And the Humble Deed Goes To… Oliver’s Garden Project!

April 26th, 2012

We are excited to share a new feature on our blog we’re calling “Humble Deeds.” These posts will highlight those who take part in special projects related to individual or community gardening, and/or an effort that helps promote more sustainable living.  The first family we’d like to recognize for a Humble Deed established their own backyard community garden, with a goal of donating the proceeds to local youth charities.  This task would be a challenge for anyone, yet the striking part is… an exceptional six-year-old came up with the idea! Learn more about Oliver’s Garden Project below!

They are not only growing vegetables, they are growing adults.

Oliver’s Garden Project is a children’s based initiative that promotes growing organic vegetables in your yard and sharing the excess.  Sales of the vegetables go to local youth charities.

Oliver’s Garden Project was started because a six-year-old boy named Oliver wanted to help kids that may not have what they need in terms of food or clothes. It began when Oliver and his mother Stacey were driving, and he spotted two young boys digging through some curbside recycling bins. He asked his mother what they were doing, and Stacey responded, “perhaps they need to return bottles for cash in order to get what they need.” Oliver replied, “no kids should be hungry, we are good people and I want to sell our veggies and give the money to kids in our community.”

They were already growing vegetables in their backyard with the intent to sell and use the money for a family trip. But Oliver convinced them otherwise! With the help of his five-year-old sister Piper, Oliver’s Garden Project was born.

The family trip is still postponed.

They created their handmade vegetable stand and started selling on their front lawn. They sold tomatoes, peppers and basil, and 100% of vegetable sales went to local youth charities. Piper acted as ‘Veggie Stand PR’ and brought in the passers by, while Oliver was answering questions and in charge of the donation jar. His mother blogged about the experience and also shared information on Twitter and on Facebook. It snowballed from there.

The family also had the wonderful support of their neighbors, family and friends, and felt privileged to sell their wares at the Ottawa Street Market. Shortly after, The Hamilton Community Garden Network(HCGN) got in touch with them, and before they knew it they were entered into the Gardens For Good contest through Nature’s Path Organic Foods.  Clare Wagner of HCGN and Stacey met and devised a proposal to submit, which would then be evaluated on a voting system. The ending results were for one Canadian and two American projects to each win a $20,000 grant. Oliver’s family won the top voted idea for Canada!

Now with HCGN and Clare’s help, they are going to continue their project throughout their neighborhood. They now have five families that will have their yard transformed into an urban organic vegetable garden. In turn, what they don’t eat themselves they will share with family, friends or neighbors. They will have a Harvest Fundraiser at the end of the season to sell their vegetables and give the proceeds to local youth charities.

They plan to have tool sharing, seedlings, workshops, consultations and garden supplies available to the five families.  The public is also welcome to utilize the workshops and tool sharing available. They believe that teaching their children the importance of growing their own food, enjoying it and sharing it is an experience that will last them a lifetime.  The family suggests that we all need to get back to basics, feel the pride of producing our own food, and keep it local.

They appreciate any support in keeping this project sustainable. Their future goals include building a greenhouse to have year round access to fresh produce, to continue educating youth, and to create more community gardens.  Donations can be made through their website, www.oliversgardenproject.com .

Oliver and his family thanks you for taking the time to learn about Oliver’s Garden Project. They can be found on Facebook and Twitter (@OliversGProject).

Are you currently involved in a gardening project that contributes to the community and/or promotes a more sustainable lifestyle? Submit your ideas directly to us on Facebook or write to us at info@humbleseed.com!

 

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Beginners And Experienced Gardeners Love Growing Herbs!

March 25th, 2012

With gorgeous spring temperatures close to arriving, you may be toying with ideas on what to grow in your garden this year.  If you are new to gardening, growing fresh and flavorful herbs is a great way to begin the journey.  Many herbs found in Uncle Herb’s Favorites are perennial, meaning they last for three or more seasons (think of the “P” as “permanent”). Fresh herbs like chives, fennel, oregano and sage are all perennials found in this herb seed kit, and are easier to maintain without replacing them each season. Stop by and read our informative herb gardening guide for more tips on how to effectively grow your own herbs!

