Creating An Ecosystem
Around Your Home
Oasis Lawn Garden
First off, I would like to congratulate you on wanting to create a living ecosystem around your home. Once we get started you will be amazed at how self-sufficient this is with some timely maintenance and a little TLC throughout the season!
Organic gardening is not just planting to plant… you will hear all types of terms such as mono-crops, companion planting, PH levels, N-P-K levels, deciduous, coniferous, direct seeding and transplanting to name a few. Do not worry these will all become second nature to you as gardening is all about routine, once you go through your first full season all will start to fall into place and become second nature.
Creating an Ecosystem by definition: is to provide a Complete Environment where birds, insects, sun, shade, proper soil consistency and adequate water supply are all in balance. This allows all plants of any type or genome to thrive and be successful. To this end I will outline in general terms the steps to follow to create your own Garden of Eden whatever that may be. By no means is my outline the only one but I am breaking this down to be as easy as possible to follow for the beginner to start the journey. Below are a few general needs to encourage birds and butterflies to come to your new oasis as these little guys will make the gardening experience that much easier over time!
This is a process where if you provide certain things for birds and butterflies in nature “They Will Come” so to speak, to assist us as home gardeners.
- Food---nectar (humming bird feeder)/worms (good soil)/good bugs eat bad bugs/Flowers-Lupine/coneflower/Cup plant/blazing star/ Fuchsia and many more.
- Shelter---Proper bird houses/good ground cover with grasses/shrubs/evergreen hedges/tree’s
- Water--- bird baths/butterfly cups/Cup plant that holds water for both birds/butterflies/ must keep all standing water fresh or invites mosquito larvae.
The Categories are as follows:
Step#1 - Fall/Winter/Spring Clean-up
Step #2 -Diagnosis/Fertilize/Pest-Control/Lawn Care
Step #3 -Prepare a Plan for Lawn/Garden & Flower Beds/ Tree’s & Shrub’s
Step #4 -Soil Prep and Amendment
Step#5 -Planting Vegetable Gardens/Flowerbeds/Trees and Shrubs
Step #6 -Water Regiment for all growing area’s
Step #7 -Regular Maintenance
Step #8 - Basic Tools Required
Step #1- Fall/Winter/Spring Clean-up
This is always in debate when to do your end of season pruning/trimming and removal of material. The truth is you space it out over all 3 seasons as those who have Oak trees are very aware! Also Victoria as a rule is a 4 season growing area so really we can break a lot of rules due to our climate.
The most important aspect is to insure all fallen debris and leaves are removed and all growing areas are Clean of said debris before the spring bloom. This is a factor for 2 reasons…The first being we do not want hibernating insects in this fallen debris to hatch and create an infestation before we start (if this is done yearly it also cuts down on the amount of spraying harmful pesticides to remove harmful bugs)…..the second being we will need to address the soil amendment in all garden and flower beds and this is much easier with a clean palate.
My general rule is to prune back all perennials such as roses, hydrangea, ornamental grasses etc. in the late fall as this eliminates a lot of the rotting material which is harder to deal with later. All the tree pruning and leaf removal I do as needed throughout the rest of the season due to weather, the trick is to just keep up with it a little at a time!
Tip: look at it in sections and prioritize a section a day and before you know it is done!
#2—Diagnosis/Fertilize/Pest Control/Lawn Care
Where the first rule is in debate this is not as once you have a clean palate in your yard it is crucial we diagnose any and all fertilizing/pest issues that need to be addressed before the spring bloom. This is in all aspects of your yard Tree’s/Shrubs/Garden/Flower bed and Lawn.
My rule is to pay attention on my last clean-up in January weather permitting and last of leaf/limb drop to any relevant issues. This could include beds that will need compost and fertilizing(Nitrogen-Phosphate-Potash), specific plant discoloration due to PH imbalance(Alkalinity or Acidity),(lime) or I missed sealing a broken limb which can lead to fungus entering and destroying any existing tree’s be they fruit or any other variety.
