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Gregg actually made this first one:

Pansy Suckers

Made by Gregg

• Assorted small edible flowers and petals, such as pansies
• 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup
• ⅓ cup warm water
• ¼ teaspoon raspberry extract, rose extract, orange or lemon extract
• Drops of botanical food dye, optional

1. Ready the flowers or petals by gently but thoroughly washing and patting them dry. Flatten by placing them between triple thicknesses of paper towels, then weighting them down under a heavy book or stack of books overnight or longer. Very gently peel them from the paper before using.
2. Set out a 2-cup heat-proof glass measure. Set out a very large flat tray or baking sheet (or 2 smaller sheets) and line with heavy-duty foil. Place 12 to 15 lollipop sticks on the foil, spacing to allow for the candy to spread out to at least 2½ inches in diameter and preferably more. Place the flowers or petals attractively around the top end of the sticks. Set out a heat-proof bowl of ice water.
3. In a heavy medium-sized saucepan thoroughly stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring. Cover the pot and let the trapped steam wash any sugar crystals from the pot sides for 2 minutes; lift up the pot from the heat and swirl the mixture several times. Remove the lid. With a wet pastry brush or damp paper towel, wipe away any sugar crystals clinging to the pan sides.
4. Continue cooking, never stirring, but lifting and swirling the pan to redistribute the syrup every minute or so. When the syrup has boiled down about 5 minutes, start checking with the candy thermometer. As soon as the syrup registers 305 degrees F, immediately remove the pot from the heat. Quickly add the extract and drops of botanical dye (if using) and swirl the pan until blended in fairly well. Immediately set the pan in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and lower the temperature; let stand for 5 minutes, lifting and swirling the pan several times.
5. Carefully turn out the cooling syrup into the 2-cup measure. Start forming the lollipops by pouring the syrup over the center tops of the lollipop sticks; sure not to touch the mixture. Continue at a steady pace until all the pops are formed. If at any point the syrup cools and stiffens too much to pour, place the measure in the microwave oven and reheat the mixture for 5 to 10 seconds, or until it is just fluid again. Don’t try to scrape out any left in the cup, as it may turn gritty and cloudy.
6. When all the pops are done, slide the baking sheet into a refrigerator and let the candies cool and chill thoroughly. Then, gently peel each one from the foil as needed. Wrap them individually in non-stick clear plastic wrap or special hard candy wrappers. Stored in a cool dry spot, they will keep for several months.

Candied Pansies

Made by Julie

1 Egg White (used powdered egg white substitute to avoid salmonella)

3-6 drops Vodka, 100 proof, flavored if desired

Superfine Sugar

Pansy and/ or Viola flowers

• Beat egg whites until frothy. Add a couple of drops of vodka to help the flowers dry quicker.
• Using fresh picked flowers, paint each flower individually with beaten egg white using the artist’s paintbrush.
• When thoroughly coated, sprinkle with fine sugar and place on the wire rack to dry. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch.
• They should be free of moisture. This could take 12 to 36 hours, depending on humidity. To hasten drying, you may place the candied flowers in an oven with a pilot light overnight, or in an oven set at 150 degrees to 200 degrees F with the door ajar for a few hours.
• Store the dried, candied flowers in airtight containers until ready to use. They will keep for as long as a year.

Pound of Pansies

Made by Jen G.

Well, this isn’t really a pound of pansies but it’s a quick recipe involving ready made pound cake, a consistently delicious butter glaze and a topping of fruit and pansy blooms.  It’s both easy to do and results in a unique look every time, making it perfect for a last minute fall/ winter/ early spring dessert when unexpected guests arrive.  Stock your freezer with a frozen pound cake; we used Sara Lee Family Size.  Make the frosting and cover the top of the cake, gently smoothing over the top and allow icing to drip down sides.  Now here comes the creative part!  Pick pansies from the awesome color display we are sure you have, and assemble the top, including fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Butter Glaze

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons milk

Place sugar in bowl and set aside.  Melt butter in microwave, then pour over sugar.  Add milk and whisk until smooth.  Thin glaze as desired with milk.  Pour over cake immediately and smooth over the top, allowing glaze to run down sides. Allow to set for a few minutes before adding toppings. For this cake pictured above, we didn’t thin the glaze.  Thinning it would give the glaze a more translucent look and increase the pliability of the glaze.  It’s all personal choice!

Pansy Cookies

Tyler rocked these out; definitely the most involved recipe of the day!

He followed this great recipe from this awesome Martha Stewart: https://www.marthastewart.com/1151288/pansy-cookies

Tasty AND beautiful!

Salad with Pansy Garnish

Made by Gregg

Another super simple and delicious recipe.  Literally, make a salad and then garnish!  Keep in mind that pansy flowers are delicate and won’t hold up to heavy dressing for too long.  For best presentation of individual servings, add pansy garnishes after salad dressing has been added.  For large serving bowls of salad with no dressing, add to top for best initial presentation.

