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Hi Gigi,

Thank you for the email regarding your dianthus.  Dianthus can be easily divided –much easier than other perennials.  The best time to divide is after the plant has blossomed.  While most perennials can be divided when they are dormant, dianthus is one of those that you don’t want to divide when dormant because they bloom so early in spring.

Cut back any dead flowers and their stems so that the plants will not be trying to produce seeds and causing stress to the plant after division.  What you are going to want to do is excavate the whole clump and separate ‘clumps’ of the plant mass gently by hand. Make sure that each ‘clump’ of plant has both a good root system and a sizable amount of shoot growth.  Plant where desired and irrigate well.

I hope this information helps you out, and thanks for reading!

Thanks for being such a great blog.  I really enjoy your articles.  I was wondering you could help me out on a question.  I see that a lot of the seed catalogs are offering an everbearing set of blackberries.  Some have Ark, Jim, and Jan.  The descriptions sound nice, but do you know if they are thornless.  We’ve tried thornless blackberreis in the past, but the deer eat them down to the ground.  I’m hoping they aren’t because I love blackberries and havign them all the time would be nice.  Is there anything else that makes them different to grow?  I know you grow June and Everbearing strawberries different.  Is it like that with blackberries?  Do you have more info than the little paragraph that they have in the catalogs, because each catalog has just about the same paragraph?

Thank you for your thoughts and I’m happy to be one of your fans.

Sincerely,

Buddy Miller

Waupaca, WI”

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Hi Buddy,

Thank you for your kind comments.  I’m glad to know that there is at least one fan out there.  Woot!  Okay, just kidding, but all the same it is good to know that people are doing more than just glancing once at my blog.

The Prime® Everbearing Blackberries Series (Rubus fruticosus) are definitely something to get excited about.  As a kid, I remember blackberry picking quite fondly.  About 1 1/4 miles from home was the homesite of my great aunt and uncle.  Back in the 1910s-1960s, the homesite had been a prosperous farm.  My great aunt and uncle were never blessed with any children, so after they passed away the land was sold to a gentleman that owned much of the land around and had it set up as tree farms.  The back pastures were put into trees and the buildings, small woods around them, and a large ‘bowl’/kettle were left to go wild.  The tree farm land bordered my parent’s land, and as they knew the gentleman, we were granted permission to cross country ski, hunt, or do pretty much whatever we wanted on the land.  The large bowl provided lots of winter sledding memories, the buildings were always great for pictures or maybe digging up a sprig of an old perennial that still grew in my great aunt’s old flowerbeds, and the woods… well, the woods were FULL of blackberries.  The places was famous in the area as everyone and their brother went there to pick berries.  While many probably did not have permission to be there, it was okay because there were more than enough berries to go around.  Unfortunately, the gentleman got a bit greedy in the late 90s and took out the buildings and woods/berries and put more trees in there too.  As of the past summer, though, the blackberries have come back enough to be a force to be reckoned with in the trees!

But, I digress.  Let’s get back to the Primes®!

There are three types of Prime® Blackberries: Prime-Ark® 45, Prime Jim®, and Prime Jan®.  To break them down into a bit more detail:

–Prime-Ark® 45:  

Type - Primocane-fruiting; thorny, erect.

Date of Release - 2009; Plant Patent Applied For

Fruit Size - Fruits of Prime-Ark®45 are medium-large, averaging 6 g or more in most trials measuring floricane fruits in Arkansas. In trials in Oregon and California, primocane fruits were just over 7 grams and near 9 grams, respectively. In Arkansas, primocane fruits are smaller, usually 4 to 5 grams.

Flavor/Sweetness - Average soluble solids (a measurement of sweetness) of Prime-Ark® 45 was near 10%, just under that of Ouachita. In additional measurements in other plantings and years, soluble solids of 10 to 11% have been measured on floricane fruits of Prime-Ark® 45. Primocane fruit soluble solids levels have achieved 12%. Overall fruit flavor ratings for Prime-Ark® 45 were higher than the previous primocane-fruiting releases, and were near that of Ouachita.

