I slammed on the brakes in Carlisle, PA, on the road leading up to the turnpike. I knew something had landed on my tray of tiny plants, tucked by the heater, to coax on the germination. Indeed, while none of the dozen or so seedlings was smashed, a few books and notepads were pushing down on the cling wrap covering my first tray of seedlings. Other than the re-sealing of the wrap, no damage was done.
I unloaded the tray Sunday night in cold March twilight, and we perched it under grow lights in our appointed place. The lighting fixture is on hold while we survive the bacterial zoo I also brought home with me. On Monday, I moved the peet pots of germinated seedlings to an open tray and laid the 4" terrarium bulbs in their fixture on the supports of an antique chair in my garden room. I blocked up the tray so my plants are just 1" from the lights, as Mike McGrath said to do in his recent You Bet Your Garden. I didn't realize this 'yous guys' swearin' gardener was the former editor of Organic Gardening. Now, I will pay more heed. The little seedlings have already lifted themselves to the height of the plant. I'm worried they will get tall not broad. I haven't raised the light yet.
Last night, in a haze of flu-ish decision making, I bought 3.8cubic meters of peet moss, vermiculite and perlite. I came home and started up my arugula and lettuce tray with my son's assistance. He schlepped the heavy tray upstairs to the germination station with me warning and threatening and coddling behind him. I laid it next to the heater, but not on a heating mat. It's lettuce afterall and likes a bit of the cold. By midnight, the heater had super heated our bedroom and doubled our feverish sensibilities. We'd thrown off covers and threw open the window and perched our fan in it, in spite of the 35 degrees outside. Heater went off. It's warm enough for germination, I think.
Now to get off my duff and plug in the timer for the grow light. I just hope the lighting fixture is in place before we leave for Pennsylvania again this week. And who to ask to care for my wee pets?
Oh, and on a final note, I committed to those Rhode Island Reds and some Bard Rocks! Thanks to all who posted on Facebook with great resources. Have that book? I'll read! Now to craigslist the old kids playscape before Bright Week at the end of April. I have Bright Monday, the day after Easter, off, so we are doing liturgy and building our coop. How will all this come together?
Oh, and Mrs. C... You have tempted me to restart that destroyed asparagus run I had.... I see you.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Planting a perennial vegetable--asparagus, and "organic" fertilizers
http://www.asparagusgardener.com/howtoplantasp1.html
Here is a tutorial on planting asparagus. It has some great pictures and detailed instructions.
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that will regrow and produce spears every year in the same spot. The trick is to dig, prepare, and plant your beds in a place that will be a permanent garden, so examine your gardening space, and decide where that might be. It takes up some space once the spears go to foliage, so the back of the garden or the north side, so it doesn't shade out neighbors in the summer. If you have a property line that you would like defined, asparagus might do the trick, since it is relatively easy care. It would even be pretty in the back of a flower bed, as tall perennial in the back, just make sure you have access to harvest.
The biggest concern for growing asparagus is preparing the trench and the soil properly, and giving it enough room. I planted asparagus in rows 2-3 feet apart at my old house, and by the end of the summer, that patch was a big weedy mess. At my new garden (house is another old one), my garden helper and I dug one long trench and it is much easier to maintain.
When the asparagus spears start to appear in spring, you must be able to harvest almost everyday, or they get woody, and unappetizing very quickly. Take a sharp knife and make a clean cut as far down the stem as possible. Wash, and then lightly boil to keep them crunchy. Sometimes they are just great to eat raw with a dip or dressing. You can blanch spears, and freeze, but I find that they can get mushy when defrosted. Try trading extra spears to the neighbor for something that he has. The tall foliage grows from spears and is quite pretty and feathery in the summer. This is the part of the plant that takes in the sun's energy and then stores it in the roots in the fall, so DON'T cut it down until it is thoroughly dried up. I am usually so tired at the end of the gardening season that I wait until spring to chop the stems. I did it yesterday and already saw some spears starting to peak out at me. I need to get out there and start fertilizing them this week. I also need some pain meds for my shoulders....
