Loving Nature's Garden » Green Garden

5 Spray-Free Ways to Control Weeds

Alison Kerr — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:16:15 +0000

Garden Plot by OakleyOriginals

Organic weed control methods come in four main types: heat, light, mechanical, and chemical.

Being unfamiliar with chemical organic control of weeds, I am going to stick to describing the first three methods.

You’ll find each method of control broken down by the type of tool and/or materials you need. Useful videos are included.

Water, or lack of water, can also affect weed success, but this knowledge is of limited use unless you’re planning a paddy field or know how to control the weather.

Get Out the Tools

If you’ve ever seen a rake or a hoe you know something about mechanical organic weed control. Open a gardening catalog, or visit your local hardware store, and you’ll see an amazing assortment of tools designed to damage and/or remove weeds.

1. Long Handled Weeding Tools

Long handled weeding tools are designed to damage weeds or to pull them from the ground without you needing to get down on your knees.

Garden Fork – used to loosen up the soil and make it easier to remove weeds by hand or with a rake and/or hoe. Here Kenny Point from Veggie Gardening Tips explains about a garden fork.
Hoe – designed to cut weeds off below the leaves or to disturb the soil and roots enough to kill young weeds. Hoes come in many styles. They are easy to use in loosened soil and almost impossible to push through compacted soil. Here’s a video which shows how easy a hoe can be to use.

Garden Rake (different from a leaf or grass rake) – again these need to be used in loosened soil. They can be used to pull weeds into a pile after using a hoe, to level soil after forking or hoeing, or to remove weed seedlings from mulch and gravel areas.

In this video a master gardener explains the uses of different long-handled tools and the circumstances under which you’d use them.

Here’s a long-handled tool from Red Pig Tools which explains essential tools for every gardener.

2. Short Handled Weeding Tools

Short handled weeding tools are designed for using in confined spaces – around plants, in raised beds, and in paving stone cracks. There are short-handled garden tools which pulls weeds out and others which cut weeds.

Short-handled tools are also used up-close to pry out perennial or biennial weeds which have deeper roots, such thistles and dandelions.

Fingers – a very useful gardening tool for removing young seedlings from around plants and for pulling up shallow-rooted annual weeds.
Hand Fork – good for loosening soil to allow weeds to be pulled up by hand.
Hand Trowel – a narrow-bladed hand trowel is an effective tool for digging out perennial weeds like dandelions.
Sharp Tools – there are a number of useful sharp hand tools which range from Hori Hori Knives, through Cobrahead Weeders, to pruning snips and saws. The first two are designed to get in small spaces and cracks. Snips and saws are useful for woody weeds.

Here’s a video from DeWit tooks which demonstrates the use of a wide range of both long-handled and short-handled garden tools useful for weeding and planting.

3. Weed Control Using Heat

Heat methods of weed control are perhaps the least used. You’ve probably noticed that weeds spring up at specific times of year. This is in part due to temperature requirements for germination of specific weed seeds.

There are two ways to control weeds using heat:

Weed Dragon, Weed Torch, or Flamer – uses fuel to create heat which when placed close to weeds causes cell sap to heat and damages the weed. There is a risk of fire when using a weed torch, or flamer. Most effective on weeds in the seedling stage. Find more information at Flame Weeding 101. Here’s a promotional video from the manufacturer of the Weed Dragon.

Soil Solarization – uses sunlight to generate soil temperatures high enough to kill weeds. You can read all about soil solarization by taking this link, which downloads a pdf document from UC Davis. For a discussion of when to use solarization try Country Roads Magazine. Watch this video to see and hear how soil solarization works.

Block Light and Block Weeds

Some weeds require light in order for the seeds to germinate. Every plant needs light to grow. Basically you block light by covering the soil. By covering the soil you also prevent new seeds coming in contact with soil.

