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Our Experience with Selling Produce

Market farming, or selling your produce to others, can come in many different forms, whether that is a roadside stand, a U-pick agritourism model, or your traditional farmers market. The way we have found success with selling produce is a weekly bag model. Travis and his wife have been successfully market farming for over five years now, and they want to share what they have found to be the best way to do it.

What their model looks like is posting on Facebook that they have a vegetable bag for sale for $25. The post will include a list of what they have harvested and tell them that they will get a mix of five products—not letting people choose cuts down on the time it takes to pack the bags. For each product, let’s say okra, you will get enough in the bag to feed a family of four. 

Once people have claimed their bag, which there is no subscription, this is an every week model. They then either Venmo or Paypal to pay for their vegetable bag. Having this cashless transaction also cuts down on time. People can choose to either pick up or have it delivered, and they will receive their vegetables at the first of the week. 

This model works well for a family that does market farming on the side. Selling an average of 20 bags a week at $25 a bag isn’t too shabby. It all comes down to making sure people know about your bag and making that bag appealing to them. That’s is where marketing comes into play. 

How-To Market your Produce

Marketing your vegetables is essential when becoming a market farmer. If people do not know about your products or don’t understand why it can benefit them, then there is no need for you to waste your time and labor. One significant component of marketing for Travis is Facebook. Creating a Facebook business page will allow everyone who follows it to see the post, which does not happen with Facebook groups.

You also have to learn when you should post about your vegetable bags. For Travis, this was on Sundays; this day is when people start thinking about what they will do for dinner for the week. If these working moms see a way to get fresh food delivered to them, they will buy into it, no matter the price.

When choosing what vegetables to grow and sell, it is also important to remember to grow staple items. Staple items include summer squash, cucumbers, okra, things people are familiar with, and know-how to cook. You also want to have vegetables that store well to be as fresh as possible when getting to the final consumer. Choosing vegetables that store well will help you market the products and keep customers returning.

Show and Tell Segment

After trying different methods, we have figured out the best indicator when deciding when our Canary Melon is ready to be harvested, and it’s not the curly-q. Our Halo Canary Melon turns a bright yellow, and to assure that they are ripe when you pick them, you want to make sure they have turned that pretty yellow color. When mature, these Canary Melons have a canteloupe texture and are sweet but not as sweet as a watermelon. These melons are powdery mildew resistant making them easier to grow in the heat of the summer. 

Hoss Tools is excited to announce we have new seed bags that will be used for shipping. These bags are lined with foil and have a ziplock at the top, making it the best option when storing and shipping seeds. We will also be able to offer larger quantities in our seeds with these bags.

Some more exciting news, we have new dwarf sunflower varieties in stock! Including, Mardi Gras Dwarf Sunflower, Sunspot Dwarf Sunflower, and Sungold Dwarf Sunflower.

Viewer Question Segment

As always, we love the questions our viewers bring to us. After last week’s video on market farming, we had a few more questions. One viewer asked if we think non-vegetable items would do well with a market farm. Our answer was simple, YES! If you can put the planning into it and figure a way to get it to the customers, then there is a market. For example, to add a bouquet for an extra $10 with your vegetable bag, we believe it would do very well.

The next viewer asked about how to determine the price for what you want to sell your produce for? Travis explained you do not base it on what others are doing or the grocery store. You need to compare the time and money you put into it and look at what kind of profit you are looking to make and determine your price.

Goobers are also known as peanuts down here in South Georgia, and one of the viewers wanted to know why we did not grow any? The main reason is that they are everywhere around us. There is a 100-acre commercial farm right in front of our warehouse that plants all peanuts. Peanuts also have a very long maturity rate, which isn’t appealing to Travis or Greg.

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Things to Consider Before Diving into a Market Farm

Growing food for your family and friends is one thing but turning it into a profitable business is another. A market farm can be a very successful business if the right components come together, but if not, it may not be worth your time or money. Travis of Hoss Tools has run a market farm business for six years and wants to share a few of his tips for making sure this business is for you.

Before you dive into this market farm headfirst, there are some things you need to consider. First, make sure that you have already mastered gardening just for your family. If you cannot garden successfully for your family alone, you don’t need to worry about feeding others. 

Another thing you want to have a good grasp of before you begin is knowing your customer. For Travis, that is catering towards the middle-class, working mom types. Because Travis delivers a vegetable bag to people’s homes, his reliable customers want fresh food but don’t have time to grow it themselves.

Understanding your customer is also understanding what vegetables are popular among your community. It would help if you grew the things that are going to sell, which can differ for each region. Down here in South Georgia, some of the easiest and profitable vegetables include:

•  Kale
• Okra
• Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Peppers
• Eggplant

Also, remember to be cautious of only growing things that you are good at growing. If you aren’t good at growing Kale, don’t waste your time and money. 

Ways to Make Your Market Farm Profitable

When market farming, you need to remember the grocery store is not your competition. You can not base your prices on what the grocery store does. Understand why your produce is superior and sell that to your customers; they will then justify the expense.

Figuring out how you would like to structure selling your vegetables will help a lot too. Do you want to sell retail or wholesale, or a mix of both? It is always a good idea, whatever you can’t sell directly to customers, to ask butcher shops or local country stores if they would like some of your produce. It is important to remember to have a plan from the beginning, start small, and be okay with change.

Marketing your products online is a great way to make your business more profitable. Showing future customers recipes and cooking demonstrations with the vegetables you are selling that week is a great way to advertise. Facebook and Instagram are great places to do this. To get your name out there, you need to utilize social media.

Show and Tell Segment

There are many crops in South Georgia that we can’t enjoy that the northerners can, but there are also many things we get to grow that they cannot. One of those items includes Muscadines. Muscadines come off in August, which is a perfect time with it being a break between our summer and fall gardens. Muscadines are a staple homestead item and an ideal garden snack, and you can find them all over South Georiga.

As mentioned above, it is a quiet time around the garden as we are finished with our spring garden and waiting until it is time to plant for the Fall. Right now, our cover crops are getting pretty tall, and it’s about time to work them back into the garden. This year we tried many combinations of warm-season cover crops, known as cover crop cocktails. When mixing cover crops, you need to look at the growth rate and how tall each one gets and plant those similar together. Not doing this will have one plant overpowering the other, leaving one with no sun to keep growing, therefore, missing the benefits that crop could bring to the garden.

If you aren’t following Hoss Tools on Instagram or Facebook, make sure you check it out. We are currently doing a question of the day series only on those platforms to help answer some of the most frequently asked gardener questions. Also, don’t forget to submit your recipes for the Row By Row Cookbook. The categories include Pickling and Preserving, Southern Favorites, Soups and Such, and Snack Attack.

Viewer Question Segment

Hoss Tools love answering all of the viewer’s questions because our motto has always been to help others grow their own food. Today we had someone ask about planting pole beans on the Hortonova Trellis Netting. Travis explained that this Hortonove Trellis is perfect for pole beans and that a family of four only needs about a 30-foot row of pole beans to get plenty for them and to share with others.

Our next viewer asked about transplants’ tips, and Greg shared the three mistakes he sees most often. The transplants are usually too dry, too wet, or there is not enough fertilizer. It would be best if you watered your transplants until you see water coming out of the bottom. You also want to fertilize them as soon as their true leaves establish. It would help if you fertilized two or three times for a successful transplant before they get placed in the ground.

Corn is a trendy crop to grow in the garden, and currently, the Sweet Corn varieties are the trending types. This viewer asked about a particular variety we haven’t been able to get our hands out, but it is a Field Corn variety. Field Corn varieties use to be a lot more popular and are Greg’s preferred type of corn, but the Sweet Corn types defiantly store a lot better. 

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List of Crops to Replant in the Fall

Many of us home gardeners enjoy our spring garden but become unsure as the summer months heat up, and it is time to replant for the fall garden. So what are the best crops I can carry over to my fall garden? The men of Hoss Tools came up with a list of vegetables that your Fall garden is going to love!!

• Christmas Lima Pole Bean
• Rattlesnake Pole Bean
• Halo Canary Melon
• Ambrosia Sweet Corn
• Texas Creme 40 Pea
• Gold Star Squash
• Olympian Cucumber
• Pascola Zucchini

There are a few other crops we believe can thrive in a Fall garden, such as Okra, Peppers, and Eggplant. With the right irrigation and spraying program, these crops can beat the Fall heat!

Things to Remember if you are Going to Replant in the Fall

As mentioned, you have to stay on top of your Fall garden to make sure you can get a plentiful harvest. That begins with picking an excellent disease-resistant variety like the ones listed above. You also need to pay attention to the maturity dates and know if the crop is a one time harvest, like corn, or multiple harvests such as our cucumbers. You would not want to plant your cucumbers with only enough time before the first frost for one harvest because it would not be worth your time and resources. If you have that short window before frost, you need to plant something that would only have one harvest.

For different crops, different varieties may mature faster than others. For example, the Pepo species of summer squash is much quicker to develop than the Machado varieties. 

There are some vegetable plants you can let go dormant to come alive again in the Fall. They might start to look a little raggedy, but they will come alive again and give you harvest if you continue to spray and take care of them. Some of those crops include our lima and pole beans, peppers, and eggplants. 

However, a crop like Okra is better to succession plant throughout the spring and Fall to get the best harvest. Doing the succession planting with our Silver Queen Okra like that will give you Okra till the first frost date. 

Show and Tell Segment

Growing new things you have never tried before is one of the highlights of gardening. Travis has never tasted, let alone grown a Canary Melon until now, and it was a hit! Our Halo Canary Melon is a winter melon meaning that it can store a lot longer than most of your Muskmelons. Of course, with growing anything new, the guys had to do a taste test. The results came back good, with the texture of a watermelon and the refreshing taste of cucumber, I believe we will see more of this Canary Melon.

Speaking of Cucumbers, they are still kicking! As long as you have a disease-resistant variety like our Olympus, you can grow Cucumbers well into August. To avoid the bitter taste that comes with the heat stress, make sure they are on drip tape or getting adequate water!

Our Sweet Potatoes are coming along and different from the Cucumbers; it is time to back off on our Sweet Potato plants’ watering. Once they get on up, this drought-resistant crop does better with a lack of water.

Another crop that loves the hot, dry weather of South Georgia in August is Sunflowers. Our Sunflowers are not only a pretty sight to see in the garden, but they are doing their job as a cover crop as they help cleanse the soil.

Viewer Question Segment

Our viewers are always challenging us to dig deeper and help answer some of their tough gardening questions. This week our first question asked us, did we think there will be a food shortage, and should we be saving all of our heirloom seeds? From the looks of the thousands of acres of commercial produce farms near us and the way they are still steadily out there every day, we don’t see a food shortage in our near future. Saving heirloom seeds can be a neat thing to do if your variety is hard to get your hands on, but if it is one you can find easily, it might not be worth your time to save those seeds.

Can corn be too short when it starts tasseling? The idea of mini corn stalks was brought to our attention, but the Hoss men clarified that most corn is about 3-4 feet tall before it tassels, and if you are spraying fertilizer, it will probably get on up to 7 foot before it starts putting on. Just like with everything, it all depends on the type of variety you are growing. The Ambrosia Sweet Corn is a 6-7 foot in size one that is great to replant in the Fall!

Fig trees are a trendy commodity down here in the South, and one of our viewers wants to know, where is the best place to buy one? Greg explained that it’s about knowing what you are buying and to see the difference in getting a Fig tree tissue culture or a tree grown from a cutting. Both Travis and Greg prefer tree cuttings better as they are usually more prominent and more vigorous plants. To get these cuttings, you will have to find local nurseries as it is generally challenging to ship the larger trees.

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What Crops can I Plant in the Cool-Season?

The Fall garden seems to become more popular as each year passes, but the question that lingers with most gardeners is what cool-season vegetables can I plant? At Hoss Tools, we enjoy planting a Fall garden more than our Spring garden, as we think there is more variability with what you can plant in the Fall.

Some of our favorite cool-season crops consist of Broccoli, Cabbage, Collards, Lettuce, and Cauliflower. Kale is a great Fall plant many gardeners don’t think of but is one of our favorites to cook in a soup. The best variety to make into a soup is the Lacinato Kale. Kohlrabi is also a favorite crop of ours that intimidates the beginner gardener but is very easy to grow.

The Purple Elite is our new variety of carrots that we are excited to begin planting soon! Carrots also tend themselves well to the Fall. Another delicious snack for the Fall garden is Brussel Sprouts, picking them straight out of the garden and putting them in some olive oil is a Hoss favorite. We can’t forget about Onions because down here in South Georgia, Onions are a must as a cool-season crop.

The following list is a few more crops that will work well with adding variability to the Fall garden.

• Beets
• Greens
• Leeks
• English Peas
• Radishes
• Rutabagas
• Spinach
• Turnips
• Swiss Chard

Preparing for a Cool-Season Garden

Now that we have what we want to plant, when are we suppose to start planting the vegetables? Planting is very dependent on where you live and the frost date. Once you figure out which zone you are in, that will help tremendously.

With our Fall garden, everything except Radish, Carrots, Greens, and Spinach starts as transplants. So the difficulty comes when knowing when to plant them, here is what we have found to be the most accurate dates. If you are in part A of your zone, you will be towards the beginning of those days, and if you are in part B, you will be towards the later dates.

First Frost Date:

• Zone 4: Early-Mid October
• Zone 5: Mid-Late October
• Zone 6: Early-Mid November
• Zone 7: Mid-Late November
• Zone 8: Early-Late December
• Zone 9: Mid-Late December
• Zone 10: No Freeze

When to Start Transplants:

• Zone 5: Mid July
• Zone 6: Late July
• Zone 7: Mid August
• Zone 8: Late August
• Zone 9: Mid September
• Zone 10: Late September

In-Ground Transplanting:

• Zone 5: Mid August
• Zone 6: Late August
• Zone 7: Mid September
• Zone 8: Late September
• Zone 9: Mid October
• Zone 10: Late October

Show and Tell Segment

The guys are back again with some tasty snacks from the garden. Today they are trying the many types of figs Travis and Greg have in their yards. They both agreed that the best one in flavor was Black Malta. The LSU purple and gold don’t fall far behind.

