Here's the answer to question 3 - True or False, Herbs are great in an organic garden, but some sre best grown in contaniers - TRUE!
What's a garden without herbs? Not only are they beautiful to look at and often delightfully aromatic, they're useful in the kitchen. It's one of the green gardener's great joys to be able to go right out to the kitchen door to pick a handful of fresh and tasty organic oregano for a spaghetti sauce, basil for a salad, or mint for a soothing tea.
Herbs are easy to grow. Most like plenty of sunshine and well-drained soil, but some-including wild ginger, mints and wintergreen-do well in shade; ask you nursery for a full list.
About the only caveat with herbs is that some will take over you garden if you're not careful. Mint is notorious for this, so it's best to plant it in a container. Never use any botanical poison on herbs, as you'll probably be eating them at some point.
Question and answer courtesy of the Sierra Club, Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards
A congratulations to Meredith from South Carolina for answering the most January questions correctly!
Stay tuned for the February questions coming soon!
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz-January Question #3 - Herbs
Here's the answer to Question #2 - What are some ways to reduce mosquitoes in the garden?
The green gardeners's first mosquito-reduction mission is to eliminate all unintentional reservoirs of standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stll water. Neglected birdbaths, crumpled plastic tarps, and rain-filled flowerpots ate common sources.
If you have a garden pond, try stocking it with mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) which eat mosquito larvae; or float a thin film of mineral oil on the pond to suffocate the larvae (just be sure it won't do the same to your fish).
Once the adult mosquitoes are airborne, bats are a great natural control. One bat can catch hundreds of mosquitoes per hour. Adding a bat box to your yard can attract these flying aces.
Finally fill your yard with mosquito-repelling plants which include basil, eucalyptus, citrosa geraniums, lavender, mint rosemary, sage and thyme.
Answer taken from the Sierra Club, Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.
True or False and WHY
Herbs are great in an organic garden, but some are best grown in containers.
Remember to make your comment below. Best of luck !
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens,com/
The green gardeners's first mosquito-reduction mission is to eliminate all unintentional reservoirs of standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stll water. Neglected birdbaths, crumpled plastic tarps, and rain-filled flowerpots ate common sources.
If you have a garden pond, try stocking it with mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) which eat mosquito larvae; or float a thin film of mineral oil on the pond to suffocate the larvae (just be sure it won't do the same to your fish).
Once the adult mosquitoes are airborne, bats are a great natural control. One bat can catch hundreds of mosquitoes per hour. Adding a bat box to your yard can attract these flying aces.
Finally fill your yard with mosquito-repelling plants which include basil, eucalyptus, citrosa geraniums, lavender, mint rosemary, sage and thyme.
Answer taken from the Sierra Club, Earth Friendly Garden Knowledge Cards.
Question #3
True or False and WHY
Herbs are great in an organic garden, but some are best grown in containers.
Remember to make your comment below. Best of luck !
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens,com/
Friday, January 15, 2010
Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz-January Question #2 -Mosquitoes
Earth-Friendly Garden Quiz-January Question #2
Last weeks question: The common housefly is probably the world's most common pest. But not all flies are detrimental. Which of the following are good for the garden? a. crane fly, b. robber fly, c. syrphid fly, d. tachnid fly, e. all of the above?
The answer: All are good! Crane flies-sometimes called mosquito hawks-look like giant mosquitoes, but they don't bite people. The adults usually feed on nectar, although some species eat other insedts. The larvae eat decaying plant matter.
Robber flies swoop down and grab flying insects out of the air. Their long legs have spurs that immobilize the prey, which can include just about anything-even bees. As larvae, they live in rotting wood or in the ground, eating insect eggs and larvae.
Syrphid flies, also called hover flies, look like bees and hover over flowers. As adults they eat plant nectar, making them perfect pollinators. As larvae, they eat aphids, mealybugs, and other garden pests. To attract the adult, plant daisies, marigolds, and sunflowers.
Tachnid flies are large gray flies that lay eggs on cutworms, caterpillars, or the eggs (or larvae) of harlequin bugs, Japenese beetles, and other common garden pets, which their larvae then eat!
Answer courtesy of the Sierra Club Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledege Cards
Only one person answered last weeks question correctly. You still have a chance to win a book on sustainablity. The person who is first to answer the most question WINS!
Question 2.
What are some ways to reduce mosquitoes in the garden?
Hint: NO pesticides!
Just make you comment below for a chance to be a winner!
Happy Digging!
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/
Last weeks question: The common housefly is probably the world's most common pest. But not all flies are detrimental. Which of the following are good for the garden? a. crane fly, b. robber fly, c. syrphid fly, d. tachnid fly, e. all of the above?
The answer: All are good! Crane flies-sometimes called mosquito hawks-look like giant mosquitoes, but they don't bite people. The adults usually feed on nectar, although some species eat other insedts. The larvae eat decaying plant matter.
Robber flies swoop down and grab flying insects out of the air. Their long legs have spurs that immobilize the prey, which can include just about anything-even bees. As larvae, they live in rotting wood or in the ground, eating insect eggs and larvae.
Syrphid flies, also called hover flies, look like bees and hover over flowers. As adults they eat plant nectar, making them perfect pollinators. As larvae, they eat aphids, mealybugs, and other garden pests. To attract the adult, plant daisies, marigolds, and sunflowers.
Tachnid flies are large gray flies that lay eggs on cutworms, caterpillars, or the eggs (or larvae) of harlequin bugs, Japenese beetles, and other common garden pets, which their larvae then eat!
Answer courtesy of the Sierra Club Earth-Friendly Garden Knowledege Cards
Only one person answered last weeks question correctly. You still have a chance to win a book on sustainablity. The person who is first to answer the most question WINS!
What are some ways to reduce mosquitoes in the garden?
Hint: NO pesticides!
Just make you comment below for a chance to be a winner!
Happy Digging!
The Garden Goddess
http://www.down2earthgardens.com/
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Today's Harvest-broccoli, grapefruit and paper whites
Today's Harvest-broccoli, grapefruit and paper whites
I took this picture just minutes ago with my Blackberry phone, sent it to my self in an email from the phone, clicked on Blog in Picasa and now I am writing about it to you - too cool!
My Broccoli is growing quickly with all this warm weather we have had. Looks like my neighbor's (one is a gret chef) will get one of these tonight - maybe I could give him both of them and he could whip up something really yummy!!
The paperwhites are blooming all over the garden and this one now sits on my desk wherw I can smell its' heavenly scent while I wrok.
And the grapefruits are ready to eat. The crop is a little smaller this year - both less fruit and smaller fruit. Could be due to the 3.5 inches of rain we got ALL year in 2009? City water just isn't the same as rain water!
What are you eating form your edible yard?
Happy Nibbling!
The Garden Goddess
www.down2earhgardens.com
I took this picture just minutes ago with my Blackberry phone, sent it to my self in an email from the phone, clicked on Blog in Picasa and now I am writing about it to you - too cool!My Broccoli is growing quickly with all this warm weather we have had. Looks like my neighbor's (one is a gret chef) will get one of these tonight - maybe I could give him both of them and he could whip up something really yummy!!
The paperwhites are blooming all over the garden and this one now sits on my desk wherw I can smell its' heavenly scent while I wrok.
And the grapefruits are ready to eat. The crop is a little smaller this year - both less fruit and smaller fruit. Could be due to the 3.5 inches of rain we got ALL year in 2009? City water just isn't the same as rain water!
What are you eating form your edible yard?
Happy Nibbling!
The Garden Goddess
www.down2earhgardens.com
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