Prepared with the Full Arsenal: Thriving Through Harvest, Part One
Soon your seedlings will be ready to face the great outdoors! But first, make sure to prepare them (and their new containers) properly so that they can be the best seedlings they can be. The goal is for your seedlings to become well established and for the resulting plants to present with continuous blooms and fruits/vegetables over the course of the growing season. There are many avenues to help make this goal a reality, including establishing a consistent watering system or routine, use of trap crops, companion planting to attract beneficial insects or to deter others, plant covers, and if necessary, controlled use of natural pesticides.
Irrigation
Irrigation is an important factor in ensuring that your plant growth is not stunted, and so that your plants do not prematurely flower (and go to seed in response to stress), or die. This is critically important in the heat of the summer. It is best to water at the soil line or from below to decrease the likelihood of excess moisture on the foliage, and resulting disease. If watering manually, some plants require watering every day or sometimes multiple times a day during periods of extreme heat. This can be a challenge for some, but there are options to make irrigation less taxing.
Planter Saucers
One option is to utilize plant saucers or water catch trays beneath your planters, so that roots can retrieve the water as the day progresses and so that you can water your plants from below. You simply need to know the diameter of the bottom of your pots, to ensure that you select a saucer with adequate wiggle room. Recycled plastic plates and lids, or terra cotta saucers can also serve this purpose. Some planters have built-in reservoirs and saucers (usually for self-watering). Be certain not to leave more water than your plants can “drink” during the day, or your plants may be at risk of root rot. If you will be away from home for extended periods of time, you may have to enlist the help of a plant-sitter to periodically water plants or add water to your saucers/trays.
Below are links for plant saucer options available at major retailers.
Terra Cotta Watering Spikes
You can also choose to utilize terra cotta watering spikes. With this tool, you simply water your plant thoroughly and then insert a watering spike, topped by a repurposed glass bottle full of water for slow watering. Terra cotta is porous and permits slow movement of water from the spike to the soil as the moisture dissipates. Plants’ roots eventually grow toward these areas to retrieve additional hydration as needed. I have used this method with herb, flower and (single plant) vegetable containers. When using this system, you need only monitor the bottle’s water levels to determine how often it must be refilled. Again, you will need to make arrangements if you are away for an extended period of time.
Watering Spike Options
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=terra+cotta+watering+spikes&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=terra%20cotta%20watering%20spikes
Drip Irrigation
There is also the option of installing your own drip irrigation system. This is a time and effort-saving measure. A drip irrigation kit is a relatively easy and inexpensive option, but requires an hour or so for initial setup. These systems use narrow tubing attached to a pressure regulator and watering spikes at each plant site. The tubing is joined to your outdoor hose attachment/connection at the other end with a pressure valve attachment.
DIY Drip Irrigation Kit Tutorial
The following links show you step-by-step, how to setup irrigation for your home garden.
https://getbusygardening.com/easy-drip-irrigation-system/
https://www.seattleurbanfarmco.com/blog/2020/3/27/drip-irrigation-for-your-container-garden
Drip Irrigation Kits
Here is an example of the drip irrigation system add-on that we use with our Earthbox containers.
Select the following links for drip irrigation kit options for your container garden.
Rain Barrels
There are some kits that are compatible for use with rain barrels. Rain barrels are containers you can purchase to collect and harvest rainwater runoff from the roof downspouts of your home. This is helpful in many areas of the country where it is extremely dry and often plagued by water restrictions. In some cases, it is best to elevate rain barrels to improve the method of using assisted gravity and pressure differences to move the water from the barrel toward your planters/plants. You may have to consider methods for mosquito control and possibly limit its use to inedible plants, if using this irrigation method. Roof run-off may include pollutants and bacteria from animals and construction materials that can be harmful if consumed. Click here to read EPA guidelines.
Try the following links for more rain barrel models and/or purchase options.
Rain Barrel Irrigation Kits
If you decide to install a kit, ensure that you purchase a pressure valve attachment if it is not included. A Y-connector (splitter) attachment at the site of the spigot may prove to be helpful if you may use your water spigot for alternate uses, and a timer, as well. I have used a self-watering system (basically a modified drip irrigation system), purchased as an add-on for my Earthbox planters, which has been greatly effective. There are numerous online DIY tutorials, and kits can be purchased online and at most big box/commercial hardware stores. See the example at the Home Depot link below.
