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Five Tips for Planning a Bountiful Veggie Garden.

For gardeners spring fever usually comes a little early . . . right around the time the seed catalogs show up! Don’t we all page through and create that perfect garden in our heads? Overflowing, of course, with bountiful produce. Here are a few tips to help you make your garden dreams a reality.

Tip #1 Be honest about space needs. Follow the guidelines on the seed packet or plant tag. We’re always tempted to squeeze things in a little closer together but this can reduce your harvest and make your plants more prone to disease.

Tip #2 Put it on paper (or find a good garden planning app). It may be old-fashioned but standard graph paper is a great way to map out your planting strategy. Create whatever scale works for you (I like 1:1, each box equals one foot). Sketch in all your plants, making sure to leave enough room for full growth. Now you can buy your seeds and plants knowing they’ll fit and you’ll have plenty of space.

Little Gardeners Tip: Let the kids in your life help. Drawing out plots on graph paper teaches so many handy lessons including measuring and counting practice, spatial recognition, and calendar awareness. Plus you’ll spark their interest and get them excited to help you when planting season arrives.

Tip #3 Grow up! Vertical gardening can nearly double your garden space and you’ll be surprised by how many plants thrive on a trellis. Just about anything with vining growth can be trained up a wire – beans, cucumbers, peas, and tomatoes but also zucchini, squashes, and even melons. Not only do you increase your growing space but training them up will produce better veggies! By growing up, the fruits are not crowded on the ground and will ripen more evenly; they’ll be out of the reach of ground-foraging insects; it’s much easier for you to see and pick the produce; and the vines create some visual interest in an otherwise flat garden landscape.

How to make a low-cost trellis. Just about any sturdy structure will work as a trellis or arbor. Try long willow branches formed into an arch, a teepee-style wire design, or a piece of narrow lattice attached to a couple sturdy fenceposts. Be sure your structure is well-anchored in your garden and the wires or strings are spaced close enough together that vines can easily reach them with their tendrils. Larger fruits such as watermelon or squash may need a light sling for support towards the end of the season. An old nylon or soft piece of tulle or mesh work great.

Tip #4 Expand out to Containers. How many containers and windowboxes do you
have in your garden? Why not mix in a little produce to add interest, form, and function? Herbs of all kinds make great fillers and add great scent to your outdoor living spaces. Tomatoes and peppers are especially suited to large pots and if you struggle with cutworm or blight in your regular garden spaces, containers keep these plants safe from those problems. And, of course, give you more room in your regular garden! One note about planting big veggie plants in containers – you will need to water and fertilize more often than if they’re planted in a garden plot.

Tip #5 Companion Planting. Grandma used these tricks and they still work today! Companion gardening puts like-minded plants together and keeps those that don’t like each other apart). And the winner is your garden! Knowing the family of your plant is a good start (for example, broccoli and cabbage are from the same family so have the same likes and dislikes.) Also, knowing your garden helps determine the problems that need fixing (for instance, not all gardens have trouble with cutworms.) Here are just a few of our favorite combos:

  • Chives at the base of rose bushes will repel aphids.
  • Radishes near cucumbers deter beetles.
  • Plant beans alongside corn to help replenish nitrogen loss.
  • Beans like cabbage, carrots, pea, or marigolds but hate onions or garlic.
  • Cucumbers like cabbage and tomatoes but hate sage.
  • Lettuce loves beets, carrots, and chives.
  • Tomatoes love cukes, parsley, and peppers but not kohlrabi, mature dill, or corn.
  • Bee balm and mint will enhance a tomato’s flavor.
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Parsley Pesto Recipe

parsley pesto or chimichurri sauce

This delicious sauce recipe is similar to traditional Chimichurri sauce and is scrumptious over grilled chicken, tossed with pasta, mixed with mayo for a yummy salad dressing, or spread on crusty bread. Freezes up really well — just scoop into ice cube trays and freeze for handy small serving sizes all summer.

Ingredients

6 cups loosely packed Parsley

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

2 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 TB)

½ tsp salt

½ TB red pepper flakes

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup walnuts (if desired)

Directions

Put all (except oil) in food processor, pulse and slowly add olive oil until pureed to desired consistency ( you may not use all of the olive oil). Store in airtight container in fridge.