The post Pansy Palooza! Pansy Recipes from The Good Earth Team! appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

Growing Blackberries in Arkansas

Blackberries grow well in all parts of Arkansas and they require less care than most other fruits.  Plus they taste good!  Here are some links to other fruit growing blog posts that might interest you:

How to Grow Blueberries in Arkansas

Fruit Trees in Arkansas

The University of Arkansas developed some wonderful varieties and we do our best to stock several of them. In fact, all of the varieties listed below are Arkansas released blackberries, including a very cool, groundbreaking primocane variety.  Keep reading for details on this…

Blackberry Terms

Primocane blackberries fruit on current season canes and second year canes, whereas floricane blackberries must be overwintered for fruiting on second year canes. The benefit of primocanes is that they have the potential for more than one crop per year; the normal crop on second year canes, then a later crop on current seasons canes. In fact, primocanes have been shown to flower and fruit all the way up until frost (weather dependent).

Planting Tips

Plant blackberries in a full sun location with good air flow to decrease disease and insect issues.  Space plants 3 to 4 feet apart to allow for good growth. Although blackberries are one of the easiest fruit to grow, there are some pest issues to watch for and treat as needed; keep reading for details on pests.  Planting is most successful in the late winter/ early spring before the soil temperatures warm.  Although planting later in the spring can be done successfully, there will be less plant growth during the initial growing season.

Blackberries grow in a variety of soil types, which is why they are successful all across the state.  However, pH is a factor, with the ideal pH range being 5.5 to 6.5.  If the soil pH is too alkaline (higher than 6.5), iron chlorosis can occur.  Yellow leaves are a symptom of this issue. Iron may be present but at high pH levels, it’s ‘tied up’ and not accessible to the plant. This deficiency can be temporarily addressed by applying a foliar spray of chelated iron.  We suggest getting a Good Earth Soil Test Kit and following recommendation on the results.  Soil applications of sulfur may be needed to lower pH long term and resolve this issue. For more information on soil pH, visit this post.

Good soil drainage is also key for successful blackberry growing.  For heavy, clay soil, amend with organic matter to introduce more oxygen into the soil and increase drainage.  You can also grow blackberries in raised beds (size recommendation is 10 inches deep and 2-3 feet wide). Avoid planting in sites with standing water for long periods of time.

Blackberry Growing Tips

Irrigation is needed the first year after planting, while the plant roots are getting established. Apply water equivalent to one inch of rainfall per week during dry periods in the growing season. Monitor and adjust irrigation as needed.

Apply fertilizer as recommended on soil test results; more about soil tests and pH below.

Little to no pruning is necessary during the initial planting year, except occasional trimming of side branches.  Blackberry plants grow canes each year from the crown (base of the plant, where top growth and root system meet) or from buds formed on roots. These canes grow for a year, produce fruit the second season, then die soon after harvest.  Remove these old canes after harvest to allow new shoots to grow strong.. For floricanes, top new canes back to a height of 36 to 48 inches; this will not only limit height, it will force side branches that will then bear fruit the following year. For primocanes, don’t top new canes until after fruiting ends.

Other pruning includes remove suckers that have sprouted up outside of the row or plant bounds if not planted in a row. Lateral branches can be trimmed back if they are growing to an unmanageable length. In the winter, prune the lateral branches (side branches) back to 14 to 15 inches.  This will increase berry size and make harvesting easier. Remove any dead or weak canes in the winter as well, leaving healthy canes in place, approximately six canes per square foot.

A Few More Blackberry Growing Tips

Monitor for spider mites, the most common insect pest of blackberries, and treat as needed.  In the late winter and early spring months, spray with dormant oil to kill any overwintering mites. Be sure to clean up fallen leaves that might be harboring this unwanted pest. If spider mites are seen during the growing season, there are some food safe spray options available at Good Earth. Blackberries can also have some rust and powdery mildew issues; we have an effective copper fungicide available for these.

All of these blackberries are self-fruitful and do not require a pollinizer, however, a pollinizer partner (another blackberry of same or different variety) may increase crop yield.

Varieties (*Indicates University of Arkansas releases)

• Arapaho* – Floricane, self-fruitful, thornless, early producers, upright growing, firm, medium size tasty fruit with small seeds
• Apache* – Floricane, self-fruitful, thornless, upright growing, higher yield and larger fruit than Arapaho
• Kiowa* – Floricane, self-fruitful, thorned variety, upright growing, world’s largest blackberry, fruit stores well, high yield
• Natchez* – Floricane, self-fruitful, thornless, semi-upright growing, produces the largest fruit of any thornless cultivar, plant 3 ft apart, fruit stores well, early season producer
• Ouachita* – Floricane, self-fruitful, thornless, upright growth, low chilling hours make them good for warm winters, fruit stores well, disease resistant, easy to harvest, heat tolerant
• Prime-Ark 45* – Primocane, self-fruitful, thorned variety, long season producer (first year canes fruit in July, second year canes fruit in June, with both continuing to fruit until frost), disease resistant, cold hardy, fruit stores w
• Prime-Ark Freedom* – Primocane, self-fruitful, thornless, upright growing, drought tolerant, cold hardy, long season producer (first year canes fruit in July, second year canes fruit in June, with both continuing to fruit until frost), very large berries with good flavor, stores well. This is the world’s first thornless primocane blackberry and it was developed right here in Arkansas!

