Tip of the Day #2

Hen Scratch Fever

Problem:  Your backyard chickens (er - dogs, kids, husband's with weed-wackers) are ruining your backyard plantings.  They are digging around and killing all those little seedlings.

Solution:  Repurposed Dead Lilac Swags

Bonus:  Less refuse on its way to the landfill from your garden.  This has been a personal goal of mine for several years - reuse all the organic "trash" my yard seems to produce.  Exception: Rose and Berry Brambles (difficult to handle) and terrible seedy weeds - they don't deserve compost heaven, burn them or dump them.



Find a lilac snag, and a hiding spot to save a pile of them from year to year.  No need to send them to the landfill anymore!




Lay them directly on the seeded bed.  This is garlic coming up from last year (thus the mulch), but I've successfully used it with small seeds such as lettuce, spinach - anything I'm sowing directly.



The lilac lets all the sunlight and water in, but keeps those pesky hens out.

(Second in a series of unkown length)

Downtown Teaching Farm: Tip of the Day #1

Soggy Soil Blues

Problem:  Really wanting to get into the garden, the rain just stopped, and its a bit muddy out there.

That doesn't seem like a problem, but in reality:  Yes, its too wet, and you just have to wait it out.

Why:  Soil has a very complex physical matrix, known as soil structure, that is home to millions of microscopic air pockets.  These pockets not only provide necessary gases to the roots of plants, but they also provide a place for water absorbtion.  If you get into the soil when it is very wet, you will squash all of those microscopic pockets, effectively creating a mud that will dry as hard a cement, especially if your soil has a good amount of clay.  You will then have to battle this soil for several years, as many of your plants, invertebrates, and microorganisms will literally dehydrate and suffocate trying to grow there, and the water and gases have no chance of being absorbed.  Plus, it isn't that easy (back-wise) to garden in cement.  So, although it is tempting, it is important to wait it out.



By slighly mounding the garden beds, and distinguishing them from the paths, the soil will dry faster and stay loose and easy to work with throughout the season.  Plus, everyone knows where to walk, which invites helpers and visitors.



Solution:  If you've already raised up your garden beds (often just simply lifting them by adding mulch and then staying off of them by creating paths) that will save you a lot of drying time.  Not only does this give you a defined place to walk (great for kids and visitors to feel invited into the garden) but also, if the path's soil is a bit compacted, it means less weeding.  If you've not done this in previous years, I would recommend it as the first thing you do this year, once it is dry enough to work out there.  It is good to think about the width of the path in terms of being able to get a wheelbarrow through during mid-season growth.  You'll know you can get started on all of this when you start digging around and the dirt does not stick to your shoes.  Muddy shoes essentially mean "keep out of the soil, find something else to do out here."



Muddy shoes are essentially a "keep out" sign from your garden.



(First in a series of unknown length.)

Winter Seedling and Spring Planting Guide

Winter Seedling and Spring Planting Suggestions

By: The Downtown Teaching Farm

http://Downtownteachingfarm.blogspot.com  

Updated 2/28/2014

Combating cabin fever and looking forward to spring and summer bounty go hand in hand.  Many hours can be spent selecting varieties, ordering seeds, and deciding what to start at home.  These are some suggestions we have based on a typical Boise-area spring season.

Secrets to success: 

□        Use a seed tray with drainage.  If it doesn’t have prepunched holes, punch about 10 holes in the bottom of the tray.  The seedlings will drown without drainage.

□        Fill the tray loosely with soil, and then wet the soil thoroughly and test the drainage before planting.  This helps the soil settle, provides a proper reservoir for watering, and moist soil is much easier to work with; it prevents the seeds from floating around and getting all mixed together.

□        The larger the seed, the deeper it needs to go into the soil – a good rule of thumb is that the seed should be about four times deeper than its largest side.

o        One important exception – basil seeds need to have light to germinate, so do not bury them at all.  They will turn whitish as the seed coat absorbs water from the soil, that is normal, and then they will germinate!

