A Community Gardening Blog

The Holistic Teaching Garden’s Fall CLEARANCE Bedding Plant Sale is to be held this week.

When: Oct. 24-25
Times: Oct. 24 - 9:00 a.m -3:00 p.m.
Oct. 25 - 8:00 a.m -3:00 p.m.
Where: The sale is in the back of the Horticulture and Forest Science Building (HFSB) on the west side of campus.  The location can be found on this campus map:  http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/

PARKING:
Parking is always an issue.  See note at end of this e-mail.
Please forward this message on to anyone whom you think may be interested and to any e-mail lists of persons who may be interested.  Thanks for your help.

SPECIAL NOTE:
Please bring boxes, trays or other containers to carry plants.  We will provide as many containers as we can, but if you have something that you can bring, it would help us out.  If you need to clean out your garage or shed and are looking for a place to donate stacks of old pots or trays that have accumulated, we can always use them at the Holistic Teaching Garden!

HERBS:
Basil (different types), cilantro/coriander, chamomile, dill, fennel, marjoram, Mexican mint marigold, mints (several types), oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and more.

FALL / WINTER / SPRING BEDDING PLANTS:
(all are to be planted in the fall; we have more than one cultivar or most, including unusual forms hard to find in nurseries; planting guides will be available)
Alyssum, bells of Ireland, bluebonnets (blue and maroon), calendula, cardoon, carnation, candytuft, chamomile, calliopsis, coreopsis, dianthus, Echinacea (purple cone flower), daisies (shasta daisy, gloriosa daisy or Rudbeckia, swan river daisy, painted daisy or single chrysanthemum), foxy foxglove, Gaillardia, Gazania, globe thistle or Echinops, holly hocks, Linaria or toad flax, Nicotiana or flowering tobacco,  ornamental cabbage and ornamental kale, pansy, petunia, dwarf phlox, poppies (California poppy, Ice Land poppy, Shirley poppy), Salvia (blue bedder and tricolor), snapdragons, statice, stocks, strawflowers, sweet williams, violas and more.

LANDSCAPE PLANTS:
(Some new types of landscape shrubs, vines and perennials will be offered, but we will also have a reduced price clearance of landscape plants that have been held over from our last sale.)

NOVELTY ITEMS:
Dish gardens, seedy characters, fern bottle gardens or terraria.

PARKING:
Parking on Friday and Saturday is subject to ticketing by the University, but there is visitor parking in the West Campus Parking Garage. (see map)  There is some parking for persons who have disabilities in Parking Area 74 and other lots in the vicinity.  There are two loading areas behind HFSB, one on the east end and a second on the west end.  There is no charge for parking in Parking Area 74 on Saturday.  We have plenty of plant material and so if you are coming from off campus and do not have a University parking sticker, you can park without charge and without the risk of ticketing in PA 74 on Saturday.

This interactive campus map shows locations of the Horticulture and Forest Science Building, Parking Area 74, West Campus Garage, driving directions, etc.  http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/
These sales are the primary source of funding for the Holistic Teaching Garden.  All profit from these sales go to support student workers and buy supplies for the garden.  Please check out our web site for new developments and for information about the garden.  Also, the Holistic Teaching Garden’s newsletter, The Whole Scoop, is available through this site.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/holisticgarden/
Other events at the Holistic Teaching Garden:

Fall Open House and Children’s Programs - We will have our Fall Open House on Saturday,  November 15.  At this time we will be doing tours and demonstrations in the garden, offer special hands-on, interactive programs for children, story-telling, refreshments and more.

The Holistic Teaching Garden is holding its Holiday Sale which will feature gift plants, amaryllis and other bulbs, herbs and fall - winter - spring garden plants on Nov. 20, 21, 22 (early this year because Thanksgiving is the last week in November and immediately before final exams.

Thank you for supporting the Holistic Teaching Garden.

Courtesy of Ohio State University and Reposted from Organic Consumers

Composting is a great way to discard yard waste and kitchen scraps. In many cases, it’s more economical than paying to have these wastes hauled away. And you can improve the health of your soil by adding the compost to your garden or yard.