If this isn’t your first rodeo, perhaps you are looking to expand your selection of herbs in your garden.  A steady supply of herbs just a few feet away is naturally more ideal than running to the store for an expensive, commercially packaged herbs.  Uncle Herb’s Favorites has 10 varieties of herbs that can enhance salad dressings, salads, meat, tofu, and even desserts and drinks. You’ll also find that we offer the freshest seeds around! All of our food kits use Myler® bags to keep each seed at its best, and are then placed in a container that is FDA approved for long-term food storage.  You can trust that our kits are unlike the store bought version; they are water and rodent proof, and re-sealable so that seeds stay fresh between plantings.

Looking to dry your own herbs for long terms use? We found this informative article that will guide you through that endeavor. Spring is here, and it’s a great time to get growing!

Click on image below to view Uncle Herb’s Favorites seed varieties.

 

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Hot For The Antohi Romanian Specialty Frying Pepper!

March 19th, 2012

Looking to spice up your meals at dinnertime? Consider, for a moment, the Antohi Romanian Specialty Frying Pepper found in The Producer as well as Hot Mama’s Peppers and Chiles. This bright yellow pepper that ripens into a brilliant red will entice your taste buds with its bright, sweet flavor.  It tastes sweetest fried, but can be baked, sautéed or even grilled for full flavor.  If you are new to growing peppers, plan on sowing the seeds indoors in mid to late March.  When spring is in full swing, you’ll find that they will become the coquettes of your garden. While you nurture and dote on them; they will ripen and plump, and undoubtedly bring promise of a flavorful dish!

Contrary to the popular belief, peppers are not annuals. Yet, they can be easy to grow if offered warm temperatures and plenty of sunlight.  These frying peppers also do quite well in drained soils rich in calcium and phosphorus. Be sure to harvest them when they are green or mature, and use gardening scissors so to not damage the plant.  Picking peppers when they are fully mature also encourages new buds to form.

These peppers are exceptionally flavorful when cooked in olive oil, and make a great addition topped on your favorite sandwich, or added to a stir-fry.  The recipe below is fresh and tasty — one bite will have you lingering over the thought of leisurely dining on a Mediterranean coast. The best part?  This sandwich can be ready in 20 minutes. Is it just us, or is it hard not to puff up your chest a bit when making a delicious sandwich using vegetables from your own garden?

Mediterranean-Style Vegetable Sandwich

(Makes 4 Sandwiches)

1 medium sized eggplant, sliced length-wise into ¼ inch thick rounds

1 tomato, sliced into rounds

½ onion, cut into half moon slices

5-6 Antohi Romanian Specialty frying peppers, de-seeded and sliced

8 ounces of Mozzarella cheese, ¼ inch slices (optional)

10-12 basil leaves

4 teaspoons Balsamic vinaigrette

¼ cup olive oil

8 slices of crusty French bread

salt and pepper to taste

Method:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay a single layer of the eggplant rounds on a baking tray.  Brush each round with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway for even cooking. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium high heat.  Drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the pan, and add the onion, a pinch of salt, and your frying peppers.  Sauté until tender and fragrant.

Once the eggplant has cooled, layer on the eggplant, onions, peppers, basil and cheese (if using) on a slice of crusty bread.  Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

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How To Compost Indoors Safely And Effectively

March 17th, 2012

Many of us associate composting with the big sandbox in our backyard filled with kitchen scraps and coffee grounds.  If you’ve never tried composting before, it entails taking organic waste materials like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee and tea grounds, eggshells, and even gritty materials like cornmeal, and adding them to a barrel to decompose.  In turn, a composting pile can produce a rich fertilizer for your home garden.  But how does one effectively compost if they are living alone and do not produce many kitchen scraps?  Or perhaps, have limited outdoor space and/or opportunities to change the land?  It’s also not easy to compost outdoors in inclement weather.  For many, indoor composting is the answer, and has become a safe, accessible and effective way to create rich, fertile soil for your garden.

Why Compost?  For one, it reduces the amount of organic waste that ultimately ends up in landfills.  In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency claims that 14% of food ends up in land mills each year.  14% may not seem like much, but remember that rotting materials eventually transforms into methane, which has 21 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide.  If you already recycle your paper, cans and glass, why not do the same with food scraps? Every little bit helps!

Secondly, it’s more sanitary. Placing food scraps to rot in your neighborhood garbage can ultimately leads to rodents, raccoons and insects.  It can also be quite malodorous — which tends to linger until Tuesday’s trash pick-up day. When done correctly, composting in your home reduces the potential of these nuisances, while also posing less imposition to public health and safety.