Companion Planting
Part of selecting the plants you wished to grow, is to determine what pests might present as foes. There are ways to minimize their damage by use of companion planting, selection and location of plants that discourage pests or serve as decoy, or that attract beneficial insects that prey on pests. Companion planting is the method of including plants in your garden for their beneficial effects on desired crops and/or your garden environment.
When selecting companion plants, be aware of their growth details and be sure that they do not conflict with garden selections. For example, some plants spread quickly or easily and may be pest planted in its own container vs. in a shared one. Also be certain that while a plant may deter a particular pest, that it does not attract another foe.
Trap Crops
Trap crop planting is selection of plants that are intended to lure pests away from your desired or prize crops (a decoy). *Note, if using trap crops, you will need to have the space to place the trap crop at a distance from the plant you intend to protect (research says at least a distance of 8 feet, preferably on the perimeter). You may also need a plan for removal or relocation of the pests once trapped.
Planting to Repel
Below are some common pests and plant selections that can assist in their pest control.
Aphids – repelled by basil, garlic, chives, lavender, leeks, marigolds, fennel, dill, cilantro; Trap crops include sunflowers and nasturtiums
Asparagus beetles – repelled by parsley, tomatoes, petunias
Cabbageworms – repelled by marigolds, thyme, dill, tomatoes, peppermint, tansy; Trap crop includes collards; Attract beneficial insects with buckwheat and yarrow
Carrot flies – repelled by onions, chives
Chipmunks – repelled by daffodils, garlic, spicy pepper, mint, citrus, cinnamon
Corn earworms – repelled by plants from the genus Cosmos; Trap crop includes sorghum
Cucumber beetles – nasturtium, onions, dill, marigolds, tansy, catnip; May be striped or spotted
Deer – repelled by the strong fragrance of herbs like the scent of lavender, mint, thyme, oregano, chives, fennel, rosemary, bee balm, yarrow, and the strong scents of garlic and onion; Deer also usually do not like to bother with root vegetables or those that poke.
Flea beetles – repelled by catnip, basil; Trap crops include radishes, mustard greens, and nasturtium
Ground hogs – These can be a relentless bunch, but they are known to dislike strong herb fragrances such as lavender, yarrow, basil, mint, oregano, thyme, chives, and rosemary. They also reportedly dislike geranium, larkspur, Black-Eyed Susans, spicy peppers, lemon and balm. Unfortunately, many gardeners report that they sometimes try out the goods before deciding that they would rather move on. Planting these along the perimeter may deter their entry to your garden space.
Hornworms – repelled by marigolds (African, French), borage, basil; Trap crops include dill
Japanese beetles – repelled by chives, garlic chives, garlic, nasturtium, marigolds, catnip, rue, tansy; They are also attracted to white geranium, but become incapacitated when consuming their blossoms, making them easier to retrieve and dispose of; Trap crops include zinnia; Plants that attract parasitic wasps like yarrow, lavender, can also be helpful.
Potato beetles – repelled by cilantro, catnip, tansy, sage, horseradish, bush beans
Root nematodes – Trap crop includes French marigolds, painted daisy
Squash bugs – repelled by marigolds, nasturtiums, dill, catnip, tansy, radishes, mint; Trap crop includes millet
Squirrels – repelled by scent of peppermint, spicy pepper, garlic, geranium, marigolds, nasturtiums, as well as the scent and flavor of daffodils, hyacinths, allium
Spider mites – repelled by garlic, onion, basil, cilantro, chives, parsley, dill, chrysanthemums
Whiteflies – repelled by lavender, nasturtium, French marigolds
Garden Must-Haves
- Keep a lidded container of soap water on hand for insect pests that you remove and discard from your plants (reusing food containers typically does the trick).
- Do not be quick to squish or spray unfamiliar insects (or their eggs) in your garden. Download the iNaturalist app (from Google Play; from Apple Store) or create an online account at inaturalist.org, to upload images, that will help you determine whether these visitors are friend or foe. Your images are compared to entries in a huge database for ID, and scientists and nature experts can help track the appearance and patterns of wildlife in your area. *Note: Sometimes, simply relocating pests is an effective solution.
- If you are a bird lover or curious about the birds you see and hear in your garden space, download the Merlin app. With the Merlin app, you can identify birds by their bird song, images, and/or description with this tool.
Additional Information
View our second installment in this series, where we review how to utilize plant coverings, natural deterrent and pesticide mixtures, and resources for Do-It-Yourself fencing.
Visit our Garden Toolkit page for recommended garden inventory for the season.