Readying the Garden for Fall

This was the perfect weekend for preparing my garden for fall. Today's temperature hovered around 70 degrees, with a little breeze and the bluest sky. I've harvested the lettuce and the beets, and a bush bean that hadn't done so well. Now I have room and cooler temperatures to allow for some more spinach and chard. But the soil looks like it needs a lift. It's a good thing that we've been composting all summer, putting into our tumbling composter all our kitchen scraps, some shredded newspaper and alittle hay. Now I have plenty of organic compost to amend my garden soil. As a mulch, it will retain moisture, so I can water less. It will also keep down the weeds that have sprouted up so prolifically in my walkways and rocks this year. Need I mention the nutrients that my organic compost will provide to the vegetables I'll plant? I can hardly wait for some fresh spinach salads!

I'm convinced that the biggest reason that we've been so successful with our composting is because we've used BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost regularly. It's kept the temperature of the compost at a regular 130 degrees to allow the organic matter to decompose at just the right rate. With all it's powerful enzymes, BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost has also prevented the odors that sometimes accompany compost. It doesn't mask the odor, but actually digests it.

Check our website for a variety of tumbling composters, paying particular attention to the Jora models for year round composting. And don't forget to order some BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost for your own compost piles for faster, better smelling, 100% organic compost for your garden. Happy Composting!

Growing Hydroponically and BiOWiSH™

Growing interest in hydroponics led me to review a study that had been done by BiOWiSH™ Technologies and a lettuce farm that had shown dramatic results. The farm in question had seven greenhouses with a variety of lettuces, all grown on Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) tables.

The lettuce farm used BiOWiSH™ Crop to treat the water that was flowing through the dripper lines, micro-tubes and NFT gulley floors. BiOWiSH™ Crop was a no-brainer for these purposes, since it increases the nutrient availability in water flowing to the plants' root systems. More nutrients mean better absorption, and more nutrients absorbed means bigger, healthier plants. That is, in fact, what happened. In the six week growth cycle, the farmer had lettuces that were double the usual size, all other factors being equal. And don't we all love bigger, healthier plants?! Especially when growing space is limited...you want to as large a crop as possible in the space available.

BiOWiSH™ Crop is 100% natural, biodegradable and safe for use in a wide range of consumer, commercial and industrial situations. With over 18 years of research and development, BiOWiSH™ products accelerate enzymatic reactions over a thousand times faster than normal speed. These enzymes breakdown all non-living organic matter, so in addition to increasing the hydroponic grows water nutrient availability, it also prevents sludge build-up and scaling in the water lines!

BiOWiSH™ Crop is now available at www.BestComposters.com. It should definitely be part of your hydroponic grow!

Container Gardening

With times as they are in this economy, having vegetables and herbs grown at home can really stretch a budget. I’ve been spending a lot less at the grocery this summer with the produce from my garden as a supplement. We’re fortunate to have room in our yard to have a sizable garden, but you can grow your own fresh organic vegetables in containers very easily.

I like to set up a drip irrigation system for my container garden, ala my husband, since plants do much better if they are on a set watering schedule. We feed them regularly, as well, and nip off dead or yellowed leaves. I recommend tomatoes in sunny locations, whether upright or hanging ones. There are so many different types of tomatoes you can choose from, too, and a plethora of recipes that can accommodate this versatile veggie.

Some of the benefits to container gardening, aside from the fresh produce are:
- bugs and slugs are virtually non-problematic
- weeds are usually not a problem either
- you can have as many as you can fit or as few as you want to deal with
- almost anything can be used as a planting container, as long as it holds soil and has adequate drainage
- potting soil can be used with confidence, since they have the proper pH balance
- containers can be brought indoors when the weather turns cold so you can prolong your growing season
- container gardening beautifies your patio, porch or balcony with color and foliage
- even small, tight spaces like as window sills and steps can be utilized to grow herbs
- they love the compost that you've, hopefully, been making!
Happy Composting!

