Organic container gardening is easy and gives good results as long as some
simple rules are followed. Mint, oregano, sage, thyme, marjoram, and basil are
ideal herbs for container gardening.
You can plant each herb in a separate terra cotta pot or plant a collection in a
long window box. You need to use containers that are food safe when choosing
pots for herbs. Some glossy or brightly colored pots are made with lead or other
materials that you won’t want in your food. Plastic pots are always safe, and
most plain terra cotta is safe. Containers that are not safe for food should
have a warning label, so it should be easy to find something decorative that
will not be harmful to you. Most herbs will do well in small pots or with three
or four plants in one long window box. Large plants, such as an old rosemary
bush, can be planted separately in larger containers.
It is preferable to plant only one variety per container. Different plants grow
at different times, different rates, and to different heights. Inevitably one
plant will take over the others or the foliage will be so mixed up you won't
know what you are cutting. Strawberry pots are the exception to this rule, just
don't plant a mint in one.
If you decide to mix herbs together in the same container, be careful not to
grow the more invasive herbs together with slow growing herbs like sage. Mint is
an example of an herb that should be grown in its own pot because it does
eventually take over the space thus preventing the other plant to develop
fully.
Popular herbs for use in cooking are flat leafed
parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, chives, and sage.
All these herbs will grow well together in a large container 24 inches across
the top. Plant the rosemary in the middle because it is a taller plant and quite
hardy, then around the outside plant the other herbs. Of all the others herbs
basil is also quite tall and this could be put beside the rosemary in the
centre. All the other herbs grow to about 10 inches, and some will even spill
out over the side of the container.
There are basically two kinds of herbs: those that need a lot of moisture and
those that don’t. Herbs that prefer moisture-rich soil include basil, cilantro,
tarragon, and parsley, while herbs that don’t need as much water, or
"Mediterranean herbs," include chives, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, bay,
marjoram, and lavender.
Plant herbs with the same moisture needs together. For variety, try a tall,
medium, and cascading plant together in the same pot.
Plant moisture-loving herbs in plastic containers, which retain water, and put
Mediterranean herbs in terra cotta containers, which draw out water. Make sure
there are drainage holes at the bottom otherwise, plants can rot from sitting in
water.
When planting an herb pot, select a container that has at least a one gallon
capacity. If you don't have a gallon pot, use a milk jug or any gallon container
to measure your soil. Each plant will need its own gallon of soil. So, if you
plant several together, make sure they have enough space by measuring your soil.
Get a container that is at least 6-12 inches deep. You can plant multiple
herbs in a wide or long container or use at least a 6" pot for individual
plants.
Mint is also a very popular herb but it does tend to take over a pot so plant
it in a pot on its own.
Herbs ideally thrive in the ground, but with proper choices and the right
precautions, they can flourish in the indoor garden. They have to be positioned
inside the house where they can grow well.
You can combine herbs of different colors to create an atmosphere inside your
house. For example, you can get calendula or lemon thyme, herbs with sunny
colors for a brighter effect.
Let the herbs grow together. They can create a climate among them that will
further encourage their growth. They also create a fuller and healthier
appearance.
Limit the amount of herbs you will plant in a container. It should depend on
the size of your container. There should at least be an allowance of four inches
square in between each type of herb.
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
What Is Organic Gardening
Organic gardening means using only natural products and fertilizers on your
garden and not using any artificial chemicals such as pesticide sprays or slug
pellets.
The first consideration in organic gardening is the soil. You should add organic matter to the soil regularly. You can make your own compost from waste vegetables and decaying plant waste such as grass clippings and leaves.
The next consideration is choosing plants or vegetables that are well suited to your environment. Plants that are adapted to growing in your climate and weather conditions will stand a much better chance of thriving without too much attention. Whereas, a plant that is not right for your site will need a lot of extra attention to boost it's natural defences just to keep it healthy.
With regard to pest control, you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on your plants or spray them with a water and cayenne pepper solution to stop squirrels and other rodents from eating them.
