The Benefits of Black Mulch

It's about that time for me to be thinking of transplanting all my tomato and pepper seedlings.  May 20 is our frost free date, so we are pretty much in the clear from frost.  However, just because frost is not a threat cold night time temperatures still are for these heat loving plants.  We've just had a series of 80+ degree days but all that is about to change as a cold front is moving in bringing cooler weather and 40 degree nights as well.

Not to daunted however, I am planning on "cheating" the cold temperatures by using a black mulch on the garden for my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.  Even if daytime temperatures are nice, these plants like warm soil as well.  Black mulch does the trick.  I will lay the mulch down a good week ahead of planting as I am also trying to avoid surprise spring hailstorms.  I have found that giving the tomatoes the best soil conditions to start in predicts their outcome more than getting them in too early and watch them struggle to thrive. 

 Why mulch?  This is a great question...why should we even bother doing this in the first place?  Mulching certainly has its advantages that make it definitely worth considering.  There are many options when it comes to mulch, like straw, hay, coffee grounds, and other organic materials.  While we use a mix of these materials ( I have sawdust on the paths in the photo above), I want to look especially at this one particular kind.

1. It Warms Up the Soil.  Like I mentioned previously, mulch...specifically black, will warm up your soil temperature providing you with an earlier harvest - anywhere from 7-14 days earlier! (1)  Let's face it.  These Mediterranean plants LOVE the heat and black mulch is a huge help for our summers in Northeast Ohio.  Especially during a cool, wet summer...the mulch helps to give the plants the extra warmth they need to be nice and productive.  Straw, hay and other types of light colored mulch actually cool the soil so you'll want to consider this when choosing a mulch that matches your plants growing conditions.

2.  The Mulch is Moisture Retentive.  I like to use landscape fabric for our mulch as it is water and air permeable yet holds in the moisture too. This is a huge plus for a dry summer or if your area is in drought.  It's another great measure to protect your all important seedlings to make sure you enjoy a premium bounty of fruit.

 3.  It Serves as an Excellent Weed Control.  It's more work to put down the mulch, but it saves LOTS of time later by not having to weed your plants.  There will be a few weeds that poke through the plant holes, but unless you are fighting an especially aggressive weed, black mulch really cuts down on this issue.  I would actually mulch my plants for this reason alone because it's such a huge timesaver in the garden.

Other Benefits of Black Mulch:

1. Minimizes nutrient leaching by shedding excessive rainfall.

2. Helps keep the edible portion of vegetable crops clean, especially pumpkin and other fruiting vegetables.

3. Helps to prevent the transference of soil borne diseases from being splashed up onto the plant.

I have found black mulch to be invaluable in our home garden AND our Community Garden.  We've grown tomatoes with and without it and the mulch makes a huge difference in what the fruit looks like and how much we get.  It's a true garden help.

There are a few disadvantages mostly dealing with the cost of the materials and the time to lay it down.  I often find my fabric, if heavy duty, will last more than one season.  Otherwise, we pay about $15-$20 for a roll that covers most of our small garden space.  We use other more economical mulches that we have around the yard for other areas of the garden and save money that way.

Photo Source

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If you're a beginning gardener or haven't tried using black mulch on your tomatoes, peppers, eggplants as well as squash and melons; here's hoping you'll consider trying it this year and see if it makes a difference in your growing region.  

Blessings!!


References:

1. http://www.extension.org/pages/65191/synthetic-mulching-materials-for-weed-management
2. http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1099
3. http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/veg/htms/colrmlch.htm

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Make an Herbal Container Tea Garden

Herbal teas; also known as "tisanes" are a must-have for any tea drinker.  But if you live in a small space, you may not realize how easy it is to have a small tea garden with herbs.  Many herbs do quite well in containers and they make a great little display as well.  I like my herbs in containers because I can locate them wherever I want and not have to create an flower bed for them.  I also don't have to weed them either.  

I wouldn't recommend putting all your tea herbs in one small pot.  They will grow into beautiful large plants if you separate them and not stuff them into one spot.  Also, when you grow them all together, the more vigorous plants tend to overtake the smaller ones and you can potentially lose an herb this way. Even though those pots with several kinds of herbs look really cute - if you're growing your plants for harvest, this one pot/many herb method really doesn't work well.