Yield - Fruit yields have been very good in trials of Prime-Ark® 45. Most of the yield evaluation in Arkansas has been done on floricanes, and in research trials, floricane yields of Prime-Ark® 45 exceeded Prime-Jim® and were comparable to thornless, floricane-fruiting varieties. For primocane yields, data from Arkansas showed higher yields for Prime-Ark® 45 compared to Prime-Jim®. In observational plots in California and Oregon, primocane yields were very good.

Maturity Date - Floricane first harvest date for Prime-Ark® 45 is June 9 in Arkansas, 4 days after Prime-Jim® and Natchez and 4 days before Ouachita. Primocane first bloom date for Prime-Ark® 45 is usually about 2 weeks later than that for Prime-Jan® and Prime-Jim® Likewise, primocane fruit ripens 2-3 weeks later for Prime-Ark® 45 compared to Prime-Jan® and Prime-Jim®, averaging August 8. In California, ripening of primocane fruit was in late August and in Oregon was mid September. This later primocane fruit ripening date should be noted as the harvest date may be an issue in northern areas to complete the fruit ripening period. Likewise this later ripening date could be a major asset for production in areas where later fruiting is desired.

Disease Resistance - No orange rust observed and only slight anthracnose observed. No information available concerning resistance to double blossom/rosette.

Comments - Prime-Ark® 45 is primarily intended to provide a high quality berry with excellent postharvest handling to allow production of berries for local and shipping markets in the late summer to fall fruiting season in areas where it is adapted. Summer temperatures above 85oF can reduce fruit set and quality on primocanes. Performance of Prime-Ark® 45 in primocane fruiting has exceeded that of Prime-Jim® and Prime-Jan® in Arkansas, and may offer enhanced adaptation to higher heat conditions. However, only trial plantings are recommended to determine full adaptation to specific locations.

–Prime-Jim®:  

Type - Primocane-fruiting; thorny, erect.

Date of Release - 2004; plant patent #16989.

Fruit Size - Floricane fruit average 5 g; primocane fruit vary by location grown, from 3 to 10 g in various trials.

Flavor/Sweetness - Good, similar to other thorny varieties; soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 8%.

Yield -  Floricane yields comparable to floricane-fruiting thorny and thornless varieties such as Apache and Ouachita; exceeds Arapaho in floricane yield. Primocane yields vary greatly by location, from very high in the Willamette Valley of Oregon to very low at Hope, Arkansas.

Maturity Date - Floricane fruit ripens beginning approximately June 3 at Clarksville, Arkansas, and fruiting extends for about four weeks. Floricane ripening season is near that of Arapaho. Primocane fruit begins ripening approximately July 17 at Clarksville and Sept. 1 in Oregon. Primocane fruiting can continue until frost depending on summer and fall temperatures. Fruit development to maturity may not be completed in more northern areas of the U.S.

Disease Resistance - Floricanes susceptible to double blossom/rosette, but primocanes avoid this disease since the disease does not appear until the second season on the canes. No orange rust observed and only slight anthracnose observed.

Comments - Recommended only for home garden use and very limited commercial trial. Not recommended for storage nor shipping. Hardiness similar to other Arkansas thorny varieties. Summer temperatures above 85F can greatly reduce fruit set, size and quality on primocanes; this results in substantial reductions in yield and quality of fruits in areas with this temperature range in late summer and fall. Seed size small, ave. 2.1 mg/seed.

–Prime-Jan®:  

Type - Primocane-fruiting; thorny, erect.

Date of Release - 2004; plant patent #15,788.

Fruit Size - Floricane fruit average 5 g; primocane fruit vary by location grown, from 3 to 15 g in various trials.

Flavor/Sweetness - Good, similar to other thorny varieties; soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 9.6%.

Yield -  Floricane yields comparable to floricane-fruting thorny and thornless varieties such as Apache and Ouachita; usually exceeds Arapaho in floricane yield. Primocane yields vary greatly by location, from very high in the Willamette Valley of Oregon to very low at Hope, Arkansas.

Maturity Date - Floricane fruit ripens beginning approximately June 8 at Clarksville, Arkansas, and fruiting extends for about four weeks. Floricane ripening season begins just after that of Arapaho. Primocane fruit begins ripening approximately July 18 at Clarksville and Sept. 1 in Oregon. Primocane fruiting can continue until frost depending on summer and fall temperatures. Fruit development to maturity may not be completed in more northern areas of the U.S.