Spray the leaves of your plants with a mixture of 1 part dishwashing detergent to 10 parts water to deter small insects. This won't harm the plants. Another good repellent for many insects is garlic. You could either have some garlic in your garden or spray your plants with a mixture containing garlic oil.
An inexpensive way to keep grub worms from getting at your potatoes is to use a product called milky spore. This will kill the grubs, and as they decompose they will release new spores into the soil.
The first consideration in organic gardening is the soil. You should add organic matter to the soil regularly. You can make your own compost from waste vegetables and decaying plant waste such as grass clippings and leaves.
The next consideration is choosing plants or vegetables that are well suited to your environment. Plants that are adapted to growing in your climate and weather conditions will stand a much better chance of thriving without too much attention. Whereas, a plant that is not right for your site will need a lot of extra attention to boost it's natural defences just to keep it healthy.
With regard to pest control, you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on your plants or spray them with a water and cayenne pepper solution to stop squirrels and other rodents from eating them.
Spray the leaves of your plants with a mixture of 1 part dishwashing detergent to 10 parts water to deter small insects. This won't harm the plants. Another good repellent for many insects is garlic. You could either have some garlic in your garden or spray your plants with a mixture containing garlic oil.
An inexpensive way to keep grub worms from getting at your potatoes is to use a product called milky spore. This will kill the grubs, and as they decompose they will release new spores into the soil.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
What Is Lime Used For In Gardening
In very simple terms, and in just a few words, lime is used in gardening to
lower the acidity of the soil.
The acidity of soil is measured by it's pH level. pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Below 7, the soil is acidic and above 7 it's alkaline.
Different soil types will behave differently so one vital tool for the serious gardener is a tester for acidity levels.
There are different types of test kits available. With the first type, you mix a soil sample with water then compare a colour change to a chart. The second type is an electronic meter with probes that you insert into wet soil.
Whichever kit you use, it will come with instructions and will give you a reading. You will need to take samples or tests from a number of spots to get a better general view of your soil’s acidity level.
You can also judge the acidity of the soil by the types of weeds that grow. Sorrel, creeping buttercup, nettle, dock and mare’s tail are all signs your soil is too acidic, or becoming too acidic. Reducing soil acidity will help deter some weeds but lime isn't used as a weed killer.
Each plant species is suited to different growing conditions and slightly acidic soil can help to keep down blight in potatoes for example. On the other hand, slightly alkali soil has a higher level of salt present which may not suit your particular crop. Gardeners generally tend to aim for a neutral PH of around 7.0.
To lower soil acidity you raise the pH value by adding lime to the soil.
Lime can be applied throughout the year, but most gardeners will apply it during Winter or early Spring. Lime is insoluble in water so thoroughly mix the lime with the top soil. Once moisture is applied the lime will start to chemically react, so thorough mixing in dry conditions is very important. Don't forget that different plants thrive in different soil conditions, so make sure you know which pH level your plant needs before deciding how much or how little lime to apply.
Sprinkle the lime over the soil surface and rake it into the top couple of inches, letting it naturally work down to the root zone by spring. Do not till it deeply into the soil, it will leach down soon enough.
To lower pH and increase acidity you can add sulphate of ammonia or urea which are high nitrogen fertilizers. Adding manure will also lower pH and make the soil more acid. Adding lots of manure year after year will actually reduce soil fertility by making it too acid so the plants cannot access the nutrients.
Never mix lime and fertilizer. They will at best cancel each other out in an unpleasant, to the soil, reaction. So never lime in the same year you fertilize if you can avoid it and certainly not in the same couple of months.
Clay soils tend to become acid more quickly than sandy soils and the amount of organic matter has an effect as well. Clay soils can also be slow to react to the addition of lime as well.
The most common lime used in the garden is agricultural lime or ground limestone (calcium carbonate). It contains about 50% calcium, another essential plant nutrient . Once available only as a powder, pelletized lime is now offered as well. It can be dispensed from fertilizer spreaders and isn’t as messy to work with.
Some gardeners prefer dolomite lime, which contains magnesium as well as calcium. Magnesium is an essential nutrient, though needed in smaller quantities than calcium. Alternate the use of agricultural lime and dolomite, to get a better balance of nutrients.
