Blog Feed: Planter Tomato Vegetable & Fruit Gardening

BriteTap Chicken Waterer To Be Displayed at the National Heirloom Exposition

Published on 2012-09-10 23:37:54

If you live in the Bay Area and are interested in seeing a demo of the BriteTap chicken waterer, please come visit our booth at the National Heirloom Exposition (Sonoma County Fairground in Santa Rosa). We will be on display from Sept 11-13. We will be available to demonstrate the product and answer questions from 11 AM to 9 PM. Our booth is located between the bandstand and the live animal exhibits, so come on by!

Making Pasta from Wheat Berries

Published on 2012-08-18 10:15:19

How to grind wheat berries and make fresh whole wheat pasta.

New Chicken Waterer Puts an End to Dirty Unsanitary Water

Published on 2012-08-17 08:59:25

Introducing the BriteTap waterer from ChickenWaterer.com. The BriteTap chicken waterer keeps your flock's water sparkling clean and there are no messy pans of water for your to rinse out.

Growing Wheat In Your Backyard Garden

Published on 2012-07-07 15:13:35

Results of growing Frassinetto wheat in my backyard garden and an explanation of how to thresh and winnow the grain.

A Good Start to the Garden Year

Published on 2012-07-04 19:43:09

This is shaping up to be a good garden year in Northern California.

Wasabi Arugula From Renee's Seeds

Published on 2012-06-17 09:46:57

A review of Renee's seeds wasabi arugula variety.

Dealing With Powdery Mildew

Published on 2012-05-28 15:12:00

How to treat powdery mildew on tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and other vegetables.

How to Add A Home Office, Studio, Gym or Other Structure To Your Garden

Published on 2012-04-28 12:29:15

How to add a low cost building to your garden for a home office, gym, wood shop, studio or other use.

Top 5 Ideas For Earth Day That Save You Money While Saving The Planet

Published on 2012-04-22 09:59:17

Top five actions you can take this Earth Day to help save the planet while also saving you money.

QR Codes Let's You Adopt A Tree

Published on 2012-04-20 08:08:27

QR codes allow citizens of DC to adopt a tree in their community.

How to Choose The Right Tomato Stakes For Your Garden

Published on 2012-04-14 19:00:19

The pros and cons of various tomato staking systems: stakes, cages, and trellises.

Cherry Blossom Viewing & Tips for Growing Cherry Trees

Published on 2012-04-07 14:31:48

Cherry blossom viewing in Japan and some tips on choosing and growing sweet and tart cherry trees.

Chef Fabio's Brunch Egg Recipe & Fresh Egg Test

Published on 2012-04-05 20:03:07

An Easter brunch recipe from chef Fabio.

NY Times Reports Chicken Keeping on the Rise

Published on 2012-04-04 12:00:26

Link to NY Times article about backyard chickens published 3/3/2012.

Eggs to Be Sold In Packages - May 1929

Published on 2012-04-03 07:23:57

Eggs go into cartons - May 1929

Scientists Report Breakthrough In Human Genetic Engineering

Published on 2012-04-01 09:47:00

Scientist have reported a major breakthrough in the genetic engineering of farmers and farm workers.

Identifying Honey Bee Flower Sources By Pollen Color

Published on 2012-03-31 09:28:12

Information about identifying your honey bees source of pollen and link to a pollen color chart.

Free Range Chicken Gardens: An Interview with Jessi Bloom

Published on 2012-03-28 10:50:18

An interview with Jessi Bloom, author of Free Range Chicken Gardens, about creating chicken friendly gardens that are also beautiful.

Best Containers for Starting Seeds

Published on 2012-03-26 07:36:58

The pros and cons of various containers for seed starting.

Ten Steps To Successfully Starting Vegetable Seeds

Published on 2012-03-24 11:15:24

How to start vegetable seeds. Ten steps to a successful seed starting program.

San Francisco Flower & Garden Show

Published on 2012-03-22 19:59:04

If your in the San Francisco Bay Area you can get a jump on Spring by attending the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. The show features a number of ornamental garden exhibits that are sure to inspire you (see some photos below) as well as a full program of interesting seminars that cover all aspects of gardening. While at the show you can also do a little shopping -- ornamental and edible plants, garden tools, and a wide range of garden related products and services can be purchased from ret [..]