Find best availability late winter/ early spring

The post How to Grow Blackberries in Arkansas appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

Keep reading for details on growing fruit trees in Arkansas!

Home gardening as a hobby experienced huge growth last year and we are expecting this trend to continue.  With this trend in mind, and knowing that many in our community are interested in either adding onto their ‘grocery’ garden or getting started, we are going to focus more this spring on vegetable, small fruit and tree fruit gardening.

Our fruit trees, blueberries and brambles arrived this week, earlier than ever, so you can start planting now! For details on growing blueberries in Arkansas, follow this link. This particular post is about fruit trees, specifically ones that can grow successfully in Arkansas. Follow these links for other fruit posts:

How to Grow Blueberries in Arkansas

How to Grow Blackberries in Arkansas

Fruit Tree Terms

Self-pollinating trees (also known as self-fruitful or self-fertile) are pollinated by pollen from another flower on the same tree or even the by pollen from the same flower. The benefits of self-pollinating trees is that you only need one to get fruit. However, having an additional tree of the same type, such as two self-pollinating trees, will often result in better yield. A good example of this is Santa Rosa plum.  These trees are considered partially self-fertile.

Some fruit trees require cross pollination (these are also known as self-unfruitful or self-sterile), and need to be planted near a different variety of the same tree species with similar bloom time. Another tree of the same variety will work for some fruit trees.

Fruit trees with pits, including peaches, plums and nectarines, are referred to as stone fruits. Freestone is another term you will see below; freestone peach varieties have fruit that falls right off the pit when ripe. Clingstone peaches have fruit that clings to the pit.

Fruit Tree Growing Tips

Fruit trees need full sun, which is at least six hours of direct sun.  They also need room to grow so take note of mature size of your new fruit tree before planting.  Good air flow cuts down on disease and insect issues so consider this before planting as well.

Once planted, water as needed, avoid over or underwatering your tree. Plant in soil that is well-drained.  We say that a lot because most plants need this kind of soil. Basically, it means that the soil doesn’t hold onto too much water.  We have some clay soils around here and depending on how much clay is in your soil, it could be poorly drained, the excess water cutting off oxygen to tree roots.  Adding organic matter at planting is recommended, and we suggest using Good Earth Jump Start as well to get the roots established faster.

Fertilizing of fruit trees will help overall tree fruit as well as fruit production.  Fertilize twice a year with Ferti-Lome Fruit, Citrus and Pecan Tree Food. Follow label instructions for rates and timing. Apply in the drip line of the tree and water in.

As with growing vegetables, monitoring for disease and insect issues is part of successfully growing fruit trees and small fruits.  Although more and more varieties are disease resistant, this doesn’t mean they won’t get any diseases.  For example, all peaches are prone to disease and will most likely need to be treated at some point. Monitor and address issues as they arise. We carry Bonide Fruit Tree Spray which is an all-in-one disease and insect spray plus spreader sticker to increase absorption. Always read label instructions and follow carefully.

A Few More Fruit Tree Tips

Pruning of fruit trees is necessary for a variety of reasons including shaping, training, increasing light for higher yields, controlling the tree size and the removal of dead branches. This is a pretty big topic; the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service has a great fact sheet on this.  Follow this link for detailed fruit tree pruning information.

One other item to note; many fruit trees have been grafted. This is when the root system, or root stock, portion of the plant is different than the top growth of the plant.  Trees are grafted to produce a stronger plant; varieties with a strong root system are chosen as root stock.  A variety with desirable fruiting traits is chosen for the top growth.  The result is the best of both worlds, so to speak.

One effect of grafted trees is that there are often dwarf or standard sizes of the same type of plant.  As an example, not all Santa Rosa plums are standard OR dwarf, it depends on root stock chosen.  Dwarf fruit trees will be labeled as such. Unless a tree is labeled as dwarf, then it is a standard growing tree. Semi-dwarf trees are also available with some varieties.

Fruit Tree Resources

We mentioned the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service above in the section about pruning.  They have a variety of other fact sheets on home tree fruit production as well.  Here is a link to that page; it’s worth a visit for sure. And of course, our team is here to help you keep growing too.  Email, call or come by The Good Earth for answers to your questions!

Fruit Tree Varieties

This is not an exhaustive list; instead, it’s a list of fruit trees that can grow well here in central Arkansas and ones we typically carry. Soils are different around the state and so are average last frost dates.  We get fruit trees in the spring and fall; we suggest shopping during these seasons for best selection.  As you might guess, the best time to plant fruit trees in Arkansas is either spring or fall.

