10 Easy-Grow Veggies for your Own White House Garden

Hello again,

We are back at the Skillin's Garden Log with a reprint of an article by Nancy Shute that appeared at http://www.health.usnews.com/ on March 20 , 2009. This article was pointed out to me by the website of a greenhouse trade publication and I think it is just great!

"Michelle Obama just became the hero of parent-gardeners across America by spading up a corner of the White House South Lawn and planting lettuce, chard, and kale. She's not alone; seed companies across the nation say they're swamped with orders from first-time gardeners eager to grow their own. And why not? Homegrown veggies are cheaper, they're local, they can be organic, and they are less likely to have food-safety issues. The first lady also pointed out that making a family effort to raise vegetables emphasizes the importance of healthy eating at a time when childhood obesity is a national epidemic. Plus, homegrown veggies are way yummier. So it's time to join Sasha and Malia in the garden. (Michelle joked that she expects to have the whole family, including the president, out there pulling weeds. We'll see.)

U.S. News sought out expert advice on backyard vegetables that kids will love planting and eating. These are almost foolproof to grow, don't need pesticides, and many will grow happily in a pot on the patio. Here's the list for your own White House garden:

1. Sugar snap peas. Crunchy pods that beg to be eaten right off the vine; these also make a terrific lunchbox snack. Now's the time to plant in most parts of the country. Just let the vines flop on the ground, or plant along a fence so they can climb.

2. Lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens. These are dead easy to plant and grow and can thrive in a patio pot, too. Michelle picked arugula, but kids might like some of the White House's other options better. Check out red and green lettuces, kale, cilantro, and dill. Sprinkle a new line of seeds every two weeks, and you'll have homegrown salad all season.

3. Radishes. They grow like superheroes, ready to eat in a month. Try an Easter-egg blend with pinks, whites and purples. Josh Kirschenbaum, product development director for Territorial Seed in Cottage Grove, Ore., says that if you plant radishes in the cool weather of spring and fall, they won't get fiercely spicy. The kids can give them to Mom for Mother's Day.

4. Carrots. Another quick-grower. The tiny seeds need to be sprinkled carefully, but soon you'll have real baby carrots, sweet enough for Peter Rabbit. The green tops attract swallowtail butterflies.

5. Potatoes. Cut in pieces, bury now, and you're eating new potatoes in June. "When you harvest, you just dig in the side of the little hill, and leave the mom plant there so she can grow more, bigger potatoes," says George Ball, chairman and CEO of W. Atlee Burpee & Co. in Warminster, Pa. You can buy seed potatoes, which haven't been treated with growth-retarding chemicals like some supermarket potatoes. But a potato sprouting in the kitchen cupboard should work just fine, too.

6. Green beans. It's fun to plant the big seeds, and beans are delicious raw or cooked. Bush beans are simplest, but pole beans, which grow up a teepee made of sticks, make a great secret hiding place come July. Scarlet runner beans have a stronger bean flavor that some kids don't like, but they attract hummingbirds.

7. Sungold cherry tomato. Buy a small plant at the local garden store, and you'll be picking supersweet orange orbs off these prolific vines until frost. If you've got the space, plant a red grape tomato, too.

8. Pumpkins. They take a bit more space, and you'll have to wait until fall to harvest, but the vines are enchanting. Grow your own jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, or pick one of the adorable minipumpkins like Jack Be Little.

9. Sunflowers. Taller than Dad, or elf-sized mini versions. If you've got a big yard, plant a bunch and make a maze. In the fall, dry and eat the seeds, or leave them in the garden for the birds.

10. Broccoli. You might be surprised to see what kids like when they've planted and harvested the crop themselves. Garden broccoli is sweet and tender. Buy plants at the local garden store to speed up harvest. (Skillin's will have plenty of broccoli available soon!)

Where to plant? Pretty much any piece of ground will do, as long as it gets sunshine most of the day. "Rule No. 1: Don't have a children's garden," says Ball. "Have a family garden. Kids want to be with Mom and Dad."

Dig in a bag of compost or cow manure to enrich the soil. Organic is the way to go; kids and pesticides don't mix. In a home garden, "you can control most pests by just picking them off," says Lou Zambello, director of sales and marketing for Johnny's Selected Seeds in Winslow, Maine. "The kids can learn the difference between a beneficial insect like a ladybug and a Japanese beetle."