January/February weather permitting I will broadcast spread a general fertilizer over all lawn/garden/flower beds -- (6-8-6) or (10-10-10) unless I see a drastic need for a larger dose of Nitrogen. If you stay consistent you can avoid shocking your lawn/garden/flower beds. I will also spray all lawn and garden with a foliar biological called Safer’s BTK, Wilson Ambush and or Fruit guard which is not harmful to fruit or any other plant in general. This will then coat the early foliage and when eaten by inchworms and caterpillars this serves to control the population explosion that happens early. Also in this regard if you have fruit tree’s now is the time to wrap trunk with Tangle-foot which is a physical barrier to stop crawling insects from crawling up and infesting your tree along with spraying a natural horticultural oil over all the limbs after pruning to have the same result as BTK without being harmful to good bugs/humans or the fruit. Roses/Ornamental bloomers you can also spray with Safer’s 3 in 1 spray early and as required to alleviate all aphid and whitefly taking hold.
Tip: Spraying foliage early in the morning regularly , once it warms up is another safe way to eliminate aphids and whiteflies on Roses especially, just insure the heat of the day will be able to dry out the foliage as if you spray later will create leaf blotch and powdery mildew.
March/April/May/June/July/August/September
There are many other Insect/Plant deficiencies and Lawn maintenance issues that will arise over the growing season and as a rule if you keep all your growing area’s clean and your soil properly fed throughout season with good compost and general (N-P-K) fertilizers everything you are growing will be strong enough to fight off and still produce fantastic foliage/blooms/crops.
The trick is to pay attention weekly at least, to visually inspect lawn/garden/flower beds/ trees, as then you can deal with accordingly in a timely fashion before it’s too late. The 4 types of Protection outlined for your review below as I believe only utilizing all 4 aspects in some regard over the growing season works best to help nature to create a balanced ecosystem.
1) Cultural - Adequate Light/Water/Air circulation for all lawn/garden/flower beds/ tree’s
- Proper Drainage/Organic materials and nutrients (compost fertilizers)
- Remove all fallen or unnecessary foliage to keep plant healthy
2) Physical – Removing infestation by hand ( turn leaf on rose and remove aphids)
- Prune out infected area’s and remove/ burn
- Release predatory insects such as lady-bugs to combat bad bugs
- Spray water directly on flowering plants early in day to discourage bugs
3) Biological- Birds/frogs/spiders/snakes especially rats along with certain bacteria
- Perennial yarrow annuals such as nasturtiums and marigolds
- Companion planting ( see this later in my package)
4) Chemical- Any commercial or man-made spray/powder/time release product
- These products are necessary to control infestation and damage to our growing area’s
- if your ecosystem is maintained properly we can use these sparingly at key times to at least manage the invasive bug species, rat infestations and plant issues
#3 Prepare a Plan for Lawn/Garden & Flower Beds/ Tree’s & Shrub’s
Again another Debate surrounds this step as many believe that you should plan before you start the clean-up at #1. The reason I do the initial clean-up first as I like to remove only the necessary items then work with what nature has given you as opposed to ripping everything up and imposing what you want with no regard for existing ecosystem.
Most often once clean-up work is completed homeowners will change their mind anyway as it’s amazing what happens when all is pruned and trimmed back to allow your creative juices to flow.
Then you will look at the levels of Sun/Shade around your yard as this will dictate what will be placed in each zone. For example if you have a true South facing area that gets full sun we would look at putting your garden bed in this zone. If you have an area shaded by an apple tree this is different than an area shaded by a coniferous tree due to the PH level imbalance so be aware of each area to plant accordingly. Again if you are at this point and need some consultation give me a call as planting improperly will just end up costing you more time and money in the end.
