It’s time for our first-ever Pinterest contest! Enter for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card!

My Organic Garden Wish List Pinterest Contest!

• Running: March 1–31, 2013
• Prize: $50 Amazon gift card

Entry Requirements: To enter the Safer® Brand Pinterest Contest, each participant must perform the following tasks (limit one entry per person):

1. Join Pinterest and follow Safer® Brand
2. Create a board titled “My Organic Garden Wish List”
3. Fill the board with at least 10 pins that any organic gardener would want, need, or love! At least two of the pins must be from www.saferbrand.com.
4. Tag all of the pins with #saferbrand and #MyOrganicGardenWishList
5. When you’re done, email safer.brand1@gmail.com with a link to your board

Thanks for participating, and for following Safer® Brand on Pinterest! The winner will be chosen at random and announced on April 8, 2013 at 11:00AM (EST). Only one board per person; multiple boards will not be counted!

For the fine print details of our Pinterest Contest, please see our Official Pinterest Contest Terms and Conditions.

This year, my love for gardening has grown quite a bit. My cousin and I have started a Farm, using organic practices to sell our produce to local restaurants and markets in Lancaster, PA. It is called Bamford Produce Patch. (link to blog here: http://www.bamfordproducepatch.blogspot.com/)

This is a part-time adventure/job for me in business startup, trial and error, and learning a lot about growing large quantities of produce.

I still have my backyard mini square-foot garden. (previous post)

http://www.myorganicgardeningblog.com/vegetable-gardening/mini-square-foot-garden/

But here’s some photos of my farm so you can see how the square foot gardening pricipals can work on a bigger scale: copy photo @ the top of Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/BamfordProducePatch
and whatever other photos you’d like to grab from Bamford’s facebook page.

Bamford produce patch is not a big garden by any stretch of the imagination but we have room to grow on a farm plot that we rent from a local farmer.

We are continuing the practice of using raised beds and already we are selling, selling spring mix, bib lettuce, swiss chard, french radishes, and with many other veggies in various stages of growth.

So far, our success in the early part of the year can be attributed to the composted soil in the raised beds; full of nutrients and a lot of hard work.

The 10% shade covers on the leafy produce will also keep the bugs at bay but I know I can always count on Saferbrand.com to help me with pest control. I’m sure I’ll need it this year! With the mild winter and warm spring here in Lancaster, the season is shaping up to be great for growing produce and (unfortunately) full of bug that are hungry for leaves!

So for all of you gardener’s hobby farmers and anyone who enjoys fresh veggies… happy planting!

