Here’s a very brief multiple-choice quiz to start your day.

Dry borders are:

A) Lines of demarcation between any of the states in the southwestern U.S.

B) The only people prohibitionists would rent rooms to.

C) An ill-conceived idea to diversify a struggling major book-selling chain by adding dryers to their stores, so your laundry could dry while you were looking for the next David Sedaris book. If that had worked, they would have added washing machines later and called themselves Wash Dry Borders. But alas, it did not.

D) A delightful way to grow plants that don’t require a whole lot of supplemental water, relying almost entirely on Mother Nature to do any watering, even during the summer.

Of course, the answer is B.

And D, too, which brings us to this week’s topic, timely given the extended period we went through without rain.

Really, it starts with watering. Over the years, Marcia and I have not always seen eye-to-watering-can on how much water plants need. I’m always inclined to water more, more, more, while Marcia has insisted it’s possible that plants look punky at times because they’re actually getting too much water.

But that’s a discussion we don’t need to have about the dry borders or beds in our yard. The plants in them, when the soil is properly prepared, thrive quite nicely on their own without me worrying whether they’re looking a bit parched.

The wide range of plants that you can include in a dry border was really brought home for us — well me, actually, since Marcia already had a pretty good idea — when we visited Dancing Oaks Nursery  in Monmouth,  which has some of the most amazing plants I’ve ever seen that are just perfect for those kinds of areas.

And if that weren’t enough, an evening touring the private grounds of Burl and Cindy Mostul‘s home, also the home of Rare Plant Research  in Oregon City, showed in no uncertain terms how spectacular such xeriscaped designs can be.

By the way, for those who might be confused, xeriscaping reduces or all but eliminates the need for any additional watering, and has nothing to do with the personal grooming habits of Xena the warrior princess.  

Glad I could clear that up.

And now, to Marcia.

I love all kinds of plants and gardens, but there’s something about Mediterranean gardens that touches my soul.

We are lucky to have summers as dry as those in the Mediterranean region and fortunate that we can grow a wide range of plants in the Pacific Northwest. Sure, we have wet winters and clay soil (which is what can sometimes kill these plants, not the lack of summer water), but with a few water and soil adjustments, we can really push the limits.

This is illustrated particularly well in the dry borders at both Dancing Oaks Nursery and Rare Plant Research.

Dennis and I have our own little dry bed facing the western sun, and it’s my favorite part of the garden. Usually, we — OK, I, not so much Dennis — associate the word “border” when talking about gardens with English perennial gardens, and it usually refers to a big, beautiful, blooming perennial bed.

But in this case it’s a dry bed with water-wise plants that can be just as beautiful in their own way.
 
SOIL PREPARATION

Most plants that want dry conditions, meaning very little if any supplemental water, need good drainage.

1. The dry bed at Dancing Oaks is a mix of native soil and 6 to 8 inches of composted yard debris topped with the same depth of quarter-10 crushed rock to form a raised mound. Dennis and I use the same combination.

2. The dry bed at Burl and Cindy Mostul’s  consists of 40 dump-truck loads of large boulders filled in half with gravel scalpings (he now wishes he had used the quarter-10 crushed rock instead for better drainage) and half with composted horse manure and wood chips.

 
TIPS

1. Plant during the fall rains or in late winter to let plants establish themselves before the dry summer season.

2. Fred Weisensee and Leonard Foltz at Dancing Oaks don’t give their dry border any supplemental water. Burl Mostul waters his several times each summer but says he really doesn’t need to. Dennis and I water our dry bed at the start of summer and only infrequently in succeeding months, unless I put in a new transplant. (Dennis: Which only happens, well, always.)

3. These beds are for plants that can take a lot of sun as well as just a little water.

4. Most of the plants that don’t make it despite their liking for dry, hot conditions die from poor drainage during the rainy season and not because of lack of water in the summer.

5. Burl has some very unusual plants in his borders, which probably explains the Rare Plant Nursery name. Make sure you use plants that are suitable for both dry conditions and our hardiness zone.
 

GOOD PLANT OPTIONS

The following is a list of plants that were used in the dry beds at Dancing Oaks and on the Mostuls’ grounds.
 