Free Seed Starting Calculator

Published on 2012-03-18 12:11:04

A free calculator that tells you when to plant 45 varieties of vegetables in your area.

Daylight Savings Time

Published on 2012-03-11 10:51:08

Today we "spring forward" in the U.S., setting our clocks ahead 1 hour. Daylight savings time was instituted to save energy, but according to this article in Organic Gardening Magazine it doesn't. In fact, the only thing daylight savings time seems to do is to give most Americans one more hour per day to go shopping. Not me. You'll find me in the garden.

Honey Bees: Some Like It Hot

Published on 2012-03-10 23:24:24

New research finds that bees use temperature to manage the ratio of foragers bees and housekeeper bees.

Companion Planting Guide

Published on 2012-03-10 13:50:33

Companion planting basics and a link to an extensive chart of companion plants.

Early Signs of Spring

Published on 2012-03-03 15:49:38

Early signs of Spring in my garden.

A Wi-Fi Sensor Plant Sensor From Switzerland

Published on 2012-03-03 12:32:57

A wi-fi plant sensor. Is this the answer to your gardening dreams?

Floriani Red Flint Corn

Published on 2012-03-02 09:46:07

Floriani Red flint corn for pollenta.

How To Choose Sweet Corn Varieties

Published on 2012-02-26 07:56:08

The advantages and disadvantages of SU, SE, SH2 and SY sweet corn varieties.

Choosing Tomatoes: Heirloom, Hybrid and Open Pollinated Explained

Published on 2012-02-19 09:31:44

An explanation of the various ways tomatoes are classified with an explanation of open pollinated, hybrid, heirloom and other ways of describing tomatoes.

Global Warming Puts 50% of Worlds Wheat Crop at Risk

Published on 2012-02-15 07:26:56

Scientists at Stanford University show that global warming is impacting wheat more than expected.

Valentine's Day Gift: Stunningly Beautiful Seed Packets

Published on 2012-02-12 22:03:18

Hudson Valley Seed Company sells the most beautiful contemporary seed packets.

How and When To Plant Peas

Published on 2012-02-12 08:33:59

How to grow peas

An Interview with Baker Creek Seed's Founder Jere Gettle

Published on 2012-02-07 20:47:36

An interview with Jere Gettle about his company and the Baker Creek Seed catalog.

Standard Breed Poultry: An Interview with Jim Adkins

Published on 2012-02-05 08:12:15

Jim Adkins speak about the standard of perfection and about chickens in general.

Organic Chicken Feed: An Interview with Chris Wagner of Modesto Milling

Published on 2012-02-04 07:31:05

An interview about organic chicken feed with Chris Wagner of Modesto Milling

Honey Bees: Top Ten Checklist for Spring Beekeeping

Published on 2012-01-29 10:11:20

A Beekeepers Spring Check List

The New Potato Chip Is Made From Kale

Published on 2012-01-25 09:45:20

An alternative to the potato chip, kale chips are just as tasty and are very nutritious.

Hardiness Zones Systems & Plant Selection

Published on 2012-01-22 09:16:55

Three systems for determining which plants will grow in your area compared.

My 2012 Garden Plan - What's In and What's Out

Published on 2012-01-15 08:21:52

A list of vegetable varieties that are being added or removed from my 2012 garden plan.

Oatmeal from Groats

Published on 2011-07-04 17:07:38

Learn how to harvest, thresh, winnow and prepare hulless oats.

Not All Corn Is Sweet Corn

Published on 2011-06-19 12:42:52

Information about growing flint and dent corn used to make corn bread, tortillas, tamales, pancakes.

Container Gardening: Container Size and Soil Quantity

Published on 2011-06-14 08:36:15

In this posting, I provide a table which tells you the approximate amount of soil you need to fill a pot or container of a given number of inches in diameter. I also provide the metric equivalents -- centimeters and liters.

Growing Sugarcane in the Backyard

Published on 2011-06-12 13:44:07

An experiment in growing sugarcane in a backyard in Northern California

Great Outdoor Gifts for Father's Day 2011

Published on 2011-06-05 20:07:26

Great outdoor gifts for Father's Day

How to Harvest, Store And Pickle Garlic

Published on 2011-06-05 09:27:12

Learn how to harvest and store garlic plus a recipe for pickled garlic.

