First, you're going to need some space. For those of you who live in Wilson, I've heard from an extremely reliable source that you can lease property belonging to the city for this purpose for $1 a year! I am going to check this out tomorrow. We also have at least one community garden - I will be getting info on that as well. If you can't wait for my next blog and you just gotta know right now, call your local ag. ext. office (link below)!
If you plan to start your garden from seed, YOU NEED TO PLANT YOUR SEEDS THAT MUST BE PLANTED INDOORS RIGHT NOW!!!!!!! I highly recommend http://sowtrueseed.com/ . Another source is
http://www.southernexposure.com/request-a-catalog-c-215.html - they will RUSH YOU A CATALOG FOR $2 (or just shop online)! You don't have to be fancy and get 'flats' like we nurserymen do: you can( go down to P.L. Woodard and get some biodegradable seed starter pots or make your own:
If you plan to start your garden from seed, YOU NEED TO PLANT YOUR SEEDS THAT MUST BE PLANTED INDOORS RIGHT NOW!!!!!!! I highly recommend http://sowtrueseed.com/ . Another source is
http://www.southernexposure.com/request-a-catalog-c-215.html - they will RUSH YOU A CATALOG FOR $2 (or just shop online)! You don't have to be fancy and get 'flats' like we nurserymen do: you can( go down to P.L. Woodard and get some biodegradable seed starter pots or make your own:
A quote from Mother Earth News (Nathan Davis
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/newspaper-mulch-zmaz80mjzraw.aspx )
8/6/2012 5:03:53 PM
"In the US, most widely circulated newspapers use a soy based ink. This is food safe and presents no problems in garden applications. Where you have to be careful is glossy papers, like the sales papers included in newspaper, these inks contain heavy metals and should be discarded or recycled if possible."
(You can read more about mulching with newspaper at the above link, if you like. It is also highly recommended for vermi-composting - that's FANCY LINGO FOR MAKING WORM-POOPY, WHICH IS AWESOME FERTILIZER! More on that later...)
PL Woodard also has OMRI-approved seed starting DIRT! NO CHEMICALS! You do not need to fertilize when you are starting seeds: seeds come with their own little packet of food from their mom and dad... I promise!
THAT BEING SAID, YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR THE "OMRI" SYMBOL WHEN BUYING ORGANIC PRODUCTS FOR YOUR GARDEN! (see below - sorry for the GREAT BIG SPACE BETWEEN THE PICS AND THE NEXT PARAGRAPH!)
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/newspaper-mulch-zmaz80mjzraw.aspx )
8/6/2012 5:03:53 PM
"In the US, most widely circulated newspapers use a soy based ink. This is food safe and presents no problems in garden applications. Where you have to be careful is glossy papers, like the sales papers included in newspaper, these inks contain heavy metals and should be discarded or recycled if possible."
(You can read more about mulching with newspaper at the above link, if you like. It is also highly recommended for vermi-composting - that's FANCY LINGO FOR MAKING WORM-POOPY, WHICH IS AWESOME FERTILIZER! More on that later...)
PL Woodard also has OMRI-approved seed starting DIRT! NO CHEMICALS! You do not need to fertilize when you are starting seeds: seeds come with their own little packet of food from their mom and dad... I promise!
THAT BEING SAID, YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR THE "OMRI" SYMBOL WHEN BUYING ORGANIC PRODUCTS FOR YOUR GARDEN! (see below - sorry for the GREAT BIG SPACE BETWEEN THE PICS AND THE NEXT PARAGRAPH!)
However: THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT PLANTS, SEEDS, AND PRODUCTS NOT APPROVED BY OMRI ARE NOT ORGANIC!!!!!!!!!!
(It costs a lot to get certified...)
YOU MAY TRUST YOUR LOCAL NURSERYMAN, FARMER, OR FARM PRODUCT DEALER WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING OTHERWISE; READ THE LABEL AND LOOK UP THE INGREDIENTS ONLINE; OR CALL THE AG EXT OFFICE, WHEN IN DOUBT! If you're shopping at PL Woodard, talk to Charlie - he can help you with this: especially when it comes to BUGS, FERTILIZER, ETC.: YOU CAN TRUST HIM!
For an organic garden, you want dirt that has been untouched by chemicals for at least 3 years (this is the requirement for a certified organic farm). I prefer longer - never is practically impossible, but of course this would be the very best. If you are planning to get dirt elsewhere, I will have info for you shortly. I will also be providing instructions for making raised beds:
IF you already have PLANT BEDS MADE, or have your own plans,
BE WARNED THAT YOU CANNOT USE TREATED WOOD IN AN ORGANIC GARDEN, AS IT WILL POISON YOUR FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU HAVE THUS DEFEATED THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF HAVING AN ORGANIC GARDEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALSO: You need to get a soil sample ASAP!!!! You can get the instructions and the box from the agricultural extension office (SEE LINK BELOW.) It is free to do this from April to November. You don't even have to pay postage, if you take it back to the ag. ext. office. I'll be discussing soil amendments shortly, as it is already time to plant some of your seeds directly in the ground in our area.
http://wilson.ces.ncsu.edu/
This is also a GREAT PLACE TO CALL WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR GARDEN! GO TO THIS SITE!!!! THERE'S A PLACE TO ASK QUESTIONS ONLINE, A NUMBER TO CALL WITH YOUR QUESTIONS, AND A WEALTH OF GARDENING INFO! (If you do not live in Wilson, please call your local agricultural extension office!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~STAY TUNED FOR MORE!!~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND
CHECK OUT THE KIDS GARDENING VIDEOS AND THE HOMEWORK PAGE TO PICK UP MORE INFO AND SEE HOW WE ARE COMING WITH OUR GARDEN @ TheSpotFunGarden.weebly.com!