Never use hydrated or slaked lime, sometime called quicklime. While this substance has many commercial uses, it is much too caustic for the garden.
The acidity of soil is measured by it's pH level. pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Below 7, the soil is acidic and above 7 it's alkaline.
Measuring Soil Acidity (pH level)
Different soil types will behave differently so one vital tool for the serious gardener is a tester for acidity levels.
There are different types of test kits available. With the first type, you mix a soil sample with water then compare a colour change to a chart. The second type is an electronic meter with probes that you insert into wet soil.
Whichever kit you use, it will come with instructions and will give you a reading. You will need to take samples or tests from a number of spots to get a better general view of your soil’s acidity level.
You can also judge the acidity of the soil by the types of weeds that grow. Sorrel, creeping buttercup, nettle, dock and mare’s tail are all signs your soil is too acidic, or becoming too acidic. Reducing soil acidity will help deter some weeds but lime isn't used as a weed killer.
Each plant species is suited to different growing conditions and slightly acidic soil can help to keep down blight in potatoes for example. On the other hand, slightly alkali soil has a higher level of salt present which may not suit your particular crop. Gardeners generally tend to aim for a neutral PH of around 7.0.
Changing The Acidity Level Of The Soil
To lower soil acidity you raise the pH value by adding lime to the soil.
Lime can be applied throughout the year, but most gardeners will apply it during Winter or early Spring. Lime is insoluble in water so thoroughly mix the lime with the top soil. Once moisture is applied the lime will start to chemically react, so thorough mixing in dry conditions is very important. Don't forget that different plants thrive in different soil conditions, so make sure you know which pH level your plant needs before deciding how much or how little lime to apply.
Sprinkle the lime over the soil surface and rake it into the top couple of inches, letting it naturally work down to the root zone by spring. Do not till it deeply into the soil, it will leach down soon enough.
To lower pH and increase acidity you can add sulphate of ammonia or urea which are high nitrogen fertilizers. Adding manure will also lower pH and make the soil more acid. Adding lots of manure year after year will actually reduce soil fertility by making it too acid so the plants cannot access the nutrients.
Never mix lime and fertilizer. They will at best cancel each other out in an unpleasant, to the soil, reaction. So never lime in the same year you fertilize if you can avoid it and certainly not in the same couple of months.
Clay soils tend to become acid more quickly than sandy soils and the amount of organic matter has an effect as well. Clay soils can also be slow to react to the addition of lime as well.
The most common lime used in the garden is agricultural lime or ground limestone (calcium carbonate). It contains about 50% calcium, another essential plant nutrient . Once available only as a powder, pelletized lime is now offered as well. It can be dispensed from fertilizer spreaders and isn’t as messy to work with.
Some gardeners prefer dolomite lime, which contains magnesium as well as calcium. Magnesium is an essential nutrient, though needed in smaller quantities than calcium. Alternate the use of agricultural lime and dolomite, to get a better balance of nutrients.
Never use hydrated or slaked lime, sometime called quicklime. While this substance has many commercial uses, it is much too caustic for the garden.
Monday, 2 December 2013
How To Start Indoor Vegetable Gardening
Why start an indoor vegetable garden?
Growing vegetables indoors allows you to control all elements of the plants existence. You have control of the light, moisture, temperature, and fertilization.
Indoor plants are less prone to pests and parasites. On the other hand, there are still potential pest problems. Insect pests common to house plants will also be attracted to vegetable plants.
Indoor gardens also allow for an extended growing season which can provide fresh grown foods even in the cooler or off seasons.
Starting an indoor vegetable garden:
Indoor vegetables can be grown quite easily in any pot or container. Plastic is usually cheaper, but anything will do. The most important part of the container is making sure that there is drainage in the bottom. If you are using plastic or metal containers, use a drill or sharp object to make drainage holes.