Gardening with kids can bring delicious surprises for parents, too. I will cherish the memory of seeing my daughter poke her 3-year-old nose into a broccoli plant in our garden, then munch away like a happy little cow. Last year, she spotted celery starts at the local garden store and asked to buy them. Celery has a reputation for being hard to grow, but I'm a sucker for a 5-year-old who digs plants. That celery flourished, giving us with an abundance of crunchy, dark-green stalks with a flavor that shamed the watery supermarket product. I bet this year's crop will be even better than the Obamas'. "

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
April 14, 2009

KCB Gardening 101

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are proud to tell you that KCB rules as the 2008 Maine Master Gardener of the Year. And we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family.

The following outline served as the basis for a terrific Gardening 101 class held Saturday, April 4 at Skillin's Greenhouses (http://www.skillins.com/) in Brunswick, Cumberland and Falmouth.

We will gladly email this outline in Word Doc form, just email us at info@skillins.com and put Gardening 101 in the subject line. We will also include two more informative outlines: "Soil Terms" and "Plant Hardiness" in what we email to you. "Soil Terms" can also be found added to this outline at the bottom of this post. You may in fact prefer that we email you these helpful documents rather than use this post as KCB's outline is better represented in the original documents than in the translation posted below. Either way, you and your gardens will greatly benefit from what KCB has to tell you!

Please email us at info@skillins.com with any gardening questions you have!

Whether a seasoned gardener, just beginning or somewhere in between, it is best to have a strategy before you begin. With some forethought it could save money and pain, both physical and emotional, down the road.

1. Plan before you plant
2. Prepare before you plant
3. What you need
4. What plants need
5. Right Plant, Right Place
PLAN BEFORE YOU PLANT
1. Think about how you wish to use your out-of-doors space:
g Recreation
g Relaxing & Reflecting
g Dining& Entertaining
g Theme Gardens
o Bird & Butterfly Magnet
o Culinary
o Mixed Border
o Moon
g All of the above
o Separate areas creating ‘rooms’

2. Imagine the garden beds and landscape you want to create
g Plants
g Colors
& Visualize a palette that you find attractive and not specific plants.
& Foliage!!!
g Textures
& Foliage
g Lacy
g Succulent
g Spiky
g Broadleaf

3. Budget
& For Materials & Maintenance

4. Maintenance
& Initial installation and on going
& Low Maintenance doesn’t mean NO maintenance
PREPARE BEFORE YOU PLANT1 Know your property
œ & Walk your property
o Check
§ Topography
§ Wind intensity
§ Drainage
§ Water Source
§ Micro-climates
§ Sunlight
· Time of day and duration
§ Wildlife
§ Known Pests

2. Know your soil
o TEST SOIL
§ pH = soil acidity or alkalinity
· 7 is Neutral
o < = Acid (“sour”) § Add lime to decrease (increase pH) § Wood Ash o > = Alkaline (“sweet”)
§ Add aluminum sulfate (decrease pH)
§ Sulfur
§ Levels of Nutrients (only 3 are listed
· Nitrogen (N) 1st # on plant food/fertilizer bag
o promotes foliage over-all growth in lushness and color
· Phosphorus (P) 2nd # on plant food/fertilizer
o Promotes flowering (blooms) & Fruit development
o Promotes strong roots
· Potassium (K) 3rd #
o Promotes over-all health, strength and size of plant

