Patience is the companion of wisdom.
~Saint Augustine
My sister Kristin sent me this article from the NY Times, Slow Gardening Ramps Up: Slow, Easy, Cheap & Green by Steven Kurutz, about horticulturist Felder Rushing. It couldn't have come at a better time, as I am realizing that most of the perennials I seeded won't bloom until next season. Patience...
I laughed out loud when Felder Rushing said, "...I am outside in my bathrobe a lot, and in the mornings I look like Jesus' drunk brother." Classic! I often wonder what my neighbors think of my mismatched tees and plaid and striped pajama bottoms when I am letting Kayla (my sister Kelly's Boxer) out to pee and observing my garden while I wait for her to finish up her business. I don't think I can claim to look like Jesus' drunk sister, but maybe a distant cousin in need of a good cup of tea.
I loved his beautiful cobalt blue glass bottle tree. The cobalt blue would probably be good at attracting pollinators to the garden. Megan McFarland posted directions on How to Make a Bottle Tree on howtodothings.com This may become one of my summer projects.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Consider the Tomato.
Know your farmer, know your food.
~ Michael Ableman
Today I received my tomato seeds from TomatoFest, and it made me feel very happy knowing that my seeds came from good folks, like Gary Ibsen and Dagma Lacey who share common values. It makes me feel good knowing I will plant, care for, and harvest tomatoes to feed myself, my family, neighbors, friends and PAR. It's empowering and gratifying.
Sometimes people ask, What difference does it make where my food comes from? Let's take a tomato. A common produce item. A staple of the American diet. Should be simple enough.
If a person goes to a store and purchases a tomato, the sign says, "Tomatoes $3.59 per pound". He knows the name of the produce and the price per pound. He may have a choice of grape, cherry, plum, or beefsteak so he can decide if it's for a salad or to slice. He may even look at the tomato and judge it's color and size, and pick one that is a nice red color and has some heft and firmness.
But there are some questions left unanswered.
What variety of tomato is it? What flavor and texture does the tomato have? Is it the most suited variety for the usage or recipe?
Where did the seeds come from that grew the tomato? Have they been handed down generation after generation, from grower to grower? Were they cultivated by the Amish or Native Americans? Were they imported from Italy, Russian, or China? Were they genetically modified in a lab?
Where was the tomato grown? Was it grown by a local farmer? Was is grown in the US? Was it grown in Florida by slaves? Was it grown in Chile and imported?
How far did the tomato travel? How much fossil fuel was used in getting the tomato to the dinner plate? Did the transportation devices (cargo ships, airplanes, trains, trucks) meet pollution-reduction standards?
What type of environment was the tomato grow in? A field? A greenhouse? A hydroponics facility?
What type of soil did the tomato plant grow in? Was it grown it a sustainable fashion? Were manures properly aged to kill harmful bacteria before being added to the soil? What fertilizers and soil amendments were used? Were pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides used? If imported, were the chemicals used to grow the tomatoes legal for farming in the US? How did the fertilizers and other chemical agents used affect the the surrounding ecosystem (birds, bats, bees, butterflies, frogs, mammals including human workers and neighbors, streams, rivers,...)?
What were the working conditions of the farmers who grew the tomato? Did they receive adequate pay and benefits? Did they have a lunch break? Did they have reasonable working hours? Did they have good and safe working conditions? Were they treated humanely, with dignity and respect? If they became injured on the job, did they receive the necessary health care and paid-leave? If they worked with pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, what is the health risk for them or that of their children? Were proper bathrooms available, or were workers forced to relieve themselves in the fields?
At what stage was the tomato picked? Was it allowed to ripen on the vine to have full nutritional value? Or was it picked before it ripened so that it could "travel" better, and then forced to ripen in ethylene gas chambers?
What packaging and waste was generated in shipping and displaying the tomato? Can any of it be recycled or re-purposed?
It's because I don't feel comfortable not knowing the answers to these questions, that I decided to try to:
- grow as much of my own food as possible;
- support local farmers and producers as much as I can by visiting their farms and farmers' markets; and
- buy local, seasonal, organic or biodynamic whenever possible.
Sometimes it does take more effort, but if you think about the benefits, the rewards are far greater than the effort expended. And sometimes it does cost more in the short-term, but in the long term, I know that the food is healthier for me and the environment, and more respectful to those who labor in the fields, and I consider that a good deal.
If it seems overwhelming, start with tomatoes.
~ Michael Ableman
Today I received my tomato seeds from TomatoFest, and it made me feel very happy knowing that my seeds came from good folks, like Gary Ibsen and Dagma Lacey who share common values. It makes me feel good knowing I will plant, care for, and harvest tomatoes to feed myself, my family, neighbors, friends and PAR. It's empowering and gratifying.
Sometimes people ask, What difference does it make where my food comes from? Let's take a tomato. A common produce item. A staple of the American diet. Should be simple enough.
If a person goes to a store and purchases a tomato, the sign says, "Tomatoes $3.59 per pound". He knows the name of the produce and the price per pound. He may have a choice of grape, cherry, plum, or beefsteak so he can decide if it's for a salad or to slice. He may even look at the tomato and judge it's color and size, and pick one that is a nice red color and has some heft and firmness.
But there are some questions left unanswered.
What variety of tomato is it? What flavor and texture does the tomato have? Is it the most suited variety for the usage or recipe?
Where did the seeds come from that grew the tomato? Have they been handed down generation after generation, from grower to grower? Were they cultivated by the Amish or Native Americans? Were they imported from Italy, Russian, or China? Were they genetically modified in a lab?
Where was the tomato grown? Was it grown by a local farmer? Was is grown in the US? Was it grown in Florida by slaves? Was it grown in Chile and imported?
How far did the tomato travel? How much fossil fuel was used in getting the tomato to the dinner plate? Did the transportation devices (cargo ships, airplanes, trains, trucks) meet pollution-reduction standards?
What type of environment was the tomato grow in? A field? A greenhouse? A hydroponics facility?
What type of soil did the tomato plant grow in? Was it grown it a sustainable fashion? Were manures properly aged to kill harmful bacteria before being added to the soil? What fertilizers and soil amendments were used? Were pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides used? If imported, were the chemicals used to grow the tomatoes legal for farming in the US? How did the fertilizers and other chemical agents used affect the the surrounding ecosystem (birds, bats, bees, butterflies, frogs, mammals including human workers and neighbors, streams, rivers,...)?
What were the working conditions of the farmers who grew the tomato? Did they receive adequate pay and benefits? Did they have a lunch break? Did they have reasonable working hours? Did they have good and safe working conditions? Were they treated humanely, with dignity and respect? If they became injured on the job, did they receive the necessary health care and paid-leave? If they worked with pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, what is the health risk for them or that of their children? Were proper bathrooms available, or were workers forced to relieve themselves in the fields?
At what stage was the tomato picked? Was it allowed to ripen on the vine to have full nutritional value? Or was it picked before it ripened so that it could "travel" better, and then forced to ripen in ethylene gas chambers?
What packaging and waste was generated in shipping and displaying the tomato? Can any of it be recycled or re-purposed?
It's because I don't feel comfortable not knowing the answers to these questions, that I decided to try to:
- grow as much of my own food as possible;
- support local farmers and producers as much as I can by visiting their farms and farmers' markets; and
- buy local, seasonal, organic or biodynamic whenever possible.
Sometimes it does take more effort, but if you think about the benefits, the rewards are far greater than the effort expended. And sometimes it does cost more in the short-term, but in the long term, I know that the food is healthier for me and the environment, and more respectful to those who labor in the fields, and I consider that a good deal.
If it seems overwhelming, start with tomatoes.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Bringin' Your Own Sunshine.
Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine.
~ Anthony J. D'Angelo
If you place your seedlings in the window, while they may get a lot of light, sometimes they will still seem to stretch for it. You may find that their stems are becoming leggy for the effort.
Even in a south-facing window, in late Winter and early Spring, sometimes daylight just doesn't last long enough to give the plants the amount of sunshine they need. Plus, overcast winter skies and spring rain clouds can block the full effect of the sun's rays. And then there's always the perfect window in a great sunny spot, except for the giant tree or neighbor's house blocking it.
Grow Lights are a simple way to get the appropriate amount of light to your young seedlings and plants.
Many gardening supply stores offer a variety of ready-made Grow Lights for sale. They're equipped with state-of-the-art bulbs, reflectors, ventilation, timing devices, etc. And they are an excellent option if you can afford them.
But if you are on a budget like me, and know how to use a drill and a screwdriver, a Grow Light can easily be made at a fraction of the cost.
This video gives a pretty good demonstration of the basics of How to Make a Grow Light. The amount of materials needed will depend on how big the Grow Light is.
TOOLS
- Saw
- Power Screwdriver
- Power Drill
- Wrench, long screwdriver or stick
MATERIALS
- plywood (only necessary if you are combining 2 or more fixtures into a single grow light)
- spray paint (optional)
- self-drilling zinc screws for metal (2 per fixture)
- fluorescent bulb light fixture(s)*
- Daylight 6500 Kelvin Cool Light Bulbs*
- Sunlight 5000 Kelvin Bulbs*
- screw hooks
- lengths of #3 double loop chain
- indoor extension cord with grounded plug (16 gauge, 13 amp)
- light timer (optional)
* Make sure the bulbs to correspond with the light fixture. T5 bulbs go with a T5 fixture, T8 bulbs with a T8 fixture, T12 bulbs with a T12 fixture... Always pay attention to the wattage requirements.
Because of the size of my seedling trays, I decided that my Grow Light needed to be 20" wide and 48" long. So I purchased three 4' 2-light Shop Lights. Since this type of fixture is prevalent in a lot of office, government and school buildings, sometimes you can find these types of fixtures for a couple of bucks at a building material reuse retailer or ResourceXchange type of service. I looked for light fixtures at Pittsburgh's Construction Junction, but unfortunately, they didn't have any. Search Earth911 to locate recycling centers in your area. You might even be able to find some for cheap on Craigslist or Ebay.
I bought two twin-packs of 48" Daylight Cool Light 32 T8 bulbs and two twin-packs of 48" Sunshine F32 T8 bulbs (I have one extra of each bulb in case one breaks or burns out). It is alright to use just the Daylight Cool Light fluorescent bulbs. I also purchased a 2'x4' piece of plywood to mount the fixtures on, a package of screw hooks, a pack of self-drilling screws, 3-outlet indoor extension cord with grounded plug, and 15' of #3 double loop chain.
I unpacked all three light fixtures and lined them up side-by-side light-side-up on top of the plywood so I could mark the cut line for the plywood. (Please note: For safety reasons, the lights were not plugged in and also did not have the bulbs installed.) After the plywood was cut, and the edges were sanded to eliminate splinters, spray paint was applied to the plywood to match the color of the fixtures, and left to dry.
With the fixtures unplugged, I then removed the protective panels from the interiors of all 3 lights, setting aside the screws and washers. There were existing holes, so it was unnecessary for me to drill through the metal, however I still used the self-drilling screws. I lined up for the first fixture with the edge of the plywood, and attached the fixture to the plywood with the screws, being careful not to hit or damage the wires or their casings. I repeated the process for the next two fixtures (making sure all of the plugs lined up on the same end), then reattached all the protective panels, also making sure not to damage the wires in any way.
Making sure not to touch the ends of the bulbs, I carefully inserted the fluorescent bulbs into each fixture, alternating Daylight and Sunshine bulbs, one of each per fixture (Daylight-Sunlight-Daylight-Sunlight-Daylight-Sunlight). I double-checked to make sure each bulb was secure.
With my husband Ben's help, I carefully flipped the entire fixture over. To attach the screw hooks for hanging, we measured halfway on the end, one inch in, and drilled a small hole, then screwed in the screw hook, and repeated on the other side.