Dancing Oaks Nursery
17900 Priem Road,  Monmouth
503-838-6058, dancingoaks.com
Eremurus species and hybrids
Eryngium giganteum  
Eryngium bourgatii  
Penstemon rupicola  
Scilla peruviana  
Allium flavum  
Iris reticulata  
Dichelostemma congesta  
Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’  
Euphorbia rigida  
Cistus  
Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Gold Dust’  
Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Silveredge’
Iris spuria  
Zauschneria  
Eriogonum umbellatum  
Eriogonum compositum  

Rare Plant Research
Oregon City (the nursery is open only one or two weekends each year)
503-780-6200, rareplantresearch.com
Opuntia fragilis  
Opuntia phaeacantha  
Opuntia imbricata  
Yucca rostrata  
Yucca thompsoniana  
Yucca aloifolia ‘Variegata’  
Agave parryi  
Olearia lineata  
Hesperaloe parviflora  
Sempervivum  
Lewisia cotyledon  
Nassella tenuissima  
Fremontodendron  
Ceanothus ‘Point Reyes’
 
Marcia Westcott Peck is a landscape designer (pecklandscape.com) and Dennis Peck is not. He is the editor of The Oregonian’s Living section, which is a good thing for him, because if he actually had to use his hands for anything other than typing, it would not be pretty.

Felder Rushing is not a man to be hurried. This former county extension agent turned folklorist, author and lecturer is an advocate of slow gardening — emphasizing the process over the product.

“Life has a lot of pressures,” Rushing says. “Why include them in the garden?”

Slow gardening is an offshoot of the international Slow Food Movement, which, in its words, aims “to strengthen the connection between the food on our plates and the health of our planet.” Think of it as mixing ecology with gastronomy, promoting wellness over the high-calorie fare of many fast-food menus.

The way Rushing looks at it, fast gardening means outsourcing most gardening pleasures.

“A lot of people feel they’re too busy to maintain their lawn and shrubs, so they hire ‘mow and blow crews’ to get it done,” he says. “That’s fine, but it’s product-oriented. Others like eating out regularly. That’s OK, too, but it’s not home cooking or enjoying what you grow.”

Slow gardeners, on the other hand, look forward to whatever needs doing. “They’re anticipating, performing and sharing the process,” he says.

Slow gardening is more psychological than horticultural. “Some people make their beds every morning even if they live alone and nobody’s there to notice,” he says. “They do what they do because it makes them feel good.”

Yet slow gardening is not lazy gardening; there are no shortcuts or how-to lists.

“Sometimes it can get pretty intense and long on gadgets,” Rushing says. “But if you’re able to get into the rhythm of that, you’re practicing slow gardening.”

Susan Harris, a garden coach and blogger (Gardener Susan at gardenersusan.comhttp://www.gardenersusan.com/)  from Greenbelt, Md., also subscribes to the slow-gardening philosophy, and recommends it to her students, readers and clients.

It’s “doing what I’m passionate about, not being a purist about anything, using hand tools, not power tools, tolerating some pest damage or just growing some other plant rather than bothering with products (organic or otherwise),” Harris said in an email. “Applying pesticides is not gardening in my book, at least not the slow kind.”

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TIPS

Some suggestions from Rushing’s book “Slow Gardening: A No-Stress Philosophy for All Senses and Seasons” (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2011):  

Take it easy. Gardening doesn’t have to be stressful or a rush to reach harvest. Go slow while you grow.

Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. “A lot of gardeners are scared they’re going to mess up,” Rushing says. “What are the neighbors going to say? I’m saying, hold your head up and go on. Make mistakes and savor them. People are going to talk about you anyway.”

Don’t be penny-wise and flavor-foolish. “Slow gardeners don’t mind spending a little more trying to grow tomatoes over what they’d buy at the store, just for that first, hot-off-the-vine bite in the summer,” he says.

Get together. Share your harvests. Teach. “If you like going to farmers markets, great. But take some kids along with you the next time and show them the difference between a yellow (summer) squash and a zucchini. To me, slow gardening is passing along a favorite plant or some of your knowledge.”

— DEAN FOSDICK /The Associated Press
 
ARE YOU A SLOW GARDENER? Do you savor the time you spend on your landscape? How many hours a week do you spend working in your yard? Take our online poll and let us know: ORne.ws/yard-work-poll

By Heather Prince
www.thegrowingplace.com

August 8, 2013 5:00PM

Master gardener Nancy Carroll waters her plants on Tuesday, June 12, 2012. Carroll said that it is important for gardeners to water their plants regularly if they can because of the extended stretch of dry conditions in the area. | Jeff Cagle~For Sun-Times Media

Updated: August 9, 2013 3:04PM

For the past month or so, rainfall has been very scattered, so don’t let the cumulation of water earlier this year fool you.

