A Beginners Guide to Healthy Organic Gardening October 5, 2009

These tips are just a few of the things about your organic gardening soil which are important. It makes common sense that your body will benefit from less toxic weed killers and pesticides, and your soil and garden insects will help improve the entire environment around you.

Organic gardening is not as difficult as many beginning gardeners believe it is. Quite simply it means you are going to plant your garden without using synthetic fertilizers, for making the plants grow and chemical pesticides to control the bugs. It really falls back to the farming principles used centuries ago before all the toxic chemicals started to be spread and spayed on all our plants and the ground.

The best way to make sure you get the biggest returns from your labor, regardless if its going to be flowers, herbs, veggies or a mish mash of several plants it’s best to have a detailed plan. And the best time to formulate your plan is in the fall or autumn, right after the fall growing season ends. This way you will have enough time to prepare the ground before the spring planting season begins.

Now is the time for you to actually determine what your selected ground is going to need, in the way of the proper nutrition to help your vegetation grow. Your plants will do well if they can receive about six hours of sunlight per day. In almost all cases positioning of your planting area in the south-east part of your ground will give more than adequate amounts of sunshine.

Once the proper location has been determined the next step is preparing the ground where you will be planting. To make the weed and grass removal successful you should perform the initial removal, then go back again a couple of weeks later and remove the weeds and grass which will have grown in the meantime. Turning the soil over two or three times with a rest of a couple of weeks in between helps to make sure you have weeded the roots out as well from the soil. Then mix in organic manure from chickens, cows or horses. Then laying a thick layer of wood chip or shredded newspaper on top will help to mulch the soil from drying out too much in summer, and protect the soil in winter.

Organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden October 5, 2009

http://www.howdini.com/howdini-video-7561504.html
organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden
What does it mean to grow vegetables organically? Scott Meyer, editor of Organic gardening magazine shows how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden.

Locally Grown… August 27, 2009

At the same time, the idea that only the well-off can eat fresh, locally grown eats ignores the obvious and inexpensive solution of growing your own garden. You can’t get any more local than food grown steps from your kitchen. And with seeds that sell for pennies apiece and with compost an essentially free fertilizer that anyone can make from table scraps and dried leaves, it becomes clear that price alone is not the true issue.

Why a Soil Test? July 7, 2009

The soil test is at the heart of organic gardening. It all happens in the soil.  If you have healthy soil, you will have healthy plants. There is nothing more important… And there is nothing more frustrating to a gardener than to spend time and money planting the garden of their dreams, and anticipating with excitement what will rise from the soil, only to be let down by the results.

The reality is that different plants — whether they are vegetables, flowers or trees — thrive in different environments with different optimal levels of acidity, and different requirements for nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. A soil test will give you valuable information about how you should amend your soil to provide whatever it is that you are growing with the nutrients they need to thrive.

So, how do you go about doing a soil test? I’ve never found a cheap soil test kit that you can buy from a hardware store or garden center that works.  If you have two different kits and take a test of the same area, I will bet money that you’ll get two different results.  Truly, the best way to get an accurate reading of your soil is to have it professionally tested every two or three years.

The best way and the most economical way to do a soil test of your property is to do an average. If you’re only going to grow in a certain area, then only take a test of that area. The reason is when most houses are being built they remove top soil to build foundations, and if a basement is being dug they pile very low quality soil on top of top soil –  which can give you a very different reading on a small site.  If you do want to know about the soil of multiple areas of your property, the best way to tell if you have different types of soil is to look at the vegetation growing. If the plants are the same height and the same species, then one test should be fine. But if you notice a real difference, then gathers soil samples in the different areas and test as well.

Take a sample of soil from all four corners and two down the middle of the area you want tested. Make sure you remove the very top of the soil before you take the sample with a broom or flat shovel. A bird or rabbit might have left you a present and it will give you a false reading. Then mix the soil together and put a tablespoon or so in a ziploc bag to take to a professional to be tested. If you can’t find somebody locally to do it, we also offer a soil test service.

For more information, see http://sweetcornorganicnursery.com/store/products.php?product=Soil-Test

Peppers June 30, 2009

HOW TO PLANT PEPPERS:

Peppers are a good choice for backyard gardeners, there are so many varieties you can grow that you can’t find in the supermarket.  There are a few tricks for growing peppers properly and getting the most out of your plants — so keep reading!

