If you’ve never been to a garden show like the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, then you’re missing out. National shows like these will blow your county’s local home and garden shows out of the water! And the timing couldn’t be better. Scheduling the show in early February offers us Northwesterners a source of winter inspiration and relief knowing that spring is right around the corner. Wait until you smell the flowers!

Garden Inspiration Galore

The Northwest Flower & Garden Show has been offering spectacular show gardens, container gardening ideas for small spaces, educational seminars from well-known experts, and rows and rows of cool garden-y merchandise since 1989. Every year the show keeps getting better and better!

Meet the authors in person after their presentations – there’s over 100 free seminars! Check out the featured speakers line-up. Recognize anyone? Hint: garden hunk Jamie Durie – and many more!

From left: me, Andrea Bellamy, Ivette Soler, and Teresa O'Connor

No space? No problem! Container gardening ideas for urban dwellers.

Small space gardening ideas at the Container Show

Have that camera ready! There’s a gazillion different plant combinations you’ve never thought of.

Planting ideas for all kinds of spaces

Don’t put the camera away just yet. DIYers will be in all their glory with tons of crafty ideas.

Oversized letters are easy to find at craft stores - decoupage and add a water proof finish.

Salvage feigns will have a heyday at the display gardens.

Re-used objects add unexpected style (yes, that's a name badge used as plant tag!)

Get the Behind-the-Scenes Scoop

Teresa O’Connor, from Seasonal Wisdom, and I joined together for a special report about the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. Our special guest Janet Endsley, seminar and social media manager, shares a brief history of the show and why it was created 24 years ago, and gives a rundown of all the creativity and coordination that goes into making the NW Flower & Garden Show the 2nd largest garden show in the country – 3rd largest in the world.

Listen to our special report and Janet’s interview {link will open in a new browser window}.

Learn about Edibles from Seasonal Wisdom

• Thursday, Feb. 9, 9:30 AM (Hood Room): The Allure of Edible Flowers: How to Grow, Harvest, Cook and Enjoy Edible Flowers
• Friday, Feb. 10, 5:30 PM (Rainier Room) : Growing Food in Small Spaces: Tips & Techniques to Maximize Your Garden Harvest

Catch Me at the DIY Stage!

This will be my 6th year attending the Seattle show, and my second year presenting. I’m so in my element at the DIY stage.

• Wednesday, Feb. 8, 5:15 PM (DIY Stage): Edibles Cubed: Create a Living, Edible Cocktail Table
• Thurs, Feb. 9, 5:15 PM (DIY Stage): No Space. No Problem: Grow a Gutter Garden With Function & Style

Hope to see you there!

UPDATE: This contest is now closed. Congratulations to Christina for winning the first prize {terrarium + book} and to Janis for winning the second prize {book}.

Terrariums are the perfect gift for plant lovers, design junkies, DIYers, and crafty minds. And when you pair our Roost Recycled Glass Wall Terrarium with Timber Press’s Terrarium Craft book by Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant, it makes the perfect giveaway! One lucky winner will win both the wall terrarium + the terrarium book, and a second place winner will win a copy of the book {pictured below}.

QUESTION: Terrariums are little scenes of nature in glass containers. What’s your favorite way to connect with nature indoors?

We're giving away 2 free copies of Terrarium Craft

Week 2 Giveaway: How to Enter

• Answer the question above by submitting your answer in the “leave a reply” section at the bottom of the page – good for 1 entry.
• Answer the same, or similar question, on our Facebook page (you’ll have to “like” the page to make a comment) – good for 1 entry.

Week 2′s contest ends Sunday, December 11, 12:00 PST. Two randomly selected winners will be announced the following week.

Congratulations Julie Lanier for winning last week’s December Giveaway!

Create the Perfect Terrarium Gift

Want to make a big impression this holiday? Think about grouping terrarium related items your gift recipient will need to create their first or 100th terrarium.

