Imagine harvesting lettuce from your garden and its leaves are so small you can’t even make a whole lettuce wrap.

Pretty catastrophic, isn’t it?

The same also goes for salad, sandwiches, and stir fried recipes. Lettuce has many varieties and none of them looks good with small leaves. 

There are a lot of reasons as to why your lettuce is only producing small leaves and each of these will be discussed in this article one by one including the symptoms and remedies. 

Causes of small lettuce leaves

1. Too little or too much soil moisture

What to look out for:

Wilted leaves, poor plant growth,  soggy soil

What to do:

Unregulated soil moisture can highly affect the overall growth of your lettuce plant. For instance, when there is insufficient soil moisture, there is a huge tendency for your plant to wilt and manifest poor growth, including production of small lettuce leaves. On the other hand, excessive soil moisture may result in root rot which is also one of the common causes of leaf discoloration.

To fix this, make sure to plant your lettuce in rich, moist soil with good drainage and water it regularly, about an inch every week, to avoid drought and overwatering. 

2. High temperatures

What to look out for:

Thin leaves, slow leaf production

What to do:

Since lettuce thrives better in colder temperatures, extreme heat can adversely affect its growth, particularly the leaf production. When exposed to too much heat, not only will the leaves wilt, but the entire plant will also reduce its leaf production, with a possibility of producing smaller leaves. So, the best thing to do is plan your planting season ahead and grow your lettuce only during the cool weather, or if you insist on planting even during the summer, choose a heat-resistant variety.

3. Nematodes

What to look out for:

Distorted leaves, swollen roots/twigs, leaf discoloration

What to do:

Nematodes are pests that feast on lettuce plants by burrowing through the soil and infecting the roots. When not prevented, this infestation will crawl up to the new growth, affecting the plant’s leaves. Results can vary between producing thin, smaller leaves, wilting, and die back. Some of the troubleshooting that you can do is by watering your lettuce regularly, applying ample amounts of fertilizer, or totally removing the entire plant at the end of the season to prevent the nematodes from spreading.

4. Fungal disease

What to look out for:

Leaf drop, poor plant growth, stem and root rot

What to do:

Sclerotinia minor and Sclerotinia sclerotioru are two of the most common fungal diseases that affect lettuce plants. These fungal diseases cause rot or withering of roots, stems, and leaves which then lead to slow and poor plant growth, and eventually collapsing and dying. To fix this, start by removing the infected leaves to avoid damaging other lettuce leaves and then transfer the entire plant into a better garden bed with good drainage.

Other growing problems and diseases

Growing your own lettuce in your own garden guarantees you an abundant food supply. You can make it into a salad, add crisp to your sandwich, make some lettuce wraps for lunch, and many more. But, not only us human beings enjoy this green, crunchy crop. Pests, fungi, and other diseases also tend to thrive on this plant. 

Here are some of the problems and diseases that you may probably encounter when growing your own lettuce plant.

1. Sunburn

Sunburn does not only happen to human beings, but apparently to lettuce as well. Since lettuce thrives better in colder temperatures, it easily gets sunburned when exposed to too much full sun. To protect your lettuce from extreme sun exposure, you can cover it with shade cloth or plant it in a bed that has more shade. 

How will you know if your lettuce is sunburned? Observe the leaf tips. If they turn brown and basically look burned, then it is clearly a sign of sunburn.

2. Snails and slugs

Aside from bunnies and turtles, do you know who else loves lettuce? Snail and slugs. But, unlike bunnies and turtles, these two molluscs are actually considered as pests that feed on growing lettuce, causing them to leave trails of silver slime and leaving the crop half eaten. 

To be able to get rid of these snails and slugs, you can initially clean up your garden and make it debris-free so they don’t have a place to hide. Next is set up a shelter-trap; or you could also attract and drown them with a shallow dish of beer with lip.

3. Downy mildew

Downy mildew is a fungal disease that spreads from one plant to another by airborne spores. You can easily spot if your lettuce is suffering from downy mildew when you notice some pale yellowish spots forming on the surface of the lettuce leaves and grayish purple molds on the undersides. Since this fungal disease rapidly spreads not only within the crop but also across other plants, it is important that you get rid of it the quickest time possible.

Improving air circulation and keeping your garden debris-free can greatly contribute to minimizing the spreading of downy mildew. Moist environment also increases the chances of your lettuce from getting the fungal disease so it is recommended that you water your plant in the morning so it has enough time to dry out during the day.

4. Aster yellows

Another lettuce disease transmitted by leafhoppers is the Aster yellows. When infected, the leaves at the center of the heads are twisted, stunted, narrow, and yellow. While there is no available treatment for this disease yet, the least that you can do is eliminate the infected plant to avoid the disease from transmitting to other plants. 

5. Mosaic virus

Another commonly encountered virus that attacks on lettuce is the Mosaic Virus. This virus is mainly caused by aphids and leafhoppers that makes the lettuce leaves slightly spotted and turns the leaves yellow and stunted. What’s hard about this virus is that when your plant already showed symptoms, there really is not much that you can do to control it from spreading but to get rid of the infected leaves. 

To avoid this from happening in the future, you could add some aluminum mulch on your soil to disorient the aphids. It will also be helpful if you make your garden free from weeds where aphids and leafhoppers nestle. 

Read more about Lettuce

How To Harvest Lettuce Without Killing The Plant?

Everyone Can Grow Lettuce

17 Fastest Growing Vegetables From Seed

Tips on growing lettuce properly

Lettuce can be quite picky when it comes to its growing environment, thus you have to make sure that you meet all of its growing requirements to be able to harvest good quality and best tasting lettuce. While there is no guarantee that you will be able to avoid all types of growing problems and diseases that may destroy the quality of your lettuce, you can still follow these useful tips to help you manage your lettuce plants properly.

1. Keep the soil cool and moist

Adding organic mulch at the surface of the soil will keep it cool and moist which is beneficial to the overall growth of your lettuce plant. Especially during the warmer weather, it is important to still grow your lettuce in its preferred growing condition to avoid it from wilting or producing poor quality leaves. 

2. Provide a steady supply of nitrogen

3 weeks after transplanting, it is necessary that you feed your lettuce with nitrogen rich fertilizers for it to continue to grow. If it happens that your soil is not high in organic materials, you can make do with it by adding plenty of compost and slow-release fertilizers. Also make sure that the soil is well-draining to minimize the possibility of root rot.

3. Water only when necessary

While lettuce thrives well in moist soil and cool conditions, it does not mean that you need to water it frequently. To avoid the possibility of root rot, only water your lettuce when deemed necessary particularly if it shows signs of wilting. Ideally, lettuce only needs watering once twice a week or every 5 days. 

4. Sow additional seeds

For you to maximize your lettuce harvest all throughout the season, it is recommended that you sow additional lettuce seeds every two weeks so you can continue harvesting your crop before the season ends. Make sure to plant your lettuce in shaded areas or underneath the taller crops where it can be protected from direct sunlight.

5. Companion planting

Part of providing a good growing environment for your lettuce is to master companion planting. For instance, since lettuce is prone to aphids infestation, it will be beneficial if you plant it near the garlic and chives as these two are known as great aphids repellent. Similarly, marigold is also a good option to help keep bugs away from your lettuce.

Other crops and vegetables that are believed to be great companions of lettuce are carrots, asparagus, strawberries, tomatoes, spinach, beets, sunflower, coriander, etc. On the other hand, be cautious not to plant lettuce near cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. 

Benefits of lettuce leaves

Aside from being a good main ingredient in vegetarian and vegan recipes, lettuce leaves are also known as a good source of a lot of health benefits. Take a look at this comprehensive list below. 

• Contains anti-inflammatory properties
• Flushes out body toxins
• Helps impede insomnia and control anxiety
• Regulated and increased metabolism
• Provides protection against cancer, heart complications and other diseases
• Generates cells and refreshes skin
• Helps lower cholesterol level

The post Why Are My Lettuce Leaves So Small And How To Fix It? appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

If there is one plant that is as enjoyable to devour as a tropical fruit, it is definitely tomato.

I mean, what’s not to like?

It can be eaten fresh straight from its stem, you can turn it into a really sweet catsup, or you can make a whole dish of pasta out of it. Apart from this, it is also rich in antioxidants which makes it a good and natural skin care product.

To be able to know if your tomato plant is growing well, you should not just focus on the fruit but on its leaves as well. Having smaller leaves than usual can be a manifestation of a more serious problem.

To know more about this and what you can do to fix this growing problem, below are some useful information that you can use as reference.

 Causes of small tomato leaves

1. Low or high amount of nitrogen

What to look out for:

Thin, small leaves, viney stems

What to do:

Nitrogen is one of the important elements a tomato plant needs in order to maintain a healthy and robust growth. The nitrogen in soil depletes when the organic matter in soil is insufficient; conversely, excessive amounts of nitrogen can cause your plant to grow more rapidly, thus makes your tomato plant leggy or viney. To fix this, you will need to conduct a soil test to determine whether or not your soil needs more or less of nitrogen.

2. Fungal diseases

What to look out for:

Wilter plants, leaf spots, molds

What to do:

Fungal diseases do not simply disrupt the leaf production of tomato plants but it also causes an entire physical and chemical damage. When not prevented, this could lead to molds build up, falling off of leaves, and eventually dying of the entire plant. In order to fix this, you can start by making your plant resistant by applying fungicides or sulfur sprays. It will also help if you space your plants about 2 to 3 feet apart, and as much as possible avoid overhead watering.

3. Insufficient amount of water

What to look out for:

Dry soil, thin and small leaves

What to do:

Tomato is the type of plant that requires regular watering, specifically about an inch of water every week or else the soil will dry out quickly affecting the growth of the tomato, including the production of larger leaves. So, see to it that you follow a regular watering pattern and schedule to make sure that your tomato will get the ample amount of water that it requires.

4. Lesser sunlight

What to look out for:

Wilted leaves, thin/small leaves, leaf discoloration

What to do:

Apart from water, sunlight is also one of the major necessities for growing a healthy tomato plant. Specifically, too little amount of this can make your tomato produce smaller and unhealthy leaves because of lack of nutrients. Insufficient amount of sunlight can also cause your tomato plant to be leggy because they will try to grow taller to reach the light source. To address this concern, make sure that your tomato receives a good amount of sunlight for at least 8 hours a day. 

Other growing problems and diseases

Aside from producing small leaves, tomato plants are also prone to many other diseases and growing problems that affect its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Below are some of the mostly encountered problems while growing a tomato plant.

