The Cooperative Extension System is a nationwide educational network that is a collaboration of federal, state and local governments and a state land-grant university. The mission of the Cooperative Extension System is to disseminate research-based information on topics as varied as nutrition, child rearing, agriculture, horticulture, husbandry, small business and personal finance. Every U.S. state and territory has a central state Extension office at its land-grant university. Each state Extension serves its residents through a network of local or regional offices staffed by professionals in their field.

What’s a Master Gardener?

When someone recommends that you contact your local office with a gardening question, more than likely you will be talking with a Master Gardener Volunteer. Although there are always agriculture and horticulture agents on hand, the Master Gardener Program was initiated in 1972 in the Seattle, WA Extension office, as a means to train qualified volunteers to assist in answering home gardener’s questions.

Master Gardener volunteers are interviewed for the program and once accepted, they are trained by Extension and University Staff as well as local horticulture professionals in many facets of horticulture including: taxonomy, plant pathology, entomology, cultural growing requirements, integrated pest management, wildlife control and much more. Once a Master Gardener trainee completes their classroom training they are required to volunteer a designated amount of hours back to the program by answering questions on the phone and at fairs and festivals, speaking to groups, participating in display gardens and other projects as needed in their service area.

What Does Cooperative Extension Have to Offer the Home Gardener?

Some of the services provided at your local Extension Office, often for free or a nominal charge, are:

• Soil testing
• Fact Sheets on cultural requirements, diseases and pests
• Information on Frost Dates
• Plant Recommendations by Area
• Wildlife Deterrent Info

Most offices also have hours when you can bring in a sample of your plant problem or garden insect for identification.

Thanks to Marie Iannotti  for this info

Technorati Tags: vegetable garden planning, cooperative extension, local gardening

The basic principal in making compost is that when vegetable matter, soil, water, and air are combined with nitrogen, fermentation occurs and the material is converted into humus.  (You’ll need a little lime as well, to counteract acidity).  The compost heap must be made so that the right bacteria can be encouraged.  One cannot just throw a bunch of leaves and trash into a pile and call it compost.  Well, one could call it compost, but it will not be of much use as fertilizer.

Build It Yourself

If you choose to build a compost heap yourself, start it directly on the ground and not on concrete or wood.  The bottom layer should be a course material to allow for circulation.  Next, add in a 6" layer of vegetable waste, combining soft and hard materials.  You might use grass cuttings, leaves, weeds, leftover vegetable stems and stalks (chop these up), and kitchen leftovers such as eggshells and vegetable and fruit peels.  Water lightly.  you want the mixture moist but not squishy.

Over the vegetable waste you may wish to sprinkle a little bit of ammonium sulphate or nitrates to speed up fermentation.  Add a thin layer of soil and sprinkle with lime.  Keep building layers in this fashion until you get to a height of 3 or 4 feet.  You may also add in a thin layer of manure after each vegetable waste layer.  If you don’t have enough waste to create a large enough heap, consider adding straw or hay to the mix.  Wet the straw down before adding it to the pile. 

Cover to protect from heavy rain, but don’t let the cover rest on the heap.  After a few weeks, turn the heap, making sure the middle part moves to the outside.  Your heap should be ready in 5 or 6 months.

Containers

Some folks prefer composting in a container or bin.  Here are some commercial options to get you started more quickly and with less back pain!

Compost Bin: PVC Design

This compost bin has a 4 in x 4 in post 1.5 in x 5.5 in reinforced rails and is 3 ft W x 3 ft L x 3 ft H. The PVC will never rot.

Garden Compost Bin 

made out of recycled polypropylene. It is easily assembled without tools and will hold up to 11 cubic feet of compost. It stands 40 inches high and is 23 inches square. It has an easy access lid, adjustable air vents and a sliding bottom door for accessing the finished compost. Length: 23 Inch Width: 23 Inch Height

Back Porch Compost Tumbler

Makes Compost in 4-6 Weeks A household size composter for daily amounts of kitchen and household throwouts — finished compost in 4-6 weeks! The Back Porch Compost Tumbler is great for your deck, porch, right outside your kitchen door, or next to your recycling bin. Features: Dimensions: 37"H x 31"W x 26"D Drum is 25" diameter; 25" wide Capacity: 37 gallons Two big 6" wheels Made of double-wall, high density polyethylene 3/4" insulating air cell for year-round use Exclusive aerator/drainage unit on the bottom.
 

Compost Bin And Base-12 Cu Ft

Fresh compost can be made in just 14 days and you only have to turn it once a week or after addition of new material. And to make things easier, it comes completely assembled so you can start composting immediately. Made of durable 100% recycled polyethylene plastic and is resistant to fading Black color absorbs heat for fast composting Holds up to 12 cubic feet of compost Rotate once a week – That’s it! 16-inch twist-off lid for easy access and security End air vents create essential ventilation Can be rolled to any location for filling or dispensing.

