Filed under: Natural Gardening News
The “Green” Fog
There is an almost overwhelming, indecipherable amount of advertising, promotion, and product-hawking of so-called “green” products. On Sunday, June 15, 2008, The New York Times ran an article, still available online here about all of the environmental/green “noise” blanketing planet earth. They do not describe the greenness as a fog, but that is how it appears to me.
The Paradox of Choice
If you read about taste tests and grocery store sample programs, most notably in the book The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz, you will find that more information and more choices do not necessarily make us happier, but in fact, make it harder for us to make decisions. The availability of too much information does not make it easier to decide, but rather paralyzes us with indecision, and give us feelings of helplessness.
“Green” Information Overload
The article in The New York Times describes such a phenomena happening with “Green” products, information, warnings, etc. Sometime, a couple of years ago, “Green” became less of a way to identify something good for the environment and was stolen by marketing executives, advertising companies, and focus group facilitators. Suddenly, everything is “Green,” everything is somehow “natural” and healthy. (Even if it isn’t. That’s called “Spin.”) As a result, two things are happening:
1) Consumers are on overload, and are tuning out
2) Products and practices that are better for the environment are getting lost in the debate
Finding the Golden, er, “Green” Mean
The Golden Mean is the ideal center, the place where all is in balance. With such a wealth of information available, selecting the right, environmentally friendly choice that you can live with is more important than ever. There is a lot of misrepresentation about the good and the bad, in regards to environmentally friendly products. In order to make the best choice, find the most reputable sources possible, and the experts in the field. Read contextual information about the products you might choose, and then decide. When possible, go with the natural, recyclable and less-damaging item, as far as you can understand. Not throwing away is always better than throwing away.
How Natural Fertilizer Fits In
Well, this is, after all, a blog about natural fertilizer and natural gardening. On our main page Natural Fertilizer Reviews we provide reviews for natural fertilizer and seaweed fertilizer products. We also provide researched and cited articles and book reviews about the latest in natural and organic gardening. We provide products, but we also provide information to help you make the choice that is best for you. Check it out! Let us help you navigate through the “Green Fog.” At lease in the area of lawn and garden fertilizer.
Filed under: Natural Gardening Tools
For success in your natural gardening venture, you need to have the right tools. The basic place to start is by examining your watering tools. You may be thinking “Of course I need a hose and a sprinkler. I already know that.” First of all, you do not need a sprinkler. Sprinklers are a super way to waste water. Second, you do need a hose, but what kind? Third, in order to deliver water most efficiently, and beneficially to plants, you need a watering wand with a breaker on the end. The breaker breaks up the solid stream of water from the hose, turning the stream into something like raindrops, reducing the chance for runoff of the water you hope will reach your plant roots. A breaker also does not spray water in forceful streams like a water “gun.”
For everyday watering, I prefer a passive breaker, such as the one pictured, rather than an attachment with different settings. To reach plants far back in flower beds, you need a watering wand to attach between the breaker and the hose.
The newest trend in watering wands is a “touch and flow wand,” however, I like the plain old metal pipe with a breaker attached, pictured. Anything that requires me to squeeze a handle while watering for an hour or two at a time is not something that works long-term for me. The want allows me to reach the roots of the plant without bending over or sending a harsh, damaging spray. Sometimes the most simple tool is the best.
So, why a wand and hose instead of a sprinkler?
For diverse plantings with mulch in between, a wand makes sense. You put the water exactly where it needs to go—near the plant—instead of watering yards of mulch. You use less water when you hand water. You also spend less time watering because you can water deeply, stimulating roots to grow deeper and lessen the frequency of waterings.
Filed under: Natural Gardening News
A recent outbreak of food poisoning caused by salmonella bacteria lurking on fresh tomatoes served at an as-yet-unnamed chain of restaurants in the United States is just one major food-borne illness to cause symptoms in more than a handful of people at one time. The tomato-salmonella outbreak was frightening to many. Lots of people are now avoiding fresh tomatoes, just as they did during the Spinach Scare of 2006. They might switch to eating more fresh tomatillos, or eggplants, just as spinach eaters switched to arugula. Changing food types is not the answer to preventing future food scares or outbreaks of bacterial illnesses related to improper food handling. The tomatoes did not cause the problem. People caused the problem. The only way to ensure that the food supply stays safe is to pay attention to how food is grown, harvested, cleaned, shipped, stored and sold.
Bacteria is Everywhere
Every time you eat a fresh fruit or vegetable—or any food that has not been cooked at very high temperatures—you take a risk that you could consume something harmful. Washing helps remove pesticides, dirt and some harmful surface-dwelling residues on food, but it cannot kill bacteria. A small amount of bacteria might cause an upset stomach, while a potent or large amount of bacteria can cause serious illness. However, if you eat raw food, you will always risk eating something that could make you ill.
