Gardening Disasters

We all make mistakes when gardening. This is how we learn and become better gardeners. It is great to learn from others mistakes so that we can make our own set of mistakes. Right? Using the garden planner, is a great tool to help you know how many plants will fit the the area you have and also send you reminders to plant those things. I LOVE using the garden planner because it helps me have a master plan so that I can make the most of the growing space I have. It can also help with the next years garden and show you where not to plant so that you can have proper rotation.

Happy Gardening!

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What Seeds To NOT Start Indoors

Starting your garden from seeds is a great way to save money, grow interesting varieties you can't find in the nursery, and can be a rewarding experience. When just starting out, gardeners tend to learn by trial and error. In fact much of gardening is figured out that way because everyone has different soil, light, and weather conditions. So one thing might work great for one gardener and it might not work so well with the next. That being said, there are a few things that can be universal to most gardens.

Today I want to talk about what seeds do better when started directly outdoors vs starting inside in a pot.

1. Corn- top of the list. Partially because they are so easy to start out doors, and grow so quickly that why bother starting and transplanting? But also those big seeds don't like to be transplanted and will more likely get transplant shock and possibly die when transplanted. Rather to get a head start on them, I soak and then sprout them just slightly before planting them. This gives them a better chance of growing. Soak for a day or so or until they no longer look shriveled up. Then sprout them in a sprout-er, or covered with a damp paper towel. Making sure to moisten them about twice a day. Extra tip: try growing pop corn- So fun!!


2. Peas and Beans. Also being such big seeds they just don't do well when transplanted. I use the same method of sprouting before planting directly outdoors. It speeds up their growth and you also know which seeds are duds and which ones not to plant by sprouting. Plant right after they start to open up- don't wait too long. Its a good idea to have the garden bed where they are going to be planted ready before hand so that you are not scrambling to get it ready when the seeds are.


3. Carrots, radishes, onions, beets- actually lets group all root veggies in here. Root veggies grow mostly a big tap root and very little side roots, thus the soil around them will not be held together much when planting, thus makes it hard to transplant. Onions do ok if they are transplanted very young as they act a little bit like a grass right at first. But they grow so well just directly planted even in early spring, that I don't bother planting indoors. You can ever through some onion seeds out in the fall and as soon as the conditions are right, the onions will just start growing themselves. Its fun when you see little baby onions poking up through the snow!


4. Squash family plants. This one is a little bit tricky. In our area, it actually is best to start them indoors, and CAREFULLY transplant being sure not to disturb the roots. But the key to this is not to start them too early. Generally 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Then plant outdoors after the last frost. You want them very small and immature when planting outdoors or else they will directly die or get transplant shock so bad it stunts their growth. They like it warm, so putting them in a wall of water or a hot cap over the top of them might help speed up their growth. They do well when directly sown outdoors, just need to make sure the soil temperature is warm enough for them. One of the things we have to watch out for in our garden, is those tender, tasty little plants get gobbled up in one bite by snails and slugs. The whole plant disappears! So be sure to bait or prevent snails from eating your little plant before it even has a chance.

There you go! Now I only know all this because I learned from my experience. So if you have found that something works for you, PLEASE share, it might help someone out there! Happy Gardening!

5 Spring Gardening Tips for Beginners

With spring just around the corner – well, it’s here in some states – I thought it would be a perfect time to share some simple tips for gardening, what to start with, how to manage it and what works best for beginners.

Courtesy of chef/gardener/instructor Dan Brophy of Oregon Culinary Institute – the only independent culinary school in Portland – here are five tips to help get your garden off the ground:

1.  Now is the time to start tomato, pepper, and eggplant from seed.  You’ll have more choice of plant varieties by choosing your own seed.  Some varieties will thrive better in your micro-climate.

2.  Check with local Master Gardeners or County Extension for specific suggestions.

3.  Tomato, Pepper, and eggplant respond best if gentle bottom heat is provided for the 1-2 week period necessary for germination.

4.   After the 1^st set of true leaves appear, transfer plant into individual peat pots.

5.  Transfer plants only after “hardening off” (gradually exposing plants to sunlight, wind, etc).  I wait until soil temps are at least 50 degrees F. Remember, tomatoes respond best to full sun!

One extra tidbit from Brophy: "Best of luck!  Two things money can’t buy, true love and homegrown tomatoes."

Thanks Dan!

Happy Gardening!

How to Successfully Sow Seeds Outdoors

When you plant your garden, the most cost effective way to grow it is to plant seeds instead of buying every single plant start. This is especially true when going things like onions, carrots and lettuces. They only produce one plant from the seed, so each carrot seed produces one carrot. So if you by an onion already started, the cost might end up being more than buying a bag of carrots from the store! Starting your own seeds is also easy. It might take a few tries to get it to work for you, but I'm sure if you  make sure you are giving the plant what it needs, it will grow for you.

1. First step is to make sure the soil where you are planting has lots of great organic matter added to it, and is nice and loose. This is particularly true for carrots and other root plants. They cannot grow downward in very compacted soil.


2. Soak the seeds for a little while. This could be 30 min to an hour. Just put the seeds in a little bowl and pour in some water. This gets the seeds activated. Its like pushing a start button. Tells them, " There is water, you can start growing!"  A seed needs first- water, then sunlight and soil.


3. Plant the seeds in the garden, making sure to follow the right depth for the seed. Some very small seeds need only a skiff of soil to cover them. The smaller the seed, the less soil they need, the larger seeds like peas and beans, need more soil to cover them up.