It is important that the soil is lightweight and drains well. A mix that works well is an equal amount by volume of perlite, sand, silica, and forest mulch. Another favourite is equal parts of native soil, sharp coarse sand, and peat moss or compost. You will need a light mix of equal parts of black peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite if your vegetables are growing in hanging containers. Nurseries and gardening centres also have pre mixed mixers, but these will cost you more.
The soil should be lightly packed. If the soil is packed too tightly, there will be problems with root development, drainage and aeration. When you fill the container with soil, make sure there is between one and two inches of space at the top for watering.
You can use the same basic schedule for indoor gardening as you do with outdoor gardening for planting particular vegetables. You can start vegetables from seed much easier indoors because you don’t have to wait for certain weather conditions. As the seeds sprout, make sure that you thin them.
After planting, gently water the soil and be careful not to wash out the seeds. Check twice a day to see if you need to water your indoor vegetable garden. Avoid over watering. Excess water can gather at the base of the container, and cause the rots of your plant to rot.
The only downside that is usually found in indoor gardening is the watering. Plants grown in containers need more care and more attention than plants grown outside. Indoor gardeners need to water by hand and more frequently because plants dry out faster in containers.
Put a label with name, variety and date of planting in each container.
A bright sunny south-facing window can be the ideal site for growing fresh vegetables in containers all year. You need special supplemental lighting for growing vegetables during the winter months.
For your indoor vegetable garden, consider growing vegetables needing minimal space such as radishes, several types of lettuce, or carrots. Another option is small fruit bearing plants, like tomatoes and peppers.
Because you won’t have bees or wind to do the work for you, you will need to pollinate your vegetables yourself once they have started to flower. You can use a paintbrush to transfer the pollen from flower to flower. With vegetables that are self pollinating, you can shake the flower a little so that the pollen falls down inside. Other vegetables have separate male and female flowers, so make sure you are pollinating the right ones.
If you are growing vegetables indoors in the winter, you also need to pay attention to the temperature. Some vegetables can handle cooler air, as long as it is not too cold, but others need warm air to do well. Grow lights can add some heat, but if your indoor vegetable garden is in a garage or basement, you may need to supplement with a small heater. Monitor the temperature closely with a thermometer, because too much heat can damage the plants as well.
Sunday, 20 June 2010
What Is Organic Gardening
Organic gardening means using only natural products and fertilizers on your garden and not using any artificial chemicals such as pesticide sprays or slug pellets.
The first consideration in organic gardening is the soil. You should add organic matter to the soil regularly. You can make your own compost from waste vegetables and decaying plant waste such as grass clippings and leaves.
The next consideration is choosing plants or vegetables that are well suited to your environment. Plants that are adapted to growing in your climate and weather conditions will stand a much better chance of thriving without too much attention. Whereas, a plant that is not right for your site will need a lot of extra attention to boost it's natural defences just to keep it healthy.
With regard to pest control, you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on your plants or spray them with a water and cayenne pepper solution to stop squirrels and other rodents from eating them.
Spray the leaves of your plants with a mixture of 1 part dishwashing detergent to 10 parts water to deter small insects. This won't harm the plants. Another good repellent for many insects is garlic. You could either have some garlic in your garden or spray your plants with a mixture containing garlic oil.
An inexpensive way to keep grub worms from getting at your potatoes is to use a product called milky spore. This will kill the grubs, and as they decompose they will release new spores into the soil.
The first consideration in organic gardening is the soil. You should add organic matter to the soil regularly. You can make your own compost from waste vegetables and decaying plant waste such as grass clippings and leaves.
The next consideration is choosing plants or vegetables that are well suited to your environment. Plants that are adapted to growing in your climate and weather conditions will stand a much better chance of thriving without too much attention. Whereas, a plant that is not right for your site will need a lot of extra attention to boost it's natural defences just to keep it healthy.
With regard to pest control, you can sprinkle cayenne pepper on your plants or spray them with a water and cayenne pepper solution to stop squirrels and other rodents from eating them.
Spray the leaves of your plants with a mixture of 1 part dishwashing detergent to 10 parts water to deter small insects. This won't harm the plants. Another good repellent for many insects is garlic. You could either have some garlic in your garden or spray your plants with a mixture containing garlic oil.
