The Rusted Garden Blog

by Gary Pilarchik (The Rusted Garden) Every year I create new garden videos and often make video series that focus on a specific topic. Last year, I shot a 9 part video series on growing tomatoes and peppers from start to finish and all the steps in between. They are short focused videos that start with well...starting seeds. I cover all the starting basic, transitioning your plants to the outdoors, planting, feeding, tending, pruning, staking and managing pest and diseases. I also add in tomato and pepper tips here and there, like pinching off the tops of your young peppers...

by Gary Pilarchik (The Rusted Gardener) A lot of gardeners don't know their indoor seed starts are soft and not ready for the great outdoors. They need to go through a slow acclimation process to get use to the sun's ultraviolet rays, the wind and temperature fluctuations. The process is generally called 'hardening-off' and it is how it sounds. Your seed starts need a week's time to toughen up to the world in which they will be growing. They will actually be burned by the UV rays of the sun. They will be stressed by the wind and temperature changes....

by Gary Pilarchik (The Rusted Garden) Diatomaceous earth or DE is not a poison. It is basically the sharp fossilized remains of microscopic sea creatures made up of silica. It is not harmful to us as it is a fine powder that feels like chalk. You should take precautions not create a lot of floating dust and breath it in as it can be an irritant in the lungs. However it is perfectly safe to handle. For crawling insects, it can be devastating. The microscopic dust or silica is extremely sharp and it will grind an insect's shell and body down over time. The...

by Gary Pilarchik (The Rusted Garden) Tomato Tip One: Two Types of Tomatoes Determinate and Indeterminate: There are two types of tomato plants. A tomato plant is either a determinate plant or indeterminate plant. A determinate tomato grows to a set height and stops growing. The fruits mature all at once or relatively close in time and the plant dies shortly after the final fruits mature. This determinate type of tomato is great for getting the first round of tomatoes from your garden (as they mature quickly) and they do well in containers. You might be able to plant two rounds...

There are many different ways to plant your vegetables, herbs and flowers. The planting & growing guide found on The Farmer's Almanac site is what I highly recommend. It is the most in-line with how I plant my seeds. It is packed full of great information. You can find planting instructions, growing tips, feeding routines and pest & disease management information there: Planting & Growing Guide: The Farmer's Almanac Below is an excerpt for tomatoes. You can find guidelines for vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers there. Tomatoes are America’s favorite garden vegetable. (Yes, we technically eat the fruit of the...