Sun Patterns :: Planning Your Herb Garden

One of the first things Sue & I stumbled across when we started planning our herb / vegetable / kitchen garden was a really simple thing. We simply forgot to take the sun into account when we designed our patch. Having a good 4 to 5 hours of sun a day is very necessary for good growth.

Don't get me wrong....... we have sun.... and lots of it, but in winter, a fair part of our patch would be in permanent shade. We only really figured this out once we had run through 10 or 12 itterations of our layout and had the herb part of the kitchen garden in place.

It became very apparent that if we followed our original design, the vegetable part of our kitchen garden would be 50% permanently covered by shade in winter.

So a change was needed....... & back to the drawing board we went.

After 3 or 4 more changes and some spikes in the ground, we had decided on the final veggie patch layout........ With a little less overall space, but more available growing space in the winter sun.

So, on the basis that you are probably here to learn about organic gardening and all of it's little idiosyncrasies, remember to take the pattern of the sun into account when you are planning an organic garden.

It's fairly simple to do and all you need is a day or 2 of easy work (A hammer and a couple of pegs also required). Simply pick a day where you are going to be at home for the day and go out into the garden every 2 hours, armed with the said hammer and trusty peg (Tent pegs work really well......)

Locate the point that sun turnes into shade and knock a peg in.......... This, over a period of 8 to 10 hours, will give you a pattern. Keep this information in a small kitchen garden diary (or log book) if you are worndering about planing organnic veggies in the sun...... You can always refer to the book if you have a memory like mine!!!!!!!!

Making Basil Pesto :: A Receipe For Making Basil Pesto

This year we've planted basil specifically for making basil pesto & I though it might be a great idea to share the process and receipe with you. Note that pesto is always made to taste, based on the ingredients at hand. So adjust the ingredients to your taste. Most pesto recipes call for Parmesan cheese, but we often use Romano because it has a stronger flavor. Most basil pesto recipes call for pine nuts but you can easily substitute walnuts.

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe (Makes 1 cup)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (Wash and pat the leaves dry)
  
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
  
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
  
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  
• Special equipment needed: A food processor
  

METHOD

• Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
  
• Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  

STORAGE

• Fresh pesto doesn't store for as long as the stuff bought in the small jars. It will keep (as is) for about a week in the fridge.
• If you want to store it for a little longer, pop the pesto in an airtight container and cover the top with a little olive oil (so it doesn't brown). Keep it in the fridge.
• Alternatively, if you are like us and have a fair quantity of basil, you might want to freeze the pesto you make. If you do, omit the cheese (it doesn't freeze well). Line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap, and fill each pocket with the pesto. Freeze and then remove from the ice tray and store in a freezer bag. When you want to use, defrost and add in grated Parmesan or Romano.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

ENJOY!!!!!

Planning A Vegetable Garden :: The Vegetable Garden Plan

Planning a vegetable garden is probably the most important part of your veggie patch. Get the planning wrong and nothing works.........

Here are a few tips of getting it right.

Sun, Sun and More Sun
The most important thing to remember when choosing the location for your vegetable garden is that almost all vegetables require sun to really produce. Try to put your garden in the sunniest spot of your yard.

Access to Water
This might go without saying, but make sure that the location of your vegetable garden has access to water via a hose or sprinkler system. Water is critical in most climates to growing a successful vegetable garden and consistent watering leads to even better results.

Water Drainage
The only thing worse for your vegetable garden than too little water is too much water. Make sure that water drains off the location your planning on using for your vegetable garden because standing water can cause disease and attract unwanted insects.

Pest Control - Pest Control The Organic Way

One of the most difficult things to control in any garden are the many and varied little creatures who appreciate your plants for attributes other than their beauty. Calling in an air strike from a spray gun loaded with noxious, deadly chemicals is pretty effective, but at what price?

Plants managed to survive for a few years before pesticides came onto the scene. So there are other ways of controlling garden pests that are a little less dangerous.

Resistance
A healthy plant has its own defenses against attack, the stronger and healthier the plant the better the defenses. Make sure that you take care of the plant an it will be better prepared to fend off attacks.

