Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ITG_dec08.html

Q. I live in northern Indiana. Please tell me how to grow mint. What is the difference between peppermint and spearmint?

A. Mint is an important commercial crop in Northwest Indiana, with over 9,000 acres raised in 2007 at a value of over $6 million (USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Indiana/index.asp). The bulk of the Indiana mint crop is peppermint, followed by spearmint.

Mint belongs to a botanical genus of plants called Mentha. Peppermint is Mentha piperata; Spearmint is Mentha spicata. These and most other members of Mentha are herbaceous perennials that have similar plant habits. Spearmint is said to be a bit narrower in leaf and flower and a bit more robust in habit than peppermint. However, the key difference among the various types of mint is in the essential oil contained in all parts of the plant. It is this oil that is responsible for the various wonderful flavors. And there are several varieties of both peppermint and spearmint, each with their own distinct variation in flavor. Generally, the greatest concentration of quality oil, and thus flavor, is contained in the foliage, just at the onset of flowering.

Mints are notorious spreaders in the garden and especially prefer moist, but light, well-drained soil. Many gardeners find it helpful to keep mint confined to its own garden beds, confined by root barriers or in raised beds or container gardens to keep the plants in check and because mint requires more moisture than most other garden herbs. Harvest foliage as soon as flowers are noticed and either use fresh or dry or freeze for later use.

While peppermint and spearmint are the most popular, there are many other species and selections, including pineapple, apple and, my personal favorite, chocolate!

See Purdue Extension bulletin HO-28, Growing Herbs in Indiana

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-28.pdf for additional information on growing and storing herbs.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ITG_jan08.html

Q. In the last few months, we purchased property that included a portion of an old blueberry farm. We did have some of the bushes removed to have more backyard; however, we still have over 1,000 bushes that haven’t been touched for about three years! Most of the bushes are between six to seven feet high. Just a couple of rows are about four feet. Should we prune or cut down these bushes so they will still grow well in the spring? We were thinking that January would probably be a good time to prune, but, of course, we are looking for your guidance on this.

A. Fortunately, blueberries are relatively undemanding compared to many other fruit crops. Each year, the blueberry plant produces new stems from the base as well as lateral twigs from existing stems. The younger stems should be the most productive, if they aren’t shaded out by older growth. The difference in size that you’ve observed between different sections may very well be due to difference in variety; some mature at around four feet while others reach five to six feet. Late winter is the ideal time for pruning.

Since it’s been about three years since they were last pruned, the plants would likely benefit from a bit of renewal pruning. First, assess the overall health of each plant and remove any dead or damaged stems. Next, remove about one-third to one-sixth of the oldest, largest-diameter stems completely down to the ground. For example, if an individual plant has 20 main stems coming from the ground, remove three to six of the largest-diameter stems completely back to the ground. You can thin out the lateral branches on the remaining main stems, if needed, but that’s very tedious work, given the number of plants you have to deal with.

If they are more severely overgrown, then you could actually cut the entire plant down to nearly ground level to force it to grow all new stems. There, of course, would be no harvest that season.

You’ll find information about fertilizing blueberries in Purdue Extension Bulletin http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-65.pdf. Additional information on managing large blueberry plantings can be found in the Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook http://ohioline.osu.edu/b861/.

Q. I have a persimmon tree that I want to take starts off of. What is the best way to do this? I have tried starting seeds with no success. I have also dug up canes from around the tree. With their taproot, I have had little success. Can these trees be started from cuttings? If so, how?

A. Persimmon can be propagated by seed, though the mature seed will need a period of moist chilling to allow the embryo to fully develop. Pack the seed into moist sand, peat moss or vermiculite and store at 40-50 F for 60-90 days. Or you could try planting the seed outdoors in fall, and let Mother Nature provide the moist chilling. Place a thick mulch layer over the seed bed after the ground has frozen. Named cultivars are propagated by grafting onto seedling rootstock, because persimmon does not breed “true” from seed. Stem cuttings are not particularly successful for persimmon, but root cuttings can be used. You’ll find more information in the Purdue Extension publication “Persimmons” at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-108.pdf.

1-03-08

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

Editor: Olivia Maddox,

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ITG_dec07.html

Q. This winter, I was cutting down some trees that had poison ivy growing on them during the summer. I broke out in a rash, even though the poison ivy leaves were gone. Does poison ivy stay poisonous even after the leaves die? How do I remove the plants, even though they are already dead, without becoming contaminated? I am terribly sensitive to poison ivy and thought that I would be safe by waiting until winter.

