Imagine your Best Garden Yet, Newest

 

Introduction.

Gardening is fun, or at least it should be.

Doing things in the garden that offer a reward in eighty or one hundred days might seem like a long way away.

If you are not inspired to wait that long. Start with something like a flat of Sunflower Sprouts. You can have delicious, nutritious Sprouts for your sandwich or salad in just a week to 10 days.

Always soak your Sunflower seeds before you plant them, or grow them in a sprouting tray. They will sprout much faster and have more even sprouting and growth. Add a Tiny pinch of hardwood ash, Azomite, or Real Salt to your soak water. This will alkalinize the seeds and your water. It adds important trace minerals to your sprouts, and makes them more flavorful and you much healthier.

One of my other favorites is Lentil Sprouts. They are nutritious and a great addition to meals. Easy and quick to sprout.

They are a great addition to salads and sandwiches.

Table of Contents

Seven Simple Ideas

1. Triple mix

2. Compost

3. Animal Manure

4. Teas. Manure teas or Compost tea.

5. Mycorrhizal fungi and other good bacteria.

6. Pest Control

7. Timing

8. Minerals and other Extra tips. Bonus Ideas.

The first time I ever grew a garden was in the early sixties. Before I was in grade school, it was one plant. I was walking down the sidewalk in the neighborhood where I lived. I found a Blue Corn seed. I picked it up, went home, and asked my folks, “What is this?” I knew what corn was, but not that kind. I planted it and watered, it got about eleven or twelve feet tall. I was hooked.

When I was young, the small streams and arroyos between Albuquerque and Santa Fe would run much of the year. There were small trees near the edge of the highways on the way to Santa Fe. It rained on many afternoons, even if only for a few minutes.

As I got older, around High School or early College years, the water in most of those little streams and arroyos had disappeared. The cows and sheep were mostly gone, and much of the desert grass as well.

I could tell there was something changing in the desert southwest, even back then.

In two thousand four, I was back in New Mexico working. When driving north to Santa Fe or going towards the Four Corners area, the old Pinion forests were starting to die off, even more so in some areas. By two thousand eight, more than half the Pinion, and many of the Western Red Juniper, which are very drought-tolerant, were also starting to die off.

Many of the forest fires back then would burn out or not get giant, and usually the fire crews could get them in control in a few day. If they kept going, it would take ten days or even a couple of weeks to get to ten or fifteen thousand acres. They were never measured in hundreds of thousands of acres or hundreds of square miles.

There are so many new problems from the on going climate destabilization, but there is some up side to this also. More CO2 in the air can make plants grow faster. It can also make some plants less nutritious. You can make up for some of this with freshness and nutrient-rich soil, or by choosing food that is not transported halfway across the continent or around the world. The longer it is stored, the more the nutrition goes down. On average, produce from grocery stores has lost about 30% of its nutritional value by the time you get it home. Local and fresher is just better from many angles.

Staying healthy is more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic and a changing climate have made the situation much more complicated. Then there is the food chain becoming more unstable and unreliable.

Quality nutritious food is more important than ever. How much more important is your health at this time in our history, and with our current disasters?

It might sound like a big promise, this idea of having your best garden yet. It is really quite simple. Even if you just start with the first idea and add one in each month or season of the year, it will make a big difference. Soon it will be your best garden yet.

Benefits of Growing Your Own Garden.

There are many benefits to Growing your own garden, and are almost to numerous to count. These are just a few.

You get fresh air and sunshine, and Gardening is good exercise.

Your food is more nutritious and will make you feel better.

Locally grown food has a much smaller carbon footprint than food that travels 1500 miles.

Fresher, it’s hard to get sweet corn that is better than just picked, right when you start heating the water to cook it in.

The perfect homegrown tomato to put on your Burger or Falafel, or some super-fresh parsley for your homemade Hummus.

Salad, made with spring greens or fall greens, that are so fresh, so sweet, and so full of flavor. You don’t get that from a store.

You can be sure that there are no toxins or GMO contamination added to your food.

Organic and Regenerative agriculture will make you healthier and help heal the planet. It's better for you, your family, and your pets. It is a whole different ball park than chemically grown food.

Seven Simple Ideas for having your best garden ever.

Triple Mix.

I worked at a museum and a crystal mine in Arkansas for a while. The owner was too busy to take care of his garden most of the time. I did the gardening, mowed the lawns, and took care of much of the landscaping. He had studied Agriculture in college; this was his idea. Triple mix was his way of getting the plants to take off soon, so there would be strong early growth and a good crop. You can have great early production in your garden with this simple idea.

Wood Ash is an old tradition in gardening and farming. Wood Ash, Bone Meal, and Blood Meal have long been used in agriculture. This is a great, simple way to give your plants an early boost. Get some quality organic nutrition, right where it is most useful for fast early production of healthy roots, leaves, and flowers.

I taught it to a fair number of people around here when I was working at a greenhouse that was part of a local food pantry. I got tired of repeating it or writing it down for people, so here it is. I am not sure how many people kept using it, but this idea is a consistent winner. Use it every time.

