Keeping the Celtic Ozark Garden alive in summer is no easy task. In the cool of the morning, I wake up and take a short stroll through the vegetables and flowers that make my life so rich. My heather has long since not been too happy. The heat of the mid west is too much. The thyme, rosemary, and oregano are also struggling a bit. That is why I have these plants in a semi-shaded section of the garden. I water them in the morning, only using water that has been heated by the sun (and cooled some at night).
Cold water straight from the hose can often shock plants, and prohibit natural growth. In addition, and I don't know how scientific this is, but I notice more issues with blossom rot with really cold water. As I go around and water my tomatoes, green peppers, and the like, I also make sure I am not watering the fruit or blossoms, whenever possible. The wear and tear on my back yields less issues with fruit trying to grow in the heat of summer.
At times, we also use cotton muslin, old sheets, or cheese cloth to create a kind of temporary cover for the fruiting plants. The white cloth allows sun to get through, but cuts some of the intensity of the blazing sun. In Missouri and Arkansas this year, we are having record heat, so we have to do extra things to keep the Celtic Ozark Garden alive.
Soon, it will be time for the squash bug to return to the garden, and so we will be watching for them, always watching....always!
Ray Province
Celtic Ozark Garden.
Showing posts with label celtic ozark garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celtic ozark garden. Show all posts
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Ten Thousand Celtic Ozark Gardens
If you live in Missouri and have a celtic ozark garden, do I have the website for you. The state of Missouri is trying to get 10,000 new gardens registered across the state. This project started small with a goal of 1,000 gardens several years ago. That goal has been met so it is on to bigger and better goals. So, why not have as many as possible registered as Celtic Ozark Gardens
All gardens are welcome to be registered. You don’t need a huge truck garden to feel comfortable in this group. Any garden is welcome to apply. Whether you are growing food for your family, or flowers to feed the birds and butterflies, take a look at this site.
Actually, that is one of the reasons I love gardening. I can grow great tasting food for my family and have a little corner that produces food for the birds. I love growing sunflowers for the birds. Some people place net bags over the heads of the growing sunflowers to keep the seeds safe. I however, just let the birds eat them whenever they want them. It doesn’t necessarily make for the prettiest sunflowers, but I feel good about feeding the critters. It is my garden and I can grow it my way.
If you haven’t started your celtic ozark garden, it is not too late. In fact we are moving this summer so I don’t have a summer garden in this year. For the first time in forever, there are no fresh tomatoes coming from my labors. However, we will be settled in time to start a fall garden this year.
I may get in a few tomatoes before it is all said and done, but I plan to buy the majority from farmers markets this year. However, I will be planting rosemary and thyme as soon as possible. Then as the summer starts to cool, I will be planting lettuce, spinach, peas, and some corn salad or mache.
If you don’t have space for a garden, consider growing a small garden in pots. Herbs love to grow in pots, and there is nothing like fresh cut herbs to brighten any sauce or salad. I love to grow rosemary both inside the house and in the garden. I keep a pot of rosemary on the window sill for a quick snip for a sauce, a dice to throw in a loaf of bread that is rising to bake, or to toss a couple or sprigs on a baking chicken. It is so fast and easy and really makes a huge difference. I even just brush the leaves gently to release a wonderful aroma as I am standing at the sink doing dishes. All of that from one little pot of rosemary that I got on sale at my local nursery at the end of the season.
If you have a garden space but it has been too wet to get your tomatoes in, have no fear. Go ahead and plant your tomato plants now. It is really to late for seeds, but tomato plants will catch right up with your neighbors in the coming hot days. In fact, we have still had some pretty cool nights that have slowed down the growth of any tomatoes already planted.
Now is a great time to get beans and squash in the ground. If you can just find a day when the ground is dry enough, it has been a bit rough in this part of the Ozarks this year. But that is the life of a gardener. Too much rain, not enough rain, hail, and strong winds always make being a gardener a challenge! Speaking of challenges, here is the website I promised. Sorry I got so wordy; I just love all aspects of gardening. http://agrimissouri.com/gardens/gardens10K/join . So, let's get your Celtic Ozark Garden in today.
All gardens are welcome to be registered. You don’t need a huge truck garden to feel comfortable in this group. Any garden is welcome to apply. Whether you are growing food for your family, or flowers to feed the birds and butterflies, take a look at this site.
Actually, that is one of the reasons I love gardening. I can grow great tasting food for my family and have a little corner that produces food for the birds. I love growing sunflowers for the birds. Some people place net bags over the heads of the growing sunflowers to keep the seeds safe. I however, just let the birds eat them whenever they want them. It doesn’t necessarily make for the prettiest sunflowers, but I feel good about feeding the critters. It is my garden and I can grow it my way.