A. The cause of poison ivy blisters, a compound called urushiol, is contained in the plant sap and can remain active even after the foliage dies back. The stems, trunks and roots will also contain urushiol, which can remain active for five years or longer. So even dormant and dead plants can contain irritating sap. Of course, covering the skin with gloves, clothing, etc., provides reasonable protection, but you can pick up contact with the sap from protective clothing and tools!

Though there are many tales and testimonials of various home remedies and products, according to the FDA, there is no proven, consistent way to inactivate the urushiol. For more information regarding poison ivy rash and prevention, see http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/796_ivy.html. You might also consult an allergist for other advice on how to prevent/treat.

Q. I have had a Norfolk Island pine for decades. It has always been healthy except periodically it has dropped off the bottom row of branches when it produces a new row of branches at the top. It is over four feet high, and I really don’t want to lose it after all these years.

The tree had new growth at all of the tips of the branches and had a new row of branches at the top about six inches long already. A few weeks ago, I noticed that there was a mushroom growing at the base of the tree. I have never seen this occur before. I removed the mushroom and about a week later the tree looked slightly droopy. Another week later, the tips of the branches were drying out and the new branches were also looking dry. Three weeks after the mushroom appeared, the tree is definitely dying. I have tried plant food spikes, watering, misting, but nothing has worked. I am afraid I am too late to save this tree. Is there anything I can do to save it?

A. Mushrooms growing at the base of outdoor trees are commonly seen, but are not so common on houseplants. Mushrooms typically grow on decaying organic matter, so when they are seen growing on the trunk of a tree, it is an indicator of decaying plant tissue. Some fungi will enter an otherwise healthy tree through a wound or pruning cut and cause internal decay. Based on your description, your best bet to save the tree is to take a cutting and discard the old decaying trunk. Norfolk Island pine cuttings can only be taken from the top of the central leader stem; cuttings from the lateral branches will not form a new leader. You’ll find more information about how to take cuttings at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-37web.html. More information on wood decay fungi is available at http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/weeklypics/8-29-05.html.

12-06-07

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ITG_mar08.html

Q) My aunt of 99 years passed away and left me 12 African violets. I’ve tried taking care of them like she did, but I can’t get them to bloom. Could you please give me some tips.

A) African violets are generally quite easy to care for, adapting quite well to typical home conditions. The most critical factors are proper light, growing media, nutrition, and moisture. They will bloom best with long days (14-16 hours) of bright light (~10,000 lux = 900 foot candles). If natural light is not adequate, you can use artificial lighting to supplement. But they also require a dark period (8 hours) daily to initiate flowers.

The growing media should be a well-drained, high organic matter mix. Many garden centers sell media blended specifically for African violets, but any good quality potting mix will do fine. Similarly, there are many brands of fertilizer that offer an African violet formulation, but they will do fine on just about any blooming houseplant type product. Be sure to follow the label directions in regards to application rates. There are many types of formulations available; from those that provide very dilute product with each watering, to a bit stronger once month, to slow-release formulations, etc. Use whatever is most convenient for you.

Many gardeners tend to “kill them with kindness” by watering them too often. African violets perform best when allowed to dry slightly between waterings. It is true that they do not tolerate cold water, it causes unsightly spotting of the leaves. Many violet fanciers prefer to routinely water from the bottom, allowing water to be absorbed from a saucer up into the pot. To avoid excessive build-up of mineral salt deposits, water thoroughly from the top every 4th watering or so, and discard the drained water. Allow the water to reach room temperature before applying, to avoid the leaf spots.

More information on growing African violets can be found in Purdue Extension bulletin HO-10 http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-10.pdf

Q) We have some wild black raspberries down over the hill from our house, but their production has not been worth the chiggers nor the walk back up a steep hill. I have no idea how old these plants are. Is there anything I can do to increase the odds of a good crop from these bushes for some wonderful raspberry pies or to eat with home made ice cream?