Speaking of fertilizer, there are several different types. I used bone meal yesterday around shrubs, and in holes with new bulbs. I need to go get some 12-12-12 today, a general garden fertilizer, good for about anything. The three numbers stand for the three elements plants need-- nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
I use super-phosphate when planting shrubs, bushes, or bulbs, it helps with rapid root growth. Phosphorus is used by the plant for seed production, fruit development, and vitamin content of plants. Nitrogen is used for leaf growth and greener leaves.
Now, some of you may want to have a "vegan" garden, meaning NO animal byproducts used in fertilizer. Read your bag, or do some research before heading out for fertilizer. I have some Miracle-Grow organic fertilizer that is made of pulverized chicken remains-feathers, and whatever. Also, fish meal is a popular organic fertilizer. Composting needs to have three things--green organic material (kitchen waste, fresh weeds, or grass), brown organic material (dried straw, old weeds -- NO seeds), and manure, so you may want to research alternatives to using animal waste, to avoid e-coli. Some people just throw a shovelful of garden dirt on there, it has lots of microbiotic little creatures in it that just love munching on all that organic stuff. If you are interested in knowing more about where fertilizers come from , I recommend anything by Organic Gardening Magazine, or the Rodale Institute, its parent organization. They don't print it if they haven't thoroughly researched it, but a caution-- Rodale tends to be very dogmatic in their approach to food production, so I found that the OG magazine and website were a bit more accessible.
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/compost-soil/compost here are some great articles for building your compost heap. Dig around in this website, it's sure to have lots of good information.
Now, go out and get gardening!!
Dianne, dirt and all
Here is a tutorial on planting asparagus. It has some great pictures and detailed instructions.
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that will regrow and produce spears every year in the same spot. The trick is to dig, prepare, and plant your beds in a place that will be a permanent garden, so examine your gardening space, and decide where that might be. It takes up some space once the spears go to foliage, so the back of the garden or the north side, so it doesn't shade out neighbors in the summer. If you have a property line that you would like defined, asparagus might do the trick, since it is relatively easy care. It would even be pretty in the back of a flower bed, as tall perennial in the back, just make sure you have access to harvest.
The biggest concern for growing asparagus is preparing the trench and the soil properly, and giving it enough room. I planted asparagus in rows 2-3 feet apart at my old house, and by the end of the summer, that patch was a big weedy mess. At my new garden (house is another old one), my garden helper and I dug one long trench and it is much easier to maintain.
When the asparagus spears start to appear in spring, you must be able to harvest almost everyday, or they get woody, and unappetizing very quickly. Take a sharp knife and make a clean cut as far down the stem as possible. Wash, and then lightly boil to keep them crunchy. Sometimes they are just great to eat raw with a dip or dressing. You can blanch spears, and freeze, but I find that they can get mushy when defrosted. Try trading extra spears to the neighbor for something that he has. The tall foliage grows from spears and is quite pretty and feathery in the summer. This is the part of the plant that takes in the sun's energy and then stores it in the roots in the fall, so DON'T cut it down until it is thoroughly dried up. I am usually so tired at the end of the gardening season that I wait until spring to chop the stems. I did it yesterday and already saw some spears starting to peak out at me. I need to get out there and start fertilizing them this week. I also need some pain meds for my shoulders....
Speaking of fertilizer, there are several different types. I used bone meal yesterday around shrubs, and in holes with new bulbs. I need to go get some 12-12-12 today, a general garden fertilizer, good for about anything. The three numbers stand for the three elements plants need-- nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
I use super-phosphate when planting shrubs, bushes, or bulbs, it helps with rapid root growth. Phosphorus is used by the plant for seed production, fruit development, and vitamin content of plants. Nitrogen is used for leaf growth and greener leaves.
Now, some of you may want to have a "vegan" garden, meaning NO animal byproducts used in fertilizer. Read your bag, or do some research before heading out for fertilizer. I have some Miracle-Grow organic fertilizer that is made of pulverized chicken remains-feathers, and whatever. Also, fish meal is a popular organic fertilizer. Composting needs to have three things--green organic material (kitchen waste, fresh weeds, or grass), brown organic material (dried straw, old weeds -- NO seeds), and manure, so you may want to research alternatives to using animal waste, to avoid e-coli. Some people just throw a shovelful of garden dirt on there, it has lots of microbiotic little creatures in it that just love munching on all that organic stuff. If you are interested in knowing more about where fertilizers come from , I recommend anything by Organic Gardening Magazine, or the Rodale Institute, its parent organization. They don't print it if they haven't thoroughly researched it, but a caution-- Rodale tends to be very dogmatic in their approach to food production, so I found that the OG magazine and website were a bit more accessible.
