Comments on: Child’s Garden Handouts – and Where to Start http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/ Did You Know They Don't Have to Come From the Store? Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:14:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: admin http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1891 admin Fri, 02 Apr 2010 04:13:13 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1891 Hi Betsy! If the soil is really hardpan right now (and after each winter if you aren't growing cover crops that help keep the soil from hardening over winter) you may need a hoe or shovel to break the soil up and mix in any compost. Once that is done in the spring though you probably will just need a trowel (little hand shovel). It's hard to say without seeing how hard the soil is. I grew rutabagas & turnips in hardpan clay this winter as an experiment. The turnips grew above the soil line and we ate the greens all winter as well as the turnips that got large enough. None of the rutabagas got large enough to eat the roots but when I pulled them out that soil was beautiful. The hanful of seeds it took was worth it just to break the soil up for me and then I put them in the compost pile to return nutrients to the soil when it's ready. I know lots of folks who swear by garden forks in the spring and they might work great but I've never tried that since I have raised beds and I try to keep them cover cropped all winter to help the soil. Hope this helps. Hi Betsy! If the soil is really hardpan right now (and after each winter if you aren’t growing cover crops that help keep the soil from hardening over winter) you may need a hoe or shovel to break the soil up and mix in any compost. Once that is done in the spring though you probably will just need a trowel (little hand shovel). It’s hard to say without seeing how hard the soil is. I grew rutabagas & turnips in hardpan clay this winter as an experiment. The turnips grew above the soil line and we ate the greens all winter as well as the turnips that got large enough. None of the rutabagas got large enough to eat the roots but when I pulled them out that soil was beautiful. The hanful of seeds it took was worth it just to break the soil up for me and then I put them in the compost pile to return nutrients to the soil when it’s ready.

I know lots of folks who swear by garden forks in the spring and they might work great but I’ve never tried that since I have raised beds and I try to keep them cover cropped all winter to help the soil. Hope this helps.

]]> By: Betsy http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1889 Betsy Thu, 01 Apr 2010 22:28:54 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1889 Hi there! I am actually a friend of Jenny's (above) and am starting a veggie garden this year. I don't know the first thing, but I am learning. I am doing ours in a neighborhood pea patch. They are rototilling this weekend and then I can start working the dirt and planting. There are some weeds right now, but not a ton. Anyway, my big question is what tools are essential? And what kind? I want to make my life easier by having the right tools, but don't want to overdo it either. I won't be able to leave tools there either, so I need to be able to transport. Note: On big days where I am working the soil & planting I can drive there, but on other days we will probably take the kids in the stroller. We are getting a 20x10 patch, but probably will not use the whole thing for veggies, as I am trying to start on the easy side. Hi there! I am actually a friend of Jenny’s (above) and am starting a veggie garden this year. I don’t know the first thing, but I am learning. I am doing ours in a neighborhood pea patch. They are rototilling this weekend and then I can start working the dirt and planting. There are some weeds right now, but not a ton. Anyway, my big question is what tools are essential? And what kind? I want to make my life easier by having the right tools, but don’t want to overdo it either. I won’t be able to leave tools there either, so I need to be able to transport. Note: On big days where I am working the soil & planting I can drive there, but on other days we will probably take the kids in the stroller. We are getting a 20×10 patch, but probably will not use the whole thing for veggies, as I am trying to start on the easy side.

]]> By: admin http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1656 admin Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:55:02 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1656 Jenny - how fun! I used to do that too but now that I am growing so much stuff those seeds cost a lot of money! Jenny – how fun! I used to do that too but now that I am growing so much stuff those seeds cost a lot of money!

]]> By: Jenny http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1653 Jenny Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:16:50 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1653 Thanks, it does. Usually I just kind of dump the package in and stir things around, so I've never really paid attention to the number of seeds in a package. :) There should be at least three kids gardens out there thanks to your great plan! My friend is doing one for each of her kids. Thanks, it does. Usually I just kind of dump the package in and stir things around, so I’ve never really paid attention to the number of seeds in a package. :)

There should be at least three kids gardens out there thanks to your great plan! My friend is doing one for each of her kids.

]]> By: admin http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1644 admin Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:50:50 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1644 Hi Jenny, It should say in the catalog how many seeds are in each package. Some seeds like lettuce and carrots are so tiny you get a bazillion in a packet and others are quite large like peas or beans. Then others like tomatoes cost an arm and a leg and you only get about 25 in each packet despite the high cost of the packet. I'll be covering seed saving this summer so you don't need to buy seeds again. Hope that helps. Hi Jenny,

It should say in the catalog how many seeds are in each package. Some seeds like lettuce and carrots are so tiny you get a bazillion in a packet and others are quite large like peas or beans. Then others like tomatoes cost an arm and a leg and you only get about 25 in each packet despite the high cost of the packet. I’ll be covering seed saving this summer so you don’t need to buy seeds again. Hope that helps.

]]> By: Jenny http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1643 Jenny Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:21:28 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1643 I'm so excited to do this! I am planning on sharing the seeds with some friends and we're wondering how many 4x4 gardens you think we might be able to get out of each of the packets. I usually just dump the whole packet into the ground and thin things as they come up, so I have never gotten a good feeling of what a packet can produce. I’m so excited to do this! I am planning on sharing the seeds with some friends and we’re wondering how many 4×4 gardens you think we might be able to get out of each of the packets.

I usually just dump the whole packet into the ground and thin things as they come up, so I have never gotten a good feeling of what a packet can produce.

]]> By: Lynne http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1637 Lynne Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:54:46 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1637 I'm very excited about doing this, so thanks for creating the documents and sharing them! I can't open the *.docx files on my machine (my MSWord is too old), so I uploaded them to Google Documents which did the converting for me. I’m very excited about doing this, so thanks for creating the documents and sharing them! I can’t open the *.docx files on my machine (my MSWord is too old), so I uploaded them to Google Documents which did the converting for me.

]]> By: Child’s Garden Giveaway Winner http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1636 Child’s Garden Giveaway Winner Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:47:28 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1636 [...] for everyone who didn’t win please note the handouts are posted for free along with some directions on where to start when putting in a new garden. All [...] [...] for everyone who didn’t win please note the handouts are posted for free along with some directions on where to start when putting in a new garden. All [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1635 admin Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:15:10 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1635 Thanks HH - I knew you could do it somewhere. Thanks HH – I knew you could do it somewhere.

]]> By: Harmony Harbor http://www.sustainableeats.com/2010/03/06/childs-garden-handouts-and-where-to-start/comment-page-1/#comment-1631 Harmony Harbor Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:02:19 +0000 http://www.sustainableeats.com/?p=1774#comment-1631 The King County Conservation District offers free soil samples. Contact them at 425-277-5581. The King County Conservation District offers free soil samples. Contact them at 425-277-5581.

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