Most importantly, composting can create a rockin’ fertilizer for your home garden. Not only is it money saving, but it’s also is rich in nutrients and acts as a soil fertilizer, soil conditioner, and even as a natural pesticide.  It’s commonly used in home gardens –- but many also use this key ingredient in landscaping, agriculture and horticulture.

Throw Them In, Don’t Walk On Them! Eggshells, and almost anything leftover from your garden is suitable for composting.  Yet other scraps, odds and ends from around the house also work well in your compost.  This includes coffee and tea grounds, gritty flours, weeds, cardboard, and even dryer lint.  What tends to not work well for less experienced composters are meats, oils, dairy products, animal droppings and overdoing it with liquids. See a full list of composting do’s and don’ts here.

 There are two popular methods to effectively compost indoors.  View the step-by-step instructions to make an indoor compost area of your own!

Aerobic Kitchen Composting: This method of composting requires two bins or containers designed for composting.  The organic matter in the containers ferments naturally using approximately a 70% moisture level, and without heat and oxygen. Each bin should fit either under a sink, in a closet, or can be left out in view.

Step 1: Create two composting bins by finding a leak proof, durable and reusable container with a sealable lid. The bin should be about 10 cubic feet, or 24×24 inches.  A small garbage can will also work just fine. The trick here is to avoid containers that are too deep, or it could lead to unwanted odor.

Drill holes at the bottom of the container for aeration.  Set the container on bricks, and place a tray underneath to catch any liquid.  Using two bins allows one for processing, and the other may be used to add more scraps to.  Once one bin is ready for fertilizing, the other will be processing.

Step 2: Add 1-2 inches of a dry mixture to the bottom of the container.  This could be torn newspaper, cardboard, straw, dead leaves, peat moss, sawdust from untreated wood, cartons, or a combination of these materials.

Step 3:  Distribute the daily kitchen scraps (or weeds, dryer lint) on top. Cover the scraps with more dry mixture.  Some practice adding soil and lime to the dry mixture for more odor control.

Step 4:  Turn the soil every few weeks with a compost aerator or something comparable to create air passages.  If your compost is prone to heavy leaking, or has an odor, simply add more dry bedding and mix it well with an aerator.

Vermicomposting: similar to aerobic kitchen composting (yet not for the faint of heart!).  Adding Red Wriggler Worms in the composting bin will attain an even richer, more fertile compost. Red Worms are built for eating organic matter, and can compost half of their body weight every day! If you’re worried about having worms in your home, keep in mind that these worms are odorless, and help to more efficiently decompose kitchen scraps.

Step 1: Line the bottom of the can with rocks to prevent any worms from escaping. Follow steps 1-4 for aerobic kitchen composting. Leave out any citrus, alcohol, or spicy foods like jalapeños and peppers to keep the Ph level at about a 7.  The ph level is is an important monitor for creating an ideal worm thriving environment.

Step 2: Once the bin has its first layer of kitchen scraps, place the worms in for a “welcome meal.” Continue layering dry bedding, kitchen scraps, and worms until the bin is full.  Most dry bedding works well for worms, but avoid acidic peat moss as it will bring the ph level lower than 7, making the environment too acidic.

PS ~ Vermicomposting for kids.

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Outdoor Composting For Beginners

March 16th, 2012

If you’ve never attempted composting, and have a sizeable backyard near a water supply — run, don’t walk to get started! Compost is a mixture of organic matter (as in leaves, twigs and kitchen scraps) used to improve the soil’s structure while providing nutrients. Composting can also be done indoors, but we find outdoor composting to be more versatile and easier to manage for beginners.  Once you’ve created a designated area to compost, they key is knowing what works well in your compost, and what does not.

Why Compost?  For one, it reduces the amount of organic waste that ultimately ends up in landfills.  In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency claims that 14% of food ends up in land mills each year.  14% may not seem like much, but remember that rotting materials eventually transforms into methane, which has 21 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide.  If you already recycle your paper, cans and glass, why not do the same with food scraps? Every little bit helps!

Secondly, it’s more sanitary. Placing food scraps to rot in your neighborhood garbage can ultimately leads to rodents, raccoons and insects.  It can also be quite malodorous — which tends to linger until Tuesday’s trash pick-up day. When done correctly, composting in your home reduces the potential of these nuisances, while also posing less imposition to public health and safety.

