Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I wound up running errands and having appointments for the kids.
I wanted to talk about fertilizer a bit. There are tons of them out there, so how do you know which one to get. I haven't gone out and bought any yet this year, but these are the things that I look for when I go out. There is usually some wiggle room with the last one, but not the other ones.
1. Organic
2. Chemical Free
(these aren't always the same, you would be surprised!)
3. Water soluble (I can put it in the watering can)
Now, there are other things to take into consideration, I like all-purpose fertilizer. Some people however prefer having a different kind for each so that they get "the best" crop out of everything. Most of the quality all-purpose ones however will save you cash and you will get similar results to the individualized products.
Keep in mind here though that I only purchase the best quality fertilizer I can afford. In most cases you will get what you pay for when it comes to feeding your plants, there are exceptions to the rule, but I haven't had any luck finding them. You can go to your green house for recommendations if you have any doubts.
Of course, there is always the good old fashioned way of feeding your plants. Manure! We hate the smell, but love the way it makes our food taste! In some areas manure is not ideal. You don't want to be hauling a 50 lb bag to the 15th+ floor of your apartment building. And some neighbors even in the suburbs can become pains about the smell and try to turn you into the health department..... But, it was used for centuries before all the fancy stuff you find in the store. It truly is the tried and true!
You can also purchase fertilizer already in the soil, but I only do this for flowers that are not going to be eaten. The jury is still out as to whether these may cause problems down the road. The general consensus for the spray on stuff is that chemicals are bad, so I decided to play it safe and apply good clean organic food to my food plants.
Start researching now! Spring will be here before you know it!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
More pics!
Here are a couple pictures of my jiffy pots! These were taken 2 days apart, it's amazing how much changes in that much time!
This was taken the evening of February 19th, there is just one sprout on the left side, third from the bottom. I think it's the Zucchini that started first.
This one was taken this morning just a few minutes ago, there are 5 sprouts this morning! I am so excited! The bottom is the Zucchini and the one in the second row is a Watermelon I think... lol! I didn't label them because I didn't empty the packets to use those.
This was taken the evening of February 19th, there is just one sprout on the left side, third from the bottom. I think it's the Zucchini that started first.
This one was taken this morning just a few minutes ago, there are 5 sprouts this morning! I am so excited! The bottom is the Zucchini and the one in the second row is a Watermelon I think... lol! I didn't label them because I didn't empty the packets to use those.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Day 2: Growing Zones
Now that you know that there are different ways to plant the different seeds you need to know what can be planted in your area. This is determined by "Growing Zones". I live in Wyoming, and that is mostly in Zone 4. America mostly has Zones 2-10. That may seem like it will make choosing what to grow hard, but actually most plants have multi-zone planting ranges. Allot of seeds that I see where I live are grown best between 6-3. If you do find some that are only designated for a single zone it could be that this is the only zone it has developed in, or that the label is giving you the median. This means that it can grow on the zones on either side with a little more difficulty, but you probably don't want to try it farther then that.
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
This is the easiest map I found to read, I'm sure there are more out there I just haven't found them yet. And actually this map breaks down the zones even further into a/b micro-zones. I'm sure the micro-zone setup would probably benefit a professional gardener or farmer more then it would us hobbyists, but if you ever need to know, it's there!
Also, keep in mind that if the map doesn't make any sense that you don't have to give up on planting even a single pot of flowers! Call or visit your local greenhouse, these people live for plants! They know where you are and which plants are the best and/or easiest to grow.
One last word really quickly..... You DON'T HAVE TO START YOUR PLANTS FROM SEEDS! If you don't have the time or patience go for the live plants! I have for years because I was working so many hours it was easier to have one or two to take care of that were already started. Again, visit the greenhouse, go to the local "super-center", or even the grocery store. Most of them will start getting live plants in around April, ask the gardening departments or head gardener for more accurate dates. Be prepared that they might not be in on time, or may come in early, it depends on local weather trends as to when they will be made available.
Good Luck! If there are any topics you are curious about or want me to cover sooner then later let me know. I don't know there are questions unless I get asked. And if I don't already know I will find someone who does, either way I will try not to leave anyone hanging!
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
This is the easiest map I found to read, I'm sure there are more out there I just haven't found them yet. And actually this map breaks down the zones even further into a/b micro-zones. I'm sure the micro-zone setup would probably benefit a professional gardener or farmer more then it would us hobbyists, but if you ever need to know, it's there!
Also, keep in mind that if the map doesn't make any sense that you don't have to give up on planting even a single pot of flowers! Call or visit your local greenhouse, these people live for plants! They know where you are and which plants are the best and/or easiest to grow.
One last word really quickly..... You DON'T HAVE TO START YOUR PLANTS FROM SEEDS! If you don't have the time or patience go for the live plants! I have for years because I was working so many hours it was easier to have one or two to take care of that were already started. Again, visit the greenhouse, go to the local "super-center", or even the grocery store. Most of them will start getting live plants in around April, ask the gardening departments or head gardener for more accurate dates. Be prepared that they might not be in on time, or may come in early, it depends on local weather trends as to when they will be made available.
Good Luck! If there are any topics you are curious about or want me to cover sooner then later let me know. I don't know there are questions unless I get asked. And if I don't already know I will find someone who does, either way I will try not to leave anyone hanging!
