Hi Gardeners! I thought it would be good to backtrack and include some information on our blog that I sent you in my welcome to the Edible Schoolyard Adopt-A-Plot email.
This year we have an electric tiller, thanks to the support of all the University College academic programs. There is an electrical outlet by the backdoor of the LLC. This is a small, lightweight tiller meant for little jobs. Take care and use it safely.
Compost has been delivered to add to your garden plot. Compost is the best fertilizer ever! I add it to my garden soil before I plant and then side dress my plants later in the season, as you would with fertilizer. Compost tea is also fantastic. Just take a bucket and fill it half full with compost and top it with water. Cover with a tight fitting lid and leave it to steep for 7-10 days. Strain into another bucket and dilute one part tea to 2 parts water (if you have two more buckets of equal size simply pour a third into each of the other buckets and fill all three with water). Recipe from The Organic Gardeners Handbook by Frank Tozer.
Speaking of compost, we have compost bins behind the garden shed. Anything organic can go into the compost bins except for meat, dairy, diseased plants, or weeds with seeds or flowers on them. Some really good compost additives are coffee or tea grounds, crushed eggshells, leftover dirt from pots, and of course, any vegetable or fruit waste.
Mulch has also been delivered to put around the flower beds. We are awaiting a delivery of wood chips so we can put them down in the walkways between plots to cut down on the weeds. In the meantime, please weed your walkways around your plot.
A reminder to make a wind-weather proof sign for your garden that has your name on it with any artistic touches you would care to add.
SOME MORE EXCELLENT RESOURCES:
Here are some good garden resources for beginners from a handout I received from the Watauga County NC Cooperative Extension office (http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu):
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinfo.html - This site has numerous factsheets covering flowers, shrubs, trees, vegetables, houseplants, and other horticultural topics.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/ag_publications.html - This website brings you to NCSU and North Carolina Cooperative Extension Horticultural Publications, available as PDF documents.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/ - The NCSU Horticulture Department has compiled information on various types of plants and garden topics at this website.
The Watauga County NC Cooperative Extension office will also be having "Organic Gardening 101" - Designed for beginning gardeners or those who would like to switch to organic methods. Topics include garden planning, seed starting, companion planting, how to attract beneficial bugs, pest management, soil tests and amendments, composting and vermi-composting and dealing with common plant problems. The course will be held at the previous ASU Sustainable Development Farm in Valle Crucis. Cost is $20.00 for all 4 days. Space is liminted, so reserve your spot by paying in advance at the NC Cooperative Extension office at 971 West King Street, Boone. For more information contact: Margie Mansure (828) 264-3061, margie_mansure@ncsu.edu. (See dates of events at http://watauga.ces.ncsu.edu.)
The Watauga County NC Cooperative also has a blog at: http://wataugaces.blogspot.com/.
Well, I'm taking the plunge this week and putting in my tomato plants!!! The 10-day forecast shows all evening temperatures above 50. Wish me luck!
See you in the Edible Schoolyard!
-Debbie
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