Make Gardening a Family Affair - Part 3: Get the Whole Family Involved

It may seem easier to do some of the harder steps of growing a garden by yourself - especially if you’ve had some experience gardening and can get it done faster. However, if you want to garden together as a family, and receive all of the benefits this can bring, it’s important that the others in your family also know how to do all of the steps.

They’re more likely to appreciate the end result more when they’ve been involved every step of the way. Also, if they only know the easy steps, they won’t know everything they need to know to begin their own garden!

By letting your family help in every step, they learn all the basics of gardening. They also learn the tips like when the best time is to plant certain seeds and what type of fruits and vegetables are the easiest to grow. They’ll learn how to prepare the soil and how to test it to make sure that it’s ready for growing things.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your family will enjoy telling friends that they know how to garden. Many of the fruits and vegetables can be harvested and then canned or frozen. You can share them that way or in their fresh-from-the-garden state with family or friends. Giving a basket full of freshly grown food to someone can also teach your family about the importance of sharing and giving.

When the family is working in the garden, especially when it’s gardening with children, you want to make sure that they’re actually working in the gardening during that time. You want to check on them, but you also want to make sure that you’re giving them the freedom to learn and make discoveries on their own. It can be easy to hover over your children and tell them what to do every step of the way.

However, that should only be done the first few times you work in the garden together. If you continually hover, your child won’t learn how to work on his own and his accomplishment at having grown fruits and vegetables won’t be “just his.”

It’s important that you teach your child every step, make sure he or she understands, and then let him work on his own. If you’re worried that your child won’t remember to do certain things in the garden, you can make a colorful calendar for him!

Mark the days when he needs to water the plants or pull weeds. This way, you don’t have to continually remind him and he feels as though he’s accomplishing something on his own.

If you’re working in the garden with your spouse, remember that everyone has a way they like to do things, and not everything has to be done "your way." While this can be challenging if you're used to gardening on your own, if you approach it the right way, this can actually bring a fun and unique twist to gardening as a family.

Keep in mind that even though the garden might be hard work, it should still be something that all of you find fun and enjoy doing together. One of the ways that you can make sure your family enjoys gardening is to make sure that you do what you can to have fun throughout the process!

Next week, we'll cover some ways to make gardening fun for the whole family!

Make Gardening a Family Affair - Part 1: Why Gardening Is Good for the Whole Family!

Gardening offers so many benefits for those who make it a part of their lives! It can put some extra food on the table, offer nutritious foods for your family’s good health, and it can be a fun hobby, too. However, not only can it be a great activity for one person, but it can also be a bonding experience for the whole family to do together.

When you involve your loved ones in gardening, it also lightens the workload of one person having to prepare and care for a garden, and it will give your family time to support each other, offer praise, and share excitement – all in a peaceful setting without the intrusion of electronics.

It’s easy to get your whole family involved in creating and maintaining a sustainable garden. Your spouse and children can help take care of the garden as a whole - with everyone working side by side, or you can split up portions of the garden into different sections and rotate it among family members so that each person spends time helping another person in your family.

Why Gardening Is Good for the Family

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gardening isn’t just a good hobby. You can learn a lot of different things through gardening, including self-sufficiency. When you involve your family in the process of growing their own fruits and vegetables, you’ll be helping them learn many useful things that can benefit them now as well as later on in life.

When your family gardens, everyone will have to learn which fruits and vegetables are best grown in the spring and summer, and which ones are best grown in the fall. You can give everyone a lesson on planting zones and how to choose which produce grows best in your area.

You will also learn how weather can affect plants, how water and sunshine help the plant to grow, and what bugs are attracted to certain plants. These facts will interest teens as well as younger kids.

You can learn more than just the facts and benefits of plants for food. When you garden with your family, you can learn other uses for a plant. For instance, some of them have been used throughout human history to treat certain health issues.

Teach them that the basil they’re growing can possibly help treat headaches. Let them know that the lavender they see sprouting up is something that can help calm and soothe them after a stressful day, even helping them sleep better at night!

As you work with your family to plant and care for a garden, let them learn which fruits and vegetables work best with certain dishes and which ones they like most. You don’t want to plant something no one likes and that you’ll never eat!

Gardening is also a great way to explore and learn brand new foods to try. If you’re first starting out, use fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow, such as beets, carrots, cucumbers, snap peas, and blackberries.

Once you’ve been gardening for awhile, don’t be afraid to experiment with different fruits and vegetables. Mix up your garden to create some color and variety. Have fun letting others in your family choose what to plant in the garden! Teens and younger kids will especially enjoy having this choice.

Another benefit of gardening is getting to watch your kids become self-confident when they learn to grow a vegetable or fruit on their own.

