All of your vegetable garden questions are answered by the one, the only, Farmer Wayne

Who is Farmer Wayne?

Ten years before Wisconsin became a state, my family had settled in Racine County. It was 1838 when they planted family roots into the Township of Raymond. Most of the land was still government owned at this time. The pioneers of my family bought 400 acres, and started a farm. Farm life carried on through the family tree, all the way up to Farmer Wayne.

I’m proud to say that, Farmer Wayne, is my dad. He’s a 7th generation farmer. Not only was he the fire chief for Raymond Rescue, he also served many years as the Town Chairman and other positions on the town board.  He is well respected and quite the fixture in the Township of Raymond.

When I grew up with Farmer Wayne as my father, farm life was all I knew. My dad was the best farmer to me! I remember cruising on the tractor with him from one field to the next. I remember him teaching me how to plant the fields, keep weeds out and harvest.

As we started growing less in the fields, and more in the greenhouses, I could see he missed his farming days. Today, he now grows a 5 acre garden. He tills it, tends it, and harvests it. He mainly gives most of it away because there is so much! Having the garden is his outlet. Farming is in his blood. Five acres is just enough to be able to bring out that good old tractor that he loves to drive. As soon as he is on that tractor, its like sunshine on a cloudy day. Today, he still owns and works full time at,  Wayne’s Daughters Greenhouses.

Now that you know who Farmer Wayne is, and why his knowledge is so imperative for us to learn from, lets get started on answering those real questions that were asked by real people!

 

Question: In a vegetable garden, what should not be planted together?

Farmer Wayne: Just don’t plant tall vegetable plants in front of short vegetable plants. They all need full sun to produce a yield. Being a farmer, I never had a bad experience planting anything next to each other. Now that I am gardening on a smaller scale, a 5 acre garden, I still have not had anything grow bad next to each other. If you are planting a small garden where everything has to be planted fairly close, there are some people who claim some vegetables shouldn’t be planted together. Mainly due to pests and fungal infections.

Casey: Now, I claim that I have a really green thumb, but on this topic, I’m just lucky I guess. I’m lucky that I have never had a problem planting certain vegetables next to each other. Here is a great go to web page for information such as this, and it is very informative. Companion Planting Guide

Question: What Vegetables are Best for pots?

Farmer Wayne: You can really grow any vegetable you want in a pot. Just be sure to fertilize because they aren’t getting the nutrients in a pot, like a vegetable plant does planted in the ground. It needs food and nutrients. Use liquid fertilizer for this. Be sure to place a trellis in the planter for vining vegetables. Your Uncle T, (Yes, I have an Uncle T on the Italian side of my family) he grows tomatoes almost 10 ft high in pots.

Casey: My favorite things to grow in pots are peppers, tomatoes and lemons. Surprisingly, I don’t like growing herbs in pots. I personally feel they do best in the ground during the growing season. I have also found that peppers in containers don’t like a lot of water. Only water when dry, and never water at night.

Question: I have to move my Asparagus. Do I have to wait two years to harvest again?

Farmer Wayne: If you have to move them, then move them in spring time. Then, you have to wait two years to harvest. Just be sure to place them where you will never have to move them again.

Question: My root veggies don’t do well. They grow small and not very deep. What am I doing wrong?

Farmer Wayne: You may have a more clay based soil. Build up your soil and do a raised bed. Mix top soil and potting soil together so your soil isn’t as heavy.

Casey:  You can buy large bags of potting soil at Wayne’s Daughters Greenhouses for inexpensive. You know its the good stuff, because they sell the exact soil that they use in everything they grow.

Question: What herbs are perennials in our climate?

Farmer Wayne: Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, certain varieties of lavender, Mint (Very Invasive.)

Casey: Keep in mind, you can grow all herbs indoors during the winter months. Just keep them by a sunny window. Only water when dry, because they can easily be over watered when indoors. If you have questions on over watering, check out my article, ‘The Wilt’ from Over Watering

Question: Our Brussel Sprout plants always grow really well and hardy. No sign of disease or critters. The problem is, we never get actual sprouts to harvest. What are we doing wrong?

