The Times They Are A Changing

Sowing your seeds according to the moon’s phases, apparently, is not all poppycock. With increased interest in organic gardening, every year more people are going a step further and are planting and harvesting according to the phases of the moon. Increased sales in the Farmer’s Almanac prove this point.

According to a National Geographic article, the moon has a gravitational effect on the earth’s moisture. Of course, we already know that to be true as science has confirmed the oceans tides conform to the moon’s movements. We describe the moons phases in quarters. Phase one and two are considered waxing (moon increasing), where the latter two phases are considered waning (moon decreasing).

Waxing Moon: As the moon becomes more visible, the water table rises. At this time plants take up more moisture and nutrients. This makes it a great time to put seeds or new plants into the soil.

Waning Moon: When the moon’s visibility turns away from us, the water table recedes. This is a better time for weeding and pruning. The tree’s moisture (sap) runs more slowly during this period.

A Northwest University researcher, Dr. Frank Brown, studied and kept records over a ten year period in regards to planting according to the moon’s phases. He found that, in fact, plants did absorb more moisture during a waxing moon, especially during a full moon. The uniqueness of this study is that all the plants were grown within a laboratory, not in an open garden area. Yet, his plants were affected, nevertheless, by the moon’s phases.

Do you pick up those “baby carrots” that come in bags at the grocery store. I do. They are convenient and can just rinse them off and stick them in lunches. They are also great for a low calorie, nutritious snack. After all, carrots are full of vitamin A and beta carotene, as well as other nutrients that keep us healthy. However, have you ever tasted a carrot grown from an heirloom seed? An heirloom seed is one that is a non-hybrid. In other words, it hasn’t been fooled around with. It’s the original.

The seeds from vegetables grown from heirloom seeds can be extracted and saved. Then, you can plant them again next year. Hybrid seeds can be planted, but sometimes do not grow and other times grow with defects. See this site on how to save heirloom seeds. To get seeds from an heirloom carrot plant you would need to let some of the carrots “go to seed.” Which means, do not pull up the carrot until the green (above ground) has formed seeds.

Heirloom carrots, as well as other heirloom vegetables, have a fuller, richer flavor. If you don’t garden, this summer stop by a farmer’s market to try this “real” type of carrot. You’ll be surprised with the difference in flavor.
GARDENING WITH HEIRLOOM SEEDS

Gardening is no longer the spare-time hobby of those who enjoy it. As more people bring home less and less from the grocery store for their dollar, they are turning to backyard gardens. They hope to offset their grocery bill while putting fresh vegetables on the table. According to the Oregon Bend Bulletin, there has been double digit growth in the increase of backyard gardeners this year.

Many mail order see companies have sold out or nearly sold out. Burpee Seeds is the largest (mail-order) seed company in America. According to their CEO, George Ball, they are nearly sold out. Burpee claims for every $50 spent on seeds and gardening supplies, $2,150 worth of produce is acquired.

The waiting list at many community gardens have increased. Lonnie Brundage, who runs the 312-plot Long Beach Community Garden, says, “They’re growing for themselves, but you figure if they can use our community garden year-round, they can save $2,000 or $3,000 or $4,000 a year. It doesn’t take a lot for it to add up.”

Grow even more than your family can eat (zucchini comes to mind) and you could open a vegetable stand. Check out this site that tells you how.

It’s been around for a while now, but I’m still attracted to indoor bamboo and am thinking of looking online for a plant. I’ve just never seen anything of good quality in my area.
Clump bamboo, apparently, are better for indoor use as it doesn’t grow as quickly as other bamboo and the container also keeps it from getting to it’s natural height.

Step 1: Hold the bamboo canes, root down, in the center of a container and fill with decorative stones.

Step 2: Fill with water and that’s it.

Step 3: No fertilizer is required and it grows in even minimal sunlight, so placement is not an issue.

Sounds pretty simple with little need of care other than changing the water every week or so. This plant, by Chinese lore, is supposed to bring happiness, prosperity and fortune (luck). And who couldn’t use more of that in their life.

Cool Bamboo Choices

You’ve built your raised bed garden frames. You have your soil mixture plan. Now it’s time to make a vegetable garden plan. As I stated previously, you can start with just one small frame. In fact, this is perfect for a yard with minimal ground space, a beginner or a child with interest learning how to grow her own food.

The first plan your garden to be located in the sunniest part of your yard. Next step is to make your plan. It’s a good idea to actually draw out your garden frame(s) and write in where you will plant which vegetables. When you become more experienced you may want to replant after you have harvested the short growing vegetables as some will grow later in the season when the temperature cools down. Also, a good rule is to start short growing vegetables, such as radishes in a short row, but plant another row in a week or two. In this way you will continue to have radishes throughout the season.

Seed List

It should go without saying, but don’t grow anything you wouldn’t ordinarily eat, unless you have someone you would like to gift the vegetables with. However, it’s great to try something new.

