Gardening with Children
Gardening Methods
Organic Gardening Basics
Square Foot Gardening
Companion Planting
Mulching
Composting
Gardening with Native Plants
Things to Do in Your Garden
Gardening with Children
When you talk to adult gardeners, many began the hobby as children, and then there are those who swear off gardening forever because of the chore it was when they were small. If you like to garden and would like to welcome children into your world of flowers and vegetables, there are some things to keep in mind while you explore together. According to the National Gardening Association’s Parents Primer, if you want a child to love gardening, the best things you can do, in order of importance, are the following:
- Show them how much you love gardening just by reveling in your own garden every day.
- Surround them with great gardens. That doesn’t mean a show place. It may mean a messy, riotously colored cottage garden; decorative little getaway; or colorful pots of flowers. (Remember that everything is bigger through kids’ eyes.).
- Give them good gardening experiences. These will be great memories in years to come.”
Give children their own little space, even if it’s just a pot on the patio. Having their own place to garden will give them pride of ownership. It is important to recognize that kids’ gardening priorities are different than adults. You can help make a child’s gardening experience a success by:
- Letting kids choose what to plant. Offer guidance and make sure there are some sure-success plants among their picks. But if they want broccoli, roses, and zinnias, why not?
- Relax your standards. Crooked rows or weeds as pets are fine.
- Transplanting and planting seeds is obviously fun, but so is pulling weeds and watering. Try to keep positive and have a good time, but recognize when they have had enough.
- Leave room for digging in the dirt. Looking for worms and creating bug houses with sticks is part of the adventure.
- Model the message that some insects are beneficial, and even destructive bugs are highly interesting. They may enjoy making a collection of squash bugs.
- It’s okay to do behind-the-scenes maintenance of kids’ gardens. Don’t expect kids to do all the watering and pest patrol.
Excite their senses!
Smell it! Fragrant plants will forever bloom in a child’s memory. Grow heliotrope, sweet peas, roses, peonies, and lilacs. Show them which plants to rub between their fingers and they’ll never forget lavender, pineapple mint, lemon balm, rosemary, basil, and scented geraniums.
Touch it! Textured plants are irresistible. Fuzzy woolly thyme and lambs’ ears, the prickly coneflower and strawflowers, Hen and chicks, and the delicate maidenhair fern and columbine
Taste it! Snacking while hanging out in the garden is great fun. Cherry tomatoes, Sugar Snap peas, mint, strawberries and edible flowers like pansies and nasturtiums are a treat.
Watch it grow big! Kids like extremes. Grow huge flowers and tiny vegetables: sunflowers and cherry tomatoes. If you have room, try ‘Atlantic Giant’ pumpkins and watermelons. Unique varieties of common vegetables are fun for adults as well as children: purple carrots or beans, white pumpkins, striped beets, rainbow chard, and ‘Easter egg’ radishes just to name a few.
Guidelines for gardening with children:
- Keep it simple
- Keep an open mind
- Select appropriate plants
- Avoid discouragement
- Plan activities for immediate and delayed gratification
- Garden organically
- Excite the senses
- Avoid poisonous and sharp plants
- Encourage exploration
- Include wildlife and water features
- Maintain a patient and tolerant attitude
- Have fun!!!!!
Fun Plants to Grow with Children:
- Morning glories
- Pansies
- Johnny Jump Ups
- Nasturtiums
- Snapdragons
- Radishes
- Cleome
- Sunflowers
- Potatoes
- Strawflowers
- Zinnias
- Mexican hat
- Blanket flower
- Larkspur
- Herbs: mint (apple, chocolate),lemon grass, cilantro, basil, oregano
- Lambs ear
- Butterfly attracting plants: Monarda, butterfly weed, salvia, coneflowers, Liatris
Youth Gardening Web Sites
- Composting in schools http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/schools.html
- NGA Kid’s Gardening http://www.kidsgardening.com/
- National Gardening Association http://www.garden.org
- Texas A&M Kindergarden Site http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/kindergarden/index.html
- Texas A&M Nutrition in the Garden http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/nutrition/index/index.html
- Maricopa County Community Gardens http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/youth/youth.htm
- The Edible Schoolyard http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/
Public Gardens:Botanical Center
Education Curator
909 East River Drive, 50316
323-8902, www.botanicalcenter.com
Admission fees: $2 students, $4 adults,
$2 seniors.
