Watering your garden during the long hot Summer can be a daunting task. Many organic gardeners collect rain water to avoid using household water, which may have chemicals in it. Another excellent source of un-contaminated water is your de-humidifier. Most of us who have basements have to use a de-humidifier to keep the humidity under control during the Summer. Some folks simply let the water run directly into their sump pump. But for years we’ve been depositing the water from our de-humidifier into a 5 gallon plastic bucket and carrying it upstairs to use to water plants. The water is clean and uncontaminated and easy to disperse. You just have to be sure you empty the de-humidifier daily and you’ll be surprised how much water you don’t have to use from other sources.
Did you know that tomatoes are the most commonly grown vegetable in the United States? OK, it’s really a fruit, a berry, according to it’s technical structure, but tomatoes are tasty treats with very versatile uses. And they are essential to any organic garden. They are good for you, too! Researchers have found that organic tomatoes have almost double the concentration of two types of flavonoids – quercetin and kaempferol – which are considered to be healthful plant compounds with potent antioxidant activity in comparison to conventionally grown tomatoes.
Space is an important consideration when planting tomatoes. “Determinates” that grow to a determined point and stop are bushier and more compact. In most cases, they ripen earlier. “Indeterminates” tend to ripen later. They grow longer vines and take up more space. They’ll need to be supported, too. Tomato cages are popular, but other methods like trellising or bamboo tripods might look nicer. When planting, try to keep tomatoes about 2 to 3 feet away from each other. If you plant in rows, it’s recommended that you plant each row 3 feet apart, with the plants in the rows separated by a foot or so. Planting should wait until temperatures rise above 50 degrees on a consistent basis. The tomato fruit won’t begin to show until overnight temperatures average above 55 degrees.
It’s hard to believe that when the tomato was discovered in Europe, it was considered poisonous! In fact, Europeans didn’t even eat tomatoes until nearly 100 years after we started dining on them in the United States.
While surfing the web recently, I ran across a great source of gardening information, KGI, Kitchen Gardeners International. Their focus is “planting the seeds of a delicious, sustainable, food-secure world.” A variety of topics are covered in articles, blogs and forums. Some I investigated were ‘keeping bugs away with the spray” which is done with natural predators, healthy plants and suggestions for barriers to keep the critters at bay. ‘Why a salad costs more than a Big Mac’ which is mainly a result of government crop subsidies that keep prices down on some ingredients. And how sun exposure to the tops of carrots cause them to turn green instead of reddish brown or orange. Lots of interesting stuff and no obnoxious advertising that I could see although they do have an ‘E-Store” where you can buy garden related products on Amazon.com. You can view almost all of the information without becoming a member, however if you want to comment, it’s free to join. They say it this way … “Like sunshine, membership in KGI is free and we don’t sell, trade, or otherwise share our members’ personal data with any third parties.”
Check out KGI. It’s an excellent gardening information source.
Here’s a good recipe for an organic fertilizer your can make yourself. It’s a little more work than buying something pre-packaged (and probably cheaper), but I think you’ll find that the results are worth the extra effort. The bulk ingredients will last for a few years, too, making it less to worry about exactly how much you need for this season. Just mix up what you need, when you need it. That’s also why these measurements are by volume to make it easier to mix specifically for your garden size. You should plan on about 4 quarts per 100 square feet, or a handful under each transplant.
4 parts Soybean Meal (any seed meal is OK)
1 part Dolomitic Lime
1 part Bone Meal or Rock Phosphate
1/2 part Kelp Meal
1/2 part Azomite (trace elements)
This mixture results in a slow release formula which breaks down based on the activity of soil organisms. Soil temperature is also a factor. If you need a quick early season boost of nitrogen, use 1 part Blood Meal in place of 1 part Seed Meal.
Carrying garden supplies around can be a project in itself. That’s why this really handy ‘garden cart’ looks so appealing to me. It’s called the Suncast Portable Outdoor Gardening Center. It’s basically an upright cart with wheels that features interchangeable shelves, tool storage and a utility bin. A great benefit of the interchangeable shelves is the ability to catch excess potting soil and reuse it quickly as opposed to having to sweep it up off the ground. It’s easy to roll where you need it. The hard plastic construction makes it impervious to rain, if you have to store it outdoors. There’s a minimal amount of easy snap-together assembly and product reviews have been very positive. Suncast Portable Outdoor Gardening Center with Interchangeable Shelves, Tool Storage And Utility Bin, Taupe #GC1500B
Another excellent source of un-contaminated water is your de-humidifier. Most of us who have basements have to use a de-humidifier to keep the humidity under control during the Summer. Some folks simply let the water run directly into their sump pump. But for years we’ve been depositing the water from our de-humidifier into a 5 gallon plastic bucket and carrying it upstairs to use to water plants. The water is clean and uncontaminated and easy to disperse. You just have to be sure you empty the de-humidifier daily and you’ll be surprised how much water you don’t have to use from other sources.
are popular, but other methods like trellising or bamboo tripods might look nicer. When planting, try to keep tomatoes about 2 to 3 feet away from each other. If you plant in rows, it’s recommended that you plant each row 3 feet apart, with the plants in the rows separated by a foot or so. Planting should wait until temperatures rise above 50 degrees on a consistent basis. The tomato fruit won’t begin to show until overnight temperatures average above 55 degrees.
. You can view almost all of the information without becoming a member, however if you want to comment, it’s free to join. They say it this way … “Like sunshine, membership in KGI is free and we don’t sell, trade, or otherwise share our members’ personal data with any third parties.”
