During the break at the spring opening event there was some conversation about the benefits of NOT distributing the soil vs. rototilling. I came across this article on No Dig gardening. It includes links to some YouTube videos and a book.
Posted for you enjoyment.
With a fresh coating of snow on the ground, and St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, I am starting to think about planting my spring garden.
I plant my peas, greens, and radish from seed They come up relatively quickly and seem to like the cooler growing season at this time of year.
I begin with snow peas which I start around St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Last year I think I started the following week. Many people prefer sugar snap peas, which work just as well. Starting now you should have peas in June. I don’t worry about snow at this time of year as my plants have survived late snow falls. And if all else fails you can replant.
I also don’t worry about watering until the plants are well up. We get plenty of rain at this time of year!
For me, the most important thing is to make sure the soil is well composted. I use the community garden compost and my own backyard and kitchen compost, I also use a little wood ash or lime to sweeten the soil and a little bone meal. I prefer to add the compost in the fall but will turn it in anytime before planting.
I begin my greens, again from seed, around Patriots’ Day which is April 18 this year. In addition to compost I work a little blood meal into the soil before planting. I think there is a lot of flexibility in terms of start times depending on when you want to harvest. I plant salad greens, mixes of asian greens, arugula and leafing lettuce. I hope to have several cuttings of the salad greens before early June when I pull them and use the space for summer plants, tomatoes, peppers, beans etc. If you start early enough, you can also do successive plantings every couple of weeks.
I also plant spinach around the same time and cut some of it early for salad greens and let some grow out for fuller plants. Often, I will do a second seeding for later, fuller plants.
I start radishes early in April and try to do a couple of successive seedings since they come up so quickly.
Finally, I start bibb heading lettuce from seed in early to mid May in order to have some greens after I’ve pulled the earlier plants. I order my seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine but any brand will work. My greens mixes are called Ovation, and the lettuce mix is Allstar Gourmet.
Hope this helps. For me it’s trial and error, and talking to people (my sister and Jim) who know a lot more than me.
Andy Costello
Since the 2022 season of seed starting is upon us, here is a link to a seed starting lecture that Hannah did online for a Facebook group (Crazy Obsessed Plant Addicts). Thought it would be of interest to post on the website!
Hi Everyone,
I want to share with you a wonderful (FREE) opportunity to learn more about vegetable and fruit gardening. Jen Boudrie, who is with the Mass Department of Agricutlural Resources (MDAR), has organized a monthly webinar series where she brings in experts to give a talk on some gardening related topic. Upcoming is a talk on growing fruits, last month the topic was seed starting.
In addition to the monthly expert series, Jen hosts a weekly Tuesday evening meetup for anyone interested in talking about gardening.
Both of these are free and open to the public and so I want to share this opportunity with you. If you are interested in attending the lecture on Fruits OR if you are interested in joining in Jen’s weekly Vegetable Gardening discussion group, please email her at the address below.
Happy Gardening!
Hannah
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Hope you can join FRUITS! I’ll email the zoom link on March 9 beforehand.The Zoom “waiting room” will open at 6:45pm. Jen B
Perennial fruits can offer home harvests year after year. Learn about fruits for your home garden!
More and more gardeners are growing fruit for home harvest: strawberries in June, blueberries in July, blackberries in August, and raspberries in the fall. Blueberries are among the most popular fruits to grow in the home garden; they are well suited to New England soil. Grapesare one of the most universally enjoyed fruits; many new varieties have excellent taste and are winter hardy. These fruits and others will be discussed. Specific topics can include planting recommendations, pruning, soil requirements, key pests and their management, selecting varieties, and resources. Please send your fruit interests or questions in advance to jenboudrie@gmail.com.
Sonia Schloemann is a Fruit Specialist with UMass Extension who has been working with commercial fruit growers and teaching master gardeners for over 30 years and recently retired. She has a master’s degree from UMass in Plant and Soil Sciences. The focus of her work has been on sustainable fruit production practices and integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Tuesday, 7-8pm ESTMarch 9, 2021
FREE. Registration not required. Email jenboudrie@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.Host: The Veg/Fruit GroupCE credit 1 hour for Mass Master Gardeners (pending approval)
For several years I’ve enjoyed listening to an excellent gardening show
on the radio. It is a nationally syndicated show produced at the Rodale
Institute Radio Studio in Bethlehem, PA. The host is Mike McGrath who is
the former Editor-in-Chief of Organic Gardening magazine. The show is
touted as a “weekly dose of chemical-free horticultural hijinks” and is
full of valuable information on all topics related to growing
things—lawns, ornamental bushes and trees, vegetables, etc. The show
is titled “You Bet Your Garden,” and current as well as past episodes
can be viewed online at wlvt.org.
I just watched Episode 79 where the central question had to do with the
difference between tomato blight and wilt and how to prevent them. The
live show is a call-in where people can ask their own questions, ending
with a focus on the question or topic of the week. McGrath is
knowledgeable, entertaining, and informative. I have learned a ton from
tuning in.
Anne