Archive for the 'Gardening Basics' Category

Composting – A Great Way to Have Healthy Soil

Published on April 8, 2012 in Gardening Basics. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Now that it’s April, my Master Gardener Program is making a switch from class work to our pay-back volunteer hours. I may not be in the classroom, but the knowledge continues to expand as I assist people at the MG help desk and work in the MG gardens. My blog will continue to be based on my curriculum as there is still so much that I want to share with you! Today’s post is on the value of composting. It might not be a “pretty” subject, but the benefits are numerous, and your garden will love it.

Several of my previous posts have touched on the importance of adding organic matter to soil. Let’s just re-cap some of the benefits that come from adding organic matter to our soil:

  • it is a natural soil conditioner, creating humus which is the “glue” to give soil structure
  • it makes sandy soil hold more water – structure building
  • it makes clay soil drain better – structure building
  • it helps to buffer against extreme pH levels
  • it is a source of nutrients for plant use
  • it is a food source for microorganisms

Composting is a wonderful way to carry out nature’s cycle of growth and decay. The material that remains from the decaying process is organic matter. Ideally, our garden soils should contain 5% organic matter. Mulching 1 – 2 inches each year of organic matter into your soil is a perfect way of sustaining soil health. Composting is free and reduces the amount of yard waste that goes into our land-fills, so it truly is a win-win practice!

There are two composting methods — fast (hot) composting and slow (cold) composting. Hot composting is simply speeding the decay process up by balancing the contents of the pile, water, and air to favor microbial activity. When the conditions are just right, heat is produced and compost piles quickly reach temperatures of 120 – 150F (killing weed seeds and pathogens). Here are some of the basics for hot composting:

Compost basics – 4 important rules:Graph showing temperature, volume and days for decomposition

  • Pile size – the more volume, the faster the decomposition (see chart to the right). A pile the size of 1 cubic yard is recommended for year-round composting.
  • What to put in pile – simple vs. complex materials. The ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio is 25:1 – 40:1
    • Brown stuff is high carbon
    • Green stuff is high nitrogen
  • Adequate moisture – water the pile. The material should feel moist, but you should not be able to squeeze water out of it with your hands.
  • Aeration – turn the pile (weekly) with airflow in mind. The high carbon matter can act as a bulking agent to make the pile porous and pull outside air inside.

Cold composting is for people who do not have the time to tend to a hot compost pile nor the amount of waste materials to create a large pile. It’s a convenient way to turn wastes into organic matter. Simply mix non-woody yard wastes and food wastes into a pile and let them sit for a year or so. Add fresh wastes by opening the pile in the center and then covering them. Burying fresh wastes, especially fruit and vegetables, help to not attract pests (flies, rats or raccoons). Cold composting does not kill weed seeds, so it’s best to not put weeds in the compost pile that have gone to seed. Turn the pile occasionally throughout the year.

Graphic showing the ideal size for hot compostingDo you need to build a bin for composting? Containers look neater and shield the compost from pests, but they are not necessary. Piles work well. If you do want to create a bin, make them from materials such as old pallets, lumber, mesh fencing or cinder blocks.

Can manure be used in compost piles? Because fresh animal manure can contain pathogens such as bacteria (Salmonella and e. coli), there is some risk in adding manure to cold compost piles. In hot compost piles that are maintained with the high temperatures, the pathogens are destroyed. If your compost is going to be used on fresh garden crops and you’re cold composting, limit the potential risk by not adding manure into the compost.

What wastes can be composted?

Bread Paper (shredded)
Coffee Grounds Sawdust
Egg Shells Sod
Evergreen Needles Straw
Fruit Peels and Rinds Tea Leaves
Garden Wastes Vegetables
Grass Clippings Wood Ash
Leaves Wood Chips
Cow, Horse, Poultry Manure (can be with litter) Corn Stalks

 

 

 

 

 

What wastes should be avoided?

Bones Fish Scraps
Cheese or Milk Noxious Weeds
Meat Oils
Fat Cat or Dog Manure

 

 

Composting is such a great way to make the most of what is already headed to the garbage can. With a little thought and effort, composting can become a natural way to recycle wastes and create a beneficial organic matter that will feed your soil. When the soil is healthy, our gardens, flowers and landscapes THRIVE!

Question for the week: Have you tried composting? What were some challenges that you encountered?

Here’s another quick resource for creating a hot compost: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/how-encourage-hot-compost-pile

 

Chart on decomposition and compost pile graphic from: http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/needs_placement_structures.htm

 

 

 

 

Weed Management

Published on March 25, 2012 in Gardening Basics. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

As I begin to work outdoors, my first focus is to attack the intrusion of unwanted weeds in my landscape. The war against the weeds begins anew each spring! I have often thought that the term “weed management” was rather unrealistic. But thankfully the Master Gardener classes have taught me some very useful facts about weeds, and I feel much more empowered in the battle. Here’s some information that will hopefully empower you as well!

