Victory gardens hold a piece of American history. They emerged during a time when food shortages were a very real problem we were facing in the U.S. during World War I and II. Civilians were encouraged to “Grow for Victory” to grow and harvest their own victory produce so that more commercially produced food could be sent to our troops. This was, of course, pre-Facebook sharing era, so the message was passed around in women’s groups and local groups. The government provided pamphlets on how to take care of these war gardens and how to preserve and can foods. Eventually, […]
Author: Jaclyn Johnsen
Honeyberry: The Edible Blue Honeysuckle
What we call Honeyberries are actually a type of fruiting Honeysuckle – Lonicera caerulea, some of which are native to our Pacific Northwest. Haskaps, as they are also called, is the name used by the native Ainu people of the northern islands of Japan, where other subspecies also grow. Their word for them, “Haskaps” translates to “Edible Blue Honeysuckle”. Pretty simple and descriptively accurate. These shrubby fruit-forming honeysuckles are an exciting new option for home gardeners and farm-stand growers. Honeyberries are tough, cold-hardy plants that produce loads of soft, sweet blue elongated berries that can be used and eaten just […]
Asparagus: An Easy Growing Guide
Asparagus is a long-lived perennial plant that can live and produce for a generation if done properly. Preparation is the most important part. Because asparagus is such a long-lived plant, you basically have one shot, at planting to get it right. Our growing guide will provide you with the information you need to help your asparagus get started correctly. Soil Testing Asparagus prefers full sun and soil that is slightly alkaline. Soil pH should be in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 for the best production. Have a soil test done and adjust with recommended amendments as needed. You should […]
Cool Season Crops: Growing Tips
Plucking a bright red, plump, and juicy tomato off the vine with the warm summer sun beating down on the back of your neck is the type of pleasant act most folks associate with gardening. There is no question that warm weather crops like sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, and watermelon are some of our favorite and most recognizable types of produce that we love to harvest out of our gardens. However, the other half or more of the veggies we love to grow are known as cool-season crops. What Are Cool Seasons Crops Cool-season crops prefer to grow in temperatures […]
Starting Annual Flower Seeds Indoors
How exciting it is to hold seeds in the palm of your hand. The anticipation and promise of summer encapsulated in a tiny seed. A seed that can become a lovely plant hoisting big, bold brightly-colored fragrant blooms! But wait, first things first. Sowing seeds for annual flowering plants is no different than starting vegetable garden seeds. There are 3 critical things that all seeds require to germinate. Water, proper temperature, and oxygen. For annual flower seeds, the other important component is light or darkness, which we will discuss in a minute. How the gardener provides these will decide how […]
Tree Pruning Techniques & Best Practices
The best time to prune fruit trees is when they are in a dormant to semi-dormant state in late winter to early spring. It is important to do tree pruning during late winter while trees are not actively growing, and neither are disease pathogens. Remember, pruning stimulates growth, if done too early in winter and severe cold weather ensues, trees can be damaged or even killed. Do not rush it. As long as the tree buds have not broken, the tree is dormant enough for pruning. The pruning process is basically the same for ornamental trees as it is for […]
15 New Rose Varieties For Spring 2021
Red roses are the popular choice of flowers for Valentine’s Day as a symbol of love. However, there are many colors and types of roses. At Jung Seed, we have carefully selected 15 new varieties for this year. Each with its own unique color and fragrance for you and your loved ones to enjoy. New Climbing Roses Cloud 10 Climbing Rose (P.P.24295) Full and fluffy blooms resemble English roses. This disease-resistant, small climber produces a heavy flush of 4 to 5 inch, white blooms in spring, and then re-blooms throughout the rest of the season. Frows 7 to 8 feet […]
Growing Perfect Peas
Early spring weather is sometimes cool, inclement, and downright gray. Perfect for peas! If you are a fair-weather gardener, well then, you’ll have to buy your peas at the market. On the other hand, if you want to partake in the best, sweetest tasting peas you have ever had, you will have to ignore or brave the weather and get outdoors in early spring. Of course, early spring planting required additions of proper soil amendments and preparation for peas back in the fall. Major soil cultivation in early spring is important to avoid, especially in clay-loam soils. Excessive compaction becomes […]
Seed Germination Guide
For new gardeners, the first step of growing a beautiful and productive garden may seem to be the most difficult. How to start plants from seeds? In actuality, the germination of vegetable seeds is the most straightforward part of growing a garden. You just need to understand what seeds need and the correct tools to do it with. Gardening is a noble, intellectual, and passionate pursuit that anyone can do, and it all starts from an ordinary, humble seed. What is a seed? By definition, a seed is “the fertilized, matured ovule of a flowering plant, containing an embryo or […]
22 Easy To Grow Vegetable Seeds
Last year we saw more new people join our Jung gardening family than ever before! Helping gardeners on their growing journey is one of our favorite parts of the job. An aspect of garden planning that can be challenging to all gardeners is what varieties of seeds to try in their garden. There are thousands of choices and plenty of time and research can go into this decision. To help our gardening friends find the answer to the ongoing questions of what should I grow? And which seeds varieties are best for my garden? We created a new seed collection […]