Master Gardening Blog

By Teresa Odle

Earth Day 2010 is right around the corner on April 22; it marks the 40^th anniversary of the day that celebrates the birth of the environmental movement. Just like starting a garden, the idea of saving the planet seems overwhelming. But you don’t have to organize an event or change your entire lifestyle. You can start with a square foot or so of space to grow your own food.

Back Porch ComposTumbler

If you have no yard, try a corner of your balcony. Any area that gets about six to eight hours of sunshine a day should be able to sustain a small herb or vegetable garden. Fill it with your own soil, including some compost, which you eventually can make from kitchen scraps and yard clippings.

No matter the size of your garden spot, the concept of square-foot gardening is to divide it into small squares about one foot in size and plant one crop in each square. According to the Nature Conservancy, this technique uses 90 percent less water and 95 percent fewer seeds. It’s easier to weed a smaller garden, reducing the temptation for you to spray with herbicides.

Bonide Insecticidal Soap

And remember to take a sort of medical approach to your plants, especially those you’ll eat, of “first do no harm” and preventive care. This approach also helps the environment. If you keep your plants healthy with regular appropriate watering and attention, they can better fight off diseases and pests. That’s the first step and it’s totally organic.  Next, try the least toxic method of pest control first. That’s usually the no-chemical approach, such as spraying off aphids with a stream of water or picking off squash bugs and drowning them in a bucket of soapy water. The next least toxic effect is organic pest control, such as insecticidal soap. If you use these, be sure to check the time between use and when it’s safe to harvest and eat.

After you’ve planted you garden, you can add a fruit or nut tree appropriate for your zone that will produce food for your family and maybe shade a west-facing wall, which can save a little on energy costs. Then take a walk through your neighborhood or to a local park and just enjoy being outside on the planet Earth.

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By Teresa Odle

Choosing vegetables that you enjoy is key to the success of your garden.

The best and easiest part of a home garden is choosing and buying vegetable seeds. It’s like shopping for food; don’t do it when you’re hungry. It’s best to plan your garden a little, but not get too hung up on the details or the next thing you know, it’s late June and your crop choices have narrowed considerably. First, choose foods you’ll eat or work with a family member or neighbor to trade.

Hot House with Heated Mat

Seeds need warmth and moisture to germinate, so depending on your climate and appetite for all things crunchy, you might start your seeds indoors. In colder climates, simple seed starting trays help you start your own transplants. If your house still is pretty cool like mine, you might need something with more heat. An indoor hot house with a heated mat can start enough seeds for a large family garden. The seed packets usually provide all the information you need to help determine the best transplant size and time for your zone.

You also can plant directly in your garden. In the last post, I talked about preparing and protecting a raised bed. Seedlings are really vulnerable to all sorts of crawling and flying creatures. Check the seed packet or local sources, such as master gardener hotlines and cooperative extension offices, if you need help with timing of cool and warm season vegetable planting in your area. And if you feel really ambitious, create a succession planting plan. With planning, timing, and luck, you might be able to run three crops in the same spot one after another through one growing season.

When I direct seed, I always want to be sure the seeds produce and make the mistake of using too much seed, then having to thin later. The general rule of thumb is to plant about twice as many seeds as the number of plants you desire. Plant seedlings based not on the plant’s current size, but on its potential size. Again, seed packet instructions are pretty accurate on spacing and depth advice. Create a planting guide by stretching a string between two stakes close to the dirt. This will help you create nice rows for your vegetables. Then sit back in the warm weather, water away and enjoy.

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During WWII, nearly 20 million Americans planted Victory Gardens because fruits and vegetables weren’t available. Today, it’s more about using our own yards and patios to grow food for our families, sort of a return to the past and a way to save natural resources. I also grow my own food because of taste and economy.

No matter where you shop, you can’t beat the freshness of a basil or lettuce leaf picked from your own backyard and eaten within the hour. And there’s some up-front investment but once you begin harvesting, the food is free for the taking. You know where it came from and what goes into making it so good. You also have little to no waste.

If you have yard space, try a spot that has deep, well-drained soil. Your best bet is a raised bed. I like mine for a number of reasons. First, I can place it in the best spot. Ever heard of a microclimate or microenvironment? That’s a spot in your yard that gets more or less shade or wind or maybe where cold air accumulates. An example is a spot against a south-facing wall. You can expect temperatures to be higher there and the warmth to hold further into the evening. I also like my raised bed because I spend more time with my vegetables than with other plants, doing tasks like weeding, checking for insects, trellising, and harvesting, of course. Raised beds warm up faster in the spring than the ground, an advantage in most climates. Finally, I like a cover on my bed until the seedlings reach maturity. I think it helps boost the temperature and cuts down on visits from cats, dogs, birds, and at least the hopping and flying insects. Herbs work well in a raised bed or pots. I always have some rosemary and basil in pots on my front porch, close to the kitchen.