It's Been A While

I took some time off from blogging to attend to chores and a project that took many more hours than I'd planned for. But it's done and I'm back to write about the second planting!
Our lettuces did splendidly and we've been enjoying them with our meals. I wish that I could plant more at this time, but the heat of summer isn't conducive to new lettuce sprouts. Instead I planted more snap peas,green beans, spinach and beets. (The first planting of beets are doing well, and I am so tempted to pick and eat the greens! But you know how it is with greens...it takes a lot to make a meal, so I'll wait a while and build anticipation.) We've tried an experiment which I will duly note in my garden journal. Hubby suggested that I lay the seeds on top of the soil and cover them with compost. I'm confident that the rich, warm organic compost that we've been making will provide an excellent medium for seedlings to prosper.
And speaking of compost, it is NOT too late to get a batch started for your fall planting! Our Jora composters can turn your table scraps and yard waste into usable compost all year long. These composters are fully insulated and enclosed, allowing the microorganisms to break down your composting materials into a rich soil amendment that will nourish your plants continually. Compost is useful worked into the soil and as a mulch. My roses and clematis seem to have appreciated the compost mulch and started blooming like crazy!
So there is no reason to wait on that tumbling composter purchase. Take a look at the different sizes and models of Jora Composters at www.BestComposters.com. Happy Composting!

Gardening Festivals

We attended our first gardening festival as exhibitors this past weekend in the beautiful city of Fort Collins, Colorado. The town has plenty of gardens to enjoy, and lots of folks interested in gardening. One thing that I loved was how many people came out with their children, to help them learn how to garden, how important honey bees are to gardens, and best of all - about composting! We had examples of things that we use in our composting on our table: grass clippings, coffee grounds, straw and alfalfa, dried leaves, drier lint, pet hair and vacuum bag contents. Since we, like most composting folks, have plenty of greens (nitrogen) to contribute to the compost pile, but struggle to keep the mix of browns (carbons) high enough, we add the drier lint and animal hair. Still usually not enough, we add BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost to keep the organisms activated and breaking down that compostable material. This ensures that we have a new batch of compost to add to our garden every 4-6 weeks. Our garden loves it! And we love the produce that we are getting from our garden. Always looking for new ways to use zucchini, here is a recipe I found for Chilled Zucchini and Green-Bean Soup with Pesto Swirl:
(Start to finish: 1 hour. Servings: 6)
Ingredients
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 lb zucchini, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
4 cups chicken broth (reduced sodium works great)
10 oz package frozen shelled edamame
1/2 lb green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 cup store bought basil pesto
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt(optional)
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and zucchini and saute' until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in edamame and green beans and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the soup, in batches if necessary, to a blender or food processor. Puree', then season with salt and pepper.
Serve the soup chilled or at room temperature. When serving, divide the soup among 6 bowls and swirl a spoonful of pesto into each. Top with sour cream or yogurt, if desired. Enjoy this low calorie (135)refreshing soup, and at the same time, increase your intake of healthy vegetables! Happy Composting!

Feel Good...Garden!

The news is rife with articles about gardening and I'm loving it! We have the Grow insert in our Denver Post weekly which overflows with information about plants and gardening, and there was the article about the woman who had survived WWII teaching school children about victory gardens, and then the school that dedicated a portion of their grounds for some third graders to grow a garden and learn about where food comes from. It's all the rage, I tell you! The reasons are varied, but one of the best reasons that gardening is popular is that it's just plain good for you.

Gardening provides physical exercise that helps prevent heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. It helps prevent osteoporosis if you're lifting water jugs, pushing a garden cart or turning compost.

When you're working in the garden you're most likely relieving stress and getting lots of fresh air. There's a connection to nature, and a brain boost as you plan your garden and research tools and plants.

Then there's the obvious: if you grow it, you'll eat it. Fresh vegetables and fruits improve your physical wellbeing. You can control the use of pesticides and fertilizers. You will notice how much better the food tastes when it's picked and consumed the same day, and need we talk about using fresh herbs to enhance the flavors of your meals? Think about how much sugar and salt you can cut back on when fresh herbs are used instead.

So get out there and dig in. Garden with your kids, or the neighbors, and build relationships through gardening. Don't forget to add organic compost in your garden for healthier, more productive plants, and a healthier you. Happy Composting!