Ultra-Breeze: A Better Bee Suit

Published on 2011-05-30 19:22:08

A review of the Ultra-Breeze bee suit - a unique design that provides increased protection and superior ventilation.

Ducks or Chickens: Which Have Better Eggs

Published on 2011-05-21 19:21:03

The differences between duck and chicken eggs described and recommendations for those considering adding both types of poultry to their backyard farms.

Artichokes: How To Grow Them And Two Recipes

Published on 2011-05-15 08:44:00

How to grow artichokes and two simple artichoke recipes.

How To Build Tomato Cages

Published on 2011-05-10 08:20:13

Learn how to build sturdy tomato cages that are very inexpensive.

Happy Mother's Day 2011

Published on 2011-05-08 09:52:54

PlanterTomato wishes all moms a happy Mother's Day!

Apples In Bloom: Tips for New Fruit Tree Growers

Published on 2011-05-08 09:48:18

Tips for growing apples and other dwarf fruit trees in your home garden.

Oats on the Way: An Experiment Growing Grain In Suburbia

Published on 2011-04-27 08:06:16

How to know when it's time to harvest Oats

Safer Brand $500 Giveaway

Published on 2011-04-25 09:36:58

Safer brand $500 give-away

Native Plants For Pollinators By Zip Code

Published on 2011-04-24 15:48:39

A tool that allows you to find the right native plants to support honey bees, bats and other pollinators.

Great Gardening Gifts For Mother's Day 2011

Published on 2011-04-23 15:52:09

Top Ten Mother's Day Gifts for Gardeners

Ten Steps To Installing Bees In Your Beehive

Published on 2011-04-20 07:20:59

A quick start guide to installing honey bees in a hive. Just ten easy steps.

How To Install Bees In A Beehive Part I

Published on 2011-04-17 09:10:05

This describes the contents of the bee package that is sold to beekeepers who want to establish a new colony.

New Grafted Tomatoes Promise Increased Harvests

Published on 2011-04-10 09:51:13

Grafted tomato plants fuse strong root stocks with interesting heirloom tomato scions to create plants that have higher yields. Learn more about this process and the grafted varieties available on the market today.

How To Grow Tomatoes If You Have No Space, No Time, and A Black Thumb

Published on 2011-03-30 07:54:43

Learn how to grow tomatoes easily in containers. Tips on the best containers and tomatoes to buy.

Heirloom vs. Hybrid Vegetables: The Debate Over Which Are Better

Published on 2011-03-25 08:11:43

A comparison of hybrid and heirloom vegetable varieties and the advantages of each.

Welcome To Spring & Some Books To Inspire You

Published on 2011-03-20 17:48:35

Today March 20, marks the beginning of Spring. On this rainy cold day in Northern California, I took some photos showing the resurgence of my garden that I hope will inspire you. I'm also providing a list of books that I think would be helpful to tho

Spring Soil Preperation

Published on 2011-03-17 08:26:20

As we move into Spring, it's time to think about getting your garden soil in top condition. In this posting I suggest two ways to increase the fertility of your soil. Professional Soil Testing I had my soil tested professionally for first time last s

How To Combine Two Bee Hives

Published on 2011-03-13 10:07:09

In this posting, I cover how and why to combine two bee hives. This week end, I opened my bee hives to check on them. One hive was doing fine. I could find plenty of capped brood cells, indicating that the queen was alive and laying eggs. Sadly, ther

Best Bee Hive Smoker

Published on 2011-03-09 07:29:44

A review of the Bee-Z-Smoker, arguably the best smoker on the market. This electronic device makes lighting a smoker simple and easy. If you’re a beekeeper, you should check this out.

Hive Boxes: One Size Doesn't Fit All

Published on 2011-03-06 12:30:08

In this posting, I describe your options for configuring a hive, focusing on the configuration and weight of Langstroth hive boxes. There are a variety of bee hive options on the market today including the National (popular in the UK), Top Bar (popul

Flats of Egypt Beets

Published on 2011-03-02 07:26:10

Last Fall, I planted beets with the intention of harvesting them during the Winter months. The idea is to make your garden into a kind of root cellar to store the beets that you harvest directly from the garden as needed. This process is called overw

Honey: A Golden Treasure

Published on 2011-02-27 11:13:39

The BBC produces some excellent science programming. In a recent Podcast from BBC Discovery, biologist Adam Hart explores the history of bee keeping from ancient times to the present. The Podcast presented here covers topcis ranging from single sourc