A good way to plan out your yard is to draw a rough sketch of your available growing area and label them with the level of sun or shade. This then gives you a palate to research and when you find the types of plants you like place them in the area’s they are listed to grow in, don’t really plan at this point you want to find as many plants you enjoy so we can sort and allocate later. There are also many downloadable resources to assist with garden planning and is worth a look when you’re at this stage. Here is where you would decide to build raised beds or conventional growing areas. There are benefits to both but I always lean towards raised beds, especially for vegetable gardens.
Now the fun part looking at all the plants you have selected we look at are they annual or perennial/ size at full growth/ compatibility. No doubt if you planted all you enjoy in an area 4 inches apart with no regard for the size and shape of the fully grown plant you get the immediate benefit now. But by the next growing season these plants will be competing for sun, water and food instead of thriving in your new garden.
Over planting is a huge contributing factor in the demise of plants in most home gardens or professional ones for that matter as we all say “I can move it when it gets bigger”. Giving plants the space they need to be successful not only helps the plant but it also helps the gardener who has to weed around them. This is the reason I always leave a minimum full rake head length between all plants to allow ease of clean-up through the season.
Geography and energy conservation is another huge aspect of planning as with the appropriate wind breaks by tree’s and hedge’s you can honestly save money on your Hydro bill. This is a factor for open concept houses with little or no natural protection from the exterior of the house. Again do not plant a tree right next to your house as this will be detrimental to your house and your perimeter drain. But if properly placed tree’s and hedges can reduce the airflow around your house drastically.
Why Raised Garden/Flower beds? There are many advantages to growing food/flowers in raised 4x8 foot beds. Here are a few:
• The soil warms up faster in the spring, allowing for earlier planting.
• Water is able to drain easily.
• The garden can be tended from the edges, so the soil does not become compacted by people walking in the garden and remains loose.
• Loose soil makes seeding, transplanting and weeding easier;
• Plants like the loose soil because it gives them plenty of space for their roots to grow.
• Raised beds can be planted more intensively than a traditional backyard garden. This means you can grow more vegetables in smaller spaces.
• Raised beds make it possible to grow safely even on land that is contaminated with lead and other heavy metals.
• Depending upon the severity of the winter and your own inventiveness, the garden can be used year-round, although most people grow their vegetables from mid-April through late October.
• Fewer tools are needed to help you plant and care for your garden.
#4 Soil Prep and Amendment
First I believe a definition of soil is needed as it seems over time we have lost the understanding what it takes to provide a solid growing medium for a broad range of plants and vegetables.
Soil is what I like to call…Vitalized Earth as stated by the Pacific Gardener! This consists of fine mineral particles (clay) or coarse mineral particles (sand) in various proportions. But this is dead or inert without a vital component…organisms such as decaying vegetable matter (humus), plus equal parts of air and water. An Ideal soil composition contains by volume- 25% Water-25% Air-45% Mineral Matter-5% Organic material. This 5% organic material is by far the most important aspect as it provides large quantities of moisture and happy homes for fungi, bacteria and earthworms. These things attack the organic material and produce carbon dioxide in solution; this in turn dissolves minerals for plant nutrition. Ammonifying bacteria convert organic protein from humus to ammonia. Nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate, which is the main form of nitrogen uptake by plants. Earthworms aerate the soil and sweeten it with calcium and their castings add valuable fertilizers. As long as humus (decaying vegetable matter) is present your soil is a perpetual chemical factory, producing plant food! Thus the maintenance of organic matter (compost) in your growing area is of prime importance.
Drainage is equally as important to soil vitality. The movement of water is the result of many factors, texture of the soil, presence of worm holes and decayed root channels, height of the water table and the slope of the ground. While some plants do not mind being saturated most will suffocate due to lack of oxygen and rot. If the structure of the soil is to blame ( too much clay) we can add sand, saw dust, peat moss or coarse manure (horse) to correct this issue over time. If it is the water table or slope of the yard these are more conventional fixes such as re-landscaping the area to make it more functional for the growing needs.