How to Start a Square Foot Garden

I've seen lots of articles lately on square foot gardening. It's exciting, all the interest in gardening there seems to be in the media these days, from potato boxes to roof gardens to hanging tomato planters. But one of the things I love about gardening is basic...good soil! So make sure you start with that. If you're fortunate enough to have decent soil in a yard, you can start with that. If you lack decent starter soil, you'll need to purchase vermiculite and top soil from your local garden center or hardware store. To your soil, add organic compost, about 1/2 compost, and 1/4 vermiculite, 1/4 top soil. Please make the compost yourself with your kitchen scraps, cardboard, shredded newspaper, coffee grounds, grass clippings, etc. The easiest way is in a tumbling composter, but you can also put toether a bin with fencing, cinderblock, an old barrel or anything that will provide plenty of air circulation! Be prepared for pests if your compost is not enclosed, though.
Next visit your local hardware store (again) for lumber to make each of the however many you want to build 4-foot-square boxes that will hold the garden. If using multiples, make sure to leave room in between them for walkways.
Once you've filled the box(es) with your good soil mixture, place a grid on top of each box to make 1-foot-square sections. You can use string for this, or dowel rods...you get the idea.
Next, the planting. Plant each 1-foot-square section with one variety of plant, like 1 tomato plant, or 9 spinach plants, 1 squash. Once each plant is harvested, you can add more compost and plant another kind of plant in their place for another harvest. Yum!
Happy Composting!

Planter Box Gardening for Less

Well, we finally got it done, in spite of all the weird weather we’ve had! Our garden is planted!! My husband got the new planter box made, we got our plants and seeds assembled and got them all planted. Whew, what a relief!
The planter box was a big thing, even though there is a lot more area to plant in the ‘in ground’ garden. We are experimenting with the box. We’d gone back and forth for a couple of weeks trying to decide how best to fill that planter box. We knew we were going to use a good quantity of our organic home made compost, straight from our tumbling composter. But what other medium? Top soil was my initial plan…shopping at our local hardware store had me doing the math. The planter box is 12’ x 3’ and 16” deep…a lot of box to fill. That’s some 500 cubic feet of top soil needed, at $2.50 per cubic feet equals $1,250. Even if we mixed the top soil with compost 50-50, we’d be buying $625 worth of top soil. Then I ran across an article about hay bale gardening. This gardener takes hay bales, dowses them with nitrogen (fertilizer), digs a whole in the center and fills it with soil and plants. Sounded intriguing, so I talked with hubby. And he had his own idea. This is what we did: Two bales each of straw and alfalfa, run through a chipper to break it up and mix it well - $32. Into the planter it went, with two gallons of BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost and warm water – under $5. Mix garden soil excess that we had from last year, that wonderful black compost and a little perlite, add to holes dug down into the alfalfa and straw mix and plant. The BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost has already started the decomposition process, heating up the mix and starting to turn it into more compost. Hubby and I are both excited to see what results we’ll have in our new planter box. It was big enough to fit three tomato plants, six broccoli, and 16 onions, for under $100 inside the planter. We won't talk about the redwood lumber that went into building the thing, but it sure is pretty!
By the way, readers remembering the blog about our newspaper planter pots will be interested to know that the single half sheet of newspaper held up just great! I ended up peeling it off of the lettuces very easily when it was wet. The spinach and broccoli seeds planted in them germinated; however, they did not get very big. Next year we’ll get some real grow lights to start them under, and maybe get an earlier start….like February?!?

