I actually had the pleasure of talking to Patti when she was pimping her pilot for this gardening web-series. Another urban farmer inspiration for all you folks out there. And yes, she really is that sweet!
In the event that the video does not show up, please visit the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr08Pu_frBY
http://www.gardengirltv.com
Monday, March 29, 2010
Start your gardening with cool season crops
Via The Millenium Ark... http://www.standeyo.com/NEWS/10_Food_Water/100328.cool.season.plants.html
March 27, 2010The ColoradoanHave you been recently bitten by the gardening bug?
Though spring has officially arrived, snow still might fly or land with a bit of a thud as a heavy and wet spring snow. Warm and sunny days beckon the veggie gardener outdoors. A first task is to check the soil to see if it is ready for planting seeds.
You can begin planting cool-season crops as soon as the soil can be worked. Cool-season crops are those that grow at lower temperatures of spring and autumn and are not injured by light frost. Cool-season crops prefer mild temperatures for growing and will generally perform poorly during periods of extended hot temperatures. In summer's heat, lettuce and other leafy greens may bolt and produce flowers, resulting in bitter foliage. Peas cease to produce pods.Examples of cool-season crops not injured by light frost include asparagus, fava/broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, rhubarb and spinach. In considering what to plant and when to plant your cool-season vegetables, it is useful to first identify which crops will be directly seeded into your garden and which will be transplanted as seedlings.
The seeds of peas, radishes, spinach and lettuces will germinate in cool soil temperatures. They may be slow and erratic in their germination if soil temperatures remain consistently chilly. The seeds of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi prefer a warmer soil temperature to germinate. To get that early season jump on these veggies, transplants are more successful than seeding.
Among avid gardeners, the adage to "plant your peas on St. Patrick's Day" is often not possible with the vagaries of our springtime weather. In the Fort Collins area, the window for planting cool-season crops extends from mid-March through April. Begin your growing season by removing any plant debris from the previous year. Turn the soil with a digging fork or use a rototiller, adding any amendments needed to enhance your productivity.
Often, hand turning the soil may be successfully done when the soil is still be too wet for a rototiller. Rake smooth and level the area to be planted. If you have already made a planting plan for your garden, indicating the locations for your different crops, you may turn the soil only in those areas designated for the cool-season crops while waiting for the remainder of your garden to dry.
Knowing snow was forecasted this week, it was a great time to work through all the soil and bed preparations and begin planting. In the Garden of Eatin' at the Gardens on Spring Creek, we were able to tuck pea seeds into the sun-warmed soil just before the snow blanketed the ground. The peas will have the advantage of all the tremendous moisture from that wet snow. A new growing season has begun with cool-season crops.
Via myself: If you are new to gardening and unsure about the quality of your soil, one tip that I have been hearing lately is to plant directly into bags of compost or garden soil that you purchase at the hardware store. Simply lay the bags flat on the ground and use a pair of scissors to cut it open on the side facing up. Viola, you have an instant garden with no weeds, no soil turning. Much too expensive for our taste and our garden size, but it will work great for those new to gardening (who shouldn't be growing such a large garden in the first place).
And always remember....pace yourself. Start small, and add a little every year. If you try to do too much the first year, what small failures you have can be even more discouraging.
March 27, 2010The ColoradoanHave you been recently bitten by the gardening bug?
Though spring has officially arrived, snow still might fly or land with a bit of a thud as a heavy and wet spring snow. Warm and sunny days beckon the veggie gardener outdoors. A first task is to check the soil to see if it is ready for planting seeds.
You can begin planting cool-season crops as soon as the soil can be worked. Cool-season crops are those that grow at lower temperatures of spring and autumn and are not injured by light frost. Cool-season crops prefer mild temperatures for growing and will generally perform poorly during periods of extended hot temperatures. In summer's heat, lettuce and other leafy greens may bolt and produce flowers, resulting in bitter foliage. Peas cease to produce pods.Examples of cool-season crops not injured by light frost include asparagus, fava/broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onions, parsnips, peas, radishes, rhubarb and spinach. In considering what to plant and when to plant your cool-season vegetables, it is useful to first identify which crops will be directly seeded into your garden and which will be transplanted as seedlings.