We all have our least favorite weed(s). Mine are grasses like annual blue grass, creeping bent grass, and crab grass. These grasses show up everywhere in my landscape, and they are difficult to eradicate. Many people complain of bind weed (wild morning glory). For others, nut sedge or horsetail is the enemy. Sometimes, what is considered by one person to be a miserable weed, another person considers it to be an ornamental – like English ivy. Some plants are weeds in one instance and not another. Other plants are just simply obnoxious! They can be hazardous, a nuisance, or can cause injury to people, animals, or a particular crop.

The first step in weed management is identifying the plant. A little time spent with some plant reference material can give you some great ammunition for the battle! You don’t have to be an expert in botany to work through a weed identification book. Once you gain some key characteristics, you can make some intelligent decisions in how to best control that particular weed.

An important key characteristic is the weed’s life cycle. They are usually annuals or perennials with a few that are biennials.

1)      Annuals: They go from seed to seed is less than one year. These weeds produce extremely large amounts of seed to keeps their species alive. There are winter annuals that germinate in the late fall through early spring, and they prosper without warm temperatures and sunlight. Examples of winter annuals are: chickweed, little bittercress and annual blue grass. Summer annuals germinate quickly in the spring and early summer and are aggressive. Examples of summer annuals are: crabgrass, pigweeds and lambsquarter.

2)      Photo of a bull thistle weedBiennials: Species in this cycle are less common. They take more than 1 year but less than 2 to complete their cycle. They would start from seed in the spring and grow through the summer, fall, winter and spring of the next year. In the second summer after flowering and producing seed they die. Examples of biennials are: wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace), bull thistle (see photo to the left) and tansy ragwort.

3)      Perennials: These are often the most difficult to control because the plant’s underground storage systems survive the winter even though the above-ground parts may have died back. Many of these weeds are deeply rooted and spread from seed and also from roots, tubers, bulbs and rhizomes. Examples of perennial weeds include: bindweed, curly dock (see photo below) and dandelion.Photo of curly dock weed

 

Here are some methods of control to reduce the impact and spread of weeds:

1)      The first weapon in the battle against weeds is tilling or hand pulling. A hoe and other tools are most effective on annual weeds that have shallow roots.

2)      Creating beds is another method of control. With beds, soil working is reduced so the weed seeds that lie dormant in the soil don’t get brought up to the surface as much and mulches are used extensively in-between the beds.

3)      Mulching is a wonderful weed suppressant for annual weeds. When bare soil is covered, many weed seeds don’t germinate or can’t grow through the mulch. Also, when mulching is used instead of tilling, weed seeds are not brought to the surface

4)      Irrigation that waters only the desired plants is a method of weed control. Weeds need water as well as the vegetables or ornamentals growing in the garden. Overhead sprinklers water a large area giving weeds what they need to grow. Managing water to just the desired plants reduces that amount of water available to weeds.

5)      Planting cover crops can help to smother out winter weed growth on annual flower and vegetable beds.

6)      Herbicides can be used selectively (for a specific type of weed like a broadleaf) or non-selectively (damaging to all plants). It’s very important to read the label on the herbicide that you’re using. The label is the law! When using herbicides, here are some things to consider:

  • Herbicides work poorly in dry conditions. Plant leaves have guard cells that regulate the passage of oxygen, water and carbon dioxide. During environmental stress the guard cells close so herbicides will not penetrate. To have the most effective herbicide application, water the area where the herbicide will be applied 24 hours before the application. Also, only apply the product in moderate temperatures.
  • Know the cycle of perennials. In the spring and early part of the summer, the plant sugars are flowing out from the roots to the foliage. If herbicide is applied when the sugar is flowing out, it very likely will not reach the root and effectively kill the perennial. In the spring and early summer, cutting the vegetative growth of the weed off will essentially starve the root as it will continue to have sugar flow outward to produce more foliage and flower. If herbicide is applied in the later summer and early fall when the plant sugar is flowing toward the roots and the plant is weakened from being starved, the herbicide has a much greater chance of successfully killing the root.

Having weeds in your landscape is inevitable. There will be some battles to keep the weeds managed, but knowing just a few key facts about the weeds that you’re dealing with will help to ensure that you’re the victor over the weeds!

Next week is spring break, and I’ll be spending time with my family. I will return shortly with another post from my Master Gardener class. Happy springtime everyone!

Question for the week: What is the worse weed in your landscape?

 

Weed photos from: http://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/weeds/

Starting Seeds Outdoors

Published on March 18, 2012 in Gardening Basics and Seeds. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , .

There are rays of sunlight and blue skies peaking around the dark gray rain clouds. The daffodils are in full bloom, and the tulips are getting ready to make an appearance. The switch has been made to daylight saving time, and spring officially starts next week. For gardeners everywhere, these are all wonderful signs that our time in the garden is right around the corner!

For all of us who are anxious to get started with seeds, last week I shared some Master Gardener tips on starting seed indoors. But many seeds can and should be directly started outdoors. In today’s blog post I will share some suggestions and more practical MG advice on getting those outdoor plantings off to a great start!

