Vegetable growing

A couple weeks ago we discussed this year’s All-America Selections (AAS) flower winners. This week we’ll take a look at the seven vegetable award winners – six national winners and one regional winner. To see pictures of these and other great plants visit the All-America Selections website.

If you’re short on space, try your hand at creating a patio or container garden. Containers fit well on an apartment patio or balcony, as well as in larger landscapes. The key to being successful involves using large containers, a good growing media, and selecting vegetables and flowering plants sized right for growing in containers.

Container gardens are also a good alternative to help solve the following problems.

Many desserts will grace our holiday tables this week and for many carrot cake is a favorite - although pumpkin, sweet potato and pecan pie all get more attention during Thanksgiving. Carrots make a great side dish, too, as in honey glazed carrots, maple dill carrots or refreshing carrot cranberry salad.

Wouldn’t it be cool to grow your own carrots for next year’s Thanksgiving table? If you have never tried growing carrots in the past, give it a try next summer!

Nothing is more disappointing to the home vegetable gardener than to raise a tomato plant, finally have it loaded with fruit, when suddenly it wilts and dies. What could be the problem? Possible causes include lack of water, fungal wilt diseases, tomato spotted wilt virus, walnut toxicity and stalk borers.

As you give your vegetable garden a final fall cleanup this year, consider leaving some plant residues for wildlife and some plant stubble for pollinators.

This year All-America Selections announces four national vegetable award winners. To see pictures of these and other great plants visit the All-America Selection website.