Travis brought in his South Anna Butternut it was HUGE! Greg then showed his winter squash, a Cherokee Tan pumpkin. The Cherokee Tan is a great pumpkin pie, and we will be carrying the seeds next year!

Another thing we’re excited to carry next year is seedless watermelons! But, while we wait for our new seeds, we have to enjoy what we are gardening now. Our Fall garden is getting ready as we prepare for our onions. Greg and Travis both enjoy Fall gardening and hope every gardener takes advantage of this season to grow their own food.

Viewer Question Segment

On the topic of knowing when to plant certain crops, a viewer asked the question of is it too late to plant corn? Travis and Greg reassured him that it is not, early august on into September is ideal for planting time for corn in his zone. Corn only takes anywhere from 70-100 days to mature, so the time is still there. You may want to feed it with more fertilizer as the disease pressure may be more persistent with this hot weather.

Now the next question raises a little more thought, were some heirlooms once hybrids themselves? Yes, that is true. A seed can be stabilized after many years, so if a hybrid was created from two heirlooms, it could later be considered an heirloom, much like the homestead tomato we carry.

Speaking of tomatoes, Robert Jones asked us what we thought of the Better Boy tomato, which many of our customers have recommended to us. The guys explained they had never tried growing it, but it is on the big list of next year’s new tomato seeds. Some of the new ones we will be carrying include Kellogs Breakfast and the Big Beef.

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Crops We Don’t Struggle Growing

Like any long-time gardeners, we have our crops we consider ourselves experts at and those we struggle growing. There are many factors in determining what you are good at growing—things like your location, soil conditions, and the variety of seed. But sometimes, even in the perfect setting, you just can’t seem to get a grasp on how to make a good crop.

The following crops are some of the few things we at Hoss Tools consider ourselves pretty dang good at growing! For Travis, on that list is Carrots, Lettuce, Beets, Rutabagas, and Collards. For Greg, that consists of Tomatoes, Watermelons, Winter Squash, Corn, and Onions. In South Georgia, we are thankful to have weather conditions that allow us to grow this wide array of crops.

Tips to Help you Not Struggle Growing these Crops!

Over the years, we have learned a few tips and tricks as we became experts in those vegetables. Carrots, we have learned that growing them in a double row on drip tape seems to work best. Rutabagas also do great on drip tape because you can inject fertilizer directly to them. For lettuce, there are a few things you can do to make sure you have a crop on into April, such as using drip tape, stacking them in tight, and succession planting.

Beets do best if you transplant them because that will give you a more consistent size. The last tip Travis had was with collards as they are easy to grow with the right variety you can grow for nine months out of the year. One type we recommend is the Top Bunch.

Greg’s tips were also simple ones, including feeding your tomatoes and corn hard with fertilizer in the beginning. With corn, you also want adequate watering, and knowing your timing, when you see that leaf has just a little bit of burn, you are doing it right! Watermelons and winter squash, make sure you plant them where they have never grown before, so they have the correct soil they need. Both of those crops are prone to get many soil-borne diseases. Lastly, with onions, you want to understand their lifecycle, so you know when to stop fertilizing them as they start to bulb.

Crops We Do Struggle Growing

Now that we have talked about what we are good at growing let’s talk about the things we struggle growing. Opposite of Travis, Greg struggles growing carrots as his soil has a high weed seed bank, which leads to many problems. Another difficult one is Fordhook Lima Beans, these set of beans are super yummy but just something Greg can’t figure out.

English Peas are definitely worth the while when it comes to flavor, but you have to understand the timing, or like Greg, you won’t be too good at growing it. Now, peppers struggle in Greg’s garden because the insect pressure is high, and he admitted that he doesn’t pay enough attention to fertilizing them because he and Mrs.Hoss don’t eat that many.

Brussel Sprouts have an extended date to maturity, and because of this, both Travis and Greg lose interest and end up not doing too well with this crop. You also need cold weather to trigger sprout growth, and that is something we don’t get much of in South Georgia.

Some other things Travis struggles growing because it’s not cold enough is Shallots. English Peas need in-between weather also to do well and again we don’t get much of anything but hot here!! When it comes to field peas, we do a good job growing them as a cover crop, but when we raise them to eat, they get eaten up, and we can’t seem to put enough fertilizer on them.

The last thing Travis admitted struggling with was herbs. Herbs are something he wants to get into but just don’t know enough about them yet. Growing herbs is one of his goals for this next year!

Show and Tell Segment

If you weren’t already hungry, hearing about all the delicious things Hoss Tools has coming out of the garden will surely make your mouth water! For example some homemade pasta sauce, with the use of our vegetable garden tomatoes, onions, peppers, and elephant garlic, Travis made one tasty pasta sauce. This sauce can be used now or stored into the Winter to make great spaghetti or pizza.

Another snack that was picked straight from the garden was the Baby Doll Watermelon. This is a new seed variety we started carrying that is definitely a home run! This is a small, yellow watermelon that is jammed full of flavor. This watermelon runs around 8-10 pounds and can fit perfectly in the refrigerator. The Baby Doll variety is also a fast-maturing variety that is ready to eat in only 70 days!

In South Georgia, we are finishing up our Spring garden and planting cover crops as we start to think about what we want to plant in the Fall garden. We have til the end of August before we plant ours but some of our Northerner friends can get theirs planted earlier than that. So, they are asking us what kind of corn should we plant for the Fall? Though there is no specific variety that is made just for the Fall we have had quite the success with the Ambrosia Sweet Corn. This is bi-color sweet corn that is well worth growing!

Viewer Questions

This week one of our viewers asked what crops we wish we could grow but are limited too because of climate? In South Georgia, there are just some things we can’t grow because of our heat, and those include English Peas and Brussel Sprouts. We do try and grow them, but it would be a lot easier up North. Also, hard neck and soft neck garlic!

The next question asked what the best cover crop to re-seed for livestock forage was. Travis and Greg explained that you are going to have to do a warm-season crop and one cool-season crop and that both Buckwheat and Crimson Clover are excellent for forage. Some people even put the Buckwheat up for Hay.

At Hoss Tools, we talk a lot about not planting on the same ground repeatedly without a cover crop. This viewer explained he wanted to cut back on how much land he gardens on but wants to save the other plots for later, what should he do? Sorghum Sudangrass is the answer, though you will have to mow it down. It will be a considerably less amount of work than planting a cash crop there.

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Tomato Taste Test

This year we decided to grow over eight different tomato varieties, and they are finally slowing down on production. Hoss Tools is always looking for ways to improve and making sure we are offering the best seeds to our customers. After this extensive trial, we learned many different things about our tomatoes with one of those being none of our varieties are losers. We compared everything from heirlooms, Open-pollinated, and paste tomatoes.

With a blindfold around his eyes, Mr.Hoss himself taste-tested every tomato. Based just on taste, he gave our Black Krim tomato the best score. The Black Krim is an heirloom tomato, and though it is not a dependable plant because of its lack of resistant characteristics, it is still one of the best-tasting tomatoes.

Red Snapper, Summer Pick, and Homestead follow closely behind Black Krim when it comes to taste. Where they lack bold flavors, they make up for it with their beneficial characteristics. The Red Snapper is an all-time favorite for Travis, but one Greg has never grown before. The Red Snapper makes a meaty tomato with a significant disease-resistant package and is one vigorous plant.

The Summer Pick Tomato is another seed that makes one big tomato. This variety is known for its high productivity as it made the second-largest harvest out of all the tomatoes. Our Homestead Tomato is our most vigorous plant and can withstand many things and taste pretty dang good.

Ranking Our Tomato Varieties

Though in Greg’s eyes, those were the four best tasting tomatoes, we still have many varieties that give you excellent flavor and useful characteristics. One of those being the Chef’s Choice Orange Tomato, this is an orange tomato that is rather large and is perfect for those BLT’s.

Bella Rosa is a remarkable all-around plant. On a scale based just on taste, Greg gave it a 3.9 out of 5, but where it doesn’t compare to the others is its productivity. The Bella Rosa is our most productive tomato, with its plant staying at a manageable height. For our gardeners that enjoy growing tomatoes in a container, this one is for you!!

The Brickyard tomato is one of our new varieties, but one we will grow again. This plant produced a large size tomato following behind the Red Snapper.

Show and Tell Segment

This South Georgia heat may be getting too hot to garden, but our crops are still producing. This week there is plenty to snack on between our okra, tomatoes, and figs. One of the things we trialed in the garden this year was the Jambalaya Okra right next to the Heavy Hitter.

The Jambalaya is one of our tried and true varieties, but we are always wanting to compare it to other types making sure we can offer the best seeds to our customers. The Jambalaya is one of our most expensive seeds, but it proved itself once again. This Heavy Hitter is an open-pollinated variety many of our customers enjoy growing. Still, compared to the Jambalaya, it just didn’t hold a light when it came to productivity, the size of the pod, or how fast it germinated.

Also, don’t forget Hoss Tools is looking for customer testimonial videos to use, and we would love to hear from you about how you enjoy our products or videos! Another thing you can do to help us out is to submit recipes to see if they make the cut for the Hoss Tools recipe book, which is in the making. You can send those recipes to our e-mail or mail them in!

Question and Answer Segment

As always, we are here to answer your questions, and today we were asked some good ones. The first question one of our viewers asked was about something we just started doing this year. Succession planting sweet corn, he asked if it was too late to do one more crop? Though we are waiting until late August for another crop, the guys at Hoss Tools believe you can plant sweet corn throughout the summer as long as you have adequate irrigation and fertilizer.

Back to tomatoes, we had someone ask about leaf curl and what could be the cause of it. Leaf Curl is ubiquitous on tomatoes and usually has to do with the environment, including heat, insect pressure, or anytime the plant is stressed. A virus could also cause leaf curl, and if that is the case, there is not much you can do but plant different seeds. Our Red Snapper tomato is one we suggest planting if you are struggling with this because it has this disease resistance in its seed.

Another common problem we see is Pickle Worm. We haven’t dealt with it much this year, but we have in the past, and we know how aggravating it can be. The main thing we suggest to get pickle worms out of your garden is to pick these vegetables out of the garden as soon as you see a hole in the crop. Also, a spray such as Spinosad or BT will tremendously help.

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The Benefits of Cover Crops

Being in Zone 8, we must plant warm-season cover crops to ensure that we will have a successful vegetable garden. Zone 8 contains South West Georgia, which is where Hoss Tools is located. With our warmer temperatures throughout the year, we can push our soils to the limits. Pushing our land creates a greater need for adding that nutrients and pH back to the ground, and warm-season cover crops are perfect for that job.

As many gardeners know, it is essential to rotate your crops in one plot. For example, if one season you plant peppers, you don’t want to follow it up the next season with peppers because they will not do as well. The soil will be missing the specific nutrients those peppers need. With planting cover crops, they will add those nutrients back into the ground in between plantings. Cover crops make crop rotation less critical.

A rule of thumb we at Hoss Tools like to go by is making sure we put as least amount of input into our cover crops. Cover crops are meant to be an easy crop planted between you Summer and Fall vegetable gardens that will give you a higher output with less input. You don’t want to add a lot to something that is supposed to be benefiting you. Such as, we don’t fertilize our cover crops or put them on drip irrigation. We save those things for our cash crops!!

Our Favorite Warm-Season Cover Crops

There are four warm-season cover crops we believe will take your soil to the next level. Each cover-crop focuses on adding something different to your land and can be combined to make sure they meet your garden’s specific needs.

1. Sorghum Sudangrass– This cover crop is a monocot that is easy to mow and improves soil drainage. It also provides nematode suppression and adds excellent green manure.
2. Brown Top Millet– This is our other monocot cover crop that matures in 60-70 days. This Brown Top Millet is excellent for sandy soils and is heat and drought tolerant.
3. Sunn Hemp– A perfect nitrogen-fixer!! This specific cover crop is great for following heavy-feeding crops like corn, and it also suppresses nematodes.
4. Buckwheat– Buckwheat is the fastest maturing out of the following as it grows in 30-50 days. Bees love this crop, and it helps break pests and disease cycles!
5. Iron Clay Peas– These peas are easy to incorporate, and they attract beneficial insects to the garden. Maturing in 80-90 days, it also is a nitrogen-fixer and suppresses weeds.

Show and Tell Segment

It has been a season of excitement around Hoss Tools, and on this week’s Row by Row show, we announced another reason to continue watching, we are creating a cookbook!! This recipe book will contain our customer’s recipes and a mix of our own. Each submission will center around something that we can grow in the vegetable garden! It wouldn’t be a Hoss Tools announcement though if we weren’t snacking on something yummy! This week it was the Sangria Watermelon, Greg picked these earlier this week, and this variety might be one of his new favorites.

One recipe we want to add to the Hoss Cook Book will be our famous BLT! This week our Chef’s Choice Orange Tomato is at the perfect ripeness, and we cut some big juicy slices to make the BEST BLT! This tomato variety offers many other colors, and we look forward to adding them to the site soon since these were such a winner!

Question and Answer Segment

As always, we want to answer some of our viewer’s questions. We understand that gardening can be intimidating, and even if you’ve been doing it for years, there will be things where you need help. This week one of our questions asked about curing winter squash. Greg explained that not all winter squash has to be cured and stored. The ones that do, though, you want to place out of the sun in a cool, dry area, just as you would potatoes and onions.

We then had two viewers ask for some seed recommendations. Joy Rocks wanted to know if we had a speckled butter bean, and we told her that our Christmas Lima Bean is a winner!! Jim then wanted to know what would be a good fall pea or bean, and the guys let him know that you can’t fail with the Rattlesnake or the Kentucky Blue!