4. Mulching

Mulching is a popular way to reduce the need for weeding. It works well in perennial beds, between the plants, and can be used around annual bedding plants and in vegetable beds between rows. You should use at least 3-4″ depth. Different types of mulch are as follows:

Sawdust – good for paths because it suppresses weed germination and growth. Do not use around plants.
Bark, Shredded Wood, and Bark Nuggets – comes in different colors. This is a lightweight mulch and is not suitable for areas where water flows downhill during or after rain (it will just wash away). Cedar mulch takes the longest time to decompose. Best for flower beds.
Straw – good for paths and fruit and vegetable beds but can cause weed problems. I’ve successfully used straw without weed problems, provided I had 4-6″ of it. Also, you want to know your source – straw could contain pesticides.
Compost – great for fruit and vegetable beds and for lawns. As an organic gardener you can never have enough home-made compost!
Rocks, pebbles, stones – work well for paths and rock gardens. You probably want to put down a porous weed barrier below to prevent your pebbles sinking into the ground.

Here’s a step by step video guide on mulching.

As fresh weed seeds fall on top of your mulch and your mulch decomposes (not the rock one of course) you will need to top up with more mulch and/or rake the surface. It’s easier to rake loose mulch though than to rake compacted soil.

5. Weed Barriers

Weed barriers are of two types – porous and non-porous. Porous weed barriers are of most use under mulch to prevent your mulch from sinking into the soil. Also known as landscaping fabric, I use them on paths, but not on beds. Check the warranty – you can get landscaping fabric with a 25 year, or a lifetime, warranty.

Black plastic can be used as a non-porous weed barrier. It is useful for temporary soil coverage. I’ve used it to cover the soil in garden areas which I know I will be working on later and which I don’t want to have to weed. You can use it to kill turf – allow a few months to do the job properly. Over time black plastic will break down enough to fall apart. While it’s not a great environmental choice, I’d rather use it than spraying with Roundup.

Here’s what happens to black plastic if you leave it down too long.

There are two further organic weed control methods which I plan to write about later – biological methods and the use of ground covers. Be sure to subscribe and get all of of my tips and inspiration (use the posts and e-mail links at the top of the page).

If you need more information on controlling weeds organically I suggest Organic Weed Control at The Organic Gardener.

Which methods of weed control are you using? Which have you tried? What do you like or dislike about controlling weeds?

You may be interested in some of the following from Amazon.com: Red Dragon Weed Wand; DeWit Garden Tools.

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Self Watering Containers

Alison Kerr — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:45:13 +0000

Self Watering Garden - copyright Mike Lieberman

In exploring container gardening for my deck I came across the idea of self-watering containers.

Today’s article is by Mike Lieberman who kindly agreed to share his knowledge on container vegetable gardening.

Last year when I was first became interested in gardening on my fire escape, I knew that my options were limited as to what I could grow my vegetables in. I knew that I had to grow in some sort of container, but wasn’t sure if I had to buy a special one, could make my own, or what.

That’s when I came across the self watering container concept. It’s pretty much a homemade version of an Earthbox, which were way too expensive for me.

Self Watering Containers and How They Work

It’s easy to build a self watering container and cheap as well. It’ll cost around $5.00. The most difficult part in building is cutting out the insert for the container.

The way that a container functions is that the water reservoir is below the insert and the soil is above the insert. There is a small wicking container at the bottom of the container to bring the water up to the soil. A pipe is used to get the water down into the reservoir.

This way the plants suck up the water with their roots, which is a more natural way for them to get water. When plants are watered from above, it takes a few moments for the water to work it’s way down to the roots.

Watering a self watering container is simple as well. When the reservoir is filled, water will start to spill out of the overflow hole. This takes the guessing out of over or under watering your plants.

Container Vegetable Gardening

On my fire escape, I had lettuces, red peppers and cherry tomatoes in self watering containers. The lettuces and tomatoes did great, but the peppers didn’t produce as much. I think that had more to do with sun than with the containers.

For the upcoming gardening season, I plan on changing up the design a bit and using a container within a container as opposed to making the inserts. This is one of the fun things about gardening, the constant learning, tweaking and experimentation.

Self watering containers are something that I’d recommend for first timers, not only are they cheap to make, they take the guessing out of watering. They are also great for gardeners with small and limited space.

