The urban gardener


Organic horticulture employs the crucial principles of organic agriculture for the successful herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants growing. These principles concern the management of pests in the garden, soil composition and conservation, etc.

General Notes

Mulches, Double Digging, compost, Vermicompost, cover crops, mineral supplements and manures are the main constituents of the soil mixture in this kind of gardening in contrast to the commercial farming. Organic horticulture expects to minimize the risk of insects, fungi, and diseases development with the help of maintaining the high quality of the soil. Nonetheless, sometimes it is still necessary to use insecticidal soaps and sprays, pheromone traps, or other pest-control means, created especially for organic farmers.

Experts define five fields of horticulture:

-           olericulture, which stands for the production and marketing of vegetables;

-           pomology that means the production and marketing of fruits;

-           floriculture, which is the production and marketing of floral crops;

-           landscape horticulture that includes the production, marketing, and      maintenance of landscape plants;

-           and finally, post harvest physiology that studies and practices the preservation and maintaining of the quality of horticultural crops

All these areas can utilize the key principles of organic gardening.

Organic horticulture employs the methods and uses data, which have been collected for thousands of years. Generally speaking, this type of gardening is based on the natural, long-term processes and eco-friendly, global approaches, in contrast to horticulture, based on the use of chemicals that speed up the processes and aim at the separate results and reductionist strategies.

Organic gardening systems

There exist various formal organic gardening systems that utilize peculiar methods. They are listed among the general organic standards, but are more specific than them. For example, Rudolf Steiner developed the so-called biodynamic farming. Masanobu Fukuoka, the Japanese writer and farmer, practiced Natural Farming, based on the so-called no-till system for the small-scale production of grain. Finally, intensive and biointensive techniques and SPIN Farming (Small Plot INtensive), developed in France, also belong to the small-scale gardening methods.

A garden in a container or growing box provides healthy, organic, and highly nutritional food. Moreover, it is also the means to share one’s experience, to improve local economy, and to offer better and more sustainable way of living. A small raised bed garden of 32 square feet is capable of supplying tasty, healthy, and organic greens to a family, requiring, at the same time, less water and fewer nutrients if it is based on the postulates of bio-intensive planting and square foot gardening. 

In addition, the existing garden can be improved with the help of composting or vermicomposting. These methods allow getting the best organic fertilizers by reusing organic matter, which provides necessary nutrients to the organic garden. Besides, compost and vermicompost are always an easy way to improve the results.



Julian

MIKE SELVON


Building up sustainable soil for organic gardening starts right after the garden soil testing has been completed. The testing of the soil helps to identify the additional fertilizers and conditioners that can be added. When attempting to garden organically, testing, maintaining and improving the soil is a constant process and one that is well worth the effort, according to those who advocate organic farming and gardening.

Creating sustainable soil for gardening organically means that you have to be able to replenish the topsoil of the garden. One of the best substances to have for keeping the soil rich and healthy enough for an organic garden is a good supply of compost. In addition to compost, it is good to have enzymes, earthworms, and beneficial microbes available to add into the soil mixture as well.

In most cases, when the garden bed has been established with great quality soil that is able to support and sustain organic gardening, it can then be maintained by simply adding home composting on a routine basis. This can easily be done by replacing a layer of the garden soil with a layer from your compost.

Backyard composting is a terrific way to improve your soil structure and also enhance moisture retention. In the average compost heap there are billions of bacterial organisms that will grow, feed, reproduce and die. Through this life-cycle of the microorganisms, the organic waste material that has been added to the compost pile will be recycled into a robust organic fertilizer and effective soil conditioner.

Many people say that composting is truly the ultimate in recycling because it benefits the soil in so many ways and supports organic farming and gardening in its highest and best sense. In addition to improving the structure of the soil and the moisture retention ability of the soil, composting also provides excellent aeration, full fertilization and nitrogen storage. Composting also creates a beneficial pH balance in the soil, releases a stream of nutrients and supplies food for the beneficial microbial inhabitants in the earth.

Shredded alfalfa hay is one of the best types of material that you can add to your compost heap, and some say it is “the” secret to a great compost recipe. Worms really thrive on alfalfa, making worm composting even more effective and faster, and it provides excellent mulch and soil additive components for your soil.

