers, which are both manufactured in Europe. Both are high-quality machines with many different attachments for mowing, plowing, tilling and more!

On the Show & Tell segment this week, the guys talk about their squash plants that have been surprisingly successful during the summer heat. Travis mentions that he has two varieties currently growing — Tempest and Patty Pan. He’s been giving lots of attention to these plants to manage the squash bug population. He’s also been applying fungicides twice a week to deal with the excessive rainfall they’ve been having. He alternates between Liquid Copper and Complete Disease Control applications.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about shade cloth and spraying corn. They mention that they personally don’t use shade cloth, but instead only grow during certain weather windows where success is more likely. When spraying corn for earworms, they prefer to spray the entire plant when possible.

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Seed Starting Trays

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about growing cut flowers in their vegetable garden. Growing cut flowers provides many benefits, but the primary benefit is to attract pollinators for crops that require insect pollination to produce fruit. These crops would include things like squash, cucumbers and melons. Their favorite types of cut flowers to grow are zinnias, sunflowers and Celosia, also known as cockscomb. They prefer the Benary’s Giant Mix variety of zinnias because they produce larger flowers and have a wide variety of colors present. Their favorite variety of sunflower is the Pro Cut variety, which is available in many different colors including red, orange and yellow. These have a smaller seed than a traditional sunflower and are the preferred variety for commercial producers. Greg mentions how they also make a great cover crop because they’ll shade the soil and reduce any weed growth. Lastly, they talk about growing Celosia. Their favorite variety of Celosia is the Chief Mix, which provides an array of different colors. Because cockscomb flowers can get quite large, these plants may need trellising or early harvesting to prevent stalks from bending or breaking.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, the guys talk about growing potatoes in the fall. This will be the first year that they’ve tried growing potatoes in the fall. Based on the information provided by Greg at Irish Eyes Garden Seeds, it should work. They are planning to plant the potatoes at the end of August for an October harvest. They will be ordering the seed potatoes now and keeping them cool in the fridge until planting time. Based on the limited availability of seed potatoes during this time of year, they will be planting the Yukon Gold variety only.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about planting corn in the fall and asian stink bugs. The guys grew fall corn last year at their demonstration garden for the Sunbelt Ag Expo and had great success. The insect pressure is heavier in late summer and fall, so more frequent applications of B.t. and Neem Oil are necessary. Also, providing adequate water via drip irrigation is a must. Greg mentions that they see many different variations of stink bugs and that they can be hard to control in the middle of summer. As a result, he tries to manage the populations with frequent spraying early in the year. This allows him to get the spring crops harvested before significant insect damage occurs.

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about growing butterbeans, bush beans and pole beans in a vegetable garden. Travis mentions that he prefers to grow bush beans on a double row system with drip tape in the middle. This enables him to grow twice the amount of beans in the same amount of space that one row of beans would normally occupy. He references a YouTube video where he demonstrates this procedure. They talk about the different varieties of beans they’ve tried growing in the past including Blue Lake, Momentum, Kentucky Wonder and Provider. Of these varieties, Blue Lake seems to be the most popular variety for bush beans. Greg mentions that he prefers growing pole beans due to the ease of harvesting. For pole beans, he prefers the Kentucky Wonder variety. The guys also talk about growing climbing varieties of butterbeans. Greg is currently growing an heirloom variety that makes a darker bean, and they’ve both had great success with the Christmas Lima variety in past years.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, the guys talk about the figs that they’ve been harvesting. The most popular variety is the Brown Turkey fig and that’s what most people have planted in their backyard. However, there are some improved varieties that have been developed through research at Louisiana State University. Greg recently planted some of these varieties and is excited to see how they do.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about growing onions and how to remove drip tape. They mention that onions require heavy amounts of water and fertilizer. It is important that both of those are provided frequently during the early life of the onion plant as this will result in a larger bulb later. For removing drip tape, they suggest that it can be easily pulled up for almost every crop in the garden — the exception being corn. For corn, they recommend cutting the stalks with a machete and succession planting a crop that provides a heavy ground cover like sweet potatoes, winter squash or pumpkins. This will allow you to reuse the drip tape without removing it.