Day 2: planting
OK, so yesterday I gave you a taste of today by posting a link to a site that gives a brief list of soil depths for seeds. Some of the tips they gave I didn't even know! So if you haven't already check it out.
When you plan a seed you have to make sure you plant it as a level that it will germinate properly at. You don't want the seed to rot and be left with a bare patch of dirt after you get all excited about the delicious food that is supposed to be coming your way! :-)
Also, some plants actually need to be fairly deep in the dirt and then have more soil added as they mature, like potatoes. They grow so fast that the tubers grow right out of their growing medium! So ever 1-3 weeks you have to rebury them so that they don't dry and then rot out! Crazy huh? Here is the Ask.com link that tells you how to grow potatoes start to finish in containers, but growing them in the ground isn't much different, except that you have to have loose soil with good drainage and that stays moist easily:
http://containergardening.about.com/od/vegetablesandherbs/ss/ContainerPotatoes.htm
When you plan a seed you have to make sure you plant it as a level that it will germinate properly at. You don't want the seed to rot and be left with a bare patch of dirt after you get all excited about the delicious food that is supposed to be coming your way! :-)
Also, some plants actually need to be fairly deep in the dirt and then have more soil added as they mature, like potatoes. They grow so fast that the tubers grow right out of their growing medium! So ever 1-3 weeks you have to rebury them so that they don't dry and then rot out! Crazy huh? Here is the Ask.com link that tells you how to grow potatoes start to finish in containers, but growing them in the ground isn't much different, except that you have to have loose soil with good drainage and that stays moist easily:
http://containergardening.about.com/od/vegetablesandherbs/ss/ContainerPotatoes.htm
Saturday, February 18, 2012
First picture of my new garden!
Day 1: The seeds of knowledge
Welcome!
I have decided to take on the challenge of producing, growing, and maintaining a garden on my back patio. I have been mulling this over since last fall when I moved into my residence and this last week I began purchasing the start of my supplies.
My goal for having a garden is to be able to produce enough food that I can freeze a good portion and to not have to buy as much from the grocery store. Last fall the kids and I tried our hands at freezer jam, and this year I am going to get the stuff for making it on the stove.
So far I have started some squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, herbs, and Roma tomato seeds, and there are turnip, beet, and carrot seeds waiting to be planted as soon as I can get the soil. I also bought some berry plants that are sitting dormant in my basement for me to get soil for them too. With the exception of the berry plants, most of the seeds I have are heirloom seeds.
So, as a topic today I am going to discuss heirloom seeds! Smooth transition, right? ;-)
Heirloom seeds are seeds that have been gathered from plants that have an ancestry of 50+ years. They are not radiated so they bare fruits that the seeds can be gathered from and replanted the next year. The seeds I found were at my local natural food store and the selection was pretty small, but there are some awesome sites online where you can buy literally THOUSANDS of different types of seeds. On one site there was over 100 varieties of tomatoes, all heirloom.
Here are a couple of sites that I have been to in the past to drool over while I pictured my perfect back yard with row after row of delicious, organic, homegrown fresh produce. All of these links I tested before adding them, so they should work. Enjoy!
http://sustainableseedco.com/home.php
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/
http://eldoradoheirloomseeds.com/http://sustainableseedco.com/home.php
http://rareseeds.com/
Also, give the site "about.com" a shot, they have some really cool articles and videos.
P.S. Some of these sites also have their own tutorials and supplies to take care of your garden. While most of us are in places where we can get to quality organic fertilizer or pest control, not everyone can and ordering them online with the seeds can not just save time but money. Which is one of the top reasons to grow stuff yourself!
I have decided to take on the challenge of producing, growing, and maintaining a garden on my back patio. I have been mulling this over since last fall when I moved into my residence and this last week I began purchasing the start of my supplies.
My goal for having a garden is to be able to produce enough food that I can freeze a good portion and to not have to buy as much from the grocery store. Last fall the kids and I tried our hands at freezer jam, and this year I am going to get the stuff for making it on the stove.
So far I have started some squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, herbs, and Roma tomato seeds, and there are turnip, beet, and carrot seeds waiting to be planted as soon as I can get the soil. I also bought some berry plants that are sitting dormant in my basement for me to get soil for them too. With the exception of the berry plants, most of the seeds I have are heirloom seeds.
So, as a topic today I am going to discuss heirloom seeds! Smooth transition, right? ;-)
Heirloom seeds are seeds that have been gathered from plants that have an ancestry of 50+ years. They are not radiated so they bare fruits that the seeds can be gathered from and replanted the next year. The seeds I found were at my local natural food store and the selection was pretty small, but there are some awesome sites online where you can buy literally THOUSANDS of different types of seeds. On one site there was over 100 varieties of tomatoes, all heirloom.
Here are a couple of sites that I have been to in the past to drool over while I pictured my perfect back yard with row after row of delicious, organic, homegrown fresh produce. All of these links I tested before adding them, so they should work. Enjoy!
http://sustainableseedco.com/home.php
http://www.amishlandseeds.com/
http://eldoradoheirloomseeds.com/http://sustainableseedco.com/home.php
http://rareseeds.com/
Also, give the site "about.com" a shot, they have some really cool articles and videos.
P.S. Some of these sites also have their own tutorials and supplies to take care of your garden. While most of us are in places where we can get to quality organic fertilizer or pest control, not everyone can and ordering them online with the seeds can not just save time but money. Which is one of the top reasons to grow stuff yourself!
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