Kel's Garden Journal

Edible Garden, Bed Preparation

2013-04-05T09:24:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I prepared the edible garden beds for planting. I extended the current beds to double the row space, and moved the blue berry bushes.

We are awaiting a bid for a garden fence. I am quite excited for the project. The local Lowe's store sent out a project specialist to pull together all of our ideas. The full project will include a small deck, privacy fencing, a pergola and and arbor gate. Having a useable outdoor living space is a priority for us.

Our lot is long and narrow, but very usable. The kitchen garden is off the back door near the kitchen, and the patio and fire pit areas work with the dining room and living room. Similar to our first garden project, this plan will break the space down into "rooms."

This year I set up potato cages, rather than putting potato in a row. I have also rotated the crops in the garden plan following the leaf-root-flower-fruit method. There are still a few items that will wait for later, asparagus and the home orchard. We have an area cleared by the tree removal last spring that will become the home orchard area.

Now, we wait for the weather to signal a go!

Zone 5 Blues

2013-04-05T09:22:00.001-04:00

I am feeling the zone 5 blues today. I miss my gardens and plants from zone 8, some of my favorites will not make it here in Michiana.

I have spent many an hour paging through seed, perennial and native plant catalogs trying to wrap my brain around this new zone challenge. Just a few hours south and Indianspolis can brag zone 6. What a difference a zone makes.

Coming from an area rich with nurseries my first challenge was to locate a good nursery. Unfortunately, I have watched several independent nurseries close their doors since we landed here in Northern Indiana. I have had good luck with Bluestone Perennials and I plan to try Prairie Nursery this year for natives. Both involve shipping plants, something very new to me.

Spring is late this year, night time temperatures are still dipping into the 20s. This weekend teases days creeping toward the 60s and night time temps hovering around 40. A month tardy the crocus and daffodils are pushing through, with tulips not far behind.

summer projects, fall canning and winter reflection

2012-11-05T11:30:00.000-05:00

Well, the first hard frost has come and gone. The morning temps have dipped below freezing and the garden beds are put down for the winter.

The tomatoes have been sauced and canned, soups have been made and squash, potatoes and onions overflow their baskets in the kitchen pantry.

It is time to return to blogging and free the summer projects and photos from draft. It has been an exciting first year here in Michiana and I have had my share of learning experiences moving from Zone 8 to Zone 5.

alternate pathways, tree roots and looking up

2012-04-18T14:23:00.001-04:00

front walkway through vegetable beds integrated among perennials

backyard pathway leading to wooded area and driveway

pathway along side of house and cutting garden

grass pathway between edible garden beds

In the past I had always used permeable pathways. When I began designing this house my husband quickly pointed out that it would be quite difficult to shovel cedar chips or lawn. Because of the snow in this area I had to choose a pathway material that could be shoveled. If you do not live in an area with snow I encourage you to select pathway materials that are permeable. If you do live in an area with snow consider alternate and coordinating materials for areas that are used in the winter and those that are not used until spring and summer.

gravel pathway

flagstone pathways and patio

If you have been reading along you will remember that we will be removing two large trees this month. Both trees were damaged by concrete. The root crowns were made susceptible to fungal rot from compaction and girdling. When you look down to plan, do not forget to look up. The roots of a tree extend just beyond the canopy over your head. If you are working below that canopy consider the impact of pathways and patios. Initially the canopy was a consideration when we chose to move our patio, unfortunately the driveway poured over the root system had already damaged the tree beyond repair.

patio and pathway areas

2012-04-18T14:08:00.001-04:00

patio and pathways staked off and borders set - this curve is an important transition point

reclaiming sand and pavers from old patio area

sand moved to new location

leveling of sand

setting 24" pavers

10' x 10' patio space

patio set and canopy frame in place

There are a lot of how to websites out there to help you set a patio, so I will not be focusing on the HOW TO here. I will discuss the materials and design.

I chose a Lake Michigan 24' paver, which then matched the stone in the gravel we used from a local quarry. I am extremely pleased with the finished look. We also used the Lake Michigan circular stepping stones in the gravel areas intended for walking.

