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Q and A: How To Create A Garden For Your Community

May 12th, 2013

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What is a community garden? A community garden is a space where community members are able to grow anything from fruits and vegetables to flowers on a plot of shared land. A church, school, business, or private landowner can donate a piece of land – but the space continues to thrive as a community garden by a variety of share holders.

What can I expect? Typically, you’ll find designated garden plots, usually measuring about 3′ x 20′ that are made available to individuals and families in the neighborhood. The gardener is responsible for supplying the plants, seeds, and soil amendments. However, you don’t have to worry about manually watering your plants each week, as drip irrigation systems are normally installed to supply water to the plants.

What is the cost? Expect the cost to be based on the bed size, as well as a reimbursement water fee to the property owner – usually around $15.00 per month for each plot. This money also pays for the irrigation equipment, a monthly newsletter in some cases, as well as a set of tools made available.

How can I create a garden for my community?

Step 1: The first step is initiating a planning committee. As a group, determine if there is a real need for a community garden, and whom the garden will serve. As you move forward, you will also need to make a list of what needs to be done, and designate roles to each member.

Step 2: The planning committee or sponsor will need to choose a site. The land should get at least 6 full hours of sunlight, pass soil tests, and be clear of contamination. You may also need to consider if irrigation is available.

Step 3: The next step is developing the site. The community garden site should be cleaned up and organized. This includes selecting work crews, choosing plot sizes, creating a storage area, and deciding whether organic gardening practices will be used.

Step 4: Organize the garden details. The planning committee should decide the large and tiny details behind the community garden. At the very least, these questions should be answered:

* What are the conditions of membership?

* How will plots be assigned?

* How will the money be used?

* How large should each plot be? Should there be various sizes to choose from?

* Will there be a plot for children?

* What happens if the plot becomes vandalized?

* What will the community vs. committee members be responsible for?

* Will there be garden meetings? How often?

* Will the garden members share tools or supply their own?

* What kind of maintenance will the garden need daily, weekly, monthly and seasonally?

Step 5: Choose some general rules and bylaws for the garden. Bad gardeners and angry neighbors are the two most common reasons community gardens lead to frustration. Choose each rule and bylaw carefully so that there are understood procedures, and consequences to actions within the garden. To get some ideas, read these sample community garden rules.

**Friends, have you considered utilizing or starting your own community garden within your neighborhood? 

Resources:

http://www.communitygardensoftucson.org/main/

http://www.communitygarden.org/learn/starting-a-community-garden.php

About Us:

Humble Seed specializes in premium garden seed kits that are packaged and themed for convenience and ease. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to those who choose to start from seed.

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Seeds That Can Thrive Anywhere

May 10th, 2013

A common question we hear frequently is, “do your seeds grow well in my growing region/state?” To put it simply, the answer more often than not is “yes.” Our seeds are specifically selected to do well in growing conditions throughout North America under normal growing conditions.

Humble Seed’s premium garden seed kits are intentionally bundled to suit a variety of needs and lifestyles, while our re-sealable Mylar® bags keep seeds fresh in between plantings, allowing you to plant when it’s convenient in your region. Need more proof? Check out these examples below!

Red Saladbowl -Veggin’ Out seed kit

Description: This slow bolting red oak-leaf type of saladbowl is very appealing. Its finely divided leaves that are a rich, deep-red color characterize it. Gardeners enjoy its sweet flavor and the wonderful color that it adds to a variety of salads

Where these seeds grow best: This seed will germinate in a low 40 degrees F soil temperature, making it pretty forgiving to cold weather. They do quite well in a variety of regions across the United States. Red Saladbowls will flourish in most parts of the northeast, west, and Midwest, and in places like New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Illinois, Idaho, Oregon, and more.

Scarlet Nantes Carrot – Veggin’ Out seed kit

Description: The Scarlet Nantes has a reputation for abundant production and a consistent quality that offers up crisp texture and sweet flavor. The roots, which average about 6” long, are bright orange and cylindrical to slightly tapered.