If you haven’t started your celtic ozark garden, it is not too late. In fact we are moving this summer so I don’t have a summer garden in this year. For the first time in forever, there are no fresh tomatoes coming from my labors. However, we will be settled in time to start a fall garden this year.
I may get in a few tomatoes before it is all said and done, but I plan to buy the majority from farmers markets this year. However, I will be planting rosemary and thyme as soon as possible. Then as the summer starts to cool, I will be planting lettuce, spinach, peas, and some corn salad or mache.
If you don’t have space for a garden, consider growing a small garden in pots. Herbs love to grow in pots, and there is nothing like fresh cut herbs to brighten any sauce or salad. I love to grow rosemary both inside the house and in the garden. I keep a pot of rosemary on the window sill for a quick snip for a sauce, a dice to throw in a loaf of bread that is rising to bake, or to toss a couple or sprigs on a baking chicken. It is so fast and easy and really makes a huge difference. I even just brush the leaves gently to release a wonderful aroma as I am standing at the sink doing dishes. All of that from one little pot of rosemary that I got on sale at my local nursery at the end of the season.
If you have a garden space but it has been too wet to get your tomatoes in, have no fear. Go ahead and plant your tomato plants now. It is really to late for seeds, but tomato plants will catch right up with your neighbors in the coming hot days. In fact, we have still had some pretty cool nights that have slowed down the growth of any tomatoes already planted.
Now is a great time to get beans and squash in the ground. If you can just find a day when the ground is dry enough, it has been a bit rough in this part of the Ozarks this year. But that is the life of a gardener. Too much rain, not enough rain, hail, and strong winds always make being a gardener a challenge! Speaking of challenges, here is the website I promised. Sorry I got so wordy; I just love all aspects of gardening. http://agrimissouri.com/gardens/gardens10K/join . So, let's get your Celtic Ozark Garden in today.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Summer Heat in the Celtic Ozark Garden
Summer Heat in the Celtic Ozark Garden has been very bad this year. We have been suffering greatly with days of 100 degrees, and very little rain. But this weather is not only hard on people, it is hard on the plants in your Celtic Ozark Garden. Even the tropicals like tomatoes can have trouble. Here are some simple maintenance tips to help your garden beat the heat.
Keep your garden plants mulched. Mulch can help to hold in moisture, and keep the roots of the plants cool. As long as you have a good root system, your plants have a fighting chance of recovery from heat. If segments of your plants dry out and die completely, remove them. Just be careful to make sure they are fully dried out.
Make sure to weed your garden. You can really make a big difference in the summer garden by keeping out pesky weeds. Even in my raised bed gardens, I will have a seed land in the dirt, brought in by the wind. Get them out. They take up precious moisture. If you garden in the morning, the dew may also help make it easier to get the weeds out.
Add some manure to the garden. Plants that have quit producing, because of heat, will often fire right back up with a little food. Manure is a kind of quick food, which gets nutrients in the grounds quickly. Just make sure the manure is over a year old, so it does not burn the plants.
Finally, make sure you water the plants and water yourself. You can drink out of the water hose. For the plants, I recommend warming the water first. Cold water can shock plants. You might consider even getting a water barrel for such things. Periodic rains will even help you fill the barrel. In the Celtic Ozark summer, though, it doesn't take long to heat a barrel of water.
Keep your garden plants mulched. Mulch can help to hold in moisture, and keep the roots of the plants cool. As long as you have a good root system, your plants have a fighting chance of recovery from heat. If segments of your plants dry out and die completely, remove them. Just be careful to make sure they are fully dried out.
Make sure to weed your garden. You can really make a big difference in the summer garden by keeping out pesky weeds. Even in my raised bed gardens, I will have a seed land in the dirt, brought in by the wind. Get them out. They take up precious moisture. If you garden in the morning, the dew may also help make it easier to get the weeds out.
Add some manure to the garden. Plants that have quit producing, because of heat, will often fire right back up with a little food. Manure is a kind of quick food, which gets nutrients in the grounds quickly. Just make sure the manure is over a year old, so it does not burn the plants.
Finally, make sure you water the plants and water yourself. You can drink out of the water hose. For the plants, I recommend warming the water first. Cold water can shock plants. You might consider even getting a water barrel for such things. Periodic rains will even help you fill the barrel. In the Celtic Ozark summer, though, it doesn't take long to heat a barrel of water.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Spring to Summer Garden Transition
I finished a video today on Spring to Summer Garden Transitions. In this case, I was finishing up a great year of sugar snap peas, and then getting the garden ready for breen beans. Hope you enjoy the video.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Snap Peas
Well, I have not had much time to blog lately, but I promise to make up for it. The combination of cool weather, no frost, and lots of rain brought in a very nice crop of snap peas this year. My peas are now taller than my fencing that holds them.