When you want to get your compost ready for your organic gardening undertaking, you should make the compost pile about four feet high and also about four feet wide as well. It needs to be located in an area that allows for good drainage and it should be surrounded with chicken wire so it will have proper air circulation. After about three to four months, your compost will be ready to mix in with the soil and begin working wonders for your garden.



John

The urban gardener


The use of organic plant nutrients instead of the man-made chemicals in the hydroponic garden eases the work of a gardener. The matter is that the absence of synthetic chemicals eliminates the problem of ppm amount and pH balance of the water. If there is no need to calibrate nutrients, to check pH level of the water, and calculate fertilizer’s amount, a beginner of the hydroponic gardening will definitely make no mistakes, which means many problems may never occur.

A dual root growing system is made by special composition of the medium in the container: the upper part of the medium is soil or soil substitute, and organic nutrients can be supplied directly to this upper part; the lower half of the medium is some porous material, which retains water, but to which no nutrients are supplied. 

Creating an organic hydroponics system, a gardener may use a standard hydroponic grow container, though a coir fiber container will suit too. The preferred material to put at the bottom of the box is lava rock, which perfectly keeps water. Lava rock is then covered with a thin layer of loose rockwool or coir fiber to divide both medium layers and prevent them from mixing together. The upper half of the container should be filled with a mixture of 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 coarse grade horticulture perlite, and 1/3 large-sized horticulture vermiculite. Such arrangement ensures the upper capillary action of water and protects the bottom of the grow bed from the occasional mixing with any organic particles. 

Using a standard plastic hydroponic grow container one should place a plastic screen lining inside the grow bed, fitting it well at the bottom and on the walls of the container up to their top, also with the aim to protect the water from the small particles in the medium mixture. It is also possible to use a hydroponic container with tiny holes.

One more good choice for the use of organic gardening methods in hydroponics system is coir fiber containers. The filling is the same as described above with the thin layer of loose or strand coir fiber between the two types of medium. 

Such box is then set in the grow bed. Note that the level of the pumped water should be a bit lower than the soil mixture. The secondary root system will be submerged into the water along with lava rock and promote the capillary water flow up into the soil. The lower half of the medium may be watered on a regular hydroponic basis, while the upper one can be moistened just once a day. 

This system allows a gardener to supply nutrients right to the upper part of the medium, where they are vitally important. At the same time, the whole medium structure will be perfectly moistened by the pumped water and the plants will also have constant supply of oxygen and CO2, drawn into their root systems. Finally, proper amount of CO2 will improve the absorption of nutrients by the upper parts of the roots. 



Patricia

Gen Wright


, beginners to organic gardening are excited by the whole concept of “organic,” but don’t know where to start. I remember when I first contracted “organic fever”; I was so excited that I was reading everything I could find on the subject. Some articles were very entertaining but gave little practical information. Other articles seemed to focus on a particular product as being the miraculous answer to all gardening problems. Early on in my learning curve, I was reading an extremely interesting article about liquid organic fertilizer. It made a lot of sense and I was sold on the product, ready to run out and buy it.

Problem was, I hadn’t even planted anything yet! What I needed was a beginners guide to organic gardening. Since I never found one I decided to write one myself in hopes that it helps you avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve experienced. I put on the brakes and backed up a bit, but still eagerly absorbed all I could find. That is why I always recommend to anyone who is just discovering organic gardening to start on a small scale. Container gardening, for example, is a perfect place to start. You can move your container easily to protect it from the elements, even indoors.

The 3 R’s: Research, Read, Repeat

Different types of plants have different growing requirements, so it is imperative to know in advance of planting, what conditions are required by your plants to thrive. This is the most basic principle but often the most overlooked. You cannot rely on store personnel to know even the most basic facts about the plants they are cashiers, not horticulturalists. By following the 3 R’s you will avoid a lot of potential plant problems, plus, you’ll save yourself time, money, and aggravation. It’s much easier to learn about how to grow fat nutritious organic tomatoes after you have learned what soil requirements tomatoes need, than to repurchase and replant seedlings because you skipped this important step.

