Reading and Gardening--Two of My Great Loves

Happy Valentine's Day! I know we're still deep in the throes of Winter, but Valentine's Day--for me--always marks the turning of the corner towards Spring! With that in mind, here's a run-down from a book I read a few years ago. I found my notes during a cleaning spree this weekend!

Great Garden Shortcuts, ed. Joan Benjamin, Roadale Press, 1996:

Animal Pests

• Flashtape--set it out only as fruit ripesn because the birds become used to it
• Sticky balls--cover red balls with plastic bag and "gooey stuff" (quite a technical term!), like Tanglefoot; 1 = dwarf tree, 3 or 4 = semi-dwarf or regular size

Asparagus

• Plant 4" deep
• Thicker spears = better
• Mulch wit h3-4" sawdust
• Fertilize heavily
• You don't have to wait to harvest--you can harvest in the first year

Corn

• Plant corn in trenches and cover with gutter protector while small
• Fill trench in as plants grow

Cukes

• Plant between rows of sunflowers for afternoon shade

Disease

• Verticillium wilt = chopped African marigolds

Fertilizing

• (and tomato staking!) 2" PVC pipe 5 feet long
• Drill holes into end going into ground to deliver fertilizer into the soil
• Drill holes at intervals to thread twine/wire to stake plant

Grapes

• Easy to grow! Choose disease resistant cultivars

Ground Covers

• Add clematis to low-growing juniper for surprising flowers; don't have to be trellised
• Use house plants for shady spot ground cover
• Use clay flue tiles to corral aggressive plants, like mint or oregano

Herbs

• You can root basil in water like philodendrum

Intensive Gardening

• Use differently sized bottles as spacing guides; use the bottoms
• Plant lettuce, etc., under taller crops like corn
• Also use lettuce around other crops as a living mulch

Melons

• Don't rush to plant melons; wait for the soil to warm
• Seed melons directly; don't attempt to transplant them
• Hold off water 8-10 days prior to harvest to develop sugars that provide taste

Peas

• Ignore usual spacing guidelines on seed packets and plant them extra thick
• Plant peas early in large container like whiskey barrel (I actually tried this one year. I planted peas, lettuce, etc., in large pots on the south side of the house. They did great!)

Perennials

• Pre-germinate seeds: Use an unbleached coffee filter and a plastic container with a clear lid. Spray the filter and seeds with water (no puddles). Place it on top of the fridge, and check seeds in 3-4 days.

Potatoes

• Sometimes potatoes planted too early merely rot in the soil. Avoid disease by planting early in containers.

Season Extension

• Sink heat lovers in bottomless plastic pots

Seeds & Seedlings

• Create seed mixess-custom

Soil Prep

• Turning the soil actually encourages weeds because you expose weed seeds to light, etc.

Spinach

• Boost germination by throwing cardboard over after planting and watering; take it off when spinach has sprouted

Squash

• Plant a ring of radishes around squash plants

Vegetables

• Don't furrow. Push seeds/sets into ground with finger.

These are some good ideas. I can't wait to try some of them out in a few months! It's also nice to be able to get the notes someplace where they'll be helpful, rather than sitting in the abandoned school bag.