~T. Roosevelt

Every now and then a random conversation will spark an idea for a blog post.  Yesterday I mentioned that liquid kelp is a valuable and nutrient rich fertilizer for plants to a vegan friend who [...]]]>

Have you got a problem? Do what you can where you are with what you’ve got.

~T. Roosevelt

Every now and then a random conversation will spark an idea for a blog post.  Yesterday I mentioned that liquid kelp is a valuable and nutrient rich fertilizer for plants to a vegan friend who was searching for an alternative to animal-based fertilizers. That got me to thinking about the organic solutions I use created from other plants and used as fertilizers and preventatives. The best time to spray plants is in the cool early morning or late afternoon. Always test the spray on a few leaves first, if there’s no negative reaction, treat the entire plant. Julia, these are for you!

Fertilizers:

• Liquid Kelp (or seaweed) is valuable in starting seeds, preventing damping off and makes a nutrient rich foliar spray for indoor and outdoor plants. The plants’ leaves and roots store the nutrients so apply only 3x a season: at the seedling stage, upon setting plants out and at the blossoming stage.
• Compost Tea: Used like manure tea only it’s made from your own kitchen compost. To make simply put 2 c. of compost into a mesh bag, old pantyhose, sock etc. and place into 1 gallon of water. Let steep for 48 hours. For large outdoor gardens put two shovel-fulls of compost into a large container  and fill with water. Let sit 48 hours before using.

Prevention:

• Damping off: Chamomile Tea used to treat the soil when starting seeds will prevent damping off.
• Powdery Mildew: Horsetail tea (yes, horsetail that horrible invasive weed!) can be used effectively against powdery mildew on vegetables. A few dried leaves mixed into a gallon of water and allowed to steep for a day will make a concentrate that needs to be diluted before use. Mix 1 part tea to 5 parts water for use as a foliar spray.
• Downey Mildew: Chive spray. Chopped chives simmered in hot water for a few minutes and strained will make an effective foliar spray for cucumbers and winter and summer squash. It also helps to repel chewing insects.
• Black Spot: Apple cider vinegar (about 2-3 Tbsp.) mixed into a gallon of water and sprayed on roses will treat leaves affected by black spot.

There are many more. It’s worth taking a little time to read and research natural organic methods to use in the garden as preventatives and solutions to problems. It’s just as easy to mix up an herbal foliar spray as it is a harmful, synthetic concentrated one. The big difference is your health, the health of your garden and the beneficial organisms living in it. For more solutions visit the concoctions page.  Green and easy!

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Yesterday hubby and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary. (My how the time flies!) To celebrate we planted raspberries and thornless blackberries. Truthfully we weren’t “celebrating” by planting berry canes but we had several to plant and Mid-March is the ideal time for planting them. Our gain is your gain, if you haven’t [...]]]>

Yesterday hubby and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary. (My how the time flies!) To celebrate we planted raspberries and thornless blackberries. Truthfully we weren’t “celebrating” by planting berry canes but we had several to plant and Mid-March is the ideal time for planting them. Our gain is your gain, if you haven’t planted raspberries or blackberries before the following may help!

Raspberry: They’re separated into two categories, “ever-bearing” which continuously bear fruit throughout spring, summer and fall and “seasonal” berries which bear all at once either in early, mid or late summer. There are three colors: red, black and purple. When growing different colored varieties they must be kept separate. We planted “Killarney” a red mid-summer bearer that’s very cold hardy and “Heritage” a red ever-bearing variety with origins in our home state of New York. A list of raspberry varieties and their hardiness zones can be found here.

Blackberry: Planted the same way as raspberries, but separated into categories of trailing, semi-trailing and erect. There are also thorny and thornless varieties. They require trellising or support of some kind. Varieties are listed here. We planted the thornless variety “Chester” (a trailing, late season berry) along the picket fence.

To Plant:

Select a sunny location. Raspberries and blackberries can stand a bit of shade but will produce better in sun. Berries prefer sandy, well drained soil, however they’ll grow in most average garden soils. (See note at bottom.) Prepare the soil by digging in 2″ of compost and preparing a hole ( for 4 or fewer plants) or a trench (for 5 or more plants) that is 4″ deep and 14″ wide. Space holes 3′ apart.

Next, unwrap the bundled roots and trim any long, straggly root growth with hand pruners.

Set the plants 3′ apart in the trench (or 1 per hole) and gently spread the roots along the row in one direction.

