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Just who are you calling nasty?

by Elaine Cerny
| August 29, 2010 9:00 PM

One of my favorite annuals is the nasturtium. These are easy to grow and do best if the seeds are planted directly where you want them to grow. Having large seeds, they're fun and a cinch to plant. Even kids can do it. These were one of the first New World plants to become popular in Europe as the early conquistadors brought them back to Spain. They were first grown as a salad crop and vegetable. All parts are edible. Fancy restaurants often feature them on their menus.

Nasturtiums come in quite a few colors ranging from pale yellow through orange and gold to a cherry red. The foliage is very unusual, being round like a lily pad. Most nasturtiums have solid green foliage, but for an extra punch, try growing the old heirloom variety called Alaska. It has random splashes of white on each leaf. Most flowering plants love rich soil. Not these. If you are too good to them, you will get huge leaves, but few flowers. Give them lean soil and full sun and they're happy to bloom right up until the Ice Man Cometh.

I hate to say it, but we're just about out of summer. Time to cut the tops off those tall tomato plants. This will get their attention and they'll know its time to concentrate on ripening that green fruit. (Yes, tomatoes are considered fruits, not vegetables.)

If your petunias are getting long and straggly, with only a few blossoms at the tips of the vines, it's time to whack them in half. If you're feeling generous, give them a quick dose of fertilizer. Petunias are tough plants and don't croak at the first hint of frost as some of the other annuals do. Keep them watered and they'll bloom until we run out of luck, usually some time in October.

After picking raspberries daily for a solid month, I have to admit they're beginning to lose their charm. They've always been my favorite fruit, but enough already! I have frozen more containers than I can count. These ought to see us through until next summer. As for how many I've already eaten, well I'm taking the 5th on that one.

It's been great to have the hummingbirds back from wherever it is they go to nest. The young ones are so entertaining and gullible. One continually tries to sip nectar from my front porch flag.

The goldfinches have gone off now as they are late nesters. Sure, leave me after I've spent myself into the poorhouse keeping your feeder full of (expensive) thistle seed! They manage to spill more on the ground than they eat. Luckily, thistle seed is treated so it won't sprout. I wish they'd do that with sunflower seeds as those have managed to create an area of seedlings several feet across in the lawn.

If you'd like to have a few fall vegetables to munch on, now is the time to get them started. There are three that will do well: radishes, spinach and lettuce. You can plant the first two right into the ground and they should take right off. Lettuce is another story. Their seeds won't germinate in soil that's too warm. You'll need to plant them in a container indoors to get them going. Once they are an inch or two tall and have some true leaves, go ahead and plant them. If the weather is still hot and sunny, a bit of shade will be appreciated.

I've read that you can also trick lettuce seeds into germinating in the warm soil by laying a 2-by-4 on the row where they will grow. Leave it there for a day or two and then plant your seeds. Water well and replace the board. Check daily for sprouts. Remove the board once most of the seeds have come up.

You have my sympathy if you're fighting deer. As you well know, they will eat virtually anything if they're hungry. The best deterrents have always been a nice big outdoor dog who'll chase them off or a tall fence. The fence needs to be at least eight feet. Taller is even better. I'm hearing good things about the black mesh fence that blends into the background.

There are more types of deer deterrent sprays than you can count. The problem is that the deer get used to each of them after a week or two. Then you need to try a different kind. I had to laugh at the name of one of them. It's called Not Tonight Deer.

Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting as a kid in 4-H. Since then, she has always kept a garden of some sort, growing everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers and house plants. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states. She is an active member of the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls.