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| Green & Growing (Winter 2006) |
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Running start for fresh veggies
Dear G&G: I’m a long-distance runner who loves to eat fresh veggies. How can I get a head start on growing some?
Dear Spring Sprinter: First, to see if your soil is ready for a pre-spring workout, do this simple test: Ball up a handful, and squeeze. If water comes out, the dirt is too wet. But if it crumbles like chocolate cake, it’s ready for planting “cold crops.”
Next, check the last freeze date for your area. Broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, spinach, and turnips can be planted four to six weeks before the last freeze date. Beets, carrots, chard, mustard, parsnips, and radishes can be planted two to four weeks before. The clock is ticking, so get ready, set, go!
Dear G & G: We’re planning to landscape our yard. Do you have any tips that will make mowing easier after we finish?
Dear Plant Manager: Very smart of you to think ahead! A little planning now can save tons of time and effort later. Basically, it boils down to creating buffer zones that don’t detract from your yard’s beauty, and which make the landscaped area simple to trim.
For instance, creating a mulched ring 2 to 3 feet around trees prevents the mower from accidentally running into and damaging the tree. Placing edging (bricks, plastic, and metal strips) around flowerbeds does double duty of keeping the beds looking crisp and keeping the mower from slicing flowers.
Additionally, try to landscape so as to allow to mower room to always mow forwards instead of having to back up. And instead of planting grass on slopes that may be too steep for a mower, consider using some type of decorative ground cover that’s easy to maintain.
Dear G & G: I want only the best for my annual flower garden. How can I keep its soil in great planting condition?
Dear Mothering Nature: To make the soil the best it can be follow this simple regimen: Add organic matter such as manure, compost, peat moss in cool climates, or pine straw in warm climates. (Organic matter loosens the soil and creates large pores for better air and water circulation, and better drainage.)
In spring, spread a thin 1-inch layer of organic material over the soil, but don’t till it in. And in fall, spread organic matter about 2 to 4 inches thick. Never pulverize the soil; always cultivate until the soil is loose.
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