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/compost-soil/compost here are some great articles for building your compost heap. Dig around in this website, it's sure to have lots of good information.
Now, go out and get gardening!!
Dianne, dirt and all
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Started Seeds- Heirloom Tomatoes on the Kitchen Table
We started my tray Cream Sausage, the Lemon Drops, the Amish Paste, and Hungarian Hearts today. We're planning to transfer my tray of 65 peet pots to Indiana next Friday. They may or may not be germinated. I will count and report the amount of the germinate ones.
My mom and I moved Dad's workbench 4" light, which costs between 10-20 dollars at Home Depot, depending on the model. It uses T12 standard grow spectrum florescent bulbs. Dad whipped out the hanging frame for the light, to keep the soil temps at 75-80 degrees during the germination. He used the taut line hitch knot to make the fixture adjustable. We figure we can get two to three trays under this. After these are germinated, they should grow at about 65-70 degrees. Here's hoping!
We're using mom's kitchen true temp thermometer to monitor the peet pot temps. Can't wait!
My mom and I moved Dad's workbench 4" light, which costs between 10-20 dollars at Home Depot, depending on the model. It uses T12 standard grow spectrum florescent bulbs. Dad whipped out the hanging frame for the light, to keep the soil temps at 75-80 degrees during the germination. He used the taut line hitch knot to make the fixture adjustable. We figure we can get two to three trays under this. After these are germinated, they should grow at about 65-70 degrees. Here's hoping!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
first time gardening?
If you are a novice gardener, like the enthusiastic young woman I met at Big Lots today, let me give you some beginner's suggestions.
1. Perennials come back every year, annuals must be replanted.
2. Some crops like colder weather, and can be started here in the next few weeks outside:
Potatoes, radishes, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, peas,beets
3. If the back of the package says start indoors before frost, you can do that, or wait until after last frost, ours in central Indiana is usually April 15, and plant. I usually wait on tomatoes until middle of May, just because they really don't like cold weather. I have put them in earlier, but made sure to cover them up on cold nights.
4. These plants like to be warm, so wait to plant:
Pumpkins, squash, zucchini, melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers. corn, beans
5. You can start seeds indoors, and put out during the day if it's warm. Seeds like to have bottom heat, so starting them on top of the refridgerator is a good place. Or, buy a germination pad, they're not cheap, but I have used mine for years. Cover seeds with plastic, or put a top on the container, to keep in the warmth. Once they are up, put them outside in direct sunlight for the greater part of the day, they get "leggy" if they don't get enough sunlight. Keep soil hydrated, but not soggy, or the seed will rot.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/556/ I am shamelessly borrowing from "davesgarden.com" a great resource for gardening.
6. Get your compost heap started now. You will use it all the time, you can find all different ways to do this. Some towns don't allow them, but if you plant some tall things around it, who's to know? Find a source for manure, and like I said in another post, there are composting materials out there, be bold and ask your neighbors, friends, and strangers for anything they want to get rid of. Never add meat, fat, or any animal product to it. Sure way to get critters, and they don't really decompose well.
I highly suggest you spend some time reading up on gardening, or bugging your neighbor who gardens.
Organic Gardening Magazine is great, see if you can find some at the library sale, or the used bookstore.
I have returned again and again to
The Garden Primer , by Barbara Damrosch. This book helped me a lot when I first started. Good basic information on planting, care, and harvesting. She also gives lots of information on different varieties of each plant.
52 Weekend Garden Projects by Nancy Bubel has fun things to build or make for the garden, or interesting ways to plant things.
Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew This has a new edition out. I recommend either.
The Victory Garden on PBS stations is great for watching someone gardening, and giving tips.
Go Native and Got Shade? by Carolyn Harstad, are two great books about gardening with native plants and in the shade for the Midwest. I learned a lot about what NOT to plant from these.
Now, go read something on gardening, I mean it, right now...