Carefully return only enough soil to the hole/trench to just cover the roots. The point where the cane meets the rootstock should be at soil level. Hold the cane at the top while back-filling with soil and press down gently with your hands to eliminate air pockets.

Mulch around the plants with 4″-6″ of shredded leaves, grass clippings etc. Mulching will prevent weeds. If you must cultivate do it gently and loosen only the top 3″ of soil to prevent damage to the tender roots. The roots will eventually grow to fill in the spaces between the plants and send up new brambles.

DO NOT add fertilizer at planting time. An organic fertilizer can be used 4-6 weeks later when the plants are actively growing. One application per season is adequate as more fertilizer will encourage leaves instead of berries. Once established, pruning once a season is all that’s required to maintain the plants.

NOTE: Our nursery noted it’s important to avoid planting berry canes in soil that has grown peppers, tomatoes or eggplant within the last three years. Verticillium wilt is a shared fungus among these crops and can easily be spread throughout the garden. As always, maintain healthy soil by following best garden practices of crop rotation, proper clean up and prevention.

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Stevia Rebaudiana is an herb. The extra-sweet leaves are used as a natural sugar substitute. It’s native to South America, but I’ve grown it [...]]]>

I have four stevia seedlings growing in a pot on the windowsill. With cold weather looming it’s time to transplant and move them to a warmer spot. The indoor garden is perfect!

Stevia Rebaudiana is an herb. The extra-sweet leaves are used as a natural sugar substitute. It’s native to South America, but I’ve grown it successfully as a summer annual in my Zone 6 garden where it produced plenty of leaves for fresh use. Fall cuttings root easily for indoor growing over winter.

To grow Stevia indoors use a 12″ pot filled with a light organic potting mix. Keep the plants evenly moist by placing the pot in a shallow dish of water and fertilize with diluted liquid kelp once a month to replenish nutrients. Pinch the tops back one third to encourage branching and leafy growth. To start from seed, follow the steps for seed starting found here, maintaining moisture and warmth until germination.

To plant Stevia outdoors, wait until daytime temperatures reach 70 degrees. Stevia prefers a moist, loamy, well-drained soil. A raised bed filled with organic compost works well. Space the plants 10″ apart in the bed and mulch deeply. Keep the soil moist but don’t soak the leaves, they’ll rot. With any herb, fertilize sparingly or the flavor (in Stevia’s case the sweetness) will be greatly diminished. Harvest regularly to encourage new growth. Leaves can be used fresh or dried.

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Sometimes you have to wonder. When hubby and I decided to make an organic way of gardening into an organic way of life for our family there was a lot to learn. We learned the truth behind the “natural” labels on our food and about food production and big corporarions. It’s been a real eye-opener!

Like so many others, we trusted “independent” brands that were dedicated to organic products, sustainable practices and social awareness.Good stewards of God’s creation. We bought the yogurt, used the toothpaste and ate the ice cream. Then came this bit of news (Source: Organic Consumer’s Assoc. March 17, 2009) that most of the companies have sold out to large corporations that now run production and distribution. Yup, small home-grown organic businesses run by everyday folks sold for millions of dollars. Just take a look:

Burt’s Bees (natural honey products) sold to CLOROX in 2007 for $925 million. Yes, the same bleach company that makes Pine-Sol and other harsh chemical cleaners.

Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream sold to Unilever in 2007 for $326 million.

Tom’s of Maine (popular natural toothpaste products) owned by Colgate-Palmolive makers of soaps, deodorants etc.

Stonyfield Farm Yogurt sold to French corporation Danone, though the Stonyfield CEO is still involved.

Horizon Organic Milk was bought by Dean Foods, the largest dairy co. in the USA.

Odwalla natural fresh-squeezed juices from Ca. bought by Coke in 2001 for $181 million.

Naked natural juices bought by Pepsi in 2006 for $450 million.

After the Fall, R.W. Knudsen and Santa Cruz organic juice brands were bought by Smucker’s.

Kashi cereals is now owned by the Kellogg’s conglomerate.

Back to Nature was sold to Kraft (which has ties to companies that produce cigarettes!)

Cascadian Farms is owned by General Mills.

And the list goes on to include candy and even natural product stores bought out by huge corporations. Look closely at the labels and you won’t see any mention of corporate ownership, and that’s intentional. Like I said, sometimes you have to wonder.

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