1. Triple Mix. 8-1-1.

How to make Triple mix.

There are three components of the triple mix.

• First is Hardwood ash, Use 8 parts.

• Second, Blood Meal, Use one part.

• Last Bone meal, Use one part.

These measurements are by volume.

Use a bucket or container about twice as big as you need, so there is plenty of room to mix it well without spilling.

Put the eight parts of ash, one part of Blood meal, and one part Bone meal in a bucket with the ash. Put the ash in first, then the blood and bone meal. Mix well. This is because ash is lighter, so it will be easier to mix if ash is put in on the bottom first. Use a bucket or container with a good lid, as this mix will absorb moisture from the air if you live in a very humid area.

The blood meal adds Nitrogen, the bone meal provides phosphorous, calcium and some other minerals. The wood ash provides potassium and some good trace minerals.

Nitrogen. To promote nice green leaves, a sign of good photosynthesis and strong growth. This is very important for early growth.

Bone meal. Provides phosphorus for strong roots and good flowers.

Hardwood ash. Provides potassium, which promotes strong vigorous growth, and a little calcium, phosphorus, and some trace minerals.

If you do not have wood ash, be very careful when using potash for potassium; it is highly concentrated and can be problematic. Spread very lightly and evenly in the garden if you think you need some, or follow the instructions on the package. Use much less Ash, or almost eliminate Ash if you are putting on for acid-loving plants.

Use about a tablespoon of triple mix for small plants, or up to about a quarter cup for larger plants like tomatoes or big bell peppers. Mix well into the soil in the hole when planting. Put regular soil around the transplant's roots so the roots have to grow out into the soil with the triple mix. This gets the nutrition right where it will do the most good for early growth.

For row-crop plants from seed, such as Cole crops and greens like Lettuce, Arugula, or Spinach, Carrots, or Beets, use about a quarter to a half cup for a six- to eight-foot row. Mix well into the soil before planting seeds. Always water well right after planting or transplanting, to avoid shock. Keep the soil moisture even while your seeds are sprouting and getting established.

Chemical vs. Natural types of agriculture

In commercial agriculture fertilizers, the measure of N-P-K is three numbers. They represent Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

In Organic or natural methods of agriculture, such as biodynamic gardening or Permaculture, there are many more. There are Minerals, trace elements, humus, carbon, and natural fungi and bacteria that break down nutrients or help transport them to plants. There are earthworms that open the soil and help it breathe, nematodes, and other insects that move and loosen soil.

Even if you are growing in containers or just doing a potted garden on your porch with commercial potting soil, triple mix can make a big difference. Add about a half cup to fifteen or twenty quarts of regular potting soil when starting most bedding plants for your garden. Adding these three ingredients to your soil will help ensure early, healthy growth and a big yield from your plants, and will work even better if you already have really good, rich, organic soil for your starts.

If you do not have hardwood ash, ash from pine or other soft woods will work, but these are not quite as nutritious for your plants as hardwood ash.

If there are a lot of worms in your soil, it might be good to move the big ones out of the way before putting triple mix in the trench or hole you are planting in. The ash in the triple mix could burn them, like lye will burn your hand.

If your soil is already rich in organic matter and alive with fungus, bacteria, and worms, it is often good not to dig the whole bed or garden. This can destroy the networks of fungus and bacteria, the worm tunnels, and destroy the open, loose structure in the soil.

Imagine if you were going to take your whole house and turn it upside down. It would take a lot to fix it up. If you were going to redo or refurbish one room at a time. That would be much easier to deal with.

All the other things that live in your soil will be much happier if not disturbed too much. They will help your garden grow much sooner if they are only disturbed a little bit. Just enough to add some nutrients and compost when planting, and leave some nice loose soil for the roots of your new plants.

2. Compost

My dad made the first compost bin we ever had when we moved to a new house. It was just a Redwood square with wire to stop the leaves, grass clippings, and weeds from blowing away. We would just throw all the leftover leaves, weeds, and grass clippings in it and let it sit. It would take months or years to break down in New Mexico, since it was so dry.

When I was young, My Mom would get Milk at a small dairy in the North Valley of Albuquerque when we drove through that part of town. It had a drive-up window to pick up fresh, whole raw milk. Really good whole raw milk in a big glass gallon jug. The kind with several inches of rich yellow cream floating on top. Sometimes we would get to make Butter from the cream. We would put the cream in a glass jar. My sisters and I would take turns shaking it until the butter separated. Real fresh homemade Butter on some fresh bread. Oh yummy. It was a bit of work, but well worth it.

The first time I made a hot compost, I got cow manure from that dairy in the North Valley. It was run by an old farmer who really cared about his cows. It was put out of business by one of the mega dairy companies. I never liked or drank much milk after that place went out of business. The old dairy farmer took a vacation for the first time in decades. That mega dairy company had a law passed in the city council that outlawed raw milk in the city while he was out of town.

