Eggplant Planting Guide

Melody Acres Hobby Farm

Eggplant Planting Guide

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a warm season tender annual in the Solanaceae family which includes peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes and ground cherries.

Eggplant types include the familiar Italian type and the long and slender Asian type with a thinner skin that doesn’t need to be peeled. Colors range from deep purple to blushing lavender to stripes of orange and green.

Plant outdoors when daytime temperatures are at least 65°F and night time temperatures are above 50°F. Plastic mulch and floating row cover may be used to increase soil and air temperatures and ward off insects.

Soil and Nutrient Requirements- Deep well drained sandy loam with pH 6.5-6.8 is best. Eggplants are heavy feeders. Plants are sensitive to nitrogen; if over fertilized, they will grow excessive foliage and produce less fruit. Use a high phosphorous starter such as bone meal.

Position: Full sun

Plant Spacing: 18-24”

Row Spacing: 30-36”

Double rows: 24” with 4-6’ centers.

Planting Instructions:

Amend soil as needed with peat and composted manure mixed thoroughly with an organic granular fertilizer.  (Add fertilizer as directions indicate and reapply at intervals according to directions)  Plant eggplant to original pot depth. Water and Mulch. 

Stake as needed when the plant is heavy with fruit to prevent stem breakage.

Harvest eggplants when skin is glossy and thumbprint will not leave an impression, if seeds are brown fruit is over-ripe. Regular harvest increases production of fruit.

Companions: Green beans, Peppers, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Borage, Feverfew, Marigolds

Happy Gardening!!

Pepper Planting Guide

Melody Acres Hobby Farm

Pepper Planting Guide

Peppers (Capsicum annuum) are long-season, heat-loving annuals in the Solanaceae family which includes eggplants, tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes and ground cherries.

• Bells- Oblong lobed fruit that is sweet and red or yellow when ripe, also eaten in the immature green stage.
• Specialty – Long tapering fruits are especially flavorful and sweet, often used as frying peppers but also excellent for fresh eating.

Peppers prefer light, well drained, moderately fertile soil with pH 6.5-6.8. Use a high phosphorus starter fertilizer when transplanting to give young peppers a good start. Keep nitrogen levels in moderation, as high amounts can reduce yields. 

Position: Full sun.

Plant Spacing: 12-18”

Row spacing: 18-36"

Double rows: 18” apart on 5-6’ centers. 

Planting Instructions:

Amend soil as needed with peat and composted manure mixed thoroughly with an organic granular fertilizer.  (Add fertilizer as directions indicate and reapply at intervals according to directions)  Plant pepper to original pot depth. Water and Mulch. 

As peppers grow and become heavy with fruit, stake plant to prevent stem breakage.

Harvest first peppers promptly to stimulate further fruit production. Peppers can be harvested and eaten at either unripe (green) or ripe (colored) stage. Colored peppers generally require 2 – 4 weeks longer

Companions:  Parsley, Basil, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Carrots, Onion, Garlic, Borage, Bee Balm

Happy Gardening!!

Tomato Planting Guide

Melody Acres Hobby Farm

Tomato Planting Guide

Types of Tomatoes

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) are warm season tender annuals in the Solanaceae family which includes eggplants, peppers, tomatillos, potatoes and ground cherries.

• Indeterminate varieties bear fruit over a long period of time and typically require trellising or staking.

• Determinate types have a concentrated fruit set and a shorter growth habit, therefore don’t require trellising.

Soil and Nutrient Requirements

Tomatoes yield best in loam soils that are well drained and high in organic matter. Use a high phosphorus fertilizer for transplants. Take care not to over-fertilize with Nitrogen as this can result in more foliage but lower yields of fruit.

Position:                     Full Sun

Plant Spacing:          Determinate varieties 18" apart (Indigo Rose & Roma)

Indeterminate 36" apart

Row Spacing:           4-6’ centers

Planting Instructions:

Amend soil as needed with peat and composted manure mixed thoroughly with an organic granular tomato specific fertilizer.  (Add fertilizer as directions indicate and reapply at intervals according to directions) Dig hole to deep enough to plant each tomato up to 1/2 of height for strength.

To the hole add: 2 handfuls of Fish meal, 4 crushed egg shells, 2 Crushed Aspirin, One handful of Bone meal.   Pinch off any leaves that will be below soil and plant tomato so that half of its height is below the soil. Water, mulch, and stake.  Taking the time to plant carefully means less work later!

For more information, check out this awesome blog: http://www.growbetterveggies.com/growbetterveggies/2012/04/how-i-plant-a-t.html?utm_content=buffer329d2&utm_medium=social

Be consistent with daily watering and water at soil level slowly so you do not splash on the plant and encourage blight.  Do not allow to dry out and wilt as this decreases the health of your plant.  Do not over water.   Cage or stake up Indeterminate tomatoes as they grow to keep them off the ground and healthy.
                                                                                                               

Companions: Basil, Calendula, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Carrots, Onion, Garlic, Borage, Bee Balm

Happy Gardening!!