1. Blossom drop

When your tomato plant produces flowers but they eventually come off even if there is no tomato fruit developing, that means your plant is manifesting a clear sign of blossom drop. Irregular temperature heavily influences blossom drop in tomato plants. In order for your plant to retain its flowers and develop its fruits, you have to grow it in an area that has regular temperatures between 55 to 75 degrees F.

Apart from fluctuating temperature, there are also other factors that contribute to blossom drop; this includes: pest infestation, insufficient water supply, lack or excessive amount of nitrogen, and shortage in pollination.

2. Gray leaf spot

While gray leaf spot does not directly affect the tomato fruit, it can disrupt the overall growth of the plant, thus impacting the process of fruit production. From the name itself, signs of gray leaf spot include brown or gray bruises with yellow halo on the surface of the tomato leaf. This fungal disease causes holes on the foliage which eventually leads to leaf drop. The consistent leaf drop may not instantly kill the entire plant but it can affect the quality and taste of the tomato fruit.

3. Puffiness

This kind of tomato disease is not easily acknowledged until you pick your ripe fruit and slice it in half. Puffiness means that your tomato plant is growing well, the flowers and fruit bloom according to schedule, and your tomato fruit looks healthy and red from the outside but when cut open, it shows huge spaces and not much of the fruit. Basically, puffiness makes your tomato hollow inside and less juicy.

Since this type of tomato disease is caused by lack of fertilizer, poor soil nutrition, and insufficient pollination, you can start by feeding your plant with balanced fertilizer either biweekly or monthly, depending on your plant needs.

4. Leaf roll

Older tomato leaves, particularly the ones near the base of the plant are more prone to leaf roll. Due to extremely soaked soil, high temperatures, and too much pruning, the leaves curl from the outside to the center and once one leaf is infected, the disease spreads across the plant damaging nearly 75% of it.

5. Sunscald

Another damaging disease that affects the quality of tomato fruit is sunscald. This appears towards the harvesting stage of the tomato where yellow patches form on the skin and eventually turn to white, making the affected area paper thin and the tomato unpalatable. 

Sunscald develops when the tomato fruit is overly exposed to full sun. So, to be able to avoid this, you could transfer your plant in a slightly covered area or anywhere with shade especially at noon when the sun is at its peak.

Tips on growing tomato properly

If you are growing tomato for the first time, you need to take note of these growing tips to ensure that you prevent your plant from being damaged by the aforementioned problems and diseases. 

1. Heat up the soil prior to planting.

Unless the soil and air temperature are kept warm, tomatoes won’t really start to grow. So, if you are planning on planting tomatoes at the start of the season, you can begin with the preparation by preheating the soil. To do this in a quick manner, you may cover the soil to be used with a red or black plastic weeks before planting tomatoes. 

2. Do not overcrowd the seedlings.

Since a tomato plant has the tendency to spread, it is best that you give your plant an adequate amount of space, whether you’re growing it in a container or bed. When overcrowded, the tomato plant’s growth will be restricted, resulting in them being stressed out and eventually dying. To avoid this from happening, you may opt to transfer each tomato plant in their respective 4-inch containers once they have produced their first set of true leaves.

3. Ensure that the tomato plant receives sufficient light

Tomato is a sun-loving plant and requires 6-8 hours of full sun everyday for its healthy and optimum growth. So, it would be best if you grow your tomato in the sunniest side of your garden. This will also lessen the chances of your plant to become too leggy, as a result of striving for more sunlight. 

If, by any chance, you are growing your tomato indoors or you’re growing it during the winter where the day is shorter, you can make use of artificial plant light but that will require more time of light exposure. From 6-8 with the natural sunlight, you will need to expose your tomato to artificial light for about 14 to 18 hours a day, as needed.

4. Get rid of the older, bottom leaves

To be able to save your tomato plant from possible fungal diseases, it is recommended that you remove the older leaves at the base of the plant especially when it’s already 3 feet high. When the tomato plant is that tall, the bottom leaves are most likely shaded by the rest of the plant which is the usual origin of fungal diseases.

Aside from this, you can also prevent fungal disease from spreading all over your tomato plant by spraying compost tea regularly. 

5. Prune your plant

It is no secret that pruning encourages more vigorous growth in a plant and the same thing applies to the tomato. Additionally, if you notice some little foliages in the middle of two branches, pinch them out or else your plant will have a hard time bearing fruit. 

While pruning is highly recommended, be careful not to remove too much of the leaves as this may disrupt the quality and sweetness of your tomato fruit.

Benefits of tomato leaves

We all know that tomato fruit is not only incredibly delicious but also contains a lot of essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that are body needs especially in nourishing our skin. But, did you know that its leaves are also equally beneficial? 

Contrary to what other people claim, tomato leaves are actually safe to eat. As a matter of fact, like other herbs and greens, tomato leaves are tender and fragrant. You can add it to your soup, or you can make pesto pasta out of it. Tomato leaves are also rich in phytonutrients which are believed to be extremely beneficial to human health particularly in fighting diseases. Additionally, tomato leaves also contain plenty of anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants.

The post Why Are My Tomato Leaves So Small And How To Fix It? appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

As a first time gardener, you sure have a lot of questions regarding your plants. May it be how to start growing, what materials are needed, which plants should you grow, etc.

If you have spinach in your garden or you are planning on growing one, this article could be of help. 

One of the clear signs that your spinach plant is performing poorly is when its leaves are visibly tiny. When this happens, you have to know first what’s causing this problem and then attend to it appropriately. To help you get started, below are some of the possible causes of why your spinach has small leaves including the things you can do to fix this problem.

So what can cause your spinach plant to grow small leaves? It could be an extreme high temperatures, too little or too much water, lack of full sun exposure, poor soil, or other plant diseases such as downy mildew, cutworms or fusarium wilt.

Causes of small spinach leaves

1. Extremely high temperatures

What to look out for:

Poor leaf production, falling leaves, bitter-tasting leaves

What to do:

Spinach prefers to be grown in areas with temperatures between 60 and 65 degrees fahrenheit. Once it increases to, say, 85 degrees F, there is a huge chance that your spinach will manifest some growing problems. For instance, when a spinach plant is exposed to extremely high temperatures, its leaf production will most likely slow down, and not just that— it could also be producing smaller, unhealthy leaves. High temperature also greatly contributes to bolting which can result in making your spinach taste bitter.

To fix this, you can cover your spinach with some shade cloth to somehow cool down its environment or better yet plant it during the cooler seasons.

2. Too little or too much water

What to look out for:

Thin leaves, dry/soggy soil

What to do:

Spinach needs constant moisture as it grows so it is recommended to provide your plant with about an inch of water once a week, but during the warmer months, you can add another half an inch rto make sure that your spinach does not lack in water. But, be careful as well not to overwater your plant because it also would not thrive well in soggy soil and excess water may lead to more serious damages.

3. Lack of full sun exposure

What to look out for:

Small leaves, slow leaf production, leaf discoloration

What to do:

While spinach loves constant moisture, it also thrives better in a well-lit environment. This means that it requires full sun exposure for at least 6 hours a day in order to encourage growth and to avoid your plant from producing small and unhealthy leaves. Insufficient full sun exposure does not only hinder your plant’s leaf production but it can also affect the quality and taste of your spinach leaves. 

So, in order to fix this problem, see to it that you provide your spinach with an adequate amount of sunlight. It can also tolerate some shade but the exposure might need to be longer than usual.

4. Poor soil

What to look out for:

Small, thin leaves, weak plant, slow growth

What to do:

One of the possible causes as to why your spinach grows poorly, production of smaller leaves included, is because you failed to prepare the soil prior to planting. Yes, that is right. In growing spinach, your task does not only start with planting but in preparing the resources as well. Failing to do so can lead to low performance of the plant and to some extent, its demise. 

To be able to avoid this from happening, apply some slow-release, high-nitrogen fertilizer into the soil at least about a week prior to planting. This should give your spinach a good head start. You may continue feeding it with fertilizer after it has produced at least four young leaves.

Other growing problems and diseases

Spinach is known to be an incredibly healthy vegetable rich in plenty of nutrients and vitamins. But, this does not excuse spinach from having growing problems, whether it’s caused by pests, fungi, viruses, or man-made. Below are some of the common diseases that strike on spinach plants along with their respective remedies.

1. Downy Mildew

Downy Mildew is easily spotted when the surface of the spinach leaves have yellow or light green spots on them and some apparent fungal growth, usually white or purple-ish in color, on the underside of the leaves. Severe downy mildew infestation also causes curling of leaves and deformation. 

While there is no specific cure for this kind of plant disease, the best thing that you can do is remove infected leaves, or the plant itself so the fungal disease will not spread across other plants. It will also be helpful if you provide adequate space between each plant to improve air circulation. To prevent downy mildew from damaging your spinach, avoid watering overhead to keep the foliages dry.

2. Cutworms

Cutworms are larvae of night-flying moths and considered as one of the common pests that feed on spinach. While the mature moths do not directly destroy spinach plants, their larvae or cutworms aggressively feed on roots and ground level stems. Compared to mature foliages, cutworms are more attracted to new growths as they appear to be more tender. 

During the day, cutworms may not be that easy to spot as they hide beneath the soil. They usually come out at night and feed on the base of the plant. To get rid of cutworms, you can simply pick them out of the spinach and destroy any remaining cutworm eggs remaining on the plant. Spraying some pesticides will also help in a faster way.

3. Fusarium Wilt

Fusarium wilt in spinach starts from the roots and when untreated may spread rapidly across the entire plant, thus it initially destroys older foliages that are found at the base of the plant. Since this fungal disease heavily damages the roots, the plant is unable to take up enough nutrients to sustain its growth, thus leaf discoloration and wilting is manifested and black bruises can be seen on the roots. 

To make sure that your spinach is protected from Fusarium wilt, see to it that the area where you intend to grow your spinach is well sanitized and debris-free. You should also immediately eliminate plants that are infected with Fusarium wilt to avoid further spreading.

4. White Rust

The symptoms of white rust on spinach includes yellow spots on the surface of the leaves and clusters of white bumps on the underside. When left untreated, these white spots may spread even on the upper portion of the leaves which will eventually result in falling off of the leaves. 

White rust is formed in cool, moist conditions, thus the formation of water molds. To avoid White rust from spreading any further, you must pick out the infected leaves off of the plant. It is also recommended to water your spinach early in the morning to let the plant dry out during the day. 

Tips on growing spinach properly

To be able to successfully grow and harvest spinach, you should be able to know what growing conditions your plant requires and what preparations are needed prior to planting. Below are just some of the tips that you can apply when growing your own spinach plants.