You’ll also get to see your child become more responsible as they take care to water the plants and pull weeds to help the garden grow.

Let your family members each be responsible for their own fruits and vegetables. Allow them to learn and to research the care that different types of plants need.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gardening can also help open up communication. If you have older kids and teenagers, many parents find it hard to communicate with them. But if you can have them help you in the garden, it creates time you can spend with them one on one – without friends texting them or the TV blaring in the background. Sometimes, all it takes is doing an activity together to help strengthen family bonds!

Not only does gardening help with communication, but it also opens your family up to having something they all share. It helps bring the family together and adds closeness.

This works the same with your spouse.

If you both work, time with each other can be limited. But having something that you both take care of together can offer a time for communication as well as a fun hobby.

Just keep in mind that different family members will enjoy certain tasks more than others. While you might enjoy pulling weeds, another family member might not be so thrilled with it. Make sure to split up the tasks so no one gets stuck doing something he or she hates.

As you can see, gardening together as a family has many benefits for everyone, and can help bring your family closer together doing something productive that you all can enjoy!

Be sure to check back next week for some more helpful tips on getting your kids involved in the garden....

Provide Safe Food for Your Family By Growing An Organic Vegetable Garden

Organic gardens are gardens that produce plants and vegetables that are grown and handled naturally - without any chemical inputs. There are many people who are understandably concerned about the chemicals that are sprayed on commercial fruits and vegetables and the additives that are used to keep them fresh.

We all know that fruits and vegetables are healthy for our mind and bodies, but what about those chemicals and additives that are placed on commercially grown food? They sometimes cancel out the benefits they provide because they cause damage to our systems.

Growing an organic vegetable garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Organic gardening helps to ensure that we’re consuming fresh, natural foods that provide the necessary nutrients for our bodies. Organic gardening doesn’t use any chemicals or additives, so you can enjoy an all-natural diet, without polluting the environment or your body.

Many commercially grown fruits and vegetables use chemicals to keep the insects and other pests away from the food, and additives are used to keep them fresher longer from the harvesting field to a consumer’s table.

In truth, there are other ways to produce food for the population without tainting it with chemicals and additives. In fact, if you grow your own organic garden, you have the benefit of eating the produce right away, which would eliminate the need for any additives or preservatives.

There’s also no need for chemicals to rid the plants of pests. With the proper use of plants in your garden that deter harmful insects and attract beneficial ones that will rid your garden of insects that would harm the food, you can grow vegetables without the use of chemical pesticides.

Red earthworm in soil from organic garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There’s also no need to use artificial fertilizers to help the plants grow. You can use natural fertilizers that you can recycle over and over, keeping waste under control as well as feeding your garden. And it's easy - all you need is leaves, grass clippings and table scraps to be stored for composting!

One of the biggest advantages of having an organic garden is that because there are no chemicals used in your soil, there’s less danger to the plant life, wildlife, water supply, and humans.

Organic gardening allows you to put food on the table for your family and know exactly what you’re putting on the table instead of just taking a chance, and hoping that you’re not putting anything harmful into your family’s mouths.

Take control and make sure your family is safe with the food you prepare for them. Do you want to risk harming them with traces of sprayed chemicals - or do you want them to benefit from the nutrients an organic garden provides?

Be sure to check back next week, as we will be providing some helpful tips for growing an organic vegetable garden this month.

Small Garden Succession Planting Tips for Success

Succession planting is a growing method designed to maximize the amount of fresh produce that can be harvested from a particular growing area. It is all about the efficient use of time and space to produce high level results. For this reason, succession planting is worth a look if you have limited space or if you just want to get as much reward as possible from your gardening efforts.

Companion planting of carrots and onions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Single Crop vs. Multiple Crop Strategies

There are a couple of ways you can approach succession planting. One option is to focus on growing a single crop in a defined area. The other option is to inter-plant several complementary plant species within the same area. Regardless of which option you choose, it’s a good idea to start small with one or two beds until you get the hang of creating a planting schedule that works for you. In general, experimenting with a single type of plant or several that are closely related, such as different types of salad greens, is also recommended.

Successive Planting vs. Simultaneous Planting

Depending on what plants you plan to grow, you can either employ successive planting, simultaneous planting, or a combination of the two. Successive planting refers to planting small amounts of seeds over and over again throughout the season. The seeds planted can be either from the same plant or from two or more complementary varieties or species.

On the other hand, simultaneous planting involves planting several varieties of either the same or different types of plants with varying maturity dates at once. Diverse plants with early, mid and late maturity varieties are ideal for simultaneous planting. Tomatoes are good examples.

