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Garden Soil Preparation
Soil preparation is the foundation of your garden and needs to be fertile, well-drained, and have the right combination of soil ingredients. Great soil does not just happen and it does not happen overnight. You need to plan, test, and make changes to existing soil if needed. There are a few types of soil which gardeners have to work with. There is very sandy, sticky clay (what I have), and others are rocky and shallow. Sandy soils do not hold enough water and in the wind, blowing sand can injure delicate vegetables. Clay soils hold too much water and do not allow enough air to enter the soil. Both clay…
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Fall Leaves Are A Gardeners Best Friend
As I have researched, nature has its own recycling method that is so beneficial to gardens. Fall leaves are a great addition to composting. We have plenty of leaves on our property so I am going to put them to work. They turn such a gorgeous color but quickly turn brown and cover the ground. Autumn leaves are considered a “brown” element needed in composting. They are a source of carbon, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and minerals. These are really a free addition to soil which can be incorporated directly into the soil or put as a “brown” element to the compost pile. I plan to use the leaves both…
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June In The Garden
This month in the garden should be a time of fast growth of garden plants. The cool weather crops should be done and the summer crops should be taking off. May is typically a rainy month and this year rain it was in Texas. The temperatures begin to heat up which allows for fast growth of plants, blooms appearing, and hopefully bees buzzing. . With heat comes the need to water whether it is from rain or your method of watering. Vegetable gardens need one inch of water each week. Soaker hoses do the best job as they water the base of the plants and keeps the foliage dry. This…
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Row Tunnels For Winter Vegetables
As fall has moved into winter, temperatures will continue to go well below freezing. Although most winter vegetables can tolerate temperatures slightly below freezing, tunnels offer a way to extend those cool weather vegetables when the temps dive low. We have had our 1st significant freeze and temperatures that plunged into the low twenties. In anticipation of the colder temperatures, I got some row tunnels to protect my winter garden during the really cold days. Here is what I bought on Amazon to make my garden row tunnels: The polytunnel is also known as a hoop tunnel, hoop greenhouse, row covers, or hoop house. They are typically made of steel…
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Gifts From The Garden
We all love the warm feeling we have that comes from receiving a handmade gift, but so many of us in this busy world we live do not have time. There are some quick gifts which may already be in your pantry which you canned during the summer garden harvest. There are alot of short cuts you can take such as using your canned treats and some simple packaging with a recipe card to share your gift. Most of the treats may only be finding a cute basket, stenciled recipe cards, or jar toppers to assemble a cute gift with a jar tucked inside. Fruit Honeys Topped with a…
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A Guide To Peppers
Peppers are a favorite in most gardens behind tomatoes and herbs. They are often grown in container gardens and they do well. Peppers are a warm season favorite however, they require higher temperatures, grow more slowly and are smaller in size compared to a tomato plant. They require full sun and they need to spaced 12-18 inches apart. Peppers are a thirsty plant and need plenty of water. The soil must drain well so the roots do not get saturated which can water logs the roots. A little history about the spiciness/heat of pepper began in the 1900’s. The Scoville scale of heat is a measurement of the spiciness/heat of…
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Must Have Garden Tools For A Gardener
Having spent several years in the garden, tending to fruit trees, and maintaining a little over an acre of land, there are basic tools which make the job easier. Many of the tools can overlap with a variety of uses for upkeep and long term success of all aspects of gardening. Gardening is a process which has continued learning opportunities. It requires patience, endurance, creativity, and can be a taxing and difficult job without having the tools to make it enjoyable and fun. I learned that concept the hard way until I invested in essential tools to make a long lengthy day into a fun manageable hobby. I find gardening…
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How To Make Quick Garden Row Markers
As I plant may garden each season I have a process which entails preparing my rows, digging the holes for the seeds and moving to the next row. I just go until all the seeds are in the ground. I have a carpenters apron and put seed packs in the pockets so I can move through the rows. The problem for me is always remembering what I planted on what row. Seems elementary to keep track of it, but I get going and think I will remember but get distracted with being outside, the birds, the insects, and just thinking. Having been snake bit about remembering, I…
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Dog Days of Summer
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac the Dog Days of Summer is the hottest, most sultry days of summer. It is usually 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11. This means we are right in between the two major planting seasons for vegetable gardens. It is typical at this time to see some empty spaces as certain vegetables succumb to oppressive heat and sometimes pests. It seems we have started those hot sultry days earlier than usual as our high temperatures have been above normal. Trying to establish young plants during this time is very difficult as I am experiencing with my tomatoes plants. During this time first…
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Spring Showers
As planting season has come and gone, we now get to sit back (which means spend hours watching and picking as the fruits and vegetables ripen) and see the garden grow. All the hard work that leads to a plentiful crop. But, the work does not stop. We all know the reality of making sure the okra doesn’t get too large, or the tomatoes do not sit on the vine too long. What about the herbs that seem to have taken over and spread like wild-fire? Well, we know the spring showers bring much appreciated moisture to our freshly tilled garden, but it can also bring unwelcome weather. Hail is…
Home Grown is Best
