GARDEN PESTS AND DISEASES

This is the time in our gardening season where those pesky pests can show and up and growing plants can get stressed with the hot weather, lack of water and you can see changes in the leaves.  In other words it is time to be aware of plant and garden health.

Early each morning I take a walk through all my gardens, both vegetable and flowers, including my wild woodland gardens.  I am one of those people that talks to plants and animals so if you were taking that walk with me you would hear my conversation.  Basically, I take that walk to enjoy the plants, greet them, tell them how grateful I am for their presence in my gardens and sharing their vibrancy and great beauty. 

My morning walk is also meant to check out:

• The vibrancy and health of my plants, including the fruit or product, the plant leaves, the stems and also at the soil level where a lot of pests can hide.
•  Notice if the gophers have moved in yet and roots are eaten
•  What do the leaves look like...are they green, growing, vibrant, yellowing, curling, browning?   Do they have holes in them from chewing insects?  It is important to check the undersides of plant leaves as that is where many lay their eggs/larvae
• Is the soil moist.  I do a finger test and if the soil is dry up to my second knuckle then it is time to water.
• Is the watering system working as expected?
• Is there any fruit/produce that is ready to pick.
• Are my garden beds weedy?  If so,  I weed them as I do my "walk through"

There are many observations and interventions that can be done by a "walk through" and this is so key to keeping healthy plants.  Many insects and plant diseases happen when we don't practice good gardening maintenance or we don't think we have "time".  So, try out a daily "walk through" and care for your garden at that time and I'll bet that feeling of  "not having time" will disappear. 

When plants are stressed and sick looking, challenged and lack the nutrients they need that is when pests and disease can enter into your garden.  When I practice good "garden maintenance", my plants are vibrant and healthy.  So far this year I have not experienced any pest or disease issues.  Often in the past, I have seen the white moths by now that lay their eggs on my cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower and turn into the pesky cabbage looper...but none so far this year.  Because it has been so wet and humid, it is perfect for the fungal diseases....none so far.

So, remember, start your garden with good organic soil full of nutrition that plants need; plant plants that are disease resistant as much as possible and/or choose healthy looking plants or viable seeds from a seed company that you trust; and practice great garden maintenance on a daily basis and watch you garden turn into a lush, vibrant and productive experience.  Enjoy.

To Mulch or Not to Mulch

In my earlier days gardening when I didn't have a lot of the knowledge of the science of gardening, I just planted plants and seeds in the ground every Memorial weekend.  Didn't even know that some plants preferred cool weather let alone anything about mulching around plants.

Mulching is the placing of organic or inorganic materials around plants, avoiding the root zone, to help maintain soil temperature, prevent sunlight from reaching weed seeds in the soil minimizing or preventing weed seed germination.  Ever notice how when you mulch around your plants the problem of weeds is greatly diminished?  I have since I started mulching my vegetable gardens.  Mulching also helps retain soil moisture, which, by the way, we needed little of  this spring growing season.  It rained almost everyday and the weather was quite cool. The soil was mostly wet and saturated at that time.

Mulching is great to do in the walk ways and pathways in the gardens also. Add about 2-3 inches of mulch to the area you are working with.  It is especially important to mulch your container plants to prevent drying with winds and hot weather and because it is such a small area you need the mulch to help maintain moisture in the container even if you are watering them every day or every other day.

 Mulch can be either inorganic, which is not made of "live" material and doesn't breakdown in the soil and doesn't help improve the soil as does organic material.  These might be plastic, gravel, stones and landscape fabric.  I have used black plastic for a number of years, but as I have grown in understanding of the science of gardening, I have switched to straw for my mulching.  Some people use chopped leaves, grass clippings, compost, wood chips, shredded bark, sawdust, pine needles or paper.  I leave the straw on the soil over winter to protect the soil and in spring I till it in and it adds beautiful organic material to the soil.  Add some compost and what fine soil I have for planting.  Be aware though, that sawdust or wood chips can initially deplete the soil of nitrogen (an essential nutrient needed to create the green leaves of your plants) and then it neutralizes.  You can get around this by adding nitrogen to the soil before putting down these materials.

If using black plastic you will need to dispose of it after each growing season.  And you are adding more plastic to the landfills.  Black plastic does not break down easily and takes years.

Gardening is a creative and intuitive experience

Hi, Maggie here!  How is everyone's garden doing?  Everything planted now?  For some of us we are still planting some of those warm weather plants.  I am finally done as of today.  My, the vegetables grew 2-3 inches overnight.  We are on our way.

Gardening can be quite scientific.  It is best to know the science behind gardening.  It is good to know how to create healthy soil that has organic material in it so that the plants get the vitality they need.  And then of course, we eat that vitality.  So, all is good.  It is important to know when to water, mulch, fertilize, what plants to choose to plant and when it is best to put them in the soil.  It is always a good thing to know some of the basic garden pests and how to intervene...or not.  All this was missing for me for many years.  I used to laugh and tell people that I always garden intuitively and that it is a creative process.  And it is however my vegetable gardens grew poorly after a while and I didn't understand why.  So, I went back to school in a Horticulture program and to my great surprise found that there is truly a scientific part of successful gardening.  Both intuition, creativity and science are all part of the gardening experience.  Best to include all!

And intuitive creative gardening is a very important part of the process of gardening.  Gardening brings out our knowingness..what works best, what grows well together, etc.  Gardening also helps us get in touch with "mother earth" and all her blessings she shares with all life.  Gardening helps us appreciate healthy food and our own health and well-being.  Gardening is a time to smell the health of the soil and the vibrancy of living things.  It is a time to trust our "gut" when making decisions in the garden.  It is a time to slow down and listen to the animals, birds and the "sounds" of life growing...yes, there is a sound to things growing.  Gardening gives us the opportunity to feel the joy of life and accomplishments; the gratitude for all we have and even perhaps the generosity to share some of our bounty.