Mike Lieberman resides in NYC. He is someone who walks their talk as a living, breathing demonstration of how sustainable living is possible anywhere. Lieberman shows others how they can do the same on his own blogs and writes for others around the web. You can find him at CanarsieBK.com.

Have you tried container gardening? I will be visiting Mike’s blog to view his videos and learn how to build self-watering containers for my deck. I’m amazed at what he has managed to grow in such a small space.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Step by Step Gardening Club

Alison Kerr — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:56:44 +0000

Do you want to plant a new garden this year, pick out some flowers to attract butterflies or birds, grow vegetables with your kids for the first time, or change to more organic management?

Maybe you want to do something in the garden, but you’re just not sure where to start. Gardening might be a new interest, or something you’ve been thinking of doing and you’ve just never figured out how to start. You might have too many ideas, or not enough. You might want to make a totally new garden, or just change something around a little.

Step by Step Gardening Club

What you need is someone to hold your hand and give you a step by step gardening approach to get you off the couch and digging in the dirt.

If you want help to garden, I’ve got just the thing. Sign up for my Step by Step Gardening Club and receive a mini-course of 5 e-mails to get you started. Here is what will be in the course:

Dreaming Your Dream – discover what would bring you happiness this year in the garden.
Making a List – getting practical with what you need to achieve your dream.
Finding the Things You Need – seeds, plants, tools, materials, compost, a guide book, time etc.
Mentor, Mentor – what a mentor can do for you and how to find one.
What Next? Keeping on track. Caring for your garden and handling pests and challenges.

How to Dream Your New Garden

Step by Step Gardening Club is currently closed. Sign up for Loving Nature’s Garden in a reader, or subscribe to Loving Nature’s Garden by Email. You will receive gardening inspiration and tips twice weekly and you’ll be first to hear when Step by Step Gardening reopens.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Companion Planting Doesn’t Work!

Alison Kerr — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:39:24 +0000

Is it a marigold? by RealEstateZebra

As a vegetable gardener I’ve always been interested in the idea of companion planting.

It seems to make sense, but apparently putting marigolds next to beans, cabbage, or tomatoes doesn’t work!

Evidence Against Companion Planting

You don’t have to take my word for it. In my Inbox today, from the Johnson County Kansas Extension Service, “We now have results from two studies that give some insight into companion planting.”

“The University of California looked at the effect of planting cabbage with catnip, nasturtium, marigold, summer savory and basil. The cabbage-catnip plots had reduced cabbageworm eggs and larvae but the amount of worm injury was the same. Also, the average weight per cabbage head was reduced… The other cabbage companion plantings also failed to show positive results.”

“The University of Georgia studied companion plantings of beans-marigolds, cucumber-nasturtium, cabbage-thyme, eggplant- catnip, tomato-marigold, and tomato-basil. None of these combinations prevented insect damage from the major garden insect pests.”

It’s Good News!

As far as I’m concerned it’s good news that companion planting doesn’t increase yields or reduce insect damage. There are enough things to think about when you’re new to vegetable gardening.

Relax, put marigolds amongst your tomatoes if you enjoy the flowers, nasturtiums amongst your cucumbers too. Some marigolds are edible and nasturtiums can be added to a salad. I recommend edible flowers in your garden. Just don’t expect them to keep the bugs from eating your cabbage or tomatoes.

Shop for Organic Seeds and Gardening Tools and Accessories – $20 Off $40 Or More at Gardens Alive! Find Vegetable Gardening books at Amazon.com.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Vegetable Gardening Help

Alison Kerr — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:34:53 +0000

What are you planning for your vegetable patch in 2010? Have you decided, or do you need some help?

Help is Here

Here’s my raised bed vegetable patch in May of 2009. All that green you see is: onions, tomatoes, peppers, and spring greens (which are flowering yellow). Yum! My garden did really well last year.

I’ve already written about Best Spring Vegetables for Beginners, but maybe you’re not a beginner, or you’re planning a summer garden, or you know what you want to plant but you just don’t know where start. Or I’ve not yet written about the thing you need help with (if so please leave a comment or contact me).