25% for groups. Guided tours available.Iowa State University’s Reiman Gardens
1407 Elwood Drive, Ames 50011
515-294-2710
This five acre garden includes a butterfly garden, formal rose garden, herb garden, wetlands garden, children’s garden and many plant collections. Guided tours are available.Clare and Miles Mills Rose Garden
Greenwood Park, near the Des Moines Art Center. Has over 2,500 roses. It is an All-American Selections rose garden. FreeIowa Arboretum
1875 Peach Ave., Madrid 50011
515/795-3216
Enjoy 378 acres of trees, shrubs, and flowers located in the heart of Boone County. Admission is $2.00/adult, children under 12 are free. Group rates are available.Master Gardener’s Demonstration Garden
92nd St. In Urbandale, near Valerius School
Contact Polk County Extension at 263-2661.Polk County Fair
Marlys VonStein, Polk County Extension
July, State Fair Grounds, Des Moines
261-4209
Admission is free, and Marlys VonStein can also organize free tours of the 4-H building, explaining the exhibits and tour the sheep barn. They usually have bucket calves, goats, sheep, rabbits, poultry, hogs and horses.Water Works Park
408 Fleur Dr., 50321, www.dmww.com/park_main.asp
1500 acres of open wooded areas. Arie den Boer Arboretum features 300 varieties of crab apple trees. Visiting during the last week of April or first week of May is sure to be spectacular.Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Located near Prairie City, off of Hwy 163
9981 Pacific Street, Prairie City 50288
515-994-3400, www.tallgrass.org
Over 5,000 acres of tallgrass prairie and native Midwest wildlife, the largest re-creation of tallgrass prairie ecosystem in the U.S. They have herds of buffalo, elk, pheasants, badgers, and white-tailed deer. The Prairie Learning Center offers interesting and explorative exhibits. Free admission.Farms:
LeVon Griffieon
11655 NE 60th, Ankeny 50021
515/964-0876
Free tour of this family farm. They have a cow/calf operation and grow corn and soybeans.Sunstead Farm
Neil & Khanh Hamilton
3176 Timber Ridge Trail, Waukee 50263
515/987-2559
Ten acre farm raising organic vegetables, berries, and fruit, over 10,000 Spring bulbs and other perennial flowers, lilies and gladiolas. They market to local restaurants.Living History Farms
2600 111th Street, exit 125 from I35/I80
278-5286, www.lhf.org
It is a 600-acre educational historical museum, open-air facility that tells the story of the changes in Midwestern agriculture and rural life.Compost and Landfill Facilities:
Metro Waste Authority
521 East Locust, DSM 50309
Mary Gillaspey
323-6505, mpg@metro-waste.com
Visit MWA’s compost facility, landfill or hazardous waste collection center. Tours are free.
Food Pantries:Contact the Des Moines Area Religious Council at 277-6969 for a listing of food pantries in Des Moines.
Gardening Methods
(Information from Organicgardening.com )
What does it mean to garden organically?•
- Don’t use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on plants
- Think of your plants as part of a whole system within Nature that starts in the soil and includes the water supply, people, wildlife and even insects
- Work in harmony with natural systems
- Minimize and continually replenish any resources the garden consumes
- Regularly add organic matter (compost) to the soil
- Choose plants suited to the site
How do I get healthy soil?
- Regularly replenish the nutrients your plants use
- Mix organic matter (preferably compost) into the soil whenever possible,
- Get a soil test -The results of your test will tell you the soil’s pH and what nutrients are out of balance. See “Soil Testing” section of this publication.
