SWIHA Externship: 2 Hrs.
I've been enjoying the flowers popping up in my garden throughout the spring and summer! I have come to realize how many amazing edible flowers I have available right in my back yard. So here is a video for you to enjoy with flowers I've found in my yard plus a list of flowers for you to explore yourself! Be sure to do your research on how to eat each particular flower. Some can only be eaten cooked, some can only be eaten as buds... you get the picture!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UscZenX_cCc&list=UUEr2kYeb_ganVeWkj-cH00A&feature=share
Friday, June 27, 2014
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Growing Edible Flowers, Who Knew?!
SWIHA Externship: 3 hrs.
I've enjoyed peppery nasturtiums before and even made aromatic lavender cookies (which were delicious!) after being inspired by a friend. But this year I decided I wanted to add more flowers to my garden, namely edible flowers. Upon doing some research, I was blown away and very excited to begin my task of adding more flower food crops to my landscape! I was even more happy to find out that many edible flowers on my new list are already in my garden. I guess my laziness to pull the arugula out and let it flower was actually my subconscious mind leading me to another food discovery!
Here's the list of flowers in my garden including the ones I planted after finding out they were edible!
- Arugula, Chives, Calendula, Dandelion, Comfrey, Dill, Lavender, Nasturtium, Oregano, Sugar Snap Pea, Pink Rose, Gladiola, Violet, Echinacea, Day Lillies, Thyme, Red Clover
I also found some wild native plants on our land that carry edible flowers:
- Wild Rose - Siberian Miners Lettuce - Wild violet - Tigerlilly - Thimbleberry - Wild Strawberry - Chickweed - Fireweed - Oxeye Daisy - St. John's Wort
List of Edible Flowers
- Arugula - Borage -Calendula - Dandelion -Squash -Chamomile - Chives
- Broccoli -Bee Balm - Comfrey - Dill -Gladiolas -Hollyhock -Lavender
-Pink & Purple Mallow - Nasturtiums -Oregano -Oxalis -Oxeye Daisy
-Sugar Snap Pea -Evening Primrose -Pink & White Rose -Sage Bergamot -St John's Wort
- Sweet Rocket -Thistle -Violet -Echinacea -Marigold -Chicory - Bachelors Buttons
-Dahlia -Garlic -Orchid -Snap Dragon -Day Lillies - Red Clover -Coriander
- Cornflower -Fennel -Fuchsia - Geranium - Jasmine - Phlox - Impatiens - Thyme
Before consuming flowers off the awesome list I have constructed, please follow these safety tips for flower consumption that I got from another blog.
I've enjoyed peppery nasturtiums before and even made aromatic lavender cookies (which were delicious!) after being inspired by a friend. But this year I decided I wanted to add more flowers to my garden, namely edible flowers. Upon doing some research, I was blown away and very excited to begin my task of adding more flower food crops to my landscape! I was even more happy to find out that many edible flowers on my new list are already in my garden. I guess my laziness to pull the arugula out and let it flower was actually my subconscious mind leading me to another food discovery!
Here's the list of flowers in my garden including the ones I planted after finding out they were edible!
- Arugula, Chives, Calendula, Dandelion, Comfrey, Dill, Lavender, Nasturtium, Oregano, Sugar Snap Pea, Pink Rose, Gladiola, Violet, Echinacea, Day Lillies, Thyme, Red Clover
I also found some wild native plants on our land that carry edible flowers:
- Wild Rose - Siberian Miners Lettuce - Wild violet - Tigerlilly - Thimbleberry - Wild Strawberry - Chickweed - Fireweed - Oxeye Daisy - St. John's Wort
List of Edible Flowers
- Arugula - Borage -Calendula - Dandelion -Squash -Chamomile - Chives
- Broccoli -Bee Balm - Comfrey - Dill -Gladiolas -Hollyhock -Lavender
-Pink & Purple Mallow - Nasturtiums -Oregano -Oxalis -Oxeye Daisy
-Sugar Snap Pea -Evening Primrose -Pink & White Rose -Sage Bergamot -St John's Wort
- Sweet Rocket -Thistle -Violet -Echinacea -Marigold -Chicory - Bachelors Buttons
-Dahlia -Garlic -Orchid -Snap Dragon -Day Lillies - Red Clover -Coriander
- Cornflower -Fennel -Fuchsia - Geranium - Jasmine - Phlox - Impatiens - Thyme
Before consuming flowers off the awesome list I have constructed, please follow these safety tips for flower consumption that I got from another blog.