Shifting the target
Where possible, move the location of your plants. This can be very effective as the pests that over-winter within the plants proximity will emerge in the spring to find their source of sustenance gone.

Bring in reinforcements
If it's alive then something will like to eat it! Do your best to encourage the right predators and let them take care of the pests for you.

Variety helps the balance
Stick with one type of plant massed into a single area and you are inviting trouble. Vary your planting and this will control the spread of pests.

Physical traps and barriers
It's not subtle but a net can provide 100% security against birds and a slug trap filled with beer will send most of our slimy friends to an early alcoholic demise.

Not for the squeamish
Aphids and other small insects don't react well to being pressed between two fingers and your average slug has little natural resistance to a well placed size 10.

Organic pesticides
As a last resort, a number of substances are acceptable to some organic gardeners. Soft soap in solution contains only natural products and can be quite effective against aphids and other small insects. Other combinations of allowable substances are becoming available as garden centers and companies react to public demand.

Natural Insect Repellent - Repelling Insects The Natural Way

Insects are an natural part of every home. In the air, carpet, counter or cupboard, every home shares it's resources with these tiny, often unseen invaders. Pesticides are available for most common household insect pests, but these potent chemical compounds may be more harmful to you and the environment than the pests.

Here are some natural, non-toxic ways to control household insect pests.

Ants
The first line of defense is to remove the attractants: keep counters free of crumbs and sticky spots. Cover the sugar and put the honey jar in a plastic baggie. Cut off water sources such as drips or dishes left soaking overnight.

If the ant invaders persist, try these simple measures:

• Keep a small spray bottle handy, and spray the ants with a bit of soapy water.
• Set out cucumber peels or slices in the kitchen or at the ants' point of entry. Many ants have a natural aversion to cucumber. Bitter cucumbers work best.
• Leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants seem most active. Dry, crushed mint leaves or cloves also work as ant deterrents.
• Trace the ant column back to their point of entry. Set any of the following items at the entry area in a small line, which ants will not cross: cayenne pepper, citrus oil (can be soaked into a piece of string), lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds.
• Mix a half teaspoon each of honey, borox, and aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet, etc.), in small bottles. Place bottles on their sides, with lids off, in areas of most ant activity. Ants will carry the bait back to their colonies. Important: use indoors only; must be kept away from pets and children.
• Leave a small, low wattage night light on for a few nights in the area of most ant activity. The change in light can disrupt and discourage their foraging patterns.
• Ants on the deck? Slip a few cut up cloves of garlic between the cracks.
• Clove oil-based commercial ant deterrents are available online.
  

Dust Mites
Microscopic dust mites are everywhere in the home - in our beds, clothing, furniture, book shelves and stuffed animals. For people with allergies or asthma, dust mites are a problem.

Here's how to reduce the dust mite population in your home:

• Vacuum mattresses and pillows. For people with sensitivities to dust mite allergens, dust mite bedding is available with zippered, allergen-impermeable encasings designed to block dust mites.
• Wash bedding at 55 degrees centigrade or higher. Detergents and commercial laundry products have no effect on mites unless the water temperature is high.
• Keep books, stuffed animals, throw rugs and laundry hampers out of the bedroom of allergy sufferers. Wash stuffed animals occasionally in hot water.
• Tannic acid neutralizes the allergens in dust mite and animal dander. Dust problem areas with tannic acid powder, available at health food stores and pet centers.
• Cover mattress and pillows with laminated covers which prevent penetration by dust mites. Avoid fabric-covered headboards.
• Cover heating ducts with a filter which can trap tiny dust particles smaller than 10 microns.
• Avoid using humidifiers. Dust mites thrive on warmth and humidity.

Cockroaches
The best defense against cockroaches is a clean kitchen and bathroom. If roaches are a problem in your home or apartment, vacuum well and wash the area with a strong soap. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed container.