Making Compost

There are many ways to make compost. Compost is broken-down, concentrated organic matter. It helps your soil absorb and hold more moisture. It will also feed bacteria and fungi, and encourage earthworms and lots of little bugs that open up the soil so it can breathe. It is full of great, stable, slow-release nutrition and will make your plants very happy.

There are three main ingredients that make a good compost. Carbon, Nitrogen, and Water. Approximately one-third of each ingredient by weight.

• The first is Carbon. This can be dry leaves, grass clippings, spent garden plants, or even dead weeds. Always save your leaves; they have lots of trace minerals and carbon.

• The second is Nitrogen. Kitchen scraps or coffee grounds are a good source. Animal manures, such as chicken, horse, cow, or sheep, are good. Green matter, such as grass clippings or green leaves, also contains nitrogen and is a good source. Bean or Pea vines while still green are excellent.

• The third is Water.

Chicken litter is excellent for hot compost; it is very high in Nitrogen and all three primary nutrients (N-P-K), and it contains most of the important trace minerals. Chickens are usually fed some form of calcium, such as oyster shell, so that they have good shells on the eggs. It takes less to get great nutrition in your compost. It really is great if you like doing a hot composting system.

I like to use a wire cage made from 2-inch-by-4-inch fencing wire to make kitchen-scrap compost or hot compost. You can use bricks or pallets to keep compost contained until it is finished and ready to use, or just make a big pile.

If you have lots of leaves, set up a wire cage for storing leaves and dry plants until you are ready to use them. If you are patient or not in a hurry, just pile your ingredients on in layers, and get some from the bottom when it's time to use some.

Add about ten or twenty-five percent compost to your potting mix for containers. If your compost is not very rich, you can add more. Too much very rich compost, especially if very high in Nitrogen or potassium, can be a bit of a problem. Too much Nitrogen will cause rampant growth and fewer flowers, or cause flowers to drop. Too much potassium can raise the pH very high and lead to the reverse problem: very slow, not vigorous, growth.

If you have a little extra compost in the spring or fall, put some on your lawn. It will help your lawn be healthier, grow much better, and be more resistant to hot and cold weather. You will also have more grass clippings to add to the compost pile later, if you use a grass catcher. Putting just ten pounds of compost on your lawn can help capture one hundred pounds of carbon from the air over a period of several years.

Layered compost.

An easy way to compost is to just layer your ingredients one on top of the other. Carbon and nitrogen-containing material, and water enough if needed, to make it nice and evenly moist without getting waterlogged. Comfrey leaves, or Stinging Nettles, are also an excellent addition to compost. It is fast-growing, high in nutrition, and promotes good bacteria.

Garden Compost.

Just pile or spread all your compost ingredients in the garden and let them sit there until you are ready to dig it into the soil, or there is enough to make it worthwhile to dig in.

Hot Composting.

Hot Compost. This is my favorite way to make compost. In the summer, there is more green stuff around, in the winter, more dry stuff. As long as you have the proportions in the mix close, it should work well.

Take your ingredients and mix or layer them together as you make your compost pile. The smaller and the more cut up your ingredients are, the better. It will provide more surface area for the Thermophilic bacteria to work on. Maybe mist them with a light mist or spray of water as you are piling them up, so they have a good, even moisture content. A good gauge for water content in composting is to be about as wet as a squeezed-out kitchen sponge.

It takes about a square yard (3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft) of ingredients for compost to heat up on its own. But if you don’t have quite enough ingredients to make a full-size pile, take a teapot or two of hot water and pour it down in the center of the compost. In a hot compost, natural heat-loving bacteria activate and speed up the composting process.

Air flow is very important to a hot compost, kind of like when you are trying to start a fire. If you like, place a large piece of wood or a 2-by-4 in the center while you build your pile. Then, when you are done building the pile, pull it out. This open space will allow air into the pile and act as a draft.

Thermophilic bacteria consume a lot of oxygen when they heat up. If the pile gets too wet, it might slow down or bog down from a lack of airflow. If a big rain is coming, cover the pile with something like a tarp or cardboard to shed at least some of the water if it is not under cover.

You can have finished compost in as little as fourteen days with this process. After it heats up, just fork it over after a few days, and put the outside of the pile to the inside, and the inside to the outside. Then you can do it again, just as it starts to cool down a little, if needed.

One really good thing about hot compost is that, if it gets hot enough, it will kill most weed seeds and pathogens in your pile. So if you're worried about weed seeds, this works well.

Three or four pallets wired or screwed together make a very good size for hot compost.

If your Garden is a new one on compacted clay or deep sand, you may have to actually dig it in well to really get good results.

There are several kinds of reasons and ways to use compost. To improve soil that is depleted or soil that has little or no nutrition to speak of. To improve the soil to use to plant something like sweet potatoes, or regular potatoes that use a lot of nutrients. To improve the soil for something that has special needs, like strawberries or blueberries. Or to just give a blessing to the lawn or your favorite flower bed to keep it happy, so it can make you happy.