Eating Flowers Safely
So. As lovely as eating flowers can be, it can also be a little … deadly! Not to scare you off or anything. Follow these tips for eating flowers safely:- Eat flowers you know to be consumable — if you are uncertain, consult a reference book on edible flowers and plants.
- Eat flowers you have grown yourself, or know to be safe for consumption. Flowers from the florist or nursery have probably been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
- Do not eat roadside flowers or those picked in public parks. Both may have been treated with pesticide or herbicide, and roadside flowers may be polluted by car exhaust.
- Eat only the petals, and remove pistils and stamens before eating.
- If you suffer from allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may exacerbate allergies.
- To keep flowers fresh, place them on moist paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container. Some will last up to 10 days this way. Ice water can revitalize limp flowers.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Companion Planting for a Healthy Garden
SWIHA Externship: 4 hours
Plants to AVOID planting together:
Tomatoes and Potatoes
Potatoes and Sunflowers
Many culinary herbs provide benefits for the garden and attract pollinators as well. These include peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, catnip, comfrey, borage, sage, lovage and tarragon. By adding a variety of plants, your garden will build up a natural immunity through helpful insects and natural deterrents.
I have found that by growing catnip on the outside of my greenhouse, I avoid many pests every getting on my food. For those that get inside the greenhouse, nasturtiums are interspersed to lure away bugs from the food crops! (of course, there are plenty untouched nasturtiums for our own eating pleasure). I also allow chickweed to grow on the outside of my garden beds and it helps keep pests at bay. Soil health is important for keeping plants healthy also. If you are having pest problems, make sure the soil you are growing in is nutrient rich and free of chemicals.
A Green Thumb is gained by experience. The more you grow, the more you know. And yet, there is always more to learn so allow yourself to stay open to the possibility that there is something you may not know, the knowing of which could change everything!
Happy Growing!
Did you know that many plants have substances in their flowers, leaves and roots that can repel insects and/or attract insects depending what you plant them with? Some of these natural chemicals can also help enhance growth, flavor and other positive growing traits.
When I first began gardening, I just planted a bunch of seeds and watered everything. I noticed that some crops did really well while others were struggling just to come out of the ground. Then I read an article on Companion Planting, a permaculture concept that intercrops plants that offer mutual benefit while avoiding mixing crops that inhibit growth or attract unwanted insects. I found that by using this simple concept, my garden began to flourish!
There are many articles and charts available online about Companion planting and if you are serious about it, I'd recommend finding one you like and printing it up so you have the chart readily available when planting. You will find, like I did, that companion planting is an important part of pest management for organic farmers and gardeners. It helps keep a balanced eco-system so that nature can do its job, thriving in diversity. When I have an issue with a crop, the first thing I do is look up the companion plants and add them to the area. I have found it offers amazing results! Of course, starting these plants together at the same time offers more benefits and protection. If you are struggling with a particular pest, you can research which plants protect against and add them to your garden bed!
Companion Plants I group together:
Lettuce, Beets, Onions
Tomatoes, Basil, Chives
Asparagus, Dill
Potatoes, Beans
Pumpkin, Turnips, Borage
Apple, Strawberry
Blueberry, Strawberry
Herbs and flowers I use to divert pests away from my crops:
Calendula
Catnip
Dill
Nasturtium
Chickweed
Tomatoes and Potatoes
Potatoes and Sunflowers
Many culinary herbs provide benefits for the garden and attract pollinators as well. These include peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, catnip, comfrey, borage, sage, lovage and tarragon. By adding a variety of plants, your garden will build up a natural immunity through helpful insects and natural deterrents.
I have found that by growing catnip on the outside of my greenhouse, I avoid many pests every getting on my food. For those that get inside the greenhouse, nasturtiums are interspersed to lure away bugs from the food crops! (of course, there are plenty untouched nasturtiums for our own eating pleasure). I also allow chickweed to grow on the outside of my garden beds and it helps keep pests at bay. Soil health is important for keeping plants healthy also. If you are having pest problems, make sure the soil you are growing in is nutrient rich and free of chemicals.
A Green Thumb is gained by experience. The more you grow, the more you know. And yet, there is always more to learn so allow yourself to stay open to the possibility that there is something you may not know, the knowing of which could change everything!
Happy Growing!
How to Build Soil with 4 Ingredients
SWIHA Externship: 5 hours Bin Building, Research, Blog
Every Organic Gardener knows that the key to creating ongoing, nutrient-rich soil for your plants is to effectively compost. But most of us are completely unaware of how SOIL happens! Here I will show you how to build soil by using a compost pile.
