Several gardening tips pages are available at this site. Based on my experiences and readings, organic gardening can be fun, economical, and offer REAL AND SERIOUS HEALTH BENEFITS! These apply mainly to small scale organic gardening in the Quad-Cities area, specifically Davenport, Iowa. These tips apply well to an extended area, at least a 100 mile stretch, around the Quad-Cities, which includes places including Rock Island and Moline and Silvis and Galesburg and Port Byron and Kewanee, all in Illinois. Also included are places such as Bettendorf and Clinton and DeWitt and Grand Mound and Andrew and Maquoketa and Springbrook and Walcott and Muscatine and Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, all in Iowa. These tips are based on about a half century of personal experience. These tips are also based on the experiences of my parents and grandparents and great grandparents (one who was born in 1893). The great gandmother born in 1893 was very into natural and organic, remained VERY STRONG into very old age, and lived within days of 100! These are geared toward very low budget and rewarding gardening. As most is based on personal experience, not all will agree; as experiences vary and even the memories of the same experience. There have been a lot of successes over the years, even if they be very small. Naturally, there have also been failures, or one could call them valuable learning experiences.
I practice very organic gardening. Basically no “chemicals” period. Fertilizer is from natural homemade compost. Collecting compost for the garden is also a great way to dispose of yard and kitchen waste. Why clutter the waste collection system with garbage, that could just be compost material? ONE MUST NOT JUST TAKE FROM THE SOIL, ONE MUST ALSO GIVE TO THE SOIL. Chemical insecticides and herbicides are not used. There is a natural balance, and it works just fine. I also do not want to be messing with chemicals, then I do not need to worry about people or pets being exposed. I let nature work, and a lot of plants have their own defenses. Insects are also kept in balance by other insects and birds. Natural diversity works, if one plant of one type is REVAGED BY BUGS or SUCCUMBS TO SOME OTHER CALAMITY, an entire garden of plants remains! And so on and so on, the way of nature! FOLLOW NATURE, AND THE REWARDS WILL BE GREAT! ON THAT NOTE, IN THE GARDEN I OFTEN FEEL AS ONE WITH NATURE. AS ONE WITH THE ETERNAL MOTIONS OF THE EARTH AND MOON AND SUN AND STARS AND UNIVERSE. AS ONE WITH THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS AND THE UNCOUNTABLE NATURAL CYCLES. A FEELING OF DEEP CALM, RELAXATION, AND CONTENTMENT. PERHAPS THE GARDEN WILL GIVE YOU THESE SAME FEELINGS. PERHAPS YOU WILL FEEL A TOUCH OF ENLIGHTENMENT.
I usually plant about everything from watermelon to peppers to tomatoes to beans on or around April Fool’s Day, no fooling! USING THESE METHODS, HUGE NUMBERS OF PLANTS CAN BE GROWN FROM SEED, FOR ABOUT FREE! Now, I continue with the previous thought. But, I always REPLANT later, to some degree! Typically, in WARM and MOIST conditions, seeds take about a week to at most a month, to come up. I generally plant tiny seeds at about 1/4 inch depth on up to larger seeds at about 3/4 inch depth. Potato eyes go several inches down, as a general rule for me. Space apart based on mature plant size, with extra plantings to allow for poor germination and pest damage and so forth. Often stuff does not come up or freezes off, but a lot makes it. It might seem odd, but often the tiny size of the seedling protects them from the cold. They are often so tiny that they are close to the ground, which protects them some from the cold air. Typically, it even gets snowed on! I REPLANT, FILLING GAPS, in the next few weeks. Also, it may take weeks and weeks for seed to come up, typically a certain ground temperature will initiate germination, at a time the seed selects. The seed should know what time to pick, right? Let the SEED BRAINS do the heavy thinking! If you save your own seed, replanting costs basically nothing. Save seed legally, do not violate any patent or related restrictions. Saving seed is successful when one collects seeds from true breeding plants that are tried and true, not hybrids, or those under any patent or other restrictions as already mentioned. One must also be certain of no cross pollination with different plants. Of course, one does not have to save seed, there is always an exciting variety available to buy, that may peak one’s interest. I also do not need to buy store seedlings. A lot of this stuff needs an early start to succeed and extra care, such as good watering, to ensure plants reach good production levels in time. Some years I have planted more time crunched plants from melons to tomatoes to peppers in POTS on the side of a building, usually the south side, or another warm and sunny spot, this has allowed for good germination and early growth due to warmer temperatures at the seed and seedling level. My POTS are typically decent size, so 20 or more seedlings can grow, for separation later as desired. I do not always do this, many years I have just planted in the ground. Location does matter, some outside spots are better and warmer than others. To increase my odds, I typically plant in POTS and DIRECT PLANT also. I have also started seedlings indoors, but have had great success with the outside plantings. My great grandmother was big on starting her own tomatoes in her house, apparently not a new practice, as she was born in 1893. Later, I transplant these seedlings into garden spots, spaced out and in good spots. I also may transplant within the garden, to space more appropriately. In this scenario, don’t worry about buying seedlings at a retail outlet! And, if all this fails, one can still go out and buy store seedlings! I doubt this will happen, but everyone likes insurance. Also, the early planting selects for plants that can handle the cold. Honestly, plants that have issue with our cold, and it is cold here a lot, have issues growing or even living period. A lot of people buy plant varieties that are not really good in this cold climate. Come fall you will likely be rewarded with many plants that keep on growing, often through cold weather and frosts. Likely even a snow! I typically let my carrots weather a snow or two. Your April Fool’s Day planting will probably be so successful that you will have plenty of extra seedlings, many will work as excellent transplants if desired. Thinning and/or transplanting will likely be a good idea, ensure mature plants have room. Transplants generally are made after frost danger is past, as a general rule I use, but it can vary a little depending on plant and protection. Dormant plants generally can go in around April 1, as a general rule I use, but again it varies. In general, I plant dormant plants and transplants so the growing top will be out of the ground Also, early planted stuff can dry up! Just because it is cold does not stop plants from needing water and other gardening care One may think plants are dying because it is cold, when the actually culprit is just drying out!