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Five Garden Tasks for Fall

For many of us, autumn gardening means packing up and battening down for winter. But there is still lots to do and time to enjoy our backyards. These five garden tasks will help your garden right now and give you a healthy head start for Spring.

Five Fall Garden Tasks

  1. Leave as much plant debris as possible. Yes, that means less work for you and a head start on a better garden next year! You’d be amazed by how many beneficial insects and worms depend on that debris to survive winter. Frogs, worms, and large insects burrow into the ground because the leaves provide insulation; bees and beneficial insects hide out in hollow stems of plants and under bark of woody branches; butterflies create an overwintering chrysalis and attach it to stems and branches; some insects lay eggs inside seed pods, and your feathered friends have a protein-rich bug buffet to snack on all winter. You should, however, dispose of plants that suffered from diseases such as blight or leaf spot. Be sure to cut those away and dispose of away from your compost pile or garden soil.
  2. Bring outdoor plants in without bugs. Before it turns cold, it’s time to bring your favorites back into the house (or a greenhouse if you’re lucky). But they, too, can be home to insects you may not want in an enclosed space. The best treatment is to douse the leaves (on both sides) with Neem oil. This is an organic treatment, safe for most plants, but it does have an off-putting odor and can stain so be sure to spray outside. Choose a calm, overcast day, follow dilution directions on the bottle, check your plant species on the label or spot test on a leaf, cover all leaves and let dry for 24 hours before bringing indoors.
  3. Start a garden journal. After a glorious summer of gardening, we all think we’ll remember every minute! But next spring when you’re trying to buy that same variety of tomato or discern what is actually poking through the soil, you’ll wish you kept notes. If you haven’t already done this, start a dedicated gardening journal (a three-ring binder works great). Record where and what you planted, note what did well and what didn’t, mark down your favorites so you can find them next year, and take a few pics to include for reference. For large perennial gardens, this become a valuable reference tool for adding in new pieces each year or for future owners.
  4. Clean your tools. This is a step most of us are guilty of skipping but it’s worth a little extra effort at the end of the season. It’s important because it removes disease remnants so you won’t spread to next year’s garden but also prolongs the life of your tools.
    • Start by removing soil with a scrub brush dipped in a mild dish soap or bleach solution. Rinse with clean water. If you’ve cut something sappy, you may need a little rubbing alcohol or paint thinner to clean blades of pruners or shears. Dry thoroughly.
    • Check the condition of all tools and sharpen blades as need. In most cases a good sharpening stone can restore your cutting power. If you see spots of rust, try to remove with a wire brush, rinse, dry, and then wipe down with a tiny bit of motor oil before storing. This will slough off in the soil next year so no need to remove.
    • Once clean, rub all other tools down with balled up wax paper to give it a slight protective coat over winter.
    • For wood handled tools, run linseed oil over each handle to keep from cracking.
    • Store hanging and off the floor as this may cause damage to the edge or handle.
  5. Plant something! No matter where you live Fall is not the end of gardening season. In Northern climates this is the time of year to plant garlic, fall crop greens like lettuce or spinach, flowering spring bulbs, and herbs for an indoor garden. In Southern zones, you can still plant fruits and veggies outside or in pots and harvest another crop of tomatoes, peppers, or herbs.

We keep a good selection of garden plants as long as we can — especially tomatoes, peppers, and herbs for our Southern gardening friends. Check here for what’s in stock. We ship Priority so it will get there quickly.

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How to Harvest Tomatoes

(Browse our Tomato Collection Here)

Your hard work and patience are about to pay off and your tomato vines are loaded with big, plump tomatoes! Visions of BLTs, caprese salad (recipe here), and fresh salsa dance in your head and you just can’t wait to pick them. So how do you know when the right harvest time is?

Unlike other veggies (i.e. peppers or cukes), tomatoes do not improve when left on the vine too long. Even picking a day early is better than waiting for that perfect moment. After all this isn’t a grocery store . . . you have complete control over when you pick your precious tomatoes. Here’s a few tips to get it perfect.