P.S. All the links I have given you are EXTREMELY RELIABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION!
~~~~~~~~~~~AND~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS,
REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BEFORE~~~~~~~~~~~
WORKING IN THE GARDEN,
>>>>>>>>>>> TO PREVENT <<<<<<<<<< SPREADING GERMS TO YOUR FOOD!
DO NOT SMOKE IN THE GARDEN, OR TOUCH ANY PLANTS, OR TOUCH ANYTHING GOING INTO YOUR GARDEN, WITHOUT WASHING YOUR HANDS AFTER SMOKING!
YOU ARE KILLING THE BEES AND MAKING THE PLANTS SICK! I KNOW...I SMOKE! (trying to quit, of course)
DON'T LET SMOKERS (OR ANYONE ELSE, REALLY) NEAR YOUR GARDEN UNTIL THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR HANDS!!!!!!!!!
ALSO!
KEEP YOUR GARDEN TOOLS CLEAN:
USE ALCOHOL ON HAND TOOLS AND CLOROX ANYTHING ELSE (BE SURE TO WASH OFF ALL THE CLOROX!!!!!)
{wash your gloves after you wipe your nose, as well...}
GREAT GARDENING MEANS GREAT HEALTH!
Your comments/questions/suggestions are welcome!
Good Luck and Stay Tuned!
~~ Amanda ~~
(It costs a lot to get certified...)
YOU MAY TRUST YOUR LOCAL NURSERYMAN, FARMER, OR FARM PRODUCT DEALER WHEN IT COMES TO BUYING OTHERWISE; READ THE LABEL AND LOOK UP THE INGREDIENTS ONLINE; OR CALL THE AG EXT OFFICE, WHEN IN DOUBT! If you're shopping at PL Woodard, talk to Charlie - he can help you with this: especially when it comes to BUGS, FERTILIZER, ETC.: YOU CAN TRUST HIM!
For an organic garden, you want dirt that has been untouched by chemicals for at least 3 years (this is the requirement for a certified organic farm). I prefer longer - never is practically impossible, but of course this would be the very best. If you are planning to get dirt elsewhere, I will have info for you shortly. I will also be providing instructions for making raised beds:
IF you already have PLANT BEDS MADE, or have your own plans,
BE WARNED THAT YOU CANNOT USE TREATED WOOD IN AN ORGANIC GARDEN, AS IT WILL POISON YOUR FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU HAVE THUS DEFEATED THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF HAVING AN ORGANIC GARDEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALSO: You need to get a soil sample ASAP!!!! You can get the instructions and the box from the agricultural extension office (SEE LINK BELOW.) It is free to do this from April to November. You don't even have to pay postage, if you take it back to the ag. ext. office. I'll be discussing soil amendments shortly, as it is already time to plant some of your seeds directly in the ground in our area.
http://wilson.ces.ncsu.edu/
This is also a GREAT PLACE TO CALL WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR GARDEN! GO TO THIS SITE!!!! THERE'S A PLACE TO ASK QUESTIONS ONLINE, A NUMBER TO CALL WITH YOUR QUESTIONS, AND A WEALTH OF GARDENING INFO! (If you do not live in Wilson, please call your local agricultural extension office!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~STAY TUNED FOR MORE!!~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND
CHECK OUT THE KIDS GARDENING VIDEOS AND THE HOMEWORK PAGE TO PICK UP MORE INFO AND SEE HOW WE ARE COMING WITH OUR GARDEN @ TheSpotFunGarden.weebly.com!
P.S. All the links I have given you are EXTREMELY RELIABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION!
~~~~~~~~~~~AND~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS,
REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~BEFORE~~~~~~~~~~~
WORKING IN THE GARDEN,
>>>>>>>>>>> TO PREVENT <<<<<<<<<< SPREADING GERMS TO YOUR FOOD!
DO NOT SMOKE IN THE GARDEN, OR TOUCH ANY PLANTS, OR TOUCH ANYTHING GOING INTO YOUR GARDEN, WITHOUT WASHING YOUR HANDS AFTER SMOKING!
YOU ARE KILLING THE BEES AND MAKING THE PLANTS SICK! I KNOW...I SMOKE! (trying to quit, of course)
DON'T LET SMOKERS (OR ANYONE ELSE, REALLY) NEAR YOUR GARDEN UNTIL THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR HANDS!!!!!!!!!
ALSO!
KEEP YOUR GARDEN TOOLS CLEAN:
USE ALCOHOL ON HAND TOOLS AND CLOROX ANYTHING ELSE (BE SURE TO WASH OFF ALL THE CLOROX!!!!!)
{wash your gloves after you wipe your nose, as well...}
GREAT GARDENING MEANS GREAT HEALTH!
Your comments/questions/suggestions are welcome!
Good Luck and Stay Tuned!
~~ Amanda ~~