• Terrarium Tools make fiddling with plants and dirt easier in tight spaces
• Idea Books like Timber Press’s Terrarium Craft
• Organic Potting Soil
• Small bag of Crushed River Gravel for drainage
• Small bag of Charcoal to keep mold and bacteria at bay
• Water bottle for spritzing the plants
• Plant material ranging from succulents and cacti, ferns, moss, and air plants.
• Accent pieces add a nice personal touch and fill empty spaces. Look for crystals, feathers, bones, seashells, bits of wood, porcelain trinkets

WEEK 3 Giveaway: one 2012 Buy Local Tea Towel + one Roost Farmer’s Market Basket {raspberry}

Roost Hanging Terrarium

Roost Terrarium Tools

Terrariums are a great way to dip your toes – or should I say hands – into gardening without investing a lot of time and money. Maybe you’ve already tested your “green thumb” skills by growing moss in left over canning jars, or you’ve gone a fews months without your air plants shriveling up on you, and you’re ready to step up your design game by investing in a Roost Recycled Glass Hanging Terrarium {small and large sizes}.

Many terrariums can be thrown together in less than an hour. Once you’ve selected the plants you want to grow, follow these 10 easy steps to make sure your terrariums live happily ever after. Okay, maybe not forever, but these steps will help minimize mold, frying your plants in direct sunlight, root rot, and stuff like that.

10 Steps to Plant in Your Roost Recycled Glass Hanging Terrarium

1. To begin building your terrarium, place a layer of pea gravel or aquarium rocks at its base. This is necessary for proper drainage.
2. Next, layer a 1/2 inch layer of horticultural charcoal, which will help to keep your soil from developing a stinky smell.
3. On top of the charcoal, add 1/2 inch to 2 inches of relatively dry soil. You can find potting soil that is specifically made for terrariums, or just use any good quality organic potting soil mixed with one part coarse builders sand and one part humus. The soil should be dry enough that it should not stick to the sides of the terrarium.
4. Use your Terrarium Hand Tool Set to spread out your soil and create a hole in which you will place your plant.
5. Transplant your selected plant(s) into your hanging terrarium.
6. If you wish to include items from the outdoors such as rocks, shells, or driftwood, make sure to first rinse them with clean hot water. You don’t want to introduce any diseases or critters into your terrarium.
7. Hang your terrarium in a spot where it will receive sunlight, but NOT full or direct sun. Try to place it no further than 10 feet away from a window or skylight.
8. A terrarium is pretty much a set-it-and-forget it kind of thing. You don’t need to mess with them much. To water your soil plants, simply give them a misting with a spray bottle about once a week.
9. Steps 1-4 involve soil and therefore apply to plants that are not air plants. Air plants need no soil- only sunlight and water.
10. For air plants, it is best to give them a good soaking two times a week. When your plant needs to be watered, its leaves will feel soft and weak. When it has been watered sufficiently, its leaves will feel hard and strong. To water air plants, it is best to remove them from your terrarium and give them a dunk in a sink full of water. If you can’t remove the plant, just give it a good soak with a watering can inside the terrarium. Your plant should be dry within 4 hours after watering {be careful not to leave it in a swampy condition}.

UPDATE: This contest is now closed. Congratulations to Julie Lanier!

In celebration of my recent feature in Oregon Home Magazine by Vivian McInerny, I’ve decided to giveaway one Roost Hemmingway Muddler Set and my newly published book Garden Rules, co-authored by Billie Brownell.  You may be thinking, what do muddlers have to do with gardening? My new favorite obsession, Cocktail Gardening!

We’ve all heard the phrase Garden to Table or Farm to Table, but how cool is Garden to Glass? Just Google “cocktail gardening” and you find a handful of resources on what to grow in your garden, garden inspired cocktails, and there’s even a blog called Gardening While Intoxicated by one the Garden Rant ladies.

If you’ve never started your own garden before, Garden Rules is a quick way to learn the basics. One of the easiest herbs to grow is mint, and one of the easiest drinks to make with a muddler is a Mojito. Cheri Loughlin, the creative mind behind The Intoxicologist, suggests topping it with a little champagne during the holidays to add an even tastier and festive vibe.