Where these seeds grow best: You can start this seed outside 2-4 weeks before an average last frost, and in warm climates with lows above 25 degrees all winter long. This seed can do well in a variety of locations that don’t experience harsh winters – particularly the west coast and southwest (places like California, Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona), as well as parts of the Midwest and the south (Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia – and more).

Washington Cherry Tomato – Veggin’ Out seed kit

Description: This organic variety produces tomatoes that are meaty and very flavorful. It is a high yielding plant that produces 1 ¼” red cherry tomatoes that are excellent for appetizers, salads, snacking and more.

Where these seeds grow best: This seed grows best when sown in the spring; after the average last spring frost and when soil temperatures reach 60 degrees. Generally, regions in the south, southwest, and Midwest will offer these types of conditions – whether you’re in California, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Missouri or Kansas. They can also be planted in the early fall for a winter harvest if you live in a warm winter/hot summer area.

Superbo Basil – Uncle Herb’s Favorites seed kit

Description: This Genovese-type of basil provides thick leaves and wonderful flavor. It is great for homemade pesto and complements a variety of foods, including fish, poultry, rice, vegetables and more.

Where these seeds grow best: Basil is loved not only for its abundant flavor, but also for its ability to grow very well in a variety of regions and conditions. This seed does best in the springtime, 1-3 weeks after the average last frost, and when soils are warm. With these requirements in mind, anyone living in California to New Jersey (and in between) can grow basil in their backyard when the weather turns a bit warmer. If your location experiences a harshly cold spring, basil can also be grown indoors near a sunny window.

Yankee Bell Pepper  - Hot Mama’s Peppers and Chiles and Veggin’ Out seed kit

Description: This plant provides wonderful red bells for northern climates. It is a strongly branched plant with good cover, producing 6-10, 3 to 4-lobed, medium-size, green to red fruits. The Yankee is less likely to make too many peppers in the initial crown set, resulting in a higher percentage of thick-walled and smooth fruits. These peppers last well into the sweet red stage.

Where these seeds grow best: Grow these seeds in the springtime, 3-4 weeks after the average last frost date and when soil temperatures are at least 65 -70 degrees. While these peppers prefer warmer climates, they truly do well in a wide range of areas across the United States – particularly the south, southwest, Midwest, and northern regions. What we love about these seeds is how well they will grow in places like Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, and Oklahoma, but will also do quite well in Arizona and California – and even in Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York.

About Us:

Humble Seed specializes in premium garden seed kits that are packaged and themed for convenience and ease.  We are dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to those who choose to start from seed.

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Saving Heirloom Seeds 101

May 9th, 2013

winebox

For many, preserving an heirloom seed in its original genetic makeup is important.

Why?

When we think of the word “extinction,” a head of lettuce normally doesn’t pop up in our minds. It’s also obvious that our grocery stores aren’t full of endangered fruits and vegetables either. But think about the prize-winning heirloom beets you boasted last spring, or your grandfather’s special heirloom tomatoes you remember eating every summer. If these heirloom seeds are not saved, the legacy of these plants will eventually die out.

Furthermore, preserving heirlooms creates diversity, making some gardeners feel it’s their responsibly to save these seeds so that genetic variation doesn’t become extinct. If you decide to save your heirloom seeds this year, there are some important ideas to learn and put into practice to ensure success.

How To Preserve The Genetic Makeup

Ensuring an heirloom variety doesn’t accidently change its genetic makeup is a top priority. Luckily, there are some simple practices that can help limit genetic loss. One is to ensure heirloom plants do not cross-pollinate with other varieties. The easiest way to avoid this is to separate varieties a fair distance away from one another. It’s a good idea to research each plant to ensure the distance is far enough away. For example, lettuce may only require separating it 25 feet, while some pepper varieties are considered a safe distance when distancing them at least 500 feet.