Winter: Time to Tend To Your Fruit Trees

Published on 2011-02-23 07:41:10

Last Winter, I purchased a variety of bare root fruit trees. In this posting, I'll cover what needs to be done to prepare your fruit trees for Spring. Transplanting Into Larger Pots I'm growing a variety of dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees. I planted

Give Peas A Chance

Published on 2011-02-20 10:27:23

All we are saying, is give peas a chance. Ok, that was dreadful joke, but I still do encourage you to think about adding peas to your garden. I like peas for many reasons but certainly one of the first is that you can plant them early in the season a

Modern Potato Eaters

Published on 2011-02-13 11:03:22

Starry Night is arguably Vincent Van Gogh's most famous painting. It depicts a brilliant and swirling night sky with stars and a crescent moon shining their brilliant light on a small village. It is a beautiful depiction of nature and very different

Modern Coop Design: Stylish Estate for Your Backyard Flock

Published on 2011-02-06 08:48:52

So who's the most famous chicken coop architect? Mies van der Rooster? I. M. Peck? Christopher Hen? No, it's Jeff Troutman, a graduate of the Colorado at Boulder School of Architecture. Troutman designed the coop as a school project and it was subseq

Feed Your Bees Naturally: Best Flowers For Honey Bees

Published on 2011-02-02 07:24:43

In the lean months of the year, many bee keepers supplement their bees natural diet by supplying them with sugar water and pollen patties. In this post, I cover some natural alternatives that I plan to try in 2011. Over the Winter months, bees live o

Mizuna: Hardy Japanese Green

Published on 2011-01-30 14:00:57

Here's a cold tolerant green that makes a nice change of pace in your salads. Mizuna is a member of the brassica family (kale, broccoli, cabbage etc.) that is as cold tolerant as the other members of the same clan. It is originally from Japan, where

Getting Ready for Spring: Top Ten Gardening Tasks For Your To Do List

Published on 2011-01-26 07:29:18

Do you want to be fully prepared to begin your spring vegetable and fruit garden? Here's you check list for a successful start to the 2011 gardening season: Learn from History - consider what was successful last year and what was not and adjust accor

Bee Keeping: Top Five Things You Need to Do to Prepare for Spring

Published on 2011-01-23 19:51:16

In this post, I cover the steps you need to take to get ready for bee keeping season. Here in Northern California, we are seeing daytime temperatures in the upper 50 to mid 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Some flowers are beginning to bloom and the bees are b

Best Mac & Cheese Recipe

Published on 2011-01-17 08:05:53

Traditional macaroni & cheese is a wonderful comfort food, but there's a way to make it more of a gourmet meal for those times when you want something a bit more special. Here's a recipe created by my wife that substitutes goat cheese for cheddar

Review of John Jeavons' Grow Biointensive Video

Published on 2011-01-12 07:35:23

At last, a great complement to Jeavons' book, How To Grow More Vegetables. John Jeavons is a researcher, lecturer and author of several books on sustainable agricultural practices. In March of 2010, I had the pleasure of meeting him and he was kind e

How To Compost

Published on 2011-01-09 13:08:39

In this posting, I describe how to create a compost pile from kitchen and yard waste. Last year, I described how to build a simple and inexpensive compost bin. In this posting, I'll describe how to actually do the composting. Composting is actually v

2011 Full Garden List

Published on 2011-01-07 08:14:07

In my last posting, I described the varieties that I plan to add to my garden in 2011. In this posting, I provide the full 2011 list, includes those varieties that will be in my fall/winter 2011 greenhouse. [Note: new items are shown in green] Tomato

2011 Garden Plan: What's "Out" & What's "In"

Published on 2011-01-02 18:24:41

Happy New Year to all. Each year, the seed catalogs begin rolling into the mailbox in December. I use the holiday period to begin planning my garden and generally start ordering in January. In this posting, I'll let you know what changes I'm making t

Chocolate & Strawberries May Have Just Gotten Better, Or Perhaps Not

Published on 2010-12-28 08:42:23

Two teams of researchers are reporting success in sequencing the genomes for the strawberry and cocoa. An international team of 70 researchers collaborated to sequence the genome of a woodland strawberry while a separate international team has succes