Picture of soil being rakedWhen planting seed outside, good soil preparation is critical. Ideal soil is deep, easily worked, well-drained and contains at least 5% organic matter. How you work the soil is really up to you, the size of area that needs to be prepared, and the budget you have for gardening. Options would include hand digging with a fork or spade, using a power rototiller, or using a garden tractor. Whichever option you choose, there are a couple of things to remember:

1)      Do not work the soil when it is too wet. Working wet soils can destroy the soil structure and can create compaction which will make it difficult for plant roots to grow. Here are a couple of ways to measure the moisture level:

  • Do a squeeze test to see if the soil is dry enough to work: Take a handful of soil and squeeze. If it forms a mud ball and stays, it is too wet to work. If it crumbles freely, it is probably dry enough to work.
  • Dig into the soil and turn it over. If soil sticks to the spade or shovel, or the surface of the turned soil is shiny and smooth, it is still too wet.

2)      When you starting working the soil, do not pulverize it. Even though that powdery, fluffy soil is so pleasing to the eye, it is a problem waiting to happen. Over-working the soil destroys soil structure and promotes crusting which decreases water permeability, and it also increases erosion.

When the soil is being worked, it is the perfect time to add in some aged manure or compost. It is preferable to have several weeks before planting to allow the soil amendments to be broken down by soil microorganisms, and if you have rain or water that freshly worked soil, weed seeds that were lying dormant in the soil have come to the surface and germinated. Removing that first flush of weeds allows the seeds that you want to plant have less competition when they are establishing and gives you the upper hand on weed management.

Another critical aspect of planting seeds outdoors is temperature. Both air temperature and soil temperature affects the seeds’ germination and growth, and each different seed has its own minimum temperatures. The planting directions listed on the seed packets will specify minimum temperatures. For example, peas can go into the soil when it is a minimum of 34 – 36F, but corn needs a minimum soil temperature of 60 – 65F. For flower seeds, soil temperature of 55F or warmer is desirable. Seed that is planted in cold soil can potentially rot. A soil thermometer is a useful tool to use when preparing to plant. To have an accurate soil temperature reading, check the soil temperature at 9am at a 2-inch depth for 7 consecutive days.

The types of seed that you are planting will also determine the method for spreading the seed. If you’re planting vegetable seed, rows or hills are most often used. If you’re starting wildflowers or clover, broadcasting the seed would be the method to use. Again, the planting directions that come with the seed will suggest how to plant and the depth at which to plant the seed.

Once the seeds are in place, adequate moisture is critical. Watering is what activates the seed’s embryo to grow and start the germination process. A dry period can kill the seed. Once seedlings have emerged, the watering needs Picture of a hose water sprayerto be frequent for the first 2 weeks. With busy schedules that are not always conducive to keeping a diligent irrigation schedule, consider purchasing a timer for a hose that you can program to come on regularly. As the plants become more established, watering can be less frequent to encourage roots to grow deeper. So, water for a longer duration but less often. For plants that have a specific water requirement (like lawns need 1 inch per week), place empty tuna fish cans under your sprinkler area to determine how long the water needs to be applied to reach the specific requirement.

Weeds … that’s a battle that starts as soon as the ground is worked and it deserves an entire blog post dedicated to weed management. So, look forward to the topic of weeds next week!

Question for the week: What is your biggest challenge with starting seeds outdoors?

 

 

Starting Seeds Indoors

Published on March 9, 2012 in Gardening Basics and Seeds. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

Here we are yet another week closer to spring, and I’m hearing from so many people that spring fever has hit hard! It is not too early to plan our gardens and additions to our landscape and maybe even start some seeds indoors. For today’s blog post, I want to share some of the Master Gardener information that is very practical and helpful on starting seeds indoors.

Clip-art of a seed packet torn openWhen you tear open a packet of seeds, what can you expect? The general rule is that you should not expect more than 65 – 80 percent of the seeds to germinate. From the seeds that germinated, expect 60 – 75 percent to produce vigorous seedlings. Our expectations may be quite a bit higher than this, and we may feel like we have done something terribly wrong if we do not see 100 percent germination. But 100 percent germination is not a reasonable expectation, and we can relax and give ourselves a break with that knowledge.

What about the seed that’s been sitting out in the garage for 2 – 3 years? Is it good anymore? The general rule is to purchase only the amount of seed that is needed for the current year. But if plans change, seed can be kept from year to year. The key to keeping seed is to ensure that the seed stays cool and dry. Laminated foil packages are the best for keeping seeds dry. If the seed is in a paper packet, place the packet in a tightly closed jar. A temperature of 40F is the best for keeping seed, so find a place in your refrigerator for a recycled, sealed mayonnaise jar with seed packets inside.

The soil medium that is used for germinating seeds is very important to consider. It needs to be uniform, fine, loose and well-aerated. It also should be sterile so that it is free from disease organisms, weed seeds, and insects. The medium can be purchased from a garden supply store. One common disease that affects seed is damping off. Damping off is a fungal disease found in soils that causes the seed or seedlings to rot. Help avoid this disease by using sterile soil.

