Garden Friday-Five Ways to Start Your Spring Garden

buttercrunch lettuce

Welcome to Garden Friday!

We're still dealing with wild and wicked weather,

so the ability to get much planted is still on hold.

I did manage to sow some leek in seed trays,

while I keep hoping for a break in the weather.

I'm in good company though,

 as it seems that most of the country is dealing with similar conditions.

There are a few necessities when you are a gardener.

One is soil of some type.

When starting seeds in containers or trays,

I prefer to use organic seed starting mix,

and I was thrilled a couple of weeks ago

to see that stores were starting to carry it,

even though we are still in the throes of winter.

Its light and airy quality gives seeds the best chance

of taking root and germinating.

Potting soil or compost can be used as well,

with the addition of an aerating medium, such as vermiculite.

 

 The other necessary item is some type of seeds.

These can be purchased online or by catalogue,

as well as in your local big box store.

I lean toward organic seeds,

and am working on acquiring more heirloom varieties.

With just these two items,

you can grow yourself some food!

Okay, the soil and the seeds have been obtained,

what's the easiest way to get started planting?

Well, I'm glad you asked!

Here are five easy ways to get your crops on!

 

 These peat pots can be purchased in the garden section at most big stores.

They start out flat, but when soaked in water,

they poof out like magic.

They remind me of the puffed pastry shells at the grocery store.

The center hole you see here will be the planting hole.

Once the seedlings emerge,

the whole container can be transplanted.

No waste!

 

 Being the frugal gardener that I am,

I usually find a way to repurpose something 

we already have around the homestead.

These toilet paper and paper towel rolls do the trick quite nicely.

Once the cardboard roll is formed (see that here),

the soil is added and the seeds are planted.

Again, the entire container can be transplanted,

as it will break down over time and feed the soil.

Another recycling idea is to reuse the plastic pots

and seedling trays that have been purchased over the years

with new plants in them.

These can sometimes be found at thrift stores or yard sales as well.

This particular type of container can't be put into the ground,

but these trays can be used over and over.

When they are no longer in good condition,

they can be taken to your local Lowe's,

where they send them out to be recycled.

 

 Along the same lines, recycled storage tubs

can be planted with things like carrots, garlic, 

leek, onions or even sweet potatoes. 

Depending on the depth of the crate,

root veggies can do quite well and remain in place until harvest.

This lends itself well to those who don't have an established garden

and need to keep things containerized.

Pretty much anything can be grown in a container.

Check out my friend Lynn's 7,000 square foot container garden

under all the "Farm School" posts beneath the header..

 

The fifth way to get your spring garden started 

is with straw bales.

These can be purchased from big box stores, feed stores,

or your local farmer.

We have been blessed to be able to acquire these organic bales

from a gentleman who sells off all of his extra bales

for three dollars apiece.

They work great for cucumbers, flowers, okra and strawberries.

The great thing about this type of growing,

is that once the bales have exhausted themselves as a growing medium,

they can be used in the compost heap or around the homestead for drainage issues.

They work well for a full year before needing replacement,

and again, there is no waste.

I even use the baling twine that they are wrapped in

for little jobs around the homestead.

This option would be ideal for those without any garden area in which to grow,

or for someone who has mobility issues.

The bales can be placed on a concrete driveway or a deck,

making gardening easier for someone with problems getting around.

2019 garlic

 These are just a few of the ways to get started growing your own food.

As with anything that's being tried for the first time,

it's best to start small and build on with each success.

It is a real thrill to bring something into the house 

that you've grown from seed, nurtured and harvested.

 "Life begins the day you start a garden."

 – Chinese proverb

Worm Bin Update

Welcome Autumn!




We started our worm bin about a year and a half ago
with worms purchased online
and a few everyday items.
 You can read about that here.

It was time (past time, really), to refresh the bin

and see what kind of garden tidbits we had collected.

Using a bowl and a bit of patience,

the worms were picked out individually and placed in a clean container.

The original bin was then hosed out (after removing the shredded paper),
and refilled with a layer of paper from our stockpile.
(Friends were happy to donate to the cause.)
I added extra paper this time, 
in hopes that the worms will stay on the paper,
instead of milling around in the castings on the bottom.

 The shredded paper is kept right next to the wormery,
so that I can add more when needed.
The clear bin on the bottom catches any liquid that may drain out.

 A spray bottle containing water is kept on top,
so that the paper can be moistened if needed.
The worms like a humid, dark environment,
so we accommodate them as best we can.
Considering the increase in their population,
I'd say they are quite content in there.

We were able to accumulate almost a full
5-gallon bucketful of castings.
These will be added to the new fall beds we create,
to amend the soil.
We will also add coffee grounds, eggshells and leaf mulch
to each planting area.
All of these materials break down and feed the soil,
so that plants have the nutrition they need to thrive.

The worm bin is a great family or homeschooling project.
It's relatively inexpensive
and serves as a wonderful way to dispose of vegetable scraps, 
coffee grounds, tea bags and shredded paper.
Anytime we can eliminate adding to the landfill, we are glad.

Worm Hotel

A little over a year ago,

we fashioned a worm bin using a couple of storage containers.

You can find that post here.

I've got mixed feelings about it.

It's definitely a cheap and easy way to create castings for the garden.