Here are some guidelines for watering this summer:

Put out a rain gauge and make sure it’s out in the open so you can get an accurate measurement.

Water recently planted plants and those in containers more frequently. For the most part, plants thrive with an inch of water per week. However, new plants don’t have an established root system yet, so they may need more. Check the soil moisture by inserting your finger into the soil 2 inches deep under any mulch. If it feels dry, water slowly and deeply.

To deeply water trees, use a slow trickle from a hose for 20 to 30 minutes, and about 15 minutes for shrubs. If you’re using a sprinkler, place an empty tuna can out as an easy way to measure how much water is being delivered.

Let your lawn go dormant. This also discourages Japanese beetles from laying eggs in your turf as they prefer lush, well-watered grass. Dormant lawns will still need to be watered once a month, if we receive no significant (an inch) rain. If possible, water in the morning, giving foliage time to dry to prevent fungal problems.

Garden Tip is courtesy of Heather Prince, The Growing Place, 630-355-4000,
www.thegrowingplace.com

Garden walls, particularly those with crumbly holes, can be a haven for
wildlife. Attract bees, butterflies and other insects with Verbena
bonariensis, buddleia, agastache, echinops, polemonium and the paler
varieties of sedum, including Sedum spectabile.

Wall-backed borders are ideal for growing dahlias. Prepare the ground with
well-rotted manure and incorporate organic slug pellets into the soil. Drive
in stakes when planting so as not to damage the root system later on, and
dress with pelleted chicken manure or a general-purpose fertiliser.

“One of the best tips for planting out vegetables like cabbage and
cauliflowers in a windy garden,” says Castle of Mey head gardener
Andrew Glaister, “is to make a shallow trench with a draw hoe and plant
your young plants into the bottom of the trench. The sides of the trench
will help protect the plants or seedlings from the wind. The trench will
gradually fill in as you hoe the weeds and the plants mature.”

(BPT) – People choose to garden for many reasons: Food is fresher and tastes better. It’s a healthy hobby that exercises the body. It saves money. Numerous reports show an increasing number of homeowners are growing their own fruits, vegetables and herbs.

As summer’s end nears, you may think gardening season is over. The good news is with a few strategic tips, you can keep your green thumb going and enjoy a plethora of autumn edibles for months to come. –

Step 1: Select second plantings

Second plantings are the plants you use for the latter part of the gardening season. Late summer is typically the best time to plant these varieties. Call your local extension offices or access information online to find regionalized planting schedules and recommended plant varieties.

The length of the fall season and when the first frost will likely hit are important considerations when selecting second plantings. Keep in mind that fast-maturing vegetables are ideal for fall gardening and they should be planted early enough to reach maturity before the first frost arrives.

Popular second plantings that yield a delicious late fall/early winter harvest include broccoli, lettuce, turnips, collards, carrots, peas, radish, spinach, leeks and beets. Some people even claim root vegetables and cole crops like kale and turnips taste better after the first frost.

Step 2: Prepare your garden space

If you plan to use your current garden space for second plantings, remove the early-season plants that are done producing. Add those plants to your current compost bin or create a new compost pile with easy-to-use, stylish options from Outdoor Essentials. Wood-slate bins blend well with the outdoor aesthetic and the design allows oxygen to circulate and facilitate the composting process.

Next, prepare your garden space. Elevated garden beds are growing in popularity because they look great anywhere in your yard or on your patio, and are easy to move if necessary. Raised garden beds from Outdoor Essentials elevate the plants so gardeners don’t have to bend over and risk injury. They are ideal for fall because gardeners can regulate the temperature of raised beds with ease. On hot days, move or add a shade netting to protect plants from the heat; when frost is a threat, cover the entire bed for protection.

While you’re getting your hands dirty, fall is the perfect time to plant spring flowering bulbs. A little outdoor work now and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful flowers when spring arrives next year.

Step 3: Enjoy the harvest

Tend your garden daily for the best results – it may just need a quick check for pests and proper soil moisture. Typical benefits of late-season gardening include fewer bothersome bugs and the soil has better water retention.

