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What’s Happening at GAIA’S! |
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C Gaia’s Garden’n Gallery |
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Gaia's Garden'n Gallery |
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Garden Greetings,
March is coming in like a lion for sure! So it should be pretty nice going out. Even with the cold weather we have looked through our catalogs, shopped for seeds, and either have seeds germinating or we are waiting for the soil to warm up to sow them directly into the ground. We have plenty of heirloom and traditional seeds for sale; tomato, pepper, greens, melons, cucumbers, carrots, squash, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few. We also have a small selection of seed potatoes and onion sets here at Gaia’s only while supplies last! We are due in any day lily and gladiolus spring bulbs – quantities are limited so stop in soon. We have stocked up on some gift items as well as some new gardening books about vegetable, organic, and herb gardening. We have some super funny greeting cards as well as plantable ones – perfect for the gardener! My greenhouse is currently housing tomato and herb seedlings. We are getting raised beds ready for tomatoes this year as well as planting onions and potatoes. I plan on planting different varieties of potatoes in big 25 gallon black plastic pots; I have Italian fingerlings, superior whites, russets, and blues. A note on onions … in our region we need to stick to short- or intermediate-day onions in order to have a crop. Long-day onions will not produce well in our area … I learned this from the onion people and did you know that the number of onion leaves you have is the number of layers that onion will have! We still have a few rooms for rent in Gaia’s Oasis … so if you know of anyone who wants a retail space with Old Florida charm send them over or have them call (850) 863 4040 for more information. Our website is going through a revamp so stop in and check it out sometime at www.gaiasgrden-n-gallery.com . We are still on facebook and myspace so stop in and check out our blogs and our photo gallery of clients’ landscapes we have done.
THINK GLOBALLY AND SHOP LOCALLY
MARCH EVENTS Gaia's Garden'n Gallery 28 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach FL 32548 850 863 4040 Hours: Tues - Sat 10am – 6pm
Saturday March 13 (10:30-11:30am) - Edible Landscaping: Many of us have smaller areas that we call our yards, having an edible landscape is the solution to that! You can mix flowers and vegetable plants together for the added benefit of pollinator insects being drawing in by the flowering plants and they’ll go ahead and pollinate your veggie plant flowers while they visit. Not to mention companion planting. Join us as we discuss edible landscaping. Please call the shop to register; cost for the class is $7.00.
Saturday, March 20 (10:30 – 11:30 am) – Think it’s impossible to have a vegetable garden with our sandy soils, think again! Come to our Organic Vegetable Gardening workshop to learn about the importance of building up your soils, companion planting, natural pesticides and organic fertilizers that will help keep your garden veggies on the plant for you, not the bugs! We offer James Stephens’ book, Vegetable Gardening in Florida from University of Florida Press, for sale. Space is limited please call shop to register; cost for class is $7.00.
Saturday, March 27 (10:30 – 11:30 am) – Landscaping with the Natives workshop offers the ecological gardener solutions to landscaping problems. While fixing these problems we can reduce water usage, cut fertilization and pesticide costs as well as reducing runoff into our water ways. All native plants (trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses) will be 25% off day of class only. Cost for class is $7.00; please call the shop to register.
March Gardening Tips*: PERENNIALS: CARE FOR YOUR PERENNIALS – Visit your garden several times a week to enjoy the flowers and check for problems. You are likely to want to gather a few flowers to bring indoors for bouquets. Use this time to direct growth: plants that are lopsided may have vigorous limbs cut back to produce a more even plant. If plants need to be a little thicker, just nip the tips of the developing shoots. A plant has certain hormones throughout it just like we do. The hormones at the tips of the shoots tell the plant to grow tall, when you nip the tips off; the hormones that tell the plant to get bushy turn ‘on’. Do not trim back shoots that are starting to flower unless it is necessary or you want them for bouquets. PLANNING – Now every Florida gardener can begin perennial planting. There is some FROST potential until mid-month. Our garden center has plants in full bloom or you can grow yours from seed – the sooner the better if doing the latter – as seed can take some time to produce a flowering plant. When getting plants my mail order – remember that most of them will be quite small and will need several months of growth to reach flowering size. Pictures are pretty but don’t be tempted to get the plant if it doesn’t suit our climate. By all means experiment if you like but don’t be disappointed if they don’t do well. WATERING – it’s hotter and the plants are beginning to need more water. Try to separate your plants into heavy-use and low-use areas. Then you can irrigate as needed without worrying about water one species too much or not enough. Check plants for signs of wilting during the day, and water when the leaves begin to wilt. Feel the soil and water when surface becomes dry to the touch, this works for container gardens too. Drought tolerant plants can go a day or two more without watering when the soil is dry. Apply ½ to ¾ inch of water. Run soaker hoses until the soil under and around the hose is moist. Water during early morning hours to conserve moisture. Try to keep you plants on a program of low water usage. It helps develop deeper root systems, discourages many pests, and saves money.
