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Let’s Work Together
The entire country is in an uproar over George Floyd losing his life. It has been said many times before, and deserves to be said again. What happened to him was wrong and the officer involved in his death should be punished. We should also seriously look at police reforms, but we shouldn’t dismantle or defund them. It is something we should look at and take seriously, not use as a political football to gain some yardage or points for whatever side is speaking.
People are outraged, and should be, about Mr. Floyd’s death. Even more people are upset about all the hate and damage that happened afterwards in the name of justice. Chicago had one of the deadliest nights in the past 60 years with over 18 people murdered on May 30th. This past Father’s Day weekend saw over 104 people shot with 14 dead. Minneapolis had a violent weekend with a dozen people shot. New York City rounded out the major cities with 17 shot. Pastor Corey Brooks, New Beginnings Church, spoke after the events happened in his home town of Chicago, saying that families of all color have lost their jobs because of the looting and rioting. Companies are leaving and plan on not returning because of the increase in insurance and other costs.
The average person is against the violence and rioting. We have the First Amendment right to protest, and you should exercise your freedom of speech. But it should never move into violence and the riots, looting and fires hurt us in the community, down to the last individual. People are now upset and scared that there is lawlessness in the street and no one is listening to the true concerns they were trying to raise. Pastor Brooks hopes people become more involved in the community, not less. Involvement is something that should happen, whether you’re on the left, right or center, or black, white or brown.
During an interview on 60 Minutes, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke directly to the people about violence. “I will never change in my basic idea that non-violence is the most important weapon for the negro in his struggle for freedom and justice. I think that for the negro to turn to violence would be both impractical and immoral.” He was a believer in non-violent protests because that left the door open for talking, exchanging ideas and making a real change. He was so opposed to violence that he said he would stand alone for it to be the way. “I would like for all of us to believe in non-violence. But I’m here to say tonight that If every negro in the United states turns against non-violence, I’m going to stand up as a lone voice and say that this is the wrong way.” He wanted us to know that the most important thing is to be peaceful and come together. In other words, we need to find common ground. Yes, there are a lot of differences in people, from ethnicity, religion to national origin, we have differences. But there are more things that are the same for all of us than most are giving us credit for.
Regardless of what color you are, where you were born, how you worship or who you’re with, there are some very basic tenants in life. If you are a parent, you want a good education for your child. All moms and dads worry about their kid’s safety. Everyone wants a decent job to provide for their families. People want to get good careers and to find a purpose in life. They want to be able to go to their church without being demeaned and be involved with people of their choice. Even with all of our differences, the average person just wants to feel safe and secure while they go about their business.
That is where to start, on common ground. No one will deny that there have been problems and mistakes on all sides but the violence must stop. Just like any group cannot be judged by what one does, we cannot judge every police officer on what a bad one does. The good police officers suffer when one does something wrong because we hold them to such high standards. We need to stand by those good officers and our community and not by the thugs that have come in to riot, loot and burn things down as an excuse for demonstrating.
Words are very important and can start or stop problems. Let’s begin a dialogue, where we all do both, listen and talk. That will bring us on to healing and positive change. The only way to change and healing is through our humanity. It will happen only because we recognize that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made and our creator wants us to work together. So, maybe it’s time for everyone to reach out. It’s time so let’s work together.
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Happy Father’s Day!
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Tag Terms – Sun Requirements
I so thoroughly encourage you to read the back of those tags at the box stores that come attached to your purchases. It tells you the basic requirements for you to have a happy, healthy plant in your garden. But what do those things mean? Let’s go over the basics one at a time.
The ideal sunlight requirements are almost always printed on the tag, label, or seed package. That is the amount of sunlight your plant needs everyday to survive and thrive.
The wording is simple and will become familiar to anyone after just a bit of practice and practical use. Direct sunlight means the sun shines on them. Shade means it’s daylight but the sunlight isn’t on them.
Full sun – You get about 6 or more hours of direct sunlight on most days. Most all flowering plants need a lot of sun to photosynthesize and make the energy needed to produce those gorgeous blooms we love so much. Fruits and vegetable plants require loads of sun to produce, well, fruits and vegetables. Most of your plants that are perennials will be full sun.
Partial Sun OR Partial Shade – These guys are interchangeable for the most part. That means you get about 3 to 6 hours of sun each day. But there is a slight difference. Partial sun means it needs the sun to set up, bloom and produce but not all day and they are fine if they get the sun after noon. Partial shade means that too much sun could damage the plant and are usually better in the “cooler” hours before noon.
Full Shade – Most people think “no sun” but your plants can’t live without sun so this really means less than 3 hours a day of sunlight. You might get blooms in very early spring but they are brief. There are many shades of colors for these that cover the entire leaf, from white and green to vibrant red and burgundy.