As plants grow, pick the fruits and vegetables and enjoy Mother Nature’s bounty. If your plants become crowded, pluck a few out to help remaining plants grow roots and increase the harvest yield. You may be surprised just how many cool months your plants provide you with fresh, delicious produce.

Fall is a great opportunity to keep gardening momentum alive. So get started and decide what second plantings are best for your space. In as little as 30 days you could be eating the freshest, most flavorful vegetables you’ve ever had, all while under the gorgeous autumn sun.

 

 

 

Gardening helps keep us happy and healthy. It provides exercise, increases endurance, relieves stress, and encourages social interaction. It even improves “brain power.” Gardeners reap beautiful and/or edible rewards in the form of flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. This year, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is offering classes that show gardeners how they can enjoy this favorite pastime now and into the future.

The next program in the series, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, August 9, is “Design a Home Landscape for Today and Tomorrow.” Therapeutic Horticulture Coordinator Irene Brady Barber developed the series and will teach this class in the Bosarge Family Education Center at the Gardens. The fee, which includes Gardens admission, is $30 for members and $37 for nonmembers.

Barber will offer practical advice to participants so they can customize their garden or landscaped space, taking into account their current gardening abilities and allow for changes. Forward-thinking design support gardeners’ independence, and implementing features that encourage accessibility and relaxation will provide years of enjoyment to come.

Other upcoming programs in the “Gardening Later in Life” series are “Planting the Right Plants in the Right Place” on Friday, September 13, and “Bringing the Outdoors Indoors” on Friday, October 11.

Barber, whose background is in communications, human behavior, and horticulture, is completing a professional certification in the field of horticultural therapy, which is the focus of much of her teaching at the Gardens. Each year she plans and tends and teaches in the accessible edible gardens in the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses.

To learn more and sign up for these and other programs, visit www.mainegardens.org, call 207-633-4333, ext. 101, or stop by the Gardens, located off Barters Island Road in Boothbay, just over a mile from the town common.

Conservatory plants need extra special care during this summer’s warm weather, says TV gardener David Domoney, as recent temperatures across Britain soar to over 30 degrees.

According to David, “While the hot spell has been a real blessing after the wash-outs of the past few years and we’re all making the most of the glorious sunshine, remember to spare a thought for your conservatory plants as they may need a little extra attention due to the high temperatures.”

Currently appearing in the ITV1 hit series Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh, David is a big fan of conservatory plants, which he says add a touch of class to any conservatory or orangery.

As Britain’s biggest home improvement company and a leading installer of conservatories and orangeries, Anglian Home Improvements asked David to pull together some top tips to help you keep your conservatory plants in great shape during the hot weather.

• Conservatory plants need humidity to help them thrive during the growing season, so simply use tepid water to mist plants in the morning.

• Group plants together to increase moisture around them, as moisture is evaporated from compost and transpired from the leaves, creating a perfect environment for healthy plants.

• House plants in South or West facing conservatories will require some form of shading, such as blinds or UV filters, which Anglian conservatories have. Choosing the right plant for your conservatory is key. If you are in a South or West facing conservatory use plants that like bright conditions and for East or North facing conservatories choose shade-loving plants.
• Too much heat can put plants under great stress, which requires increased watering and maintenance. Keep your conservatory well-ventilated during a hot summer’s day to stop plants wilting and drying out.

• Check regularly for bugs and watch for sticky deposits or black mould, as these are your first signs of pests! Quarantine the infected plant for two to three weeks and try to get into the habit of turning over leaves regularly when checking plants.

• Feeding should take place during the growing season when water frequency is higher (although there are exceptions to this rule when you have plants showing pale, yellow leaves, slow, weak growth or experience lower leaves dropping off). The three main constituents of plant food are Nitrogen for leaf growth, Phosphates for root growth and Potash for fruit and flowers, and most plants will require a feed once every two to four weeks. Garden centres have a good selection of slow-release fertilizer, pellets and sticks, or use a liquid feed which is an instant pick-me-up for tired houseplants!

• Prune your conservatory plants – don’t be afraid to prune plants if they get leggy or too big. The general rule is to prune after flowering or late winter/early spring, just as growth is starting.

To view more of David’s garden tips, including hints on how to make a great first impression for your home using hanging baskets and window boxes, visit the Anglian Home Improvements YouTube channel.

