DIY Network

Artichokes, Tomatoes and Eggplants Artichokes, Tomatoes and Eggplants From "Weekend Landscaping" episode WKL-107

With the jardin potager truly beginning to have the appearance of a cottage kitchen garden in the French countryside, host Mayita Dinos and crew turn their attention to the "stars" of the garden, the vegetables and berries.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

• First on the list is the artichoke (Cynara 'Improved Green Globe') (figure A). Dinos includes extra artichokes in the garden since they're not only great to eat but also boast gorgeous Mediterranean-looking gray-green foliage and spectacular flowers. Their size also serves as another structural element in the garden. Artichokes will come back every year unless the frost is so chilling it kills the roots. Each year the plant will boast greater size, and cuttings can be propagated or given to friends.

• Next the crew plants those delicious treats of the summer: blackberries (Rubus 'Black Satia') (figure B). These plants, which are very thorny, should be placed at the edge of the plot so only minimal gardening will have to be done around them; this will allow them to spill happily over the edge. Every winter the canes need to be trimmed back to about 2' or 3'. The canes should be kept stout and upright; if you have a problem with keeping them upright and rigid, build trellis and tie them to it. The flowers look almost like wild roses, and the fully ripe berries boast a deep, rich shade of blue-black (and taste delicious).
  

• Now tomatoes (Lycopersicon lycopersicum ) (figure C) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) (figure D), both in same family, are added to the garden. Tomato plants have yellow flowers; eggplants have lovely aubergine-colored blooms (the word aubergine, in fact, is French for "eggplant"). Tomatoes take from 70 to 90 days to mature. When you get them from the nursery, you should plant them deeper than the root system: when you cover the stems, all along them new roots will develop (and help produce an ultimately stronger plant). One word of advice: once you get plants in, says Dinos, don't think it's just "pick and eat": be prepared to do some weeding!

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

• Though not edible, the marigold (figure E) is also one of the stars of this kitchen garden. This variety, African marigold (Tagetes erecta), provides natural pest control against nematodes (microscopic round that worms live in the soil and can ruin plants) and can reduce or even eliminate the need for pest-control sprays. Also, African marigolds are beautiful in their own right, producing large yellow-orange blooms that will attract butterflies to the garden (figure F).

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

  Expert Tip: (Nan Sterman, garden writer) To reduce pests in the garden, the first two considerations are soil and hygiene: healthy soil produces healthy plants. Add plenty of organic matter both during and after the growing season. Since any rotting plant material or fruit will attract pests, it's important to keep any decaying matter out of the garden. With these two bases covered, look at planting flowers that attract beneficial insects, which will prey on garden pests; plant them nearby or in the garden!

  Time elapsed: 14 hours.

  
  

  
  

  RESOURCES :
  Plants from Monrovia Growers
  Monrovia Growers
  Website: www.monrovia.com
  

  Plants from Ball Horticultural Company
  Various plant material
  Ball Horticulture Company
  Website: www.simplybeautifulgardens.com
  

  
  

  GUESTS :
  Nan Sterman
  Email: nsterman@plantsoup.com
  Garden Writer & Teacher
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Focal Points: Citrus Trees
  	Cypress Trees and Aromatic Herbs
  	Artichokes, Tomatoes and Eggplants
  	Edible Flowers