3. Know your self
a.“Warming up before gardening is just as important as warming up before a vigorous workout. After warming up, stretching exercises for the major muscle groups that will be involved in performing the task can reduce the risk of injury.” The American Society of Hand Therapists ASHT®
b. Your schedule; how much time you really want to commit to your garden
WHAT YOU NEED
APPROPRIATE TOOLS-sharpened and in good working order.
1. Tools for digging and/or planting
g Trowel
g Spade
g Digging/Pitch Fork
2. Tools for Pruning/Cutting
g Hand pruners
g Loppers
g Saws
0 pruning
0 bow
3. Tools for Weeding
g Garden Hoe
g hand fork
g Dandelion weeder
4.Tools for hauling
g Wheelbarrow
g Bucket
5.Tools for watering
g Watering Can
g Hose
6.Tools for comfort and Safety
g Gloves
§ Mud gloves
§ Light weight/flexible
§ Rose (long, up to elbow made of leather)
g Knee Pads
g Safety Glasses
g Sun Screen
g Hat
WHAT PLANTS NEED
g Good Soil
g Sunlight
g Degrees of light
· Full Sun = 6 hours of sun between 10 AM 6 PM
· Part Shade/Part Sun = less than above or sun earlier in day
· Filtered Shade/Sun = Under trees or structures in full sun
g Water
· Achieve Balance
· Slow deep watering
· Do not waste
g A Good Start
· See Plan & Prepare!
RIGHT PLANT/RIGHT PLACE


Things to consider
§ Amount of Sunlight
§ Growth pattern/height
o Will plant spread
o Will self sow
o Height
§ Maintenance needs
o Deadheading
o Dividing
§ Watering needs

MAKE A LIST BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE NURSERY
g Select plants appropriate for your property
§ Sunlight, soil, maintenance needs, height and spread
g Read plant labels/tags
g Ask professional nursery staff
g Keep a Garden Journal!
§ Make notes of what and when of blooming, what works, what needs dividing, any special notations.

For Soil Test Kits, various publications or to learn more about the Master Gardener program:
Cumberland County Extension Office
15 Chamberlain Ave.
http://www.umext.maine.edu/counties/county.htm


Favored Web Sites:
http://www.skillins.com/ (great way to access the Skillin's Garden Log)
http://www.finishingtouchesgardendesign.com/ (under construction-check back soon)
http://extensionpubs.umext.maine.edu/
KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses
April 7, 2009
Also:

Common Soil Terms

Good Soil is essential for all healthy gardens. Feed the Soil not the plant. A better quality soil means deeper and healthier roots for your plants. Deeper and healthier roots mean healthier plants that are better able to produce more healthy growth!

Types of Soil:

Clay: Heavy & Hard. Feels much like modeling clay. Holds its shape when wet. Slow to warm in spring and slow to drain. Too compact and can stunt root growth.
It does hold nutrients more than other soil types.
g Amend Soil w/composted materials
g Gypsum adds air and space to heavy clay soils

Sandy: Gritty feel, loose and falls apart when squeezed. Dries out quickly. Good drainage.
g Amend w/composted organic materials
g When planting incorporate new loam w/organic mix and original soil

Loam: Almost ideal. Smooth, only partially gritty. Forms a ball then crumbles easily. Equal parts clay, sand and silt.

More Soil Terms

Silt: Mostly minerals and organic material. Feels/looks like dark sand.

Humus: Organic materials from animals and plants found in soil. Soils rich in humus are referred to as ‘rich’.

Acid Soil: A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil. (a soil pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline). pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil.

Alkaline Soil: A soil with a pH higher than 7.0 is an alkaline soil. (a soil pH lower than 7.0 is acidic) Basically, pH is a measure of the amount of lime (calcium) contained in your soil.

Sour Soil: Acidic soil (pH lower than 7.0)

Sweet Soil: Alkaline Soil. (pH higher than 7.0)

Amending Soil: Adding organics or other nutrient to improve soil.

What & When:
Lime raises pH: Add to Sour or Acid soil to bring pH up.
Sulfur lowers pH: Add to Sweet or Alkaline Soil to bring pH down.

Coffee Grounds, Peat Moss (if sandy or dry) or Sulfur and/or Iron Sulfate for clay soil, will help sour or make more acidic.
Wood ashes will sweeten soil.

KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses

April 7, 2009

KCB: No 5K for Me!

KCB is a professional gardener and friend who does wonderful work in the Greater Portland area. KCB is also an accredited Master Gardener by the Cooperative Extension Service and we are proud to tell you that KCB rules as the 2008 Maine Master Gardener of the Year. And we are honored to have KCB as part of our Skillin's Garden Log family.

It’s here! Can’t you feel it? Smell it? Certainly you can begin to see it! It’s Spring!

