Gardening | Mysite

Tips & Hacks In No Particular Order

ADJUSTING pH LEVEL DOWN ::

Mix about 4 pounds ( 8 cups ) of aluminum sulphate per plant into the planting space.

Add Canadian Sphagnum Peat to the soil. I am using about a half a bag per 12'x4' raised bed.

Add other carbon rich organic materials to to top of the raised beds - this is slower but still effective.

Overwinter the beds by adding cow manure after last harvest.

Run dried leaves through the shredder, then mix into the top few inches of soil.

ADJUSTING pH LEVEL UP ::

I am on a limestone rock and so do not have a need to increase pH.

MULCH ::

I save all my pruned materials, and run them through the chipper shredder to make my own mulch. This mulch will decompose over time, adds organic carbon to my beds, helps retain water and keep the beds evenly moist. I also use sawdust that Tom creates with his woodworking. I will never again use grass clippings for obvious reasons.

COMPOST ::

The smaller the scraps, the faster compost is achieved.

The rule is: If we won't eat it, and the chickens won't eat it, and the red wiggler worms won't eat it, we compost it.

I use a 2:1 ratio ( I know, that is not right, it should be 20:1, but that is hard ) For every bucket of food scraps, I add 2 buckets0 of dead leaves or whatever.

HOMEMADE ROOTING SOLUTION ::

1 Cup Warm Water

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp White Vinegar

Seal for 48 Hours to Ferment

Ready for Use - just water into the seed starts

Plants root quickly & soil is improved so this promotes plant growth

5 TYPES OF WATERS ::

Soaking soybeans in water produces nitrogen fertilizer which promotes the growth of new shoots

Soaking banana peels in water produces phosphorus fertilizer which helps plants to bloom

Fermented rice water is a potassium fertilizer that strengthens roots and prevents root rot

Soaking orange peels in water is a remedy for sciarid flies

Also known as fungus gnats, they crawl all over my seed starts in the green house, when disturbed, they seem to swarm

A more effective solution is one part hydrogen peroxide and six parts water, water the plants but avoid the leaves

Spraying diluted beer is just as effective as foliar fertilizer making leaves shiny and green

Mist the Stomata on underside of leaves either at dawn or at dusk, not during heat of day, best before it gets to 72 degrees

The Stomata starts closing up at that temperature, so won't absorb as much, which means less effective

Spray about every 2 weeks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=wHyflvaVuIM <-- Link to a good "how to" about foliar spraying

produced by The Executive Garden

PERLITE versus VERMICULITE ::

Neither one are fertilizers

Perlite ::

is larger than vermiculite

improves soil structure by increasing aeration & water drainage

helps plant roots breath, gets the water to flow, which means healthy root development

great for all potting mixes but especially compact soil

Vermiculite ::

improves soil structure by retaining moisture & nutrients

acts like a sponge, so is great for containers that dry out quickly, plants that need extra moisture & plants that are heavy feeders