  1. Tomatoes continue to ripen after picking (thank you Ethylene gas). Release of this gas is what turns the tomato from green to yellow, red, or orange. Store bought tomatoes are typically picked at the mature green stage and let to ripen in transit but this does result in some loss of flavor and texture.
  2. As your tomatoes ripen, watch the color. A pinkish blush will start on the bottom and work its way over the top of the fruit. Once fully red (or yellow, orange, or pink depending on variety) and very slightly soft to the touch, you can harvest. See below for a handy color chart from the USDA. Exception to this rule: Heirloom varieties should be picked before they reach the “full color” stage. Pick when the bottom of the fruit has fully changed but the stem end still has flecks of green and the fruit is slightly soft to the touch. Let ripen the rest of the way on your kitchen counter. A handy hint: fully ripe tomatoes will sink in water.
  3. If you have tomatoes on the vine at the end of the season when a freeze is imminent, pick them all and store in a brown paper bag with a banana peel or two. The released ethylene gas will continue the ripening process.
  4. To pick without damaging the rest of the vine, gently grab the tomato with one hand and twist until the stalk breaks away from the plant. Do not pull straight up or out as this could dislodge the whole plant. If you’re growing indeterminate varieties (those that produce all season long), be careful not to knock off baby tomatoes or new blossoms.
  5. Gently wash and dry the fruit and store indoors and out of direct sunlight. Do not store tomatoes in the refrigerator! 

Cooking hint: to easily remove the skin for making sauces or salsa, cut out the core and make a small X on the blossom end. Submerge in boiling water for about 30 seconds or until you see the skin start to split. Remove with a slotted spoon and submerge into ice water to stop the cooking. The skins will practically fall right off.

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Compost Troubleshooting: Why Does My Compost Pile Smell?

Let’s start with the basic ground rule of composting: your pile should not smell bad. It can occasionally smell “earthy” or even fruity if you’ve dumped in a lot of rinds but an unpleasant smell is a sign that something is out of balance.

Sour or Ammonia Smell

This one was learned from personal experience as we’ve gotten to know our enclosed composting bin. This small bin holds 65 gallons so it’s just slightly bigger than a large hard-sided garbage can. You’d think that’s too small but after two weeks of just dumping in our household food scraps and odds and ends from trimming and weeding in my gardens, we barely had a few inches of compost cooking. So, the husband decided to get things moving by adding lawn clippings. Like three mower bags full of lawn clippings.

And that’s how we learned: compost mixture should be two to three parts browns (leaves, sawdust, wood shavings, shredded newspaper) to one part greens (veggie scraps, trimmings, grass, etc.). It’s best to layer greens and browns and mix them thoroughly after each layer and always top off the pile with a layer of browns.

Luckily, we are currently “grandparents” to a dozen baby chickens so our son brought over a big bag of their bedding (wood shavings). This was the perfect browns mixture to fix our problem plus we got an extra dose of super starter, chicken manure. I know, the things you learn when composting! Within 24 hours, the smell was gone!

Sulphur or Rotten Egg Smell

This smell is caused by a lack of oxygen so it tells you the pile is not decomposing properly (or anaerobically). This can also be caused by a too large input of greens – especially grass – as it can become matted and compacted too thickly to allow oxygen to work through the layers. Again, adding browns in layers and mixing well will stop this smell.

Also, make sure your compost pile has sources of air inflow – either through slits in the side of the bin or an open top. You should also aerate your compost pile by stirring it every few days when you first start out and then every week or so after it ages for a while.

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Hot Pepper Rhubarb Jam

hot-pepper-rhubarb-jam-michelle-turner

A delicious spicy-sweet combo that makes a great dip or sauce for chicken or pork. Can be frozen or canned. Recipe courtesy of Michelle Turner.

Ingredients

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 ½ cups white sugar

1 3-ounce package cherry jello

4 finely chopped hot peppers

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

Directions

Mix first four ingredients and cook over low heat until bubbly. Let cook until rhubarb is broken down. Add vanilla and baking soda (this will foam up). Let settle and heat through. Freeze in jars or hot water bath according to standard canning process. Makes approximately 12 ounces of jam.

