Seed Selection

Now that you have an idea of how much garden space you have or are going to have, the fun part starts! Selecting your seeds. 

Seed selection is fun, more fun than going to your local Wal-Mart and picking from the limited selection of Burpee seeds (would not recommend this). There are several options out there for more variety of fruits and vegetables, all you need is a little time to do research, and a dream of what you want to grow. I have listed a few sites on my blog that were recommended to me by gardener friends, but feel free to search others as well. I ordered all my seeds from Johnny's Selected Seeds, and so far I am very impressed with the germination rate. I only had some trouble with the onion seeds, but Johnny's gives germination percentages on their packaging and the onions I ordered only had a 73% germination rate, so I had to replant a few in my seed trays. Most of the other vegetables I ordered had 95% and above for germination rates and are all doing very well in my seed trays. 

If you decide to go all organic, make sure to double check your order for organic options. Johnny's Selected Seeds has a combination of both organic options and non-organic options. I am hoping to be all organic by next year, but this year I do have a few vegetables growing that are not USDA Certified Organic. When you get your seeds, make sure they have listed on the package that they are USDA Certified Organic, if that's the route you decide to go. 

Keep a list, or bookmark the companies you order seeds from, or want to possibly order from in the future. Sign up to receive newsletters, and catalogs from these companies so that when next spring rolls around you won't have to do all the research work you did this year. Although I ordered all my seeds from Johnny's this year, I would recommend ordering from a few different companies to get more variety and to help ensure you get the exact fruits and vegetables you want. Happy seed ordering! 

To plant a garden if to believe in tomorrow ~ Audrey Hepburn

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Starting Tomatoes From Seed

I know I am getting a little a head from my last post, but I think this is important for anyone starting tomatoes from seed (which is the best way in my opinion).

There is no question that starting a plant from seed requires extra patience and extra work. Seedlings require ideal conditions to help them thrive and produce healthy plants. Tomatoes, although a hearty plant, do require a little extra love when starting them from seed.

I started my tomato seedlings at the end of February. It is very important when starting warm weather plants, like tomatoes and peppers, that the soil in your seed tray be kept at 75 degrees or slightly above, for proper germination. If the soil is too hot or too cold, the seed will never germinate and eventually rot in the soil, thus giving no plant. Heating mats specifically for seed trays can be purchased just about anywhere gardening equipment is sold. They can be a little pricey, but are well worth the investment. If you stagger your seed planting, you can get by with two heat mats (which is what I have). Most early spring seeds, like cabbage, beets, broccoli, lettuce, and spinach germinate best in cool soil (extensive heat can cause these seedlings distress), in which case a heat mat would not be needed. My advice is to start with one, then decide later if you need another. Seedlings also need to be kept moist until sprouting, moisture can be controlled by using a plastic covering for your seed tray, these are usually sold with seed tray packages or can be purchased separately. My recommendation is to find a covering with a center vent, this allows for air flow and prevents white mold from forming on the soil.

Once your tomatoes sprout and are in full "growing"mode, it is important to continue to monitor them closely. Tomatoes are what I call "nutrient suckers". They require A LOT of nutrients while growing and producing fruit, they also require adequate moisture. I checked on my tomatoes today and found a slight yellowing of the upper leaves.

Yellowing of the leaves can occur for various reasons, since my seedlings are inside where there are presumably no pests, my assessment was moisture levels were low and the soil in the tray cups was likely running low on nutrients. To remedy this I watered my tomatoes first with water I saved from boiling eggs a couple days ago. This water is high in calcium, which tomatoes love. Next, I poured WARM water into the drainage tray, so that the roots can reach water. My personal preference when plants reach this stage is to NOT pour water on the plants in the trays. It compacts the soil, thus decreasing the amount of soil in the individual cup, and eventually the soil at the bottom ends up in the drainage tray, which does your plant no good. I recommend using warm water for warm weather plants, this keeps the soil warm and doesn't "shock" your plants with cold water. Next, I applied a small amount of Mykos Drops. These drops, or granules, can be found anywhere garden supplies are sold. The Mykos Drops contain natural bacteria which help to maximize soil nutrients and root health. I will continue to monitor my plants closely for the next few weeks to see if the yellowing disappears. 

Here is a great article on why tomato leaves may yellow. Also check out my Pinterest Board: Growing Tomatoes for all kinds of great information on growing tomatoes.