QUESTION: You’re hosting a holiday get-together among friends and neighbors, what’s your favorite alcoholic beverage to serve your guests?

Week 1 Giveaway: How to Enter

1. Answer the question in each blog post by submitting your answer in the “leave a reply” section at the bottom of the page – good for 1 entry.
2. Answer the same, or similar question, on our Facebook page (you’ll have to “like” the page to make a comment) – good for 1 entry.

Week 1 contest ends Sunday, December 4, 12:00 PST. Winner announced next week.

WEEK 2 Giveaway: one Roost Recycled Glass Hanging Wall Terrarium {small}

Image from Garden Guides.com

The term “forcing” bulbs sounds a little bit meaner than it actually is. Perhaps if we were to rename the process, we would call it “coaxing” or “persuading” the bulbs. What the process of forcing a bulb means is that you will induce the bulb to produce its shoot, leaf and flower out of its natural environment and ahead of its normal schedule. The really awesome thing about this is that whereas you would normally plant bulbs in the fall and wait for them to flower in the spring, when you force bulbs you can persuade them to bloom earlier for you, without the long winter wait!

Forcing Bulbs Indoors

Image from Country Living.com

During the bleak and dreary winter months, the opportunity to have an array of gorgeous blossoming flowers filling your home may seem like a fantasy. But when you force bulbs such as hyacinths, daffodils and tulips indoors, you can make this indoor winter garden a reality. Just follow these steps to try it yourself.

1. Buy high-quality spring blooming bulbs from a reputable source. Pass on any bulbs that are soft, moldy, or sprouting. Inspect the bulbs as you would produce at the grocery store. Good indoor bulb choices are daffodils, narcissi, crocus, muscari, and tulips. Paperwhite narcissus is a favorite for pretty white, fragrant Christmas flower arrangements.
2. Choose a large plastic or clay pot for your bulbs. Make sure there is at least one hole in the bottom of the pot for drainage. Scrub your pot clean, and if you choose a clay one, allow it to soak in water overnight to saturate the pores.
3. Fill your pot with a mixture of equal parts potting soil, peat moss, sand, and vermiculite. Mix this together thoroughly and dampen it with water.
4. Fill your pot with this soil mixture, leaving enough room at the top that when you place your bulbs, their tips reach the rim of the pot.
5. Place your bulbs, with the pointed side up, in the soil. Place them as close together as you can without actually having their sides touch. For tulips and other bulbs that have a flat side, place them with the flat side facing the outer rim of the container.
6. Cover your bulbs with a light layer of the soil mix (not too deep), and water it thoroughly.
7. Label each pot with the name of the flower(s), the date on which you potted it, and the date on which you will take it out of cold storage. Early blooming bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocus and daffodils, need 12 weeks. Mid to late spring blooming bulbs, such as tulips, need 16 weeks.
8. Place your pots in a cool, dark place such as a cellar or an unheated garage. Ideally, the temperature should be between 35 and 48 degrees F. If needed, you can cover the pots with black plastic garbage bags in order to keep them cool and dark.
9. Take your pots out of cold storage when you see shoots of about 3 inches in height and fine white roots emerging from the drainage holes of the pots.
10. Move the pots to a location where they can consistently be in the 50s, such as an unused spare bedroom, the laundry room, or a muck room.

You’ll notice that the blooms will unfold very quickly now, much more quickly than they would outdoors.  If kept at a temperature of about 65 to 68 degrees F, your flowers will thrive indoors, even in winter!

Forcing Bulbs Outdoors

Image credit: Susan Martin

Susan Martin, who works at Walters Gardens in Michigan, recently tried forcing bulbs outdoors with much success. Here are the steps to her quick and easy process.

1. Gather a selection of mixed daffodil and tulip bulbs in late fall. Some varieties that work well are Apricot Beauty tulips, White Dream tulips, Pink Charm daffodils, and Barrett Browning daffodils.
2. Drill a few holes in the bottom of recycled galvanized metal or painted metal party tubs for drainage.
3. Fill the tubs with potting soil mix (or you can use the same potting mixture that we suggested above for forcing bulbs indoors.)
4. Place the bulbs in the tub with the pointed tip facing upwards. Make sure to plant them close together in order to get tight, dense clusters of beautiful blossoms. Cover the bulbs with another thin layer of soil. Leave just the top tip of the bulb exposed in order to discourage them from rotting.