We then measured the distance between the two screw hooks, and found a spot on a basement ceiling beam, and drilled two holes for screw hooks that same distance apart. We attached the length of chain to hang the Grow Light. We plugged the individual fixtures into the extension cord and ran it to a grounded socket. Then turned on the individual fixtures.
We positioned the Grow Light to hang just a few inches about the top of the seedling trays to ensure that the seedlings get the proper amount of light. As the seedlings grow, we will raise the Grow Light on the chain.
Shopping for materials took about a half an hour. It cost me $95 to make this particular Grow Light. I could have saved around $30 buying different fixtures, but I liked the sides of these fixtures and the quality better than the cheaper versions. Even at $95, I saved between $130 to $300 by making my own Grow Light.
Assembly (minus the spray paint drying time) took about 30 minutes. Very easy. It does help to have another person to help with the hanging of the fixture especially if there are multiple fixtures.
I can already see a difference in my plants. I think that they are healthier and happier. Now all they need is some Mozart playing in the background.
~ Anthony J. D'Angelo
If you place your seedlings in the window, while they may get a lot of light, sometimes they will still seem to stretch for it. You may find that their stems are becoming leggy for the effort.
Even in a south-facing window, in late Winter and early Spring, sometimes daylight just doesn't last long enough to give the plants the amount of sunshine they need. Plus, overcast winter skies and spring rain clouds can block the full effect of the sun's rays. And then there's always the perfect window in a great sunny spot, except for the giant tree or neighbor's house blocking it.
Grow Lights are a simple way to get the appropriate amount of light to your young seedlings and plants.
Many gardening supply stores offer a variety of ready-made Grow Lights for sale. They're equipped with state-of-the-art bulbs, reflectors, ventilation, timing devices, etc. And they are an excellent option if you can afford them.
But if you are on a budget like me, and know how to use a drill and a screwdriver, a Grow Light can easily be made at a fraction of the cost.
This video gives a pretty good demonstration of the basics of How to Make a Grow Light. The amount of materials needed will depend on how big the Grow Light is.
TOOLS
- Saw
- Power Screwdriver
- Power Drill
- Wrench, long screwdriver or stick
MATERIALS
- plywood (only necessary if you are combining 2 or more fixtures into a single grow light)
- spray paint (optional)
- self-drilling zinc screws for metal (2 per fixture)
- fluorescent bulb light fixture(s)*
- Daylight 6500 Kelvin Cool Light Bulbs*
- Sunlight 5000 Kelvin Bulbs*
- screw hooks
- lengths of #3 double loop chain
- indoor extension cord with grounded plug (16 gauge, 13 amp)
- light timer (optional)
* Make sure the bulbs to correspond with the light fixture. T5 bulbs go with a T5 fixture, T8 bulbs with a T8 fixture, T12 bulbs with a T12 fixture... Always pay attention to the wattage requirements.
Because of the size of my seedling trays, I decided that my Grow Light needed to be 20" wide and 48" long. So I purchased three 4' 2-light Shop Lights. Since this type of fixture is prevalent in a lot of office, government and school buildings, sometimes you can find these types of fixtures for a couple of bucks at a building material reuse retailer or ResourceXchange type of service. I looked for light fixtures at Pittsburgh's Construction Junction, but unfortunately, they didn't have any. Search Earth911 to locate recycling centers in your area. You might even be able to find some for cheap on Craigslist or Ebay.
I bought two twin-packs of 48" Daylight Cool Light 32 T8 bulbs and two twin-packs of 48" Sunshine F32 T8 bulbs (I have one extra of each bulb in case one breaks or burns out). It is alright to use just the Daylight Cool Light fluorescent bulbs. I also purchased a 2'x4' piece of plywood to mount the fixtures on, a package of screw hooks, a pack of self-drilling screws, 3-outlet indoor extension cord with grounded plug, and 15' of #3 double loop chain.
I unpacked all three light fixtures and lined them up side-by-side light-side-up on top of the plywood so I could mark the cut line for the plywood. (Please note: For safety reasons, the lights were not plugged in and also did not have the bulbs installed.) After the plywood was cut, and the edges were sanded to eliminate splinters, spray paint was applied to the plywood to match the color of the fixtures, and left to dry.
With the fixtures unplugged, I then removed the protective panels from the interiors of all 3 lights, setting aside the screws and washers. There were existing holes, so it was unnecessary for me to drill through the metal, however I still used the self-drilling screws. I lined up for the first fixture with the edge of the plywood, and attached the fixture to the plywood with the screws, being careful not to hit or damage the wires or their casings. I repeated the process for the next two fixtures (making sure all of the plugs lined up on the same end), then reattached all the protective panels, also making sure not to damage the wires in any way.
Making sure not to touch the ends of the bulbs, I carefully inserted the fluorescent bulbs into each fixture, alternating Daylight and Sunshine bulbs, one of each per fixture (Daylight-Sunlight-Daylight-Sunlight-Daylight-Sunlight). I double-checked to make sure each bulb was secure.
With my husband Ben's help, I carefully flipped the entire fixture over. To attach the screw hooks for hanging, we measured halfway on the end, one inch in, and drilled a small hole, then screwed in the screw hook, and repeated on the other side.
We then measured the distance between the two screw hooks, and found a spot on a basement ceiling beam, and drilled two holes for screw hooks that same distance apart. We attached the length of chain to hang the Grow Light. We plugged the individual fixtures into the extension cord and ran it to a grounded socket. Then turned on the individual fixtures.
We positioned the Grow Light to hang just a few inches about the top of the seedling trays to ensure that the seedlings get the proper amount of light. As the seedlings grow, we will raise the Grow Light on the chain.
Shopping for materials took about a half an hour. It cost me $95 to make this particular Grow Light. I could have saved around $30 buying different fixtures, but I liked the sides of these fixtures and the quality better than the cheaper versions. Even at $95, I saved between $130 to $300 by making my own Grow Light.
Assembly (minus the spray paint drying time) took about 30 minutes. Very easy. It does help to have another person to help with the hanging of the fixture especially if there are multiple fixtures.
I can already see a difference in my plants. I think that they are healthier and happier. Now all they need is some Mozart playing in the background.
Determining the Last Spring Frost Date.
Poverty, Frost, Famine, Rain, Disease, are the beadles and guardsmen that hold us to Common Sense.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have started seeds for all my lettuces and leafy greens, radishes, onions, leeks, herbs (chives, dill, oregano, basils, thyme, cilantro, lavender), sweet and hot peppers, peas, broccoli, celery and some of my tomatoes indoors under a grow light. Normally some of these plants I'd seed right outdoors like the radishes, onions, and peas but I am waiting for masons to finish up work in my garden area, so I am conducting an experiment to see if I can have any success very gently transplanting these plants once I can get into my garden. Fingers crossed.
Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a head start on the growing season, shortening the wait to harvest, and also lengthening the growing season. But when you start seeds indoors, you add the additional step of transplanting. When to transplant often coincides with the last Spring frost date, which is an indicator of when you can directly sow seed outdoors for plants like, beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes and members of the curcubitaceae family (melons, gourds and curcubits—cucumbers, pumpkins and squashes).
So how do you determine the last Spring frost date for your area? Last Spring, Cheryl Long of one of my favorite magazine's Mother Earth News, wrote an excellent article on the subject called, Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date. As she suggested in the article, you can reference the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Climatic Data Center's Freeze/Frost Data, and enter your State to download a PDF file that breakdowns the threshold temperatures and probability of frost for your local area. Although the article suggests otherwise, the 90% probability column is actually the earliest and riskiest dates to plant, as there is a 90% probability that there will be a frost after those dates. If you need to get your plants in the ground at these early dates, you can minimize the likelihood of frost damage by using cold frames, cloches and Reemay cloth. The 50% probability columns mean that there is 50/50 chance of frost after those dates. And the 10% probability column means that there is only a 10% chance of frost after those dates, and therefore on or after those dates is the safest time to seed or plant outdoors.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have started seeds for all my lettuces and leafy greens, radishes, onions, leeks, herbs (chives, dill, oregano, basils, thyme, cilantro, lavender), sweet and hot peppers, peas, broccoli, celery and some of my tomatoes indoors under a grow light. Normally some of these plants I'd seed right outdoors like the radishes, onions, and peas but I am waiting for masons to finish up work in my garden area, so I am conducting an experiment to see if I can have any success very gently transplanting these plants once I can get into my garden. Fingers crossed.
Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a head start on the growing season, shortening the wait to harvest, and also lengthening the growing season. But when you start seeds indoors, you add the additional step of transplanting. When to transplant often coincides with the last Spring frost date, which is an indicator of when you can directly sow seed outdoors for plants like, beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes and members of the curcubitaceae family (melons, gourds and curcubits—cucumbers, pumpkins and squashes).
So how do you determine the last Spring frost date for your area? Last Spring, Cheryl Long of one of my favorite magazine's Mother Earth News, wrote an excellent article on the subject called, Know When to Plant What: Find Your Average Last Spring Frost Date. As she suggested in the article, you can reference the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Climatic Data Center's Freeze/Frost Data, and enter your State to download a PDF file that breakdowns the threshold temperatures and probability of frost for your local area. Although the article suggests otherwise, the 90% probability column is actually the earliest and riskiest dates to plant, as there is a 90% probability that there will be a frost after those dates. If you need to get your plants in the ground at these early dates, you can minimize the likelihood of frost damage by using cold frames, cloches and Reemay cloth. The 50% probability columns mean that there is 50/50 chance of frost after those dates. And the 10% probability column means that there is only a 10% chance of frost after those dates, and therefore on or after those dates is the safest time to seed or plant outdoors.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Lessons of an Old Leaf.
We've all got to die sometime.
~ Pap, when me or one of my sisters would complain of a sore throat
Ajahn Brahm, a Buddhist monk, in his book, Opening the Door of Your Heart: And Other Buddhist Tales of Happiness, relates a Thai parable called Falling Leaves about a monk who witnesses a dreadful storm, and how it affected the environment, in particular the leaves on a tree. Many old leaves were on the ground, but also some yellow leaves, and also some small green shoots. When he looked up at the tree, he found that there were many young green shoots, some yellow leaves, and very few old brown leaves. With that the monk understood that the nature of death was similar to this storm.
Everyday I look out of my studio and kitchen window at this tree and the prayer flags blowing in the wind, spreading good will and compassion for the benefit of all. And for months now, everyday I notice this particular old leaf. It held on through the autumn rains, and through winter snowstorms that took ALL of the other leaves off the tree. This old leaf, the last of its tree brethren, also unbelievably survived several vicious wind storms with 70+ mph winds that blew down trees and took out electrical power throughout the Eastern United States.
This old leaf reminds me of my grandmother who outlived her husband, her parents, her siblings and all of her doctors' predictions, and how she kept her humor and spit-fire spirit despite her failing body. Each day, we were thankful to have her, and each day she would wake up saying, "Oh shit. I'm still here.", until on January 31st of this year, she passed away peacefully.
Not a month later, this old leaf was there when my friend Andrea, who one moment was full of life, love and energy, died suddenly from bacterial meningitis, leaving behind her beloved, her parents, and all of her siblings. I hung the prayer flags on the day of her funeral, and that old leaf was there to challenge and comfort me, a reminder of Ajahn Brahm's teaching.
And today, yet another storm, and this old leaf is still there to share its wisdom.
~ Pap, when me or one of my sisters would complain of a sore throat
Ajahn Brahm, a Buddhist monk, in his book, Opening the Door of Your Heart: And Other Buddhist Tales of Happiness, relates a Thai parable called Falling Leaves about a monk who witnesses a dreadful storm, and how it affected the environment, in particular the leaves on a tree. Many old leaves were on the ground, but also some yellow leaves, and also some small green shoots. When he looked up at the tree, he found that there were many young green shoots, some yellow leaves, and very few old brown leaves. With that the monk understood that the nature of death was similar to this storm.