A) Oh, now you’ve got my mouth watering just thinking about summer berries! Wild raspberries aren’t likely to be quite as productive as modern hybrids raised in a garden environment where they can be tended to on a regular schedule. But you could give them a boost by doing a little bit of pruning and clearing away weeds to allow better light exposure. Raspberries have biennial canes, meaning they grow foliage only the first year, overwinter as dormant canes, then flower and fruit the second year, then die back to the ground. Black raspberries also spread considerably in a number of ways, including seedlings from dropped berries, root suckers, and can tips layering down to the soil. So wild plants often are tremendously overcrowded and perhaps also overrun by weeds. Regular pruning by completely removing canes after fruiting and cutting back the 1st yr canes about halfway back will keep the plants a bit more controlled. Thinning out overcrowded, spindly plants will also help. This won’t keep the chiggers from biting!

Q) At our new 40-acre property, there are black raspberries dividing the woods and the tillable field. They produce nice berries. Are there any special techniques to tend to them? I know that Mother Nature does a very good job.

Can these be tended to similar to blueberries? One area can be cut down as the deer know where to pass through to enter the woods and there are no livestock on the property. Could these be transplanted to another area? Is pruning a good way to boost the fruit crop? Thanks for your time and assistance.

A) Black raspberries grow quite differently than blueberries and their care requirements are quite distinct. In addition to annual pruning, weeding, and thinning, some fertilizing would be helpful to keep the plant productive. About 3-5 pounds of 12-12-12 or similar analysis fertilizer for each 100 feet of row should be sufficient. Apply as a band about 3-4 inches from both sides of the plants in the early spring before growth begins.

And in times of drought, watering to ensure that the plants receive about 1 inch of water per week will help plants optimize yields. While irrigation is important any time Mother Nature doesn’t provide enough, it is especially critical from the time the plants bloom through harvest. Also, keep in mind that the summer cropping raspberries initiate flower buds in later summer, which is when droughts are typical in Indiana.

If the plants are productive and healthy, you could try to transplant existing plants to another area. Or you could try tip layering the plants to create young plantlets that would be easier to move. But, wild raspberries are frequently afflicted with virus and propagating from those plants will bring the virus with them. If you want to establish a new planting, it might be best to purchase virus-free plants from your local garden center.

For more information on caring for black and other types of raspberries, see Purdue Extension Bulletin HO-44 http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/HO-44.pdf

3-07-08

Back to Purdue Gardening News

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ITG_feb08.html

Q. We plant sweet potatoes in a raised bed the length of our garden. We have had an animal go underground and eat one-third of it. This year, some grew 10 inches long and 8 inches around. I’ve read that an animal—”a vole”—could be the problem. What can we do about it?

A. There are several species of voles (field mice). Voles are active day and night, year-round. Their territory is usually one-fourth acre or less but varies with season, population density, habitat, food supply and other factors. Voles construct many tunnels and surface runways with numerous burrow entrances. Voles eat crops and also damage them when they build extensive runway and tunnel systems. Runways are 1 to 2 inches wide and the vegetation may be clipped close to the ground. Feces and small pieces of vegetation are found in the runways. Other animals such as ground hogs could be the culprits, but, in the end, the strategies to reduce damage are about the same.

Good garden sanitation can help reduce the likelihood and severity of vole damage. Eliminate weeds, ground cover and plant litter in and around the garden. Small garden areas could be protected by placing one-fourth-inch metal mesh hardware cloth cylinders around the planting. Bury the mesh at least 6 inches deep to keep voles from burrowing under the cylinder. And, finally, a good garden cat might help!

Q. I had a 3-year-old Colorado spruce tree, and it did well until this past summer. The needles were eaten off gradually by something I couldn’t see. I finally dug it up. I also have a pretty blue spruce that is nearly 2 years old. Is there anything I can spray on it to keep it healthy?

A. There are several insect pest possibilities, including but not limited to bagworms, sawflies and scale insects. Since blue spruce is a selected cultivar of Colorado spruce, they would be likely to share pests in common. But, unfortunately, it is not possible to identify the culprit without more info about symptoms and signs of feeding damage. Control recommendations, be it a “spray” or other method, can only be appropriately suggested after first identifying the cause.

Keep a close eye on the blue spruce so that if an insect or other problem should arise, you can bring in a sample to the Purdue Extension office in your county for assistance in identifying the culprit. And, in the meantime, you might read up on Purdue’s publication on bagworms to see if that looks like what happened to your Colorado spruce http://www.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/ext/targets/e-series/EseriesPDF/E-27.pdf.