                                             1. Start with the Basics.

There are quite a few herbs to choose for your tea garden and the list goes on and depending on what you like.  The basic herbs you will want to include for sure are the mints and chamomile.  When I started drinking herbals, chamomile was my first tea.  It wasn't my favorite but that was because I was drinking it in tea bags (yuk) and using older flowers from herb shops.  Growing your own is a totally different taste sensation.  The taste is fresher, brighter and all around better.  It easy to grow too.  I started mine in the fall in containers and let it overwinter.  It came up fine on its own and I didn't have to do anything really.  Or you can purchase a few plants to get your garden started.  If you leave a few flowers on the plant toward the end of the season, it will easily self-sow.  Just don't empty out the soil from the container. 

                2. Grow Herbs that Will be the Base Flavor for your Own Tea Blends.

For me that is the mints.  I have been growing two different peppermints as well as spearmint for years in pots.  I have found that the best way to keep the strains and flavor of peppermints pure and contained is to grow them this way.  I have a wonderful chocolate mint and a blue balsam mint.  I also keep the mints flavors intact by keeping them from flowering by keeping the leaves picked.  I harvest the top portion of the stem on each stalk and let them air dry or gently dry them in my dehydrator. 
Growing them in the containers makes it easy for me to keep them harvested regularly than if left in a garden bed where they tend to spread and it becomes easy to let them go.  By regularly harvesting the leaves and not letting them flower, they don't cross pollinate, set seed and produce a new diluted mint flavored plant as my other mints have.  

Growing mints and chamomile gives you two great flavor profiles in which to add in other herbs from the garden.  Especially if you are growing herbs for medicine.  Many of the medicinal herbs are bitter tasting by themselves so it's great to add mint and/or chamomile to flavor your own blend.  They also taste great by themselves.

 

3. There are lots of Herbs to Choose for Your Garden.

Besides the herbs mentioned above, there are some great herbs out there to add to your tea garden.  You can start with a few herbs and add some more each season.  I have grown Pineapple Sage, Lemon Balm, Hyssop and don't forget to add a Stevia plant to your garden.  These can grow in containers well and you can use the leaves fresh or dried to sweeten your teas.  I often add dry stevia leaves to my tea blends to naturally sweeten them.  Be adventurous in your tea herbs too, lemon thyme and lemon basil can be refreshing as a tea too.

                      4. Remember to Feed your Container Herbs and Water 
                                                      Them Regularly.
 
Because these plants are living in pots you need to make sure to use a fish emulsion or other organic food once or twice in the summer.  I find I don't need to do much except water the pots if they look a bit wilt-y.  If the summer is really hot, I often move them to a part shade location until they begin to perk up a bit.  Mints tend to like some shade and this is a bonus to growing in containers.

So don't let a lack of space limit you from making your own herbal teas.  Even if you have smaller pots on a patio space or porch, just make sure they get some decent sun and keep them watered for your own fresh teas.  You'll definitely taste the difference.

Blessings!!

What are your favorite tea herbs?

More posts on growing plants in containers:  Container Plant How-To's and How to Plant a Cottage-Style Window Box


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Tea Time at Rosepoint Cottage

Every year for Mother's Day, I will take my mom, mother-in-law and sister to a local tea house for lunch.  I don't know what it is about tea houses; they are all so frou-frou and lacey with ruffles and every shade of pink and blue imaginable.  But they are also irresistible to my feminine side.   I can't help but enjoy the bone china and sugar cubes in crystal bowls...too fun.  We always have a great time together...catching up on news for the past few months and getting reacquainted in the process.


Tea houses were a big fad in the late 80's and early 90's when dusty rose and country blue were all the rage.  Victorian was big back then and it was the perfect showcase for tea.  I started going to teahouses when I became obsessed interested in tea lots of years ago.  I love tea in flowery china or sturdy asian cups depending on the type served.  