Dianne, dirt and all
1. Perennials come back every year, annuals must be replanted.
2. Some crops like colder weather, and can be started here in the next few weeks outside:
Potatoes, radishes, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, peas,beets
3. If the back of the package says start indoors before frost, you can do that, or wait until after last frost, ours in central Indiana is usually April 15, and plant. I usually wait on tomatoes until middle of May, just because they really don't like cold weather. I have put them in earlier, but made sure to cover them up on cold nights.
4. These plants like to be warm, so wait to plant:
Pumpkins, squash, zucchini, melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers. corn, beans
5. You can start seeds indoors, and put out during the day if it's warm. Seeds like to have bottom heat, so starting them on top of the refridgerator is a good place. Or, buy a germination pad, they're not cheap, but I have used mine for years. Cover seeds with plastic, or put a top on the container, to keep in the warmth. Once they are up, put them outside in direct sunlight for the greater part of the day, they get "leggy" if they don't get enough sunlight. Keep soil hydrated, but not soggy, or the seed will rot.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/556/ I am shamelessly borrowing from "davesgarden.com" a great resource for gardening.
6. Get your compost heap started now. You will use it all the time, you can find all different ways to do this. Some towns don't allow them, but if you plant some tall things around it, who's to know? Find a source for manure, and like I said in another post, there are composting materials out there, be bold and ask your neighbors, friends, and strangers for anything they want to get rid of. Never add meat, fat, or any animal product to it. Sure way to get critters, and they don't really decompose well.
I highly suggest you spend some time reading up on gardening, or bugging your neighbor who gardens.
Organic Gardening Magazine is great, see if you can find some at the library sale, or the used bookstore.
I have returned again and again to
The Garden Primer , by Barbara Damrosch. This book helped me a lot when I first started. Good basic information on planting, care, and harvesting. She also gives lots of information on different varieties of each plant.
52 Weekend Garden Projects by Nancy Bubel has fun things to build or make for the garden, or interesting ways to plant things.
Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew This has a new edition out. I recommend either.
The Victory Garden on PBS stations is great for watching someone gardening, and giving tips.
Go Native and Got Shade? by Carolyn Harstad, are two great books about gardening with native plants and in the shade for the Midwest. I learned a lot about what NOT to plant from these.
Now, go read something on gardening, I mean it, right now...
Dianne, dirt and all
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Impatient and Absent Gardening
I'm leaving in two hours for two whole weeks. Still none of the water logged dirt around my home is moved. I will obtain seeds during my two week travels for work, but be powerless to start them, unless I can talk my mother into starting them at her house. Things that make me go hmmm. The thing is, I spent this week pondering a few gardening concerns and only educated myself about some.
I learned that to start seeds, I need warming mats only for germination.
I need the specialized lights, but they must be much larger than I anticipated. My plan to recycle unused aquariums? It won't work for seed starting, but a light bulb just went off in my head about those. More on that in a jiffy.
I need four foot long bulbs that will remain about 1/2 inch from the seedlings and plants until I transplant or move outdoors. That's a tall order for transporting back and forth from Pennsylvania to Indiana. Yet, if we don't start these seeds, they won't be ready in time.
My other concerns was raised by a co-worker who suggested I need my soil tested for lead. He said the lead from the paint on the exterior of my Victorian House might leech into my produce. Last night, I asked a DNR scientist, who suggested I call the county extension office. When to do that, if I'm in another state? It occurred to me that I hadn't done my homework. I haven't checked out the research on such a threat. I will be reading up on that. Obviously there is lead.. My home was built in 1874 and lead was used in paint until about thirty years ago. The question is whether it would contaminate my plants.
In the meantime, I will honey do one more thing for my hubby. I will ask him to retrieve those aquariums from the attic to rescue the pansies that Dianne gave me the other day. She pointed out they hadn't been acclimated to warmth yet and I could leave them on the porch, but the first night I had them the temps dropped to twenty-nine degrees. I brought them in and never put them out. Nuts. They are acclimated now, I think. In the interim, I put them by the window where my naughty kitties ate their flowers. I threatened to kill the kitties for the plants. How's that for unreasonable? Actually it proves the cats are my kids pets and my pets are the plants. It's always been this way in our house.