Creativity and intuition are indeed a major part of gardening.  So Stop and Listen not only to life around you but the life within you.  Enjoy. 

I am attaching some pictures of the gardens as of June 10, 2013.  Hoping I get them uploaded all right.  Lets see!

 

 

POTATOES PATATOES

Hellllloooo all my vegetable loving friends!  This is Alex again, here to let you know why you should NEVER cut potatoes out of you or your family's diet.

BAD ROOT?
Potatoes have gained a bad reputation from fad diets, but what you should know is that every food, especially fruits and vegetables, can fit in a healthy diet.  With that said, there are many different ways to prepare potatoes and consuming them in the fried form may not be the best choice.  There are many delicious and healthy recipes that don't involve deep frying your potatoes.  

NUTRITION

Potatoes are packed full of nutrients and according to www.potatogoodness.com, potatoes provide the most nutrients per penny compared to all other vegetables.  Containing 620 mg of potassium in each medium potato, potatoes have more potassium than the famous banana!  Not only do potatoes have loads of potassium, they are also a great source of vitamin C, containing 45% of your daily value.  Another benefit potatoes have are found in their skin.  Within a medium potato, there is 2 g of fiber, which is great for digestive health and helping you feel fuller faster.  So, keep those skins on people!

If you have little kids that tire you out by running around all day, potatoes are a great food to have in your diet for the simple reason supplying you with energy.  Our bodies need fuel and not the kind that we put in our vehicles. The best and main source of fuel our bodies love to use is in the form of complex carbohydrates which is found in potatoes! Potatoes are also fairly low in calories with 110 per medium potato and contain NO FAT, SODIUM, or CHOLESTEROL.  (Everything we try to avoid).  Can anyone guess what potatoes (non-fried) can be classified as with having no fat, sodium, or cholesterol?  HEART HEALTHY!!!!!

EASY FIXES:  To keep your potato recipes heart healthy, there are simple ways to modify your choice of ingredients to help.  These include subbing low fat, plain or Greek yogurt, salsa, cottage cheese, or mixed vegetables instead of sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon!

FUN FACT: There are over 100 different varieties of potatoes!

THE POPULAR POTATO

I'm sure many of you have gone out to lunch or dinner within the last year or so and have now seen sweet potato fries as an alternative to regular fries.  Sweet potatoes are definitely gaining popularity, but this doesn't mean that the "other" potato is not good for you.

ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES

If you haven't noticed by now, I love to roasts things!  Roasting is a healthier way to prepare food such as vegetables rather than deep frying.  One recipe I use all the time is roasted potatoes.

RECIPE (again, I don't like to use exact measurements)

• 10-20 baby red potatoes (my favorite)
• 1 white onion
• Olive oil
• Rosemary (or herb/seasoning of your choice)
• Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Wash potatoes (do not use any potatoes that are green!)
3. Cut potatoes into four
4. Slice onion
5. Mix onions, potatoes, salt, pepper, rosemary, and olive oil in a bowl until completely covered
6. Place on greased baking sheet
7. Place in oven for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes

Potatoes are a root vegetable and grow in the ground.  This means it is best to store potatoes in a similar environment to the ground such as a dark, cool place (not in the refrigerator).

I hope you found this blog post mouth-watering and encouraging to add potatoes to your diet more often!

Stay tuned for some delicous summer potato salad recipes!

RESOURCES

Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal. Pleasantville, NY.: Reader's Digest, 2004. Print.
http://www.idahopotato.com/nutrition_education
www.potatogoodness.com
www.eatright.org

GARDENING as a PROCESS

Maggie here!  I haven't blogged for a few days as I have been so busy getting the rest of my gardens planted.  The weather has been so unpredictable that my usual routine is no longer a routine.

 For me gardening is a PROCESS beginning last fall by evaluating the success of my gardens; what worked; what didn't; what I might do differently this gardening season; what new vegetables do I want to plant this year; what seeds do I have available and are still viable (did I store them properly?), etc.  Then  there comes February and March and time to order seeds or grow seedlings and make sure I am aware of what seedlings can be started when so that they will be ready to be hardened off and transplanted in the garden in the spring at the right times....cold weather plants verses warm weather plants, etc.  A great time also to take a workshop or course on gardening as things are still a bit quiet and not so rushed as I experience in April and May.

The PROCESS continues with making sure my soil is enriched with organic material from compost, a winter cover crop such as winter rye, or other organic materials.  Making sure that my soil is amended to provide all those beautiful micro organisms that enrich the soil with their own style of fertilizing.

And then when the soil can be worked, I am able to get out into the garden, loosen the soil up and plant those cool weather crops.  My spinach went in in the third week in April and is growing beautifully right now, even with a few sessions of snow that covered the seeds. 

Planting my vegetables is a "timing thing" based on each one's ability to germinate in "what" degree Fahrenheit of soil environment.  Keeping track of this can be fun and tricky.  As I often say "gardening is a time sensitive process".    All are planted in beautifully amended soil with organic material, whether it be compost, tilled in straw from last year or are being grown in containers in potting soil because of garden pests such as gophers and mole and rabbits.  Just have a few tomatoes to plant along with my squash and cucumbers.  Good I waited or didn't have time to get them all in because our weather has turned to cold again and it was in the "40's " last night and will be the same for the next few nights. 

A PROCESS and one I love and feel passionate about.  Next blog will be about the intuitive process of gardening.  Talk later!  Garden pictures to show soon! 

Tell me about your process and how it has gone for you this challenging season!