To serve, mix one-to-one with whole grain mustard and use a pretzel dip, sandwich spread, or sauce for chicken or pork. Spread over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers.

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Techniques to Maintain Soil Health

What it means to have healthy soil

What it means to have healthy soil, might depend on who you ask. For instance, a farmer might say that healthy soil will retain water and provide crops with the nutrients they might need. These are not technically wrong answers; however, they are more incomplete than they are correct. There are a lot of things that determine the health of soil and this article will help explain what they are, in addition to explaining what they mean.

Indicators of soil health

There are a few different ways to determine if soil is healthy or not, some indicators are more scientific like testing the pH of the soil, but we will not talk about those more complex indicators here. Instead we will focus on the simpler indicators of soil health. The first being whether there is anything growing in it already, chances are if there is lots of green vegetation already growing in it the soil is fairly healthy. Another indicator that is easy to determine is if there are earthworms living in it, the more that live in it the better too. Earthworms play a very important role because they do a few different things for soil. One thing they do is that they help decompose organic matter like dead leaves and turn that into fresh healthy black soil. In addition to being an important decomposer within the soil, they also provide oxygenation to the soil by burrowing through it. This is important because if there is no oxygen contained within the soil, nothing will be able to grow because that is an important nutrient for just about every living thing. One more indicator of healthy soil, is that there is a plethora of other organisms living within the first few inches of soil. If there is a lack of other things living there it usually means not all the nutrients necessary for life are present.

Environmental benefits of healthy soil

There are quite a few benefits that healthy soil will provide for the environment. There are 5 functions soil provides that are essential to the health of an ecosystem, whether it be a garden in your backyard or a forest far away from your home, it still does these 5 basic functions.

  1. Regulating water
    • Healthy soil will help control where any water in the environment will go. Whether it is rain, snow that has melted, or water from your garden hose it plays a large role in whether water pools up or runs off to another area.
  2. Cycle nutrients
    • Just to name a few nutrients that are stored within the soil there is nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus. These are all very important for the growth of any plants which form the base of most food chains, so it is vital that the soil can provide these nutrients to anything growing in it.
  3. Sustain animal and plant life
    • This one is fairly self-explanatory, healthy soil is necessary for just about anything to live or grow in it. If there are not the proper conditions, nothing will grow or be able to live in it.
  4. Support and physical stability
    • Healthy soil will provide anything growing in it, like grass, a place to anchor their roots in order to grow vertically. If the soil is loose or not packed somewhat tightly, nothing will be able to root itself properly within the soil and will be unable to sustain its structure in the lightest wind gusts.
  5. Protection and filtration of pollutants
    • Arguably one of the more important functions of healthy soil is that it can filter out, detoxify, or degrade harmful pollutants. It also keeps them from reaching underground water, called aquifers, which is obviously important to humans because we use a lot of groundwater.
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How to Improve Bee Habitat in Four Simple Steps

Why improving bee habitat is important

Did you know that bee populations worldwide have been in decline in recent years? Did you know that about 30% of the crops grown throughout the globe require cross pollination, provided by bees, to thrive and prosper? These are just a few simple reasons that show why bee habitat is important, without bee habitat where would the bees go? Bees play a vital role in the health of the world as an ecosystem, because they provide the necessary cross pollination for many species of plants to thrive. Without bees we would lose an extremely vital aspect of the food chain, that aspect being the base of it in the plants that bees help to spread and grow. Without these plants at the bottom of the food chain, everything above it would collapse because they would eventually have no food to eat; that would also include humans. So, just how important is bee habitat you might ask? Bee habitat is an extremely vital part of the planet and we must do everything we can to stop the decline of the global bee populations. The easiest and likely fastest way to do this is to do your part by building a habitat for bees in whatever space is available.

Step 1 pick bee friendly flowers

Did you know that bees are attracted to certain flowers more than others? In order to improve bee habitat in your yard, or balcony, or wherever you might live it is important to consider what kind of flowers that get planted in order to attract more bees! A few examples of good flowers to plant to attract bees are aster, sunflowers, foxglove, cornflowers, bluebells, cosmos, or goldenrod. When picking what to plant, make sure the flowers you choose are able to bloom for a long time; if it is possible pick flowers that bloom more than one season every year as well.