New green growth is pushing up through the still frozen earth. The bulbs, quietly dormant under the record snow cover of this winter, seek the warmth of the sun. I’m always surprised at the rate of survival from year to year. Each day a new little nub of green I spot. No doubt I will squeal with delight at the sign of my first crocus!

Soon the squealing will be replaced with the groans and moans of a dormant body beginning the chores of spring. Each year I vow I will not put myself through the agony that is bestowed upon an out of shape me. I will prepare as an athlete prepares. Surely each Red Sox has a regiment they follow before they step on to the baseball field for the first time. A marathon runner doesn’t go from a couch potato to 5k run. Why should an activity as physical as gardening be any different? This year I declare to get my self in shape first. Don’t worry, you will not see me jogging around ‘the boulevard’ or practicing thrusts, though perhaps I should. No, just simple stretches. Anything is better than my usual 0 to 120 mph as many gardeners do.

Even weekend gardeners need to prepare for the coming season. The repetitive movements such a weeding, raking, digging and pruning put stress on hand and wrist. We also must be mindful of our knees, back and shoulders. Something as simple as a daily walk will begin to get the body prepared.

The following warm-ups were given to me by Andi, a Physical Therapists at the call center where I work. She knows my season is coming up and wants to make sure I’m in shape for all my jobs.

The American Society of Hand Therapists ASHT® has this to say about preparing for the gardening season; “Warming up before gardening is just as important as warming up before a vigorous workout. After warming up, stretching exercises for the major muscle groups that will be involved in performing the task can reduce the risk of injury.”

ASHT® recommends following warm-up exercises:
(Note: These exercises should never be painful. You should only feel a gentle stretch. Should you experience pain, please consult your primary care provider.)
œ Fold your hands together and turn your palms away from your body as you extend your arms forward. You should feel a stretch all the way from your shoulders to your fingers. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 8 times.
œ Fold your hands together and turn your palms away from your body, but this time extend your arms overhead. You should feel the stretch in your upper torso and shoulders to hand. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 8 times.
œ This is a stretch for the upper back and shoulder. Place your hand just above the back of the elbow and gently push your elbow across your chest toward the opposite shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat eight times for each arm.
œ This stretch benefits the triceps. Raise one arm overhead. Bend the elbow. Place the opposite hand on the bent elbow and gently push the elbow back and forth for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 times for each arm.
œ To stretch forearm and wrist muscles. Extend an arm in front of you; making sure the elbow is completely straight. With your palm down, take the opposite hand and bend the wrist downward, hold for 10 seconds. Then turn the palm up and stretch the wrist backwards, hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 times for each arm.


Another suggestion offered by the ASHT® surprised me; ‘work with well sharpened tools as well as tools designed for the task’. It does make sense. Too dull a tool, say a pruner, may not only damage the plant you are pruning but will result in too tight a grip to achieve the desired result. Another big ‘no’, is trying to prune a 4 inch limb with pruners more suitable for a 2 inch branch. Been there, done that. If it is taking you 2 hands to do the job meant for one, time to switch tools.


Other stretches offered by ‘my trainer’ I find very relaxing. At first I could not see how balancing on an oversized beach ball would help but I was assured it would. The balls circumference is approximately 3 ft and I take turns balancing on my stomach and back. The key is not to put pressure on feet or hands. This will prepare for the stretching we do especially when weeding and planting.

Since gardening has become such a passion for so many, those in climates such as Maine’s may suffer the most from repetitive motion injuries. Reason being, we lead such sedentary lives in the winter then jump right in. While caught up in our gardening frenzy we tend to contort and stretch our bodies in ways we would never dream of during the ‘off season’. If you don’t believe me think of how many times you would stretch to get one last weed, or dead head one more, than another spent bloom instead of getting up and moving slightly closer to your subject. You are nodding ‘yes’ aren’t you?

As the season progresses there will be other tips. If you have any of your own, please share. Personally I need all the ‘getting in shape’ help I can get. I vow this year not to spend the month of May applying Ben Gay and wishing to sleep in my truck just to avoid having to walk into my house.

Attention Skillin’s staff, this may not mean I will not need ‘help loading’ in the beginning, but be prepared if I answer with a resounding ‘no thank you’ before July!