This year I was missing my mom who passed away in April at the wonderful age of 86.  It was hard to see her go, but so glad she was my mom for the time she was here.  She was an amazing lady full of love, encouraging words for everyone and abundant smiles.  I know she's in a great place now and I'll have only the best memories of her for the rest of my life.

But keeping the tradition going, I went to one of few teahouses still open in the area with my youngest son and wonderful mother-in-law.  We had a really fun time together and the day outside was sunny and beautiful.  So, here are a few highlights of the tea house we went too called Rosepoint Cottage in Chardon, Ohio.  It's a small century home remade into a really great place to spend an afternoon.

We all decided on the "Cottage Chicken Pot Pie" for lunch.  It was hearty, creamy and delicious topped with puffed pastry.  Yum.  

Edible garnishes with the pot pie

Digging in to deliciousness.

Old meets new...tea and texting

A really great day together...lots of love and fun!

Thanks for hanging out with us for our time together...I can't believe how blessed I'm am with such an amazing family!! 

Happy Mother's Day to you all!  Blessings!

Love you Mom!

Check out these posts on tea parties as well...Vintage Tea Room Fun 
and Mother's Day Tea Party.



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How Gardening Can Make You Healthy

The idea of gardening contributing to our health seems on the surface to be a no-brainer but science is discovering different ways how gardening and nature in general can help give us all a better quality of life overall.

When I was a kid I basically only liked 3 foods and vegetables was not one of them.  I'm not sure how I survived on a diet of saltine crackers and American cheese but thankfully I'm still here.  I was very sick a lot though and it all makes sense now when I think what I ate or more like what I didn't eat growing up.

It wasn't my parent's fault either.  They tried their very best to get me to eat veggies and fruit but the canned stuff we were usually served didn't work for me.  My taste buds were enlightened the first time I ate a newly shucked pea from its pod from one of our summer time gardens.  We didn't garden every year but the few times we did I realized that vegetables could actually be tasty. 

Once married and with kiddos; I decided they needed to taste real food from its source and that's when I really plunged into gardening.  I was hooked on growing my own food and that meant I needed to eat this stuff too.  Which I did, although some vegetables took me a long time to like; I persevered on until I grew to love them too.

So how does gardening make you healthy? 

1. Stress Relief.  
Sounds funny when I think of it because weeds can make me feel stressed, but actually a recent study done in the Netherlands showed how it can relieve lots of stress.  Two groups of people after having completed a stressful task were then instructed to either read a book or work in the garden for 30 minutes.  The garden group reported better moods and had lower levels of cortisol than the reading group.1  Pretty amazing, huh?  It turns out that garden activity is a type of "involuntary attention" where we don't have to be intensely focused on a specific task and therefore can relax.  After all, pulling a weed or hoeing isn't rocket science.

2. Better Mental Health. 
"In a study conducted in Norway, people who had been diagnosed with depression, persistent low mood, or "bipolar II disorder" spent six hours a week growing flowers and vegetables.
After three months, half of the participants had experienced a measurable improvement in their depression symptoms. What's more, their mood continued to be better three months after the gardening program ended. The researchers suggest that the novelty of gardening may have been enough to jolt some of the participants out of their doldrums, but some experts have a much more radical explanation for how gardening might ease depression." 2

I know that when I feel anxious or stressed, going out to look at my plants, flowers, what-have-you makes a big difference in how I feel when I come back in from being outside.  But not just the warm sun, gentle breezes and the beautiful colors of nature can affect us, some researchers believe that the soil itself can be healing!

"Christopher Lowry, Ph.D., an assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has been injecting mice with Mycobacterium vaccae, a harmless bacteria commonly found in soil, and has found that they increase the release and metabolism of serotonin in parts of the brain that control cognitive function and mood -- much like serotonin-boosting antidepressant drugs do."3

This isn't to say that you should throw away your prescription drugs but to think if you're feeling a bit down or depressed that planting in the soil can help...why not?! 

3. Exercise and Nutrition.

This is a given.  Although the exercise we do in the garden is not cardiovascular, we are moving and that is always beneficial to the body.  The repetitive tasks help to tone muscle and are good low impact exercises.  It's not surprising to hear that many elderly people do well health wise when they maintain a garden of some kind.