Product of the Week

• Canning Jar Brush

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Answering All Things Tomatoes

Whether you are a first-time gardener or have been doing this for years, you’re always going to have questions. Tomatoes are a popular vegetable in the garden, and this week Travis and Greg wanted to take some time to answer some of those viewer questions about tomatoes and other popular crops to help you better grow your own food.

Our first question was simple, How does it taste? One of our viewers wondered what the flavor was like on our Red Snapper Tomato. Travis and Greg both agreed it was delicious even before it is all the way ripe. Another benefit of the Red Snapper is its size, growing as big as the palm of your hand.

Tomatoes are great for our backyard gardeners who are working with a small area. Compared to corn that needs many plants to achieve the cross-pollination, tomatoes and peppers do great for our small-scale customers. Doing just a few plants of these will still give you a plentiful harvest. 

Taking care of tomatoes can be very simple if they are trellised, there are many different options with trellising and one we like is this netting called the Hortonova Trellis. This trellis is excellent for smaller crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers but probably won’t do the best holding up things such as a Butternut Squash; you might want to leave those to the cow panels. When growing cherry tomatoes, one common question is should you prune or leave them alone, and our tip is to leave them alone! Cherry Tomatoes down here in the South face a lot of heat and disease pressure anyway towards the end, so we just let them run their course!

Other Vegetable Garden Tips

There is a lot that goes into growing a successful vegetable garden besides throwing some seeds in the ground. Cover crops are one of those things that help take your garden to the next level. Cover crops are things you plant in between Summer and Fall gardens to treat your soil. Every soil has different needs, but one cover crop you can’t go wrong with is Buck Wheat. Backyard gardeners, you are doing your soil a disadvantage if you aren’t planting this in your offseason.

For our gardeners that plant in raised beds, you may think cover cropping isn’t for you, but it is still possible! Plant your cover crop as usual, and when it is time to get it up, go in there with a weed eater and take it down. You can then tarp it or go in with a digging fork to mix it in with your soil. This little trick will help your garden even in raised beds. 

Another way to take your garden to the next level is fertilizing; for example, one of our viewers wanted to know how they should feed their corn. For Sweet Corn, going in with Micro Boost and 20-20-20 will help, then right before it tassels give it a little Fish and Guano, and you should have one of your best corn harvests yet! 

Now, how do you apply that fertilizer? There are two main methods, soil drench, and a foliar feed. Foliar feeding is applying the fertilizer to the leaf and plant directly, which is great for short-term and cosmetic problems. Soil drenching is where you apply the fertilizer to the soil around the plant; this method is great for the long term health of the crop and is our favorite method. 

Show and Tell Segment

At Hoss Tools, we believe in getting the most out of our gardens by succession planting. That means seeing which plants we can push to the limits as we get into these hot summer months. During our show and tell segment this week, we discussed some of the things we have been succession planting, such as Slick Pik Yellow Squash! This variety is a hybrid that produces early, often, and with high yields—making this squash great for your trying Summer months. 

The Algonquin Squash is a very rare winter squash. The guys at Hoss Tools have been growing. Because there isn’t much information out there on it, they were very excited to finally be able to harvest it and give it a taste test. Mr.Greg let everyone know that it passed the test with flying colors, and he hopes that soon this can be something our customers can get on our website.

Now that most of our big tomatoes are harvested, we are shifting our work to the kitchen and getting them ready for the Winter. Tomatoes are a great thing to can as they can be used in many different recipes. Some of our favorites include pasta sauce or vegetable soup.

Vegetable Soup Recipe with Tomatoes

On this week’s garden show, Mr.Greg shared his favorite vegetable soup recipe to can. To create Miss Hoss’s delicious vegetable soup recipe, you should mix all of the following ingredients very well and bring to a boil. Then, cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. After that, place the soup in jars and cook on ten pounds of pressure for 30 minutes. 

• 2/3 of 5-gallon bucket of ripe tomatoes
• Two quarts of peas
• Six medium onions finely chopped 
• Two quarts of butter beans
• Six pods of bell pepper finely chopped
• 12 pods of banana pepper finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of vinegar
• Five teaspoons of canning salt
• Two quarts of corn
• One stalk celery finely chopped
• Six pounds of okra
• Two quarts of tomato juice
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Homemade Calendula Salve Recipe

• Dried Calendula flowers
• Oil for infusing the flowers (olive, coconut, and sweet almond oil make a good blend)
• Beeswax (one ounce per one cup of infused oil, more or less)
• Essential oils (10-20 drops per cup of infused oil, optional)

First, put the dried Calendula Flowers into a jar and cover them with oil of your choice. Stir the mixture gently with a spoon to get as many of the air bubbles out as possible. Then put in a sunny windowsill for several weeks to steep. When you feel it’s ready, simply strain the herbs from the oil. Cap with a lid and use it as soon as possible.

Strain the infused oil using a cheesecloth and strainer, squeezing out as much of the oil as possible. Put the infused oil into a double boiler, which can be as simple as a stainless steel bowl that fits over a pot with an inch or two of water in it. Bring that water to a simmer to gently heat the oil. Add the beeswax, and stir occasionally until it has completely dissolved. Add essential oils if using, and stir to combine. Carefully pour the hot salve into tins or jars and let cool completely.

Product of the Week

• High Arch Wheel Hoe

Check out the link down below to find out more about the Row By Row Garden Show!

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Travis’s Vegetable Garden Winners

Since Hoss Tools has been in the seed selling business, and even way before, we have seen many seeds that we consider vegetable garden winners and many seeds we do not. Over the years, we have had opportunities to try all kinds of vegetable garden seeds, and as this year’s summer garden is coming to an end, we sit down and talk about what has blown us away this year. We based these top 6 on how well they produced and how we benefited by having them in our garden, whether that was by looks or by just tasting good!!

1. Gold Star Squash

2. Avalon Triple Sweet Corn

3. Red Snapper Tomato

4. Marigold Sparky Mix Flowers

5. South Anna Butternut Squash

6. Max Pack Cucumber

Greg’s Vegetable Garden Winners

For Greg’s chosen winners, he decided by basing it on, would he grow it again? For all of the following, the answer is YES! Two of his top 6 are seeds that Hoss Tools doesn’t offer yet as we like to trial everything ourselves before selling them to our customers. The Algonquin Squash and The Gold-lite Sunflower passed the test.

1.Calendula Prince Mix

2. Guinea Onion

3. Black Krim Tomato

4. Algonquin Squash

5. Marketmore Cucumber

6. Gold-lite Sun Flower

Show and Tell Segment

It is a great time to live in South Georgia as our weather has been perfect to finish out our Summer season. These cool afternoons and mornings make for some enjoyable harvest time. One thing many of us have been busy harvesting is corn, Greg brought in some of his Hickory King White Corn which is field corn he enjoys eating. Though many don’t think of field corn as a snack, it can be quite tasty, another benefit of field corn is that it isn’t as prone to get worms. 

After checking out Greg’s snack Travis brought out his Max Pack Pickles. This recipe was different from his last batch of fermented cucumbers because he used spheres and flavored it with hard spice and garlic cloves. He also only left them in the crock for six days, these few changes led to the pickles being a lot crunchier!

Viewer Questions

On this week’s show, we had some excellent questions from our viewers. Our first question centered around what would be the best crops to grow in raised beds? This viewer explicitly needed for a fall garden, and a few of our suggestions include Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Collards, Kale, Onions, Radishes, and especially Elephant Garlic. These Fall crops will do great in raised beds because of the lack of space they take up, compared to vining plants such as Pumpkins. 

One plant that has a lot of vines are Sweet Potatoes, and our viewer Jeremy wondered, was he suppose to let the vines run wild or try and contain them in a row? Speaking from experience, our guys let Jeremey know that he does not need to hassle with trying to keep them in a row but instead trim on the edges, keeping them contained to their plot.

The next question asked, do you need to fertilize cover crops? Our answer was simple, NO! As Greg put it, you want to get the most gain out of a cover crop. Therefore, you don’t want to worry about fertilizing it. Just give it some water and let it go! 

Many of our other crops do need fertilizer, and one of our best sellers is Micro Boost, but how do you apply it to individual veggies in a small backyard garden? For a foliage spray, we suggest 2 ounces per gallon. You can mix that up and use a simple sprayer or cup. We want our growers to understand you don’t need a watering system to fertilize! 

With some of our summer crops having such short harvest windows, it can be tricky making sure you get everything picked the day it’s supposed to and at the correct time. Our gardeners wanted to know Travis and Greg’s opinion on what can be harvested mid-day? One of our rules of thumb is if you can get it in the shade soon, then it doesn’t matter what time of day. Travis even suggests for things like beets and carrots you wash off outside, to pick them mid-day and then let them dry a little in the sun. 

Product of the Week

• Row by Row Shirt

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Simple Tips to Grow a Sweet Potato Plant

Many people will say that a sweet potato is the easiest plant to grow but won’t include the steps to make it the successful maintenance-free crop it’s meant to be. Here at Hoss Tools, we want to help you grow your own food, so this is what we do to make sure we have a successful sweet potato harvest. With any crop, it starts from the beginning. At Hoss Tools, we order sweet potato slips, which are different from a draw. A draw grows from the vine where a slip gets picked from the sprout of a sweet potato plant. 

We have to make sure our soil is ready to have plants in it by digging our rows, and we suggest planting sweet potato rows three feet apart and 12 inches between each seed. You want to plant these slips in soil that has been tilled well and has good drainage. The pH is always essential, and we have seen that they do best in soils with a pH level of 5.8-6. 

For fertilizing your sweet potatoes pre-plant or post, it is vital that you keep it low in nitrogen and high in phosphorous and potassium. Keeping the nitrogen down will help you grow fewer vines and instead focus on the roots. Travis likes to put complete organic hen manure on his sweet potatoes about a week before he plants and then thirty days after when he is hilling the potatoes. 

Our Favorite Sweet Potato Varieties 

We have grown many varieties of sweet potatoes, including the Centennial, the Covington, the Bearugaurd, and the Georgia Jet. We have seen many benefits in all of them, including the Georgia Jet, being the tastiest sweet potato with a short growing season, the Bearugaurd having excellent nematode resistance, and the Covington being the prettiest plant. 

Picking a variety that works for you depends solely on what you are looking for and how your growing season is. For someone up north looking for a quick potato that Georgia Jet might be best, whereas someone just looking for a pretty plant would choose the Covington. 

Show and Tell Segment

Sweet corn is ready to harvest, so Travis brought in some for Greg to try, and if you don’t like watching them eat on the show, you might want to skip the first half. With just some butter and salt, this sweet corn was delicious!! Greg didn’t want to praise it too much until Travis gets some of his though, but Greg’s is about ten days behind Travis’s. We all love some friendly garden competition.

If you watched any of our social media videos this past week, you might have heard Travis talk about his Tomato disaster that occurred from all the rain. Travis’s tomatoes fell slap over on to the next row when his T-posts started to move around in the wet soil. It’s not a bad problem to have such a big harvest that your posts can’t hold up. Thankfully Travis was able to save the row with not many tomatoes lost.

Hoss Tools has some exciting things coming in the next few weeks, including a product that is frequently asked for, T-shirts!! Be on the lookout for a Row by Row Garden Show T-shirt on the website soon and maybe even some more designs. As the guys wrapped up their first segment, they ask our viewers for some help! Hoss Tools wants to use real customer testimonials to compile a video to use as promotion, help them out by checking out the link in the latest Row By Row show!

Viewer Questions

Tim Jones started us off with a mind-boggling question of how do seeds know up from down?? Travis had to think back to his botany class days but then taught us that it has to do a lot with gravity and sunlight. When the seed is in the ground, it tells by the gravitational pull, and once they get blooms on them, they will grow towards the sun. After that we had a viewer ask us why we aren’t growing Dahlias, Greg then informed us that he has a current trial going on with Dahlias trying to learn more about them as they are hard to grow down here in the southern heat. Along with that question, we had another viewer ask about flowers. Randy asked the guys how long does it typically take sunflowers to germinate and grow into a full-size plant? They explained that it could be 50-60 days to mature, but it all depends on the water and weather, just like any plant.

Product of the Week

• Corn Silking Brush

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Attracting Pollinators with our Flowers in the Garden

As we are all starting to wind down the spring garden and begin preparing for the fall, most of us don’t consider planting flowers in the vegetable garden. Besides their outward appearance, flowers can bring many benefits to the garden. With the weather right now, Greg suggested that though you can still plant Okra and Sweet Potatoes and get a good harvest, that’s about it. The time has come to begin planting our cover crops and preparing our soil for the future. 

One of the apparent benefits of Flowers is there ability to attract pollinators. If you already have a hive planting fresh flowers for them will feed them well. If you don’t have a colony, this flower garden will draw in the natural ones. Flowers also bring in beneficial insects such as butterflies. These beneficial insects will then help keep down your pest pressure and keep away the harmful insects. Remember, not all bugs are bad. 

Flowers of any kind can lift anybody’s spirits when needed. If you are having a bad day or you and your woman are fighting, all you have to do is take a walk around the garden or cut you a lovely bouquet, and that will put a smile on anyone’s face. 

Favorite Varieties of Flowers for the Vegetable Garden

Growing flowers in the vegetable garden are something we never leave out. One of our tried and true flower varieties is our ProCut Sunflowers. These are perfect for the bouquets and anything you want to take inside because they are pollen-less. Pollen-less means that even when you shake them around, no yellow specks will fall, making them great for indoors. Also though they are pollen-less, that doesn’t stop the bees from swarming all around. If you want a sunflower that isn’t as expensive and doesn’t have to be planted as meticulous, some of the varieties we suggest are Chocolate Cherry, Autumn Beauty, Teddy Bear, and Santa Fe Sunset. These few sunflowers are gorgeous and can be mixed to grow a plot full! Sunflowers are perfect for a warm-season cover crop. 