The seeds of peas, radishes, spinach and lettuces will germinate in cool soil temperatures. They may be slow and erratic in their germination if soil temperatures remain consistently chilly. The seeds of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kohlrabi prefer a warmer soil temperature to germinate. To get that early season jump on these veggies, transplants are more successful than seeding.
Among avid gardeners, the adage to "plant your peas on St. Patrick's Day" is often not possible with the vagaries of our springtime weather. In the Fort Collins area, the window for planting cool-season crops extends from mid-March through April. Begin your growing season by removing any plant debris from the previous year. Turn the soil with a digging fork or use a rototiller, adding any amendments needed to enhance your productivity.
Often, hand turning the soil may be successfully done when the soil is still be too wet for a rototiller. Rake smooth and level the area to be planted. If you have already made a planting plan for your garden, indicating the locations for your different crops, you may turn the soil only in those areas designated for the cool-season crops while waiting for the remainder of your garden to dry.
Knowing snow was forecasted this week, it was a great time to work through all the soil and bed preparations and begin planting. In the Garden of Eatin' at the Gardens on Spring Creek, we were able to tuck pea seeds into the sun-warmed soil just before the snow blanketed the ground. The peas will have the advantage of all the tremendous moisture from that wet snow. A new growing season has begun with cool-season crops.
Via myself: If you are new to gardening and unsure about the quality of your soil, one tip that I have been hearing lately is to plant directly into bags of compost or garden soil that you purchase at the hardware store. Simply lay the bags flat on the ground and use a pair of scissors to cut it open on the side facing up. Viola, you have an instant garden with no weeds, no soil turning. Much too expensive for our taste and our garden size, but it will work great for those new to gardening (who shouldn't be growing such a large garden in the first place).
And always remember....pace yourself. Start small, and add a little every year. If you try to do too much the first year, what small failures you have can be even more discouraging.
Friday, March 26, 2010
So, the bill has passed...and passed again
Yes, I was waiting a bit until the fire died down to comment on the health care bill. Apparantly, there have been death threats against the president (two highly reported are Americans of African origin, believe it or not), and there have been reports of a string of attacks against democratic offices (hmmm....weren't they busted not too long ago comitted acts of vandalism against themselves in order to gain sympathy? So....do we believe them this time, or not?)
Well, first of all, people weren't listening when others warned them that the insurance companies wrote this bill. And guess what! Now that it has passed, the insurance companies like it. Why? Because they wrote it. It forces you to pay for your own insurance, take the public plan, or pay a fine....
Unless, of course, you work for Washington. That's right! Members of congress and those working for them are exempt from the bill. Isn't that interesting?
Well, everyone will now be covered, right? Well, no....not if you have a pre-existing condition. Even children with pre-existing conditions are not guaranteed the right to insurance, either the public or the private.
So I have to ask....who does this bill help? Certainly not the people who the dems trotted out to whine and cry, saying their loved-ones passed away because they had no insurance. I guess Dems forgot about them when they voted for this bill. But you know...it'll make darn sure that those people who avoid purchasing health insurance for whatever reason will have to purchase it now!
Well, first of all, people weren't listening when others warned them that the insurance companies wrote this bill. And guess what! Now that it has passed, the insurance companies like it. Why? Because they wrote it. It forces you to pay for your own insurance, take the public plan, or pay a fine....
Unless, of course, you work for Washington. That's right! Members of congress and those working for them are exempt from the bill. Isn't that interesting?
Well, everyone will now be covered, right? Well, no....not if you have a pre-existing condition. Even children with pre-existing conditions are not guaranteed the right to insurance, either the public or the private.