Peach

• Belle of Georgia – Self-pollinating, disease resistant*, freestone, red fruit color
• Scarlet Prince – Self-pollinating, freestone, Southern standard for peach, large fruit, yellow-red fruit color
• Red Haven – Self-pollinating, freestone, disease resistant to leaf spot*, red fruit color, late blooming to avoid frosts
• Contender – Self-pollinating, freestone, yellow flesh. Red skinned fruit is firm and resists browning and bruising. Matures mid season
• Crimson Lady – Self-pollinating, clingstone, yellow flesh. Large fruit is firm and better than most peaches for storing. Matures very early.
• Bonfire Patio – Self-pollinating, clingstone, grown primarily as an ornamental tree, insignificant fruits, stunning pink blooms and eye-catching purple foliage
• Bonanza Patio – Self-pollinating, large pink blooms, freestone, genetic dwarf tree (4-5 ft tall and wide), yellow- red fruit color

*Please note that even disease resistant varieties can experience disease issues. Monitor and treat as needed.

Plum

• Santa Rosa – Self-pollinating but crop yields increase with pollinizer tree, freestone, grows to 10 ft tall and wide, good fruit producer, purplish skin and yellow fruit color, sweet fruit, keeps well, Japanese plum, heat tolerant
• Au Rosa – Self-pollinating but crop yield will increase with pollinizer tree such as Methley, highly disease resistant*, good flavor
• Methley – Self-pollinating, clingstone, sweet purple-red fruit, heavy bearer, disease resistant to fungal diseases like rust*, good pollinizer for other Japanese plums such as Santa Rosa, heavy fruit producer, heat tolerant
• Bruce
• Ozark Premier

Persimmon

• Fuyu – Self-pollinating but produces larger crop when planted with a cross pollinizer tree, mildly sweet with great flavor, tough fruit tree that does well in Arkansas, heat tolerant, large fruit yields, seedless when not pollinated, fruits keep well
• Suruga (first year carrying)- Self-pollinating and astringent. Late ripening with exceptionally sweet fruit
• Tanenashi- Self-pollinating. Fruit can be eaten while firm like an apple but is sweeter after cold weather softens the fruit to a jelly like consistency.

Pear

• Kieffer – Self-pollinating but requires cross pollinizer tree (another Kieffer will work) for good yield, heavy bearing, tolerant of drought, resistant to fire blight*, big yellow fruit with a coarse texture
• Bartlett – Requires pollination by another pear, produces abundant fruit, good for fresh eating, canning and cooking, fast growing
• Shinko- Requires pollination by another Asian pear, also called an apple pear because of the apple shape, medium fruit size, resistant to fire blight*, crisp, sweet fruit
• Ayers – Self-pollinating but will produce higher yield with a cross pollinizer tree, also called sugar pear because it’s candy sweet, fire blight resistant*, medium yellow fruit with a red blush
• Moonglow- Self-pollinating and good pollinator. Newer variety with very good resistance to Fireblight. Great for eating fresh as well as preserving.

Apple

• Yellow Delicious – Self-pollinating and a good pollinizer for other apples, mild, sweet taste
• Red Delicious – Requires a cross pollinizer tree such as Gala, mild taste, outstanding red color, best eaten fresh, doesn’t hold up well to cooking
• Granny Smith – Required a cross pollinizer such as Red or Yellow Delicious, great for fresh eating, baking and cider, bright green color
• Fuji – Requires cross pollinizer tree (Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonathan), very popular fresh eating apple, stores well
• Arkansas Black – Self-pollinating produces higher yield with across pollinizer tree, disease resistant*, late maturing, stores well
• Gala – Somewhat self-pollinating but another apple is highly recommended. Red fruit is crisp and very sweet.
• Jonathan – Self-pollinating but another apple is highly recommended. The crisp, red fruit is sweet and tart. Good eaten fresh or cooked. Heirloom variety from the early 1800’s.
• Stayman Winesap – Requires a pollinator, does not act as a pollinator. The red fruit is crisp and sweet with a good tang. Heirloom variety from 1700’s with good to moderate disease resistance.

Pecan

• Desirable – Requires a cross pollinizer tree (such as Stuart or Choctaw), heavy producer of large, sweet pecans, papershell
• Choctaw – Plant with a cross pollinizer tree (such as Stuart or Desirable) for best yields, papershell, disease resistant*
• Stuart – great pollinizer for other pecan trees, papershell, long lived pecan tree variety, medium pecans

Fig

• Brown Turkey – Self-pollinating, hardy in our area, produces brown fruit in late spring and late summer, delicious fresh, in preserves or dried, heat tolerant
• LSU Purple – Self-pollinating, produces purple fruit with white flesh, mild and sweet flavor, high producer, disease and pest resistant*
• Celeste – Self-pollinating, heat tolerant, pest (closed eye helps reduce insect issues) and disease resistant*, medium size sweet fruit
• Miss Figgy

*Please note that even disease resistant varieties can experience disease issues. Monitor and treat as needed.

