Comments on: Start Planning Your Garden Now http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/ personal finance tips, tricks, and commentary Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:22:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Rosa http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156821 Rosa Fri, 07 May 2010 14:24:02 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156821 (I think I jinxed myself yesterday - we're in Minnesota also and it's been warm for about 6 weeks but tonight it is supposed to snow. So now I have to spend time out in the rain this afternoon covering the plants that are outside). (I think I jinxed myself yesterday – we’re in Minnesota also and it’s been warm for about 6 weeks but tonight it is supposed to snow. So now I have to spend time out in the rain this afternoon covering the plants that are outside).

]]> By: Doug Orchard http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156701 Doug Orchard Fri, 07 May 2010 03:11:00 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156701 Great website lots of good info. Here is a little technique to check your soil:If you’re getting ready to go on a new garden venture, you need to prepare your soil to ideally house your plants. The best thing you can do in the soil preparation process is to reach the perfect mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Preferably there would be 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, and 20 percent clay. There are several tests used by experienced gardeners to tell whether the soil has a good composition. First you can compress it in your hand. If it doesn’t hold its shape and crumbles without any outside force, your sand ratio is probably a little high. If you poke the compressed ball with your finger and it doesn’t fall apart easily, your soil contains too much clay. Great website lots of good info. Here is a little technique to check your soil:If you’re getting ready to go on a new garden venture, you need to prepare
your soil to ideally house your plants. The best thing you can do in the soil preparation process is to reach the perfect mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Preferably there would be 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, and 20 percent clay. There are several tests used by experienced gardeners to tell whether the soil has a good composition. First you can compress it in
your hand. If it doesn’t hold its shape and crumbles without any outside
force, your sand ratio is probably a little high. If you poke the compressed ball with your finger and it doesn’t fall apart easily, your soil contains too much clay.

]]> By: Ginger http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156641 Ginger Thu, 06 May 2010 20:58:55 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156641 I just started my first garden this year. A few months ago I bought a basil plant for $5 (basil in the grocery store was going for $4 a pack) and end up saving about $12 which I used to buy some raspberry and blackberry plants. I did have to buy some tools, dirt and another planter to move the basil too, I did also buy a tomato plant. Therefore I am in the hole by $35 but I am sure I will break even by the end of the summer. I just started my first garden this year. A few months ago I bought a basil plant for $5 (basil in the grocery store was going for $4 a pack) and end up saving about $12 which I used to buy some raspberry and blackberry plants. I did have to buy some tools, dirt and another planter to move the basil too, I did also buy a tomato plant. Therefore I am in the hole by $35 but I am sure I will break even by the end of the summer.

]]> By: Rosa http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156611 Rosa Thu, 06 May 2010 19:18:39 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156611 I am focusing less on production than on structure this year. I hope that some effort this year (putting in strawberries, which don't have to be restarted next year; establishing some ground cover in shady areas; digging up the big flowerbed and putting it back together as half flowers (with weedcloth this time) and half veggies. So: komatsuna, kale, and peas are in the ground (I'm in Minnesota) - we've been eating pea greens already. Strawberries and groundcover, likewise. Tomatos, squash, and melons are still in the unheated porch, waiting for it to get a little warmer out there. I am focusing less on production than on structure this year.

I hope that some effort this year (putting in strawberries, which don’t have to be restarted next year; establishing some ground cover in shady areas; digging up the big flowerbed and putting it back together as half flowers (with weedcloth this time) and half veggies.

So: komatsuna, kale, and peas are in the ground (I’m in Minnesota) – we’ve been eating pea greens already. Strawberries and groundcover, likewise. Tomatos, squash, and melons are still in the unheated porch, waiting for it to get a little warmer out there.

]]> By: Janell http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156581 Janell Thu, 06 May 2010 16:58:27 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156581 I am planning on building and growing my organic garden in the back soon in Miami. I can not wait. I wish I can start now but I have to wait! This will be my first ever! I want to grow as much as I possibly can. The yard is huge so why not?!?!?! I am planning on building and growing my organic garden in the back soon in Miami. I can not wait. I wish I can start now but I have to wait! This will be my first ever! I want to grow as much as I possibly can. The yard is huge so why not?!?!?!

]]> By: Ryan http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156571 Ryan Thu, 06 May 2010 15:17:16 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156571 I am growing my first "garden" this year. Techincally it's 4 pots on a balcony but I find that it has been a nice break from the usual after work t.v. time. Cherry tomatoes, cherry peppers, jalapenos, cayanne, and red chili peppers have been chosen as my innaugural attempt. I am growing my first “garden” this year. Techincally it’s 4 pots on a balcony but I find that it has been a nice break from the usual after work t.v. time. Cherry tomatoes, cherry peppers, jalapenos, cayanne, and red chili peppers have been chosen as my innaugural attempt.

]]> By: Jeff @ Sustainablelifeblog http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156551 Jeff @ Sustainablelifeblog Thu, 06 May 2010 14:49:05 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156551 Matt, This could be a good income source for you, provided you have extra when it comes time to harvest/pick. You could sell the things you cant eat all of at once, freeze or can at your local farmers market. This can also be a great way to meet people in your neighborhood interested in local and organic food. Great article about growing, I wish I could grow more, but the climate here is better suited for raising livestock, which takes land (that I dont have). Jeff Matt,
This could be a good income source for you, provided you have extra when it comes time to harvest/pick.
You could sell the things you cant eat all of at once, freeze or can at your local farmers market. This can also be a great way to meet people in your neighborhood interested in local and organic food.
Great article about growing, I wish I could grow more, but the climate here is better suited for raising livestock, which takes land (that I dont have).

Jeff

]]> By: Nickel http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156531 Nickel Thu, 06 May 2010 14:21:31 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156531 It's actually going to be 90 degrees here today (in the South) so I would imagine that most people around here have a head start. In fact, our local "you pick" farm has been advertising strawberries for the last couple of weeks. Even if you get a late start, we have a much longer growing season, so it's possible to plant late and still have a great harvest. And, as Michael has pointed out, you can get pre-started plants at most lawn and garden stores. This cuts into the money savings, but it still gives you fresh, homegrown produce. It’s actually going to be 90 degrees here today (in the South) so I would imagine that most people around here have a head start. In fact, our local “you pick” farm has been advertising strawberries for the last couple of weeks.

Even if you get a late start, we have a much longer growing season, so it’s possible to plant late and still have a great harvest. And, as Michael has pointed out, you can get pre-started plants at most lawn and garden stores. This cuts into the money savings, but it still gives you fresh, homegrown produce.

]]> By: Michael http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/05/06/start-planning-your-garden-now/comment-page-1/#comment-156521 Michael Thu, 06 May 2010 13:59:24 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/?p=7221#comment-156521 If you are in the Northern Midwest and if you wanted to grow everything from seed, you should actually have started your garden about 4 weeks ago! With Minnesota's short growing season, tomato, pepper, eggplant and several other popular plants should be started inside 6 weeks before the last frost (which is on average the 3rd week of May). You can still get the pre-started plants from a hardware/garden store of course! If you are in the Northern Midwest and if you wanted to grow everything from seed, you should actually have started your garden about 4 weeks ago!

With Minnesota’s short growing season, tomato, pepper, eggplant and several other popular plants should be started inside 6 weeks before the last frost (which is on average the 3rd week of May).

You can still get the pre-started plants from a hardware/garden store of course!

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