The PH scale has been derived to identify the acidity-alkalinity of the soil. This is simply a scale to measure the amount of hydrogen in the soil. As numbers on the scale rise- acidity decreases- alkalinity increases and vice a versa. 7.0+ is very Alkaline- 6.0 to 7.0 is Neutral- 4.0 is very Acidic. To correct either alkalinity or acidity is not that difficult. To reduce alkalinity, simply add proportionate amounts of ammonium sulphate, sulphur or peat moss for a slower fix. To reduce acidity, add a liming material (dolomite lime) to form calcium bicarbonate in the soil solution. Study the PH requirements of the type of plants you wish to plant and set them out so as to keep them together as far as PH compatibility is concerned.
Tip: As long as you prepare your growing area with these above factors in mind you will save yourself no end of disappointments when planning your garden areas. Remember to add good compost every season at least and you will be amazed at the production of your flowers/fruits/vegetables.
#5 Planting Vegetable Gardens/Flower beds/Trees and Shrubs
Planting vegetables basically comes down to 4 simple categories where, what, when and how.
Where to plant is usually dictated by the maximum amount of sun per day in the location you wish to place your garden bed (minimum of 6 hour per day). I recommend building raised beds approximately 4x8 in size each as this allows ease of access to the bed along with more control over soil amendment.
What to plant is usually decided by personal preference and size of growing area. Your climate can play a part in this decision but usually we can find a way to grow anything we wish providing the weather cooperates. Always insure you prepare a planning chart that includes what you want to grow, spacing, height, planting date and harvesting time. This will then allow you decide what you will start from seed either-start inside in peat pots, direct sow or purchase and transplant from your local garden center.
When to plant is no question the most challenging as we all want to “Force the Season” as soon as possible dependant on the current weather conditions. The best rule of thumb is to not plant anything outside if it is still below 5 degrees or lower at night. There are some seeds that can withstand the cold provided they are mulched over but you stand a much better chance starting your seeds a couple weeks before you plant inside in early part of February to hopefully be hardened off and planted within a couple weeks.
How to plant is a decision that only you can make after trial and error through your growing seasons. As I have realized it is easier to purchase quality transplantable annual herb plants instead of growing from seed such as basil, parsley, cilantro and dill. The same goes for Tomatoes, peppers and strawberry plants as I have found more success with transplants than seed for all of these. On the other hand Direct seeding of Beans, peas, radishes, carrots, beets, sunflower, cucumbers and squash are all very hardy and providing done correctly should almost always germinate and produce from seed. There are many others to choose from as I have stated you have to get your hands dirty and just see what works for you and your growing area. Don’t be afraid to experiment and always try and keep track of what you are doing for next year so you can continue to build on your planting skills.
Tip: when Direct Seeding- The seed stores all its energy inside for growth so once it is below the surface and too deep it might not be able to push through the soil. Always put a small indent and lightly cover to allow the seed to break out before it runs out of energy.
Tip: when transplanting to break up the root-ball before planting to allow the new roots to penetrate quickly and establish
I recommend using the square foot method to plan your vegetable garden. Mel Bartholomew, who developed this type of gardening in the late 1970s, discovered that this method could produce a greater harvest in less space with less work. In square foot gardening the plants are arranged in blocks instead of rows. Each block contains a different vegetable, herb or flower. The number of seeds or plants that are placed in each square depends on how large the plant grows and how much space it needs to develop properly. The quality of the compost and soil in the raised bed also impacts how intensely you can grow. By using this technique, you can easily maintain and replant squares throughout the season without disturbing other areas of the garden. This growing method is also easy to learn, which is especially encouraging for first-timers!
Square foot gardening Tips:
•The best time to plan a garden is during the winter.
• You may want to choose to grow only the crops that are particularly well suited to growing in small spaces (small plants, quick growing plants, things that can be grown on trellises or vertically save space; plants with a high yield: kale and collards continue producing leaves for harvesting while cabbage only produces one head per plant).
