How to Plant a Victory Garden

Calling all soldiers of the soil, it's time to plant a victory garden!  During WW1, victory gardens served to preserve food and encourage home gardening.  The need for these gardens increased again with WWII and by the end of the war, 40% of America's produce came from home gardens.  Starting your own victory garden is not difficult and listed below are the crops by season & seed/plant sources.  Garden centers are still considered "essential services," so just remember to take precautions and be mindful of social distancing if you venture out to purchase supplies.  Once your garden is thriving and producing, we will do a post in the summer on canning and preserving.

What to Plant and When

• Spring- carrots, lettuce, kale, onions, peas, & radishes
• Summer- basil, bush beans, pole beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, pumpkin, squashes, tomatoes, & watermelons
• Fall- beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, & turnips

*Vegetables in BOLD are recommended for beginners since they are easy to grow.

FREE GARDEN SEED CATALOGS & ONLINE PLANT SOURCES

Where to Plant

• Pick a location in your yard that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
• Starting with good soil is key.  Plants like loamy soil, so their roots can move more freely.  If your soil is heavy on the clay side, use soil amendments to improve soil quality. A loamy soil will allow the soil to also drain properly and prevent root rot.
• Start small.  A good recommendation size is 16' x 10' and will feed a family of four.

GET A FREE GARDEN PLANNER TRIAL HERE

10 TIPS FOR BEGINNER GARDENERS

No space for a garden plot?  No worries, here is how to grow successfully with containers.

CONTAINER GARDENING

BALCONY GARDENING

Happy planting!

Twig Art

Here's a very inexpensive and fun garden craft to keep you busy.  

Materials

-Found twigs and small branches

- Large craft paper or newspaper to draw a heart template on for shape & to provide a work surface

-Sharpie marker to draw heart and mark twigs/branches

-Various acrylic paints

-Paintbrush or paint sponge

-Black or colored wire + pliers (medium to fine gauge works best)

-Electric drill with a small bit or Dremel

-Hand saw, pruners, or scroll saw to cut twigs/branches

-Exterior spray varnish (optional)

-Fine to medium grit sandpaper if needed

Step 3

Once you have cut your twigs/branches in the heart shape, drill small holes to run your wire.  See photo above for where to place drill holes.  Some branches may be peeling or rough, so this is where you can use the sandpaper to smooth the twig if needed.

Paint your branches to your desired color(s) and patterns.

Once the paint is dry, run wire through twigs.  Drill a hole in the middle of the top two twigs to make a wire hanger.  

Can be displayed outdoors, but in a sheltered location would be best and a coat of outdoor varnish would be an extra layer of protection.

TLC Through Gardening

Jolene Hansen's article on the therapeutic benefits of gardening highlights why gardening is so important during stressful periods. Many studies have been conducted on the effects that garden settings have on an individual and how we can all benefit from spending time in a garden.  Aside from the simple aspect of being surrounded by the beauty of nature, gardens can help in the following ways:

• Decrease in depression.  Time spent tending and visiting a garden lowers the stress hormone cortisol.
• Eases the symptoms of Alzheimer's, dementia, and a reduction in prescription medications.
• Community gardens foster a sense of self-esteem, team building, social interaction, problem solving and coping skills.
• Post-surgery patients who were able to view nature through their room windows had faster recoveries and required less pain medication.

Read Jolene Hansen's article Therapeutic Benefits of Gardening HERE.

What are some simple ways to bring a little garden therapy into your life?

• Care for a plant. There is something special about tending to a living plant and watching it grow and thrive.
• Go outside.  Spending some time in the sunlight and fresh air not only gives you some vitamin D, but the sights and sounds of nature are relaxing.  
• Make a flower press.  Instructions can be found HERE.  Use the pressed, dried flowers to make cards to send cheer to a friend.
• Plant a fragant garden.  Plants that engage the sense of smell can be calming.  Lavender, rosemary, and lemon balm are just a few of the many wonderful smelling herbs to try.
• Share your bounty.  There's something kind and generous in sharing the fruits of your labor.  An overabundance of vegetables and fruits can be donated to a local food bank or be a pleasant surprise for a neighbor. 

Take care of one another and be well!

Bumble Bees of Ohio

Furnace Run MetroPark was one of my favorite research sites during a study of Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) pollination in 1999-2000. We didn’t know it at the time, but those research trips included some of the last recorded sightings of the Rusty-Patched Bumble bee for the entire state of Ohio.  This bee was once one of our most common bumble bees, and frequently found in both wild areas and backyards. But since about 2000, it has been seen only a handful of times.  The most recent sighting was at the Toledo Zoo in 2013.  The decline for Bombus affinis is not limited to Ohio – because of an abrupt shrinkage in population sizes and range, in 2017 it became the first bumble bee on the US Endangered Species list.  No one knows the reasons for this decline, although habitat loss, pesticides, and disease are likely to play a role. But for now, we in Ohio are left with the question of whether there are any existing populations anywhere in the state.  

Fortunately, the Ohio Department of Transportation is also interested in this question, and provided funding to me and Dr. Karen Goodell (OSU-Newark) to do a two-year statewide hunt (2017-18) to find any surviving populations, and then determine what habitats are most suitable for the Rusty Patched Bumble bee.  Along with a dedicated postdoc (Dr. Jessie Lanternman) and MS Student (Paige Reeher), and many student assistants, we hunted for bumble bees throughout the state last summer.  Although we visited >200 sites and identified over 25,000 bees on the wing, we saw not a single Bombus affinis.  