The post Fruit Trees in Arkansas appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

We have some other Arkansas fruit growing posts too; check out the following:

How to Grow Blackberries in Arkansas

Fruit Trees in Arkansas

Planting blueberry shrubs

Start by picking a sunny location; it can be in a garden, a raised bed or somewhere in your landscape.  These fruits will do best planted in a mounded area at least a couple of inches (or up to a foot) high, and a couple of feet wide.  Next, consider the soil.  Blueberries prefer well drained, acidic soils with a pH in the 4.8 to 5.4 range.  Arkansas soils tend to be acidic although it’s a good idea to get your soil tested.  We can help with that; ask us about our Good Earth SoilKits!

Prepare the soil by adding some peat moss and Good Earth potting soil.  The finished soil should be about 65% original soil to 35% amendments.  If you need to acidify your soils, consider adding coffee grounds as this will both add organic matter and increase the acidity.

Blueberry varieties

Choose your variety of blueberry; both the southern highbush and rabbiteye types are good in Southern Arkansas, and Northern highbush varieties are good in Northern Arkansas.  All three types can be grown successfully in Central Arkansas.  Here are several varieties within each type:

Northern Highbush- Bluecrop, Duke, Elliot

Southern Highbush- Ozarkblue, Summit, Legacy

Rabbiteye- Climax, Premier, Tifblue

We typically carry Rabbiteye blueberries here at Good Earth.  Plant multiple varieties of the same type to increase fruit set and berry size. Figure on planting about 2 plants for each person in your family and double that if you plan on growing them for baking or freezing.

Growing tips

After planting, add five to six inches of pine bark or pine needle mulch.  This will help the soil retain moisture and reduce the weed growth (sawdust would also work well).  Add an inch of mulch material each year.  Blueberries need irrigation here in Arkansas in order to be successful so water well at planting and water throughout the year as needed.  Prune off the large flower buds at the tips of the shoots the first and second seasons, especially on smaller plants.  This will allow a larger, better producing plant to develop.

After the second growing season, remove some of the canes and reduce excess flower buds.  In addition, cut back any canes that are much taller than the overall height of the blueberry.  Too many blooms can result in a weaker plant and small fruit so remove weak or twiggy growth.  After the fifth year, begin removing some of the old canes.  Ideally older blueberry plants will have equal parts of one-, two-, three-, four-, and five-year old canes.

Feeding blueberries

Blueberries can be planted both in the Spring and Fall.  Fertilize the plants only after new growth has began with our organic Espoma Holly-Tone Fertilizer and then after 6 weeks, start applying Ammonium Sulfate unless otherwise directed by your soil sample results. Avoid applying fertilizer to the crown or stems of the blueberry.

Now, all you have to do is collect blueberry recipes!

The post How to Grow Blueberries in Arkansas! appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

What says fall more than pumpkin? How about baking a pumpkin to use in pumpkin themed recipes instead of using canned?  If you have been to the grocery store and looked for pumpkin puree recently, there is a good chance you came up empty handed due to the can shortage.

But worry not, it’s simple to bake a pumpkin (pie pumpkins and fairytale pumpkins are especially good!), then either mash it up or use a food processor to create puree.  You can then measure it out in cups, place in freezer bags and freeze for later use. Make sure you write out how many cups are in each bag for your convenience later. If you know what you will be making, and how much the recipe calls for, put just that amount in each bag to cut down on future measuring.

To bake a pie pumpkin, wash it well, cut it in half, remove the seeds (keep for roasting if you like), and brush inside with either coconut oil (for sweet recipes) or avocado oil (for savory recipes).  Lay flesh side down on a parchment paper covered backing sheet and pierce skin with a fork.  Bake at 350° F until fork tender.  For a 2-3 pound pie pumpkin, it should take approximately 40 minutes.  For larger pumpkins, the same process applies but baking time could be longer.

Turn the pumpkin over when done, and scoop out the pumpkin, leaving the skin behind. Puree in food processor, blender, or mash. Add a little water if needed. Either confirm that your food processor can handle heat or wait until it cools to place in appliance. Pretty easy, right?

Here are some recipes that our team members love; Gregg featured them in his recent segment on FOX16’s Good Earth Greenhouse!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pup-kin Treats

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

(will also need parchment paper)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Combine ingredients and mix until clumpy and not sticky.  Lay down a sheet of parchment paper and place dough on it. Lay another piece of parchment paper over the dough and use a rolling pin to roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.  Peel off top layer of parchment paper and cut out the treats.  Bake on lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes and cool.

Pumpkin Mask

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon milk

1 drop cinnamon essential oil

Mix well and apply to skin. Wash off when mask is dry.

Pump-Cakes

1 pie pumpkin

Sugar

Butter for pan

Pancake mix

Cinnamon sugar

Roast as described above, cutting in pieces instead of making puree.  Make pancake mix to recipe. Add roasted pumpkin pieces to batter by folding them in. Add 1/2 cup of sugar. Make pancakes as usual, then sprinkle cinnamon on top after flipping.  Plate, wait to cook, then enjoy!

Other recipes featured include:

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spiced Cider

Easy Pumpkin Cream Trifle

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Butter

Simple Pumpkin Soup

Our staff did make some variations; for example, left out nuts in Trifle recipe due to food allergy, and added melted caramel to thicken layers. In the Pumpkin Bread recipes, used apple cider instead of water, added a teaspoon of vanilla, and used 2 cups white sugar and one cup of brown sugar.