Twice As Nice Plants

The other day, I was reading the book "Grocery Gardening" (2009 Cool Springs Press) by food and garden writer Jean Ann Van Krevelen and her co-authors. It speaks to the frugal gardeners about planting, preparing and preserving garden produce. I believe I've said before that while I love my fresh from the garden vegies, I haven't done much in the way of preserving that produce. So far I've left that up to my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. They are pros at canning and freezing! No, I really don't leave it all up to them, but volunteer to help in other ways while they're preserving. But this year, I've vowed to at least do my own freezing, and this book has me motivated!
What really piqued my interest in “Grocery Gardening” was a discussion about vegetables and herbs that have double functionality, providing twice the benefit from growing them! My very favorite vegetable discussed in the book is beets and beet greens. Sometimes I think I love the greens more than I do the beet, but they're really good paired together with a little sautéed onion and just a touch of bacon grease. Yum! Chives are another favorite, are easy to grow and being perennial, will come back every year to bless your garden. Use the chives all through the growing season to flavor your recipes, but don't neglect the flowers in Spring! Clip those lovely purple flowers young and tender, rinse and pull apart into separate florets and toss with your favorite salad.
Some of the other plants listed as twice as nice are:
· Garlic and garlic scapes
· Cliantro and coriander
· Dill weed and dill seed
Fennel was listed as a TRIPLE duty plant since it has fronds, seeds and bulbs that can all be used and enjoyed in different ways. You might try looking up a recipe for Braised Fennel online - look for one that includes grated Gruyere cheese for a really yummy treat.
All these vegies, and more, will benefit from a hearty dose of home grown organic compost. Use it as a fertilizer, soil enhancer and mulch! Make composting easy with a tumbling composter from www.BestComposters.com. It's even easier when you add BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost: even if you don't have the exact mix of nitrogen and carbon materials, BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost will help those digestive organisms get heated up without any harmful chemicals - it's all 100% organic, from nature, for nature!

How to Plant a Vegetable Garden If You Never Have Before

Growing your own vegetables has regained it's popularity, as evidenced by seed packets virtually flying off shelves at our local stores. This renewed interest is not without merit, since your own garden can significantly cut your grocery expenses, help you eat healthier, is a stress reliver, and the food is just plain yummy! So how does one get started?

First step is to plan where you're going to set up your garden. The best spot is one that gets good morning sunshine. Ideally, you'll also want a spot that will be somewhat protected from the elements and allows for good runoff of excess water.

Next step is preparing the soil. Check the soil for it's pH level, which ideally should be 6.5. Your local hardware/garden center will have usually have test kits available, and from there it is a simple matter of following the directions. Adding home grown compost will provide your vegetables with the best nutrients available, without chemicals to muck things up.

Now that you know your soil will provide the proper nutrients, it's time to get your hands dirty! This is the first lesson that my dad taught me about gardening. Every spring we'd take our shovels and turn the soil over, digging down to about 12 inches. This allowed for the removal of weeds at the same time, since their roots will be loosened from their grip on the soil.

Finally, chosing what vegetables to grow will be somewhat dependent on what region of the country you live in. For beginners, I recommend seeking out a reputable garden center and getting advise and seedlings from them. We grew some vegetables from seed this year, and while it's more cost efficient to grow your vegies from seeds, it is labor intensive. You must ensure the proper amounts of light and water, and the right medium to plant in. So, beginner, have your garden center helper guide you in chosing healthy seedlings that will thrive in your area.

With good compost, planning and initial investment of time and the cost of seedlings, your garden should provide you with luscious fresh and nutritious vegetables with very little maintenance. It's awesome being able to stroll out into the yard and pick from your garden what you want to eat that day!
Happy Composting!

Know the Temperature of Your Compost

Preserving a high internal temperature in your compost is crucial for rapid composting. With our compost thermometer, you’ll find it easy to keep an eye on your compost's heat and thereby ensure that bacteria are working at the most favorable temperature. You’ll also save time and energy because you won’t do any unnecessary turning or tumbling of the compost!

Bacteria are responsible for breaking down food scraps, and they work most optimally at 120° to 160° Fahrenheit. These bacteria also need fresh oxygen, which is why it’s important to turn or tumble your compost, without exposing it to too much cold air. With our compost thermometer, you only turn the pile when it needs that boost of fresh air since you’ll know when the compost is cooling down.

Our thermometer will also help you avoid scalding and let you know when the compost is finished. With it's 20 inch long stem, this compost thermometer can reach deep into the compost pile and help you spot danger signs.

Benefits of our Compost Thermometer include:
· 1 3/4" easy-to-read dial
· All Stainless Steel Construction
· Very accurate (+/- 1% full scale)
· Plastic No fog lens

Visit www.BestComposters.com to order this and other helpful and time saving gardening tools!

More Garden to Love

I am awfully glad that we have used our tumbling composter all winter long, as well as a static compost heap to which we've added BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost. What this means is that we have a great supply of garden ready 100% organic compost!  We really need all the compost we've made because we are adding to our garden.  Out in front of my house will be a garden bed that'll be 4' x 3', and then a larger raised bed in back that'll be 12' x 4' and 16" deep.  And I almost forgot the Garbage Can for Potatoes that we'll need to fill as well.  So I'm sure that we will use all of our compost just getting those two gardens and garbage can filled with top soil and compost. 