• For vegetables that take up a lot of space in your bed, such as cabbage, corn, winter squash, and melons, consider buying this produce at your local farmers’ market.
• If you have a favourite vegetable, consider planting two or three squares of it.
• If you plan to grow more than one square of something that matures quickly (carrots, radishes, lettuce, beans), consider planting each square 2-3 weeks apart (succession planting) to spread out the harvest.
• Plan to continue to use squares after something is finished producing and has been harvested. For example, after four weeks, you will harvest your radishes and have an empty square. Plant another square of radishes, or perhaps a fall crop of greens.
Step by Step Planning Guide:
1. Using the Planning Chart (fig #1), make a list of all the fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers that you want to grow and eat.
2. Use the Square Foot Planting Guide (pages 1-6) to determine how many squares each type of plant requires and its height. Then write this into your chart accordingly.
3. Using the Raised Bed Grid (fig #2), mark off the North side of your raised bed. (This can be along either the short or long side of the bed, depending on the set-up of your space. Use a compass or look at your street on a map to determine which direction is north.)
4. To determine what goes in each square on the Raised Bed Grid, you will use the plants’ height. Write all plants that are marked as “short” in the height column on your Planning Chart into the squares on the south side of your garden so that they will not be shaded by the taller plants.
5. Write the plants that are of medium height into the center squares.
6. The tallest plants should go in the squares on the north side. Make sure to block out several squares for large plants, such as tomatoes or summer squash.
7. If you are going to add a trellis, it should be built onto the north (most preferable) or west side. Mark off where it will be built on your Raised Bed Grid. Make sure to place the climbing plants, such as pole beans, cucumbers, or peas at the base of the trellis.
8. Now determine how many individual plants can be planted in each square. This information is contained in the Square Foot Planting Guide. Write the number (Example: 4 plants for lettuce, 16 for carrots) on the map next to the name of the plant.
9. Next, fill in the “planting schedule” column on your Planning Chart. Do this by writing out the dates for when you can and will plant each crop (using the date ranges from the Square Foot Planting Guide). This will ensure that you start everything on time and prevent you from forgetting to plant something! You may want to write the dates out sequentially after you’re finished.
10. Finally, fill in the “estimated harvest time” column on your Planning Chart. This will help you figure out when it’s time to harvest something, and get you thinking about what to replant a square with once it’s empty. Using the date when you plan to plant each crop, write in the estimated date for when the crop will be ready to harvest. You can find this information on individual seed packages. The length of time a crop needs to mature varies depending on each specific variety. Some plants take so long time to mature that they use their squares throughout the entire growing season. In other words, nothing else can be planted in these squares. This includes most fruiting plants, such as peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes
#6 Water Regiment for all growing area’s
In the vegetable garden when seeds or seedlings are first planted in the garden, they will need frequent watering to keep their root systems (but not leaves) moist. Check the moisture level in the top2” of soil by sticking your finger into the soil; if it is dry, it is time to water. If you have a “soaker-hose”, lay it down in the middle of the beds and turn it on low for twenty minutes every other day. Water the soil deeply to encourage the plants to develop deep roots. Be careful not to give too much water, as the soil we use is highly organic and it can become water-logged. If you do not own a hose, use a bucket and a cup as a scoop to water the individual squares, which works especially well for plants that have just been transplanted. The frequency and amount of watering will depend on the weather and the size of the plants. If it has been rainy, it is not necessary to water as frequently as when it has been sunny and dry. After seedlings are established and growing well, you can water less frequently. When watering by hand, be sure to pour close to the ground so you do not “rupture” the soil or create large puddles. This also prevents the leaves from getting wet, which can lead to blight and other fungus problems. Water and harvest your garden during the cooler hours of the day– preferably in the morning. If the plants look yellow, they are getting too much water; if they look wilted, they are not getting enough. During the midsummer when the weather is usually drier, it might be necessary to water every day. If leafy plants look wilted at midday, but perky again at night and early morning, they are doing fine.
