Wool Pellets from Wild Valley Farms: 100% Raw U.S. Wool for Healthier Plants
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The weather is beginning to change and with it our gardens. The warm season crops are ending, and our days of harvesting will soon be past. We will pick the remaining fruits, and vegetables for one more meal and hopefully one more pie. The herbs are brought in for dying to enhance our favorite soups and stews during the upcoming winter. As we reflect on this past growing season and begin our fall preparations it is important to take time to reflect and take notes of what were your favorite varieties and were they successful where you planted them. What areas of the garden had ample shade and were overwhelmed by pests. These notes will help you plan and succeed even more next year. Once this growing season has been recorded it is time to begin the end of season garden care. |
- Start by removing all summer annuals that will not last through the winter and old plants from the garden area. Once the remaining fruits and seeds are removed from the plants you can add them to your compost pile. Any plants that show disease or mold place in the garbage.
- Remove all support stakes and cages from the garden area and clean with alcohol to disinfect and prevent diseases during storage. Once the garden area is clear you will be able to see if any weeds were hiding under your plants and can easily remove them.
- Perennial plants need proper nutrients to survive the winter and flourish the next spring. The basic rule for perennial vines is to cut them back leaving six of the healthiest, strongest canes on each plant and trimming the others to the ground. Perennials and ornamental grasses should be cut back to the ground. Cut back any thin or weak stalks and deadhead the wilted buds. It is important to fertilize your perennials for the winter add a layer of slow-release fertilizer like Wild Valley Farms Wool Pellets to the soil around the plants. This will hold the nutrients close and help support the root system during the winter months.
- Creating and maintaining proper soil nutrient levels is vital in next year's growth and ability to produce. Compost and mulches are ways to replenish nutrient levels, retain moisture content and reduce weeds taking root in your garden
Also adding cover crops for the winter will decrease nutrient runoff due to winter rains, help restore your soil and will feed pollinators. Borage, Canola, buckwheat, white lupine, alfalfa, and sweet clover all serve the dual purpose of enriching the soil while providing nutrients for pollinators during the lean winter months. For more information on dual purpose cover crops check out the chart at USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service Once the gardens have been replenished and prepared to rest for the winter. It is necessary to make sure all your empty pots, watering cans, and tools are washed out and stored in a dry place. Extra seeds and bulbs that are not ready to plant are stored away from the elements, soil and fertilizer is properly sealed. |
We all hope to create the optimal environment for our gardens but what does that mean? It all starts with the health of the soil. Which is the combination of nutrients, texture, and porosity. These components will determine the soil’s ability to hold and regulate water and nutrients. Soil is a mixture of sand, silt and organic matter that supports plant growth. Soil can have a variation of texture due to its solid particles. The three main physical textures are clay, loamy or sandy. Clay easy packs together and has fine particles. Loam is loose and will crumble while sandy soil will feel rough between your fingers due to the larger particles. |
- Micro pores are smaller in size but are not affected by gravity and can retain water and nutrients longer. Due to the smaller pore size the movement of air and water is sometimes restricted making it difficult for the roots to extract both the nutrients and water. Clay soils have a greater ratio of micro-pores.
- Macro pores are a large pore size which allows air and water movement enabling optimal oxygen for root growth. The larger pore size also creates an environment for gravity to decrease the nutrients more quickly. Sandy textured soils, have a greater ratio of macro-pores.
Wool pellets expand as they absorb water creating a space. That not only increase oxygen but holds the nutrients in the soil for root development. As they begin to biodegrade that space is replaced by air, increasing soil oxygen levels.
Introducing worms to the soil will increase the porosity of the top inches of your soil. As they create deeper tunnels in the soil it will also help with drainage preventing root rot.
Consider adding lettuce that can be harvested at ground level and the root system left. Once harvested the roots will die off leaving spaces for water, oxygen, and other nutrients to fill their space.