Follow The Rules

You can’t be successful if you cheat or take shortcuts. You might be tempted to think you can add a chemical to make your plants grow faster or taller. Read that sentence again. Do you see that word “chemical”? The use of chemicals is the opposite of organic. I want to assist you in growing gorgeous plants and healthful veggies. I do not promote or support the use of synthetic chemicals. When chemicals are added to the soil to induce artificial growth or color, they destroy the very micro-organisms needed to grow! The very essence of Organics is: No Chemicals. Ever. (Besides, if you think you can ingest chemicals without any adverse effects, you’ve been woefully misled!)

You Can’t Create Life

When you get right to the heart of the matter, you can’t create a tomato. All you can do is plant a little tiny seed and give it what it needs to grow. In my ignorance I used to repeat that tired old cliche, “Life begins in the soil.” Well, that’s only half true. While the seed contains the energy to germinate after planting, it’s the life in the soil that enables it to flourish. Micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes convert organic fertilizer into energy for your plants to grow.

Are you ready to pursue organic gardening? Then you need to start by doing some housecleaning. Yes, I said housecleaning.

I suggest finding a good bio-degradable bag and, starting under your sink bag up all the chemicals to kill bugs and weeds. Then, progressing to your basement, garage, or utility shed, collect them all and get rid of them! If you are ready and willing to commit to growing healthy and nutritious food, then you need to get rid of all the poisons out of you home and garden. Okay, so you have a bag of toxic substances in hand, and you’re walking out to your garbage can… Suddenly you realize that there might possibly be a safety issue concerning the disposal of this stuff. The light bulb goes on.

If you have to consider how to safely dispose of a product, why would you want it in your home?

Allison

Pat Lyne


Instead of chemicals in your soil and on your food, why not try organic gardening? You can start with just a few plants in pots or a small patch, or you can go whole hog and dig up half your yard!

Actually, if it’s your first garden, it’s better to start small. Gardeners have a tendency to plant more than they can reasonably care for - everything looks so great in the catalogs! But even though gardening is a lot of fun and a satisfying pastime, it’s also a lot of work. Half way through the growing season you may wish you’d been a little more moderate in your planting. It’s better to work your way up to that huge garden!

On Location…

Like the real estate agents are fond of saying, “It’s all about location, location, location.” Some plants will grow in the shade, but for most vegetables you need sunshine. An ample amount of sunshine is one thing you can’t provide artificially, unless you’re planning on a huge bank of portable lights out in your garden, and with the price of electricity these days, that’s a definite no-no.

Practically speaking, any garden, organic or otherwise, needs sunshine. Put your pots or garden plot where the plants will get at least 6 hours of sun a day for best results. While it’s nice to locate the garden close to the house for easy access, shade from the house or trees may not make that possible. Sunshine has priority over easy access.

Be sure your garden location not only gets ample sunshine, but drains well so the plants don’t sit in water. Fertile soil is a big plus, but if that’s lacking, you can always add soil amendments.

Down and Dirty

Adding compost will help your soil no matter what type it is. You can also use natural fertilizers and organic materials to improve the soil and help the plants grow. Most vegetable roots are in the top 6 inches of soil, so tilling or double digging will easily mix the materials into the soil where the roots can reach it.

Time to Plant

Seed catalogs and nurseries are brimming with all types of vegetables. Besides taking into account what you and your family like to eat, choose vegetables that will do well in your climate. For instance, some long season crops like sweet potatoes wouldn’t do well up north, while cool climate crops might not fare so well in the deep south.

Mulching your vegetables with organic material helps conserve water, adds humus and nutrients as well as discourages weeds from growing. It’s a great way to improve your garden soil and plants!

Don’t Let Them Bug You

Where there’s lovely young plants, there’s bugs looking for a meal. Hand picking caterpillars or other bugs off is one option, or spraying the plant with soapy water, or even plain water, will dislodge the bugs. There are also some organic products made for bug control.

Not all bugs are bad, and some are even beneficial. Bugs such as green lacewings, ladybugs, praying mantis, spiders and wasps eat the insects that try to eat your vegetables.

Companion planting with insect repellant plants such as marigolds or nasturtiums can also help keep bugs away from your garden.

It also helps to learn to live with a certain amount of imperfections. The vegetable doesn’t have to be perfect to taste good. You can cut off any problem spots before eating it.

Destroy Those Weeds!