What types of containers should you use? There is a host of seed starting supplies too numerous to list. Some creative recycled items that you might already have around your home would be:

  • Cottage cheese-type containers
  • Bottoms of milk cartons or bleach containers
  • Aluminum foil pie pans
  • Egg cartons
  • Used paper or plastic cups

Each of the above items needs to be thoroughly washed and have several holes punched into the bottom for adequate drainage.Clip-art of garden tools

Some people prefer to purchase starter trays, plastic cell packs, small clay pots, peat pots, or peat pellets. It truly is up to you and your preferences. The container is just going to provide a temporary home for the seed and seedling. The advantage of using peat pots or peat pellets is that they can be planted directly into the garden. Plant roots grow right through the sides. However, care needs to be taken when planting outdoors that the rim of the pot or pellet is below the soil surface. If it’s not, the exposed edges act like a wick drawing moisture away for the plant roots.

If you use your pots from year to year, don’t forget to clean them. Pots, trays, tools and the surface you are working on should be cleaned. Remove excess dirt then soak in a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water for several minutes.

A common mistake is to start seeds indoors too early and then holding the seedlings back. The result is usually tall, weak, spindly plants that do not perform well once they get to the garden. Know the date of the last expected frost for your area, know how long germination is for the type of seed you are starting, and count back the number of days that are needed.

Here are some easy step-by-step directions:

  • Fill your containers within ¾ inch from the top with pre-moistened soil medium.
  • Know what the recommended planting depth for your seed is. Extremely small seeds are only pressed into the soil. A general rule for planting depth is twice the diameter of the seed.
  • Place the containers in 1 inch of water, allow time for water to be soaked up and then drain for an hour or more.
  • Seal the containers in a clear plastic bag to keep moisture in the soil and seed.
  • Keep the required temperature range needed for the seed to germinate.
  • Check the containers daily for 1) signs of drying out, 2) seed beginning to sprout.
  • Remove from plastic as the first seedlings appear.
  • Set seedlings in a south-facing window or use 2 40-watt cool, white fluorescent lights positioned 10 inches above the seedlings. Allow for 16 hours of light each day.
  • As seedlings grow, repot if necessary to a larger pot. Handle the seedlings by their leaves not their stems.
  • If the seedlings are pale or discolored, an application of water-soluble fertilizer that is for houseplants (used at ½ the recommended rate) can be used once or twice before the seedlings are transplanted outdoors.
  • Gradually acclimatize or harden seedlings for 2 weeks before planting outside. Place the plants outside for 1 – 2 hours in partial shade and gradually increase the time each day. Let the plants stay out 1 – 2 nights before planting out.
  • Choose a cloudy, cool day for transplanting the seedlings out into their permanent location, or wait until evening. Moderate conditions will better the chances of the seedlings’ survival.

 

I hope that something in today’s blog was helpful. I certainly see where I have made some mistakes in the past, and why I haven’t always had the success that I wanted. Next week, we’ll continue on with plant propagation and look at starting seeds directly outside.

 

Question for the week: What are the seeds that you plan on starting first?

 

 

Plant Propagation With Seeds

Published on March 2, 2012 in Gardening Basics and Seeds. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Now that March has arrived, do you feel the longing to get outside and work in the gardens and landscape again? I sure am anxious to get out and put some of the Master Gardener material into practical use! I’m especially anxious to start some seeds, and that leads us to today’s blog post on plant propagation.

If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember that a couple of weeks back we examined the anatomy of plants, both the vegetative and sexual parts. You might recall that the purpose of lovely flowering plants is for seed production and to continue that particular species of plant. For today’s post, I would like to study sexual propagation, which is through seed (or spores for ferns), and specifically the anatomy of a seed and how germination occurs.

Sexual propagation involves the floral parts of one or more plants to unite pollen with the egg or ovule, and a fertilized, matured ovule is a seed. When you look at a seed, you notice the outer coat which may be hard. Diagram of a bean seedThe outer seed coat serves as protection against parasites, against being crushed, and sometimes against unfavorable temperatures. Within the hard seed exterior is the embryo. It is a young plant with adult parts, roots and leaves. The embryo’s leaves are called cotyledons, and the root is called the radicle. The endosperm (the dotted inner portion of the seed) is a food reserve of fat and carbohydrates which will nourish the plant in its early stages of development.

When environmental conditions are just right, germination begins, and the young plant begins to actively grow. There are 4 environmental factors:Diagram of the stages of germination of a bean seed

  • Water
  • Light
  • Oxygen
  • Heat

Water is essential to ensure germination. Seeds can absorb or imbibe water, and the soil medium needs to provide an adequate amount of continuous water. A dry period will kill the embryo. Water absorption triggers an enzyme that begins cell multiplication, and the embryo becomes too large and bursts through the seed coat. The radicle, or root, is the first part to emerge, and it anchors the seed in place allowing the embryo to absorb water and nutrients from the soil medium.