Other gardeners prefer time isolation, caging, bagging, and even individually hand pollinating - these are all techniques that can help avoid accidental cross-pollination. Keep in mind that while these practices take time and thought, if two varieties cross – their genes are permanently mixed.

How To Harvest Heirloom Seeds

When you’re ready to harvest, specifically select seeds from the plants that grew quickly and with vigor.  A common mistake is to choose seeds randomly, and from mediocre plants. One major rule of thumb? Never save seeds from malformed fruit, or a fruit that has been damaged by insects, mold, or disease. Plants should be strong, healthy and not exposed to stressful conditions when early seed formation begins.

Removing any diseased plants away from potential seed saving plants will increase the viability of the plant and its seed. Diseased plants can also spread pathogens to otherwise healthy plants, and can affect the success of succeeding generations as well. During seed formation, be sure to provide the plant with sufficient moisture at flower time – this will promote pollen development and flower set.

Furthermore, learning how to properly harvest seeds from a variety of plants can ensure you’re getting the most from each plant. We look forward to sharing how to properly clean, dry, and preserve your heirloom seeds in a future post.

Friends, which heirloom varieties are you growing this year?

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From Sprouts To Sprouts: Introducing The Garden To Babies

April 7th, 2013

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The snow is melting and the sun is shining – spring is here and you’re in the kitchen preparing a fresh salad for dinner with the windows wide open. A cool wind breezes through as you chop your garden fresh leaf lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots, slice a few Washington Cherry Tomatoes in half, and drizzle on your favorite herb vinaigrette. As the family sits down to eat, you reach for a jar of baby food in the cabinet.

What’s wrong with this scenario?

Providing the proper nutrients is vital for a baby’s growth and development – so why rely on jarred food with ingredients including overcooked vegetables, unfiltered water, preservatives and additives? This is why more parents are harvesting food for the entire family – babies included! Doing so can guarantee baby food with organic and non-GMO fruits and vegetables, and without ingredients like choline bitartrate, gelatin, and alpha tocopheryl acetate (our motto is to avoid ingredients our grandmothers never heard of).

How to incorporate the garden

You don’t have to be an Earth mother to strive for garden fresh fruits and vegetables for your children. Once you get the hang of it – many parents enjoy the process of using the garden to feed the entire family. If you’re new to gardening, we recommend devoting your time to planting a few favorite fruits and vegetables, and supplementing using store bought organic produce in the beginning. Many new gardeners prefer growing carrots, green beans and summer squash to start, as these veggies are easy for beginners.  As you grow more confident, continue planting other fruits and vegetables you think your baby will enjoy.

If you’re interested in learning how to squeeze baby food making into an already jam-packed schedule, momadvise.com has some worthwhile tips on how to do it (like making a large batch on the weekends, and using water instead of breast milk so it won’t spoil as easily).

Deciding which fruits and veggies to grow

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to which foods to introduce first to your baby. In fact, experts say, “There is no evidence that the introduction of any sequence of foods is better than any other,” said Dr. Jatinder Bhatia, neonatologist and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ committee on nutrition. Therefore, a variety of fruits and vegetables will work well. If you’re an experienced gardener, try introducing sweet potatoes first, as this vegetable is rich in vitamins and is sweet like breast milk. Other mild vegetables also work well, like carrots, peas, green beans, squash – as well as pears and bananas. If you’re new to gardening, check out this list explaining the top 10 easiest fruits and vegetables to grow.

This month’s baby food recipe

As parents, all of us at Humble Seed are big believers in using the garden for our children –and we’d like to introduce a new baby food recipe each month. To kick off this endeavor, this is an easy recipe that’s packed full of protein (one cup of peas contains as much protein as a tablespoon of peanut butter!).

Peas and Carrots

(for babies 6 months+)

Ingredients

½ pound fresh carrots

½ pound peas

Method:

1. Wash vegetables thoroughly. Open the pea pods and scrape out the peas from the pod. Combine fresh peas and chopped carrots in a large pot.