KCB for Skillin's Greenhouses
April 6, 2009

Organica's All Natural Four Step Lawn Program

Once again we are pleased to be featuring the all natural Organica Four Step Lawn Program this year for our customers. Read below the illustration for a great description of what the complete Four Step Lawn Program can do for your soil and ultimately your lawn.

Bought bag by bag the Four Step Lawn Program retails for $162. We are so enthusiastic about this program and we feel is it is the RIGHT way to treat your lawn that we have the Four Step Lawn Program ON SALE for $129! Plus at time of purchase we will give you an easy to redeem $10 coupon for Organica that brings your real purchase price down to just $119!

Organica's 4 Step Program Lawn Program is a back to basics approach to plant management designed to revitalize soil biology and provide a foundation for healthy turf growth. The establishment of beneficial microbial populations is the key to creating a healthy soil environment. Over the last 500 million years plants and beneficial soil microorganisms have developed a symbiotic relationship. When a plant photosynthesizes it releases a carbon exudate into the soil, which microorganisms utilize as a food source.

The microbes then surround the root to feed on the carbon and in return protect the plant roots, recycle nutrients, improve nutrient availability, improve nutrient absorption, minimize nutrient leaching and improve the soil structure over time. As you can see this truly is a "symbiotic relationship".

Unfortunately today many soils are grossly out of balance and are virtually devoid of beneficial microbial populations. This is due primarily to an over reliance on "quick fix" cultural practices, which rely on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to manage turf. Studies have shown that most insect and disease infestation is actually brought on by pushing excessive plant growth with water - soluble inorganic fertilizers! This unnatural growth weakens the plant and makes it an opportunistic target for insects and disease. Pesticides are then applied to control these self- inflicted manifestations and they exacerbate the problem by killing non - target beneficial soil microorganisms. Once you start killing off the beneficial microbial populations the vicious cycle begins. When the microbes are no longer there to protect the roots you are forced to apply more pesticides and the vicious cycle is perpetuated!!!!!

Organica's "Natural Lawn Program" is designed to reestablish these beneficial microbial populations and provide the soil with the necessary components to promote healthy controlled growth and reduce plant stress. Each component is synergistic further increasing the efficacy & overall performance of the program!!

PROGRAM OUTLINE

LAWN BOOSTER (8-1-1): Apply in Spring. Patented biologically enhanced fertilizer. Contains corn gluten, bone meal, sulfate of potash & beneficial soil bacteria. Provides slow release N, P, K / Does not push excessive growth. Improves nutrient availability (solubizes P, K & fixes atmospheric N). Improves soil structure, increases humus levels. Provides turf with increased resistance to environmental extremes (drought, heat, foot traffic)

KELP BOOSTER: Apply Late SpringBio-stimulant / Contains plant growth hormones, micronutrients, vitamins & amino acids. Stimulates healthy turf growth, increases root development. Provides turf with essential micronutrients, amino acids & vitamins. Provides turf with increased resistance to environmental extremes (drought, heat, foot traffic). Rich in calcium (essential for cell wall development & plant growth)

MICROBIAL SOIL CONDITIONER: Apply Early SummerMicrobial soil inoculant / Contains beneficial soil bacteria, actinomyces, fungi, vitamins, amino acids. Provides turf with increased resistance to environmental extremes (drought, heat, foot traffic). Improves nutrient availability (solubilizes P, K, Ca, Mg and fixes atmospheric N). Rich in calcium (essential for cell wall development & plant growth). Improves soil structure, increases humus levels

LAWN BOOSTER (8-1-1): Apply Early Fall. Patented biologically enhanced fertilizer. Provides slow release N, P, K / Does not push excessive growth. Sustains turf through fall & winter months. Provides increased resistance to environmental extremes (drought, heat, cold, foot traffic). Improves soil structure, increases humus levels.

Check out http://www.organica.net/ for more great information about the Organica products--many of which we offer right here at Skillin's!

Perennial Basics: Weekly and Seasonal Tasks

The following article (reprinted from Spring 2008) wraps up our Perennial Basics series. We have presented this series weekly for the last few weeks. The previous articles are easy to find by looking to the right tab! Let us know if you have any questions!