1. Grow your spinach in areas with full sun

Although spinach is known to be growing well in a rather mild climate and does not respond well in extremely high temperatures, it still requires some full sun exposure to be able to grow vigorously. It can also tolerate some shade, however the quality of the crop may not be as pleasing as the ones exposed to full sun.

2. Keep the soil moist

Spinach thrives in a well-draining yet constantly moist soil. Ideally, you should water your spinach once or twice per week, especially in warmer conditions. Similarly, you have to be careful not to overwater your spinach or else it will be vulnerable to root rot.

3. Thin your spinach

As your plant grows and produces new foliage, make it a habit to thin them regularly to avoid overcrowding and competition among new seedlings. Thinning your spinach will also improve air circulation that can help avoid diseases such as downy mildew.  

When thinning your spinach, avoid destroying new foliages to encourage new growth.

4. Feed your spinach with fertilizer as deemed necessary

If you cannot provide your spinach with soil rich in organic matter which results in a poor performing plant, you may troubleshoot this by feeding it with nitrogen-rich fertilizer. This should help in keeping your spinach healthy and produce more leaves.

Remember to remove any hard rocks from the soil before applying the fertilizers and pull any weeds that may compete with the spinach for the nutrients provided by the fertilizer. 

Benefits spinach leaves

We may be all familiar with the strongest sailor there is— Popeye— and his love for spinach. Just like how it is shown in the cartoons, Spinach makes him stronger and healthier than ever. In reality, spinach is also rich in many vitamins and nutrients that us humans need in order to keep our bodies healthy. Below are some of the known benefits of spinach.

• Keeps our eyes healthy

Spinach contains zeaxanthin and lutein which are essential in keeping our eyes healthy. These properties also help in preventing chronic eye conditions such as cataract and total blindness.

• Moderates blood pressure

For people who are struggling with their fluctuating blood pressure, consuming spinach on a regular basis can help regulate and normalize blood pressure level.

• Improves immune system

Since spinach contains plenty of vitamins and micronutrients such as Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as iron, manganese, and magnesium, it is for a fact that eating spinach can help improve one’s immune system, strengthen bones, promote healthy heart, and repel viruses and other diseases.

The post Why Are My Spinach Leaves So Small And How To Fix It? appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

There are many types of lettuce found all over the world, each with varying growing requirements, storing methods, and more importantly harvesting techniques. This is why it is very important to familiarize yourself with different harvesting tricks and techniques to avoid killing the entire plant while picking a few leaves.

Harvesting lettuce is relatively easy and when done properly can prolong the plant’s life and encourage vigorous and health growth.

So, if you are ready to indulge yourself with some delicious lettuce wraps or hearty green salad, prepare your gardening equipment, take note of these harvesting steps, methods, and tricks and make your first successful lettuce harvest.

Growing Conditions

If you are maintaining a garden in a relatively cooler area and thinking what kind of plant will grow best in that condition, lettuce can be one of your best options. Growing this cold-loving plant can be quite a work so in order to successfully harvest a good quality one, you will need to follow some of these growing guides written below.

1. Weather Conditions

Lettuce grows well in cooler places with a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees F (15-18 degrees C) as warmer weather tends to make its leaves taste bitter. When the temperature reaches 80 degrees F (26 °C), the plant will flower and produce seeds. It can tolerate a temperature of up to 85 degrees F (29  °C), for as long as the nights are cool. 

2. Sun Exposure

Since lettuce thrives well in cooler conditions, it prefers to be exposed in partial sun. Especially if you are growing your lettuce in warmer areas, you should plant your lettuce in partially shaded areas or spots in your garden that receive only a few amount of sunlight in the morning.

If your entire garden is on the sunnier side of the Earth, you can use a nylon net or a screen to cover your lettuce and protect it from direct full sunlight.

3. Soil Requirements

If you want to grow healthy and fresh lettuce, you must plant them in rich, moist soil and at the same time well-drained with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Adding organic compost and constant supply of nitrogen will make your lettuce grow faster and healthier.

Keeping the soil moist but also well-drained can be quite tricky that is why you have to monitor the condition of the soil at all times.

4. Watering

Lettuce grows better when watered regularly. Not receiving an adequate amount of water will definitely affect its growth as well as the quality and taste of its leaves. If you are growing lettuce in warmer areas, you might need to water it more frequently than usual. 

On the average, you need to water your lettuce one or twice a week or every after 4 to 5 days. However, be cautious not to overwater your plant.

5. Fertilizer

If you are already growing your lettuce in a fertile soil, there is no need for you to use any more fertilizers. But, in case you have to work with poor soil, choose the nitrogen-rich fertilizer as this element is an important factor in encouraging a healthy and vigorous lettuce growth.

6. Companion Planting

Lettuce needs a companion plant are natural insect repellants and some of the best options you have will be chives and garlic. These plants are known to drive away aphids which are the main pests that feast on lettuce. 

There are also other herbs, plants, and vegetables that may not be as good in repelling pests as the ones mentioned above but they grow better when planted side by side with lettuce.

Harvest Period

• Romaine Lettuce- This type of lettuce typically reaches its maturity in a matter of 65 to 70 days. You will also know that they are ready for harvest when the leaves are lush, dark green in color and open.
• Loose Leaf- You will know that your loose leaf lettuce is ready to be harvested when the leaves are about 4 inches long. But, make sure to harvest your lettuce before it bolts as it may change the quality and taste of the leaves.
• Butterhead lettuce- After planting, it usually takes 55-60 days before a butterhead lettuce can be harvested. Another indication that your butterhead lettuce has already reached maturity is when the head is compact and firm to touch and the size is about 6 to 8 inches in diameter.

Process Of Harvesting Lettuce

Lettuce comes in plenty of varieties but these 4 are the main or common types found in most of the gardens, farmer’s market, or grocery stores, namely: romaine, loose leaf, butterhead, and iceberg. 

For this article, we will only tackle the first three types. Since each of these lettuce types has their unique harvesting process, we will discuss them one by one.

1. Romaine Lettuce

In harvesting romaine lettuce, you can choose among two options: pick up the entire head all at once or harvest the outer leaves and leave the inner portion to continue thriving.

1. There are two ways to harvest the head of the lettuce all at once, but since your plan to harvest without killing the entire plant, we will only consider one method.
2. To harvest romaine lettuce all at once, you need to cut it from the base, about 1 inch above the surface of the soil, leaving the roots intact on the ground. 
3. In another 55 to 60 days, you will be able to harvest another romaine lettuce, however the leaves might be a little looser than the first one.
4. Alternatively, you can just harvest romaine lettuce by simply picking the outer leaves.
5. To do this, carefully yet firmly snap the leaf from the base of the plant. Remember to twitch it downwards to avoid pulling off the entire plant.
6. Let the inner leaves grow further until they are 4 inches tall and ready to be harvested.

B. Loose Leaf

1. Once the leaves of a loose leaf lettuce grow to at least 4 inches tall, it means that they are ready to be harvested. 
2. Closely similar to the process of harvesting romaine lettuce, snip each leaf off of the plant just above the crown. Cutting into or below the crown will definitely kill your entire plant.
3. You could also harvest a bunch of leaves all at once by using a sharp pair of garden shears and cutting above the crown of the plant.
4. For your loose leaf lettuce to continue to grow, harvest the older and mature leaves first and leave the new, younger ones.

C. Butterhead Lettuce

Similar to romaine lettuce, harvesting butterhead lettuce can also be done in two different methods. You could either harvest the entire head or just pick a few leaves as you need them. 

1. In doing the first method, you will need a sharp knife or garden shears. Avoid pulling off the head from the ground, otherwise the entire plant will die.
2. Using your one hand, grab the outer leaves of the butterhead lettuce and use the other to cut the entire head from the base of the plant. Make sure that the roots are left still intact onto the ground.
3. In two to three weeks, the roots will grow another bunch of leaves which you can harvest for the second time.
4. The other way to harvest butterhead lettuce is by picking off a single or a bunch of leaves, as needed.
5. Butterhead lettuce grows new leaves from the center so to encourage your lettuce to grow further, harvest the outer leaves first.
6. You could either use your finger to snap the leaves off of the head or cut them using a pair of scissors or garden shears. Just make sure not to damage the crown of the plant.

Storing And Using

1. If you are storing a type of lettuce that has a firm core, for example, romaine or iceberg, the first thing that you have to do is to cut the core first to prolong its shelf life. You can skip this part if you are storing any lettuce with loose and tender leaves like buttehead and loose leaf.
2. Wrap the head or loose leaves with a few plies of paper towels. This process will absorb any excess water from the lettuce, at the same time will keep the leaves moist. You could damp the paper towel if the lettuce leaves feel quite dry.
3. Put the leaves inside a container, whether it is a ziplock bag or a plastic tub. Squeeze out some air from the plastic bag but do not entirely compress it. If you are using a solid plastic container, you could leave a small opening to let some air circulate. More air in the container will brown the edges of the leaves, while poor respiration will affect the taste, so it is important that the amount of air inside the container is only controlled.
4. Place the lettuce inside the crisper compartment and be careful not to compress it with heavy items that will crush the leaves.

The post How To Harvest Lettuce Without Killing The Plant? appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

Potatoes being a staple in millions of households has made it the 4th most important crop in the world next to rice, corn, and wheat and it will be a shame if you won’t try planting and harvesting your own potatoes for even at least once in your life.

Potatoes are totally heaven-sent. It’s a good alternative if you want to go on a diet but not entirely cutting out your carbs intake. On top of that, there are thousands of possible ways to enjoy potatoes without having to repeat your meals. There’s your fries, mashed potato, baked potato, roasted, and a whole lot more.

Now, you are probably on the edge of your seat, wondering how many more days will it have to take before you can harvest your homegrown potatoes. While you are waiting for that moment to happen, why not equip yourself first with the important details on how to harvest your potatoes without actually killing the plant.

Growing Conditions

Potato is a relatively high maintenance crop. You must observe accurate measures of water, sun exposure, and temperature, constant checking of sprouting foliage, and keeping it away from pests and diseases. 

While there exists more than a thousand varieties of potatoes, each with varying growing conditions, these information are generally useful if you decide on planting potatoes on your own and in your own backyard

1. Weather Conditions

In order to successfully grow a potato, it will require you to plant it during the cold season, ideally with a temperature between 15-20 (°C). However, this does not mean that they can tolerate frost. Some gardeners start planting roughly two months before the usual last day of frost. 

In case of frost threat especially at night, make sure to cover the sprouting leaves with some organic or artificial covering but remember to remove it immediately in the morning.

2. Sun Exposure

Whether you plant your potato directly onto the ground or in a container, make sure that it receives a sufficient supply of sunlight, for at least 6 hours everyday.