Disease Resistance - Floricanes susceptible to double blossom/rosette, but primocanes avoid this disease since the disease does not appear until the second season on the canes. No orange rust observed and only slight anthracnose observed.

Comments - Recommended only for home garden use and very limited commercial trial. Not recommended for storage nor shipping. Hardiness similar to Choctaw and Arapaho, but has shown some late winter cane injury in some years. Summer temperatures above 85F can greatly reduce fruit set, size and quality on primocanes; this results in substantial reductions in yield and quality of fruits in areas with this temperature range in late summer and fall.

So, no matter which variety you choose, those deer better be on the look out or else they are going to have a very sore mouth!

I hope this information helps you out, and again, thanks for reading!

*** Information provided in this article comes from Randy at AgriStarts of Apopka, FL and from the University of Arkansas Extension.  To get more information on any of the Prime® Blackberries, please check out their website at www.agristarts.com and http://www.aragriculture.org, respectively.

Like many of you, the editor here at Horticulture Talk has much to do with the holiday season.  So, in order to make sure that I don’t go crazy between now and New Year’s, our blog will be taking a short hiatus.  We’ll return with lots of great new articles and answering your questions on January 2nd… so make sure you come back with bells on!  =)

Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

P.S.  If you are feeling a little bored, start reading all those seed catalogs that should be starting to appear in the mailbox!

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Let’s start with the strawberries. Hand-hoeing and hand-weeding are very important in strawberry plantings. There are several weed-control materials for the strawberry, but in general home garden plantings are best weeded without the use of chemicals. It is difficult to apply the chemical at the proper rate without the necessary equipment and there is the danger of doing damage to adjacent vegetable and flower plants (spray drift). Subsequent crops following strawberries in the garden may also be sensitive to these chemicals. The basic methods of controlling weeds are:

–Machine cultivation (tilling) plus hoeing and hand pulling;
–Mulching with suitable material;
–Chemical herbicides (check with your county extension);
–Allowing geese to wander about in the strawberry patch (“goosing your strawberries” is still popular in some areas of the U.S.)

HERBICIDES SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED WHEN PLANTS ARE BLOOMING, WHEN RUNNER PLANTS ARE TAKING ROOT, AND DURING LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL WHEN FRUIT BUDS ARE BEING FORMED.

As for the raspberries, unwanted vegetation may be removed mechanically or chemically.  A combination of the two is usually most effective.  Mechanical weed control methods include shallow (1-2 inch deep) cultivation every few weeks with a sharp hoe, shovel, or rotary tiller, being careful not to damage the crowns, canes, or roots.  Weeds within the rows may have to be pulled by hand.  Do not injure emerging canes which will produce fruit the following year.  Alternatively, a mulch of shredded leaves, wood chips, sawdust, straw, or other organic materials that will stop weeds may be used.  Do not mound mulches up around the canes.  Apply them alongside the rows.  Renew mulches each year.

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Thank you for contacting me in regards to your roses.  Rose rosette disease (RRD), a disease believed to be caused by a virus, has been spreading through much of the wild rose population of the midwestern, southern and eastern United States for years, and has now been confirmed in cultivated roses in Virginia. This disease is of great concern to the nursery industry and to many home gardeners because it is known to be lethal to the wild multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and it is potentially lethal to many ornamental rose species and cultivars.

Symptoms of rose rosette disease are highly variable, depending on the species or cultivar of rose affected. This variability can complicate diagnosis. Some of the more recognizable symptoms include rapid elongation of new shoots, followed by development of witches’ brooms or clustering of small branches.  Leaves in the witches’ broom are small, distorted, and may have a conspicuous red pigmentation, although red pigmentation is not a consistent symptom. Canes on some species or cultivars develop excessive growth of unusually soft and pliable red or green thorns, which may stiffen later. When this symptom is present, it is diagnostic for rose rosette disease. Symptomatic canes may also be noticeably thicker than the parent cane from which they emerged or they may grow in a spiral pattern. Flowers
may be distorted with fewer petals than normal, and flower color may be abnormal. For example, flowers that are normally a solid color may be mottled. Buds may abort, be deformed, or be converted to leaf-like tissue. Infected rose plants often die within one to two years.

