Even though we are all waiting for spring to show up, we can still prepare for our gardens and start gathering tools, seeds, drawing the garden on paper, find our straw and fertilizers so we can be prepared when it is finally time to dive into our gardens and get them presentable for plantings, etc.
First I would like to encourage each and everyone of you to begin to develop an "inquiring mind" as a gardener. There are so many things we need to think about in just planning our gardens and then there are those stewardship issues we need to think about and inquire about and make decisions about. What I am saying is learn to ask questions. Learn to ask yourself things like "what is the best approach here?" Do you use chemicals in your gardens or not? How do chemicals affect the soil? How do chemicals affect the produce in the end? How do chemicals affect the environment? We are in an age where we are really beginning to acknowledge that mother earth is congested with chemicals, contaminated water, chem trails in the atmosphere and on and on. So, I challenge you to ask yourself, and ask questions. What can I do in my gardening to limit harming earth in any way.
Are you aware of the harmful affects of the neonicotinoid pesticides that are being sprayed on plants and land as an overall pesticide control. Are you aware that our insects, including beneficial and especially the bees are being consistently killed by these pesticides. Do you know that 1/3 of our food is pollinated by the bees and if the bees go, we go as there won't be enough food to feed humanity. Do you know that many of the green houses sell plants, especially annual flowers that have been dipped in the neonicotinoids as seedlings? Step out of your comfort zone and ask the "nurseries" and "big box stores" if their suppliers use chemicals and pesticides that are harmful to our precious beneficial insects. Find a resource that doesn't and buy from them. Ask your favorite nurseries to buy only from suppliers that do not use pesticides such as the neonicotinoids. Search the internet for information on these environmental issues. Share your results with others and encourage them to buy and plant veggies and flowers and other plants that will not compromise mother earth and her insects. And yes, some of the insects are regular "pests" and they are there for a purpose. There is a balance in the insect world just in all of our other animal and plant worlds. We just don't know what it is...and often want to take the easy path and be blind to the bigger picture.
So, this blog is about asking questions. Wake up and be aware of what harms mother earth and in the process US!!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
SOWING SEEDS IN THE WINTER
OK believe it or not I am going to start blogging again about gardening. Burrrrrrrrrrrr. It is about 20 degrees below outside and it is cold in my house. I don't start seeds indoors but I have always been intrigued about starting seeds outdoors in the winter. Recently my master gardener group needed a speaker for January and I thought this would be a great opportunity to research and present on
"Sowing seeds in the winter". I am so glad I did as I learn a lot. Now I am collecting clear milk jugs to grow both vegetable and flower seeds outdoors even in this cold.
Here are a couple of resources that you can look up:
http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/How_to_Winter_Sow.html
http://blog.northerngardener.org/day-14-winter-sowing-for-your-vegetable-garden/
Look for seed packages that indicate sowing in cool weather and other words. You can look on the
www.wintersown.org site to find out what you can sow outside and it is a ton of stuff.
First, decide what you want to grown as seedlings for your garden, Be sure they will grow in your growing ZONE.
Second, start collecting milk jugs, water jugs, yogurt containers, plastic food take out containers
plastic soup containers and other plastic containers that are clear enough for the sun to get through and eventually help the seeds to germinate
Third, wash containers out with soap and hot water and rinse well
Fourth, label the bottom and side of the container with the information you want regarding what is being seeded in this container, date, etc.
Fifth, poke 3-4 holes with an owl, knife or other in the bottom of the container around the tape so that moisture can drain out easily; also poke holes in the top of the container to allow heat to escape so you don't burn up the seedlings when the weather is warmer. For information on containers other than milk or water jugs, check out one the resources above
Sixth, Cut around the belly of the jug but not all the way. You want to end up with the ability to open and close the container easily.
Seventh, fill the bottom of the container with about 3-4 inches of seed starting soil
Eighth, Water the soil well and let it drain
Ninth, Plant your seeds, then cover with a thin layer of the seed soil mixture and then gently pat it down
Tenth, close the top of the jug and using duct tape, tape up the jug where you previously had cut it open.
