Rain for the Garden

The rain yesterday was received with a warm and appreciative welcome as the garden was thirsty.  By the end of the week the ground will be warm enough to plant the warmer weather flowers, vegetables, and herbs.

Be sure to amend the soil with organic material.  There are various to choose from, such as; bark mulch, dry fertilizer pellets, compost, composted horse or cow manure, used coffee grounds, and crushed egg shells.  High nitrogen fertilizers should be used sparingly as it'll grow a lot of leaves, which is good, however, for spinach, and other greens.  Beans produce nitrogen and therefore, don't require much.  Maybe just one or two light treatments in the first two months.  Fertilizer can burn the plant so incorporate it into the soil as a 'side' dressing.

Tomato and bean plant stakes are best placed in the ground before the seeds or seedlings are planted to prevent injury to the roots.  Other plants that can grow upward are zucchini and other squashes, as well as many others that are described in square-foot gardener's books, blogs and sites.  This  kind of gardening is useful, if not necessary, for people who reside in apartments, and for whomever doesn't have much ground to work with.

LizOlivia