Its leaves that grow above the ground thrive in an area with full sun; on the other hand, the tubers that we usually fry, mash, or boil grow below the ground and too much sun exposure can turn its tubers to green which may be poisonous when consumed in large amounts.

Mulching can help protect the tubers from being exposed to too much sunlight, as well as keeping the soil moist for better quality harvest.

3. Soil Requirements

More than the temperature or season, it is the readiness of the soil that mostly dictates if your potato is set to be planted. 

First, ensure that the soil has a pH of 5.0 to 5.5 and the temperature must be at least 50°F (10°C). If you want to eventually harvest a relatively larger crop, you may opt to plant them in alkaline soil; however, by doing so you will be facing the possible threat of potato scab.

Also, make sure that the soil is fertile, well-drained, and light. If you want, you may add a compost or planting mix into the soil before planting. 

4. Watering

Even water distribution is the key to a good quality potato. Too much of it will misshape and rot the tubers, while less of it will dry out the soil so it is important to keep the plant moist. With this, it is important to evenly distribute an inch to 2 inches of water to the potato plants every week. 

When the foliage starts to turn yellow and gradually peg out, you may stop watering the potatoes to prepare for the harvest.

5. Spacing

To maximize the crop’s full size and avoid them from crowding, you must establish a foot apart distance to each of the potatoes. Additionally, the individual planting holes where the tubers will be cultivated must be 6 inches deep on the average. In preparing additional rows, make sure to set a distance between 20 and 30 inches. 

Harvest Period

As the tubers below the ground mature and magnify, the leaves of the potatoes or the foliage gradually stops sprouting and eventually dies out.

Generally speaking, potatoes can already be harvested 2 to 3 weeks after they have finished flowering or the foliage have completely died. Once this happens, cut off the wilted foliage.

This period enables the crop to thicken its skin in preparation for the storage and consumption. Harvesting way too long than the recommended period may cause the tubers to rot.

Similarly, you may opt to harvest your potatoes post-maturity or even until the first frost— it won’t be much of a problem. Just take note that potatoes harvested in the perfect timing are proven to be more nutritious.

Process Of Harvesting Potatoes

Since you are trying to harvest potatoes and at the same time being cautious to not kill the entire plant, you will need to have quite a steady hand. In reality, you may harvest your potatoes on your own terms, whether you want it  in pre, post, or exact maturity, it all boils down to the crop being healthy and free from pests and diseases.

Now, considering you did plant the potatoes in a moist, loose soil, the first part of harvesting should come off quite easily. Bring out a shovel or a spading fork and carefully dig through the edges of the crop, making sure not to damage the tubers underneath. Pull off a few potatoes as you prefer and put back the rest into the ground. Recover and water the soil to let the remaining tubers continuously grow.

Damaging the skin of the potatoes will result in rotting, so if you do not trust yourself with a shovel, you may opt to use your hands instead in harvesting potatoes. 

You might also want to prioritize soft and slightly discolored ones in your first harvest and leave the best ones for the next harvesting period so you won’t end up dealing with a bunch of damaged potatoes in the future.

Harvesting Tips

To make sure that your potatoes have properly matured upon harvesting, you may run a quick test by checking the crop’s skin.

If it is thick and sticking firmly into the flesh, it means it is already good to go. However, if the skin appears to be thin and easily peels off, it simply shows that the potatoes have not yet reached their full maturity, also known as “new potatoes”, and need to be retained into the ground, unless otherwise you purposefully want to harvest it earlier.

Similar to when the tubers are still planted below the ground, harvested potatoes must be kept away from too much sunlight or it will elicit a toxic property that turns the potatoes to green.

To avoid killing the entire plant when harvesting, just carefully dig out a few tubers from a single plant and restore the hole back into its former condition so the rest of the tubers will have more time to mature. 

To make this a little less complicated and more convenient, you may try planting potatoes in straw bales. When the harvesting period comes, all you need to do is lift up a layer of straw, harvest the tubers directly under it and create a whole new layer for a new batch of seed potatoes.

Storing And Using

Proper storing of potatoes dictates how long the crop will be useful. For instance, since new potatoes have thinner skins, they cannot be stored and must be immediately used right after harvested, otherwise it will be put to waste. 

Mature potatoes, on the other hand, requires curing that thickens and hardens the skin in preparation for storage. This curing process will require you to set your tuber in a dark, cool, and dry place right after harvesting with a temperature of about 7-15°C for 2 weeks.

After curing, rub off any soil and dirt stuck to the potatoes’ skin and then store it again in a similar environment. This will allow the potatoes to last for up to a month. Just make sure not to store them in the fridge and keep them away from the apples as they defuse a certain gas that spoils potatoes.

Popularly, potatoes are found on most bars and restaurants usually as a side dish. What’s good about using potatoes in the kitchen is that you can keep your dish waste-free. Yes, you read that right. Many professional chefs have been cooking even the skin, usually disguised as flavorful, crispy chips. 

There are literally countless ways to use potatoes. From hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, soup, main dish, side dish, dessert, even to drinks, all these will definitely please your palate. You can cook it in a grill, fry it in a pan, bake it in your oven, or smash it with your pestle, whichever pleases you.

Who knows, there might still be other dishes that are yet to be discovered; but first things first, go plant and harvest.

The post How To Harvest Potatoes Without Killing The Plant appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

Growing tomatoes in your garden is a very beneficial idea, tomatoes are full of vitamins and delicious. Growing them in your garden is more comfortable than going to buy them in a store every few days.

So, you decided to grow some tomato plants in your garden, but then you find out that they grew astonishingly tall! Why is that? There a few specific reasons why tomato plants grow that tall:

Firstly, tomatoes have excessive nitrogen which causes so too much fertilizing will cause the tomato plants to grow so tall.

Secondly, you must make sure that the tomato plants have full sunlight as much as possible. Without enough sunlight, the plant will stretch itself as much as possible to grow.

And thirdly, because the plants were set to in an “Indeterminate” size, see below to more information on that.

So, even though growing tomatoes is a long process that includes some challenges, we have great tips that will make it easier for you to grow the perfect tomato plants! 

How tall should you let tomato plants grow?

Tomatoes can be categorized into plants that were set in advance to either “Determinate” size or an “Indeterminate” size.

“Determinate plants are set to stop growing when the final cluster of flowers reached the pre-set point which can be between 3 and 5 feet at maturity, the tomatoes will tend to be bushy and grow quickly.

And there are “Indeterminate plants” that continues to grow all the growing season long and can reach the height of 7 to 8 feet. 

There are also “Dwarf tomatoes” that reach the height of 1 to 2 feet at maturity. 

Why is my tomato plant growing so tall but isn’t producing many tomatoes?

Sometimes you see that your tomato plant is growing incredibly tall, but the plant isn’t growing many tomatoes if not at all. Why is this happening? There a certain reason,

Firstly, the tomato plant requires a moderate amount of nitrogen but only during certain parts of the growing season, so you must test the soil before and after the growing season to check the level of nitrogen in it and if the plant needs fertilizing or not.

Secondly, make sure that you put to give the plants just the right amount of fertilizer because too much nitrogen will cause the plant to have little energy to grow fruits or flowers.

And finally, if you have overfertilized the tomato plants then you can water the plants deeply will balance the nitrogen level in the soil.

Also, if the tomatoes are spindly then they need a lot of support, so you can cage or stake the tomatoes or prune them to one main stem. 

How do you keep the tomato plants short and bushy?

Tomato plants tend to grow wildly which limits their fruit production, so what’s the best way to keep them short and bushy instead to produce more fruit? There are a few ways…

Firstly, you should allow the plant to grow as tall as 1 foot into one or two main branches and cut the others with gardening shears and keep the plants far from each other. 

Secondly, stick a 3-foot bamboo or wooden stake high as 3 foot in the ground (Around 12 inches into the ground) about 2 or 3 inches from the plants to lead the plant’s growth upward.

Thirdly, cut the offshoots and leave only one or 2 side shorts after the plants grew at as tall as 2 inches, it allows the plants to grow thicker and stronger.

And finally, place a 2-foot sized cage over the tomato plants, it gives the tomato plants the perfect amount of space without sprawling. 

Should you cut off the bottom leaves of the tomato plants?

Some people think that the lower leaves of the tomato plants affect its fruit production because they can drain the nutrients from the tomatoes, which is why the lower leaves must be removed. Is it true?

The truth is that the bottom leaves don’t generally affect the fruit production of the tomato plants unless they turn yellow which means that they are dry and will drain the sugar from the tomato so they must be removed.

Other reasons that you can remove the lower leaves if you want are that the lower leaves become moist which can disease that can be avoided by cutting it. Another reason is that the upper leaves get all the sunlight and lower leaves get less so at some point they might drain the sugar from the tomato and cutting them will avoid this.

What is the best fertilizer for tomatoes?

Fertilizing tomatoes depends on the amount of nitrogen in the soil, which means that first, you must test the soil (Preferably during the fall and when the soil is dry).

If the soil is balanced or has a high amount of nitrogen, then you should use a fertilizer that has a lower amount of nitrogen and a higher amount of phosphorus. If there’s less nitrogen in the soil, then you should use a balanced fertilizer.

Usually, the soil is balanced and it’s best to use a fertilizer with a high amount of phosphorus.

The post Why is my tomato plant growing so tall? appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

After pouring hard work and time to plant and take care of your green onions, also known as scallions, your plant suddenly turned yellow. Oh no! This could prolong or hinder your most awaited harvest. 

“Where did I go wrong?” “What have I done?” These must be the questions running on your mind. Calm down. We’ll figure out why this happened and we’ll find a way how to save your plants from completely wilting. 

Photo by Ryan Hyde

Scallions turning yellow is a common problem among these plants. They are usually harmless not until the yellowing spreads to the whole scallion. The leaves should be maintained at the best quality since they are the most utilized part of this plant. 

The mild pungent and sweet taste of it complements different dishes across the world. They are most popular in Asia cooking, but it is also used in other cooking as a garnish or as an additional spice. 

What Do You Really Know About Green Onions?

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So to prevent the yellowing from providing further damage to your plant, you should look for early signs for us to troubleshoot immediately. 

Some of the common reasons could be diseases caused by fungi or bacteria, pests caused by maggots and insects, and negligence of plant. Plenty to choose from, right? But to really help you diagnose, we’ll discuss later how to know what causes the yellowing. 

GREEN ONION GROWING PROBLEMS 

Wonder where you went wrong? Here are some of the reasons that could be due to poor maintenance or wrong planting practices:

1. Weeding
   
   Scallions do not grow well in competition with weeds. They have shallow roots that could be damaged by the roots of nearby weeds.
   
