Finally got some planting done

We are way late, but finally managed to get tomatoes, peppers, beans (bush type), and radishes in at the beginning of last week.  We've had steady off and on rain for the last several days and things a looking very good.

I've also gotten several planters started for our small patio.  I have golden sage, rosemary and thyme in one I did as part of a Master Gardener project.  They are looking good and smell heavenly!  I want to do 2 of my larger containers with coleus (I have a "thing" for coleus) and decorative sweet potato plants.  I just love the textures and the colors together.  I'll post some pictures when I get them together.  Also want to do some lettuce and spinach in containers this year.  I believe I can get a longer harvest if I can move them to more shaded areas when it begins to get hot.

Still working our new MG project, one of the sites had their plants in the ground and they are doing really well.  Want to take some sunflower plants down to plant along a fence row for the kids to enjoy as well.  The kids are so excited and ask such good questions, it's a pleasure to work with them.

The other site is awaiting a delivery of more soil.  What they had was almost impossible to dig up and move over to the raised beds.  So the program manager is arranging for more to be delivered.  Again these are going in late, but we'll be providing mainly plants to get them going.

Working with these square foot gardens has really been a challenge for me.  I'm familiar with the method and have adapted some of the techniques to my on plots.  I don't always agree with some of the philosophy involved, but this gardening method does certainly allow for a large production of veggies/flowers in a small space and lends itself readily to succession planting.  Here in VA that means you can grow almost all year.  I've convinced my gardeners to wait to plant multiples of cole/brassicas until the fall.  I've found it to me more effective and those vegetables do well with a nip of frost.  Plus the square foot gardens are easier to protect from heavy frost, so it's possible to get fresh broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc up until Feb depending on what varieties you grow and your location   Interesting stuff!  Plus you don't have the insect problems you do in the spring time.  It's much easier to control.

A Brand New Master Gardener Project

 I recently submitted a request to begin a brand new Master Gardener project in our area.  I'm so pleased our extension agent agreed and endorsed the paperwork.

I met with the local Fresh Food Program manager located at our local Food Bank.  She (and she is also a MG) got grant monies last year and started 6 local community gardens mainly in low income housing neighborhoods.  She also developed gardening beds on the local Food Bank site.  She has done an amazing job of pulling this together and after we talked, I thought this would be the perfect project for our group.  Volunteers recently help complete a small home made greenhouse as well, which will make seed starting much easier next year.

Most of the participants have either never gardened or are not quite sure how to make it all work.  This is right up our alley as MGs.

Given the state of the economy these days, growing some of your own food is smart in many ways.  So I feel we can really make an impact on many areas with this idea.  I'm really excited and hope to get great cooperation from my group!  I'll try and keep this updated on this blog.

Making some Progress with this year's garden

We've managed to get a few things in the ground today.  Everything is going to be so late, but sometimes that happens.

I spend part of the morning weeding out my small flower bed, the chickweed was trying to take over!   Grrrrrr

My roses are starting to bloom and my lavender plants are coming along well.  This is their 2nd year, so I expect to see more growth, but they should really jump next year.

Rule of thumb for all perennials:
1. The first year they sleep
2. The second year they creep
3. The third year they leap!!!

Roses can be the exception, depending on the type, but you do normally get much better bloom set the 3rd year.  I'm very impressed with the progress of my Knockout varieties.  I have a couple and wasn't real sure about them.  Ok, I admit it, I am a bit of a rose snob.....LOL   I love the antique and English roses.  I have a few teas left, but I'm not doing those again, it's just to much work.  And here in VA, black spot is our state rose problem!  I found treating the roses with plain old cornmeal does the trick.  You do have to make sure you get the area under your roses bushes as clean a possible.  I just applied the corn meal (right off the grocer's shelf) heavily to both the leaves and the ground.  I did it early in the morning while there was still a bit of "dew" on the bushes.  Worked like a charm!  I was dumbfound, that's the first time in almost 20 years I did not have a bit of black spot on any of my roses.  Plus the bonus I had enough corn meal left over to bake up some corn bread!  LOL

I'm going to do a Master Gardener Presentation later in the month on Growing Roses using Organic Methods.  Hope to have a good crowd with good questions.  That's always tons of fun!