- Ideal garden soil is dark-colored, smells kind of sweet, compresses into a loose lump in your hand when moist, and is full of earthworms.
How can I control weeds without herbicides?
- Mulch: Blanket the ground around your plants with shredded leaves, straw, dry grass clippings, wood or bark chips, newspaper or other degradable material, and that layer of mulch will block light from reaching weeds and stop or slow their growth. (Mulch also conserves moisture and builds your soil as it decomposes.) See “Mulching” section of this publication.
- Buy a good hoe designed for weeding, such as a stirrup or diamond style hoe, which allows you to slice off weeds below the soil surface.
- Make sure that weeds do not go to flower. They make hundreds, if not thousands, of seeds per plant, each of which could become a weed next year.
How can I manage insects without pesticides?
- Take some time to really watch what the insects are doing. Are they actually destroying the plant or just nibbling it a bit? Many plants can outgrow minor damage.
- Grow plants suited to the site and they’ll be less stressed out.
- Don’t let them be too wet, too dry or too shaded.
- Design a diverse garden, so that pests of a particular plant won’t decimate an entire section of the garden.
- Encourage the natural predators of pest insects to hunt in your garden
- Grow plants with small blossoms like sweet alyssum and dill, which attract predatory insects who feed on flowers’ nectar between attacks on pests.
- Try barriers such as row covers, netting and plant collars for prevention
- If you must take aggressive action, try Bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring bacteria that you apply to your plants to disrupt the digestion of caterpillars and other leaf-eaters.
- Horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps and garlic and/or hot pepper sprays also work well against many pests.
- Try diluting Ivory Liquid dishwashing detergent with water to a 1 to 2% solution for a homemade soap spray
- Look for problems before they occur (check leaves for eggs and destroy them).
- Make successive sowings, so that plants are at different stages. When the insects attack one plant, another is just sprouting.
- Try making a baking soda spray (baking soda and water).
How can I control plant diseases without fungicides?
- Choose varieties that resist them—look on the tags at the garden center or in catalog descriptions for mention of disease resistance.
- Be sure to put those plants in the conditions they thrive in, because a stressed-out plant is more susceptible to disease.
- Plan your garden with enough room to accommodate full-grown plants, because water evaporates more slowly and air doesn’t circulate well among crowded plants.
- Water your garden beds deeply and then allow the top level of soil to dry out before watering again.
- If diseases do appear, remove afflicted leaves (or entire plants) from your garden as soon as possible.
Applicable ISU Publications
Available at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/ga.htm .
PM 666 Weed Management in the Home Garden [September 1996]
PM 683 Composting Yard Waste [March 1993]
RG 201 Integrated Pest Management for Vegetable Gardens [April 1999]
RG 206 Questions About Composting [Reprinted March 1997]
RG 207 Nonchemical Pest Control for the Home Lawn and Garden [September 1996]
RG 209 Organic Mulches for Gardens and Landscape Plantings [June 1997]
SUL 12 Using Mulches in Managed Landscapes [August 2001]
Helpful Website: The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) at www.mosesorganic.org
When people think of a garden, they typically envision lots of straight rows of vegetables separated by wide paths. In that garden, however much of the space is wasted on those paths that often fill with weeds. An alternative planting method could help you increase yields and spend less time weeding. Mel Bartholomew details the concept of “square-foot gardening” in his book with the same title.
A square-foot garden ideally consists of a 3 by 3-foot raised bed filled with lots of organic matter. The bed area can then be divided into 9 square-foot sections in which crops are planted according to their mature size. However, the concept can be reconfigured to work in your community garden by creating the 3 x 3-footareas divided by wood chip paths, or connected together to make 3-foot wide rows. What it all really boils down to is the square-foot space and how big the plant gets. For example, a single square foot can accommodate 1 corn plant or 4 heads of lettuce or 9 bush bean plants or 16 radishes. For larger crops, you can go outside the lines and accommodate a single tomato in a 3 by 3-foot space, or broccoli in a 2 by 2-foot space. Bartholomew’s books detail the proper spacing for many plants or you can visit the Square-Foot Gardening web site at www.squarefootgardening.com for more information.