There is one more term I want to mention only because you find it in reference to plants in woody, forest areas. I have never even seen a tag with “dappled sun” listed on it but it means sun that comes through the areas under tree canopies in springtime when the leaves are not yet filled. You won’t be planting things there so don’t worry about it.
Some plants are more flexible than others which is why some tags will say things like "Full Sun to Partial Shade" or "Partial Shade to Full Shade." Go for the first part of the tags because this usually is what will give the best results. If you are in doubt, look it up. Never be afraid to say you don’t know something because there are millions of plants, literally, and you can’t know everything about each one.
The best gauge on where you plant should be is how well it grows. If it looks good and is producing flowers or fruit, leave it alone. If it is looking splotchy, browned out or droopy, you should think about what its needs are for sun.
(photo by BHG)
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Right Plant – Right Place
Everyone has done it. You are in Florida on vacation and you just had a fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. As you are leaving the souvenir store, you see they are selling orange trees for just $5 each! Why not get it? You think if I just plant it in my yard, I could have my own fresh orange juice every day for practically nothing if I pick my own fruit. Unfortunately, you need the heat and sun of Florida to make that citrus grow and you don’t get that back home where you live in Whoville. So, you end up with a dead twig in your yard and a bunch of dashed. Hopes. Sigh.
Fear not. We can solve this problem with the simple mantra of all Master Gardeners. Put the right plant in the right place. Sound too simplistic to work? Trust me. Just work it through with me and it will save you a lot of money and time, not to mention heartache and back breaking labor, over the years to come.
First, you need to find out what it will look like in 5, 10 and 15 years from now. Think and don’t be fooled by the now VS then appearance. Want a tree in the front yard? A 5 foot sapling grows into a majestic 40 foot oak tree that will dominate your landscape. A cute shrub becomes an overgrown bush blocking your windows from all light. Put something too close to the sidewalk and you will have roots pushing up the concrete, making it uneven.
Second, look at the sun requirements for the plant. Does it need full sun or shade? Don’t put your flowers under a big tree and wonder why you don’t have many blooms when they are blocked from getting sun by the leaves. Those dried up dead looking hydrangeas in the middle of the yard needed a bit of shade in the afternoon and would be better by the garage.
Next, look at the spacing needed. Some grow taller, others wider, and you don’t want to put a tall, thin woody tree in a spot when you want a wide, bushy evergreen to block your view. You want to know if it needs height clearance, think near your porch overhang, or it will spread out, like along your driveway between you and your neighbor.
Finally, look at the cold/heat hardiness or tolerances. It gives you a range of temperatures that the plant can withstand. If it gets too cold or too hot, the plant will either be stunted and stop growing, get sick or just die. Sometimes, you don’t know it until the next season when you ask yourself what happened to that very expensive “x” plant. I’m still scarred by my pomegranate tree story, but that is for another day.
Just know this. One thing here is not more important than another. If your plant is too tall, or too wide or needs more sun than it can get or it can’t take the heat or the cold where you live, it is not the right plant for you. Don’t try to force it because it won’t say, “Oh, I think I can make this work because it is such a great place to be and those are such nice people.” It will just die or be sickly and you will be unhappy. So, keep repeating to yourself, “Right plant, right place.” And you will reach gardening nirvana.
(photo courtesy of Home Depot)
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Why was the mushroom happy?
Because he was a fungi. (fun-guy)
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(photo courtesy of Mississippi State University)
Cutting Flowers – Some Recommendations
The term “cutting flowers” means exactly that, flowers that you like to cut and usually use to decorate or as a bouquet. Planting them is easy and just as simple as any other plant. Finding things that you like is half the battle.
Picking and choosing your plants is like art. There are no rights or wrongs for this because t is all a preference choice, like chocolate or vanilla ice cream. You can go based on color, like all blue or pastels or mixed. Maybe you want to go with certain scents, like herbs or roses. You can make them all native plants to your area or go for exotics that you raise in pots.
One part not to forget is to make sure you plant things that have stems tall enough to cut and put into your vase or use in the bouquet. You also want to make sure that there are no pokey thorns or points. Thistles are beautiful and look good in a vase but you don’t want to have them in a bouquet.
My favorites ae things that are perennials that color my yard year after year. I throw in a few annuals for their bold colors and I am happy with that. I’ve done mixed gardens and I’ve had others that were a single variety of flower but with numerous colors.
Some of my favorite choices are: Aster, Black Eyed Susan, Coreopsis, Daffodil, Dahlia
Echinaea, Gladioli, Sunflowers, Tulips and Zinnia
Now, go and look at some pictures of flowers to see what you like. Make sure they are good for your area (GAP – right plant, right place!) and go put some seedlings into your own garden.