For Help with…

Gardening with kids – A Guide to Happy Family Gardening.
Picking a book to teach yourself raised bed gardening – Best Raised Bed Gardening Books.
Vegetable gardening in Kansas and the Heartland – see Growing Great Vegetables in the Heartland. Then for seasonal recipes for midwest grown produce take a look at A Midwest Gardener’s Cookbook.
Selecting seeds – see 10 Lazy Tips to Choosing Seeds.
For help on when to plant your seeds see When to Plant Vegetable Seeds.
How to build Self Watering Containers.
For the potato lovers amongst us – everything you need to grow potatoes.
Companion Planting, or not.
Choosing tools – take a look at 5 Tools for Planting a Vegetable Garden.
Inspiration – start with Spring Greens Growing from my garden in February of 2009 then browse posts with titles of Garden Corner, or all posts tagged Kansas Garden.

See all vegetable gardening related posts in reverse chronological order, including inspirational stories of what others are doing with their vegetable gardens.

Whatever you are planning for your vegetable patch, do contact me and let me know. I’d love to hear your dream.

Shop for Organic Seeds and Gardening Tools and Accessories – $20 Off $40 Or More at Gardens Alive! Find Vegetable Gardening books at Amazon.com.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Spring Vegetables for Beginners

Alison Kerr — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:34:17 +0000

Spring Radish Seedlings

What are the best spring vegetables for beginners in the garden? Which vegetables do kids enjoy? When should you plant? Where is the best place to buy seeds? I will try to answer some of these questions. Please share your experience too.

3 Easy Spring Vegetables to Grow

These 3 spring vegetables are the ones which work reliably for me:

Radishes – best spring vegetable for beginners even if you don’t like the taste! I find them to be reliable germinators. They are ready to eat in 21-35 days, depending on the variety you choose. Kids like to watch them grow. If you don’t like to eat them, find friends and neighbors who do and give them away. Sharing is fun! Look for mild varieties which your kids (and you) might actually enjoy. They can be cooked like turnip.

Lettuce – tastes much better straight from the garden than from any store. Picky eater kids just might like garden lettuce! The earliest varieties are ready to eat in 45 days. Look for heat tolerant varieties for a longer harvest. Plant several varieties and see what works for you. It doesn’t matter if you plant the seeds too thickly because you can eat the thinnings!

Green Onions – sometimes called bunching onions or scallions. Great for serving with sour cream and for sprinkling in soups, salads, and stir-fries and on baked potatoes. I serve them sliced up in a bowl so that each family member can take as many, or as few, as they want. Green onions take 45-70 days to reach full harvest size, depending on the variety, but you can have some to eat earlier as you thin out the seedlings. Kids can enjoy pulling them out the ground when the dirt is soft.

Best Time to Plant Spring Vegetables

Catalogs and seed packets are fond of telling you to plant spring vegetables when the ground is workable or when the soil is at a certain temperature. Catalogs give soil temperature of 40-75F as suitable for lettuce, 45-80F for radish, and 55-75F for onions.

I’ve never used a thermometer to measure the soil temperature. Last year I planted here in Kansas in the first week in March. The seeds germinated fine and then it turned colder. All that happened was the seedlings grew very slowly. If it’s warm enough to work without gloves and to be out every day to water the seed bed until your seedlings are established, I say “Go for it!”

Best Place to Buy Seeds

A vegetable seed supplier who is local to you will have seeds best suited to your area. You can also ask for good advice on how to prepare the soil and when to plant. And it is nice to support a local business. I’m not talking here about a hardware store or garden center which sells generic packet seeds. You want to find a supplier who produces seed from their own cultivated plants.

One place to find suppliers is the Mother Earth News Best Garden Seed Companies guide which lists suppliers by state. You can also check with local green/organic listings, such as Kansas City Food Circle, or ask other local gardeners where they get their seeds.

Do you have further questions about spring vegetables for beginners? Do you have a hint or tip to share? What are you planning to plant? Leave a comment.

Shop for Organic Seeds and Gardening Tools and Accessories – $20 Off $40 Or More at Gardens Alive!