We reclaimed the sand from the old patio, and stacked the old pavers for reuse in other areas. The old patio was located away from all living areas and did not flow as an additional "room" from the house. I believe that outdoor spaces need to flow from indoor spaces, both visually and in a manner that makes them feel as if they extend from the house. The new patio is visible through the bay window upon entering the living room reception area and from the dining room. If you enter the garden from the front gate you approach the patio as a destination, and if you exit from the back door you step down to the pathway to the patio. All of the flows from the house lead to the patio.

the old patio was located in the back corner of this garden space, which is now divided by a new walkway that leads to the sidewalk and patio area

Additionally, we reoriented the approach from the driveway off the back alley. Originally the pathway took you directly to the back door and we wanted to discourage visitors, many who had been trained in the past to enter this way, from coming to the back door which opens to the laundry area. The new pathway, also in Lake Michigan 24' pavers, leads straight to the sidewalk along the garden and on to the front of the house, and past the patio. The garden space reclaimed from the old patio will become the kitchen garden.

dry well construction and landscape

2012-04-18T13:00:00.000-04:00

garden plan plotted with stakes and twine

based on observations and photo documentation dry well planned and set

4 sequential holes dug, with pipe and fittings for overflow connecting each

Pipe along sidewalk drilled with holes to accept water

downspout disconnected from sewer and directed to dry well area

completed dry well area after back-filled with large gravel for drainage

dry well as integrated into landscape plan

The first step to a successful dry well is observation. It is important to observe and document, preferable with a camera, the drainage pathways during heavy and sudden rainfall. You also must estimate the volume of flow and drainage rate. Think about digging a hole about as big as that puddle you saw at the high point.

Using this information you must next determine where the pathway naturally flows and where you want it to flow. Ideally this will be the same pathway, but realistically you will be making some changes. Our changes included consideration for the new patio. We did not want the rain flow to wash out the patio base and cause future problems. We not only planned the dry well to capture water from the natural pathway but we also used the soil we dug out to form a berm to assist the flow. Think about planning the dry well along the same route you saw it flow, or figuring out how to get it there.

broken concrete from sidewalk removed and worked into design

A 2-3" channel was dug 1-2" deep the full length of the sidewalk on the downhill slanted side to also capture runoff. We removed broken chunks of concrete, a result of the previous flooding, and filled these areas with gravel as well. The broken pieces were then offset in the planting bed to transition the eye. We cannot afford to completely remove the sidewalk and have another poured, and we want to preserve the character of the original walkway.

garden projects 2012

2012-04-18T12:31:00.001-04:00

patio area looking north, small lawn area remains, dry well added, planting areas added

transition from vegetable garden to patio

It has been a month since I last posted. What can I say, it is spring and we all know the dangers of being a gardener in spring...And to top it off, this is a new property and there are new projects.

The property consisted of a large lawn and a few small flower beds. Our goal was to remove the lawn and make room for a vegetable garden, as well as add a patio and extend the garden for habitat.

vegetable garden cleared and raised beds formed

During the course of our outline and planning we encountered a few challenges. The first big challenge was learning that two trees on the property would need to be removed. This will affect the property significantly as far as sun and shade, as well as the aesthetic. We initially consulted with an arborist for pruning, and upon learning the tree had fungal root rot, the removal is scheduled for later this month.

There were also existing issues with water drainage that we wanted to address. A single downspout handles about 1/3 of the water runoff from the roof. This could cause significant problems if not properly accounted for in our planning. Also, a second downspout has the water from two roof lines routed through it and it was causing overflow and flooding in the garage through the man door.

And finally, the existing planting was overgrown and had not been maintained. We are in the process of transplanting much of the nursery stock, but we have also removed a good deal of overgrowth.

I have uploaded several photos and will begin to review each project area.

green waste disposal

2012-03-17T22:30:00.000-04:00

Our biggest challenge in the sod removal project was disposal of the sod. When we called around we were directed to the landfill!

Well, we did not want to take the green waste to the landfill. Not only would the material not decompose in a modern sanitary landfill because there is little air, what does decompose contributes to methane gas output.

We finally found a farmer that would take the material for fill.

Usually we compost all of our own green waste, from the kitchen to the garden, in worm bins (vermicomposting) and yard bins but the sod project was too large to remain on site.

making way for native plants and edible plants

2012-03-17T17:39:00.000-04:00

BEFORE

IN PROGRESS

FRONT BEDS

WALKWAY

WE REMOVED 3 TRUCKLOADS OF SOD

SOD REMOVED!

Saturday we rented a sod cutter to remove lawn to make way for garden beds. We had never used a sod cutter before, in the past we have always sheet mulched (Lasagna Gardening 101).

We chose to remove the lawn this time due to both the volume and our timeline. In the past we have started soil building and mulch projects in the fall, but we were not able to do so under the relocation timeline last year.

The sod cutter worked beautifully and quickly. We cut the lawn into strips and then used a shovel to divide each strip into manageable pieces.

A sod cutter was used to cut lawn into strips and roll

Each strip was cut into manageable pieces for rolling and moving.