 Jr Compost Bin And Base-7 Cu Ft

Comes fully assembled and requires little maintenance. Just turn once a week and after addition of new material and you can see compost in as little as 14 days! Help keep organic waste out of our landfills by getting a Compost Wizard Jr. today.

Groups of vegetables

Vegetables are divided into four groups:

• Legumes – beans and peas
• Brassicas -broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, kale, rutabaga, and turnips
• Root Vegetables – potatoes, carrots, parsnips, plus tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and celery
• Onion family and squashes – garlic, leeks, onioins, shallots, scallions, cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, and winter squash

You may put other vegetables in with any of the groups where there is space.  Vegetables such as rhubarb and asparagus need a permanent space since they are perennials.

How to rotate

The vegetables within each of these groups attract the same diseases and pests.  When you plan your garden, divide the available space into four main sections.  Grow all of the beans and peas in section one the first year, then move them to section two for the next year, and so on.  You rotate the vegetables in your garden like a pinwheel, with year five bringing each of the vegetable groups back to its original location.  You’re going to have the vegetables all in the same garden.  You’ll just have them in a different part of it every year.  If you grow in containers, either change out your soil every year or rotate your crops as if they were inground.  Consistant vegetable rotation will help ensure healthy crops for many years.

Gathering herbs

Cut the herbs on a bright sunny day and at a time in their growth when the color is at its brightest. Leave enough stem on the end of the leaf for tying.

Preparation of herbs

Remove all unnecessary parts from the stem since the less there is on the stem, the faster it dries. This does not mean to strip the stem bare, but rather to use discretion as to how much can be safely left for drying.

Hanging herbs

Group 3 or four stands into a small bunch and tie them together securely. As stems lose their moisture they shrink in size and unless tied securely often loosen enough to slip out. Rubber bands, children’s hair bands, or twist ties are very effective in keeping the materials bound. 

Suspend the bunched herbs upside down. This keeps the stems straight and flower heads up right. Plants may be suspended in any fashion that allows free passage of air to all services. Hang bunches on the line like close on the clothesline. Wire clothes hangers are ideal for clipping the herbs for hanging.

Space for hanging

Use any warm, dry spot to hang plants provided it has free circulation of air. Plants should not be covered, shut up in a closet, or exposed to direct sunlight while drying.

Time for drying

In eight or 10 days the majority of herbs are dry. Weather conditions and temperature were will have an impact on the number of days required. While they are driving, plants go through various stages of limp mess. When completely dry, plants will be stiff to the touch and the stems will snap easily.

Storing herbs

If you want to keep whole leaves, you may wish to freeze them in plastic bags or store them upright in mason jars. You may crush the leaves and store them in small jars such as baby food jars or you may freeze peace in plastic bags as well. If you put the leaves in jars and store them in a cool dark place, they will hold both flavor and color for up to 12 months.

As you harvest your plants this summer, consider driving many of your herbs to use throughout the year. The hanging method for herb drying is virtually free, makes your house smell good, and lets you extend the life of your garden for months.

Herb gardening is easy even for beginners since most herbs are relatively easy to grow. I started out with just one artimesia herb plant twenty years ago and now have over an acre of herbs that I use mainly for crafting wreaths and making dried floral arrangements. I have learned a lot about growing herbs in those years and have five tips listed below that will help any beginner herb gardener get off to a great start. These tips might also teach the pros a thing or two. Lets start with the basics.

Basically, herbs may be divided into two groups. They are either annuals or perennials. Annual herbs need to be planted each year since they only grow for one season. Perennial herbs come back each year. One definition of a perennial that I love is: "A perennial is a plant that comes back year after year… if it lives!" Now, lets take a closer look at these two categories of herbs.

First, lets talk about annual herbs. The cheapest way to have a lot of these types of herbs is to start them from seed. Sowing either directly outside after the last frost date, or inside four to six weeks before the last frost date is recommended on the packets. The other options are to buy your herbs as small plants each year at garden center, or you may find more unusual varieties online. If you are really blessed, you may even be able to get a free plant from a fellow herb gardener who is dividing some of their herbs. Some of the easiest annuals to grow are sweet basil, anise, borage, chervil, coriander, dill, fennel, and summer savory.

Next, lets talk about perennial herbs. Herbs like mint, rosemary, lemon balm, chives and oregano are a good choice for your first herb garden. Other perennials herbs that do well are lovage, hyssop, lavender, sage, sweet marjoram, sweet woodruff, tarragon, and thyme. One of my absolute favorite perennial herbs to grow and dry for crafting is yarrow.

Now that you know the basics, following the tips below will make you a real pro in no time.

