Water Facts

-  70-75 percent of the Earths surface is covered with water.
-  97 percent of the Earths water is salt water in Oceans and Seas.
-  More Fresh water is stored under ground in aquifers than on the Earths surface.
-  The Earths surface is a closed system, meaning it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed thousands of years ago is still present.

Lore of the Land

Don't plant in rows or squares.
Stagger your plantings in triangles.  You'll grow at least 10 percent more in the same place.
(The Self-Efficient Gardener)

Straw Bale Gardening

Straw bale gardening is a great idea for the budget minded and for beginners.
All you need is some straw bales, a little soil if desired and water. Getting the straw bales conditioned is an essential part of the process that requires frequently watering the bale for at least a week or so depending on the temperatures outside. 
Once the straw inside the bale begins to decay the straw becomes "conditioned." 
Adding a compost or manure tea will aid in the speed of the conditioning and will provide extra fertilizer for your plants.  It seems to be a preference on rather to have the bale on its side or lying flat.  Next step is planting and seeing what does best in your area.  After about 2 seasons the straw bale may be ready to use in the compost bin or mixed directly in soil. 

Living Antiques

"Heirloom seeds are much more than the promise of next summer's crookneck squash or mammoth sunflowers.  They are living antiques, handed down from one generation to another.  They are an inheritance of flavor or beauty from long ago and often, far away."  Gardening with Heirloom seeds... Lynn Coulter

This is a great movie to watch and learn from!

Vanishing of the Bees

I highly Recommend this Movie!

2009 NR 87 minutes

It's a phenomenon with a name - Colony Collapse Disorder -  This documentary details the economic, political and ecological consequences of a dwindling world honeybee population.

This movie can be found on NetFlix now for instant streaming.

Up-Down-All Around

Up-Down-All around is a great way to remember the numbers in which we use for fertilizing.
10-10-10

Nitrogen= N   Is what is used to make the leafs or the green part of the plant grow well not aiding in the fruit production if applicable.

Phosphorus= P  Is essential in encouraging the plant to bloom but mainly it promotes root growth.

Potassium= K  Is a building block for protein and overall plant growth.

There are many good fertilizing options now available that are organic.
Soil tests are recommended so you know what you need to add to your soil therefore not wasting your time or money.

Using Nature as your Pest Control

Frogs
Building a pond near your garden will encourage amphibians.  Frogs are a asset to your garden as they eat many flies, moths, snails, slugs and flying insects. A pond also encourages dragonflies which eat mosquitoes.
When starting out your pond it is a good idea to have some sort of bubbler in it to discourage mosquitoes before the pond has a good supply of frogs.  A small pond is all that is needed and the kids will love it.

Bees
Bees are great insects for your garden and should be encouraged. Fruit trees that require pollination cannot live without bees! Encouraging bees in your garden is easy since they love flowers. Plant basil, lavender, rosemary, daisies, cosmos, heather and marigolds just to name a few around the outside and amongst the other plants of your garden. Native plants are four times more attractive to native bees than exotic flowers. Flower colors that particularly attract bees are blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow.

Birds
Birds are another great form of natural pest control. Birds and bats live off of bugs.  Plant your garden near tall trees so birds will establish nests in them and visit your garden to eat pesky beetles, moths and flies. Having a bird bath no deeper than three inches at the center will help to.

Diversity
The very best way to encourage a diverse collection of life in your garden is by planting a variety of plants. Some plants will attract the friendly insects as some might attract the pesky ones. The more plant diversity in your garden, the more insect diversity.  Remember not all insects are bad and we really need the good ones.  Adding native plants to your area is always a good idea to.

Why Grow Cauliflower?

The health benefits of Cauliflower are amazing!

Even though it looks like a vegetable you're really eating the flower of the plant.  In old Britain they called the vegetable Cole Florye meaning flowered cabbage. 

 

Cauliflower provides you with vitamins;  C, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate,  pantothenic acid and choline.

Minerals found in cauliflower are;  selenium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorous,  manganese and potassium.

The plant nutrients in cauliflower help encourage our cells to "clean house" and increase enzymes to detoxify the body of harmful chemicals. 

Some studies have shown that people eating cauliflower or other crucifers such as broccoli on a consistent basis have a lower potential to develop lung, colon, bladder, ovarian and breast cancer.

Planning a Bountiful Garden?

Planning a bountiful garden starts with good soil!
Worm Castings or Vermicompost is a great way to use those long winter months to prepare for next seasons garden. Using a worm bin is a good method that makes harvesting the worm castings easier. The finished compost can be used in potting mix, a top dressing for house plants, adding to your seed beds for a nutrient packed foundation along with being a terrific soil enhancer. 
Worm castings are loaded with minerals such as: Nitrates, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Copper, Zinc, Borax, Iron, Carbon, Nitrogen and cobalt.
I like the fact that worm castings have a high amount of humus which retains moisture in the soil, loosens the soil for better air flow and drainage, and encourages the increase of soil organisms that help make nutrients available to plants.
Definition of HUMUS: a brown or black complex variable material resulting from partial decomposition of plant or animal matter and forming the organic portion of soil.

Rabbits in the garden!

Rabbits are a great animal to have for the family and provide great fertilizer for your garden.  Rabbits are easy keepers and come in lots of fun breeds with many colors and sizes.  Rabbit manure is high in nitrogen which helps your plants make protein that contributes to strong and healthy plants.
There is great debate about composting rabbit manure first or directly adding to your garden.  I recommend adding dried rabbit manure to your garden just as you would salt to your food.  A good idea is to add a bit of mulch or soil lightly over the manure to help decompose.  Rabbit manure is considered to be a time released fertilizer and soil conditioner.

Garden Tea

Garden Tea (manure tea) is a great treat for your plants.  Garden Tea conditions the soil allowing plant roots to absorb more nutrients.  All you need is a container that you can easily pour out of and some dried grass clippings, wood shavings, hay, rabbit and/or chicken manure.  You can add what you have but make sure all ingredients are dried.  Compact your your mixture in container and add water a few inches above mix and let sit until you have a light brown tea.  Depending on location of container and temperature outside it could take anywhere from 3 to 10 days.  I really pack in my tea ingredients in my container so it is easy to pour and I always get clear tea without using any strainers.  I like to add full strength Garden Tea to my plants and then give them a light spray but you can dilute your tea if you want.  Just like any fertilizer use only every 10 to 14 days.

Why Should We Use Heirlooms?

The question comes up often. So what is all the buzz about switching to heirloom seeds and plants? The truth is that it's nothing "new" at all.  Going back to the basics, using heirlooms seeds again, means that one is going back to the "old" way of gardening.

Our world is quickly becoming contaminated with fruits and vegetables that have been genetically modified and where there is little genetic diversity.  Heirlooms are plants that open-pollinated, genetically diverse, and not genetically engineered.

Heirloom gardeners are those individuals who are fighting to keep these old gems alive to preserve our natural food source.  Education is the key to make a difference! Learn more about the benefits of heirloom seeds, and most importantly: grow an heirloom garden!!!! :)

Compost Stew

Compost Stew an A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary Mckenna Siddals is a great book for kids. In this book you will learn great ideas and discover how easy composting is with great illustrations. As the author says in the book

"Just add to the pot and let it all rot into Compost Stew."

Cut on garbage waste and help improve your garden soil

If you haven't used some type of kitchen compost pail or container you are missing out on some fun. A kitchen compost pail makes composting so much more easier and allows for fewer trips to the outside compost pile. Be creative but avoid meat and dairy and use small amounts of citrus. You can get the whole family involved in making rich compost from your kitchen scraps while contributing to a richer soil.