For our home, I built a wood compost bin with 2 sections. The container helps keep our dog out of it. The 2 sections helps me aerate my pile by allowing me to put my pile on one side and dry, brown material on the other for easy layering. By layering 3 to 4 parts Brown material with 1 part Green material, the pile can stay moist without getting too wet and slowing down decomposition.
4 KEY Components-
Carbon: Found in Brown material such as dead leaves, rotten branches, newspaper. Too much carbon keeps the pile from breaking down. Layering the brown material on top of green material supports nitrogen retention in the soil.
Every Organic Gardener knows that the key to creating ongoing, nutrient-rich soil for your plants is to effectively compost. But most of us are completely unaware of how SOIL happens! Here I will show you how to build soil by using a compost pile.
For our home, I built a wood compost bin with 2 sections. The container helps keep our dog out of it. The 2 sections helps me aerate my pile by allowing me to put my pile on one side and dry, brown material on the other for easy layering. By layering 3 to 4 parts Brown material with 1 part Green material, the pile can stay moist without getting too wet and slowing down decomposition.
4 KEY Components-
Carbon: Found in Brown material such as dead leaves, rotten branches, newspaper. Too much carbon keeps the pile from breaking down. Layering the brown material on top of green material supports nitrogen retention in the soil.
Nitrogen: Found in Green material such as fresh cut grass and food scraps, nitrogen creates nutrient dense soil for plants. Too many greens in the pile will keep the pile too wet for decomposing, not enough makes the pile too dry.
Air: Air flow helps bacteria decompose organic material.
Air: Air flow helps bacteria decompose organic material.
Turning contents every 2-4 weeks supports aeration of compost, microbial action.
Water: The correct amount of water keeps the pile at a warm temp and microorganisms thriving. Too much can make it slimy and stinky. Not enough stops decomposing activity.
GOOD COMPOST INGREDIENTS:
- Yard Waste (brown and green)
Water: The correct amount of water keeps the pile at a warm temp and microorganisms thriving. Too much can make it slimy and stinky. Not enough stops decomposing activity.
GOOD COMPOST INGREDIENTS:
- Food Waste: fruit/vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, sea shells, bones
(NO: Meat, Dairy, Processed Food, Oils/Fats)
- Newspaper (non-glossy)
Build Soil, Grow Food, Be happy!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Growing Chemical Free Raspberries
SWIHA Externship: 4 hours Research and Installation
Growing Raspberries in the Pacific Northwest can be fairly easy if you understand some basics. Anytime I'm interested in growing a food crop, I do research first. My way of researching is by searching on Google "How to Grow Raspberries". I always look for the links that lead to Organic growing because these give tips on keeping plants healthy naturally while supporting the Earth.
To be honest, I have no idea the actual type of Raspberries I have. I am a big fan of receiving healthy plant starts from friends so I got both red raspberries and champagne raspberry canes from a friend's organic patch. But like Richard Bach says in his book Illusions, "We teach best what we most need to learn." I realize I have a lot to learn about Raspberries but I know some things that I can share. First, you've got to have healthy soil. Healthy soil should be rich in color: a combination of rich organic matter that offers microorganisms for plant health. Soil also needs a good balance of clay to retain nutrients and sand so the soil can drain well. Too much sand dries out and can leach nutrients while too much clay can hold too much water and stress plants.
First, I picked a spot to place the raspberries that would benefit from full sun and neutral or slightly acidic soil. The ground had high clay content and didn't drain well so I decided to do raised beds on top of the clay. I started with soil on our property that was a good blend of clay, sand and organic matter. But the soil wasn't dark brown, more of a medium brown. I decided to add well-decayed compost to the beds and mix it in. Because I am making raised beds, I will mulch them to help keep the ground warmer and the moisture in.
Next I found some small canes that have come up from other canes, making sure they weren't flowering as not to shock them, and carefully transplanted them into my new garden beds. I placed the canes 2 feet apart, knowing they will shoot up new canes and fill in the bed. Then I created a cover for them to help reduce deer and rabbit nibbles.
I will fertilize them with worm compost in the fall/winter and cut back dead canes to promote new growth and bigger harvest next year. Because my raspberries are summer-bearing canes, growing the first season and producing fruit in the second, I will only cut the canes that have already produced fruit (which are easy to tell because the canes turn brown).
According to Organic Gardening.com, "In late winter, remove the smallest canes to leave three to six sturdy canes per 1 foot (30 cm) of row." This allows for healthier and more productive crop.