Farmer Wayne: Never had that problem. Keep in mind that brussel sprouts are a 110-120 day crop. This is longer than most. The harvest for brussel sprouts isn’t until late fall. Make sure you are seeding or planting this crop early enough to even get a crop off of them. If you still aren’t getting any, then I can’t honestly say what your problem is. Just make sure you are planting Brussels sprouts.

Casey: Farmer Wayne grows the best darn brussel sprouts! If this becomes an ongoing issue, feel free to ask for him during your next visit to Wayne’s Daughters Greenhouses. Also, keep in mind, if you buy your plants from a greenhouse that has their veggie plants shipped in, your plants may be stunted. Check out my article, ‘Shipped In VS Homegrown’

Question: Can vegetables help each other grow, if planted side by side.

Farmer Wayne:  There are some that believe so, and horticulturalists go into this topic in depth. Just stop over thinking your garden. I have never planted my gardens based on ‘what grows well next to each other’, and I always have an overabundance of fruits and vegetables. I just never plant the same thing in the same spot every year. Which is a farmer’s rule.

Casey: If you are looking to go by the book in your garden this year, follow the guidelines in the link I have attached for you to view.   Companion Planting.

Question: What is Farmer Wayne’s Favorite Vegetable? What does he do to ensure great quality?

Farmer Wayne: Who asked that question? (laughter) I’d have to say my favorite vegetable is corn. To ensure great quality, you have to start out with great seed. Don’t start off with some cheap stuff out of some store. I suggest Harris Moran Seed company. That’s what I use.

Casey: My dad is the seeder in the family business. He knows his stuff. Take his advice.

Question: What do I do about a low vegetable yield? I think it may be my soil. I have reaised beds and top soil was dumped in there 5 years ago.

Farmer Wayne: Take soil to county office and have tested. Use dry fertilizer, Triple 10 or triple 19. You can get it at Conserv FS in Kansasville. If you have specific questions on this, come out to the greenhouse and speak with me directly. I will get you all set up and on your way to a successful garden this year.

Casey: You may want to mix some potting soil into that topsoil as well. Fluff it up a little bit and give it some new nutrients.

Question: How do you prevent tomatoes from getting dry rot? Is it true if you pick away the growth between two stems it creates more fruit?

Farmer Wayne: Dry rot can come from a calcium deficiency. Use calcium, it’s a dry product that you throw in and mix around into your soil around that plant. You can get this at Conserv FS in Kansasville. Try not to water your plants at night. This may also be the reason for dry rot in your garden.
For your question on ‘pinching’ your tomato plant, there are pros and cons to that. I don’t think it produces more fruit. I haven’t found that to be proven. Being a farmer, and growing fields of tomatoes, I don’t have time to monkey around with that. I always end up with way more tomatoes than I need. Don’t create more work for yourself.

Casey: Sounds to me like Farmer Wayne just wants you to keep it simple, and go back to the basics. Be sure your tomatoes are always in full sun.

Question: Do you feed tomato plants? If so, what do you recommend?

Farmer Wayne: Yes. I do it twice a year. Right before I plant them, I toss out dry fertilizer. About three weeks later, I side dress the row of tomatoes.

Casey: Side dressing just means, sprinkle the dry fertilizer around each plant on the surface of the soil. Try doing this right before a rain forecast.

Question: What should I do about powdery mildew on pumpkins and other crop vines?

Farmer Wayne: Try to grow crops that are resistant. I get it every year and I still get lots of pumpkins, so I do nothing about it. If I were growing them again for a living, then I would be spraying them. There are a lot of products out there for powdery mildew. I always recommend Conserv FS in Kansasville.

Casey: Every fall, we all go out to Farmer Wayne’s pumpkin patch and pick pumpkins together. It has become a family tradition.

Question: How can I keep the bad bugs out of the garden? We are prone to horn worms, aphids, grubs and the Japanese beetle.

Farmer Wayne: I would suggest using a product called Sevin. That will take care of a lot of that stuff. Go to Conserv FS in Kansasville.

Casey: Be sure to always follow instructions on how to use products that get rid of pests.

Question: If there was one thing you would suggest for gardeners out there, what would it be?

Farmer Wayne: Grow gardens that are specifically for bees. There is such a shortage, and they play a very important role in fresh food.

Casey: There you have it. Farmer Wayne has answered your questions.  If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.   Follow Me On Facebook for live video demonstrations on gardening tips!