Warm Up Now For That Spring Gardening

Ready, gardeners? It's time for spring training! Gardening is great exercise. And if you do it right, you can get yourself into top shape without any of the aches or pains that usually come with the beginning of gardening season. Here are some suggestions.

- Warm up. It's important to warm up before beginning any kind of exercise. Get your muscles ready for that workout by taking a quick walk around your garden.
- Stretch now. Doing some stretching exercises before gardening season begins will loosen up tight muscles. Work on the muscles in your back, upper legs, shoulders and wrists. It's also important to stretch those muscles before and after every gardening session.
- Stock up on long-handled tools. When it's time to work in your garden, you won't have to stoop when raking or digging. Also buy a fat, rubberized or padded-handle trowel made from one piece of metal from top to bottom. It will cause less strain on your arms and joints.

Ready, Set, Go!

Now that you're in shape, here are some suggestions to avoid injury while you're working in your garden.

- Stay hydrated. Dehydration causes fatigue and can increase the risk of injury.
- Pay attention to posture. For instance, it's better to kneel than bend. Alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced. And do some of your work seated on a stool to decrease the stress on your back, legs and hips.
- Wear knee pads. They'll cushion the joints in your knees and reduce pressure.
- Bend your knees and use your leg muscles rather than the ones in your back when lifting heavy pots or bags of mulch and dirt. Don't twist and turn while lifting. That can strain your back.
- Switch hands frequently when raking or digging.
- Do the heaviest work midway through your gardening session. By then, your muscles will be warmed up but you won't be tired and more prone to injuries.
- Go slow. Overexertion is sure to cause a sore back and aching muscles the next day.

An herb garden for your kitchen counter will provide fresh herbs for cooking, scent your kitchen, and allow you an opportunity to garden all year. It's small scale, but no less satisfying than a larger garden in the back yard.

There are a couple of ways to create a kitchen counter herb garden. You can buy herb garden kits almost anywhere: your local nursery, the supermarket nursery department, and dozens of websites. Most will come complete with a container, some means of drainage, soil, seeds, and directions. It's up to you to provide a warm, sunny window.

Or you can have a little fun and create your own herb garden for your counter. One that suits your style! I like a pottery bowl made by a friend that goes well in my kitchen, but doesn't match any of my dishes.

Decide which and how many herbs you intend to grow. If this is a cooking garden, choose those you use most frequently: perhaps basil, thyme, mint, sage, chives, and rosemary, others if you like. If you're really ambitious, make a special container for peppers and garlic. Decide whether to start from seeds or seedling plants.

If you're starting from seed, start early. Fill egg carton halves with soil and seed each egg cup with two or three seeds. When it's time to transplant, choose the most robust in each. Water and place the carton in a warm, sunny window to germinate. Meanwhile, choose your permanent container. Make sure it's one you'll enjoy seeing every day - a favorite flat bowl or an attractive dish from your garden store. Fill the bottom with gravel or small stones to provide drainage, if the container doesn't have a hole.

Use prepared soil or make your own from compost, sphagnum moss and soil from your garden. Outside soil has microorganisms that will feed your plants. There are numerous recipes for soil on the Internet.

Loosely fill the container to an inch below the top with the mixture. When it's time to transplant, clip off the weakest plants with scissors and transplant the remaining one surrounded by as much of its own soil as possible.

Keep the soil damp but not wet. Stir it gently with a fork every now and then to keep it loose.

Clip off the amount you need for cooking with scissors, and let the rest keep on producing!

Spring, that wonderful time of year when flowers begin to bloom, and trees are sprouting new leaves or blooming. What a way to shake off the harsh cold of winter! Springs speaks of new life or new energy. Not only for plants but for people as well.

For a gardener, you know that a little work is involved to see the splendor of spring in your own yard. It takes a little early planning and preparation to have a vegetable garden that produces vegetables in abundance. The same is true for flower beds, shrubs and trees. And the best time to do this is the earlier the better. From December through March, depending upon where you live and your climate, is the best time to start planning and preparing your garden.