4. Keep them moist. They do not need to be soaking wet all the time, but do not let the soil dry out too much as this will draw the moisture stored inside the seed out and kill the seed. But the seed will also not grow if it is too wet. The seed and plant roots in general need access to some air in the soil. So being too wet, makes it hard to get that air. This is why looser soil grows better plants- they have more oxygen and room for the roots to push through the soil.


5. Label the plants. There is nothing worse than forgetting to label your plants and have a totally different plant grow in a spot you thought you had planted something. This especially helps if you have different varieties for the same plant, such as a few different kinds of onions or tomatoes.

Growing your garden from seed can be very rewarding and cost effective.  After you are done planting, if you have seeds left, you can save those for next year. Simply put them in a bottle with a lid, and place in the back of a refrigerator. Keeping them sealed in a jar helps them keep the moisture they do have inside the seeds, and the refrigerator also helps them to stay cool and last longer. After you master starting your garden by seed, the next step would be learning how to harvest your own seeds and thus never having to even buy seeds!

Happy Gardening!

7 of the Healthiest Veggies That Are EASY to Grow

I don't know about you, but I like to know about the food I eat, and what nutrition is in it. I guess it is a little hobby of mine. If you are going to plant a garden, and only can or want to grow a few items, why not grow those packed with the most nutrition and are EASY to grow? With a little effort, you can see how easy they can be to grow. AND improve your health at the same time.

1. Tomatoes: one of the most commonly home grown veggies, once tasted, you will see why. I almost never  buy store bought tomatoes because I have been so spoiled by the home grown. Someone who claims to not like tomatoes might very well take that back once they have something with a homegrown tomato in it. Be it a hamburger, salsa, marinara sauce or even tomato soup. When you grow your own tomatoes, they have an amazing amount of nutrients compared to the store bought ones. They are picked too early and shipped long distances- reducing what little nutrients they were able to get before their early harvest. Great source of Vitamin A, E, C and Fiber and Omega 6 Fatty Acid.  They are known for thier cancer fighting qualities, but also are great for keeping blood pressure in check.


2. Broccoli: Very easy to grow, and can grow in a limited space with no problems. The only tricky part is making sure to harvest the head before it starts to flower.  You don't want to harvest too early if it is still growing, but if you wait even a few days, the flowers will open and it doesn't taste as good. Just keep it growing fast, but providing enough water and nutrients and you will have a great tasting broccoli. It will produce some smaller heads after the first is harvested. You can make cream of broccoli soup, eat it raw, or serve it steamed. Broccoli has even more nutrients than tomatoes: a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese. And it even has protein! They are great for reducing risk for lung, stomach and rectal cancers, and boosting immune function.


3. Carrots: Carrots are fun to grow, because you sow a little seeds, and let them grow. Just make sure the soil is not too compacted as this will limit their ability to grow downwards. They do not take up much space in the garden and last a long time after they are harvested if you cut off the greens right away. You can grow enough to last a few months in the winter! Carrots area very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium. Renowned for their ability to improve eye skin and hair health, but also are packed with anti oxidants and are great for cardiovascular health.


4. Spinach/Kale: I will group these together because they are both greens and very healthy ones at that. Both are easy to grow and can be harvested over and over again on the same plant before having to replant. Spinach likes to go to flower in the heat of summer and this makes the leaves bitter. A great way to have an instant salad, but also great to freeze and then add to smoothies to boost the healthiness of the smoothy! Spinach is a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. And because it is so packed with nutrition, it helps with just about everything. No wonder Popeye liked it so much. Kale a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.


5. Peppers: hot peppers, bell peppers- any pepper you choose. They are all packed with nutrients. They also have smaller plants than their tomato cousins and so can easily be grown in a container. There is such a variety of uses for them, but we like to grow them for salsa and salads. Bell Peppers a good source of Thiamin, Niacin, Folate, Magnesium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese. They carry the nutrients that are great for preventing cancers.


6. Squash: Summer squash, and winter squashes all have a great deal of nutrition. They do get diseases, however you can usually still get a great harvest from them before the disease takes over too much. If you want to have a high producing plant that is hard to eat all that it produces- grow a zucchini plant. Great to cook in stir-fry, eat fresh, add shredded to salads, ect. Zucchini gives you a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Niacin, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese. They are anti inflammatory, thus good for inflammatory diseases like arthritis.


7. Onions: Onions are another one of those sow a few seeds and watch them grow. Then you can harvest them and save them for the winter months. It is possible to grow enough to last the whole year until your garden produces more. I don't need to get started on how to use them, as they have such a great ability to enhance the taste of foods and meats. Onions are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C.

Happy Gardening!

What are Goji Berries and Can I Grow Them In My Garden?

So you might have heard of Goji Berries before. They are one of those super foods that contain an enormous amount of nutrition and anti oxidants in a small portion.  They are also quite expensive to buy because they are usually imported in from China! They are also sometimes called wolfberry. One of my goals is to become more self sufficient and grow all that I can on my own. This not only reduces costs of buying, especially those expensive super foods, but also reduces my carbon foot print, improves my health and emotional well being. And there is something satisfying about being able to walk out your back door, and harvest something for dinner. I don't think I will ever get over that feeling.

I became interested to know if I could grow my own Goji Berries in my climate in the Salt Lake Valley. So I decided to share some of my research with you so that you too can reap the rewards of growing such an exotic sounding plant in your yard.



Happy Gardening!