Consumer Q&A: How Does the Garden Grow?

Q: I planted a seedling loquat several years ago. It has not produced fruit yet. Does it need another loquat to pollinate it in order to set fruit?

A: Seedling loquats may take eight to 10 years to bear fruit. Yours may simply not be old enough. Most loquats are supposed to be self-fruitful -- they don’t require a different variety or another non-identical loquat to pollenize or “pollinate” each other. However, research shows that even though considered self-pollenizing, most loquats have increased fruit set with a different loquat nearby. Some named varieties definitely need another variety nearby to act as a pollen source. However, named varieties are hard to find except from specialty nurseries. Two seedlings would suffice to pollenize each other since they are not genetically identical. Also, remember that since the tree blooms in the fall, a cold winter could also destroy developing fruit. 

Q: My peanut plants are beautiful. How long will the pegs get? My plants are knee high, and I have pegs all the way to the top. Do I force the plants closer to the ground or will the pegs get long enough to produce?

A: It is best if you can get the pegs as close to the ground as possible. Gently bend the plants down if necessary. If yours are just starting to produce pegs in the early fall, the plants won't have time to produce a crop.

Q: Should the rows in my vegetable garden run east-west or north-south to maximize sun exposure?

A: There is not universal agreement on this, but most people hold that north-south is better for a little more sun exposure. However, if your garden is on a slope, make your rows across the slope rather than up and down it in order to reduce soil erosion. That will be more important than orienting the rows to the sun. Also, do not plant tall vegetables such as sweet corn, okra and tomatoes where they will block the sunlight from shorter vegetables.

Getting maximum sunlight is just as important, or more important, for a fall vegetable garden as it is for one in the summer. However, many gardeners grow some of their fall vegetables such as leaf lettuce, radishes, turnips and various greens in patches rather than rows, and there are not many tall vegetables to worry about – the tallest being collards. 

Q: What kind of soil is best for a night-blooming cereus cactus? When is the best time to transplant one?

A: This gangly cactus from the tropics likes a potting soil that drains well and is high in organic matter. A regular potting mix should do just fine, but if you like, you can add about 10 percent sand to the mix. 

Spring and summer are the best times to transplant cactuses. You should go ahead and transplant now if your night-blooming cereus is in a container or in a soil mix that is detrimental to its health.

Make sure there is at least one drainage hole at the bottom of the pot so water does not accumulate and rot the roots. When you water the plant, do so thoroughly. Allow the top third of the soil mix to dry before watering again. The plant requires much less water in winter than in summer. It doesn’t like much fertilizer, but during summer it appreciates a monthly feeding of liquid fertilizer at half the recommended rate. Do not fertilize in winter.

Q: Is it safe to set out snapdragons in the fall? I see them for sale at nurseries. I thought they were planted in the spring.

A: You can plant snapdragons in the fall as well as in the spring. Snapdragons are quite cold hardy. If you plant in the fall you are likely to get blooms in fall and sometimes even in the warm parts of the winter, and your fall-planted snaps will have a jump on the ones you plant in the spring. For colorful beds or containers in fall, winter and spring, combine snapdragons with pansies, violas, ornamental kale and cabbage, dusty miller, dianthus and curly parsley.  

Q: What are some tips for succeeding with pansies?

A: Prepare the bed beforehand by adding compost, especially if you have heavy clay or sandy soil. If planting in containers use high-quality potting soil and the largest containers possible. Make sure the containers have a drainage hole at the bottom. Plant the pansies where they will receive at least four hours of unfiltered sunlight each day. Provide morning sun if possible. To fertilize, use a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 and follow directions on the label. It is always better to under-fertilize than to use too much. Water your plants, especially those in containers, before a hard freeze. Keep the old flowers pinched off so they don’t produce seeds. This is called deadheading and encourages the production of more blooms. 

Q: What are some vegetables I can grow in pots on my deck?

A: Almost any vegetable can be grown in a container if you keep it watered. Due to the limited root space, the plants are going to dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground. They will probably also need more fertilizer. The best options for growing in containers are vegetables with smaller fruits or those that have a smaller stature and don’t spread out much. Some good possibilities include leaf lettuce, radish, eggplant, garlic, carrot (round or short-root varieties), tomato (determinate varieties will stay shorter), hot and sweet peppers and bush varieties of summer squash and cucumber. Use the largest containers possible as they will provide more root-room and make the plants less vulnerable to drying out or getting blown over.

Q: I want to grow sprouts for salads. Can you offer advice?

A: Perhaps the easiest and most reliable method for raising edible sprouts is with a wide-mouth jar and screen of some type. Screw-on screen lids are readily available at health food stores and other companies. You can make your own screen with cheesecloth and a rubber band, but it is messier and ultimately more expensive. A wide-mouth quart canning jar is a good choice. A quart mayonnaise jar also works well.

To start the sprouting process, place two to three tablespoons of small seeds, such as alfalfa, or one-fourth to one-half cup of large seeds, such as beans, per quart into a glass jar. It is best to start with a smaller amount of seeds to see how the process goes. Fill the jar two-thirds full of lukewarm water, place the screen over the mouth of the jar and soak seeds for eight to 12 hours or overnight.

After soaking, drain the seeds and lay the jar on its side. During the next three to five days, rinse the seeds with lukewarm water once every morning and evening. Drain off all excess water after each rinsing. Keep the jar at temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people like blanched sprouts that develop in darkness or indirect light and are not exposed to any sunlight. Placing the seed-sprouting jar on top of the kitchen counter and covering it with a small towel will provide an excellent environment during the sprouting process. To create green sprouts, place the jar of sprouted seeds in a sunny window for a few hours. If in the sun too long, they can become tough and bitter.

The eating size of the sprouts will vary with the type of seed and with your individual preferences, generally one-quarter inch to two inches long. Once the sprouts have reached the desired size, place them in a bowl of water. The seed sprouts will sink to the bottom and the loose seed hulls will float to the top. Skim the hulls off. Remove the sprouts and allow them to drain. You can use them immediately or store them in closed glass or plastic containers in the refrigerator for later use.

Some of the seeds you can use for sprouting are alfalfa, broccoli, buckwheat, cabbage, clover, fenugreek, mustard, radish, sesame, sunflower, millet, chickpeas, lentils, green pea, wheat, rye, triticale, onion and various beans including adzuki bean, soybean, kidney bean and mung bean. Seeds for sprouting may be purchased from mail-order seed companies, health food stores and some garden centers. Do not use seeds that have been treated with fungicides or other pesticides.

Because seeds have different sizes and growing habits, experiment to find the best way to handle each kind and to suit your tastes and needs. If you become really involved in sprouting, there are devices for quantity production.

Sprouts need not be limited to salads but can be used in sandwiches, soups, stews, omelets, bread (mixed into dough) and stir-fry dishes.

Got a question? Visit our website, write to us at 19 MLK Jr. Drive, Room 128, Atlanta, GA 30334, or email arty.schronce@agr.georgia.gov.