So I have to ask....who does this bill help? Certainly not the people who the dems trotted out to whine and cry, saying their loved-ones passed away because they had no insurance. I guess Dems forgot about them when they voted for this bill. But you know...it'll make darn sure that those people who avoid purchasing health insurance for whatever reason will have to purchase it now!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Around the Homestead
Back after a much needed hiatus....just needed to recharge the batteries.
But even after a winter break, we aren't slowing down.
Several weeks ago, we got a pop-up row cover...so far I'm liking it... but then again, I liked the portable greenhouse, too...until it got destroyed by Kansas wind and Kansas ice.
Promptly, we set it up and sowed it with lettuce and spinach. Last Thursday, we prepared the rest of the garden for the potatoes, peas, onions, and broccoli, but we didn't plant. Judging by the past few years, I didn't trust the weather, and was smart not to. Promptly on the first day of spring, we had over a foot of snow (Big John Lipscomb speaks of the same snow storm on his own blog.) It was bad enough that we ended up with two children small crawling into bed with us....thankfully, teenager is too cool for that stuff. The funny thing is that the Farmers Almanac that I purchased last year got the day of the extreme cold and snow exactly right.
Well, the snow almost completely melted yesterday. I haven't been out to the back bed yet, but it looks like the pop-up row cover survived. And thus, with warmer weather promised, this next week is going to be for planting and moving compost around. The peas and potatoes have already sprouted. Plus, we're also going to have to create a little cage with some left-over chicken wire to protect our onions....
See, last year, we had another freak ice storm, and just at the time that the berry trees and bushes were flowering. Not having access to the mulberries (we leave the higher branches for the wildlife), our wild neighbors turned on our vegetable garden. And one little enterprising chipmunk stole almost all of our onions. We tend to grow our onions as perrenials, using them for the green onion tops. Spend $1 for the onion sets, get free green onions ($1-2 a bunch at the grocery store) Spring and Fall for years to come. Yet that's a little difficult when Mr. Chipmunk steals them.
We may also have to use a row cover to keep little bunnies off the peas, another nature-caused failure we had last year.
So, that's what we're up to. Now that the batteries are recharged and ready to go, hopefully I won't go so many months without annoying everyone.
But even after a winter break, we aren't slowing down.
Several weeks ago, we got a pop-up row cover...so far I'm liking it... but then again, I liked the portable greenhouse, too...until it got destroyed by Kansas wind and Kansas ice.
Promptly, we set it up and sowed it with lettuce and spinach. Last Thursday, we prepared the rest of the garden for the potatoes, peas, onions, and broccoli, but we didn't plant. Judging by the past few years, I didn't trust the weather, and was smart not to. Promptly on the first day of spring, we had over a foot of snow (Big John Lipscomb speaks of the same snow storm on his own blog.) It was bad enough that we ended up with two children small crawling into bed with us....thankfully, teenager is too cool for that stuff. The funny thing is that the Farmers Almanac that I purchased last year got the day of the extreme cold and snow exactly right.
Well, the snow almost completely melted yesterday. I haven't been out to the back bed yet, but it looks like the pop-up row cover survived. And thus, with warmer weather promised, this next week is going to be for planting and moving compost around. The peas and potatoes have already sprouted. Plus, we're also going to have to create a little cage with some left-over chicken wire to protect our onions....
See, last year, we had another freak ice storm, and just at the time that the berry trees and bushes were flowering. Not having access to the mulberries (we leave the higher branches for the wildlife), our wild neighbors turned on our vegetable garden. And one little enterprising chipmunk stole almost all of our onions. We tend to grow our onions as perrenials, using them for the green onion tops. Spend $1 for the onion sets, get free green onions ($1-2 a bunch at the grocery store) Spring and Fall for years to come. Yet that's a little difficult when Mr. Chipmunk steals them.
We may also have to use a row cover to keep little bunnies off the peas, another nature-caused failure we had last year.
So, that's what we're up to. Now that the batteries are recharged and ready to go, hopefully I won't go so many months without annoying everyone.
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