Light can either stimulate or inhibit germination. Some seeds require light for germination such as ageratum, impatiens or lettuce. Other seeds, such as calendula or verbena, require darkness. For many seeds, light doesn’t matter at all. When sowing seeds that require light, the seeds should be placed on the soil surface and gently pressed into the soil. At the most, the seed could be covered lightly with fine peat moss which will allow some light in.

All viable seed needs oxygen for respiration to occur. Respiration is the conversion of stored nutrients into energy. Respiration in seed that is non-germinating is low, but during germination, respiration increases. To help ensure that the oxygen supply is high, the soil medium should be loose and well-aerated. If the soil is too packed or water-logged, limiting the oxygen, germination can be inhibited.

Temperature is the last crucial environmental factor in germination. The soil medium temperature can affect both the germination percentage as well as the speed of germination. Generally, 65  – 75F is best for most plants. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to place the germination trays on radiators or heating mats to maintain the required temperature.

Seed dormancy prevents the seed from germinating until it is in the right environment. In some seeds, it is difficult to break the dormancy, and there are various treatments that are used to break dormancy and stimulate germination.

Seed scarification: The seed coat is tough, and scarification involves breaking, scratching or softening the coat. Treatments include: filing the seed with sandpaper or metal file, cracking the seed with a hammer, or pouring hot water (170  – 212F) over the seed and letting it cool and allowing the seed to soak 12 – 24 hours before planting.

Seed stratification: This is a treatment that provides an artificial time of chilling for seeds that require a cold, dormant period before germination. A procedure to follow: Wet peat moss thoroughly and squeeze out excess water, mix the seeds with the moss, place the material in a plastic bag and secure the top, place the bag in the refrigerator (temperature range should be 35  – 45F) for 10 – 12 weeks. After this chilling time, plant the seeds in pots. Handle carefully as small roots may have emerged by this time.

Seeds and the process of germination are absolutely fascinating! What a mystery seed is as we watch its life unfold before our eyes. We sow a little seed and with hopeful anticipation, watch for the first signs of life. I think that spring fever is in the air!

Next week, I would like to write about planting seeds and little tips and strategies to help plant propagation with seed be a success!

Question for the week: What is your favorite seed to grow and why?

 

Diagram on the anatomy of a sees: http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/vege004/vege004.htm

Diagram on the stages of germination: Britannica Online

Soil Basics, Part 2

Published on February 24, 2012 in Gardening Basics. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

I hope that last week’s blog post on soil was helpful. Whether the information was a review or new, it gives you something to process and possibly plan a new strategy for improving your own soil. I know that I am! This week I would like to continue to explore soil and specifically four important aspects of it.

First, soil is full of life! There are live plant roots, earthworms, insects and a whole host of microorganisms that cannot be seen. In ¼ teaspoon of soil, there can be as many as 1 billion microorganisms, and they are the most abundant in the root zone. Their main function is to break down plant remains, and this break down process releases nutrients and creates soil organic matter. It is a diverse population, and many of the organisms are beneficial such as mycorrhizae fungi and rhizobia bacteria. Others are not beneficial and can cause disease and damage. Microbial populations are the highest in soils that are warm, moist, and have organic matter. Good practices to keep the microorganism populations high and performing well are adding organic matter annually and growing a winter cover crop each year.

Second, soil pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of a soil. Why is the pH important? It affects the availability of plant nutrients and it affects the activity of soil microorganisms. In arid climates, soils tend to be alkaline, and in rainy areas, soils tend to be acidic. The middle of the pH range, 5.5 to 7.5, is where most plants perform the best (with a few exceptions) and where microbial activity is the highest. Here’s a chart that shows the effect of soil pH on the availability of plant nutrients.Chart comparing soil pH with nutrient availability

Soil pH is important, and getting the pH tested can be done easily and inexpensively. Once your soil is tested, and you’ve determined if the pH needs to be increased or decreased, you can purchase the recommended amendment and apply it to the soil. To increase the soil pH, lime is most commonly used. To decrease the soil pH, elemental sulfur, ammonium sulfate fertilizer or urea can be used.

Third, soil salinity is another factor that can especially be a problem in arid climates. Salts can accumulate from fertilizers, composts, and manure applications. If the amount of salt reaches a certain level, there can be potentially harmful effects on plants. In areas of more rainfall, salts are leached from the soil each winter and are not accumulated in the root zone. Soil salinity can be tested for, and if the level is considered to be too high, the salt can be leached from the soil by irrigating more than the holding capacity of the soil. The excess water, draining downward will carry the salts out of the root zones.

Lastly, the fourth area is soil nutrients. On the chart above, there is a list of essential plant nutrients. To know what your soil has and what it needs, a soil test is highly recommended as well as repeating the test every 3 – 5 years.

Where do the nutrients go? Nutrients are lost when there is soil erosion, when a crop is harvested, and when there is too much rainfall or irrigation and the nutrients leach from the soils. Fertilizers are then added to increase the amount of nutrients which will improve plant growth and yield of produce.

