We love strawberries around here, in fact when I buy a container of them from the grocery store it is a safe bet they will be inhaled in a matter of minutes. So naturally this was one plant I have always wanted in my garden. I have tried for the last couple of years to have a large, producing strawberry patch and what I've produced is a few, tiny (but very yummy) strawberries and I'm constantly fighting over them with the birds, netting and all. With that said, I am not one to give up easily so this year I got me another flat, a brand new raised bed in my garden, some dang good soil and a bb gun (kidding). There is a lot of information out there on planting strawberries and everyone seems to have a different opinion on how it should be done. Because I like to keep it simple I will be following the instructions below for my 2014 strawberry patch.
Strawberries are hard and time consuming to start from seed so buying starter plants is the best way to go. Although if you'd like to go for it with seed check out the resources below. Plant four weeks before the last frost in full sun 6-12" apart or four per square foot. Strawberries like rich, well-drained soil.
Water weekly or twice weekly during dry periods. Cutting runners off as they appear with keep the parent plant growing bigger and better berries. Pull up old plants and replant every 3-4 years. It's a good idea to put bird netting over the plants because birds love strawberries or get that bb gun (again, just kidding).
Spinach, beans, borage, and lettuce.
Pull or cut berries as they ripen. June bearing varieties will provide all your strawberries at the same time making them the ideal variety for making jam, freezing or other preserving. Ever-bearing varieties are good for picking and eating all season long, not for preserving. Strawberries are fun to preserve as you can make jam, syrup, fruit leather, you can freeze them whole and one of our favorites is cutting them in slices and dehydrating for a real "fruit snack."
Strawberries not only taste delicious they are also packed with vitamins and minerals including; vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and folic acid, antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin E, minerals like potassium, manganese, fluorine, copper, iron and iodine.
The Heirloom Life Gardener by Jere and Emilee Gettle has some serious strawberry growing instructions, including how to start from seed and save seeds.
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Spinach come from the Goosefoot family, which is the same family as beets and chard. It loves cold weather so is a great crop to try in both the spring and fall. Spinach tastes great and is chuck full of nutrients, making it a great addition to salads and smoothies.
Seed Starting and Propagation
Spinach seeds do not transplant well so seed outdoors 6 weeks before last frost (1st week April for zone 5). Plant seeds ½” deep, 9 per square foot or 4” apart in full to part shade. Succession plant every 2-3 weeks until temps get into the 70’s. Start again in late summer, early fall for another harvest, it should survive until weather gets into the 20’s.
Care
Spinach needs the same care you give to your lettuce plants, mulch and keep constantly moist.
Companion Planting
Plant next to strawberries.
Harvesting and Preserving
Cut individual leaves as needed whenever they are big enough to eat. You can also cut the entire plant, leaving 1” above the root. Spinach can be frozen, I also dehydrate and powder it in my Garden Greens Mix.
Seed Starting
Plant at least 20 plants if you want to save seed. Let them go to see by bolting in the warmer temperatures and collect from the last plants that bolt. When the seed feels dry to the touch, pick them individually from the stalks. Store in a glass container, envelope or plastic bag. Spinach seed usually keeps for 5-6 years.
Nutrition
Considered one of the super foods, spinach is rich in vitamin C, B-complex, K and A, calcium, protein, manganese, magnesium, zinc, potassium , iron, folate, as well as several other minerals and omega -3 fatty acids. Regular consumption can prevent osteoporosis and anemia. This is a great pregnancy food!