Although I practice and encourage the April Fool’s Day planting plan, alternatives are out there and do work. Many, many, many times I have purchased seeds and seedlings and more mature growing plants and dormant plants! Saving seed and growing your own seedlings is time consuming and some work. Time crunched plants, from tomatoes to peppers to melons and so forth, are often available in the spring for purchase. Many plants will not be time crunched, I have found, from corn to cucumbers to potatoes to beans to peas to various squash to pumpkins. Often the purchased seedlings will be pretty far along, and be less crunched for time, than seedlings one may start from seeds. Often I have purchased little watermelon plants, and of course tomatoes. They have been easier to grow than those started from seed and overall require less special attention, such as regular watering of very tiny plants started from seed. Many diverse varieties and hybrids and so forth can also be purchased, as plants or seeds, which legally done seed saving does not allow for. There is a huge and exciting variety of garden plants and seeds available to purchase locally or remotely! Typically when seeds or plants are purchased, information on growing will also be included, to help one along. These alternatives will likely be a bit more expensive, but one should still have a rewarding and financially positive garden experience. One purchased tomato plant can produce a lot of tomatoes, as an example!
I also like to garden off the ground. I use various supports and fences to keep my crops growing up high, often 8 feet into the air. Watermelon and muskmelon do well growing up a fence or supports, I was a little surprised with the watermelon. I had some real success with watermelons this way, and real failures in a lot of ground locations. About the only beans I grow are pole beans, various types, and often I get them 8 feet in the air. I have also had 8 foot high tomato plants. The higher plants establish deeper roots and get plenty of light. One may worry about a big fruit hanging in the air, such as a big watermelon; if one is nervous large fruit can be lowered or supported in another way. Cantaloupe also begin to separate naturally from the stem as they ripen, so one may want to keep an eye on them, but it has not been an issue for me so long as fruit is picked as soon as color starts going from green to a hint of yellow. I have had very large fruits hanging high, attached only by a stem. As I have witnessed, often the vine will fall before the fruit will break from the stem. Often one can mow beneath, and easy method of getting rid of weeds and trouble grass. About anything that will go up, I send up as I can. I even use trees, I had a winter squash vine go 20 feet up into a tree. At the top of this vine, a 10 lb squash grew!
I also like using fences. They are great for keeping plant growth high and off the ground. A fence can be an excellent barrier and also an excellent growing platform/trellis. Generally I use fences with only tiny openings, critters don’t need much space to invade. They also prevent growing everything for rabbits and other critters to eat. Nature does have a balance, but based on my experiences this is not enough to protect a garden from hungry critters. I do not grow to feed these little critters, although some may. My use of fences varies. Certain crops, such as peas, almost always need fencing to ensure any sort of success.
I also like harvesting as early as I can, typically. If a tomato is ready to turn or a squash or another fruit or vegetable, typically I harvest it and bring it inside to finish ripening. Those critters again. They get into anything, and the more chances they get, the more damage they do!
I also like running a salvage operation. Despite many measures, critter and other damage takes place to garden produce. Often this involves cleaning produce and cutting away damage. Just because it is a little damaged doesn’t mean you toss it, at least in my garden adventures! And, damaged bits and pieces make good composting material. Also, try to eat or in other ways use all the plant parts and produce as you can. Often leaves are edible or good for tea. Also, often many or all parts of a fruit or vegetable are edible. Yes, some plant parts are not edible and can even be toxic, so be careful and be certain what you are doing is safe! Often people just throw away garden stuff, that is not garbage at all.
Water is so important! I consider it to be of extreme importance. Plants need water! In the past I focused more on soil quality. Later, I realized enough water is essential for good growth, regardless of soil quality. I use some tap water, but rely mainly on natural water. I often place plants where natural water collects and is more concentrated in the ground. The early planting schedule, April Fool’s Day plan, aids plants getting needed water. I find that typically in the Eastern Iowa/Northwestern Illinois area, growing conditions are more moist in early and cool spring and dry conditions or even drought sets in during the hot summer time. Starting plants early allows them to use these more moist growing conditions initially, and when conditions do get more dry, plants are further along and have bigger roots to obtain water with. I have also been known to pile snow by plants or where future plants will grow. I am also fond of mulches, which conserve water, discussed next.
I also use mulch, typically stone. I have had great luck with melons and cucumbers and tomatoes and peppers and other plants using a mulch of stone, mainly poured concrete and blocks and even real stones. I keep it flat enough to just mow over. Often this is not needed, as the mulch of stone keeps weeds down, and the few that do grow can be pulled. With a mulch of stone, one may want to provide a nearby trellis or fence, or even old pots and such, for plant growth; as in some cases plants seem to benefit from getting off the ground and in some cases away from the heat the stone mulch can build. These alternatives are presented, but one may be completely satisfied with the stone mulch alone. Other mulches are also great, from black plastic to pulled weeds to grass clippings to even good old straw. It is a little it of a feel it out game with mulches.
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