Our next favorite flower is the Benary Giant. The seed is a Zinnia and is one of the biggest blooms in any variety. Not only is it big and beautiful, but it makes for a perfect cut flower because of its plant structure. At Hoss Tools, we sell many of the Benary Giant Zinnias separately, but we also sell them in mixes. Putting the Benary Giant Zinnia Mix in your garden will bring it life like never before. When you are done and picked all the flowers, you would like you can cut them down and mow it into the plots giving it proper nutrients. 

Show and Tell Segment

On the Row by Row Garden Show, we love starting with something to eat. This week Travis brought in several mason jars full of his freshly fermented pickles. Fermenting vegetables is very popular, but something the guys at Hoss Tools haven’t tried a lot. With the use of a big crock and many cucumbers, Travis topped them with some seasoning and let them sit. Both the guys loved the way they tasted and decided they will be doing this a lot more. They explained how this is simpler than canning because you don’t have to steam or boil anything but instead let it sit and then pour into jars. If you are overflowing with vegetables in your garden and want to try something new, you can start fermenting with our simple Complete Fermentation Kit.

After the guys stuffed their bellies with pickles, they started talking about the tallest thing in the garden right now, Sweet Corn. Our Sweet Corn varieties, Avalon and Hickory King are almost ready! Our pollen is dripping all over the newly formed silks meaning we will have corn real soon. Besides Sweet Corn, Hoss Tools also offers Field Corn seeds, and we got some new ones on the way. Lancaster Sure Crop Corn is one of our new varieties that is an heirloom with huge ears. The other new Field Corn variety is Reids Yellow Dent Corn, which is also an heirloom, but this one is drought-tolerant. 

Viewer Questions

This week’s viewer question segment started with some frequently asked questions regarding pest control spraying. After last week’s episode on pest control programs, we left our viewers wondering, so the guys answered.

The first viewer wanted to know after you have sprayed your garden with the pest control spray and still have leftovers do you have to throw it out or can you save it for later? The guys both agreed that you should to try and only mix your desired need, doing that will leave you not much leftover. You don’t want ever to use the leftover spray because after the chemicals have been sitting there mixed, it messes with their pH levels and how well it will work.

The next viewer wanted to know exactly when do you start these pest control programs? Travis said that if you are transplanting once you have put them in the ground and they have formed their roots, it is fine to spray. Though this seems young, starting spraying early on your plants will help prevent some of those pest pressure you know is coming.

Product of the Week

• Beneficial Insect Wildflower Mix

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Preparing for your Pest Control Program

As it is starting to warm up, preparing for pest control is a hot topic. Knowing what pest control program you should use is all about knowing was insect and disease pressures you face. Even Greg and Travis, who live in the same county, face different pest pressures and problems.

It is essential when getting rid of pests to be proactive and start spraying before they show up. Some of the main pests the guys see here are Squash Bugs, Pickle Worms, Leaf-footed bugs, and Corn Earworm. Both Greg and Travis like to spray once a week, and if it starts to get worse, go in twice a week.

They each pick a specific day and stuck to that schedule like Travis sprays every Sunday night. It would be best if you sprayed late afternoon or early morning, so your bees are not affected by the spraying. They both agree that their bees are active in the morning, so they choose to spray right as its getting dark, and the bees are going to sleep. 

Insects and their eggs like to stay under the leaf, so it is crucial that when you spray, you get under the foliage and over the top for good coverage. With our organic sprays, you must get excellent coverage. A question a lot of gardeners ask is, when do I know I have sprayed enough per plant? Greg likes to use the run-off method. If you are spraying the plant and it is starting to run-off the leaves, then you have sprayed plenty, and you need to move on, or you are wasting money. 

What Should your Pest Control Program Include? 

For every good pest control program, it is vital to have a combination of insecticide and fungicide. Many people do not realize not only can you mix the two, but it is terrific for your plants to do so. All of the chemicals here at Hoss Tools have no problem mixing, but like always, it is imperative to read the pull-off label on the back. That label will also tell you how you are required by law to mix it and by what ratio. 

Both Greg and Travis have two different combinations they alternate on their gardens. For week one, Travis goes in with spinosad, Garden Insect Spray, this chemical takes care of crawling and flying insects. He mixes in with that spinosad the Liquid Copper Fungicide. He notes that when mixing, he does them each individually then adds them together.

For Travis’s week two, he goes in with Monterey B t Spray to help take care of worms, moths, and caterpillars. The Bt gets mixed with the Take-Down Garden Spray, which will help take care of squash bugs and their eggs. The last chemical he adds in there is Complete Disease Control, which is a comprehensive organic fungicide. 

Greg’s pest control program consists of Liquid Copper Fungicide and Spinosad Garden Insect Spray for his first week, which is similar to Travis’s. The Garden Insect Spray sticks to the leaf perfect, which is important if you spray before a rain shower. The Liquid Copper is great for early and late blight, which is something Greg’s garden struggles having. 

For week two, Greg goes in with a fungicide that is good for leaf spots and can be used to treat soil born diseases, Complete Disease Control. He mixes that with a not as well known spray named Fruit Tree Spray, don’t let the name fool you though it works wonders on vegetable gardens as it is a combination of pyrethrin and neem oil. One last tip to remember if you are spraying something with oil if you are expecting to have a hot afternoon and you sprayed in the morning, you have a high likelihood your plants are going to burn. 

Show and Tell Segment

Exciting things are happening at Hoss Tools, including giveaways, T-shirts, new video segments, and new seed varieties. The giveaway will only happen if we hit 100K on Youtube by May 30th, and if we do, Hoss Tools will be selecting three winners to win gift cards up to $500!!

The new video segments Travis spoke about are called Garden Goodies, which will be short videos on various things Greg or Travis want to show you or teach you around the garden. These will post on IGTV, but at the end of the week, they will get compiled into one video available on Youtube. 

Row by Row t-shirts is in the making, so get ready! The guys are steadily working on designs to give you a great way to support your favorite channel and garden store. Let us know what you would like to see by commenting on any of our videos.

The new seed varieties were various pumpkins, great for jack o’ lanterns, small or big. The following seeds are also powdery mildew resistant, so that makes them easier to grow in the south. 

• Half Pint Pumpkin
• New Moon Pumpkin
• Mustang PMR Pumpkin

It wouldn’t be a Show and Tell Segment if we didn’t have an infamous gardening story from Greg now, would it? After Greg left us with the question of Vine Okra the other week to see what our viewers knew, he finally gave us a little insight, with some humor. The Vine Okra he spoke about and showed was considered a gourd, where he went on to say that anyone in the south or southwest could have success with it as it’s such a maintenance-free crop. 

Product of the Week

• Take Down Garden Spray

Check out the video below to listen to the guys talk more in-depth about their pest control programs!!

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Comparing our Onions

The guys were comparing onions and potatoes in this week’s show, as Travis brought in three different types of onions. Red, yellow, and white, and they took a bite out of each! The red onion was the Red Creole onion that Hoss Tools carries, it was direct seeded into the ground, and it came up about a week before the other ones. The guys explained that they loved this type of onion on salads to give it some color.

The next onion they compared was the Savannah Sweet onion, which is a yellow one and has more of a sugary taste compared to the other two. After looking at the onion, Greg and Travis agreed that they thought it was a semi-round. The last one they tried had the most bite to it and would have been a perfect pairing with a chili dog, and that was the white onion.

Comparing our Potatoes

After Greg’s joke on Travis’s potato growing abilities last week, Travis brought a bucket full of his potatoes in. They have been all about comparing their onions and potatoes. Travis’s Yukon Gold potatoes were some of the biggest ones he has ever grown! Travis explained that he didn’t put any fertilizer on his potatoes this year, but it was all about the cover crop cocktail he mixed up. The cocktail consisted of Hairy Vetch, Radishes, and Austrian Winter Peas, that mix fed his soil in just the right way to give him a bountiful harvest.

Now that he has all these potatoes, they discussed how he was going to store them. If you go back to the video, you can see a shelf design Travis drew up that is perfect for storing and adding other layers too. You want to make sure that you are keeping your onions and potatoes in a cool, dark, and dry space as well as making sure they have plenty of room not to touch. If you have them too stacked on each other, that will cause them to rot.

Show and Tell Segment

If you are not a fan of good eating, you would not have enjoyed the first part of this week’s show. Travis and Greg both brought in some great things to taste test, which even led to Travis being blindfolded and spoon-fed!! Greg made Travis try some of his pickled vegetables, including pickled squash. Greg also shouted out one of Mrs.Hoss’s favorite Southern Living books and where she had gotten some of these recipes. The book was titled Little Jars Big Flavor. Pickling is a great resort to turn to when you have an abundance of harvest or want to save that taste for later.

Travis also brought in some of his Max Pack variety of cucumbers and talked about how awesome they were doing and their excellent disease resistance. The guys also announced some new varieties were hitting the website, including Dewlectable Melons, Halo Canary Melons, and Alexandria Squash. 

Viewer Questions Segment

Here at Hoss Tools, we focus a lot on vegetables well our first viewer question was centered around our thoughts towards fruit trees. Travis and Greg listed the many fruit trees they both have at their homesteads, including a Granny Smith Apple tree, lime and lemon trees, a muscadine vine, and many fig trees. Greg then talked about his PlumCot tree, which is a cross between a plum and an apricot that was developed at the UGA research station.

The next question we had a viewer ask about tips on Kohlrabi, Greg said that this was one of his favorite things to grow. He told her that it does not like the heat and does better in the cooler times of the year, he also said that Kohlrabi goes great in coleslaw as a substitute for cabbage.

One of the last questions had to do with raised beds/container gardens and what mixture you would use in them. Travis urged not to use only compost because you need something just a little bit denser to hold the water, but instead to fill it about two-thirds of the way with topsoil, then top it off with compost. Then Greg reminded him that if you don’t have access to good topsoil, you could even use peat moss.

Product of the Week

• Japanese Hulless Popcorn

Watch the video below about comparing onions and potatoes and how you can enter to win a $500 gift card to Hoss Tools!!

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Travis’s Maintenance Free Picks

After a viewer asked the question, “What is the best maintenance free vegetables to grow in your garden?” Travis and Greg both came up with their list of five easiest to grow annual vegetables. As they answered this question, they realized that this is subject to change with every gardener, and that is why even in their two lists, there is deviation. When Travis was answering this question, he considered the following.

• Pest Pressure
• Disease Pressure
• Weed Pressure
• Harvest Frequency
• Water Needs
• Fertilizer Needs

After considering all of the above, the number one maintenance-free crop Travis came up with was sweet potatoes. Their lack of need for fertilizers or water is what made him rank this one number one. Another bonus of sweet potatoes is down here in South Georgia. There are very few pests for them. Number two was collards, Travis explained how you get the most bang for your buck with this plant right here. Collards can be harvested six-seven times on one stalk, and each bundle of collards can sell for around five dollars, meaning that you could make almost forty bucks with just one plant. With our weather in South Georgia, you can also get around eight to nine months of growing time. Winter squash was Travis’s number three, mainly the Cucurbita Machado species. This species is resistant to the squash vine borer, making it very easy to maintain. The fourth vegetable was okra, though it does have to require multiple harvests, it only has to be watered overhead around once a week. The last one on Travis’s list was radish. This one was considered on the list because of its ease when direct seeding it and its very little water need.

Greg’s Maintenance Free Picks

As Greg began to answer this question, he didn’t think near as deeply and specific as Travis. He just responded to the question of what causes him the least amount of effort? After twenty-five years of growing this crop, Greg decided this would be his number one maintenance-free pick, Irish potatoes. Potatoes do not need a lot of water because of the time of year they get planted. His next two went hand in hand, summer squash and cucumbers, he explained that these are only maintenance free if you plant them early though. As you plant them early and keep them healthy, they are more likely to fight off diseases. He emphasized that every beginner gardener should be planting these two crops. They also both have a quick turn around with cucumbers only falling ten days behind the squash. Bush beans came in at number four because of their lack of disease and insect pressure. They also get ready to harvest pretty quickly. Now Greg’s fifth choice was left up to the viewers to see what they knew about this highly confidential crop known as vine okra.

Show and Tell Segment

These weeks show and tell segment started with a little snack after lasts week pickled cucumber recipe Travis brought his sliced pickles for Greg to try. This simple recipe calls for flavored olive oil, salt, pepper, and a heavy dose of Cavender’s Greek seasoning. Travis then talked about how he is going cucumber crazy! He showed one of his Diomede cucumbers out of his garden that some commercial guys would have considered a cull. They discussed even though the cucumber might look different; it still eats well. That conversation led to Mr.Greg explaining that he is trellising his cucumbers with a hog panel this year and how you have to kind of train your cucumbers up the board compared to the Hortonova Trellis. Two new cucumber varieties were uploaded to the site this week that will be great for our urban gardeners, Mercury and Olympian. One neat thing about Mercury is that it is a parthenocarpic, meaning it only produces female flowers. These varieties will be awesome for our gardeners with no pollinators or a lack of pollinators nearby.

Viewer Questions Segment

In this week’s viewer question segment, our first question asked about last week’s episode. The guys were asked their opinion on planting through plastic mulch. Travis explained if you have a way to lay it, that would be great. Our garden tips center around smaller-scale gardens. The second question asked for suggestions on what to plant for first-time fall gardens. They both talked about if you aren’t planting a fall garden. You are missing the boat. Their suggestion for plants were cabbage, beets, collards, mustards, and lettuce. One viewer then asked about what plants in their garden do they burn after harvest, Travis went on to give this list of plants to burn, burning helps get rid of diseases and insects as you get ready to plant your next crop.

• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Eggplant
• Potatoes
• Cucumbers
• Pumpkins

The Bradford watermelon was brought up by a viewer asking Greg if he knew anything about it. Greg went on to say that he read up on it a few years ago and how it is an interesting crop because it has been around since the 1850’s originating from the Bradford family in South Carolina. The next viewer asked Greg and Travis how do they know when it is too late to plant something? Travis was excited to talk about an app Hoss Tools has been working on that helps all gardeners answer that specific question. To help out the viewers until then, he gave this list of what they would still plant here in zone 8b.