Everyday I look out of my studio and kitchen window at this tree and the prayer flags blowing in the wind, spreading good will and compassion for the benefit of all. And for months now, everyday I notice this particular old leaf. It held on through the autumn rains, and through winter snowstorms that took ALL of the other leaves off the tree. This old leaf, the last of its tree brethren, also unbelievably survived several vicious wind storms with 70+ mph winds that blew down trees and took out electrical power throughout the Eastern United States.
This old leaf reminds me of my grandmother who outlived her husband, her parents, her siblings and all of her doctors' predictions, and how she kept her humor and spit-fire spirit despite her failing body. Each day, we were thankful to have her, and each day she would wake up saying, "Oh shit. I'm still here.", until on January 31st of this year, she passed away peacefully.
Not a month later, this old leaf was there when my friend Andrea, who one moment was full of life, love and energy, died suddenly from bacterial meningitis, leaving behind her beloved, her parents, and all of her siblings. I hung the prayer flags on the day of her funeral, and that old leaf was there to challenge and comfort me, a reminder of Ajahn Brahm's teaching.
And today, yet another storm, and this old leaf is still there to share its wisdom.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Obamas Grow Organic!
Have patience! In time, even grass becomes milk.
~Charan Singh
Finally! What excellent news!
The First Family is planting an organic vegetable and herb garden on the South Lawn of the White House! Plus, they are keeping 2 hives of honey bees! Check out the NY Times article with pics of the garden plans.
~Charan Singh
Finally! What excellent news!
The First Family is planting an organic vegetable and herb garden on the South Lawn of the White House! Plus, they are keeping 2 hives of honey bees! Check out the NY Times article with pics of the garden plans.
Sharing the Harvest.
A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labor of others, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am receiving.
~Albert Einstein
The economy is weighing on every one's mind. Some folks have lost their jobs, or lost their homes. Others are counting their blessings. And 33 million Americans are struggling to keep themselves fed.
- FeedingAmerica.org is reporting that 1 in every 8 Americans is hungry.
- FeedtheChildren.org is reporting that 12 million children in the US are at risk of going hungry.
- On February 9th, President Obama announced to the Nation that food banks do not have enough to meet the demand.
It may seem early to be talking about the harvest, when seeds are just being planted or in the early stages of sprouting. But it is not too early to plan to give away part of your harvest of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries.
Perhaps you know someone who is out of work and struggling to make ends meet, a coworker who was laid off, a family with a lot of mouths to feed, or a elderly neighbor whose retirement funds took a serious hit. When thinking about your food garden, and the bounty to come, perhaps you can remember these folks by dedicating some of your plants to easing their burden. It's as simple as dropping off a basket of tomatoes, a dozen ears of corn, green beans or whatever other crops you have on hand. If you like to cook, perhaps you can share your harvest in the form of a pot of vegetable stew, some blueberry muffins, a loaf of zucchini bread, a batch of fresh salsa, some stuffed peppers, a spinach quiche, a crock pot of chili, or veggie kabobs. Perhaps you can give them a potted tomato plant or two with some help on how to take care of it so they can also grow food.
The Garden Writers Association has a public service program called Plant a Row for the Hungry. They are asking food gardeners to plant additional plants and then donate the harvest from those plants. If you don't have a large garden, donate what you can, 1 full grocery bag or 25 pounds of fresh produce would greatly help them to meet their goal of feeding hungry families in your community and others across the US.
Donating a portion of your harvest to a local food bank or soup kitchen can enrich the diets of local families and children. Find a Food Bank near you.
If food gardeners everywhere will pledge to share just a bit of their harvest with someone in need, great strides will be made in feeding our communities. It doesn't take much. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Do what you can with whatever you have wherever you are."
~Albert Einstein
The economy is weighing on every one's mind. Some folks have lost their jobs, or lost their homes. Others are counting their blessings. And 33 million Americans are struggling to keep themselves fed.
- FeedingAmerica.org is reporting that 1 in every 8 Americans is hungry.
- FeedtheChildren.org is reporting that 12 million children in the US are at risk of going hungry.
- On February 9th, President Obama announced to the Nation that food banks do not have enough to meet the demand.
It may seem early to be talking about the harvest, when seeds are just being planted or in the early stages of sprouting. But it is not too early to plan to give away part of your harvest of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits and berries.
Perhaps you know someone who is out of work and struggling to make ends meet, a coworker who was laid off, a family with a lot of mouths to feed, or a elderly neighbor whose retirement funds took a serious hit. When thinking about your food garden, and the bounty to come, perhaps you can remember these folks by dedicating some of your plants to easing their burden. It's as simple as dropping off a basket of tomatoes, a dozen ears of corn, green beans or whatever other crops you have on hand. If you like to cook, perhaps you can share your harvest in the form of a pot of vegetable stew, some blueberry muffins, a loaf of zucchini bread, a batch of fresh salsa, some stuffed peppers, a spinach quiche, a crock pot of chili, or veggie kabobs. Perhaps you can give them a potted tomato plant or two with some help on how to take care of it so they can also grow food.
The Garden Writers Association has a public service program called Plant a Row for the Hungry. They are asking food gardeners to plant additional plants and then donate the harvest from those plants. If you don't have a large garden, donate what you can, 1 full grocery bag or 25 pounds of fresh produce would greatly help them to meet their goal of feeding hungry families in your community and others across the US.
Donating a portion of your harvest to a local food bank or soup kitchen can enrich the diets of local families and children. Find a Food Bank near you.
If food gardeners everywhere will pledge to share just a bit of their harvest with someone in need, great strides will be made in feeding our communities. It doesn't take much. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Do what you can with whatever you have wherever you are."
Monday, March 23, 2009
Soil Tests.
The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.
~ Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America, 1977
We have had the ground beneath us our entire lives, yet until a person begins gardening, she may know little about it. One of the most exciting things about gardening is learning about the soil, taking care of it, working it, and seeing it improve for the effort.
Where a chef tastes his soup to see what's needed to spice it up (Bam!), a gardener needs to perform a soil test to take her garden to the next level. A soil test is a definitive way of understanding your soil—its structure, nutrient content, pH, and potential contaminants (heavy metals, chemicals) present. Soil tests will identify any problems and also the solutions (which are usually cocktails of soil amendments). Most amendments may not be necessary if you are enriching your garden soil with compost, rotating your crops, and allowing beds to lay fallow for a season. But if soil amendments are necessary, follow directions carefully, and aim for moderation and balance. Always remember, although you may want high yields and healthy vegetables, your ultimate aim should be for healthy soil. You are part of an ecosystem, sharing the soil with millions of soil creatures and microorganisms that can benefit or be harmed by your actions. As long as you keep soil health as your goal, the entire garden ecosystem will be healthy and thrive.
STRUCTURE
Soil structure (granular, platy, blocky, columnar, or prismatic; and structureless— single grained or massive) relates to how the soil particles are arranged in its natural state (before you dig it up). This website offers drawings and photographs to help identify soil structures. Many things impact soil structure, such as soil texture (clay-silt-sand ratios), drainage, and compaction. A soil rich in compost or other organic matter has excellent soil structure (granular–loose & crumbly). Good soil structure improves soil aeration, reduces runoff, and encourages healthy root development, all of which increase plant health and harvest yields. Working the soil while it is wet can be very damaging to its soil structure. It's best to work the soil when it is neither wet nor dry.
NUTRIENT CONTENT
The three main garden nutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. When purchasing fertilizers, often you will see numbers within parentheses such as (13-1-0). This can be read as the amounts of (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium).
(N) Nitrogen present in the soil is converted to nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) by nitrogen fixing bacteria. Plants feed on nitrate and ammonium to establish healthy stem and leaf growth. Nitrogen is also used in the decomposition process. Wood needs a lot of nitrogen to decompose, so if your plants are slow growing, they may be competing for nitrogen with wood present in the soil or mulch. Spent coffee grinds and blood meal are excellent sources of nitrogen, and if necessary should be applied in the Spring. Crops of green manure (nitrogen fixing plants such as alfalfa, beans, clover, peas, peanuts) can be rotated with other crops; after harvest, just use a spade fork to turn the decaying plants back into the soil.
(P) Phosphorus stimulates root growth and flower and seed production. But be careful not to overdo it. Too much phosphorus can lead to other nutrient deficiencies, plus phosphorus can easily become a pollutant, contaminating rivers and streams through rain runoff. Generally there is enough phosphorus present in home garden soils, so it is not usually necessary to amend the soil with phosphorus fertilizers. However, if your soil test reveals a phosphorus deficiency, bone meal and aged animal manures are rich sources of it.
(K) Potassium aids in photosynthesis and the absorption of water, and is essential for a plant's overall health and immune system. Good sources of potassium include seaweed kelp, liquid seaweed, wood ash, dried aged animal manures, and rock potash (for the seriously potassium deficient soil).
Major Trace Elements or Macronutrients include (S) Sulfur, (Ca) Calcium, and (Mg) Magnesium.
(S) Sulfur helps plants to build proteins. It also lowers soil pH, correcting alkalinity and boosting acidity. Sulfur is useful for acid-loving crops such as beans, blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, garlic, lettuces, okra, onions, parsley, peppers, potatoes, squash, sunflowers, watermelon, and also non-edible plants such as evergreens and rhododendrons. If you keep hydrangeas, adding sulfur to the soil will turn the blossoms blue. Good sources of sulfur include leaf mould, sawdust, pine needles and bark.
(Ca) Calcium is essential for proper cell growth. It also raises soil pH, correcting acidity and boosting alkalinity. Adding crushed eggshells (be sure to rinse them with dish soap and warm water) or crushed seashells will help add calcium to your soil. Tomatoes like calcium because it prevents blossom end rot. You can sprinkle crushed eggshells or seashells around broccoli, cabbage, peppers, and tomatoes to prevent pest damage caused by cabbage worms, cutworms, and slugs. If you have a prevalence of these pests, you should have a soil test done to test for calcium deficiency. Soil amendments that boost calcium include: limestone (calcium carbonate - CaCO3), gypsum, bone meal, aragonite (seashells), wood ash and soft rock phosphate.
(Mg) Magnesium is component of the chlorophyll and aids plants in the process of photosynthesis. Peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes require high levels of magnesium. Generally if you add compost, aged animal manure or plant matter to you garden soil in the Fall and Spring, your soil should have sufficient amounts of magnesium. If a soil test reveals otherwise, Epsom Salts are a highly soluble form of magnesium sulfate.
Minor Trace Elements, a.k.a. Micronutrients, include: (Fe) Iron, (Mn) Manganese, (Cu) Copper, (Zn) Zinc, (B) Boron, (Mo) Molybdenum, and (Al) Aluminum.
SOIL ACIDITY (pH)
The scale ranges from 1.0 to 14.0, but soil most often ranges from a 3.0 to a 10.0. 7.0 is neutral. The lower the soil pH, the more acidic it is, and the higher the pH more alkaline it is. For vegetable and herb gardens, a soil pH of 5 to 7 is ideal. Sulfur and calcium amendments can help shift soil acidity in the direction your plants need.
CONTAMINANTS
If you live in an urban area, your soil may contain traces of fuel components, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and petroleum hydrocarbons, and/or what are known as Extractable Heavy Metals which include (Pb) Lead, (Cd) Cadmium, (Ni) Nickel, and (Cr) Chromium. Because cities tend to have higher populations in closer spaces, paint flakes from houses, emission pollution from cars, industrial processes, rain runoff from roads and highways, and litter are bound to collect and build up in city soils. These contaminants can be hazardous to your health, and especially that of children. A soil test is a great and necessary investment in the health and well being of all who tend in your garden and eat its abundance. Do not be discouraged by the soil test results. If you have a worst-case scenario, grants may exist for environmental clean-up or brownfield land restoration. Contact your local congressman for more information about what funds and resources might be available to you. If it's somewhat bad, but not exceedingly dangerous, raised beds and container gardening may be your solution, or you can excavate the contaminated soil out, and bring in healthy soil and heaps of compost.