Those critters do nothing but eat and poop,

so within a couple of months,

you've got plenty of castings to add to the garden.

The one thing that doesn't appeal to me

is that it's hard to remove the castings

without taking out a lot of the worms.

My friend Jannah has a store-bought worm bin

that works great and is much tidier for harvesting the castings.

I'm still thinking about getting one,

but at over $100, I thought I'd try a different way of worm farming first.

This is a take on an idea I used in Florida,

but on a bigger scale.

It's a worm hotel and it's used directly in the garden.

I cut a nine foot long PVC pipe into 3-foot pieces,

using a jigsaw.

Next, using a drill with a large bit,

holes were cut around the bottoms of the pipes.

I placed them in various beds,

being sure to keep the holes under the soil.

This one is in the white sweet potato raised bed.

The gist of it is that food scraps are added to the top of the pipe,

where worms can enter from the drilled holes near the bottom.

Since the worms are all about finding goodies to eat,

they remain in the bed, enriching the soil with their castings.

This gives us yet another way to use up coffee grounds, eggshells, 

food scraps and paper.

As long as they continue to be fed,

these workers continue to poop and feed the soil,

thus feeding your crops.

The worms check into the hotel and leave behind their gifts.

To ensure the interior stays dry,
I covered the opening with an old coffee can 
and placed a brick on top to keep other busybodies out.
I'm looking forward to seeing how it works.
One of my goals as a gardener is to eliminate the need for fertilizer,
and this may just be one way to reach that goal.

Do you use worm castings in your garden?

Wiggle Delivery!

Something very special came in the mail recently.

Something I've wanted for some time.

Our order of red wigglers came in this box,

nestled in a small, dark drawstring bag.

Although I looked high and low for a local source,

there was none to be found.

These were ordered on Amazon

and arrived within a few days.

It was time to prepare their home.

The worm bin was ready to receive guests.

We showed you how we created it here.

The shredded paper was dampened with water.

A few items were added to make the worms more cozy,

including used coffee grounds and some compost.

These guys were mighty scrawny when they arrived.
The information given stated that they are without food and water for the four days it takes to ship them,
and not to worry if they look like goners.
They were fed right away (and about every 4 days since), and they have fattened right up.

In fact, this is such a great way to use up our food and paper scraps,
that the thought crossed my mind that this could become a business.
After all, I'd like to be able to offer them to nearby gardeners.

But for now, 
let them eat scraps!

Composting Five Ways

You've heard it before.
Compost is one of the most beneficial additions to the soil.
It is most notably called "black gold"
because of the improved nutrient content it creates
in even the poorest soils.
Whether you have abundant space or not enough,
composting is a worthwhile endeavor
if you are determined to improve the results in your garden.



Compost feeds the soil,
which in turn, nurtures the crops it grows.
By improving the soil with compost,
plants are likely to be healthier,
have an easier time fighting off pests,
and are more likely to reach their greatest potential.

Composting is only limited by your imagination.
Techniques are numerous,
you just need to find what works for you.
These are a few ideas to get you started.

 Start a leaf pile.
If you have mature trees on your property,
or know someone who does,
just begin piling up leaves in a heap.
It doesn't get more basic than that.
In fact, neighbors are often thrilled to be asked
 for their leaves.
Instead of watching them being carted off by the refuse truck,
put them to work in your yard by piling them up
and letting them break down over time.



This method takes some patience,
but you'll be handsomely rewarded with lots of earthworms
that can work their magic in the soil
and make planting time much easier.



Place a compost bin somewhere on your property.
Even if you don't have acreage,
these bins comes in various sizes
and can take up very little room.
It's easy enough to add food scraps, some soil,
and shredded leaves once a week 
until it gets filled to the top.
The bonus with this method is that the compost
is hidden inside, so things are kept neat-n-tidy.
This is a great choice for those folks who live with 
Home Owners' Associations.



Another option for those dealing with strict regulations,
is to utilize direct composting.
Simply dig a hole or trench in the soil near the garden,
and directly place food scraps and other organic materials,
then cover back up with the same soil.



Having a plastic container such as an old coffee bin,
or a plastic bag in the freezer is an easy way to keep kitchen scraps.
As the week progresses, add to the bin or bag
and when it is full, take it out to the garden and use the direct compost method.

Creating a worm bin is quick and so easy.
With only a few materials and about an hour's time,
this composter comes together and can be kept indefinitely.
Once the worms are placed in the container,
 just continue adding shredded paper and kitchen scraps.
The worm castings can be added to the garden at any time.



For those with a bit more space,
an open pile is probably the easiest choice.
Simply designate an area in your yard
and begin layering twigs, shredded leaves,
kitchen scraps, grass clippings, 
and anything else that can be properly composted.
As long as you keep meat, dairy, grease
and other animal products out of the stack,
it should not attract unwanted critters to the pile.




Compost can take anywhere from a few months
to a year or more to complete its transformation.
The difference in the timeline depends on many things including:
the moisture in the pile,
the size of the materials added,
and
how often (if ever) the pile is turned. 

Once the compost looks loose and crumbly,
it can be added to garden beds.
So, why not compost?
With so many options,
it is one of the easiest things to do
for the health of your plants.

 For more information,
check out this NC State Extension link.


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