Prepare your equipment, such as lawn mower, weed trimmer, tillers, hoes, rakes, saws and shovels. Change the oil, sparkplug, sharpen and clean blades. This should be the first step.

The next step should be, cleanup. Prune trees and shrubs, then rake leaves and remove debris. Clean your bird feeders. Remember, do not use harsh chemicals or detergents to clean feeders as this could harm the birds. Also, clean and repair your outdoor furniture.

Then start your seeds inside for healty early plantings. Place seeds one inch apart on damp paper towels, then roll-up. Place on window seal and mist often to keep moist. This process starts seed germination. Once the seeds start to break open and sprout, then plant in a peat starter pot. Mist seedlings often. Once the weather and climate permits, plant in your prepared flowerbed or garden. This is also the time to transplant bulbs, even trade with your neighbors.

Once your seedlings have been started, you need to get your soil prepared. One way to do this is to call your county extension office. They make suggestions on what fertilizers you might need, when to till the ground and if you have to move your garden plot to a different location.

Remember, early planning and preparation is the key to a beautiful garden. When Spring arrives in all of its glory, your efforts will be displayed for all to see.

Spring is here and summer is on the way, making this a great time to get started on this year's gardening plans. Making your garden more eco-friendly should be a primary goal to help not only the environment but your own backyard. Keeping things environmentally friendly is probably much easier than you think. Just follow these easy tips for a greener gardening experience.

• Garden for the area you live in. Using plants that naturally grow wherever you live helps to make your garden much more manageable. These plants usually don’t require too much extra watering, and can deal with the pests naturally found in that environment without the help of pesticides. These plants are also very easy to maintain.

• Use less water. Using less water is especially important during the hot summer months, and there are several things that can be done to lessen the amount of water used on your garden. To begin with, water your plants in the morning hours. This helps to keep the water from evaporating before it can seep into the plants. Hoses and nozzles should also be checked periodically to make sure that they are not leaking. Another great way to save water is to invest in a rain barrel or two and use that water to keep plants watered on dry days.

• Use recycled or recyclable containers for your plants. If using old containers and jars isn’t appealing, consider buying pots made from recycled materials.

• Grow your own herbs and veggies. With the price of food on the rise and the price of organic foods beyond the reach of many, growing your own food is a great way to cut costs and get good organic foods. Even if you don’t have much space many veggies can be grown in containers.

• Fight pests with bugs rather than chemicals. The amount of pesticides and chemicals used on crops in the United States is staggering and can have serious effects on the environment. Instead of using potentially harmful chemicals, get insects that eat harmful insects. There are also a lot of natural bug sprays you can make at home.

• Recycle any yard waste. Many communities offer free pick up of yard waste so that it doesn't end up in a landfill. If that is not available to you consider starting your own composting pile.

Since this is your first vegetable garden, there are few simple steps to follow to get you started. It's moderately easy, but takes careful planning, hard work, and time on your part, especially if your idea for a vegetable garden is to enjoy the 'fruits' of your labor.

Step 1
Prepare your yard for planting. Choose wisely; flat ground that is in the direct sunlight all day is best. As a beginner, you want a space of 8 feet by 10 feet. Any space larger, you will become overwhelmed and give up before giving it your full effort. Prepare the soil by using a hoe or tiller. If you have soil that is mainly sandy or clay {poor growing soil}, be sure to help it out by adding topsoil or compost (and granular fertilizer if you wish) one time each growing season.

Step 2
Choose vegetables to grow that you know your family will enjoy. Also, consider your limited space. Growing requirements, listed on the seed packets, in a catalog, at the nursery, or in a gardening book if you choose to invest in one, should be followed to allow ample growing room. Starter vegetables include corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, carrots, onions, peas, beets, radishes, and pumpkins. Some of these take up lots of space to grow, like corn, squash and pumpkin. Plant corn on the north side of your garden so it doesn't block the sun from the other vegetables you are growing. You can purchase seeds from your local garden supply store or nursery. Seedlings can also be purchased at your local nursery and placed into your garden if you are inexperienced at gardening.