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Hoss Garden Planner

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about growing watermelons — seedless watermelons grown commercially and heirloom varieties on the homestead. Greg’s favorite variety to grow in his garden is the Crimson Sweet watermelon. This is a round watermelon that has an excellent, sweet taste. In previous years, he’s also tried other varieties including Orange Glo, which is an orange-meated watermelon that has a great taste as well. He mentions other popular varieties for the home gardener like Charleston Grey, Jubilee and Moon & Stars. They discuss the importance of using crop rotation and drip irrigation when growing any kind of cucurbit, especially watermelons. Although watermelons don’t typically experience significant insect pressure, they are very susceptible to fungal diseases. By practicing a 3-year crop rotation and reducing leaf moisture with drip irrigation, many of these fungal diseases can be kept under control. They also discuss how seedless watermelons are grown commercially. Seedless watermelons begin with a diploid watermelon seed that is treated with a chemical called colchicine. This chemical disrupts the cell division process which results in a tetraploid seed. When that tetraploid plant is grown in the presence of diploid plants (pollinators), the reproductive result is a triploid fruit that has no viable seed. This triploid fruit is the seedless watermelon.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, Travis talks about the different varieties of peppers that he’s growing this year. The first one is a corno di toro type called Carmen, which is a sweet pepper that turns red upon maturity. This variety has been very prolific so far. He’s also growing Banana and Cubanelle varieties, which are also sweet peppers. For a hotter pepper, he’s growing the Serrano variety. Serrano peppers are slightly hotter than a jalapeño, although the heat of a pepper has a lot to do with how much water the plant is given.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about purple hull peas and gardening on a hill. They mention that sandy loam soil is probably the best for purple hull peas and how they are a staple in the south. Over the years, however, the pressure from the pea curculio insect has made it almost impossible to grow them locally. If your homestead land is hilly like that seen in West Virginia, they suggest planting along the hill, not up and down the hill. Other suggestions including using drip irrigation for constant watering and building terraces/contours to retain water.

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Push Pull Hoe

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about some common garden myths and misconceptions. They explain the origin of these myths/misconceptions and discuss whether or not they have merit. The first common garden myth involves planting on a hill or an elevated planting bed. Greg mentions how this practice originated in large-scale agriculture and trickled down to backyard gardening. Planting on an elevated surface is an effective practice if you have drainage issues or problems with excess moisture. But if you don’t have those issues, planting on a “hill” is just an additional step that’s not necessary. They also discuss lunar planting which involves planting garden crops based on the 28-day lunar cycle. The proponents of lunar planting believe that it is advantageous to plant on the new moon or full moon because the gravitation force of the moon pulls water to the soil surface, increasing germination. Travis explains how lunar tidal cycles work and why small bodies of water don’t experience tidal forces like the open ocean. Based on this evidence, Travis concludes that soil moisture levels are not significantly affected by lunar cycles, and thus the lunar cycle has no effect on seed germination. Other common garden myths discussed on this week’s show include removing weeds by the root and compost tea.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about one of Greg’s favorite foods — the tomato sandwich. They discuss the difference between the heirloom and hybrid varieties that they grew. While the Brandywine tomatoes have a nostalgic look and have a deeper red color, they can’t tell a huge difference in the taste compared to the disease-resistant Bella Rosa variety. They conclude that the Bella Rosa is their favorite tomato because of the disease-resistant package and superior taste.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about using liquid 7 on sweet potatoes and how to control nut grass in the garden. While liquid 7 is an effective pesticide, it also can be fairly toxic and harmful to pollinators. The guys recommend some more environmentally-friendly solutions like Neem Oil or Take Down Garden Spray. Nut grass is an extremely persistent weed that can have an extensive root network. Control can be difficult, but frequent disturbance over time will eventually reduce the population. While some people use hogs, the Wheel Hoe is also a great tool for providing that repeated disturbance.

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Golok Machete

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis talk about growing sweet potatoes in a vegetable garden. They are a crop that grows well in very warm temperatures and should not be planted until the temperatures have warmed significantly in the early summer. Greg and Travis prefer to plant them after early spring crops are finished, so they’ll put them in a spot where Irish potatoes, broccoli, lettuce, etc., have been previously harvested. Along with okra, peppers and eggplant, sweet potatoes are one of the few crops that do well throughout the summer in south Georgia. Unlike Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes are grown from slips. These slips are grown commercially in big greenhouses or hoop houses. The slips, or “draws” as some old timers call them, are plucked from the tubers, bundled and delivered to the customer. Their preferred source for slips is Steele Plant Company in Gleason, TN. There are many different varieties of sweet potatoes that will differ in the color of the skin and the inside color. Over the years, Greg and Travis have tried the Covington, Centennial and Beauregard varieties. They prefer the Covington variety as it has been the most productive in side-by-side testing.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, they talk about the Ambrosia sweet corn that they’ve been harvesting. Greg mentions that he picked a wheelbarrow load that morning and it was currently being creamed and put in freezer bags. Although the Silver Queen variety had been their favorite for years, they are really big fans of the Ambrosia variety. They talk about the wide range of sweet corn varieties and how certain genes can determine the sweetness and storage ability of each variety. The Ambrosia variety is a bi-color corn that is in the “se”, or sugary extender, category.