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Edible Landscaping

Alison Kerr — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:38:08 +0000

Edible landscaping, it’s food in the front yard, but it’s more than that, it’s food which both looks good and tastes good. It’s like better-looking victory gardening. It’s green gardening at it’s best because it makes use of space – you can’t get more local – and cuts down on lawns. And it’s out front where the neighbors can see it, learn, communicate, and connect. Are you ready for it?

There are plenty of articles, and even whole websites, around on edible landscaping, but some are better than others. Here are the best edible landscaping sites I found – I’ve put them in order within each section with the best one at the top.

What, How, and Why to Edible Landscape

Edible Landscaping on YouTube – it’s all very well reading about growing food in your landscape, but really it’s about the senses, the sights, smells and tastes of fresh food. I love this video because it gives you the sights. The commentary also explains what edible landscaping is all about. If that’s not enough, there are lots more related videos on YouTube which you can access from the above link.

Maybe this is something you’d like to read about regularly. Edible Landscaping with Charlie Nardozzi is in a magazine style format with seasonal information to keep you on track. You can also find a list of all the articles you’ll need to get started in Charlie’s edible landscaping primer with topics like Planning Your Landscape 101. Charlie is writing under the umbrella of the National Gardening Association so you can be sure of the quality of the information he provides.

What is Edible Landscaping is a fairly succinct (4 screens worth) overview on the topic from How Stuff Works. If you like formal gardens there is a great photo at the start of the article which shows what is possible.

Edible Landscaping at Better Homes and Gardens – I’m not a great fan of sites which have clutter in the form colorful adverts. I find them distracting. If you don’t mind a bit of distraction, or even like it, this 3 page bullet-pointed overview is quite a nice read.

Planning Your Edible Landscape

Edible Landscaping Database is a list of things to consider for your edible landscape. The database includes herbs, flowers, vegetables, berry bushes, and fruit and nut trees. It’s a fairly simple site, readable, but with all the cultural details needed to make good choices for your garden. All of the plants described are perennials, which will form a permanent part of your eatable garden.

Landscaping Companies can be hard to find because the edible landscaping movement is really just getting started. I think we’ll see more landscape designers offering this as a service in the not-too-distant future. Meantime, if you’re in the area of Seattle, WA you’re in luck because there are several design companies listed at the above link.

Edible Landscaping at About.com has more inspiration for what to grow and articles on how to grow various edibles including apples, hickory nuts, and “weeds”.

Suppliers of Plants

During and after planning you’re going to need to find a supplier for the plants you want to grow for food. Unless you live in the Pacific Northwest you’re probably not going to find much selection in edible landscaping plants close to home.

Raintree Nursery and One Green World seem to share the lead in supplying fruit, berry, and nut plants for the garden and landscape. If you’re outside of zones 6-10 though Raintree.com don’t recommend fall planting and won’t ship to you until spring. That gives you more time to play around with your plan though, right? With 800 varieties to choose from at Raintree you could be planning for a long time! I’d go ahead and ask for their catalog – it’s nice to be able to mark pages to remind yourself what you are interested in. While you are at it, get a catalog from One Green World too.

If you’re on the east coast you might try Edible Landscaping Online which is based in Virginia. Their selection isn’t so extensive, but their prices appear similar. I like their plant search which helps you find disease resistant and pest resistant varieties. That is going to be useful – many fruit plants are subject to bothersome diseases and pests, which I’ve found out to my cost. You don’t want to be spraying – that’s not green gardening.

There are also a number of native fruit, nut and berry bushes, shrubs and trees which are disease resistant and also benefit wildlife, which you’d find at native plant nurseries. I will cover this another time.

Examples and Inspiration

Edible Estates

Heartland Harvest Garden at The Epicurean and Powell Gardens own site

18 Beautiful Edible Landscaping Plants at TreeHugger.com

If you liked this please subscribe to my RSS feed, or my e-mail feed (at the top of the right hand column) to keep up with new article releases. Thanks

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Rain Garden Design

Alison Kerr — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:48:19 +0000

Stepping Stones by Jo Jakeman

When thinking about rain garden design, it is helpful to know the vocabulary. Does the designer you are thinking of hiring have the knowledge you are seeking; do you know how to explain your needs to them? Of, if you are looking to do your own design, do you need to know what is possible?

