12 EASY TIPS & TRICKS You'll LOVE to GET a BIGGER HARVEST of TOMATOES, SQUASH, Basil, Garlic & MORE

The summer solstice has just gone by, everything is in the garden, we've had regular rain and lots of hot humid sunny days, so the garden is growing like crazy! Today I'd like to share with you some tips and tricks that you will find very easy to do and that will make a big difference in your harvests! Come have some fun in the garden and get a bigger harvest at the same time!
Last week I mentioned the video would be a two parter, I decided to put the second part out next week, in order to get this video here to you sooner, because I think you're going to want to put these tips and tricks into practice right away!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

The trick for tapping the tomato plant (or pepper or eggplant) (6:11) is for days that may be quite cool and also no wind, and you don't see too many insects around. That can happen here, even in the summer. Forgot to mention this. I like to do it while I'm just having a stroll throught the garden.

[@doinacampean9132]

22:29 - carrot tops have more potassium than the roots, and, dehydrated, together with some other tops, like parsley, celery, onion, garlic (scapes), lovage, etc can make a wonderful cup of hot veggie broth in the winter.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you. Great recipe! Potassium, so good for the muscles! 😊

[@emkn1479]

That sounds so soothing…I wish I had dehydrated the scapes…next year! Thanks for sharing.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@emkn1479 Dehydrating is definitely the easiest way to preserve!

[@emkn1479]

@@WillowsGreenPermaculture I didn’t love eating them cooked. I will try dehydrating going forward. I only have a small, old, round model but I’m sure it would work.

[@wishful1580]

​@@WillowsGreenPermacultureI'm officially spoiled by my freeze dryers.

[@AlsanPine]

marigolds & nasturtium are great companions to repel squash vine borers. if you have a lot of bumble bees, they will do the vibrating for you 🙂 excellent vid as always 🙂

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@AlsanPine]

@AlsanPine i started experimenting with treating my seeds, for a couple of weeks before planting, with a ripe banana! i place the seeds in open trays in a box and place a ripe banana and close the box to avoid air flow. the banana releases ethylene gas which causes the seeds to germinate into much more robust plants. i have experimented with this for over 20yrs and it seems pretty much universally effective. the idea came to me when i was using the banana to ripen avocados. i had a time lapse movie like dream of a fruit falling to the ground, rotting, then a young tree sprouting from it. seeds are used to falling to the ground in rotting matter which generates ethylene gas as it warms up. the results are rather dramatic with many plants i have experimented with. this is especially effective with fruits. i started to share this a couple of years ago when i concluded experimentation. love your vids 🙂

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you. I’m gonna have to start buying bananas! It’s a great excuse to, because I do love bananas! I just haven’t bought them for a few years as I concentrated on growing all of our food!

[@doinacampean9132]

The pea tops can be added to any soup, stew, or stir fry and will add a wonderful pea flavour. (Or eat them in salads, like Charles Dowding) :)

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! That’s great to know.

[@lindahallstrandwarnstad4875]

I just put them in my mouth right away, they are delicious😊

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@lindahallstrandwarnstad4875the tops of the vines?

[@lindahallstrandwarnstad4875]

@@WillowsGreenPermaculture Yes😊

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@lindahallstrandwarnstad4875I’ll have to try that!

[@TheTamrock2007]

Thank you for all your videos. I'm tending my first little garden and hoping next year it will be bigger and better. Your help is most appreciated ❤

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@jennacoryell4160]

We grow vines on trellises, so this wouldn't work. However, we have had great success by learning to identify and rempve vine borer eggs, and if a borer does get in, we cut the vine open (along the grain) at the location of the frass, pull the borer out, toss it to tue chickens, and close the cut with vet wrap. It heals just fine.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

No. It wouldn’t work with trellising. I’ve opened the vine before too to get the grub out. Sometimes I can be too late. I grow so many plants, I'd never have time to keep on top of the grubs that way. That’s why I like this method. Sometimes, the moths end up not even being able to find the vine! Prevention is so much easier than dealing with the grub when it's in the plant.

[@Debbie-Keller]

We Never have enough peas. I absolutely Love them.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Same here!

[@23mcgraw50]

Your channel has become one of my favorites! I feel like I am in the garden with you both. Love the hands on ( and knees, squatting etc..) that puts us up close and right in the harvest and pruning. Another great bonus of growing food is the physical workout 😂

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@donnaduhamel6004]

Pea shouts are full of protien! GREAT Tips😂❤

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@handlethehandle7]

Yay! New food ... leaves from squash and carrots ... thank you all.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

It’s a pleasure!