On the Q&A segment, they answer questions about beginner gardening tools, the frequency of using drip irrigation and hilling plants in the garden. They recommend the Single Wheel Hoe as a great starter tool for a beginner gardener due to the versatility with many attachments. For a first year garden, they recommend 40′ x 40′ as a great starter size. They mention that they typically run their drip irrigation at least once every other day, assuming no rainfall. They discuss the importance of frequency with watering and making sure the garden plants don’t become stressed. Finally, they go through a list of the garden plants that perform best when hilled.

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Over-the-Shoulder Harvesting Bucket

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On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis discuss all things okra. They talk about their favorite varieties of okra based on several trials that they’ve conducted over the years. Although many people only grow the Clemson Spineless variety because it’s probably the most available, there are many other varieties that provide increased productivity and better texture.  Chris Smith, who is with Sow True Seeds out of Asheville, NC, has around 130 varieties of okra that he has collected over the years. He’s currently has a blog and is working on a book called “In Defense of Okra” where he will elaborate on those varieties and everything okra. Okra is a crop that requires very little maintenance in the vegetable garden. It is not a heavy feeder, and so it doesn’t require much water or fertilizer relative to crops like corn or onions. Greg and Travis recommend doing several succession plantings of okra through the growing season. They transplant the okra in spring, then direct seed several other successions starting in May and throughout the summer to have the best harvests.

On the Show & Tell segment this week, Greg has just picked a bowl of fresh blackberries from his thornless blackberry patch. These blackberries are extremely prolific and great to eat raw, in smoothies or to make delicious blackberry cobbler. They also talk about the cucumber varieties they have growing this year. They grow a “pickle” variety and a “slicer” variety each year. The pickle variety they’re growing this year is called Max Pack, which is an F1 hybrid selected for productivity. The slicer variety they’re growing is called Olympian, which they have grown for several years and prefer it for it’s uniformity and excellent production. Because both varieties are hybrids, they can grow them on the same row without having to worry about cross-pollination.

On the Q & A segment, they answer questions about using Sevin Dust, a popular insecticide that can have a negative impact on pollinators and beneficial insects. They also answer a question about storing potatoes and other vegetables, and how washing these vegetables can affect their shelf life.

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Handy Twine Knife 

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In this week’s episode, Greg and Travis discuss growing squash in the vegetable garden. The most frequently grown varieties are probably the standard yellow crookneck and the black beauty zucchini. The popularity of these varieties if simply a result of availability. But there are many other varieties that have better flavor and higher productivity. They provide examples of prolific and disease-resistant varieties that they have tested and proven over the years. Some of these newer varieties include Tempest, which is yellow and Green Machine, which is a productive, uniform green zucchini.

They differentiate between growing techniques for summer and winter squash. While summer varieties are a repeat-harvest crop, winter varieties are a one-time harvest crop. Winter squash will also need to be planted several weeks later than summer squash. Winter squash do have the benefit of longer storage, as most varieties can be stored for up to six months. Their favorite varieties include Delicata, which is an elongated squash that is very sweet and great for roasting. They also like the powdery-mildew resistant varieties of Acorn, such as TipTop PMR. For a spaghetti-type, they prefer the smaller varieties like Angel Hair that smaller, yet more prolific.

In the Show & Tell segment, they talk about the bumper crop of potatoes that they had this year. Out of the 7 or 8 varieties that they trialed, the ones that performed the best were the Jelly and Blue Belle varieties from Irish Eyes Garden Seeds. Both of these varieties grew very large, uniform potatoes that exhibited excellent disease resistance. They plan on growing both varieties again next year and maybe eliminating the standard red potatoes from the rotation.

In the Q & A segment, they discuss corn pollination from the male flower (tassel) down to the female flower (silk). They also answer a question about controlling ants on the homestead using natural and conventional methods.