We used the sod cutter to remove entire areas as well as define new beds and walkways.

invasive plant pull, vinca major

2012-03-16T21:00:00.000-04:00

Friday I started pulling vinca major from the yard. The vinca is well established in areas and was twisting around bushes and literally pulling them to the ground. Several bushes had dead branches as a result of the vine. Vinca major is listed on the state invasive species list, although this was probably planted long before it was added to the list.

Here is a one day pull. my worker bees helped me load it on the truck and take it around front for yard debris pick up. There is more still needing pulled and some areas will need dug. We pulled ivy last fall.

chemicals, toxins, kids and environment

2012-03-15T12:34:00.002-04:00

There are hundreds of articles out there covering the topic of chemical exposure and toxins. Often these articles focus on babies and young children, because for many of us that is the first time we are so closely responsible for another living being that we start to look closely at our habits. The information can be daunting, overwhelming and just plain confusing.

How far is to far, but how far is "enough?"

This is the question posed in The New York Times article Going to Extreme Lengths to Purge Household Toxins. The article is worth a read, and there are several helpful links. However, if you do not have time to read the article then bookmark this page: TOXNET Toxicology Data Network, administered by the US Library of Medicine. You can enter the name of any product or chemical and find lots of helpful information and read case studies if you are the type, like me, that enjoys a good scientific read.

My mantra was simple.

There is so much that I do not know my kids are exposed to, when I do know about something I need to do something.

I need to do something to the best of my ability [and budget*] to minimize their exposure. I might be a bit more radical than most, for those of you that read about My Path to IPM. But I also believe in being the change that I want to see, and modeling change for others.

I have two kids, they are now teens, finishing high school and ready to move on to college and out into the world. Controlling what they are exposed to is not so easy anymore. I urge you to explain your choices to your child as they grow up. Share what you learn as they begin to understand the world around them. It was tough being voted "the strictest mom ever" when my now 18 year old was in 5th grade. But they will begin to understand, in fact, at some point they will come back and tell you something that you taught them, like it was the very first time they were ever exposed to the idea. Let them. Give them the power to teach you too.

* if you have questions about budgeting green or making your own cleaners please email me or leave a comment below. I am fully aware that "Green" is often marketed with a price tag.

permaculture, human flow, cultivated ecology

2012-03-14T14:29:00.000-04:00

In the case of this new property we will be attempting to return a landscape to a more natural state. But we must also acknowledge the systems and flows that enter and leave the space.

I always begin with human flow. When you design your landscape you need to first look at the pathways and uses for the space, both current and intended. The greatest impact on the space will come from you. Permaculture deals not only with plants and animals but also buildings and infrastructures. It is aimed at creating systems for the long term, so I am taking my time to learn the systems. While permaculture is based on good ecological models we are creating a cultivated ecology.

Part of the struggle that I am facing comes from the property lines and community. The edge of your property is where two environments intersect. This intersection may be fluid or rigid. In the past we have always enjoyed fluid intersections but there are several rigid intersections on this property, the most prominent being a major arterial road in front of the home. We need to create a balance, allowing privacy without completely cutting off the home from interaction with neighbors. I have written previously about the flow to the back door. We would like to decrease the neighborhood traffic to the backdoor, while maintaining access to a planned kitchen garden.

This morning I found myself down one of those long internet surfs starting with animal ordinances, and my desire for laying hens, through zoning ordinances and finally the city comprehensive plan. Analyzing the site components (water, soil, landscape, climate, plants) and energy components (connections, structures, sources, technologies) is a bit easier than the social components (people, cultural, legal, economics). And then there are abstract components like timing and materials.

We are purposely moving slower on this project to understand the current flow and map and build our intended flow. We also want to minimize impact on established bird habitat.

carbon footprints, being an industrial nation

2012-03-09T14:24:00.000-05:00

This week I have been reading Bill Mollison's Introduction to Permaculture and David Holgrem's Permaculture: Principles, Pathways and Beyond. I am taking the time to observe the site, record the connections among all the parts and identify the energy flows and cycles.

While I am off observing flows and cycles I have a wonderful small footprint of a story for you. My husband works in the RV industry, stereo-typically considered a big footprint industry. I have joked for years that I work as an environmental educator because I have to balance his carbon footprint. Well, he has been challenging me to reconsider this balance.

Last year he had a dealer ask him his opinion on the LED lighting market. The dealer was considering purchasing a display, but the display cost $7,000 compared to a mere $300 for an incandescent bulb display. My husband told him that he thought the display was a good investment.

Last week over lunch the dealer told my husband, "you know, I don't know why I question you on these things..." A customer had come in with some figures he had worked up on the cost of LED lights. The customer asked if he could save about 50%.