Most importantly, composting can create a rockin’ fertilizer for your home garden. Not only is it money saving, but also is rich in nutrients and acts as a soil fertilizer, soil conditioner, and even as a natural pesticide.  It’s commonly used in home gardens –- but many also use this key ingredient in landscaping, agriculture and horticulture.

Before You Get Started: All composting should contain 3 primary ingredients: kitchen scraps and other organic matter (vegetable and fruit peels, eggshells, gritty flours like cornmeal, coffee and tea grounds and dryer lint), dry bedding (leaves, twigs, soil, newspaper, cardboard and sawdust from untreated wood), and water. Be sure to leave out all animal products like meat, bones and dairy, as well as oils, diseased plants and dog/cat feces, as these can lead to unwanted pests.  See a full list of safe materials to compost here.

To ensure the process is smooth, the following tools will prove useful as you compost: 1-2 composting containers (if using), a wheelbarrow, water hose, pitchfork or compost aerator, and a shovel. Although there are comparable tools one could use, a good composting system will require at least most of these.

To avoid pests, insects and animals, add in more dry materials periodically — this will help aerate the pile, and will alleviate any bad odors. Some also practice adding red wrangler worms to the pile, as they can decompose the compost more quickly, preventing critters from investigating. To ensure a larger animal will not disturb your compost, use a container with a sealed lid for all decomposing matter.  Secure it even further by placing a large rock on top, or wrap it with a bungee cord.

 A Step-By-Step Guide To Outdoor Composting:

1. Choose a shady area in your yard that is close to a hose or water supply.

2. Decide whether you prefer to dig a pit, or use a sealed container for your compost pile.  Although both are effective, containers do help prevent against pests, raccoons and insects. See this guide for building your own composting container.

3. Chop and shred all dry materials and kitchen scraps before adding them to the compost. Begin by adding a 6-inch layer of dry bedding (see list above).

4. Add a 3-inch layer of kitchen scraps (things to never compost here).  Next, top the kitchen scraps with another 3-inch layer of dry bedding.  Spray some water on the dry bedding to create a moist but not wet compost pile.

5.  Continue this process of layering kitchen scraps and dry bedding to the compost.  Aerate the pile once a week with a compost aerator, pitchfork, or something comparable.  This helps to prevent an odor, and allows the compost to ferment evenly.

Harvesting Your Compost: Depending on how large the compost pile is, when to harvest the compost pile will be different for everyone.  A general rule of thumb is to allow 4-8 months of processing before harvesting.  When ready, shovel the dark, soil-like compost to the top while pushing the under-processed compost to the bottom for more time to decompose. If the compost is too damp, add soil to it and mix well.

The compost to soil ratio should be 1 to 5 as you harvest it.  Or, use it on plants that are already established by adding 1 inch around the plant, or 2 inches dug into the soil.  You’ll find the compost will enhance your garden with its nutrients, leaving your garden more vibrant and sustainable.

Do you practice composting in your own yard? What are some tips you’d give to beginners?

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Tips For Sustaining A Survival Garden

February 27th, 2012

There are never any guarantees that our grocery stores will continue to be stocked full of food, or that a natural disaster will allow us safe roads to drive to the store on. Many emergencies are such that there is no time to start growing a garden, or just begin gaining experience at growing food. Perhaps that knowing this, you have already started a survival garden of your own.  But the only question remaining is, “how do I keep a survival garden thriving all year long?” Growing your own survival garden is similar to any other garden in terms of chores and maintenance, but do keep these points in mind:

Sustainable Plant Choices: A survival garden should include plants that are both nutritious and perennial.  It is also advantageous to choose plants with a long, repeated harvest. A survival garden that only requires daily and weekly tasks like fertilizing, mulching, pruning, weeding and watering is a far less daunting than starting a garden from scratch each season.  Also, while perennial plants need nurturing, they are also fairly forgiving for new gardeners, and when temporarily neglected. Good choices to include in your garden are: asparagus, root vegetables, beans, artichokes, horseradish and a variety of herbs.

Become An Expert! Do your research about each fruit, vegetable and herb you grow in your garden. Buy a few books or search online for instructions on the best techniques for proper planting, maintenance and harvesting in your garden.  There is no substitute to knowledge and experience to ensure your garden will thrive when you need it most.

