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 Novice Gardeners Become “Extreme” Gardeners, All in One Season. “The Movement” seems to be catching on since lots of news articles are talking about September being declared "Local Food Month." Although the growing season has lurched heartlessly from too cold to too hot, to too wet, University of Idaho Extension educators say Idaho gardeners—even novices—haven’t yet turned lukewarm on growing their own produce.

Novices appear to have had luck with many of the crops in their gardens, despite a number of early-season setbacks according to  Ariel Agenbroad, an Extension educator in Canyon County who taught “Idaho Victory Garden” classes this spring. And the problems they are having are generally easy to avoid or correct next year.

 One such problem has been healthy, vigorous plants that aren’t putting on fruit. People have reported that they don’t have any tomatoes/corn/squash on their plants! Agenbroad. Says “When it’s tomatoes, there may be too much nitrogen, too much shade or very hot temperatures. When it’s sweet corn or squash, the reason is usually poor pollination.

 Extension educators tell us what’s plaguing gardens the most is heat damage from gardeners’ inability to keep up with watering. A nice, long, fall will help  because tomatoes really thrive when temperatures are below 90 and evenings are cooler.  A reminder however, even if it’s cooler, everything needs to be well-watered because the plants are bigger and will be using lots of water.

 U of I Ag Extension Specialist Wayne Jones has excellent advice for novice gardeners next year: “Find an experienced gardener and get all the information they can from that person.”