Our tumbling composter made composting super easy with it's turn handle and sliding door for adding materials.  I make sure that I cut up my kitchen scraps into one inch size pieces...the more sides that can start decomposing the faster the process will be.  We add to our kitchen scraps the leaves that were gathered from last fall that we've stored, along with shredded cardboard, a handful of garden soil to add microorganisms and coffee that our local coffee shop has given to us.  Giving the tumbler a turn every day or so keeps the air circulating and the microorganisms happy.  We check to make sure that the moisture content inside the tumbler is ideal...a handful should feel like a squeezed out sponge...damp but not dripping.

Throughout the fall and winter, as we continued to add composting materials to our tumbler and static heap, I occasionally would wonder what we would do with all the compost that I knew we were making!  It seemed like an enormous amount of materials.  But as the BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost and microorganisms worked their magic, the materials turned into more compact, rich brown soil-like compost.  And the compost itself isn't the only benefit: both my husband and I were pleased at the amount of water we were saving by not running the garbage disposal.  We really saw a difference in our last water bill.  But now that I think of all the garden that needs the rich nutrients that our compost will deliver, I'm doubly glad that we've made all that compost.  I don't think we'll have any to spare for neighbors without composters or compost piles, but I have a feeling we'll have vegetables to share!
Happy Composting!

Growing Potatoes in Containers

You may remember, or you may need to check back in the archives for a January blog of mine about growing potatoes in a garbage can.  In that blog, I talked about how I loved the idea of growing my own potatoes without having to dedicate so much of my garden space to it.  Growing potatoes in a garbage can solved the issue of space requirements, and also watering issues, since hubby is going to place the can under one of our hanging tomato plants that he's set up with a drip system!  Clever, isn't he?

So I went out and got a new garbage can for my trash and am ready to drill air holes in the sides of the old garbage can (AFTER I clean it thorougly with BiOWiSH™ Bin Wash.  That 100% organic cleaner will remove all the odors and odor causing bacteria from my old trash can so that I can start this grow with a nice clean can.)  But then I read an article in my Friday, April 9, 2010 The Denver Post Grow insert called "Potato box yields scads of spuds" and it gave me pause.  It seems that this fella, Greg Lutovsky, out of eastern Washington state has developed this 4 foot square spud box that can provide a really impressive yield of potatoes!  Mr. Lutovsky lists five steps to succes in this process:
1.  Select late-season potatoes.  My hubby says this is vitally important because short-season potato varieties produce a limited amount of potatoes and then the plant dies off.
2.  Plant in multiple layers; like lasagna, put in a layer of soil, a layer potatoes and additional side panels as the vines grow a foot above the soil level, making sure to leave at least 2/3 of the vine above the new layer of soil.
3.  Wind a soaker hose through each successive layer of soil and taters so all layers of roots get even moisture.
4.  Provide the potatoes with a medium of loose soil, like compost mixed with potting soil.
5.  Don't overfertilize!  He recommends a 5-10-10 fertilizer instead of a standard plant food.  I think I'll stick to my organic compost that I make in our tumbling composter that our website offers, so that the potato plants will be continuously nourished by the compost.
This all sounds like simple, sound advice.  And frankly, harvesting the vegies sounds like a walk in the park!  The only trouble is that we'd already planned on a garden addition this spring, adding a raised garden in our backyard so that: a) we have more space to grow vegies and b) we have less lawn to mow (!).  This addition will entail a trip to the hardware store for wood, funds for the wood, time planning out where exactly to put it in our yard and how to build it, laying down newspaper over the grass to keep it from growing into the planter and filling it with compost and soil.  This is a large enough investment of time and money to have me putting the Potato Box on hold until next year.  So if you're interested in growing your own potatoes with a limited amount of space and effort harvesting, and you like woodcrafting, Google "Build a Potato Box" or check out the diagram available on lifehacker.com.