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Garden Fork

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On this week’s show, Greg and Travis discuss techniques and strategies for using fertilizer in your vegetable garden. They talk about the different terminologies used to quantify amounts of fertilizer, including parts per million (ppm) and pounds per square feet. While much of this terminology can be confusing, thinking about fertilizer in terms of pounds per square feet is the simplest way to calculate fertilizer needs. There are many different forms of conventional and organic fertilizers that can be used in a vegetable garden. As far as conventional fertilizers go, their favorite is the 20-20-20 formulation which has 20% nitrogen, 20% phosphorous and 20% potassium. This is a water soluble fertilizer that works great being injected through a drip irrigation system, as it provides a quick boost to the plants that is noticeable in just a few days.

Organic fertilizers include products like Chilean Nitrate, Fish Emulsion, Blood Meal, Bone Meal and Compost. As far as organic fertilizers go, Chilean Nitrate is probably the fastest-acting and works great for side dressing corn before hilling. For the other organic fertilizers mentioned, the action is much slower because the nitrogen has to be converted into forms that are available to the plant. Compost is a very effective soil amendment to use before planting, adding organic matter and nutrients to the garden soil. Although compost is available in many forms, chicken-manure based compost is the most nutrient rich. Just be sure to add it several weeks before planting, so that you don’t burn the young plants.

In the Show & Tell segment, they talk about the last succession planting of beets that are almost ready for harvest. They also discuss the Top Bunch Collards that are being harvested, and why this variety is probably the best collard variety to grow.

In the Q & A segment, they talk about organic and natural pesticide solutions for controlling bean beetles in a vegetable garden. As with any organic pesticide program, spraying early and frequently are very important. In the second question, they talk about proper crop rotation techniques to maximize the potential of your garden.

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TubTrug Bundle

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On this week’s show, Greg and Travis talk about growing fruit trees and perennials on the homestead. They discuss many different types of fruit trees and bushes that they like to grow on their own homestead. These include mulberries, blackberries, blueberries, figs and muscadines. Many of these fruits require very little maintenance once established. In early spring, mulberries are usually the first to produce fruit. These grow on a tree and look much like blackberries, but they don’t have the larger seeds like blackberries and tend to be a little sweeter. Although wild, thorned blackberries are very prevalent in the south, they prefer growing the thornless varieties. The thornless varieties are not quite as sweet as the wild varieties, but they are larger and much easier to harvest. When growing thornless blackberries, you may want to consider some type of trellising system to contain the plants. Fig trees are also a great addition to any homestead. Greg talks about the fig tree program at Louisiana State University and how new varieties are being developed for improved production and better flavor. Most of the older trees you see are the Brown Turkey variety, but some of the new varieties make larger, more attractive fruits.

In the Show & Tell segment, they talk about lettuce that they’ve been harvesting from their gardens. They mention the Salanova varieties that are highly acclaimed, although they do tend to have some issues with the bottom beginning to rot if left in the ground too long. There are also many varieties such as Adriana which provide a great substitute with a more affordable seed price.

In the Q & A segment, they answer questions about cover crops and squash bugs. They talk about their preferred cover crops and what time of year is ideal for growing each. They also discuss controlling squash bugs with all-natural and organic insecticides. These type of controls require spraying the plants when they are young and preventing adults from establishing in the population.

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Single Tine Cultivator

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On the debut episode of the Row by Row Garden Show, Greg and Travis talk about the origin of the show and how they got the name. Before the first airing of the show, they conducted a survey with their customers and newsletter subscribers to get ideas for the show name. After receiving many great ideas, they settled on Row by Row, the Garden Show. It is intended to be a weekly show for gardeners of all ages and all skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner, experienced backyard gardener, or small scale market farmer, this show will have great information that you can implement into your vegetable garden. With the addition of their Row by Row Facebook group, they hope to encourage interaction between listeners who post photos of their garden and harvests. This is a great way for everyone in the group to learn from others’ experiences.

The main segment this week includes a discussion of the top 4 reasons that someone should want to grow their own food. They believe that growing your own food is important because you know what’s in it. By growing it yourself, you know exactly what type of insecticides and what types of fertilizer has been used. Food grown at home also tastes better because it hasn’t been over-fertilized with excess nitrogen. Finally, growing food is a great skill-set to pass along to the younger generation to ensure they’re able to do the same.

In the Show & Tell segment, they provide a snapshot of what’s growing in their gardens currently. They mention the Cubanelle peppers that are already producing many peppers per plant each week. They also talk about the onions that are almost ready for harvest, and how to tell when your onions are ready for harvest. For onions, they prefer the Texas Legend and Red Creole varieties from Dixondale Farms.

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Heirloom Whole Corn