Garden Plants Information

Planting times for vegetables and other annual plants vary from species to species. In much of the United States the prime consideration is the date of the last spring frost/freeze. Many vegetables can be planted up to four weeks before the last frost, while others need to wait until a couple of weeks after the frost.

Another consideration is the date of the first fall frost/freeze. In northern latitudes, where summers can be short, the length of time some vegetable species take to reach maturity (most notably tomatoes and peppers) make it necessary to plant vegetable seeds indoors and then transplant the seedlings outside at the appropriate time.

Other vegetables and fruits, such as winter squashes and some melon varieties, seem to do better when planted as seeds directly where they are going to stay. With maturation times up to twelve weeks, it may be critical to get vegetable seeds planted as early as it is safe to do. If you have a short growing season, and wish to grow these crops, choose vegetable varieties that will reach maturity within a safe time period for your area.

My personal observation has been that vegetable seed crops planted at their earliest safe date are less likely to fall victim to insects than later plantings. If you have a small vegetable garden it’s not too difficult to reseed if a surprise late frost damages a particular crop.

Many vegetable plants that are planted in the spring can be planted again towards the end of the season. Again, it is important to know what date you can expect the first frost.

By understanding the times and length of frost free weather in your area you can have a better chance for success in your vegetable garden.

The National Climatic Data Center has a data sheet online that can be downloaded as a pdf file or viewed online. The data sheet contains frost/freeze information for over 3000 U.S. locations. The information is presented as a table, listed in alphabetical order by state and then selected towns within each state.

Be aware that this information is based on 29 years of data gathering from 1951 to 1980, and that they are statistical in nature and cannot unequivocally predict exact dates for any given locality in any given year.

Biodynamics and Phenology use astrological and natural occurrences to discern clues about the best time to plant and harvest vegetables. Native Americans and other earlier civilizations used similar techniques.

Most areas consist of microclimates that vary by elevation, exposure and proximity to large bodies of water. The Freeze/Frost Tables are a good reference point, but it makes sense to keep track of temperature and other factors in your particular vegetable garden location if you want to truly understand when it is actually the best time to plant vegetables.

To View or download The Frost Freeze tables; click on the link below. http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/documentlibrary/freezefrost/freezefrost.pdf

Chip Phelan, a contributing editor for Organic Gardening Review, is an organic gardener living in Rhode Island. Organic Gardening Review is a resource center for organic gardening enthusiast and those interested in community sustainable agriculture. http://www.organic-gardening-review.com

Looking for a place to share organic gardening info? Visit our Organic Gardening Discussion Forum at: Organic Gardening Forum

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Growing herbs for tea can be either a pleasant hobby or become a market crop offered to customers in a variety of ways, giving them the opportunity to add healthy variety to their beverage menu, whether warming up in the morning with a fresh-picked brew, or sipping garden-grown iced tea on a summer afternoon.

Humans and tea go back a long way. Black, green, oolong and the rarer white tea, which all come from an evergreen bush (Camellia sinensis) native to China and India, are popular worldwide. According to legend, tea drinking from this plant originated in China four to five thousand years ago, reaching Europe in the 1600s. Infusions of this plant are considered “real” tea. For the purposes of this article, I’ll casually call infusions of any appropriate plant material for beverage purposes, “tea.” Another couple of exotic plants out of Africa, Rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) and Honeybush, have recently entered the worldwide tea market. Both are often grown sustainably and can be found in Europe and North America through fair trade from their native land of South Africa.

But herbal tea, grown from a variety of herbs, is also a well-established tradition worldwide. Such herbal tea was in use in Europe long before black tea arrived. Drinking herbal infusions is believed to date into prehistoric times. Even animals have been known to put specific plants into small water-holding areas and seemingly wait for infusion before drinking.

Some herbs thrive in full sun, but others prefer partial sun or even shade. Needing only moderate watering, their soil calls for little or no fertilizer, and in fact should not be too rich as to cause excessive greenery that seems to dilute the aromatic oils. Each herb has its own special needs and specific plant parts that are used for tea and cooking (for tea, the leaves or flowers are most often used. However, roots, bark and berries are also harvested for herb tea). The specific plant parts and detailed growing instructions are usually described with the purchase of the plant or in any good herbal book.

(c) 2006 Barbara Adams

Barbara Adams
Author: Micro Eco-Farming: Prospering from Backyard to Small Acreage in Partnership with the Earth (New World Publishing)
http://www.MicroEcoFarming.com

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What type of work do you feel you would be attracted to? You would like it most if it gives you the satisfaction of creating something. Imagine how happy you would be to look at the painting you have just finished to your satisfaction on the canvas that was once empty. Compare that with the feeling when you look at the plant, you had been nurturing from its seed stage on your once empty soil, blooming with flowers today. Flowers fill in the area around you with beauty and fragrance. Birds visit your garden. And thus flower growing takes you back to the lap of nature, educates you and fills your mind with peace, tranquility and happiness. Your hard labor would be really rewarding.

If you feel this may interest you, refer first to a flower guide to see which flowers you may want to grow. Which are the flowers that most appeal to you? Lilies, chrysanthemums, tulips, orchids and roses are a few among the most popular. Most lily varieties live one or two weeks. Oriental, Asiatic and LA are some of its varieties. Chrysanthemum is a multi-bud flower and comes in a multitude of colors and in button size too. It lasts 1-2 weeks. Tulip flowers have 3 inner petals and 3 outer sepals that look much like petals. Roses come in a variety of colors. They may be bicolor too and last 7-10 days. Growing roses is very popular no doubt. Orchids too are beautiful exotic flowers and require minimal care. Another plus is that growing orchids can easily be done indoors.

First take a look at the environment where you are going to create your garden and test the soil pH with a simple pH testing kit to determine whether it is acidic or alkaline. Alkaline substances have larger pH numbers and fewer hydrogen ions. Note that arid regions tend to have alkaline soils and regions with heavy rainfall tend to have acidic soils. Now depending on the data you are equipped with, decide which plants you would like to select for your flower garden.

You have to make some arrangements before you begin planting though. You may need to purchase, plant anchors/stakes, plant netting, tree-guards etc… It’s also a good idea to do some weeding beforehand. Providing nutrients, and keeping your soil healthy should be one of your primary concerns. Pest control and utilizing repellants against small animals should also be taken into consideration.

Some gardening tools are indispensable. You have to equip yourself with properly selected tools. Shovels, trowels, hoes, garden forks, water cans, and a decent size hose are some of the important things you will need. Forged tools will cost more but they will be more durable. Use a steel brush to clean off tools after each use.

To gain success in growing flowers you have to toil hard no doubt. You may have to exchange experience with other gardeners, read books, look online, etc… The amount of time and energy you put into your garden directly effects the level of skill you attain. Start growing flowers today, and in no time you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful greenthumb.

To gain success in growing flowers you have to toil hard no doubt. You may have to exchange experience with other gardeners, read books, look online, etc… The amount of time and energy you put into your garden directly effects the level of skill you attain. Start growing flowers today, and in no time you’ll be on your way to becoming a successful greenthumb.

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