The watering of flowers and shrubs should be treated the same as your vegetables, infrequently in the earlier part of the season, deeply when the occasion requires it during the hot dry summer. In a diverse ecosystem there are so many special requirements it is difficult to generalize. Some roses, don’t like their foliage wetted more than necessary. While others, like camellia, rhododendron and most conifers will suffer if the foliage is not sprayed regularly. Clematis and begonia like to be kept cool and moist at all times where geraniums like to be kept hot and dry to mention a few. Such watering discrepancies are usually addressed in Step #3 Prepare a Plan, then this can be avoided during the maintenance phase of your growing area.
The Lawn no question requires the most amount of water in your growing area, even more than your garden during the hot summer months. The principle of watering deeply at intervals rather than infrequent sprinklings applies especially to all types of turf-grass. Grass roots penetrate at least 6” deep and if they are forced to the surface to seek required moisture, they will be subject to a quick destruction should watering be withheld suddenly. Over-watering, on the other hand will, make the soil sour and too compact, promoting mosses and fungus.
Tip: if you are going to water foliage always try to do it as early in the day to allow the heat of the day to evaporate the excess water from the leaves, especially with roses.
Tip: use 4 litre milk jugs to refill with fresh water from tap then let them sit for 24 hours to off gas. Most of our water has some chlorine and other additives that could reduce plant growth over time if not allowed to dissipate before watering.
#7 Regular Maintenance
In your vegetable garden and other growing areas there are many aspects of maintenance that need to be addressed on a semi regular basis before/ during/ after the season to be successful. Thinning, Weeding, Mulching, Cultivation, Feeding the soil, and continued Pest control are a few I will address here to get you started. Pest control is in this section as well as it deserves more attention than most are willing to provide during the growing season.
Thinning: To be sure to have the maximum number of strong plants growing per square ft. in the vegetable garden, gardeners often plant extra seeds (perhaps instead of one seed per hole, you put two.) After the seeds germinate, you therefore might have more than one plant in a single spot. Decide which one seems the strongest and “thin out” the others. Yes, you must find the courage to do this—plants need the right about of space to continue growing! Thin your seedlings by gently pulling out the shoots you don’t want or carefully use small scissors to clip off the unwanted sprouts at the base of the shoot. This technique can also be applied to other growing areas as over planting is a very common issue in landscaping. Always try to provide enough space for all your plants to be successful and productive no matter what or where they are. If you are unsure on this give me a cal and I would be glad to do a walk through with you!
Weeding: Between the time you plant your garden and the time you harvest the last tomato, most of your time will be spent pulling weeds. Weeding is an important part of caring for any garden because without control, weeds can easily over grow and crowd out slower growing vegetables and fruits. The best way to keep up with the weeds is to spend a few minutes pulling weeds every day or every few days so that the task will always be manageable. If you neglect your garden for several weeks, you may have trouble finding your crops when you return, and it will take you longer than a few minutes to make the garden free of weeds again. The most important thing to remember is to remove the weeds before they go to seed and spread more weeds around your garden. (Think of a dandelion.) Another good way to be at the weeds is to use mulch in the garden. (See the section below for more information on mulching.)
Removing weeds from a raised bed garden is often easier than from traditional gardens since the soil in a raised bed does not get compacted so roots come loose easily. It is easiest to pull weeds when they are small as long as you can distinguish the tiny weed leaves from those of the crops you have planted. (Labeling what you plant will help you identify the wanted from the unwanted.) Weeding is also easier when the soil is moist, such as after watering or a rain storm.
