Eco Gardeners

Eco-Friendly “Just Add Dirt” from The Happy Gardener

The Happy Gardener recently introduced an eco-friendly “Just Add Dirt” collection of container garden kits. These kits provide the homeowner with everything needed to successfully grow nutritious and organic vegetables and herbs.

Here is a step-by-step “how to guide” for planting and maintaining your homegrown edibles:
1.     Gather enough soil or soil/compost (50/50 mix) and add 1 packet of Happy Naturals  Organic All-Purpose Soil Conditioner to the base soil.
2.    Add 2-3 inches of conditioned soil mix to the bottom of your biodegradable Eco-Pot.
3.    Place 1 Store n’ Feed Mat on top of the soil.  The mat acts as a reservoir and provides plants with water and nutrients for up to 5-7 days.
4.    Fill the pot to the brim with the remaining conditioned soil mix.
5.    Soak your seeds in Organic SeaResults Micronutrient Solution (mix packet into 1 gallon of water) for 15 minutes before planting.
6.    Remove seeds from solution and plant at the recommended depth found on the seed packet.
7.    Place Eco-Pot in a location receiving at least 6 hours of daily sunlight. You may want to place a saucer under the pot to collect excess water.
8.    Spritz top soil every day with plain water until sprouts appear.
9.    Once seedlings have 2-3 leaves, add a layer of Coir Fiber to the top of the soil surrounding seedlings. This coir fiber will help keep the soil cool and retain water.
10.     Feed your plants once a month with Organic SeaResults Micronutrient Solution following the directions on the packet.
11.    Water as needed. Soil should be consistently damp, not wet during the hottest part of the day.

- The Happy Gardener | Organic Gardens

As you grow your own organic vegetables, fruit and herbs this season, you may want to rethink your fertilizing methods. We all know that to get the best harvest plants need quality organic feedings throughout the summer, however, just because you are using organics doesn’t mean you’re using the healthiest plant foods.

• Remember the 2006 recalls of organically grown spinach and the 2007 tomato contamination? “Food safety is not an organic versus conventional issue,” says Shelly Diaz, spokesperson for the Center of Disease Control. Organic farmers using animal manure as a fertilizer method need to be careful of harmful bacteria such as E.coli. This strain of bacteria is found in the lower intestines of all warm-blooded animals and the O157:H7 strain that causes the most cases of food poisoning in the U.S. comes from cow manure that comes in contact with groundwater used on crops such as spinach.

• Though E.coli receives more publicity because of its severity, the CDC reports more cases of salmonella than other type of bacterial illnesses in 2005. Salmonella bacteria also live in animal waste.

• I recently saw a segment on 20/20 reporting an average of 5,000 U.S. annual deaths resulted from ingestion of contaminated food.

The Happy Gardener’s exclusive line of Happy Naturals organic plant foods and soil conditioners do not contain any animal by-products. We use certified organic vegetable and grain based ingredients in all of our garden and lawn care products to ensure the safest and healthiest produce for you and your family.

Growing fruit, vegetables and herbs in containers is the perfect solution for those with limited gardening time, space and resources.  Here are a few of our favorite varieties that work very well grown in containers on your deck, patio, balcony or anywhere with at least 6 hours of sunlight. We have also included soil depths for specific plant health and growth.

Herbs: mint, sage, rosemary, basil, thyme, parsley, dill, lemongrass

Vegetables: Potatoes, chard, lettuce, cherry and bush tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, Asian greens, pole beans.
Fruits: strawberries, blueberries, goji berries
Planting Depth

• 4-5 inches: chives, lettuce, radishes, other salad greens, basil, coriander

• 6-7 inches: bush beans, garlic, onions, Asian greens, peas, mint, thyme, pole beans, carrots, chard, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, leeks, peppers, spinach, parsley, rosemary

• 8-9 inches: beets, broccoli, okra, potatoes, sweet corn, summer squash, dill, lemongrass

One of the most magical gardening projects you can share with a child is planting a “sunflower house,” especially since children adore secret hiding places where their imaginations may flourish. With twelve foot walls and a ceiling of flowers, this bright yellow, brown and green fort will be the summertime hide-a-way of choice for your young gardener. Best of all, both children and children-at-heart will savor planning and planting this naturally cheerful garden spot.

Project List:
    A 10’ x 10’ area with good garden soil that receives at least six hours of sun daily, preferably in a sheltered area with little wind
    Seeds for tall sunflowers reaching 12’ – “Mammoth” are a good choice as the seeds are edible
    Seeds for short 4’-7’ sunflowers
    Seeds for morning glories and colorful, flowering annuals like zinnias
    String/twine and stakes if in a windy area

Directions:
Once the ground is warm enough and all danger of frost has passed, lay out an 8’ x 8’ square to mark the interior. Try not to butt the area up to a wall or a fence as you’ll need to be able to walk around the outside to take care of the plants. Mark a 4’ wide entryway on one side that will remain untouched. Clear and prepare an 12” wide path around the perimeter of the rest of the square, making sure to loosen the soil to a depth of at least 6”. If necessary, augment with compost, coir fiber and THG’s All Purpose Pour n’ Feed to create a good growing medium.
You will be planting two rows of seeds: an inner row of sunflowers and morning glories and an outer row of flowering annuals. For the inner row, begin on one side of the entryway and plant the seeds for the tall sunflowers about 12” apart all around the square. Make sure there is a tall sunflower in each corner. Then plant the short sunflowers in between the tall ones. It is recommended to put two seeds in each hole so there are no gaps where a seed didn’t sprout. When the seedlings are 4-8” tall, snip back the weaker one.
Once the sunflowers have been thinned, plant the morning glory seeds at the base of each tall sunflower. To speed germination, nick each seed and soak overnight in SeaResults Micronutrient Solution™ following the directions on the bottle. As they grow, train the vines to climb the tall sunflowers by directing them to the sunflower stems.
When the tall sunflowers are about four feet in height, it is time to create the roof structure. Use string or twine to weave a lattice across the open space in the middle. Go from sunflower to sunflower, from one side to the other, until you have a network of string across the top of the house. The sunflowers will raise the roof as they grow, and the morning glories will grow up the sunflowers and across the string to make a vibrant, colorful ceiling.
After the roof structure is in place, it is time to plant the outer row of flowering annuals. Zinnias are an excellent choice as they grow to be 2½ feet high and will add to the thickness of the walls. They are also superb cut flowers which the children may harvest to create beautiful bouquets.
Be sure to keep the inside of the house raked and weeded. You can also spread a layer of mulch to keep down the weeds. If you are going to grow a house year after year, you may want to plant a bed of clover as a soft ground cover. To finish off your sunflower house, add a blanket and a chair or two. You now have the perfect summer hide-a-way (or morning coffee spot) sure to enchant children and adults alike.

Plant Care:
As the plants grow, water and weed as needed. To reduce watering needs and suppress weeds, spread a 3-4” layer of mulch after the plants are established. Sunflowers need water to maintain a root system that can support their height. SeaResults Micronutrient Solution™ contains root growth hormones, so watering once a month with a teaspoon diluted in a gallon of water is recommended. Remember to keep an eye out for pests. Our Foliar Feed sprays not only nourish but are also the perfect child-friendly pest control – try the Cinna-mint if you want an amazing aroma as well as ant control.

Notes:
If you plant in a windy area, it is a good idea to stake the sunflowers as once the flowers form, the plants tend to be top heavy.

posted by Jennifer Bateman, Independent THG Distributor