Not Just a Hole in the Ground

Water is loved by young and old alike. A good rain garden design can get kids playing and splashing, attract wildlife, and manage water as it moves through your garden. Rain gardens can go far beyond the typical dug-out area planted with bushes and perennials. Words are power. Here are words for rain garden design.

Boardwalk – wooden walkway placed over a pond, marsh or wet area. A great way for kids (and adults) to get close to the plants, animals, and insects.

Channel, Rill, Gully – a depression which directs water through the landscape. Made of wood, paving stones, concrete, or metal. Lots of fun for splashing in and learning about water flow! Can be part of a recirculated water design.

Stepping Stones – rocks or artificial paving stones set into the ground as a path across an area of water, grass, sand etc. Fun to jump, leap and hop across.

Beach – a sloped area of sand, gravel, river rocks etc. Usually slopes down into water but the water needn’t be permanent. Fun for digging in and burying and discovering treasures.

Island – a raised area surrounded by water, or by a dry depression with a change of texture and/or color. Perfect for sailing away to and being stranded on.

Jetty – a wooden platform built out over an area of permanent or transient water. Usually called a deck when it’s over a dry area. For fishing adventures, real or pretend.

Pond or Pool – a permanently wet depression. A place for insects, plants, birds, frogs, fish and amphibians, and the children who are curious about them.

Fountain – a water feature which uses a pump to discharge streams or jets of water at height which fall back down and are recirculated. The water is either in free-fall, or simply burbling up, rather than running across a surface. Brings sound and interest to the garden.

Cascade or Waterfall – water running from high to low over a vertical or sloped surface into a pool or collection area for recirculation. Can be made to look natural or be highly modern in design. Sometimes used to reduce sound pollution.

Dry Creek or Dry Stream Bed – similar to a channel. A shallow depression lined with rocks or paving stones which directs water and prevents erosion. Holds water only during and soon after rain.

Wetland – an area of wet ground which may dry out between rainfall. Contains plants which tolerate submerged roots. Can be used to process and clean water.

Bioretention, Rain Garden, Infiltration Strip – a planted depression which slows down water flow allowing it to infiltrate into the soil rather than being lost as surface run-off.

Green Roof – substrate and plants growing on a flat or sloped roof. Can be any size from a bird table through a dog kennel and outhouse to home, office building, or museum. Requires structural expertise to calculate loads and careful installation to prevent water seepage through the roof into the structure. Absorbs water and releases it over time.

Green Facade or Vertical Green – plants growing on a wall or other vertical surface. Can provide cooling, water absorption, and sound reduction.

Rain Barrel, Water Butt, Water Tank – a collection device for rain directed from a roof. Most often used as water storage for gardening or for feeding into a water feature. A large tank installation can provide water for the home if processing is done to clean the water.

Storm Water Planter – similar to a raised bed. Located close to the walls of a building. Rain water is fed into the planter. Slows down water and filters it through the soil.

Porous Pavement – an alternative to poured concrete for paths and drive-ways. Water passes through the surface or between paving stones and into the soil below. With some kinds of porous pavement, grass or other plants are grown amongst the paving stones.

Swales or Terracing – a series of ridges and depressions along the contour line of a slope. Used in larger scale landscapes to slow down water and allow it to be absorbed.

Rain Chain – a design element which is used in place of a downspout. Water runs down the chain directing it from roof to ground. Folks in the garden can enjoy the sight and sound of the running water.

Armed with this rain garden design vocabulary you will be able to research possibilities, discuss ideas with a designer (if you are interested in hiring one) and make informed choices. Wildlife, your local waterway, and your family might appreciate the changes to your garden, but most of all YOU will LOVE it!

You can find examples of all of the above features with photos and more inspiration in the book Rain Gardens by Nigel Dunnett and Andy Clayden. My thanks go to Carole at ConservationGardening.com who inspired this post by recommending the above book. Purchases through the above Amazon.com link support Loving Nature’s Garden.