An inexpensive way to keep grub worms from getting at your potatoes is to use a product called milky spore. This will kill the grubs, and as they decompose they will release new spores into the soil.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Planning And Making A Garden
The first thing in garden making is the choice of a position. Without a choice, it means just making the best one can with what you have got. With space limited it turns into no garden, or a box garden. Surely a or container garden is better than having no garden at all.
But we will now reckon that it is doable to actually choose just the right situation for our garden. What shall be picked? The greatest determining factor is the sun. No one would pick a north corner, unless it were absolutely neccessary; because, while north corners do for ferns, certain wild flowers, and begonias, they are of little use as spots for a general garden.
If viable, pick the perfect spot a southern exposure. In this placement, the sun lies warm all day long. When the garden is thus located the rows of veggies and blooms should run north and south. Placed this way, the plants receive the sun's rays all of the morning on the eastern side, and all the afternoon on the western side. One should not have any lopsided plants with this arrangement.
Say the garden aspects southeasterly. In this case the western sun is out of the problem. In order to get the best distribution of sunlight run the rows northwest and southeast.
The plan is to get the most sunlight as evenly spread as practicable for the lengthiest amount of time. . So if you use a small diagram, remembering that you would like the sun to shine part of the day on one side of the plants and part on the other, you can juggle out any situation. The southern exposure gives the ideal instance because the sun gives nearly half time to each side. A northern exposure might mean an almost entire cut-off from sunlight; while northeasterly and southwestern sites constantly get uneven distribution of sun's rays, no matter how carefully this is planned.
If possible, the garden, should be plotted out on paper. The plan is a great aid when the real planting time comes. It saves time and unnecessary buying of seed.
New garden places are probably to be found in two conditions: they are covered either with turf or with rubbish. In big garden areas the ground is ploughed and the sod turned under; but in little gardens remove the turf. How to take off the turf in the best mode is the next question. Stake and line off the garden position. The line gives us an accurate and straight course to follow. Cut the boundaries with the spade all along the line. If the region is a little one, say four feet by eighteen or twenty, this is an easy thing. Such a narrow strip can be marked off like a checker board, the turf cut through with the spade, and easily removed. This could be done in two long strips cut lengthwise of the strip. When the turf is cut through, roll it right up similar a roll of carpet.
But imagine the garden plot is big. Then divide this up into strips a foot wide and remove the turf as before. What shall we do with the sod? Don't throw it away for it is full of richness, although not quite in available form. So pack the sod grass side down one square on another. Leave it to rot and to weather. When rotted it makes a good plant food. Such a pile of rotting vegetable matter is named a compost pile. All through the summertime add any old green veggie matter to this. In the fall put the autumn leaves on. A fine lot of goodness is being fixed for a new season.
Even when the garden is large enough to plough, I would pick out the greatest pieces of sod instead of having them turned under. Go over the ploughed space, pick out the pieces of sod, shake them well and pack them up into a compost heap.
Just the ground is inadequate. The soil is still left in clods. Always as one spades one should break up the big clumps. But even then the ground is in no shape for planting. The ground must be very fine indeed to plant in, because seeds can get very close indeed to fine particles of soil. But the big clods leave big spaces which no tiny root hair can penetrate. A seed is left stranded in a perfect waste when planted in clumps of soil. A baby enclosed with big pieces of beefsteak would starve. A seed among big chunks of soil would be in a like position. The spade can never do this work of pulverizing soil. But the rake can. That's the value of the rake. It is a great clod breaker, but will not do for large clumps. If the soil still has large clumps in it get the hoe.
Numerous people handle the hoe awkwardly. The essential work of this tool is to free the soil of weeds and stir up the top surface. It is applied in summer to form that mulch of dust so precious in retaining moisture in the soil. I often see individuals as if they were going to hack into atoms everything around. Hoeing should never be such lively exercise as that. Spading is physical, hard work, but not hoeing and raking.
After chunks are broken use the rake to get the bed fine and smooth. Now the great piece of work is done.
