Garden Ornaments

28 Ekim 2013 Pazartesi

Part 4 of 6: Feeding and Watering Greenhouse Greens & Frost Update

Part 4 of 6: Feeding and Watering Greenhouse Greens & Frost Update

A couple of things on frost. The greenhouse I am using in the video is not effective at stopping frost if the temperatures hit 30 degrees alone. And this was only about 3-4 hours of frost temperatures. If you are planning on using this type of greenhouse going into the winter you will definitely need an electric heating system.
I think it will be an outstanding greenhouse come spring or coming out of the winter. It heats nicely, the radiating heat sources help edge up the heat (but don't stop frost) and because of that the tomatoes that were growing, really excelled until the frost got to them. I can see having tomatoes 30-45 days earlier next year.
I am growing greens and cool weather crops in my greenhouse. The greenhouse should be effective for this purpose, well into December. And that is without a heat source. I , again, am using all organic products. I plan to feed my vegetables every 10-14 days with a full strength application of fermented beet molasses which is an 8-0-0 organic water soluble nitrogen fertilizer. Mixed with the beet fertilizer, in the water, at half strength, is fish emulsion and kelp extract to balance out the needs of my plants.
This is just ONE feeding method. You don't have to follow this but to make sure you are using water soluble fertilizer with a solid nitrogen component.
Watering, in my opinion, for seed trays and small containers is best done by bottom watering. I show you the basic method and explain the reasons in the video. Because I am using a water soluble leaf friendly fertilizer, it is important to give the leaves a quick drink on your more established plants. Don't wet the leaves of your seedlings if you can avoid it. Keeping seedlings dry helps reduce the risk of diseases like 'damping off' disease.

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23 Ekim 2013 Çarşamba

How to Organically Prepare Peat Moss for Use in Container and Raised Bed Gardens

How to Organically Prepare Peat Moss for Use in Container and Raised Bed Gardens
It is always nice to have compost for organic matter but sometimes you run out or as in my garden... always run out. I use peat moss to add structure to my raised bed gardens and for my container gardens. It really adds to the ability of your soil to retain water.
I use it in my containers at nearly 50% peat moss to 50% of some sort of earth. Making your own container soil with peat moss is a great cheap alternative to paying top dollar for bagged products that are fertilized with chemicals you may not want.
Peat moss is on the acidic side of the pH scale and it falls somewhere between 4.5 and 5.5. This video shows you how I prepare 10-12 gallons of dried peat moss (at a time) for my raised beds and container vegetable gardens.

Peat moss comes in 3 foot cubic bails and it is bone dry. The cost is about $10. You really have to pre-moisten peat moss when you use it. It actually initially resists absorbing water and it will just sit there and float on water. You always want to mix a wet product into your garden soil.
I am focusing more on the life and structure of my soil for 2014 and have switched to a lot of organic products that won't harm good micro-organisms. Again, the video highlights all the products I am using to amend the peat moss for use in my garden. Peat moss really has no nutritional value to plants. You want to add in some sort of fertilizer when preparing it. You should also add in some lime to help manage the natural acidity, depending on your garden's needs.
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21 Ekim 2013 Pazartesi

Double Digging Raised Beds, Using Organic Amendments & Green Manure/Cover Crops: My Winterizing Process

Double Digging Raised Beds, Using Organic Amendments & Green Manure/Cover Crops: My Winterizing Process

Double digging your raised beds loosens the soil to a depth of about 24 inches. If you don't walk on your beds, you really only need to do this about every 3 years.
Double digging lets root systems go deeper into the soil. This creates less competition for root space and therefore you can plant your vegetable plants more closely together. It allows your plants to manage moisture betters as well as lets water go deeper into your garden bed. And finally it helps the structure of your garden soil develop and become more alive. This means happier, healthier and bigger plants.
This process of double digging can be done anytime. This happens to be how I am winterizing my beds for the year. I added organic fertilizers with the belief they will help improve the 'life' of my soil. That is, good bacteria and fungi and other living organisms. I 100% agree that synthetic fertilizers can act like salt and pull moisture out of living bacteria. Over use of these types of fertilizer will harm the organisms in your soil. Think of salt on cucumber slices... water gets pulled out of them and the same thing happens to good bacteria.

I am using bone meal and blood meal which is a slow acting fertilizer. It will slowly break down and release over time. I am also using a product called Garden Tone. It is a 3-4-4 fertilizers that boost the addictions of living organisms that will increase the life and health of your soil, so it says. I also planted a green manure or cover crop of red clover. The roots of this cover crop fix nitrogen and loosen up soil. The greenery will be dug into the garden come spring, to increase the soil's biomass.
You don't have to fertilizer your double dug beds in this manner. It is up to you. I used peat moss because I don't have compost or that would have also been added into the trenches.

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18 Ekim 2013 Cuma

What is a Vegetable Garden pH Level and How Do You Measure It?

What is a Vegetable Garden pH Level and How Do You Measure It?
The pH level of your garden soil measures the degree of acidity and alkalinity. A lower number means it is more acidic. A higher number means it is more alkaline. Vinegar is acidic. Acidic soil is sometimes called sour. Baking soda is alkaline. Alkaline soil is sometimes called sweet. The pH actually stands for the Power of Hydrogen and it measure the hydrogen ion activity of your soil. That is the very very basic description of how pH is measured.

