If you’ve ever tasted a cucumber, or a pepper that is still warm from the sun and harvested just minutes ago, you know the difference between fresh produce and that which has traveled across the country to land in your grocery store. Fresh just tastes better! Continue Reading
You’ve Tested Your Soil; Now What? Amending Garden Soil Naturally
What Information Does a Soil Test Provide
Soil tests contain valuable information but have their limitations, unless you are getting specialized, expensive tests. Most basic soil tests provide the pH level of your soil, and measure the amount of potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium in the soil. Continue Reading
Confessions of a Master Gardener
Hello. My name is Susan and I’m a Master Gardener. And sometimes I’m a terrible at it. There, I said it. When you’re a Master Gardener, people expect a lot outa’ ya. Heck, I expect a lot outa’ myself. But, I definitely do not have it all under control, even when I know the right thing to do.
For example:
Soil Temperature: The Best Way to Know That It’s Time to Plant Your Garden
It’s spring! But is it time to plant your seeds? One of the most accurate ways to determine spring planting time is soil temperature – not air temperature, or even the calendar.
Early morning is the best time to monitor your soil’s temperature. The soil may warm later in the day, but you need to know the coldest temperature your seeds will experience. Planting seeds in soil that is too cold will prevent sprouting, and your seeds may rot.Continue Reading
Make Your Own Seed Tape for Easy Planting of Small Seeds
What is Seed Tape?
Seed tape is a great product for planting your garden that has seeds embedded right into it. It’s perfect for planting tiny seeds like carrot that are difficult to space in the garden.
The “tape” is made of bio-degradable paper which is planted directly into your garden. I love using seed tape, although it tends to be pricey.
But you can make your own seed tape for a fraction of the cost of pre-made tape.Continue Reading
Making Soil Blocks to Start Seeds
Seed starting time means dozens of little pots. Newspaper pots that need making, or plastic pots that need cleaning. And pots that mean storing later on. Soil blocks are a way that you can eliminate all those pots and the work that goes along with them.
Soil blocks are, well, blocks of soil. Small, compressed blocks of soil in which seeds are started to be more precise. With soil blocks, no pots are used. A tool, appropriately called a Soil Block Maker, is used to make the soil block. Continue Reading