Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Groceries from the Backyard: A Harvest of Savings

March 22nd, 2009

Groceries from the Backyard: A Harvest of Savings


(ARA) – The economy is tanking, grocery bills are climbing and food safety scares are on the rise. For the 43 million Americans planning a vegetable garden this spring, growing your own is a matter of dollars and sense.

Food gardening will jump 19 percent this year over last year, according to a new survey by the National Gardening Association (NGA). Homeowners with shrinking household budgets are looking for help in their own backyards. Can planting a veggie patch really save you money? Government agencies and gardening organizations say yes.

Every $100 spent on vegetable gardening yields $1,000 to $1,700 worth of produce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. That’s a serious hedge against skyrocketing food prices, expected to jump another 5 percent this year.

You’ll get a half-pound of edibles from every square foot of ground devoted to backyard crops, NGA experts say. Even a modest garden (15 by 15 feet) can produce more than 100 pounds of garden-fresh tomatoes, salad greens, vegetables and herbs. Better flavor and bragging rights come with the harvest.

Planting a vegetable plot and keeping it productive isn’t that hard if you start small, keep the basics in mind and plant reliable varieties. Take it step by step:

Lead with Location — A sunny, well-drained spot close to a water spigot is ideal. Leafy greens tolerate some shade, but other crops want eight hours of sun daily.

Suitable Soil — Adding organic material is the key to an easy-care garden. It loosens stiff soil, helps retain moisture and nourishes important soil organisms. Good “ingredients” include manure, humus and chopped-up leaves. Spread a 4-inch layer of amendments on your plot and till into the top 9 to 12 inches.

Fertilize Faithfully — All edible plants remove some nutrients from the soil, and can quickly exhaust the soil without the help of a fertilizer. Always follow the rates given on the label when deciding how much to use.

Water Wisely — One inch of water weekly is adequate for most vegetables. Soaker hoses or drip systems deliver water efficiently and keep foliage dry, fending off leaf diseases.

Patrol for Pests — Monitor insect damage but try to keep your crops pesticide-free. Hand-pick pests or dislodge them with a jet of water, then let natural predators do the rest. If you must spray, do it late in the day when beneficial insects are less active.

Pick the Right Plants — Flower gardeners gravitate to the newest, showiest varieties, but smart food gardeners appreciate the tried-and-true. Bonnie Plants, available coast to coast, are time-tested varieties selected to suit regional conditions. For best results you’ll need to choose veggie and herb varieties suitable to your geographical location. Because Bonnie’s varieties are distributed regionally, you will automatically have suitable varieties available to you at retail locations in your area.

Look for Bonnie Plants in eco-friendly biodegradable pots that not only keep tons of plastic pots from ending up in landfills, but also reduce transplant shock. Just tear off the bottom, set the pot in the ground and water.

If you’re ready to try your hand at creating your own backyard grocery garden, here are 10 easy crops to plant:

Basil — Perfect with tomatoes. Choose sweet basil or the compact ”Spicy Globe.”

Beans — Bush beans like “Bush Blue Lake’”are easier to pick, but tall “pole” beans have higher yields.

Bell peppers — Harvest green or red, when vitamin levels are higher. Try “Bonnie Bell” or the new, hot bell pepper “Mexibell.”

Chard — This leafy green tolerates cool temperatures well. Varieties like “Bright Lights” have brilliantly colored stems.

Cucumber — Plant after the weather warms. Choose the mild Japanese cucumber or the old favorite “Burpless Bush Hybrid.”

Eggplant — A much-loved favorite, eggplant thrives in hot weather.  Try “Black Beauty” or the white-skinned  “Cloud Nine.”

Lettuce — Go for easy “leaf” lettuces like “Buttercrunch,” “Red Sails,” or Romaine.

Parsley — Pick curly types or flat Italian parsley. This herb is rich in vitamins and a breath-sweetener, too.

Summer squash — Squash are very productive plants and easy to grow. Try zucchini “Black Beauty” or yellow crook-necked squash.