SOIL PREPARATION:

One of biggest keys to success in organic gardening is the condition of the soil.  There needs to be adequate organic matter to hold moisture and nutrients.  And at the same time, the soil needs to be loose enough for good aeration and drainage, which will help promote strong root development.

Watermelon June 30, 2009

HOW TO PLANT WATERMELON:

No other fruit says summer quite like sweet, juicy, thirst-quenching watermelon. It’s not only refreshing on a summer day, it is also packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, beta-carotene, and vitamin B, as well as some of the most powerful antioxidants in nature. Watermelon can take up precious space in the garden, but it’s worth it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

SOIL PREPARATION:

One of biggest keys to success in organic gardening is the condition of the soil. There needs to be adequate organic matter to hold moisture and nutrients. And at the same time, the soil needs to be loose enough for good aeration and drainage, which will help promote strong root development.

Tomatoes June 30, 2009

HOW TO GROW TOMATOES:

There is nothing in the world like home-grown tomatoes right off the vine. And once you’ve tried them, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought. Tomato plants are relatively easy to grow too, with just a few tricks.

SOIL PREPARATION:

One of biggest keys to success in organic gardening is the condition of the soil. There needs to be adequate organic matter to hold moisture and nutrients. And at the same time, the soil needs to be loose enough for good aeration and drainage, which will help promote strong root development.

Tomatoes are easy to grow if your soil has the proper nutrients. People always assume their soil is average, but unless you have a soil test it is just a guess. More often than not, it is necessary to amend the soil to achieve optimum pH balances, as well as the proper levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Testing your soil is ideal, and we recommend a soil test every two to three years to check your phosphorus and pH, as well as nitrate and potassium levels, to ensure the best crop possible. It is very important that your phosphorous to

Cantaloupe/Honey Dew June 30, 2009

HOW TO GROW CANTALOUPE/HONEY DEW:

Cantaloupe and honey dew are easy to grow with a few tips. Don’t plant too soon — wait until all frost danger is over — and keep them moist at all times. It’s very important that you don’t let them dry out during the hot part of the summer.  Keeping them moist is the secret.  One other tip: don’t plant cantaloupe in the same bed as your cucumbers. If you plant them too close to your cucumbers, they might cross and starting taking on the same flavor. In fact, plant up wind in you can.

SOIL PREPARATION:

One of biggest keys to success in organic gardening is the condition of the soil.  There needs to be adequate organic matter to hold moisture and nutrients.  And at the same time, the soil needs to be loose enough for good aeration and drainage, which will help promote strong root development.

Tomato Season! June 30, 2009

Tomato growing season is here!

THE ART OF WATERING TOMATO PLANTS

There has been a lot of debate about how to water a tomato plant.  Too much and you’ll get fewer tomatoes, not enough and they will crack. The quality of the fruit is defiantly on the line. Here is a system I developed for beginners, which also works for old-timers like myself. First you need to understand the crop. It’s okay to let them dry out between watering when they’re young — to the point where they’re just about to wilt from lack of water. This will produce flower production. They think they’re dying and when they do get watered they go into full flower production. Their whole job is to produce seed for the next generation, so they think “Okay, this is it, the only water I’m going to get” and the kick it into gear. So, don’t over-water in the beginning.

When fruit starts to form you need to count how many days it takes for the plant to start to wilt. Lets say it’s 5 days. In that case, your watering schedule will be every 4 days. This will change with weather and outside temperatures, so adjust accordingly. This way they get just enough with out drying out completely when in fruit production. When fruiting, don’t let them dry out because this is why your tomatoes crack. They store water in their fruit for drought, and they will take this water if needed. The tomato shrinks, and then when you water they fill their storage container (tomato) and they burst.   There really is an art to watering tomatoes!

Welcome to our new organic gardening blog! June 20, 2009

Thank you for visiting our new blog, Organic Gardening News And Info. We are Kim Wilhelm and Bryan Jones of www.sweetcornorganicnursery.com,and we are big proponents of gardening organically.  We are excited to post info, and build a dialogue on everything from current news and information related to gardening organically, gardening tips and how-tos, ideas and recipes for using your harvest, and more!