HOW TO HAVE A SOIL TEST DONE
Check your state university's cooperative extension to see if they have a soil testing program. University of Massachusetts Amherst's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences is noted for having an excellent soil testing program. Each program will offer its own set of instructions. The fees are minimal considering the wealth of information you receive. Generally all you need is a clean spade and some heavy duty ziplock plastic bags. You will take random samples throughout your gardening space, mix them together, then air dry them, and mix again. Seal a sample from the mix in a ziplock bag, labeled with the required information, and mail it to the testing location with a brief note outlining any comments about your gardening needs (such as specific crops or prior land usage history), questions or concerns you might have. After the testing is finished, you will receive a report outlining your soil health and any necessary measures needed to boost it.
SOIL AMENDMENTS
Often you have soil amendments available to you for free in the form of vegetable scraps, grass clipping, dried leaves, coffee grinds, seashells, eggshells etc. But if you are looking for a specific soil amendment, like Gypsum, check you local nursery or gardening center for organic options, or order online from a supplier like Planet Natural.
~ Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America, 1977
We have had the ground beneath us our entire lives, yet until a person begins gardening, she may know little about it. One of the most exciting things about gardening is learning about the soil, taking care of it, working it, and seeing it improve for the effort.
Where a chef tastes his soup to see what's needed to spice it up (Bam!), a gardener needs to perform a soil test to take her garden to the next level. A soil test is a definitive way of understanding your soil—its structure, nutrient content, pH, and potential contaminants (heavy metals, chemicals) present. Soil tests will identify any problems and also the solutions (which are usually cocktails of soil amendments). Most amendments may not be necessary if you are enriching your garden soil with compost, rotating your crops, and allowing beds to lay fallow for a season. But if soil amendments are necessary, follow directions carefully, and aim for moderation and balance. Always remember, although you may want high yields and healthy vegetables, your ultimate aim should be for healthy soil. You are part of an ecosystem, sharing the soil with millions of soil creatures and microorganisms that can benefit or be harmed by your actions. As long as you keep soil health as your goal, the entire garden ecosystem will be healthy and thrive.
STRUCTURE
Soil structure (granular, platy, blocky, columnar, or prismatic; and structureless— single grained or massive) relates to how the soil particles are arranged in its natural state (before you dig it up). This website offers drawings and photographs to help identify soil structures. Many things impact soil structure, such as soil texture (clay-silt-sand ratios), drainage, and compaction. A soil rich in compost or other organic matter has excellent soil structure (granular–loose & crumbly). Good soil structure improves soil aeration, reduces runoff, and encourages healthy root development, all of which increase plant health and harvest yields. Working the soil while it is wet can be very damaging to its soil structure. It's best to work the soil when it is neither wet nor dry.
NUTRIENT CONTENT
The three main garden nutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. When purchasing fertilizers, often you will see numbers within parentheses such as (13-1-0). This can be read as the amounts of (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium).
(N) Nitrogen present in the soil is converted to nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) by nitrogen fixing bacteria. Plants feed on nitrate and ammonium to establish healthy stem and leaf growth. Nitrogen is also used in the decomposition process. Wood needs a lot of nitrogen to decompose, so if your plants are slow growing, they may be competing for nitrogen with wood present in the soil or mulch. Spent coffee grinds and blood meal are excellent sources of nitrogen, and if necessary should be applied in the Spring. Crops of green manure (nitrogen fixing plants such as alfalfa, beans, clover, peas, peanuts) can be rotated with other crops; after harvest, just use a spade fork to turn the decaying plants back into the soil.
(P) Phosphorus stimulates root growth and flower and seed production. But be careful not to overdo it. Too much phosphorus can lead to other nutrient deficiencies, plus phosphorus can easily become a pollutant, contaminating rivers and streams through rain runoff. Generally there is enough phosphorus present in home garden soils, so it is not usually necessary to amend the soil with phosphorus fertilizers. However, if your soil test reveals a phosphorus deficiency, bone meal and aged animal manures are rich sources of it.
(K) Potassium aids in photosynthesis and the absorption of water, and is essential for a plant's overall health and immune system. Good sources of potassium include seaweed kelp, liquid seaweed, wood ash, dried aged animal manures, and rock potash (for the seriously potassium deficient soil).
Major Trace Elements or Macronutrients include (S) Sulfur, (Ca) Calcium, and (Mg) Magnesium.
(S) Sulfur helps plants to build proteins. It also lowers soil pH, correcting alkalinity and boosting acidity. Sulfur is useful for acid-loving crops such as beans, blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, garlic, lettuces, okra, onions, parsley, peppers, potatoes, squash, sunflowers, watermelon, and also non-edible plants such as evergreens and rhododendrons. If you keep hydrangeas, adding sulfur to the soil will turn the blossoms blue. Good sources of sulfur include leaf mould, sawdust, pine needles and bark.
(Ca) Calcium is essential for proper cell growth. It also raises soil pH, correcting acidity and boosting alkalinity. Adding crushed eggshells (be sure to rinse them with dish soap and warm water) or crushed seashells will help add calcium to your soil. Tomatoes like calcium because it prevents blossom end rot. You can sprinkle crushed eggshells or seashells around broccoli, cabbage, peppers, and tomatoes to prevent pest damage caused by cabbage worms, cutworms, and slugs. If you have a prevalence of these pests, you should have a soil test done to test for calcium deficiency. Soil amendments that boost calcium include: limestone (calcium carbonate - CaCO3), gypsum, bone meal, aragonite (seashells), wood ash and soft rock phosphate.
(Mg) Magnesium is component of the chlorophyll and aids plants in the process of photosynthesis. Peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes require high levels of magnesium. Generally if you add compost, aged animal manure or plant matter to you garden soil in the Fall and Spring, your soil should have sufficient amounts of magnesium. If a soil test reveals otherwise, Epsom Salts are a highly soluble form of magnesium sulfate.
Minor Trace Elements, a.k.a. Micronutrients, include: (Fe) Iron, (Mn) Manganese, (Cu) Copper, (Zn) Zinc, (B) Boron, (Mo) Molybdenum, and (Al) Aluminum.
SOIL ACIDITY (pH)
The scale ranges from 1.0 to 14.0, but soil most often ranges from a 3.0 to a 10.0. 7.0 is neutral. The lower the soil pH, the more acidic it is, and the higher the pH more alkaline it is. For vegetable and herb gardens, a soil pH of 5 to 7 is ideal. Sulfur and calcium amendments can help shift soil acidity in the direction your plants need.
CONTAMINANTS
If you live in an urban area, your soil may contain traces of fuel components, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and petroleum hydrocarbons, and/or what are known as Extractable Heavy Metals which include (Pb) Lead, (Cd) Cadmium, (Ni) Nickel, and (Cr) Chromium. Because cities tend to have higher populations in closer spaces, paint flakes from houses, emission pollution from cars, industrial processes, rain runoff from roads and highways, and litter are bound to collect and build up in city soils. These contaminants can be hazardous to your health, and especially that of children. A soil test is a great and necessary investment in the health and well being of all who tend in your garden and eat its abundance. Do not be discouraged by the soil test results. If you have a worst-case scenario, grants may exist for environmental clean-up or brownfield land restoration. Contact your local congressman for more information about what funds and resources might be available to you. If it's somewhat bad, but not exceedingly dangerous, raised beds and container gardening may be your solution, or you can excavate the contaminated soil out, and bring in healthy soil and heaps of compost.
HOW TO HAVE A SOIL TEST DONE
Check your state university's cooperative extension to see if they have a soil testing program. University of Massachusetts Amherst's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences is noted for having an excellent soil testing program. Each program will offer its own set of instructions. The fees are minimal considering the wealth of information you receive. Generally all you need is a clean spade and some heavy duty ziplock plastic bags. You will take random samples throughout your gardening space, mix them together, then air dry them, and mix again. Seal a sample from the mix in a ziplock bag, labeled with the required information, and mail it to the testing location with a brief note outlining any comments about your gardening needs (such as specific crops or prior land usage history), questions or concerns you might have. After the testing is finished, you will receive a report outlining your soil health and any necessary measures needed to boost it.
SOIL AMENDMENTS
Often you have soil amendments available to you for free in the form of vegetable scraps, grass clipping, dried leaves, coffee grinds, seashells, eggshells etc. But if you are looking for a specific soil amendment, like Gypsum, check you local nursery or gardening center for organic options, or order online from a supplier like Planet Natural.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Plant Idenitification Markers.
Names, once they are in common use, quickly become mere sounds, their etymology being buried, like so many of the earth's marvels, beneath the dust of habit.
~ Salman Rushdie
I seeded quite a bit of plants yesterday, 374 to be exact. And while I did not need 374 plant identification markers to record the names of seeds I planted, I did need several dozen. And I didn't have any.
You can purchase plastic plant markers at any self-respecting gardening supply store, and you can even buy fancy permanent ones made of cast metal, marble or resin. You can even special order engraved markers to make your garden have a more museum-like feel. ;) But even the plastic plant markers can cost too much for the frugal minded.
At the farm, we used to use wooden Popsicle sticks and tongue depressors, writing the names of our plants and the seed date on them with a Sharpie permanent marker. But I didn't have any Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors on hand. I briefly considered cardboard, but then decided that that material probably wouldn't hold up as well as I needed it to.
So after a lot pondering yesterday, I used a sour cream tub and a spreadable butter tub out of my recycling bin. I simply cut the sides from the top to the base of the tub into strips, and then across the bottom with a pair of household scissors. I squared of the remaining bottoms of the tubs, and then cut them into strips as well. I wrote with a Sharpie permanent marker on the white 'inside'. It worked way better than I had expected. They aren't the most attractive, but they are free, functional, and recyclable.
For 'free' seedling tray markers and plant markers, consider using:
- Popsicle sticks
- tongue depressors
- plastic tubs, jugs or bottles cut into strips
- 1" window blind slats, cut into 3-6" lengths.
- plastic silverware handles
- painted stones
- mosaic tiles
- laminated cards with plant pics, info or general funkiness mounted on a stick
- jar lids mounted on a dowel rod
- plastic corrugated board and plastic forks - here's how
*************
April 18, 2009
Heavy Petal wrote up a nice post called Name that plant about plant markers. Enjoy!
*************
April 28, 2009
Crate & Barrel is selling Chalkboard Herb Markers for $3.95 each..."Mini chalkboard markers with copper-finished iron frames keep herbs, vegetables and seedlings labeled in the window or garden."
~ Salman Rushdie
I seeded quite a bit of plants yesterday, 374 to be exact. And while I did not need 374 plant identification markers to record the names of seeds I planted, I did need several dozen. And I didn't have any.
You can purchase plastic plant markers at any self-respecting gardening supply store, and you can even buy fancy permanent ones made of cast metal, marble or resin. You can even special order engraved markers to make your garden have a more museum-like feel. ;) But even the plastic plant markers can cost too much for the frugal minded.
At the farm, we used to use wooden Popsicle sticks and tongue depressors, writing the names of our plants and the seed date on them with a Sharpie permanent marker. But I didn't have any Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors on hand. I briefly considered cardboard, but then decided that that material probably wouldn't hold up as well as I needed it to.
So after a lot pondering yesterday, I used a sour cream tub and a spreadable butter tub out of my recycling bin. I simply cut the sides from the top to the base of the tub into strips, and then across the bottom with a pair of household scissors. I squared of the remaining bottoms of the tubs, and then cut them into strips as well. I wrote with a Sharpie permanent marker on the white 'inside'. It worked way better than I had expected. They aren't the most attractive, but they are free, functional, and recyclable.
For 'free' seedling tray markers and plant markers, consider using:
- Popsicle sticks
- tongue depressors
- plastic tubs, jugs or bottles cut into strips
- 1" window blind slats, cut into 3-6" lengths.