Some benefits of using this system include: increasing yields in the same amount of garden space because it is better utilized; less weeding and watering because the proper spacing of plants creates a natural canopy which prohibits weed growth and holds moisture in the soil; water and nutrients are conserved by applying only to the areas that are planted; and succession planting is easier because you just have to fill in the empty square. Square-foot gardening is also an excellent way to apply math concepts in the school garden. Kids will enjoy seeing division, geometry, and measurement come to life in the garden.
Consider using this system if you have minimal space to work with or want to maximize your yield from the space that you do have.
Some plants enhance each other’s growth when planted near each other while other plants actually interact antagonistically. Knowing these relationships can help you to design a garden with enhanced productivity. You can even learn to select for certain “weeds” that might help the growth of desirable plants. A variety of resources on this topic are available. For a start, try How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons.
Garden work such as weeding and watering can be a relaxing task, however most people prefer to spend their garden time harvesting and enjoying the beauty. If you are one who doesn’t see much relaxation in weeding and watering, you can do some things to cut down on those chores. By following the square-foot gardening method, you will be a step ahead, by only needing to weed the paths and water the plants. Another thing you can do is apply mulch to your garden. By mulching around shrubs and trees, flower beds and the vegetable garden, you can save labor and help nurture your plants by limiting drought and weed stress.
The main reasons to mulch include:
- Retain soil moisture
- Keep down weeds
- Add organic matter to the soil as the mulch breaks down over time
- Keep dirt from splashing on vegetables and flowers
- Prevent freezing and thawing in winter which is especially harsh on strawberries and perennials
- Keep potato tubers, carrot shoulders and onion bulbs covered to prevent development of green color and off flavors
There are many kinds of mulch materials to choose from. When deciding which one to apply, consider what kind of plants you are mulching and the availability and cost of the mulch material. Although rocks are considered mulch, you would not want to put them around tomatoes, but they would be proper around a shrub border. The cheapest, most readily available mulch materials that work well in all garden settings are shredded leaves (pile them up and run a mower over them a few times), shredded bark, wood chips, grass clippings (if they don’t contain chemicals), hay, straw, and compost. The City’s free compost works well. You can pick up more on Harriet St., east off of SE 14th Street. Bring a shovel and take it home in a bag or bucket. It’s open all the time. Black plastic has also become a popular mulch used around tomatoes, peppers, and melons. It not only reduces weeds, but helps to keep the soil warmer around the plants. You can buy it by the roll in garden centers or catalogs.
Mulching your garden is the most time-saving thing that you can do and your plants will be healthier too. Be sure to lay the mulch down on soil that has already been weeded and to apply a 2"-3" layer. You will be happy you did.
Mulch choices at a glance
Annual flower beds
Cocoa-bean hulls (costly)
Grass clippings (free)
Leaves (shred first)
Pine needles (may make soil acidic)Roses
Bark
Cocoa-bean hulls
Wood chipsPerennial flower beds
Bark (breaks down slowly, attractive)
Cocoa-bean hulls
Pine needles
Wood chipsStrawberries
StrawTrees and Shrubs
Bark
Corncobs
Leaves
Pine needles
Sawdust
Wood chipRaspberries
Corncobs (break up, breaks down slowly)
Grass clippings
Leaves
Sawdust (decomposes quickly, may intake nutrients)
Wood chipsVegetable gardens
Grass clippings
Leaves
Newspapers
Pine needles
Straw
Here’s what you need:
- Carbon-rich “brown” materials, like fall leaves, straw, dead flowers from your garden and shredded newspaper
- Nitrogen-rich “green” materials, like grass clippings, plant-based kitchen waste (vegetable peelings and fruit rinds, but no meat scraps), or barnyard animal manure (even though its color is usually brown, it’s full of nitrogen like the other “green” stuff);
- A shovelful or two of garden soil; and
- A site that’s at least 3 feet long by 3 feet wide.
