We had a great workday at the garden today as a wonderful group of volunteers spread the minerals and fertilizer required by the soil test. A heartfelt and hardy thanks to that group of volunteers. The next time you're at the garden you'll smell the feather meal, that's the brown powder you'll see in your bed. It's our nitrogen fertilizer. After McDonalds makes their nuggets, the chicken feathers are processed into an organic fertilizer.
The garden is still a little wet but we got a few beds tilled. It is hard on the soil structure in the garden to till when the soil is too wet but looking at the weather forecast things will dry out the next few days. Of course the next few days I won't be around to till but there is good news on that front. If you'll check the bulletin board at the front of the garden beside the main entrance there is a notice from a local gentleman who is willing and able to till your beds. He is charging $10 but we will reimburse you for that expense. You'll need to remove the big weeds and hardscape to save him time and make it easier. And please remove any old string left over from previous gardeners. String will foul the tines of a tiller real fast and cuts down on productivity.
It is exciting to see the first green shoots of spring. As I was spreading potassium this morning I got a good look at all the beds and spied the first peas of the season as well as the first beets. By all means go ahead and get peas in the ground but I'll wait a few weeks before I plant beets and carrots. If you are planting peas give them something to climb on, depending on the variety they will get 5-6' tall at maturity. I plant a non trailing variety but even they do better with a little support. I was surprise to see the first green beans in the garden, that gardener is a real gambler, a frost will wipe out that planting and it's hard to believe we won't have another frost.
Someone asked where to get seeds. All the local garden centers have good selections and you'll even find organic seeds available. The seeds packets have the planting instructions to get you started.
It was a pleasure meeting many of our new gardeners. Feel free to ask questions, gardeners are a friendly bunch that like to swap gardening lessons.
The garden is still a little wet but we got a few beds tilled. It is hard on the soil structure in the garden to till when the soil is too wet but looking at the weather forecast things will dry out the next few days. Of course the next few days I won't be around to till but there is good news on that front. If you'll check the bulletin board at the front of the garden beside the main entrance there is a notice from a local gentleman who is willing and able to till your beds. He is charging $10 but we will reimburse you for that expense. You'll need to remove the big weeds and hardscape to save him time and make it easier. And please remove any old string left over from previous gardeners. String will foul the tines of a tiller real fast and cuts down on productivity.
It is exciting to see the first green shoots of spring. As I was spreading potassium this morning I got a good look at all the beds and spied the first peas of the season as well as the first beets. By all means go ahead and get peas in the ground but I'll wait a few weeks before I plant beets and carrots. If you are planting peas give them something to climb on, depending on the variety they will get 5-6' tall at maturity. I plant a non trailing variety but even they do better with a little support. I was surprise to see the first green beans in the garden, that gardener is a real gambler, a frost will wipe out that planting and it's hard to believe we won't have another frost.
Someone asked where to get seeds. All the local garden centers have good selections and you'll even find organic seeds available. The seeds packets have the planting instructions to get you started.
It was a pleasure meeting many of our new gardeners. Feel free to ask questions, gardeners are a friendly bunch that like to swap gardening lessons.
RSS Feed