Comments for Front Yardening: urban organic vegetable gardening in the front yard

Comment on Making Amends: Worm Castings and Compost by T-Ball

T-Ball — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:30:21 +0000

Who knew that worms could be the key here? (Castings = doo-doo, right? ) It’s pretty cool that your blog functions as a sort of journal that you’re able to contrast and compare, e.g., winter 2011 to winter 2010. Poor little plants. Can you update the site with a pic of your compost? It’s not just that the world needs to see that Darth Vader head again…it just might be cool to c & c now and then with that, too.

Comment on Beneficial Bugs: Red Wigglers VS Grubs in Compost by Joyce

Joyce — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:29:41 +0000

Our school children love picking grubs out of raised bed before we amend compost soil for new crops. We keep those grubs in our compost piles. Children also keep some in the jar to watch them transform…now our vegetable garden has multipurple for education, a hands-on science lab and learn all about growing.

Comment on My Compost is Too Wet – What Should I Do? by Kelsie Aman

Kelsie Aman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:12:36 +0000

hehe @ you stealing leaves from little old ladies….I have so many I need to pick up around here and put my shredder for mulch it is crazy…but at least my chickens are enjoying scratching in them for now….Maybe some time before summer we will get around to it hehe.

Blessings and happy composting
Kelsie

Comment on Beneficial Bugs: Red Wigglers VS Grubs in Compost by Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:43:50 +0000

You can’t know if it’s a good grub or a bad grub for your garden unless you take one and put it in a jar and let it complete it’s metamorphosis. That said – all grubs are okay in your compost – they help to break it down and aren’t doing anything bad there. They are only bad if you pass them along into the garden soil – and you can sift them out at that point easily after the finished compost is ready. And if you want my chickens love to eat them so come feed my girls if you feel like collecting a few!!

Comment on Beneficial Bugs: Red Wigglers VS Grubs in Compost by T-Ball

T-Ball — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:43:20 +0000

Alas, I don’t have the answers you’re looking for. How big is that grub? It looks like a nasty li’l guy, and scary enough that even if I wanted to kill it (not sadistically, but for the good of my compost, of course) I’m not sure I’d have the guts (unless I used, say, a long-range spray weapon that probably wouldn’t be good for the compost, either).

Good luck with combat / non-combat!

Comment on Radish While You Wait by Nell Jean

Nell Jean — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:10:18 +0000

Mama used to say that radishes had done more to encourage young gardeners than any other plant: up in less than a week, ready to eat in three. I guess that’s only if your seeds are good.

Comment on Radish While You Wait by T-Ball

T-Ball — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:20:35 +0000

I wish I could weigh in with some knowledge and experience with radishes beyond eating them. But I can’t, not honestly anyway. But they are delicious.

Awesome about giving back to SLOLA, btw. Have you done that before? I.e., given them a “new” seed for their collection?

Comment on Can You Be a Gardener if You’re Afraid of Seeds? by T-Ball

T-Ball — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:19:48 +0000

Growth or no growth, I actually think you should throw a garden party no matter what! It could be educational, and you could give away those tongue depressors as non-depressing favors.

Comment on Can You Be a Gardener if You’re Afraid of Seeds? by David King

David King — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:34:26 +0000

If you have problems germinating ANY seeds,email me, come see me or give me a call. Carrots are tough but I have a sure fire way to get them to start, often I’ll get something like 90 to 95% germination! I love your courage, though! You rock.

david

Comment on Can You Be a Gardener if You’re Afraid of Seeds? by Andy Z

Andy Z — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:25:42 +0000

Last time I got carrot seeds I was told that you can speed up the germination time by pouring boiling water on them immediately after putting the seeds in the ground… I didn’t try it though.