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| Bountea Growing Tips |
| August 2010 | www.bountea.com |
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| Bountea Growing Tips |
| August 2010 | www.bountea.com |
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| Dear Reader, I seldom mention my landscape garden in these newsletters. Compared with my father and siblings, I consider myself a rank amateur. They talk to plants in Latin and grow exotics from around the world. I am restricted to plants hardy in zones 3-4.  However, the feedback at our Open Garden day on the 1st August was very heartwarming. Visitors, really enjoyed the "garden rooms" I created over the years. The final layout is somewhat influenced by Feng Shui principles that emphasize balance, harmony and energy flow. I started the garden with a rather disordered English perennial and shrub border. Later I added a Japanese raked sand garden and tori gate. A pond and waterfall came next followed by an Irish stone circle, rock garden and herb ring. The fina  l "room" is a secluded secret garden surrounded by trellis and vines. The wilder parts of the garden are crammed with self-seeding foxgloves which look stunning in August. Orianne plants annual beds and pots to add spots of overflowing bright colors. I love it!This months article is a reprint from last August's newsletter. It is still the most relevant for this time of year - preparing for Fall. Taking my own advice, I planted over 40 varieties of cool weather vegetables in seed trays. I am determined to have plenty of greens this winter! Best Regards, Organic Bountea |
| August/September Garden Tasks (August 15th -- September 15th) The main garden tasks are detailed in the article below. Now is the time to prepare for Fall so make sure you have all the seeds you need. ________________________________________________ Bountea Compost Tea: Prepare the soil for fall planting or even a fallow winter with a good dose of plain Bountea. Once seedlings are up, add both Root Web and M3 to your next brew of Bountea. Make sure to add the Root Web right at the end of the brewing and just before application and water very well. ________________________________________ |
| Preparing for Fall August is a hot month of constant watering and heavy harvesting. Many think of it as a prelude to the end of the gardening season. For those who plan a year-long harvest, it is the beginning of the busy fall season. This year, make the intention to help your garden produce more for longer. Brave the heat and prepare for fall gardening. Harvest to Prolong Production Harvest all vegetables regularly and often. Most plants keep producing longer if you remove buds, flowers, fruit and seedpods. Tomatoes, beans and summer squash prefer almost daily cropping. Keep harvesting the sprouts and flowers of Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards, cauliflowers); they are tasty and nutritious. As soon as production wanes, be ruthless and clear the ground. Collect and Composting You can never have too much compost or organic mulch. Keep separate piles for compost making and mulch collection. Collect and scavenge as much organic matter as you can. Compost all green material as soon as possible and keep excess brown material (leaves, wood chips, sawdust) for winter mulch. Organize and Stratify Seeds Look through your seed packets and order cold weather crops such as winter lettuce, Brassicas, pea greens, beet and turnip greens, spring onions, etc. All var  ieties that grow in the spring can also be planted in
September. Consider storing excess hot weather seeds (tomatoes, beans,
corn, squash) in plastic bags in the freezer for next season. Pop seed
packets of spinach, lettuce, chard and carrots into the freezer
(stratify) for a week before sowing. Germinate seeds in damp paper
towels and then plant indoors in a cool place. This allows you to
monitor the number of plants you will grow.Prepare the Soil All leafy greens like rich moist soil with plenty of humus and soil life. Even root vegetables (carrots, beets, celeriac, turnips) grown in the fall need plenty of organic matter to prevent hard freezing. Add lots of compost and the Bountea with M3 when preparing the soil. Brassica roots do not connect with mycorrhizae, so it is unnecessary to add Root Web when preparing ground for the cabbage family. However, Brassicas also deplete mycorrhizae in the soil; add Root Web when you are planting a different crop after Brassicas. Shade, Mulch and Protect Consider covering a cleared portion of your greenhouse with shade cloth to help seedlings and transplants get started. Make shade tents with row covers or shade cloth. Get your row covers and plant protectors ready for the first cold snap. Mulch the ground as soon as seedlings pop up to keep soil temperatures moderated. Build up layers of compost and mulch around plants as they grow. With a little planning and some early preparation, you will be harvesting vegetables through Thanksgiving and beyond. Enjoy. Forward this article to a friend _________________________________________________ |
Thanks, We really appreciate your business and the loving effort you spend on your soil and plants. Help us help you better by giving is feedback on our service, products and communications. Email us now while it's on your mind!Care for your Plants -- Care for your Soil -- Care for our Earth the Bountea way. |
| Organic Bountea info@bountea.com 800-798-0765 |