Getting Started

Gardening is a lesson in self-sufficiency that can begin in early childhood.  I had always helped my dad with the Spring planting in our backyard garden.  Even though it wasn't extensive, the care of plants helped me understand about nurturing.  Dad taught me that if you are careful when the new life begins, and provide the necessary elements of water, sun and nutrient soil your efforts will pay off in beautiful blossoms all summer long.  We also grew rhubarb, which I was in charge of harvesting by the time I had lost my first baby tooth.  Mother would remove the leaves, wash it, and cut it into one inch pieces.  I helped.  Then she'd boil it for what seemed like hours until it had the consistency of a watery applesauce.  Then the frozen chunk of strawberries would enter the pot, to be boiled down to reduce the liquid.  When the sauce had thickened, it would come off the stovetop and I would be in charge of adding the sugar and mixing it in.  Of course this also meant that I was the taste tester!  Seems like we always had a container of rhubarb sauce in our refrigerator in the summer.

When my folks moved from their single family home to a townhome, my dad sorely missed his garden.  He found out that there were plots available at a community garden in our area.  He got himself a plot and began his experiment with growing vegetables seriously.  I was at college by then and didn't help with the soil preparation or planting.  I don't remember if he had seeds that he started inside, or store bought plants.  But I do remember that he loved to spend time in his garden, watching over and nurturing the plants, visiting with fellow gardeners, and then harvesting the bounty.  Neighbors all around benefited from his garden, since he'd planted way more than he and mom could consume.  Mom was never that domestic, so there wasn't a thought given to preserving the crops.  Just like his folks had, he and mom enjoyed gathering their fresh picked vegies and cooking them up the same day!

Community gardens are a great opportunity to meet fellow enthusiasts, learn new techniques and get your gardening fix.  The produce you grow can feed your family, and if you're not into preserving the excess, it often can be donated to local food banks to provide for those in need.  Get some kids involved in your gardening.  Help them learn about the soil, the elements required for growing plants, nurturing, how eating right can make you feel better, and different waysto care for others.
Happy Composting!

Experimenting in the Garden World

Here it is, the last day of March, and my seedlings experiment has been very successful!  The newspaper 'pots' have held up without any degradation or structural problems, and the seedlings themselves are just so darn cute!  I'm particularly fond of the lettuces.  Raise your hand if you've ever purchased and eaten baby greens.  That's kind of how I feel about the baby lettuces...yummy looking!  The spinach are hanging in there as well, and I think that both are ready for regular dosing of BiOWiSH™ to determine what difference it will make on the growth of the plants.  I've got five seedlings, so I'll start dosing two (one lettuce and one spinach) and leave the other three plants as my test group.  I'll keep you posted on the changes and differences I see.  I'll even post pictures!

It's always tempting at this time of year to jump the gun and start full scale planting outside.  The weather here along the front range of the Rockies has been spectacular this week. Ok, ok, so we had a little snow last Wednesday.  But this last weekend and up until today have been picturesque, so I've been thinking more and more about getting out into the garden.  Last weekend I started digging a new area in front of the house along side the driveway.  I plan a 3 x 3 foot garden there for zucchini.  A neighbor had a front yard planting last year that I always thought so attractive when I'd drive by, that I decided to utilize some of that 'dead' space next to my drive for food!  It's unconditioned soil, so I'm going to be adding in a good amount of 100% organic, home grown compost...I'll try to hold out until at least April 16th!  Goodness knows we get our share of late frosts and spring snows.

Speaking of adding garden space, I've got a question for you woodworking hobbyists out there.  I was planning an addition of a raised bed, maybe 4 or 5 x 3 foot in diameter and two to three feet tall.  My husband fantasizes about using recycled plastic boards and specially designed and manufactured corner pieces to hold the walled sides together...to the tune of about $200-$400!!  Me, I'm more of a "let's see what we have lying around in our garage that we can put together for our purposes" kinda gal.  I know that compromise is important, so in that spirit of compromise, any of you have some ideas about how to put together a low cost, functioning raised garden?  A free Six (6) month supply of BiOWiSH™ Compost Boost to the best designer of a low cost raised bed garden!

Happy Composting!

Seedling Update, etc.