Herb Gardening For Beginners – Five Tips To Success

• Choose a site with at least six hours of sunlight.
• Choose an area with good drainage and moderate temperatures.
• Avoid sites where the soil is too wet or too dry which indicates too much clay or sand.
• Amend soils with organic matter after having your soil tested.
• Use only hand-picking and insecticidal soaps to control occasional insect problems.

Herb gardening for beginners is easy with these tips. Go ahead and give it a try and you might just find yourself on a wonderful life long journey into the world of herbs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julia_Stewart

GrowVeg.com is an innovative garden planning tool which helps you grow fruit and vegetables to the best of their ability, whatever the size or shape of your garden or plot.

With GrowVeg.com it is easy to draw out your garden plan and decide how best to plant it. The GrowVeg.com planning tool clearly shows how much space plants require and how to group them for maximum success, removing the need to look up planting distances and crop families.

Patio gardening can be a terrific option for those who don’t have all the space needed for a large backyard garden. Patio gardening is not really limited to patios. Really any small space, particularly one enclosed, can become a great patio garden. A small apartment balcony, a stoop, or even a small patch of grass just outside your back door can be transformed into a beautiful, lush haven.

There are vegetables and fruits that do very well on the deck or patio. Citrus trees come in many dwarf varieties and provide color, lovely fragrance, and fresh produce in a very small space. Lemon trees, lime trees, and even Satsuma’s and tangerines added beauty to your deck while keeping you supplied with great citrus fruits.

Tomatoes and peppers offers scads of great options for small spaces. Cherry tomatoes don’t take up much space and are wonderful in fresh salads. Determinate tomato plants work well in upside down tubs and hanging pots. Bell peppers, hot peppers, and sweet peppers all come in bushy varieties and can be planted in large pots they can be moved from place to place on your patio.

Speaking of pots, don’t forget to use your pots as decorative accents. Pots now come in all sizes and shapes and colors. Even better, use found items like tubs or old bowls and boxes, and paint them yourself to create the look that you want on your patio. Hit up all the local flea markets and garage sales to find a great selection of pots that you can use for your new patio garden.

Don’t forget to include herbs in your porch garden. Many herbs can be planted in and around the vegetables that you have already potted. Keep in mind that some, like oregano and rosemary, can take over fairly quickly and so may need their own pots.

So plan your garden, watch it grow, and look forward to that evening when you stop by the store and grab a head of lettuce, go home to your patio and plot tomatoes, basil, a bell pepper, and a little rosemary from your garden. Broil a stake, roast some potatoes with a little rosemary, and toss a fresh salad that you grew yourself. All thanks to some fun patio gardening.

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to see more of Gardening Wizardry for Kids.

There are wonderful websites:

Michigan 4H Children’s Garden Kids’ Tour

My First Garden

Then there are the bug gardens — worms and bugs and butterflies:

And finally, lots of ideas and tools for creating your own backyard garden with your children:

A few things to consider:

1.  Start small.

2.  Plan to work in small chunks of time.

3.  The garden doesn’t have to be typical.  Let your children plant what they like, even if it’s all one thing.

4.  Don’t expect straight rows.

5.  Even though small and atypical, the first garden is still a great place to learn.

For parents and grandparents, there’s nothing better than gardening for kids.

Aphids especially like tomatoes and squash, particularly juicy varieties. Some of them also have wings so that when they are attacked, that is when you try to wash them away, they can fly away to another plant. So washing them off of the plants can be somewhat futile.  They also secrete a chemical when threatened that causes the next generation of aphids to create a larger population with wings. When more of them have wings they can spread all around your garden more easily and are quite happy to attack your neighbor’s plants, as well.

Aphids reproduce quickly and can cover your plants in just a couple of days. Every adult aphid is capable of reproducing at a rate of 10 or more live baby aphids every day. You may find it interesting to know that aphids don’t need males for reproduction. The females only use the male aphids when they’re ready to produce eggs that will lie dormant for the winter, thereby creating a whole new batch of aphids for next year.

So if you can’t wash them off and they fly away when you attack them, how do you fight off these nasty little bugs?

Well, one natural enemy of aphids is the ladybug. If you have a healthy population of ladybugs or lacewings, they will certainly help to keep the aphid population down. The other side of the coin is to be less negative and find a positive way to encourage the aphids to stay away from your vegetables.

Aphids love nasturtiums. Nasturtiums have bright orange flowers and look lovely planted around and among your vegetables. The nasturtium plant has lots of leaves, and the aphids will flock to the nasturtiums restaurant rather than hang out at the fast food tomato joint. Seriously, just a couple of nasturtiums planted a in the middle of your garden will go a long way toward keeping the aphids off of your vegetables, not to mention creating a beautiful, colorful centerpiece for your garden. And one last plus from nasturtiums: they’re edible for humans. Try some in your salad. Just be sure to leave plenty for those aggravating vegetable garden pests — aphids.