S3E4 What to know before buying plants, How much to plant for a yr of food, Guest Ellen Polishuk

Replay of The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener Radio Show from 3-23-19
Heard on 860AM WNOV & W293cx 106.5FM Milwaukee, WI Saturday mornings 9-10AM CST
Heard on WAAM 1600 AM Ann Arbor, MI Sundays 7-8AM est
Heard on WWDB 860 AM Philadelphia, PA Sundays 7-8AM est
Starting April 2nd Heard on KMET 1490 AM Tuesdays 9 - 10 AM pst Banning, CA
listen here during show hours for your station:
WNOV https://tinyurl.com/y8lwd922
WWDB: https://wwdbam.com/
WAAM https://tinyurl.com/p68cvft

Check out https://thewisconsinvegetablegardener.com/

Contact Joey and Holly:
Email them at [email protected]
Reach the show anytime through the Instant access text hotline 414-368-9311
Thank you for listening and downloading the show.

Topics: Joey and Holly talks Talk about in segment 1 what you need to know before buying plants at your local nursery.

Things to be aware of when buying plants from your local garden center or nursery (we will reference Bluemel’s)
1. Not every plant they sell can be planted outside in your area year round – tropicals, other zones, citrus, etc
2. If it doesn’t look healthy doesn’t mean you can make it healthy – look for signs of disease
3. We recommend go to an independent garden center vs a garden department at a big box store
4. Don’t be afraid to talk to the staff and ask questions – they are there to help – google may not give you everything you need to know
5. Don’t buy vegetables in full bloom
6. Look at all your options – they may have a variety that will work better for you than what you went in for
7. garden center that values and promotes education
8. Determine what you will do with said plant before you buy it – don’t buy just because you might have a spot for it
-Pay attention to the quality of employees you see as it reflects a lot about the business itself. If the employees seem to not care, neither does the management.

-Do not be shocked if you see a plant or two with bugs or signs of a disease. ALL garden centers (even the good ones) have to battle these issues and it is hard to be perfect when you are maintaining thousands of plants! Shop with caution, but stay away from garden centers where majority of their inventory seems infected.

-Don’t be afraid to offer your suggestions and input. Garden centers with solid management will appreciate hearing from their customers. Tell them what you like/dislike. Don’t forget to compliment as well!

-If you purchase a plant and then experience issues- notify the garden center as soon as you see any signs of plant distress. 9 out of 10 times a good garden center will be able to address and solve the problem. Don’t let the problem persist as your issue may then progress to the point of being un-reversable.

In segment 2 Joey and Holly talk about how much food do you need to grow for a year worth of food.
How much to plant for a year of food

How Much to Plant (For a Family of 4)
Asparagus 40 Plants Perennial
Beets 10' Spring and Fall Crop
Broccoli 5 Plants Cool Season Crop
Brussels Sprouts 5 Plants Cool Season Crop
Beans, Bush 15' Succession Plant
Beans, Pole 3 Poles Single Planting
Cabbage 5 Plants Spring and Fall Crop
Carrots 10' Succession Plant
Cauliflower 5 Plants Spring and Fall Crop
Chard 5 Plants Re-Grows after Harvesting Outer Leaves
Corn 15' Succession Plant and Multiple Varieties
Cucumbers 2 hills Single Planting
Greens 10' Spring and Fall Crop
Kale 5 Plants Single Planting
Lettuce, Leaf 10' Succession Plant
Onions 5' Single Planting
Peas 10' Succession, Spring and Fall
Peppers 3 Plants Single Planting
Radishes 5' Succession Plant
Squash, Summer 2 Hills Single Planting, Multiple Varieties
Tomatoes 5 Plants Single Planting, Multiple Varieties
Turnips 10' Spring and Fall Crop

In Segment 3 Joey and Holly welcome their guest Ellen Polishuk
Ellen Polishuk is a biological farm consultant and teacher. She helps farmers,(continued)