But we will now reckon that it is doable to actually choose just the right situation for our garden. What shall be picked? The greatest determining factor is the sun. No one would pick a north corner, unless it were absolutely neccessary; because, while north corners do for ferns, certain wild flowers, and begonias, they are of little use as spots for a general garden.
If viable, pick the perfect spot a southern exposure. In this placement, the sun lies warm all day long. When the garden is thus located the rows of veggies and blooms should run north and south. Placed this way, the plants receive the sun's rays all of the morning on the eastern side, and all the afternoon on the western side. One should not have any lopsided plants with this arrangement.
Say the garden aspects southeasterly. In this case the western sun is out of the problem. In order to get the best distribution of sunlight run the rows northwest and southeast.
The plan is to get the most sunlight as evenly spread as practicable for the lengthiest amount of time. . So if you use a small diagram, remembering that you would like the sun to shine part of the day on one side of the plants and part on the other, you can juggle out any situation. The southern exposure gives the ideal instance because the sun gives nearly half time to each side. A northern exposure might mean an almost entire cut-off from sunlight; while northeasterly and southwestern sites constantly get uneven distribution of sun's rays, no matter how carefully this is planned.
If possible, the garden, should be plotted out on paper. The plan is a great aid when the real planting time comes. It saves time and unnecessary buying of seed.
New garden places are probably to be found in two conditions: they are covered either with turf or with rubbish. In big garden areas the ground is ploughed and the sod turned under; but in little gardens remove the turf. How to take off the turf in the best mode is the next question. Stake and line off the garden position. The line gives us an accurate and straight course to follow. Cut the boundaries with the spade all along the line. If the region is a little one, say four feet by eighteen or twenty, this is an easy thing. Such a narrow strip can be marked off like a checker board, the turf cut through with the spade, and easily removed. This could be done in two long strips cut lengthwise of the strip. When the turf is cut through, roll it right up similar a roll of carpet.
But imagine the garden plot is big. Then divide this up into strips a foot wide and remove the turf as before. What shall we do with the sod? Don't throw it away for it is full of richness, although not quite in available form. So pack the sod grass side down one square on another. Leave it to rot and to weather. When rotted it makes a good plant food. Such a pile of rotting vegetable matter is named a compost pile. All through the summertime add any old green veggie matter to this. In the fall put the autumn leaves on. A fine lot of goodness is being fixed for a new season.
Even when the garden is large enough to plough, I would pick out the greatest pieces of sod instead of having them turned under. Go over the ploughed space, pick out the pieces of sod, shake them well and pack them up into a compost heap.
Just the ground is inadequate. The soil is still left in clods. Always as one spades one should break up the big clumps. But even then the ground is in no shape for planting. The ground must be very fine indeed to plant in, because seeds can get very close indeed to fine particles of soil. But the big clods leave big spaces which no tiny root hair can penetrate. A seed is left stranded in a perfect waste when planted in clumps of soil. A baby enclosed with big pieces of beefsteak would starve. A seed among big chunks of soil would be in a like position. The spade can never do this work of pulverizing soil. But the rake can. That's the value of the rake. It is a great clod breaker, but will not do for large clumps. If the soil still has large clumps in it get the hoe.
Numerous people handle the hoe awkwardly. The essential work of this tool is to free the soil of weeds and stir up the top surface. It is applied in summer to form that mulch of dust so precious in retaining moisture in the soil. I often see individuals as if they were going to hack into atoms everything around. Hoeing should never be such lively exercise as that. Spading is physical, hard work, but not hoeing and raking.
After chunks are broken use the rake to get the bed fine and smooth. Now the great piece of work is done.
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Necessities Of The Home Vegetable Garden.
When finding the place for the family vegetable garden it is better to put away once and for all the old notion that the garden "patch" must be an ugly patch in the home surroundings. If thoughtfully planned, carefully planted and thoroughly applied care, it may be formed a gratifying and harmonic feature of the general schema, adding a tint of comfortable homeliness that can ever be produced by bushes, borders, or beds.