Another important thing to consider when picking flowers to plant for bees, is what climate and gardening zone you live in. For instance, you would not want to plant a flower that is native to Florida if you live in Minnesota. The more you stick to native plants the better they will survive and more importantly reproduce so your flower garden will not have to be constantly replanted.

One more thing to consider when planting flowers to attract bees, is that they are drawn to brightly colored flowers from a distance. Even though they may not be the “ideal” flowers for them to pollinate it will help draw them in so they can explore the other flowers in the garden.

Step 2 plant herbs and vegetables

Just like humans, bees like vegetables and herbs too! The easiest way to add some flare to your bee habitat improvement project is to add a small herb garden next to the flower garden part of your bee habitat. A few herbs to consider planting in this garden are oregano, rosemary, mint, or lavender. The reasoning behind planting an herb garden is to give the bees another area to pollinate. It also will not take up very much space so just in case you have a limited space to work with already this small herb garden will only improve the bee habitat. In addition to the bees using your new herb garden, you will be able to periodically have fresh herbs to use in your own kitchen!

Step 3 leave out some water

This might seem a little silly but when making a garden for bees consider adding a bee sized bird bath. Bees need water just like every other animal out there so putting out a few small dishes of water will help the bees survive and potentially colonize the area. Obviously, a colony is what you are aiming to establish so anything that helps them stay in the area will encourage a colony to form.

Step 4 make your own bee habitat

There are quite a few different ways that this can be done. The simplest way to make some habitat for bees is to ensure there is at least some bare ground space within the garden and add some small piles of sticks for them to hide within. If you are feeling craftier consider designing a bird house, except with a hole or holes too small for any bird to get into. If you are unable to make a small hole in it, an easy fix is to cover it with chicken wire that will let bees in and out but keep anything else out.

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Composting 101: How to Make Compost and Use It In The Garden

Composting food scraps and garden debris is one of the easiest sustainable practices you can take on. And your reward is rich, nutritious soil you can use in your garden and patio pots! You don’t fancy equipment or a lot of space and within one season, you can “grow” a large, usable amount of compost soil. Best of all, you create a cycle of sustainability in your garden. This article will teach how to start a compost pile, how to feed it, and how to maintain it through the season.

The Basics of Composting

Creating composted soil depends on decomposition and decay of organic materials. Each compost pile is a balance of browns (dry material such as fall leaves or wood shavings) and greens (such as produce scraps or grass clippings). Too much of either and the balance is thrown off (you’ll know right away because it will look and smell funny). In this mixture, will be active bacteria, worms, and insects with a little heat thrown in. Together they break each piece down into nutrient-dense, organic material that plants absolutely thrive in.

You cannot put meat, dairy or processed foods (like bread) in your compost pile as it will upset this balance (and attract unwanted critters). You can, however, sparingly add coffee grounds, eggshells, or ashes. Again, the smell and feel will tell you right away if there’s too much of one thing. (We cover this in detail in another blog post, “Compost Troubleshooting” here.)

Where to Locate Your Compost Pile

Compost piles need heat to work so choose a spot that gets lots of sunshine and (if using a barrel), choose a dark color that will absorb the heat. Don’t choose a location too far away from where you normally work outside or is hard to access in the winter. But you also don’t want it close to any neighbors who may not appreciate the process. It is decaying material and not the most beautiful part of gardening!

Types of Compost Containers

There are two common compost set-ups: a closed bin or barrel or an open, fenced in area that sits on the ground. This allows beneficial insects and worms easier access but can be unsightly. A bin or barrel is more practical in cases with limited yard space or where keeping the pile completely contained is necessary.

An open bin style works well on larger properties with lots of compost material. As shown in the photo, you can even create a multi-step system where new material goes into one bin and then is moved through each new bin as it decomposes. An open system is more susceptible to critters and should be covered to avoid too much moisture.

Choosing which type of storage is really based on personal preference and location. When done correctly, a compost pile will not smell bad but it can attract critters (if left open). For urban and residential properties, most people choose a closed container such as a large plastic tub or a barrel on a stand. This method also limits the quantity of compost produced and it is unwieldly to get the finished product out.

