A reader (Gwen) was kind enough to send this really nice seeds link. The site has great information and free seed offers.

dinnergarden.org

Garden tips:

1. One common error for beginning gardeners  is planting too much too soon and way more than anybody could eat or want.  Start small and keep it simple.

2. Vegetables love the sun. They require six hours (continuous, if possible) of sunlight each day. Some, like tomatoes, gourds and peppers like more sunlight.

3. Vegetables must have good, loamy, well-drained soil. Most  soil is not perfect for gardening  and needs a helping hand. Check with your local nursery or county extension office about soil testing, soil types, and soil enrichment.

4. Vegetables need proper nutrition. A vegetable garden too near a tree will lose its nutrients to the tree’s root system and a garden close to the house will help to discourage wild animals from nibbling away your potential harvest.

5. Vegetables need at least one inch of water a week.

6. In the early spring, walk around your property to see where the snow melts first and where the sun shines at least 6 hours a day.

7. Also check for drainage. If  water piles up in shallow pockets, you may want to avoid this area. This will be a good location. This will make a difference in how well your vegetables grow.

photo credit: Sandy Austin

The Gardener’s Rake seed contest winners

Carl, Cynthia, Noell, kitty, Drina, Rita, nfmgirl. You will receive an email tomorow asking for your home delivery address for your prize

Technorati Tags: beginning gardening tips, free seeds link

The topic of how old a seed can be and still be useable has been bantered around for many years.

photo credit: IRRI Images

I have used leftover seeds from years past in my gardens for years. There are certain seeds that seem to stay fresh forever and other seeds that need to be used in a year or two.

From my own personal use, I prefer fresh carrot seeds and squash seeds seem to store forever. I have also noticed seeds that seem to be slow starters don’t hold stay fresh from year to year as well. I consider parsley to be a slow starter and a seed that does not germinate well the following year.

It also depends on how you store a seed. If it’s stored in a very hot humid area chances are high that the seed will loose it viability. And seeds will mold so they need a dry storage area.

For storing seeds I have used glass jars with lids and store in a dark place. And  seeds that seem to have less viability or storage time I will place in the refrigerator to keep cool.

These two sites have more information on storing seeds.

Storing seeds

Seed tips

Seed starting tips

1. If you have seeds from a previous year you can save time by testing them for their seed sprouting viability.
2. Use a paper towel and wet it. You want the towel damp, not dripping wet. Place 5 to 10 seeds in the moist towel and fold it so that the seeds are no longer exposed to air. I place the towel in a Styrofoam cup and place on the refrigerator or on a window that does not have a draft.
3. Keep the paper towel moist, not damp. The towel acts as soil and will also hold in humidity and will make the seeds sprout.
4. In 5 days check the seeds and see if you have any germination. If not wait another 5 days. Most seeds will show some sign of trying to sprout in 10 days (unless they are a hard-shelled seed and those usually need a different type of germination. These seeds are usually shrubs or trees)
5. If the seeds are really not going to sprout there is a good chance they will show some sign of mold or have a peculiar smell.

If the seeds sprout, count the number that successfully sprouted to the number that didn’t and this will give you an idea of how viable the seeds still are. For example if 5 seeds sprouted out of 10 there is a 50% germination rate, which is fine.

If only one seeds sprouted out of 10 I would think of purchasing new seeds – unless the seed is rare or difficult to start.

I recently found an old packet of seeds from the 1920’s at an auction. I plan to try them just because it would be interesting to know if they are any good.

With proper storage many seeds will keep for years. Seeds that have been found in ancient digs have sprouted so give the seeds a try.  Just try them before gardening season or in a spot in the garden you can replant easily if you have a poor germination rate.

Technorati Tags: gardening seed tips, how to test seeds, seed germination, seed starting success

With the recent Ground Hogs day celebration it bring to mind the destruction this fury beast can cause to a garden or backyard in a small amount of time. I have has a row of bean ruined in less than half an hour. And even if you do not garden, the ground hog holes can cause damage to buildings and it hurts when you fall in one.

photo credit: kellycolganazar

Groundhogs have a large appetite and it’s rumored they never met a plant they didn’t like. Groundhogs will get used to your schedule and plan a “plant attack” late at night or when you’re not home.

Here are a few ideas to help if you have a groundhog infestation problem.

1.  Visit your garden frequently. Frequent visits to your vegetable garden at random times of the day will scare the groundhogs… but not totally discourage them. Groundhogs love fresh small cabbage plants! I cover them when they are young.

2.  Use scarecrows in your garden. The most successful scarecrows will make noise and move in the wind. This scares the groundhog. And as strange at it sounds a fresh change of clothes for the scarecrow will make a difference too. I also move the scarecrow around the garden.

You can use other items that will move in the wind such as wind chimes, pinwheels, balloons or streamers. These also scare the groundhog.

Motion-activated lights, radios left on near the garden, alarms and sprinklers will also work. Overall groundhogs want to be left alone so if your garden is a scary place, he will try to find an easier meal. But remember, the groundhog is persistent!

3.  Use repellents. You can buy commercial repellents or create your own mix to keep groundhogs out of your garden. A homemade mix that works well is 1 tbs. hot sauce mixed into 1-gallon water. You can spray this along the perimeter of the garden and directly onto the plants. Just remember to wash you vegetables well.

4.  Build a fence. The fence needs to be three or four feet high. You will also need to bury the fence about 1 foot deep. An alternative to burying the fence is to fold the fence away from the garden at the bottom. Extend the fencing along the surface of the ground for 6 to 12 inches. This will prevent them from being able to dig under the fence. This method also will scare rabbits away. They do not like the feel of the fencing on their feet.

Install a two-wire electric fence to keep groundhogs out of your garden. The bottom wire should be 1 to 4 inches off the ground, and the top wire should be 8 to 9 inches from the ground.

5.  Change your gardening methods to raided bed gardens or container gardens. This is easier on the back, more versatile and frankly easier than maintaining a garden fence.

photo credit: jimbowen0306

Groundhogs can be a garden menace. They are hard to keep out of the garden once they move in so the best way to keep groundhogs out of you garden and backyard is to use preventative methods.

TIP: one of the times the groundhog is most active is right after it rains. Groundhogs do not drink water; they get it from the plant or take it off plants when they are wet from a rain or heavy dew.

Technorati Tags: controlling groundhogs, garden pests, groundhog garden damage