"Well, I don't know," replied the dealer. He offered to test the vehicle before installing LED bulbs and after, and if the customer was not satisfied he would replace all of the bulbs to the original.

The test results found that regular incandescent bulbs drew 45 amp, and the LED drew 8amp with the RV lit up like a cathedral. Further, the customer had a solar panel installed and a single 24 battery pack. The customer has since reported that he runs the RV lights on that single solar panel and battery pack. The dealer now promotes LEDs and solar panels on all new sales.

OK, what about the fuel driving that RV from place to place? Again, challenging my thinking, my husband countered with the cost to drive to a hotel or resort and the cost of that facility to run lights, water heating, air conditioning and he went on... The typical RV user drives somewhere and stays put for some time. It's not perfect, but then he threw in jet fuel to go to Disney and I let him win this one.

Everything we do as humans has some impact on the environment around us, how do you balance your place in this industrial nation?

permaculture, flow planning

2012-03-05T11:13:00.001-05:00

I am taking a step back today to thoughtfully observe the systems and functions that do and will exist in BOTH my garden and home. The evolution of our patterns in this home and yard will be reflected in my flow analysis and planning. After 6 month of observation I am ready to zone the area.

The greatest challenge that I face is the front door. There is a three door entry into the main living area, through a screened porch, and the neighbors have all been trained to come to the back door. I would like to re-establish the front door as the main entry and enhance the flow between the home and yard. The screened porch and an existing fence and gate are the main barriers to flow at the moment. Additionally, there is a wooden, stepped walkway at the back door that will be removed to provide additional space for edibles, and eventually chickens (the zoning will need changed, but I have high hopes).

I plan to remove the existing fence, which extends from the front corner of the house, and put up a metal fence at the sidewalk. This will open the flow from the front to side yards, enhancing the overall plan to plant edibles in the front yard. I have a cottage garden idea brewing. The new landscaping will also provide screening from a somewhat busy road.

An existing canopy frame will be moved from a corner of the yard closer to the backdoor to create a living space extended from the home. This placement will also visually screen the backdoor and mudroom from the neighbor's kitchen window.

beginning a garden map: existing buildings, structures and large trees (I used a property survey this time, but have also measured and mapped by hand in the past)

I will continue working on the map and plans this week, including pricing items and beginning a 3 year budget. I have a few books on order that will arrive this week to help my planning with regional information and permaculture principals.

And the big Chicken in the City meeting is this Wednesday!

You may also enjoy this earlier post Step 1: Measurements and Sketches

garden systems, mapping and design

2012-03-02T09:11:00.002-05:00

Gardening to me is learning about systems - soil biology, entomology, habitats (pollinators), native and adapted plants. I love researching and building a garden system that is sustainable. Over the past few months, and more diligently the past few days, I have been researching and planning for the new garden here in Indiana. The biggest challenge for me was to break my zone 8 (Western Garden zone 6) thinking and embrace zone 5 (SunsetClimate zone 41). My gardening calendar has shifted from a 280 day extended calendar to a May to October (less than 180 days) calendar for edibles. I will be starting warm weather crops earlier and will experience significant rainfall differences.

My yard at the old house was the gardener's dream, a north south orientation with mature planting forming a heat scoop. The community embraced front yard edible landscaping and urban farming, and the flow of the space supported basic permaculture practices. The house itself was a war era cape cod, modest but with good flow from kitchen to garden. The new house is a larger, rambling, 100 year old Victorian farmhouse with late 80s addition. The kitchen does not have easy flow to the garden, and the overall flow of the house segregates the indoor living spaces from the outdoor spaces. I have spent a lot of time analyzing the flow and coming up with ideas to change the interchange between outdoors and indoors. I am lucky to have a survey of the house, completed before the addition but nonetheless useful. For other properties I have manually measured off the space to create a garden map. I do not use fancy landscaping software, although for my first garden I used the BHG online tool. If you have software, awesome, if you do not, do not shy away from mapping the garden for planning. A good map can save you years of frustrations. And hint: map the mature size of the plants :)

I am a huge fan of urban (and suburban) farming and homesteading. Urban farming appears to be a new or perhaps unheard-of concept in my new town. Every home is surrounded by a lawn and the landscaping is dominated by evergreen shrubs and hostas. Last fall after we moved in I removed hundreds of hostas, joking that they must be on the state invasive species list, and arbor vitae. I donated the hostas and overgrown bulbs and tubers I found to the city for parks planting and maintenance.