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Gardening Makes You Happier
Well, thank goodness! It’s about time the academics confirmed it what we knew all along. After spending a lot of time, energy and money, it turns out that gardening is good for you, both physically and psychologically. I didn’t need a study from Princeton University to tell me that, but it’s nice to know that we are all on the same page.
They’ve proven that gardening can be quite healthy and relaxing and improves your attitude. You are out and about getting fresh air and sunshine. You are exercising your body and renewing your spirit with quiet time and reflection. Sounds like a winner all around.
Why not read the article and then go out and enjoy the outdoors for a bit? After being cooped up inside for so long because of Covid-19, it will do wonders for you.
https://mymodernmet.com/princeton-research-gardening-happiness/
(photo by gigaom)
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California Isn’t Green, Clean Or Sincere
(Op Ed photo courtesy of American Lung Association)
Everyone has an opinion. This one is mine about fresh air and the quality, or lack there-of, since we have seen things change with the Coronavirus. It might also be about hypocrisy and being too big for their britches but you’ll let me know that later.
A report from IQAir, a company that monitors pollution levels, says the air in Los Angeles hasn’t been this clean since the 1990’s. Now, we know that California is the leader in over the top Green responses and they tend to be a trend setter when they make decisions. Why is that? It’s based on sheer size, not on them having better information or a better way of doing things. Since they are such a large consumer of goods, many companies do what they want because they don’t want to lose money.
The government and people of California are truly serious that we’re better off now sheltering in place, telecommuting and social distancing. If that’s true, they should restrict anyone from using a car within city limits. They have great air quality now, and they value the environment, so why doesn’t Los Angeles just put in a law that bans cars in the city?
And by no cars, I mean NO cars. It wouldn’t matter if you owned a company, or a big-time movie mogul or a guy working at the local burger joint. You would only be able to use public transportation like busses, trains, subways and shuttles. The only other things allowed would be delivery trucks and emergency response vehicles.
What an ideal response time you would have from police, fire and ambulances with no traffic. Your sidewalks would be open for foot traffic and your air would be cleaner. It would even open up new business investments like parking garages and more job possibilities like shuttle operator. You would have lots of people and companies shuttling to and from the airports, too.
Perhaps they should put their money where their mouth is because I would pay to see the mayor, a celebrity or some big wig in a shuttle van. That would be well worth it.
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The Garden feeds your soul.
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Compost VS Mulch – The Basics
(photo courtesy of Black Hill Gardens, SD)
Yes, it is time to discuss those words that everyone bandies about in the garden center. They whisper about where they get their mulch, what goes into their compost and just how amazing their gardens truly are. So today we will just break it down, pun very much intended. The definitions are from the MGs at Virginia Tech.
{compost} is the biologically active material that results from decomposition of organic matter under controlled circumstances.
So, we add compost into our soil for several reasons. It helps give nutrition benefits to the plants. It lets the soil retain and make existing nutrients more readily available to plants simultaneously. It also improves soil structure by making it more open with the organic material, allows in moisture and gives better drainage. It is considered a soil conditioner, not a fertilizer and should be done every year.
Compost, or organic material, is the life of your soil. Organic material is great for giving the dirt the live organisms it needs to be fertile. You can feed your hard dirt and make it wonderful to plant in again by softening it up as the carbon breaks down. And, as a Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) deeper is better. You want a lot of nice, soft, soil on top of your garden with plenty of live organisms. The layer will naturally get deeper each year.
{mulch} materials spread or left on the soil surface as protective layers, whether organic or inorganic, loose particles or sheets
There are so many reasons why mulching is a good idea but the number one is that it can suppress weeds. Weeds are the bane of any gardener’s existence and I am behind anything that fights them.
It conserves water by keeping plant roots cool and moist. It stops erosion and runoff by maintaining a porous surface. It keeps the soil and plants warm to protect them from damage. It decomposes over time into compost and can improve soil structure as it does.
This is a major Good Agricultural Practice (GAP). Deeper is not better when it comes to mulch. It can enhance your garden and landscape appearance and make garden and landscape maintenance easier. But, if you use too much, water will not be able to filter down into the soil and the plants will not be able to get air. If you do that, you will kill the plant. So, when you see those volcanos going up the side of the trees in your development or around the base of your neighbor’s bushes, you might want to say something.
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The Dirt on Dirt
(photo courtesy of Gully Greenhouse & Garden Center, Fort Collins, CO)
Here are some basic definitions of what you see in the store. This will help you understand what you should be looking for and why you should buy or use one product over the other.