The post Our Favorite Pumpkin Recipes appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

Hi, my name is Kristine; previous Good Earth team member! I’m so excited to share my vegetable gardening experiences with you. Along with two of my friends, I have a garden at the community gardens at Two Rivers Park. Together we are “The Two Rivers Trio”.  In May of 2019, our garden was flooded with over five feet of water. It took some time, but we rebuilt and this year, our success has been better than ever.

In the video above, Gregg is sharing about growing fall vegetables in containers; be sure and watch his tips. The information below is primarily about in-ground growing but some tips are applicable to both methods.

Fall is a great time for a nice cool weather crop in Arkansas. Because we have a long growing season, many of the cool weather vegetables planted in the spring can be grown again in fall. After summer crops have been harvested and the plants begin to die out, it’s time to replant your garden favorites before the cold winter months hit.

Keep reading for tips on how to grow a successful fall vegetable garden!

Location

Remember sunlight is essential to any plant growth. The majority of vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, etc) require at least six hours of direct sunlight. Some crops, such as leafy vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower and root crops like onions, beets, carrots and radishes  can grow successfully in a little more shade. Therefore, choose your location based on the light needs of your plants.

Soil Preparation

Your first step is to clear your beds by removing dead plants and weeds. Turn the soil and check the pH level of your soil. Spring and summer plants may have depleted some of the nutrients from the soil. Adding rich compost such as Cotton Burr Compost will help by adding nitrogen and potassium to enrich the soil.  Composts and manures have different nutrient values and some mostly break up heavy soil by adding organic matter and may or may not have a high nutrient content. This is why fertilizer is key; more details below on that. You may also need to add lime or calcium to balance the pH.

Choosing Your Vegetables

Before choosing your fall vegetables, check the date for the potential frost, generally end of October to mid-November. Do a little research to determine how many days to maturity for each plant to assure that you will have a successful crop before the weather turns too cold. Generally fall vegetables fall into three categories.

• Tender: More susceptible to light frosts; cucumbers, peas, and tomatoes
• Semi-hardy: Can tolerate moderate frost and freezes; carrots, cauliflower, potatoes
• Hardy: Tolerate harder frosts; broccoli, cabbage, kale

Keep in mind that some fall vegetables can be sown directly from seeds, but you will also find that a wide variety will work better to start as plants.

Carrots, radishes, parsnips, turnips, and spinach can be easily grown from seed. Seeds require consistent moisture and a sunny area to sprout. Sometimes these will need to be watered twice a day, depending on the rain.

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and collards can be planted as seedlings. Although kale, beets, and lettuce can be started from seed, you might have better success planting seedlings.

If starting from seed, you can start in seed trays or small pots then plant in the garden, or sow seeds directly in the garden. Follow seed packet instructions for spacing. Thin out weaker sprouts to create proper spacing instead of planting each seed at the spacing recommended. Soaking seeds overnight in water can decrease sprouting time and germination rates.

Not sure what to plant?  Check out the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service planting guide.

Water

Don’t forget to water, all plants need water even in the fall. Check often and water as needed. Water thoroughly and deep; light watering every day develops a shallow root system, so in a raised bed, water deep so the whole soil mass is saturated and then let dry out before you water again. Less water is needed when plants are small; water more as the plants mature.  The more foliage there is, the more water the plant will need, both in frequency and in quantity.

Weather plays a role as well; as temps cool down and we start getting more rain, you should be able to water less often.  The best rule of thumb is to check, and check often!

Although there are less fungus issues as temperatures cool, diseases still occur. If possible, water the roots and soil and avoid overhead watering. Soaker hoses are great for vegetable gardens!

Fertilize

Just like with your spring and summer plants, a complete fertilizer needs to be applied to keep your plants health. I recommend a slow release fertilizer, such as Osmocote Flower and Vegetable. If the weather is still very hot, use a slightly lower rate so that the tender seedlings do not burn. Increase as the plants become more stable and temperatures drop. For those keeping the garden organic, Espoma Garden-Tone is a great choice.

Inspect

Your fall crops are vulnerable to insects and as I mentioned above, vulnerable to diseases as well. Check your plants regularly to identify any potential issues that may arise.  An organic insecticide such as Natural Guard Spinosad Soap used regularly is an excellent way to avoid any chewing insects. Natural Guard Copper Fungicide can be applied to vegetables, herbs and fruits to treat many diseases.

It’s Not Too Late!

Fall is an excellent opportunity to get one more crop from your garden before winter.  Many of the same vegetables grown in the early spring are also successful during the fall months.  Come visit us at The Good Earth Garden Center for all your garden needs; right now (early September), we have plenty of cool season vegetable seedlings and seeds to choose from.  Our cool season vegetables and herbs have arrived just in time for you to reap the benefits of a successful fall crop.