Resources I was always under the impression that kale, chard, and collards were all in the same family and therefore followed the instructions for planting kale for all of them. Not until I started really studying and starting my plants from seed did I find out that chard is not only from the beet family (goosefoot) but the same species (Beta vulgaris) as beets! They are grown using the same methods and there are several varieties to choose from; chard, here and beetroot, here. Our friend, kale, is actually from the cabbage family and we will talk about that family later this week. Seed Starting and Propagation Beets and chard aren't too picky about where they get planted just make sure you have some compost mixed in with your soil. They don't mind the cold at all so go ahead and sprinkle seeds right into the soil when temperatures are in the 50's. Once the seedlings are 3-6" tall, thin them to about 4" apart. Because I don't like to waste any seeds I plant them in one foot squares with 4 swiss chard plants per square and 9 beet plants per square, do whatever works for your garden. Chard can be started indoors 7 weeks before the last frost (last week in March for zone 5) then transplanted in the garden 3 weeks before last frost. Care Keep constantly moist while young, up to 3", water daily if necessary but be careful not to over water or you will have split roots (for the beets). Mulch plants once established and take watering down to once or twice a week, still keeping moist. Cut off any yellow or overgrown outer leaves. Companion Planting Grows well near bush beans (but does not like pole beans), onions, kohlrabi, lettuce and cabbage family. Keep away from mustard and pole beans. Harvesting and Preserving
Nutrients and Other Uses for Beets and Chard
Resources and Extra ReadingWhat tips do you have for planting and using beets and chard? Lettuce is part of the Composite family and comes in two main types of varieties; leafy and head. Leafy lettuces can but cut and will continue to come back until the growing season has come to an end. Head varieties form exactly what the name implies, a head. These are pulled up in one bunch and used, they include romaine, butterhead and iceberg lettuces. Check out the different heirloom varieties here, at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Seed Starting and Propagation Head lettuces can be started indoors 7 weeks before the last frost date (last week in March for zone 5) while leaf lettuces can be sown outdoors 4 weeks before the last frost (2nd week in April for zone 5). Transplant the head lettuces outdoors while planting your leafy lettuce seeds, in full to part shade. Technically though as long as your temps are in the 50's you should be good to plant them outdoors anytime. Head lettuce should be planted 12" apart or 4 per square foot, leafy lettuce can just be sprinkled over your designated area and lightly covered with some potting soil. Lettuce is a great succession planting crop so plant a new row of seeds every 2 weeks until the weather gets too hot, you can start a fall crop when the weather dips between 50-65 degrees (usually 4-7 weeks before first frost date). Care Once seedlings begin to sprout (3-7 days) thin to about 4" apart - just make a mini salad with those starts since lettuce can be eaten any time after it sprouts. Always water in the morning and try to avoid sprinkling the leaves to prevent fungal diseases. Lettuce needs to stay moist all the time or it becomes bitter so don't let the soil get dried out, on the other hand don't over water either. Leaf lettuces are difficult to mulch so generally only head lettuces are mulched and only if there are no slug problems, you don't want to mulch at all if slugs are a problem because they love mulch. Sprinkling some crushed egg shells around the lettuce should keep the slugs at bay. Lettuce can't compete with weeds so keep them weed free at all times. Companion Planting Plant with onions, strawberries, cucumbers, carrots and radishes. Harvesting and Preserving You can harvest leaf lettuce any time after they have sprouted but the ideal time to cut them off for salads is about 3-4" tall. If you cut the leaves 1" from the ground they will re-sprout and continue to produce until the hot weather sets in. Head lettuce is ready when the heads are firm. Seed Saving Let your lettuce go to seed (or "bolt" as it is commonly called), usually once summer comes around. Once they turn yellowish-tan and are dry, cut them off and place in a paper bag. Crush with your hands to separate the seeds and store in a glass container, envelope or plastic bag. They should keep for 2-4 years if stored in a cool, dark place. Nutrients Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, folate, and fiber. The darker the color the higher amount of nutrients it contains, this is why iceberg varieties are not as nutritious (and personal the darker colors have more flavor). Resources Nutritionandyou.com, lettuce nutrition facts. What tips do you have for growing lettuce? Peas are from the legume family and there are two main kinds; shelling peas, which you open up the pods and remove the peas and snap peas, which pods are edible so you can eat the entire thing. You can check out a variety of heirloom peas at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, here. I already had my pea seeds for this year but next year I will definitely be getting the violet blue pea variety! Seed Starting and Propagation Pre-soak seeds 12 hours prior to planting. Plant seeds directly in garden 6 weeks before last frost (1st week in April for zone 5). Plant 1" deep in full sun, 3-4" apart or 8 plants per square foot. Care Peas like moist but well drained soil, they will start to turn yellow if they are getting too much water. Water weekly about 2-3" and as the plant matures apply mulch to keep the roots cool, retain moisture and prevent weeds. Peas are a vine plant so they will need a trellis or pole to grow up - I just use bamboo poles. Companion Planting Peas grow well with carrots, turnips, radishes, cucumbers, corn, beans and potatoes. They also like aromatic herbs. Do not plant with onions, garlic or gladiolus. Harvesting and Preserving Carefully pick or cut pods off their stems at any stage of growth. For preserving wait until the pods are bulging before picking. Once you are done harvesting turn the entire plant right into the soil for some added nitrogen or pull up the plant and put into the compost pile. Pea can be bottled, frozen, or dehydrated although the best flavor is fresh from the vine. Seed Saving Allow the pods to dry right on the plant, this usually happens by early summer. Pick and open the pods to remove the seeds, then lay on a screen to complete the drying process. Once dried, store in a jar, envelope or plastic bag where they will keep for 4-5 years. Nutrients Peas are a good source of vitamins A, B, C, and K, folic acid, antioxidants, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese and a variety of other minerals as well as protein and fiber. Resources Nutritionandyou.com green peas nutrition facts. What tips do you have for planting and using peas?