Image credit: Susan Martin

5. Leave the tubs outside until your temperatures reach freezing, and the snow begins to fall. Then move them indoors into an unheated spot, such as a basement or a garage.
6. Take a few handfuls of snow, about once a month, and place them on top of the tubs of bulbs. Allow the snow to slowly melt into the soil.
7. Take the bulbs back outside in early spring and place them wherever you would like in your garden or on your patio.
8. Allow the bulbs to bloom and grow naturally. Enjoy them!

Image from the International Flower Bulb Centre

Many people may think of fall as being the end of the growing season. But a lot of plants actually prefer to be planted and get their start in the cooler temperatures of the autumn season. This is because the chillier air allows young plants to establish their beginnings without the stress of extreme heat. It also allows ample time for the bulbs to become rooted in the warm soil before the winter cold sets in. What we really love about planting bulbs in the fall is that you can basically bury them and forget about them. Then comes spring and–bam!– you have gobs of gorgeous, colorful blossoms popping up!

Our Favorite Spring-flowering Bulbs

Crocus.Crocus flowers are so resilient, they sometimes even emerge through the snow! They are such cheery little harbingers of spring. Plus, deer don’t care for them much, so they are a good choice if you have deer with the munchies in your area. Crocus flowers only grow to a height of about 4 inches, and they spread quite easily, so this makes them a nice groundcover. Crocus flowers thrive in full sun to partial shade, and can be planted in zones 3 through 9.

Glory of the Snow. This is a great bulb to use as a groundcover, or to integrate with your lawn for a pretty, meadow-like effect. Each bulb produces a cluster of deep blue blossoms that grow to about 4-8 inches in height, each one with a little white star shape in the center. They are really just lovely, and can be planted in either sun or shade, in zones 3 through 9.

Dwarf Iris. There are many kinds of gorgeous irises out there from which to choose. We are partial to the dwarf iris, because it integrates well with our other favorites. You can find Iris reticulata in different shades of purple, blue and white. It is low growing, and spreads easily in full sun or partial shade. Dwarf irises will thrive in your garden if you live in zones 5 through 9.

Snowdrop. These are often the first blossoms to appear in the spring. Because of snowdrops’ pure white color, they integrate well with just about any garden design and landscape. With a height of 4-6 inches, they can be planted along with taller blossoms, as they will bloom underneath. They also look nice planted near a front entryway, as they will cheerily greet you in the very early spring. Snowdrops grow best in zones 3 through 9.

Tulip. Tulips are perhaps the most beloved spring flower, wouldn’t you agree? Don’t be afraid to plant unusual color combinations together, such as purple and orange. Unexpected color combinations in the garden are fun! Or, for two classic garden combinations, try red tulips planted with yellow daffodils, or white tulips planted with blue muscari. Our #1 favorite type of tulip is the Black Parrot, which is pictured on the left. Isn’t the deep black-purple shade intriguing? Tulips are best grown in zones 3 through 7.

Hyacinth. Oh, how we love hyacinths. These blossoms make great cut flowers, and have a delicious sweet fragrance to boot. They work perfectly as a garden border, or even in containers, and can be found in a whole array of bright colors. Hyacinths grow well in zones 4 through 8, and in full sun to partial shade.