Proper Planning: When including more plants in your survival garden, space should be optimized the best way possible.  Stagger and plant close together, and pay special attention to plants that have deep root systems. Plants that have deep roots (like tomatoes,) should be grown next to plants with less intrusive roots (like lettuce).  Take a look at our post on Companion Planting for more information on plants that grow well together.

Many survival gardeners also like to create designated areas for the variety of plants growing in their garden.  Separating and labeling medicinal herbs, vine vegetables and culinary plants may prove very helpful and accessible when in an emergency situation.

Seed Saving:  In an emergency, no one can afford to waste money or allow a garden to fail. In fact, some emergencies can last for more than one season or year.  Saving seeds from plants that are vigorous and thriving can ensure well-grown food years in the future.  To get the most out of your seeds, first be sure to never use hybrid or genetically modified seeds, as these will not be able to reproduce. Using non-hybrid seeds, also known as open-pollinated, allow you to reproduce the same plant and yield seeds every year.  Keep watch for vegetables and fruit in your garden that are free of disease, yield a high number of produce, and are the best looking (also – resist the urge to eat them!).  Mark that plant with a stake or ribbon. Allow the seeds to fully ripen before harvesting, and carefully place them indoors for drying.  A paper bag or clean newspaper will work just fine.  Once dried, store seeds in a labeled, airtight container or clearly marked envelope. Seed saving can only occur when non-hybrid seeds are planted. You can find a wide variety of non-hybrid seeds within Humble Seed’s The Producer- which makes the perfect survival seed bank.

Canning and Preserving: Preparing early and not waiting for an emergency to arrive is the key to survival. After each harvest, begin storing an emergency supply of food by canning your bounty and storing them in a dark room, food pantry or cellar.  Freezing food is not the best option for disaster preparedness, as there are never any guarantees that electricity will work.  Never canned before?  See our Canning And Preserving 101 post for an easy step-by-step guide to canning your produce.

Be sure to read our original post on Disaster Preparedness for more information and tips on survival gardening!

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From Sprouts to Sprouts: Practical Tips for Making Homemade Baby Food

February 11th, 2012

With the growing concern of contamination, pesticides and chemicals in produce, parents are now seeking the freshest and safest food for their babies.  After all, babies have the most fragile of systems, and pound for pound; babies consume more vegetables than most adults.  Perhaps that is why making your own baby food is the latest trend for sustainable and healthy living.  In fact, 70% of parents have made their own baby food, and the number is growing.  But why leave in the middleman? Growing your own baby food allows parents to grow seasonal produce that their child prefers, while allowing a unique opportunity to have a stake in what goes into their baby’s mouth.

The Jarred Food Dilemma: Over the years, jarred baby food has become safer now that regulations prevent companies from adding “fillers” to jars.  It’s also convenient, and many parents are relieved to see organic baby food now shelved at traditional grocery stores.  Yet jarred baby food, even if organic; is commonly over-cooked and overly processed. It is also concerning that we do not get to see the produce selected for jarring.  Are the fruits and vegetables selected at their peak and truly organic? We just don’t know.

What To Grow: Children prefer sweeter, milder tasting vegetables like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, sweet peas, and beans.  Yet, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are easy to puree and can be made into baby food. In fact, planting a variety of produce can allow babies to become exposed to a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as flavors.  Babycenter.com also recommends incorporating super foods like blueberries, broccoli, avocados, mandarin oranges and prunes, as they are especially healthful for babies. The Producer and Veggin’ Out have a variety of excellent choices.

Preparing Baby Food: Depending on what your little sprout is eating, you’ll need either a: blender, food processor, baby food grinder or even a fork for softer produce like bananas or avocados.

Step 1: Select fruits and vegetables at their peak. Wash off excess dirt, and remove peels, stems and seeds.  Slice into chunks.

Step 2: Cook fruits and vegetables until tender (sautéing in water or lightly steaming works well).  Do not overcook, as this depletes the food from its vital nutrients. It is also not necessary to use oils, butter, lard, salt, seasoning, gravies or sugar while cooking – keep this food as natural as possible.

Step 3: In a pureeing device of your choice, add a liquid such as water or fruit juice (remember that honey is toxic to infants). Puree until smooth and store in batches in your freezer. Many prefer adding the mixture to ice trays as an easy way to store and retrieve single servings. If you plan on storing a smaller portion in the refrigerator, remember not to store it longer than 2 days.

