-Dan Toot- We’ve seen the labels in the grocery store, and maybe we’ve looked into the overall benefits of organic growing, but many of us have not put it into practice ourselves. This may be especially true for those of us living in an apartment. But as quarantine encourages us to lean into our hobbies and interests, even an apartment dweller like me can dip their toes into the soil of organic gardening and understand firsthand the allure and benefits of growing organically. I got my hands … [Read more...] about Ghosts on the Balcony: A Novice Grows Golden Ghost Peppers Organically
Organic gardening
Some Helpful Tips for Growing Squash
-Pam Scott- Spring is in full swing. Most of us have our seeds and seedlings tucked safely in the ground as we head full speed towards summer. On these 80-90 degree days it's hard to imagine that it was only weeks ago that we were hit with a heavy frost. Summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, okra, beans, squash, and cucumbers are growing quickly due to warm sunny days and rainy nights. One of the most frequently asked questions we hear these days is “How do I keep bugs and mildew from … [Read more...] about Some Helpful Tips for Growing Squash
Building a Raised Bed
-Ryan Blankenship- Whether you live in the city or out in the country, the best way to have complete control over your garden is by building a raised bed. I say this because everyone’s soil is going to be different. It could be very sandy, loamy, high or low in nitrogen, or even solid red clay like mine is. The best way overcome challenges presented by your soil is by building a garden bed on top of your existing soil. The first step is determining the size bed you would like to … [Read more...] about Building a Raised Bed
Roots Organics: Terp Tea
-CJ Pellegrini- “Activate the aromatic power of your garden’s natural terpenes.” If you’re looking for a versatile, organic, easy to use nutrient for your heavy-feeding plant varieties, Roots Organics: Terp Tea is the nute for you. We decided to test out this one-part grow and one-part bloom formula on our current batch of Citrus Cherry smokable hemp, and we couldn't be happier with the results so far. The 7-1-1 Grow formula, which we tried first, is derived from sustainably-sourced … [Read more...] about Roots Organics: Terp Tea
How to Tell if Your Garden Soil Is Ready for Planting
-Ryan Blankenship- The very first step in determining if your soil is ready for planting is to simply dig yourself a small hole where you would like your planting site to be. By digging this small hole, you will be able to determine if you have loose or clay soil. Like many people in our area, we typically have a lot of red clay where we would like to plant. I also like to send a soil sample out to our state agricultural extension program to get tested to understand the NPK … [Read more...] about How to Tell if Your Garden Soil Is Ready for Planting
Blumats and No-Till Gardening
-Mike Weeks- Growing organically has always been a passion for us, and we love learning and teaching the best methods to do so. Since it's cold, and none of us are really spending much time out in the garden, I thought I would bring you to one of our off-site, indoor hemp gardens, because there’s plenty of action happening there. I have been practicing a gardening method known as “no-till”, a term well-known in the outdoor gardening community, but there are ways to apply this to an indoor … [Read more...] about Blumats and No-Till Gardening
Compost: Yes, You Can Make it Yourself (and compost tea too!)
-Sally Watkins- Compost is all the rage in the sustainability and permaculture communities, but what can compost do for you and your home garden, and how can you produce it on a small scale? In this blog post, we are going to discuss how to get your compost tumbler or pile to create rich, nutritious compost as efficiently as possible, and finish up with a great recipe for compost tea. If you have a yard with some space away from your house, the simplest way to compost is to create a basic … [Read more...] about Compost: Yes, You Can Make it Yourself (and compost tea too!)
Caring For Indoor Citrus Trees
-Pam Scott- Bringing tropical greenery into a room softens corners, adding an inviting warmth to most spaces. A windowsill full of blooming African violets, wintered over annuals, forced spring bulbs, scented geraniums, or fragrant culinary herbs will certainly brighten your spirits on a cold bleak day. The scents and colors of an indoor garden can remind us that the warmth and light that we crave during winter will once again be ours. One of the most rewarding families of plants to incorporate … [Read more...] about Caring For Indoor Citrus Trees
Nectar-Producing Plants and Host Plants: Superheroes of the Garden
-Pam Scott- The importance of pollinating and beneficial insects in our world cannot be over stressed. The production of 3⁄4 of our major food crops depends on insect pollinators. Most of the crops we grow and eat (tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, eggplants, fruits and berries, to name just a few) need pollinators to produce fruit. Unfortunately, the population of both native and managed pollinators is in decline due to destruction of habitat and the use of broad-spectrum pesticides. Perversely, … [Read more...] about Nectar-Producing Plants and Host Plants: Superheroes of the Garden
So Much Soil!
-Luis Guerra- We carry a wide range of soils at our Fifth Season locations, and we know it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming to select a soil that’s right for your particular growing situation. It may seem like dirt, is dirt, is dirt, but the truth is that different plants have different needs, and even the same plants have different needs depending on where they are in their growth cycle. While we are always happy to talk with you in person, we thought it might be helpful to have a … [Read more...] about So Much Soil!