Established in 1966, Anglian Home Improvements is the UK’s biggest double glazing window, door and conservatory specialist. With almost 50 years’ experience, Anglian offers an extensive range of home improvement products, including double glazing windows and doors, Rooftrim, conservatories, orangeries, driveways, solar products and garage conversions. Further information on the full range of options and styles available can be found at www.anglianhome.co.uk.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About Anglian Home Improvements:
Established in 1966, Anglian Home Improvements is the UK’s leading home improvements company, responsible for the employment of 4500 people. With almost 50 years’ experience of providing uPVC double-glazing windows, Anglian ensures it is ahead of the competition with a continuing research and development programme. Anglian offers an extensive range of home improvement products, including double glazing windows and doors, conservatories, orangeries, solar products, garage conversions and Rooftrim.

For further information please contact:

Melanie McDonald at Anglian Home Improvements
01603 405911
Melanie.mcdonald@angliangroup.com

or

Jacqui Green at JGMPR
07885 270349
Jacqui@jgmpr.com

This press release was distributed by SourceWire News Distribution on behalf of Anglian Group in the following categories:
Leisure Hobbies, Home Garden, Environment Nature.
For more information visit http://www.dwpub.com/sourcewire

August is here, but don’t think about sitting back and enjoying a cool glass of lemonade yet! Even if weeds have run ramped, there remain a lot of gardening tasks to tackle.

Mark and label the location of dormant plants now, before removing dead foliage.

Even if you are cursing weeds, removing them before seed-set is incredibly important to weed control in the future. Take out those green sprouts now and compost them before seed heads form. Additionally, weeding now, especially around late-summer and fall blooming plants, will lesson root competition for water and nutrients. Consider summer weeding as necessary for a spectacular garden.

Look at your mulch very critically. Fluff up mulch that is compacted and add mulch to areas where mulch has decomposed. Two inches of fluffy mulch should be enough. Mulch provides a layer of insulation that maintains a constant soil temperature, reduces moisture loss from the soil due to evaporation and breaks down into organic materials that benefit the soil. Don’t over mulch, as this could be too much of a good thing, and water won’t reach the roots.

Continue to water wisely. A deep and thorough watering at the root-zone will yield a better result than just water the topsoil layer.

Container-grown plants need more water than those in the ground. Hanging baskets subject to drying from heat and wind will need to be checked daily. Check frequently for water needs of specific plants.

Lawn care and renovation begins now. Do a soil test and make amendments as suggested. Alternately, consult with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service GREEN Grass Program for analysis of your individual lawn and consultation regarding corrective measures that will make your lawn the envy of neighbors.

Vegetable gardeners, keep on! Continue to harvest, as harvesting will result in continued production. Search the web for fall vegetable gardening advice on the Virginia Tech website. Begin to plant cool season vegetables this month for fall harvest.

Harvest herbs now for drying and future use. Cut flowers now for drying and use later in flower arrangements. Hang herbs and flowers upside-down in small bundles in a well-ventilated space until dried.

Finally, make garden cleanup a priority. Remove fallen leaves, fruit and litter, especially from fruit trees, rose, peony and shrubs like photinia and pyracantha, or anything that suffered from mold or bacterial diseases this season. Dispose or destroy all material, not adding to your compost pile, to prevent problems in the future.

There is no end to the tasks of a gardener. Just remember to take time to enjoy the garden you have.

For more information, contact the Virginia Cooperative Extension Horticulture Help Desk at 24 Pehlam St. in Warrenton, or call 540-341-4950 extension 1, or by e-mail at http://www.fc-mg.org.

Fauquier Master Gardeners also have a table at the Warrenton Farmers Market on Saturdays from May through September.

Ryan Sproul

Posted: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 12:00 am
|


Updated: 12:17 pm, Tue Aug 6, 2013.

Garden tips for August

Ryan Sproul

Grove Sun – Delaware County Journal

Well it has sure been nice to get all the rains we have had over the last several weeks. Anytime it rains in July and August is good, but the amount of rain we have received is just plain awesome.

For this week’s column, I wanted to share some horticulture tips for the month of August. Give me a call here in the Delaware County OSU Extension Office at 918-253-4332 if there is anything I can help you with. Have a good week!!!