Our seeds went into my newspaper seedling pots on Monday, March 1st and have been in my kitchen garden window. As of today, Wednesday, March 10th, there are two seedlings sprouting out of the eight pots. Both are lettuces…no spinach sprouts yet. Hubby is worried. I’m more of an optimist, but will note that the first three nights the pots spent in the window, which does get cold at night. Not a whole lot of insulation between the floor of the window and the outside. In fact, I’ve insulated between the pots and the floor of the window to keep the temperature more even, and am taking the pots out of the window at night. Since we keep our house at a brisk 62 degrees at night, hubby recommended that they go in the oven overnight, which I thought was a good idea. So into the oven they go, at night (of course it’s off!) Will keep you posted as to progress. I’m ready, this weekend, to start my impatients.

I also wanted to comment on an article I read in March/April AARP magazine (oops, just gave away a hint as to my age!) The article is called “It Is Easy Being Green”, and talked about a global group of eco-minded organizations called Earth Day Network. This network is trying to encourage people worldwide to one billion Earth Day “acts of green” on April 22nd this year; something as simple as picking up litter to organizing cleanup crews for a polluted river. I’m going to see if hubby wants to participate by donating BiOWiSH-Aqua™ to the local Parks and Recreation Department. Since it is a completely organic and ecologically harmless method of maintaining proper pond chemistry, and since it would be FREE, I think they will be very interested!

You can register your green act online at billionactsofgreen.net. The article also referenced a link for new tool kits that offer simple tips on going green. The link is createthegood.org/diy-toolkits.

An Experiment with Starter Pots

After I made bunches of seedling starter pots and packed them snuggly in their trays, I spoke with a friend about what I'd accomplished.  We discussed the various changes to the procedure that I'd made, why I made the changes, and what I might expect as a result.


This friend (we'll call her JS) expressed her concerns about using only a half a sheet of newspaper, rather than the whole sheet that had been suggested by the video on Ehow.com by the Ehow Presenter Willi Evans Galloway. JS was concerned about the efficacy (I just love that word, don't you?!) of the pot, whether it could hold up during the 6-8 weeks of water and sun.  And so the experiment has begun.  As of this morning, eight newspaper seedling starter pots are filled with a mix of potting soil and home made, organic compost  Four of the pots have lettuce seeds, and four have been planted with spinach seeds.  They are basking in the southern exposure of my kitchen garden window, soaking up the light and warmth from the sun, drawing in nutrients from the compost and water.  I'll keep you posted on the progress of the seedlings and their pots.  Will the pots last?

We Made Seedling Starter Pots from Newspaper

You may remember (that is, if there are actually, factually people out there reading this) reading my blog of  Jan. 6th that included a link to a video about making starter pots out of newspaper.  If you've tried this, you no doubt have made some adjustments to the procedure.  We made our first pots last night, and here's how we changed the process:

1. I thought that using a whole sheet of newspaper was too much...too much newspaper, more difficult to fold into the glass, plus I hoped that using less might make it easier to break down in the soil so that we could just plant the seedling pot and all instead of removing it from the pot.  I like to jostle the seedlings as little as possible! So I started with half a sheet of newspaper. 
2. Then I was folding it into thirds (again, less newspaper on the sides, bottom) rather than half and then half again, so that I could have a little taller pot to start out with.  I can also, then, have a little more length at the bottom so that I'm sure to completely cover the bottom and not have soil drop out.
3.  I folded the top over a little, like 1/2 an inch or so, thinking that it will hold it all together a little better.
4.  Finally, I used a jar to roll the newspaper up with because I don't have a straight sided drinking glass and didn't want to go buy one.  I also used a slightly smaller jar to mash down into the pot to flatten the bottom better.
5.  Into the soil that we fill each pot with, we'll be mixing in our home made compost so that we really give our seeds a great medium to start in.  I'm also planning on using a very low dose of BiOWiSH-Aqua™ on a control group of seedlings once they sprout to see what difference it will make on their rate of growth and production.  The BiOWiSH Technologies folks have done a study on hydroponically grown lettuce and BiOWiSH-Aqua™ with great results.
6. I know they recommended, in the video, removing the pot before planting.  Hubby says the pots will break down "in no time".  I'm alittle worried about stunting the growth by making it more difficult for the roots to spread out into the garden soil.  I'm thinking that putting slits into the newspaper every 1/2 inch or so will reduce the effort that the roots have to go through to break out of their pots.  We may have a control group for this, as well.

