Eastern & Midwestern Regions

There’s nothing quite like a homegrown tomato! Store bought simply can’t compare to the exceptional freshness, quality, variety, and, most importantly, taste of a tomato that you grow yourself. Raised bed tomato growing makes the whole process, from soil to table, convenient and easy for the home gardener.

Why Raised Beds

Raised bed gardening offers a number of advantages over growing in the ground, these include:

• Improved soil conditions
• Earlier planting
• Easier maintenance
• Decreased garden pests
• Higher crop yield

Preparing Raised Beds

Growing vegetables in a raised bed is essentially the same as growing vegetables in any container, and did you know that a high-quality soil builder that is packed with compost and is nutrient rich, is your best choice for a raised bed garden?

We recommend filling your raised bed with Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder, which is specifically designed for the Eastern and Midwestern Regions. This product contains natural, power-packed, soil components that feed the soil that feeds your tomatoes!

Don’t forget the fertilizer! In addition to using Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder, we suggest adding Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food at planting time, and on a regular basis, to ensure that your tomatoes are getting everything they need to grow and fruit to their full potential.

You can grow the best vegetables ever this year! With Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® products, you are guaranteed the best soils and plant foods available anywhere, making it possible for even the newest gardener to obtain outstanding results.

Tomatoes for Raised Beds

When selecting tomatoes for a raised bed garden, we recommend looking for bush and tumbling varieties. These designations should be listed on your plant tags at your Master Nursery® Garden Center; the staff will be happy to help you in your tomato selection beyond the list provided in this article.

Bush tomatoes are compact growing, non-vining tomatoes that economize on the limited space that a raised bed garden offers. Bush tomatoes also require less care than their tall vining partners as there is no need to prune them, and they are easily supported with a standard tomato cage. Bush style tomatoes are perfect for slicing to use on sandwiches.

• Better Bush
  A medium sized tomato with a great flavor, borne on a strong, bushy plant.
• Celebrity
  A flavorful, medium to large sized fruit, perfect for slicing, on a 3 – 4 feet high plant.
• Patio
  A small but very productive, compact plant, about 2 feet high, with smaller yet tasty fruit to match.
• Roma
  A well know and highly prized sauce tomato, Roma, a pear-shaped Italian style is less juicy than other tomatoes making it perfect for freezing too.
• Rutgers
  A very productive heirloom tomato, Rutgers is known for its large, red, super-tasty fruit.

Tumbling tomatoes, also referred to as cascading tomatoes, are vining tomatoes, usually cherry or grape style, and make the perfect addition to a raised bed tomato garden. Plant this type of tomato along the edge of the raised bed allowing it to tumble or cascade over the side for easy access to the fruit. No need to stake!

• Juliet Roma Grape
  A very sweet, grape shaped variety, great for summer kabobs.
• Black Cherry
  Round, dark, and flavorful, perfect for snacking right off the vine.
• Sun Sugar Yellow
  Super sweet, orange colored tomato on a heavily producing plant, Sun Sugar Yellow tomatoes will sweeten your summer salads.
• Super Sweet 100
  This tomato’s claim to fame is its high sugar content that creates its unsurpassable sweetness.
• Tumbling Tom Yellow
  Perfect for containers and hanging baskets, as well as raised bed gardens, small, yellow, delicious fruits are borne in abundance on this tiny tumbler.

Planting in Raised Beds

Tomatoes, even bush type, should be planted deep by burying about two thirds of the plant’s stem with the first leaves just above ground level, this means that all leaves below the soil level should be removed at planting time. If tomato plants become leggy before being set in the ground, they may be planted horizontally as roots will continue to develop on the planted stem.

Ongoing Care in Raised Beds

Water and fertilize at planting time and adhere to a regular schedule for both. A well adhered to watering schedule or routine will ensure a good fruit set, a high yield, and avoid blossom end rot disease.

In addition to fertilizing at planting time, established tomato plants should be fed every 4-6 weeks through the growing season with Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food. Nutrients can be leached from the soil due to excessive rainfall and regular watering. Fertilizing with this exceptional product will feed your plants with all the macro & micro-nutrients that they need, including calcium for preventing a common tomato problem called blossom end rot.

