1. Do not plant strawberries in soils where eggplants, peppers, potatoes or tomatoes have been recently cultivated. All these plants are likely to host Verticillium albo-atrum and V. dahliae, fungi that causes Verticillium Rot in strawberry plants. Make sure the site you’ve picked for planting strawberries hasn’t been home to any of these plants for at least 3 years.

2. Do not over fertilize. It’s one of the most common mistakes that gardeners make, and end up with more flowers than fruit. I’d recommend mixing good quantities of organic material to the soil a couple of days from planting. Fertilize twice a year, once at the start of the growing season and then after harvesting the strawberries.

3. Do not allow the sun to harm the yield. Strawberries do relish plenty of sunlight but too much heat can affect the fruit. I’ve seen gardens filled with soft, pink strawberries that just don’t turn red. This is caused by sunburn. If you live in a warm region, I’d suggest you use canopies to protect the fruits from the afternoon sun.

4. Do not over irrigate. Strawberries normally require about 1 inch of water every week during the growing season. Time successive waterings such that the soil is always moist but never wet.

5. And finally, do not neglect your plants. Strawberries thrive on regular care. Show them some affection and they’ll reward you well!

After much deliberation and determination, we are happy to announce the winner of the best “critter” photo is none other than…Tara Back! Her up close shot of a busy bee won us over.

Great photo, Tara!

The other winner was picked by YOU! The taker of the photo with the most “likes” (and positive comments) is none other than…Michele Fitts Barnaby! Her funny chicken photo won the hearts of the fans:

Congratulations to both of you! You have each won free $25 Gift Certificate to Gurney’s Seed & Nursery! We will also notify the winners privately so they can claim their prizes.

Our next photo contest will be held from August 9th – August 16th, so get ready…the topic is “Kids in the Garden!”

The prize will be a FREE $100 Gift Certificate to Gurney’s Seed & Nursery! Just in time for Fall Shipping!

So get those cameras ready…

Most people have never heard of pawpaws. This is likely due to the fact that, while pawpaw trees are easy to grow, pawpaw fruit is very tender and does not stay ripe for very long after being picked. That’s why you wont see pawpaw fruit at the grocery store. All the more reason to grow pawpaw trees in your backyard! You can impress your friends and neighbors with this exotic fruit at parties and get togethers.

This video is an up-close look at pawpaw fruit. Felix, our horticultural expert, demonstrates how to cut and serve pawpaw fruit. He even shares a recipe for pawpaw ice cream! If you’re interested in growing your very own pawpaw tree, click here for a great deal.

Hosted by Felix, our leading horticultural expert, the new videos cover topics ranging from spring pruning to winter clean up! We show you how to prune peach trees, apple trees, bush cherry trees, grape vines, blackberry plants, pear trees, and more!  We talk about container gardening, indoor citrus care tips, and even blueberries.

Below is one of our new videos about How to Prune an Old, Neglected, Out of Control Peach Tree. Make sure you check back often, or bookmark our channel!

So you want to grow tomatoes, but you don’t know where to start. With so many different varieties, it can be a bit confusing at first. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be planting tomato seeds and plants with ease in no time!

First things first, what the heck is a Hybrid tomato, what is an heirloom tomato, and what’s the difference? A “hybrid” plant is when plant breeders cross-breed compatible types of plants, usually in an effort to create something better or distinctive. Most modern vegetables are the result of cross-breeding, which is a good thing, because horticultural experts, especially the ones here at Gurney’s, are always coming up with great new plant breeds.

An “heirloom” plant is one that has been saved, grown for a period of years, and passed down from generation to generation, remaining genetically intact.

Some people favor heirloom tomatoes, and swear by their diversity and distinct, flavorful taste. Others champion hybrid tomatoes, citing their improved disease resistance, reliability and consistency. Here at Gurney’s, we like ‘em both! We carry tons of different hybrid and heirloom tomato seed and plants in order to give you, the customer, a choice. After all, it’s your garden, and you know what’s best!

This spring, we are introducing a new sweet corn variety: Gotta Have It White! It has all the same outstanding taste and qualities of the extremely popular bicolor favorite in a new white corn variety. Juicy kernels, long shelf life, and of course, incredibly sweet flavor!

Our customers have always raved about our Gotta Have It sweet corn. It’s been a customer favorite since its introduction! And now, due to its popularity and versatility, we are expanding our Gotta Have It options for those who prefer a white variety without losing any of the great flavor.

If you’ve ever grown our Gotta Have It sweet corn, feel free to leave a comment and let everyone know what you think! Is it as sugar-sweet as we claim?

Some people don’t know what to think when they hear the words “treated seed.” Is that a good thing? Is it bad? What does “treated” mean? Why is this blogger pretending that I am vicariously asking questions through him?

Well, folks, I’m here to dispel any predispositions you may have about treated seed. The truth is this: treated seed is a very good thing! It simply provides extra protection against less than ideal growing conditions. That means you can plant earlier without the worry of rotting seed from cold, wet early spring weather. This treatment also ensures better germination as well as enhanced resistance to soil-borne diseases and fungi.

When I heard that we were introducing treated seed in our spring 2010 catalog, I was very excited. Treated seed is so much easier to grow, because it has a hard coating to enhance germination and plant strength. This hard coating protects the seed until soil temperatures reach the proper temperature, which allows you to plant the seed earlier than you normally would. The coating also protects against diseases and fungus.

And now, for the first time, all of our pea seed and sweet corn seed varieties are treated, including customer favorite, Gotta Have it Hybrid Sweet Corn! Check out all of our pea seed varieties here, and all of our sweet corn varieties here.

My personal new favorite this year is our new Seed Starting Kit, which allows you to quickly, easily and successfully start all kinds of seeds. Each kit contains everything you need for fast germination and vital root growth. I’ll talk more about this cool kit in my next post, which will also include some great seed starting tips!

The new Spring Catalog will feature all of your familiar favorites, including our popular Ka-Bluey™ Blueberry, Gotta Have It™ Sweet Corn, and Flat Wonderful™ Peach, in addition to some new favorites and surprises.

To receive your FREE copy of the 2010 Spring Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Catalog, or to place an order, click here!