- plastic silverware handles
- painted stones
- mosaic tiles
- laminated cards with plant pics, info or general funkiness mounted on a stick
- jar lids mounted on a dowel rod
- plastic corrugated board and plastic forks - here's how
*************
April 18, 2009
Heavy Petal wrote up a nice post called Name that plant about plant markers. Enjoy!
*************
April 28, 2009
Crate & Barrel is selling Chalkboard Herb Markers for $3.95 each..."Mini chalkboard markers with copper-finished iron frames keep herbs, vegetables and seedlings labeled in the window or garden."
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Urban agriculture.
What we see depends mainly on what we look for.
~ John Lubbock
Inner-city. Urban. These words may conjure up images of cars, bus stops, subway stations, office buildings, skyscrapers, apartment high-rises, chain link fences, train tracks, industrial yards, bridges, huge expanses of concrete, orange construction cones, rats, litter, drugs, crime... Images of trees, birds, butterflies, bees, flowers, gardens, vegetables, and raspberry bushes don't come to mind as readily. Is this a limitation of definition? conditioning? stereotypes? lack of creativity?
Community members and grassroots organizations all over the world are proving, person by person, lot by lot, that nature and city need not be mutually exclusive, but can coexist in beautiful and productive ways.
Naysayers may discourage having food gardens in the city saying that the food you grow will: be contaminated by lead or mercury in the soil; attract roaches, rats and other pesky rodents; be germy from trash or litter; or even, violate city codes and ordinances. But these things are not necessarily true, and all can be overcome with research, planning and precautions.
Any gardener—urban, rural, suburban—needs to remove debris (fallen trees, leaves, trash) from their future gardening space, learn about their soil, and get to know their neighbors and the other creatures that share their environment. Each landscape offer its own challenges. Urban gardeners should not be discouraged or disheartened about getting a site ready for growing.
Food growers provide vital services to their communities—creating local food sheds, beautifying their environment, acting as land stewards, and passing on knowledge and skills related to our survival. Urban gardeners may experience even greater satisfaction from their efforts knowing that they have remediated soils, created crucial wildlife habitat, improved air quality and made their immediate neighborhood safer and more economically viable.
Growing space is often an issue for urban growers. If you do not have access to a yard or an abandoned lot nearby, all is not lost. Many cities have a network of community gardens plots available for a small seasonal fee. To find one in your area, check out the American Community Gardening Association at (www.communitygarden.org). Many herbs and vegetables can be grown quite easily in containers on a window sill, rooftop, balcony, porch, or stoop. I will be addressing container gardening in a future post.
For those of you with access to a yard or abandoned lot, here are some steps and precautions for you to take when establishing your garden.
CLEAN-UP SAFELY.
1) Observe the area. Note the size of the plot, the topography, the light, natural (trees, large rocks...) and man-made land markers (telephone poles, fire hydrants, speed limit posts...), how close your garden is to the street, and who are and how close are your surrounding neighbors. Make note of potential hazards (sharp objects, heavy objects, poisonous plants, thorny brush and weeds, uneven ground, etc). If necessary contact your local Department of Environmental Management, before you proceed, regarding specific concerns such as a chemical spill. Also, ask yourself these questions:
- How much sunshine is available throughout the day? Can trees and shrubs be trimmed to allow more light?
- Is there access to clean water? Can access be arranged with the city or a neighbor? Is there a way to collect rain water from a nearby gutter or roof?
- Is the garden site safe from flooding or runoff water? Does the garden site have good drainage?
- How do my neighbors' manage their waste? Will my garden space be adversely affected or contaminated by their waste practices?
Once you have observed, noted and considered the positive aspects, risks and limitations of the space, think about how you can creatively maximize the positives, prepare to manage the risks responsibly and safely, and research ways to address the limitations. If you are ready to proceed, move on to Step #2.
2) Have on hand construction-grade garbage bags, yard waste bags, recycling bins, and a sturdy box for potentially bio-hazardous items (such as motor oil, paint, discarded computers or TV sets) so that all the debris can be placed into the proper receptacle, and disposed off or recycled responsibly.
3) Collect and pile all large pieces of wood, stones, bricks, cinder blocks, tires or metal bars according to type and size. As the proverb says, "one man's waste, another man's treasure". Often city lots can be a literal treasure trove of items that can be re-purposed as fencing, dividers, planters, markers, bean poles, or garden art.
4) Wear protective goggles, thick soled shoes, thick gloves, long jeans and long sleeved shirts. These items, while not foolproof, can help to protect you from gravel, broken glass, rusty nails, dead birds or animals, can lids, poison ivy, thorny brush etc.
5) Access the tools needed to properly clean-up the space, and have them on hand. Items needed may include: brooms, dustpans, rakes, hoes, pitch forks, shovels, axes, sledgehammers, pruners, drills, screwdrivers, hammers, weed whackers, lawn mowers, chain saws, extension cords for electric tools, gasoline for gas powered tools. If you or the friends helping you are allergic to bees, dust, pollen, mold or certain plants, it's a good idea and courteous to have Benadryl, inhalers and/or EpiPens on hand. A First Aid Kit is always wise to have nearby for blisters, splinters or cuts. Also, have ample water for hydration, sunscreen to prevent sunburns, and healthy snacks available to refuel yourself!
5) Before doing any weed-whacking or mowing, if you can, use a metal detector to detect any loose metal objects you may have missed. Carefully look over the ground for rocks, gravel or other objects that might damage equipment or injure you.
6) Clear all brush and weeds. Mow grass. Rake up grass clipping and leaves, and place into yard waste bags. Look over ground to see if any debris remains that could be problematic.
PLAN YOUR GARDEN.
1) Now that the area is cleared, observe it once again. Decide and plot out the exact dimensions of your garden. Consider how you will need to move through the space, so that you will not have to walk on garden beds or damage plants with your watering hose. Setting up pathways and stepping stones at the beginning of the process makes gardening much easier.
2) Depending on the condition of your lot, the age of the neighborhood, the previous land usage, the proximity to painted structures and busy roads, you will need to determine if your soil is safe for growing food or if there is soil contamination by heavy metals or chemicals. If there are old-timers living in your neighborhood, introduce yourself, explain your gardening hopes, and ask about the history of the plot you wish to garden. You can learn a lot and make a friend in the process. To be absolutely certain of your soil safety, do a soil test. I will go into more detail regarding soil tests in a future post. Heavy metal and chemical contamination can cause serious developmental delays and illnesses. Knowing your soil health is not a step to be taken lightly especially if you have young children. If you do not wish to have a soil test, or have learned that your soil is not appropriate for food crops, raised beds and container gardening may be a solution. I will address both of these solutions in future blog posts.
3) When thinking about your urban garden, it is important to consider pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. You may find that the pollinator population is low, but do not be discouraged. There are many ways to attract pollinators, such as flowers. Flowers play an important role in the food garden, so do not think of including space for flowers as frivolous or a waste space.
4) Try to incorporate native plants. Native plants are often perfectly suited to their location, topography, soil conditions and climate. To learn more about plants that are native to your region, and to find suppliers, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at www.wildflower.org.
5) If your garden is situated near a road, especially a busy one, consider creating a barrier between the road and your garden to help keep pollutants from passing vehicles off of your edibles. Barriers can be as simple a hedge row like China Hedge or Boxwood shrubs, creating a solid fence (check out this cool one from PennDot in Meadville, PA) or stretching woven bamboo across an existing chain link fence.
6) Consider a spot for composting, a great way to turn garden waste into rich organic matter for your soil. If done properly, you will not have to worry about your compost attracting unwanted rodents.
8) Select seeds and plants appropriate to your food needs and growing conditions.
9) Before you dig, call the local utility companies to mark where the utility lines are. Be sure to wear garden gloves when first handling the soil, just in case there are shards of glass or pieces of rusted metal in the ground. This will also make it easier to pull out the inevitable stones or bricks. Look forward to finding some weird and cool stuff in your ground.
11) Practice biointensive gardening methods to improve your soil health, manage your resources efficiently and maximize your space for higher yields.
12) Add personal touches to make the gardening space your own. Consider incorporating: statuary, garden sculptures, garden gnomes, wind chimes, whirly gigs, birdbaths, sun catchers, mosaics, prayer flags, pink flamingos, scarecrows, painted rocks, benches, trellises, pots, tepees, fences, claw foot bathtubs, picnic tables, a bicycle rack, a garden gate, a peace pole or peace bell, quote signboards, etc. For inspiration, read up on Samuel Mockbee and how he found purpose and meaning in found and reclaimed objects to create amazing and functional spaces.
~ John Lubbock
Inner-city. Urban. These words may conjure up images of cars, bus stops, subway stations, office buildings, skyscrapers, apartment high-rises, chain link fences, train tracks, industrial yards, bridges, huge expanses of concrete, orange construction cones, rats, litter, drugs, crime... Images of trees, birds, butterflies, bees, flowers, gardens, vegetables, and raspberry bushes don't come to mind as readily. Is this a limitation of definition? conditioning? stereotypes? lack of creativity?
Community members and grassroots organizations all over the world are proving, person by person, lot by lot, that nature and city need not be mutually exclusive, but can coexist in beautiful and productive ways.
Naysayers may discourage having food gardens in the city saying that the food you grow will: be contaminated by lead or mercury in the soil; attract roaches, rats and other pesky rodents; be germy from trash or litter; or even, violate city codes and ordinances. But these things are not necessarily true, and all can be overcome with research, planning and precautions.
Any gardener—urban, rural, suburban—needs to remove debris (fallen trees, leaves, trash) from their future gardening space, learn about their soil, and get to know their neighbors and the other creatures that share their environment. Each landscape offer its own challenges. Urban gardeners should not be discouraged or disheartened about getting a site ready for growing.
Food growers provide vital services to their communities—creating local food sheds, beautifying their environment, acting as land stewards, and passing on knowledge and skills related to our survival. Urban gardeners may experience even greater satisfaction from their efforts knowing that they have remediated soils, created crucial wildlife habitat, improved air quality and made their immediate neighborhood safer and more economically viable.
Growing space is often an issue for urban growers. If you do not have access to a yard or an abandoned lot nearby, all is not lost. Many cities have a network of community gardens plots available for a small seasonal fee. To find one in your area, check out the American Community Gardening Association at (www.communitygarden.org). Many herbs and vegetables can be grown quite easily in containers on a window sill, rooftop, balcony, porch, or stoop. I will be addressing container gardening in a future post.
For those of you with access to a yard or abandoned lot, here are some steps and precautions for you to take when establishing your garden.
CLEAN-UP SAFELY.
1) Observe the area. Note the size of the plot, the topography, the light, natural (trees, large rocks...) and man-made land markers (telephone poles, fire hydrants, speed limit posts...), how close your garden is to the street, and who are and how close are your surrounding neighbors. Make note of potential hazards (sharp objects, heavy objects, poisonous plants, thorny brush and weeds, uneven ground, etc). If necessary contact your local Department of Environmental Management, before you proceed, regarding specific concerns such as a chemical spill. Also, ask yourself these questions:
- How much sunshine is available throughout the day? Can trees and shrubs be trimmed to allow more light?
- Is there access to clean water? Can access be arranged with the city or a neighbor? Is there a way to collect rain water from a nearby gutter or roof?
- Is the garden site safe from flooding or runoff water? Does the garden site have good drainage?
- How do my neighbors' manage their waste? Will my garden space be adversely affected or contaminated by their waste practices?
Once you have observed, noted and considered the positive aspects, risks and limitations of the space, think about how you can creatively maximize the positives, prepare to manage the risks responsibly and safely, and research ways to address the limitations. If you are ready to proceed, move on to Step #2.