My year one plan will be to establish the front and side yards with native and adaptive perennials and berry producing shrubs for pollinators and wildlife. I will also put in a small fenced vegetable garden. I usually do not segregate the edibles from the flow of the garden but will start this way for functionality (and to ease the neighbors into the idea). We also have additional wildlife in this area and bird and raccoon management will be easier if I can net and cover in one area.

I start with a year 1 -3 plan. Plants will not mature and fill in for (at least) 3 years and I simply can't budget or get everything done at once, but I strongly believe in having an end goal or vision in mind. I wrote earlier about Integrated Pest Management; planning is a critical part of the cultural practice.

I use my background in both art and environmental education to design edible landscapes that have neighbors marveling at the beauty of eggplant foliage and strawberry groundcovers ;) I do hope that my neighbors here are accepting of this new (to them) aesthetic. One of my favorite books is RobertKourik's designing and maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally. I also recommend Hemingway's Gaia's Garden. I have to let go of Solomon's Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades and my Sunset Western Garden Book, among other regional treasures. I have ordered two new regional books and I hope they prove useful.

I will post photos of the garden map this weekend.

community, environment and a sustainable future

2012-02-29T14:13:00.000-05:00

Over the past few days I have enjoyed interacting with many of you through Twitter @Kelsgarden and comments on my Guest Post: Integrated Pest Management 101
over at It's Not Easy To Be Green's blog.

In addition to the cyber socializing I have also been busy meeting people through the Environmental Education Center and Local Food Alliance. I look forward to once again becoming entrenched in a community environmental and sustainable movement.

The sun is out here in Indiana and the temperatures are creeping towards 50. Garden fever is setting in and I have been busy mapping the property and pulling together my design ideas for this 7,000 sq ft lot. I am nestled into a historic district filled with vast lawns and hosta landscaping. I sure hope the neighbors are ready for me :)

GMO vs hybrid, confusion and controversy

2012-02-25T14:22:00.000-05:00

A lot of confusion surrounds the idea of GMO, or genetically modified organisms. The most common misconceptions involve confusion between hybridization of plants and genetic engineering.

A hybrid is created by breeding species of the same genus. This is called "conventional breeding" and it employs processes that occur in nature, such as sexual and asexual reproduction. The selected characteristics are not new for the species. Common plant hybrids are Leyland Cypress, peppermint, grapefruit and wheat. You might also picture dog/horse pedigree charts where certain traits are cross bred for specific outcomes. Or perhaps you picture the genetic selection chart from your high school biology or horticulture book, where you charted your family traits or even cross bred a flower.

By definition a GMO product has had its genome altered. This is called recombinant DNA technology. Genetic engineering works primarily through insertion of genetic material. Engineers must also insert a "promoter" gene from a virus to make the inserted gene express itself. This allows insertion of DNA from other genus.

When I teach GMO we always start with taxonomy so that students understand the division of kingdoms(1) and the classification of species(2) within each kingdom. We then look specifically at insect classification (animalia kingdom) to enforce the concept of classification and introduce identification of characteristics (ie:hard/soft bodies, two wings). Hybridization is studied when we identify and classify plant characteristics within the plantae kingdom. I introduce GMO last, after a lab where we extract DNA from a strawberry. GMO can take a gene from a bacteria and put it in a plant. Students then understand that the engineering crosses genus and even kingdoms. DNA "jumps" across the classification chart in opposition to evolution and adaptation.

Look at the chart below and think through the process of extracting Bt bacteria (monera) and introducing it into corn (plantae), a widely talked about GMO controversy. GMO corn contains a soil bacteria that kills the cutworm by "exploding" its intestines. We do not know how this affects humans or animals who eat the corn as feed. This is why many people are upset. There are many benefits to GMO, but there are also many controversies.

GMO products include medicine and vaccines as well as biopesticides and bioherbicides. Other benefits do include increased nutrients, yields and stress tolerance of crops and animals. Environmentally GMOs contribute to conservation of soil, water and energy and provide food security for growing populations.

HOWEVER, there are potential human health impacts including allergies, transfer of antibiotic resistance, and unknown health effects. A major environmental impact that we are already seeing is cross pollination contamination in crops and there are unknown effects on soil microbes and flora and fauna diversity.

Most of the controversy today revolves around intellectual property rights, ethics, labeling and right to know, and societal impact, as well as human health.

Studies indicate that almost all soybeans, corn, alfalfa, cotton and canola grown in the US is GMO. But the US does not require labeling so the average American does not know their food contains GMO. This is possibly the largest controversy, the right to know in a country that prides itself on citizen rights.

