photo credit: wsilver

Winter gardens can be very successful. In my zone 5 growing zone I am still limited to what I can grow and depend heavily on cold frames and a greenhouse but many milder climates will soon be able to grow crops.

For those in milder areas or areas that have a warmer micro-climate here are a few early winter garden tips for successful crops.

• Select a site in full sun. Place you garden in a location that gets southern sun exposure. You will need to provide as much sunshine as possible during the short days of winter but may need to have an area that is protected from cool winds.
• Perfect drainage is a necessary for a winter garden. You will need to add sand or organic compost to improve drainage. In the fall I try to make sure I have one garden bed that is ready for an early garden. It will save time when I have weather conditions that work for planting.
• Choose plants for your winter garden that require cooler temperatures and less light. Pansies, calendula, nemesia and stock are annual flowering plants that thrive in winter. Broccoli, cabbage, cilantro, lettuces, peas and radish are all vegetables that grow well in winter. But from experience I have found that starting the seeds indoors or a greenhouse prevents many of the seeds from rotting or poor germination.
• Many herbs will do well in a winter garden or on a sunny windowsill
• For planting seeds indoors or the greenhouse for my winter garden I use newspaper pots that I make. Using this step I save on pots and so not have to disturb the new plants roots.
• You will need to space your plants further apart than in the summer months. This gives the plants maximum air circulation, which helps to prevent fungus disease and mildew. Cooler weather and dark conditions cause both of these conditions so be on the lookout in a winter garden.
• You will also want to place taller plants on the north side of your winter garden bed and shorter plants on the south. This will ensure that the taller plants will not cast shade of the smaller plants.

For winter gardening I always keep clear milk jugs that can provide additional heat for plants when filled close by. I also have blankets and clear plastic, just in case. It’s always best to be over-prepared for those sudeen changes in temperature or cold winds.

Technorati Tags: Creative Organic Gardening, winter gardening

Many years ago when the economy was suffering and people were looking for jobs, a program called Victory Garden was set into action. Its purpose was to help supply wholesome healthy food for the family and community. One of its other purposes was to ease the governments financial burden of helping to supply food for the American population and use the money saved for the servicemen and war what we were in.
photo credit: greengardenvienna

As Obama enters office as the 44th President of the United States several organizations have raised the issue of again raising a garden on the White House lawns. Obama has stood for change in government and leans back on many of Lincoln and Roosevelt’s ideas. What better way to promote healthy food and ease the financial burden of the government and families than by promoting a program made popular by Roosevelt during the war?

This program would also teach self-sufficiency and bring back fresh, healthy food raised by organic means with out being saturated with chemicals. Many of the victory gardens were run as community gardens. These victory gardens brought neighbors together were they would become friends, share ideas and create a stronger united community.

Victory Gardens have had an important part in the white house history in the past. During World War I, Woodrow Wilson’s wife Edith grazed sheep on the White House lawn. Eleanor Roosevelt grew carrots and beans on the same lawn, during WW11 to inspire Americans to plant their own “Victory Gardens”. The Roosevelt’s promoted Victory Gardens and the program during this time helped the American families to raise 40 % of their own food. The program was promoted through government programs and even at schools and businesses.
photo credit: Carnaval King 08

With the formal layout of the White House lawns, it might be considered to clash and not be proper but what better statement for our society could there be than a Victory Garden nestled on the white House lawn. As avid gardeners know,  gardens can be a work of art and beauty with proper layout and could easily fit into the formal gardens. And the most positive outcome of a White House Victory Garden would be promoting fresh healthy food without chemical and families enjoying fresh air and exercise together.

There are several organizations promoting a Victory Garden on the White House lawn. Check out The Who Farm and their amazing traveling rooftop garden or Kitchen Gardeners International

With the new gardening season approaching this is the time to consider growing a Victory Garden or participating in a community garden.

Technorati Tags: community garden, victory garden

I have always enjoyed growing the unusual. I try while doing this not to bring in invasive plants to my area so will research a plant first to see if there is a problem growing the plant in my zone 5 growing zone. One plant that had always caught my attention was the Water Lotus Plant.
photo credit: ptwo

The Water Lotus Plant has an exotic look to it that I find appealing. I also liked the dried seedpod that is produces at the end of a season

My zone is moderate in success for this plant. It likes a climate that is a little warmer, but it will grow here with a little care. My plan was to grow this water plant in my one pond, in a double pot, then bring it in during the winter. There’s a possibility that it would survive in the right micro garden here but why take the risk?

My one friend had seeds and I thought that I should try to grow this beautiful plant. My friend sent me seeds and I started them indoors in late March.

Lotus seeds have a thick seed covering so they needed to be scarified. To scarify a seed cover you gently saw or sand the seed until you see the inside living part of the seed. I sanded my seeds for better control of removing the cover and then soaked the seeds for a few days. When I saw signs of it germinating I potted the seedlings into pots with regular garden dirt, which is high in clay in my area, and covered with a few inches of water.

Much to my amazement the seeds did well and in the spring I replanted them outdoors in double pots so that they could be brought in for the winter months. I still have one plant; I gave the other ones away. They are fun to grow and add to a water garden area.

I would like to add another one to my backyard oasis I am planning this summer. It’s time for a total backyard overhaul.And what better way to add to your yard than with fun plants that have a tropical look and feel.
photo credit: milena mihaylova

Below are links from www.faculty.sbc.edu that give you information and photos of the germination process they used for lotus seeds.

Lotus Seed Germination

Lotus Seedling Development

Graduation Day!

Transplanting Lotus

First Summer’s Growth

First Flower

A Year Later

Happy gardening! Denise at The Gardener’s Rake

Technorati Tags: backyard pond, Creative Organic Gardening, water lotus plant, water plants