Here is another great resource to reference:

UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension (2020).  A-Z Vegetable Gardening in Arkansas.  Retrieved from

https://www.uaex.edu/yard-garden/vegetables/a-z.aspx

The post Fall Vegetable Gardening appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

Keep reading to learn how to grow vegetables in pots!

Nothing beats the taste of homegrown produce in the summer, but many home gardeners may not have the space in the ground dedicated for a veggie patch.  Since vegetables and herbs need at minimum a half day of sun to produce the best yields, it does limit where one can grow them.  Perhaps, your sun location is by the pool, or maybe it’s a back porch.  This is when growing in pots will work to your advantage.

Growing in pots, harvesting becomes easier because the produce is off the ground and will save your back.  Also, some super fast aggressive herbs such as mint can take over a flower bed, by planting them in pots they can be controlled and become portable for when you want to bring the mint to the mojito!

Another bonus to growing in pots is that you can start earlier and move the pots inside if temperatures dip low.

Vegetables That Grow Well in Pots

Tomatoes. Choose the variety called ‘Patio’ or varieties with the name “bush” in them.  ‘Bush Early Girl, and ‘Better Boy Bush’ are just a few examples.  There are even some tumbler type tomatoes that get their name by tumbling over the side of the pot or hanging basket.  These are micro sized tomatoes.

Regular sized tomatoes can be grown in pots too, but will need a very large pot. Ideally, a 30” pot or so.  Tomatoes prefer to have consistent soil moisture, going too wet or too dry is not ideal. It can reduce the amount of tomatoes you get. Having a regular size tomato in too small of pot can dry out super fast in our Arkansas summer.  And speaking of our summers, those thunderstorms can blow over a tall tomato plant over if it is in a small pot.

Cucumbers.  There are two main types of cuke’s; the vining kind, and the bush kind.  The “bush” varieties are the best to do in pots.  ‘Burpless Bush’ is just one option……….

Eggplant.  All varieties.

Peppers.  All varieties.

And Don’t Forget These Vegetables!

Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes.  You betcha!  Sweet potato plants are often called slips.  You can find slips started in 6 or 9 packs in the spring.  Try planting 3 slips in a 20” pot.  The vines will spill over the sides taking up a few feet all the way around.

Leafy greens.  Spinach, lettuce, arugula, kale, bok choy, swiss chard and collards all work quite well in pots.

Don’t forget that cabbage, strawberries, broccoli and even onions can grow in containers too!

Some veggies such as watermelon, pumpkins, cantaloupe, and winter squash are best left for the ground unless you can grow vertically.  The vines just get so big.  And the containers need to be pretty big!  Asparagus really need to be in the ground for best success.

What Kind of Pots and Potting Soil to Use

Any kind of pot can be used but here are some things to consider; the pot needs to have good drainage holes to allow excess water to be released.  For example, some of our large glazed pottery would work very well, but might need to have additional holes drilled in the pots or the existing drainage holes may need to be enlarged.

Another consideration is container material; for example, thin walled, metal containers may transfer too much heat to the root zone of the plant, as opposed to a thin plastic container which won’t transfer as much heat.

To insure proper drainage use our Good Earth professional potting mix, and in larger pots use some drainage rock in the bottom.  Also consider using pot feet, these go under the pot raising the entire container off the ground.

Feeding Your Potted Vegetables

This is a great opportunity to use an organic fertilizer such as Espoma Tomato-tone and Garden-tone.

The Tomato-tone is perfect for tomatoes due to having a bit more calcium in the formulation which tomatoes appreciate. It helps keep blossom end rot from happening.  This is when a black, rotten spot developing on the end of the fruit.

Garden-tone is a great multi use vegetable fertilizer.

Here are some other article on growing edible plants here in Arkansas:

When and How to Plant Spring Vegetable Gardens in Central Arkansas

How to Grow Blueberries in Arkansas!

Fall Vegetable Garden? Yes!

It’s time to start planning (and planting) your fall garden!  Not familiar with what can be grown and when to plant?  We have some great resources to check out below and of course, we carry seedlings and seeds to get you started when it’s time.

Click to access planting-dates-fall-vegetables.pdf

The post How to Grow Vegetables in Pots appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

Shutterbug75 (CC0), Pixabay

Tomatoes may seem easy to grow but they can actually be a bit of a challenge.  But these tips will help you get growing in the right direction!

1. Try to keep the soil evenly moist, no fluctuations of soil moisture.
2. Don’t water the leaves.
3. Do plant in location that receives at least 6 hours of sun.
4. Use a fertilizer formulated for tomatoes, it should have a bit more calcium.  This will help prevent blossom end rot. This is when the bottom of the end of the tomato is black/brown. Our Espoma Tomato Tone is a wonderful natural tomato fertilizer.
5. If growing in the ground, keep the area around the plants weed free.
6. Try to keep water from splashing up from the ground and onto the leaves.  This can be done by stripping off leaves touching the ground, using weed fabric, or mulching.
7. Rotate your crops.  Don’t plant them in the same spot.  This is true for many vegetables; crop rotation reduces diseases.
8. Scout for pests regularly.
9. Stake or cage plants early.
10. Allow plenty of airflow between plants. For larger varieties allow 3 feet between plants and 4-5 feet between rows when planting in the ground.