Step 3
Hooray! It's Planting Day! {You know this because you've already checked with local area farmers and asked them when the expected last frost date is. You don't want to plant too early, only to be undone by frost a few days later.} Be sure when planting your seeds they are completely buried by soil to insure proper growth and ripening time. Water the plants thoroughly. To check they are properly watered, place your finger into the soil to your second knuckle. If the soil is not damp, water it more. Mulching your garden will help with holding water in and weeds out. Remember the growing requirements listed on the package? Proper spacing in your garden keeps insects and disease away, as well as good fertilizing and weeding frequently.

Step 4
As you wait impatiently for Harvesting Day, your hungry-thirsty plants need food and water like every other living organism on Earth. Water it properly daily. Fertilize your plants with a 15-15-15 or 20-20-20 fertilizer. Choose a good all purpose one that provides nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium that plants need. You can do your fertilization before you plant (granular) or after the plants poke their heads through the soil and at two week intervals (water soluble). Miracle Grow and Shultz are popular fertilizer companies today.

Step 5
Watch for insect infestation; you could lose your whole crop if you don't. Proper spacing should help prevent this problem. However, if it does become one, don't wait to fight them off. Identify your bug problem and choose an insecticide specific to fight them away.

Step 6
Once you are truly involved in gardening, you could start seedlings indoors during the winter. Then, you don't have to purchase the seeds in the spring. Transplant them to your outdoor garden in the spring! This process would save you time and money, as well as them being your personally grown vegetables.

Tried and true gardening tools and some new ones, too!

I love to garden, and there are a few tools that I just cannot do without, and I wanted to share a few with you guys, and see if you had used them as well, or if you had other tools that you love to use. The first thing is something I have just recently discovered; GreenJeans! No, its not an eco-friendly thing, although the laundry its saving me from doing is. Very eco-friendly! They are basically nylon coveralls that are easy to put on over your jeans and stay in place! They keep your clothes from getting destroyed (no more gross, half-destroyed jeans saved especially for the garden!) and they are very durable and have yet to tear for me. They even have built in knee pads that do not shift or move when you are working! Did I mention they are machine washable?

Next is something I have used for awhile, the CobraHead. It gets out those really deep weeds and even works on sidewalks! When you need the same strength in a tool but with less precision, the Kombi is terrific. It is like a trowel or a shovel, but it works wonders when you are digging up impossiblly strong roots or rocky soil.

Has anyone else used the Espoma All-Natural Weed Preventer? It is a corn gluten product that is totally safe, even around your dog and cat or your kids! It also adds nitrogen to the soil, naturally greening your lawn while preventing weeds. There are other generic brands that are also corn gluten based, but I have not tried them yet. Has anyone else tried them? I am wondering if they really work just as well.

Finally, my friend just discovered this fun tool, and I am debating whether or not I will try it too. Has anyone else used the Wingscapes BirdCam before? The camera is motion-activated and is waterproof. You can set it up to take video or stills. You just mount it near your bird feeder or birdbath and it can take really high-resolution pictures! Too fun!

The results of a new National Gardening Association survey entitled "The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America" were released earlier this week at the 5th Annual Garden Writers Teleconference. The findings indicate that the popularity of food gardening in the United States is on the rise, with an increase of about 19% from 2008 to 2009. That's nearly double the growth seen between 2007 and 2008, when food gardening grew by 10%.

With food prices rising ever higher in a struggling economy, Americans are seeing the benefits of growing their own food. An NGA estimate reveals that good gardens could save a family as much as $500 a year on food. NGA research director Bruce Butterfield emphasized the consumer focus on saving, saying that, "As in previous recessions, we've seen increased participation in and spending on food gardening as people look for ways to economize."

The NGA report indicates that more than 43 million Americans plan to grow their own food in 2009. Not only are many households starting new gardens, about 11% of experienced gardeners say they plan to expand their food growing for the next year.

But cost isn't the only reason many people are switching to home gardens. In fact, most respondents said that their main motivation was better-tasting foods. Close behind, 51% were focused on getting fresher, better quality products, and 48% liked the assurance that their food was safe and healthy.