2. Add enough filtered water to just cover the vegetables.

3. Cook until tender yet still colorful, drain water and reserve.

4. Puree vegetables in a blender or food processor.

5. Add the reserved water from the vegetables until mixture is of the desired consistency.

*Cooking tip: To get peas to puree smooth, try immediately plunging your hot peas into very cold water after they have cooked. This will stop the cooking process and will allow for smoother baby food.

Store in ice cube trays until ready to use.

About Us:

Humble Seed specializes in premium garden seed kits that are packaged and themed for convenience and ease. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to those who choose to start from seed.

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Your Guide in Starting an Organic Garden

March 29th, 2013

Organic gardening

Everywhere we look, the word “organic” seems to take center stage. With so many advances in technology, including genetically modified or genetically altered foods, everyone wants to go back to basics and partake in organic gardening.  All gardeners, whether they are professional or those who do it as a hobby prefer organic gardening because of two main reasons. It promotes better health to those who eat the produce, and also promotes a better environment.

Organic gardening involves not having to use any pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers which are usually used during common farming. However, little did farmers know that using these chemicals was harming the environment. Pesticides and fungicides were being washed away into rivers by the rain, which affected aquatic life. People also discovered that these chemicals did no good to humans once they ate the food.   So naturally, people started organic farming, which involved no pesticides or other chemicals which are harmful to animals, humans or the environment.

The basic principle of organic farming is to saturate the soil with nutrients rather than the plant. More attention is therefore paid on getting the soil as nutrient rich as possible, since plants get their nutrients from the soil naturally through their roots. In organic farming, crop rotation is also crucial. If you are growing crops in your garden or greenhouse, then this basically means swapping the boxes or located areas around. It allows the soil to rejuvenate itself since each plant takes up a different amount of each nutrient.

Fertilizers are still used in organic farming, but they are organic i.e. natural. In most cases, organic fertilizer comes in the form of manure. However, this is more likely to happen on farms. If you are planning on doing some organic gardening in your home, then you may not be able to get a hold of manure. In this case, you can use compost, which can be made at home or purchased from a good gardening center.

How to start an organic garden: 

If you want to start organic gardening, you will not be sorry that you did. All you need to do is prepare the soil in a way which is natural and chemical free. This means not using any form of plant or flower food as a fertilizer or a plant growth booster. You want to use the most natural product available to you which can be manure or compost (take your pick).  Then water your soil to make sure that it is fully moist.

Decide on what it is you wish to grow. Since you may be completely new to the organic farming game, you may want to start off by planting something simple and easy such as tomatoes or blueberries. Over the growth period, you need to make sure that you are not using any artificial fertilizer to promote growth, since this goes against the principles of organic farming. If you feel the need to re-fertilize the soil, simply add more manure or compost.

Once you have mastered the simple food such as tomatoes, you can try something harder such as potatoes or peas. Once you have enough experience and are comfortable with the concept of organic farming, you could grow virtually anything, which is a superb quality to have, especially during these times where we cannot be entirely sure about what is in our foods.

Your final product will be a delicious item of food that has been grown using nothing but nature’s goodness. This crop will contain no chemicals in any way, shape or form. It is completely and utterly natural, making it the healthiest you could possible get.

 

About the author:

Nicole is an author keen on flowers and home organizing. Enjoy her tips on decorating with flowers and gardening.

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Announcing Humble Seed’s First Fundraising Initiative

March 13th, 2013


http://www.dreamstime.com/-image8860675

We are pleased to announce that Humble Seed is partnering with Saline High School’s Future Farmers of America for our first fundraising initiative!

Would you like to learn the exciting details?

Who we’re working with: We are fortunate to have David Mellor, Saline High School’s Agriscience teacher and FFA advisor working with us directly to spearhead the project. Together, we will support students as they sell our premium garden seed kits to their friends, family, and community members.