• Peppers
• Egg Plant
• Cucumbers
• Summer Squash
• Winter Squash
• Okra
• Corn
• Sweet Potatoes
• Flowers

Our last subject in the viewer question segment was all about cover crops and their importance even in the north. Though we stress the importance of cover crops a lot more here in the south because we don’t have the freezing winters that kill out most of the insects and weed-like in the north, Travis and Greg explained it still can be beneficial for our northern gardeners.

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Benefits of No Till Gardening

No-till gardening can have its advantages and disadvantages, and as Greg put it in this week’s episode, it would work out great in a perfect world. Though Greg nor Travis use this Back to Eden style gardening, they discussed the benefits it may have. The first one they discussed was how no-till gardening builds up the earthworm population that could then lead to natural aeration and drainage. The second benefit is that it can save water, the reason behind this is because if you have some mulch covering your garden, you are going to have less evaporation. The third benefit of no-till gardening is that it helps soil retain carbon. Retaining the carbon is an undeniable benefit of no-till gardening because as you cultivate the soil, you can smell the carbon in the atmosphere. Many other bloggers say that no-till gardening also saves time and energy as well as reduces the need to weed. Travis and Greg both disagreed when they compared it to their gardens in which they do. They disagreed because of the fact you have to plant by hand if you don’t cultivate your soil, and no-tilling also appears to add weed pressure.

Benefits of Tilling a Garden

After explaining the benefits of not cultivating your soil Travis and Greg went on to explain the reasons they choose to do so. The first reason was how they saw fewer weeds with tilling, and if they did have weeds, it was easier to get rid of them. The second reason is that it provides oxygen to the soil, cultivating that plot is going to remove that crust and aerate that soil. Another benefit of tilling is that when you are adding compost or manure, it works better if it is integrated within the soil, really getting it mixed within. With tilling, you also don’t have to plant everything by hand, but instead, you can go in there with a seeder since you don’t have wood chips or another type of mulch over the beds. One last benefit is that with tilling, you can turn-over your beds a lot quicker, and here in South Georgia, this is very important. Down here, we are turning beds over every 30-50 days meaning that to get the most efficient production tilling works best for us.

So Which One is Better? Till or No Till Gardening

Overall, deciding which method of gardening is all about knowing your climate, the scale of your garden, and the resources you will have at hand. Resources and the size of your garden will differ with every gardener, so there is no right or wrong. We all want to be good stewards of our soil, and if we are growing our food, we are doing just that.

Show and Tell Segment

Exciting things happened in this week’s show and tell segment as we discussed a surprise Greg had show up in his garden for his 55th birthday. Greg then shared one of his favorite Mrs.Hoss recipes for the Calypso Cucumber. The procedure insisted on cutting the cucumbers up long ways, putting them in a zip lock bag, and adding some dill, elephant garlic, and salt. Then let it sit overnight, and they will be delicious come morning. Travis then explained an exciting competition that is taking place now until July 31st between Hoss Tools and some fellow gardening channels that will all be trying to grow the biggest American Giant Sunflower. There may even be some friendly father-son competition.

Viewer Questions Segment

This week’s viewer questions answered a wide array of problems. One focus was on squash plants and if Travis and Greg thought they were better grown through transplants or direct seed. After a great fall winter squash harvest Travis had through transplants, he discussed how he might even do that with his summer squash though they germinate fine with just a seed. Another question centered around squash bugs and how to get rid of them without any chemicals, a tip was shared about using duct tape to remove them manually. One viewer than asked what do they do in regards to weeds, use the “Chop and Drop” method, or do they burn them? It all just depends on the type of weed. If a certain weed seed quickly, then it is best to get that thing out of there. Our last question asked about the multiplying of onions and what kind of permanent bed to use. Greg explained that he is running trials with that currently and that he is still learning something new every day, even as many years as he has been gardening.

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Row by Row Garden Show

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Row by Row Garden Show, Greg and Travis share some of their favorite most memorable moments from the show. Travis mentions that his first moment was when Greg harvested some Honey Select Sweet Corn that tasted terrible however Greg ate the entire bowl of corn. Another moment was when Greg and Travis did their tomato taste test show which is when they tried different tomato varieties and compared them to one another as well. While another memory was when the power all of a sudden went out during the garden show and the guys had to come back the next day to shoot the show. The last favorite memory was during this fall/winter when Greg and Travis had a debate on who grew the biggest and tastiest cabbage in the vegetable garden.

Giveaway Questions

For the 100th episode of the Row by Row Garden Show, Greg and Travis are giving away a box full of goodies to the three most loyal viewers that can answer all five questions correctly. The first question is how far apart in years and days are Greg and Travis. The second question is what year was Hoss Tools started and Travis gives a little hint that it’s an even number. The third question is what is the name of the heirloom winter squash that the guys are growing a seed crop of this year. The fourth question is what is the title of the most viewed Row by Row episode on YouTube. The last and fifth question is what is the name of the book that we carry that has Greg’s favorite pickled okra recipes in it.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys celebrate the 100th episode of the Row by Row Garden Show. Greg has the prettiest crop of sweet corn he has ever grown, however, his field corn seems to be struggling right now in the garden. Travis showcases some of his Gold Star Squash which is a crookneck type and some of the Goldprize variety which is a straigtneck type of squash. He also mentions the new patty-pan varieties that are available which are Total Eclipse, Partial Eclipse, and Moonbeam Squash.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about trellising certain crops, growing gourds, finding good quality compost, and when to harvest garlic from the vegetable garden. Although there are several different ways to trellis such as the Florida weave or Hortonova it can vary depending on what crops you are growing. Greg mentions that gourds are really fun to grow in the garden and we have multiple varieties to choose from such as Birdhouse Bottle Gourd, Bule Gourd, etc. Travis suggests the best way to find good quality compost in your area is by simply talking to other gardeners to see what they use in their garden. When it’s time to harvest garlic, Greg says the garlic leaves will start to turn yellow or a little bit brown meaning it’s time to dig them up.

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Determining the Best Fertilizers for Your Garden

When discussing what the best fertilizers are to use on certain crops and how much to use on plants there are so many variables that can play into this decision. Depending on what type of soils you have in your own garden can help indicate what type of fertilizer is the best for you to use on vegetable plants. For example, if you have sandy type soil and somebody else has clay-like soils the recommend fertilization program is gonna change drastically because of the different nutrient requirements in those different soil types.

Best Fertilizers to Use on Certain Crops

The first type of fertilizer that they discuss is the organic fertilizers that you can put down at pre-plant in the garden. The first one is our Complete Orangic Fertilizer which is pelleted hen manure that can be added at pre-plant and then four weeks after in the garden area because it is more of a slower release process. The recommended rate on this is one and a half cup per square feet, for example, could be about five-row feet depending on what you have planted. The next fertilizer that is suggested is the Liqui-Fish which can be used to feed the soil by either soil drench or injecting it through a sprinkler system. However, this fertilizer works better in warm weather than it does it cool weather. The third fertilizer discussed is the 20-20-20 Garden Fertilizer which is used on almost everything grown in the vegetable garden. If you prefer to hand water you should put about one to two cups in a five-gallon bucket and then pour it alongside your plants. Travis has a 64-ounce mixing cup that is basically a half-gallon that he will fill up 3/4 of the way with the 20-20-20 and then take a cup or two of Micro Boost on top and that’s what he puts in his injector every time he runs it. The 20-20-20 is ideal for spoon feeding which means just giving the plants a little bit at a time with the injector. Another great fertilizer is the Calcium Nitrate which works well on all your nightshades such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. There two grades to this nitrate which are soluble and non-soluble which means it can either be water-soluble or not. The only one we carry is the water-soluble Calcium Nitrate which works great in the injector as well. The rate on this fertilizer is a pound per hundred-row feet or if you are injecting on a big plot put out five pounds per thousand square feet. When it comes to organic calcium like Gypsum Soil Conditioner it is great for helping in clay-like soils that need a quality soil conditioner in the area. Then, we have Chilean Nitrate which is a go-to fertilizer for corn that adds a natural source of nitrogen into the vegetable garden. The rate on the Chilean Nitrate for side dressing corn is a whole 10-pound bag per thousand square feet. Next, is our go-to Allium fertilizer known as Ammonium Sulfate which is used on plants like onions, garlic, leeks, or shallots. This fertilizer has a recommended rate when side-dressed of one cup per 20 feet row and when injecting it’s one cup per 40 feet. Lastly, one of our most popular fertilizers is the Micro Boost which is a blend that is specifically designed to improve the yield in your vegetable garden.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys compare their SunBurst Squash varieties to see just how well they grew in the vegetable garden. Travis mentions that we have several new colors of the patty-pan type squash such as MoonBeam, Total Eclipse, Partial Eclipse, and Bennings Green Tint. Greg shows off some purple asparagus that he harvested from the garden. Since a lot of customers have been wanting some half runner beans, we finally got some Mountaineer Half Runner Beans which is an old heirloom that is supposed to be the best variety out there. The guys also discuss the difference between crowder and pink-eyed pea types.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about momentum beans, growing small onions, and days to maturity. Travis mentions that his momentum beans are doing just fine, they experienced a little windburn from last week’s storm but have recovered nicely and has a little bit of a pest control program to keep them clear of any pest issues. Here in zone 8, Greg says we like to plant our onions around the 1st of November or around the time frame. A couple of important factors when it comes to planting onions is to keep in mind the row spacing and fertilize them well until the bulbing process starts happening. When it comes to days to maturity it can be a variable factor because weather conditions can affect the growth of certain crops.

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Small Beginner Gardener

If you are a small beginner gardener that only has room for a 20×20 vegetable garden, what can you plant in that area? Although that seems like a simple question to answer there is actually a couple of different factors that play into that like weather temperatures, soil types, certain crop nutrients, etc.

Small Beginner Gardener with 20×20 Area

The 20×20 small beginner gardener diagram that we discuss is subject to change depending on what vegetables you like to eat or plant in the garden. However, this plan is designed to get the most out of the area you have and we suggest planting thick and incorporating some vertical gardening to achieve maximum space. In the 20×20 garden area, Travis sectioned it into 4 foot wide quadrants for row spacing. Along the first row in the diagram, we suggest pole beans because they can be grown vertically on a trellis and easy to maintain along the edge of the garden in that beginning row. If you are planting one row of pole beans we recommend planting Kentucky Blue which is extremely productive and has sweeter flavor profiles than traditional pole beans. On the second row, is where we can plant some nightshades such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Within a 20-foot row, you can get about 10 plants in the area that are 2-feet apart. Therefore, you can plant five tomato plants of the Brickyard variety, three pepper plants like a Bell Pepper or Cubanelle, and two eggplants of the highly productive Purple Shine variety. Next, along the third row a great crop to grow is Jambalaya Okra. However, if you do not like picking okra every other day the jambalaya variety may not be for you because it is best picked at around three to four inches long. If you prefer to pick okra every three to five days choose a variety like the Perkins Long Pod, Cowhorn, or Red Burgundy to plant in the garden. Then, on the fourth row, you can plant some squash and zucchini along that garden row. Although there’s several good varieties if you just had to pick two to grow we would recommend Goldprize Squash and Pascola Zucchini. On the last row, we suggest planting cucumbers specifically the Stonewall variety, but that can vary depending on if you prefer pickling or slicing cucumbers.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys discuss a little information about the Row by Row Garden Show and little insight into what gardening all involves if you are new to the gardening world. Travis has some mulberries that were harvested this year from his mulberry trees. After a heavy storm this past weekend, the guys talk about the importance of getting in the garden as soon as that rain is over to cultivate the area and let that soil breathe. The new South Anna Butternut Squash is a hybrid that grows excellent in the heat and is disease resistant. The guys also compare their different sized onions and how they grow onions in the vegetable garden.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about controlling thick crabgrass, dependable tomato variety, removing bermudagrass, and hilling potatoes in a raised bed. Travis mentions the best way to remove crabgrass is to control it when it is small and remove the whole thing. You can also plant a cover crop like Sorghum Sudangrass or Sunn Hemp to help block or cover the soil from sunlight, therefore, you are able to break up that crabgrass seed from germinating. When discussing the three most reliable tomato varieties out of the cherry, salsa, and sandwich-type tomatoes which one is the best to plant. Greg says for the cherry type tomato he recommends the Yellow Pear which produces smaller yellow fruits that have a tangy, almost citrus flavor profile. For the salsa type tomato, the Amish Paste is the best type which is an excellent open-pollinated variety as well. While the best sandwich-type tomato is the Bella Rosa which is one of our popular tomato varieties. Travis suggests the best way to remove bermudagrass from the vegetable garden is to use a silage tarp to bake the area for a couple of weeks until everything is dead under the tarp. Then remove the tarp and till the area and place the tarp back over the area for two more weeks and continue to do that method for at least three or four times to get rid of the bermudagrass completely. Greg says in a raised bed situation you can take a hoe and pull dirt up on the potato plants or if you have room to add soil and compost that works too.

