Let the worm turn... the soil

Worms are very useful in gardens and compost. In our yard, we find worms under logs and rocks and junk and move them to the garden or our compost barrel. It should be a good year for worms due to the massive amount of rain we've had.

1. To start a worm farm, get a wooden container that has holes. Small holes can be drilled into the container, not big enough for escapees. Plastic containers aren't a good choice because they keep the farm too wet. You also need a lid to keep the rain out.

2. Add bedding material like dead plants, leaves and/or newspaper clippings and some soil.

3. Add green material like household fruit and vegetable scraps and egg shells.

4. Just add worms. You can dig them up in your yard. (A great place to find worms is under dead wood in moist areas. You can also buy them at various places. I saw Gurney's is selling them in their garden catalog.

5. Periodically, add more bedding material and scraps.

The article below tells all about worm composting.

http://www.professorshouse.com/Your-Home/Gardening-Plants/General/Articles/What-Do-Worms-Eat/

Michigan Backyard Farms brings fresh to 'your backyard'

Jerry Holcomb

Jerry Holcomb, owner of Michigan Backyard Farms & CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) has openings  for more shareholders for the 2013 season. 
He started the program to serve a growing demand for fresh and local produce. Community Supported Agriculture is where farmers sell shares of their projected garden harvest.
Holcomb also offers the option to tend shareholders’ own backyard gardens.

He just planted kale, spinach, three kinds of lettuce, arugula and radish.
Over the last 20 years, CSA’s have become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Typically the share consists of a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the growing season. Some farmers offer the share owners the opportunity to work on the farm and pick their own produce.
  Local CSA's charge between $320 to $600 per share for about a 15-week growing season with an average of about 200 pounds of fresh produce per year, according to Holcomb.
“My pricing will be competitive for the same produce. Additionally, the customer will either have an existing garden section that may need updated or a section of the yard will need to be converted to a mini-farm. This cost will be evaluated in person on a backyard by backyard basis,” said Holcomb. For information, email Holcomb at yukonjr7@yahoo.com or visit on Facebook at Michigan-Backyard-Farms-CSA

Weather predicted to improve

The weather went from bad to worse. The low last night was 30 degrees and I'm wondering if my Pansies will survive. I didn't cover them and can't believe it was so cold yesterday. I checked the 10 day forecast and it showed last night as the coldest. Temperatures should be in the high 30's to mid 40's at night and 50's to 60's during the day. It's been a crazy cold Spring, but the future looks warmer.

Seed varieties can be overwhelming

There are so many different types of seeds available to us now. It is a bit overwhelming. Not only are there different varieties of the same plant, there are different ways the seeds are produced. There are cultivar (cultivated variety which can be a hybrid or open-pollinated); genetically engineered; genetically modified; open-pollinated; hybrid; heirloom and of course organic. For more information on this, visit  www.ezfromseed.org/.
It is time, actually past time, to plant peas, potatoes, lettuce, onions, radishes and parsley and of course the greens: spinach, Swiss chard, kale. I'm getting late season seeds from http://reneesgarden.com/ again this year.
It has been so wet, we're losing another weekend of potential planting. For those who have time during the week, it looks like Tuesday or Wednesday will be the first good gardening opportunity. For those who have already planted, good for you. Hopefully you didn't plant too close to this massive non-stop marsh-creating rain streak.
The plants aforementioned can actually be planted outside as soon as the ground is workable, usually in  mid-March. (This year, it was the first week of April for us and then the rain set in.) We never plant before the end of March. One thing I've seen that is if it's cold, the plants will grow slow, defeating the early planting time. We could plant broccoli, cabbage, celery, kahlrabi, Brussels spouts and cauliflower plants outside at this time.
We will wait until mid-May to plant beans and squash seeds. Then, late May to plant the eggplant, peppers and tomato plants.

Tree and shrub sale by ReLeaf extended

The annual ReLeaf Michigan tree and shrub sale fundraiser deadline has been extended again. The new deadline is April 22.
The trees available are 4 to 6” in diameter (they are not seedlings) and include native, “specialty” trees among others that are specifically chosen for Michigan’s specific planting zones. The shrubs are 1 to 2 feet in height and the evergreens (2 feet tall) are containerized. Pick-up locations include Haddon Nursery, Fenton; Springfield Oaks Park, Davisburg; Friendship Park-Porritt Barn, Lake Orion and Goldner-Walsh Nursery, Inc. Pontiac. The pick up date is April 27. Visit www.releafmichigan.org or call 1-800-642-7353 or email info@releafmichigan.org. Check, money orders, or credit cards accepted. ReLeaf Michigan is a nonprofit tree planting organization.