Remember, the lower the number the more acidic it is and the higher the number the more alkaline the vegetable garden soil. Most vegetables prefer a general range between 6 and 7. You can look on-line for specific levels for every vegetable you can think of. If you can nail a 6.5 pH then your are doing great. Generally speaking pH levels outside 6-7 can inhibit growth. I will detail these issues in future blog and video entries.
How do you use this pH tool? Remove the top 2 inches of soil and loosen 5 inches of soil. Add distilled water to make it muddy. Insert meter 5 inches and wait 60 seconds. The pH level will show digitally.

A Digital pH Meter - The Rusted Garden 2013

I plan on doing a whole series on Vegetable Garden pH. I will be Instagraming pictures of measuring devices. I will detail how to manage pH levels in your garden, how to measure it and finally discuss what pH levels vegetables prefer. I will talk about this information on my blog and in my YouTube videos. Follow me on Instragram for weekly updates on what is going on at The Rusted Vegetable Garden .

The pH Meter Tip and Scouring Pad - The Rusted Garden 2013

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16 Ekim 2013 Çarşamba

Follow The Rusted Vegetable Garden on INSTAGRAM: Learn, Share and Win the Giveaways!

Follow The Rusted Vegetable Garden on INSTAGRAM: Learn, Share and Win the Giveaways!
I just learned how to use INSTAGRAM for The Rusted Garden and will be using it as a regular tool. My plan is to take pictures while out and about buying gardening supplies and growing the gardening. It is also going to be used for promotional giveaways come all of 2014. If you follow me on INSTAGRAM it will only be about vegetable garden related content. Here is what you can expect...

Snap shots of garden supplies that I use. See the cost, name of products and learn where to find them.
Snap shots of seeds and transplants and how to pick the right plants for your garden.
Snap shots of soil amendments and construction supplies.
Snap shots of activities in my gardens.
Snap shots of dishes I make from my garden produce.
I will send out weekly garden reminders of what to plant, spray or prepare.
And a lot more!

Giveaways will be launched with pictures or videos that I send to Instagram. Follow the instructions and win the seeds or other giveaways come the 2014 season. You can find the me on Instagram under The Rusted Garden. I also have a link on my blog in the right corner if this link doesn't work.

12 Ekim 2013 Cumartesi

All the Details for Planting Fall Garlic in Your Vegetable Garden: Using Organic Fertilizers

All the Details for Planting Fall Garlic in Your Vegetable Garden: Using Organic Fertilizers
Garlic is an extremely easy plant to grow. I just use store bought garlic cloves but there are 100's of varieties you can choose from if you like garden catalogs. I am in Maryland Zone 7 and the time for planting garlic here is October or November. Garlic typically gets planted in the fall to bring you a June harvest.
The goal with a fall planting of garlic is to get the roots and single clove established. A few inches of green growth is okay. Garlic stops growing when temperatures drop below 40 degrees. It will sit and wait for the 40 plus degree weather to come early spring. This is the time you need for a single clove to turn into a full bulb of garlic for harvesting. That is about October into later June.
You want the garlic clove to be planted to a depth it will not freeze. In Maryland, that is about 3 to 4 inches deep. As you go up north add an inch of depth. As you go down south subtract and inch of depth.
Spacing for garlic should be 4 - 6 inches. This will allow for full bulb formation. A single clove will get you 6-12 cloves in a new bulb. I fertilize with bone meal and blood meal. The video will show you the details. I use bone meal for root development and I use blood meal for nitrogen and to help break down the wood mulch I use in my garden.
Garlic is really easy to grow. I hope you give it a try. Now is the time to plant.

11 Ekim 2013 Cuma

My YouTube Vegetable Gardening Playlists Have Been Updated: Getting Ready for 2014

My YouTube Vegetable Gardening Playlists Have Been Updated

I just updated my YouTube Channel (The Rusted Garden) and changed up the playlists. It is all about vegetable gardening. I've added an organic gardening and home remedy playlist. I have nearly 250 YouTube garden videos. Here are links to the playlist. Let me know what should be added or changed.

Playlists from The Rusted Garden:
Growing Tomatoes, Peppers and Vegetables in the Ground and in Containers
Organic Growing Methods and Product Explanations and Home Organic Remedies
Grilling Garden Vegetables, Making Mixed Drinks and Other Garden Recipes
My 60 Seconds or Sow Garden Videos
Container Vegetable Gardening and Creating a Raised Bed GardenStarting Seeds Indoors, Indoor Lighting Systems and Transplant MethodsCombating Garden Pests and Disease Organically and Synthetically
You can also keyword search my YouTube Channel and find information about all aspects of vegetable gardening. The playlists are just samples of the more viewed videos.
I am making plans for 2014. I will be focusing on organic products and building garden soil naturally. That includes compost tea! I think 2014 will be a great year for gardening. I invite you to check out my channel and leave me feedback.

I incorporate subscribers input... that is what brought organic gardening to The Rusted Garden. Any ideas or interests for 2014 would be greatly appreciated.

My YouTube Channel: The Rusted Garden AKA The Rusted Vegetable Garden