By Vanessa Richins

From Patt, Oregon:

“I have a quick question. I haven’t heard of anyone doing this, so there must be a reason. But maybe I don’t know.

We have a daylight basement with lots of southern-facing windows. I would like to grow fresh “garden” food down there in the winter. We live in eastern Oregon (the dry side of the state.) Winter daylight is as little as 8-10 hours in the dead of winter

Does anyone know if one can be successful growing tomatoes in this kind of an inside garden in the winter? If this is possible, are there other fresh-type fruits or vegetables that would be successful for winter indoor-gardening as well?

Thanks!”

Hi Patt! Growing vegetables like you describe can be done…though you would likely need to add in some additional grow lights to the room, as well as make sure the room was kept warm enough.

To understand why, we need to first look at Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Reader Lynn S. writes:

“I have tomato plants that are getting black on the tips of their leaves. I have been spraying water on the leaves, right now I have them inside but plan on planting them today in my garden.

Are these black tips from putting too much water on them? Please help, I have never had my plants do this but I have never sprayed them with water either. Thank you for your help.”

Hi. There are at least a few possibilities for why your leaf tips are turning black.

The water on the leaves definitely could be the source of the problem. When leaves stay wet for some time, it’s an opportunity for Read the rest of this entry »