Ideal Plants for Successive Planting 

Lettuce and other salad greens are perfect choices for successive planting thanks to their fast growth cycle. The same can also be said for many herbs, such as basil and cilantro. The primary benefit to planting new seeds or seedlings every few weeks is that it ensures a continuous supply of fresh produce all season long. 

Temperature preference is another factor to consider when choosing two or more plants for successive planting. Some plants thrive during cooler seasons, while others are more tolerant of hot summer weather. By understanding what conditions your plants prefer, you can make the best use of your available growing space.

For example, you can plant cool weather crops like radishes and carrots early in the year and then again in late summer or early fall. In between, you can fill those beds with more heat-tolerant transplants such like eggplant or hot peppers.

Selecting Plants for Simultaneous Planting 

The key to a successful simultaneous planting is to choose non-competing plants with different maturity dates. You’ll also want to note what type of root structure they have (shallow versus a single, deep tap root), how much water and sunlight they need, and which nutrients they require. If you get stuck, you may want to pick up a reputable companion planting resource to answer any specific questions you may have. 

Although this may seem like a lot of information to absorb, don’t get discouraged and feel like you need to know everything at once. Start small with only a few plants and work your way up as your knowledge and skill increases.

Helpful Resources for Succession & Companion Planting:
   

FREE E-Book: How to Grow More Delicious Veggies In Less Space

In honor of gardening season, this month we're giving away a great resource on how to grow a successful vegetable garden this year, regardless of where you live, or how much space you have.

Having lived in tiny apartments, with limited or no gardening space for many years, I have experienced gardening on a small scale in pretty much every aspect! From growing tomatoes and herbs in pots on a second-floor patio through the hot, wet, humid summers of Houston, TX, to coaxing potatoes to grow in a tiny, shady bed through the cool summers of Ohio - I've been there, done that!

I know it can be difficult to grow your own vegetables if you live in a city, but I am also living proof that it's possible - even if you only rent a small apartment with little to no outdoor space.

This short report will show you 5 methods of growing your own veggies in a very limited amount of space, as well as tips for a growing successful and bountiful garden - no matter where you live.

Click Here to Download Your Free Small Space Gardening E-Book!

Creative Ideas to Include Fruits & Vegetables In Your Landscaping

If you lack the space for a full-scale garden, you can still grow your own fresh fruits, vegetables and culinary herbs. The only requirement is that you have access to an outdoor space, such as around your home’s foundation, deck, patio, or on a balcony.

This month, we're going to share some helpful tips - as well as an excellent FREE resource - on how to grow a beautiful, successful garden in a very small amount of space.

Here are a few stealthy ideas to grow more healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables around your home this year:

Vegetables and ornamental plants. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you live in a home with landscape plants around its foundation, you have plenty of opportunities to grow fresh produce. Assuming you have permission to modify the existing landscaping, you can weave in a many different kinds of food-producing plants. The key to doing this without making your home look like an eyesore is to look for plants that are both beautiful and yield a tasty crop. You will also want to be sure your ornamental plants aren’t sprayed with chemicals or pesticides that can contaminate your food-producing plants.

Most traditional landscape designs consist of a variety of ornamental trees, bushes, shrubs and flowering plants. While this approach can be very pleasing to the eye, it doesn’t do much for your stomach. So, instead of planting strictly ornamental landscape plants to improve your home’s curb appeal, start looking for edible alternatives that are suitable for your climate.

For example, many fruit-bearing trees, including apples, pears, plums, peaches or cherries, are available in compact, attractive varieties. Blueberries are both delicious and nutritious, but many people don’t realize they grow on beautiful ornamental bushes that can add 3-season appeal to your landscape design. Compact bush beans form attractive deep green mounds that look lovely, especially when planted en masse. The gorgeous Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ variety creates an eye-catching color pallet with its deep red and yellow stalks and dark green leaves. 

In the fall, you can tuck some hardneck seed garlic in amongst your established landscape plants. To make them easier to find next year, plant them in clusters. Then, once they develop those charming gooseneck scapes in the spring, cut them off to force the plant's energy back into the bulb. Don’t let them go to waste, however. Tender garlic scapes are delicious chopped and used on top of baked potatoes, fresh salads or in soups!

Thyme is also a welcome addition to any landscape because of its gentle creeping habit and wonderful fragrance when it is disturbed. For this reason, thyme is ideal for filling in along paths and walkways. For a more distinctive look and wonderful citrusy aroma, look for the lovely lemon variety. If you plan to use your thyme in recipes, plant some in elevated containers or in an out-of-reach area where domestic pets or other animals aren’t likely to do their business on it.

