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Everything You Need to Know About Starting Peas Indoors: It Can Be Done! Peas are cool weather crops and need to be planted fairly early here in Maryland Zone 7. They prefer well drained soil and soil temperature that is 40 degrees or more. They do best when day temperatures don't get past 70ish degrees. So... I try and get mine outdoors in March. As of today, tomorrow will be March 1st and the ground is covered in snow and frozen. Losing most of March by waiting to plant peas directly in the ground, when the soil is ready, will really reduce my crop. You can easily start peas indoors in peat pots or styro-foam cups. This will give you a 2-4 week jump on the season depending on the variety of peas you start. The video shows you how I seed start them and when they are ready to be moved into larger containers or outdoors. Remember plants that are started inside, need to be gradually introduced to the sun and temperatures. This is called hardening-off. Peat pots work really well becau...

Understanding the Difference Between Pea Types:  Snow or Sugar, Snap and English or Shelling There are many variations of the three categories or types. You can get variations that give you white or purple flowers, purple pods, wrinkled peas or dwarf varieties.  Maturity time can also vary by a few weeks. However, many gardeners want to know: Did I get the flat peas for stir-fry? Are these edible pods? Why do some say Snow Sugar or Sugar Snap? What are shelling peas? This video will explain the main types you would want to plant and grow in the garden. I hope this video helps you when you select your seeds. Remembers peas like to planted when it is cool, the ground is about 40 degrees and they hate soggy soil! Good Luck with Your Garden, Gary (The Rusted Garden) Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (5000+ Members!) 400+ HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gard...

About 350 grams of Calcium Nitrate 15.5-0-0 19% Calcium and water soluble Cost $10.00 plus shipping    Calcium Nitrate can be used to manage Blossom End-Rot Calcium Nitrate is a water soluble form of Calcium (Ca) that you can make a spray with and spray on your plants to get them calcium, to help stop or prevent blossom end-rot. You should always make sure your soil has lime/calcium, but additional spraying can give your tomatoes the Ca they need if Blossom End-Rot appears. Always test spray your plants before covering a plant with any new spray. Wait 48 hours after testing a few leaves and if there is no damage, spray the plant. A general recipe is 1 tablespoon of calcium nitrate per gallon of water or 1 teaspoon per quart of water.    Click the picture to goto PURCHASING link. About 350 grams of calcium nitrate.    The recipe is on the label and can be found on-line. Always test spray this product on your plants.   This package of 350 grams will make a...

How to Build A Hot-House Tomato Cage: Create a Micro-Climate for Early Tomato Transplants (Revised for 2015) These cages can be built in 15 minutes. They will allow you to get your tomatoes into the garden a lot earlier. It works. I use a few every year and am the first in the area with red tomatoes. It creates a nice micro-climate that warms the soil for great root growth and it protects the tomato transplant. Benefits Wind Break They act as a wind break and keep the plant from cooling from winds. They also allow transplants time to get used to the elements without becoming over-stressed. It makes a mini shelter for them. Root Warmth The plant is better protected but what is equally as important is the soil warms and stay in the 50+ degree range. The warm roots translates into plant growth. Cold roots keep a plant from growing. Heats During the Day They will collect the solar heat of the day. A sunny day in the 40's can easily heat the cage into the 80's. At night I recommend ...

Cool Weather Vegetables:  Seed Starting Kohlrabi, Kale, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages:  Planting, Feeding, Transplanting  This video shows you how to plant and start the seeds, talks about germination, feeding, when to thin them and how to transplant them into larger cups. It covers everything you need to know for starting the seeds of the Brassica Family. A Mature Kohlrabi In this case, kohlrabi, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbages. The process is the same for all of them. These vegetables love the cool weather and can be some of the first plants into your garden, especially as transplants. They can take light frost and even freeze. The cool weather makes them sweeter! They are very easy to grow and vary in maturity dates. Kales will grow all season long. I live in Maryland zone 7, my kale survives the winter. On the 2nd year it returns it forms small buds and flowers. The buds and flowers are delicious! Good Luck with Your Garden, Gary (The Rusted Garde...

Years ago Google had KNOLs. It was were you could write articles. I did that for a while until Google closed it. I kept the old articles here and will be updating them for 2015. This was how I set up my current grow light closet back in 2012. This was before all the videos. I used to just write articles with pictures. Building an Indoor Grow Light Closet for Vegetable Seed Starting: Revised from 2012 Growing vegetables and flowers indoors is not difficult. You need space and light. You can create your own growing station by using standard fluorescent fixtures purchased at any home improvement store. You can use the fluorescent bulbs sold in these stores. There is no need to pay top dollar for grow lights systems or special grow light bulbs. For under $75 (in lights and fixtures), you can get a station set up in a closet or even on a shelf. Every gardener desires more space. I recently had my basement finished, did the drywall myself, and had a grow-light closet built. It was under my s...