Here’s what to do:
- Start by spreading a several inch thick layer of coarse, dry brown stuff, like straw or cornstalks or leaves, where you want to build your pile.
- Top that with several inches of green stuff.
- Add a thin layer of soil.
- Add a layer of brown stuff.
- Moisten the three layers.
- Continue layering green stuff and brown stuff with a little soil mixed in until the pile is 3 feet high. (If it takes awhile before you have
enough material to build the pile that high, don’t worry—just keep adding to the pile until it gets to at least 3 feet high.)
- Every couple weeks, use a garden fork or shovel to turn the pile, moving the stuff at the center of the pile to the outside and working the stuff on the outside to the center of the pile. Keep the pile moist, but not soggy. When you first turn the pile, you may see steam rising from it. This is a sign that the pile is heating up as a result of the materials in it decomposing. If you turn the pile every couple weeks and keep it moist, you will see earthworms throughout the pile and the center of the pile turning into black, crumbly, sweet-smelling soil. When you have enough finished compost in the pile to use in your garden, shovel out the finished compost and start your next pile with any material that hasn’t fully decomposed in the previous one. Do you need a compost bin to compost? No. If the pile is at least 3 by 3 by 3 feet, it will have enough mass to decompose in just a pile without a bin. Many gardeners buy or build compost bins, however, because they keep the pile neat. Some are designed to make turning the compost easier or protect it from soaking rains.
Applicable ISU Publications
Available at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/ga.htm .
PM 683 Composting Yard Waste [March 1993]
RG 206 Questions About Composting [Reprinted March 1997]
Gardening with native plants can provide many benefits. Generally, native gardens require less maintenance than non-native gardens due to the fact that native plants are well-adapted to the weather and soil conditions of Iowa. Native won’t need watering (even during long, hot summers), but they can tolerate and even help absorb the rainfall we can receive. Additionally, native plants are perennial and will therefore not need to be planted year after year. Finally, native plants do not need to be fertilized or treated with herbicides and pesticides like many non-native plants. Though some weeds may make their way into your native garden, most will be able to be controlled through mulching and some regular hand weeding. Their reduced maintenance makes native gardens an environmentally friendly time-saving approach to beautifying your landscape.
Use the following tips to start planning your native garden:
- Pick a sunny place in your yard. (Note: Some native plants do grow in shade, but most prefer sun. If you only have shady spots, look for woodland plants.)
- Examine your soil to help you determine which plants you will need. If you soil is wet year-round, pick wetland plants to go in your space. If you soil is sometimes wet and sometimes dry, pick plants that grow in mesic soil. If your soil is always dry, pick plants that grow in xeric soil.
- For ornamental gardens, use shorter plants and add a variety of textures and colors.
- Use a mix including mostly forbs (flowering plants) and add grasses later. Forbs will be more “showy” and will make your garden look less “weedy” to the uneducated eye. Grasses are necessary to the establishment of your root base, but should be added in moderation.
When you get ready to plant your native garden, you can plant either seeds or plugs. For ornamental gardens, plugs are a better choice, because they will be easier to identify and weed around. Additionally, you can mulch around them to reduce weeds. If you are planting a large plot of natives, seed is a cheaper and easier option. If you plant your natives by seed, you will need to maintain your planting with a regiment of mowing (and maybe even burning) instead of hand weeding.
Planting a native garden is a beautiful way to make a contribution to the improvement of the environment. Use the resources listed here to start planning your native garden today!
January
Keep a gardener’s calendar to remember good planting dates, when different insects became a problem or when and how much you harvested.