Sage, with its soft greyish-green leaves, is another herb that is as beautiful as it is delicious. Planted in groups, it makes an attractive focal point at the front of a landscape bed. To enjoy, snip several leaves to make a delicious browned butter and sage sauce to top fresh gnocchi or pumpkin ravioli.

Herbs in containers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even plants that aren’t traditionally attractive can add visual appeal to a landscape. For example, cherry or pear tomato plants aren’t necessarily pretty by themselves, but look great when added to large colorful containers and set in amongst other ornamentals. Try this old design trick: use an odd-number of containers to create a strong visual statement. A collection of 3 or 5 cobalt blue planters with neatly staked and well-maintained plants creates a visually interesting display.

Speaking of containers, don’t forget to tuck fragrant herbs and edible flowers in amongst your more traditional annual ornamental flowers. Rosemary is a great addition to container gardens because it offers a strong vertical element that complements plants with more compact and trailing growth habits. You may want to consider edible flowers such as violas and chive blossoms, as well.

If your planting area is confined to a small patio or balcony, don’t despair. You can still grow a lot of wonderful culinary herbs, dwarf fruit plants and a couple of tomato plants in a very small space. In fact, you may be pleasantly surprised by how much your modest areas can produce!

Be sure to stay tuned later this month, as we'll be giving away a FREE E-book just for those looking to grow more food in less space!

5 Advantages of Raised Vegetable Garden Beds

Raised vegetable garden beds are an excellent choice for many people with a small backyard or garden. In this article we will look at the advantages of setting up raised vegetable beds as well as some of the materials that you can use to establish this style of gardening in your yard.

1. The biggest advantage of raised bed gardening for most people is that it is so much easier to maintain. Your beds are closer to eye level so you can see and eliminate weeds and pests so much more easily.  Because of this, you are likely to spot them and deal with them before they become a serious threat to your vegetables.

Raised vegetable beds for disabled access from wheelchairs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. The greater accessibility of the beds means less bending, so you can escape a lot of the physical discomfort of gardening. This is especially important for people with back problems or other physical difficulties but it makes gardening easier for everybody. You can even take a chair or stool to sit on while you garden. If the height of the beds and the pathways between them are designed correctly, it can also make the garden wheelchair-accessible both for visiting and for carrying out gardening tasks from a wheelchair.

3. Some pests are less likely to invade your beds if they are raised up from the ground, simply because it is harder for them to crawl up. This is especially true of slugs if you have brick-built beds, but you can also restrict access by putting deterrents for particular pests such as ants around the base of your beds. Vinegar can be a great deterrent for ants, but it could burn the leaves and roots of your plants if you didn't have raised beds.

4. When your garden is raised off the ground it is more visible from windows. The beds themselves can be attractive features and the plants are closer to eye level, so your garden can be even more pleasing to the eye.

5. Raised vegetable beds provide a more substantial and permanent alternative to container gardening for those who do not have bare earth in their yard. You can establish raised beds and fill them with earth to a greater depth than some containers will allow.

Raised bed garden with wood frames. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may even be able to establish a raised bed garden on a roof or large balcony, but be very careful not to overload it. Raised beds can be much heavier than containers and you would not want your roof or balcony to collapse under the weight!

Materials for raised beds include brick, wood or plastic. Plastic doesn't decompose as quickly as wood, but it can warp and crack over time, or bow outwards. Wood can look very attractive at first but it is not so long lasting. If you use treated wood that lasts longer, a small amount of chemicals may seep into your soil and possibly eventually into your vegetable crops, so it's really not a good idea for growing vegetables.  Even if you have a lining, which is recommended if you must use treated wood, this can tear or be damaged by pests over the years. If you use wood for edging your beds, be prepared to replace them every few years.

Brick is heavy, but is often a good solution because of its strength and relative permanence. Brick raised vegetable beds look very good and keep their attractive appearance for a long time.

Raised Bed Gardening Kits:
     

Planning A Productive & Practical Potager

A well-planned potager, or kitchen garden, can be a beautiful and enticing way to incorporate more fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs into your diet. The following tips will help you plan a productive and practical potatger.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tip #1: Pick the Perfect Spot.  When choosing a location for your kitchen garden, try to find a spot as close to your kitchen as possible.  After all, you want your own personal culinary garden to be easy to reach while you are preparing meals.

The location you choose must also take into consideration the kind of environment your plants prefer. Choose a sunny location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. If you live in a really hot climate, you may find a bit of afternoon shade is nice to have, as well.

Also, you’ll want to make sure the location you choose has easy access to water. You definitely don’t want to drag a heavy garden hose around the house or carry buckets of water in order to keep your plants hydrated.

Tip #2: Pick Your Plants. The easiest way to decide what you want to grow in your potager is to think about what you like to cook.

