Protecting Plants from Rabbits, and more

The weather has sure changed this week.  The warm start turned into a freezing spell followed with a couple inches of snow yesterday.  In the suburbs rabbits will be putting increased pressure on your planted areas.  Buds and branch tips, especially ones just sticking out of the snow, are easy pickings for our little cottontails.  In the video that goes with this weeks post I'll show you how I installed a temporary fence to encourage the rabbits to look elsewhere!

Other things you might want to be thinking about is mulching your trees, especially newer ones to stabilize soil temperatures and retain moisture. Your garlic and other bulbs will appreciate a good layer of mulch too.  I just put 3-4" of old straw over our garlic.  You can probably prune most trees that need it, as well, but there is no rush as they will be dormant for a few months now.

If you are planning to change over any part of your lawn to garden beds; or the installation of compost bins or other things with posts in the ground you better get on it!  The soil probably won't be workable for much longer.

Have a great week!  Stay warm!

Swords into Plowshares

This week we celebrate Veteran's Day in America.  In today's geo-political climate, the War on Terror stretching on and on, we have more and more men and women to commemorate.  Not to mention our fathers and mothers, cousins and grandparents who may have served our nation from conflicts around the world; Panama, Serbia and Kuwait to Vietnam, Korea and WWII.  These brave men and women have gone when called.  They may have witnessed the unspeakable, and cannot forget what we cannot imagine.  For each of them, we say

"Thank You"
 

There are a multitude of groups around the nation today doing work supporting veterans with their transition to civilian life.  Many of these groups are teaching veterans skills in agriculture, sustainable farming, local food and permaculture.  Homegrown by Heroes, The Valhalla Project, and The Farmer Veteran Coalition are just a few.  These organizations are truly helping vets beat their swords into plowshares.

The following movie trailer is for GROUND OPERATIONS: Battlefields to Farmfields, a documentary and social action campaign championing the growing network of combat veterans transitioning into sustainable farming, ranching and artisan food production careers.

It can be a difficult transition, as the economy has yet to fully recover and many of their new job skills are not directly transferable.  Returning to family life after a long deployment, or having no family and dealing with loneliness, can be a struggle.  And far too often physical injuries add a level of difficulty, or psychological trauma weighs heavily on their mental well-being.  These groups are serving several of these needs.  Career skills training and placement are the most obvious ones.  But also, working in the outdoors, with nature and the soil can bring a sense of well-being that is needed by those who are struggling.

Support these organizations, if you can through donations, purchasing their products or even just sending them a note of encouragement or liking their Facebook pages.  I also encourage you to reach out this week to a veteran family member or friend, and say, "Thank you for your service."  They will probably be a little shy about it, but let them know you truly appreciate their sacrifice.  You and I may not support the wars, but let's support the warriors. 

This week November 9-15, as our way of saying Thank You, we will give a Free 1hr On-Site Consultation (with bubble diagram) for any Veteran or Veteran's group, or 10% off any other service.

               They will live again in freedom
               In the garden of the Lord.
               They will walk behind the ploughshare,
               They will put away the sword.
               The chain will be broken
               And all men will have their reward. — finale of Les Misérables

Cold SNAP!

We had a solid frost Friday night, I guess that is a typical start to November.  Our peppers and tomatoes cashed in their chips for good, and I need to bring in the rosemary and lemongrass pots for the winter.  This weeks update I will give you some hints and tips that I thought of sharing while doing things around our landscape.

Tree planting

A week or so ago I planted a couple small sumac trees in our yard.  Fall is a great time for planting deciduous trees, as is gives the roots plenty of time to grow before new Spring shoots start to grow and the Summer heat returns.  We might be passed the best time as soil temperatures are dropping below 50°F, but if you hurry this week you should be ok, especially if you can capitalize on a great plant clearance deal at your favorite store or nursery!  Cooler temperatures reduce evaporation and transpiration*, which gives trees time to recover from the transplanting process.  This also helps reduce, but not eliminate, the need for watering.  As the really cold weather hits and the ground begins to freeze stop watering.  Once the ground is frozen, guessing early to mid December this year, give your newly planted trees a good covering (3-4") of protective mulch.*not the case with evergreens, so save these for Spring when available soil moisture returns.