To construct a composting area, determine the size. “A large compost pile will insulate itself and hold the heat of microbial activity,” said Joe Heimlich, environmental science leader for Ohio State University Extension. “Its center will be warmer than its edges. Piles smaller than 3 feet cubed (27 cu. ft.)will have trouble holding this heat, while piles larger than 5 feet cubed (125 cu. ft.) don’t allow enough air to reach the microbes at the center. These proportions are of importance only if your goal is a fast, hot compost. Slower composting requires no exact proportions.”

First, remove the grass and sod from the designated area. This allows decaying materials direct contact with soil microorganisms. Heimlich suggests the following “recipe” for constructing compost heaps that work the fastest:

• First layer: about 3-4 inches of chopped brush or other coarse material on top of the soil surface allow air circulation around the base of the heap.
• Second layer: About 6-8 inches of mixed scraps, leaves, grass clippings or sawdust. Materials should be “sponge damp.”
• Third layer: One inch of soil serves as an innoculant by adding microorganisms to the heap.
• Fourth layer (optional): About 2-3 inches of manure will provide the nitrogen needed by microorganisms. Sprinkle lime, wood ashes and/or rock phosphate over the layer of manure to reduce the heap’s acidity. Add water if the manure is dry.
• Fifth layer: Repeat steps 1-4 until the bin is almost full. Top off the heap with a 4-6 inch layer of straw and scoop out a basin at the top to catch rainwater.

Your compost heap should reach temperatures between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit in four to five days. The pile should then begin to settle-a sign the heap is working properly.

After five or six weeks, move materials into a new pile and turn the contents so that the outside of the old heap is now the center of the new heap. Add water if necessary.

Your compost should be ready to use in three to four months. For spring compost, start a heap in late autumn. For fall compost, start a pile in early spring. The more often you turn the pile, the faster you will have compost. Check the internal temperature regularly and if it changes substantially (usually after about a week), turn the pile.

You’ll know when your compost is done “baking” because it will be dark brown, crumbly and earthy-smelling. Be sure to let it stabilize for a few extra days and screen it through a half-inch screen if you want a finely textured material.

For more detailed information, read Composting at home http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/83/83-5/composting_at_home.html

Don’t miss out on this year’s Crepe Myrtle and Shade Tree sale with Keep Brazos Beautiful! Buy 5 Trees @ $18 each and get 1 FREE! Download an order form from this site, fill out and mail order form along with payment to the Keep Brazos Beautiful office by October 31, 2008.  Orders and payment MUST be received by October 31st for guaranteed tree selection and delivery.

Form: KBB Tree Sale

There’s a lot more going on than I initially posted about. Apparently this is the week for Fall Gardens! I’ll just cut and paste from the emails I recieved this morning:

From: Sharon Banister, Res. Asst.

Greenhouse Manager
TX A&M University-Horticulture Dept.
s-banister@tamu.edu
(979)845-8553

The Floriculture Greenhouse at Texas A&M University will be holding its semi-annual Plant Sale. The sale will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, October 1st and 2nd from 9:00 am to 2:00 and October 3rd from 9 to 12 noon. For sale will be Begonias, Coleus, Cacti, Euphorbias, Bromeliads, African Violets and lots of other great plants. Hopefully we will have the pleasure of seeing you this year at our Plant Sale! The cross streets are Lamar and Nagle in the center of campus. You can look at aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu and there is a locator section that will show the location of the Floriculture Greenhouse at Texas A&M. There are two parking garages in very close proximity to the greenhouse. If you have any questions you can contact Sharon Banister at (979) 845-8553.

From: Joe Novak

Our fourth newsletter will appear on the Holistic Teaching Garden internet site:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/holisticgarden/

The Holistic Teaching Garden’s Fall Garden Seminar is to be held from 9:00 a.m to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. The seminar will be on Fall Vegetables, Growing Strawberries as an Annual Crop, and Fall-Winter-Spring Bedding Plants. Admission to the seminar has an $8.00 fee. You can register at the door on Saturday morning or can call Louis Castillo to preregister. Louis’ phone number is 979-845-3915. We will open the sales area at 8:00 a.m. so that the people attending the seminar can also purchase some plants before the seminar begins. There will also be plenty of time after the seminar to attend the sale.