With this fact in mind we will not be restricted to any part of the premises merely because it is out of sight at the rear of the barn or garage. In the general medium-size property there will not be much choice as to land. It'll be necessary to consider what is to be had and so do the real best that can be done with it. But there will likely be a good deal of selection as to, first, exposure, and secondly, convenience. Other things being equal, take a place near at hand, with easy access. It might appear that a deviation of simply a few hundred yards may imply nothing, but if one is relying largely upon spare minutes for functioning in and for controlling the garden and in the growth of lots of vegetables the latter is nearly as critical as the other. This matter of handy approach will be of such greater importance than is in all probability to be at first given. Not until you have had to make a dozen time-wasting jaunts for forgot seeds or instruments, or gotten your feet soaking wet by getting out through the dew-drenched grass, will you take in to the full what this may mean.
Exposure.
But the thing of first importance to consider in choosing the patch that is to generate for you happiness and flavoursome vegetables all summer, or even for numerous years, is the exposure. Pick out the "earliest" position you can. Obtain a patch pitching a little to the south or east, that appears to view sun early and maintain it late, and that looks to be out of the direct path of the chilling northern and northeasterly winds. If a building, or even an old fencing, protects it from this direction, your garden will be helped on marvelously, for an early beginning is a great ingredient toward success. If it is not already fortified, a board fencing, or a hedge of some low-growing shrubs or young evergreens, will append really greatly to its usefulness. The importance of featuring such a protection or shelter is completely undervalued by the amateur.
The soil.
The chances are that you will not see a position of errorless garden soil available for utilisation anywhere upon your place. All except the really worst of soils can be got up to a real high degree of productiveness, particularly such as reduced areas as family veggie gardens want. Large tracts of ground that are near pure sand, and others so heavy and mucky that for centuries they rested uncultivated, have often been worked, in the course of merely a few years, to where they render each year great crops on a commercial basis. Indeed do not be deterred about your territory. Particular handling of it is often more crucial, and a garden- plot of ordinary shabby, or "never-brought-up" soil will make practically more for the physical and careful gardener than the richest position will produce under average methods of refinement.
Ideally the garden soil is a "rich, sandy loam." It can't go overstressed that such soils typically are made, not found. Let's analyse this description a bit, for here we get to the start of the four primary factors of gardening food. The others are cultivation, moisture and temperature. "Rich" in the gardener's vocabulary stands for full of plant nutrient; more than that, and this is an item of critical importance, it means full of plant food available to be used straightaway, all ready and spread out on the garden table, or rather in it, where developing things can immediately make use of it; or what we term, in one word, "available" plant food. Practically no soils in long- inhabited residential areas remain naturally rich enough to grow big crops. They are formed rich, or kept rich, in two ways; firstly, by cultivation, which assists to modify the raw plant nutrient stored in the soil into available forms; and secondly, by manuring or supplying plant nutrient to the soil from outside sources.
"Sandy" in the sense applied here, means a soil bearing sufficient particles of sand so that water will pass through it without leaving it pasty and sticky a couple of days after a rainfall; "light" enough, as it is called, so that a smattering, under routine circumstances, will collapse and drop apart promptly after being squeezed in the hand. It's not essential that the soil be sandy in show, but it should be crumbly.
"Loam: a rich, friable soil," states Webster. That barely embraces it, but it does distinguish it. It is soil in which the sand and clay are in particular ratios, so that neither greatly predominate, and normally darkly colored, from cultivation and enrichment. Such a soil, still to the untrained eye, but by nature seems as if it would grow things. It is extraordinary how quickly the entirely physical visual aspect of a piece of well cultivated soil will convert. An illustration came under my notice last fall in one of my fields, where a strip holding an acre had been two years in onion plants, and a small bit sticking out from the middle of this had been made for them for precisely one season. The remainder had not took in any extra manuring or cultivation. When the field was plowed up in the fall, all three divisions were as distinctly noticeable as is they were separated by a surround. And I acknowledge that next spring's crop of rye, before it is plowed under, will display the courses of demarcation precisely as plain.