2-07-08

Back to Purdue Gardening News

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

Purdue University Yard and Garden News-Spring

The following news stories are written by Rosie Lerner, Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist, and are distributed to news media around the state by Agricultural Communication Service at Purdue University.
[Long list, all garden subjects]

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/spring.html

Preparing Strawberry Patch

Given a proper start, your home strawberry patch can bring many years of rewards. The most important considerations for getting off on the right foot include site selection, soil preparation and vigorous, disease-free plants.

Choosing which strawberries to grow requires a bit of homework. Most strawberries flower when days are short in spring, producing their bounty of ripe, juicy strawberries in June; such plants are known as June-bearers.Among the June-bearing strawberries, plants can be selected for early, mid- or late-season production, depending on the cultivar. Earlybearing strawberry cultivars recommended for Indiana include Earliglow, Annapolis, andDelmarvel.Guardian, Honeoye, Redchief and Surecrop are suggested for mid-season production.For late-season production, Allstar, Jewel and Sparkle are recommended.

Some strawberries are commonly called “everbearers,” but, in fact, they really only produce a small spring crop followed by a small fall crop, with no production during the summer.The cultivars Fort Laramieand Ozark Beauty fall into this category.

The more modern cultivars that are called “day-neutral” strawberries are the true everbearing types.Cultivars such as Tribute and Tristar will flower and produce fruit throughout the summer into the fall.Day-neutral types can be grown like an annual crop, planting in early spring, removing flowers for the first two months, and then begin harvesting in July right up toautumn frost.These plants dramatically decrease in production in subsequent years so that new plants should be set out each year.Day neutrals also tend to have low yields during extreme hot weather.

Strawberry plants can adapt to a wide range of soil typesbut perform best on well-drained loamy soil. Avoid planting in low-lying areas to minimize late-spring frost damage.Good drainage is a must. If your soil tends to let water stand, create a raised bed at least 6-8 inches deep and incorporate good-quality top soil and organic matter, such as compost, rotted manure or peat moss.Good soil quality doesn’t happen overnight—in fact, planting the area to a green manure crop, such as oats or rye, the year before is an excellent way to build up organic matter content and improve aeration and drainage.

If this is a new garden area, a soil test will target specific nutrient applications to get off to the best start.In the absence of test results, apply about 2-3 pounds ofa high-phosphorus fertilizer, such as 6-24-24 or 5-10-5, to the bed and work it into the top 6 inches of soil.

Strawberry plants are generally sold in bundles of bare-rooted plants.Try to purchase the plants as close to planting time as possible to avoid excessive drying of the unprotected roots.If planting must be delayed, keep the plants cool and shaded and keep moist packing material around the roots.

Planting rows should be spaced 42-48 inches apart, with plants set at 15-24 inches apart within the row.Plants should be set with the crown (the fleshy part from which the leaves develop) at the soil surface.If plants are too shallow, they may dry out before they establish new roots, and if too deep, the plants may rot.Gently firm the soil around each plant and water thoroughly to encourage good contact between the soil and the plant’s roots.

Remove blossoms the first year for June-bearing plants so that the plant can concentrate its resources on growing vigorous leaves and roots.The mother plant will form daughter plants on long, horizontal stems known as runners.For ideal spacing in the mature patch, the runner plants should be positioned, as they develop to allow a density of about 5 plants per square foot.Rows should be maintained no wider than 18-24 inches and when the desired plant density is reached, all additional runners should be removed.

Though invisible to the gardener, the strawberry plants will begin to initiate flower buds within the crown of the plant during late August to early September.A sidedressing of about 1 pound of 12-12-12 per 50 feet of row applied alongside the plants will help encourage this bud development. Avoid contacting the foliage with the fertilizer, and wash off any stray particles as soon as possible to prevent burning of the foliage.

Strawberries will need to be protected through the winter to keep the plants in the ground and to prevent cold injury.After plants become dormant in fall (generally in late November to mid December), apply a 2-inch layer of straw, hay, chopped corncobsor bark chips.When new growth begins the following spring, rake off most of the mulch, and spread it between the rows to help conserve moisture and prevent weed growth.

4-17-08

Back to Purdue Gardening News

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/strawberry.html

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/garbage.html

Garden with Garbage!

Instead of throwing out that pineapple top, turn it into a houseplant! Carrot tops and avocado pits can also be salvaged from the garbage pail to the ranks of houseplants.