When adding melons to the garden it is important to understand what they need to thrive. They require a lot of soil nutrients through each growing period to help the plants succeed providing you with a flavorful harvest. When first planting most melon plants need a high slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. This will provide the soil with the nitrogen needed to assist in the photosynthesis process. |
Many flowers and herbs will not only attract helpful pollinators but will shield the plants from pests. Using the companion planting approach our favorites to plant with melons to deter pests are Marigolds the strong aroma will deter whiteflies, cucumber beetles and aphids. Chives, onions, and garlic help to deter aphids, rodents, and deer. Herbs like basil, oregano and mint help to repel whiteflies. |
3 that we recommend!
Watermelons come in so many colors, shapes, and seed options that it can get overwhelming quickly. Sometimes starting with the old true and tested varieties is the way to begin. In the 1830s a variety nicknamed “Gypsy” made us all fall in love with watermelon. It has the traditional green and white stripes and is a long, large melon and can weigh up to 30 to 40lbs. This heirloom variety is called the Georgia Rattlesnake. This watermelon has a thicker rind and crisp sweet bright red flesh.
When to Plant: after last frost
Days to Maturity: 85-90
Fruit Weight: 30lb
Mature Spread: 72-96in
Cantaloupe is the perfect pairing to almost any summer event. The heirloom variety, Hearts of Gold provides beautiful 3lb round melons, with thin rinds and sweet orange flesh. This variety is not only known for its intense rich flavor but how early it ripens. Roland Morill out of Michigan created this new variety by crossing the Osage and Netted Gem melon varieties.
When to Plant: after last frost
Days to Maturity: 80-90
Fruit Weight: 3lb
Mature Spread: 36 - 72in
Armenian cucumbers are a melon and not a cucumber. They are also referred to as a snake melon or yard-long melon. They are slender with thin skin that can have color variations from dark to light green depending on the specific variety. The skin can be eaten, and the flesh is mild, crisp, and sweet. This melon is a versatile fruit as they are not only perfect for slicing fresh but can be added to both cold and hot recipes. These melons have been around a long time believed to come from the 15th century in Armenia.
When to Plant: after last frost
Days to Maturity: 70
Fruit Size: 24in
Mature Spread: 48in
Water is precious and crucial because all life is dependent on it. The ecosystem relies on its abiotic components for success and balance while even at a cellular level most reactions happen when in the presence of water. As each year passes, we find our communities water supply decreasing and more water regulations put into place. This shortage of water is the result of many factors including excess use of water practices and pollution. As we garden, we can implement water saving methods. Applying these methods and practices will reduce water usage and decrease nutrient runoff. Leaving the benefits of the water to enrich the soil and bring life to all plants within the garden. The increased awareness in water conservation has brought us techniques and intuitive products to assist us as we continue to create a world of beauty. |
The health of your garden soil is the first component of creating conditions that will retain water and provide benefit to all the plants that are in it. A combination of living organisms, minerals, liquids, gases, and organic material are all required to create a healthy soil. These key elements of soil are important to understand as water will bind to organic matter, holding it in the soil and reducing runoff. Garden drainage is also a key element in your garden layout. If the soil allows water to drain quickly it will leave the ground dry and depleted or can hold the water to long creating a marsh environment and leaving your plants vulnerable to diseases. Discovering the balance for your soil will depend upon your growing environment. At the beginning of each planting season, you will want to incorporate organic material, such as compost into your soil. This simple addition will help with retaining moisture and enriching your garden soil. |
Understanding your plants and improving your garden layouts before you begin to plant can help you decrease unnecessary water usage. In addition to your favorite plants try adding drought tolerant varieties, which require low to moderate water needs. Placing your plants according to the recommendations listed is vital for conserving water. While planting your seeds and started plants add wool pellets. They will provide direct nutrients and hold water close to the root system for an ideal growing condition. If a plant requires shade but then placed in full sun it might live but to do so the stress of surviving the sun will require the usage of more water. |
As gardener’s we understand the importance of preserving the earth and the responsibility to learn and use methods that safeguard the earth's resources. We can protect and use water with respect for the life that it creates. Understanding, that water is the very source in which we can create beauty in a way that enriches both the soil and one’s own soul.
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