Carrot Acorn Squash Puree

3 cups acorn squash, peeled and chopped

1 cup carrot, peeled and chopped

2 quarts of water

Method:  In a large saucepan, cover the vegetables with water, bring to boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  When soft, remove from heat and add vegetables to a blender with a slotted spoon.  Gradually add reserved water, and puree until very smooth.

 

What are your experiences in making homemade baby food?

 

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Gardens that Heal: Two Botanical Gardens Reach Out To Their Communities

January 29th, 2012

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “All my hurts my garden spade can heal.”  Two extraordinary Botanical Gardens are using this idea to make a big difference in their communities.  They have created programs using nature related activities to improve the well being of those that need it most, and have inspired other organizations to partner with them so that people of all ages and abilities can blossom within a garden.

 Toledo Botanical Gardens: Toledo GROWs

If you ever visit Northwest Ohio, you’ll notice the beautiful lakes and may perhaps sample some of the local Midwest food.  But many do not plan on running into any of the 50-plus community gardens organized by Toledo Botanical Gardens of Toledo, Ohio.  TBG hosts Toledo GROWs, a community outreach program with an aim of offering organizational resources and technical assistance that help cultivate and sustain community gardening projects all throughout Northwestern Ohio.

You may know that community gardens help beautify neighborhoods and provide nutritious food for its members.  What also makes this organization so special are the partnerships that have formed to help sustain each of these local gardens.  Toledo GROWs has created a safe haven and therapeutic experience for at-risk youth, seniors, those with disabilities and families who want to provide a valuable service for their neighborhood.

A shining example of this is when Toledo GROWs partnered with the Lucas County Juvenile Justice System, and provided 100 adjudicated youth with paid employment, a place to learn new skills and gain work experience, and the chance to connect with positive mentors. Other youth-centered farms organized by Toledo GROWs are equipped with greenhouses, chicken coops, orchards, rain gardens, beekeeping and training centers, and are sustained with the help of children and teens.

 Tucson Botanical Gardens: Horticulture Therapy Program

Located in Southern Arizona, Tucson Botanical Gardens was once a charming family home with an extraordinary garden in the late 1920’s.  It is now an organization that offers more than just the beauty of its 5 acres of varying gardens and exhibits.  Juliet, the Horticulture Therapist along with trained docents and volunteers have worked with more than 40 different schools and agencies to serve seniors and children with disabilities throughout Tucson. Once a program started by a docent in 1983, the Horticulture Therapy Program maintains the belief that “persons working in the garden and greenhouse become calmer and more focused, need less medication and are more receptive to therapy” after becoming involved in horticulture therapy.

Members of the program work onsite at the Botanical Gardens performing seasonal maintenance duties from planting to harvesting the gardens’ fruits, vegetables and herbs.  Furthermore, high school students have opportunities to earn internships offsite at neighboring farms and gardens to further their gardening knowledge and provide a service for their community.  Juliet feels that there is a real need for these types of programs in her community, as those with special needs not only learn about gardening, but are also taught invaluable skills like responsibility and proper socialization.  When she sees children with behavioral issues switch gears and maintain a clear focus and excitement for building and maintaining a garden, it’s certain that the healing powers of the garden is something difficult to replicate.

 Do you feel your own garden has served you or others in a therapeutic way? Share your experience! 

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Protect Your Plants From Freezing Temperatures

December 3rd, 2011

“Oh the weather outside is frightful…” (cut to record scratching and you frantically running to ensure your plants have survived the cold).  If you do not have a magic wand handy, below are some helpful tips for protecting your plants during these chilly winter months, and repairing plants that have already experienced some damage.   Whether you are knee deep in snow or still strolling in shorts in a warmer winter climate, protecting plants from frost is easy and beneficial in aiding your plants’ growth when temperatures drop.

 Understanding Your Plant’s Responses to Cold

Not every plant responds to the cold in the same way.  Plant species, stage of growth, water content and general health are all factors in how to decide which plants need more protection than others.  Typically, young plants or actively growing plants with flowers are the most sensitive to cold weather.  Dehydrated plants are also very vulnerable to climate changes.  Yet keep in mind that not all cold weather will damage plants.  A mild change of temperature can actually harden the foliage of plants, protecting it from future, more damaging frosts.  However, the colder the weather, the faster the temperature drops and the longer the plants stay out in the cold weather; the more extensive the plant damage.