   That’s why it is highly recommended to remove weeds during soil preparation and remove weeds through the growing season of scallions.
   
   What to look out for
   
   Weeds are classified as unwanted plants. They are small plants growing beside your plants.
   
   They could compete with your plants for nutrients or worse damage the roots and other parts of your plant. Aside from this, weeds could also be carriers or vectors of different diseases, so it’s best to keep your garden bed from weeds.
   
   What to do
   
   First and foremost, choose a garden bed that’s free from weeds. If it is impossible, remove weeds before you start planting the scallions.
   
   Weeds are resilient plants, they would grow again on the same spot if you haven’t removed the whole plant, including the roots. So make sure to perform a proper weeding process.
   
   You might also consider mulching your plants to prevent weeds from growing nearby. Layer grass clippings, pine straw or fine pieces of bark on top of your garden bed.
   
2. Overwatering / Underwatering
   
   Scallion plants need evenly moisturized soil to thrive. Therefore, watering is one of the most important resources of this plant.
   
   What to look out for
   
   Yellowing of the plant could either mean your overwatering or underwatering it. To understand this better, try placing your finger up to the second knuckle into the soil.
   
   If you feel that it’s too dry or too soggy, then the probable cause of yellowing is poor watering practices.
   
   What to do
   
   Practice watering the scallion plants one inch of water per week. Make sure to evenly water the plants to avoid sogginess on one part.
   
   You could also place a layer of mulch to trap and even out the moisture of the soil.
   
   If you struggle and can’t determine if you are overwatering or underwatering I suggest you get one of these 3-in-1 meter testers.
   They are super useful and affordable, you won’t regret it.
   

GREEN ONION PESTS

Plants are highly susceptible to pests like insects, nematodes, or rodents. Here are some of the most common pests that could cause yellowing of green onions. 

Photo by Media Mike Hazard

1. Onion maggots
   This type of microorganism is a very common pest of onions. This brown hunch-backed insect could damage your crop seriously, if not maintained properly.
   
   The larval stage feed on the roots and bulbs of your green onions. They also crawl into the leaves and shoots.
   
   What to look out for
   
   If you noticed bulbs that are already infested apart from yellowing, wilting and browning of the leaves, then this is a clear sign of onion nematodes infestation.
   
   The presence of larval insects around your garden bed is also a sign of infestation.
   
   What to do
   
   To prevent nematodes from further infestation, you could use natural biological enemies. This will also reduce the chemical residue in your plants.
   
   Introduce predaceous ground beetles and nematode Steinernema feltiae in your garden. This could significantly reduce the number of pests.
   
   After your harvest, make sure to rotate the crops in your garden bed. Then, try delaying the sowing of plants until temperature reaches 95 °F.
   
   
2. Nematodes
   
   While I recommended the use of nematodes to manage the population of onion maggots, other types of nematodes could be harmful to your crops.
   
   What to look out for
   
   When the yellowing of leaves is accompanied by wilting leaves and stunted or deformed growth, this just suggests that the nematodes living in the soil are harmful to your plants.
   
   Different types of nematodes love to feed on garlic and onion family. That’s why you might find a whole lot of damage signs and symptoms of infestation on your plant that could be unique from one another.
   
   What to do
   
   Revisit the crop history of your garden bed. Plants like chives, leeks, and lettuce could be a carrier of harmful nematodes. After suffering from an infestation, refrain from planting those plants for three years.
   
   You should also look into your garden equipment and machinery to stop the growth right there and then. Clean all your materials that have direct contact with the soil with clean running water. 

GREEN ONION DISEASES

Photo by Forest and Kim Starr

Just like the human body, plants like green onions could suffer from diseases caused by microbes. 

1. Pink Root
   
   This disease is caused by a fungus that is soil-borne. Aside from onions, this disease could also affect garlic.
   
   Since the causing microbes came from the soil, its main target is the roots of the plants, This results in discoloration of the roots and bulbs, and in turn, affects the colors of the leaves.
   
   What to look out for
   
   Yellowing of leaves suddenly results in wilting of tips. As mentioned, discoloration of roots to red, pink, or purple. Then, the discoloration could climb up to the bulbs.
   
   This also results in stunted growth and low volume of yield.
   
   What to do
   
   To manage this disease, you should rotate your crops for three to six years. This will reduce the occurrence of the disease in your garden bed. Thus, it will also prevent from spreading to other plants.
   
   You could also opt to use disease-resistant varieties to avoid such infestation. This would guarantee healthy onions and fuss-free harvest.
   
   You could also opt for fumigation with the right amount of metam sodium of chloropicrin. Although it could have an economic impact, this will surely help you in managing fungi in your garden.
   
   
2. Downy mildew
   
   This disease is also caused by a fungus that greatly affects a lot of crops.
   
   What to look out for
   
   Downy mildew is easy to identify because of the yellowing, dampening, bending, and dying of leaves. This could start as harmless yellow spots in your leaves. But when the yellowing starts, it is actually really difficult to stop the disease from spreading.
   
   Apart from that, dampening or watery bulbs, stalks and flowers could also be noticed.
   
   What to do
   
   Do the following planting practices to avoid and manage downy mildew in your garden.
   
   Avoid too much moisture or water on the leaves and upper part of the plant. This plant is surely moisture-loving, but avoid using sprinkler irrigation and watering above the plant. Select well-draining soil, as well.
   
   Then, you could also apply the three-year rotation of plants in your garden bed. This would help in reducing the number of fungi in your soil.
   
   Also make sure that the bulbs and seeds that you will be using came from healthy mature plants, which means the mother plant do not have diseases or unnecessary element or particle.
   
   
3. Bulb Rot
   
   A type of fungous is still the culprit for this kind of disease. The effect of the fungus would not be easily recognized on the field but upon storage.
   
   This disease leaves the bulbs rotting and indirectly results in yellowing of the leaves.
   
   What to look out for
   
   Early signs of this disease could be traced to yellowing and wilting of the leaves. You could also notice how the bulbs darken and get watery. This weakens the bulbs which result to decay.
   
   You could also see stunted growth among these plants and others.
   
   What to do
   
   There are numerous ways to deal with this infestation. Just be sure that you’re not too late before the plant finally surrenders to bulb rot.
   
   Remove the infected areas and plants. To avoid the spreading of this disease you could cut and remove infected plants in your garden.
   
   As you know, green onions do not work well with competition. Also, weeds could be the vector of diseases that could affect your harvest. Rethink if you want to try resistant varieties like Elba, Globe, and Hickory. 

The post Why Are My Green Onions Turning Yellow? And How To Fix It appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

Asking yourself “Why are my onions dying?” over and over again while miserably hovering above your plants will get you nowhere.

But I get it. It’s easy to lose track of your plants especially when you’re new to gardening. Even more so when you don’t know what exactly to expect while your onions grow and mature. One day, you’ll see something that just feels off and you’ll catch yourself stressing over it.

So you panic. And you have a good reason to. Troubleshooting should be done as soon as possible if you want your onion plants healthy and thriving again. 

Now calm down and look at your onion plant. Look at it closely. Because unfortunately for us, gardeners, plants can’t just explicitly tell us what’s wrong with them. We have to check them out ourselves. 

What do you see? Wilting leaves? Rotten tops? Your guess might just be right, your onion plants may be dying. 

But don’t worry! I’ve compiled a neat list of tell-tale signs you should look out for to know what’s really happening with your onions. 

Below you’ll learn just why you’re onion plants are dying. And they can range from simple plant care mishaps to annoying pests problems. 

Let’s start saving your precious onion plants. 

Wrong Planting Time 

What to look out for

The onion plant is leafy but it doesn’t produce any bulbs.

What to do

Make sure to plant your onions at the correct time. Onion is a cool-season crop that is best planted in spring (Feb to April) or late autumn. It can be planted as early as 4 weeks before the first local frost-free days. 

About 1 to 2 months before planting outdoors, the ideal temperature for onions ranges from 32°F to 50°F. Once planted outdoors, the temperatures shouldn’t go below 20°F (-6°C).

If you planted your onions at the wrong time, chances are, the temperatures are too warm for it to thrive so it’s best to just start over again. Plant the right cultivar at the proper time. 

Water Stress due to Overwatering 

What to look out for

The onion tops start dying back.

What to do

Immediately cut back on watering. Overwatering your plants may lead to rotten bulbs and eventually to failed crops. 

For ground-grown onions, consistent even watering is needed. Just about one inch of water per week is going to be sufficient (this includes rainwater). Onions grown in pots will need at least 2 to 3 inches of water per week. 

Uneven Watering

What to look out for

The emerging onion bulbs appear to have been split into 2 to 3 sections. 

What to do

Continuous uneven watering will harm your plant. Make sure to water your plants evenly and allow the soil to dry at least 4 inches deep before watering the plants again. To aid in moisture retention, add mulch. 7 weeks prior to harvest, stop feeding your onion plants. 

Give 1 inch of water per week for ground-grown onions (including rainwater) and 2 to 3 inches of water per week for onions grown in pots. 

Phosphorus or Potassium Deficiency

What to look out for

Stunted plant growth and relatively thick onion necks. 

What to do

In this case, your onion plants won’t necessarily die but they will eventually stop growing. So it’s best to side-dress your plants with aged compost. You can also spray the plants with kelp or compost tea. Doing so will also boost your plant’s growth. 

Pests –Onion maggots

What to look out for

Onion leaves are fading, wilting and yellowing. The leaf tips are turning brown. If you check the bulb, you should see tunnels and cavities forming. Additionally, there are likely eggs to be found at the base of the plants. 

What to do

This pest is a white legless larva of an adult fly that likes to lay their eggs at the base of the plants. Prevent this by covering your emerging onion bulbs with a fine mesh netting. Seal around the edges by mounding it with soil. 

If pests are seen, immediately destroy them. 

Keep your garden clean and pick out the decaying organic matter as they attract these insects.  You can expect Onion maggots during very rainy periods, so you can disregard these suggestions during dry seasons.

Remember to completely harvest your onions as the season progresses.

Pests – Onion Thrips

What to look out for

Thrips are tiny insects that can attack your plant. They look as fat as a sewing needle. They are very tiny so in order to check if they’re around your crops, knock a dark piece of paper against onion tops. They will appear as tan-colored bodies on the paper. 

What to do

Carefully follow the package directions of your insecticidal soap spray and they will disappear after a couple of treatments. Always keep your garden clean. If pests are seen, you can also spray or blast them away with water. 