To grow a pineapple, cut off the leafy top, leaving about a one-fourth inch of the fruit attached. Scoop out the pulp and let the top air dry for a few days. Then, press the top into a pot or pan of moistened rooting media, such as vermiculite or perlite. Keep the media moist at all times, and, in about a month or two, roots should begin to form. Then repot the top into potting soil and place in a sunny windowsill.

Carrot plants can also be started from what we usually throw away. Cut off three-fourths to 1 inch of the top of the root with the green stalks attached. Set in a shallow pan of moistened rooting media, and wait for the new fibrous roots to develop.

Avocado pits are yet another plant to rescue from the garbage pail. Wash the pit to remove the fruit pulp, and then bury the bottom (wider) half of the pit in moistened rooting media. Another method used by many gardeners is to insert four toothpicks at quarterly intervals about halfway up the pit. The toothpicks should only be inserted as deeply as necessary to provide support. Place the pit into a glass of water with the broad end down, resting the toothpicks on the rim of the glass. Roots and eventually a shoot can take up to three months to appear. Repot into potting soil with the top of the pit exposed, and pinch off the tip of the shoot when it reaches about 6 inches in length. Several side branches will form along the remaining stem.

Fruit trees, such as apple, orange and cherry, can be grown from the seeds of ordinary fruit. Keep in mind that the resulting plants will likely be of inferior quality compared to the plant that produced that tasty fruit. If you are seriously interested in quality fruit production, it is best to plant quality nursery stock of known cultivars. However, seedling fruit plants can make fun houseplants or novelty yard plants.

Most tree seeds must be stored in cool, moist conditions for up to three months before they will sprout. Pack the seeds in moist vermiculite, peat moss or sand. Then plant the seeds in good-quality potting soil. Move the plants to a brightly lit area, such as a south-facing window, and water as needed to allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings. Use a houseplant fertilizer according to label directions. When plants are large enough to survive transplanting outdoors, plant the seedling trees in a sunny, well-drained location. Most fruit trees take many years (up to 7 or more) to become mature enough to flower, particularly when grown from seed. Many fruit species need to be cross-pollinated by another cultivar of that fruit, so it is best to grow a few of each type.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/hedgeapple.html

You Say Hedge-Apple, I Say Osage Orange!

No matter what you call it, there’s no question that the tree known botanically as Maclura pomifera is a unique curiosity. Depending on where you’re from, this tree has such names as hedge-apple, osage orange, bodark, bowwood and bois d’arc!

Originally, this plant hailed from the southwestern United States, but was so widely planted throughout the Midwest as a hedgerow, that it is now considered to be “naturalized” throughout much of the eastern United States and beyond.

The hedge-apple’s reputation for tolerating just about any environmental stress you throw its way is likely the reason it was so popular on farmsteads as a hedge plant. It’s easy to transplant, fast-growing and adapts to a wide range of soils. Armed with wicked thorns, it’s an ideal hedge plant from a security standpoint!

Hedge-apple will easily grow to 12 feet tall within 5 years, eventually reaching 20 to 40 feet. Its tendency to branch very low on the plant enables the plant to form an impermeable thicket all on its own, making a great livestock barrier.

The wood of this species is naturally rot-resistant and has been used for archery bows, furniture, decks and fence posts. Hedge-apples can be grown in place and then simply cut down to size, no driving needed! The resistance to decay is thought to be due to the presence of 2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxystilbene, a substance that is toxic to fungi.

The “apple” in hedge-apple comes from the huge, 4-6 inch diameter fruit ball, which is actually made up of many fruits that have coalesced into one unit. The fruit ball turns from yellow-green to bright yellow in autumn and has been described as lethal if you are unfortunate enough to be underneath one when it falls from the tree!

Today, most consider the plant to be a weedy, pest plant, like its “cousin,” the mulberry. The fruits can be an awful mess with their thick, tough rind and lots of sticky, white sap. The fruits are numerous on female plants and disposal is a nuisance. They are far too large to mow over!

Rumors abound regarding the insect- and spider-repelling properties of these fruits. Despite many testimonials, there is no current research data that confirms or explains its effectiveness. Some people can develop dermatitis if the milky sap contacts their skin.

There are male (fruitless) types that have fewer thorns, but they are relatively difficult to find in the trade. Some male, nearly thornless cultivars to look for include ‘Whiteshield’ and ‘Witchita.’

