4 Tips to Creating An Eco-friendly Backyard
By Margaret Gilmour
Ever stand looking at your backyard and wonder how you can make it more sustainable? Maybe improve the health of your green carpet?
Some days maybe you think you’ve figured it out: Plant natives. Recycle rainwater. Toss out that toxic spray. All good choices.
But there are more choices too. Margot Taylor, founder and owner of Dogwood Native Gardens in Kennett Square, says while giving your landscape a major boost may require an expert’s hand, there are four steps you can take to convert your outdoor space to a more eco-friendly play area/retreat/garden. Her tips are about building your soil quality.
Margot specializes in evaluating the functions and viability of a garden, and designing them to be artistic, ecologically sound environments.
She says you need to begin by building your soil and points to research completed by a previous U.S. Secretary of Agriculture who studied all known past civilizations looking for a common cause for the society’s decline.
Their finding: mismanaged agricultural land, which led to the end of soil fertility and ability to feed their people. Thus, the civilization suffered great loss. There are no exceptions: China, Rome, Greece, Africa, Ireland, all faced the same fate.
What to do to avoid loss of soil fertility? Build it. Better its quality. Maintain its health.
Here’s Margot’s 4 tips on how to build your soil:
1) Get Your Soil Tested:
Know the chemistry of your soil. It is important to understand what your soil is, what is in it, what is not.
Besides the normal tests, pH, acidity, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, I also get the results for organic matter, soluble salts, nitrate, and total carbon. I’m also interested in knowing about the abundance/presence of soil organisms as they are the real workers in the soil.
In addition, I consider the carbon readings to see if the soil is absorbing carbon. Lots of organisms grow with aid of the carbon and absorbing carbon helps the planet, as we know. This is why bio-char is important to add to the soil.
Soil samples: Purchase soil test kit from the Pennsylvania State University, agricultural extension office in your county. (Chester has an extension office at the Government Services Building in West Chester.)
2) Apply a Compost Tea
This nutrient run-off from your compost pile is the best soil amendment on the planet because it filled with the living micro-organisms that breathe life into your soil and boost nutrient levels.
Add liquid concentrate to spray/dilute with water. Compost tea is the run-off substance from a compost pile. For a quick how to make and apply compost tea click here.
3) Protect with Leaf mold
Leaves are the product of tree mining and food production and more nutritious than wood. Shred your leaves directly in your beds or store covered until spring.
4) Supplement with cover crops
Use plants such as legumes to build back soil fertility.
Plant cover crop on an area you wish to build soil fertility: open spaces, fields, at the end of the season in your vegetable garden. Anywhere. Legumes as a family are nitrogen-fixing plants. Examples are: clover, alfalfa, field peas.
Of course, managing water so soil does not erode is vital.
Resources:
Margot Taylor
Dogwood Native Gardens
(484) 947-9442 Mobile/Office
Kennett Square, PA
Edible Flowers to Jazz up Spring Dishes
By William Woys Weaver, Guest Contributor
It is early April in Devon, Pa. where I live and already we have plenty to eat in the garden: mâche (I have two sorts, golden and the common green one), upland cress, winter spinach, Russian lettuce (it grows under the snow -–remember all that snow?) and even sweet violets (Viola ordorata), which right now are in full bloom and filling the kitchen garden with the aroma of an old-fashioned French confectionery shop.
I have three sorts, a blue one brought over from Germany in the 1860s, a petit orange one, and a delicate yellow variety, all as richly perfumed as the flowers used to make violet preserves in Europe. But of course, they are also delightful scattered on the fresh salad greens and this reminds me of all the other edible flowers to look forward as we rush headlong toward summer.
We also have Johnny-jump-ups and pansies, and then come the truly exquisite flowers of the quince and medlar trees, peach blossoms from my Chinese peach tree, dames rocket with its billowing magentas, and the cheerful yellow flowers of spring mustards, Siberian rocket,cabbages, over-wintering turnips, and yes, even rucola (its proper Italian name) which a lot of Americans call arugula as it is known in Neapolitan dialect.
Those flowers are white and in spite of the spiciness of the plant, they are filled with very sweet nectar, which adds an interesting dimension to the spring salad scene.
I could go on, but I think one of the real highlights of late spring floral grazing is the damask rose, which is the variety of rose used for perfumes and rose water, and rose petal preserve.
I was inspired to plant my patch of damask roses after visiting Cyprus one May and making a pilgrimage to the village of Agros high in the mountains. The village is nestled in a valley and the hillsides all around it are planted in terraces with damask roses for the local rosewater distillery.
Imagine an entire valley filled with the delicate scent of roses! It was breathtaking and all you could hear with the constant hum of bees. The village women get up early in the morning before sunrise to hand-pick the petals, which cannot be touched by direct sunlight otherwise the volatile oils evaporate before they can be captured in the still.
I will be reenacting a similar ritual in May when I head to my heirloom kitchen garden, and if the weather is right, and the petals of good quality, I plan to sample some freshly made rose petal preserve.