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Variety of Wheel Hoe Attachments

Our popular Single, Double, and High Arch Wheel Hoes are known to make gardening easier and with our variety of wheel hoe attachments, it makes working in the garden more manageable than ever. All three wheel hoes come with a set of cultivator teeths which is used for breaking up the soil to do preventative weeding in the garden. You can use up to five cultivator teeth on the wheel hoe, however, we have found that using less is better because if there are too many it tends to clog up. The most popular wheel hoe attachments that we have are the plows that have a left and right plow. To use the plows in the hilling position, you must put the right plow on the left and the left plow on the right to ensure they hill vegetables correctly. The second wheel hoe attachment that makes it easier to garden is the oscillating hoe which is available in a 6, 8, and 12-inch. If you have harder garden soils to work in this attachment is one of our strongest weeding attachments to use for managing the vegetable garden. Another great wheel hoe attachment is the sweeps which have a few limitations. The sweep blades are zinc-coated and made to overlap one another so you can control the size of the desired weeding path. Depending on your soil type and the amount of weed pressure you experience you should go with the sweeps if you’ve got softer soils and tend to stay on top of weed pressure a little more. However, go with the oscillating hoe iff you’ve got heavier soils and lots of weed pressure in the garden. Another advantage of using the sweeps is you can get super close cultivation next to plants that are in the ground. The fourth wheel hoe attachment is the winged sweeps which are similar to the sweeps but have a little bit different shape. The ideal setup for the wheel hoe is to have two or three-winged sweeps to ensure they work properly. Next, is one of the most misunderstood implements that we carry which is the disk harrow. This disk harrow is made for seedbed preparation, incorporating compost in the soil, and close cultivation when moved in a different position. The last attachment that the guys mention is the spreader bar which is more of an accessory that is used to extend the wheel hoe toolbar for adding more attachments.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys discussed watermelons on last week’s show and forgot to explain the watermelon fertilization program. Greg mentions that watermelons are a long-term crop that takes around 80 to 90 days, therefore, you need to split up fertilization as much as you can and not apply them all at one time. The ideal amount is no more than 120 units per acre of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It’s best if you spoon feed it and bust it up while using a well-balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20 and alternate with calcium nitrate. Watermelons also need zinc, boron, and magnesium that is available in Micro-Boost.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about spraying leaves and heat-tolerant lettuces. Travis mentions when spraying anything on the garden it’s important to have a nice nozzle or sprayer that will atomize what you are spraying so you don’t spray too much and have it running off the leaves. When growing lettuce the Cherokee and Tehama have been proven to be the most heat-tolerant varieties that we carry on the site.

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Watermelon Varieties

Since Hoss Tools has started selling seeds, Greg has decided to try a new variety of watermelons every year. In the past, he prefers growing watermelons such as Crimson Sweet before he started trying new watermelon varieties. Last year, he grew the Moon and Stars variety and this year he has decided to plant the Sangria Watermelon. When discussing the heirloom or open-pollinated watermelon varieties the few that we have available include Charleston Gray which is a more elongated, smaller sized watermelon that contained a thick rind and a very popular variety back in the day. The Moon and Stars variety consist of oblong fruits that average around 25 lbs but can get as large as 40 lbs. Another popular variety is the Sugar Baby which is a smaller sized watermelon that averages 10 to 12 lbs. Then, the last two heirloom varieties we have available are the Tendersweet Orange and Crimson Sweet which is great tasting watermelons as well. A hybrid variety is the Baby Doll which has a bright yellow interior that has an exceptional flavor profile. While the all sweet type watermelon varieties include Dulce Fantasia, Sangria, and Jamboree.

Tips for Planting Watermelons

When it comes to growing watermelons you can direct seed or transplant in a seed starting tray. Another factor of growing watermelons is they require drip irrigation to ensure you supply enough water directly to plant roots and control fungal diseases. It’s also very important to have pollinators to get higher production yield. For plant spacing, Greg recommends a foot or two with row spacing around five feet in the vegetable garden. All the fertilization should be done before fruits start to set in the area.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys try out the first batch of sauerkraut that Travis made using his cabbages harvested from the vegetable garden. Greg discusses the ideal time to plant potatoes so you don’t experience rotten potatoes in the next growing season. The guys also touch base on some products that are being restocked in the next couple of days.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about sowing onion seeds, storing seeds, spinosad effect on bees, healing potatoes, mixing B.T. and Spinosad, and treatment for aphids. Travis mentions last fall he started sowing onion seeds as early as last August and early September all the way through October. In sowing onion seeds this way he found that he can succession plant onions in the vegetable garden. Greg recommends storing seeds anywhere where you can get a constant temperature or environment such as a refrigerator. When spraying spinosad you should either do it right before dark or after dark when the bees are not in the garden pollinating. When it comes to mixing B.t. and Spinosad, Travis mentions they pretty much do the same thing so either use or other in the garden. Greg suggests using either Neem Oil or Pyrthine to control aphids and keep after them regularly to maintain a decrease in the population.

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Types/Tasty Sweet Corn Varieties

The three major types/tasty sweet corn are known as standard, sugary extender, and supersweet. The standard is a su gene that is mostly your old-time favorite varieties including Silver Queen, Stowell’s Evergreen, and Jubilee. The standard type will germinate in cooler soils better than the supersweet and once they are harvested you have to do something with them quickly because they normally last about 3 days in the fridge. While the sugary extender or sugary enhance type is where you will find the majority of the most popular varieties such as Silver King, Bodacious, Incredible, Peaches & Cream, Ambrosia, and Argent Sweet Corn. Typically the sugary enhance gene can store a little better than the standard type and needs a little warmer soil temperatures to germinate. Lastly, the supersweet type is known for storing the longest once harvested and requires even warmer soil temperatures to germinate in the garden. Also, the supersweets require a little more maintenance than the standard or sugary enhanced type. Now an uncommon type is known as triplesweet corn which actually contains all three of the major genes such as the standard, sugary enhance, and supersweet. One thing about having the triplesweet contain all three of the major genes is that you don’t have to isolate when planting. Therefore, if you want to grow two different varieties of sweet corn you should plant whichever variety of the standard, sugary enhanced, or supersweet then wait two weeks and plant you a triplesweet in the vegetable garden.

Planting/Growing Tips

The main factor about planting sweet corn is it should be planted in blocks, not rows. Corn is pollinated by the wind so if you experience corn cobs that are half-filled at the end of the growing season it is most likely due to pollination issues. Therefore, planting in squares that are larger and blockier the better your pollination will be throughout the growing season. Another important factor about pollination is ensuring that your fertilizer is delivered right to your corn to help with the coincide of the tassel and silk development. When it comes to spacing, corn has a standard row spacing of 36 inches. Travis has tried growing corn with two-foot spacing but was not successful because there is too much foliage and your pollen can’t fall to the silks. For seed spacing along the row, it can vary a little bit depending on what irrigation you have, however, the most ideal is 6 to 8 inches apart. When dealing with fungus and disease on corn we suggest using Liquid Copper Fungicide, Complete Disease Control, or Spinosad.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Greg and Travis discuss a little bit about the pandemic that is happening right now. Travis has some Pak Choi that he has harvested from the garden. This variety of cabbage is a fast producing crop that creates steady production and excellent flavor profiles. Next, he has a variety of Gold Nugget Carrots that were grown in the garden for the first time this year and they are similar to the Bugs Bunny type carrots. The guys also compare their onion varieties that were harvested from the garden area.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about when to plant tomatoes and planting watermelons. Travis mentions that he just has a feeling when it’s time to plant tomatoes in the garden. He kinda knows when the frost is done and the temperatures start warming up it’s time to plant. Greg says he still has to get drip tape in the ground, but it is time once the true leaves start coming up in the greenhouse.

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Tips for Cross-Pollinating

When it comes to saving seeds the most important factor in keeping that seed pure to its genetics is ensuring you aren’t cross-pollinating with other varieties in the vegetable garden.

Different Types of Pollination

The three main pollinating types of crops are self-pollinating, wind pollinating, and insect pollinating. The self-pollinating crops include beans, peas, okra, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant which do not require beneficial insects to pollinate them. To ensure you do not experience cross-pollinating of the self-pollinating crops there are isolation distances to help with keeping the seeds you are wanting to save true or pure for future growing seasons. The isolation distances recommended for beans or peas is 20 feet, okra is 1500 feet, tomatoes is 10 feet, peppers is 100 feet, and eggplant is 50 feet between varieties in the area. When it comes to wind-pollinating, corn is the only crop that is wind-pollinated. When growing corn you have a male flower which is the tassel and the female flower which is the silk. Wind-pollination allows the pollen grains on the tassel to fertilize the silk and every little silk represents a kernel on the ear of corn. Another important type of pollination is our insect-pollination where we need bees to help us make fruits during the growing season. The insect-pollinated crops include cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, and gourds.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Travis has a handful of Viper Carrots that he recently harvested from the vegetable garden. Greg grew the Yellowstone variety that was rather small and more personal-sized carrots. The guys also discuss their composting technique for different plots and vegetables this growing season. According to Greg, it may be the year for planting potatoes, however, Travis is a little worried that the weather temperatures have struck hot quick for potato growing. Travis shows off a seed starting tray full of tomato transplants that are ready to be planting in the garden. The several different tomato varieties he plans on planting are Bella Rosa, Celebration, Brickyard, Red Snapper, Chef’s Choice Orange, Homestead, and Black Krim.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about planting sweet potato slips, using cotton gin trash compost, and squash succession planting. Travis likes to wait and plant sweet potato slips in June or sometimes even July that way he can dig them towards November. Although there as been concern about using gin trash compost, Travis and Greg are getting their compost from a gin trash company that is taking the right measurements to ensure they are creating quality grade compost that can be used in the garden area. Greg mentions when succession planting summer squash he always direct seeds and moves them over a row or two so he doesn’t plant in the same exact row.

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Planting Summer Squash

When it comes to growing summer squash in the garden, there are many factors such as climate temperatures, irrigation, soil quality, and insect or disease pressures that must be controlled. Summer squash is usually the first warm-weather crop the guys recommend to plant in the vegetable garden.

Guide to Growing Summer Squash

Here in South Georgia, we are located in Zone 8B, therefore we plant summer squash typically as soon as temperatures become warm. Another reason behind planting summer squash early is to ensure we get around three to four rounds of squash before the squash bug pressure gets too bad in the garden. A few different varieties that we recommend growing is the patty-pan types like the Sunburst and Bennings Green Tint. When it comes to the more traditional summer squash types like the crookneck and straightneck we have varieties such as the Early Crookneck, Gentry, and Goldprize. Along with the summer squash, we have zucchini varieties such as Golden Delight, Golden Zebra, Spineless Beauty, Spineless Supreme, and Pascola. Next, the guys discuss the general rule of thumb when it comes to summer squash fertilization which is add a complete fertilizer like 20-20-20. To maintain disease control over the powdery and downy mildews we suggest Liquid Copper Fungicide or Monterey B.t. The number one factor when dealing with pests such as pickle worms, squash bugs, and vine borers is you have to control them early on to ensure they don’t become a larger problem in the vegetable garden. For pest control, Travis suggests mixing the B.t. with the Neem Oil one week and then the next week the Take Down Garden Spray. Overall, when growing summer squash you must get rid of plants when production begins to decline to ensure you don’t create a host for pest to live and feed off of.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Travis has a heap of Brussel sprouts that he has harvested from the vegetable garden. The different Brussel sprout varieties that he shows off is the hybrid, Jade Cross and productive open-pollinated Red Bull. The guys also discuss what crops they plan on planting coming soon in the garden. Greg is exterminating with using perlite on top of his seed starting trays after he dibbles in potting soil. The commercial growers use this perlite method to cover the top of seeds instead of using more Pro-Mix.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about when the payoff stage of onions begins, tips on growing corn on a smaller scale, planting winter squash, and the cause of having a hole in the center of potatoes. Travis mentions that you will know when the onion bulbs have begun the payoff stage because the base will start to enlarge. Greg recommends when growing a smaller scale of corn you need to make sure the corn is hilled well to help ensure strong weather conditions do not ruin the plot. When you experience having a hole in the center of potatoes, Greg mentions that it is a physiological problem that is known as a hollow heart and is most likely caused by too much or lack of irrigation.

Product of the Week

• Complete Organic Fertilizer

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Best Potato Fertilization Schedule

Unlike heavy feeder crops such as corn that requires lots of fertilizer, potatoes are a little different and need a certain range of fertilizer in the vegetable garden. When discussing the nutrients that potatoes need to have successful growth Travis talks about the maximum amount and you can scale it back to the desired amount you need for your garden area. The potato fertilization schedule starts with major three nutrients which is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. On the higher end of the scale, nitrogen is 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet, phosphorous is 1.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet, and potassium is 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet. For the home gardener or small market farm, it is recommended to use a complete fertilizer like 20-20-20 or 10-10-10 to ensure you get all the required nutrients. Overall, if you had a 1,000 square foot of potatoes in the garden area you would need about 25 pounds of 20-20-20 throughout their lifetime growing span. Next for the fertilization schedule, we don’t need to give all the nutrients at one time in the area. Therefore, the first application should be when planting potatoes, you need to put 1/3 down which can be sprinkled along the furrow. The second application of 1/3 fertilizer can be applied at emergence or around the first hilling process. The final application of the 1/3 should be applied at your last or second hilling assuming you hill potatoes at least two times. Along with the three major nutrients, potatoes also need micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, and boron. We recommend using Calcium Nitrate Fertilizer to ensure you get all the calcium you need and use the Micro-Juice for the other needed micronutrients.

Indeterminate vs. Determinate Potatoes

When talking about determinate and indeterminate potatoes it is rather different than discussing types of tomatoes. Indeterminate potatoes are described by having a later maturity date than most other varieties. While the red potatoes like Red Norland, Red Pontiac, or Red Lasoda are all early varieties, therefore, known as determinate potatoes. Some people also believe you don’t need to hill determinate potatoes in the garden. However, in order to have a successful bumper crop, you will need to hill potatoes whether they’re determinate or indeterminate.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys discuss not plucking the greens off rutabagas to help get a large size crop in the garden. Travis shows off a Texas Legend Onion that he grew in early November that has excellent flavor and great storage life after harvesting. Travis also talks about some new flower seed varieties such as Marigold Sparky Mix, Bachelor Button Polka Dot Mix, Cosmos Bright Light Mix, Snapdragon Tetra Mix, and Zinnia Cactus Mix.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about where to get vegetable bags, mixing sand with soil for growing carrots, tips for growing squash. Travis mentions when doing his weekly produce bag operation he recommends buying produce bags from Amazon which tend to hold vegetables a little longer than other bags. Greg mentions that instead of mixing sand in the soil he suggests adding a good compost to improve the nutrient value for growing vegetables in the garden. Travis and Greg suggest that the number tip when planting squash is plant them early in the spring to ensure you avoid harsh disease and insect pressures. They also recommend applying some pest control like Spinosad, Neem Oil, or Monetery BT.