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension offers many fact sheets on growing all kinds of vegetables, from planting dates to disease and insect management.  Here is a link to their A to Z Vegetable Gardening in Arkansas page.  So much good information!

The post Top 10 Tips to Tip-Top Tomatoes! appeared first on The Good Earth Garden Center.

No Need For A Decoder Ring

Tomatoes decoded! If you have shopped tomato plants, you have most likely noticed what seem like random letters after the tomato variety name. VFNTA, those mysterious letters associated with tomatoes are actually important and helpful to understand.   Sometimes located on the tag, or on the sign, these letters each represent abbreviations for disease resistance. Let’s decode those tomato tags and signs!

Let’s not  sugar coat it, tomatoes can be well……let’s say tricky.  Each year a gardener can experience a whole new situation when growing tomatoes due to all the possibilities of issues.  This is not to scare anyone away from tomato growing, because there is nothing better than a homegrown tomato from your garden. Tomatoes and mozzarella in the summer drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil would not be the same with a store bought tomato.

Verticillium Wilt (V)

V stands for Verticillium Wilt resistance. The symptoms of this disease can seem like a natural death.  There are a few possible symptoms which include wilting during the day and recovering at night, yellowing of lower leaves often in a fan shape pattern, and leaves dying and then dropping off.

Solution

Once the plant is infected, destroy the plant. Avoid planting tomatoes in the same spot for 2 years.

At the beginning of the planting season, choose varieties that are resistant (indicated with a V) such as ‘Better Boy’, ‘Jet Star’, and ‘Rutgers’ to name a few.

Fusarium Wilt (F)

F stands for Fusarium Wilt resistance.  The symptoms of this disease can mimic Verticillium Wilt as mentioned above.  Fusarium Wilt is common in Arkansas due to hot weather.  The fungus has different races (F1) and (F2), also abbreviated (FF).  Send in a sample to the Plant Health Clinic for confirmation.

Solution

Once the plant is infected, destroy the plant.

Avoid planting tomatoes in the same spot up to 7 years.

Look at your soil pH.  It should be 6.5 to 7.  If it is below this range, apply lime.

When shopping for tomato plants, choose resistant varieties indicated with (F) or (FF).  ‘Parks Whopper and ‘Big Beef’ are two great options.

Nematodes (N)

On tomato tags or signs, N stands for nematode resistance which are small, very small worms that live in the soil. You would need a microscope to see them.  Affected plants may be stunted, grow poorly or they will wilt during the day and recover at night.  Roots affected by nematodes have knots/galls covering them.

Solution

Grow marigolds!  The smaller flowers of French marigolds are said to be better than the large flowers than the African varieties.  Marigolds have a natural compound that traps the nematodes, enticing them  rather than your tasty tomato plant.

Use common sense sanitation; nematodes can’t move far on their own in one growing season but moving the soil from an infected area to a new area can spread them pretty fast. If a severe nematode problem area has been identified, avoid doing anything that will move the soil or plant materials from that area to a ‘clean’ area.

Choose resistant varieties (as indicated by an N) such as ‘Superfantastic’, or ‘Beefmaster’.

Tobacco Mosaic Virus (T or TMV)

(T) or (TMV) indicates Tobacco Mosaic Virus resistance.  Symptoms can be small, curled or deformed leaves.  Infected plants may have a two tone light and dark green mottling coloration on the leaves. The fruit may be mottled in color as well.

Solution

Choose resistant varieties (as indicated with a T) such as ‘Bush Early Girl’, ‘Headmaster’, and ‘Goliath’.

Wash hands thoroughly after touching tobacco products.

Rotate where you plant tomatoes.

Alternaria (A)

Alternaria can appear in many forms. It is often dark brown or black spots on the stem, usually down low where the stem and the soil meet.  The pathogen can also infect leaves and look like a “target”.  Yellowish to brown spots with concentric rings, are easy to identify.  Warm, rainy weather exacerbates this fungus.

Solution

Try to keep the leaves dry when watering.

Choose resistant varieties (as indicated with an A) such as ‘Patio’, ‘Grape’, and ‘Juliet’

More Letters Means More Resistance

A tomato can have more than one abbreviation after their name, the more letters they have, the more disease resistance the plants offer.  And on the other side of the spectrum, there are tomatoes that don’t have any resistance.  Many of the older heirloom types fall into this category.  However, many people still plant them because they enjoy the flavors!

Some good rules of (green) thumb when growing tomatoes is to water evenly, avoid watering leaves, rotate crop location, and allow for good air flow.  We will have more tomato growing tips in our upcoming post!  For more details on growing edibles in central Arkansas, visit this section of our Learning Center.

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension has many helpful tools; to learn more information on tomato diseases, follow this link.

The same division also has a Plant Health Clinic where samples can be sent to for further analysis and recommendations.

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