Some people use vermicomposting, a composting system with earthworms. Some people do vermin compost for all their kitchen scraps and coffee grounds. It is an excellent way to grow many worms for fishing. If your place doesn't have room for a compost pile, or you’re in an apartment, this is a good way to make some very useful food for your plants. Just use a plastic bin for your kitchen scraps and get some good, big earthworms to live in it until they start to multiply. There are lots of good fungi, bacteria, and nutrients in worm castings.

There are people who have taken this to whole new levels of usefulness. Scientists have taken this way beyond anything I have ever tried on purpose. Here are a couple of interesting people for anyone interested. Insert, Justin Rhodes,? And John Kempf with Nicole Masters on the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast #72. Some cutting-edge and old-school awesome information rolled up together in one.

3. Animal manures, Green Manure

Manure. Chicken poo

I had a friend who liked to grow pot. He found some composted chicken manure from Utah in a two-cubic-foot bag at the local nursery. It was really strong and clean, finely pulverized. He told me that it was really good stuff. So I tested some out, and it was excellent, like he said.

There were some chicken houses south of town in the Valley. So early one of the springs after that, I got some. They would load a tractor scoop in a truck for twenty bucks. It would give you about a yard of manure. It was pretty dry, so it did not weigh a lot. It was more than I really needed, but that was the size of the scoop on the tractor. So I used about half for a hot compost, and put the rest on the lawn and flower beds.

It made a nice big compost with all the leftover dry leaves, plants, and weeds from the year before. A couple of mornings after I made it into a compost pile, it had heated up nicely. That morning, my girlfriend Cathy came running back into the kitchen saying, “Your compost is on fire”. I walked out to the back porch and looked across the yard. It was making a nice big cloud of steam in the cool morning air. It cooked really well for a few days. Then it rained for almost four days. It bogged down, and I had to move it to a drier spot, partly protected from the weather, to get it to finish.

One day the next winter my friend came over to the house. He told me, “Your lawn is the only one still green in the neighborhood”. I had not noticed. I was just used to it staying green all winter. So later, when I went out, I looked up and down the street, and all the other lawns in the neighborhood were brown.

3. Animal manure.

Animal manures are useful in many ways. The easiest way is to just put it on the ground, spread it around the surface of the garden, and let it mellow until you are ready to plant. Spread on your lawn or around plants that need some nutrition. Do not get fresh manure right against active plants in your garden. If it's very fresh, leave a little space around the stem or trunk. Strong fresh manure can burn an active plant, especially poultry manure. Chicken is quite hot and can burn a plant if applied directly, especially when very fresh, so be careful where it is applied. Dry manure is not usually so much of a problem. Horse, cow, goat, sheep, rabbit, etc., are not real strong and are all good, but it takes more. Rabbit is very weak, so it takes a lot, but it is full of good bacteria and enzymes, and will promote lots of happy earthworms.

It is also a good idea to use two or more kinds of animal manure. Animals eat varied diets, so their manure contains different nutrients and bacteria. Some eat bugs and seeds, others grass or leaves. As a result, there are different trace elements and amounts of major nutrients in the manure, as well as varied types of good bacteria.

Green Manure is an excellent way to add lots of carbon and organic matter to your soil. Winter Rye, Cereal Rye, or Clover are excellent for adding lots of nutrition and organic matter to depleted soil. This is very good in places that have too much sandy soil that doesn’t hold much water. Some places have soil with too high a clay content that is muddy and mucky when wet, or hard as a rock when dry.

If you think your soil is short on nutrition, cut or mow down the green manure when it gets big, but while still green. Dig under or leave on the soil surface to decompose. Green manure will promote more biological activity and life in the soil.

If you could use more organic matter and carbon in the soil use something that gets bigger like annual winter rye. Let it mature all the way. Then mow it down or chop it down to protect the soil and decompose. Large plants like melons and winter squash, or tall plants like sunflowers, will be happy here as a quick follow-up crop.

4. Manure tea, Compost tea, and Green teas.

I had a friend who studied Environmental Science in Arizona. One summer when he was back in New Mexico, he gave me a book to read called “Secrets of the Soil’. It was full of information about all kinds of stuff like Azomite, minerals, and living soils, Biodynamic gardening, and more. Much of the info was over my head. It took years before I really understood much of that information.

I used to go up to the Great Northwest in the spring. I would sell balloons at parades or flea markets on the weekends. During the week, I often worked on berry or tree farms in the area. Almost all farms did the chemical style of agriculture. Oregon and Washington were always beautiful and green back then. Always cool and moist in the spring.

In the early 80s I got an invitation to a conference at Whidbey Island. It is in the Straits of Juan De Fuca area of Puget Sound. I have no idea how they got my address, but I was going up to that part of the country anyway that spring.

There was an Aussie named Bill Mollison there. He was the founder of the Permaculture style of agriculture. He said that he had learned much from the Aboriginal People of Tasmania.

He talked about the interrelationships of plants and nature, and how we interact with our environment. We all went for a nature walk one afternoon of the conference. He talked about designing orchards to channel prevailing summer winds. He explained some of the interactions of animals and plants in integrated farms.

