Weekly Calendar: Feb 23 - Mar 2

Feb 23
2:00 pm
How to plant seed potatoes
Mike (Bed #30) will demonstrate different methods of planting seed potatoes. We'll be able to watch the potatoes grow all spring in our experimental area at the garden and see which method was most productive
 Feb 24
2:30 pm
New Gardener Orientation

Feb 26
4:00 - 5:30 pm
Gardeners on Duty

Feb 28
10:00 am - 12:00
Thursday Monthly Workday

12:00 -1:30
Bluebird Trail Tour
Bluebird Trail Tour Announcement

March 1
Lock combination changes
Be sure you have it before you come to the garden!

March 2
2:00 - 4:00
Saturday Monthly Workday

4:00 to 5:30
Bluebird Trail Tour
Bluebird Trail Tour Announcement

Cobb 4-H Plant Sale

Still opportunity to support Cobb County 4-H Club plant sale

Cobb County 4-H Club is having its annual plant sale and prepaid orders will be accepted through Friday, March 8. This year’s assortment includes blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, figs, muscadines, Admiral Semmes azalea, crape myrtles, edgeworthia, heuchera, forsythia, viburnum and loropetalum.

 

The order form is available at  Cobb County Extension or by calling 770-528-4076. Plants may be picked up at Jim Miller Park on Saturday, March 16 (one day only) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

A free seminar on growing and caring for blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and muscadines will be presented 6:30-8 p.m., Monday, March 4, at the Cobb County Water Lab, 662 South Cobb Drive , Marietta. Registration is required. For more information, visit Cobb County Extension or call 770-528-4070.

Carlos Montano's link to Christine Sibley

A previous post on this blog centers around a trip several of us Green Meadows gardeners made this week to Carlos Montano's garden art studio in Fairburn GA.  When I first visited his studio several months ago, an idea haunted me that I'd seen similar pieces somewhere before ... but where?  After rolling through my mental rolodex, an Aha! idea struck me that there were faces at an Atlanta Botanical Garden pool very, very similar to what I was seeing at Carlos'.  I was right!  Carlos explained that the mural and faces were Christine Sibley's art.  He was connected to her as a manager in Christine Sibley's own studio.  He knew just which faces at the Bot Garden pool that I was asking about.  In fact, he had been commissioned by the Garden to 'fix' the deteriorating pieces as he had the molds Christine had used to make the originals.


So I visited the Atlanta Botannical Garden the day before a second visit to Carlos' yesterday.  The pieces had been restored and looked wonderfully original!  The link below provides photos of Carlos as well as other artists who have reproduced Sibley's art.
 
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/living/0424sibley/

Pilgrimage to Carlos Montano's Studio

In alphabetial order Bridget, Carol, Kitty, Lisa, Mike and Rita made another pilgrimage yesterday to Carlos Montano's showroom/studio and, of course, came back with more garden art and less $.  Having given us fair discounts, I think I speak for the group that it was worth the trip.  Wish I'd paid more attention to who bought what because all pieces will be thought of as prized possessions once established in their rightful gardens.  But 'The Book' wins the Most Outstanding Purchase, 'St. Francis' wins the Most Calming, 'The Plaque' wins the Most Wise, and the 'Stepping Stones' order wins the Most Practical.  'Sunflower Feeder' (shown here) wins a second place Most Practical award.  To see more of Carlos' artwork, visit http://casamontanogardenornaments.com/ .  Be sure to check out the Sibley page on his website.  There's a close connection between the Atlanta artist Christine Sibley and Carlos which makes for a great story coming soon to a blog near you.

Tree Planting has been Cancelled

 

Unfortunately the Tree Planting for the Orchard will NOT take place this Saturday. The weather conditions on Friday aren't right for digging holes. If the holes were dug, they would be swimming holes which the baby trees wouldn't like. Watch the blog for an announcement of when the tree planting will be rescheduled.

 

 

Potato Planting Demonstration

When: Saturday February 23

Time:  2:00 pm

Place: The Garden

What: Mike will be demonstrating 4 different methods of planting and growing potatoes.  We'll be able to watch how they grow all season and then feast on them when they are ready to eat. It will be interesting to see which method yields the most.

   If the weather looks iffy, check the blog as a note will be posted Saturday by 1:00 pm

 

  The rain date will be Sunday February 24 at 1:30 pm

How to Chit Potatoes

 

You can see the exposed cut skin drying out in

one hour. Put the chitted potatoes in a cool dark

at this point! A garage works like a root cellar this

time of year

What is chitting you say?


Chitting simply means getting the potatoes off to a good start by getting the sprouts to start growing before planting them. Home potato growers chit to increase the yield and quality of their potatoes.

