Epsom Salts

Continue ReadingEpsom Salts

A gardener wrote in recently asking if Epsom Salts are organic. 

I think we should break this question down into two questions:

1) Are Epsom Salts organic?
2) Are Epsom Salts safe to use in organic gardening?

The short answer to both questions is yes, but for the sake of clarity, I'll explain a little further.

Microsoft Encarta defines Epsom Salts as the following:

"Epsom Salts, common name for colorless or white crystalline salt (magnesium sulfate hepta-hydrate, MgSO4·7H2O) found in the minerals kieserite and epsomite and in mineral waters. Epsom salt was first prepared at Epsom, England. ...

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Fall Garden Planning Workshop Review

Continue ReadingFall Garden Planning Workshop Review

There are so many things to consider when planning out a garden, and whether you've done it before, or it's your first time, the task can always be a little daunting.  Luckily, the excitement of having fresh produce growing steps away from your kitchen overshadows almost all of those feelings of intimidation.  Still, it's always nice to have help.

That's why at the end of September we debuted a new class.  The Gardenerd Fall Garden Planning Workshop drew five enthusiastic gardeners, each with a different plan in mind for their garden.  Some had a space already defined and needed only to fill it.  Others had a blank canvas ...

Read more about the article Seed Starting for Fall

Seed Starting for Fall

Continue ReadingSeed Starting for Fall

It's a little late to be talking about this, but I just
wanted to wait to make sure it worked before reporting on my
progress.  As I wipe my hand across my forehead in relief, I can say that I
successfully started brassicas from seed indoors for the first time this
year. 

I've always grown them straight in the ground because I
haven't had space to start seeds indoors.  As you know, if you've been
reading along, this is my first full year starting seeds under grow lights and I
have to ...

Read more about the article Veggies in a Pot

Veggies in a Pot

Continue ReadingVeggies in a Pot

A couple months ago, I got a call from a mother of two who was looking to plant a vegetable garden in her back yard.  The problem was that they had recently remodeled the yard, installing a large stone patio that pretty much ruled out a vegetable garden.  The yard was beautiful will all of its new improvements, and it seemed to me that planting in containers right on top of the patio would be our best option, especially since that spot got more direct sunlight than any other part of the yard.

After a consultation, Michelle decided to shop for some nice ...

Singin’ the NPK Blues

Continue ReadingSingin’ the NPK Blues

Another great question came in this week at Ask Gardenerd:

"[I] did the soil test today. Turns out the pH is 6.0-6.5. The N,P, and K were depleted (even paler than depleted). No wonder my cover crop in this virgin soil is defeated. What is your recommendation to get these elements into the soil?"

First of all, I want to raise my hand and testify with you that I, too, have gotten the same test results in my garden at times.  If soil could walk, it would have been the walking dead.  That said, there are many ways to get ...

Sour Blackberries

Continue ReadingSour Blackberries

A gardener wrote in recently:

"I have thornless blackberries bushes, but every year the berries are sour. What can i do to sweeten them up?"

I don't have personal experience with thornless berries, but in my research I found two common answers to this question. 

1) The berry bushes may be old and apparently there's nothing to be done about it.  Time to get new berries. 

2) It's important to wait to harvest the berries until they are no longer shiny.  They will have passed from the dark black, shiny stage into a duller black stage and should come right off the vine ...

Garlic Oil to the Rescue

Continue ReadingGarlic Oil to the Rescue

We have ants.  A lot of ants.  In fact, we're pretty sure that we built our raised beds atop an ant hill, because when we water, they are constantly running from bed to bed, carrying their pupa overhead (think: A Bug's Life - "Save the Children!").  Things were fine until we started using drip irrigation.  Maybe it's because we are no longer literally raining on their parade, but they have moved into to my strawberry beds. 

Enter garlic oil.  We found a recipe for garlic oil that is supposed to help eliminate both ants and aphids.  The theory is that if you ...

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