Product of the Week

• 8 mil Drip Tape Irrigation Kit

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Let’s Talk Drip Irrigation

On this week’s episode, the guys answer some of the most popular frequently asked questions about drip irrigation in the vegetable garden. Although some people are intimidated by drip systems, however, it is rather simple and really a gamechanger in the garden area. The first question they answer is whether or not you can use drip tape irrigation with a gravity-fed system. Travis mentions that you can use drip tape with a gravity-fed system, but it is unfeasible overall. The second most popular question about drip irrigation is should it be buried or laid on top of the soil. Greg says you can really do either, but drip tape was designed to be buried under the soil to prevent it from being harmed by other elements. There are two ways to bury drip irrigation using our wheel hoe either with the plow set attachment or the drip tape layer attachment. Once the drip tape is in the ground, people often wonder how to know where the emitters are located after it’s buried in the area. The best way that Travis determines where the emitters are once it is buried is by turning the irrigation on and around 10 to 15 minutes depending on how dry the soil is, little water spots will develop where the emitters are located. They also mention that you can plant crops in between the emitters along the drip tape irrigation. The next question that is asked often is can you save drip tape and reuse it again in the garden. The guys mention that it can be reused depending on how conservative or frugal you want to be. Travis typically pulls tape up out of the area and then cultivates the area and lays it right back down, he never pulls it completely up and tries to store it. He normally uses the same drip tape four to five times and then replaces it with new tape. Another question the guy’s answer is you can certainly leave the drip tape in the garden over winter because it decompresses when it is not in use so you will never have to worry about it freezing during the winter season. The major difference between 8 mil and 15 mil tape is the 15 mil tape is almost twice as thick as the 8 mil tape. The 8 mil tape is designed for annual vegetables, while the 15 mil tape is better for perennials in the garden. When watering individual rows, you can use the drip tape row start valves which basically allows you to turn off or on individual rows that need irrigation. Another popular question is how long do you let drip irrigation run in the vegetable garden. Which is rather a hard question to answer because it depends on factors such as the climate, weather temperatures, soil type, the crop you are growing, and so much more. Greg mentions that you will get the feel for how wet it is the soil real quick and once plants start growing larger it may take longer to water, however, it all just depends on certain factors. You can also use drip irrigation in a raised bed situation it just may need more what we call tee and elbows for the mainline. When direct seeding in the garden, Greg recommends planting crops directly on top of the drip tape while planting transplants on either side of the emitters. The last question the guy’s answer about drip irrigation is how to avoid hitting it with the wheel hoe. Overall, by burying it and putting it out of the way we can avoid messing it up in the vegetable garden.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys discuss the different types of carrots growing in the vegetable garden. They also discuss potato planting since it has been super wet in the garden. The guys also discuss some okra varieties that have excellent flavor profiles such as Red Burgundy, Star of David, Silver Queen, Cowhorn, Perkins Long Pod, and Clemson Spineless.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about growing crops against tradition, controlling tomato spotted wilt virus, warm-weather cover crop, and growing collard greens.

Travis mentions that sometimes they try to push the limits of what crops they grow in certain seasons. However, he never tries to flip the seasons of crops around. Greg says that you can control tomato spotted wilt virus by either planting a virus-resistant tomato variety or treating insects with an insecticide early on in the vegetable garden. Travis recommends planting warm-season cover crops like buckwheat if you tend to have a shorter growing window or if you have a longer window the sorghum sudangrass is perfect. Greg recommends growing the Top Bunch variety because it will outperform all other varieties in the garden.

Product of the Week

• Drip Tape Irrigation Kit

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Planting Different Tomato Varieties

Since it’s time to plant potatoes in the garden area, it’s also the perfect time to start planting tomato varieties in the greenhouse. Here in Zone 8, the ideal time to start planting tomato seeds in the seed starting trays is around February 15th. Typically, the tomato seedlings will take six weeks to germinate which puts us planting tomato transplants in the soil right around the 1st of April.

Heirloom, Indeterminate

• Amish Paste
• Brandywine Pink
• Cherokee Purple
• Black Krim
• Jubilee
• Mortgage Lifter
• Sweetie Cherry
• Yellow Pear

Heirloom, Determinate

• Homestead

Hybrid, Indeterminate

• Black Cherry Zebra
• Chef’s Choice Orange
• Sun Gold

Hybrid, Determinate

• Mountain Glory
• Celebration
• SummerPick
• Tachi
• Red Snapper
• Brickyard
• Bella Rosa

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Travis has some watermelon radishes that typically have more of a bite than a normal traditional radish. The next crop that he has to show off this week is the Chioggia Beet variety. As the most visually appealing beet, this variety offers a less earthy flavor and a more sugary content profile than other red beets. As well another large cabbage variety, known as the Rio Grande which probably weighs around 15 to 20 pounds. The guys also do a little show and tell on the new seed varieties coming soon. The four new varieties on the site include Gentry Squash, Gold Star Squash, Pascola Zucchini, and Spineless Supreme Zucchini. As well as three new watermelon varieties which are supposed to be sweeter than our popular Crimson Sweet variety. These varieties include Dulce Fantasia, Sangria, and Jamboree watermelon.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about pelleted seeds, preserving corn seed, preventing mildew on cucumbers, and the best way to grow corn in the vegetable garden. Travis mentions that he thinks with pelleted seeds they may need a little bit more water than non-pelleted seeds. Also, with pelleted seeds, they don’t have a shelf life that will last nearly as long as unpelleted seeds. Greg says when preserving corn seed for next season it is recommended that you keep the seeds at least 1600 feet away from other varieties to ensure they do not cross-pollinate. Once you gather the seeds you want to save you will need to place them in the freezer for at least two weeks to keep the weevils out of them. If you are trying to prevent mildew on cucumbers, Travis recommends growing powdery mildew resistant varieties. The two varieties we have available that offer this disease package resistance is the Diomede and the Max Pack. When growing corn, Greg mentions that you know when there is enough fertilizer because you can see where you’ve burnt the edge of the leaf a little bit. The way he likes to add the fertilizer in the garden is by putting down a balanced fertilizer and every other time hit it with a nitrogen source.

Product of the Week

• Tomato Varieties

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Gardening Questions

On this week’s episode, Greg and Travis answer several gardening questions that are asked by multiple customers.  The first question the guys answer on this week’s episode is whether to use two or three-foot row spacing when planting corn. Travis mentions that he has made the mistake of planting on two-foot row spacing which results in poor pollination and unhealthy crops. The second question they discuss is the difference in fertilization methods between raised beds and ground gardening. Greg indicates that it depends on the type of medium you have in the raised beds, however, they do drain better and you will experience more water leaching in a raised bed. The fertilization method that Greg recommends using as Complete Organic Fertilizer to ensure you the get needed amount of fertilizer. Next on the gardening questions list is there any sweet corn varieties that grow well without irrigation. Although all sweet corn loves water, the one variety that can grow without irrigation is the Stowells Evergreen. When discussing a shift in growing seasons using a high tunnel greenhouse, the guys recommend moving crops up a couple of weeks according to your planting zone to coordinate with the growing conditions in the high tunnel. The three crops that do wonders when starting out in a high tunnel greenhouse are summer squash, lettuce, and indeterminate tomatoes. The fifth question is rather different and interesting to think about which was what did the pioneers do for fertilizer before they could just run down to the hardware store and buy it. The guys suggest the most ideal way they think the pioneer’s used fertilizer is by establishing a grazing program with their livestock and a fallow ground program to let the soil rest and build up the nutrient levels by using the livestock manure. The guys also give their best advice for growing artichokes and asparagus around the homestead. However, Greg mentions that if you love asparagus you should be growing it on the homestead. Travis shows off a couple of shallots and needs some help to determine why some are splitting off and others aren’t in the garden. They list off a couple of recommendations for growing winter squash such as give them plenty of room to grow and plant early to avoid disease pressures. Another common question is how to rotate different crops in a single plot garden area. Greg has experienced this issue before in the garden if you aren’t able to rotate crops you can just move 10 feet over and the vegetables should be fine. Travis mentions that the best way to grow beets is by transplanting to ensure you get them uniformly spaced. If you have trouble growing all greens instead of beets that most likely means you have too much nitrogen and not enough phosphorus and potassium. When it comes to traditional gardening beds, it is recommended that watering ornamentals should be one inch per week. The last question that has been asked is whether or not we can build an attachment for the wheel hoe that would allow you to side-dress your plants. Once the guys started using the injection system the need for a side dressing attachment is kind of on the back burner right now but may come available in the future.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys talk new pepper seed varieties such as Touchdown Bell Pepper, Mama Mia Giallo, Mama Mia Rosso, Cinder Jalapeno, Lola Banana Pepper, and Santa Fe Grande.

Product of the Week

• Hoss Hat

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Most Popular Seed Varieties

The guys discuss the 15 most popular seed varieties that were chosen by customers as bestsellers. All of these seed varieties are excellent for growing in the vegetable garden and offer some of the best production and flavor profiles throughout the growing season.

Jambalaya Okra

The most popular seed variety that we have available at Hoss Tools is the Jambalaya Okra. As the most productive okra crop, this variety has heavy yields of green pods with excellent flavor profiles. We recommend transplanting in okra in early spring to get a jump start on the growing season.

Red Burgundy Okra

Not the most productive okra variety that we have available the Red Burgundy Okra is one of the best pickling varieties according to Greg. This okra variety produces deep red pods that will remain tender at even longer pod lengths.

Tiger Collard

Once we sell out of the Tiger Collards variety it will soon be replaced with the Top Bunch 2.0 collards. The Top Bunch 2.0 is the newest generation in the Top Bunch collard line. This is a hybrid variety that is great for early-maturing and will grow fast in the vegetable garden.

Bella Rosa Tomato

The Bella Rosa is an heirloom variety that performs best in hot and humid climates. Out of all the popular seed varieties, the Bella Rosa is the top performer for continuing to set fruits once temperatures become warmer in early summer.

Brickyard Tomato

As the most comprehensive disease-resistant package the Brickyard Tomatoes do best when planted in seed starting trays. Tomatoes can produce heavy fruits and will require some form of trellising system to support the plants throughout the growing season.

Goldprize Squash

As a highly productive squash, the Goldprize variety is a straightneck that offers excellent flavor profiles, texture, and storage potential. Throughout the growing season, squash is a crop that will require multiple harvests within the garden area.

Stonewall Cucumber

The Stonewall Cucumber is a hybrid slicer variety that offers improved yields, great disease-resistance, and exceptional consistency. It does best when direct seeded in the garden area and is a vining plant that will need a strong trellising system in place as it grows throughout the season.

Green Magic Broccoli

Out of all the popular seed varieties, the Green Magic Broccoli is one of the most popular broccoli varieties. This heat-tolerant broccoli can be grown in spring and earlier in the fall than other varieties. We recommend transplanting broccoli to ensure you get maximum production and better plants.

Calypso Cucumber

Another popular cucumber variety is the Calypso cucumber which is gynoecious meaning it produces all-female flowers for increased productivity and higher yields. This hybrid variety offers a strong disease package and early production within the vegetable garden.

Jimmy Red Corn

If you are looking for a variety of corn to grind for making grits and corn mill the Jimmy Red is the ideal variety for just that. We recommend planting corn using a walk-behind planter like our garden seeder that makes planting easy and allows you to customize your planting to meet your exact needs.

Rattlesnake Pole Beans

A very popular variety of beans to grow in the vegetable garden is the Rattlesnake Pole Beans. This heirloom variety has vigorous plants that grow up to 10 inches when trellised and produce around 6 to 7-inch pods that can be harvested frequently throughout the growing season.

Spineless Beauty Zucchini

The Spineless Beauty Zucchini is another hybrid variety that provides an exceptional production, increased storage, and disease package in the garden. The variety has spineless petioles which mean there is no itching sensation during and after harvesting zucchini.

Benary Giant Zinnia Mix

Along with growing vegetables in the garden, it is also great to plant cut flowers in the area. The Benary Giant Zinnia Mix contains a bountiful assortment of colorful flowers throughout the entire warm growing season. The following colors are included in the mix: orange, deep red, coral, lime, bright pink, carmine rose, purple, wine, salmon rose, white, golden yellow, and scarlet.

Bolero Carrot

The hybrid Bolero Carrot variety offers an excellent disease resistance package with great flavor profiles and storage capacity. This variety produces large heavy tops that make them easy to pull up from the ground during harvesting. Once harvested, carrots can hold in cold storage for several weeks and can also be blanched, frozen, and retain texture and flavor in the freezer.

Lacinato Kale

Out of all the most popular seed varieties, the most productive crops grown in the garden this year was the Lacinato Kale which is ideal for producing throughout the entire year. It can be planted in the fall months and will produce throughout the winter and into spring. We recommend transplanting kale at least 3 to 4 weeks before the desired outdoor planting date in the vegetable garden.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys discuss growing and eating leeks from the vegetable garden. It has been a busy week in the warehouse with the packing and shipping of potatoes. The Austrian Crescent Fingerling Potato is a popular variety that is hard to come by this year so be sure to get it before we sell out. A couple of new varieties that are now available on the site is Diomede Cucumbers, Max Pack Cucumbers, Athena Cantaloupe, and Black Zebra Cherry Tomato.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about starting winter squash transplants, growing Cherokee Tans or Seminole pumpkins on a cattle panel, tilling cover crops, and planting cold crops in the ground a little early.