Keep in mind that all organisms are evolving and adapting. There are phenomenal examples in nature. I encourage you to seek out and watch Queen of Trees (Nature series). Once we alter a genome evolution and adaptation begins. This is a huge, irreversible, human impact on our environment that everyone should understand.

******

(1) Five-Kingdom System:

Animal Kingdom – Invertebrates (without backbones) and vertebrates (with backbones), multicellular, no cell walls, obtain energy through respiration

Plant Kingdom – multicellular, have cell walls, obtain energy through photosynthesis. Ex. mosses, ferns, flowering and seed plants

Fungi Kingdom – cells with cell walls but not green and do not carry out photosynthesis, break down other organic materials to obtain food. Ex. mushrooms and molds and yeasts

Protist Kingdom – come in a wide variety of forms, some are animal-like, such as amoeba, paramecium and protozoan. Some are plant-like such as algae and others are fungi-like. Many are single-celled and others are multicellular.

Monera Kingdom – some photosynthesize while others respire. The nucleus of moneran cells are not bounded by nuclear membranes like cells in the other kingdoms. Ex. bacteria and blue-green algae

(2)The classification of humans – Homo sapiens

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primata

Family: Hominadae

Genus: Homo

Species: sapiens

Intergrated Pest Management, when you want to DO BETTER

2012-02-24T16:28:00.001-05:00

When you know better, you do better.
- Maya Angelo

Nowhere is this quote more true than in the gardening world. After all, gardening is a constant battle to know better and do better. The mere fact that Mother Nature has her place in your garden ensures that nothing will ever be the same from year to year.

As gardeners we learn how to gauge and use the cycles of nature. The plant life cycle, the insect life cycle, the seasons and the weather predictions, moon phases and the webs woven between it all. And that my friend is the basis of good Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.

Unfortunately we have trained the last two to three generations of gardeners to reach for a chemical answer when faced with a problem in the garden. Technology is always the buzz, and following World War II synthetic pesticides were all the rage promising to eradicate pests. Even as the hippies of the 60s and 70s turned to natural alternatives following the publication of Silent Spring, chemical answers persisted. And now this generation grabs any bottle stamped "Organic" and thinks they have a green answer.

But a chemical is a chemical and Americans are lazy. You are not going to walk into your local big box and have them turn you away from the RoundUp end cap and rows of products and send you out to consider cultural, physical and biological practices first. Nope. And if you knew this organic gardening stuff was going to involve some biology and earth science maybe you would have paid better attention in school. But here you are and NOW you want to DO BETTER.

And that is where I found myself after that experience with the school district. I wanted to know how to do better. I was a young mom, at home for the first time in many years, and so I signed myself up for a natural gardening class that the county was offering. And being a Type A personality I also signed myself up for a Master Composter class at the saem time. It was in these classes that I first began to fit my beliefs into a better understanding. I learned natural lawn care, organic gardening practices and how to compost. At the root of all of these new lessons was a system called Integrated Pest Management. And as I learned more I began to connect the dots between waste reduction, toxin reduction, water quality and the ecosystem. Suddenly I knew how to become an active player in Mother Nature's game.

Integrated Pest Management, commonly referred to as IPM is a strategy that treats chemicals as a last resort. Before you even consider chemical products, natural or synthetic, you first use cultural, physical and biological methods to maintain a healthy garden and manage pests. Say the keyword "manage" with me. We are going to learn to manage pests, not eradicate them. As a gardener your role is to now manage a mini ecosystem.

So, how do you integrate these practices into your gardening habits?

IPM begins with CULTURAL controls. I research and use native or adapted plants in my garden. These plants thrive in the climate and conditions of your garden. I also look for varieties that are resistant to disease and pests, as well as use companion planting guides to foster plant health.

I strive to reduce plant stress by selecting the right place for that right plant. I reduce stress by properly watering the plants, using drip irrigation whenever possible. I practice good garden hygiene, cleaning tools and managing debris. I regularly monitor my garden and check trouble spots. I am not afraid to dispose of a diseased plant.

Next, you will use PHYSICAL controls. I hand pick slugs, snails, caterpillars and other pests. I use the hose on soft bodied insects, the spray will knock them from plants and kill them. I properly prune each season and remove dead and diseased parts from plants.

I do vegetable garden. To protect early season fruits and vegetables I use cold frames or row covers so that insects cannot lay eggs. The larvae is often the most damaging stage for foliage. In my greenhouse I use blue and yellow sticky traps. Pheromone traps are also available. This is where we all become armchair entomologists.

For weed control I mulch or cover vegetable beds over the winter. I also {gasp} handpick weeds prior to seeding. That means a good raincoat, boots and some knowledge of a plant life cycle.

