Can I Grow Blueberries In Utah?

Sorry.  You cannot.  Blueberry plants have some specific needs that our soil and climate cannot provide.  You can try and there are nurseries that will sell you the blueberry plants and tell you  "yes, you can grow blueberries in Utah".
But you cannot.
Here is an article explaining the science behind why you cannot grow blueberries in Utah from Utah State University.  They don't come right out and say you can't.  But when you read about the lengths to which you would need to go in order to grow blueberries in Utah . . . ya, no.  It's way too involved.
Your time, money, effort and garden space will be put to better use growing things that do well here.  Raspberries, strawberries and blackberries can all be grown in Utah.

raspberries will grow in utah

Tomato Harvest 2017! Time for pico de gallo!

September is here and the tomato harvest is ON.  This year I only grew one tomato plant, but it just keeps cranking out big ripe tomatoes!  A friend gave me a bunch of heirloom tomatoes, too.  I'll be making my favorite salsa today:

Pico de Gallo:

chopped fresh tomatoes
chopped onion
chopped cilantro
chopped jalapeno (and serano, if you like it hot)
lime juice and salt

  Maybe the super hot summer made for a bumper crop this year!

heirloom tomatoes - Utah harvest!

Utah tomato harvest - 2017

5 Ways To Save Money In The Vegetable Garden

vegetable garden in Salt Lake City

Vegetable gardening has some costs.  There are things you need to buy in order to experience the magic of growing your own food.  Hopefully you will harvest enough food from the garden to offset the monetary inputs.  Most certainly, you will reap the immeasurable benefits of joy and satisfaction when you sit down to a plate of food that came from the garden you nurtured.

Here are 5 ways you can save money in your vegetable garden:

1 - plant things from seeds when you can.  Plants are relatively expensive and seeds will produce plants at a fraction of the cost.
2 - be efficient with water.  Drip systems are perfect for the vegetable garden.
3 - be efficient with the harvest.  Money and time (and your blood, sweat and tears) have gone into this garden.  What a terrible waste if you don't utilize the fruits of the harvest.  If there is too much for you and your family, share it with friends and neighbors.  Or do some canning and preserving.  Your local food pantry will welcome any fresh produce you have to offer.
4 - compost.  Make your own compost to feed the soil and plants in your garden.  It's much cheaper than buying it.
5 - go organic.  Use organic methods to feed your soil and plants and to control pests and weeds.  Pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and plant foods are expensive and can damage your soil in the long run.

When Can I Plant Seeds In The Garden In Utah? Get To Know Your Average Last Frost Date

garden seeds!!

Winter is a great time to plan your vegetable garden and buy seeds.  It's important to prepare for the timing of the plantings as well as the locations.  The calendar for planting seeds directly in the garden revolves around the average last frost date in your area:

-  This is the date marking the end of freezing nights (in late spring).
-  It's safe for the rest of the summer to grow tender plants outside in the garden.  
-  Some seeds can be planted weeks or months before this date and some seeds can only be planted after this date.

Along the Wasatch Front, the average last frost date is around the middle of May.  (Mother's Day is a good way to remember it).   A great way (maybe the best way) to find out the date for your specific area is to ask some of your gardening neighbors.

Once you know the average last frost date for your area, you can plan your seed planting.  Here are some tips:
     - read the directions on the back of your seed packets.  There is a lot of information on the package about how to sow, thin and water the seeds.
     - the seed packets will tell you how many weeks before or after the average last frost date you should plant the seeds.  This will help you with your planting calendar.
      - save the seed packets so you can remember the varieties of vegetables you planted and the dates you planted them.   You can refer to the instructions if needed.  You can make notes about successes and failures.
     - check with your local independent garden center to see if they have a spring planting guide.  It's a chart that tells you when to plant what in your area.  Here is a link to an example of a planting guide from Utah State University.  And here is a link to a post on this blog about which seeds to start indoors and which seeds to plant in the ground.
Here is a picture of some helpful instructions on a seed packet:

seed packets have planting instructions

 seed packets have lots of gardening information

Utah Peaches

September is peach season in Utah.  The Wasatch Front has excellent growing conditions for peaches.  Fortunately for us, there are local farmers growing many delicious varieties.  You can do a lot of great things with peaches;  jams, pies, chutney, salsa, etc.   But sometimes the best thing is to just eat them fresh.

Fresh Utah Peaches

Can I Grow Strawberries in Utah?

Oh, yes!  Strawberries can be grown in Utah!  In fact, Pleasant Grove Utah still hosts an annual "Strawberry Days" festival every June.  Even though strawberries are no longer grown there commercially, the tradition lives on.
I have never grown strawberries however my friend has and I have observed them (and tasted them!) over the years.  They are delicious!
The main problem with growing strawberries is harvesting them before the birds get them!  You will want to purchase some bird netting to keep them away from the ripening berries.
Also, when the berries are ripening and getting heavier, they sometimes touch the ground where moisture and bugs can get access to them, causing damage and rot.  Some kind of mulch (like fresh straw) will keep the berries off the bare soil.
There are June-bearing varieties and ever-bearing varieties.  It seems as though the June-bearing might be best for our climate as our summers are too hot for the ever-bearing.
Here is a link to an article from Utah State University Extension about growing strawberries.

Strawberries growing in Utah

Strawberry Flower

When Should I Plant Onions In Utah?

Hurray for onions!!!  The official state vegetable of Utah is the Spanish Sweet Onion!  Onions do very well in our climate and soil and are still grown commercially in some places along the Wasatch Front.  Late March and early April is the time to plant onions in Utah.  Local garden centers will usually carry onion sets (little tiny bulbs - they look like tiny onions) and onion starts (sprouted onion plants - they look like scallions or green onions).  I have planted onion sets and onion starts and they both work just fine.   There is a lot of good information online about onions and many sources for different varieties of onions.  Dixondale Farms is a fantastic website with tons of info about growing onions - different onions for different areas of the country.  They also sell onion starts and they will ship them to you.  Here is some interesting information about onions in Utah.  And here is more info on growing onions in Utah. 

onion sets (little bulbs) and onion starts (little sprouts)

Support Local Utah Agriculture - Visit Your Local Farmer's Market!

The Wasatch Front has some of the best farmland in Utah!  However, in recent years, many farms have disappeared to make way for population growth and development.  If we support the farms that remain by buying fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, we will help those farmers stay in business!  And they will be able to continue providing us with fantastic produce in the future!  Visit your local Farmer's Market soon and thank the growers for doing what they do!

Fresh Produce at the Farmer's Market

Homemade Jam - Fresh Local Utah Fruit!

A few weeks ago I made raspberry jam!  I bought fresh Bear Lake raspberries from the local fruit stand and the jam is awesome.  It's not too late to find local raspberries, blackberries, peaches, pears and other excellent fruits to turn into jam!  Jam is EASY to make - cooked jam and freezer jam.  The recipes and instructions on how to make jam are included in the package of liquid pectin, Ball or Certo brands.

Fresh Bear Lake Raspberries

This Is The Place . . .To Grow Peaches!

I planted this peach tree two years ago and it is now almost as tall as I am.  Last year it produced 2 delicious peaches.  This year it has about 19 peaches.  I've been calling it the "Charlie Brown Peach Tree" because it looks like the peaches are going to pull it right over!
Peaches do very well in Utah.  They are grown commercially on the Wasatch Front -  Brigham City is famous for it's peaches!  Visit Brigham City's Peach Days festival in September and celebrate all things peaches.

J H Hale - Excellent Freestone Peach