With this fact in mind we will not be restricted to any part of the premises merely because it is out of sight at the rear of the barn or garage. In the general medium-size property there will not be much choice as to land. It'll be necessary to consider what is to be had and so do the real best that can be done with it. But there will likely be a good deal of selection as to, first, exposure, and secondly, convenience. Other things being equal, take a place near at hand, with easy access. It might appear that a deviation of simply a few hundred yards may imply nothing, but if one is relying largely upon spare minutes for functioning in and for controlling the garden and in the growth of lots of vegetables the latter is nearly as critical as the other. This matter of handy approach will be of such greater importance than is in all probability to be at first given. Not until you have had to make a dozen time-wasting jaunts for forgot seeds or instruments, or gotten your feet soaking wet by getting out through the dew-drenched grass, will you take in to the full what this may mean.
Exposure.
But the thing of first importance to consider in choosing the patch that is to generate for you happiness and flavoursome vegetables all summer, or even for numerous years, is the exposure. Pick out the "earliest" position you can. Obtain a patch pitching a little to the south or east, that appears to view sun early and maintain it late, and that looks to be out of the direct path of the chilling northern and northeasterly winds. If a building, or even an old fencing, protects it from this direction, your garden will be helped on marvelously, for an early beginning is a great ingredient toward success. If it is not already fortified, a board fencing, or a hedge of some low-growing shrubs or young evergreens, will append really greatly to its usefulness. The importance of featuring such a protection or shelter is completely undervalued by the amateur.
The soil.
The chances are that you will not see a position of errorless garden soil available for utilisation anywhere upon your place. All except the really worst of soils can be got up to a real high degree of productiveness, particularly such as reduced areas as family veggie gardens want. Large tracts of ground that are near pure sand, and others so heavy and mucky that for centuries they rested uncultivated, have often been worked, in the course of merely a few years, to where they render each year great crops on a commercial basis. Indeed do not be deterred about your territory. Particular handling of it is often more crucial, and a garden- plot of ordinary shabby, or "never-brought-up" soil will make practically more for the physical and careful gardener than the richest position will produce under average methods of refinement.
Ideally the garden soil is a "rich, sandy loam." It can't go overstressed that such soils typically are made, not found. Let's analyse this description a bit, for here we get to the start of the four primary factors of gardening food. The others are cultivation, moisture and temperature. "Rich" in the gardener's vocabulary stands for full of plant nutrient; more than that, and this is an item of critical importance, it means full of plant food available to be used straightaway, all ready and spread out on the garden table, or rather in it, where developing things can immediately make use of it; or what we term, in one word, "available" plant food. Practically no soils in long- inhabited residential areas remain naturally rich enough to grow big crops. They are formed rich, or kept rich, in two ways; firstly, by cultivation, which assists to modify the raw plant nutrient stored in the soil into available forms; and secondly, by manuring or supplying plant nutrient to the soil from outside sources.
"Sandy" in the sense applied here, means a soil bearing sufficient particles of sand so that water will pass through it without leaving it pasty and sticky a couple of days after a rainfall; "light" enough, as it is called, so that a smattering, under routine circumstances, will collapse and drop apart promptly after being squeezed in the hand. It's not essential that the soil be sandy in show, but it should be crumbly.
"Loam: a rich, friable soil," states Webster. That barely embraces it, but it does distinguish it. It is soil in which the sand and clay are in particular ratios, so that neither greatly predominate, and normally darkly colored, from cultivation and enrichment. Such a soil, still to the untrained eye, but by nature seems as if it would grow things. It is extraordinary how quickly the entirely physical visual aspect of a piece of well cultivated soil will convert. An illustration came under my notice last fall in one of my fields, where a strip holding an acre had been two years in onion plants, and a small bit sticking out from the middle of this had been made for them for precisely one season. The remainder had not took in any extra manuring or cultivation. When the field was plowed up in the fall, all three divisions were as distinctly noticeable as is they were separated by a surround. And I acknowledge that next spring's crop of rye, before it is plowed under, will display the courses of demarcation precisely as plain.
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