{dirt} Dried out parts of soil that are rocky, silty, and void of any beneficial nutrients and microbes that healthy plants need. Usually separated, carried or moved unwittingly from its natural habitat or location.
{soil} A complete ecosystem composed of organisms living within a physical environment of mineral, organic particles, gases, water, nutrients and other chemical elements.
{garden soil} A soil product that is usually pre-mixed with nutrients and other amendments. It is intended to be added to existing soil in a garden bed.
{topsoil} Soil taken from the top layer of the earth. Unless specifically stated, no additional ingredients are added.
{potting mix} A clean, sterile blend of assorted organic materials that you use for growing plants in pots or containers. It does not have soil in it as that can carry diseases, fungus or plant pathogens that could infect plants.
{potting soil} Similar to garden soil and should be used in the garden and not in pots as it has soil in it and will dry out faster in smaller containers.
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Gardeners have a great sense of humor.
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Good Agriculture Practices
GAPS refer to methods applied to cultivate the growing of crops or animals to provide food or other products, like wool. Master Gardeners always encourage you to use GAPS because they will help you, the environment and your production.
A more formal definition from VA Tech states: “Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in order to: guide the production systems towards a sustainable agriculture and ecologically safe, obtain harmless products of higher quality, contribute to food security generating income through the access to markets and improve working conditions of producers and their families.
The point? GAPS help you produce more in a better, safer way for you, the environment and your family.
1. Remember to expect mistakes. They happen to everyone. The worse that happens is that you start with a new packet of seeds or seedling.
2. Size is important – you need to know if you should be using a dwarf instead of a standard. The biggest difference between a 20 foot tree and a 9 foot tree is that you won’t be able to get the fruit off of the larger standard size tree. It’s called the right plant for the right place.
3. Always consider the time, effort and money you have available for your garden. That will help you determine the size of what you set up.
4. There is a cost, time and effort difference between seeds, seedlings and transplants.
5. Have your basic equipment ready: shovels, pick, hoe, rakes. 6. Always wear gloves when working in dirt. (GAP) 7. Read the instructions before using any chemical for fertilizing, pest control or weed management to know the HOW, WHEN and WHERE. Consider mechanical/hand removal if possible. (GAP)
8. Use your local planting calendar. (GAP) Some things, like peas, go in earlier than beans.
9. Prepare your area the year before by doing a soil test so you know the ph and what you need to add or not put in. Mark you area and put in compost and organic material to augment your soil. (GAP)
10. Like real estate, Location, Location, Location is important. Again, put the right plant in the right place for the best result. (GAP)
11. Make sure you have the right amount of sun, water and food for your particular plant. (GAP)
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Victory Gardens
The buzz going around today is “Grow a victory garden!” But you have to ask yourself, what is it? Victory Gardens originated during World War 1 and 2 in America. Food stuffs were in short supply because many both fresh and processed items were being used by the military. To help the war effort, people were encouraged to grow their own fruits and vegetables. The more people grew, the more they could ship overseas to “win the war”. It was the original homegrown garden, that for the self sufficient, the one for naturalists and those who like organic.
Why You Grow A Victory Garden
A victory gardens reduce your carbon footprint, puts food on your table and in your pantry and gets you fit and healthy with fresh air and exercise. They are also designed to quickly and efficiently produce large amounts of food in small areas so you are saving money as well.
The best thing about gardens is that the food is fresh and delicious
Regardless of the reason you’re here, you should find out as much as you can and do it in the most efficient way possible. Gardens do take a bit of work but you can make them doable with a little bit of planning and some help. For those of us who don’t mind a little bit of dirt on their hands and actually enjoy it, that’s never a problem.
Welcome to the garden.
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Starting Your Garden
The first thing to do is figure out where you want to put your garden. And if this is your first time out of the gate, smaller is better. You can mark it off if it’s in the yard. You might want to use or need to do pots if you don’t have the sun, the yard space or if it is more convenient.
Pick a spot that has good sun. Find out where NORTH is because that gets the least sun. You want the yard to get as much sun as possible so look and see how the sun passes over the house and which spots get 6 or more hours of sunshine.
Look at your water supply. You want to be able to get your water to your plants easily. Make sure your hose is long enough to get to the garden spot.
Then look at your soil. You should use potting soil for your pots and planters because it’s especially made and fortified for containers. If you are in a larger spot, like a raised bed, you want to use garden soil to backfill them. The largest garden spots should have compost mixed with your garden dirt to insure that you have a nice soft mix that the plants can grow up out of easily, not hard compacted dirt.
Mark off your garden. You can use stake and twine, stones or even a small sign. Let everyone know this is where your garden will be so no one will traipse over it. Now you are ready to start looking at what goes into it.
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