There is no possible way to rid every surface of everything of harmful bacteria. With the advent of anti-bacterial everything—soap, shampoo, counter wipes, makeup brushes and more, we run the risk of creating super-bacteria that are resistant to anything and everything we use to stop them. Living among bacteria helps our immune systems grow strong and build antibodies to fight off bacterial infections. Being exposed to too little bacteria can potentially be as harmful as too much.
We’re Surprised That Outbreaks of Food-Related Illness Do Not Happen More Often
Commercially produced food including plant materials and animal products is awash in chemicals, fecal matter, dust, insects and more. If you really think about what you are eating, you will never want to eat. (Upton Sinclair, anyone?) Non-organically grown meat products are filled with hormones and raised by feeding animals dubious food products—sometimes food products made from other animals. Cereals and other processed grain products have insect parts in every box. It is impossible not to. (Extra protein!). Organically grown crops could be fertilized with manure that has not been thoroughly composted to kill e.coli and other harmful bacteria. There are many links in the food supply chain where food can be exposed to potentially harmful conditions.
Grow Your Own for Peace of Mind
The only way to truly know what is in or on what you put in your mouth is to grow your own. You can be fairly certain that your lettuce is safe and your tomatoes can be eaten off the vine if you are the one controlling what inputs are used to grow the produce. It is impractical to grow everything you eat—and impossible if you enjoy foods that do not grow where you live. However, it can make a difference in the overall quality of your food, and can give you peace of mind. To avoid bacteria related food-borne illnesses when growing your own vegetables, try natural fertilizer products to give your plant a boost, without introduction of toxic chemicals and harmful bacteria.
Filed under: Gardening Techniques
Early June is the perfect time to get a jump on plant staking before plants become too large to handle. Some plants grow well on their own without any staking; however vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers, and perennials that grow tall and have heavy flowers will need to be staked.
Staking Individual Plants
Some plants grow best when staked individually. Tomatoes fall into this category. Tomatoes are susceptible to a variety of pest and disease problems, many of which may be prevented by providing good air flow. There are several techniques for successfully staking individual plants, all of which can be put into place now, before the plant gets too large.
1) Cages–Wire cages are best for vegetable plants because they are not the most beautiful thing to look at on a daily basis. If your plant is going to grow particularly huge, a cage might not be strong enough to hold the plant. Cages can also make pruning difficult. They do contain plants with a more vine-like growth habit.
2) Metal spiral stake–These stakes offer the best opportunity for air flow around the plant. This type of stake is great for producing fewer, larger fruits. For this stake to work well, you need to prune your plant so that it has a single stem.
3) Bamboo garden stakes–bamboo is a highly renewable resource, so it makes a great choice of staking materials for natural gardeners. These stakes come in a variety of thicknesses and lengths, so there is likely to be a stake to meet the needs of any size of plant. For smaller, slender plants such as delphinium, bamboo stakes work well. You can trim your stake with pruners if it is too tall. Bamboo stakes will last for four or five years without replacement.
4) Grids–A round grid attached to three legs works well for multi-stemmed perennials with heavy flowers. Peonies are a good example of this, although it is too late for peonies this year. False indigo and chrysanthemums also benefit from this method. You should purchase the grid size that you need and put it in place before the plant starts growing. The plant grows up through the grid, and is well-supported by the time flowers develop.
5) Bamboo and individual twin ties– Large perennials with attractive, sprawling habits like joe pye weed or meadow rue look best when one or two stakes are inserted near the center of the plant, and individual ties are used to support each stem. This way, you can still keep the “natural” look, and also support the plant.
Staking Groups of PlantsThere is only one method that is attractive and works well. This method is best for plants that grow in large clumps, or have numerous stems without large flowers. Plants such as cosmos, tickseed, wildflower mixes, and other similar plants can be attractively staked without taking away from the beauty of the planting.
Best Method–Bamboo stake and twine combination–make a zigzag pattern through the clump (or eventual clump) with stakes. String the twine from one stake to the other, creating a Z pattern between stakes. The plants will grow up through the twine. This staking method can be put in place either before or after plants start growing.
Either Way You Stake It
Regardless of the method you choose for staking, you want to be certain to stake in a manner that will support flowers and fruit, and also allow good air circulation around the plant. The methods described above accomplish this dual task.
Above all, avoid tying a string around your plants and cinching it tight. That does not help the plant, and it is ugly!
Filed under: Plant Problems
Insect 101
As a natural gardener, you will need to wrap your
brain around one thing: you have to get used to
a little bit of insect damage. The only
alternative is to live awash in highly toxic
pesticidesboth organic and natural. The only
way to completely eliminate insects is to
constantly apply pesticides. One or two
applications do not do the trick because the
surviving insects will breed, and never
leave. There are so many things a gardener needs
to know about insects in their gardens, some of which may come as a surprise.