• Transplant trees before soil temps drop below 50-55°F
• Water well until soil begins to freeze
• Mulch well once ground has frozen
• Save evergreens for Spring

Garlic and Flower Bulbs
I also planted some Garlic, as well as Daffodils, Tulips and Crocus this weekend.  Garlic is
my Achilles heel, so hopefully this will be my year.  My Spring plantings have failed every year.  Last year's Fall planting may have been too early and the shoots grew too big and froze; but this year I hope to have hit the window.  I gently removed the dried skin and separated the cloves.  The largest cloves should be the best producers but I planted every one.  I set them in well-loosened soil, about 4" apart several inches deep with the top, pointy end up so that the tip is a couple inches under the soil.  I plant intensively in raised beds no wider than 4 feet, so I can reach the middle without stepping into them.  With no need for access rows to walk down, I use the suggested in row spacing in every direction to utilize the bed space more efficiently.  This also reduces weeds since there is less bare ground.

• Gently remove skin and separate cloves
• Largest cloves are best
• Plant tip up, with tip 2-3" below surface
• Space 3-6" apart depending on space available, wider spacing allows larger bulbs

I planted the Daffodils and Tulips about 6" deep with 6" spacing per the packaging.  The Crocus were done about 2-3" deep and apart.  Like the garlic cloves, plant these with the pointy shoot tip up for best results.  These flowers look best when planted in masses, as opposed to one here and there.  You can also group them together or intermix the larger Daffodils into clumps of smaller crocuses.
 

In your landscapes the Spring bulbs companion well with other plants that break dormancy later in the year.  They are especially good for fruit tree guilds.  Their early growth will grab nutrients and hold them so the early rains will not wash them away, and can release these as their foliage dies back and the other plants are at peak growth and fruiting.  They can also help draw in insects that help pollinate early flowering fruit such as cherries.

• Largest bulbs best
• Plant 2-3x as deep as the diameter of the bulb (2" bulb, tip 4-6" down)
• Mass plantings more aesthetic than individual plants
• Companion plants that hold nutrients

Water these new bulbs in very well.


Leaves & Composting
Leaves are also in ample supply.  Our big ash trees dropped their leaves early so these are already mixed into the compost bins.  These are a great and ample source of organic matter for your soil and carbon input for balancing your compost mix if you monitor this.  I don't pay much attention to my carbon(brown)/nitrogen(green) blend as long as everything is mixed well, and leaves are nearly perfect in and of themselves.  If you added nothing but leaves you would end up with a beautiful compost!

• Leaves = Great Compost!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy growing!

 

Dandelion - Underappreciated Plants & "Weeds"

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Many plants have acquired the label, "Weed" or "Invasive" regardless of where they grow; especially in our society that loves a manicured lawn or crop field.

According to Merriam-Webster.com the definition of a weed is:  a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth; especially: one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants

So, the location of growth is the true factor in labeling a weed.

Probably the single most hated weed in the suburban landscape, the dandelion is actually a beneficial plant for your grass and landscape, in reasonable numbers.  Edible in it's entirety, a traditional medicinal plant, and dynamic nutrient accumulator the dandelion has gotten a bad rap.  Isn't it interesting that the companies that will sell you fertilizer for your grass, are the same ones the sell you the weed killer to eliminate dandelion and clover?

Here's another video in the Underappreciated Plants & Weeds series.

If you've ever made a dandelion stem bracelet, or chain, you might recall a sticky, milky sap.  Researchers are now looking to use this as a replacement for natural rubber from trees.  Automobile, truck and aircraft tires need a good percentage of natural rubber for flexibility at lower temperatures.  Already leading tire producers have invested millions into breeding dandelion, with increased size and harvestability.  Rubber yields in test locations have been equal to or better than rubber tree plantations per acre.

So the dandelion isn't as bad as we believe.  I still pull a few for mulch and to make sure they don't get out of control,  but maybe we should eat a few too.

Hope you enjoyed this post!  Have a great week, the weather looks about perfect!

Winterizing Your Rainwater System and More

We've had a few cold nights with frosts and borderline freezes.  Our tomatoes are still trying to ripen and the leaves haven't given up yet.  But as the cold sets in for good we want to make sure our water systems are prepared for winter. 

Freezing temperatures causes water to expand as it turns to ice.  As it expands it can cause damage to items that hold it.  Proper preparation can save you hard work and money.

Sprinklers, timers and hose nozzles should all be drained, and if possible stored in a garage or shed to keep snow and ice from accumulating in them.  We have an irrigation meter through the city that will also need the same treatment.  If you have very hard water now would be a good time to soak these overnight in a strong vinegar solution to remove or reduce the calcium deposits.  A good brushing afterwards might help extend their service life too.