Seedlings For Sale 2015

Update 5/7: 

We are completely sold out of plants for the 2015 season!  

Thank you all so much for another amazing seedling sale!

Melody Acres Hobby Farm

Organic Heirloom Seedlings 2015

Tomatoes

~ Pink Bumblebee (New) Extraordinarily beautiful rose-colored fruits with gold striping. Juicy and sweet with rich flavor perfect for caprese salads with basil, mozzarella and balsamic. Very versatile and sure to be a hit in mixed pints at CSAs and markets! Indeterminate • Resists cracking • 1.5” fruit.SOLD OUT

~ Gilbertie Paste  Rich, meaty and delicious! Beloved variety our customers praise year after year. Long, slender shape with characteristically green shoulders and a slight crook in the neck. Narrow fruits average 7” long with very solid, rich-flavored flesh that makes excellent sauces and soups. Very small seed cavity.SOLD OUT

~ Roma Productive plum tomato with great disease resistance! Vigorous and strong, producing heavy yields of picture-perfect, thick-walled fruit with deep red color and mild flavor. A good choice for a commercial variety, as well as in the garden. Determinate • Vigorous • 4-6 oz. SOLD OUT

~ Matt’s Wild - Cherry Copious quantities of small, deep red cherries with exceptional flavor. Matt’s keeps producing prolifically when every other tomato in the field is down for the count with Early Blight. Pick frequently as skin is thin and cracks easily. Trellis or let sprawl and naturalize. Shows moderate field tolerance to Late Blight. Indeterminate • .25 oz. SOLD OUT

~ Ralphie’s Oxheart – (Melody Acres Exclusive.)  Large prolific pink tomato with green shoulders.  Sweet meaty tomato with very few seeds.  It is not unusual for these tomatoes to get over 2lbs each!  Pick when just starting to turn pink and allow to ripen inside. This is hands down the best tasting tomato we sell!SOLD OUT

~ Dr. Oxheart (New- Melody Acres Exclusive!) – Mild tasting pink Oxheart, medium size. Old family heirloom seed from Italy were given to Melody Acres last year to germinate.  We are proud to offer such a rare heirloom in our collection. SOLD OUT

~ Yellow Melody Cherry Bright yellow cherries produce early and abundantly on compact plants. One inch fruits are juicy with mild, non-acidic flavor. Skin is thinner than similar varieties in our trials, yet more resistant to cracking. Developed by Dr. James Bagget at Oregon State University. Determinate • SOLD OUT

~ Orange Grape Orange with sensational juicy, sweet flavor. Finally an organic rival for the beloved Sungold! A medium-sized orange grape with slightly thicker skin than Sungold.  SOLDOUT

~ Indigo Rose Stunning edible and ornamental tomato that ripens to jet black with purple tinged foliage. Clusters of 6-8 firm ebony fruits. Vigorous and disease-resistant. Bred by Dr. Jim Myers through the high-flavonoid breeding program at OSU. PVP Semi-determinate • Good container variety • 2-2.5 oz SOLDOUT

~ Black Trifele  Striking, unique pear-shaped tomato with narrow green shoulders and purple-black color. A farmers’ market and garden favorite with smooth, meaty, velvety texture. Gourmet flavor is often described as dense, smoky, chocolatey. You may, for a moment, forget that you are merely tasting a tomato. Prolific, potato leaf plants. Indeterminate • Gourmet variety • Prolific • 4-6 oz..SOLD OUT

Peppers

~ Golden California Wonder Yellow Bell Deep orange, thick-walled with high yields and good fruit set in cool conditions. Sturdy, upright 22-30” plants are everbearing and pendant. Very similar to California Wonder with an earlier maturity date. One of the best open pollinated orange-yellow peppers available! Cool-tolerant • Early • 4-4.5” fruits.  SOLDOUT

~ King of the North Red Bell Reliable set of green to glossy red fruits in short seasons. Improved for a higher percentage of blocky, thick-walled, early ripening peppers each with three to four lobes. Known for its ability to produce good sized peppers in short, cool seasons. Strong plants support heavy yields. Early • Upright habit • 3-4” fruits. SOLD OUT

Tomatillo

~ Purple  Rare purple tomatillo with exceptional appearance and excellent distinctive taste. Much sweeter than the green types with superb flavor eaten fresh from the plant, grilled, or in salsa. Deep violet skin color bleeds into bright green interior flesh. Harvest after the papery husk has split, when fruits are golf ball-sized and skin has turned purple. Semi-determinate.SOLD OUT

Ground Cherry

~ Aunt Molly’s Sweet, tropical-tasting gold berries wrapped in paper husks add magic to your garden. Bushy plants grow 2.5-3’ tall. When ripe, the husk around the fruit becomes papery dry and the fruit falls off the plant to pick picked up from the ground. Some people place a tarp underneath the plants to make harvesting easier, but either way the husks keep the fruit clean. Trellis or let sprawl • Bushy, spreading habit. SOLDOUT