Garden impatiens infected with downy mildew

Photo credit: Erik Runkle, Michigan State University
New Guinea Impatiens are resistant to downy mildew.

Garden impatiens, the popular and versatile annual flower, was infected with downy mildew, last year.
Greenhouse operators are offering alternatives to gardeners and landscapers this year. The New Guinea Impatiens and the Japanese hybrid SunPatiens are resistant varieties. The Impatiens Downy Mildew is a fungus-like pathogen that only affects garden impatiens (walleriana) plants.
The fungus causes leaf yellowing, followed by the leaf curling and falling off. It is characterized  by a white fuzzy coating on the underside of leaves. It is not the same downy mildew that affects vegetables or other ornamental plants, according to the Michigan State University Department of Horticulture.
The downy mildew can overwinter in the soil, so landscapers and gardeners are advised not to replant in the same area, or to pick other varieties, such as the New Guinea Impatiens, which have larger flowers and leaves than garden impatiens but don’t grow as quickly. As an alternative, the MSU Horticulture department advises planting other flower species such as Begonias, Caladiums, Lobelia and Salvia.
For more information, visit flor.hrt.msu.edu/IDM/index.htm.

Container gardening for vegetables

When I think of container gardening, I see geraniums in my mind, and that is all. But you can grow a wide variety of herbs and vegetables in containers. I started growing basil in a flower pot on my porch every summer, at the recommendation of a co-worker. Having herbs ready-to-pick near the kitchen has been handy. Before that, I used to go to the garden while cooking dinner, and come back to, what my husband referred to as "Farmer Brown" dinner. I would get side-tracked with weeding or picking other stuff.

With all the rain we've been getting, planting in containers is about all we can do this weekend. 

Courtesy of www.bonnieplants.com

 Herbs and greens grow well in containers according to Bonnie Plants of Union Springs, Alabama. All greens - including collards, lettuce, mustard, Swiss chard grow well in pots. You can mix them with flowers for an ornamental touch. Pick only the outer leaves to keep the harvest going.
Other vegetables that can be grown in pots include eggplant, peppers and tomato varieties-cherry, patio, Bush Early Girl, Bush Goliath and Better Bush.
Squash and zucchini can be grown in half barrels.
If you are limited on time and/or patience, buy tomato, eggplant and pepper transplants from a greenhouse. Greens, herbs and squash are easy and quick enough to grow from seed.

Tips on container gardening from www.bonnieplants.com

1. Use a premium quality potting mix. Don't skimp here. A quality mix holds moisture but drains well; giving plant roots the perfect balance of air, moisture, and stability to grow a great harvest. Read bag labels to look for quality ingredients like: aged (composted) bark, perlite, lime or dolomite, and sometimes moisture-holding crystals. Quality potting mix stays fluffy all season long. It does not contain actual dirt that would compact with frequent watering.

2. Pick the right pot. It should be affordable to buy and fill, but large enough to accommodate your plants as they mature. Almost anything can serve as a container– flower pots, pails, buckets, wire baskets, washtubs, window planters, even large food cans. Larger veggies, like tomatoes and eggplants, will need a larger container, at least 5 gallons for each plant. When in doubt, bigger is always better, the plants will look better and last longer because the roots will have more room to grow. Be sure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom. And consider color: Dark colored containers will absorb heat that could possible damage the plant roots. If you must use dark colored pots, try painting them a lighter color.

3. Feed your plants. Even if your potting mix came with fertilizer already mixed in, you may need to feed your plants. Some potting mixes include just enough fertilizer to give plants a charge when they’re starting. Mixes designed to feed for several months run out sooner in hot weather with frequent watering. Add timed-release granules or try a soluble fertilizer such as the “little green jug” of Bonnie Plant Food for quick results. It’s organic in nature, environmentally friendly, an excellent food source for beneficial organisms in the soil and helps support healthy soil and overall plant growth. One jug of concentrate makes 64 gallons of product.

4. Put pots in a sunny spot. At least 6-8 hours is best. The sun drives energy for production and for making sugars, acids, and other compounds responsible for the fullest flavor. Make sure pots on a deck or porch get enough sunlight and move them to a sunny spot if shade encroaches. Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed.

5. Water regularly. Vegetables are at least 90% water. To produce well, they may need daily watering in hot weather since you can't always rely on rain. Water plants at soil level and be sure to water before the sun goes down, leaves will need to dry before nightfall.

Be on the look-out for key words like: bush, compact, patio, baby, dwarf and space saver in their name, they’ll be a good bet. Just because a plant is bred to be small doesn't mean the fruits will be small or the yield will be less.