Tag Archives: gardening

Ron Finley ~ LA’s Gangsta Gardner

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“Growing your own food is like printing your own money”

At TED2013 Ron Finley presented his quest to make urban gardening a reality. His talk mixes logic and humor into a plea for humanity.

His begins with a citation ordering him to remove a garden he planted on strip on land he was required to maintain but belonged to the city. Officially known as a parkway the strip measured 10 by 150 feet and Ron turned it into a “food forest.” But someone complained and he was cited, then served with a warrant.

Ron won that battle and went on to form LA Green Grounds. I encourage everyone to not only watch the video below, but share it with your friends.

Composting Made Easy

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With grass cutting season upon us it’s a good time to start composting. If you’re like me and have reservoir of leaves that’s even better. Bringing the two together can result in mixture that produces a humus that is rich in nutrients and microbial organisms that will benefit your garden.

Compost was probably discovered when early settlers cleared land for cultivation, piling up brush and then realizing later that something was turning the plants and leaves into a rich humus. Today it’s become a science and we know very well how to build a perfect compost. What you should keep in mind is that there’s quite a bit of latitude in the process, and ways to compensate for a less than perfect pile. Continue reading →

pH Testing – Find the Sweet Spot in Your Soil

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While a soil test involves many important nutrients, the pH level is critical in optimizing the microbial activity in the root zone. This is especially important for organic gardeners because a proper pH will allow critical nutrients to be released as the plants mature.

soil-ph

Nutrient availability for soil pH levels
University of Missouri Extension Service

As you can see in the chart, there’s a fall off of phosphorus availability as pH declines (or becomes more acidic – moving to the left on the chart). Root growth is dependent on adequate levels of phosphorus. We can also see how acidity affects other critical metals such as calcium and magnesium when pH drops below neutral (pH 7). These are among the macronutrients frequently cited as deficient in soil tests.

But altering pH can be difficult. Clay soils generally have a high degree of buffer capacity, meaning that the soil is resistant to change. Adding organic matter to the soil also increases both the buffer capacity and the acidity of the soil. While plants do well in soils ranging from a pH of 6 to 6.5, peak microbial activity occurs when the pH is between 6.3 and 6.8.
So why is this important?
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Making Mulch – 4 Steps to Green Nirvana

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Raking leaves isn’t my favorite activity, and with mature trees on 3 sides of my house I have plenty without the neighbors leaves blowing into my yard. But just like the guy with too many lemons I take advantage of the situation. My good luck stems from the fact that I have wide drain that runs along the road that backs up when it rains and forms a shallow pond. And that’s where I rake my leaves.

I let nature take its course and my lawn mower does the rest. It begins when the leaves saturate with water and fungi and bacteria begin to colonize the cellulose in the leaves. Cellulose forms as a result of photosynthesis generating glucose which is then polymerized. In its most basic form two glucose molecules are bound together and form structural cellulose.

Fungi and some bacteria possess the ability to break the bonds and derive glucose and other micronutrients from the leaves. Slowly the leaf breaks down. Worms help that process by feeding on the fungi and wiggling around as worms will do. Of course raking the leaves into a pile and mulching them with a lawn mower speeds things up considerably.

In the early stage the leaves are simply wet and matted and therefore a welcome environment for the fungi and bacteria. Second from the left are the leaves I ground up with mower last summer, the next pile was ground up last spring, and the pile on the far right was dug out the year before and is ready to be incorporated into the soil.

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Seeds to the Starting Line – Grow Your Favorites from Scratch

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Growing plants from seed is like cooking from scratch. You pick your ingredients and bring them together according to your own taste. I think it adds to the mystique, the wonder of it all, but also allows you to select and experiment with the many varieties available.

This year I’ll grow varieties developed in Holland, Germany, Taiwan, and Israel – as well as the USA. They range from hot peppers to super sweet melons, scallions to a triple-cross gourmet corn. I didn’t select them for their international flavor, but for the flavor they add to the palate.

Good germination and seedling growth starts with the right potting mix, temperature and light. With the early spring we’re experiencing this year I’ve moved all my starts into the cold frame I built a month ago.

While the early spring inspires confidence there’s still a 50% chance of a hard frost in our future. So in this article I’ll cover starting plants from seed, potting mixes, and protecting your seedlings in the garden.

Black plastic covers seeded beds to promote germination.

Perforated black plastic covering field planted seed to encourage germination by retaining heat and moisture.

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Coffee Can Containers – Use Them for Planters!

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Recycling plastic coffee can containers for plants offers an inexpensive solution that keeps plastic out of the landfill and saves you money. The standard container holds approximately one liter or a little more than quart of material, and that’s fine for annual flowers, and some vegetables like lettuce, but larger plants like tomatoes need at least twice the amount of space to develop a healthy root system.

Using coffee containers as planters

Using coffee containers as planters

As for as I know the only container suitable for stacking comes with Folgers Coffee inside. So, having a few of those lying around and not being used I decided make some planters.

You’ll need two cans for each planter, a sharp knife, possibly a small saw, silicon caulking, and a 1/8″ drill to provide drainage holes in the bottom can.

The hard part of this operation is cutting the lid and a hole in the bottom of one can. But the end result is worth the trouble as you can see from the photo on the right.

The two containers together are about 12 inches tall, and the finishing touch is to wrap them with aluminum foil to reflect light and keep the roots from overheating.

You should keep in mind that if you’re using the planters on a tile patio or on concrete the potting mix can stain the surface.

So follow along and I’ll step you through the process of modifying the cans, filling them with potting mix, and getting a tomato planted. You’ll want to prepare the container at least two days prior to planting to allow the silicon to cure, but altogether you the whole process only takes about one hour.

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Quick Start Guide – Growing from Seed

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When you buy seedlings from a nursery you’re paying professional growers for their expertise, the overhead of their facility, and of course the containers, potting mix, and seed – as well as the retailer’s markup. Generally speaking it’s a good deal.

The downside is that you’re stuck with the varieties they select, and if you’re the type of person who enjoys perusing seed catalogs, or growing specialty plants then you probably want to grow from seed.

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Everyone Loves a Warm Blanket – Even Plants

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Early Spring and late Fall Father Frost often pays us a visit and freezes the water within the leaves of our plants. One of ways you can defeat Frost and extend your growing season is to cover your plants with a blanket.

Frost blankets varies in width and length as well as the thickness or weight of the material. The blankets I use are 6′ x 50′ and provide 4 degrees of protection per layer. In practice I find this to be a conservative estimate. Last fall I planted spinach and not only did the crop flourish but it also survived frosts down to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to frost protection there are other advantages to covering your crops with a blanket.

The recommended practice is to fit the blanket loosely so the plants have room to grow. The porosity of the blanket allows water to penetrate the fiber so once it’s in place there’s no need to remove it for watering. Finally the blanket provides protection from the wind and reduces drying and therefore the need to water frequently.

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It’s Not Dirt – A primer on soils

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Soil is comprised of sand, silt, and clay, and the combinations are nearly endless. Here in the Heart of the Ozarks – West Plains, Missourah – we have an abundance of red clay and a smattering of alluvial deposits along the creeks and rivers that likely contain small percentages of sand, variable amounts of silt and organic matter, but mostly clay. While the alluvial soils tend to be fertile they also require regular watering or heavy mulch to avoid drying and cracking.

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