You may also opt to place several sticky traps near your onions. There are various colors available, see what works best for you. 

Pests – Leafminers

What to look out for

Check leaves for thin, white winding trails. There may also be white blotches on leaves if highly infected (heavy mining). There are leaves dropping from the plant prematurely. Reduced yield due to early infestation. 

The pest itself looks like a small black and yellow fly. Leafminers will lay their eggs in the leaf and the larvae will then hatch and feed on the leaf interior, slowly destroying your onion plant. 

What to do

Immediately check your onion transplants for any signs of leafminer damage (as mentioned above) before transferring them onto their final location. And make sure you remove plants from the ground right after harvest.

If infected, it is highly important that you only use insecticides when leafminer damage has been identified. You don’t want to spray if you’re not sure they’re present since that will only reduce the population of their natural enemies thus helping the pests and not your plants. 

Diseases –Downy mildew

What to look out for

You can spot this disease when you observe yellow or white spots on leaf surfaces and patches of mold on the underside. Often, stalks will wilt, bend and eventually die. 

What to do

This is a fungus that favors cool wet humid conditions. Avoid Downy mildew by planting resistant cultivars. Make sure you keep the soil well-drained and remember to allow the ground to dry between waterings.

Always keep your garden clean. Remove plant debris and take note that your plants are receiving enough air circulation. 

If infected, prevent spreading by removing the affected leaves and stems.

Diseases –Onion neck rot

What to look out for

Onion neck rot appears as a grey-colored fluffy fungus growing on the head of the onion that into a black fungus after some time. 

What to do

This is arguably one of the most common onion diseases you will ever encounter. It is caused by the fungus Botrytis allii, and all onion varieties can be affected by it. You can usually expect this just after the harvest. 

Do not plant your onions in the same spot every year consecutively in order to avoid this. Plant other crops instead. I also suggest drying the newly harvested onions at warm temperatures in an area with good ventilation. 

Diseases – Fusarium damping-off

What to look out for

Rotten seeds covered in molds, root tips appearing to be discolored (may be red or black, pink, yellow or tan) and seedlings that grow super slow which will then wilt and die. 

What to do

This is caused by a certain fungus that survives in soil. The best way to prevent this is by only planting good quality seeds taken from a reliable source. This is to assure that your plant will grow from a disease-free seed. 

If infected, treat the plant with fungicide. Carefully follow the instructions from the packet and apply proper amounts at the proper time. You can also opt to try a steam treatment or fumigation of soil. Doing either of these will help in reducing the levels of Fusarium in the soil.

Crop rotation is also advised in order to reduce the pathogen in the soil in your garden. 

Diseases – Pink root

What to look out for

Check if roots are light pink in color, it will typically darken then turn purple. These roots may also become transparent and water soaked. Seedling of infected plants also dies. Overall your plant will look weak as if it has a nutrient deficiency. 

Another sign that your onion plant is infected is when it is stunted and only produces undersized and shriveled bulbs. 

What to do

Do not plant onions in the same area continuously or plant them or in a 1-year rotation. That is where the disease will be most severe. The ideal rotation is 3-6 years. Another way to avoid this disease is by planting resistant varieties that will work in your climate. 

Solarization, as well as fumigation, are advised practices that can aid in reducing the levels of pathogen in the soil. 

I would love hearing from you in the comments sections below if you had a problem with your onions i didn’t cover.

The post 11 Most Common Reasons Why Are Your Onions Dying appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

It’s no secret that onions should always be part of your pantry. It is a very versatile ingredient that is welcome in every kitchen. From breakfast to dinner, onions can make or break a meal. You can’t deny that onion is one of the most important ingredients to ever grace the kitchen. Let’s see how to grow onions, yes you can grow it.

I mean, you can drown in recipes with onions as one of its ingredients. It’s that vital in cooking. And when it comes to health benefits, it’s proving to be worthy too. 

Just to mention a few; it’s packed with vitamins like vitamin B1, B6 and C. It also contains high amounts of folic acid, fiber, chromium, and calcium. The antioxidants found in onions can also boost your immune system.

Did I mention that it’s also good for the heart? It’s been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Onions come in many varieties but one thing can be said for all: they are all easy to grow! Home gardeners will have a good time planting and growing this one. Just imagine how much more delicious your meals will taste with fresh home-grown onions. 

I’m very excited to share with you all you need to know about growing onions in containers at home. Get ready for your very own supply of fresh onions!

Growing Onions
Difficulty Level, Maintenance, And Other Advantages

Before anything else, there’s one thing you need to know about growing onions. 

This cold-season crop is very easy to grow! So just relax. You’re gonna have a great time growing onions on your own. Oh, and did I mention this plant requires very little cultivation? Compared to other vegetables, garlic plants are low-maintenance. 

It’s a quick and simple plant to grow—the perfect starter vegetable for any budding gardeners out there. Look, even if you don’t have your garden established yet, this crop can perfectly grow indoors in pots! I can safely say that the difficulty level for this one is easy. 

All you need is some fertile soil and a spot with a decent sunlight and you’re good to go! I’ll handle the rest, so just continue reading.

So ready your gardening tools because today you will learn how to grow onions on your own. And with proper guidance, I guarantee that you’ll harvest some good home-grown onions in the end.

How to Plant Onions – All You Need to Know

When is the best time to plant onions?

You probably already have your tools and gears ready but before you start digging the dirt you should check your calendar first.

Not all crops can grow year-round. You need to know when is the best time to plant your onions.

This cool-season crop is best planted in spring (Feb to April) or late autumn. You can plant onions as soon as the ground is workable. Gardeners may plant as early as 4 weeks before the first frost-free days.

Just make sure outdoor temperatures don’t go below 20°F (-6°C).

Should I use onion seeds, transplants or sets? 

Now that we’ve got that covered, let’s see what’s the best way to start an onion plant. 

There are three ways to plant onions at home: by seeds, transplants, or sets. Among these three,

I highly suggest you use onion sets for planting your onions. 

First of all, using onion sets is the easiest among the 3 planting techniques. So good news for all the beginner gardeners out there. It also produces the earliest onion – ahead of the seed-started ones.

Not to mention, it has the highest success rate among the three! 

By using onion sets, you no longer have to worry about frost damage either. Also, using onion sets to grow onions saves a lot of time! You can save up to sixty days of gardening depending on the variety. Perfect for those who live in regions with a short growing season. 

Lastly, I like using onion sets because it just yields a lot of large onions perfect for storage. 

What is the best container to use when planting onions?

In this plant project, we will be using onion sets. These onion plants can thrive well in raised beds. Raised rows that are at least 4 inches high also works well.

If you don’t have a raised bed, you’re someone living in the city or simply have limited space available for gardening, no worries! Onions can grow perfectly well in large mouthed pots that are at least 10 inches deep. 

When I say large-mouthed pots, it should be several feet wide. You would want to be able to plant as many onions as possible to make it really worth your time. Plastic tubs are cheap and durable. 

There are many options available on Amazon but check your local nursery first, they might just give you one for free as they usually dispose of some of them at the end of every season. 

A 5-gallon bucket can also do the trick if you have one around.

However, you may only be able to grow 3 or 4 onions per bucket. Onions need at least 3 inches of open soil around them to grow properly.

Remember to put holes at the bottom of your containers for drainage. 

How do I prepare the soil for planting onions? 

Onions work best in loose and well-drained soil. Properly prepared soil will allow your onions to grow bigger and tastier bulbs so do not skip this step. Use nitrogen-rich soil mixed with multi-purpose compost.

The soil should also be slightly acidic with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5.

After making sure that your soil has the qualities that I’ve mentioned above, here are some guidelines to follow:

1. In early spring, loosen the soil with a rake or with your hands
2. Remove and weeds or rocks on your planting site
3. Work in the aged manure into the soil or mix in half to a full bag of organic compost
4. Add any commercial fertilizer, onions are heavy feeders (just follow the instructions on the packet)
5. Loosen and rake the soil
6. Flatten down the soil, make it firm

Again, a well-prepared soil is vital to the healthy growth of your plant so make sure you give proper attention to this step. 

How do I plant onions?

After preparing the soil, it’s time to plant the onion sets. If you’re using a raised bed or planting direct to the garden ground, follow these steps.

1. Pick out the larger and harder onion sets (no larger than a dime), they’re the best ones to grow
2. Using a long piece of string, make a straight line
3. Using your garden trowel or any garden digging tool, space holes 4 to 5 inches apart
4. Dig holes about 1 inch deep
5. Make rows 12 to 18 inches apart
6. Place the onion sets (make sure they’re pointing upwards)
7. Add mulch between the rows of onions to help retain moisture and to stop weeds from forming
8. Cover the holes and water them

Photo by Jennifer C.

If you’re planting the onion sets in containers, follow these steps:

1. Pick out the larger and harder onion sets (no larger than a dime), they’re the best ones to grow
2. Using your hands, dig holes about 1 inch deep
3. Wait for the soil temperature to reach about 60 degrees
4. Place onion sets and space them at least 3 inches apart from each other, give them plenty of room to grow
5. Cover the holes and water them

Congratulations! You’re done with the planting part, you just have to wait for it to mature. 

Growing Onions

How and when do I thin my onion plant?

Since we are using onion sets, you wouldn’t be needing to thin your onion plants as they wouldn’t be overcrowded and they are past their seedling stage.

How can I properly water my onion plant? 

For ground-grown onions, consistent watering is needed if you used mulch. Just about one inch of water per week is going to be sufficient (this includes rainwater). You can water more if you want sweeter onions but careful not to overwater them.

Make sure the soil is evenly moist and not wet or soggy. 

For container-grown onions like the pot ones, watering them is very important. Pot-grown onions have little access to naturally stored rainfall found in ground soil, unlike the ground-grown ones. Onions grown in pots will need at least 2 – 3 inches of water per week. 

Adjust and increase the amount of water in hot weather and in drought conditions. 

Gardening tip! If the top of your soil is dry to the touch, it’s time to give them some water. Make sure to check your onions daily. 

Which fertilizer should I use and when do I use it? 

If you’ve followed the soil preparation guidelines above, then I expect that you are already using a fertile soil. The organic matter you’ve worked into the soil before planting will work wonders for the onions.

You only need to fertilize your plants every three to four weeks with nitrogen or vegetable feed to get bigger bulbs.

Stop fertilizing when you see the onions push the soil away and the bulbing process has started. 

Bulbs will and need to emerge above the soil. This is normal. Do not put the soil back around them.

How much sun does my onion plant need?

Whether you’re growing onions in a raised bed or in pots, it’s essential that you choose a location that gets twelve to fourteen hours of sunlight per day. Onions need full sun to thrive, make sure it is not shaded by other plants. 