For example, if you use a lot of fresh herbs, you’ll want to keep a big pot of your favorite varieties on hand. Kids can’t get enough of your homemade salsa? Plan to have a steady supply of fresh cilantro and juicy tomatoes nearby.

In other words, you want to stock your kitchen garden with the fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers you use in your day-to-day cooking.  These are the items you will want to have convenient access to throughout the growing season. Items you plan freeze, can or otherwise preserve for later use are ideal for your regular vegetable garden.

A potager using trellises for vertical space. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tip #3: Make the Most of the Space You Have.  Due to their proximity to the house, many kitchen gardens are confined to a relatively small space. If your proposed potager has a small overall footprint, don’t get discouraged. Instead – look up!

Take advantage of as much vertical space as possible to maximize your growing area. Consider growing juicy yellow pear tomatoes surrounded by creeping thyme in a vertical container or use hanging baskets suspended on shepherd hooks for your favorite herbs. Just make sure you keep them well watered as hanging baskets tend to dry out more quickly.

You could also add a trellis or incorporate a fence into your design to provide support for climbing plants, such as pole beans or cucumbers. If your potager has a blank wall with good sun exposure, you could add a ladder-like series of shelves to house a lot more plants than you could fit into the ground you have available.

Tip #4: Make It Beautiful. Although some may argue that beauty for its own sake is neither productive nor practical, I disagree. Your kitchen garden is an extension of your home and will likely be visible to your family and guests. So, making the area as attractive as possible just makes good sense. 

Balance, symmetry and repetition are components of any good garden design. To incorporate balance and symmetry into your potager, try adding two matching brightly colored containers filled with herbs and place them on each side of the entrance.

For repetition, add multiples of the same plants throughout the garden. For example, a group of 3 cherry tomato plants in attractive containers will have a stronger visual impact than a single plant. You can also create a sense of order by planting lovely borders of edible flowers or fragrant herbs along walkways.

One great thing about incorporating ornamental aspects into your potager is you may find you want to spend more time in an area that nourishes both your body and soul.

What’s the Difference Between a Kitchen Garden and a Regular Vegetable Garden?

Have you ever wondered exactly what a “kitchen garden” is or how it differs from a regular vegetable garden?

For starters, a kitchen garden or potager (pronounced puh-ta-zhay), is a special kind of edible garden with a rich history tracing back to old English and French culinary gardens. 

Much like a traditional vegetable garden, a kitchen garden is a chef’s delight filled with delicious fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. In short, a kitchen garden is a celebration of fresh ingredients and delicious home cooked meals.

Both kitchen and traditional gardens offer a sense of satisfaction coupled with tangible rewards for a job well done. Beyond these similarities, there are some distinct differences between the two, however.

A Kitchen Garden Has Three Main Characteristics:

Kitchen Garden: Herbs in pots. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Convenience. One of the main characteristics of a kitchen garden is accessibility. It should be easy to grab the items you need to your prepare your daily meals. Therefore, a potager should be located as close to your food preparation area as possible.

Imagine you are in the middle of preparing dinner when you suddenly realize “this marinade could use a little more rosemary.” Rather than trek out to your main vegetable garden while you have pots simmering on the stove, wouldn’t you rather be able to reach right outside your door to snip a couple sprigs?

With a kitchen garden, the easier it is to grab what you need while you are cooking, the better.

2. Size. Kitchen gardens are usually smaller than traditional gardens because they are situated so close to the house. This isn’t always the case, of course, but having a culinary garden close enough to offer easy access while you are cooking may limit the amount of space available.

If you only have limited space available to plant a kitchen garden, here is a good rule of thumb to consider: A regular vegetable garden is about planning for the future, while a kitchen garden is about enjoying today. Therefore, the fruits and vegetables you plan to preserve for future use - or crops, such as corn, that take up a lot of space - are good choices for a traditional vegetable garden where space is at less of a premium. 

Instead, kitchen gardens are normally filled with the items you prepare and eat while fresh. Therefore, containers of fresh herbs, compact cherry tomato plants, or an assortment of leaf lettuce varieties all make great additions to a potager.  If you lack the space for a traditional garden, a small kitchen garden can keep you in fresh, delicious produce all season long.

Kitchen Garden, Attadale Gardens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Beauty. While a standard vegetable garden is all about utility and production, part of the charm of a kitchen garden comes from its ornamental aspect. Due to its proximity to the house, a kitchen garden is harder to tuck out of sight than a traditional garden. Therefore, they are often designed to add a sense of beauty to your home, as well.

Some herbs, such as lemon thyme, can be used to create a beautiful and fragrant border around plants and containers. Edible flowers, such as violas and daylilies, can be incorporated to add a splash of color. Compact blueberry shrubs are also highly ornamental and make a wonderful, yet functional border. 