Growing in a raised bed makes getting quality tomatoes to your table a whole lot easier, giving you more time in the summer to enjoy a good tomato sandwich!

The Container Herb Garden 

There are many reasons to grow fresh herbs. Herbs enhance the flavor of your favorite dishes, their visual appeal renders them the perfect garnish, and they are high in nutritional value. There are just as many reasons to grow herbs in containers! Containers make herbs easily accessible to the kitchen and grill, they allow you to plant herbs with similar cultural requirements together, and herbs are ornamental, adding edible beauty to a porch, patio, deck, or even a fire escape.

Selecting Herbs

Selecting herbs to grow in containers should not be difficult. Remember, if it can be grown in the ground, it can be grown in a container.

We recommend choosing which herbs you are most likely to use in the dishes that you create. The top ten most popular herbs are:

1. Basil
   Used in Italian and Asian cuisine, fresh basil is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins K, A, and minerals. Grow basil in full sun in moist, well-drained soil.
2. Bay Leaf
   Most often used in soups and stews, bay leaf is a great source of vitamin A, B6, and C. Grow bay leaf in full to part sun in well-drained soil.
3. Cilantro
   Frequently used in Caribbean, Asian, and Mexican dishes, cilantro is rich in vitamin A, C, & K, as well as being antioxidant rich. Grow cilantro in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil.
4. Dill
   Used in dips, soups, salads, and fish, dill is loaded with flavonoids that are known to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Grow dill in full sun to part sun in moist, well-drained soil.
5. Mint
   Used in salads, sauces, teas, cocktails, desserts, and more, mint is rich in C, D, E, & A vitamins, boosting the body’s immune system, protecting cells, and soothing stomach upsets. Mint is grown in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil. All mints are aggressive growers and should only be grown in containers to control their spread.
6. Oregano
   Used in Greek, Italian, and Spanish cuisine, oregano is full of antioxidants, vitamin K, E, & iron and possesses excellent infection fighting properties. Oregano should be grown in a full sun location in well-drained soil.
7. Parsley
   Parsley is used as a palate cleanser, garnish, and seasoning in sauces and salads. Both flat leaf and curly parsley are rich in vitamins A, C, K, and antioxidants. Parsley is best grown in a full sun to part shade location in nutritious, moist, well-drained soil.
8. Rosemary
   Used primarily in Mediterranean and Italian dishes, studies conclude that rosemary has strong antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Rosemary prefers growing in full sun and in loamy, well-drained soil. Allow soil to dry slightly between watering.
9. Sage
   Perfect used in poultry, pork and sausage dishes and frequently used in stuffing, and sauces, sage, high in vitamin K and important minerals, is known to support brain function and lower bad cholesterol. Grow sage in well-drained, loamy soil. Allow soil to dry slightly between watering.
10. Thyme
    Frequently used in sauces, soups, and meat dishes, thyme brings helpful nutrients to the table like vitamin A, C, copper, iron, and manganese. Thyme essential oil is used as a mood booster and to reduce blood pressure. Thyme loves the heat. Give it full sun and very well-drained soil. Thyme can take dry conditions.

Selecting Containers

As long as the container is well-draining, just about any container may be used for growing herbs. Lower growing herbs, like cilantro, oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme, work well in a hanging basket, planted in a strawberry jar, or set toward the front of a window box. Taller growing herbs, like basil, bay leaf, dill, and upright varieties of rosemary, may be planted in their own containers, grouped in a whiskey barrel, or placed toward the back of the window box. Terracotta pots and coco-lined containers are the perfect choice for herbs that require excellent drainage and dryer conditions like rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme.

Selecting Soil and Fertilizer

Never use garden soil to fill your herb containers. Garden soil is heavy and does not drain well. Instead, use our Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Potting Soil [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region]. This potting soil is a premium blend of organic ingredients that are perfectly balanced for both water-holding capabilities and drainage and offers a lightweight alternative to other planting soils. In addition, it boasts high-quality, organic ingredients to help your herbs to flourish.