DIY Compost Bins

You can build your own compost pile by installing a three-walled enclosure built as you would a fence. This structure uses bare ground as its floor and the opening allows you to turn the compost with a rake or shovel. The drawback with this method is it will attract critters when you drop in fresh kitchen scraps.

For enclosed barrels, choose a large garbage can or barrel with a removable lid. Poke holes along the sides, bottom, and lid so air can move through and water can get in and drain out. Many large home stores and online retailers also offer premade compost barrels – some on a stand with a hand crank so you can easily give it a turn each day.

What to Add to Your Compost Pile


Start with twigs, straw, ash, hay, or another dry/brown material as your foundation. This allows the bottom of the pile to have more aeration and not become a slimy mess at the bottom. Your first layer, and every other layer thereafter should have a healthy dose of loose, dry, brown debris. Avoid large sticks, branches, or logs, as they can slow down the process. Larger things are harder to compost so be sure to break them down into smaller pieces before adding them.

Add produce scraps, grass clippings, and plant debris but do not add meat, dairy, or oily and processed foods. Avoid using too many onions or citrus peels. They break down slowly and can kill off beneficial insects. Using kitchen scraps is a great way to reduce your indoor garbage and utilize things you would otherwise throw away. Keep a container with a tight-fitting lid in the kitchen where you store scraps until you’re ready to add it to your pile.

Any green plant matter can also be added but avoid adding weeds or leaves from diseases plants (such as tomato blight). These will remain in the finished compost and spread new weeds or disease when you use it next season.

Animal waste, or manure, is also a form of green compost. Avoid using dog or cat waste in gardens for crops meant for consumption. Their waste contains microorganisms that aren’t ideal for a healthy garden, especially ones growing food. For those of us that have fish, tank water is an excellent resource to use for your pile! Tank water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, both of which are important to maintaining your pile’s carbon cycle. Just be sure not to use too much water, as this can cause your compost to become overly soggy. Store excess in gallon jugs to use later!

Other excellent choices for the inclusion of animal waste are chicken, cow, horse, sheep and goat waste. Unless any of the animals are being medicated (aside from vaccinations), their waste is completely safe to use! Medications like antibiotics can be passed through the waste and into the crops. If the animals are sick, and/or on medication, avoid using their waste until they are healthy.

Brown scraps are usually found outside in the yard. Fallen leaves, dried grass clippings, chicken bedding, or small twigs. These materials are also the ideal foundation for your outdoor pile!

Maintaining Your Compost Pile


Having a good ratio of green scraps and brown scraps is the key to a successful compost. 50% green to 50% brown is a good ratio of each, and if layered correctly, there won’t be much maintenance. Composting, for the most part, will take care of itself. Checking on it occasionally and turning it with a pitch fork or shovel is about all that needs to be done to the pile – typically after adding scraps or at least twice per month. If the pile becomes overly soggy or starts to have a foul odor, toss in some brown scraps, make sure it gets mixed well and has plenty of aeration.

A healthy pile will stay at an average temperature of 150 degrees. This keeps things moving, including insects and microbes that all work together to help along the nitrogen cycle. Towards the end of the process, it will have cooled down significantly. If it’s cold out, the temperature will most likely be much lower depending on the size of your set up.

Once the compost turns a rich brown color and has an earthy smell, it’s ready to use! By this stage, everything you put in the pile should be completely broken down and unrecognizable. The pile will also have cooled down in temperature. Just scoop it out and mix it into your existing garden beds with a fork or shovel.

Composting in Winter

If you have a pile that isn’t finished and winter is nearing, don’t worry. Worst case scenario, the process is slowed down. Keep your compost taller and wider if you’re banking to keep your pile going during the winter. This will allow for the organisms breaking your compost down to stay alive and thrive in the winter months. If you live in an area that gets extremely cold during the winter, be sure to start it in a place where it stays sunny most of the day, and expect the process to be a bit slower.

Maintaining compost isn’t a difficult process and anyone can do it. It is an excellent addition to the garden, will yield beautiful crops, and is an awesome way to sustain the garden season after season!