As you can see, a kitchen garden offers both convenience and beauty in a compact space. The best part is it doesn’t take much to get started. All you need is a couple large pots, some fresh herbs, your favorite compact tomato plant and lettuce varieties and you’ll be on your way!

Vegetable Gardening Apps For Your Phone or iPad

Raise your hand if you love to grow vegetables! Raise your hand if you like cool apps for your phone! Why not combine the two and download a couple apps specifically geared for vegetable gardeners?  It might seem a little strange - gardening has to do with getting physical outside and getting as far from your phone as possible, right? But keep an open mind here; these apps can educate you on various aspects of planning and growing your veggies and make your gardening life a little easier.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Check these out:

Gardening Plant Care Videos. All the How To videos you could want, in your own personal phone library. There's everything from continuous lettuce harvesting tips to how to graft a fruit tree to how to grow vegetables upside down.

Garden Compass. One neat thing you can do with this app is take a picture of a plant or problem/pest you want identified, send it to their experts and you will get a response within 24 hours.

Vegetable Garden Planner. Want to know how many seeds or seedlings to plant to feed your family? This is the app for you. No more planting enough to feed an army, unless you want to feed an army.

Vegetable Gardening (Grow Planner). This app provides an all-around education - how to start, how to plant, how to harvest and what to do with your harvest (canning, cooking, freezing, drying, pickling and eating). It can even show you how to create a root cellar and how to grow herbs indoors.

Gardening Toolkit. A wealth of information here. It gives you info on vegetable plants as well as how to plant them - seed depth, days to germination, when to sow. This application will even give you info on companion planting. You can store all the material on plants and trees you're interested in in one spot for quick reference.

eWeather HD. You can see your current temperature and precise hourly forecasts.  It even has a radar screen. As a gardener, you know how quickly a hard freeze or hail can damage your tender plants.

Now obviously an app won't grow your veggies for you. There is no substitution for getting out there and getting your hands dirty; you not only grow vegetables but you grow experienced. But hey, if a cool phone app can help you in any way get in better with Mother Nature, then go for it - and have fun planning your new garden!

Utilizing Vertical Gardening to Save Space & Grow Healthier Veggies

Many would-be gardeners never get started because they think they don’t have enough space for it. If you fall into this category, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn how much you can actually grow in a very small area!

All it takes is a little creative thinking.

Unfortunately, many gardeners focus only on the area under their feet. Given that most plants are grown in soil, this line of thinking makes sense. However, you can break free from this limited line of thinking once you decide to “look up.”

Did you realize that for every square foot of ground space in your garden, you actually have another 6 feet of valuable gardening space above it? It’s true! If you take advantage of all that untapped vertical space, you can grow so much more than you ever thought possible.

Save Space with Vertical Gardening

Use an old ladder as a trellis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plants trained to grow up take up a lot less ground space than those that are left to their own devices. In fact, a single climbing vine only needs a couple square inches of dirt to thrive. If that same vine is not offered vertical support, however, it would quickly cover several feet of your valuable – and limited - growing area.

There are many ways you can provide vertical support for your plants. Some of the most common examples include trellises, tepees, arbors, hanging baskets, stacked containers, and fences. You can also take advantage of unused wall space along your house or garden shed by adding wood shelves, hanging planting pockets or repurposing old gutters into plant containers.

Often you can train your plants up existing structures on your property without needing to build or buy anything new. Split rail and chain link fencing are particularly effective for this purpose. For an inexpensive option that offers a lot of rustic charm, you can wire 3 long wooden poles or bamboo stalks together to form a tripod “tepee” that is ideal for growing pole beans or other vining vegetables. 

If you want to add an artistic focal point to your garden, there is a huge selection of ready-made decorative vertical support structures available. For example, you can find decorative wrought iron trellises embellished with glass crystals or beautiful cedar hanging wall units you can add to an unused stretch of sunny wall space.

Ideal Plants for Vertical Gardening

There are a lot of fruits, vegetables and culinary herbs you can grow in your newfound vertical gardening space. In addition to pole beans, you can also grow other vining vegetables such as cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash and gourds. Smaller, more compact plants like herbs and edible flowers do well in smaller spaces like hanging baskets or wall-mounted units. By “suckering” or removing side stems from tomato plants, you can train them to grow in a more upright fashion. In addition to saving space, this process can also help your tomato plants stay healthy and become more productive.

My cucumbers climbing a rope trellis.