You can remove weeds by hand or use a tool such as a claw, a co-linear hoe or a hula hoe. Just make sure you get all the roots out so they don’t grow back. If you use a tool for weeding, be careful not to work too close to the base of the vegetables or flowers so that you do not damage the roots. When hand weeding around plants, hold the plants in place as you pull the weeds so that you do not inadvertently pull out the plants you want along with the weeds. There are some who put weeds in their compost pile but I am a firm believer in total removal from the growing area
Tip: Also think of using a soil sifter to sift through all your growing areas at least once a year to remove unwanted weeds and rocks that always seem to find a way into your growing areas. It also makes your soil look fantastic when replaced.
Mulching: One advantage of raised beds to conventional garden beds is that the soil warms sooner, so the beds can be planted earlier in the season. However, this also means that the beds are more susceptible to drying out. To help conserve moisture, we recommend that you mulch your garden if you can. Straw (preferred), shredded leaves, compost, and dried grass cuttings can all be used as mulch. Spread the mulch several inches thick over the surface of the bed after the plants have established themselves or put down a layer of newspaper first and then cover it with mulch. At the end of the season, this mulch can be turned under to add organic matter to the soil. A layer of mulch will also help keep weeds in check.
Cultivation: is an aspect that goes hand in hand with mulching through the growing season. Weeds as we all know are moisture robbers, and surface cultivation that destroys them not only prevents further loss from weed competition but also helps with evaporation of existing water. Surface cultivation with a Dutch hoe should take place after every watering as soon as the soil begins to dry out, after every rain and as much as needed to control weed growth. Deeper cultivation should take place with a roto-tiller after the winter rains have ceased when the soil has compacted. If you roto-till during the garden season you stand the risk of destroying that organic matter that makes up that valuable bacteria action you have created in your growing areas.
Feed the Soil:The most important part of a healthy garden is healthy soil. The soil provides nutrients that are necessary for plant growth. The square foot garden method that I advocate for in this guide is particularly dependent on nutrient-rich soil. Healthy, fertile soil can support more plants: plants that are stronger, bear more fruit and will provide more nutrient-dense food for your family. Feed the soil and it will feed you!
Organic matter is an essential component of healthy soil. It helps dry soils to hold moisture and wet soils to drain, it adds nutrients to the soil, it creates air spaces so the roots can penetrate the soil, and it binds up toxic materials in the soil so that the plants can’t absorb them. Adding compost is a good way to incorporate organic matter into your soil.
Not All Compost is the same When you filled your raised bed with clean compost to start your garden season you must treat this as a perishable item that needs to be continually replaced . I recommend that you add more compost to your bed each year in order to replenish the nutrients and bind up any particulates of heavy metals that may have blown into the bed during the winter. You can pick up compost from most local soil producers or call me and I can assist in this area.
Ideally, rich compost high in organic matter will be made of a variety of sources—food waste, manures, coffee grinds and garden waste are some examples. While diversity of inputs is not the only factor in making a good product, it is a substantial component. For that reason, we encourage you to make your own compost. At home, I use both the compost made up of leaf debris, as well as my own “home-made” compost. I input all fruit-vegetable scraps as well as large quantities of coffee grinds.
If you can’t make your own, but are still interested in building up the fertility of your soil beyond the compost that we provide, consider looking for commercially available worm castings, which are a particularly nutrient-dense form of compost. While these can be hard to find locally, many companies sell them online: a 3 lb. bag would be enough for 1 raised bed. Compost and fish “teas” are other possibilities—look online for info about how to make these—or ask me about it!
Tip: Most say that weeds will be broken down in the compost at over 140 deg. I disagree and err on the side of caution to completely remove them from my growing areas.
Pest Control: The best way to keep pests away from your garden is to grow healthy plants since strong, healthy plants tend to fight off invading pests. In addition, certain vegetables, such as onions, will help to repel insects if planted around the edge or throughout the garden. Flowers and herbs, such as nasturtiums, marigolds and mint can also provide protection from pests.
If pests do find their way to your garden, try these home remedies:
• For aphids, mix one teaspoon of dish soap with one quart of water. Spray the aphids with it once a week, over a two to three week period.