That introduced me to a new way of looking at agriculture. One of the things Bill said is “One of the most important things you can do in learning Permaculture is to learn to be observant.” Everything has multiple uses and purposes. Then Bill said, “If you can’t find at least three uses for anything, you are probably not looking very hard.”

4. Teas.

Manure or Compost tea. Green teas.

Later in the season, when everything is growing and well established, but maybe could use a boost. Maybe the tomato plants are full of tomatoes, but they're just not ripening very fast anymore. Maybe your Eggplants are just slowing down or not quite up to speed yet, or your cucumbers have too many fruits on them, and you do not want them to bog down, but keep producing.

Just take a plastic bucket, put in a few shovels of good compost or manure, and fill it with good water. Let it sit for about a day or so. This will give plenty of time for the nutrients to enter the water and for bacteria to start multiplying. Now just spread around the root zone of your plants. You should see good improvements in just a few days. You can even use the leftover stuff in the bucket on the bed to keep feeding nutrients to the soil and mulch around your plants, or throw it back in the compost.

If you have some seedlings started in sterile commercial potting soil. Compost tea is an excellent way to introduce bioactive nutrients and live bacteria into the soil before planting. Water seedlings with some of this compost tea before transplanting to make sure they are primed with beneficial bacteria and nutrients, ready to take off in their new home in the garden. Worm castings are also excellent to add to your starter tea. Even just a tablespoon or two of earthworm poop can have millions or billions of good bacteria and fungi for your bedding plants.

Biodynamic teas. Comfrey tea or Stinging Nettle tea are a couple of classic teas used in Biodynamic growing systems. These are powerhouse plants often used in many natural healing systems and will also give a real boost to your favorite plants. Many people who use Permaculture systems also use these two plants in the compost or the garden.

Put several pounds of Nettle leaves or Comfrey leaves and stems in your plastic bucket, then fill with water. Let the mix sit for two or three days, until the leaves start to break down well. Stir well and spread around under your plants. You can also dilute for use on houseplants, landscape plants, and ground covers. It is good to water tea into the soil well, a little bit after use. Sit back and see the results in just a few days.

Veganic teas. These are just like above, but from other types of plants. Even lawn clippings or weeds will work, but most are not as high in nutrient values as Comfrey or Nettles.

Fish emulsion. This is another excellent way to give your plants a boost and provide readily available food. There is also an excellent mix of trace minerals and other growth factors in fish emulsion. Just use according to the label instructions.

One of the easy ways to put fish emulsion on a large bed is to use a Miracle Grow type garden sprayer. Just figure out how much fish emulsion it would take for the number of square feet of your bed, put it in your sprayer with water, and hook it up to your garden hose, and spray.

5. Mycorrhizal fungi and other good bacteria.

I read about biodynamic systems in the 80s in the book “Secrets of the Soils.” It seemed like Hocus Pocus at the time. I kept an open mind and learned a lot from other people. I read lots of Organic Gardening and other stuff. My Grandmother had lots of copies of old Organic Gardening and Prevention. I read as many of those as I had time to. One of the most important ideas was that soil is alive.

In the Early 2000s, I was working for the Green Party and met a guy from Germany. He sold stuff at the farmers' market in town. He was using the Biodynamic systems. I asked him some questions about it. I did not really know enough about that to ask informed questions. I still did not really understand much, but it sounded interesting, and he had more information than I got from that book “Secrets of the Soils”.

As the year went on, he asked me if I would like to get a copy of the Biodynamic Calendar when he ordered one himself. It took me a while to really understand it, but it is definitely worth using. Especially for the Calendar.

The Mycorrhizal fungi live in the soil and on or near the roots of plants. They help break down and bring the plant nutrients and trace minerals, and help stabilize carbon in the soil. In exchange, they get carbohydrates or other sugars and elements back from the plants. There are several types of natural or organic fertilizers that have beneficial Mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria in their mix. Read the package label for the list of ingredients to be sure it is what you are looking for. If you use Probiotics in your diet, you will understand why to use Mycorrhizal Fungi and other bacteria for your garden.

These make a really big difference if you're just starting to build up the nutrition in your garden soil. They help your plants grow better and make your food more nutritious. Often, minerals like phosphorus or calcium are present in the soil, but not in an available form for your plants to use. These fungi and bacteria thrive in soil full of organic matter and make nutrients more available. They store many of these elements in their cells and slowly release them back into the soil as they die and decompose.

There is a brand called Espoma. There are several kinds of this brand. For Tomatoes, or all-purpose for Gardens, and for Acid-loving plants like azaleas or Pines. Fox Farm and some West Coast companies make all-certified-organic formulations of these.

The Ferti*lome brand has an excellent organic all-purpose plant food called Natural Guard. It has a mix of good, beneficial Mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria. These are natural or OMRI-certified for organic use. There are also several other brands that are not certified that are available.

One good thing you can do ahead of planting time is to take some of this kind of fertilizer with Mycorrhizal fungi and mix it into or sprinkle it on your compost. This will give the good bacteria a little time to grow and multiply in your compost before you move it to your garden beds or pots. Spread some on the garden beds when you are ready to plant, or do this even if you do not have enough compost to cover the area.