In today's tough economic times, more people than ever are growing their own vegetables to help stretch their food budgets. To help save even more, Burpee is offering a collection of seeds they call The Money Garden. Burpee claims that these six seed packets can produce up to $650 worth of food on a tenth of an acre of land. The Money Garden contains $20 worth of seeds for only $10, making it a terrific value.

The six varieties of seeds in this collection includes varieties known to be good producers, that are easy to grow as well. Bush Snap Beans, Burpee Bibb Lettuce, Home Run Bell Peppers, Big Top Carrot, Super Snap Garden Peas, and Steak Sandwich Tomatoes are all included. None of these take up too much space, so they will work well for those who only have a small plot to work with. Burpee has done a cost analysis study, which claims a 1 to 25 ratio of cost savings with these vegetable gardens. This means that a $50 investment in seeds can equal $1,250 worth of an equal amount of these vegetables, if they were purchased in a store. Home grown vegetables are far superior to store bought in both taste and nutritional content, which is another great advantage of planting The Money Garden.

Tips on starting seeds indoors

If you’d like a little head start on planting your favorite flowers, vegetables or herbs, and have them ground or container ready by the appropriate growing season, starting your seeds indoors is a great option to consider. I will give you basic tips on how to achieve nice, healthy plants using this method.

You will need to use good quality growing medium or soil. Choosing a peat-based, sterile mix is your best option. These mediums are light and loose, and will prevent fungi from forming – which may cause seedlings to rot. Keep in mind that all seeds need moisture, warmth, and light in order to produce healthy plants.

Ready-to-use peat pots are ideal to use. They usually come in packs and are relatively inexpensive and simple to use. Alternatively, you can make your own growing containers by punching small draining holes at the bottom of Styrofoam cups.

It is important to moisten your soil thoroughly before sowing your seeds. This will provide a damp environment for the seeds to adapt to its new ‘home’. Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the germination process.

Use a pencil, or your finger, and poke small holes into the soil, between ¼” – ½’ in depth. The depth should be about 3 times the width of the seed. After you have sowed the seeds, cover the holes lightly by tapping or spreading the top soil over them and gently pat down. Next, cover your containers with a plastic bag or wrap. This will keep the soil moist. Remove the cover after the seeds have sprouted. Cut back on watering often; let the soil dry a little between watering.

Seedlings need ample light to grow properly. A fluorescent tube or shop light fixture, around 4’- 6’ in length is perfect. Place the plants at least 4” below the light. Another source is direct sunlight. A table or windowsill located in direct sun works just fine, and the sun will also provide warmth the seedlings need as well. You may also place a bendable-type desk lamp near the containers. The lamp will provide both light and heat from the bulb.

When the seedlings have grown to at least 3” in height, now is the time you can transplant them to their permanent residence. A good rule of thumb is to begin the seeds about 2 weeks before the outdoor growing season in your area. Before you plant your prized, young plants, make sure that you prepare the new soil with plenty of moisture. Then sit back and watch your plants flourish into beautiful showpieces!

Empowerment and Great Food Start with a Garden

It’s almost spring time and I for one am ready to get dirty. I have already started my little seedlings indoors so they are ready to plant once the nasty snow is gone. But there is much more to gardening then just planting a seed. It is more of a feeling of empowerment and pride that you grew something from a tiny seed and are reaping the benefits. However, gardening isn’t for everybody. Some people just don’t have the green thumb when it comes to taking care of plants.

For beginners, I would suggest that you seek out a family member or go to a workshop that would help you start a new garden. For those who want to grow gardens but live in an apartment or condo, I would suggest container gardening or seeking out a community garden. Container gardening only requires you to put your plants into a pot and let it grow from there. You will need to find a place with sunshine and not to forget to water your plants. Almost any variety can be grown indoors. For those wanting to get out into the community, go to your city hall or your local library to find out if there are any community gardening opportunities for you. Believe me, once you learn how to garden, you will have great food - and a source of empowerment.