Weeds have been defined as “a plant growing in the wrong place.” That pretty much sums it up. If it’s not something you planted, consider it a weed and hoe it out, pull it up, or till it under. However you do it, get it out of the garden. Those extra plants steal nutrients and water needed for your vegetable plants.

Ready, Set, Garden!

A good location, fertile soil, the right plants, and working to keep the garden weed and bug free are the right ingredients for a great garden. Growing an organic garden is a wonderful way to put superior tasting food in your diet. So get out there and get your garden growing!



Cathy

Kolawole Olambiwonnu


Why does partial shade play an important role in organic vegetable gardening? And how can such shade be done? And is it really vital for your produce to grow?

For gardeners, they know that shade plays an important role in what they are doing as much as the sun. This is especially true if one is into organic gardening of vegetables. The exposure to sun and its need to be in shade still depends upon what plant you want as produce. But learning all about the plant and its needs first will lead a gardener for a better output.

Being one with nature, being in touched with your produce, is the main responsibility of an organic farmer, in the first place. So before you might want to delve into this, you must first be ready to be patient and hardworking because of the holistic approach being used in such type of gardening, everything depends on the farmer, they have no one to turn to except for themselves and the natural environment.

Organic Horticulture

The word horticulture comes from two Latin words, hortus that means garden plant and cultura or culture. It is both an art and science of planting and producing vegetables, flowers, fruits and even ornamental plants.

Horticulture has five parts of study; floriculture for floral plants, landscape horticulture for landscape ornaments, pomology for fruits, postharvest physiology is about keeping the harvested produce fresh and how to prevent these from rotting quickly.

The fifth area of study for horticulture is olericulture, which you might be interested in if you are into vegetable gardening because this tackles the process from producing the crops to marketing such.

Partial Shade

You may know that a plant needs soil, sun and water to be able to survive. But you must also be aware that it needs shade, especially the vegetables because not only one must protect it as a plant but must also care for it to produce a good harvest.

In organic vegetable gardening, by exposing the plants to a range of 30 to 50 percent of shade can actually lower the leaves’ temperature by about 10 percent or even more. For the northern and coastal climates, 30 percent shade is recommendable while 47 to 50 percent in hot and summer-like places.

By doing what’s stated above, vegetables like lettuce, arugula, mustard greens and mesclun mix would produce better qualities.

The shade also lessens the temperature of the soil by three to six degrees Fahrenheit. This will benefit vegetables such as cabbages, mustard greens, broccoli, chard, radishes, turnips and spinach that grow in the soil. It is because these produce will germinate better when the soil temperature is below 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Shade Tent

You can also provide your plants with handmade tents. This will be most beneficial if you have a large produce and you can’t attend to each plant one-by-one, placing cloth as shade at top of each one.

To do a shade tent, you would need sturdy plastic tubing that are about 1/2 or 3/4-inch in diameter. Cut this tubing into 6-foot in length, just enough for it to arch a foot length above your crops. For each arch that you’ve made, place a bamboo or rebar stakes, each one at about 18 inches. Put these in the ground at the sides of the plants’ bed until about 10 inches of each of the stakes is visible. Now you can bow your tubing by sliding its ends at the stakes.

With the foundation ready, you can now place a shade cloth over the arches for it to cover the plants’ bed. Make sure to clip the cloth at the tubing so that it will remain in place.

Remember, if partial shade is not readily available when you are into organic vegetable gardening, make one by just doing the above mentioned procedure.



Dave

Amy Nutt


You’ve probably noticed that organic foods are becoming very popular. This is because many individuals are learning the benefits of organic foods. At first, it seemed as if ‘organic’ was a word used to describe an exotic type of food, but it is anything but. Some individuals would even steer clear of the organic foods section in their local supermarket because of the fact that these foods were different. But now, organic food is something that is found all over the supermarket. There is a section in produce designated for organic, but you will find these foods scattered all throughout the supermarket.

But what is meant by ‘organic’?

Well, it all starts with the gardening. Organic gardening is different than most methods that are currently used. In other words, the methods are different than the methods that are used to grow the rest of the fruits and vegetables in the produce section.