Keep in mind that herbs are not heavy feeders. Add Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® All Purpose Food at planting time and then again every 6 weeks during the growing season. This exceptional blend of natural ingredients is perfectly formulated for the organic growing of herbs as well as all other container plants and gardens.

Trying to find our Bumper Crop® products? Use our handy store locator: https://www.bumpercrop.com/store-locator/

Selecting a Location

Place your herb containers where they are easily accessible to both the kitchen and grill, the spaces where you will use them most often. Make sure that you select a sunny location for vigorous, strong, and healthy plant growth, and clip your herbs frequently to keep them producing and looking their best.

Growing in containers is a simple and convenient alternative to traditional herb gardening, ensuing that fresh herbs are close by whenever you decide to whip up a delicious dish.

DESIGNING THE FLOWER GARDEN

Spring is here, and gardening is on our minds. Flower gardens are an exhilarating sight, bringing color, scent, and nature back into our lives after a lengthy and dreary winter. A well-planned flower garden can provide us with color and joy from early spring straight through to late fall.

SELECT A SITE

As you dream and scheme your new flower garden, there are several important factors that you will certainly want to take under consideration.

• View. Where will the garden be most viewed from? Will it be from a window, a porch or deck, front, back, or side yard, or somewhere else? Determining your view will help decide where to place plants, so that the primary view is not blocked.
• Observing how much light your selected site receives will help you determine whether you will incorporate sun or shade loving plants.
• Is the site particularly moist or dry? Being aware of this will also aid in selecting flowers that will do well in either of these situations.
• Dig in and have a look at your soil. Sandy soil has difficulty holding on to water and nutrients. Clay soil holds too much water and provides reduced air space for healthy root development. Loam soil is preferred by most plants. To amend your soil to achieve a better quality required by most plants, turn a generous amount of Master Nursery® Bumper Crop®Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region] into your native soil. Not only will this exceptional natural and organic modifier increase the nutritional content of your soil, but it will also increase drainage and the soil’s water holding capacity. In addition, it is a delight to plant into! Adding Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Rose and Flower Food to your flower bed at planting time, and then again monthly throughout the growing season, will ensure happy, healthy, strong plants with lots of blooms!
• Familiarity with your USDA Hardiness Zone will allow you to select plants that are known to not only survive but thrive in your area of the country.

SINGLE OUT A STYLE

After taking site selection into consideration, the next step is to decide which type of garden style you would like to replicate, and there are many to choose from, such as…

• annual, perennial, or bulb gardens
• mixed beds and borders
• cutting garden
• rock garden
• woodland or wildflower
• formal or informal
• native garden
• sun or shade
• tropical style

and the list goes on and on.

Singling out a garden style, before choosing your plants, will help to narrow the selection down and ensure that the design is cohesive.

LAY OUT YOUR LOOK

Once the garden site and style have been identified, it is time to lay out the garden. It is a good idea to do this on paper first, before investing time, energy, and money into the final project. The garden shape will be determined by the selected style. The size will be determined by how much time and energy is available to invest each week in garden maintenance.

Once the perimeter of the garden is decided upon and drawn, fill the interior in with a proposed plant plan.

• Consider Diversification. Annual flowering plants last just one season. Annuals, planted after the last frost in the spring, will continue to bloom until hit with the first frost in the fall. Annuals must be replaced each year but are inexpensive and can provide the opportunity to change the look of your flower garden each year. Perennials will return year after year, often spreading or reseeding, making them very useful in the garden. Perennials, however, can be costly and have a limited bloom time with most blooming for just a couple of weeks during the growing season. It’s a good idea to select perennials with attractive foliage so that they will still look good in the garden when not in bloom. Hardy bulbs are another great addition, with most returning year after year but, as with perennials, they possess a limited bloom time. A well-planned garden, delivering a long bloom time, will include a mix of annuals, perennials, and bulbs.
• Consider Plant Color. Add bubbles or circles to your paper plan to represent the flower color that you would like to use in that particular area. Colored pencils are helpful in this step. Make sure that the selected colors look good next to each other. Silver leafed plants make a great transition between colors that do not look particularly well up against one another.
• Consider Drama. Large sweeping drifts of color add awe and drama to the flower garden while simplifying the design process by using lots of flowers but less variety. Drifts are best planted with an odd number of plants to prevent the garden from becoming symmetrical.
• Consider Repetition. Repeating plants and color throughout the garden give it a soothing and consistent appearance.
• Consider Plant Size. For beds and borders that are predominantly viewed from the front, tall flowers will be selected for the back of the garden with medium height in the middle, and short plants toward the front of the bed. For an island bed that is viewed from all sides, tall plants will be placed in the center of the bed surrounded with medium height plants and low ones around the perimeter. Be certain to leave enough room for each plant to grow to its full potential.