For vegetables, you want soil that’s rich in humus, or organic matter. If your ground is thawed and soft enough to work, you can start preparing the soil. Add compost and gently shovel to mix it in. Don’t apply straight manure in the spring because it doesn’t have time to break down before you plant. Of course, you can prepare your raised bed the same way, using a mixture of sand, silt and clay for the soil base.  I lay down a drip hose (they’re cheap) that’s attached to a splitter on my back faucet. Remember water needs when you plan the location.

Think about what you’ll plant before you buy your raised bed. If you’re really industrious and have the space, you might need two beds. Or you can use a combination of a raised bed, some ground for plants that start later or need to trellis up a wall, and pots for herbs, cherry tomatoes, or even edible flowers or a small lemon tree. Start thinking about the fresh foods you buy and enjoy the most and get to know your climate. Next week, we’ll talk about starting seeds and planting in rows.

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By Teresa Odle

Every gardener has questions. How many times have you struck up a conversation with a neighbor or co-worker about a gardening triumph or more likely a problem?

Gardening can be frustrating but always fun and rewarding. I didn’t pay much attention to it as a child, even though my mother was a terrific gardener. My earliest memory is that one of the flowers was called a “touch-me-not.” Mom adapted easily when we moved from the humid sea level zone of South Carolina to the hot desert of Phoenix and she and my father created their own oasis in the back yard of their new suburban home.

But it wasn’t until I settled down with an avid gardener in Albuquerque, N.M., that the bug really hit me. I wanted to learn more and attended four months of master gardener training. The program was terrific, taught by state and county cooperative extension agents who really know their stuff. I got a certificate and a T-shirt but can’t call myself a Master Gardener because I couldn’t continue with required courses and volunteer hours when I took a full-time job again.

What do you think was the greatest lesson from the training? It wasn’t the soil type or when our first and last freeze occur, although that’s helpful information. The greatest lesson is this: experience still is the best teacher. All of the courses armed me with tools but I learned more from problem-solving when residents called the hotline, from riding around with the extension agent when he made visits to peoples’ lawns and from my own time in the garden. And I still learn from my husband and my mother, who never had any training but who have more experience than me.

So come to this blog for some gardening tips and answers, but most of all, get out there and garden. Trial and error will help you master your garden.

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Don’t miss out on our Pre-Spring Excitement Sale!

Lay out your finest “get dirty” gear, dust off your shovels, and fix up those beds. It’s time to hit the gardens!

Enter the coupon code thinkspring in the coupon code box and take 15% off your order over $100.  

Take advantage soon, this deal ends when Spring starts, March 20, 2010!

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Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System
Click HERE to shop cat fencing.

Why use cat fencing? Outdoor time provides your cat with an opportunity for exercise, mental stimulation and stress relief. With this in mind, Deerbusters.com, a leader in deer fencing for over 25 years, developed a durable and affordable cat fencing system that allows cats the outdoor time they crave.

Why use Kitty Corral brand cat fencing? Our cat fence is made from the same durable yet flexible polypropylene mesh material as our award-winning virtually invisible deer fence. However, our cat fencing has been engineered specifically to contain and safeguard your feline friends.

How does it work? Our fence is nearly impossible for a cat to climb because the flexible mesh moves with the cat’s weight. And to be absolutely certain your cat will stay safely enclosed, the top of the fence features a sturdy, inward-curving extender. The bottom two feet of our cat fence is constructed of PVC coated steel wire, which prevents damage from chewing. And to keep kitty from crawling underneath, our cat fence is secured with galvanized steel ground stakes.

Additional features

Our cat fence is barely visible against a tree line. It is UV-resistant and has an outdoor lifespan of ten years. Our cat fencing system is high quality and can be removed and reinstalled if necessary. Simple, easy-to-follow instructions and an instructional video are included, so your cats can start enjoying their new fence in very little time.

With our Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System, you can let your cats roam, chase butterflies and relax in nature without having to worry about their safety. If you want happy, healthy cats, satisfy their craving for time outside with a Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System!

Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System is available exclusively at DeerBusters.com and MasterGardening.com. Questions? Email Us.

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Make birdwatching fun for the whole family with an outdoor nature camera!  Take stunning photos of your backyard birds or shoot a high quality video complete with sound!  The cameras are weatherproof and easy to set up – no wiring required.  Motion activated cameras will take photos of birds as they feed or stop by the birdbath.  Enjoy picture after picture of the birds visiting your backyard with an outdoor nature camera!

Check out our full collection of Outdoor Nature Cameras!!

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Cold temperatures have arrived!  Extend your growing season with one of our great new cold frames, including the brand new Juwel 1000 Easy Fix!

Cold Frames: Juwel 1000 Cold Frame Easy Fix

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Were a Garden Watchdog Top 5 company for 2010!

Great news! As many of you may know, each company in the Garden Watchdog is categorized by their specialty. The highest rated companies in each category is then awarded with an annual “Top 5″ award, and our company has been awarded a Top 5 designation this year!

 Specializing in: “Animal Repellents (Fencing And Chemical Barriers)” and “Plants: Deer Resistant”

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The staff at MasterGardening wishes you a prosperous and fruitful New Year!!

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