The primary nutrients needed by plants are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, and the most common deficiencies are for these primary nutrients. As a general rule, these nutrients support:

  • Nitrogen: leafy top growth
  • Phosphorous: root and fruit production
  • Potassium: cold hardiness, disease resistance, and general durability

What is fertilizer? It’s simply a substance that contains one or more essential nutrients for plants. Fertilizers that are commercially sold must be accurately labeled with grade, weight, and manufacturer. The grade is what gives the breakdown of minimum guaranteed percentages of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Fertilizers can also be broadly classified as inorganic or organic.

What’s the difference between the two? Here is a chart to help explain the differences:

Organic Fertilizer Inorganic (Processed) Fertilizer
Source Natural materials; little or no processing Manufactured or extracted from natural materials
Examples Manure, cottonseed meal, rock phosphate, fish by-products Ammonium sulfate, processed urea, potassium chloride
Nutrient availability Usually slow-release; nutrients are released by biological and chemical processes in soil Nutrients usually are immediately available to plants
Nutrient content Usually low Usually high

 

Here are some fertilizing basics:

  • Always read the label!
  • Apply fertilizer before anticipated plant growth
  • Nitrogen applications have its greatest effect for 3 – 4 weeks after application
  • Use a liquid fertilizer when starting plants to provide phosphorous to new roots
  • Do not apply fast-release fertilizers prior to heavy rainfall or over irrigate after application
  • Do not apply fertilizers around wells or where run-off could carry into waterways
  • Calculate how much you need (based on soil test and plant needs) and do not use more than needed

Some natural practices to maintain nutrient rich soil:

  • Add organic matter, 1 – 2 inches to soil each year. Organic matter is a long-term, slow-release storehouse of nutrients which continuously becomes available as the soil microorganisms break it down.
  • Make your own compost or purchase commercial compost for your source of organic matter. Composting deserves its own blog post at a later time!
  • Make use of green manure or a cover crop each fall. Plant them as early in the fall as possible to achieve enough growth to cover the soil. Use legumes to supply nitrogen to the soil. In the spring, if it’s too wet to till under before the crop flowers, cut if off and compost the foliage for later use. The benefit of organic matter from the crowns and roots will be available when you can turn the soil under.

We have covered a lot of information in this post, and it is all fairly elementary with much more that could be written. Extension agencies are a great source of help for improving soil, and they often have free publications to address each of these four areas and more. Check out your local extension office!

Question for the week: Do you have a favorite fertilizer that you cannot garden without?

 

Diagram of availability of soil nutrients from: http://www.eatcology.com/index/

Chart comparing organic and inorganic fertilizer from: OSU Master Gardener text book, Sustainable Gardening

Soil Basics, Part 1

Published on February 16, 2012 in Gardening Basics. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

“The easiest and most dramatic way to improve any garden is to improve the soil.” Joy Jones, OSU Extension Service.

Never did I dream that I would get excited about dirt! However, my Master Gardener class on soil was so enlightening, that I actually got excited. The complexities of soil are often not understood, and we tend to overlook its significant contribution to our lives. But it is in fact, a unique habitat specifically designed to support plant life. Soil helps to provide moisture, nutrients, heat, and support to all plants. If we understand it, our gardens will reap the benefits of our knowledge! So, in today’s blog post, I want to share with you some basic facts about soil and maybe some helpful ideas to improve your garden.

What exactly is soil? This pie chart shows the breakdown of ingredients. Soil is 50% solid and 50% pore space. Of the solid portion, 45% is decomposed rock (minerals) and 5% is organic matter. Ideally, the pore space has  equal portions of air and water.

Productive soil allows water to permeate it and then supplies water to the plants. Pores can be created by earthworm and root channels as well as by the aggregation of soil particles. Pores can be large (they let water permeate) and they can be small and hold water against gravity making it available to the plant roots. Soils that have a balance of large and small pores have the ability to both allow water in and the ability to hold water for supply as needed by plants.

Porosity is of huge importance to maintaining plant health, and there are factors that affect soil porosity. The texture of the soil is one factor. There are coarse and fine particles than make up soil. Sand is the largest particle and is visible to the eye. Silt is a smaller particle that is similar in size to an individual particle of white flour. Clay particles are the smallest, and they can only be seen with a microscope. Both sand and silt are rounded and look like little rocks, but clay is flattened and the particles stick together like slices of buttered bread. These particles all seem small, but the relative difference in their sizes is very large. If a clay particle were the size of a penny, a sand particle would be the size of a house!

So, pore sizes in sandy soils tend to be large and in silt or clay soils, the pores are smaller due to the particles size differences. Sandy soils are easy to permeate, but they are fast-draining and not able to retain water. Silt or clay soils allow water to be held, but they do not allow permeability.

The perfect combination of pore sizes and particle sizes would be created with roughly equal parts of sand, silt and clay. This ideal soil is called loam. Most garden soils are not ideal but a combination of sand, silt and clay in other ratios that might make the soil more challenging to work with.