Nutrition...well, when you plant the food you pretty much are committed to try to eat it!  And most gardeners eat more vegetables than non-gardeners.  This has to do with access to fresher food and making better food choices.

"Studies of after-school gardening programs suggest that kids who garden are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables. And they're a lot more adventurous about giving new foods a try, says Anne Palmer, who studies food environments as the program director of Eating for the Future, a program based at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future, in Baltimore."4

No room for a garden?  Not a gardener?  Studies have shown that even looking at some form of nature can bring health benefits as well.  Health benefits have been found even when looking at a portrait or photo. 5

"A landmark study by Roger S. Ulrich, published in the April 27, 1984, issue of Science magazine, found strong evidence that nature helps heal. Ulrich, a pioneer in the field of therapeutic environments at Texas A&M University, found that patients recovering from gallbladder surgery who looked out at a view of trees had significantly shorter hospital stays, fewer complaints, and took less pain medication, than those who looked out at a brick wall."6

Pretty amazing stuff, right?  But then again...as gardeners we're not too surprised.  Being connected with nature and being amazed year after year whenever we see newly sprouted seedlings emerge gives us immense joy. It brings back that childlike amazement of new birth which has to be great for our hearts and minds.  It also gives us a tremendous sense of accomplishment...always great for our health.

Hopefully this will inspire you to want to buy a patio tomato, a potted flower or a windowbox of lettuce...of all the health benefits, you'll be eating better for sure!

Blessings!

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1. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/08/why.gardening.good/index.html
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Ibid
5.http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/gardening-health?page=2
6.http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/gardening-health

Garden Update: Transplanting Tomatoes

It's hard to believe that April is gone and May is here.  With May comes more outside gardening work and that includes transplanting seedlings that have been started indoors and hardened off outside.  I started them using recycled materials that I wrote about in a previous post.  In mini-green houses, I set them near registers indoors to germinate and then took them outside, covered, on warmer sunny days to harden off.  The method worked out great as it allowed me to get them started inside but used the sun outside instead of sun lamps or placed on the windowsills.

 This method also caused the plants to become hardier and sturdier than they would be if completely raised inside.  Even though these little seedlings leaves are a bit battered from being outside in the elements, their new leaves will be more than ready to do the job.  

You will know it's time to transplant once the second set or "true" set of leaves start to appear.  When these leaves appear, the plants put out a long tap root and you'll want to transplant before that happens to make the it less stressful for the tomatoes. 

I decided to use some small plastic cups (8 oz size) that I had left over to use as the new tomato plant containers.  These would be perfect for the job.  However, drainage is vital for each new plant so I needed a fast way to put in drainage holes.  Here's a photo tutorial on how to easily do this.  I found this on another garden bloggers site.  A great idea I have to say...

With all the drainage holes in place in each cup, I went on to put drainage holes in my mini-greenhouse containers too.  Then filling each cup with planting mix, I wet the soil thoroughly and went to hang some clothes out on the line while the soil-less mix absorbed the water.  I like to give it some time to settle in before planting the new seedlings.

To actually transplant the seedlings, I used a plastic fork to gently loosen the soil around the plant holding the plant by its leaves (never the stem.)  Once it was loosened, I was able to dislodge it from the soil and place it in its new home.

Because tomatoes are a vine, you can bury the stem as deep as you want.  It will form roots along the stem and become stronger as it grows.  These plants got a bit "leggy" from a lack of light inside, but transplanting them deeper solves this problem.

And there you have it...25 plants all relocated into new homes; larger pots...or in this case - cups.  I'll just recycle the cups when they're finished too.  I will probably transplant the tomatoes one more time to larger pots before putting in the garden in late May or earliest June.  Now that they are in a bigger pot, they'll take off with this round of warm weather we're expecting to have around here.  To give them extra warmth, I'll cover them with their greenhouse lids at night to help keep the temps stable and to give them the best start.  Tomatoes like warm weather.

Tomatoes done for now...peppers are next!!  Looking forward to a great garden this year.  Hope yours is too....Blessings!

What are you doing in the garden right now??