• For flea beetles, try sprinkling the leaves with ground cayenne pepper. You can purchase a large jar of this at a pharmacy for a couple dollars.
• To prevent cutworms from chewing through the stems of your newly transplanted peppers, eggplant and tomatoes loosely wrap the stems of the transplants at the base with 2 inch wide strips of newspaper and bury the bottom edge 1/2 ‘’ deep in the soil. the paper will discourage the cutworms when the transplants are young and dissolve as the plants get larger.
• In the Northeast, slugs can be a problem for gardeners. They tend to hide under surfaces and around wood. There are several ways to dispose of them. You can pick them off, trap them under a board or melon rind at night, or you can put out traps made of jar lids filled with beer. The slugs will drink the beer and drown in it. Spreading a gritty material, such as sand, around the base of the plants will also deter them.
• For Japanese beetles, Mexican bean beetles, Colorado potato beetles, and cucumber beetles, handpick the adults and the larva and squish or drop into a jar of water. Be sure to scrape any egg masses off the leaves as well. It is easiest to capture these pests in the early morning when the temperatures are still cool.
• Try putting a short piece of a board between your squash plants to trap the squash beetles. They will hide under the board at night and can be easily captured in the morning.
• If you notice that the leaves on your tomato plants are looking like skeletons, you probably have tomato hornworms in your garden. You will need to look carefully to find the caterpillars hiding among the leaves as they are green and well camouflaged. When you find them, pick them off and dispose of them. They look scary, but they will not bite.
Removing weeds and diseased plants from your garden will also help to keep your plants healthier and pest free.
Not all insects you will see in your garden are there to eat your plants. A number of them are helpful to gardeners because they prey on other insects or they help to pollinate your crops. Without insects such as bumblebees, honey bees, and butterflies we would not have tomatoes, squash, or peppers. Ladybug beetles, trichogramma wasps, soldier beetles and lacewings are among the insect predators that feed on pests in your garden. You can attract these friendly insects by planting nectar-producing flowers and herbs, such as parsley and dill, around and throughout your garden.
Tip: Many common household items, such as newspaper, spray bottles, dish soap, and beer, work well to fight off pests in your garden! Don’t be afraid to search the internet to come up with your own.
#8 Basic Tools Required
As most gardeners are aware you only really need a few tools to get the job done around the yard. But I will use a Golf analogy here as no question we have all purchased useless swing training aids over the years that are still collecting dust in our closet due to lack of use or necessity.
The list below is what I rely on to help me get the job done around the house and garden on a regular basis. No question I have upgraded in a few areas to make the job more efficient over the years with experience and you will do the same. eg: a hand saws great but a chainsaws better!
× Gloves: get a good pair as it will make the difference!
× Hand trowel: planting any small transplantable seedlings to the garden
× Hand pruners: Felco`s are the best! Couldn`t live without this tool
× Hoe: for weeding and cultivation
× Lawn rake: large fan shape
× Garden rake: short parallel teeth
× Pitch-fork: useful for turning soil and compost pile
× Spade shovel: narrow pointed blade shovel for digging
× Transfer Shovel: this has the straight edge for moving more material not digging
× Wheelbarrow: for moving any heavier material around yard or sifting soil
× Soil sifter: can make your own or purchase, comes in handy when weeding.
× Hose: multi-purpose is a necessity along with the sprinkler and all nozzle attachments for gentle and firm spraying to garden.
× Hand or Pole Cultivator: like a pitchfork but with bent prongs and smaller to get around small areas
× Garden shears: for pruning all soft shrub foliage and grasses
× Loppers: this is for pruning small to medium limbs
× Folding pruning saw: for those limbs a little too big for loppers
× Rubbermaid garbage can with handle: perfect for weeding refuse and any other small material movement.
× Garden spreader: Is a must for broadcast spreading of grass seed to fertilizers
× Velcro tape double sided: You can use twine but I love the multi-use ability of the green Velcro garden tape to support all my plants and vegetables.