You can join Mr. Weaver in his garden to sample some of his edible flowers, and perhaps a slather of rose petal preserve, when you sign up for his Heirloom Gardening workshop. Click MORE for details:
Landreth Seed Co. + Seed Saving Techniques + Local Seed Sources
By Margaret Gilmour
We’re rounding out our seed week with a seed feast for your senses, found at D. Landreth Seed Company. This local seed company celebrated its 225th birthday last year, making Landreth the oldest seed house America. It all began in 1784 when David Landreth started his first garden center on High Street–now 1210 Market Street–in Philadelphia.
For three centuries the company provided us with one of the most extensive selections of seeds in the world. It’s said that they sold packs to every U.S. president from George Washington to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Seven years ago Barbara Melera purchased D. Landreth Seed Company and moved it to rural New Freedom, Pa. Her plans then were to rebuild the company to its original greatness (by the time she purchased Landreth in 2003 the company was selling mostly grass seed).
A huge endeavor, for sure, but I’d say Barbara has succeeded. If you love seeds, both rare heirlooms and new varieties, check out their catalog and I guarantee you’ll be placing an order for one or two seed packs (if not more).
That’s because nowadays Landreth is selling heirlooms famous in past along with seed collections that Barbara introduced, including an African American collection based on the foods and heritage of the African people.
And perhaps just as exciting as the new assortment of seeds is the reintroduction of the zinnias the founders brought to the U.S. centuries ago. I experiment with a cut-flower garden each year and can’t wait to see my Landreth zinnias in bloom.
So, it’s time to gather your seeds, get out the grow lights and a bag of soil, pots or peat pellets, and plan your garden. Really, is there any better way to celebrate spring? Which, by the way, happens in just a few, sunny days.
Some growing tips for tomatoes from Tim Mountz of Happy Cat Organics:
• start seeds indoors 5-6 weeks before planting out, or buy healthy seedlings from a local source (big box stores may sell diseased plants unknowingly); (more…)
Seed Keeper: Happy Cat Organics
By Margaret Gilmour
Tim Mountz of Happy Cat Organics in Kennett Square doesn’t just dream of the perfect tomato, he creates it. In fact, he was so smitten over the heirloom tomatoes Zapotec and Black Krim, that he bred the two and came up with his own variety: The Black Ruffle.
Tim has been collecting seeds and saving them for almost 18 years. He’s intrigued by the characteristics of each piece of fruit or vegetable he grows organically, of course, but he’s almost even more taken by the history behind the seeds he chooses to keep company with.
By collecting and keeping heirlooms seeds, Tim and his wife Amy Bloom—comrade and co-partner at Happy Cat—are preserving memories and slices of sweetness from an era almost lost due to large-scale farming practices. Each seed they’ve stockpiled comes with its own memoir, in colors and flavors you have to witness to believe.
Take his description of the Black Krim, for example: Dark purple flesh on the shoulder and reddish on the blossom end. The beauty of the fruit is amazing a slice of this tomato looks like a photo sent back by the Hubble telescope. The black Krim, tomatoes, hails from Russia. The Island of Krim is an island on the black sea. Flavor- the most amazing taste from salty to savory, a true burgundy like fusion of flavors.
I thought I was mad for tomatoes. Tim, I discovered, is passionately devoted to them, doting over every seed and seedling in his possession. Once they are ripe and ready though, he won’t hesitate to sink his teeth right in to sample his prized work. And who can blame him? I’d love to experience the Black Krim he describes.
Continuing our seed week and celebration of planting time, I was able to catch up with Tim during this busy spring season.
Here’s a clip from our multitude of conversations:
When/why did you start saving seeds?
In the 1993 my grandfather was killed in a car accident. He was raised on a farm in Lancaster so he had a giant garden. I had a big garden, but not like his. People in the area said he did not have a green thumb, but a green arm. After he died a large jar of beans came my way, so I started growing them.
By 1997 when I got William Woys Weavers Heirloom Vegetable Gardening book, I had worked for Tim Stark (author of, Heirloom –Notes from an accidental tomato farmer), and things began falling (more…)
Seed planting time: Local seed savers have heirlooms for you
By Margaret Gilmour
The ancient tradition of seed saving sprouted in Chester County centuries ago when Native Americans discovered a rich mix of fertile soil, yielding topography and plenty of rainfall. In fact, Southeaster Pa. is a mecca for farmers and botanists, as just about any seed you sow here—planted in the right conditions of course–will thrive.
In our ideal microclimate we can cultivate anything from Mediterranean produce to Asian vegetables, along with a diverse variety of flowering plants and herbs. It’s no wonder, then, that we are home to a renowned group of seed savers interested in salvaging local history and making hundreds of species of heirloom vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seeds available to us. Many of the seeds are age-old Chester County varieties.
And since March is seed planting time, we’ve decided to devote this week to seed growing and saving.