This hose will need to be unrolled and drained or else trapped water in the bottom of the loops can stress the hose in these areas.  You can do this by placing it on a sloping area of your yard, or better yet a hill.  If you have in-ground irrigation, an air compressor will help clear the lines.

For your rainwater catchment you need to keep the same considerations in mind.  Water expands when it freezes, and keeping them free of rain, snow and ice until the season is over.  I'll explain several methods for winterizing your rain barrel and overflow system in this video.  I'll also show how to easily clear the sediment filter which should be done several times each year.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks post, and learned a little, or at least were reminded to care of the things that help you take care of your plants.

Thanks for checking in!

Embrace Diversity

I often hear a lot of talk promoting diversity, in our communities, workplaces and government agencies.  There is a lot to be gained with a diverse group working towards a particular goal.  A diverse workforce can bring a broad set of experiences to help solve a problem.  They might have encountered a similar problem before and can share how they solved it.  People with different backgrounds might have different ways of thinking about a problem, and the group may be able to build off of each others ideas.  Different languages and cultural experiences can help a business capitalize on markets they might not have been able to without a diverse workforce.  These are benefits you've most likely heard of in the workplace.  But did you know, we can use diversity to benefit our landscapes?

For example, several cultivars of apple tree will allow you to have ripe apples from late summer well into fall.  If you separate these with a plum or pear tree between, apple pests will have a hard time moving from tree to tree.

Another example would be the "Three Sisters" used by some Native American tribes.  Maize (corn), beans and squash were often grown together to benefit each other.  The maize provides corn, and at the same time gives the beans a natural trellis to grow on.  Besides the bean for food, they also work with nodule forming bacteria to fix nitrogen form the air which can act as a fertilizer for the corn and squash.  The squash grows low to the ground with large leaves that helps hold in moisture and act as a living mulch suppressing weeds.

Flowers in your garden not only look pretty but can also serve multiple purposes, sometimes called "stacking functions."  Marigolds can provide control of harmful nematodes, a sort of tiny worm.  Most flowers will attract and feed bees and other pollinators.  Some also provide habitat for predatory insects that can reduce harmful insect populations.  Don't forget there are herbal and medicinal flowers too!

Permaculture Design Principle #10

Use and value diversity: Diversity reduces vulnerability to a variety of threats and takes advantage of the unique nature of the environment in which it resides.

In the forest garden above species were selected for their food yield, including cherry, blueberry and more.  An herb mound on the right was also included near the Redbud tree which fixes nitrogen similar to the beans mentioned previously.  The horseradish in the back right corner can be harvested for its spicy root, but also mines nutrients from the subsoil.  The leaves can be cut to use as mulch providing these minerals for the other plants.  Echinacea and other flowers are grown in the sunny openings to attract beneficial insects and for their potential medicinal value.

Water features can provide habitat for amphibians (which are beneficial predators), a place to drink and bathe for birds, and relaxing sounds for a sleepy summer afternoon.  Chickens provide eggs, possibly meat, and perform pest control duties, compost enhancement and outstanding nutrient/fertilizer yield.  The possibilities are amazing!

As you can see, we can embrace diversity in our landscapes as well as in our communities.  Just as a diverse workforce can enhance a business, a diverse design can enhance your lifestyle and boost your connection with nature.  Each element can perform multiple functions which will increase the resiliency and productivity of your environment.


Thanks for reading!  If a diverse, sustainable and productive landscape interests you contact me and I can get you started.

October Deals!

Brilliant red Blueberry foliage

Autumn is here, and so is the color.  We have had our first brush with frost, the leaves are changing and dropping.  Time marches on!

The crops are coming in and most of the chores in the yard are related to cleaning up.  New growth is rare, but still there if you look.  Our second planting of peas are still in bloom, and I am hoping to get some fresh spinach soon.


Ash Tree, the most colorful leaves have blown away

For more new Fall growth on your property, check out these special pricing offers!  The first three people to contact me will get a FREE 1-hour On-site Consultation* for your property!  Normally a $149 value!  Just mention this blog post in your message.

 *within a 30 mile radius, mileage can be worked out if outside the area.

 

Other deals this month include:

Three Bin Cedar Compost System for $449 installed, Regularly $499

 or a

4' x 8' x 6" Raised Bed $75 installed, Regularly $99

 

Take advantage of these deals to get started with a great new landscape design or even just a headstart on next years growing season!

 

Again, thanks for reading; and if you like what I'm doing like and share this page on Facebook.  I am close to 100 likes, please help me reach this milestone!