Grow Healthier Plants with Vertical Gardening

In fact, many gardeners find that vertical gardening leads to healthier plants in general. There are a number of reasons for this. For starters, plants grown vertically have a lot less direct contact with soil, which translates to fewer problems caused by soil-dwelling pests and diseases. If garden pests do attack your plants, the problem will be easier to see and treat if the plant is elevated off the ground.

In addition, vertically grown plants have better exposure to light and air than those allowed to grow freely along the ground. This, in turn, leads to better ventilation and food absorption. The end result is a healthier plant that is more resistant to disease and better able to produce at peak capacity.

For some more really cool ideas on vertical and small-space organic gardening, be sure to check out this resource too!

The Cost of Growing Your Own Veggies - Part 1

There are many reasons to grow your own vegetables. You get to eat food that hasn't been tainted with chemicals and you feel great satisfaction that you're able to nurture life from a mere seed in the earth to a fresh vegetable on your table.   Besides that, it's just fun (most of the time) to work in the garden in the fresh air, with maybe some family members right there alongside you.  But one of the biggest reason people give for wanting to start their own garden is that it will save on their grocery bills. But does it really?

Yes and no. It depends on how you go about it and how long you've been doing it. Let me explain.

There are initial costs involved in setting up your plot(s). If you're going to do containers or some sort of raised beds, there's the cost of the materials. This should be a cost that doesn't occur frequently unless you use something that's not durable and has to be replaced often.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to save: Use lumber you've been storing to build the beds or old containers scavenged from friends and neighbors. Know anyone who's repurposing? Fences or decks being torn down might give you the lumber you need. You can also look for damaged and discounted boards at the lumberyard. Just be sure that you're using untreated lumber, as treated wood contains chemicals that can leach into your garden and affect the health of your plants - and ultimately your family.

Then there is the cost of soil and fertilizer to fill up your plots. If you're working with depleted soil or deadpan, more amendments will be necessary. This is usually an up-front cost, but you might have to top off your beds every year with more soil.

How to save: Don't buy bag after bag from the home improvement store unless they're having a good sale. Buy in bulk from a garden center or landscaping firm. You can save on delivery if you borrow a truck and go pick it up yourself.

Know that fertilizer is important to any garden plant. Fertilizer gives them the nutrients they need for healthy production. Compost enriches the soil and that's why it's nicknamed "black gold" by many gardeners.

How to save: Make your own compost. It can be as simple as using an old plastic garbage can and drilling some holes into it, then throwing your kitchen scraps (non-meat), garden waste, old leaves, and grass clippings into it. Using your own homemade compost can mean better soil which means stronger, healthier plants and better vegetable yield. Make a fertilizer from compost tea and use that plus other home remedies instead of buying expensive bagged or bottled products. (Click the "compost" tag below this post for an extensive list of how-to articles on composting.)

Here you have just some of costs associated with having a vegetable garden, plus some tips on how to make these costs less of a strain on your wallet.

Next week, check back for Part 2, and learn how you can save on tools, plants, and watering costs for your garden.

How to Build Raised Vegetable Garden Beds

There are many benefits to using raised vegetable garden beds in your garden.

For starters, elevated garden beds are easier on your back and knees because they require less bending, kneeling and crawling than regular beds.  In addition, raised garden beds offer better drainage, which means your plants aren’t stuck sitting in excess water every time it rains. Plus, it is much easier to build your soil UP than it is to work amendments into the ground.  

Fortunately, building raised vegetable beds is a super easy do-it-yourself project. All you need are some readily available tools and materials, and an extra pair of hands.

How to Build Raised Vegetable Garden Beds

(Photo credit: angela n.)

Tools and Materials: 
 (makes two 8’ x 4’ x 6” high beds)

• (6) 1” x 6” x 8’ cedar boards* – 2 boards cut into 4’ sections
• Wood screws and/or 8 metal corner brackets 
• Power drill

Important Note: Cedar is naturally insect and moisture resistant, so it tends to hold up well in outdoor environments. Avoid using pressure treated lumber for your food growing areas because the chemicals used to create them can leach into your soil.

*Cedar boards come in a variety of lengths and widths. Obviously, using 6” wide boards will give you more shallow beds than 10” boards. Choose whichever length and width combination you prefer. If you find 4’ beds are too wide, simply reduce the length of each shorter section to 3’ – 3.5’.

Instructions:

To assemble your raised vegetable garden beds, line the ends of an 8’ foot section and a 4’ sections up so they form an “L” shape. While your helper holds the boards in place, secure the two boards together with wood screws or with the metal corner brackets. 

Repeat this process with the remaining cedar boards until you create 2 wooden rectangles, each measuring 8’ in length by 4’ in width.

Once your beds are assembled, carry them a sunny spot in your garden and place them where you want your raised beds before you begin filling them.