Because my life has been revolving around the garden and spring planting I decided to do a plant series with all the information I have been researching about each plant that is going into my garden, complete with a printable page to add to your garden journal. I would love for you to leave comments on any growing or gardening tips you may have that go the with plant spotlight so we can all help each other, after all this blog is all about living and learning together. I want to start the series out with one of my favorites: Onions.
Onions are from the lily family and the genus Allium which include garlic, chives, leeks, scallions, and dozens of varieties of onion. You can visit Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds here, for a wide selection of heirloom varieties to plant in your garden.
Seed Starting and Propagation
Onions are very versatile when it comes to planting. You can start onions from seed, plant sets (year old onions that are planted like garlic bulbs) or just pick up some pre-started transplants from the garden nursery. If starting your own seeds you want to start indoors 12 weeks before the last frost (2nd week February for zone 5). Onion sets and transplants can be planted directly in the garden 4 weeks before the last frost (2nd week in April for zone 5). Plant in full sun, 6" apart and 1/2" deep and for sets place the root end down and just barely cover the tips with soil. *Tip: if seedlings start to droop you can trim them with some scissors, this will not only make them grow thicker but as they grow back the plant will be strengthened, you can do this up until transplanting time.
Bunching Green Onions or Scallions
If planting green onions or scallions you can try sowing the seed directly in the garden once the soil has warmed. These are planted 2" apart and can be harvested anytime, as you cut them they will continue to grow giving a continuous onion supply throughout the season. *Tip: don't let those wilting green onions in the fridge go to waste, go out an plant them in your backyard.
Care
Onions like rich, well drained soil so mix some compost into your soil before planting. Water every couple of days until the plants are well established and then mulch to retain moisture and keep weeds at bay. Here is a great post on mulching from Old World Garden Farms. Once established, water once or twice a week, if it is hot and dry water more to keep the shallow roots moist.
Companion Planting
Don't plant where root crops were planted the year before and avoid planting with peas or beans. You can plant with any member of the cabbage family, beets, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, summer savory and chamomile. Rotate your onions each year to avoid pest and disease problems. For bunching green onions that are like perennials replant every two to three years in a different spot.
Harvesting/Preserving
Once the onion tops have wilted stop watering and when they turn yellow to brown and fall over they are ready to harvest. Pull up the plants carefully and leave in the sun for a few days to dry out. Bring them indoors and continue to cure for another two weeks in a well ventilated area. Once cured you can braid the tops and hang in a cool dark place, you can also store in nylon by tying off under each onion to make an onion "necklace". When you are ready to use just cut the knot off below the onion to release it. Some varieties store better than others so you may want to take that into consideration when choosing a variety.
Nutrients and Medicinal Uses
Onions have many of the same healing properties as garlic due to the allium contained in them. They can boost the immune system, reduce cholesterol, protect heart health, strengthen bones, break up chest congestion and protect the body against harmful bacteria and viruses. People used to place an onion cut in half in the room of a sick person, it would turn black as it absorbed the germs and bacteria in the room and the person would heal much quicker. For this same reason it is not a good idea to eat an onion that has been sitting out for a while.
Resources
I have been a busy bee in my garden this month with hardly time to even make regular posts. However I did want to share with you what I have in my March section of my garden journal. Because this was my first year prepping my newly expanded garden I had to prepare my raised rows (which I am doing square foot garden style by making the rows 4 feet wide) and that meant a lot of dirt (and fun for Little Man). I used a pulverized top soil with 30% compost mix and then straw for my pathways to keep the weeds down and give a defined path for myself and the kiddos walk through.
Seeds to start indoors:
After having a fun seed swap with a friend we have acquired a large variety of heirloom peppers, tomatoes, and other veggies and herbs. The kids are most excited about the cosmic purple carrots.