When all of the above symptoms are present, diagnosis is relatively straightforward. However, a diseased plant may exhibit few of these symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease. By the time symptoms are severe and recognizable, the disease is likely to have already spread to neighboring plants.

Some symptoms, such as leaf coloration, may be subtle. Although some diseased plants develop very obvious red pigmentation, others exhibit a less striking reddish pink color on leaf undersides or along the margins of otherwise green leaves. Since the new leaves of many rose cultivars normally have reddish pigments, it may be difficult to determine whether the reddish color is abnormal or not. Therefore, it is important to continue to monitor symptoms on suspect roses. On RRD-infected plants, the reddish color does not go away, whereas on healthy plants, the reddish color usually disappears as the leaf matures. Witches’ brooms on some diseased plants may be an unusual color of green that can be mistaken for symptoms of a nutrient deficiency. However, nutrient deficiency should affect the whole plant. If these symptoms appear only on parts of the plant, they are probably not due to nutrient deficiency, and RRD is more likely.

The witches’ broom symptom itself is not necessarily diagnostic for rose rosette disease. This symptom can also occur in response to certain types of herbicide injury. For example, if glyphosate, the active ingredient of the herbicide Roundup, contacts green tissue of rose plants in the fall, it is translocated to the buds, and symptoms do not become evident until those buds emerge the following spring. Witches’ brooms with yellow, narrow leaves on clusters of shoots are typical of glyphosate injury. The commonly used broadleaf herbicide 2,4-D can also cause leaf distortion on roses. Unless plants are injured again, symptoms of herbicide injury should disappear by the following year.

Other symptoms of RRD that may be expressed include blackening and death of the canes on some cultivars, short internodal distances, blind shoots (shoots that do not produce a flower) that remain blind, and greater sensitivity of reddish purple tissue to frost. Leaves of diseased plants may have a roughened, “pebbly” texture. Plants with RRD also have increased susceptibility to the fungal disease, powdery mildew. This is especially evident when nearby roses known to be highly susceptible to powdery mildew do not develop signs of this disease.

Symptoms that were undoubtedly due to rose rosette disease were described in the United States as early as 1941. Spread of the disease in the United States was intimately tied to the history of the multiflora rose, an exotic plant that was introduced from Japan in 1866 as a rootstock for ornamental roses. During the 1930′s through 1960′s, planting multiflora rose was recommended for erosion control, as a bird sanctuary and food source, as a living fence for cattle, for strip mine reclamation, and as a crash barrier on highways. This recommendation ultimately backfired. Multiflora rose can produce a million or more seeds per plant and can propagate itself vegetatively as well. It quickly spread and is now declared a noxious weed in several states.

Multiflora rose is highly susceptible to rose rosette disease, so much so that the disease was initially considered a potential biological control for multiflora rose. Even now, some people suggest introducing infected plants into areas with multiflora rose to control this weed. Most rose growers, however, are very wary of this recommendation because rose rosette disease can spread quickly from multiflora rose to cultivated roses.

Rose rosette disease is caused by a virus or virus-like pathogen yet to be characterized. Because the exact causal agent has not yet been identified, there is currently no laboratory test for confirming rose rosette disease. The disease is diagnosed based on a preponderance of characteristic symptoms or by grafting suspect plant material onto known healthy roses and demonstrating transmission of symptoms after a period of weeks to months.

The disease is known to be transmitted by the eriophyid mite Phyllocoptes fructiphylus or by grafting. The wild multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) is very susceptible to the disease and is a common source of inoculum. Cultivated roses planted downwind of infected multiflora rose are especially at risk because the mite vector travels on wind currents from infected to healthy plants. Some growers have observed symptoms on previously healthy plants within four weeks of being planted downwind from diseased multiflora rose.

The causal agent of rose rosette disease is not soil-borne, so it is possible to successfully plant healthy roses in beds where diseased plants have been removed; however, the pathogen may persist in old root pieces that remain in the soil from previous diseased roses. If plants regrow from these old root pieces, as multiflora rose is apt to do, they can serve as an inoculum source for healthy plants. Therefore, it is important to remove old plants thoroughly and ensure that infected plants are not allowed to regrow from old, infected root pieces.

