SUPPORT

Many vegetables require a support system to prevent them from laying on the ground, save space in the garden, increase airflow to reduce disease, keep the fruit clean, and protect it from foraging critters. This is particularly true of vining plants like peas, pole beans, and tomatoes. Other garden veggies like peppers and eggplant require staking before their fruit becomes heavy to prevent the main stem and side branches from breaking. Having your stakes and cages in place at planting time is a good rule of thumb.

To produce an abundance of healthy and tasty fruit, most vegetables require an application of a quality organic fertilizer at planting time with a monthly side dressing up until harvest. Some vegetables, like leafy greens and corn, require more nitrogen than other vegetables. Stonington Blend™ Organic Plant Food is an excellent all-purpose choice for monthly feeding.

Fertilize your veggie garden monthly by side dressing with Stonington Blend™ Organic Plant Food (5-2-4). This exceptional fertilizer, made with lobster and crab shells, fish and kelp meal, and worm castings, will boost your soil's fertility, providing your vegetable plants with macro and micronutrients to improve their vigor and production. The 4% calcium will help prevent blossom end rot, a common disease that affects tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, and melons.  

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WATER

A good-to-follow guideline is to ensure that all inground vegetable plants receive at least one inch of water per week. If Mother Nature does not provide it, you must. Veggies growing in terra cotta pots or hanging baskets will need to be checked daily and watered as necessary. There are many ways to get moisture to your plants; some methods are more efficient than others. A hose is a must! A watering wand attached to the end of a hose is the perfect way to spot water and attend to containers and hanging baskets. Soaker hoses and drip systems are great water conservers directing moisture directly to the root zone. Sprinklers are preferred by some and should only be used early in the day as the harsh sun on wet leaves may burn them, and allowing leaves to remain wet overnight can promote disease.

As the soil heats up in the summer, weeds can quickly get out of control, crowding young vegetable plants. Weeds may also rob your veggies of valuable moisture and nutrients. Set time aside weekly to stay ahead of these unwanted garden guests. There are helpful short and long-handled weeding tools to make this job a cinch! After weeding, adding a thick layer of superior mulch, like our Fundy Blend™ Organic Mulch atop the garden bed, will reduce weeds and conserve soil moisture, a win-win!

Fundy Blend™ Organic Enriching Mulch & Seaweed is not just for landscape plants! This composted bark and seaweed mix will help the veggie garden retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and insulate tender roots, protecting them from high summer temperatures. Fundy Blend™ Mulch is a 2-in-1 product that will enrich garden soil when turned into the bed at the end of the growing season.

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With the summer heat and humidity come a plethora of insect and disease problems. Scout your vegetable garden regularly for signs of an infestation. If you can’t identify the problem, seek advice from your local independent garden center. They are happy to help. Bring in a sample of the insect or the diseased or damaged fruit or leaf. Their knowledgeable staff will recommend using the safest products available to rectify your predicament, from insect netting to beneficial insects to environmentally friendly sprays.

Baby your veggie babies this summer by supporting, feeding, watering, weeding, and protecting them from pests and disease. A little extra care goes a long way in producing a bumper crop of tantalizing and tasty vegetables.