Don't let this deter you from growing tomatoes from seed. You have selection of more variety (and organic options if you go that route), whereas the plants you buy from the store have likely been treated with chemicals and are of only a few varieties. We grew tomatoes from seed last year, they were not only the best tasting tomatoes I had ever had, but they survived our Iowa drought and immense heat last summer. I canned over 40 quarts of tomatoes and could have canned several more if I had not run out of jars. For beginner gardeners I highly recommend starting with tomatoes, and if you have limited space, cherry tomatoes grow great (and often prefer) containers like pots. 

My tomatoes (organic and cherry) after a month of growing in the seed tray

Good luck on your growing adventures! 

"I was just sittin' here enjoyin' the company. Plants got a lot to say, if you take the time to listen" ~ Eeyore

  

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Creating Your Garden Space

Now that you have decided to grow your own food, what is the next step? Garden space. This varies widely on where you live, how much space you want to dedicate, and how much food you want to grow. My advice, if just starting out, start small. Grow plants that are hardy, and can grow well with little maintenance. Adding to a garden year by year is easier than starting with too much. 

SPACE

It doesn't matter where you live, you can have a garden. Urban gardens often consist of containers, like pots and garden boxes. Certain varieties of vegetables, fruits, and herbs grow best in containers/pots, be sure to check the seed catalogs for these varieties if you plan to do container gardening. Also be sure to select the correct pot size, plants like cherry tomatoes will need deep large pots to thrive. 

Those with yard space, urban or rural, can either till up yard space or build garden beds. I, personally, have tried both and raised garden beds are by far the best investment. Raised garden beds save yard space, and allow roots to grow deeper without the potential of encountering rocks further down in the soil. By building raised garden beds, you can provide the best soil conditions for your plants, and you can cater the soil to accommodate more finicky plants. For example, some plants prefer more sandy soil to thrive, by adding sand to your garden bed you provide ideal conditions for those specific plants. Raised garden beds reduce weeds, not only because you are putting high quality soil in the beds, but you can plant things closer together reducing light and nutrients going to potential weeds. Weeds that do pop up, are usually small and can be pulled easily. To maintain high quality soil, compost and soil will need to be added every year for the first few years to each bed. After a season of growing, rain, and snow (depending on where you live), the soil in the beds will settle and become compact. Adding more soil, sand (depending on the plant), compost, and a quick loosening of existing soil will have your beds ready in no time for a new season. 

Garden beds are easy to build, and can be fairly cheap depending on what type of wood you use. The garden beds in my garden are built from pine, but virtually any type of wood can be used. Below are a picture of the beds my husband and I built last spring. We started with six 4 foot by 4 foot beds, and may potentially add a couple more this year. 

My Pinterest Board: Raised Garden Beds has tons of information about raised beds, and inspirational ideas. 

Here is a tutorial from Organic Gardening on how to build raised beds. Keep in mind while following this tutorial that any sized boards can be used. Click here to view >>

Good luck on your gardening adventure! 

All Gardeners Live in Beautiful Places Because They Make Them So ~ Unknown

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Welcome!

Welcome to my gardening blog. I am thrilled that you are either thinking about gardening or hope to expand your current garden, and that you have chosen my blog to help you on your journey. I have been around gardening my entire life. I grew up on a farm in Iowa, my grandmother was a gardener, my mother was a gardener, and now I am passing on the passion to my daughters, and others. Although I have been around gardening for some time, I still consider myself an amateur and enjoy learning new things from other gardeners, and experimentation. If you are new to gardening, or are thinking about trying it, I welcome you to a hobby that offers great rewards. Food grown by you is personally gratifying, and there is no comparison on taste; ask any gardener, fresh food from the garden is the best tasting food you will ever eat. And for obvious reasons, food grown at home saves money at the grocery store, and seasoning food with your own herbs tastes better than the dried, processed versions from the store. If you decide to go the organic route, you are saving your body from potentially harmful chemicals that could cause adverse health conditions. And lastly, gardening is good for the planet. By growing your own food, you are helping to decrease the demand for mass produced, processed, genetically modified foods; which studies have shown can cause serious health conditions later on in life. If you want to know what's in your food, grow it yourself. Gardening isn't for everyone, it requires work, patience, dedication, and love, but the rewards are great. I hope my blog will be an inspiration to you, and help you "go green". Good luck! Happy Spring!

The creations of a thousand forests is in one acorn. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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