02-05-04

Back to Purdue Gardening News

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

Here are the steps from another gardener:

The “proper” to save tomato seeds is a time-consuming process known as the Fermentation Process. It could be a little laborious and smelly. But it will provide you with a nice batch of premium, healthy seeds that can be stored for a long time or distributed. Note that the process could get a little smelly along the way… actually it smells a lot like dissolved yeast, which is not that bad. Here’s how you do i1t:

1. Cut the tomato fruit in half and scoop out the seeds along with the surrounding gelatin material into a sterilized container. Add a spoonful of water to it.

2. Seal the container with a piece of plastic foil and a rubber band, but poke a little hole on the surface with a toothpick for circulation.

3. Place the container in a warm location, like in a cupboard or in an unheated oven (providing it will not be used for a few days). This will help the seeds ferment. You might ask why do we want the tomato seeds to ferment? After all, it’s not like we’re brewing tomato beer... Well, the fermentation process helps break down the gooey liquid surrounding the seeds. It also kills any seed-borne bacteria that could reside on the seeds and damage the seedlings once they emerge.

4. Try to stir the yucky liquid at least once per day for mixture. Get a nose clip if you have to, and no you don’t have to look inside… When it seems that a good portion of the seeds have sunk to the bottom (usually takes 2-3 days), take off the plastic seal, stir, and carefully pour out the top part of the mixture, which contains empty seed cases and tomato tissues.

5. Add water to the remaining mixture, stir to wash, remove any floating dead seeds, and pour the whole thing through a sieve. Repeat this process a few times, and you’re left with an elite batch of home-saved seeds.

6. To dry the seeds, pour them on to a coffee filter and let them dry in a dry place for up to a week.

7. Once the seeds are completely dried, put them in a container for storage. Be sure to label the variety as well as the date it was saved to avoid confusion in the future. To cap the process, place the container in a cool, dry place.

And that’s it, the procedure for saving tomato seeds for years to come. The ability to save heirloom seeds is yet another economical advantage to growing heirloom tomatoes.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/comptreasure.html

Composting Turns Trash to Treasure

Autumn frosts usually means lots of clean up around the yard and garden. Why not turn that yard waste into treasure?

Composting is a naturally occurring process that breaks down organic materials into an excellent soil amendment that improves soil structure, as well as adds some nutrients. Composting will help you recycle your garden wastes, improve your soil and reduce disposal costs.

All organic materials will break down eventually, but gardeners can speed up the process with good management. The basic ingredients for successful composting include organic materials and microorganisms with the proper balance of carbon, nitrogen, water and oxygen.

Good candidates for composting include end-of-the-season garden plants, pulled weeds, grass clippings, tree leaves and plant trimmings. The smaller the particle size, the faster the organic materials will break down — chopped or shredded plants will compost more quickly. Some kitchen wastes, such as vegetable and fruit scraps and coffee or tea grounds, can also be added. These materials should be buried in the center of the compost pile to avoid attracting insects, rodents and neighborhood pets.

Some organic materials are best left out of the compost pile because of possible health hazards or attractiveness to pests. Because of the danger of disease transmission, human and pet feces should not be composted. Meat scraps, bones and fats will likely attract unwanted visitors.

Backyard composters might do best to avoid materials heavily infested with weed seeds, insects and disease organisms. Although a properly managed compost pile should generate enough heat in the center to kill most of these pests, ensuring uniform heat can be difficult, particularly in a small compost pile.

Microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, are responsible for breaking down the organic materials in yard waste. Although commercially packaged compost starter is available, adding a little soil or finished compost will supply all the microbes you need for composting. Microorganisms require a proper environment to work efficiently.

Nitrogen is needed by the microbes in order to break down and use the carbon found in organic materials. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the compost pile will affect the rate of decomposition. If the carbon content is too high, decomposition will be slow. If the nitrogen content is too high, ammonia gas can be given off, creating foul odors. The ideal ratio for composting can be achieved by combining fresh green with brown dry materials, such as fresh grass clippings with dry tree leaves. At this time of year when there is likely to be an abundance of dry materials, you can add a little livestock manure or packaged fertilizer.

Water is also needed for efficient microbial action and uniform heating. Compost with optimum moisture content should resemble that of a moistened sponge that has the excess water squeezed out. Be prepared to the water the compost if rainfall is lacking.