They started putting on blossoms around 7 days ago. That is a significant sign for me, because that usually starts the beginning of the peas. Sure enough, the rule of thumb has proven true this year. I found my first pealets of the season. That's a good think too, because we jumped to around 86 degrees in the Ozarks the last couple of days, and that will not make my peas happy.
The snap pea is part of my Celtic Ozark Spring garden. They don't mind a little cold weather or snow, but frost is not good. I planted them around St. Patrick's Day, and we got our last day of frost around April 4th. Had to cover them once.
They make a great salad addition, or you can even eat them raw from the garden. I also like to make a stir fry out of them. They are a nitrogen lover, and like full sun and plenty of water. In our case, we had a fair bit of snow last winter, so that really helped the natural nitrogen level.
Can' wait to pick them.
Ray Province
The Celtic Ozark Garden
They started putting on blossoms around 7 days ago. That is a significant sign for me, because that usually starts the beginning of the peas. Sure enough, the rule of thumb has proven true this year. I found my first pealets of the season. That's a good think too, because we jumped to around 86 degrees in the Ozarks the last couple of days, and that will not make my peas happy.
The snap pea is part of my Celtic Ozark Spring garden. They don't mind a little cold weather or snow, but frost is not good. I planted them around St. Patrick's Day, and we got our last day of frost around April 4th. Had to cover them once.
They make a great salad addition, or you can even eat them raw from the garden. I also like to make a stir fry out of them. They are a nitrogen lover, and like full sun and plenty of water. In our case, we had a fair bit of snow last winter, so that really helped the natural nitrogen level.
Can' wait to pick them.
Ray Province
The Celtic Ozark Garden
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Grow Some Carrots This Spring
If you want to add some real zip to your Celtic Ozark Garden, you might want to try to grow some carrots this Spring. They are easy to grow, and can be a real family pleaser. Here is what you will want to consider, then growing your carrots.
Carrots are one of the most frequently grown vegetables in the world. Root crops like carrots are hardy and grow best under cooler conditions. That makes them a great Springtime crop. Carrots will do well in snow, and light frosts, because the bulk of the plants grows under ground. They also do well in the Fall.
Most people only think of the carrot as long and orange. This is simply not true. You can find heirloom varieties in red, purple, and even yellow. The shapes of the carrots can also vary. Some of my favorites come from my friends at Baker Creek Seeds. You might try catalog numbers CR114, CR112, and CR113. Most of the ones I like to grow take around 75 days.
The secret for my carrots is having loose soil. I even like to add a bit of sand to my mix, so the carrots can grow deep. If the ground is hard, the carrots will be very stubby.
Start your carrots by seeding well, and thinning the small plants when they reach around 3″ in height. In a square foot of ground, I don’t like to grow more than 9-12 carrots. That should give you a good idea of how thin to get them, once they start growing. So, you get a bag of carrots per square foot you plant.
Also, carrots are root plants. Be careful not to give them too much nitrogen, as this can make them too leafy. There has been plenty of nitrogen added to gardens in the Ozarks this year from the snow. You can, though, give them a little beer! Mix a 12oz. beer of your choice in 5 gallons of water, and use that to help water your plants. It really helps the root grow.
Your Celtic Ozark Garden is going to look great this year if you grow some carrots this Spring. You’ll be glad you did.
Raymond C. Province, M.A.
The Celtic Ozark Garden
www.celticozarkgarden.blogspot.com
Carrots are one of the most frequently grown vegetables in the world. Root crops like carrots are hardy and grow best under cooler conditions. That makes them a great Springtime crop. Carrots will do well in snow, and light frosts, because the bulk of the plants grows under ground. They also do well in the Fall.
Most people only think of the carrot as long and orange. This is simply not true. You can find heirloom varieties in red, purple, and even yellow. The shapes of the carrots can also vary. Some of my favorites come from my friends at Baker Creek Seeds. You might try catalog numbers CR114, CR112, and CR113. Most of the ones I like to grow take around 75 days.
The secret for my carrots is having loose soil. I even like to add a bit of sand to my mix, so the carrots can grow deep. If the ground is hard, the carrots will be very stubby.
Start your carrots by seeding well, and thinning the small plants when they reach around 3″ in height. In a square foot of ground, I don’t like to grow more than 9-12 carrots. That should give you a good idea of how thin to get them, once they start growing. So, you get a bag of carrots per square foot you plant.
Also, carrots are root plants. Be careful not to give them too much nitrogen, as this can make them too leafy. There has been plenty of nitrogen added to gardens in the Ozarks this year from the snow. You can, though, give them a little beer! Mix a 12oz. beer of your choice in 5 gallons of water, and use that to help water your plants. It really helps the root grow.
Your Celtic Ozark Garden is going to look great this year if you grow some carrots this Spring. You’ll be glad you did.
Raymond C. Province, M.A.
The Celtic Ozark Garden
www.celticozarkgarden.blogspot.com
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