The methods

When you think about it, the methods that are used in organic gardening are the same as the metghods used before there were pesticides and fertilizers. In other words, the soil is organic. It has no chemicals in it. There are also nothing but organic fertilizers used on the crops. This means that there are no manmade chemicals used in the growing of these crops. Everything that is used to help them grow is 100% natural. This means that there are no pesticides and other chemicals being carried into your body when you eat them.

Unfortunately, crops raised using non-organic fertilizers and chemicals have shown evidence of being ingested by people. It is believed that these chemicals cause cancer and other illnesses because they are not natural to the body.

The benefits

The benefits of organic gardening are many. First of all, you are not taking in pesticides and fertilizers that may not have been washed off the vegetables. Second of all, organic farming is good for the earth. Without using non-organic fertilizers and pesticides, the ground is not being polluted with the chemicals.

Here are some other benefits you may find interesting:

- Organic farming involves using insects against insects to keep the crops from being consumed by pests. If lady bugs are released in the early spring, they will get rid of aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, mealybugs, and so much more.

- Disease can easily be prevented by using other organic products. Eco Oil is one of those products because it prevents disease that can be caused by insects and also keeps insects away.

- Because studies have shown that pesticide intake by children can be harmful, organic foods keep this from happening. This can prevent a lot of health problems in the future.

As you can see, organic foods are much healthier for you and your family. That is why you need to look for a label that says ‘organic’ when you are shopping in your supermarket. You can now find organic noodles, juices, and so much more. So not only are your fruits and vegetables organic, but so are other foods because of the use of organic ingredients.

It makes us wonder why it is we turned to other gardening means. Perhaps it is because organic gardening does require a higher degree of effort than the methods that are primarily used today. Although it takes more effort, it is the healthier choice for everyone. In a way, it gets us back to the roots of gardening in that there was a time in which the only way to garden was through organic means. The only thing missing at that time were the organic fertilizers and various other organic gardening tools. But it is about time that we do get back to our roots. Organic gardening allows that.



Carlos

Peter Singer And Jim Mason


Using the label “organic” to distinguish one tomato from another is a big stretch from the word’s original meaning, for until the middle of the twentieth century it simply meant something living or derived from living matter. In that sense, the idea of an “inorganic tomato” is a contradiction in terms, unless it is, say, a tomato-shaped glass ornament. With very few exceptions — salt is one — all our food is “organic” no matter how it is produced.

The specific sense of “organic” we use when we speak of “organic food” today traces back to 1942, when J. I. Rodale launched a magazine called Organic Gardening. Nowadays Rodale is hailed as a pioneer, but then he was often derided as a crank and a throwback to obsolete ways of farming. He advocated maintaining soil fertility and stability by putting organic matter — animal manure or compost — back into the soil rather than relying on the “inorganic,” or synthetic, fertilizers that were then widely seen as the modern way to go. So in Rodale’s usage, it was the fertilizers, and from them, the farming methods, rather than the food, that were organic, and the concern was primarily with the soil, not with issues like biodiversity or animal welfare. But the meaning of “organic farming” soon parted company from Rodale’s original narrow distinction between fertilizers. Varying definitions spun out of control as different associations of “organic farmers” tried to set standards in accordance with their own values. Some wanted to stick with a narrow definition in terms of what you could and could not put on the soil, the crops, or the animals. Others wanted to include an entire way of life, including healthy living, an equitable form of distribution, concern for wildlife, and so on. Among organizations of organic farmers around the world, the broader view prevailed. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements settled on this definition:

Organic agriculture is an agricultural system that promotes environmentally, socially, and economically sound production of food, fiber, timber, etc. In this system, soil fertility is seen as the key to successful production. Working with the natural properties of plants, animals, and the landscape, organic farmers aim to optimize quality in all aspects of agriculture and the environment.

Such a definition does not, however, lend itself to being reduced to a label that can be put on products to show that they were produced organically. Without specific standards that could be encapsulated in a label, consumers were often unsure what the various “organic” labels used by different associations and producers really meant.