Good soil structure is also vitally important to allow water and air movement. Structure is the aggregation of individual particles of sand, silt and clay. The particles will bind together with “glue” from organic matter and provide structure to the soil. If the structure is good, the soil is acting like a sponge, allowing water to enter and soak in and letting excess water drain down. However, structure is fragile and can be damaged or destroyed by compaction. Compaction will cause the soil structure to resist water movement and root penetration as well.

What causes compaction? Compaction often occurs during site preparation or house construction. It’s often difficult to establish a garden and landscape in a new housing development. Although large earth-moving equipment is not the only thing that damages soil structure. Excessive tilling or tilling when the soil is too wet can cause compaction. Heavy foot traffic or running a heavy wheel-barrow over and over will also cause compaction.

So, where does all this information lead us to? We all want productive soil that is permeable to water and is able to supply water to plants when it is needed. But, maybe we live in an area where our soil is sandy, and water soaks in but our plants dry out quickly. Or maybe we just remodeled our home and trucks hauling building supplies drove over our garden space several times. Sometimes there are just circumstances that are beyond our control.

One very important action that we can take to improve the porosity of our soil is to add several inches of organic matter to the soil each year. Adding organic matter will:

  • Stabilize soil structure. Humus is actually what holds particles together.
  • Increase water holding capacity in sandy soils.
  • Improve pore space in clay soils making it more permeable.
  • Provide nutrients to plants once it decomposes.
  • Provide a food source for beneficial micro organisms.

To keep soils from compaction:

  • Do not till or spade soil when it is too wet. It must be dry and crumbly before tilling.
  • Do not overwork soil with a rototiller. One pass is usually enough.
  • Use raised beds and paths. By using paths you limit the area being walked on and the plant roots are never walked on.
  • Grow a cover crop, especially one that produces deep roots like annual rye.
  • Increase or maintain applications of organic matter.
  • Aerate your soil, especially lawn areas that have heavy foot traffic.
  • Double dig your soil. Here’s a great video to explain this concept: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W85QmZgDxFk

I hope this information is useful to you. Next week, I will share some more information from my soil class on amending soils.

Question for the week: What type of soil do you have?

Diagram of soil ingredients from: http://www.vanaturally.com/guide/soil.html

Diagram of soil particle size from: http://pnwmg.org/mgsoils.html

 

 

Botany Basics, Part 2

Published on February 9, 2012 in Gardening Basics. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Welcome back to Botany Basics, part 2! Last week we looked at the vegetative parts of the plant (roots, stems, shoot buds, and leaves), and this week we will examine the flower of the plant which is where sexual reproduction takes place. To me, the flower is the part of the plant that is favored; it is lovely in shape, design, color and often in fragrance. Never have I really thought about why flowers are so beautiful, and maybe I’ve even just assumed that they were lovely for human enjoyment. There may be some truth to that, but an even deeper truth is that showy, sweetly scented flowers attract pollinators, and when pollination occurs, the continuation of that particular flower species is ensured. Isn’t nature fascinating and clever!?!

Here is a diagram of the flower structure from the OSU MG Program. Let’s just take a look, piece by piece and marvel at the ingenuity of its design!

The stamen is the male reproductive organ, and it contains the anther which is a pollen sac that is held on a long, supporting filament.

The pistil is the plant’s female part, and it generally is in the center and shaped like a bowling pin. The pistil is made of the stigma, style and ovary. The ovary contains eggs or ovules and once an ovule is fertilized, it will develop into a seed.

The sepals are small, green and leaf-like. They are located at the base of the flower and are there for protection and support of the bud. Collectively, the sepals are referred to as a calyx.

The petals are generally the highly colored portion of the flower. Collectively, the petals are called the corolla, and they may contain perfume.

The diagram above shows a complete flower. This means that this flower has a stamen, pistil, petals and sepals. A rose is an example of a complete flower. If any one of these parts is missing, the flower is called incomplete.

Often though, flowers are lacking parts. If a flower has both the stamen and pistil, which are essential for seed production, the flower is considered to be a perfect flower even if petals or sepals are lacking. But, if either the stamens or pistils are lacking, the flower is called imperfect. Plants with imperfect flowers may have separate male and female flowers on the same plant, or they may bear only male flowers at the beginning of the season but later develop both sexes. Also, there are some species that have separate male and female plants. In this case, male and female plants must be in close proximity in order for pollination to occur.

Pollination is the key to producing seed. It is when pollen from the anther is transferred to a stigma. This can happen through either wind or pollinators. Plant species that are colorful, patterned, and have fragrance or nectar attract birds and insects. While looking for nectar, the pollinator (like a bee) transfers pollen from flower to flower. When the pollen reaches the ovules, sperm is released and typically fertilization occurs and the ovule develops into seed.

Fruit is made up of fertilized mature ovules plus the ovary wall. Some fruit may be fleshy, like an apple, and some are dry and hard, like an acorn. Technically, “vegetables” that develop from a flower are actually fruit (ie. tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and eggplants).

