Hello, middle of winter, mountain neighbors! I'm excited to relaunch this monthly gardening article and answer your questions about plants and soil care. You can contact me at gardening@mountainx.com and I will share what I know about growing in our beautiful ecosystem.
snakes in my garden
My friend found a nest of baby snakes on his property. Is there a safe way to hide the crate and/or crate from the dog during housekeeping?
I love hearing about snakes in paradise! Of course, the first and most important step is to determine what kind of snake it is. Fortunately, most of the species found in North Carolina are non-venomous, namely 37 out of 31. And many of them, harmless to humans, love to prey on garden pests such as rats, mice and rats. In fact, the snake I see most often in my garden is the black sand snake, which, as its name suggests, feeds on mice (thank you!).
Other common species are the garter snake, milk snake, and corn snake. The most poisonous snakes I have seen here are copper snakes and vipers. Both are easily recognizable by their large, diamond-shaped heads and straight, cat-like pupils. Another interesting feature of these beautiful snakes is that they are ovoviviparous, which means that the mother incubates the eggs inside her body and gives birth to her young. This behavior leads me to believe that your friend's pups are not walleyes or copperheads, since the new breeding season begins at least by midsummer.
So if this was my garden, I would be happy to scatter snake pits and hope that some kids will help me fight plant pests. To keep your dog away from snakes, you can line the nest with large stones so that the dog cannot pull them out while inside.
potato time
The weather is very hot. Is it too early to plant potatoes?
Potatoes are a very popular fall crop and are in fact one of the first crops in the ground when spring arrives. However, they need a minimum soil temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Since "potato seeds" are planted deeper than true seeds, this means that the soil must be well warmed to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. It's not quite right yet.
If potatoes are planted too early (before the soil is warm enough to germinate), they will sit and wait until temperatures warm up or they will rot. The first is, of course, irrelevant; Plants need time to grow. The latter probably means no potato crop. If you cut a potato seed into strips, it will likely rot, leaving large areas in contact with the cold, wet soil. If you have not very small seed potatoes, it is better to cut out 2-4 eyes, so it's worth waiting until they warm up.
One way to adjust your potato growing schedule is to buy a simple soil thermometer and place it in the soil when you know it's warm enough to work with. Approximately here, usually from mid to late March.
seed of life
Where can I buy the best vegetable seeds?
Seeds are the backbone of any garden and now is the time to get them for spring and summer gardening. Not all seeds are the same and the quality of your seeds plays a big role in the success of your crop. I am a strong believer in open pollination and regional varieties for small growers like us. For organic practice, some hybrid seeds are also great in the backyard. On the other hand, in my opinion, genetically modified seeds have no place in our food system.
Good seed sources are regionally relevant small seed companies and some large companies that produce their own seeds and/or buy them from small quality-conscious seed growers.
Consider what you have before you start ordering seeds. Look not only at the name or variety of the plant, but also at the full date. Seeds are living organisms that cannot live forever. Many types of seeds can last for years if stored properly, but some will not germinate properly after a year of storage. Exposure to moisture, heat and light shortens the life of the seeds. Here is a quick reference so you know how long different types of seeds can be stored in good conditions. We get this information from Johnny's Selected Seeds depth chart (avl.mx/cey).
- 1 year: onion, parsley, parsley, salifi, spinach
- 2 years: corn, peas, chickpeas, chickpeas, okra, dandelions
- 3 years: carrots, leeks, asparagus, radishes, chickpeas
- 4 years: peppers, chickpeas, courgettes, courgettes, melon, basil, artichokes, cardboard
- 5 years : most of the cabbage (headed, white, broccoli, etc.), beans, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, melon, celery, celery, lettuce, chicory.
Given that current seed supplies are in order, it's a good idea to make a basic garden plan for the coming year. This should not be completely avoided, but it is essential to have a basic understanding of the area you will be planting in and the different plants and species you want to grow. For garden planning assistance , you can attend the comprehensive garden planning courses we offer at our Wild Dance School .
When you're ready to buy seeds, my favorite sources are Southern Vulnerability Seed Exchange (located near Virginia), Fedco Seeds (based in Maine), Adaptive Seeds (based in Oregon), and Johnny's Select Seeds (also in Maine). Our local hyperseed company is called Sow True Seeds and offers a large selection of organic and open pollinated seeds, as well as some live plants, tubers and growing materials.
If you're a geek like me and love reading a lot of offers from small seed companies, check out my blog post on small independent seed companies across the country . If you have a favorite seed source that isn't listed, email me so I can add it.
If you want to save on ordering seeds, collect and order in bulk. Many of these companies offer larger packs at a lower price per ounce, and some offer volume discounts on large orders.
Once you have the seeds, store them in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as a cupboard or shelf. In humid areas like ours, plastic bags or other containers can be very helpful in keeping seeds fresh while maintaining a stable microclimate. For an additional moisture barrier, you can add a sachet of silica desiccant (such as a jar of vitamins or a bag of sushi nori) to the seed bag. If the seed bag gets wet, do not put it in a container with other people until it is completely dry.