We sell a wide variety of perennials at Skillin’s. We define perennials as usually green or herbaceous plants that are best planted in beds with other perennials or as a complement to your shrub and tree (woody) or annual plantings or other aspects of your landscape world.

Perennial plants are intended to give us the ever hopeful gardener years of enjoyment as we nurture and feed them, pinch and prune them, and divide and worry about them. Yes, perennials become an extension of our family. Many perennials do not flower for long periods of time which only makes our appreciation of their colorful offerings that much sweeter when that time of year comes. Perennials are a blessing!

Last year I came across a great article in a garden center trade magazine called “Green Profits” titled “Perennial Gardening Basics”. I think the article is fantastic for all perennial gardeners. For the next few weeks, I intend to give you small excerpts from the article (to whet your perennial gardening whistle). If at any time you would like the entire article emailed to you just let me know at info@skillins.com and I will send you a “Word” attachment.

Here are some weekly and serasonal perennial garden duties to add to your “workout.”

Weekly

First of all, if rainfall is intermittent, you will need to water your perennial garden. Check below the top two or three inches of soil and water if dry. Try to avoid wetting plant leaves during the day to prevent the spread of some plant diseases.

Spend some time walking through your perennial gardens removing spent flowers and damaged leaves by hand or with a hand pruner. Also, inspect for insects, diseases and signs of animal damage. Watch for leaves with holes or ragged edges; discolored or spotted leaves; chewed flowers or buds; or damaged stems. Once you have spotted a problem, your best move is to take the damaged part of the plant to your favorite garden center for a positive identification. They will also be able to recommend solutions for just about anything you confront them with. If you have no luck at the garden center, contact your local cooperative extension service.

Finally, everyone’s favorite task: weeding. Use a hoe with a small, sharp blade; a weeder; or pull them by hand. The trick is to get them by the root. Remember, you can burn as many as 300 calories an hour doing light weeding. There’s your incentive.

Seasonally

Keeping your garden tidy by edging the beds will add to its beauty. For the best results, use a half-moon edger or spade. Facing your garden, push the blade straight down about three or four inches. Then simply pull the handle toward you to remove a wedge of soil. Once you edge your garden once, it’s easy to keep it looking good with minimal effort.

Fertilizing and mulching should also be done periodically throughout the year - maybe not monthly, but certainly first thing in the spring and again heading into winter. Use a slow release, granular fertilizer or natural alternative in the spring. This should feed your garden well into the summer. Fertilizer formulations specifically for perennial gardens should not be difficult to find.

Mulch should be no deeper than two inches and organic materials like shredded bark should be replaced as they break down. (I like to mulch with compost, instead of conventional bark mulch)

Cut back most perennials to within eight to 10 inches from the ground after the tops die back or leave them intact for protection against the cold. In spring, cut back all dead stems to the ground and rake out debris. If you have questions about pruning back specific varieties, ask your favorite garden center expert.

Good Luck & Have Fun

I hope you are excited to get started planning a perennial garden. It is sure to provide years of enjoyment and receive plenty of compliments from friends and neighbors, all for very little effort.

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
April 2009

Quoddy Blend Congratulations!

Congrats to the folks at Coast of Maine as the Quoddy Blend (the best garden compost I have ever used) has just gained rigorous OMRI certification as a superior organic gardening product.

Sold at a Skillin's location near you! Brunswick, Cumberland, Falmouth and http://www.skillins.com/!

"Lilac on a Stick"

Sheliah checks in again from high atop Raymond ME. If you can garden there, you can garden anywhere so Sheliah "has it going on!"
Here is what Sheliah has to say:
"If you are looking for something cool and a little different as a focal point for your garden consider a Dwarf Korean Lilac Topiary or as I call it "lilac on a stick"! It doesn't only look awesome when it is blooming but looks great all summer and has great winter interest to boot. They look small when we get them in the Nursery in the spring but they are fast growers and no work. I have never trimmed or messed with mine though I may need to in the future. It is a perfect little tree for planting low growing shrubs, flowers, bulbs or annuals around the bottom. I always get a " Wow what's that" when people see it. It's one of my favorites!"
Thanks Sheliah!