 

Seed potato tubers need “chitting” before planting but if you don’t have time to do this, don’t worry. The potatoes will still grow but they will take several more weeks to mature. 



Start the chitting process about 6 weeks before you intend to plant. To do this you need to place them in seed trays, egg boxes or something similar in a cool well lighted place. Make sure you put the seed potato rose end up (the blunt end with the most shoots or ‘eyes’). After a while they will start shooting out new growing shoots. Once these are 1”- 4” long they can be planted out. This process is more important when planting early varieties of potato.

Planting times vary depending on when the last frosts are expected and potatoes need to be planted no earlier than about 6 weeks before this. Potato varieties are classed into three types: 1^stEarly, 2^nd Early and Main Crop. (These terms refer to the time from sowing to harvesting only.)

• Start the 1st Earlies in Mid to late February. 1^st Early are ready in around 10 weeks
• Start 2nd Earlies in March/April. 2^nd Early are ready in about 13 weeks
• Main Crop potatoes are planted a couple of weeks later. Main Crop potatoes are ready after 20 weeks or so. 

 Here are two ways you can grow your chitted potatoes once they are ready to be planted out.

1. Use a plastic container (with a lid). The lid is important because if the weather gets cold, you can just put the lid over the green potato leaves to keep them from being burned.
2. Or use a store bought potato growing bag. 

To turn this plastic container into a potato growing tote,
make holes two inches from the bottom for drainage.



Store bought potato growing bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Pictures and information provided by Mike

 

What to look for in Seed Potatoes & How to store Them



Healthy seed potato

Q:  Which potato should you choose to start your potato crop with - special seed potatoes or grocery store potatoes.

A:  Potatoes are best grown using specially grown seed potatoes. The most important reason to use seed potatoes is that they have not had an inhibitor applied to them.

That isn't to say you can't use potatoes from the grocery store. However, they usually have had an inhibitor applied to stop them sending out their “chits” (growing shoots).


Grocery store potato - notice the
 purple/black eyes.These are not healthy.

Because of the inhibitor applied, grocery store potatoes frequently have unhealthy looking eyes. As well, the inhibitor causes growth to be stunted and production is reduced by 50 to 100%.

Use 4 inch pots with crumpled paper
 in the bottom to store seed potatoes



Use an egg carton to store seed potatoes

Once you have purchased your seed potatoes, you need to store them so they don't get moldy.

Putting them in a bag in the dark is not the way to go. You want air around each potato so they don't touch and become moldy.

Put each potato in its own "room" so there is air around each potato and the eyes don't get squashed.

Be sure and put them rose end up (blunt end with the most eyes).

Two easy (and cheap) ways of storing the seed potatoes - use an egg carton or 4" pots that plants came in.


  Pictures and information provided by Mike



 

Another Lost & Found item

A new item has appeared in the Lost & Found box...a pair of eyeglasses. If you are missing a pair, they are in/on the green Lost & Found box in the shed.

Lost Glasses

Hey everyone,

Was at the garden uncovering my bed this morning and found a pair of glasses between my beds.  I put them in the shed on top of the lost and found box.

Have a great day,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Yellow Sticky Traps are in!

Mike and Denise have yellow sticky traps set up in their beds already. The traps help you monitor what pests are prevalent. In other words,  they give you an early heads up that you are about to have a problem before it becomes a huge problem.

Denise has found all kinds of interesting critters stuck in hers. There is a great insect book in the shed in the book box that will help you ID what you have caught.

How do you use them you say?
  You need:
   1 yellow Sticky Trap
   1 Binder Clip
   1 twistie, zip tie or cable tie to run through the top of the binder clip and then tie to your plant stake.
   1 plant stake to clip the sticky trap to.
    You can get small plant stakes from Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. to clip them to. (To find them, just look in the garden department in the trellis area). Or use whatever you have handy at home or is already in your bed at the garden.
  Per Denise, you want the trap to hang slightly above the leaves of the plants but not where it can catch the leaves if the wind blows. She also says that as the plants grow, you will need to move the sticky trap higher so it is above the leaves again.

Go in the shed and look for the box that says "Yellow Sticky Traps".

Open the box and find the open package of sticky traps.

Pull out one trap and one binder clip. 

Each side of the sticky trap has a slick white

 paper covering the sticky bits.

But before you pull both sticky bits off, attach the

 binder clip to the end that isn't sticky.

 

It would have been much easier to use a twistie to tie the binder

 clip to the plant stake because my first try caused the

 sticky trap to fall out and get dirt on it

 

 Words of Warning: 

Once you have your stake in place, clip the sticky trap to it.

THEN pull the white paper off both sides.