So, what are some useful take-away points for us gardeners? Well, a term that is used a lot in our MG class is biodiversity. It simply means the variety of life within a specific area. If we consider our gardens and how to help them thrive, we can begin to look at what types of plants will be attractive to beneficial insects. Even if our gardening is focused on vegetables, by planting a greater diversity of flowering species amongst the vegetable plants, we’ll increase our likelihood of having a successful vegetable production. With a little planning and research we can greatly increase the chances of pollination and the reproduction of seeds and production of fruit.

  • To bring butterflies into your garden, plant flowers that produce an inflorescense, or cluster of flowers. Common Milkweed is a wonderful butterfly plant with sweet, nectar rich flower clusters as well as foliage that supports the butterfly larvae.
  • To bring bees into your garden, consider planting native perennials, like Purple Cone Flower, that are rich in nectar and pollen. Often flowers are hybridized to create qualities that gardeners want, like disease resistance, but hybridization often reduces the amount of pollen and nectar found in the flower.
  • Plan to have a variety of plants with different colors. Bees seem to be attracted to blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow.
  • Have a variety of plants for all of the growing seasons.
  • Do not use broad spectrum pesticides. If you have a problem with a particular pest, find a product that targets a pest or a small spectrum.

I am so glad that plants share their amazing beauty with us, and to think, their beauty is also their means of survival. Next week, my blog is going to get dirty! We will move to the next chapter in my MG course book on Soil and Fertilizers.

Question for the week: What is your favorite flowering plant and why?

Botany Basics, Part 1

Published on January 31, 2012 in Gardening Basics. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

My Master Gardener Program has commenced! We are off on a fast-paced learning adventure, and we began with the basics of botany. I don’t know about you, but I have not studied botany since high school! I remembered a few key words and the simple concepts, but there was much that I had forgotten. It did not take me long to realize just how much I take for granted when germinating a seed or transplanting a young seedling into a vegetable garden. It is so easy to forget that plants are incredible life forms and that they are essential to our lives here on earth.

Studying the basics gives us a chance to step back and have an even deeper appreciation for the unsurpassed value that plants add to our lives. Here’s Botany Basics, part 1. I hope that you enjoy this simple refresher course.

First and foremost, our first instructor, an OSU professor of Botany, gave us permission to use glossaries! There are so many new terms that it is impossible to commit them all to memory. So don’t feel badly if you need to refer to them often.

Diagram of external plant parts (from OSU Master Gardener Program).

The different plant structures are actually called organs. Each organ is a specific type of tissue that performs a particular function. For today’s blog, I’m only going to focus on the vegetative parts. These include the roots, stems, shoot buds, and leaves. The second group of structures has to do with sexual reproduction. I will save this latter group for part 2, next week.

Interesting note: Even though the vegetative parts are not involved in sexual reproduction, they can be used in asexual reproduction such as cuttings or grafting.

Roots: They have the principal function of the absorption of water and nutrients, and they also act as an anchor for the plant and a support for the stem.

A primary root that has few lateral roots and continues to extend downward is called a taproot. An example of a taproot would be a carrot, a root that we eat as a vegetable. If the primary root stops elongating and many lateral roots develop, the root is referred to as fibrous. An example of a fibrous root structure would be turf grass.

Gardening tip: When transplanting a young plant into the garden or planting a seed, do not put fertilizer in the transplant hole or next to the seed. Instead, place a band of fertilizer 2 inches below and 2 inches to the sides. As the plant begins to grow, the roots will soon reach the needed nutrients for optimal early growth.

Stems: Their function is to be the plant’s plumbing system, carrying water, dissolved nutrients and sugars. Stems also have nodes which are areas of active cellular growth. Nodes are where small buds develop into leaves, stems or flowers.

Here are some very interesting facts about stems. We think of stems as being above ground, but they also grow below ground in the form of rhizomes (bluegrass), tubers (potatoes), corms (gladiolus) or bulbs (daffodils). To be classified as stem tissue, it must have nodes for buds or leaves.

There are also specialized above-ground stems. Stolons are horizontal stems, sometimes called runners (strawberry), crowns are compressed stems and leaves (dandelion), and spurs which are short, little side stems that are fruit bearing (pear, apple, and cherry). A stem that we commonly eat is asparagus.

Buds: They are the location of an undeveloped shoot that will either be a leaf or a flower. Leaf buds tend to be less round and more elongated, and flower buds are the opposite.

Terminal buds are located at the tip of a stem and lateral (axillary) buds are located on the sides of a stem. A terminal bud that we eat is cabbage. A lateral bud that we eat is brussels sprout. Broccoli is an example of a flower bud that is eaten.

Leaves: The main function of a leaf is to absorb sunlight and to produce sugars through the process called photosynthesis. The leaf can be stalkless and attach directly into the stem, or it can be attached with a little stem called a petiole. An example of a leaf that we eat would be lettuce. A petiole that is eaten is rhubarb.

I’m going to wrap it up there and let the vegetative structures sink into my brain some more! Next week, part 2 of basics will cover flowers – the sexual reproductive structures. It’s all just so fascinating in both design and function. Sure hope you’re enjoying this refresher!

Question for the week: What new information did you learn from this botany basics post?