Sunflowers are a really fun plant to grow, and are a great crop for kids to raise. The seeds are large and easy to handle, and the plants can grow enormous with relatively little effort.
There are a number of different varieties of sunflowers to choose from. The most common American Sunflower grows to about 4-6 foot tall. Some other giant varieties can grow as tall as 20 feet! There are also dwarf, bushlike plants that will form numerous blooms, each about the size of a large daisy. It can be fun to plant several different varieties of sunflowers to see which ones you like best.
Sunflowers, like most other plants, enjoy rich soil, regular watering, and a good application of fertilizer every now and again. Sandy soil is generally a no-no for sunflowers, as they need to be firmly rooted into the ground to prevent blowing over in summer wind storms.
Sunflower heads can be harvested and dried for the seeds, which are rich in protien and make a great snack or ingredient in recipes. Unfortunately, birds and squirrels will usually begin feasting on the seeds before they are fully ripened and the blossom is ready to cut and dry. To prevent this from happening, cover the bloom with loose netting, an old stocking, or piece of cheesecloth, and then tie loosely at the base of the flower head to prevent intruders from getting in.
The right time to cut sunflower heads for drying is around the time the flower itself begins to dry up, but before all of the petals have fallen off. Once you’ve cut the flower head off, bring it inside and hang it in a warm, dry place. When it’s completely dried out, rub two flower heads together and the seeds should pop right out.
Putting mulch around trees is always a good idea, and it’s especially critical if your trees are young (if they’ve been planted within the last 5 years). But many people are unclear on the correct way to apply mulch around a tree. You may be thinking, “What’s the big deal? Just spread some wood chips around and you’re done! Right?”
Wrong. If mulch is applied in the wrong way, it can cause your tree to actually begin rotting at the base. Allow us to explain the right way to mulch your young trees:
Mulch should be applied in a very thick layer, all the way around the bottom of the tree, usually expaning out to the drip line (that means as far out as the branches go, in a radius around the tree). The most critical part of mulching a tree correctly is to then pull the mulch back away from the tree’s bark at the base. If any mulch is touching the bark of your tree, the tree will be prone to bark rot in that area. It is a very common mistake for new homeowners to bury the bottom few inches of bark in mulch, but this is a perfect recipe for a rotted tree a few years down the road.
Tomatoes are arguably the most popular homegrown vegetable in the United States. Even if you don’t consider yourself a gardener, you can probably raise a couple of decent tomato plants. And most homeowners, even those who don’t have a dedicated “garden” in their backyard can usually find space to squeeze in a few tomato plants somewhere in their landscaping.
Tomatoes are a very easy crop to grow, tolerating almost any type of soil that is well drained, and able to withstand even moderate drought conditions. The primary need for all tomato plants is at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. If you have an area that receives more than this, all the better. While it is possible to grow tomatoes in an area where you receive less sunlight than that, don’t expect the plants to thrive like they otherwise would in sunny conditions.
The other critical need for tomaotes, as we mentioned above, is good drainage. The worst thing for a tomato plant is to have its “feet” (roots) wet all the time. If you plant a tomato in wet, boggy, clay-like soil, you’ll get a shriveling, spindly plant that will never thrive and will produce little to no fruit.
