DANDELION

Hi there, I’m a dandelion.
A lot of people call me a weed but I’m a friend and have come to help you!
When you see me, remember that I’m the ONLY one who wants and can grow in that particular spot.
Because:
Either the soil is too compact / hard / stomped and I want to loosen it for you with my roots.
Or there is too little calcium in the soil – don’t worry, I will replenish that for you with the dying of my leaves.
Or the soil is too acidic. But I will also improve that for you if you give me the chance.
Or a mixture of the above reasons, of course. 😊
I’m here because your soil needs my help so best you let me grow without disturbing me! When everything is fixed, I will disappear again, I promise!
Are you trying to remove me prematurely with my root? However meticulous you are, I will return 2x as strong! Just until your soil is improved.
You can even tell by my growth at which stage my help is at. If my leaves are flat on the ground then I’m far from ready but if they all reach up then I’m already a long way on my way.
Something completely different is that I am 1 of the first bloomers in spring so I will announce spring / summer for you.
During the day when it’s hot, I open my flowers but in the evening when it cools off I close them again quickly. In fact, if it’s not hot enough during the day I won’t open them at all!
My flowers are the some of the first food for insects after hibernation and unlike most other plants, I have pollen AND nectar, not merely one OR the other! And I am generous with them! 😉
My flowers are even delicious for you people by the way, did you know? Dandelion leaves, roots, and flowers may offer health benefits. These can include promoting liver health and fighting inflammation. I used to be called ′′honey (or gold) of the poor′′ because my flowers are so sweet in e.g. jam, sauce or salad! The internet is full of recipes – check them out.
But wait until the end of May or later before you start picking and even then, don’t pick everything yet! The biodiversity and bees will be very grateful!

WOODCHIP GARDENINGm

It’s that time of year again and after preparing the soil all winter we are ready to start planting in our garden space. We have been using wood chips as ground cover and have seen good results using this method. There are many ways to enhance the garden using wood chip mulch. It provides natural texture, reduces weeds and helps the soil remain rich and nutrient packed. Mulch is simply any substance that can protect soil and plant roots as a ground cover. When preparing our garden we use the Back To Eden Gardening method, its easy and there is no weeding, no watering just a high yielding organic garden. We have been gardening this way for some time now and our garden provides high quality large fresh vegetables worthy of canning and preserving. This form of gardening recreates natures intended growing environment as you would see on the ground of the forest. Nobody waters or cares for the plants and growth in a forest except for Mother Nature. We realized if we utilized all of the natural medium in our yard space we could compost it directly into the garden and it would naturally decompose, leaving behind a bed of dark rich moist soil. We took all composted grass clippings, leaves, dead flowers, chicken poop, fire ash and paper and layered it into the garden space with water provided by rain, for a ground cover that will nourish and protect the soil quality, that’s all the garden needs.
We were able to get some nice wood chips from trees mixed with leaves and branches for $6 per truck load, we used two truck loads and that was plenty for our 20′ x 30′ garden space. We planted about 1-2 inches deep making sure to plant in the soil. After prepping the garden bed during the fall/winter months we found the soil to be amazingly moist and rich.  After all was planted the wood chips were moved back around the plants and the tomato cages were put into place. We love this time of year, being able to get outside and get in the dirt to grow our food and look forward to harvest when we can preserve what we grow to enjoy throughout the winter.

Vegetable Seed Starting

The much-anticipated growing season has arrived.

PLANNING

When planning our garden we need to keep a few things in mind:

Climate: What grows well in our region?
Space limitations: How extensive will our garden be?
Cooking/Canning habits: What would we like to eat from our garden?
Quantity: How many tomatoes do we really need?
Garden design: How would we like the space to look?

Before running out and purchasing seeds I began making a list of our top ten (and then some) most desired veggies. We Started with them. So I went for Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Radish, Eggplant, Cabbage, Lettuce, String Beans, Peas, Corn, Cauliflower, Broccoli, carrots, collard greens, potatoes, Scallions, Basil, Chamomile, Parsley, Sage, Cilantro.

SEED SOWING SCHEDULE
This seed starting chart http://www.thevegetablegarden.info/planting-schedules will help you determine your region’s frost-free date and when to plant different seeds.

SOWING SET-UP

Materials:
• Desired Seeds
• Spray bottle
• Containers/covers
• Seed-starting soil

Containers: We had the choice of separate pots for each plant or flats holding many plants. The choice depends on various factors including your space limitations and the fragility of your desired plants. I use the separate pots or seed starter trays for most of my plants because there is less of a chance of damaging roots when transplanting. Trays may be the more practical choice for lettuce, spinach, kale and other small seed crops such as herbs.

Reuse last year’s small nursery pots if you have them. Alternatively, ask friends and family for old cardboard egg cartons they work just as well. If neither of these options work out, any container two to three inches deep will do, including disposable cups, yogurt containers and milk cartons. You can also buy kits at your local plant nursery. My favorites are cardboard plug trays. Make sure your containers are clean by washing with hot water if using plastic. Ensure that each pot has good drainage, i.e. a hole or two in the bottom. Place containers in a water-catching tray lined with pebbles. This ensures that the drained water stays out of the pot preventing root rot.

Seeds and seedlings are extremely sensitive to disease and nutrient levels. Seedlings will appreciate it if you buy a seed starting mix from your local nursery. Fill each container with soil up to 1/4 inch from the top of the container.

Ready, set… SOW!

Sowing the seeds: Moisten the soil in the containers before sowing the seeds. Put two seeds in each container to ensure something emerging. Generally, gardeners cover the seeds to a depth about 3 times the thickness of the seeds. Be sure to read seed packets for seed specific instructions. Pat the soil lightly and water with a fine mist.

Cozy Climates: Cover containers with plastic wrap or plastic covers to keep their environment humid. Place containers in a warm, protected place. Most seeds with germinate well at about 70 degrees F (20 degrees C).

Labeling: Be sure to label each container with the plant name and date sown. Popsicle sticks are perfect for indoor containers. Commercially available plastic or metal labels from nurseries are better for the outdoors.

Leftover seeds and packaging: Empty seed packets should be filed for future reference. Leftover seeds need to be placed in an airtight container in a dim, dry place. Seeds over 2 years old may be past their prime. Decide whether it is worth the risk next year.

Whisper best wishes to your seeds until…

They’re up! As soon as the seedlings have emerged, remove the plastic wrap. Place containers in a south or east-facing window. You may also use lights to extend the `sunshine’. Seedlings need not be as warm as emerging seeds. Keep seedlings away from radiators and heat vents to save water. If more than one plant comes up, clip the smaller one at soil level. Do not pull the plants up by the roots as this could damage the other seedlings.

Ongoing Maintenance: Mist containers with spray bottle as needed taking care to not to drown the seedlings. Remove diseased plants immediately to prevent spread.

New digs: If necessary, transplant plants from crowded trays to their own pots after they grow a second set of leaves. Some plants that spend more time indoors may need to be transplanted into larger pots. Tomatoes and peppers are likely candidates. As needed, choose the healthiest seedlings to move to 6-inch pots.I may have a problem this year as I started my tomatoes to soon but we will see.

Hardening Off: A week before the plants go outside for good, acclimatize them to the changing conditions. On a warmer spring day, move plants outside to a shaded spot for a few hours. Each day increase the plants’ exposure to sun and wind. After a week, leave plants outside overnight. Then transplant them into the garden.

Let them know you LOVE them and whisper “good Luck”!

Here are what my plants look like so far.–Namaste!