8 Tips for Planting Spring-flowering Bulbs

1. Plant spring-blooming bulbs about 6 weeks before the average date of your first frost, or when the soil temperature is at about 55 degrees F.
2. Before planting, add organic matter to your soil and aerate it well. This will help to insure that the blossoms can push through the soil in the spring.
3. For a natural look, plant bulbs in clusters rather than in evenly spaced rows. Or, just toss your bulbs up in the air, then plant them where they land! Danielle Ernest, who is an avid gardener as well as the Public Relations Coordinator for Proven Winners, says, “I always plant 5 to 8 bulbs in a large hole as I like when they come up in clusters instead of individually.”
4. Bulbs need to be planted deeper than seeds do. Follow the directions on your packet of bulbs to see how deeply they need to be planted. A general rule is that the hole should be 4 times the height of the bulb itself.
5. Place the bulb in the ground with the growing tip (the pointy end) facing up.
6. You can apply a little bit of phosphorus fertilizer at the root level when planting bulbs. However, skip blood or bone meal, as this may just attract squirrels, to whom bulbs are a tasty treat. To help deter squirrels, you can sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper over your bulbs before covering them with soil.
7. After planting your bulbs, add a 3 inch layer of mulch to help prevent them from cold and frost over the winter.
8. Water your bulbs thoroughly right after planting them. After that, you really shouldn’t need to water them again, as chilly fall rains will take care of that for you!

Image source: OregonLive.com

Because we have the tendency to think of spring as planting time, it is easy to forget that this is not the only time to plant edibles. Mid to late summer is an excellent time to plant cool season crops that will then be ready to harvest and enjoy in the fall.

What to plant

Beets: If you’ve always been turned off by the odor and flavor of pickled beets, try these fresh Detroit Dark Red Beets instead. They are a whole different taste experience- we promise! You can eat the superbly healthy iron-packed greens, too. For beets that can be direct sown and are ready to harvest in no time, try Early Wonder Beets.

Kale: If you’re looking to add more healthy greens to your diet, then we would definitely recommend planting Red Winter Kale. We like this particular variety because the leaves are tender are sweet, making them a great addition to salads. Plus, its purple and green leaves look really pretty in the garden!

Peas: Cool temperatures in the fall help peas to grow extra sweet. We love picking and eating  Oregon Sugar Pea Pods right off the vine. They are stringless, which is so convenient because it eliminates the annoying task of removing strings from the pods. These pea pods freeze super easily, too. If you prefer a plumper pod, as opposed to a flat one, try Sugar Snap Peas.

Lettuce: There are many different great types of head and leaf lettuce that may be planted in the late summer for fall harvest. Most types, such as the Red Sails Leaf variety, can be sown outdoors up to two weeks before the first fall frost. If you’ve had a particularly hot summer, (as many areas have) you may wish to start your seeds indoors, as the soil can be too hot for the seeds to germinate. Otherwise, lettuce can be direct sown.

Spinach: There are lots of spinach varieties out there, but in our humble opinion the best is Tyee Spinach. It’s disease resistant, and bolt resistant, which makes it very easy to grow. Plus, its tender leaves are just right for just about every recipe and application. If you want to, you can even mulch this spinach liberally, and grow it throughout the whole winter!

Swiss Chard: Unlike collard greens, you can actually eat the thick stems of Ruby Red Swiss Chard. This is a great bonus, because the stems have a nice, crunchy texture and an earthy flavor kind of like asparagus. To extend your swiss chard harvest throughout the entire fall, harvest the outer leaves by cutting them 2 inches above the base. New leaves will grow in their place.

Radishes: We often refer to radishes as “instant gratification” veggies, because they can go from sowing to harvest in only 30 days. They are quick! We particularly like the Easter Egg Blend because of its lovely variety of colors. They look beautiful on a relish tray or sliced into a salad.

When to start

There’s a trick to planting crops that will be harvested in the fall: you need to add a little more time to the normal maturation period of the vegetable. Because temperatures start to cool down and the soil will therefore be colder, fall crops take a little longer to grow. We recommend adding 14 days to the normal growth period. So, for example, if your packet of beet seeds says that they will take 60 days from planting ’til harvest, plan on 74 days instead. Count 74 days back from when you usually receive your first frost, and this is when you should plant your beets.

Remember that it’s still summer

Although your crops will be harvested in the fall, it is important to remember that when you sow your seeds (or transplant your seedlings) that it is late summer, and probably still very hot. You may wish to plant seeds near tall, mature plants such as corn or tomatoes to protect them from the hot mid-afternoon summer sun. Make sure to check the soil daily while the seeds are germinating, because you will need to make sure that it stays moist.