 

Failure to do that means you most likely will have the sticky trap stuck to something you don't want it to. See above where I got dirt in it.

 

Second word of warning - put the trap in a location you are not likely to lean into. It is a bear getting the sticky stuff out of your hair! (Yes, I've done that too.)

 

Birds at the Garden

The weather was quite frightful but the birds were most delightful.  That sums up my quick venture up to the garden to count birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count.


Two goldfinches and a white-breasted nuthatch

I've been keeping a casual list of birds I've seen on my visits to the garden and had managed to accumulate 28 species for my Green Meadows Bird List.  If I'd been taking binoculars to the garden to specifically look for birds I'd have a much longer list! In just one hour of standing near the shed and looking through the binoculars,  I managed to add 4 more species.

The shed makes a great place to stand and watch birds for two reasons: it acts as a bird blind and as shelter from the brutal wind. Saturday, anything that protected us from the wind was greatly appreciated!



What is a bird blind you say?
Any thing that keeps the birds from being aware of you. Examples: a car, the house, the over hang of the shed or a specific shelter built for watching birds.

Kitty was at the garden to do Garden Duty but there weren't any crazy gardeners out Saturday afternoon so she joined me looking for birds.  As you can tell from her smile she was having fun even if she was freezing.

Two frozen gardeners (Mike and Sue) stopped by after they finished their walk but they didn't stay long!

Question for all readers

Hey Blog Readers
  Mike told me that when he looks at the Seed Potato post the picture is in the post sideways. When I look at it with my desk top computer it looks like it got published correctly.

So my question(s) are...

How many of you see the picture in the seed potato post sideways?

If you do see it sideways what kind of device are you using (iPad, iPhone, desktop, etc).




Have you noticed anything else sideways or catty wampus?
 

I know that sometimes it all depends on the device being used but I will try to fix any boo boo's that occur. Please let me know if you ever notice anything not "right".



Besides the garden ghost.

  

Weekly Calendar: Feb 16 - Feb 24

Feb 19
4:00 to 5:30 pm
Gardeners on Duty

Feb 20
Meet at 8:45 am at the Garden
Field trip to Casa Montano
Carlos Montano Garden Field Trip Announcement
email Carol by Monday if you are going

Feb 21
3:00 pm
New Gardener Orientation

Feb 23
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Gardeners on Duty

How to plant seed potatoes
Time TBA via blog posting
Mike (Bed #30) will demonstrate different methods of planting seed potatoes. We'll be able to watch the potatoes grow all spring in our experimental area at the garden and see which method was most productive
               
Orchard Planting with Keep Cobb Beautiful
Blog Post to come with time and further details
Planting of fruit trees in the terrace above the garden

Feb 24
2:30 pm
New Gardener Orientation
                                                                                                         

Collard Greens with Coconut & Garlic

Hey Everyone,

My son and I were looking for a different way to prepare our collards.  We stumbled upon this recipe posted on a blog somewhere and thought we would try it.  I know, I know, coconut in the collard greens, quit laughing!  While not a traditional recipe by any means, it actually was quite delicious.

Collards with Coconut

Ingredients:

1 extra-large bunch of collard greens

1 small onion chopped

2 to 4 cloves of garlic, slivered or minced (3 -4 if small or 2 large)

2 heaping tablespoons of grated coconut

¼ - ½ teaspoon red chili powder

¼ - ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Salt as desired

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Thoroughly wash collard greens, dry, and remove hard stems.  Cut into thin strips.

In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients, except for the oil.  Add the collards and toss to mix well.

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add the collard greens mixture and cook on medium until you see a nice steam, then reduce the heat to low and cook covered, stirring often.  Cook for about 10 – 15 minutes or until desired doneness. 

Hope you enjoy!

Denise, Beds 25 & 29   

Gardener Wannabee

Today when Denise and I were at the garden we met a very fun gardner wannabee. He wants a plot so bad but we told him he'd have to wait until he was 18 to get a plot of his own.

He loves vegetables so much he was eating Swiss chard, spinach and pak choy fresh out of the garden.

Before he left he drew two hearts for Denise and I, and then drew 2 more hearts for all the other people who garden with us.

Artic Chill Coming

Warning, warning!

If you still have anything that you want to protect, we are going to have another week of very cold temperatures.  Actually, it will be a week of temperatures that will cause the plants whiplash. Pleasantly warm in the middle of the afternoon some days with below freezing temperatures in the dark hours.

Remember that with the high winds the windchill will make it even colder for the plants. If you cover, be sure your cover isn't touching your plants. This will help prevent burned plant parts.