Little Man has become the official seed starter. He filled all the cups with ourpotting soil mix, watered it down and then later on he placed all the seeds in the cups with a little sprinkling of potting soil and another little squirt of water. After covering and placing in a warm spot in the house he checks on those seedlings every morning, sings them a growing song and then helps to keep them moist. I love to see the excitement in his eyes when he finds another plant has sprouted and he carefully carries it downstairs to place under the grow lights.
Seeds to plant outside in the spring garden (last week of March):
Plants that are starting to poke up throughout the garden:
Other Garden Fun
The Littles and I have been enjoying the Beatrix Potter stories and following along with Strangers and Pilgrims Beatrix Potter project series. It was great fun to take the Peter Rabbit seed packets with us to the seed swap and Little Man had to make his grandma some Peter Rabbit bedtime room spray for her birthday. I also added a new book to my collection, called The Heirloom Life Gardener, I am so excited to read it over spring break this week! Another favorite discovery was Carrots Love Tomatoes, I got this from my library and must add it to my collection. It has a list of every plant, including herbs and fruit, and tells how that plant can help other plants and what plant will help them in growing or keeping pests away. I love it!
Favorite Books and Stories this Month
Symphytum officinale
Family: Boraginaceae, includes borage and forget-me-nots Parts Used: Root and leaf Comfrey is a perennial that can grow 3-4 feet with pretty purple flowers. It is known for healing bones and being a great composting plant to feed other plants in your garden. Other names for comfrey include bruisewort, knitbone, boneset, and healing herb, all which refer to it’s amazing bone healing properties. I became real familiar with this amazing herb last summer when my boys both had broken bones. It has quickly become one of my favorite go to herbal salves and a must have for the first aid kit. Herbal Actions and Properties
Medicinal Uses
Methods of Use
In the Garden
In the wild comfrey likes moist soil near streams and ponds with dappled sunlight. The soil is rich and moist so try and duplicate these conditions in your own garden.
Using Comfrey in the Garden: Comfrey is not only easy to plant in the garden, it is a well known compost plant. In fact, some people plant it just to be used for composting and mulching other garden plants. Just grab a handful of leaves (with gloves on because it can be pokey) rip the leaves up and sprinkle around other plants for a multi-purpose mulch and fertilizer. If you have a compost pile you can throw a bunch of leaves into it. You can also make a compost tea by stuffing a jar with leaves packed down and cover with a lid. The leaves will decompose into a “black tea” after a couple weeks. Dilute the tea with 10-20 parts water and use to fertilize garden plants. *Just a warning that this tea is pretty stinky so don’t be alarmed. Cautions
There is a lot of controversy around the use of this herb for internal purposes. Some say it contains liver damaging chemicals, while others claim it to be perfectly safe when used prudently. Many herbalists love this herb and continue to use it internally for small periods of time to cure an ailment. Do your research on this herb to decide for yourself. This can be an allergy herb so patch test before using and watch for an allergic reaction.
Contentions with Comfrey Studies by Dr. Christopher's Herbal Legacy RecipesResources
Comfrey Comfort by Dr. Axe
Dr. Christopher's Herbal Legacy: Benefits of Comfrey The Healing power of Trauma Comfrey Where Can I Get Some?
I purchased my comfrey plant from Rolling River Nursery, an online organic nursery that provides already started plants. I also tried to grow comfrey from seed using Horizon Herbs seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs, I failed miserably though which is why I ended up purchasing the actual plant.
You can get organic dried comfrey leaf and/or root from Mountain Rose Herbs and Bulk Herb Store.
In an effort to become more organized with my garden plans and seed starting I decided to make a seed file box to organize my seeds by the month they need to be started inside or planted outdoors. I got a 5 X 8 index card box with monthly card dividers in which to store the seeds that need to be planted or started for that month. Because I will not be using the December tab I store seeds that may not be planted that year, like perennials, flowers or certain herbs. This year I found a new seed carrier I really like called Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, from here on out I will be ordering all my seeds from them and as their name states, they only sell heirloom seeds that come from all over the world.
Today I will be starting seeds from the February tab which include; hot peppers, basil, parsley, and onions. First I gathered all my supplies; my seed starter tray, organic potting soil mix (see below), and a squirt bottle or cup of water.
Decide how many plants you will be starting and fill that many cells with the soil mix. Spray with water until very moist and let sit for a day or two in order to allow the soil to absorb all the water.
Place two seeds in each cell, tamp down and cover with the plastic top until they germinate. Once they have their true leaves remove the plastic top and bring out the shop light, keeping it 1-2 inches above the plants at all times.