The corky stem passion vine is native to Florida.

Our gardens are like mini wildlife preserves, even though you may not think of yours as such. In most areas of North America, plants and animals have come to depend on human-dominated landscapes just to exist. So while you may think of wildlife preserves as existing in a public park, or an open field or wooded lot, your own garden and neighborhood are preserving nature’s biodiversity, too. Natural Heritage Centers have estimated that as many as 33,000 species of plants and animals in the U.S. are now imperiled – meaning that they are too rare to perform their role in their ecosystem. Functionally, they are already extinct. Plus, 1/3 of our nation’s birds are endangered, according to a study that was commissioned by former president Bush.

Your garden plays a vital role in helping these disappearing plants and birds to continue to exist. One of the most important keys to giving our local animals what they need to survive and reproduce is native plants. For over 100 years we have commonly been planting species from China and Europe in our gardens. This would be fine if all plants were the same – but they’re not! An insect from Ohio, for example, is unlikely to be able to eat a plant from China. Then a bird will be unable to eat the insect. For the natural delicate balance of plants, insects, and animals to thrive, and for each one to fulfill its role within the food web, we must plant native plants.

What Native Plants To Plant Where

• New England
  

  The flame azalea is local to the Southeast and Deep South.

  In the New England region, consider planting and Atlantic white cedar, or a northern white cedar. Native hawthorn, sugar maple, white pine, and paper birch are all excellent choices. Native birds love both the berries and the abundant insects that are found on hawthorn.

• Mid-Atlantic
  For a great fast-growing evergreen, plant an eastern red cedar. White oak, American beech, red maple, and river birch are all good choices as well.
• Midwest
  Wafer ash is the primary host for the giant swallowtail butterfly in the Midwest, and therefore is a great choice for your landscape. Honeylocust trees, bur oak, and crabapple will all work well in your garden as well.
• Deep South/ Southeast
  Azaleas are very popular from North Carolina southward. Look for native azaleas such as pinxterbloom, pinkshell, and flame. Loblolly pine, live oak, tupelo, and southern sugar maple are all valuable additions to a native plant landscape.
• Northwest
  Yellow cedar, douglas-fir, and beaked hazelnut are all good choices. For the dry areas of the Pacific Northwest, Garry oak and western hemlock, Pacific dogwood, and moosewood viburnum all work well.

Studies have shown that even small increases in native plant cover in suburban areas have raised the number of breeding birds. As gardeners, we are all empowered to help save threatened and endangered plants, insects, and birds, as well as promote biodiversity, by including native plants.

For more inspiration, check out these 5 great reasons to plant native plants from Carolina Native Nursery, and this list of the Top Ten Native Plants by Region from the National Wildlife Federation.

Image source: Flickr/Fourof5Zs

The other day while driving in the car, we heard a radio commercial for a nearby Big Box garden store that is selling a 1.3 gallon container of Ortho Max Flower Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer for less than 20 bucks. Yep, for less than the cost of a dinner out, you can spray down all of your fruits, veggies and herbs with bug-killing poison.

The issue we have with this is that the price does not accurately reflect the levity of the task one will perform when this product is purchased. Think about it for a second: why is it so easy and cheap for us to get this poison in our hands? The active ingredient in the product is Acetamiprid, and it is unknown whether this chemical acts as a developmental toxin or an endocrine disruptor. So do we want to be spraying it on plants that we will eat? Certainly not!

Yes, it’s true that chemical pesticides are cheap and highly accessible. But this definitely does not make them the best choice for your edible garden. Chemical pesticides are dangerous for the environment, wildlife, kids, pets, and for beneficial insects such as lacewings and praying mantids. Here are some safer, chemical-free alternatives to ridding your edible garden of pests.