All though you’ll rarely find anything but pure white curds in the supermarket not all cauliflowers are white. Over the last few years a lot of breeding work has been done to bring us coloured cauliflowers purple, green or even orange curds, all tasting great and because of the colours containing different antioxidants it makes them healthier for us to eat. All these colours make cauliflowers a versatile vegetable in the kitchen cooked, added to a stir-fry or eat raw with dips. It is possible to grow this vegetable and have it available to eat nine months out of the year from your plot – all it takes is the right varieties and planning.
The most important thing to remember when growing cauliflowers is to keep them growing at all times with no check to their growth at any stage throughout their growing season. If you can achieve then succulent homegrown curds will not be a dream but become the norm on your plot.
Sowing the seed
In February make your first sowing of summer cauliflowers. These are best sowed in a heated greenhouse into 9 cm pots filled with multipurpose compost. The pots are watered with a fine hose attached to a watering can. Once the seeds are sown, lightly cover them with fine grade vermiculite-they are then placed in a heated propagator set at 18-21C. Germination can be as quick as 3 to 7 days, at which time seedlings can be pricked out [transplanted] into module trays ready for planting outside in mid-April.
If you don’t have the luxury of a heated greenhouse you can make a sowing of summer cauliflowers in a seed bed inside a cold frame, mid-February to mid-March. Sow each variety in a shallow drill 1 cm deep and about 25 cm between the rows. These will germinate more slowly, it was still have plants ready for transplanting out into their final positions towards the end of April or May depending on how cool the spring has been.
Late summer/autumn cauliflowers that will be ready for harvesting from August through to the end of October can be sewn in mid-April outside in a seed bed. From late April to early May if sown under glass in pots ready for planting when large enough.
Winter and spring cauliflowers are best sown in late April or May in seed beds outside or in mid-May if sown under glass in pots and pricked out into pots for transplanting later when ground becomes available.
For really early summer cauliflowers you can sow seeds in October. These are best sown under glass, pricked out into 9 cm pots and then placed in a cold frame to overwinter. These plants will then be ready for transplanting into your vegetable plot as soon as the weather and ground conditions allow in early March and ready to be harvested by June.
Growing on young plants
If sowing in pots, once the seedlings are large enough to handle they can be pricked out into 5 cm² trays filled with multipurpose compost to grow in. The pricked out seedlings are placed on shelves in the greenhouse, so they are near to the glass, preventing them from getting too leggy. They stay there until they are large enough to move into a cold frame for hardening off, before planting out into their final positions. Growing cauliflowers in trays helps prevent them from stunting their growth, plus I find they take better once planted. Unlike plants that have been lifted from a seed bed, which can sometimes lie in the ground all limp for several days before they pick up.
Plants that are growing in a seed row require a really good drink of water the night before lifting so some of the wet soil stays attached to the bare roots once lifted. It’s always wise to plant bare rooted plants on wet or dull days as this will reduce the stress they would experience if planted on a sunny day.
After planting barefoot or pot raised plants I make sure they are given a really good watering in. I like to put them in to soil that is really saturated around each plant so they are standing turgid by the following day.
Soil prep and aftercare
Cauliflowers like a rich fertile soil that was dug over with plenty of manure added in the autumn. Before planting, the ground is pulled down to a fine till.
As cauliflowers are hungry plants it is important to plant them at the correct spacing in order to get the best curds. I plant summer cauliflowers 30 – 38 cm apart in the row with 38 – 45 cm between the rows. Late summer/autumn and winter/spring cauliflowers are generally planted 45 cm apart in the row with 45 – 60 cm between the rows.
Keep the plants well watered, especially in the first few weeks after planting if the weather is very warm, so your plants become established quickly. It is also important to keep the plants well watered during hot weather as the curds are beginning to develop. Once the curds are about 5 cm across, it is very important to keep the soil moist at all times, this will keep the plants growing and produce bigger curds.
Keep weeding throughout the year so the site is clean around your plants, but take care while howing not to damage the stems of the plants as this will check their growth.
Harvesting
Most hybrid varieties develop quickly and will often be ready to harvest within a few days of each other. So to avoid a glut cut the largest curds first, allowing smaller ones to develop further. Most varieties freeze well should you find yourself with a glut.
Pests and disease
If any part of your plot has club root disease it is best to avoid growing any type of brassica in this area for at least 7 to 10 years. However, going plants reduces the risk of club root problems, as they grow away quicker. Recent breeding has developed some club root resistant varieties that may be the answer to many gardeners’ prayers. Pigeons or doves attacking young cauliflower plants can be a big problem in some areas so growing plants under nets is the answer.
Cabbage fruit fly can attack plants and make them collapse; they can be deterred by putting a brassica collar around the base of each plant preventing the butterfly from laying its eggs. You can buy proper mats or make your own, cut out from an old carpet.
Cabbage white butterflies can be a real nuisance laying their eggs on plants, when they hatch out into caterpillars that soon chomp away at your crop. I check my plants regularly and rub off any eggs, and then later on I pick off any developing caterpillars
This is a guest post by Neil, please check out his site My Garden Hammock

Increased consumer interest in organic gardening has also led to more choices when it comes to purchasing organic products. “Organic gardening and sustainability continue to rise in popularity, and more and more people are growing their own fruits and vegetables at home. But a lot of people have questions and they don’t know where to begin,” says William Moss, media personality and Safer® Brand’s Master Gardener.

Safer® Brand’s Grow Our Way program features a website, www.GrowOurWay.com, with several tools that give consumers a greater understanding of best practices for organic gardening and living a sustainable lifestyle:

• OMRI® Listed ‘Know-How’ – A section that provides information about how OMRI®, the Organic Materials Review Institute, tests and validates products to make sure they meet organic standards. Consumers will also learn how to recognize OMRI®-certified products on store shelves. Safer® Brand features over 30 products that possess the prestigious OMRI® Listed seal, which is more than five times that of the closest competitor.
• Interactive Organic Map – Organic enthusiasts can upload photos showing how they live organically, and can also post tips and ideas for living and gardening organically.
• Video Library – Master Gardener and media personality William Moss shares his expert advice through several how-to videos about organic vegetable gardening, organic rose care, container planting, and more.
• Coaching Session– Enthusiasts can enter the “Grow Your Way Sweepstakes” to win a personal coaching session from William Moss or products from Safer® Brand.
• Online Store – Exclusive offers are available through the Safer® Brand online store, and consumers have access to the Help & Advice section to learn more about available products for garden care, lawn care, pest control, and houseplant care.