Suggested Starter List

Carrots
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green (String) Beans
Peas
Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Radishes
Spinach
Summer Squash (Zucchini, Crookneck)
Winter Squash
Corn

The Vegetable Garden Plan

If you have a choice, planting north to south is the best choice. Start by thinking about where you will plant the tallest vegetables like peas, green beans, corn. Place them on the north end so they will not shade the shorter vegetables. In the center area plant medium sized plants such as tomatoes, peppers, squash (maybe pumpkins). And then in the most southern part of your garden, plant the short vegetable plants such as radishes, carrots, beets, onions, lettuce.

Purchase the Seeds

I prefer heirloom seeds as they are “original” not hybrids. If you should want to let some plants go to seed and use those same seeds next year, you would not be able to do that with hybrid seeds. They either would not grow or they would not grow well.

Note: After purchasing seeds, the back of the packet should tell you when to plant in your zone. And it will tell you how deep to plant the seeds and at what distance.

Resources

Heirloom Seeds

Saving Vegetable Seeds

Community Gardening

In early spring you will place your raised bed frames into the garden and attach them with steaks (I prefer them on the inside corners) to keep them in place. The next step will be to fill them with rich soil that will give your seeds or seedlings a good start.

1. Raised bed gardens tend to dry a bit quicker than ground-level gardens. Therefore you will need additional compost mixed in the in order to hold the water in the soil. You will want to add compost to your garden beds every spring, before planting and every fall, after harvest.

2. Mix the following in a 1X1X1 ratio. You should be able to get the ingredients at any local garden center. If you have good soil and an abundant amount you can use your ground dirt. If you are creating a large garden you may want to look into getting a load of garden fill dirt.

* Soil
* Vermiculite
* Compost

You can use a 5 gallon bucket to measure or what ever large container you have on hand. Use garden tools to mix the three ingredients once they are in the raised garden beds.

3. Fertilizer. I like to use an organic fertilizer, but it is a matter of preference, I suppose. I just figure, why put any added chemicals in my vegetables. After all, I get enough of them from the grocery store ones that I purchase. Sure, I’d love to buy all organic food - wish I was wealthy too. Enough of my ranting.

This site, Extremely Green, has a lot of organic fertilizers and soil amenders (if your own dirt is too sandy or to clay). You can, however, get your soil tested (call your local agricultural dept. to find out where). The results will tell you what your soil needs or has too much of. I have to admit, I am too impatient and usually purchase an organic compost manure or organic prepared fertilizer and mix it into the top 6 inches of soil

Tomorrow: The Garden Plan

Yes, I know winter is about to blanket us and in some places it already has. Yet, in my opinion this is the perfect time to start planning a garden for spring. I am a complete advocate of people knowing and growing, at least, some of their fruits and vegetables. I know I have no interest in car motors or reptiles as pets. So, if you don’t have any interest in gardening, I understand. But, if you have even an inkling of desire to take responsibility for part of your annual diet, let me show you how even the beginner can start a small garden and grow food. After all, growing vegetables from the earth is one of the most basic and “down to earth” things you can do.

First of all, I am an avid fan of the raised bed gardening method. It’s pretty easy, it can be done small or large and, most importantly, it’s up a foot or so from the ground so there’s less strain on the back when your bending over.

Now is the perfect time to build your raised bed wood frames so they’ll be ready to put out in the garden as soon as the first sign of spring is here.

Building Raised Bed Frames

1. Decide what size and how many raised beds you will have. If you are a beginner, perhaps you would like to start with just one. If you are more advanced, make as many as will fill your garden area. The genius of this method is that you can make your wood frame any size you like. Make them long and narrow (2 by 6 feet) or square (2 by 2 feet or 4 by 4 feet).

2. Purchasing your wood. You can go to a lumber yard or someplace like Home Depot or Lowes to buy your lumber. But, before that you will want to have your board sizes figured out and written on a list. If you have your own skill or table saw, you can cut it yourself. However, they will cut the boards for you at the store or lumber yard. Remember that your end sides will overlap the long side boards, so you will have to allow 2” on each of the side boards, considering you will purchase 1X6 foot boards. Natural cedar is a nice choice of wood.

3. Purchase connector brackets. I have found, not especially being talented in the woodworking area that purchasing metal corner brackets make quick, easy work of attaching the boards into frames. You will be able to get those at the same location as the lumber. Screwing these brackets into the wood at the inside corners is the easiest and most secure way to go. However, you can nail them in also.

4. Make frames. Now, just assemble your boards and brackets to make your raised bed frames. They can be stored on their sides in the garage or shed until early spring when you can take them out and organize them in your garden area.

Note: When you get ready to lay out your frames in the garden, you will need woo or metal stakes to pound into the ground at the inside corners. This will keep your frame in place. You can get those now or wait until their needed.

Tomorrow: Garden Soil