Comments

1. Fred says 03/18/10
   This is a great offering and perfect timing! I am getting the urge to get started on my vegetable garden, and could use some good advice. Two questions I could use some advice on are 1) when and how to start properly preparing the planting bed, and 2) natural ways to keep the WEEDS OUT! Thanks!
2. Linda Snyder says 03/18/10
   I am thrilled to know you will be offering tips on growing herbs and (best of all ; ) sharing with us how to USE them! I've grown herbs for many years, and rarely use them in recipes...because for the most part I have no clue what to put them in. I love the look and smell of herbs (can't resist picking leaves and smelling them) but knowing how to actually use them all would be a big plus. Thanks so much, and I'll be waiting to hear how your garden grows. Best of luck to you. Linda
3. Dixie Krisher says 03/18/10
   I remember my Mother having a garden and I have had a garden since my sons were young. I am interested in how you prepare your soil.
4. says 03/19/10
   Fred: The best time to prepare your planting beds is in the fall. Reason being that a lot of times the ground is too wet in early spring for tilling and working. This limits your planting until the ground is dry enough that it can be worked. Once the soil can be turned over and worked, it is a good idea to apply a 2-4” layer of compost (Better Earth brand is recommended) and work in with a pitchfork or tiller to a depth of at least 6 inches. Raised beds could be constructed anytime since you won’t need to till. Lots of natural ways to control weeds. You can stretch landscape/weed barrier fabric over the garden area and cut holes to pop in your veggies. Cardboard also makes a great weed barrier. Lay down flattened boxes and cover with a layer of mulch or gravel between rows. Know your weeds and learn how they multiply (by seed or vegetative means). Pull early and often, and never allow them to go to seed. Don’t put weeds on your compost as they can be spread throughout your garden if you use the compost as fertilizer. Some people recommend pouring boiling water or vinegar over persistent weeds to kill them, but be extra careful not to damage your desirables!
5. Sara Stubbs-Farris says 03/19/10
   Linda: Lots of ethnic dishes call for the use of herbs. Mexican, Indian and Italian dishes call for lots of cilantro and sweet basil (my two favorites). We will be sharing lots of fun recipes for cooking with herbs as mine get closer to harvest, but you can always add a sprig of fresh mint to iced tea and lemonade, a sprig or Rosemary to add flavor to a roast, fresh chopped cilantro into a salad or salsa, and fresh sweet basil is good on anything! You can also infuse herbs for soothing or uplifting teas and to make flavored vinegars for salads and other dishes.
6. Sara Stubbs-Farris says 03/19/10
   Dixie: See above info for Fred about preparing soil
7. Leah Olsen says 03/19/10
   I would like to know how to grow and harvest lettuce. Like, actually HOW do you properly cut the stuff off and does it come back. I really like buttery lettuces. Thanks!
8. Sharon says 03/21/10
   I was pleased to receive Hoerr's e-mail and that there will be a blog on gardening. I would like to know what vegetables I can plant in containers as I live in a condo and am very limited with space and sunshine.
9. Sara Stubbs-Farris says 03/22/10
   Leah: Lettuces are among the easiest and fastest of any crops a gardener can grow. Most varieties mature within 45-55 days. There are 5 main types of lettuce; looseleaf, crisphead, butterhead, romaine and Batavian, all being cool season veggies that are best planted in early spring and again in the fall. All types except the looseleaf are varieties that form heads, and are best harvested all at once. The nice thing about looseleaf varieties is that you can pick them leaf by leaf for fresh serving sized salads. We will be highlighting more great info on growing and harvesting lettuce in future updates.
10. Sara Stubbs-Farris says 03/22/10
    Sharon: Most types of peppers would grow well in containers. You can grow tomatoes in containers too, but try to choose varieties that are determinate, which means they grow to a certain size and stop instead of sprawling like a vine. Some of the cherry types make good patio plants.
11. Sara Stubbs-Farris says 03/22/10
    Sharon: Most types of peppers would grow well in containers. You can grow tomatoes in containers too, but try to choose varieties that are determinate, which means they grow to a certain size and stop instead of sprawling like a vine. Some of the cherry types make good patio plants.
12. JOHN says 03/30/10
    Sarah-I really like your blog site! I have a friend/former employee named Reed that stopped out a couple of weeks ago to pick up some empty potts to start some Veggie plants. He is now an employee at Naturally Yours at Metro Center. He was really pumped up to see all the new growing space INSIDE! Keep up the great blog site-Johnny
13. Linda says 05/07/10
    Sarah-I became so excited reading about your 'edible journey' that I've arranged for a bigger garden spot : ) And, lately I've been learning so much about additives in our food, that growing my own seems like a very good idea. I've hired a couple young men to come next week and make a veggie garden for me (remove the grass and till or whatever they should do...hope they know, because I don't LOL!), and I'd like to know what amendments could be added at this time. We have sandy soil (we're down in the river valley near Chillicothe)...and the new garden will be in what was once just pasture. The original, quite sizable veggie garden has somehow been taken over by flowers and a few herbs...funny how that happened : ) Thanks for your input...I'm not exactly sure how this should be done or what I should add to make the soil good for my herbs and veggies. Blessings, Linda
14. Abbie Folken says 05/07/10
    LINDA - We call Better Earth compost “black gold” because it is so rich and valuable for vegetable gardening! It is full of nutrients that are good for the plants (and you) and also has the added benefit of improving soil structure and drainage due to its light and fluffy nature. Have your guys top-dress your garden area with a 6” layer and till it in to a depth of about 6”. You won’t need to do much more to have great success! You can pick up Better Earth compost at Hoerr Nursery in bulk or bagged form. Happy planting, growing and eating!
15. Linda says 05/08/10
    Sarah, Thanks so much for your advise. I like the Better Earth products very much, and appriciate all the care they put into good quality, safe and healthy ammendments...I'll be picking some up tonorrow at Hoerr's nursery since my new garden will be my mother's day gift : ) Since I last posted, I've been reading about the non-til method for creating a new garden spot...which involves laying newspaper or cardboard right on top of the sod, then a layer of dirt or something (technique varries slightly depending on who offered the info)..then a top layer of straw or hay. One has to wait a year though, to plant things that grow from seed. I have to decide which way to go with this before Mon., when my help comes. Not removing the sod does sound like a good idea, since I wouldn't lose the nutrients that would mulch down and become good medium for my garden....but, I don't want to wait a whole year either! Do you have any suggestions re: this? Also, how much Better Earth compost should I add? Again, thank you. Linda
16. Linda says 05/08/10
    Oops. I forgot that you've already addressed the "how much" question. Tomorrow I'll ask the folks at Hoerr's to help me estimate how many bags it will take. Just one more question...should I edge the new space with something to help prevent grass from migrating back in? If so, any economical suggestions? Linda
17. Sara Stubbs-Farris says 05/11/10
    Linda - I apologize for the slow response. you would have to wait a year to use the no till method if you don’t want to remove the sod. You could compromise and peel the sod back, add it to your compost pile and give it’s nutrients back to your garden once it breaks down. This way you can avoid tilling but could still have your garden this year. I recommend applying a 4-6” layer of compost and working it in to a depth of about 6”. As a rule of thumb, one ton of better earth compost covers aprox. 200 square feet of ground at a 2” depth. There are lots of economical edging options: recycled lumber, bricks, plastic edging material, broken clay pots……you are only limited by your imagination! - Sara