Eggplant

~ Listada di Gandia  Stunning magenta-striped Italian eggplant for a beautiful display. Very productive plants produce abundant tender, delicious fruits with unusually thin skin. Egg-shaped petite fruits fit in the palm of your hand and are great for smaller portions. Holds its color even at large sizes. Gourmet appeal • 3-5” fruit. SOLD OUT

~ Ping Tung Long Easy-to-grow Asian eggplants are long and slender with tender magenta skin. This variety can yield up to 20 fruits per plant and are vigorous and stress-tolerant. Slim fruits average 1-2” wide; plants should be staked for straight fruit. Very tender skin does not need to be peeled. Productive • 12-18” fruit. SOLDOUT

~ Little Finger Slender, petite eggplants fantastic for grilling. Dark purple skin is thin and tender. Flesh has a silky texture with few seeds and mildly sweet flavor needing very little cooking time. Harvest when fruit is young and glossy. A great variety for large containers! Early • Productive • 3-6” fruit.SOLD OUT

How we grow seedlings for you: All of our seed, soil, and fertilizer are certified organic.  All of our seeds are Non-GMO.  We never use any pesticide or anything that is not organic and natural on our plants. Each plant comes to you in an 18oz red plastic cup that you can clean and bring back to us when you pick up your plants next year.  We appreciate you recycling!

We believe in sustainable permaculture. Our collaboration with nature provides organic seedlings and food that give back to our health and the health of our planet. We are always learning and growing!

Thank you for shopping locally and sustainably!

A Guide for Planting Seeds Indoors

I have been starting my own seeds for many years now and have had just about everything go wrong, from leggy seedlings and overwatering, to the dreaded dampening off and Fungus Gnats.  After many years of learning from my mistakes, I finally have a system that works perfectly everytime.  I love to grow and sell seedlings, but I love it even more when I can help others find success in starting their own seeds.  I began starting my own seeds for many of the same reasons people now buy my seedlings.  I desperately wanted Organic Non-GMO vegetables to feed my family.  I also wanted more variety and quality heirloom vegetables that taste amazing.   I know many of you want the same things, and because I get so many seed starting questions, I've decided to dedicate a group of new blog posts to help new and experienced gardeners alike avoid some of the pitfalls of seed starting without a greenhouse.

~Here's how we start our indoor seeds at Melody Acres~

1. We grow so many seedlings we set up a large table and put a heated blanket on it to keep the soil temperature warm.  When we were just growing a few flats of seeds we used a seedling warming mat or a regular heating pad set on low.

2. We like to add plastic over the top so that any spilled water doesn't sit on the wood of the table.

3. Now it's time to gather everything you'll need.
      - Clean sterile Containers (preferably with a plastic top, but plastic wrap will work fine)
      - Organic Starting soil
      - Pen/ paper/ tape (For marking plants)
      - Seeds
      - Water spray bottle
      - Large pan for soil baking
      - Aluminum Foil
      - Cinnamon

4.  Now it's time to sterilize your soil!  Once I started doing this with my soil I never had problems with dampening off.  Dampening off is a term for seedling death due to any number of fungal diseases.  This is why you need to start with quality seed starting organic soil.  Trust me, you need to sterilize it even if the bag says it's sterile.  Nothing is worse than spending time and money on good seeds only to have them sprout and wither and die shortly after.

You can either bake your soil or microwave it.  It really doesn't matter which one you choose, but you need to get it hot enough to kill anything that may harm your plants.

Microwave method:  Cut a few vent holes in the top of your bag and pop it in the microwave for 6 minutes on high.  Pull bag out and allow to cool enough so you can work with it. (Don't wait until it is completely cooled.  The seeds love the warm soil and respond by germinating faster.)

Oven Method:  Pour soil into an oven safe pan and cover with foil.  Bake at 200 F for about 30 minutes or until the soil temperature reaches 180 F.  (Don't just continue to cook soil. Soil temperatures above 200F can release toxins)

 5.  Spread warm soil into containers and poke holes for seeds.  (You can also just sprinkle your seeds and add soil if you would like.  The seed we use always germinates so we just plant one per slot so we can transplant later and not thin our seedlings.)  (Always use clean containers and sterilize them with a weak bleach/water solution)

6.  Plant seeds to depth indicated on seed package then cover with soil.

7.  Fill your water bottle with warm water and spritz soil until evenly damp.

8. Sprinkle top of soil with cinnamon.  Cinnamon is a natural antifungal and will help prevent your seedlings from dampening off if any fungus remains in the soil after sterilization.  Don't skip this step!  Cinnamon in big containers is cheap when buying from warehouse stores.

9. Cover and place on heating pad and you're done!

Look for your cover to fog up.  This is how you know your soil is warming.  Check once a day to be sure the soil is wet. I water when the soil just starts to change from black to light brown.  Don't let your soil completely dry out.  If you have it covered, watering every two days is sufficient until seedlings emerge. Don't overwater.

Now what to do once seedlings emerge?  Check for my next blog!