Tomatoes — These crimson favorites are the most popular backyard vegetable. Choose disease-resistant “Better Boy,” “Bonnie Original” or the extra-easy cherry tomato “Sweet 100.”

For gardening tips and more herb and vegetable varieties, visit www.bonnieplants.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Spring Planting

March 4th, 2009

Spring is such an exciting time.  Usually around this time, in early march  I start planting my lettuce, peas and radishes in my garden.  I was so eager for spring this time that I planted two weeks ago.  Now it is raining so hard that I am sure that the seeds will either rot or get washed away.  You are probably wondering why I would let you know of my mistakes as a gardener.  I guess it is because you might learn from my mistakes.  I know I never do.  I still hope for an early spring and plant early each and every year.  On of my favorite products is walls of water.  They are cylinders that have channels that you pour water into and they stand upright and shape to fit around you r plant.  I set mine up a few weeks before I plan on planting  anything so that they will warm up the soil.  our planting time is usually around the first of May for tomatoes.  I can put in my tomato plants at least three weeks early.  I can start watermelon or squash which are favorites in our family.  I usually buy them at the local garden center, like Lowes or Home depot, but since we don’t have those stores up here I  get them at Gurneys or gardens alive.

I often shop online because I live in a tiny community that does not always have all the plants that I would like to try.  Most of the online catalogs give a great guarantee.  If the plant doesn’t grow that you have ordered they will replace it for free.  I have taken them up on that and they have been very obliging about sending replacements.  One of my favorite flowers is flax and I have not had much luck with them and so they sent me more.  Hopefully this year will be the year that they will grow as long as all this rain doesn’t kill them.  It’s funny how too much rain is bad for the garden and not enough is bad too.

I looked out the window and I see that the rain is getting a little slushy.    My three boys are hoping for it to start snowing rather than all this rain, because then school will get canceled and they can go play in the snow.  I guess if that happens, I will go online and shop for plants for my garden.

I have decided to go shopping.  That means shopping from all my great catalogs.  I got a catalog from springhill nursery that gave 50 percent off any order no matter how big or small.  Of course I thought  I would start out small, but I am spending around 50 dollars and getting about 15 plants so the deal is pretty good if they all grow.  As you know from my previous blog, I try to save money on gardening and everything else, so I try to never pay full price. Springhill also claims a  100% guarantee, so we shall see.  I have decided to go with a red garden.  I enjoy the reds I have in my garden already and want to expand on them.  some of my favorites are : bee balm, carnations and penstemon.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

It’s raining again!

February 6th, 2009

I love the rain!! I especially know how beneficial it is for us here in California.  We are in another terrible drought, and so I know that every drop is important; but I was hoping to put out my walls of water and plant some tomatoes and peppers.  I love getting plants out early.   

  I always cover up a part of my garden with a tarp so that it won’t be as wet as the rest of the garden during the rainy time.  I then have a chance to go and work the soil and plant radishes, and peas and lettuce at the end of February. 

I grew up in the Colorado, where spring didn’t come until May.  We never could plant anything until May and then we had to have it covered because frost would come, sometimes even in June.  Now that I am in the Sierra Nevada foothills, I love to plant early and even bring tomatoes to my parents when I visit them in June.

Tags:
Posted in Gardening, Uncategorized | Comments (1)

AAH WINTER

January 28th, 2009

We had our January thaw.  I  thought that spring might have come early here in the foothills of northern California.  The temperature was over 60 degrees.  My bulbs have started to poke their green tops out of the ground, and the rosebushes are getting leaves on them.  I always start getting so excited for spring to come and I get out my seed catalogs, and dream big dreams, of what to put where.  I  plan much bigger than my little garden will allow me to grow,  especially because I have so many trees and not enough sun to plant everything I want.

I did put in three fruit trees four years ago, and this year I am hoping a late frost won’t kill everything off like it did last year.   All of a sudden it has turned back into Winter.  It rained for five days straight, and there is ice on the roads and in my koi pond.  Oh well, I can still dream and plan, I just don’t feel like going out there in the cold weather.

Posted in Uncategorized, lawn care | Comments (0)

Hello world!

December 27th, 2008

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)