No effective control is available for rose rosette in existing, diseased rose plants, but the disease may be prevented from spreading to healthy plants by using a combination of the following approaches.

R. multiflora is the species that appears to be most susceptible to rose rosette disease. However, many species and selections of cultivated roses are also highly susceptible, and no cultivars have been proven to be resistant. Although the native species Rosa setigera is reported to be resistant to the disease, one grower has reported increased susceptibility
to powdery mildew on plants of R. setigera, which could indicate some level of infection by the RRD pathogen. A species called the McCartney rose, which exists as a weed in Texas, is susceptible to RRD but resistant to feeding by the mites that transmit the disease. It may be possible, through breeding techniques, to incorporate this mite resistance into cultivated roses in the future. In the meantime, it would be wise to assume that all cultivated roses are potentially susceptible to the disease and to be on the lookout for symptoms of rose rosette.

Early detection of the disease is the key to effective cultural control. Any suspect roses should be removed and destroyed immediately or monitored for continued symptoms and removed as soon as presence of RRD is ascertained. In some areas burning is permitted and can be used to destroy diseased plants. If burning is not allowed in your area, plants should be bagged and removed. Diseased plants that have been uprooted should not be allowed to remain in
the vicinity of healthy roses as they can continue to serve as a source of inoculum.

If possible, R. multiflora plants, which frequently serve as the source of inoculum, should be eliminated from the immediate vicinity (100-meter radius) of rose nurseries and gardens. Locations where individual multiflora rose plants have been removed should be monitored for regrowth and any regrowth should be removed and destroyed. Multiflora rose over larger areas is, however, difficult to control and complete removal may not be practical. To prevent infection of new transplants, avoid planting cultivated roses on hilltops or downwind of known multiflora rose plantings where the cultivated rose transplants are more susceptible to invasion by the mites. Space plants so that canes and leaves do not touch each other. Eriophyid mites do not have wings and must crawl from plant to plant. Proper spacing makes it more
difficult for the mites to move within a planting.

Although there is no compound that will control the causal agent of rose rosette directly, effective control of mites with certain miticides can reduce the risk of spread. Be aware that miticides registered for control of spider mites do not control the eriophyid mites that transmit rose rosette disease. Some researchers have obtained reasonable control with Sevin; however, mites are very small and it can be difficult to get complete coverage. Also, use of Sevin to control eriophyid mites can lead to outbreaks of spider mites. The insecticide, Avid, is registered for control of both eriophyid and spider mites on roses.

Use of miticides in the absence of cultural controls is not recommended. One way to use a miticide as an additional tool in a control program is to focus sprays on plants that surround spots where diseased plants have been removed. These are the most likely plants to which mites from within a planting would have moved. Spraying every two weeks from April until September should significantly reduce the mite population and the risk of transmission. Additional sprays may be needed during hot, dry weather when eriophyid mites are most active.

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Hi Ricky,

Thank you for your letter regarding your Grandmother’s “German Beans”.  Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with a bean by that particular name that matches your description.  However, there are two with other names that are heirlooms that may be a close match:

–Brita’s Foot Long:  This dry pole bean variety has long pods and large white seeds.  The beans are very flavorful.  As of about 2005, it was offered exclusively by Salt Spring Seeds in Salt Spring Island, Canada.  In looking at their current offerings on their website and contacting the owner of the company, I found out that it was dropped from their company a few years ago.  A couple other places to check would be Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.  Seed Savers Exchange has a wonderful network of members that grow and offer TONS of different heirloom varieties.  Baker Creek is has a wide assortment of varieties that you just don’t find in other catalogs.  I’ve included the contact information for both at the end of this letter.

–Jack and the Beanstalk:  This Polish heirloom is gigantic!  It grows to 20 feet tall and has large, white beans.  It is available from Rich Farm Supply.

I hope this information helps you out and I’m sorry that I don’t have a better answer.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.

