Greening Your Garden~

Aren't all gardens green you might ask, and the answer is no, all gardens are not green, all gardens are not healthy.

Greening your garden is a process that can take one to 3 years, depending on how much and the types of chemical ingredients you have used over the last few years.

Do you know, when chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides are used in the garden it can take at least 3 years to rid the soil of the traces that are left.

As long as these chemical traces are in the soil, it is in the food you grow and eat or make available to others.

The more chemicals used, the more the soil is depleted, the more fertilizer it takes to promote growth and it becomes a cycle that doesn't give back anything good to the soil or to you.

If you wish to green your garden, start by cleaning up your soil, stop using any chemical based products and renew with compost and minerals that will put life back into your dirt.

Composting worms are a super additive to the gardens, along with frogs, toads, lizards, and other beneficial insects.

Mother nature has all the answers and provides everything we need to have and produce a green life, healthy foods, safe environments for our children, and for the wildlife that plays a major part in a green garden.

Happy Gardening...Green Gardening~

Bea Kunz

Slugs, Bugs, and other Thugs~

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I'm getting Lot's of mail already about slugs...hopefully that isn't an indication of things to come for us gardeners.

Mulching plants over the winter has its good and bad side...the good, it keeps the roots and base of the plant warm and the soil moist enough to nourish the plants without watering.
The bad ...can sometimes attract moisture loving critters like slugs.

Now is the time to clear away all the mulch material and as a rule once you do this the slugs will find another home. I'm not bothered with slugs so I can't really say what is the best way to deal with them. Many say the trick of putting out beer trays will lure them into the trap and they will drown.

My suggestion for any pesky garden bug is " toads "...they are wonderful little insect eating machines and they follow up with a natural fertilizer besides.

Everyone in my part of the country has been bombarded with Lady Bugs this winter.
In case you don't already know, Lady Bugs are one of the good bugs...they love and can consume 100's of Aphids in a very short period of time. So while they may be a bit pesky flying all around your space, they are really cute and really helpful.

Earthworms in your soil/garden is a very good thing.
Mini composters at work and they haven't a bad trait at all.

Bees and wasp are starting to look for homes...please, please, don't kill a single bee or wasp. These are the natural pollinators, without them we would not have gardens for very long.

Spring is here and so are the bugs...some good, some bad...take time to learn the difference and your garden will flourish by the hands of nature.

Bea kunz

Sage Hill Farms-A company that cares~

Today is " National-Companies That Care Day." Well, according to my friend who offers the Wacky Marketing Calendar for 2009.

Ask me about it if you would like to have a copy and I'll direct you to Heidi.
She is one cool lady with some zany ideas. I love it !

On a serious note, the title of the day is a good fit for Sage Hill Farms.

We strive to be green, offering both awareness and product for a more sustainable lifestyle.

You can learn all about what and how we promote by visiting the website and by reading this blog.

http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com

Questions and input are always welcome.

Have a Majestic March~

Bea kunz

Herb Gardens in Small Places~

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Small spaces can bring a bounty of herbs and vegetables.

So...if you are thinking you don't have room to grow herbs or your own garden...think again...outside the box.

Most edible plants do very well in somewhat crowded surroundings.

In a small 4X8 raised bed you can have a tomato plant or two, a basil plant, a chive, a dill, a thyme and maybe even a sage or oregano plant.

The key is keeping the bed clean and free of weeds and training your plants to grow up and not out.

Tomatoes can be caged or made to grow up a heavy string trellis.

Basil and other herb plants have to be pinched back and trained to grow tall and not bushy.

Chives will spread from the root, so to keep them at a desired size just dig and divide the clumps two or three times during the growing season.
If you don't have extra yard space to transplant them to, use a large container such as #2 wash tub or any sturdy outside pot.

Chives make lovely little potted gifts for those times when just a little note of appreciation is welcomed.

This is the time to be working your compost, either making your own or just mixing the best of what you can find in garden centers.

A great mineral to add to your compost or garden soils is "Azomite" a natural product of volcanic ash. Check with your local agricultural office about where you can find this product in your area. It can be ordered from a company in Utah, but, unless you need a large amount is very expensive to purchase this way.

To a most successful year of gardening~

Bea Kunz