Which climate better suits onions? (Best Hardiness Zones)

Onions are a very temperate crop. Typically, they can thrive in most climates. There are three categories of onions based on the sunlight they need. Short-day onions are better for warm climates since they only need 10-12 hours of daylight.

They’re perfect for those living in the southern region.

Long-day onions require 13-14 hours of daylight. They are grown in the northern regions with a USDA of zone 6 or colder.

During the fall season, day-neutral onions can thrive in cool mild winter climates. They are deal for USDA zones 5-6 and need 12-14 hours of sunlight.

Varieties that fall under the day-neutral category typically tastes super sweet! All in all, onions are generally suitable for the U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3 through 9. 

How long does it take to grow onions and what should I expect in each growing stage?

Since we planted onion using onion sets, you will only need to wait a shorter time for harvest. We’ve saved up to 60 days worth of gardening (depending on the variety). We’ve skipped the earlier growth stages like the germination and seedling formation. 

You’ll only be needing at least two months for the onions to mature. During this period, expect the onions to continue to bulge until it reaches above the soil.

What are the common diseases and pests that could ruin my onion plant and how do I avoid it?

Watching your onion plants maturing, I understand that you might worry about the pests or other diseases that might attack your plant.

However, onions are typically a disease-and-pest-free crop, so no need to worry. 

But I’ve listed down some of the problems you might encounter down below and how you can deal with them, just to be sure:

1. Onion maggots
   
   These pests like to lay its eggs at the base of the plants. Prevent this by covering your emerging onion bulbs with a fine mesh netting. Seal around the edges by mounding it with soil.
   
   Keep your garden clean and pick out the decaying organic matter as they attract these insects.  You can expect Onion maggots during very rainy periods, so you can disregard these suggestions during dry seasons.
   
   Remember to completely harvest your onions as the season progresses.
   
   
2. Downy mildew
   
   You can spot this disease when you observe yellow spots on leaf surfaces and patches of mold on the underside. This nasty disease favors cool humid conditions. Avoid this disease by planting resistant cultivars.
   
   Prevent spreading by removing the affected leaves and stems.
   
   
3. Thrips
   
   Thrips are tiny insects that can attack your plant. They look as fat as a sewing needle. They’re very tiny so in order to check if they’re around your crops, knock a dark piece of against onion tops. They will appear as tan-colored bodies on the paper.
   
   Follow the package directions of your insecticidal soap spray and they will disappear after a couple of treatments.
   
   
4. Onion neck rot
   
   Caused by the fungus Botrytis allii, onion neck rot appears as a grey-colored fluffy fungus growing on the head of the onion that into a black fungus after some time. Do not plant your onions in the same spot every year consecutively in order to avoid this.
   
   Plant other crops instead. 

To all nervous gardeners reading this, especially the beginners, I suggest you calm down. Even I had my own share of panicking when I just started gardening. Gardening mishaps is like a rite of passage. Learn from your mistakes and become a better gardener.

Most importantly, I’ve learned that no matter how big or small the problem is, I know my fellow gardeners are always ready for a solution and suggestions! Don’t be a stranger and mingle with the online gardening community.

What other crops could I plant together with my onions to maximize my garden space?

If you’re just a beginner who dreams of starting a full vegetable garden, you should be familiar with companion planting. 

What is companion planting? Simple, it’s a form of polyculture used by fellow gardeners and farmers that is believed to produce mutual benefits for certain plants and crops planted next to each other.

Basically, the idea is by planting these companion plants, the crops can help each other grow healthily. To list some of the benefits: natural pest control, higher crop yield and shade protection for sun-sensitive plants. 

All these benefits while maximizing your garden space! Truly perfect for those with limited garden area.

Onion is one of the best companion plants for other crops because they have the natural ability to deter bugs.

Here are some of the pests that onions can keep away from your precious crops: cabbage loopers, aphids, cabbage worms, cabbage maggots, and Japanese beetles. 

Onions are really good companion plants for the cabbage family plants!

Onion plants can also keep away carrot flies from your carrot crops. These two also work well together. 

Here are some of the best companion plants for onions:

1. Cabbage
2. Carrots
3. Broccoli
4. Peppers
5. Strawberries
6. Lettuce
7. Tomatoes
8. Brussel Sprouts

Read more how-to-grow articles on this site, I have so many more gardening stories to share so you can add more crops to your garden!

What are the crops that will not go well with onions?

While we can see that the onion has a great number of companion plants that we should be thankful for, there are just some plants and crops that will never go well with this vegetable. 

Did you know that other onion plants are bad neighbors for your onions? You need to scatter your onion plants in your garden so the onion maggots wouldn’t be able to travel easily and treat your crops as an open buffet.

Here are some of the onion’s bad neighbors:

1. Peas
2. Beans
3. Sage
4. Asparagus

Harvesting Onions, When?

You’ve finally reached the harvesting stage!

It’s time to congratulate yourself for all the hard work you’ve put on. Time to taste the fruit of your labor but how do you know when your onions are ready to be harvested?

If you planted your onions early in the spring you can typically harvest by fall. You can tell when your onions are ready for harvest when onion tops and stems have turned yellow. The stems will also fall over. 

You can also a rake to bend them over horizontally to stop that sap from flowing to the stems. By doing so, you encourage the plant to put its energy into maturing the bulb. 

In just a day or so, when the tops finally turn brown, pull or dig the bulbs. Do this on a sunny day because you need to leave the bulbs to dry in the sun. 

Gardening tip! Prevent sunscald by laying the onion tops of one row over the bulbs of the other row. 

Check if the outer skins are completely dry. Wipe off any soil and remove the tops. You can leave them be if you intend to braid them, though I’ll leave that to the more advanced gardeners. Out there. 

How to harvest onions?

Loosen the soil around the bulbs so it can start drying. When the onion tops are brown and the stems bent over, pull the onions. Clip the onion roots and cut the onion tops back to 1 inch. If you know how to braid them, leave them be. 

Cure and dry them for several weeks before storing them.

What is the best way to store the onions that I have harvested?

You can store your harvested onions in any cool, dry place. For the advanced gardeners, just hang your braided onions or keep them in mesh bags or nylon stockings in any airy spot. Make sure you store at 40 to 50°F (4 to 10°C). 

These onions are long-lasting. Expect dried bulbs to keep for about 4 months to 1 year. You can definitely enjoy your yield almost year-round!

I strongly advise you not to store onions with fruits like apples or pears. The ethylene gas produced by the fruits will have an effect on your onions’ dormancy. Another thing, onions may also spoil the flavor of these fruits so it’s really a bad idea to store these together.

You should also use or eat the sweeter varieties of onions first before going in on the pungent ones. The pungent onions will store longer than the sweet onions.

Enjoy your harvest and join me again next time for another gardening session!

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The post How To Grow Onions in Containers appeared first on Plant2Harvest.

Do you want a leafy green with a little kick that’s ready to harvest in just 3 to 4 weeks? Then let me share with you how to grow arugula in the comfort of your own home. 

Let me tell you why this wonderful vegetable should be a welcome addition to your garden. First, it’s super healthy. This leafy green is nutrient-packed with all sorts of important vitamins and minerals. 

It’s an excellent source of vitamins C, K, and A. It is also rich in Calcium, Potassium, and Folate. A research published by PLOS One back in 2014 even credited arugula to have high cancer-fighting agents. 

Arugula is not only healthy, but it’s also super tasty as well! It has a distinct taste, unlike other leafy greens that have mild ones. Slightly spicy and bitter, arugula brings a zappy pepper taste to any salads or wraps. 

But if you want a milder flavored arugula, you can just harvest some earlier and have yourself a fresh batch of baby arugula. 

Besides being both delicious and healthy, one of the reasons why you should grow these in your garden is because it’s super easy! Quick to plant and quick to grow, you’ll have fresh arugula in no time. Plus, this is a vegetable that you can prolong the harvesting period. 

Longer harvesting period means more supply of arugula for you and your family!

I’ve always had a good experience and plenty of yields whenever I grow arugula in my garden so I want to share everything I know to the next batch of gardeners out there. 

Grow Arugula:
Difficulty Level, Maintenance, And Other Advantages

Arugula is one of the easiest leafy greens to grow. This cool-weather crop is a quick-growing, low maintenance plant that can be harvested in just 3 to 4 weeks. Even if you start it from seeds, it’s that fast!

This is a perfect plant to grow especially to the people who are living in regions with short growing seasons. 

You can quickly taste the success of your cultivation in no time at all. Plus, this vegetable doesn’t need much to thrive. Just give it a fertile soil and place it somewhere warm and sunny and your plant will grow well. Just make sure you plant it just in time for a cool-weather harvest.

Another perk of growing arugula at home is that even if you have limited space, you can still grow them. These plants can grow perfectly well in containers. And planting them isn’t even complicated. There’s no need to sow seeds indoors you can directly seed them in the ground. 

Oh, and did I mention you can have a continuous harvest with arugula? Just sow new seeds every 2 to 3 weeks for a fresh new batch of arugula. Or just cut the leaves that you need and wait for the arugula plant to regrow some more. 

Below is all the information you need to grow arugula at home—from planting to harvest. Here’s how you can grow your own arugula plants. 

Planting Arugula

When is the best time to plant arugula?

Before you start preparing your gardening tools and scoping your yard to start your arugula, do check your calendar first. The best time to plant arugula is during spring or late summer. 

In this section, it’s better if you also check your local frost dates to be more accurate. 

You can sow arugula seeds as soon as danger of frost has passed. Make sure that the soil can easily be worked in. Plant arugula in the garden as early as 2 to 3 weeks before the last local frost in spring. 

If your timing is right you’ll have your arugula ready for a cool-weather harvest. And that’s what you want. Prolonged heat can make your arugula taste bitter. The cool weather will help make your plants’ eating quality better. 

Arugula prefer to grow in temperatures ranging from 45° to 65°F (10-18°C).

After your initial sowing of seeds in the garden, you can start sowing seeds every 2 to 3 weeks for a continuous harvest. You don’t want to plant a big batch of arugula plants in one sitting. You might not harvest them all at the right time and they might just bolt. 

It’s better if you sow in succession. Plus, your arugula will be fresher that way. 

You can also sow seeds in the late-summer after high temperatures have passed. This will result in a fall or early-winter harvest. 

How do I start an arugula plant?

The best way to grow arugula is by directly sowing seeds in the ground. As soon as the ground can be worked in during spring, sow your seeds. They have a short growing period so start as soon as possible so you can sow another set of seeds for the following weeks.