Many people use craft sticks to label what is in each cell but that makes it difficult to place the plastic lid on top. I just use a sheet of paper and draw the cells on it with what is in each cell. I then tape this on top of the plastic lid right over the actual seeds. Once I remove the lid I can either tape it to the bottom to reference or I can then use the craft sticks (although I have little helpers that like to mess around with those).
Make Your Own Potting Soil
I usually buy prepackaged garden box mix from one of my local nurseries. This year they didn't have any in stock this early, only the chemical fertilizer filled potting mixes so I decided to make my own based off recipes found in Making Vegetables, Old World Garden Farms and Square Foot Gardening.
4 parts peat moss 2 parts compost 2 parts perlite or vermiculite or 1 part of each (the vermiculite was pretty expensive so I used the 2 parts perlite) We used a wheelbarrow to measure our parts and an empty sandbox for mixing and storing. The children had a lot of fun mixing it up and Big Woman even had to get in with her bare feet and pretend she was Lucy in Italy smashing grapes in the wine vat. (Yes, we are I Love Lucy fans around here)
I don't know why I ever purchased pre-made mixes before, this was so easy, fun and cost effective. I saved tons of money by mixing this myself and could've saved even more if my homemade compost had made it through the fall.
For more information on seed starting and making your own compost check out these posts from Old World Garden Farms: How to Start Garden Seeds on the Cheap Starting Seeds Indoors Composting Tips
As I mentioned in my garden planning post, the children each have and care for their own garden squares. Every year they look through my seed catalogs and decide what they want to plant in their gardens. Last year Little Man wanted to plant a pumpkin and we followed the book Kid's Pumpkin Projects: Planting and Harvest Fun. One of the projects was starting a pumpkin journal and because he and Big Man were the only ones doing pumpkins we just made a journal for everyone and called them garden journals. These were so fun, the children drew their garden plans, taped the seeds of what they were planting in them, drew pictures as their plants grew, and Big Woman even wrote the cutest poem in hers.
Other ideas for journal entries were keeping track of the weather, writing a short story about your plants, taking pictures of your garden and then glue them in, include pressed leaves and buds, chart the growth of your plants, and when you have harvested your plant, include what you made with it or how you ate it. These are personal and can include artwork, thoughts, predictions, observations and feelings.
To make the journals you could purchase a bound art book from the craft store and cover them with printed paper. Or for a frugal version like we did, just take a stack of printer paper and two pieces of printed scrapbook paper for the front and the back and staple them together. I also glued a strip of paper running along the stapled side so the kids wouldn't get poked by the staples. They made labels for the cover and decorated them with stickers. Little Woman even wanted to water color her cover so I let her have at it. She loves to cut and glue so I gave her my old seed catalogs and she cut out what she wanted to plant and glued them on her planning page.
The nature table finally got an actual shelf, rather than the floor, so we put a basket filled with our weather lapbooks, Handbook of Nature study newsletters, seed catalogs, Ranger Rick Jr. magazines and now our garden journals. When the kiddos want to make an entry they can just grab them out of the basket and create away.
This week we worked on garden plans for 2014 and Big Woman decided to grow a bunny garden to feed her precious bunny. Big Man always does whatever is the easiest, so pumpkin it was for the 5th year in a row. Little Man however wanted to plant just about everything in the garden catalog while Little Woman just wants pink flowers. We are so excited to start another year of gardening fun!
This post has been linked with the following blog hops - please visit them for further inspiration.
Homestead Barn Hop, Homemade Mondays, Thank Goodness It's Monday, Natural Living Monday, Mama Moments Monday, Mostly Homemade, Modest Monday, The Gathering Spot, Hearth and Soul Hop, Fat Tuesday, Tuned-in Tuesday, Tuesday Greens, Titus 2 Tuesday, Growing Homemakers, Tuesday Garden Party, Oil Me Up Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesdays, Wed Fresh Foods, Wellness Wednesday, Homemaking Link-up, Christian Homemaking Link Up, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Homeacre Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, Homemaking Link, Pintastic Pinteresting Party, Real food Fridays, Old Fashioned Fridays, From the Farm, Small Footprint Friday, Healing with Food Friday, Farmgirl Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays, Pin it Saturday. |
Hi, I’m Annie, a child of God, Mother of Influence and Herbalist. Welcome to my place where I share what I have learned of natural and frugal living, healthy eating and living, gardening, homeschooling, herbal crafting, preparing temporally and spiritually, and love for God and Country.
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