Oxygen is just as important for efficient decomposition and to prevent foul odors. Breakdown occurs more slowly when oxygen is lacking and foul odors from fermentation will result.

The center of a properly managed compost pile will generate heat as the microorganisms break down the organic matter. A good-sized compost heap, approximately 4-5 feet in diameter and 4-5 feet deep, should reach 130-160 F in the center. Turn the pile with a pitchfork or shovel at least once or twice a month to keep the materials supplied with oxygen and to bring outer contents to the center for heating. Small amounts of organic materials can be added to actively composting piles, but it’s best to start a new pile when compost becomes too tall to work by hand.

Compost can be ready to use in as soon as a month or as long as a year, depending on how well the pile is constructed and tended. Finished compost should look much like a uniform potting soil, with no indication of what materials originally went into the pile.

Compost can be used as a soil amendment in the garden to add some nutrients, but its primary advantage is that of improving soil structure. Adding compost increases water-holding capacity, aeration and nutrient exchange sites in the soil.

10/18/07
Back to Purdue Gardening News

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/potatoesgreen.html

Potatoes Turning Green

Whether store-bought or homegrown, potatoes will turn green when they are exposed to light. Most folks know that they shouldn’t eat potatoes that have turned green, or at least cut away the affected portion. But it’s not actually the green color that is the problem.

The green color comes from the pigment chlorophyll, produced as a response to light. The potato tuber that we eat is actually a modified stem structure that grows underground. The “eyes” of the potato tuber are buds, which will sprout into shoots.

Chlorophyll itself is not toxic; however, another response of the potato tuber to light exposure is increased production of a colorless alkaloid called solanine. The amount of solanine increases with the length of exposure and the intensity of light.

Consuming a large quantity of solanine can cause illness, or even death in extreme cases. However, most people are not likely to eat enough of the affected tissue to cause illness, because of solanine’s bitter taste.

The highest concentration of solanine is in the skin of the potato; removing the green portion will also remove most of the toxin. Sprouts of the eyes are also high in solanine and should be removed before cooking.

Potatoes will turn green when growing too close to the soil surface, as well as when stored under even low light conditions — thus, the recommendations to mound potato plants in the garden and store harvested potatoes in complete darkness.

The next time you see a green potato, be thankful for that color change. It’s warning you of the presence of toxic solanine.

11/15/07
Back to Purdue Gardening News

Writer: B. Rosie Lerner

I read part of the link and the next post that you posted and that is the way you would do it, if you had to guarantee the seeds and wanted every one to grow.

I would be more likely to smear them on a paper towel and when dry take them off and save them.

I never checked to see what percentage of the save grew.

Knowing me, I would set them to rot and that is exactly what would happen.

I was always so involved in ‘things’, that I did not get into some of the science of gardening........I put the seed in the ground and God would decide if it lived or died.

You will have to decide, maybe do half one way and half the other?

Of course if I was real lazy, I would leave them on the paper towel, when dry and ready to plant, cut it into strips and you have the expensive seed tape, or use the toilet paper and fold over to make the longer seed tapes.

A friend soaked all his seeds of every kind, rolled them in wet paper towels and sprouted them.......then he planted them.

Seemed to be a lot of work to me.

http://www.energyfarms.net/node/1489

Can My County Feed Itself? Part 1. The Diet
Submitted by jcbradford on Thu, 2008-01-03 20:14.

I live in a rural part of northern California in a county named Mendocino. There are about 90,000 people here, in an
area of about 3500 square miles, for a population density of 25 people per
square mile.[i] This is considered, and it feels like, a low
population density. So naturally I think
most people assume that if we had to grow our own food here we absolutely
could.

But as a data-driven empiricist, I wanted to do the math on
this. I posed the question: Could the land-base of Mendocino County
support its current population of people if it needed to? This initial question leads to many others,
including: What is the theoretical diet
being consumed? What are the yields per
area of the parts of the diet? What
kinds of soil, water and energy systems are needed to produce those yields? And, do the requisite land-water-energy
resources exist at the levels implied by the diet demands?

continues, with some links to follow....

http://entire-of-itself.blogspot.com/2006/05/growing-all-ones-food-on-as-little.html

Growing All One’s Food on as Little Land as Possible

(This was originally written as a post to the RunningonEmpty2 mailing list: RunningonEmpty2@yahoogroups.com)

Growing All One’s Food on As Little Land As Possible

A great challenge for 2006: Learn to grow a person’s entire diet on as little land as possible *sustainably*.