□        Use a shop-light or other overhead light, dangling it about 6” above the soil/seedling level.  Leave the light on at least 12-14 hours a day.  Expensive UV lights are not usually necessary.  Window light is often not direct enough for healthy growth and results in “leggy” seedlings with weak stems.

□        While waiting for the seeds to germinate, cover the tray with saran wrap, this holds water on the surface of the tray and prevents a wet-dry-wet-dry cycle, which is often detrimental to germination.

□        Once the seeds have germinated, remove the saran wrap and don’t over water.  Water when your plants look wilted, or test the soil by putting your finger in to the depth of your fingernail, and if the soil feels dry down there, it is time to water.  Once water starts to drain out the holes, you know its saturated enough.

□        Plan to transplant your seedlings into larger pots after they have two sets of true leaves.  Also, watch them closely that the growing plants don’t get burned by the light bulbs. 

□        If your plants start to look sickly in color, they may need some fertilizer, and they are probably ready for real sunlight.  We use a very dilute (about 1 capful per gallon) solution of Alaskan Fish Fertilizer, being careful to turn the lights out until any extra fertilizer has evaporated from the leaves (it can easily burn).

□        A cold frame can be easily made out of clear plastic, old window panes or plexiglass, and many other household “leftovers.”    This is an excellent choice for an intermediate home for your seedlings. By about 8 weeks most plants become too large for their indoor trays, need real sunlight, but it is still too cold to plant them outside.  A cold frame’s purpose is to provide ample light (with a clear roof and sides) and protection from nighttime frost.

In our classrooms at Boise High we plant broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, lettuce, spinach, and perennial flowers in early February, for planting out in the garden in March and April.  Peas, potatoes and mesclun mix can also be started early, but do best straight into the ground in March and April.  We plant peppers and eggplant next, as they take longer to germinate and like to have several sets of leaves before planting in late-May or early June.  Annual flowers, herbs, and tomatoes are usually best started in late February or March – two months of growth is plenty for them to be planted out in late May.  In addition, many of the summer crops do best planted straight into the ground – corn, squash, cucumbers, and beans among them.  Frankly, they do not need or appreciate your loving seed trays – they want real sun and warm soil and will produce when summer tells them its time.

Plant	Start your seedlings indoors:	Plant your seedlings in the garden:
Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Cabbage, Onions, Lettuce, Spinach, Perennial Flowers and Herbs	Mid-Late February	March and April
Peas, Potatoes, Spinach, and Mesclun mix (mixed greens), Onion sets and starts	___	Direct sow in March and April
Peppers and Eggplants	Mid-Late February, use a heated seed mat to improve germination.  Many DIY seed mat options available online.	Late May and Early June
Annual Flower, Annual Herbs, and Tomatoes	Late February through March.  About 8-10 weeks of growth indoors is ideal.  Plan to transplant into larger pots by mid April when plants have two sets of true leaves. *Tip: Basil needs light to germinate, let seeds rest right on the top of the soil tray, exposed to the light, and keep moist until germinated.	Late May and Early June
Cilantro	___	Plant in early May for June harvest, Plant again in late August for late September harvest (salsa time!)
Corn, Squash, Cucumbers, Beans, Carrots, Beets, Chard	___	Direct sow in Late May or Early June when the soil is warm and nights are averaging in the low 50’s.
Garlic	___	Plant cloves in October for next spring.

Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year from the Downtown Teaching Farm!

Here is a "before" picture - from Early May 2011

And here are some happy students in the Fall of 2011!

We are starting to think Spring - who can blame us - as it still doesn't feel like winter!  Students will be starting seedlings of a wide variety of crops in the classroom over the next few months, as well as drafting our summer community garden planning and overall farm plan.  Please continue to communicate with us via our email at downtownteachingfarm@gmail.com should you have ideas, resources, or grant information that may interest us - and above all - thank you for your support and help during 2011!