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Contact Information:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company

2278 Baker Creek Road

Mansfield, MO  65704

Phone: (417) 924-8917

Website: www.rareseeds.com

Email:  seeds@rareseeds.com

Rich Farm Supply

985 W. State Rd. 32

Winchester, IN  47394

Phone:  (765) 584-2500 Ext. 111

Website:  www.richfarmgarden.com

Email:  service@richfarmgarden.com

Seed Savers Exchange

3094 North Winn Road

Decorah, IA  52101

Phone:  (563) 382-5990

Website:  www.seedsavers.org

Email:  preservations@seedsavers.org

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Hi John,

Thank you for contacting us in regards to Savoy Cabbage that is winter hardy.  Savoy Express Hybrid is not a real good keeper in terms of freezing.  While it will survive fall frosts, it is a variety that you want to have in before the cold of winter sets in.

However, there are some open pollination (heirloom) varieties that you may be interested in.  These have a better tolerance of the cold than the Savoy Expess Hybrid:

–Chieftain Savoy (also known as Chieftain Drumhead Savoy or Savoy Chief): 80-105 days, AAS winner in 1938.  This variety is a round, flattened, solid drumhead, about 6-8 pounds, with dark blue-green finely curled leaves.  It has good wrapper leaves and is white inside.  It can withstand the frost of fall and is winterhardy to zone 5.

–Des Vertus:  75-95 days.  This is a French savoy type with 3 pound heads.  The leaves are crinkled and a deep blue-green with a mild, sweet flavor.  It is very adaptable in that it can withstand the heat of summer and overwinter in mild areas (Zone 5 and warmer).

–Holland White (also known as Holland Late Winter):  This variety has solid white heads that are traditionally used for sauerkraut, coleslaw, and salads.  They produce 4-7 pound heads and store well.  If planted in May or June, the heads will be ready in October thru December and can overwinter in the garden.

–January King:  100-160 days.  It is an frost resistant, English ‘semi-savoy’ variety.  It is sown in May-July and then harvested in November-January.  The heads are flat and solid with a light green color.  There are also purple markings on the wrapper leaves.  The heads are 3-5 pounds, resistant to splitting, and are of very fine quality.

–Winter King: 80 days.  Original, dark-green finely crumpled leaves, uniform heads on short stems, can overwinter in mild areas.  Excellent quality.

–Winterfurst: This is an extremely late savoy that has 5-7 pound healds.  The plants are sown early but harvested in late fall or winter.  It is very hardy and stores well.  They can even be harvested in early spring.

I hope this information helps you out.  If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

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Hi Cosetta,

Thank you for the email regarding Serrano del Sol Hybrid Peppers.  Yes, they are a great variety for growing in pots!

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Hi Wendy,

Thank you for the question regarding your Goumi bush.  When you have a fruit
tree or bush, it can be frustrating the first few years you have it because
you get so excited when you see all the blossoms and a lot of fruit set
initially… only to have the fruits drop off a short time later.

What you have experienced is known as fruit drop.  Given the age of your
bush, it is a perfectly normal occurrence, and not the result of something
you did wrong.  At this stage of development, your plant has a certain
amount of resources that can go into the entire seed-producing event.
Flowering, fruit set, and seed maturation all figure into this.  Each flower
that is on the bush takes a sizeable amount of resources because of the
nectar produced to attract pollinators.  The pollinators came and did a good
job of pollinating (hence the initial amount of tiny fruits).  However, the
plant just did not have enough resources remaining to grow each fruit to
maturation. The fruits were aborted and only a few that the plant could
handle remained.

Of course, as an excited gardener, it is a disappointment to see all that
potential fruit falling off the tree.  However, you have to look at it this
way:  if your bush had kept the fruit and grown it all the way to maturity,
you would have probably lost the fruit because it would have give it
everything it had.

As your Goumi bush continues to grow, you will see in increase in the amount
of fruit you have each year.  Once your plant is producing tons of fruit a
year, you may occasionally have years like this one where you will only have
a few fruits.  Don’t worry — this is called a ‘resting year’.  It is just
like what the bush is going through now — the plant knows it just doesn’t
have enough to do it all and reserves resources for growing and staying
alive rather than producing fruit.

• 3 acorn squash (3/4-1 pound each)
• 5 ounces bulk turkey sausage
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed (see Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste
• 1 cup shredded Wisconsin Swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.