Specifically, this means growing the necessary compost crops to maintain fertility, as well as so called ‘calorie crops’ (to supply calories and protein), plus veggies, plus even a very small income if desired.

John Jeavons’ outfit (Ecology Action/Bountiful Gardens) has published a book and research booklets on how to do this, and evidently they have actually done it too.

I have a few of their research booklets. One of the booklets gives information necessary for the full-scale whole-diet plan (which takes 2100 sf per person, btw, in one of their plans, and 3000 sf in two of their other plans - the Mexican and Kenyan models). The diets given are spartan, but one could always grow more veggies, salad stuffs, and herbs to supplement the basics. All necessary nutrients are included (there are charts so demonstrating), although certainly there will be some disagreement in certain areas (people doing hard physical labor will require more calories, etc.)

The booklets assume that you have read Jeavons’ basic book,’How To Grow More Vegetables, Fruit, Nuts, Berries, Grains and Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine’. The entire diet described was grown sustainably on 3000 sf (at most) which is less than one-tenth of an acre and, although this amount is exclusive of space needed for paths between beds, many, many people in the USA, Canada, Europe, in fact all over the world, have at least this very small amount of land available for their use, very often more.

Three of the booklets give all the information needed to grow a small-scale trial model (100 sf) of an entire diet. That’s only 10 x 10 feet... (Details of the booklets and how to obtain them are given below.)

The idea of the 100 sf plan is to grow a small-scale model to learn how to do it in general, and how to grow each plant in particular (and to learn how save the seeds and increase soil fertility with compost crops). Then it could be scaled up if needed. The first year probably wouldn’t meet the goals: it would be a learning experiment after all.

I like the idea of the small scale model very much. I probably cannot do it myself (although I’m considering giving it a try), because my resources of energy and physical ability are really *extremely limited* now, and I need to devote all my gardening efforts to growing our veggies, fruits and salad stuffs. We rely upon the garden for these, it’s necessary. If we don’t grow them, we cannot eat them. We cannot buy any comparable garden produce locally either. By contrast, it isn’t, at present, necessary that I grow the compost crops or the calorie crops.

But I’ll bet a lot of people *could* do it.

Note that the research booklets contain all the information necessary for *experienced gardeners* to do this: they are not a ‘how-to-garden course’. [Again, having read Jeavons’ basic book ‘How To Grow More Vegetables, Fruit, Nuts, Berries, Grains and Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine’ is assumed. This book is available here: http://www.bountifulgardens.org/shop/growbiointensive-books.html#5]

Here are the essential research booklets with all the necessary information, plus some others: http://www.bountifulgardens.org/products.asp?dept=104 .

If this URL doesn’t work for you, go to www.bountifulgardens.org/ then click on ‘Books’ from the left-hand menu, then on ‘Ecology Action Research Papers’.

Booklet 14: The Complete 21-Bed Biointensive Mini-Farm
John Jeavons, 1986, (This is really essential.)

Booklet 15: One Basic Mexican Diet
J Mogador Griffin, 1987, (Not essential but interesting, worth having.)

Booklet 22: Grow Your Manure For Free
John Jeavons & Bill Bruneau, 1989, (Not absolutely essential, but a good idea to have it.)

Booklet 25: One Basic Kenyan Diet: With Diet, Income & Compost Crop Designs in a Three Growing-Bed Learning Model
Patrick Wasike, 1991, (Not essential but interesting, worth having.)

Booklet 26: Learning To Grow All Your Own Food: OneBed Model For Compost, Diet and Income Crops
Carol Cox & Staff, 1991 (This one is *essential*, this is the scaled-down version of Booklet #14.)

Also, of possible interest:

One Circle, How to Grow a Complete Diet in Less Than 1000 Square Feet, Dave Duhon & Cindy Gebhard 1984. http://www.bountifulgardens.org/shop/growbiointensive-books.html#5

This book demonstrates how to grow a person’s entire (very spartan) diet in less than 1000 sf. It was actually done for a year by a grad student (of course!). I read this book (as a library copy, I don’t own it) and found it very confusing - it’s pretty dense. (I could figure it out if I needed to, though.) I should also warn you that doing this - in this small a space - is pretty much a full-time job. But still, you might glean ideas from the book that you could use.

posted by Pat Meadows

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