List who was involved, how, when and where. Include any photos, flyers & news clippings.
To better your gardening knowledge with little money, go to the Botanical Center or the library and pick up an arm full of books, videos and class schedules
Start seeds of basil, parsley, sage, or your favorite herbs in small pots. Place them in a sunny window and harvest as needed. The fresh herbs are more delicious and cheaper than store-bought.
Start a garden journal to track where and what you plant. Record your design & expenses.
Place cut Christmas tree branches over perennials susceptible to winter injury.
Check overwintering cannas, dahlias and gladioli. Remove any that are rotting.
Turn houseplants weekly to prevent uneven growth. Do not use softened water.
Keep adding kitchen scraps (no meat or dairy products though) and fireplace ashes to the compost pile. Give it a turn and see the steam, that means your pile is breaking down nicely. It may need a little extra water during a dry winter.
The Botanical Center offers free vegetable gardening classes. We are covering the basics and more advanced topics. You are required to register at least two community gardeners for the classes, but send more because it will be hands-on instruction with lots of fun!
February
Start seeds of onions and leeks indoors at the beginning of the month. By mid-Feb, start seeds of cool-weather crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard and parsley indoors. Seedlings can be transplanted outdoors in early April.
Cold frames and floating row covers allow you to plant vegetables weeks earlier than usual. If you have a cold frame, plant radishes, spinach and lettuce in there this month.
Make new trellises, planters, cold frames, plant supports or any other outdoor structures for your garden. This is also a good time to repair broken tools from last year.
Save your ashes! Wood ashes can be added to your compost pile or to your beds in the spring.
Force branches of pussy willow, apple, plum, forsythia, redbud, or magnolia mid-February for indoor bloom. Prune off a branch and bring indoors in a vase of water.Test left-over garden seed for germination by placing 10 seeds between moist paper towels or cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep seeds warm and moist. If less than 6 seeds germinate, then new seed should be purchased.
Where and what are you going to plant this year? Consider planting for continuous harvest, rotating where crops were planted last year to prevent disease, and shady areas of your garden. Graph your garden layout in order to get the proper plant spacing. Check out the computer program at the Botanical Center that helps in designing gardens.March
Although you can get established seedlings later on, you can start onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbage & cauliflower from seed early in the month. Mid-month, start petunia, celosia, periwinkle, nicotiana, peppers, eggplant, and parsley from seed. At the end of the month plant tomato seeds.
If you have a cold frame or other season extending devices, plant lettuce, spinach, and radishes now for spring salads in a couple of months.
Prune fruit trees, raspberries, currants and gooseberries and grape vines this month.
Fertilize asparagus and rhubarb an organic or chemical fertilizer this month.
Make sure the perennial beds are very clearly marked so they are not tilled or buried with compost. Make sure all dead debris is cleaned out of your perennial bed.
Clean out birdhouses before the new tenants arrive later this Spring.
Dye eggs using plant materials like onion skins, beets, coffee, carrot tops, tea, calendula petals, cabbage leaves, spinach, or turmeric. Be experimental. Bring two cups of water to a boil, add plant materials plus one tablespoon of vinegar, and simmer the mixture for at least 10 minutes. Add hard-boiled eggs and check them periodically for deepness of color. You may also boil the eggs in the water when you add the other ingredients, increase cooking time to 15-20 minutes. Check out kidsgardening.com for more tips on dying with plants.
April
In early April, start tomatoes and pepper plants indoors from seed and set out unprotected plants in mid-May. With season extending devices, put out tomatoes, peppers and other heat-loving plants mid-month.
Take a soil test after frost disappears. Your local extension office can provide you with bags and forms for submitting garden soil samples for testing. A test will tell you soil pH, organic material, and other information essential to garden success.
Plant seedlings of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, leeks, chives, tarragon, parsley, sage, thyme, oregano, potatoes and onion sets outdoors in mid April.
