Organic Gardening Tips » growing organic vegetables

Organic Feast Fresh Produce Report 04/04/08

Tricia — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:46:11 +0000

Organic Feasts online fresh produce report for customers who order online. To help you make a more informed choice about the food you eat. This week Brent talks about rice and the shortage we are experiencing here in Australia.

Duration : 0:6:27

Potato Bug Invasion Part 1

Tricia — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:42:04 +0000

The first part of our summer long battle with the Colorado Potato Beetle, Flea Beetle, and other problems with growing potatoes. Visit our community site for more info http://gardenfork.tv

Duration : 8 min 47 sec

Organic vegetable gardening?

Tricia — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:57:05 +0000

I'd like to get into organic gardening for my family and I . I have absolutely no idea where to begin. I'd like to grow carrots, peas, lettuce, beans, zucchini, squash. Can anyone offer any helpful hints or websites. Thanks

I have been making my living growing produce organically for the past 14 years. For 8 years i was certified organic. I assume you don't care to get certified, you just want to grow pure food.
http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/ is a great forum to learn the ropes. Organic gardening also has a really good forum and the magazine is an excellent resource http://www.organicgardening.com

It will take many years to get you soil in shape and learn the techniques for successful organic growing so don't expect a great garden for a few years. Start small, no more than a 10' x 10' (3m x 3m) garden the first year or you will get overwhelmed in august when the weather is hot, the insects are out and the weeds are growing high.

Mulch everything with straw (not hay as hay tends to have a lot of weed seeds) and mulch well-at least 6" thick. Straw mulch will keep weeds down, moisture in the soil and blight from happening on plants like tomatoes. It also adds organic matter to your soil.

Have a good hoe, rake, wheelbarrow, trowel and garden fork as your basic garden tools.

Start a compost pile ASAP, compost will be the main thing you will feed to the soil/plants. Compost is the best thing to build healthy soil and organics is all about building healthy soil as any organic grower worth their salt knows soil is alive and healthy soils means healthy pest free plants.

Good luck

Organic Veggie garden part 4. SUCCESS!

Tricia — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:30:07 +0000

Tons of rain caused nitrogen to leech out of the soil. I tried an emergency organic fix. It worked 100%! . I SAVE THE TOMATOS!! I am a gardening superhero.

Duration : 0:10:6

What is a safe, preferably organic method of keeping insects off your plants?

Tricia — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:30:26 +0000

I have a large garden that I work very hard on, and I hate to see my plants half-eaten by bugs. I do not grow any vegetables or fruits, but I do have three dogs that spend a lot of time around the flowers. Does anyone know any pesticides that are not harmful to the environment or other animals?

Pesticides would include Neem oil concentrate- mix with water and spray- it is an insecticide and fungicide. Does not harm plants, children or pets. There are other proprietary organic pesticides available at garden stores.

Use a mild liquid soap like Ivory mixed with water, oil and other ingredients like hot sauce/ garlic etc.- plenty of homemade insecticidal spray recipes are available on the web.

Other methods include releasing or attracting beneficial insects like ladybugs (for aphids), diatomaceous earth application (all kinds of pests including slugs), handpicking the bad guys, blasting with water (for plants that do not mind their leaves getting wet).

Companion planting helps certain plants (e.g.grow marigolds with tomato). Herbs like basil, dill, garlic chives help repel certain insects. Nasturtiums repel insects and also have edible flowers.

Yeast (use beer/yeast with sugar water) traps for snails, slugs (insert saucer with lip at soil level- put some abovementioned liquid in it almost till the top)- slugs drown in it. Also, copper strips around containers/ raised beds/ trees is what we use in our Sunnyvale organic community garden. Place little pots upside down but raised slightly on one side(use a pebble) in shady, moist places- slugs crawl in when it gets hot and can be handpicked. If all else fails, use products like Sluggo (safe for pets).

Make sure there are no debris (rotting leaves, etc) in the garden to shelter bugs. Raise pots and rocks etc. to catch the culprits munching on your plants hiding during the day.

Hope that helps you and your plants while keeping the dogs safe.

Growing Giant Vegetable Marrow squash with Uncle Tony .

Tricia — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:00:05 +0000

on location in PVNY @ uncle Tony’s . uncle Tony gives away an important fertilizing tip.What a weired and fun to grow squash..
how big will it get? I will keep you posted.

Duration : 0:0:57

What vegetables can I grow in not so good soil?

Tricia — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 10:37:05 +0000

I've got this spot in my vegie patch that has been neglected somewhat. It hasn't been worked as much as the rest, has less organic matter in it etc. I've put my rhubarb there, which is doing ok there. What vegetables could I grow there?

Not tomatoes. They are very heavy feeders. You would end up adding to and turning the soil more than it sounds like your willing to do. You sound like you want the easy way out so grow cucumbers there. 96% water, dont take a ton of care, just steady moisture. Or…….collard greens. You couldnt kill em if you tried.

Jim Zamzows Gardening Tip #8

Tricia — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:00:10 +0000

Jim Zamzow shows you how to grow flowers in large pots or half Whiskey Barrels. You will need to water the pots more than flowers in your garden. Do you know how to grow the best petunias? All these tips are brought to you by www.zamzows.com. The authority on all things Lawn, Garden and Pet.

Duration : 0:1:52

Starting to grow own vegetables and herbs?

Tricia — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:45:15 +0000

I’m beginning to grow my own vegetables and herbs, and I’m curious on where to buy the seeds from. The town I live in only has a wal-mart which sells seeds, however, I do buy organic produce and was wondering whether or not to purchase seeds at walmart. Would it matter where I get the seeds from? or not really?

thanks

if you want to buy seeds from a box store than opt for K-mart and the martha Stwart Collection-not organic but lots of heirloom varieties.

thge best way to buy seeds though, is via mail order. My all time favorite seed house is Johnny’s Selected Seeds out of Maine (http://www.johnnysseeds.com) they are the best in the business, they are a small independent, employee owned seed house that has been in business for about 30 years. The seed is on the expensive side but it is excellent quality, always. i have been using them as my main seed supplier for the past 15 years. they offer a wide variety of seeds, have heirlooms, certified organic seed and do not sell seeds owned by Monsanto.

Seed savers exchange is the best place to get heirloom seeds on the planet. it is all they do and they have one of the biggest collections of heirloom seed anywhere. they are a not for profit that should be supported

Fedco Seeds (http://www.fedcoseeds.com) is another seed house out of main that is also a small independent company that does not sell GMO seed or anything from Monsanto. they carry a lot of heirlooms and certified organic seed. the quality is not as good as either Johnny’s or SSE but they are well worth supporting

asparagus, planting and growing

Tricia — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:32:04 +0000

asparagus will give you crops for up to 20 years, brilliant!

Duration : 0:7:45