Product of the Week

• Potato Varieties
• Spineless Supreme

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Transplanting Crops vs. Direct Seeding

When comes to transplanting crops and which are best for direct seeding it can vary depending on the several different plant varieties. For transplanting crops like beets you can either transplant or direct seed in the garden. Travis mentions in order to get consistently sized beets you must thin them and he prefers to do this in the greenhouse rather than on his knees inside the vegetable garden. The three other transplanting crops that are without a doubt better transplanted are broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage plants. Another crop that can be transplanted or direct seeded is cantaloupes and it is beneficial to transplant if you like in a climate where the warm growing season isn’t as long. When it comes to collards you can direct seed or transplant depending on how and what variety you are planting in the garden. Another crop that can be transplanted or direct seeded is okra because it does not like cooler soils you are able to get a head start on growing if you transplant okra. When direct seeding crops such as beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, greens, peanuts, radishes, etc all do better direct seeded in the vegetable garden. The advantage of transplanting crops is you will get a head start on planting which is really effective for areas that experience really high disease or insect pressures. Another advantage of transplanting is you get a head start on the weed pressure, especially with slower germinating crops.

Transplant Crops

• Brocolli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Eggplant
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Onions
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Direct Seed

• Beans
• Carrots
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Greens
• Peanuts
• Field Peas
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Summer Squash

Direct Seed + Transplant

• Beets
• Cantaloupes
• Collards
• Gourds
• English Peas
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Okra
• Pumpkins
• Rutabaga
• Winter Squash
• Swiss Chard
• Turnips

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Travis has grown some of the Mr. Big English Pea variety for the first time in the garden. The guys address the comments about the egg in the hole feedback on last week’s garden show video. Greg shows off some of his Cheers and Jersey Wakefield cabbage from the vegetable garden. Greg also has his ghost pepper seeds in the freezer so he will get a better stratification process and quicker germination when he gets ready to plant them. The guys give an update on potatoes and hope to get them in and ready to ship next week.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about rotating in a small garden, advice for growing watermelons, and amending pH for every crop. Travis mentions that can be more difficult to manage crop rotation in one small garden, however, you just have to be more mindful of what crops you are planting in the area year after year. He also mentions that it is really beneficial if you are utilizing cover crops that will help with incorporating nutrients back into the soils. Greg gives three tips for growing watermelons which is to give them plenty of room, use drip irrigation, and attract natural pollinators to the area. Greg mentions the ideal way to control your pH for planting is to plant new seeds in a new spot every year and work it into your rotation.

Product of the Week

• Cherokee Lettuce

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Crop Rotation Strategies

If you fail to incorporate effective crop rotation strategies in the vegetable garden, you can experience recurring pests and disease problems that will become greater year after year. It is crucial to establish the right crop rotation strategies to eliminate these problems. Our goal is to not plant the same family of crops in the same spot in consecutive years.

Crops in the Same Family

Travis shows a comprehensive list of vegetables and their respective families. The first family of crops is Solanaceae, commonly known as the nightshades. This family includes popular vegetable crops like tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and potatoes. Most folks don’t realize that potatoes are closely related to the other crops in the nightshade family. As a result, you wouldn’t want to plant tomatoes, peppers or eggplant in the same spot as potatoes in a given year. If you are not careful to rotate these crops, you will almost certainly experience some blight issues that will intensify over time.

The next family is Cucurbitaceae, also known as the Cucurbits. This family includes crops like summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes, and gourds. All of the crops in the Cucurbit family can have issues with powdery mildew and downy mildew, so rotating these crops ensures those disease problems will not increase year after year. Cucurbits also tend to have high insect pressure with pests like squash bugs, squash vine borers and pickle worms.

The next family is the Brassicas, which is one of the most popular families of crops grown in the vegetable garden. The brassica family includes mustards, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, bok choy, rutabagas, turnips, and radishes. Brassicas can have recurring pest issues if not rotated properly, especially with worms that will chew and eat the plant leaves.

Below is a list of all the important crop families for a vegetable garden:

Nightshades:

• Tomatoes
• Eggplants
• Peppers
• Potatoes

Cucurbits:

• Summer Squash
• Winter Squash
• Pumpkins
• Cucumbers
• Watermelon
• Cantaloupes
• Gourds

Brassicas:

• Mustard
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Turnips
• Kohlrabi
• Radish
• Rutabagas
• Boy Choy

Alliums:

• Onions
• Shallots
• Leeks
• Garlic
• Scallions
• Chives

Legumes:

• Beans
• English Peas
• Winter Peas
• Field Peas
• Peanuts
• Clover
• Sunn Hemp
• Hairy Vetch

Umbellifers:

• Carrots
• Cilantro
• Celery
• Parsley
• Dill
• Parsnips

Amaranth:

• Beets
• Chard
• Spinach
• Pigweed

Grasses:

• Corn
• Wheat
• Barley
• Sorghum Sudangrass

Mallow:

• Okra
• Cotton
• Hibiscus

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys sample a few varieties of raw greens including Tatsoi, Arugula, and Savanna Mustard. Greg provides an update on his multiplying onions and guinea nest onions from the garden. He also discusses the Ghost Peppers that are now available. He mentions they are limited and will sell quickly. The guys also mention that 20 more seed varieties will be added by the end of January.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about seed starting schedules, cleaning seed trays, favorite tomato varieties, and moving plants from the greenhouse. Travis mentions that his ideal seed starting schedule is to plant early spring crops such as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, etc., now. And he’ll start planting peppers in late January or early February. In mid-February, he will start planting tomatoes and eggplants, and towards the end of February start planting okra, watermelons, pumpkins, zinnias, and sunflowers. Greg says that he never really cleans his trays using bleach or anything. However, he does let his trays dry completely for a few days or weeks before planting again. The guys mention that their favorite tomato for flavor is the Sun Gold variety and the Bella Rosa variety for bigger tomatoes. When moving plants from the greenhouse to outside, Greg prefers to place them in a full sun area.

Product of the Week

• Rio Grande Red Cabbage

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Guide to Seed Starting

During the seed starting process, there are many aspects that can control the success or failure of growing quality vegetable transplants. The first thing that people sometimes question is why can’t they simply dig up soil out of the yard and place it in seed starting trays. Greg explains you can do this but it’s not going to work out well and is highly not recommended. Therefore, we recommend using a Pro-Mix Seed Starting Mix to ensure you get the needed amount of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite when growing transplants. While applying the mix it also needs plenty of water initially to get the seeds wet in the tray cells. The guys recommend using a Dramm wand which is included in our Premium Seed Starting Kit. After the mix is nice and moist, you can start to prepare the tray for planting seeds. When using your fingers to create indentions they should be in the middle of the cell to improve seed planting. When it comes to planting depth it is ideal if you plant on average twice as deep as the diameter of your seed. If you live in an area similar to us in the South and you are growing crops such as beets or radishes you will not have to worry about using a heating mat underneath the trays because those crops will germinate in coolish type conditions. However, for summer crops like peppers or tomatoes, it’s important to provide a heat mat underneath the trays to help with the temperatures. When growing indoors the trick to providing the ideal amount of light is to get led shop lights with a natural daylight bulb color and place them over the plant you are trying to grow. The guys also recommend watering at least 2 to 3 times a day until the roots reach the bottom of the cells. Once the plants start to get their true leaves or second set of leaves become more prominent that is the ideal time to start spoon feeding at least 1 to 2 times a week with fertilizer. There are several different ways to add fertilizer to the growing plants, but Travis recommends using 20-20-20 in a watering can and sprinkling along the top of the plants. However, the plants are really delicate so you have to be sure and not over-fertilize them which can cause them to burn.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, the guys discuss the weather conditions that are currently happening in the garden and how it can affect some vegetables and fruit trees. Travis also announces that he will be attending Deep South Homestead Gathering on March 21st in Perkinston, Mississippi, so be sure to stop by and see him.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about ball zucchini, treating cut potato pieces, and the recommend amount of 20-20-20 that is equivalent to 10-10-10. We currently have one variety of ball zucchini known as Eight Ball Squash which contains a darker green exterior with excellent texture and flavor profile. Greg mentions that in the past he has used fir bark dust as a fungicide on potato seed pieces, but he cannot see any difference from when he does and doesn’t use it in the garden. Greg mentions when using 20-20-20 you would want to use half as much as you would 10-10-10 because it is twice the strength. However, if you are using a water-soluble liquid or granular form it can change the recommended amount.

Product of the Week

• 338 Seed Starting Trays

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Garden Seeder vs. Seeder Attachment

The major difference that sets the seeder attachment apart from the garden seeder is it can attach to the Single Wheel Hoe and Double Wheel Hoe, while the garden seeder is a stand-alone unit that is used strictly for garden planting. However, both seeders have the same innovative seed plate design, hopper, and brush assembly. Having a customizable seed plate allows you to match your seed size and your desired seed spacing when planting in the vegetable garden.

Garden Seeder

The Hoss Garden Seeder is the most durable and versatile planter mechanism that ensures accurate planting in the vegetable garden. It contains a rolling disk as a furrow opener that rolls along the soil and leaves an opening for dropping a seed which makes it more forgiving in a wide variety of planting situations. This seeder is constructed with Amish-crafted hardwood handles and 15-inch steel wheels with a powder-coated steel frame that can last a lifetime.

Seeder Attachment

When it comes to planting with the Seeder Attachment it attaches to the wheel hoes to easily plant in the vegetable garden without wasting seed or over-planting along the rows. It contains a furrow opener that consists of a solid plate of metal known as the shoe that helps push through the soil and open it up when going along the garden rows. This seeder attachment is design to work in firmer, clay-like soils or non-tilled seedbeds.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Travis harvested some nice big Tehama Lettuce from the vegetable garden. He also shared some tips for what not to do when harvesting the different lettuce varieties. Currently, Greg has a test garden of onions where he has planted many different onion varieties to compare and contrast. When comparing the Warrior Bunching Onion and the Natsuguro Bunching Onion it seems that the Natsuguro variety has a little bigger bulb size than the Warrior variety. However, the Warrior variety seems to be more consistent in size compared to the Natsuguro variety. The guys also discuss several varieties such as English peas, Fordhook Lima Beans, and Savanna Mustard.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about planting in previous 10-foot walkways, growing under cover, planting sampler packs of potatoes, and determining pH in the soil. Travis mentions that normally if it was previously grass in the walkways, then it will grow back in the area. The guys also mention that they keep the walkways mowed in the garden as well. Travis highly recommends not adding wood chips to the walkways because they tend to make a mess and will require maintenance every day. Greg mentions that when growing under a hoop house it can be really beneficial if you live up North. However, we do not experience harsh cooler temperatures, so he recommends reading the Four-Season Harvest book by Eliot Coleman which can provide plenty of advice for growing up North. Travis mentions that we offer two sampler packs of potatoes which are the Homestead and Gourmet potato packs. He recommends a 30 to 40-foot row for planting a 10lb, sampler pack of potatoes. However, it’s important to consider the different types of potato varieties and their maturity dates when planting in the vegetable garden. Greg explains the best way to determine the pH of your soil is by sending a soil sample off to a university that will in return send back a detailed report that tells you everything you need to know about your soil conditions.

Product of the Week

• Lacy Phacelia

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:12 — 64.9MB) | Embed

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New Year Resolutions of 2019

Since it is officially a new year that means it is time to go over the 2019 resolutions and see what was achieved and what did not do well throughout this past year. One of Greg’s 2019 resolutions was to do a better job maintaining soil health and use more cover crops in the garden. He mentions that he did a lot better with growing more cover crops and reduced his tillage drastically over this past year. However, Greg did not do well in adding in compost or chicken manure during pre-plant on a couple of occasions and he saw first hand how it impacted his vegetable garden compared to other gardens around his homestead. One of Travis’s resolutions for 2019 was to create his dream vegetable garden which he did achieve on his homestead. Greg’s second resolution for 2019 was to do better at succession planting which means being ready to plant the next crop once one crop is done maturing in the garden. He mentions that he has done extremely well with succession planting this past year and reminds gardeners of the importance of doing this succession planning throughout the growing seasons. When it comes to Travis growing more cover crops this past year, the cover crop that did extremely well for him during the warm season was the Sorghum Sudangrass and mowing it every couple of weeks. Another resolution that Travis had was to plant more multi-harvest crops and plant more winter squash in the spring. He mentions that he did plant more winter squash during the early stages of growth in his dream garden but they were not as productive as he hoped in the area. He also states that he did well with growing more multi-harvest crops, just wants to fine-tune it a little bit and stick to growing what crops work best for his soil type and weather conditions.

New Year Resolutions for 2020

After going over their 2019 resolutions it is time for the guys to discuss their New Year Resolutions for 2020. The first resolution that Travis mentions is to eat more from the garden. Greg agrees with Travis and he wants to make a conscious effort to just eat vegetables a couple of nights a week instead of having meat at every meal. Travis’s second resolution is to grow more beans especially the newer varieties in the vegetable garden. Greg’s second new year resolution is to allow some garden area to rest and instead of growing vegetables, he is going to plant cover crops to add more benefits back into the soil.

Show and Tell Segment

On the show and tell segment, Travis has a purple Cauliflower known as Graffiti which he demonstrates how he likes to cook it. He has also grown the biggest Snow Bowl Cauliflower ever in the garden weighing in at five and a half pounds. Greg has a dual purpose cover crop of mustard greens and daikon radish that has done extremely well in the vegetable garden. It’s also that time of the year for all the winter crops to be mature and ready for harvest. Travis has harvested a huge Cheers Cabbage that weighed around seven and a half pounds from the garden. The guys discuss a couple of new seed varieties that they have started growing in the greenhouse as well.

Viewer Questions Segment

On the question and answer segment this week, the guys answer questions about mustard gases in the soil, planting pumpkins, and recommend plants to start now in zone 8b. Travis mentions that the gases in mustard are converted to what is known as isothiocyanates which is a natural fungicide and natural nematicide which helps kill harmful funguses and nematodes when incorporated into the soil quickly. In the South, Greg mentions that the best time to plant pumpkins is within a week to two weeks after Easter and growing it off in the springtime. For zone 8b, Travis recommends planting cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beets, and lettuce.

Product of the Week

• New 2020 Seed Varieties