Plant directly in the soil, seeds of peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach, radishes, turnips, beets, greens, endive, Swiss chard, and other cool-loving crops. Plant radishes, lettuce and spinach every 2 weeks until hot weather strikes in June.
Dig new gardens when weather permits. Be careful about digging and working the soil when it’s wet. You will end up with large clods that dry into rock-hard clumps.
Pick rhubarb! Select thick, brightly colored green or red stalks in the center of the plant. Pull and snap the stalks below the ground. Discard leaves; they contain poisonous compounds and should not be consumed. Stalks can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Stop harvesting in mid June
May
May 10 is the average last day of frost in Des Moines. Avoid planting warm season plants like tomatoes, peppers, basil and eggplant until that date or use season extending devices if planting earlier than May 10.
Allow foliage of spring-blooming bulbs to remain in place after flowers fade. Leaves manufacture the food reserves, which are stored in the bulb for the next year’s blooms.
All types of vegetable plants and flowers can be planted outdoors this month. Plant something new this year!Pinch chrysanthemums and annual flowers such as petunias, snapdragons and marigolds to keep them compact and well-branched.
Things to Do in Your Garden
Plant beans and sweet corn every two weeks to extend the season of harvest.
Thin seedlings of earlier planted crops such as carrots, beets, lettuce and spinach. Add the thinnings of these baby vegetables to a salad.
Post your sign. Naming the space can reduce vandalism and create a sense of ownership.
Place cages or stakes around tomatoes at planting time. They will grow quickly and you will not disturb the root system as much if done then. Cages are stronger and less work to maintain.
June
Lettuce, radish and spinach will bolt (send up a long seed stalk) this month. When it bolts, the leaves become bitter, so pull plants and compost. Plant another crop in its place. Stop cutting asparagus and rhubarb.
Another planting of squash, sweet corn, beans and cucumbers can be made. In the latter part of June, start seeds of broccoli and cauliflower in a small bed. The transplants will then be planted in mid July for fall harvest.Assign specific people specific jobs to take care of areas that are shared such as a communal herb garden or pathways, etc.
All gardens in plot based community gardens should be planted by early June. Re-assign plots that have yet to be tended. Warn gardeners that have plots that become excessively weedy.
July
Now that the hectic period of planting is over, it’s a good time to make a log and a map of what you’ve planted. And then keep records of how various things did in each location. It will help next year, especially in remembering where to rotate crops next year.
Keep an eye on pest problems, especially cabbage loopers on broccoli and cabbage, flea beetles on eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes or peppers, bean beetles, squash bugs and cucumber beetles. All of these can be controlled with homemade or purchased insecticidal soap. Spray plants thoroughly in the morning or late afternoon when the insects are most active.
Weed your garden diligently. It’s far easier to control weeds when they’re small and sparse.
Plant a 2nd crop of beets, radishes, chard, snap beans, summer squash, cucumbers. Keep the seeds and young seedlings watered. Replant areas where spring crops have been harvested and removed.
Keep up on harvesting . Leaving mature fruits on the plant signals it to stop production and can attract four-spotted sap beetles. Remove plants from the garden when they are through producing.
Plants bloom in order to set seed and reproduce. So remove spent flowers from marigolds, dahlias, zinnias, geraniums, and petunias. Plants will continue to branch out and produce more flowers.
Now is a good time to call area greenhouses and garden centers for plant and seed donations. It’s ok to plant those bargain plants, just keep them well watered because their roots will be smaller.
August
Plant a second crop of radishes, beets, peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, parsley, mustard greens, turnips, rutabagas and other cool weather crops early this month. Keep the seeds well watered in the hot weather.
Harvest onions after the tops yellow and fall over, then cure them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area. The necks should be free of moisture when fully cured after about a week.
Pick beans, tomatoes, peppers, and squash often to encourage the plant to keep producing. Allow some peppers to remain on the plant later this month so that they will turn yellow or red, making them sweeter.