I connected with two area seed keepers you’ll hear from this week:
William Woys Weaver, dubbed by the NYT as “the Julia Child of long-lost vegetables,” who “has transformed the field of heirloom vegetables;” and
Tim Mountz, an ethonobotanist, forager and local seed-saver extraordinaire. He and his wife Amy created Happy Cat Organics where they sell over 30 seed varieties online, at local whole food stores and farmers’ markets. Come back Wednesday to learn more about Tim and Happy Cat Organics.
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Dr. Weaver is a plant scholar and author of over 10 books, his most notable book being the garden bible for all plant lovers: Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener’s Guide to Planting, Seed Saving and Cultural History. It’s available at area stores and online at Mother Earth News where Dr. Weaver is a contributing editor.
The book, which won a James Beard cookbook award, imparts knowledge on ancient plant varieties, plant lore and the future of our food. He wrote the book thirteen years ago before (more…)
The Organic Mechanic: Healthy Soil for Potted Plants
By Margaret Gilmour
“Healthy plants need healthy soil,” says Mark Highland, CEO and Founder of Organic Mechanics Soil Company in West Chester.
This may seem a little obvious, but unless you’re a soil scientist and horticulturist like Highland, precisely how you engineer the ideal soil mixture isn’t just a matter-of-course.
Highland spent ten years researching and developing the ingredients for his organic media, first completing one degree in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida, then working a few years in Oregon on a certified organic farm. Eventually, he relocated to Chester County for a graduate degree in Public Horticulture Administration offered by the University of Delaware in collaboration with Longwood Gardens.
“I wanted the science experience the program offered,” Highland says. “I worked at Longwood and helped them refine their composting process.
Just after completing the Longwood program, Highland started the Organic Mechanic in January of 2006.
The result, of course, is the Organic Mechanic’s rich blend of coconut fiber, worm castings and compost, all mixed in perfect ratio for a synergy of matter that Highland packs up and sells to over 140 locations through the U.S.
Container gardens filled with the Organic Mechanic’s earthy blend thrive without adding anything but water. Even then, there’s need for less watering due to the soil’s water-holding capacity. Potted vegetables are naturally fertilized for an organic, robust harvest, and the life of hanging baskets and window boxes seem endless.
How is this possible?
“Compost is the best soil amendment on the planet because it is alive,” Highland says. With micro-organisms breathing life into the mixture, nutrient levels boost and plants flourish. Many potting soils, by contrast, are made up of sterile a medium.
Actually, all the components of Highland’s potting soil are chosen as much for their scientific characteristics and as they are for their sustainable ones. “Environmental sustainability is a core value of our company,” Highland says. (more…)
Time to Harvest Your Basil
By Margaret Gilmour
I still want to make more pesto this season, and I never tire of tomato, basil and cheese sandwiches (tossing in avocado, sprouts or cucumber when within reach).
Yet, according to my well-read, slightly tattered book, Tips for the Lazy Gardener, by Linda Tilgner, we need to harvest our sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) before evening temperatures get much below 50 degrees because the flavor of its leaves taste better if they are dried or frozen before the cool weather hits.
So this week I’ll head out just after the morning dew, the best time to harvest basil—when the essential oils are said to be at their peak. Then I’ll pluck my three healthy plants from by herb garden and give the other herbs some room to grow.
In Tilgner’s book she suggests using any basil blossoms that escaped cutting for vinegar. She writes: “In fact, herb vinegars are a convenient way to use herbs you’re too lazy to dry or freeze, and make wonderful gifts.”
Tilgner dries her basil by spreading out washed and pat-dry leaves on a screen or paper and placing in a cool, dark, room.
Then there’s Paul Feenan, a farmer from out West who shared his method on a food blog: (I like this idea because it seems quick and easy and won’t take up counter space.)
“At Barnyard Gardens we have had good luck drying our extra basil by simply putting it in a large paper shopping bag in a dry but not too hot of a spot (not too much in a bag at once). We fold the top of the bag shut, and once a day (or so) we open it up and give the bag a shake and rustle the basil about. The dried basil has an intense fresh flavor for our pasta dishes in the winter.”
Whether or not you freeze or dry basil, there’s still debate over which method retains the herb’s flavor best. I may try both.
To freeze, wash the leaves, blot them dry and set them into a freezer bag or small plastic container before committing the basil to the freezer.
Then there’s the ice-cube tray method, where the other half of my harvest will end up: In a food processor blend basil leaves with just enough olive oil so that it covers the leaves (adding more oil for thinner consistency), and place the mixture in an ice cube tray and freeze. This is a great way to prepare pesto or other pastes during the winter months.
Or, (I may even try this) apparently you can freeze a whole basil leaf in water in an ice-cube tray, then pop it out when you’re ready to use it–the water will melt and leave you with an aromatic, bright green leaf ideal for sauces (and reminiscent of summertime).
Nice. (more…)