Preventing Frost Damage

Prevention is paramount to ensure your plants survive colder temperatures.  First, select plants that are the most susceptible to damage.  Keep in mind that most vegetables, especially root vegetables and plants in the cabbage family, do not need to be covered and prefer as much sunlight as possible (except for potatoes).  While young, dehydrated or actively growing plants with flowers should be covered immediately.  Orchids, citrus plants and gardenias tend to be the most sensitive to cold weather.  Therefore, make sure these are covered first, even if you are not expecting a frost.

If plants are in pots, the best way to prevent damage is to move them inside.  Read Your Guide to Indoor and Windowsill Gardening for more information.  If plants are rooted in the ground, use old blankets, sheets and burlap sacks and lightly drape them over your plants in the evening.  Make sure to remove the covers in the morning so that each plant receives plenty of necessary sunlight.  Stones, stakes or bricks can also be used to prevent covers from blowing off.  Keep in mind that to avoid crushing the plant, avoid using heavy blankets or place wire around the plant to balance the weight.  Comforters are not recommended as these can absorb too much moisture, inevitably damaging your plants.

Other great tricks to keep your plants warm is locating your plants on a cement patio, or placing rocks/bricks around the plant.  The sun will heat up these materials, naturally and will keep your plants warmer.  In the evening, placing holiday lights around your plants can also keep more warmth near your plants (bonus: pretty lights are so festive this time of year!).

How To Identify Damaged Plants

Common symptoms of damaged plants are dead or dormant leaves, fruits and flowers, and dieback of shoots, leaves and stems.  As bad as it may look, no need to panic and immediately prune the damaged areas.  Rather, wait until spring to prune.   Warmth will continue to become trapped inside the damaged canopies and it’s best to leave them alone.  Also, pruning may stimulate new growth, which will ultimately become damaged again in the winter months.  In the spring, you should find that new growth will appear and it will become safe to prune and take out dead wood.

What plants do you plan on covering or taking inside this season?

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Make Your Garden Work Fill Up Your Piggy Bank

November 30th, 2011

Gardening is a wonderful hobby, and you may not relish the idea of turning it into a job. However there are ways in which  you can enjoy your garden whilst making a little money from it too.

Anyone with a garden has the potential to earn money, all that is needed is a little imagination, some homemade compost,  and a polytunnel, and even without these there are ways you can still profit from your pottering.

Pot for Profit

The most obvious route is collecting the seed heads, as the marigold, petunias, pansies and calendulas go to seed in the
autumn, you can collect the bounty and store them somewhere dry. In the spring pot them with a mixture of your compost and some potting compost in used flower pots, and set up a little sign at the end of your drive with a table with plants for sale.

If this seems like too much of an effort, buy some tiny brown envelopes and divide seeds equally between each one. Labelling carefully with a short description along with a one line instruction, you’ll be able to sell your harvest without ever getting your hands dirty.

Split for Victory

Splitting mature plants too makes a tidy profit. Your chrysanthemums, artichokes, grasses and aubrietia will all look fabulous in a pot, and prettier than a garden center, while the flowers left behind will soon grow to the same size again with the extra root space.  Another idea is making produce from your product.  Anyone with an established bramley apple tree or plum tree will know that they give away apples to save them rotting on the floor. There are a myriad of recipes to use these fruits, such as jams, chutneys and jelly’s that will look great in canning jars, and gift wrapped nicely you could find yourself earning a pretty penny indeed.

Almost any vegetable can be made into a chutney, with the courgette and runner bean chutney being a popular choice this year. With a few of the larder essentials such as vinegar and sugar, you can put them in sterilized jars topped with wax paper, cellophane, fabric and ribbon of your choice, they’ll look amazing on any kitchen shelf, and taste even better.

Deft with Design

If you’re deft with design, try your hand at planting hanging baskets for others. Investing in some hessian, a few hanging baskets and using seeds from your own garden; you can create stunning displays that will soon be snapped up as the word spreads.

Then of course there’s the veggie plot. Leave nothing to waste. If you find you’re feeding more than your family with your produce, slap a sticker on it, label the price and sell at a farmers market with the jams, the hanging baskets and the seeds, or quite simply, have a rolling cart you can pull to the end of your drive, with a sign, whenever it’s walking weather and you’re feeling sociable!

 

 

 

 

About the Author:

This guest post was written by Sam at Lavenderworld.  Lavenderworld was launched last year and provides a wide range of products that are naturallybeautiful from skincare to lavender plants and much much more!

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