Make sure the seeds you buy are of high quality. See to it that it’s pathogen-free to avoid plant diseases in the future. If possible, purchase your seed packets from a reputable source just to be sure. Check the seeds I’ve used before.

They’re fairly inexpensive and were great in my garden. You can buy them online through Amazon. Alternatively, you can visit your local garden center and ask if there are any arugula seeds available. 

What arugula varieties should I grow?

Arugula goes by many names like Rocket, Salad Rocket or Roquette, and apparently they also go by many varieties. One of the things I love about gardening is that I get to pick what variety of vegetables I get to plant. And since we’re starting with seeds, we have even more options. 

There are two types of arugula that are popular among gardeners: Wild Arugula and Cultivated Arugula. 

1. Wild Arugula (Diplotaxisx) – this variety has a stronger flavor between the two. It’s spicy and hot. It’s more pungent than the cultivated arugula. This kind of arugula produces yellow flowers and has smooth and serrated leaves.
   
   Under wild arugula, you can try Olive Leaf (Diplotaxis integrifolia). This one has less of a pungent flavor. Its leaves are pale, smooth and elongated.
   
   Perennial Wall-rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) is another good cultivar. Compared to Olive Leaf, this one has a stronger taste and smell. Its leaves are also greener and deeply serrated.
   
   
2. Cultivated Arugula (Eruca vesicaria) – this is the tamer version of arugula. Tamer in terms of flavor and scent. Most cultivated arugulas have wavy serrations. Its flowers are white and its leaves are oval. 

Other standard cultivars that you might wanna try are Astro (early, heat-tolerant), Esmee (oak-type leaves, good for salads) and Surrey (appears as a wild arugula but is easier to grow). 

These varieties have more or less the same growing conditions so you wouldn’t have any problems trying different ones.

Although, it wouldn’t hurt to consider the length of your growing season. Early varieties that only require shorter days to mature are probably the best for that. 

These cultivars will have varying growing time so pick what best suits your region and your taste. 

Take note: Good quality seeds gives you a better chance for a successful harvest. Buy fresh quality seeds from a trusted source. You can buy a seed pack at your local garden center or if you want more choices, purchase one online (link to Amazon). 

Should I grow arugula in a container or grow it in the ground?

You can grow arugula in garden beds or in containers. Depending on the space you have in your house, you can choose either of the two. 

If you do want to grow them in containers, I find that giant containers aren’t really necessary since the roots of arugula are pretty shallow.

As long as they’re at least 6 inches deep that’s good enough. Although I suggest you find a wider container if possible. 

You might want to plant more arugula in the future once you get a taste of it so a wide shallow container will do. 

If you have raised beds, that’s wonderful. You have a good set-up for growing a batch of arugula enough for your family. 

How do I prepare the soil? 

1. Raised bed – Prepare your garden beds by incorporating aged compost to your soil before planting. Make sure that they’re mixed in properly. Your arugula plants will prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
   
   You can go to a local agriculture extension unit to test your soil, amend when needed 1 week prior to growing.
   
   
2. Container – Get a high-quality potting mix. I use this one from Amazon on most of my plants, so you might want to give that a try. It’s pretty cheap but works wonders for my growing plants.

You can also go to your local garden center to buy one. 

How do I plant the arugula?

1. Raised bed – Sow arugula seed directly on the compost-rich soil. Place them ¼ inch (6mm) deep. Allow 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of space between each arugula within the row.
   
   The rows should be 10 to 12 inches apart. Keep the soil evenly moist.
   
   In just a few days the seeds will germinate. When the seedling sprouts and grew 4 inches tall, thin them to 6 inches (15 cm) apart. Don’t throw the thinning out. You can add them to sandwiches or salads.
   
   Sow another set of seeds every 2 to 3 weeks for a continuous harvest.
   
   
2. Container – Fill your chosen container with potting mix. Gently flatten it out by patting it with your hand. Distribute the seeds uniformly (maybe space them at least 1 inch apart). Pat the seeds onto the soil. Do this gently.
   
   You can choose to cover them lightly with a potting mix again or use a seed-starting mix over the seeds. Gently pat them again.
   
   Carefully add water making sure that you don’t disturb the seeds. You don’t want them to get in the soil too deep. 

Growing Arugula

How and when do I thin my arugula plant?

If you planted directly on the ground using a raised bed then thin the seedlings to 6 inches (15 cm) apart when already grew 4 inches tall. Don’t throw the thinning out. They’re perfectly fine to eat. You can add them to wraps, sandwiches or salads. 

If you planted in containers, it’s usually fine even if you don’t thin them out but just to be sure, thin the seedlings 1 to 3 inches apart when they’re about 1 to 2 inches tall. 

How much water does my arugula plant really need? 

The standard 1 inch of water per week will do. You just need to keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season. 

How often does my arugula plants need to be fertilized? 

The aged compost or organic matter that was added before planting will give the arugula enough nutrients to grow. They have a very short growing period so they don’t really need to be fed. 

However, you can add aged compost or organic matter on the raised beds again at midseason. This will help especially those who did succession sowing. 

How much sun does my arugula plant need?

Arugula will thrive in full sun but they can tolerate partial shade. The standard six hours of sunlight daily will do. Make sure to plant your containers in full sun. 

Which climate better suits arugula? (Best Hardiness Zones)

Arugula thrives in cool weather climates. That’s why it’s best to grow them in early spring so they can be harvested just in time for a cool weather crop. These plants do not like hot weather and will literally grow bitter if grown in hot conditions. 

But you can always plant heat-tolerant crops if you are in warmer regions. You’ll have a better chance at a successful harvest that way. 

The best USDA zones to grow arugula are from 3 to 11. 

How long does it take to grow arugula?

Depending on the variety you choose to grow and the growing conditions in your garden, days to maturity varies. Although, most arugula varieties take at 3 to 4 weeks from seed to grow to their optimum harvesting size. 

When they’ve grown to 3 to 4 inches long, you can start harvesting them. You can harvest even earlier if you want the milder tasting baby arugula. 

When grown in partial shade, it will take longer for the plants to be ready for harvest.

What are the common pests and common diseases that could ruin my arugula plant and how do I avoid it?

As you watch your arugula plant growing, you might be worried about the pests that might attack them or diseases that can weaken them. It’s understandable, even I got anxious when I first started gardening. 

But one thing that always helps is by being prepared. If you’ve followed my tips and assured that your plants have the best growing conditions, you have very little to worry about. But it doesn’t hurt to know what could attack them. 

Here are the following pests and common diseases you need to look out for:

1. Downy mildew – You can spot this disease when you observe yellow spots on leaf surfaces and patches of mold on the underside. This nasty disease affects young, tender leaves. Prolonged leaf wetness is one of its causes.
   
   To avoid this, plant pathogen-free seed. Remember high quality seeds will go a long way. Also, do not overcrowd your plants. Avoid overhead irrigation. Water your celery from the base.
   
   
2. White rust – If you see white blisters or pustules on the underside of the leaves of your arugula plants, it might be suffering from white rust. Its upper leaves might also turn yellow.
   Mostly caused by high moisture probably if you overwater them. You may practice crop rotation with non-cruciferous varieties to prevent disease build-up.
   
   
3. Aphids – Keep your garden clean. Aphids are soft-bodied insects that often appear in clumps. Always be on the lookout for these critters. They can come in black, brown, red or green colors. They may suck your plant’s juices and can transmit viral diseases.
   
   
4. Mealy bugs – You can see the nymphs and adult mealy bugs near the base of your plant in clumps. Commonly expected during the dry months. A complete infestation of these pests may dry out your plant but you can easily control this.

To prevent, keep the soil weed free. Always remove the dried up clumps when you see one. You can also use this neem oil garlic emulsion (2%) from Amazon on the affected areas. 

To control, you can use registered chemicals in proper amounts as instructed. But I prefer the more organic approach. I use natural repellent mixes like garlic or onion extracts. 

Here are some more pests to look out for:

1. Slugs
2. Caterpillar
3. Birds
4. Aphids

An effective way to control or prevent these pests from attacking your plant besides keeping them healthy is by spraying them with an organic pesticides like Neem Oil. See to it that you spray both sides of the leaves. 

Pests like slugs and caterpillars can easily be controlled by picking them off by hand once you see one lurking around your plants. 

Always keep your garden tidy. Use floating row covers can reduce the risk of pest infestation. Plant beneficial companion plants together with your arugula to help in controlling these possible pests. I’ll discuss more on that later. 

What other crops could I plant together with my arugula to maximize my garden space?

In order to maximize your garden, companion planting is a must. If you’re not familiar with companion planting and you’re relatively new to gardening, here’s the idea behind it. 

There are certain plants that are better when grown together. Some of the benefits they can get from each other include natural pest control, higher crop yield and shade protection for sun-sensitive plants. 

For example, planting marigold next to your arugula will attract predatory insects like wasps and ladybugs to help control unwanted pests—making your plants pest-free. 

Here are some plants you can grow next to your arugula:

1. Carrots
2. Cucumbers
3. Lettuce
4. Thyme
5. Spinach
6. Beets
7. Yarrow
8. Dill
9. Celery
10. Onion

You can grow some of these plants at the same time, making your yield extra larger. Check out some of my growing guides to see what you can plant next. 

What are the crops that will not go well with arugula?

Unfortunately, not all plants can be grown together as it wouldn’t be beneficial for both parties. Either their growing conditions just don’t fit well together or some pests and diseases can travel or spread faster among them when grown near with each other. 

Here are some of the plants you should not grow next to your arugula:

1. Strawberries
2. Peas
3. Beans

Harvesting Arugula

How do I harvest arugula and when is the best time to do it?

In just 40 days or 3 to 4 weeks depending on the variety and growing conditions, your arugula will be ready for harvest.

So fast, right?

The young leaves are the best tasting. They’re tender and crisp. Pick them off using shears when they are 2 to 5 inches (5-7.5 cm) long. You can harvest the whole plant too. Just cut the whole thing just above the root. 

Don’t delay harvesting, the older they become, the bitter they get. 

You can also harvest as you need by only cutting individual leaves. The arugula will re-grow new leaves you can harvest in a few days. 

What is the best way to store the arugula that I have harvested?

For the tastiest and nutrient-dense arugula, consume them the same day they’re picked or use them within 6 days. 

Wrap the leaves of your arugula in a cloth or paper towel. Put them in a perforated plastic bag and place them in the vegetable crisper section of your refrigerator. They will keep in the refrigerator for about 10 days.

But I suggest you eat or cook them sooner, preferably in 3 to 6 days. They’re tastier the sooner you eat them. 

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