Those aquariums are deep enough to keep the cats from their casual munchies and later, the aquarium may make a lovely year round greenhouse for greens. After whipping up a killer shallot and arugula salad for my parents last week, I've decided arugula is indispensable in my garden. Now, how not to spend a fortune on seeds.
Oh, and my last two pie-in-the-sky ideas? Chicken coop and raised beds. I want to find out if I can freecycle or Craigslist old untreated lumber or bricks to raise beds out front. What I'd like to know is how much a decent coop for 6-10 hens would set me back. How many eggs could I reliably collect from that few layers? Do I really need a rooster to prompt consistent laying, cause he's just a no-no in town? This chicken thing is going to have to be on the down-low or I'll have sheriffs at my door about the common nuisance. Any comments with advice on eggs and hens and coop are welcome. In the meantime, I'm dreaming up my fourth grade son's spring science observation.
Egg hatching... watch out. That alone is going to cost me more.
I learned that to start seeds, I need warming mats only for germination.
I need the specialized lights, but they must be much larger than I anticipated. My plan to recycle unused aquariums? It won't work for seed starting, but a light bulb just went off in my head about those. More on that in a jiffy.
I need four foot long bulbs that will remain about 1/2 inch from the seedlings and plants until I transplant or move outdoors. That's a tall order for transporting back and forth from Pennsylvania to Indiana. Yet, if we don't start these seeds, they won't be ready in time.
My other concerns was raised by a co-worker who suggested I need my soil tested for lead. He said the lead from the paint on the exterior of my Victorian House might leech into my produce. Last night, I asked a DNR scientist, who suggested I call the county extension office. When to do that, if I'm in another state? It occurred to me that I hadn't done my homework. I haven't checked out the research on such a threat. I will be reading up on that. Obviously there is lead.. My home was built in 1874 and lead was used in paint until about thirty years ago. The question is whether it would contaminate my plants.
In the meantime, I will honey do one more thing for my hubby. I will ask him to retrieve those aquariums from the attic to rescue the pansies that Dianne gave me the other day. She pointed out they hadn't been acclimated to warmth yet and I could leave them on the porch, but the first night I had them the temps dropped to twenty-nine degrees. I brought them in and never put them out. Nuts. They are acclimated now, I think. In the interim, I put them by the window where my naughty kitties ate their flowers. I threatened to kill the kitties for the plants. How's that for unreasonable? Actually it proves the cats are my kids pets and my pets are the plants. It's always been this way in our house.
Those aquariums are deep enough to keep the cats from their casual munchies and later, the aquarium may make a lovely year round greenhouse for greens. After whipping up a killer shallot and arugula salad for my parents last week, I've decided arugula is indispensable in my garden. Now, how not to spend a fortune on seeds.
Oh, and my last two pie-in-the-sky ideas? Chicken coop and raised beds. I want to find out if I can freecycle or Craigslist old untreated lumber or bricks to raise beds out front. What I'd like to know is how much a decent coop for 6-10 hens would set me back. How many eggs could I reliably collect from that few layers? Do I really need a rooster to prompt consistent laying, cause he's just a no-no in town? This chicken thing is going to have to be on the down-low or I'll have sheriffs at my door about the common nuisance. Any comments with advice on eggs and hens and coop are welcome. In the meantime, I'm dreaming up my fourth grade son's spring science observation.
Egg hatching... watch out. That alone is going to cost me more.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Starting on New Ground
Maria, our intrepid leader, has itchy fingers and wants to get started on her garden. We have a garden at church, I'll teach her how to clean it up for spring. I'll give directions, and supervise. However, since the ground is still very cold and very wet, we'll give it a couple more weeks of warming weather.
If you are starting on new ground that has never been gardened before, let me suggest potatoes. The way I have grown potatoes the last few years has been the "minimally disturbed" way. Not that I am "minimally disturbed, " (shut UP, Maria) but that the soil is not dug deeply. I figure out where my boundaries are for my potato patch , and then lightly spade up the grass, it doesn't even have to come out all the way, just loosen it up a bit. Or if you have a corner in already tilled soil, just rake it to break the crust. Then I make sure that I have a supply of organic material--straw, rotten hay from a neighbor's horse barn, leaves and "stuff" from flower beds. You can watch your neighbor rake up leaves from his shrubs and garden in the next few weeks, and right before he loads it into the truck (keeping to minimal work for yourself), offer heroically to take it off his hands, saving him a trip to the dump. He may even offer to bring it to you. I have even dragged an old sheet to the neighbor's to collect stuff, and dragged it back down the street to my house.