Soil is a complex living system and is important for nutrient uptake and cycling. It is home to billions of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, worms, nematodes, and others, all eating, living, and dying together beneath your soil. As they decompose, they release nutrients back into your garden nice and slow. It is often better not to dig up your whole garden just to add more nutrients or fertilizer, as it will disrupt the network of fungi and bacteria. Just layer more on top, and cover with more leaves, mulch, straw, or grass clippings to help control weeds.

Mycorrhizal fungi also help balance or buffer the soil. So that even if your PH is a little off in the garden, your plants will still grow well, and be more resistant to dry soil or hot winds. Of course, it is always better to not let the soil get too dry and to keep the worms and bacteria happy. Being too wet for too long can also be a problem, as it can cause root rot, leach away nutrients, or drown earthworms.

6. Pest Control.

Las Cruces.

My Family used to have a catering company back in the last Century. We often did many fairs and festivals each summer. One year late in the summer, while we were at the Southern New Mexico State Fair in Las Cruces, some of the ladies took several of the young children to see the Livestock barns. That was where the local farm kids from the F.F.A. (Future Farmers of America) had their displays and the competitions that morning.

My daughter was with them. She was about five at that time. She came back with a baby duck. She said, “It was only fifty cents”. He was one of those Pekin Ducks. The white ones that get really big and fat. The kind that gets made into the Chinese dish, Peking Duck. She named him Las Cruses.

Needless to say, it didn't take long for him to get very big. He got some bird food at first, for a few weeks. Then we just gave him sunflower seeds. The sunflower seeds were really cheap back then. He was pretty spoiled. He lived in the backyard and got all the good stuff that got thrown out in the compost. He ate lots of earthworms and bugs from the compost, and helped stir and mix it. He also ate lots of Tomato Hornworms and some of the tomatoes that were down low.

He was the best friend of my two boys, who grew up with him. He lived for about ten years. My boys got to do bug patrol and feed him some of the insects. He got lots of Tomato worms and Squash Bugs. Las Cruces got to the point where he loved eating squash bugs. The stinky kind. I could tell when there were some around. Las Cruses would put his beak up in the air like he was sniffing, and then go over to the squash plants and eat squash bugs. I had some squash that lived and produced all summer and into the fall. Those were some of the best squash crops I ever had. A healthy giant Zucchini or Yellow Squash plant will grow a sixteen-inch to two-foot squash in two or three days and still be totally tender when it is fully mature.

There were a lot of grape varieties along the fence between the yard and the back gardens. Las Cruces would help prune the Grapes. Las Cruses would eat the leaves and bugs from the branches that hung down far enough to get at.

We never used commercial toxic poisons in the garden. It's a good idea to keep them away from anything that is alive. Yourself, your plants, and your pets.

Pest Controls

Diatomaceous Earth is composed of microscopic fossilized sea shells. It is used as a pesticide against almost any insect with an exoskeleton (a hard outer shell).

It has a silica shell that, when ground up, acts like crushed glass. When sprayed on garden pests, it will get on the insect's joints and cut them. It will dehydrate and die. If you can get very good coverage, you can get very good pest control. Spraying is easier to get into hard-to-get-at places.

It does not stay suspended in water very well, so shake it often and use it quickly if you can. If you have a garden sprayer with a big nozzle, use it, or use one that you can unscrew and take the nozzle off, and use your finger or thumb over the end of the tube to direct the spray. If you can, spray when the air is still, in the late afternoon, to help avoid killing many beneficials or pollinators.

If you use it dry or spray it, wear a mask or respirator. Do not breathe it. It could cause silicosis. Diatomaceous is available at most local Farm and Feed stores by the trade name Permaguard for a reasonable price.

B.T. Bacillus Thuringiensis is a bacterium that is effective for all types of caterpillars or worms that come from butterflies or moths. It is still very effective on almost all types.

Caterpillars or worms eat the bacteria that produce proteins in their stomach and paralyze the digestive system. They stop eating and die with a bad case of indigestion and a full stomach.

B.T. Bacillus Thuringiensis is nontoxic to beneficial insects like earth worms, bees, ladybugs etc. It is not toxic to people, animals, or birds, is safe to use in organic gardens, and is available in organic OMRI-certified or non-organic formulations. In powder form, it is called Dipel; in liquid form, it is called Thuracide.

Sometimes I use the powder form in the sprayer for longer-lasting effects during a long rainy spell. Especially on grapes or tomatoes, when they are almost getting ready to produce the main part of the crop, if there are problems with worms.

There are a few types of worms that are starting to show resistance to this type of Bacillus Thuringiensis. The biotech industry began inserting the genes that produce the toxin from B.T. bacteria into widely planted field crops such as corn and soybeans. As a result, some worms are becoming resistant. If you run across some of these resistant worms, be sure to kill them by hand or some other way, so they do not reproduce.

