Organic Gardening Tips

Ready to start growing your own food via an organic garden? Do you know how to start growing a garden like that? If not, no worries, this article has your back. Below are some tips and tricks that can get you started with the basics of growing an organic garden.

Save those old or damaged Venetian blinds! The slats can be re-used make excellent markers for your organic garden. Cut the slats loose from the cords holding the blind together. Cut the slats at an angle (so that the end is pointed and easy to stick in the soil) with a small wood saw. You should cut about four inch lengths. Use a lead pencil or an indelible marker to write the name of the plants, and stick the marker in the ground!

If you find yourself battling annoying clumps of weeds, one solution is to use a concentrated spritz of water and vinegar to the most choked areas. Adjust the nozzle on the sprayer so that it is easier to target only the affected areas. This is most effective when used on a sunny day.

TIP! Embrace earthworms in the organic garden! Earthworms are an organic gardener's best friend. Through tunneling and their nitrogen-rich castings, they can help to aerate the soil.

For organic fertilizer to use around the plants in your garden and flower beds, start a compost bin made from all-organic material that would otherwise be wasted. Pitch in yard clippings, leaves, vegetable peelings, eggshells and coffee grounds, turning the contents of the bin often. In just a short time, you will have great material to mix with your soil that will provide nutrients and nourishment to your plants without added chemicals.

With the previous tips kept in mind, you ought to be ready to start growing your own organic food. It does take some research, hard work outside, and some patience, but if you keep at it, it is indeed possible to have a successful organic garden. So, get out there and grow!

The Toddy

I'm in love with my new coffee maker. It's a cold brew Toddy. I found mine on craigslist, so it was a bonus score.

If you haven't heard of the Toddy, it is a cold brew coffee system. You soak a pound of coffee in about a gallon of cold water for up to 12 hours. Filter through it's reusable filter pad, and you have a gallon of coffee concentrate. Just 2 ounces of coffee concentrate to 6 ounces of boiling water and you have a perfect cup.

Oh but there is more to this fabulous coffee. It is less acidic for those you have trouble with regular coffee. Because it uses a cold process no hot water touches the actual grounds releasing the bitter oils. Full flavor with out the oils.

According to the directions, you use the coffee once, and throw the grounds away. However, I found that my grounds were still full of flavor, so I drained it, and poured in another gallon of cold water and let sit for 12 more hours. Yup, just as good as the first batch.

Another sweet fact, instead of throwing those coffee grounds away, mix them into your composter, add a couple tablespoons to your house plants, or mix it in a couple of gallons of water and water those outside plants and gardens. There are Fabulous results being reported all over on this wonderful natural fertilizer.

No Fresh Tomatoes? What Can We Do With Canned Tomatoes?

We love our Organically grown tomatoes. We use them all summer. We didn't have enough to can this year so I was wondering what our options were with canned versions from the grocery store. I found a simple Chili Recipe that uses canned tomatoes. I was doubtful about the taste, but I have to say, it wasn't too bad.

Here is my Chili Recipe with Canned Tomatoes.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cooked, boneless chicken thighs

2 cans Fire Roasted Canned Tomatoes

3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chili

peppers, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

5 (14.5 ounce) cans great Northern

beans, undrained or any white bean

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or colby jack

Pumpkins! What Can I Use My Big Pumpkin For?

A Huge Pumpkin!

Grown outside a family's fence.

I recently was out on a run and saw these huge pumpkins. Luckily I had my iphone with me and snapped a few pictures. It got me to thinking about what uses we could use for a pumpkin. Of course, you could eat it, although one this big might not be the best option. So, I did a little research and came up with 5 interesting ways to use pumpkin.
1. In Early Colonial Times, the pumpkin was used as a crust for pies, not for the filling. I wonder if we could try that. Anyone have a recipe for that?
2. Pumpkins have been recommended as a freckle remover. Although, I haven't tried it.
3. Native Americans used pumpkins as material for mats. They dried it and flattened it out.
4. You can deep fry pumpkin flowers, they are edible.
5. Pumpkins halves were used in the colonial period as a guide for haircuts. (I think I've seen some of those cuts recently)

Organic Gardening to Keep Pests Away

Have you ever heard of companion gardening? The basic thought is you place plants that certain bugs hate, next to the plants those same bugs seem to love. Here is an example. Take the tomato horn worm. As his name suggests he loves eat those tomato plants day and night. So how can we get rid of this pest without destroying our tomatoes? Plant marigold in between your tomato plants, or rows of marigolds before and after your row of tomatoes. Since tomato horn worms hate marigolds it will deter them from coming near your tomato plant. You have successfully kept a pest at bay by companion gardening.

I found this great article blog posted at ToadStool Aquaponics that will give you more ideas on plants your garden pests hate. If you have any more great ideas for companion gardening please leave a comment.

Composters - Home Made or Store Bought

I have not personally made a compost pile. For one I live in the city and the space I do have is not far from neighbors or my own house. Secondly, I'm new to gardening organically. I have done a lot of research on square foot gardening, composting and organic pest control. I'm excited to get started this spring, but seem to still question how I can compost without it smelling or getting in the way.
I found this inexpensive one at Target but it had mixed reviews. For the price it seems I could chance it and see if it works for our small garden. It seems I could make a compost holder for cheaper but would it be as efficient? Does anyone have advice for me?

CSA Program

Did you know that many communities now offer a local agriculture share program? This program provides it's local community with pesticide free produce. It is also a great way to support local farmers and help to reduce emissions at the same time. It takes time and machinery to harvest and haul produce to the local supermarket. Help support your community and make an impact on your world by participating in your farmers market or CSA program. Basically you buy a share of produce from a local farmer or community garden in exchange for healthy, pesticide free food. If you can start your own garden at home you will save any more by giving your abundance to neighbors and friends.
Check your local community section of the newspaper for more information. If your town does not offer a farmers share program consider researching and heading up a share organization. Not only will you benefit but your community will become a greener place.

Green Cleaning with Banana Peels

Do you ever wonder how to dust your plants and actually clean the leaves to make them shine. A few posts ago we talked about how having lots of plants in your house actually filters your air. However, plant leaves get clogged up with dust and grime and begin to lose their recycling powers. A quick, easy, and green way to keep those plants looking good is to clean them with banana peels.
Using a ripe banana, peel the skin away and enjoy the fruit. Now, cut the banana peels into squares, or just use it like it is. Rub each leaf with the soft white side of the peel. Not only will it take the dust and grime off right away, it will moisturize and shine your plant.

When you are done cleaning your plants, take those lovely banana peels out to the compost pile or simply bury it near your outdoor plants. The plants will love the potassium and you will be adding vitamins and minerals to your soil will very little work.

Growing Organic Rainer Cherries in Oregon

The best thing about June for my family is our cherry tree. My kids climb it year round, but in June...the cherries are ripe to perfection. We climb and pick cherries until our mouths and buckets are full.

Every year we invite people over to pick our cherries. This particular cherry is about 8.99 a pound in the groceries stores. Our friends and family always love our cherries. Because they are grown organically and with no sprays, they do not store up well in the refrigerator. So, you must pick what you can devour in a day or two.

We will post pictures of our other organic grown berries from around our home. We have blueberries, raspberries, logan berries, gooseberries and strawberries. Later in the summer we will have grapes, both green and purple.