[@barbsoddznendz1896]

After watching you chow down on your plants, I've been doing the same thing in my garden, trying different plants to see how they taste. Loved the video!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

That’s great! It’s so much fun. And so healthy to eat something right off the stem!

[@sinofprideescanor6619]

I like that he has no shoes on that's exactly how I Interact with my garden.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you. I love being without shoes in the garden.

[@usethatherb4913]

We learn so much good stuff in all your videos. Thanks for sharing the bounty! Blessings!!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! ❤ And blessings to you!

[@kaleyjanenigh]

I just love this channel! You have such a peaceful vibe. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you so much!

[@doinacampean9132]

24:22 - I'm not entirely sure that drinking just water is going to keep hydrated. You see, when we sweat, we also lose some important substances, so, it's important that we replaced them with some electrolytes. So, either add them to your water, or snack on them when you see them. For this of the year, I'd say raspberries for glucose, bit of carrot top for potassium, and bit of celery for sodium.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

That's a great a tip! I'm always munching when I'm in the garden. Right now it's raspberries and peas. I'm definitely going to start munching on carrots tops. I've never grown celery. I find Swiss chard so much easier, although I don't know if it gives the same properties as celery.

[@doinacampean9132]

@@WillowsGreenPermaculture - it's not an exact science, you get the idea. Snack on what you love (and have on hand).

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@doinacampean9132I love to eat in the garden!

[@doinacampean9132]

@@WillowsGreenPermaculture - here's a dr explaining better than me why sodium is important: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4CpZ4mlba9sq6c

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! I will check that out. Just saved the video!

[@maroc_key]

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! ❤

[@GrandmomZoo]

Your squash trick really does work! I learned that a few years ago however i still carry seeds in my pocket to start new plants all summer😊

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

That’s great! How late in the summer have you successfully started a squash and gotten squash from it?

[@garrettpeters3438]

Another excellent video. J’adore le truc pour les courges. On voit aussi à quel point tu as ajouté beaucoup de matière organique à ton jardin! Bravo! Le jardin est magnifique en passant.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Merci beaucoup Garrett!

[@maryjane-vx4dd]

Garlic scapes make a wonderful pesto.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

They sure do! We've been eating lots of it recently and we froze some too!

[@not-jeff_thered1233]

Very robust tips. Your delivery made for an excellent viewing. Cheers!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@bobbiewanish998]

Love your relaxing, educational videos! Thank you both! ❤

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! ❤

[@GrandmomZoo]

Pumpkin leaves!!!!❤ Who knew? Thank you.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

I lived on Oaxaca, Mexico, several years. They have a great soup there with ingredients from all the three sisters, including pumpkin vine and leaves, called Sopa de Guías.

[@GrandmomZoo]

I dehydrate my carrot tops for soup stuff in winter. Beautiful carrots friend!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

What a great idea! They are so voluminous, so that’s a great way to keep them!

[@corinne7126]

Carrot tops make a great pesto over roasted carrots

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

That's sounds great!

[@AlmostaGreenAcre-zs5eu]

Thanks so much for all the tips. Great video 🙂I'm way behind getting my tomatoes in the ground here in New Brunswick. Night temps have been so cold and dipping to 10 tonight but they are going in the ground tomorrow. Your garden looks great.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! Last night, the low was 9 here! Actually, it was probably lower. That was the overnight low in the greenhouse. The outside temperature then was probably 8 or 7!

[@kathysweet]

Thank you. Seems pretty basic, but I learned a lot.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! It’s a pleasure!

[@delmadehoyos1946]

Thank you for the tip re: squash vine borers....had to do surgery on a vine...removed 2 larval worms; put the vine back with masking tape approx 5 days ago....plant is thriving putting on flowers. 💝🤠💝

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Love the masking tape idea! That's a very 'The Red Green Show' solution. Next time I have to do surgery on a squash plant, I'm going to do the same! I'm not a big fan of doing it, that's why I cover my vines, but I'll try it for sure!

[@delmadehoyos1946]

@@WillowsGreenPermaculture I agree, covering the vines is much better...don't know why that didn't occur to me...but I know now! Thanks!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@delmadehoyos1946it’s a pleasure!

[@markuswade2158]

​. You reminded me of RedGreen towards the end of the video 😅

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@markuswade2158I only watched that show a couple of times and that was many many years ago. I should check it out. I’m sure I’ll learn stuff.