Eleventh, Do not put the cap on the jug and place the seeded jug outside somewhere near your home and not fully in the shade but in a protected area.
Twelfth, in the spring or summer when the weather is warmer, begin to poke more holes in the top of the jug. You will be able to completely cut off the top of the jug as the seedlings grow. You will not need to harden off the seedlings because they are naturally hardened off through the process of being outside in the winter.
Enjoy.
"Sowing seeds in the winter". I am so glad I did as I learn a lot. Now I am collecting clear milk jugs to grow both vegetable and flower seeds outdoors even in this cold.
Here are a couple of resources that you can look up:
http://www.wintersown.org/wseo1/How_to_Winter_Sow.html
http://blog.northerngardener.org/day-14-winter-sowing-for-your-vegetable-garden/
Look for seed packages that indicate sowing in cool weather and other words. You can look on the
www.wintersown.org site to find out what you can sow outside and it is a ton of stuff.
First, decide what you want to grown as seedlings for your garden, Be sure they will grow in your growing ZONE.
Second, start collecting milk jugs, water jugs, yogurt containers, plastic food take out containers
plastic soup containers and other plastic containers that are clear enough for the sun to get through and eventually help the seeds to germinate
Third, wash containers out with soap and hot water and rinse well
Fourth, label the bottom and side of the container with the information you want regarding what is being seeded in this container, date, etc.
Fifth, poke 3-4 holes with an owl, knife or other in the bottom of the container around the tape so that moisture can drain out easily; also poke holes in the top of the container to allow heat to escape so you don't burn up the seedlings when the weather is warmer. For information on containers other than milk or water jugs, check out one the resources above
Sixth, Cut around the belly of the jug but not all the way. You want to end up with the ability to open and close the container easily.
Seventh, fill the bottom of the container with about 3-4 inches of seed starting soil
Eighth, Water the soil well and let it drain
Ninth, Plant your seeds, then cover with a thin layer of the seed soil mixture and then gently pat it down
Tenth, close the top of the jug and using duct tape, tape up the jug where you previously had cut it open.
Eleventh, Do not put the cap on the jug and place the seeded jug outside somewhere near your home and not fully in the shade but in a protected area.
Twelfth, in the spring or summer when the weather is warmer, begin to poke more holes in the top of the jug. You will be able to completely cut off the top of the jug as the seedlings grow. You will not need to harden off the seedlings because they are naturally hardened off through the process of being outside in the winter.
Enjoy.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
SPRING GARDENING BEGINS IN JANUARY
Yes, it is true.....I have started to dream and think about fresh food from the garden and gardening. I know, it is bitterly cold out there.
All I really want to do is sit in front of the fire place wearing "lots of layers of cloths" cuddled up with my dogs. But there seems to be an internal alarm that is set for January 1st each year that says "wake up"!!!! It's time to plan your garden, get your seeds ordered and decide what, where, how much, what type of vegetables I want to grow this upcoming growing season. And what gardening approaches I will want to try this year. Of course, I also want to do a little research on unusual or different vegetables that I haven't tried before but am interested in exploring. I try to grow 2-3 new vegetables each year.
So, the seed catalogs are arriving and I need to decide if I am going to start my own seeds this year. I have an open house design
with animals and it is hard to find a place to start seeds where the dogs might not get into them or the cats in the basement. But I have been researching "Winter sowing". Instead of starting seeds indoors I can sows seeds and growing them into seedlings out in the cold of winter. A fascinating approach and something I am going to try this year. Stay tuned. I'll be sharing how I do that so if any of you that are interested in trying it, we can do it together. Enjoy!!!
So, the seed catalogs are arriving and I need to decide if I am going to start my own seeds this year. I have an open house design
with animals and it is hard to find a place to start seeds where the dogs might not get into them or the cats in the basement. But I have been researching "Winter sowing". Instead of starting seeds indoors I can sows seeds and growing them into seedlings out in the cold of winter. A fascinating approach and something I am going to try this year. Stay tuned. I'll be sharing how I do that so if any of you that are interested in trying it, we can do it together. Enjoy!!!
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