Vegetables

All American Selection for Vegetables

The new All American Selection for 2020 for vegetables goes to 3 tomato varieties.

1. Celano is a patio type grape tomato with a strong bushy habit. It is best grown with some support, such as a tomato cage. This semi-determinate hybrid tomato is an early producer of sweet oblong fruits weighing about 0.6 oz. each. Plants grow to 40” in height and spread to 24” and have excellent late blight tolerance. In comparing it to other grape tomatoes on the market, one judge summed it up by saying “(Celano) is sweeter, the texture is better, the color is deeper, the plants are healthier, and the yield is phenomenal.

Celano Tomato


2. Early Resilience is a rounded Roma tomato with a deep red interior color, uniform maturity and good quality flesh for canning and cooking. Determinate, bushy plants can be staked but it is not necessary. The AAS Judges noted that this variety was very resistant to Blossom End rot, resulting in a high yield and less fruit loss. This could very well replace some of the other Roma varieties as a new standard in the arena.

Early Resilience Roma Tomato


3. Galahad is a brave new tomato variety that has a high level of Late Blight resistance because both parents are resistant. Galahad is a high-yielding, great tasting tomato that grows on a strong sturdy plant. Judges agreed that the sweet, meaty flavor is better than that of the comparison varieties and boasts of being crack resistant.

Galahad Tomato
Home Improvement

Choose the Right Wood Stove

How do you choose the right wood stove? Does your home has an existing fireplace or not? Obviously, if it does you should go with an insert and use the existing fireplace. If there isn’t one, go with a freestanding model. Freestanding wood stoves offer many advantages that an insert is not capable of producing. They operate much more efficiently, give off better radiant heat, and in the event of a power outage, you can cook on them or even humidify your home by heating a pot of water on top of the stove.

A key factor in choosing the right wood stove to fit you is determining how often the stove will be used. Typically, wood stoves are constructed of one of two materials, cast iron or welded steel. As far as performance goes, they are both pretty equal.

This, however, is where the question of how often the wood stove will be used comes into play. Welded steel wood stoves heat up a lot faster than cast iron stoves. So if you plan on using the wood stove to take the chill out of the house and put the fire out, welded steel is the way to go.

Cast iron wood stoves take a while to heat up but they radiate a lot more heat even after the fire is put out so they are the better choice to go with if you are looking for a wood stove to run all day throughout the cold winter months.

Another option to consider when purchasing a wood-burning stove is Catalytic or non-catalytic. Catalytic stoves contain a ceramic, honeycomb-like combustor that is plated with a metal such as platinum or palladium. The metals on the catalytic converter act as a catalyst to ignite these gases at lower temperatures. This catalytic feature has two advantages. First, it increases the stove’s efficiency 10 to 25 percent by burning hydrocarbons that would otherwise go up the chimney. Secondly, it burns the wood more completely, so there are fewer emissions.

Most importantly is to install the stove, damper, and piping correctly by asking your local contractor.

Gardening & Landscape, Shrubs

The Euonymus Family of Shrubs

The euonymus family of shrubs are a group of tall, medium, and low-growing shrubs with variable habits, which withstand though growing condition, making them perfect for South Dakota landscapes. The most-often used euonymus is the burning bush, and, like it, many euonymus varieties feature stunning fall color. Others are grown for their showy fruits—typically hot pink and orange—or sprawling evergreen habit.

Many species of euonymus are green; however, most of the low-growing types feature beautiful variegated foliage, most notably Euonymus fortunei. These plants have a unique habit that can be trained to be rounded shrubs, left to ramble, or even climb. With their bright gold, white, green, and sometimes pink foliage, they brighten a garden.

Many of the green varieties don’t begin to shine until fall. Once fall’s cool nights arrive, euonymus puts on a spectacular display of glowing oranges, reds, yellows, and burgundies. Others also have unique fruits with bright pink skin that open to reveal a bright orange interior into the winter.

With around 175 species in this family, you know requirements are going to vary. Soil condition requirements, however, remain fairly consistent. Ideally, euonymus should be planted in well-drained, medium-moisture soil. Wet soil is associated with rotting and other issues. Once established, euonymus is drought tolerant.

Euonymus varieties require different sun exposures. While full sun is best, some varieties tolerate part and full shade. Low-growing and variegated types tend to tolerate shade. Many of the shrubby and low-growing types require trimming to keep them looking nice.

Scale and aphids can be a problem, however, I have not found these ever on my plants.