We're ready with our pots, and the trays that they'll set in.  Hubby is online right now ordering our seeds.  I'm even going to start my impatients from seed.  I never have before, but he has, so I'm willing to give it the college try.  I figure I'll save about $50 on the impatients alone.  I hope it works, because my front yard, raised bed for impatients next to my porch are a highlight of my summer! 

We have a garden window in our kitchen made for plants.  It has traditionally housed only succulents and cacti, because it faces south and I have had a challenge keeping greenery watered enough.  With hubby's help and extra care, we've added a potted oregano plant that has been doing just fine. Into this window, we'll be putting 4 trays of starter pots (28 pots in each tray).  Another 4 trays (containing the same number of pots) will go under a grow light in the garage. Wish us luck.  I have my mouth all set for those vegies!
Happy Composting!

Calling Out for Recipes

I’ve been here blogging for 53 days and, so far, I have no fans. Does that mean that no body even reads these? I’m thinking maybe not, maybe it doesn’t mean that because last night I was reading a blog written by a woman who quit her 9 to 5 job and moved to a small farm in northern Michigan. I guess I didn’t have to become a fan to read her blog. So maybe there are folks out there who read this. If so, and you have a recipe to share, I hope you’ll let me know. I must say that I’d be thrilled to get ANY recipe, but I am particularly calling out for recipes that will include fresh veggies that I plan to grow in my garden. Even more particularly, but not exclusively, recipes for GREENS.

The reason I bring this up now, when it's still only mid-February and there's still snow on the ground is that I was at Home Depot yesterday perusing the seed packets. Red Swiss Chard caught my eye, partly because the leaves remind me of beet greens, which I love, love, love! But I’ve never cooked Swiss chard before. (Call me backward, if you must!) In my defense, since I’m probably the only one who will put up defense, I know it’s healthy as all get out. Heck, back in the day, I used to juice chard leaves with carrots and apple, sometimes with wheat grass thrown in for added enzyme, free radical kickin’ punch. Few things in life beat the antioxidant rush of freshly juiced veggies! Especially those grown organically, eh?

So I know I can use chard leaves in a juicer, but I would have to redesign my garden for that program big time. Plus, the seed packet of interest indicated that, at least in this variety, the stalks were prized as much as the leaves. What to do with the stalks? For the leaves, I like to steam them until they wilt, then give them a nice, ice cold bath. Chop them up and sauté them in a little olive oil with chopped onion and garlic, add a little salt and pepper and a tsp of bacon drippings for flavor. Simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together and it’s ready to eat! Yum!

If you’re out there, reading but not becoming a fan, and would like to share a recipe or two for healthy (I know I forgot to specify healthy before) vegetables, please feel free! I’d love to hear from you!

Creating a Seed Starter Pot Out of Newspaper

I found a cool video to watch that teaches how to make starter pots for seeds out of newspaper that is well put together and includes simple  six step-by-step instructions. I'm certainly going to try them this year, since I know I'm going to be starting those new variety of tomatoes from seed. Plus it's great when newspapers can be used and reused!


All you need is black and white print newspaper, a straight sided glass or jar, soil and seeds. You'll note that in the video, the presenter suggests using a full sheet of newspaper. I think that makes for a very sturdy pot, but a half a sheet is just as good for purposes of starting seedlings, and the newspaper will break down much quicker in the ground.

Speaking of the pot in the ground, when you watch the video, you'll note that it's recommended that you take the newspaper off before planting. I personally don't think that's a good idea, because no matter how careful you are, the delicate roots of the seedling are going to be disturbed by the removal. Instead, I recommend a good soaking of the root ball/newspaper pot, then carefully poking through the newspaper at 1/4 inch intervals around the pot and then planting the whole thing.

And when you plant your seedlings, remember to use organic compost mixed into the garden soil for the nutrients the plants need, and the water retaining properties of the amended soil.  The nutrients will be in slow release mode and will continue to nourish your seedlings as they develop.  The compost will reduce the need to water by helping the soil naturally retain the moisture in the soil.

So here's the link for this how-to video: ehow.com seed starting newspaper pots
 
Happy Composting!