Go to the garden shop and buy your potatoes. Most of the time, you must cut them up into pieces with at least three "eyes" or buds on them, lay them out on paper to dry . You can also just pick out small potatoes, and don't cut them. When dry, take them out to your patch and put them down 18" apart, and in rows separated by about 2 feet. Then gather up all your composty stuff, and fling it over the potatoes, do a jig, and cover up the potatoes with several inches of hay, old grass, old leaves. Make sure the potatoes are thoroughly covered, or they get green on them from sun exposure. Water thoroughly. Keep watering if it stays dry. The composty, mulchy stuff dries out quickly. In a few weeks, you will start to see green stems popping up out of the mulch. I probably won't do this until middle of April for central Indiana, they just don't want to grow much when it is really cold.
You should continue to add mulch as the season goes on because it settles. One year I had a dump truck come to my house after they had cleaned up from the Strawberry Festival. It was full of straw from wet ground. It was great, it was free, it was smelly. Next time I'll try not to put it in the front garden. My dogs loved snacking from the bits that were left by messy eaters. You can let the grass go a few days long and then mow and rake. Use any grass you can get, just check to make sure it has not recently been sprayed with anything. I have stopped guys in trucks that mow for a living, and had them dump grass for me. I was walking once and a man was raking up old leaves that had composted all winter, I asked for them, he came and dumped them on my garden. People are usually happy to get rid of stuff and not to have to take it to the dump. They can say "no," life goes on. Be careful not to use walnut leaves, they can poison your garden soil, making it hard to get things to grow there.
In the middle of the summer, you will start to notice Colorado potato beetles eating on your potato plants. These can be picked off, or you can use an organic spray or dust.
Digging the potatoes in the late summer is great fun, once the plants have turned completely brown and dry. It's like a treasure hunt. And new potatoes are the best! Carefully pull back the mulch where the base of the potato plant is and dig, I prefer a garden fork. A shovel can really damage potatoes. Eat those for supper. The mulch you have used can be raked back over the potato patch. If it was grassy before, all that should be dead by now, and the soil ready for a different crop next year. I'll update you on my patch as it grows this year.
Oh, I just remembered that last year I grew potatoes in some old tires. I threw the tires down in the garden, loosened the soil under them, dumped some more in, threw in the potatoes, filled up the tires with mulchy stuff, watered, and when it was time to harvest, I just heaved up the tires, and there were the potatoes. Fun! I've also had potatoes come up in my compost heap before after I tucked in some "leggy" potatoes from the pantry.
Dianne, dirt and all.
If you are starting on new ground that has never been gardened before, let me suggest potatoes. The way I have grown potatoes the last few years has been the "minimally disturbed" way. Not that I am "minimally disturbed, " (shut UP, Maria) but that the soil is not dug deeply. I figure out where my boundaries are for my potato patch , and then lightly spade up the grass, it doesn't even have to come out all the way, just loosen it up a bit. Or if you have a corner in already tilled soil, just rake it to break the crust. Then I make sure that I have a supply of organic material--straw, rotten hay from a neighbor's horse barn, leaves and "stuff" from flower beds. You can watch your neighbor rake up leaves from his shrubs and garden in the next few weeks, and right before he loads it into the truck (keeping to minimal work for yourself), offer heroically to take it off his hands, saving him a trip to the dump. He may even offer to bring it to you. I have even dragged an old sheet to the neighbor's to collect stuff, and dragged it back down the street to my house.