BIOLOGICAL controls will be familiar to many of you. These are controls that rely on living organisms such as beneficial insects. A popular biological control is the purchase of ladybugs. However, I will encourage you to plant flowers and plants that are source foods for these insects and their larvae and draw them into your habitat. One summer my kids brought me lady beetle larvae from a park a few blocks from the house. I was so proud they could identify the larvae {beaming}.

If you create a balanced habitat you will find that within 3 years you will have an army of beneficial insects assisting you. Please remember that spiders and ground beetles are beneficial insects. Most garden books now include color photographs of beneficial insects to help with your identification.

I rarely, if ever, have to resort to chemicals. When I do my pesticide of choice is insecticidal soap. I do not use Neem oil. I have had my bouts with powdery mildew and aphids and I have learned not to be afraid to move a plant to better airflow, better sun exposure, or near a plant that attracts lady beetles. And I have learned to plan better. I am now very diligent about my research and mapping before planting.

My Path to Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

2012-02-21T07:58:00.000-05:00

As with many things in our lives, our passions arise from experience.

I pulled my kids out of school for a week over pesticide use on the school grounds once. My main arguments were:

1) improper application per manufacturer's instructions (federal law)
2) not meeting the state notification guidelines (state law)

Every school district has a notification system, in accordance with state law, for notifying parents of pesticide application. This falls under both a right to know and health concern for those who react to ingredients in the pesticides, including the inert ingredients like silica.

I was on the list. Not only was I not notified of the application, I saw the sign when I dropped my kids off at school, but the notification did not meet the state guidelines. The school property was to have signage at entry points listing the product to be used, date of application, and who to contact with questions or concerns. There was one sign by the main office. Most students were bused to school or unloaded in a car drop off zone.

Further, the property was used by dog owners to walk their dogs, and area residents as a playground for younger children after school hours. The state law accounted for this traffic by requiring a sign at each entrance. The law went so far as to designate size of sign, bright colored paper, and such. And each affected planting area was to be flagged.

The application in question was to be applied before a rainfall or watered to activate the product. It also warned about high winds. The maintenance workers who applied to pesticide had to wear protective gear.

My children were not provided protective gear. The pesticide was applied during a dry spell, with forecasted high winds. Because it was convenient for the maintenance department to schedule at that time. The school nurse saw many students that day because they found the pellets, which resembled a popular candy, and the younger kids were eating them.

I called the state, I called the school district, I had moms tell me they appreciate my actions but nothing changed. A later application was rescheduled to meet the 72 hour notification window, when I called the principal, and I was contacted for future applications.

And I moved my children to another school district. The neighboring district took the state law even further and was rated as a 4 star IPM district. They chose not to apply pre-emergent weed killer to beds and they did not spray the lawns for broad leaf weeds. They chose to use Integrated Pest Management practices.

I learned to see the clover in the lawn as beautiful, and pull any weed that emerged despite the trampling feet of school children. The awareness and practices did not stop with maintenance, the cafeteria offered organic options and strived to improve lunch offerings.

Do you know what the practices are at your child's school? Do you know what your state laws are regarding school facilities? Are you an active voice for your child at school?

My kids were in elementary school at the time, the oldest will graduate high school this year. This incident was my first exposure to the idea of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and over the next 6 years I found myself down a path of community education and classes that eventually led me to become a natural resource teacher. And I taught IPM in that 4 star rated school district. I practiced 4 star IPM in the garden space and greenhouse I managed with students.

NEXT: What is IPM and how do I do it?

each garden I designed defined a season of my life

2012-02-16T14:13:00.000-05:00

The house in Vancouver closed this week. We got the call last night that it had recorded, and the old neighbor texted that the buyer was moving in.

She had mentioned earlier in the week that the Clematis 'Apple Blossom' was blooming. It is my favorite evergreen Clematis, an early bloomer. I had trained it down the side fence between our yards.

We later added another Clematis, a June bloomer, to the back fence. The plan was for the vines to cover the fence and then we would remove the line of arbor vitae and regain the space.

In this photo you can see the campanula subulata, a late spring carpet of purple beneath the Daphnae odorata.

I miss certain plants, like the Helebore the neighbor gave me for my 40th birthday. There was also a pale pink rose that my aunt gave my mother when I was born. I moved it from house to house in a pot and finally planted it in the ground at this house.

I miss the perennials that I planted, and the way they greeted each spring.

I had an office in the basement. There was a long counter that I used for growing starts each year.

And cold frames once the starts outgrew the heating pads and grow lights.