The Holistic Teaching Garden’s Fall Bedding Plant and Vegetable Plant Sale is to be held this week.
When: Oct. 2, 3, 4.
Times: Oct. 2 - 9:00 a.m -3:00 p.m.
Oct. 3 - 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Oct. 4 - 8:00 a.m -3:00 p.m.
Where: The sale is in the back of the Horticulture and Forest Science Building (HFSB). The location can be found on this campus map: http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/

PARKING: Parking is always an issue. See note at end of this e-mail.

Please forward this message on to anyone whom you think may be interested and to any e-mail lists of persons who may be interested. Thanks for your help.

SPECIAL NOTE: Please bring boxes, trays or other containers to carry plants. We will provide as many containers as we can, but if you have something that you can bring, it would help us out. If you need to clean out your garage or shed and are looking for a place to donate stacks of old pots or trays that have accumulated, we can always use them at the Holistic Teaching Garden!

FALL VEGETABLE PLANTS: Globe artichoke, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cardoon, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collards, kale, leeks, lettuce (leaf, Boston, Bibb and Romaine), Swiss chard and more.

HERBS: Basil (different types), cilantro/coriander, chamomile, dill, fennel, marjoram, Mexican mint marigold, mints (several types), oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and more.

FALL / WINTER / SPRING BEDDING PLANTS: (all are to be planted in the fall; we have more than one cultivar or most, including unusual forms hard to find in nurseries; planting guides will be available)
Alyssum, bells of Ireland, bluebonnets (blue and maroon), calendula, cardoon, carnation, candytuft, chamomile, calliopsis, coreopsis, dianthus, Echinacea (purple cone flower), daisies (shasta daisy, gloriosa daisy or Rudbeckia, swan river daisy, painted daisy or single chrysanthemum), foxy foxglove, Gaillardia, Gazania, globe thistle or Echinops, holly hocks, Linaria or toad flax, Nicotiana or flowering tobacco, ornamental cabbage and ornamental kale, pansy, petunia, dwarf phlox, poppies (California poppy, Ice Land poppy, Shirley poppy), Salvia (blue bedder and tricolor), snapdragons, statice, stocks, strawflowers, sweet williams, violas and more.

INDOOR OR HOUSE PLANTS (will be available on Saturday):
Young, healthy plants in a wide selection which include assorted types of aloe, begonias, bromeliads, cacti, succulents, ferns, tropical foliage and more. Several types of hanging baskets.

LANDSCAPE PLANTS:
(Some new types of landscape shrubs, vines and perennials will be offered, but we will also have a reduced price clearance of landscape plants that have been held over from our last sale.)

NOVELTY ITEMS:
Dish gardens, seedy characters, fern bottle gardens or terraria.

PARKING: Parking on Friday and Saturday is subject to ticketing by the University, but there is visitor parking in the West Campus Parking Garage. (see map) There is some parking for persons who have disabilities in Parking Area 74 and other lots in the vicinity. There are two loading areas behind HFSB, one on the east end and a second on the west end. There is no charge for parking in Parking Area 74 on Saturday. We have plenty of plant material and so if you are coming from off campus and do not have a University parking sticker, you can park without charge and without the risk of ticketing in PA 74 on Saturday.
This interactive campus map shows locations of the Horticulture and Forest Science Building, Parking Area 74, West Campus Garage, driving directions, etc. http://campusmaps.tamu.edu/

These sales are the primary source of funding for the Holistic Teaching Garden. All profit from these sales go to support student workers and buy supplies for the garden. Please check out our www site for new developments and for information about the garden. Also, the Holistic Teaching Garden’s newsletter, The Whole Scoop, is available through this site.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/holisticgarden/

Other sales:
The Holistic Teaching Garden is holding its Holiday Sale which will feature gift plants, amaryllis and other bulbs, herbs and fall - winter - spring garden plants on Nov. 20, 21, 22 (early this year because Thanksgiving is the last week in November and immediately before final exams.
Brazos County Master Gardeners are holding their fall sale Sept. 27 (the day of this e-mail) at the County AgriLife Extension Office on Hwy. 21 in Bryan.