Go to the garden shop and buy your potatoes. Most of the time, you must cut them up into pieces with at least three "eyes" or buds on them, lay them out on paper to dry . You can also just pick out small potatoes, and don't cut them. When dry, take them out to your patch and put them down 18" apart, and in rows separated by about 2 feet. Then gather up all your composty stuff, and fling it over the potatoes, do a jig, and cover up the potatoes with several inches of hay, old grass, old leaves. Make sure the potatoes are thoroughly covered, or they get green on them from sun exposure. Water thoroughly. Keep watering if it stays dry. The composty, mulchy stuff dries out quickly. In a few weeks, you will start to see green stems popping up out of the mulch. I probably won't do this until middle of April for central Indiana, they just don't want to grow much when it is really cold.
You should continue to add mulch as the season goes on because it settles. One year I had a dump truck come to my house after they had cleaned up from the Strawberry Festival. It was full of straw from wet ground. It was great, it was free, it was smelly. Next time I'll try not to put it in the front garden. My dogs loved snacking from the bits that were left by messy eaters. You can let the grass go a few days long and then mow and rake. Use any grass you can get, just check to make sure it has not recently been sprayed with anything. I have stopped guys in trucks that mow for a living, and had them dump grass for me. I was walking once and a man was raking up old leaves that had composted all winter, I asked for them, he came and dumped them on my garden. People are usually happy to get rid of stuff and not to have to take it to the dump. They can say "no," life goes on. Be careful not to use walnut leaves, they can poison your garden soil, making it hard to get things to grow there.
In the middle of the summer, you will start to notice Colorado potato beetles eating on your potato plants. These can be picked off, or you can use an organic spray or dust.
Digging the potatoes in the late summer is great fun, once the plants have turned completely brown and dry. It's like a treasure hunt. And new potatoes are the best! Carefully pull back the mulch where the base of the potato plant is and dig, I prefer a garden fork. A shovel can really damage potatoes. Eat those for supper. The mulch you have used can be raked back over the potato patch. If it was grassy before, all that should be dead by now, and the soil ready for a different crop next year. I'll update you on my patch as it grows this year.
Oh, I just remembered that last year I grew potatoes in some old tires. I threw the tires down in the garden, loosened the soil under them, dumped some more in, threw in the potatoes, filled up the tires with mulchy stuff, watered, and when it was time to harvest, I just heaved up the tires, and there were the potatoes. Fun! I've also had potatoes come up in my compost heap before after I tucked in some "leggy" potatoes from the pantry.
Dianne, dirt and all.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Twiddling Thumbs and Spinning Jennies
I am just a little bit too ready for spring, but in a great showing of my character, my July behavior is already kicking in.
Having learned of "You Bet Your Garden" from WHYY- and loving it so much I might forget Mike McGrath's 'yous' usage- I am ready for the peat pots and Cream Sausage Tomato seeds that will be waiting at my mother's house in just two weeks. I'm ready to turn off the heat pads and uncover the wee seedlings at the first site of germination. I vow to avoid over fertilizing and to use bone meal, egg shells or calcium carbonate tablets on all tomatoes for good flavor. I'm ready to set out boxes of arugula, and butter lettuce, though I said I wouldn't.
Yet I haven't moved one inch of grass from my lawn. I have the bucket, a thanks from Aaron and Alyssa, upon helping them move the last few items from the apartment. I have the shovel. My husband set them out back. Lazy girl. I've not painted them orange nor moved them to the front of the house.
Wonder what this garden will be, if I don't have the will to do that, and if I keep thinking about how much I would compensate my kiddos for each full bucket THEY remove.
Having learned of "You Bet Your Garden" from WHYY- and loving it so much I might forget Mike McGrath's 'yous' usage- I am ready for the peat pots and Cream Sausage Tomato seeds that will be waiting at my mother's house in just two weeks. I'm ready to turn off the heat pads and uncover the wee seedlings at the first site of germination. I vow to avoid over fertilizing and to use bone meal, egg shells or calcium carbonate tablets on all tomatoes for good flavor. I'm ready to set out boxes of arugula, and butter lettuce, though I said I wouldn't.
Yet I haven't moved one inch of grass from my lawn. I have the bucket, a thanks from Aaron and Alyssa, upon helping them move the last few items from the apartment. I have the shovel. My husband set them out back. Lazy girl. I've not painted them orange nor moved them to the front of the house.
Wonder what this garden will be, if I don't have the will to do that, and if I keep thinking about how much I would compensate my kiddos for each full bucket THEY remove.
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