2) Have on hand construction-grade garbage bags, yard waste bags, recycling bins, and a sturdy box for potentially bio-hazardous items (such as motor oil, paint, discarded computers or TV sets) so that all the debris can be placed into the proper receptacle, and disposed off or recycled responsibly.
3) Collect and pile all large pieces of wood, stones, bricks, cinder blocks, tires or metal bars according to type and size. As the proverb says, "one man's waste, another man's treasure". Often city lots can be a literal treasure trove of items that can be re-purposed as fencing, dividers, planters, markers, bean poles, or garden art.
4) Wear protective goggles, thick soled shoes, thick gloves, long jeans and long sleeved shirts. These items, while not foolproof, can help to protect you from gravel, broken glass, rusty nails, dead birds or animals, can lids, poison ivy, thorny brush etc.
5) Access the tools needed to properly clean-up the space, and have them on hand. Items needed may include: brooms, dustpans, rakes, hoes, pitch forks, shovels, axes, sledgehammers, pruners, drills, screwdrivers, hammers, weed whackers, lawn mowers, chain saws, extension cords for electric tools, gasoline for gas powered tools. If you or the friends helping you are allergic to bees, dust, pollen, mold or certain plants, it's a good idea and courteous to have Benadryl, inhalers and/or EpiPens on hand. A First Aid Kit is always wise to have nearby for blisters, splinters or cuts. Also, have ample water for hydration, sunscreen to prevent sunburns, and healthy snacks available to refuel yourself!
5) Before doing any weed-whacking or mowing, if you can, use a metal detector to detect any loose metal objects you may have missed. Carefully look over the ground for rocks, gravel or other objects that might damage equipment or injure you.
6) Clear all brush and weeds. Mow grass. Rake up grass clipping and leaves, and place into yard waste bags. Look over ground to see if any debris remains that could be problematic.
PLAN YOUR GARDEN.
1) Now that the area is cleared, observe it once again. Decide and plot out the exact dimensions of your garden. Consider how you will need to move through the space, so that you will not have to walk on garden beds or damage plants with your watering hose. Setting up pathways and stepping stones at the beginning of the process makes gardening much easier.
2) Depending on the condition of your lot, the age of the neighborhood, the previous land usage, the proximity to painted structures and busy roads, you will need to determine if your soil is safe for growing food or if there is soil contamination by heavy metals or chemicals. If there are old-timers living in your neighborhood, introduce yourself, explain your gardening hopes, and ask about the history of the plot you wish to garden. You can learn a lot and make a friend in the process. To be absolutely certain of your soil safety, do a soil test. I will go into more detail regarding soil tests in a future post. Heavy metal and chemical contamination can cause serious developmental delays and illnesses. Knowing your soil health is not a step to be taken lightly especially if you have young children. If you do not wish to have a soil test, or have learned that your soil is not appropriate for food crops, raised beds and container gardening may be a solution. I will address both of these solutions in future blog posts.
3) When thinking about your urban garden, it is important to consider pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. You may find that the pollinator population is low, but do not be discouraged. There are many ways to attract pollinators, such as flowers. Flowers play an important role in the food garden, so do not think of including space for flowers as frivolous or a waste space.
4) Try to incorporate native plants. Native plants are often perfectly suited to their location, topography, soil conditions and climate. To learn more about plants that are native to your region, and to find suppliers, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at www.wildflower.org.
5) If your garden is situated near a road, especially a busy one, consider creating a barrier between the road and your garden to help keep pollutants from passing vehicles off of your edibles. Barriers can be as simple a hedge row like China Hedge or Boxwood shrubs, creating a solid fence (check out this cool one from PennDot in Meadville, PA) or stretching woven bamboo across an existing chain link fence.
6) Consider a spot for composting, a great way to turn garden waste into rich organic matter for your soil. If done properly, you will not have to worry about your compost attracting unwanted rodents.
8) Select seeds and plants appropriate to your food needs and growing conditions.
9) Before you dig, call the local utility companies to mark where the utility lines are. Be sure to wear garden gloves when first handling the soil, just in case there are shards of glass or pieces of rusted metal in the ground. This will also make it easier to pull out the inevitable stones or bricks. Look forward to finding some weird and cool stuff in your ground.
11) Practice biointensive gardening methods to improve your soil health, manage your resources efficiently and maximize your space for higher yields.
12) Add personal touches to make the gardening space your own. Consider incorporating: statuary, garden sculptures, garden gnomes, wind chimes, whirly gigs, birdbaths, sun catchers, mosaics, prayer flags, pink flamingos, scarecrows, painted rocks, benches, trellises, pots, tepees, fences, claw foot bathtubs, picnic tables, a bicycle rack, a garden gate, a peace pole or peace bell, quote signboards, etc. For inspiration, read up on Samuel Mockbee and how he found purpose and meaning in found and reclaimed objects to create amazing and functional spaces.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Hardening off.
Learn wisdom from the ways of a seedling. A seedling which is never hardened off through stressful situations will never become a strong productive plant.
~ Stephen Sigmund
HARDENING OFF
When seedlings are started indoors or inside of a greenhouse, they become sheltered and need to be toughened up before their final move into the great outdoors. This gardening strategy is the equivalent of taking a teenager off an allowance and making them get a part-time job; while some of the cozy benefits may be cut off, they are not entirely on their own yet. You give your young plants some tough love so that they have a higher probability of success in the garden. The last week to ten days indoors, separate each plant into its own newspaper pot or growing container so that its roots have time to recover before they are transplanted into the ground. Cut back on watering your young plants. Do not fertilize them. Lower the temperatures by turning down the thermostat a few degrees or introducing a gentle fan. These measures will force the plants to concentrate their energies on surviving rather than growing. Begin placing them outdoors in partial shade to expose them to sunlight and outdoor temperatures for a few hours, then bring them back indoors. If it's particularly windy, be sure to use a gardening cloche, Reemay cloth, or some other form of shelter to protect your plant from breakage and damage. Gradually expose them to more direct sunlight, and extend the amount of time outdoors by a few hours each day, until the plants are spending all day (day meaning daylight hours) outdoors. During this time, make sure that you are keeping the soil moist. After they are spending the bulk of the day outdoors, place them inside a cold frame at night. After several days have past, and there is no risk of frost, you can transplant your young plants into the ground.
COLD FRAME
A cold frame is essentially a bottomless box with a pair of parallel sloped sides and a glass lid that is hinged along the tallest side. The sloped sides allows sunlight to hit the glass at a 90˚ angle. A cold frame is used to give young plants the benefits of Spring sunshine without the risks of cold temperatures and frost. They should be placed to receive southern exposure. The lid can be opened to allow for air circulation and ventilation on sunny, warm days. Cold frames are very easy to make — this website offers a great starting point to building your own cold frame. You can even construct them to sit atop your pre-existing raised beds, and then remove them once the last Spring frost date has past. You need not spend a lot of money on wood and glass. Many gardeners build them from found materials, such as wood pallets and old storm windows. For extra insulation against frost, you can keep black plastic lidded-containers filled with water along the inside walls of the cold frame to help trap heat to be slowly released after sundown. Nancy Bubel, in her book, The Seed Starter's Handbook, recommends filling burlap potato sacks (or coffee bean sacks) with "pine needles, batts of hay, old blankets or boards" and laying them atop the cold frame as extra insulation on particularly cold nights.
REEMAY (or Remay) CLOTH
Reemay cloth is a white woven cloth that is stretched over seedlings and young plants in early spring and late fall that allows for sunlight, air and water penetration, but protects against frost, cold temperatures, winds, heavy rains and pests. When planting leafy greens, carrots or onions in the early spring, or just getting an early start on ground planting, Reemay protects plants against frost damage that otherwise might destroy them. Using PVC pipe to create hoops to stretch the cloth over, many growers construct hoophouses that can be left up all growing season. This is a good solution if your garden experiences critter damage. This cloth is available at most nurseries, just ask for Reemay or germinating cloth.
CLOCHE
A gardening cloche (French for bell) is clear dome-like covering that protects plants from cold temperatures and frost, and plays a role similar to that of cold frames in the hardening off of plants. This website has many pictures of traditional cloches, which are made of glass. These miniature 'greenhouses' also come in the form of lanterns and glass pyramids or cubes.
Cloches are available for purchase through most nurseries, and sometimes can be found at flea markets and antique stores. Household items that are no longer serving their original purpose can become cloches rather easily, just by placing them upside down over your young plants. Some items that would be great for re-purposing as a cloche include:
- Clear glass vases
- Fish bowls
- Aquariums
- Cake domes
- Pickle jars minus the lids
- Spaghetti sauce jars minus the lids
- Peanut butter jars minus the lids
You can also fabricate a cloche from the contents of your recycling bin. Take any clear plastic beverage bottle:
1) Clean it with dish soap and warm water.
2) Remove all of its labels to allow for sunlight to reach the plant. [To leave the cap or remove it, is a personal choice. Removing the cap will help ease condensation within the cloche. Leaving the cap on can add a colorful detail to your garden.]
3) Using scissors or a utility knife, carefully cut the bottom off the bottle to create a wide opening to place over the plant.
4) Place your plastic cloche gently over your young seedling and press into the ground about 1-2" to secure it from blowing away.
5) Once the threat of frost has past, remove the cloche to that your plant can grow freely.
Afterwards, you have have some options of what to do with your cloche. You can:
1) Wash the cloche with dish soap and warm water, and store for next year's garden.
2) Toss it back into the recycling bin from whence it came.
3) Using scissors or a utility knife, carefully cut the top of the cloche, and create a plant barrier to add support or protection from pests.
~ Stephen Sigmund
HARDENING OFF
When seedlings are started indoors or inside of a greenhouse, they become sheltered and need to be toughened up before their final move into the great outdoors. This gardening strategy is the equivalent of taking a teenager off an allowance and making them get a part-time job; while some of the cozy benefits may be cut off, they are not entirely on their own yet. You give your young plants some tough love so that they have a higher probability of success in the garden. The last week to ten days indoors, separate each plant into its own newspaper pot or growing container so that its roots have time to recover before they are transplanted into the ground. Cut back on watering your young plants. Do not fertilize them. Lower the temperatures by turning down the thermostat a few degrees or introducing a gentle fan. These measures will force the plants to concentrate their energies on surviving rather than growing. Begin placing them outdoors in partial shade to expose them to sunlight and outdoor temperatures for a few hours, then bring them back indoors. If it's particularly windy, be sure to use a gardening cloche, Reemay cloth, or some other form of shelter to protect your plant from breakage and damage. Gradually expose them to more direct sunlight, and extend the amount of time outdoors by a few hours each day, until the plants are spending all day (day meaning daylight hours) outdoors. During this time, make sure that you are keeping the soil moist. After they are spending the bulk of the day outdoors, place them inside a cold frame at night. After several days have past, and there is no risk of frost, you can transplant your young plants into the ground.
COLD FRAME
A cold frame is essentially a bottomless box with a pair of parallel sloped sides and a glass lid that is hinged along the tallest side. The sloped sides allows sunlight to hit the glass at a 90˚ angle. A cold frame is used to give young plants the benefits of Spring sunshine without the risks of cold temperatures and frost. They should be placed to receive southern exposure. The lid can be opened to allow for air circulation and ventilation on sunny, warm days. Cold frames are very easy to make — this website offers a great starting point to building your own cold frame. You can even construct them to sit atop your pre-existing raised beds, and then remove them once the last Spring frost date has past. You need not spend a lot of money on wood and glass. Many gardeners build them from found materials, such as wood pallets and old storm windows. For extra insulation against frost, you can keep black plastic lidded-containers filled with water along the inside walls of the cold frame to help trap heat to be slowly released after sundown. Nancy Bubel, in her book, The Seed Starter's Handbook, recommends filling burlap potato sacks (or coffee bean sacks) with "pine needles, batts of hay, old blankets or boards" and laying them atop the cold frame as extra insulation on particularly cold nights.