If your raspberries have any problems, Organic Gardening has a list of potential issues and how to address them safely. I haven't had any problems with my canes I planted last year, but if I do, I will immediately research it and use organic methods for healing the problem. One way to avoid pests and other problems is to START with Healthy soil and use Companion Planting which consists of planting crops that support healthy raspberries. These crops include Garlic and Tansy. Crops to Avoid planting next to Raspberries are Blackberries and Potatoes as they can introduce disease.
Having 4 kids, I have not seen a big enough crop to harvest for later use! But if you get so lucky, harvest berries in the morning when they are dry. Then carefully place them in the fridge or freezer, depending on what you want to do with them.
My plan is to ultimately expand my crop, then build a chicken coop, then fence in the crop so that the chicken run will include the raspberry beds. I have seen this done and it create an ongoing symbiotic relationship between the chickens and the berries!
If you choose to grow Raspberries, do some research, find some healthy chemical-free canes and have fun! Growing food can be informative and healing. I'm learning as I go and I know you can too!
Resources:
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/growing-raspberries?page=0,1
http://www.almanac.com/plant/raspberries
http://www.unclelukes.com/companion-planting/companion-planting-chart
Growing Raspberries in the Pacific Northwest can be fairly easy if you understand some basics. Anytime I'm interested in growing a food crop, I do research first. My way of researching is by searching on Google "How to Grow Raspberries". I always look for the links that lead to Organic growing because these give tips on keeping plants healthy naturally while supporting the Earth.
To be honest, I have no idea the actual type of Raspberries I have. I am a big fan of receiving healthy plant starts from friends so I got both red raspberries and champagne raspberry canes from a friend's organic patch. But like Richard Bach says in his book Illusions, "We teach best what we most need to learn." I realize I have a lot to learn about Raspberries but I know some things that I can share. First, you've got to have healthy soil. Healthy soil should be rich in color: a combination of rich organic matter that offers microorganisms for plant health. Soil also needs a good balance of clay to retain nutrients and sand so the soil can drain well. Too much sand dries out and can leach nutrients while too much clay can hold too much water and stress plants.
First, I picked a spot to place the raspberries that would benefit from full sun and neutral or slightly acidic soil. The ground had high clay content and didn't drain well so I decided to do raised beds on top of the clay. I started with soil on our property that was a good blend of clay, sand and organic matter. But the soil wasn't dark brown, more of a medium brown. I decided to add well-decayed compost to the beds and mix it in. Because I am making raised beds, I will mulch them to help keep the ground warmer and the moisture in.
Next I found some small canes that have come up from other canes, making sure they weren't flowering as not to shock them, and carefully transplanted them into my new garden beds. I placed the canes 2 feet apart, knowing they will shoot up new canes and fill in the bed. Then I created a cover for them to help reduce deer and rabbit nibbles.
I will fertilize them with worm compost in the fall/winter and cut back dead canes to promote new growth and bigger harvest next year. Because my raspberries are summer-bearing canes, growing the first season and producing fruit in the second, I will only cut the canes that have already produced fruit (which are easy to tell because the canes turn brown).
According to Organic Gardening.com, "In late winter, remove the smallest canes to leave three to six sturdy canes per 1 foot (30 cm) of row." This allows for healthier and more productive crop.
If your raspberries have any problems, Organic Gardening has a list of potential issues and how to address them safely. I haven't had any problems with my canes I planted last year, but if I do, I will immediately research it and use organic methods for healing the problem. One way to avoid pests and other problems is to START with Healthy soil and use Companion Planting which consists of planting crops that support healthy raspberries. These crops include Garlic and Tansy. Crops to Avoid planting next to Raspberries are Blackberries and Potatoes as they can introduce disease.
Having 4 kids, I have not seen a big enough crop to harvest for later use! But if you get so lucky, harvest berries in the morning when they are dry. Then carefully place them in the fridge or freezer, depending on what you want to do with them.
My plan is to ultimately expand my crop, then build a chicken coop, then fence in the crop so that the chicken run will include the raspberry beds. I have seen this done and it create an ongoing symbiotic relationship between the chickens and the berries!
If you choose to grow Raspberries, do some research, find some healthy chemical-free canes and have fun! Growing food can be informative and healing. I'm learning as I go and I know you can too!
Resources:
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/growing-raspberries?page=0,1
http://www.almanac.com/plant/raspberries
http://www.unclelukes.com/companion-planting/companion-planting-chart
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