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Arizona Garden

Alison Kerr — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:40:12 +0000

Bright Orange Nasturtium by Audreyjm529

A month or so a go I received a reader question which went something like this: “I have a brown thumb. What can I grow in my Arizona garden.” From, Melissa in the Desert.

Melissa, I’m happy to report that there are lots and lots of things you can grow in your Arizona Garden. Since I know you are concerned about your gardening abilities, let’s start with something easy.

Easy Flowers for Arizona

Nasturtiums are one of the easiest annual flowers to grow. They actually prefer poor soil and they are edible, if you like things peppery. According to what I’ve read, they will grow just fine in your Arizona garden. Nasturtium seeds can be planted from August to October in Arizona. Marigolds are another easy choice. Some varieties of marigold flowers can be eaten. Neither of these plants are native, which I usually prefer, but they are both easy, useful choices.

Vegetable Growing in Arizona

If you want to try an easy vegetable, I’d recommend waiting until September and trying lettuce and/or anything in the cabbage family. A fairly wide range of vegetable seeds can be sown in Arizona in the late summer and early fall. You can find a full list of suitable flowers and vegetables and information on how to grow them in the Phoenix Gardening Calendar.

Soil Preparation

I remember you also asked about soil preparation and whether you could do container gardening, because your soil is so hard to work. The nasturtiums should grow happily in whatever soil you have. The vegetables will be more particular. In my experience it is difficult to be successful growing plants in containers in a hot and arid climate. My own back deck is a sun trap and too hot to keep the soil moist, even with the use of special potting compost mixes.

Plant Into Pots in the Ground

My best suggestion is to get one or two large terracotta pots (here is a link to a local store which sells them) to use but rather than sitting them on the surface of the ground, dig them in so that the rim ends up at ground level. You can fill them with potting compost as you would if they were above the ground. Once the seeds germinate you can mulch the compost surface to help keep the soil moist. This is what I’d do for container gardening here and I think it should work for you.

Learning to Garden

Your next step up would be to learn no-till gardening. Since that is more work perhaps you’d appreciate some success first using the pots. To really learn to garden it’s important to find some local people to learn from, to swap seeds and plants with, and to take your questions to. You might consider contacting a gardening club and you can find one through The Arizona Garden Clubs. Another great source of information is the University of Arizona Extension Service.

Melissa, before you it know your brown thumb will develop a little tinge of green and then you’ll have flowers and food from your garden.

If you enjoyed this you might like:

The Edible Flower Garden – includes information on both nasturtiums and marigolds, with recipes.
Good Gardening
Beansprouts in a Jar – a gardening project anyone can manage. They’re tasty and nutritious too!

Reader questions are welcomed. I don’t give any guarantees on how quickly I will respond, but I will respond.

Download your copy of Simple Sprouts ebook here (it's Free).

Good Gardening

Alison Kerr — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:23:01 +0000

I keep finding good gardening links. So many people have great things to say about gardening! So here’s a short selection of links, good gardening links, articles to inspire dirt digging, seed planting, and just plain messing around in the garden.

In the Garden

On Wednesday I was the guest of the gracious Bethe Almeras at her blog The Grass Stain Guru. I’m delighted that my article In the Garden struck a chord with many of Bethe’s readers. I really enjoyed the stories shared in the comments – they’re certainly as good as my own writing.

Gift of the Garden

The lovely Robin Shreeves is gardening as part of her quest to become A Little Greener Every Day. Robin recently wrote about The Greatest Gift of the Garden. She clearly thinks a lot of her garden and shares a lot of her insights.

Down on the Farm

The hilariously named Green Bean at The Green Phone Booth might be in danger of being buried by her garden produce. In her article Down on the Farm she amused me, but also made me really want to find a way to convert my front lawn into a place to grow and a place to share.

Joys of Vegetable Gardening

And it’s not just moms who garden. Over at Veggie Gardening Tips a dad shares his new gardening adventures. His interest in gardening even enticed his teens off video games! You can read what he has to say and see photos of his awesome first year garden at The Joys of Growing a Vegetable Garden.

I hope you’ll enjoy one or more of these articles as much as I did. Do come back and let me know which is your favorite.

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