September
Plant spring-flowering bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, beginning in late September. Planting them too early may cause them to sprout top-growth. However, plant them at least four to six weeks before the ground freezes for good root formation.
Dig and store tender flowers for winter storage. Gladiolus corms should be dug when leaves begin turning yellow. Caladiums, geraniums, and tuberous begonias should be lifted before killing frost. Dig canna and dahlia bulbs after heavy frost. For all, brush dirt off, allow to air dry , then pack in dry peat moss or vermiculite, and store in a cool location, like a basement.
Plant, transplant or divide peonies, daylilies, iris and phlox.
Harvest crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons and sweet potatoes before frost, or cover plants with newspaper, blankets, garden cloth, (not plastic) to protect them from light frost.
Remove plant debris from the garden to protect next year's planting from disease and insect build-up. Compost plant refuse and shredded leaves. Do not compost heavily-diseased plants, throw them away instead.Sow a cover crop such as buckwheat, winter rye, hairy vetch or oats to add nutrients to the soil and prevent soil erosion over the winter.
October
Store leftover garden seed in its packets in tightly sealed glass jar in a refrigerator.
Add organics such as compost, manure, and shredded leaves or grow a cover crop as an organic fertilizer. You need to add nutrients back to the soil each year.
Leave perennials alone until spring, providing a food and shelter source for animals and birds, as well as winter interest. If you would rather clean up the garden now, cut down stems after the first frost. Cut peonies to the ground now.
Expect the first frost in the first two weeks of October. Tender plants can be protected from the first few frosts with sheets or blankets. If you don’t protect them, harvest all the warm season crops now.
To extend the harvest season for lettuce, spinach, greens and other cool-loving crops, cover in early Oct. with cold frames or other season-extending devices.
Make sure all tools are cleaned and inventoried. Make a list of what tools you need for next year. For tips and aid in cleaning and sharpening your tools contact the Tool Lending Library at 244-8665.
Plant spring-flowering bulbs and garlic all month. Try a new bulb that you have not grown before. Remember, it is ok to plant them underneath deciduous trees because they will bloom before the tree leafs-out in the spring.
Remove plant debris from the garden to protect next year’s planting from insect and disease build-up. Compost plant refuse, but discard heavily diseased or infected plant material.
November
A cover crop of winter rye and buckwheat can still be planted if it’s done as early in the month as possible
Have you planted your spring-flowering bulbs? If not, do this before the ground freezes. Pot paperwhites and narcissus for forcing indoors.
Mulch perennials and strawberries after the ground freezes. Shred your leaves and garden debris to use as mulch. Apply 6-8 inches deep.
Continue to remove weeds from the garden. They will be there in the spring if you leave them or seeds left will produce more weeds next year. Place all weeds, leaves and dead, annual and perennial foliage in the compost pile. Turn and water the compost pile to keep it working.Repair and clean garden tools with 3 in 1 oil to prevent rust. Drain and bring in all of your garden hoses.
December
If possible, turn your pile. You may see steam, which indicates it is still hot and decomposing. Bring kitchen waste and ashes from your fireplace to the pile.
Design your greenspace for year-round color and interest. Evaluate your winter aesthetics. Does your community garden need an evergreen hedge or some tall prairie grasses that could double for a living fence? Benches, arbors and art in the garden can be nice focal points with a layer of snow. Some varieties of shrubs and crabapple trees with their fruits will provide color and food for wild birds.
This is a good time to make repairs to tools, compost bins, fencing, water systems, benches, and so on.
Keep watering newly planted trees and perennials from this fall’s Perennial Divide until ground freezes. The plants may not have leaves, but the roots need water to get well established.
Mulch orchard trees, shrubs, roses and other perennials once the ground has frozen. Pile shredded leaves, compost, wood chips or other natural mulch 2 inches high to prevent plants from “heaving” when ground freezes and thaws. Snow is also a good insulator for plants.
