When you see a gal falling behind in her garden schedule, you lend a hand, right?
Of course you do. Why, it’s already April and she hasn’t the first seed in! She bought a plant, sure, but nothing’s planted. Agh!
But then, she received a little help from her friends. While Julie did manage to get the dirt in on her own (independent woman that she is), she certainly wouldn’t turn down the energy of kids helping kids–that would be plain crazy-talk!
Not only do they out-energy us, but kids have such a ball planting when they can do so with their friends. I mean, isn’t everything more fun when your friends are around? Of course it is!
Speaking of dirt, I would like to make a note here regarding the best types to use while starting your sprouts. Since her husband only bought top soil for her new planter, Julie was eager-as-a-squirrel-on-the-hunt (with the hawk circling overhead) to get some composted cow manure to add to her planters, believing it would provide the extra *umph* she needed to get her seeds started off on the right root. However–
CAUTION on the liberal use of cow manure with your new sprouts.
While they do like to remain moist as they work through the germination process–and cow manure does hold its moisture well–they prefer a light, easily drained potting mix to begin their stretch for the sunshine. Once they mature and begin to grow like weeds (we’ll talk real weeds in a minute), then you can amend their bed with manure. Patience, my dear. Patience.
Ashley’s garden is growing beautifully. Her sprouts are becoming young plants and her potatoes are becoming quite tall–which means it’s time for “hilling.” Once potato plants reach about 8-12 inches, draw more dirt and/or mulch up and around their base so that only a few inches of the plant is exposed.
This will increase production by giving the potatoes more dirt within which to grow, and it will prevent green potatoes. Exposing potatoes to sunlight will turn them green, and eating green potatoes WILL make you sick. So hill your taters once or twice during their growing season.
As you can see, Ashley is loving her new garden and has added some herbs to her list of home-grown delectables. She’s chosen to keep them in separate containers, but most herbs are compatible with other plants. Something to consider though, is using them in a practical fashion, such as weed prevention. I noticed the oregano in my herb garden grows like a blanket.
Wonderful! And since it make a great companion to tomato plants, I thought…
Why not plant oregano around the base of my tomato plants as weed prevention? Sounds like a good idea to me! In fact, rather than limit this beauty to my herb garden, I intend to incorporate it into my vegetable garden!
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