WATERGARDENS: Water gardens begin growth quickly during the Spring months. All plans or adding new gardens should be completed as soon as possible Use annual flowers to add color during the less attractive months. Create a backdrop with shrubs or small trees, making sure neither keeps the sun from your water garden. Fill in bare areas with ground covers to provide continuous greenery. Some may grow down the edges of the pond to hand near the water. Add perennial plantings to giver permanent color. . TREES: WHY TOPPING HURTS TREES! PLEASE READ BY FOLLOWING THE LINK!
HERBS & VEGETABLES: PLANTING IN A SACK – This is a fun project for kids young & old! Get a large bag of good potting soil and some seeds or transplants. Place the sack of soil in a sunny location, following these steps: Lay the sack flat on the ground. Make two 1 to 2-inch horizontal cuts in the sack near the ground line on each side for drainage. Decide where you want to plant the herbs or vegetables in the top of the bag. Make an x-shaped slit in the bag, 4 to 6 inches long, at each planting site. Plants seeds/transplants through the slit and water. Keep soil moist and feed weekly through openings. Your sack garden will grow just as well as the crops planted in the ground! When the harvest is over, add the soil to your inground gardens and start over with another sackful!
TOMATOES: Tomatoes need four basic plant nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. · NITROGEN (N): essential to leaf and stem growth. Good sources of N are well-rotted manure, compost, bloodmeal, fish emulsion and legume cover crops. Too much N produces larger leaves by few fruits. Stunted growth and yellowing of the lower leaves are signs of nitrogen deficiency. · PHOSPHORUS (P): promotes strong roots and the formation of flowers, fruits and seeds, and helps the plants resist disease. Mined phosphate rock, bonemeal and poultry manure are excellent sources of P. Stunted plants with thin stems and leaves that have a purple cast on their underside are indications of a phosphorus deficiency. · POTASSIUM (K): contained in greens, granite meal and wood ashes. K is important to plant vigor, growth and disease resistance. It leaches quickly, so add it in the spring when planting rather than in the fall. Stunted plants, poor yields and yellow-splotched foliage indicate too little potassium. CALCIUM (Ca): crucial to development of cell walls, especially in the leaves, and to ward off blossom-end rot (which can also be caused by too much N or uneven moisture), a common tomato malady. Fluctuating or low soil moisture (tomatoes need at least an inch of moisture a week preferably a little bit every day) favors calcium deficiency. Natural sources of Ca include limestone, wood ashes and bonemeal. Many gardeners add a handful of crushed eggshells to the planting hole of each tomato. We carry heirloom and traditional seeds, some varieties that will do well in our region and that we carry here at the shop: Cherokee Purple (large sweet dusky purple-pink flesh), Pink Brandywine (large pink flesh), Moneymaker (heat and humid resistant), Beefsteak (irregular shape, bright red), Roma (high producer, bright red plum shaped), Yellow Pear (yellow, mild flavor), Pineapple (yellow w/red marbling flesh, sweet, good yields), Great White (giant creamy white fruit, fruity taste, smooth fruit, high yields), Golden Jubilee (orange, sweet, mild flavor, good size & yield), Arkansas Traveler (medium size pink; tolerates heat and humidity, crack & disease resist), Rutger (large, red good for canning), Crimson Cushion (huge rich fruit); Red Cherry (excellent container crop) … seeds run from $1.89 to $2.50. I have some seedling starting in my greenhouse and will bring in plants soon. *Tantalizing Tomatoes: Smart Tips & Tasty Picks for Gardeners Everywhere: Brooklyn Botanical Garden Publications: 1997
March Green Ideas*: TOYS: Think hard before you buy the latest in-vogue, short-lived plaything for your children; perhaps there’s something much simpler that would be more fun for them and less harmful to the planet. BUY SECOND HAND TOYS. Check out ebay, craigslist, freecycle, yard sales, or your local classifieds for nearly-new bargains. WOOD’S GOOD. Buy toys made from sustainably grown wood. As a guarantee, look for an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo. JOIN A TOY LIBRARY. Give your children more toys than they could possibly get bored with. Alternatively, start your own toy-sharing circle with friends who have children. SPARK YOUR CHILD’S IMAGINATION. Give them everyday items like cardboard boxes, fabric scraps, shells, or pieces of wood to adapt into their own toys or craft projects, providing hours more fun than manufactured toys.
A seemingly unavoidable feature of modern childhood, electronic toys are usually made from petrochemical-based plastics. They create significant carbon emissions in their manufacture and produce yet more in their use and disposal. If your child is truly desperate for an electronic toy: try to choose one that’s well made and won’t break easily, find a toy or game that can be varied or upgraded, invest in a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger – ideally a solar powered one, teach your child to switch the toy off whenever they are not using it.
Did you know? 1. The US toy industry is worth $22 billion a year. 2. Americans purchase around 5 billion batteries each year and produce around 150,000 tons of battery waste annually. 3. Look for toys designed to educate and inspire children about low-carbon technologies. The average American child received 69 new toys each year. *Taken from Yarrow, Joanna (2008). How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint. Duncan Baird Publishers: London
Happy Gardening! Gaia's Garden'n Gallery
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