Natural Pest Solutions for Your Edible Garden

Grubs
To rid your vegetable patch or lawn of grubs, which are baby Japanese Beetles, you can use a natural remedy called Milky Spore. Milky Spore, or Bacillus popillae-Dutky,  is a naturally occurring host specific bacterium. One application can last up two ten years, as the bacteria grows. Milky Spore is a good option because it kills only grubs, and will leave beneficial organisms in your garden, such as worms, unharmed.

Not to worry butterfly lovers, grubs and caterpillars that eat your leafy vegetables are not the same as butterfly babies. We’ll have more on this topic later.

Slugs and Snails
The best solution for dealing with slugs and snails is to use a combination of preventative and cultural methods. Baits alone will not take care of your problem. The first step is to eliminate their favorite hiding spots like overgrown weeds, piles of yard debris, low growing leafy branches and dense ground covers. Then do a little hand picking at night with a flashlight (great fun for kids!), set out a few beer traps, set up copper barriers around your raised beds and sprinkle a little Sluggo around your leafy greens (pet and wildlife safe).

Mites
You can keep mites off of your plants by applying a cheap, easy homemade solution. Mix together two tablespoons of cayenne pepper or hot sauce, a few drops of Ivory liquid soap, and one quart of water. Let this stand on your counter overnight, then pour it into a spray bottle and spray your plants the next morning. Shake the bottle frequently during application in order to keep the ingredients blended together. Spray only the effected plants, and reapply after rain.

Aphids and Mealybugs
A great solution for aphids is to release ladybugs in your garden. Ladybugs will eat the aphids and look pretty in your garden, too! If you prefer, you can also make a homemade solution with canola oil, which will smother the insects. Mix together one tablespoon of canola oil with a few drops of liquid Ivory soap and a quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray your plants from above, as well as the undersides of the leaves. Spray only the effected plants.

Fungal Diseases
Baking soda is an effective and very inexpensive treatment for fungal plant diseases. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda in with a quart of warm water. Spray this on your plants first thing in the morning, and repeat applications every few days until the fungus has subsided. Spray only on the effected plants, and reapply after rain.

Powdery Mildew and Leaf Spot
An excellent remedy for these very pesky plant illnesses is Safer Concentrate. This product is a concentrated plant spray that contains the active ingredients Potassium Salts and Sulfur. Safer is approved for organic gardening because it is a natural pesticide that does not contain chemical ingredients. It should only be applied to the effected plants, and one take care to read the label carefully before application.

Deer
The average deer eats about 5 pounds of greenery per day, so that means that just one or two deer could level your garden pretty quickly! The best defense against deer (without harming them) is to apply a scent to your plants that will repel them. Try mixing together one cup of dairy milk, 2 tablespoons of canola oil, 2 tablespoons of liquid Ivory soap, 2 whole eggs, and 2 gallons of water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and spray your plants. This mixture will withstand light rain because it is a bit sticky. If you have leftovers after one application, make sure to refrigerate them. Dispose of any leftovers after about a week.

Keep in mind however, there is no 100% effective defense against a hungry deer, other than a 7 foot tall fence.

Rabbits
Rabbits are very territorial little creatures, so you can actually keep a wild rabbit out of your garden by making it smell like another rabbit. One way to accomplish this is by sprinkling some domestic rabbit droppings, which you can get from a local pet store, in your garden. The droppings won’t hurt your soil. Rabbits are also not fans of hair, so you can place your own clippings, or the hair from your dog’s brush around your garden.

Prevention Is Key

It’s a lot easier to prevent pests in the first place than it is to deal with them once the occur. To prevent pests in your edible garden, follow these maintenance tips.

Minimize insect habitat
When plants are dead, pull them out. When veggies are ripe, harvest them. By keeping your garden clean and free of debris, you can eliminate the spots that pests find most attractive.

Water early
Keeping foliage dry is key to preventing mildew and fungus problems. Water early in the day so that your plants do not sit wet overnight.

Build healthy soil
Healthy plants have the strength to stand up to and resist a few pests. To grow strong plants, make sure to nourish your soil. Adding natural compost to your edible garden is a great way to encourage healthy soil and vigorous plants. Use natural fertilizers, such as Haven Cow Manure Tea and Down to Earth All Purpose Fertilizer to encourage the growth of beneficial microorganisms and feed your plants without depleting your soil of nutrients.