Raised bed of lettuce, tomatoes, 6 different types of basil, marigolds, zinnias, garlic chives, zucchini. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Filling Your Vegetable Garden Beds

Of course, you can fill each bed with pre-packaged gardening mix, but you may find that gets a bit pricey. You can also create your own more cost-effective planting medium very easily.

Start by adding a thick layer of newspaper or flattened cardboard across the bottom of your raised garden box. This will help prevent weeds and grass from growing up into your planter. Then, add alternating layers of peat moss, compost, aged manure or barn litter, and topsoil.

You can add additional amendments, such as bone meal or a slow-release organic fertilizer, once you decide which plants you want to grow in each bed and you’ve conducted soil tests to determine what nutrients your soil needs to accommodate those plants.

If you prepare and fill your raised beds in the fall, simply cover them with dark plastic to “cook down” all winter.  You will be rewarded with beautiful rich soil in the spring, but it will be quite a bit lower than you remember – so be extra generous when filling the beds.

If you assemble your raised vegetable garden beds in the spring, you can plant right into the layered mixture. Over time, the layers will break down to form a rich soil. In the near term, your plants will do just fine in it as long as you don’t use fresh compost, manure or barn litter, all of which can “burn” your plants.

As you can see, learning how to build raised vegetable garden beds isn’t difficult. If you follow these easy instructions, you can look forward to years of more rewarding and efficient gardening!

Note: If you don't want to build your own, you can also buy raised-bed gardening kits:
     

3 Must-Know Vegetable Gardening Tips

Welcome back!  We're back from vacation - it sure is good to see how much the garden has grown! How is your garden coming along this summer?

Few things in life compare to the simple pleasure of biting into a freshly picked tomato while it is still warm from the summer sun! When you grow your own vegetable garden, you can experience this little piece of heaven all season long.

However, growing an abundant supply of fresh vegetables year after year takes some practice - especially for organic gardeners. For most people, becoming a consistently successful vegetable gardener comes after years of hands-on experience. However, you can shorten your own learning curve by adopting some tried-and-true vegetable gardening tips from the pros.

Here Are 3 Vegetable Gardening Tips You Need to Know:

Tip #1: Amend Your Soil. 

Compost. (Photo credit: wisemandarine)

Few gardeners are blessed with an abundant supply of beautiful, rich topsoil. Depending on where you live, you may find yourself struggling with heavy clay, rocky, sandy or other less-than-ideal soil conditions.

Each of these soil types presents different challenges ranging from retaining too much water (or not enough) to being devoid of the essential nutrients plants need to survive and thrive. For example, if you have heavy clay soil and you just dig a hole in the ground and drop a plant into it, chances are good that plant won’t make it. The heavy clay around your plant will act like a bathtub whenever it rains, which means your plant will be forced to sit in a pool of water with nowhere to drain.

So your first step will be to identify the type of soil you have so you can take the appropriate steps to amend it. Once you know what you are dealing with, you’ll be able to determine which specific amendments are needed to make your type of soil a hospitable place for your vegetable garden. Be sure to choose organic and naturally occurring substances to keep your veggies chemical-free and healthy for you to eat!

Cucumber plant climbing up the trellis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tip #2: Grow UP.  

Whenever possible, make sure you take advantage of vertical space in your garden by utilizing fences, trellises, and other structures to keep your plants off the ground.

There are many advantages to growing your vegetables vertically. For starters, you can grow more food in a smaller area, which is great for urban gardens or those with limited growing space. Plus, growing vegetables on structural supports makes harvesting and weeding around your plants a lot easier. This is especially true for older individuals or those with other physical restrictions because less bending and stretching is required to perform these tasks.

Growing vertically benefits your vegetable plants, too.  Raising the plants off the ground leads to better air circulation around them, which is associated with fewer fungal infections and pest infestations.

Tip #3: Give Your Plants Some Friends. 

Companion planting is a smart way to increase the yield of your vegetable garden, and is a common practice among most organic and sustainable gardeners.  Learning which plants work well together is an important step towards maximizing the efficiency of your vegetable garden.

Companion planting of carrots and onions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Some plants are particularly beneficial to one another, so it makes sense to group these plants together in your garden. These beneficial plant combinations may add needed nutrients to the soil, deter unwanted pests or attract beneficial insects into your garden.

You may have heard how Native Americans planted “the three sisters” – maize (corn), beans and squash – together because each plant benefited the others in some way.  For example, the corn stalks provided structure for the beans to grow upon, while the squash provided an effective weed barrier as it spread out along the ground.

Vegetable gardening is an acquired skill that evolves over time. However, applying these 3 must-know vegetable gardening tips will lessen your learning curve significantly.