Neem Oil. Neem oil is extracted from the seed of a tropical tree. This is pretty heavy-duty insecticide for a natural product. It is also a very good fungicide and a versatile multi-use product. It is also used in many natural products, such as cosmetics and toothpaste. It can be found in Organic Certified and non-organic formulations.

It is also good for many other insect problems. Try not to use neem close to harvest. Always check instructions.

Neem kills many insects like Aphids, Mealybugs, Mites, Flea Beatles, Thrips and Whiteflies or Woolly Aphids, and many Insects that chew the leaves on your plants.

Sesame oil. A clarified sesame oil extract, sold under the trade name Organocide, is effective against aphids and many other garden pests. Not toxic and will not harm the beneficial insects if you do not get it directly on them. Oils are excellent for use against insects that have developed resistance to other pest control methods.

Like Neem, it is good for some other plant problems. This is an OMRI-certified fungicide, miticide, and insecticide.

Oils are most effective against the soft-bodied arthropods. There are also Dormant oils for scale or eggs of overwintering insects on fruit trees or vines. Always use according to directions or check online if you are unsure. The old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” applies in many different ways in gardening.

One very good tactic for some insects is to remove them by hand. Aphids are present in almost any environment and are often spread around by small ants. Just spray them with a strong spray of cold water. This works very well on a hot summer day, because it gives the aphids a cold, if you have cold water coming from the hose to your sprayer or nozzle. Make the spray strong enough to knock off aphids or other insects, but not damage the plants' leaves.

Controlling squash bugs is also very good to do by hand. Pick off squash bug eggs that are usually laid on the underside of leaves. Also, pick off all stages of bugs. They often cause discoloration and damage to leaves, so look under discolored leaves. If there are too many, just wrap the leaf up around them, take it off the plant, then smash or stomp on it. If you want extra protection when squash bugs are really bad, spray Diatomaceous Earth.

If you do not like the smell of the squash bugs, wear garden gloves or some thin disposable gloves you can just throw away. These have become a serious problem in the southern states since winters are not usually very cold anymore.

Timing is also an effective way to deter pests in your garden. Plant your squash inside a little early and move outside before the squash bugs come in from the wild, or plant later when they have already found another place to live.

Squash vine borers come out about the end of June or early July. Plant an early summer squash crop to mature before then, and another after this time, or do your winter squash late July or sooner if in a cool northern climate. Squash vine borers will also be killed by B.T. Just spray around the trunks of your squash plants just before and around the time your area reaches 1000 degree days.

Plant varieties that are more resistant to pests and disease.

Buy or encourage some praying mantises, ladybugs, or lacewings to live in your garden.

These days, you can also get an upcoming insect alert app for your smartphone. These will usually tell you ahead of time about new pests arriving or hatching in your area.

One really good way to prevent many insect problems is to use a foliage tea spray made from nettles, comfrey, or fish emulsion. This will strengthen the plant and help it fight off almost any pests by increasing plant Brix levels—a measure of the sugar, vitamins, and minerals in plant sap.

7. Timing.

There are several planting calendars and almanacs. With the climate changing, timing is becoming even more important than ever before. This is very important if you are in an area with more extreme heat or extreme rainfall due to climate change. In many areas, it is now possible to have fresh greens all fall, winter, and spring. This might be a little more problematic in areas with wide temperature swings, since some plants do not harden off properly.

The Biodynamic calendar. It has four classifications for plant days: Root, Leaf, Flower, and Fruit. Planting, working on, and weeding a plant on a particular day can be used to enhance the part of the plant listed on the calendar. This calendar is simple to use if you do not know the system. A free online Bio-dynamic calendar for your phone or computer. Not quite as specific as the original, but still very good and so convenient. Bookmark it in your phone.

The original Maria Thun Biodynamic Calendar is very good and can be purchased online or by asking your local bookstore if they have it or will carry it. It is well worth the price if you would like a much better understanding of Bio-dynamic systems. There is a lot of information online, and online Biodynamic groups. Also consider Permaculture for long-term planning of your garden and perennials.

Talk to your local Feed and Farm store. Many give away calendars or a version of the Farmer's Almanac. Also, auto parts stores, the local pharmacy, etc., give away calendars each year. Ask them to get the ones that have all the moon cycles, astrological signs, and fishing days listed for each month.

Minerals and other Extra tips.

Bonus Ideas.

Just like people must have a broad spectrum of minerals to be healthy and make enzymes and hormones in the body, so do plants. These same minerals and others feed the fungus and bacteria that feed your plants.

Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate. Magnesium is a building block molecule for chlorophyll and is very important for strong growth in a healthy green plant. If you live in the West or Southwest, your soil is probably fairly high PH. Epsom Salt will also help lower the pH of your soil. You could also add one part of Epsom salts to your triple mix if you live in the west, where soils are more alkaline, or use a good bit less in the east.

Epsom salts are pretty heavy-duty, so start with a small amount. I like to use a hand or Miracle-Gro-type sprayer to spread it evenly under your plants, diluted. Two or three heaping tablespoons for about three hundred square feet. Water in when done applying.