REEMAY (or Remay) CLOTH
Reemay cloth is a white woven cloth that is stretched over seedlings and young plants in early spring and late fall that allows for sunlight, air and water penetration, but protects against frost, cold temperatures, winds, heavy rains and pests. When planting leafy greens, carrots or onions in the early spring, or just getting an early start on ground planting, Reemay protects plants against frost damage that otherwise might destroy them. Using PVC pipe to create hoops to stretch the cloth over, many growers construct hoophouses that can be left up all growing season. This is a good solution if your garden experiences critter damage. This cloth is available at most nurseries, just ask for Reemay or germinating cloth.
CLOCHE
A gardening cloche (French for bell) is clear dome-like covering that protects plants from cold temperatures and frost, and plays a role similar to that of cold frames in the hardening off of plants. This website has many pictures of traditional cloches, which are made of glass. These miniature 'greenhouses' also come in the form of lanterns and glass pyramids or cubes.
Cloches are available for purchase through most nurseries, and sometimes can be found at flea markets and antique stores. Household items that are no longer serving their original purpose can become cloches rather easily, just by placing them upside down over your young plants. Some items that would be great for re-purposing as a cloche include:
- Clear glass vases
- Fish bowls
- Aquariums
- Cake domes
- Pickle jars minus the lids
- Spaghetti sauce jars minus the lids
- Peanut butter jars minus the lids
You can also fabricate a cloche from the contents of your recycling bin. Take any clear plastic beverage bottle:
1) Clean it with dish soap and warm water.
2) Remove all of its labels to allow for sunlight to reach the plant. [To leave the cap or remove it, is a personal choice. Removing the cap will help ease condensation within the cloche. Leaving the cap on can add a colorful detail to your garden.]
3) Using scissors or a utility knife, carefully cut the bottom off the bottle to create a wide opening to place over the plant.
4) Place your plastic cloche gently over your young seedling and press into the ground about 1-2" to secure it from blowing away.
5) Once the threat of frost has past, remove the cloche to that your plant can grow freely.
Afterwards, you have have some options of what to do with your cloche. You can:
1) Wash the cloche with dish soap and warm water, and store for next year's garden.
2) Toss it back into the recycling bin from whence it came.
3) Using scissors or a utility knife, carefully cut the top of the cloche, and create a plant barrier to add support or protection from pests.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
3-Seventeen = Green.
Give peas a chance.
Along with dill, leaf lettuces, onions, radishes and turnips, peas are an early crop, as they do not tolerate temperatures above 70˚F very well. Peas need cooler soil to germinate, so traditionally sweet peas are planted on St. Patrick's Day when soil temperatures are in the 50-60˚F range. To protect from frost or air temperatures under 50˚F, use cloches or use a trench planting method (more on these techniques later).
This year I am planting peas I obtained during a visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Peas were his favorite vegetable, in fact, he grew over 23 varieties of peas in his vast gardens. I picked up one of his favorite varieties — 'Marrowfat' Pea (Pisum sativum), and also 'Prince Albert' Pea (Pisum sativum 'Prince Albert').
Sowing one-inch deep and four-inches apart, both of these pea types grow to heights of four feet and will require a six-foot tall support structure (like a bamboo tepee or a trellis of long branches) for their vines to climb. This can provide a point of sculptural interest in your garden, so have fun with the placement and design of the structure. If space is an issue, there are also many 'bush' varieties.
Peas prefer a cool, moist environment. They thrive in a sunny spot, but tolerate partial shade. They like compost-rich loam with a pH of 6.5 and good drainage to prevent rot. A net covering may be necessary if you have hungry birds in the vicinity of your garden. Try not to disturb the vines, as they can be easily damaged.
Once pods are plump and smooth, try to pick them as often as possible. This will ensure sweetness and also encourage more pods to form, resulting in a higher yield. You can freeze fresh peas to extend the harvest.
Peas are also nitrogen-fixers, but we'll save this subject for another day.
I soaked the Prince Albert Peas in warm water for one hour before seeding. Normally I would sow the peas (shown here on March 31, 2009) directly into the ground, however masons are working in my garden space, so I am starting them in trays and will gently transplant them once the masons are done.
Along with dill, leaf lettuces, onions, radishes and turnips, peas are an early crop, as they do not tolerate temperatures above 70˚F very well. Peas need cooler soil to germinate, so traditionally sweet peas are planted on St. Patrick's Day when soil temperatures are in the 50-60˚F range. To protect from frost or air temperatures under 50˚F, use cloches or use a trench planting method (more on these techniques later).
This year I am planting peas I obtained during a visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Peas were his favorite vegetable, in fact, he grew over 23 varieties of peas in his vast gardens. I picked up one of his favorite varieties — 'Marrowfat' Pea (Pisum sativum), and also 'Prince Albert' Pea (Pisum sativum 'Prince Albert').
Sowing one-inch deep and four-inches apart, both of these pea types grow to heights of four feet and will require a six-foot tall support structure (like a bamboo tepee or a trellis of long branches) for their vines to climb. This can provide a point of sculptural interest in your garden, so have fun with the placement and design of the structure. If space is an issue, there are also many 'bush' varieties.
Peas prefer a cool, moist environment. They thrive in a sunny spot, but tolerate partial shade. They like compost-rich loam with a pH of 6.5 and good drainage to prevent rot. A net covering may be necessary if you have hungry birds in the vicinity of your garden. Try not to disturb the vines, as they can be easily damaged.
Once pods are plump and smooth, try to pick them as often as possible. This will ensure sweetness and also encourage more pods to form, resulting in a higher yield. You can freeze fresh peas to extend the harvest.
Peas are also nitrogen-fixers, but we'll save this subject for another day.
I soaked the Prince Albert Peas in warm water for one hour before seeding. Normally I would sow the peas (shown here on March 31, 2009) directly into the ground, however masons are working in my garden space, so I am starting them in trays and will gently transplant them once the masons are done.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Coir.
It's a simple question on weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could not carry a one-pound coconut!
~ 1st soldier with a keen interest in birds in Monty Python's Holy Grail
Coir (coconut husk fibers) is the eco-friendly alternative to sphagnum peat moss. Sphagnum peat moss is harvested from peat bogs that take thousands of years to form, making it a non-renewable resource in our lifetime or that of our descendants for many generations. Regardless of this fact, you may find that sphagnum peat moss is more readily available for purchase, whereas coir may be difficult to find. Here's how you can get your hands on some coir.
First, call your local nurseries and ask if they carry coir. Buying locally supports your neighborhood, family-owned small businesses, and helps to keep money circulating in your community resulting in a stronger local economy. In addition, it can eliminate extra packaging (landfill waste) and reduce greenhouse gases and the amount of non-renewable fossil fuels used in shipping.
To find a local nursery, visit Gardens.com and enter your 5-digit zip code. This site will provide you with your local nurseries' addresses, phone numbers, maps, reviews, as well as emails and websites if available.
If coir is not sold at a store near you and cannot be special-ordered through a local nursery, the following online stores carry coir bricks and bales:
Planet Natural - along with coir, they also carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers, beneficial insects and soil amendments.
Seeds of Change - along with coir, they have a wide variety of certified organic seeds and growing supplies.
***********
May 1, 2009
Susan Harris of the GardenRant blog recently posted an excellent article called The Real Dirt on Peat Moss by Ken Druse. Ken lists PlantBest as a good source for coir.
~ 1st soldier with a keen interest in birds in Monty Python's Holy Grail
Coir (coconut husk fibers) is the eco-friendly alternative to sphagnum peat moss. Sphagnum peat moss is harvested from peat bogs that take thousands of years to form, making it a non-renewable resource in our lifetime or that of our descendants for many generations. Regardless of this fact, you may find that sphagnum peat moss is more readily available for purchase, whereas coir may be difficult to find. Here's how you can get your hands on some coir.
First, call your local nurseries and ask if they carry coir. Buying locally supports your neighborhood, family-owned small businesses, and helps to keep money circulating in your community resulting in a stronger local economy. In addition, it can eliminate extra packaging (landfill waste) and reduce greenhouse gases and the amount of non-renewable fossil fuels used in shipping.
To find a local nursery, visit Gardens.com and enter your 5-digit zip code. This site will provide you with your local nurseries' addresses, phone numbers, maps, reviews, as well as emails and websites if available.
If coir is not sold at a store near you and cannot be special-ordered through a local nursery, the following online stores carry coir bricks and bales:
Planet Natural - along with coir, they also carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers, beneficial insects and soil amendments.
Seeds of Change - along with coir, they have a wide variety of certified organic seeds and growing supplies.
***********
May 1, 2009
Susan Harris of the GardenRant blog recently posted an excellent article called The Real Dirt on Peat Moss by Ken Druse. Ken lists PlantBest as a good source for coir.
Soil Types.
To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil.
~Xenophon, Oeconomicus 400 B.C.
SAND: millions and millions of tiny grains of rock and mineral particles. Sand helps capture the sun's warmth, and is also free-draining, improving drainage when added to garden soil. Depending on how much sand is used, your garden soil may require more watering and regular applications of fertilizer such as seaweed kelp and compost tea. Grains of sand will have the appearance of beach sand, and feel rough or gritty when rubbed between the fingers because of its jagged edges.
SILT: created from river deposits, its grain particles are smaller than sand but larger than clay. Silt was deposited along the flood banks of the Nile River, increasing the fertility of the soil; this was the basis of the productive agricultural civilization often depicted in Ancient Egyptian murals. Both sandy and silty soils become acidic and nutrient poor over time so seasonal applications of lime and organic matter may be necessary. Silt has a powdery, flour or dust like texture. When wet, it feels smooth but not sticky.
CLAY: a very heavy, dense soil that is often hard to penetrate with water or a gardening implement. It is often very compressed and compact which makes it difficult for roots to establish properly. Although clay tends to be poor in organic matter, it is rich in nutrients and retains water well. It has the tendency to become waterlogged, which can cause it to expand and then crack as it shrinks and dries. (This is why potters take extra care when drying their creations for kiln firing, by applying damp coverings or spraying them with mist.) Working the clay with a spading fork when it's moist (neither dry or wet) is easiest, and will expose it to sun and air causing it to crumble. At this point, aged manure, compost and leaf mold (all good sources of organic matter) can be added to the clay to help improve its structure. Clay has a smooth and sticky texture when wet, and is very pliable.
LOAM: a combination of sand, silt and clay. The heavier the loam, the more clay content it has. The lighter the loam, the more sand content it has. Loam can be a great starting base for building garden soil. Just mix with aged manure, compost and/or leaf mold.
HUMUS: soil that is comprised of decomposed plant and animal matter, and is often dark brown to black in color. It's nutrient rich, retains water, and is easy to cultivate. On an etymological side note, humus and human share the same root——humi meaning 'on the ground', something to contemplate while you have your hands in the soil.
~Xenophon, Oeconomicus 400 B.C.
SAND: millions and millions of tiny grains of rock and mineral particles. Sand helps capture the sun's warmth, and is also free-draining, improving drainage when added to garden soil. Depending on how much sand is used, your garden soil may require more watering and regular applications of fertilizer such as seaweed kelp and compost tea. Grains of sand will have the appearance of beach sand, and feel rough or gritty when rubbed between the fingers because of its jagged edges.
SILT: created from river deposits, its grain particles are smaller than sand but larger than clay. Silt was deposited along the flood banks of the Nile River, increasing the fertility of the soil; this was the basis of the productive agricultural civilization often depicted in Ancient Egyptian murals. Both sandy and silty soils become acidic and nutrient poor over time so seasonal applications of lime and organic matter may be necessary. Silt has a powdery, flour or dust like texture. When wet, it feels smooth but not sticky.