We are incredibly impressed with the dedication Saline students have demonstrated during the course of this fundraiser! Students have been hard at work handling all the sale orders, shipping, and delivery of seed kits. Furthermore, they will continue to educate the community on how to grow a home garden, as well as the importance of gardening with non-GMO and non-hybrid seeds.

What’s for sale:  Humble Seed is offering our favorite seed kits to support the endeavor. This includes Veggin’ Out, Hot Mama’s Peppers and Chiles, Uncle Herb’s Favorites, and The Producer seed kits.

Why we’re doing it: 50% of all sales generated will be donated back to the school! From this initiative, we hope to encourage families to grow a garden that will provide a source of healthy, safe and nutritious food all while saving them money.

Our promise: As always, we offer heirloom, certified organic, non-GMO, and non-hybrid varieties in our seed kits at an exceptional value. We are providing the same quality packaging – utilizing Humble Seed’s unique resealable Mylar packs that keep seeds fresher, longer- allowing gardeners to plant now or later.

Thanks for all of your hard work, Saline Hornets! We are proud to be part of such a worthy cause, and look forward to continuing these types of fundraisers in the future.

Want to fundraise with Humble Seed: If you have an organization that is interested in partnering with Humble Seed for an upcoming fundraiser, please send your information to info@humblseed.com

 

 

 

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How to Maximize Small Space Gardening for Apartment Renters

March 1st, 2013

Herb Gardening-Pizza-219

“I’d love to have a garden but it’s impossible to do living in a tiny apartment.” If this is what you think, you’re either not trying hard enough or not that interested in gardening, because there are tons of ways to use your green thumb—even for renters. From balcony plants to window boxes to sprouting jars, apartment-dwellers have a wealth of options available to them.

And with the number of urban gardeners on the rise, you can even find lots of store-bought tools and DIY ideas that help you to greenify your space while still keeping your living area clutter-free and maximizing the space. Here are just a few great ways to get the most garden out of a tiny area.

Use the walls. If you don’t want to have plants taking up precious counter space, consider mounting them to a section of your walls that gets a decent amount of sun. You can use manufactured options like FloraFelt to create a true “vertical garden,” or make your own mounting system to show your knack for design and artistry. A simple wood slab with metal brackets attached can be fantastic for sprouting jars, or you can build a shelf, a window box that goes on your wall, or use gutters (yes, that’s right, gutters). Some people have even used old hanging shoe organizers as “pots” for their herbs—not bad if function is more important than aesthetics to you.

Get a pallet, jack. Yes, that was cheesy, but it’s also a great idea. If you stand a pallet up vertically, the open slats are spaced perfectly for you to fit in a bunch of different plants while using very little space. You’ll just need trays that have been cut to fit and plants that are okay with being a little cramped. Oh, and of course the pallet itself but, if you just call around to a few stores close by, you’re bound to find a place that will allow you to take a pallet or two the next time they get a shipment. Some of the surprisingly best options to try are pet stores and paint stores, and you should definitely check out Craigslist, because it’s fairly common for people to list them.

Let it all hang out. The concept of decorating your house with hanging plants isn’t a new one but you can take that a step further by creating a hanging garden. This works fantastically for individually potted plants, especially if you can find a space where they’re able to get a lot of sun. But if you just don’t have room or like the idea of heavy ceramic pots hanging over your head, you can always try your hand at what this crazy guy has discovered and start a string garden. No, those photos aren’t doctored. The plants really are hanging by a string and there’s no pot holding in all that dirt. It’s pretty awesome.

Create tiers. Even for those of you apartment-dwellers lucky enough to have porches or balconies, there’s a good chance that they’re not very big so you still have to be creative with your space. One clever solution is to nest your pots together vertically rather than placing them side by side. This blogger made a gorgeous outdoor herb garden by using different sizes of galvanized steel containers and punching holes in the bottom to let the water drain through. The end result is kind of like a series of Russian nesting dolls (or a snowman), with a giant tub on the bottom, followed by a medium-sized tub centered inside it, and then a small tub centered in that one. Making it tiered gives the plants more space vertically and horizontally since they can spread out above the lower ones. Genius.