Although we still hold out some faint hope to find our endangered Rusty Patch, at this point we are focused on documenting the distribution and abundance of all the bumble bee species in Ohio.  They can be identified on the wing just like birds and butterflies, mostly based on their distinctive color patterns and body proportions.  Several excellent online guides are available: 

Xerces Society

U.S. Forest Service

There are about 5 common bumble bee species in Ohio, and another dozen or so that you might possibly run into.  Below are some cartoons of the Rusty-Patched Bumble bee and some of our common species.  That orange patch on the abdomen, surrounded on all sides by yellow is the best way to confirm B. affinis. Note that B. griseocollis also has an orange patch, but it is not completely surrounded by yellow fur. If you see a possible B. affinis, please contact me at rjm2@uakron.edu. 

To help us track bumble bee sightings in Ohio, as well as document bee biodiversity throughout the state, we have also established an iNaturalist.com project called “The Ohio Bee Atlas”. Anyone can submit photos of Ohio bees to that website once registered. iNaturalist is free and easy to use.  Once you post a photo there, I and other bee aficionados will identify your finding.  Last year we added over 2500 bees to this new project, and documented several uncommon species. 

The most helpful images of bees will be well-focused close-ups, and will also include several photos of the same individual bee - top (showing wing venation and abdomen details) face, and side. Nevertheless, we have successfully identified bees to species even with mediocre snapshots. So please take some bee photos and share them with us through The Ohio Bee Atlas .  You might just help us rediscover an old fuzzy friend.

Randy Mitchell

Professor of Biology

University of Akron

https://www.xerces.org/publications/id-monitoring/pocket-guide-identifying-rusty-patched-bumble-bee

Why Don't My Seeds Germinate?

Nothing beats the taste of a homegrown tomato, but the road to epicurean delight is sometimes riddled with potholes. For optimum success to get those seedlings on the right path, here are some reasons why seeds may not germinate: 

Incorrect Temperature- Warmer weather crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, germinate better with temperatures in the 70F range.  Cooler weather crops, like lettuce and cabbage, can tolerate colder conditions.  Try a heating mat under your seedlings if it is difficult to maintain temperatures in the 70F range.

Heat Mat on Amazon

Old Seeds- Stored seeds can have a long shelf life if stored properly in cool, dry conditions.  However, the older the seeds get, the germination rate will decrease.  Humidity and warmth will also reduce seed shelf life.

Incorrect Watering- Seedlings need evenly moist conditions.  Too much water, and you risk rot.  Lack of water will result in no germination.  A good tip is to use a handheld pump sprayer to mist seed trays several times a day.

Planting Depth/Light- Pay attention to planting depth listed on the seed packet.  Seeds that are planted too deep run out of energy before reaching sunlight.  Seeds planted too shallow can lead to drying out.

Now what do you do after you take all precautions to get your seeds to sprout and you experience dampening off?  There's an inexpensive, non-toxic alternative to try- cinnamon.  Sprinkle your seed trays with cinnamon and it's anti-fungal properties will help minimize your seedlings from succumbing to dampening off.  Visit the link below to learn more ways that cinnamon is useful in the garden.

GROWING ORGANIC

Happy sprouting!

Five Garden Hacks

Here are five garden hacks to try in your garden.

1. The Beer Binge
Hubsters & hipsters aren't the only ones who love their beer. Slugs and snails are attracted to the yeast and beer makes a toxic-free solution to our slimy garden visitors. Place a shallow tray of beer (nothing top shelf, think more PBR) near hostas or any plant that slugs may find delicious.

2. Eggcellent Idea
For all of the slugs and snails that missed happy hour, you can spread rinsed, crushed eggshells at the base of plants to deter munching.

3. Sponges- They're Not Just for Cleaning
Line the bottom of terracotta pots with old sponges. The sponges will help to prevent soil run-off and allow for water drainage. Their absorbant quality will also help with root rot.

4. Coffee Filters- Also Not Just for Coffee
Lining the bottom of pots with coffee filters will allow water to flow, but keep the soil inside.

5. If the Shoe Fits, Then Lettuce will for Sure!
Over-the-door, inexpensive shoe organizers work perfectly for vertical gardening. Herbs and lettuce are great plants to try.

Hope you find these hacks helpful and garden on!

DIY Plant Markers

Here are a couple of indoor projects to complete while we wait for the last frost date to roll around. 

Stone plant markers from the creative mind of artist Jennifer Orkin Lewis.  More photos and details are posted on her BLOG.

A good paint for this project would be DecoArt® Patio Paint Outdoor.  It can be found at Michaels for $2.39 for each 2 fl. ounce bottle and comes in 40 colors.  Michaels also offers curbside pick up.

PURCHASE PATIO PAINT HERE

  The second project is self-explanatory and requires just a Sharpie marker or a paint pen and apparently a good time.  Don't throw away those wine corks away!  Corks can be repurposed as plant markers that are attached on bamboo meat skewers or thrift store forks.

The cork markers below require a little more supplies, but instructions can be found on thismamaloves blog.

Happy creating!