SPRING SUPERSTARS

Annuals

These spring blooming annuals will provide exceptional early season color in the flower garden and may be planted while there is still a chill in the air.

• Bachelor Button
• Calendula
• Icelandic Poppy
• Sweet Pea
• Larkspur

Perennials

Perennial plants will bring the earliest color to the spring garden while also providing unique blooms.

• Baptisia
• Bleeding Heart
• Columbine
• Hellebore
• Peony

Bulbs

Favorite bulbs for the spring garden should be planted the previous fall season.

• Blue Bells
• Daffodil
• Fritillaria
• Hyacinth
• Tulip

Sometimes planning a flower bed for long term beauty and enjoyment can feel overwhelming. There’s no reason to worry! Your local Master Nursery® Garden Center is available to assist with knowledgeable staff, an astonishing selection of flowering plants, and, of course, Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® soils and fertilizers.

5 EASY STEPS TO CREATING AN IN-GROUND VEGETABLE GARDEN

Growing your own vegetables is not only an enjoyable pastime but also contributes to a healthy lifestyle, offering fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and nourishing food to eat.

If you are new to vegetable gardening, here are our 5 steps to get you started.

Step One

Select a site for your garden. This area should be located in full sun, should be relatively flat, well-draining, and convenient to a water source.

Step Two

Determine what size your garden will be. This will depend on how many people are eating from your plot and how much available time you have to care for your garden. If this is your first veggie garden, it is best to start small so that you are not overwhelmed. You can always increase the size next year.

Step Three

Prepare the bed. Strip off the sod and heavily amend the soil with Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region]. This will guarantee that your veggies get off to the best start possible. The soil builder may be either tilled or turned into the soil. Sprinkle Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food into the amended soil and rake it in. Level the soil and you are ready for planting.

Step Four

Select the vegetables that you would like to grow, and grow what you like to eat. It is, however, a good idea to keep it simple in the beginning. Here are some easy spring crops that can be direct seeded right into the garden after the last frost. Always read your seed packet, as it will provide you with the particulars of each vegetable that you grow.

• Beets
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Radishes
• Scallions
• Spinach

As the soil and air temperatures rise, these cool season crops will peter out. At that time, you may remove them, add an inch or two of  Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region] and fertilize again with Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Tomato and Vegetable Food before planting your warm season veggies.

• Beans
• Cucumbers
• Peppers
• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

Beans, cucumbers, squash, and zucchini may all be direct seeded into the garden. Tomatoes and peppers, on the other hand, should be planted in the garden as young plants.

All veggie plants, seeds, supports, soil amenders, fertilizer, and tools may be found at your helpful and well stocked Master Nursery® Garden Center.

Step Four  

Be certain to familiarize yourself with the plants that you are growing. Some are vining plants that may do best when trellised, like peas and beans. Others, like tomatoes and peppers, require support with either a cage or stakes and twine. Some plants, like zucchini and squash, are best planted into a slight mound of soil and left on their own to sprawl. Plants like beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes, scallions, and spinach require no support at all.

Step Five

Nurture your veggie plants to fruition. Ensure that they receive adequate water. Fertilize monthly during the growing season. Add a layer of mulch to keep soil moist and keep weeds at bay. Check plants frequently for insect and disease damage, and consult your Master Nursery® Garden Center if you detect a problem. The staff will gladly assist you with a solution. Harvest your vegetables when ripe and, most importantly, enjoy!