About the Author:

Mark Russell writes about apartment living and solutions and creative ideas for living in small spaces.  Mark is a writer for Apartment Guys in Chicago.

 

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Crockpot Cooking Tips For Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

February 6th, 2013

Looking for more ways to use your garden fresh vegetables and herbs this winter? The crockpot is one of the greatest time-saving appliances in your kitchen. While one of the best features of a crockpot is its simplicity (just flip a switch!), getting vegetables and herbs perfectly tender and flavorful in a one-pot wonder can be tricky. Read our tips to ensure your next crockpot meal shows off your garden’s bountiful harvest.

Crockpot Tips For Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

*Vegetables do not cook as quickly as meat. Therefore, place all vegetables at the bottom of the crockpot, which is nearest to the heat.

*Fill the crockpot halfway to 2/3 the way full. Overfilling the crockpot will not allow the contents to cook entirely, while not filling the crockpot enough will cook the contents too quickly.

*Adding plenty of liquid to the crockpot (ie: vegetable broth, water, juice) will allow vegetables to become tender and moist.

*Avoid the urge to lift the lid to stir or to “check on” your meal (we know it’s tough!). Lifting the lid, even only for a moment will only force heat to escape, which may affect the cooking time anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

*Add tender vegetables that cook quickly at the end of the cooking period (we suggest the last 45 minutes to an hour). Vegetables that cook very quickly are tomatoes, squash varieties, and mushrooms.

*Try sautéing vegetables in olive oil, salt, and seasonings directly in the crockpot before you add the remaining ingredients. This will add more POW to your meal.

*Many dry herbs can be thrown in at any time, yet many fresh herbs should be added only at the end of the cooking period. Herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley taste their best when stirred in last minute, just before serving. You can also try using half the herbs in the beginning of cooking, and using the remaining herbs at the end of cooking.

Ready to test these crockpot tips out? We offer many of the vegetables and herbs in this recipe in our Veggin’ Out and Uncle Herb’s Favorites seed kits. This slow cooker stew recipe is simply a cinch to make, and has many of the bright flavors associated with Mediterranean cooking.  Feel free to layer it on pasta, ravioli, rice or quinoa – or serve it as a rich stew all on its own. Is it me, or is it hard not to puff up your chest a bit when making a fabulous meal using a slow cooker?

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Stew

Serves 4-5

2 cups eggplant, diced with peel

1 yellow squash, diced with peel

1 small yellow onion, diced

¼  cup black olives, sliced

¼  cup golden raisons

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup vegetable broth

8-ounce can tomato sauce

½ teaspoon chopped cumin

¼  teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon lemon zest

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

olive oil for drizzling

Method: In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except for the parsley and olive oil and stir until well mixed.  Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until vegetables are tender. The last 30 minutes, add chopped parsley. Serve over pasta, ravioli, quinoa or rice.  Drizzle each plate with olive oil before serving.

 

About Us:

Humble Seed specializes in premium garden seed kits that are packaged and themed for convenience and ease.  We are dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to those who choose to start from seed.

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5 Reasons To Start A Garden in 2013

January 1st, 2013

Instead of the usual New Year’s resolution to battle the bulge, why not vow to learn something new? Starting your own garden is a rewarding activity to master, and is the perfect resolution for those that also want to get outdoors more, save money, and eat healthier. Plus, you don’t have to wait for spring to begin. Start an indoor garden of fresh herbs on January 1st!

Our Top 5 Reasons To Start Your Garden In 2013

Reason #1: You’ll have easy access to fresh food, grown organically and sustainably. Instead of driving to the grocery store to pick up perhaps some not-so fresh vegetables that have traveled great distances, take out the middleman this year. With some planning, you can build a garden with everything you enjoy just a few steps from your kitchen. Be sure to choose seed varieties that are organic and non-GMO to ensure your family is also eating healthfully and sustainably in 2013.