Like almost all plant nutrients, less more often, is better than too much all at once. Practice the Golden Mean. Not too much and not too little, just the right amount. You can always add more later if you think it is necessary. Organics are more forgiving when overapplied because they tend to break down more slowly than chemical fertilizers. Too much of some nutrients can cause big problems or disease.

Azomite. Azomite is an ancient ocean deposit from when the Permian Ocean covered much of the western region. The minerals are deposited and concentrated into one of the best broad-spectrum, balanced mineral supplements on the market. The minerals in Azomite are mostly colloidal and very easily and well absorbed by plants and animals.

Azomite.com

Do you have problems with mineral deficiency? Azomite has all the traces. One of these mineral deficiencies is Blossom-End Rot in tomatoes, which is usually caused by a lack of calcium. You get a big brown blotch on a tomato you think will be perfect. There are over seventy minerals in Azomite. A little goes a long way. This is my favorite, and I give it to my gardens, animals, and a tiny bit to myself.

Azomite makes your fruits and vegetables taste much better. Plants grown with this are more disease-resistant and healthier. They are also more nutritious and store longer and better.

If you live in an open area away from town, have chickens, or put Azomite on hay or other crops, you might need to protect your plants from critters with fencing or netting. They will love the flavor much more, but so will you.

There is also something called Greensand from a deposit in New Jersey. If you are close to the East Coast, this is a good mineral supplement for your plants. Greensand has a very good reputation. Shipping is a consideration for both of the above mineral supplements, but well worth using.

Granite or crusher fines. This is the fine stuff left over from the sand-and-gravel plant, and it is a good way to add trace minerals to your garden. They take a while to break down and become available to the plants. A few months up to a year or two, if you have good bio-active soil. It will take a lot more than Azomite or Greensand. The upside is that they will keep releasing minerals for a long while, and it is usually quite inexpensive compared to Azomite or Greensand.

Watering

Watering. If you have a way to catch rainwater from your roof, rainwater from a thunderstorm has lots of free nitrogen in it. Give this to your garden and potted plants; they will love it.

You might have to water a bit more than before the climate started to get warmer, but water really is a great plant growth accelerator, and one of the limiting factors in gardening. If you live in the west, where it is really dry and hot, early morning and early evening watering might be good. A really good wet/dry cycle is an excellent way to get your big plants to develop deep roots early in the season.

Raised Beds

Raised Beds. In places where you have heavy clay soil, or where your garden is in a low-lying area, the raised bed is a great benefit. The soil warms faster in the spring. If you have lots of rain in the spring or live in an area with a summer Monsoon season, raised beds can help prevent root rot. It is also easier to work with less bending over. If possible, always keep beds covered with mulch, or with a living green manure if your beds are dormant in the fall or winter. Even if it is just a turnip or a small Clover, Fenugreek, or Vetch. Winter Field Beans, or Fava Beans, are fairly cold-hardy if you are not too far north.

Raised beds are also great for no-dig methods of gardening. Just keep adding more compost and then more mulch on top of the bed after every harvest. The mulch feeds the soil, suppresses weeds, keeps the soil cool in the summer and warmer in the winter, and helps prevent erosion.

No Till. Here is one of the No Till F.B. groups.

Some no-till people just mix a bunch of different edible green seed varieties, and maybe onion, with cover crop seed altogether for a fall or early spring crop. Just pick or thin out for baby salad greens and eat, until the spacing is just right for them to mature.

Companion planting. Many plants will do better when paired with compatible plants. Many plants have different kinds of pests that like them, and others that pests do not. Intermixing plants from different families or growth habits can be beneficial to both when planted together properly. It is a little complicated, but worth studying if you are limited on space or looking to maximize production.

If you live in a harsh climate. You can also just use one crop to protect or serve as a nurse crop until the others get established or mature.

A very simple and quick example is the Radish, Lettuce, Carrot Mix. Three rows right next to each other. The final spacing is to have the carrot at just the right distance to mature. The radish grows very quickly and marks rows early. The lettuce takes a little longer and helps protect the carrot when it is very small and getting established. The lettuce will be ready to start eating in a few weeks or a month. It will protect the little carrots until they have some good-sized tops.

Check out “Square Foot Gardening” on the internet, or see if you can find the classic version of the original Rodale Press book “Square Foot Gardening”. Excellent for a small city garden.

Check out the book by Masanobu Fukuoka. The One Straw Revolution. and A Natural Method of Gardening. Professor Fukuoka started a revolution in methods of reclaiming desert lands and restoring health to overused and abused farm lands worldwide.

6. List of some suppliers. Peaceful Valley is a great supplier if you are in the west or ordering lightweight stuff. If you live up north, Johnny’s Select Seeds is a very good source for early-maturing varieties.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. www.rareseeds.com

Remember, if you poison your garden, you poison yourself.

If you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other.

Chemical fertilizers and Pesticides can kill the life in your soil; avoid them if you can.

Join our Facebook page, It’s Almost Spring.

Itsalmostspring.blogspot.com

Support your local Master Gardeners.