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Edible Gardens and Less Lawn Are Top Garden Trends in 2010

January 19, 2010
By Melody Parker
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

There’s a great deal of pride in being able to say, “I grew it myself.”

Apparently, more Americans want to experience the satisfaction and pleasure of uttering that phrase because edible gardens are “in.” The National Gardening Association reports a nearly 20% increase in urban edible gardens in the past year.

Grow your own vegetables

Photo: Growing your own groceries promises to be a popular project in the garden for 2010.

The Garden Media Group’s 2010 trends report cites several reasons for the increase, including a practical response to economic uncertainty, a return to small-town values, a desire for locally grown produce and a rising demand for organic foods.

GMG President Susan McCoy points to American’s inherent “can-do” spirit and desire for self-sufficiency that is “defined more by nostalgia rather than geography” as part of the shifting priorities.

Edible gardens are no longer banished to the backyard, either. Enthusiastic gardeners are tearing up front lawns and installing vegetable beds or planting cottage gardens where tomatoes, peppers, beans and other plants happily grow alongside perennials, roses, herbs and annual flowers. Container gardening continues to be a sensible option for people with limited space and time or physical limitations.

Other “ins and outs” for 2010 from the GMG:

• Slow gardening is in. Instant gratification is out. Seed sales are up 30 to 50%, according to Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability, and home canning increased by 45%. Fruits and berries are on the must-grow list, too, particularly raspberries.

• Eco-boosting is in. Chemical-dependent gardens are out. People want earth-friendly over scorched-earth products, including fertilizers, animal and insect repellents, potting soil, etc.

• Multi-tasking is in. Single-purpose gardening is out. A greater range of plants and uses, such as cottage gardens, rain gardens, wildlife habitats, house plant collections, etc., will be popular.

• Perennials and shrubs are in. Divas are out. Translate this into selecting native perennials, ornamental grasses and shrubs, as well as creating low-maintenance gardens and sustainable landscapes and choosing drought-tolerant and pest-resistant plants.

• Mindfulness is in. Bling is out. Gardeners want value, price and performance.

http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/dn/free/304941853956520.php

January 10, 2010

I went out today on a Sunday afternoon and braved the cold to begin prepping a dirt garden as I call it.  I really like self watering container gardening much better as I have had better luck with the Texas heat using this method in the past.  I guess it is still habit though and I do prefer the dirt for the winter and early spring crops and we had a nice wet spring last year also. The only time we watered was at planting time if I remember correctly.

I began by hoeing off all of the dead grass and winter green cover as I call it. I could have just tilled this in, but I prefer to do it this way. It is less of a problem when tilling and I will use this cover material in a compost pile. It is just much better when you are in a hurry to get your ground ready too. I will use this to set up a compost bin as it is both carbon (dead grass) and nitrogen (green grass) and I will add some leaves to that also.  I prefer to start at one end and go backwards across it. That way I only see the part  I have cleaned mostly. It’s a psychological thing for me.  Every now and then I will grab a rake and rake what I have hoed into a pile to haul to the compost bin later.

Once I had cleaned all of the grass and vegetation cover down to mostly bare dirt, I got out the tiller and tilled it one time without the bedder attachment.  The ground was just a little too moist but I got through it without too much of a problem. After this first pass, I put the bedder on the tiller and made some really nice deep beds.

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I am going to let this set until Friday when the next above ground planting times are good according to the almanac. I used to not take much care about this, but I had an eye opener many years ago about this and I will make a special post about this when I get a chance. Really a unique story and it actually happened to me.

I will coat this entire area with about a half inch to an inch of compost from the compost pile after I plant also. Keep watching and I will post again after planting time.  Last year we had cabbage, onions, radishes, greens, brocolli, and brussel sprouts in this garden area. I have include some pictures from  Spring 2009 below.
:B

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