Reason #2: It’s personally rewarding. From seed to harvest, the joy of watching your garden grow and flourish can be a rewarding experience like no other. Many avid gardeners attest that they enjoy being out in the garden so much; they continue to do so through lifestyle changes, growing age, financial circumstances, and busy work lives. They find that the surprising personal rewards go beyond having your own source of food (though, that is rewarding too!).

Reason #3: It gets the entire family outdoors: Gardening is more than just growing food and flowers. It’s a way for kids and adults to stay active and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Plus, FitDay says that the average gardener burns 230 calories an hour. Now that beats watching TV any day!

Reason #4: You can save some cash: Even if you start small, you can slash your food bill by planting a garden. In fact, the nonprofit National Gardening Association produced a study that determined an average family spends just $70 a year on a small to medium-sized vegetable garden. For many families, that means thousands of dollars in savings. Now the real question is, what could you spend the extra cash on?

Reason #5: It’s a hobby you can teach and share with others. Gardening offers a unique opportunity to integrate the greater community into the benefits of growing your own food. Whether that means showing your grandchildren how to water a garden, or starting a community garden – gardening has a way of connecting people together.

Sending warm and heartfelt New Year wishes to you from all of us at Humble Seed!

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The Most Frost Tolerant Plants In Your Garden

December 1st, 2012

Don’t wait until after the last frost to plant these vegetables that prefer cooler weather. These plants can take a little frost – and should be planted a month or more before your area’s last average frost. While most vegetables may perform better when started indoors, radishes, turnips, and lettuce germinate and grow rapidly, and are simple to sow directly into the ground. When they are finished growing in the spring, it’s easy to grow warm loving vegetables in their place. Be sure to follow spacing recommendations, and place them in a full sun location during the coolest months.

Broccoli – This nutrient packed plant loves cool weather, and will tolerate a day or two of frost or freezing weather. Plant this vegetable approximately a month prior to your area’s average last frost date. We carry the Di Cicco Italian variety in our Veggin’ Out and The Producer seed kits.

Carrots – These beta-carotene rich vegetables taste sweeter in cooler weather, but can be enjoyed in the spring, summer, and fall. Adding mulch over the roots to keep the soil from freezing can add even more vitality during the winter months. The Scarlet Nantes Carrot, featured in Veggin’ Out and The Producer has a reputation for abundant production.

Chives – These perennial herbs are incredibly weather tolerant, and can be harvested in the spring as leaves appear. Our Purly Chives offer a mild onion flavor, and can found in the Uncle Herb’s Favorites seed kit.

Collards – These hardy greens love cold weather, and can even tolerate a hard freeze. They also fair well in the warmer months, though- keep them out of extremely hot weather.

Lettuce – Green leafy vegetables like lettuce do quite well in cool weather, but need some protection from freezing weather. When gardeners take the time to plant a few seeds every week, a crop can become available on a continuous basis. Red lettuce varieties, like our Red Saladbowl can add beautiful color to your garden.

Peas – These cool season vegetables grow well on a fence or teepee, and under direct sunlight.

Radish – These cool weather-loving vegetables can be harvested as quickly as a month after seeds are planted. You may want to grow these smaller vegetables in containers to save space in your garden.

Spinach – Spinach is loved by gardeners for its low maintenance and cold tolerance. These plants perform better in areas with mild winters, and thrive in the shade during the summer months.

Swiss Chard – Our Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard is one of the most cold tolerant varieties around. This pretty leafy green tastes great raw, sautéed, or added to your favorite soup.

Learn how to protect plants that are not frost tolerant: Protecting Plants From Extreme Cold

**Friends, which frost tolerant plants do you have in your garden right now? How are they doing?

 

About Us:

Humble Seed specializes in premium garden seed kits that are packaged and themed for convenience and ease.  We are dedicated to providing the highest quality heirloom, non-GMO, non-hybrid, and organic seed varieties to those who choose to start from seed.

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