Tag Archives


Ask Gardenerd: Saving Tomato Seeds and Blight

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Christy

A question came in to Ask Gardenerd from Jeff Bremer this week: “This is a two-part question: 1. I save seeds from each year’s tomato crop to plant the following year. I can never get all the “meat” of the … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: When to Water?

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Christy

A question came in from Karen at Ask Gardenerd this week: “During these very hot summer days, what’s the best time of day to water my vegetable garden?” Irrigation is key during hot weather in climates where rain is scarce. … Continue reading →

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Tomato Worms, Flies, and Flower Drop – Oh, My!

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Christy

Several questions came in all at once from David this week. He asks, “How do I get rid of flies that like to hang around in my back yard and bask in the sunlight? Also, why would my tomato plants … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: Protecting Blackberries

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Christy

We got a good one from Ask Gardenerd this week: “Hello, our blackberries are thriving this year, probably because of all the rain we got in SoCal, but I am afraid the birds will get them before us, like they … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: Pruning Blackberries

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Christy

As we look into the corner of the Gardenerd Test Garden, we see the need for blackberry pruning. Someone else in the Gardenerd community did the same thing and asked: “I believe you mentioned it is time to prune blackberries, … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: Tap Water Concerns

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Christy

Here’s a question urban gardeners ask themselves at least once while standing next to a garden hose as the smell of chlorine wafts across the yard. George from Wisconsin proposed it this week on Ask Gardenerd (edited for length): “Hi, … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: How to Get More Volunteer Tomatoes

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Christy

I do believe my favorite question to date just came in to Ask Gardenerd from Jeff Bremer: “Hi Christy, How do I encourage volunteers? Over the years in my tomato garden, a few volunteers would appear each season. Last year, … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: Citrus Fruit Tree Care

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Christy

The questions keep flowing in this time of year. Here’s the latest from Jim: “How much water and fertilizer do I need for 2 y o blood orange tree. And do those minimums change in hot or cold weather? My … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: Pruning Tomatoes

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Christy

Summer is the perfect time for this question from Jeff Bremer: “Hi Christy, What’s your opinion on pinching-off the “branches” that sprout out of tomato plants? Some of my friends don’t pinch at all, but my neighbor pinches his plants … Continue reading →

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Ask Gardenerd: What’s Eating My Cabbage and Spinach?

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Christy

Ah, pests. Here at Gardenerd, we like to say that having a garden without pests is like having children and expecting them to be well behaved all the time. It’s unrealistic. Most garden pests are telling us something, and the … Continue reading →

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