A kitchen herb garden, and beds in the backyard for 10 month vegetable planning.

Blueberry bushes, strawberry beds...

I miss the house, sure - but I really miss the garden I designed and lived.

buying local and the Dirty Dozen

2012-02-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

The "Dirty Dozen" is a list put out annually by the Environmental Working Group that lists the top 12 produce items to buy organically based on pesticide residue found. Along with this list is a list is the items with the lowest pesticide residue, the "Clean 15." If you are trying to avoid pesticides organic is the way to go, however it can be expensive. This list helps consumers prioritize purchases of conventionally grown foods to best meet both health and budget considerations. It is better to eat conventionally grown produce rather than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

Another great way to buy organic is to buy local. Many small farms do not use pesticides. Often these small markets cannot afford an official designation as "Organic," but if you ask the farmer you will learn about their practices and learn that they do not spray or use synthetic fertilizers.

So, what is the difference between organic and "Organic." This is actually a lesson that I teach my students and we start with the USDA organic labeling law. Food is big business and the laws are actively changing. If you are the type that likes to keep on top of the latest news and read the technical data the NOP Newsroom will keep you busy!

These days it is just as important to have a good local farmer as it is any other professional, like your banker or lawyer. Take a day and find your local markets and farms and change your buying habits. Your buying power is impacting the way producers, handlers and retailers manage your food.

glyphosate, really?

2012-02-06T10:05:00.003-05:00

I have been following the local native plant society.

Recently a question was posted about how to handle a specific seasonal weed. Quite energetically a reply popped up recommending the application of glyphosate (RoundUp) as a first step. Wow.

Apparently the concept of IPM (both Integrated Pest Management and the Herbicide Resistance Weed Conservation Plan) have not been introduced here in Indiana yet.

I am beginning to get afraid to plant anything edible in the soil here.

I don't know about you, but I was a little pissed a couple years ago when I ended up with glyphosate contaminated "organic compost."

the tease of spring

2012-02-04T12:07:00.000-05:00

There are several plants beginning to emerge from the beneath the mulch. The unseasonably warm (so I have been told) weather has the daffodils reaching for the sun. As with any house this age, the first year...or three... will be an interesting adventure as little surprises begin to pop up around the yard. I unearthed several bulbs while prepping the ground and thinning the overgrowth.

I am not a bulb enthusiast, at least not traditional bulbs like crocus, daffodils, hyacinth and tulips. However, bulbs are an excellent accent among the perennials and add that early season splash of color much like a new throw pillow on the old sofa. They can transform the garden and signal the onset of spring. Who does not get a thrill watching the first green shoots push up through the soil and eagerly announce that Punxsutawney Phil was incorrect ;)

I found this rap of William Wordsworth's poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" (Daffodils) many years ago. It is a classic.

I do like Allium. My gardens traditionally intermix edible and perennial plants. The allium flowers are particularly good at attracting parasitic wasps, a beneficial insect. I also like bulbs such as the "stink lily" (Fritillaria imperialis) which deters moles.

I have more than a few times forced bulbs to the delight of students and my own children. I love that you can observe all of the plant in a shallow glass bowl in pea gravel. Bulbs make an excellent science lab also.

I did not plant bulbs last fall since we are new to the property and do not know what already exists. Once the flowers emerge I will most likely mark them and gather them to replant next fall in proper groupings in a new garden plan. Bulbs show best when grouped and yet are often spread willy-nilly detracting from their impact.

biopiracy, indigenous crops and human rights.

2012-02-03T08:15:00.001-05:00

My new favorite word is "biopiracy."

India is suing Monsanto for stealing an indigenous crop.

You can read an article about the lawsuit here.

I will be watching this one closely. This could have far reaching ramifications. One of my first thoughts was - could a Native American tribe, as a sovereign nation, pursue biopiracy claims for any of the indigenous corn grown in the US?

In other news, Monsanto won yet another lawsuit against a farmer, this one right here in Indiana.

My daughter and her teammates are exploring the concepts of human rights and terrorism for a Future Problem Solver competition. One of the areas they identified to pursue was GMO. So, 16 year olds view this issue as one of human rights verging on terrorism.

I wonder what would happen if the UN became involved in biopiracy hearings?

This wonderful image is from the Citizen's Assembly. Courtesy of Simran Sethi

Flashback to Agent Orange for Monsanto. Oh, wait, lawsuits over agent orange are still active today.

Another one to watch:

landmark organic community lawsuit OSGATA et al v. Monsanto

shadow watching and winter, Punxsutawney Phil 2012

2012-02-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

Gosh darn cuteness, even if he did predict 6 more weeks of winter.