Pesticides aren’t always the best solution.
Beneficial Insects
Not all insects are considered “pests.” Some
insects are highly beneficial. The drawback to
applying pesticides, both organic and synthetic,
is that broad-spectrum pesticides kill every
insect in reach, including beneficial
insects. This wide-scale destruction destroys
the balance of insects, good and bad, within the
garden, usually resulting in more insect damage,
and the need to continually apply pesticides.
The most commonly known beneficial insect is the
ladybird beetle, or “ladybug.” Ladybugs are
carnivores! These cute critters love to eat
aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Another
beneficial insect is the lacewing. The adults
are lovely with sheer green wings. The larvae
look like little dinosaurs and are chewing
machines. They also eat mites and aphids with abandon.
Insect Damage Threshold
Backyard gardeners and commercial growers each
must establish what is called a tolerance
threshold for insect damage. As a home gardener,
you have the luxury of setting your threshold
much higher because your tomatoes don’t have to
look perfect for your own use on salads and juicy
burgers. All plants will sustain some insect
damage, that’s a given. In order to reduce your
need for pesticide use, sometimes you just need to lower your expectations.
Applying Pesticides Does not Make Pests Go Away
Each yard, each city, county and state are made
up of delicately balanced ecosystems. The
healthiest ecosystems are generally those
untouched by human hands because they are
composed of naturally occurring and diverse
species. If an insect pest is introduced to a
well-balanced ecosystem, it may damage some of
the plants, but certainly will not damage all of
them. The reason that large farms require so
much in the way of insect control is that most
large scale farms are composed of fields of
thousands of the same type of plant. If an
insect that likes that plant comes in, the farmer is out of luck.
Home gardeners have the luxury of growing
flowers, shrubs, trees and vegetables in their
own diverse, if not naturally occurring,
blends. Doing so helps avoid some insect
problems. The other way to avoid insect problems
is to avoid using insecticides. Damaging insect
populations naturally cycle. Insect numbers grow
and grow until their population is so large that
it cannot sustain itself with the available food
sources (your garden). Then, the population
crashes and you have few, if any, problems with
that pest for several years. This is called
“overshoot,” and is illustrated in the diagram below.
Applying pesticides disrupts this natural
cycle. Applying pesticides actually helps
sustain a fairly steady insect population. So,
instead of having a lot of insects one year and
no insects the next, you have some insects all of the time.
Additionally, insects have rapid life cycles, and
can quickly develop resistance to pesticides, as
illustrated by the diagram, below.
Diagram from Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Initiatives Program.
Insects in the garden are frustrating, yet
beautiful and necessary. The most important
general tip for dealing with insects over time is
to think before you act. This will allow you to
make the decision that is best for the effective caretaking of your garden.
Summer is Nearly Here
While the calendar says that summer begins on June 20 (at least in the Northern Hemisphere),many areas of the country are already in thethrongs of summer heat and humidity. Dependingupon where you live, plants that you have plantedare settled in, have good root systems established and are ready to grow!
Understand Your Plants
As gardeners, we can interfere with our plants as much as we help them. The key to being helpful rather than harmful is understanding your plants. I don’t mean that you need to understand yourplants in a new-age psychology way. You need tounderstand the way your plants growtake up water, nutrients, convert sunlight to sugar. That way, you can assist your plants in the specific ways that will help them, and identify problems when they occur.
Dinner Time!
Well-established plants will, at this point, need food. The amount of food your plants need will depend entirely on the quality of your soil. If you did not get a soil test at the beginning of the growing season, now is as good a time as any. Go to your local extension office and pick up a box and a form. Follow the instructions and send in your sample. If possible, ask for a profile of the micro-nutrients in the soil as well as the standard Potassium and Phosphorous levels. (Nitrogen is so mobile within soil, that soil tests cannot give you an accurate reading at any given time.) It could take a couple of weeks for you to receive the results, so in the meantime, you need to select a general fertilizer that will help your plants grow lustrous, leafy foliate that will support the flowers and fruits once they begin forming. The most important nutrients for the beginning stages of plant growth are nitrogen and phosphorous. Nitrogen promotes overall plant growth, and phosphorous is integral to root growth. In order to yield good harvests, you need to start the plant with an adequate supply of each. NEVER feed your plant at the time of planting, as that could burn the plant. Give them a couple of weeks.
Good General Fertilizers
Natural fertilizers that work well and have good nutrient ratio to promote strong root growth are available from our fertilizer reviews page. The N-P-K ratio you should look for is 2-4-1, which means that there is twice as much Phosphorous than Nitrogen, which will promote healthy root growth. These fish-derived seaweed fertilizers are completely natural and provide nutrients to plants in immediately available forms.