CLAY: a very heavy, dense soil that is often hard to penetrate with water or a gardening implement. It is often very compressed and compact which makes it difficult for roots to establish properly. Although clay tends to be poor in organic matter, it is rich in nutrients and retains water well. It has the tendency to become waterlogged, which can cause it to expand and then crack as it shrinks and dries. (This is why potters take extra care when drying their creations for kiln firing, by applying damp coverings or spraying them with mist.) Working the clay with a spading fork when it's moist (neither dry or wet) is easiest, and will expose it to sun and air causing it to crumble. At this point, aged manure, compost and leaf mold (all good sources of organic matter) can be added to the clay to help improve its structure. Clay has a smooth and sticky texture when wet, and is very pliable.
LOAM: a combination of sand, silt and clay. The heavier the loam, the more clay content it has. The lighter the loam, the more sand content it has. Loam can be a great starting base for building garden soil. Just mix with aged manure, compost and/or leaf mold.
HUMUS: soil that is comprised of decomposed plant and animal matter, and is often dark brown to black in color. It's nutrient rich, retains water, and is easy to cultivate. On an etymological side note, humus and human share the same root——humi meaning 'on the ground', something to contemplate while you have your hands in the soil.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Seeds.
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson
The seeds you sow are very important. Take care in the selection of your seeds.
If you save your own seeds, select the seeds from the healthiest plants——plants free of disease and pest problems, plants with the greatest or tastiest yields, with quantity and quality of blossoms and fruits you'd like to see again. This will ensure a higher probability that your future plantings will reap similar results.
If you are purchasing seeds, choose heirloom, organic, bio-dynamic, and GMO-free varieties. Your purchase of these types of seeds is a vote for diversity, sustainability, community, health, farmers' rights, anti-poverty, humane and compassionate practices. Seeds of this nature are available for purchase from the organizations listed below:
Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.
Seeds of Change sells certified organic seeds with the mission to preserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable organic agriculture.
Fedco Seeds Organic Growers Supply is a co-op of seed packers committed to supporting organic and intelligent farming and gardening.
Johnny's Seeds is an employee owned company that offers heirloom and organic seeds.
Victory Seeds sells rare, open-pollinated and heirloom seeds.
TomatoFest is a family owned organization that advocates for certified organic, sustainable farming and seed saving, selling over 600 varieties of heirloom tomato seeds.
Another way to create a garden is through seeds swapped amongst fellow gardeners and friends. While sharing seeds, you also share friendship and gardening knowledge.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson
The seeds you sow are very important. Take care in the selection of your seeds.
If you save your own seeds, select the seeds from the healthiest plants——plants free of disease and pest problems, plants with the greatest or tastiest yields, with quantity and quality of blossoms and fruits you'd like to see again. This will ensure a higher probability that your future plantings will reap similar results.
If you are purchasing seeds, choose heirloom, organic, bio-dynamic, and GMO-free varieties. Your purchase of these types of seeds is a vote for diversity, sustainability, community, health, farmers' rights, anti-poverty, humane and compassionate practices. Seeds of this nature are available for purchase from the organizations listed below:
Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.
Seeds of Change sells certified organic seeds with the mission to preserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable organic agriculture.
Fedco Seeds Organic Growers Supply is a co-op of seed packers committed to supporting organic and intelligent farming and gardening.
Johnny's Seeds is an employee owned company that offers heirloom and organic seeds.
Victory Seeds sells rare, open-pollinated and heirloom seeds.
TomatoFest is a family owned organization that advocates for certified organic, sustainable farming and seed saving, selling over 600 varieties of heirloom tomato seeds.
Another way to create a garden is through seeds swapped amongst fellow gardeners and friends. While sharing seeds, you also share friendship and gardening knowledge.
Seed Pots.
Think small.
Planting tiny seeds in the small space that was given you
Can change the world, or at the very least, your view of it.
~ Linus Mundy
There are lots of seed starting trays and kits available at hardware stores and gardening centers. Propagation Flats or Seed Cell Plug Trays come in various sizes depending how long you wish to keep the seedling in the trays. You can start seeds in a smaller cell, and then transplant them into a larger cell once they have established. This can be helpful if you don't have a lot of space, or if you have doubts about the viability of your seed.
You can recycle trays and flats from previous years. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly with dish soap and warm water to reduce the risk of disease or fungal contamination.
You can also make seed pots from found objects, such as: milk cartons; egg cartons; plastic, paper or styrofoam cups; soup cans; laundry detergent caps; spray can caps; and mushroom containers. Wash them thoroughly with dish soap and warm water. Poke holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.
Seed pots are very easy to construct from newspaper since most newspapers these days use soy-based inks. Be sure to use black & white non-glossy newspaper only as color dyes, like red, can poison worms and other soil organisms. It's not only the compassionate thing to do, it's better for soil health. Click here for a Willi Galloway (www.digginfood.com) eHow video with instructions on how to make newspaper seed pots. It seems this works best if you use a glass with a 2.25" - 2.5" diameter, and if the glass is non-tapering (in other words, the same diameter top as bottom). Line a nursery tray or cardboard box tray/lid (like from a box of printer paper) with a sheet of newspaper, and as you finish making the seed pots, place them in the tray. This will help the seed pots to keep their form.
Gayla Trail, author of You Grow Girl, has a great idea for making seed pots from toilet paper rolls. She has step-by-step directions available on her blog.
Planting tiny seeds in the small space that was given you
Can change the world, or at the very least, your view of it.
~ Linus Mundy
There are lots of seed starting trays and kits available at hardware stores and gardening centers. Propagation Flats or Seed Cell Plug Trays come in various sizes depending how long you wish to keep the seedling in the trays. You can start seeds in a smaller cell, and then transplant them into a larger cell once they have established. This can be helpful if you don't have a lot of space, or if you have doubts about the viability of your seed.
You can recycle trays and flats from previous years. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly with dish soap and warm water to reduce the risk of disease or fungal contamination.
You can also make seed pots from found objects, such as: milk cartons; egg cartons; plastic, paper or styrofoam cups; soup cans; laundry detergent caps; spray can caps; and mushroom containers. Wash them thoroughly with dish soap and warm water. Poke holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.
Seed pots are very easy to construct from newspaper since most newspapers these days use soy-based inks. Be sure to use black & white non-glossy newspaper only as color dyes, like red, can poison worms and other soil organisms. It's not only the compassionate thing to do, it's better for soil health. Click here for a Willi Galloway (www.digginfood.com) eHow video with instructions on how to make newspaper seed pots. It seems this works best if you use a glass with a 2.25" - 2.5" diameter, and if the glass is non-tapering (in other words, the same diameter top as bottom). Line a nursery tray or cardboard box tray/lid (like from a box of printer paper) with a sheet of newspaper, and as you finish making the seed pots, place them in the tray. This will help the seed pots to keep their form.
Gayla Trail, author of You Grow Girl, has a great idea for making seed pots from toilet paper rolls. She has step-by-step directions available on her blog.
Seed Starting Soil Mix.
In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
~ Margaret Atwood
To create a good base to plant your vegetable and herb seeds, mix together:
2 parts aged compost
2 parts coir (or if not available, sphagnum peat moss)
1 part vermiculite, perlite, or sharp sand
Compost
Compost is what's left after the aerobic decomposition of organic matter (such as manure, autumn leaves, plants...) When added to soil, it improves the soil structure, nutrient content, and moisture retention properties.
Coir
The outer fibers of a coconut shell are added to soil for their moisture retention properties. It is an eco-friendly alternative to sphagnum peat moss.
Sphagnum Peat Moss
A decaying, compacted moss grown in bogs and mires in the Northern Hemisphere, is often added to soil mixes because of its moisture and nutrient retention properties. However, the use of peat moss is not a sustainable practice because the harvesting of it is threatening the existence of the thousands-year old bogs. It should be used sparingly, if at all.
Vermiculite and Perlite
Minerals that when added to soil aid with moisture and nutrient retention, increase air circulation, and improve drainage, all of which are optimal for proper root growth.
Sharp Sand
A jagged, angular sand is added to loosen compact or clay heavy soils to improve air circulation and drainage. It is also used in seed starting mixes to encourage proper root growth.
For more information on potting soil mixes, Organicgardening.com offers these recipes.
~ Margaret Atwood
To create a good base to plant your vegetable and herb seeds, mix together:
2 parts aged compost
2 parts coir (or if not available, sphagnum peat moss)
1 part vermiculite, perlite, or sharp sand
Compost
Compost is what's left after the aerobic decomposition of organic matter (such as manure, autumn leaves, plants...) When added to soil, it improves the soil structure, nutrient content, and moisture retention properties.
Coir
The outer fibers of a coconut shell are added to soil for their moisture retention properties. It is an eco-friendly alternative to sphagnum peat moss.
Sphagnum Peat Moss
A decaying, compacted moss grown in bogs and mires in the Northern Hemisphere, is often added to soil mixes because of its moisture and nutrient retention properties. However, the use of peat moss is not a sustainable practice because the harvesting of it is threatening the existence of the thousands-year old bogs. It should be used sparingly, if at all.
Vermiculite and Perlite
Minerals that when added to soil aid with moisture and nutrient retention, increase air circulation, and improve drainage, all of which are optimal for proper root growth.
Sharp Sand
A jagged, angular sand is added to loosen compact or clay heavy soils to improve air circulation and drainage. It is also used in seed starting mixes to encourage proper root growth.
For more information on potting soil mixes, Organicgardening.com offers these recipes.
Friday, March 13, 2009
To begin.
If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change. ~ Buddha
This blog is about growing mindfulness and cultivating compassion through the practice of gardening, or more specifically, growing food.
Growing your own food can create:
• Green spaces that provide access to nature whose generous gifts include beauty, serenity, and a sense of time and place.
• Food security (nutritious and affordable food accessible to all) as a foundation for a healthy diet, lifestyle and community.
• Connection to your basic needs and survival——what truly is a need and what is merely a want, how what we consume either nourishes us or depletes us, and how 'we reap what we sow'.
• Diligence in reusing, recycling, re-purposing and reducing waste.
• Understanding of the interdependence of all life which results in sustainable use of resources, land stewardship and protection of wildlife and their habitats.
• Friendships among neighbors, stronger, safer communities and a commitment to serving others especially those who are in need.
• Continuous lessons in patience, gratitude, service, generosity, acceptance, diligence, observation, compassion, peace, justice and impermanence.
The goal of this blog is to help increase food security by providing practical gardening information and a tangible model of small-scale food gardening, both its successes and failures. (In this blog, I'll be using Thomas Edison's definition of failure which is just success in identifying ways that didn't work.) It will also be used to raise awareness about: where our food comes from; how our food is grown, produced, processed or manufactured; and how our food can be a foundation for a more mindful and compassionate life.
This blog is about growing mindfulness and cultivating compassion through the practice of gardening, or more specifically, growing food.
Growing your own food can create:
• Green spaces that provide access to nature whose generous gifts include beauty, serenity, and a sense of time and place.
• Food security (nutritious and affordable food accessible to all) as a foundation for a healthy diet, lifestyle and community.
• Connection to your basic needs and survival——what truly is a need and what is merely a want, how what we consume either nourishes us or depletes us, and how 'we reap what we sow'.
• Diligence in reusing, recycling, re-purposing and reducing waste.
• Understanding of the interdependence of all life which results in sustainable use of resources, land stewardship and protection of wildlife and their habitats.
• Friendships among neighbors, stronger, safer communities and a commitment to serving others especially those who are in need.
• Continuous lessons in patience, gratitude, service, generosity, acceptance, diligence, observation, compassion, peace, justice and impermanence.
The goal of this blog is to help increase food security by providing practical gardening information and a tangible model of small-scale food gardening, both its successes and failures. (In this blog, I'll be using Thomas Edison's definition of failure which is just success in identifying ways that didn't work.) It will also be used to raise awareness about: where our food comes from; how our food is grown, produced, processed or manufactured; and how our food can be a foundation for a more mindful and compassionate life.
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