Time to get your garden on
The weather outside still may be frightful, but if you are like me, the recent warm snaps have you ready to get outside and start your vegetable garden.
By Michael Sweet
The weather outside still may be frightful, but if you are like me, the recent warm snaps have you ready to get outside and start your vegetable garden. This is a good thing. It is motivation to begin the prep work needed to make your organic garden a bountiful success.
The first thing to do is develop a plan. Look at where your plants were placed the previous two years. Plan to rotate your crops accordingly to prevent disease and infestations. Three or four distinct plots will make your plan easier to prepare and follow.
If the plan includes vining plants such as cucumbers or melons, go vertical to save your back and garden space. You also can use the shade of trellised plants to grow late-season lettuce and other vegetables that do not like heat. Also consider the bees, the real garden heroes. Plan for plenty of flowers (marigolds, zinnias, bachelor’s buttons, etc.) to attract beneficial insects and repel harmful bugs.
Plan to rotate your crops accordingly to prevent disease and infestations. Three or four distinct plots will make your plan easier to prepare and follow.
The next task is inspecting and organizing your seeds. Start by discarding any seeds older than three years, as their viability drops off significantly. Next, organize your seeds in order of starting date. I keep my seeds in an index card box with labeled dividers for the beginning, middle and end of each month. Make sure you have enough seed for your garden plan. If not, now is the time to order more. The internet is a great source to find companies that sell organic heirloom seeds. Links to some of my favorite seed companies are posted below.
The final, and perhaps most important chore to complete before planting is to clean and sanitize your seed-starting equipment and sanitize the compost/soil. To clean the equipment, scrub it with plain warm water to get rid of most of the dirt. Then soak it for 10 minutes in a mixture of 1 gallon of water, 1 teaspoon organic dish soap, and ½ cup of vinegar. Air-dry nonmetal equipment. Towel dry other equipment to prevent rust.
To sanitize the soil/compost, preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Put 4 inches of the medium in an oven-safe container, cover, and insert an oven-safe thermometer into the center of the soil. Put the soil into the oven and watch for it to reach 160 to 180 degrees. Turn the oven to warm and hold the temperature for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and wait for the soil to completely cool before using.
Also consider the bees, the real garden heroes.
Soon the days will grow longer and the snow will disappear. Your dreams of warmth and sun will become a reality, and the time to dig out into the garden will be here. When this reality hits, will you be ready?
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Patrice Johnson
Editor in Chief of Stockbridge Community News. Author of national award winning, "The Fall and Rise of Tyler Johnson"