Also try:

• It is a little known fact that roaches like high places. If you put boric acid on TOP of your kitchen cabinets (not inside), if space allows between ceiling and cabinets, the roaches will take the boric acid to their nests, killing all of them. Boric acid is toxic by mouth - keep away from children and pets. more info about boric acid
• Diatomaceous earth is a safe alternative which can be sprinkled in areas where roaches congregate, especially hidden areas such a cabinet tops and behind appliances. Harmless to people, the tiny particles cut the waxy exoskeleton and kills the insect within 48 hours. For a week or so after the treatment, the dehydrating insects will search more actively for water. Therefore, do not be surprised if you see roaches more often after the treatment. Most roaches should be killed within two weeks of application. more info or to purchase
• Catnip is a natural repellent to cockroaches. The active ingredient is nepetalactone, which is non-toxic to humans and pets. Small sachets of catnip can be left in areas of cockroach activity. Catnip can also be simmered in a small amount of water to make a "catnip tea" which can be used as a spray to apply around baseboards and behind counters. This natural repellent should only be used in homes without cats!
• (A site visitor who has tried this sends the following comments)
• Keep a spray bottle of soapy water on hand. Spraying roaches directly with soapy water will kill them.
• In an empty half kilo coffee can, place 1 or 2 pieces of bread which have been soaked thoroughly with beer. Place in areas known to have roach infestations.
• Leave bay leaves, cucumber slices or garlic in the affected area as deterrents.
• The fruit of the Osage orange tree, the hedgeapple, is a natural roach repellent. Leave one hedgeapple per room for effective deterrence up to two months. You can learn more about hedgeapples for pest control at hedgeapple.com.
• Non-toxic roach traps are commercially available.

Fleas
Fleas usually gain entry to your home through your pet or visitors' pets. For every flea on your pet, there may be as many as 30 more in the pet's environment.

Before reaching for pesticides, try these safer choices:

• Bathe and comb your pet regularly. Use mild soap, not insecticides. If fleas are found on the comb, dip the comb in a glass of soapy water.
• Citrus is a natural flea deterrent. Pour a cup of boiling water over a sliced lemon. Include the lemon skin, scored to release more citrus oil. Let this mixture soak overnight, and sponge on your dog to kill fleas instantly.
• Add brewer's yeast and garlic, or apple cider vinegar, to your pets' food. However, it is not advisable to use raw garlic as a food supplement for cats.
• Cedar shampoo, cedar oil and cedar-filled sleeping mats are commercially available. Cedar repells many insects including fleas.
• Fleas in the carpet? The carpet should be thoroughly vacuumed especially in low traffic areas, under furniture, etc. Put flea powder in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas that you vacuum up, and put the bag in an outdoor garbage bin.
• Trap fleas in your home using a wide, shallow pan half-filled with soapy water. Place it on the floor and shine a lamp over the water. Fleas will jump to the heat of the lamp and land in the water. The detergent breaks the surface tension, preventing the flea from bouncing out.
• In the yard or garden, plant fleabane (Fleabane Daisy Erigeron speciosus) to repel fleas. This is an annual growing 16-24" tall with violet, daisy like flowers.
• Nontoxic flea traps are available commercially.
• Flea Control Nematodes can be used to control fleas in outdoor areas your pets frequent.
  

Mosquitoes
The first line of defense against mosquitos is to seal their point of entry. Mosquitos are most active in the early morning and early evening. They seek areas of still air because they are hampered by breezes. Close windows and doors on the side of your house which are opposite the breeze. Then try:

• The most important measure you can take is to remove standing water sources. Change birdbaths, wading pools and pet's water bowl twice a week. Keep your eavestroughs clean and well-draining. Remove yard items that collect water.
• In a New England Journal of Medicine study, oil of eucalyptus at 30% concentration prevented mosquito bites for 120.1 minutes, while Bite Blocker with 2% soybean oil kept bites away for 96.4 minutes. (the eucalyptus oil must have a minimum of 70% cineole content, the active therapeutic ingredient.) Citronella, a common alternative to DEET, performed poorly, warding off bugs for only 20 minutes.
• If you're using the barbeque, throw a bit of sage or rosemary on the coals to repel mosquitos.
• An effective natural bug repellent, mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 - 6 hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized deterrent.
• Neem oil is a natural vegetable oil extracted from the Neem tree in India. The leaves, seeds and seed oil of the Neem tree contain sallanin, a compound which has effective mosquito repelling properties. Neem oil is a natural product and is safe to use. Look for new Neem Oil-based commercial products on the market.
• Planting marigolds around your yard works as a natural bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs and flying insects do not like.
• Campers often report that the very best mosquito repellent is Avon Skin-So-Soft® bath oil mixed half and half with rubbing alcohol.
• Safe, nontoxic pheromone-based mosquito traps are now commercially available.
  

