Into the Garden Week 13

Plant of the Week 

Love it or hate it, okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is more than just a veg. I plant okra primarily for its flowers—gorgeous butter-yellow blooms with purple centers. Part of the Hibiscus family, okra reaches 3 feet tall and loves full sun. Unfortunately, each flower only lasts for one day. If you’re like me (pro-okra) you’ll enjoy popping some fresh okra in your mouth while tending to your beds. Who doesn’t love a surprise snack? All seeds available https://www.johnnyseeds.com/

Guest

Diane Burns, head gardener at Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards, oversees a big vegetable garden. Divided into three sections (herbs, greens and lettuces, and large vegetables), all produce grown goes straight to the Pippin Hill kitchen. Diane weighs in on the nitty-gritty of large-scale vegetable gardening: hand-watering, compost fertilization, weeding, and more. Her favorite tomatoes include the aesthetically pleasing Striped German tomato, heirlooms like Carbon and Cherokee Purple, and the high-yielding disease-resistant hybrid Mountain Fresh. Carbon is a black heirloom tomato with a good yield. She also recommends heat-tolerant lettuce like Skyphos, which she sows every 3 weeks throughout the season, and Starfighter to brave the Virginia heat. Encore is a cool season lettuce that is cut and comes right back.


I’m not much of a veg gardener myself, but Diane has me tempted! 

Playlist 

  • Irises are coming and going. Clip away shriveled buds to let the best blooms shine. 

  • Cut your peonies and get them set up indoors. Pssst, tune in for a peony hack.

  • Daffodil foliage driving you crazy? Make it look neater and more intentional by finger combing it in one direction. 

  • Keep pre-pruning your floppy chrysanthemums, tall phlox, sedums, etcetera. 

  • Deer control! You can mix your own spray or purchase ready-made products like Deer Stopper (spray) and Deer Scram (granules).

Listen