Thank you for supporting the Holistic Teaching Garden.

Joe Novak

I met the folks from GreenThumbr.com from North Carolina last spring during South By Southwest. The site allows gardening enthusiasts to come together and share their passion with each other.

From the site:

You can keep up a journal of your garden activities. You can get reminders of when you should feed or water the plants under your care. You can chat with others who are growing the same type of plants. You can post your artistic or scientific photos of plants. You can catalog your collection of plants.

Check it out for yourself. You can find me on the site here.

A conference on farming, land use, community food security, and local food.

Thursday, September 4, 2008
8:30 - 5:30
Cost: $75

Sustainability begins with adequate, healthy supplies of air, water, and food. Let’s talk about the source and quality of Houston’s food supply.

We have moved a long way from simple issues of survival - or so we think. We aren’t gathering nuts and berries any more, but have we reached a point where our food supply is not necessarily reliable and healthy? Are there economic opportunities for the Houston region in expanding our capacity to produce food right here?

Houston Food Net

I found a wonderful article on growing a 4-season garden. Melinda, from the pacific Northwest, describes some of the things she learned while ignoring the conventional rules and doing what she was determined to do. Here’s a quote:

When I moved to Geyserville, California in May of last year, I was excited to grow my own food for the first time. But immediately my neighbors dashed my hopes. They told me that it was too late to grow much this year - that I’d have to wait until next year. Sure enough, I found a pamphlet put out by the local Master Gardeners, confirming that it was too late to plant most crops.

Fortunately, I didn’t listen.

Matt and I first amended the soil. Then we made garden beds. And then, between mid-June and mid-July, we finally got in our tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, winter squash, runner beans, bush beans, tomatillos, ground cherries, beets, carrots, radishes, scallions, corn, oregano, cilantro, fennel, and loads of salad greens of all different types. Plus worms and microbes to help them along. A few weeks later we planted kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, kale, more winter squash, melons, and started successional planting our greens and carrots.

Link: How To Grow A Four-Season Garden - Part 1

View Larger Map

I did the math tonight and I think you could get about 40 tomatos for $7 if you followed the steps that I have. What you basically¹ need is a 5-gallon bucket, rocks, soil, compost and lastly, the tomato plants.

I found that fast food restaurants and bakeries get their supplies/ingredients in 5-gallon buckets and instead of recycling them they just toss them out. If you go in and ask a manager to set them beside the dumpster instead of throwing them away you could conceivably recover 5 or 6 per week.

Cost: $0

Take one of these 5-gallon buckets and be on the look out for rocks/gravel/pebbles. You’ll want to make sure that they are not hazardous to your mission. Make sure they are somewhat clean. These will be used to help with drainage at the bottom of the buckets when it’s time to plant.

Cost: $0

Soil is one of the more important factors so I usually try not to skimp on this ingredient. I usually get about 4 buckets worth of soil out of a large bag after I fluff it with compost. The cost per bag is $8, but like I said, that stretches 4 buckets.

Cost: $2

Next is the compost. You should be able to create your own compost by collecting the table scraps, organic material, and lawn cuttings. We started ours about 3 weeks ago and it’s already starting to decompose. Unfortunately it’s not ready for this season planting - so we had to purchase some from Producers. It’s cheap and seems to work pretty well when you combine it with the soil mentioned previously. A bag will run you about $4 and do the same as the soil and cover 4 buckets.

Cost: $1

The plants are next. You can get a 6-pack of tomatos for $0.99 which brings the cost down to around $0.20 after tax per plant. Or you can get a 4″ single plant that’s a little further along for $1. I usually buy those just because I’m anxious and I feel like I get a better idea of how strong the plant is. Mark has informed me to stay away from celebritys for container gardening as they have a taproot that wants to go a bit deep than a bucket can provide. Cherry and Romas though should do fine.

Cost: $1

So, when you think about it - tomatos can be extremely cheap if you grow them yourself. A Cherry Tomato plant will put off 40 tomatos and should have only costed you $4 for all the supplies. If you are in a pinch and don’t have time to track everything down like I explained above, you could get everything for under $10.

Total: $4

¹ I’m really trying to quit using split-infinitives, really.