The Victor® The Ultimate Stink Bug Trap attracts and catches indoor stink bug infestations with a powerful lure and our patented dome design. By combining heat, light, and a powerful lure, The Ultimate Stink Bug Trap provides the perfect attractant for stink bugs to tackle your indoor stink bug infestation without the use of harmful chemicals.

This non-poisonous and odor-free stink bug killer trap allows for use around children and pets. The best part about this trap is that you can reuse the trap over and over again with the use of refill cartridges.

The Safer® Brand Stink Bug Magnet utilizes a quick release pheromone to attract and trap stink bugs quickly and effectively, without the use of poisons. The quick release pheromone is the most successful on the market and is only featured in the Safer® Brand Stink Bug Magnet.  While the pheromone used in other traps on the market are slow release pheromones and can take up to 2 weeks to work, the pheromone used in the Safer® Brand Stink Bug Magnet works immediately to eradicate your problem quickly!

The Safer® Brand Stink Bug Magnet is designed for use outdoors and is the only trap in the world that can be used in your garden. Simply place the Stink Bug Magnet in your garden to attract and trap nymph stink bugs, which feed ferociously on vegetation!

Stink Bug Origin

Stink bugs have not always been a familiar sight to those of us in North America. Originally from Southeast Asia, they are thought to have traveled to the U.S. on a container ship, and took refuge. The first population of stink bugs was spotted in Allentown, PA in 1998, and has since spread feverishly with a reported presence in at least thirty-three states.  The majority of states infested with these smelly insects are coastal, but that is quickly changing.

Stink bugs earned their name from the foul odor they omit when they are disturbed, frightened, or squashed. Their glands, which are located on the underside of their thorax, create a strong fragrance that repels predators. The most common stink bug is the brown marmorated stink bug, but it is only one of 250 species that can be found in the U.S., and one of 4,700 species worldwide.

Although stink bugs are problematic for various reasons, people primarily find them a nuisance in their homes. Adult stink bugs are interested in primarily mating, so they enter your home looking for a warm place to reproduce. While taking refuge, they can be heard running into things as they fly around and clumsily hit walls, lamps, etc. Simply squishing them will not solve the issue, because their smell acts as a pheromone, and causes others to flock to your home.

Their Diet

Stink bugs enjoy feasting on all sorts of foods, from apples to carrots and leaves to cabbage, their diets are hardly picky. Farmers find these insects to be an enemy to their crops, and rightfully so. Some trade groups are holding stink bugs responsible for a reported $37 million of damage to apple crops in 2010. According to the USDA, an estimated value of $21 billion of crops are at risk where stink bugs have been recorded.

Control Options

Some people believe they’re unable to control stink bug populations without the use of chemicals and harmful substances. Most chemicals are increasingly ineffective against stink bugs and most traps on the market are unsuccessful. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to lower the risk of stink bugs entering your home, as well as organic methods to treating the stink bug population in your home. Make sure all windows and entryways are sealed tight, as well as checking that fireplaces are closed off. It is also beneficial to rake away any debris or edible vegetation from your home’s foundation as to not attract unwanted bugs.

Further indoor control of stink bugs can be handled using a trap, like the Victor Ultimate Stink Bug Trap. This more advanced trap uses heat, light, and a powerful lure to attract stink bugs without using harmful chemicals. The benefits of a trap like this include a budget friendly price point as well as it being safe to use around pets and children.

There are also traps that help control outdoor populations like the Safer® Brand Stink Bug Magnet. Through years of engineering and testing, proper pheromones have been discovered to create a powerful and effective lure that attracts and traps stinkbugs without exposing gardens to destructive substances. This reusable trap can be hung from a tree to attract adults or set in a garden to attract nymphs.

Using chemicals to control stink bug populations is increasingly frowned upon because it disrupts our homes and can be dangerous to our health. Increasing demand for advanced technology has sparked innovation for products to trap these bugs and diminish their reproductive possibilities. This season try using an organic approach to your stink bug control and help keep the environment, and your home, safe!