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How to Plant a Cottage-Style Window Box

What brings to mind the cozy look of a cottage more than a window box?  At least that's what I thought when we first moved into our small cottage-esque starter home so many years ago.  While our house is not quaint or very special on its own, adding a large custom built window box made it feel more like the cottage inspired home and garden we were looking for.
  

My love of the cottage look is in the small collection of flower beds surrounding our home.  I define cottage-style as a loose, informal grouping of classic annual flowers reminiscent of times gone by.  I don't stick with any strict rules that they have to be cottage flowers, but it's more of an unconstrained, informal type planting.  No orderly plantings here, but only what feels like you would find in a field of wildflowers.  So here is some loose guidelines for you to plant your own amazing cottage style window box.


1. Start with a great loose soil that is has potting soil and a mix of perilite, vermiculite or other soil lightener. 
Great soil is always key when container planting.  You want something that has good drainage, is light yet is able to retain enough moisture that you don't have to water constantly.  I have to admit I reuse my soil year after year and freshen it up with every new planting.  I've yet to have any problems with soil disease (thankfully) and it has saved me lots of $$$.  You can decide if you want to do this...the flowers I plant are very hardy and as you can see, it doesn't affect their growth. 
 

 2. Choose plants that are tall, medium and spreading.
Here I have Tall Ageratum in the back, Black and Blue Salvia in the middle section alone.  I also have Zinnia "White Profusion" on the ends with begonias tucked in here and there for a shot of bright color.
This is basic when planting a one sided container.  Tall growers in the back and medium or spreading plants in the front depending on the growing space in your box.  It's important to use "untidy" flowers in order to get that free form cottage look.  Really read your flower labels and check out other planters in the garden center to get ideas from what they've created.  Don't be afraid to ask them what plants they used when you find something you like.
  

3. Try to use some unusual or uncommon flowers in your box and fill in with less expensive flowers.
The salvias are a bit pricey, but I find I only need two of them to fill out the box.  They grow quickly and I don't have to wait long for the box itself to become lush with flowers.  I like to buy flats of other easy to grow and common flowers to use in the box and my other containers.
I also like to "overplant" my flowers in order to get them to fill in quickly.  I can do this when the flowers aren't overly expensive.  Impatiens and begonias are flower varieties that fill out quickly and are great for shade.   

4. Look for butterfly and hummingbird flower varieties.
The salvia I use every year because they attract hummingbirds like crazy.  I would much rather plant flowers to attract them than use feeders as I don't want to keep up the feeders.  I know it sounds lazy, but what can I say...I'm being honest!
These salvia get quite tall and the first year I planted them I was embarrassed by their height.  However, once the hummingbirds came, I was all about these beauties.  By planting such tall flowers, I have a great view of them AND the wildlife from inside the house. The ageratum and zinnia attract lots of butterflies too.

5. Be sure to use a long term fertilizer followed by a liquid fertilizer. 
This is essential for a beautiful window box.  Fertilize ( I use an organic one) and water daily once summer's heat hits. My early flower box plantings were less than impressive until I talked to a friend who had a beautiful box.  I asked her the secret and she said to fertilize it.  Simple enough but so important to get that lush growth and amazing blooms that make your garden really stand out.

That's it.  Nothing too complicated but so wonderful to look at.  My favorite thing to plant every year is our double window flower box.  I always like to imagine what it will look like year after year as I tend to experiment with flower choices (except the salvia).  

Hope this inspires you to be creative this year with your plantings.  Have fun!  

What's your favorite cottage -style flower?

For more on flower plantings, check out my post...Container Plant How-To's

Blessings!

Simple Lives Thursday

 

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April Flower Collage

Hellebore

Spring's arrival is more than just a date on the calender.  It may be official on paper but we really need to experience it in order for us to understand what it really is.  The warm sunshine, refreshing rains and of course its profusion of spring flowers.

Hyacinth - bud and flower

 We finally have had breakthrough in our endless winter here with warm temperatures bringing up all the spring bulbs and putting on a pretty amazing show.  Totally soothing to this snow-weary soul...
 

Spring in April - 2013

Spring is a promise come true and a herald of new beginnings...may all your promises come true and new beginnings be sweet. 

Blessings!

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