Be a good babysitter
Keeping your edible garden free of pests means that you need to babysit it daily. Every day, set aside a little bit of time to closely examine your plants. If you see a bug or two, you can easily pull them off your plants with a gloved hand. This can prevent them from multiplying and becoming a big problem in the long run.

Once you have tested your soil, amended your soil, started your seeds, and transplanted your seedlings, the hardest part of planting a vegetable garden is over with. Phew. But make sure that all of your hard work isn’t for nought! Take the time to appropriately maintain your edible garden this summer, and you’ll have the reward of an abundant, home-grown harvest.

5 Tips for Caring for Your Edible Garden

(1) Thin your seedlings

Why is this the number one tip? Because it is oftentimes the hardest thing for a gardener to do! Thinning your seedlings means that you have to willingly kill some of your plants, which may seem cruel, but it is completely necessary in order to let the remaining plants flourish. When you direct sow teeny little seeds, it is pretty much impossible to tell how close together your seedlings will come up. This is no problem at first. But as your seedlings grow, they’ll be in fierce competition for water and nutrients. If they are crowded, they are also more susceptible to disease, mildew and fungus. So when your seedlings emerge, select the ones you don’t want to keep, and cut them at the base with a sharp pair of scissors or pruners. If you are thinning beets, greens, onions, herbs, or radishes, throw these cuttings into your salad bowl. Anything else can go in your compost heap.

(2) Mulch, mulch, mulch

Yes, mulch looks nice. But this is certainly not its primary function. If you live in a hot climate, mulch can help to keep your plants’ roots cool. If you live in a cold climate, mulch can help to insulate your plants’ roots from the chill. Overall, mulch helps to retain moisture and prevent weeds from sprouting up. It is totally multi-purpose and definitely an essential for a healthy garden. As aHa! founder Jayme Jenkins and co-writer Billie Brownell discuss in their new book Garden Rules, you don’t have to go to the garden store and buy bags of hardwood chips to have mulch. Shredded leaves are mulch. And leaves are free! You can also use straw, tree bark, sawdust, shredded paper, pine needles, or hay.

(3) Take out the dead

If you have a pepper plant that appears to have kicked the bucket, don’t leave it around in hopes that it will resurrect itself. Dead things in the edible garden are magnets for pests. Pull the plant out, and throw it away if it’s diseased. Makes sure to thoroughly clean any tools you use to remove the diseased plant. If the plant died of natural causes, it can go in your compost bin. Remove wilted leaves and dead foliage on a regular basis to keep your plants healthy and help keep critters away. And make sure that you harvest your fruits, vegetables and herbs before they fall off the plant. If you missed a veggie’s best harvest time and it’s gooky and overripe, throw it on your compost pile. Don’t ever leave items in your garden to rot.

(4) Provide support

After you plant your edible garden, you may wish to add support to your plants in the form of stakes, teepees, and/or A-frames. It is best to add these early on so that you do not disrupt your plants’ roots. These types of support can benefit your garden in many ways. They increase the square footage of your garden by allowing you to use vertical space, they give plants more exposure to light, they allow for more air circulation between plants, and they can make it easier for you to reach your plants during pruning and harvesting (which is also easier on your back). Any climbing and/or sprawling vegetables such as tomatoes, peas, pole beans, squash, and cucumbers can benefit from support.

(5) Don’t go overboard with fertilizer

With fertilizer, there is definitely is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.” If you apply too much of it, you will totally burn out your plants. If you have properly prepped your edible garden bed by adding plenty of organic matter, then you really should not have to fertilize your edibles during the summer. Organic materials, such as compost and manure, can be continuously added if you’d like to continue to encourage the growth of beneficial soil nutrients. If you really want to use fertilizer, use an organic one such as fish emulsion, kelp, or compost tea. Avoid synthetic fertilizers that are high in nitrogen, as these cause edible plants to become very leafy and bear little fruit.