Is DEET safe?
The active ingredient in most chemical-based mosquito repellents is DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), developed by the US military in the 1940s. This powerful chemical is absorbed readily into the skin, and should be used with caution.

Common side-effects to DEET-based products include rash, swelling, itching and eye-irritation. often due to over-application. For safer use, consider the following:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that repellents used on children contain no more than 10% DEET. Parents should assist children in applying DEET-based products.
• Lotions can be applied more effectively than sprays. Only a thin layer should be used.
• Be careful to avoid areas near the eyes or mouth.
• Wash skin exposed to DEET after coming in from mosquito areas.
• Minimize exposed skin areas by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, if possible.

Recent research suggests that DEET products, used sparingly for brief periods, are relatively safe. Other research points to toxic encephalopathy associated with use of DEET insect repellents. Experts warn that DEET shouldn’t be used in combination with sun-screen because DEET shouldn’t be reapplied often.

Thai lemon grass
(Cymbopogon citratus) is a natural and effective mosquito repellent. It contains the natural oil, citronella, which is safe and effective; in fact, lemon grass citronella is considered more effective than true citronella as an insect repellent.

You can buy Thai lemon grass at garden centers and supermarkets, and it grows readily into a clump about 30 cm across and about half a metre tall. To use as a mosquito repellent, break a stalk off from the clump, peel off the outer leaves, until you find the scallion-like stem at the base. Bend the stem between your fingers, loosening it, then rub it vigorously between your palms - it will soon become a pulpy, juicy mass. Rub this over all exposed skin, covering thoroughly at least once. You can also make a tincture using alcohol, for spray applications. Plantings around the patio will also help repel mosquitoes.

Flies

• Use mint as a fly repellent. Small sachets of crushed mint can be placed around the home to discourage flies.
• Bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus wrapped in small cheesecloth squares can be hung by open windows or doors.
• Place a small, open container of sweet basil and clover near pet food or any open food in the house.
  A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbant cloth will deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem.
  
• You can make your own flypaper with this simple recipe: Mix 1/4 cup syrup, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and 1 tbsp. brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut strips of brown kraft paper and soak in this mixture. Let dry overnight. To hang, poke a small hole at the top of each strip and hang with string or thread.
• A site visitor suggests a plastic bag filled with water is an effective fly deterrent.
• A site visitor suggests the colour yellow may deter flies.
• Safe, nontoxic, pheromone-based outdoor and indoor fly traps are available.

Other Home Insect Pests

Moths

• Cedar chips in a cheesecloth square, or cedar oil in an absorbent cloth will repel moths. The cedar should be 'aromatic cedar', also referred to as juniper in some areas.
• Homemade moth-repelling sachets can also be made with lavender, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals.
• Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent - simply toss into clothes chest, or tie in cheesecloth and hang in the closet.
• Natural attractant pheromones have been developed for controlling moths, and are now available as clothes moth traps and pantry moth traps.

Earwigs

• Diatomaceous earth is a safe and effective way to control earwigs in the home. One application in key spots (bathroom, baseboards, window frames) can be a long-term repellent.
• To trap earwigs, spray a newspaper lightly with water, roll it up loosely and secure with a string or rubber band. Place on the ground near earwig activity. The next morning pick up and discard the paper in a sealed container.
• Another method to trap earwigs is to take a shallow, straight-sided container and fill it half full with vegetable oil. Clean the trap daily; the oil can be re-used.

Silverfish
Silverfish prefer damp, warm conditions such as those found around kitchen and bathroom plumbing. Start by vacuuming the area to remove food particles and insect eggs. Silverfish can be easily trapped in small glass containers. Wrap the outside with tape so they can climb up and fall in. They will be trapped inside because they cannot climb smooth surfaces. Drown them in soapy water. The best preventive control is to remedy the damp conditions. Nontoxic silverfish traps are also commercially available.