Vegetables

• August is a good month to start your fall vegetable garden. Bush beans, cucumbers and summer squash can be replanted for another crop. Beets, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, lettuce and other cool-season crops can also be planted at this time.

• Soak vegetable seed overnight prior to planting. Once planted, cover them with compost to avoid soil crusting. Mulch to keep planting bed moist and provide shade during initial establishment. Monitor and control insect pests that prevent a good start of plants in your fall garden.

Fruit and Nut

• Continue protective insect applications on the fruit orchard. A good spray schedule is often abandoned too early. Follow directions on last application prior to harvest.

Flowers

• Towards the end of the month, divide and replant spring-blooming perennials like iris, peonies and daylilies if needed.

General

• Water compost during extremely dry periods so that it remains active. Turn the pile to generate heat throughout for proper sterilization.

• Always follow directions on both synthetic and natural pesticide products.

• Watch for high populations of caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, thrips, scales and other insects on plant material in the garden and landscape and treat as needed.

• Water all plants thoroughly unless rainfall has been adequate. It is better to water more in depth, less often and early in the morning.

Trees and Shrubs

• Discontinue deadheading roses by mid-August to help initiate winter hardiness.

• Watch for 2nd generation of fall webworm in late August/early September. Remove webs that enclose branches and destroy; or spray with good penetration with an appropriate insecticide.

Lawn and Turf

• Grassy winter weeds like Poa annua, better known as annual bluegrass, can be prevented with a preemergence herbicide application in late August. Water in the product after application.

• Areas of turf with large brown spots should be checked for high numbers of grubs. Mid-to-late August is the best time to control heavy white grub infestations in the lawn. Apply appropriate insecticide if white grubs are a problem. Water product into soil.

• Tall fescue should be mowed at 3 inches during the hot summer and up to 3½ inches if it grows under heavier shade.

• For areas being converted to tall fescue this fall, begin spraying out bermudagrass with a product containing glyphosate in early August.

• Irrigated warm-season lawns can be fertilized once again; apply 0.5 lb N/1,000 sq ft in early to mid-August.

• Brown patch of cool-season grasses can be a problem.

Ryan Sproul is the extension educator, for ag and 4-H youth development, with the OSU Extension Services in Delaware County. For more information, or to contact Sproul, persons interested may call 918-253-4332 or email ryan.sproul@okstate.edu.

More about Ryan Sproul

• ARTICLE: Dry conditions return to Delaware County
• ARTICLE: Hypoxylon dieback and canker of pecan trees
• ARTICLE: Dry conditions returning to Delaware County
• ARTICLE: Private Applicator Certification

More about Grove

• IMAGE: Hole-in-one
• ARTICLE: Locals compete in Grand Lady Tournament
• ARTICLE: Market matches farmers with consumers
• ARTICLE: Funds for chamber top Grove council meeting
• ARTICLE: District completes summer improvement tasks: $170,000 worth completed thru building funds

More about Grove Sun

• IMAGE: Hole-in-one
• ARTICLE: Locals compete in Grand Lady Tournament
• ARTICLE: Grove Sun’s Sunspots For 08.06.03
• ARTICLE: Grove Sun’s Sunspots For 08.09.13

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Tuesday, August 6, 2013 12:00 am.

Updated: 12:17 pm.

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Ryan Sproul,

Grove,

Grove Sun,

Osu Extension Office,

Delaware County,

Extension Educator

Jeanne Nolan

To purchase a copy of the book:

From the Ground Up: A Food Grower’s Education in Life, Love, and the Movement That’s Changing the Nation

Jeanne’s Tips:

When you have good organic potting soil in a container, you can plant herbs or vegetables close together because you have lots of nutrients in the soil

Water the plants in with organic liquid fertilizer made from fish emulsion and seaweed — it helps the plants withstand heat and be more productive

To reduce weeds in your vegetable garden: a) prepare your soil well by adding plenty of compost   b) plant lots of different types of vegetables, herbs and flowers together-this attracts beneficial insects to the garden that will deter or attack harmful insects.  c) Pull out weeds by hand-if you never let them get established –they won’t produce to seed and you will eventually win the battle

To deal with bad insects in your garden: a) use a garlic spray-this is a natural insect repellent b) use Safers soap to kill aphids and other insects c) handpick cabbage worms or japanese beetles, drop them into a container of soapy water to their demise.

For more information:

www.theorganicgardener.net/