Thursday Feb 14:        High 54,   Low 35
Friday Feb 15:             High 59,   Low 28 - very windy
Saturday Feb 16:        High 41,    Low 24 - very windy
Sunday Feb 17:           High 49,   Low 28 -  just windy
Monday Feb 18:          High 57,   Low 43
Tuesday Feb 19:         High 53,   Low 29
Wednesday Feb 20:   High 54,   Low 35

Soil Sample Bags Available in the Shed

While I was sweeping the 'red barn' floor, I noticed soil sample bags and instructions are now stocked there for anyone wanting the service.  The testing is done at UGA, costs $6.00 and turnaround is 7-10 days after the sample is turned into the County Extension office.  Your results will recommend fertilizer, lime or sulfur amendment specifically for what you tell them you're growing.  Also, remember that it takes time for the amendment application to be effective.  In other words, now is not too soon! to collect and send your soil sample before spring planting.  Instructions can also be found at http://www.cobbextension.com/ .  Click on PUBLICATIONS and enter SOIL TEST or C 896 in the SEARCH area.  While you're there, why not browse around to view all the professional and free publications for immediate downloading?  'Free' is good! and 'professional free' is even better!

More Foggy AM Pix - This time I got what I went to shoot

Above the terraces and beyond the garden there's a beautifully formed tree.  Which it is I won't know for sure until I see the leaves so if you know, don't tell me yet.  But it's nearly perfectly formed due to lack of competition from other trees and its longevity.  The photos were taken as the fog on Feb 6th was beginning to thin.  Same tree, slightly different angle.  I got so excited when I saw the contrail in the photo to the right that I would've lost the shot due to shaky hands but I'm thankful for my tripod and remote shutter release! 

The two photos were taken 15 minutes apart - that was my window of opportunity.  The image below was taken at 10:00 AM and the one to the left at 10:15!  Before 10:00, the fog was pea soup - too, too thick for my taste.

The Great And Not So Great Garden Companions

Hey Everyone,

Collard Greens

I was speaking with someone in the garden last week having trouble growing radishes in close proximity to their collard greens.  They mentioned neither had performed very well even though they did everything right. Hence, the inspiration for this post as it is a common problem you may encounter in the garden!  

From the symptoms they described of how their plants and produce appeared (both small and unproductive) and the proper steps they had taken in their care, it sounded like a simple case of bad bed buddies.  I certainly won't try to say that one fast three times!

Amethyst Radishes
Territorial Seed 

Much like countless dogs and cats, some plants just do not get along.  While others have such an amazing connection, you are bewildered and intrigued by their behavior.   Many of my garden references state that Radishes and the Cole crops are actually bad companions in the garden as they somewhat repel each other.  Most often, this leads to stunted growth and poor development.  Not always, just more often than not!  

However, if you take those same radishes and plant them next to carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, spinach, and a few others, they will all work in perfect harmony creating a symbiotic relationship.  I actually seem to find my radishes more on the sweeter side when I plant them beside my lettuce in the early days of spring.  They are also excellent to use as a trap crop (see definition below) for leafminers when grown alongside spinach and lettuce, or utilized as a repellent for cucumber beetles.  I use both these practices on a routine basis.

Trap Crop - A small group of plants often used in companion planting techniques to attract harmful or undesirable insects away from the main crop.

There is a substantial amount of information out there regarding the use of companion planting.  The science behind the concept is that some plants chemically enhance or inhibit each other's growth when planted in close proximity to one another.  In addition, it is believed that certain plants have the further benefit of either being able to attract or repel certain insects depending on your needs.  Much of it is proven scientific fact; however, you will always find some folklore mixed in.      

Raised bed gardening actually lends itself quite well to the practice of companion planting due to the close proximity in which each crop needs to be grown.  I have been experiencing a great amount of success with the method of utilizing certain crops to repel insects.  Garlic, parsley, mint, and radishes left to bloom are all workhorses in the garden for me.  With the rapid approach of spring, I thought I would offer some information on the topic to get everyone off to a great planting season with much success. The first link offers a base list to use in the garden for those that just want a quick reference of the great and not so great garden companions.  The second and third links provide some additional information on the topic.  

Garden Companion Planting Chart - link to a basic list of companion plants - vegetables

Companion Planting Techniques - link to some general information on companion planting

Companion Gardening Overview - link to some general information on companion planting

Rodale Organic Gardening
Reference
Sally Jean Cunnigham

"Great Garden Companions", by Sally Jean Cunningham out of Cornell University is one of the nice references that I use and is readily available on Amazon.  This book maintains its focus solely 
on the vegetable garden and provides detailed information for preventing pest problems utilizing common herbs and flowers.  I find quite a bit of success with many of her recommendations.

Happy Gardening!

Denise, Beds 25 & 29