[@suzibee2156]

This was great! Thanks so much!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

You’re welcome! Thank you!

[@MARIAORTIZ-od3hk]

Very informative thank you Gods blessings 👍🙏🌺

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! God bless you too!

[@doinacampean9132]

1:31 - I did that to a zucchini, with wood chips. The borer was just starting, and my mind went to the concept of "band aid". No idea if additional roots were formed or not, but the plant survived and prospered :)

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

They likely did sprout roots. 😊

[@radinelle]

Great tips, thank you.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

You’re welcome!

[@h.sinclair]

man great tips! awesome thanks ❤

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

It’s a pleasure!

[@jnlankavlog8553]

Nice explanations and good guy..Useful channel ❤❤

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@kirstypollock6811]

My peas did just what you said - pulled their trellis down! I could not get in to fix it, so i just tried to harvest all of the low ones before this year's plague of slugs did! Next time I'll build it stronger. I use old mugwort stems from last year, they make great canes. I've transplanted carrots a few times, they really tend to fuse and/or have really crooked roots and sometimes grow lots of green and not much carrot. Really fun shapes though, make me laugh and still taste good. We don't have squash vine borer in Europe, just slugs that this year have eaten all my young pickling cucumbers and some of the sweeter squash seedlings. But i just keep planting! This year they are eating EVERYTHING, even potato leaves so I'm scared to mulch anything. Only tomatoes are left alone (and in the South, they have been eating other people's!)

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

The mugwort stems don't get waterlogged at some point in the season? I'm wondering if maybe that's why they fell over. We also have lots of slugs, but we have at least as many frogs and birds, which take care of them. We attract the birds with teepees and other vertical structures we create for our plants, and the birds perch on them safely close to the plants and eat away at the bugs and slugs. We also surround our garden with native fruiting shrubs which the birds use for food, shelter and materials for their nests, so they're always around. For the frogs, we surround our garden with logs and puts lots of different shelters for them in the garden. They also love the slugs! Slugs also dislike most aromatic plants - here are a few you can surround your other plants with: mint, sage, thyme, basil, lavender, parsley, rosemary. You can also try surrounding your plants with crushed egg shalls. Normally, slugs don't cross them.

[@wishful1580]

I'm blessed to have a few domestic ducks. They line up at first light, crousing around, bills to the ground. No more slugs here. It's fun learning and experiencing nature isn't it?

[@Debbie-Keller]

The squash vine borer is my #1 enemy. I guess we all have something.

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@wishful1580it’s wonderful! 😊

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

@@Debbie-Kellertry covering your vines. It really works.

[@junejackson7958]

Great very informative

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@doinacampean9132]

23:49 - and then you'll have square carrots :) Can happen! :)

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

😊

[@drrahilakurdi5943]

Nice ❤❤❤

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you! ❤

[@creekwoodfarmandhomesteadc6440]

Nice info

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Thank you!

[@happyhobbit8450]

Gophers ate my peas ... they were just growing nicely. I've put hardware cloth around them after planting more. Will they continue to grow? Did the gophers prune them? Thank you for the tips!!!

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

I would think the gophers at the bottoms. Did they actually only eat the tops? I can't see them regrowing if they ate the base. If they only ate the tops, they should grow back.

[@happyhobbit8450]

@@WillowsGreenPermaculture Yes they ate the tops and it does look like they're growing back. I've been culling the gophers and apparently if I put the dead gopher in their hole then no more will occupy that hole. That's been the issue ... I kill one and a new one moves into the ready made home. These are actually Columbia Ground Squirrel -- we live in the Columbia valley BC -- they're really big.

[@doinacampean9132]

3:8 - is that artemisia, on the right of the screen (your left side)?

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

Wormwood. Yes. Self-seeded. I love the plant. We have two wormwood « globes » that frame our front entrance beautifully, by the house. They were self-seeded, one grew through asphalt and the other through patio stone cracks, in perfect symmetry.

[@momcq]

You're eating the daisy! They are edible? How do they taste?

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

A bit bland, with a hint of sweetness in the nectar. And, like most edible flowers, very healthy.

[@momcq]

What are the purple flowers in the end?

[@WillowsGreenPermaculture]

The blue flower at the end is blue wild indigo or blue false indigo. Not edible. Toxic. Grown to make blue dye, or just for its beauty. A native plant to North America.