In 1990, the U.S. Congress decided to clear up the confusion by authorizing the Department of Agriculture to establish legally enforceable “USDA Organic” standards and a certification scheme so that consumers could be confident that their food really had been produced in accordance with the standards. That led, in 2002, to a set of standards that most people in organic farming considered a reasonable compromise among the various views of what organic farming is all about. Crops must be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, and most synthetic pesticides and all herbicides are also banned, although biological and botanical methods of control can be used. Soil fertility is to be maintained by the use of animal and plant waste (but not sewage sludge, which can contain toxic heavy metals), crop rotation, and growing “cover crops” like clover between other crops. (Cover crops are plowed into the soil to restore nitrogen and organic matter.) Animals used for meat, eggs, or milk must eat organic grains or other organic food and must not be given growth hormones or antibiotics. (Sick or injured animals may be treated with antibiotics, but then their meat, milk, or eggs cannot be sold as organic.) Organically raised animals must have access to the outdoors, including access to pasture for ruminants. Neither plants nor animals can be the product of genetic engineering, and organic food cannot be irradiated.

Reprinted from: The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter by Peter Singer and Jim Mason © 2006 Peter Singer and Jim Mason. (May 2006; $25.95US/$34.95CAN; 1-57954-889-X) Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735 or visit their website at www.rodalestore.com.



Taylor

Muna wa Wanjiru


To grow your organic vegetable garden is not a difficult thing and in fact many people who enjoy gardening are now turning to organic gardening methods. This doesn’t mean that you need to grow only organic herbs and vegetables in your garden. Organic gardening can encompass all aspects of gardening, including a flower garden or an ornamental garden as well.

Just because you want to have an organic vegetable garden that doesn’t mean that you only need to stick with the organic vegetable garden. You can expand to include such things as herbs as well if you like, not mention flowering plants and others.

The one thing that you do want to look out for when you’re growing your organic vegetable garden alongside your flower garden, is that your flower garden is also grown organically. After all, it kind of defeats the purpose of growing an organic vegetable garden if right next to it you use all sorts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in your flower bed.

Other than that you should be fine when constructing and maintaining your own organic vegetable garden, but if you feel that you neighbor’s pesticide filled garden is too close to your own garden and that all your good efforts are going to waste you might want to look at either moving your own organic vegetable garden further away, or using pots, tubs and troughs to grow your vegetable garden.

The first thing that you need to decide when planting your organic vegetable garden is what types of vegetables you want to have. The next thing is to finding the right place to have your garden, along with how large you want, or can have, your garden. It is entirely possible to grown your organic vegetable garden in a small closed off patio on the 44th floor of your high rise apartment as long as you are willing to accept your limitations and work with them.

This means being aware that although you might want to plant an acre’s worth of organic vegetable crops, you will instead have to make do with a small 4×4 or even smaller sized enclosure in which to grow your organic vegetable garden.

Once all of these things have been factored in and you have a rough idea of what you want in your organic vegetable garden, and how big you want your garden to be, you can then move on to the serious subject of just where to get your organic vegetable seed or plant stock from.

Here, you might have to make a decision as to whether you want your organic vegetable garden to be planted from completely organic seed or plant stock, or whether, if you have difficulty in obtaining these, you want to resort to using plant stock from a nursery which is not organic, but which you will grow from scratch utilizing organic methods. Once all these are done, you can then get started on your organic vegetable garden.



Christopher

John Yazo


Organic gardening is a method of gardening in harmony with nature. It can be done with a minimal amount of cost by using methods of recycling organic matter that you already have on hand and the propagation of heirloom plants that are in your yard..

Saving money gardening takes planning. It is very easy to let the costs get out of hand when you purchase plants and other supplies for a garden, whether it be for a vegetable garden, flower bed and even landscaping. Once you put a plan together you just have to stick with it. The biggest mistake that is made is to many plants and supplies are purchased before a garden is planned out. It is very easy to go to a garden center and see all the plants that you want to plant, then come home to find out there isn’t enough room to plant them.

Methods like the propagation of existing plants in your own yard is a big way to save on landscape plants, recycling organic household along with yard waste is a great way to improve the soil in your gardens and supply nutrients to your plants.

Growing heirloom plants that are open pollinated is also away that you can save by collection and storing your own seeds for the following years to come. Having your own seeds on hand will also give you the ability to grow your own transplants and save on the cost of purchasing plants every year. Starting your own transplants isn’t that hard to do and the seeds can be started in containers that you already have around your house, egg cartons are great to use for starting your transplants in.

Planning your garden is the best way to garden on a budget.



Jennifer