I have always wondered why people would take the time to plant their veggies in mounds? In past years I have simply planted a flat garden which was very easy, to set up anyway. This year I took the time to make mounds in rows to plant my veggies.
There are several benefits I have already noticed with using the mounds. It is still early in the season, but I see things going even better this year than last. Some things are just easier to do when you mound the rows.
Irrigation is one thing that has become much easier. I made the mounds with a bit of a raised edge on the outsides. This keeps the water near the base of the plant rather than running off to another area. I will use about the same about of water daily as I did last year even though my garden has nearly doubled in size.
Planting was easier as I like to dig a trench and layer compost on the bottom where the roots of the plants will be. I dug the trench along the center of the mound, laid compost, and planted on top of the compost.
Weeding is way easier as I only have to hand weed on the mounds. In between the mounds I can use a rake to yank the weeds out without worrying about damaging the plants. In the flat garden I had to hand weed everywhere or I would wind up hitting the plants with the rake.
My opinion is to use mounds if you want to make things easier in the long run. It takes a bit longer to get the garden set up, but the times saved in the future makes the effort seem minimal. I will be using mounds from here on out.
Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Growing Seedlings
So, you want to try starting your garden from seed this year. That is a great idea as it is neat to watch how the plants grow from start to finish. When you buy them pre-grown, you miss the most exciting part of the plants growth cycle. It is amazing how much a plant can grow from day to day and it is much easier to see in the first few weeks of the plants life.
Starting your seeds indoors is how many people must do it just because of how the climate is in that region. In Wisconsin, I rarely plant outdoors before Memorial Day weekend. It is far too cold at night for a good germination process. 2012 was my first year of exception as I planted outside almost 3 weeks early and plants are doing very well.
I typically use one of those mini greenhouses that can be found at most stores as early as January. If you have any fine compost at home use that mixed in with a cheap bag of potting soil, or try to buy a little better potting soil if you do not have compost to add. I like to plant 2 seeds in each cell just in case one does not do so well and I can choose later which looks more healthy and keep the best of the bunch.
Try to use a good water and water often to keep damp but not soaked. By good water I mean not tap if possible. My best luck came from using water from the fish tank. The fish secretions add nutrients to the water that are very beneficial for your seedlings. If you do not have a fish tank, try to use rain water or melt some snow in a bucket. If you must use tap water, the seeds should still grow.
Thin as needed, transplant as needed, and grow your own plants from seed this year. Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!
Starting your seeds indoors is how many people must do it just because of how the climate is in that region. In Wisconsin, I rarely plant outdoors before Memorial Day weekend. It is far too cold at night for a good germination process. 2012 was my first year of exception as I planted outside almost 3 weeks early and plants are doing very well.
I typically use one of those mini greenhouses that can be found at most stores as early as January. If you have any fine compost at home use that mixed in with a cheap bag of potting soil, or try to buy a little better potting soil if you do not have compost to add. I like to plant 2 seeds in each cell just in case one does not do so well and I can choose later which looks more healthy and keep the best of the bunch.
Try to use a good water and water often to keep damp but not soaked. By good water I mean not tap if possible. My best luck came from using water from the fish tank. The fish secretions add nutrients to the water that are very beneficial for your seedlings. If you do not have a fish tank, try to use rain water or melt some snow in a bucket. If you must use tap water, the seeds should still grow.
Thin as needed, transplant as needed, and grow your own plants from seed this year. Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!
The Best Ways to Fertilize
There are far too many ways to fertilize your garden than I am willing to go into. Most people want to keep it simple so they just head to the local nursery and buy a product from them. Some are organic, however the price on the organic vs synthetic is going to be significantly more. That is fine if you like to waste money. As I ad to my blog and you read more here, you will see that I garden with the smallest of budgets.
All the ways I feed my plants are completely organic. I will not use any chemicals on my plants at anytime. The whole reason I love to garden is the fresh organic goods that come from it. Far better than what can be bought in stores. Here are my favorite two and the two I use most often.
The best way to get good healthy plants is starting with good soil. Now don't panic, this doesn't mean you have to go buy a ton of fresh soil. Simply start a compost bin and use what you make yourself to create better soil. The compost from the past fall should be tilled into the soil a couple weeks ahead of planting. Watch for my blog post on how to make a compost.
After planting, the compost tilled in will not be enough to feed the plants all season. My preference to feeding weekly is using a compost tea. It keeps it simple since I make compost to add into the soil, why not make a little more and use it to make a liquid fertilizer? I will also post on how to make the tea.
Moral of the blog is to save your money and do it yourself. This is the only way you truly know what is going into your fertilizer and soil mixes. The benefits of good gardening are great for any lifestyle.
Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!
All the ways I feed my plants are completely organic. I will not use any chemicals on my plants at anytime. The whole reason I love to garden is the fresh organic goods that come from it. Far better than what can be bought in stores. Here are my favorite two and the two I use most often.
The best way to get good healthy plants is starting with good soil. Now don't panic, this doesn't mean you have to go buy a ton of fresh soil. Simply start a compost bin and use what you make yourself to create better soil. The compost from the past fall should be tilled into the soil a couple weeks ahead of planting. Watch for my blog post on how to make a compost.
After planting, the compost tilled in will not be enough to feed the plants all season. My preference to feeding weekly is using a compost tea. It keeps it simple since I make compost to add into the soil, why not make a little more and use it to make a liquid fertilizer? I will also post on how to make the tea.
Moral of the blog is to save your money and do it yourself. This is the only way you truly know what is going into your fertilizer and soil mixes. The benefits of good gardening are great for any lifestyle.
Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!
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