Seed Starting 101

Posted on by
Reply

I’m about to start my seedlings for Spring planting and the Farmer’s Market. Tough choices. Some will be started (or already are) by cuttings, some from seed. Most require at least 8 weeks to reach fruition, and some longer (and some much longer) so getting started now is imperative.

But I thought I would share my rules of seed starting with you, in case you are new to gardening from scratch.

Equipment and Supplies – Only ever use sterilized materials. I prefer individual plastic starter 2”-4” pots because peat, cowpots and terracotta can wick the moisture right out of your starts and because I can rearrange as the seedlings grow up so that they are grouped according to height (see use of grow lights below). Having said that, I have started seeds successfully using toilet paper rolls and egg cartons. If using plastic, clean your pots or seed starting supplies with a bleach solution and rinse very well. Use only sterilized seed starter medium (I use organic). Any surface where contact is made with your seed pots must also be sterilized, such as your trays and heat mats. This might sound excessive, but it is an important step to success and will help prevent problems. I use grow lights because I don’t like spindly seedlings and that’s what you’ll get without them. Also, you can give them an “early Spring” by gradually increasing the time the lights are on to 14 hours/day regardless of time of year. I also use heat mats for those seedlings, like peppers, which require them. But many herbs and strawberries actually do not. I use a hydroponic system for those seeds which appreciate wet feet (but I don’t use the chemicals typical of hydroponics). And soon I’ll be using a cloning machine for cuttings like Bay Laurel and French Tarragon.

Doesn’t have to be expensive to work!

  • Timing is everything! Know your last frost date and then use a calendar to count backwards for your start dates for each type of seed you will be starting. Given the erratic weather, allow extra time. And don’t forget that the seedlings will need to be “hardened off” for a week or so before introducing them to your garden.
  • Use quality seeds and healthy cuttings. I use old seeds from my exiting inventory and usually have no problems, but its always best to use fresh new seed when possible. Seed viability varies by type … tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are viable much longer than parsnips, for example. There are wonderful charts online that can tell you exactly what to expect. If you have seeds left over from a previous season, or seeds you have saved yourself, the best way to store them is in a sealed polybag in the back of the fridge where they will not be subject to variations in temperature or humidity. If you are concerned about viability, do a test by putting a few of the seeds in damp paper towels and waiting for them to sprout.
  • Know the planting requirements of your seeds. Some seeds are light-dependent germinators and should not be covered, but protected from drying out with a humidity dome or plastic bag. Others need to be sown deeper with bottom moisture. Some require a period of cold “stratification” mimicking a winter’s hibernation in order to break dormancy and germination.
  • Finally, patience really is a virtue in gardening. Give seeds time. Some seeds like strawberries may take 4 weeks to germinate. Others like cat grass will pop up almost overnight in the right conditions.
  • Once you have achieved germination you need to be vigilant, watching for problems particularly as concerns humidity. I love liquid organic food diluted to appropriate levels for my seed starts (read the labels). And keep your grow lights close, raising them as your seedlings grow. I also give my starts a period of gentle air flow every day either with a portable fan or an overhead fan. This helps to strengthen them and also shortens the time needed for hardening off.
  • Be mindful of the days to maturity of each variety, usually stated as “from transplant”, such as tomtoes, or just number of days from sowing as with lettuce.

    humidity covers help

For me, the hardest part of seed starting is making choices of varieties. I have limited full sun areas in my garden so I try to plot out what will use those spaces pretty tightly – not only space but also calendar. You can, for example, start some quick growing lettuces or radishes in the same space as you will eventually be putting your sun hog tomatoes. Asparagus can go in a partially sunny spot out of the way of foot traffic. If you are going to plant 3 Sisters, put your corn in first so it has a chance to rise above the level of the squash and beans.

Happy Sowing!

 

The Importance of Organic Wines

Posted on by
Reply

Organic Wines For Your Health!

CherryGal.com is excited to be an Affiliate of The Organic Wine Company, which offers a range of excellent sulfite-free wines and champagnes. All of their wines are vegan, gluten-free and non-GMO and are made with organic grapes.

Science and Medicine increasingly agree about the benefits of a glass or two of wine a day to promote heart, brain and immune function as well as enhancing “joie de vivre.” The wines offered by The Organic Wine Company are made with certified organic grapes. Delightful to drink, the highest quality yet reasonably priced and can be enjoyed without an adverse reaction by most chemically sensitive people.

The Organic Wine Company is a family company started by Veronique Raskin in San Francisco thirty years ago.  Véronique is a French native, born and raised by generations of physicians and land-owners in the Languedoc region in southern France. Veronique was always passionate about the study and practice of health and well- being. When her 75-year-old grandfather, Professor of Medicine Pierre Fabre, started pioneering organic viticulture in the South of France, she decided to do the same here in the United States.

Why choose organic wines? To quote Dr. Andrew Weil, “Many people who buy and eat only organically grown fruits and vegetables often don’t consider that the grapes grown to make wine might be sprayed with the same pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides used on other conventionally grown crops. In fact, on February 13, 2013, the wine trade journal Decanter reported on a study showing that 90 percent of samples from 300 French wines contained traces of at least one pesticide. The wines were analyzed for 50 different compounds from a range of pesticides and fungicides. Those most commonly found were ‘anti-rot’ fungicides, which are often applied late in the growing season. At least some of these chemicals may pose health risks. In May 2012, the French government officially recognized a link between pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease in agricultural workers.”

So, in addition to growing your own organic garden with CherryGal Heirloom Organic Seeds and Plants, after a day in the garden you can now sit back and relax with a glass of exquisite organic wine! No membership required. You can buy what you want, when you want. And they offer Gift Certificates. So visit The Organic Wine Company today to get started!

— Deborah Phillips / CherryGal.com

An Urgent Plea — Organic Gardening is NOT hard or expensive but it is dying!

Posted on by
1

I got into organics because I am basically a lazy gardener and known to be penny pinching. What I do have is time, and it is true that organics take a little bit more time and attention than buying a few seedlings at your local hardware store and some Miracle Grow. But it is SOOOOOOOOOO worth it.

Now, not to ring the guilt bell or anything, but I know so-called “environmentalists” who garden in precisely that fashion. They do not understand (or choose to ignore) the connection between chemical fertilizers and ground water contamination; or pesticides and bee/bird population declines. They figure their little garden couldn’t possibly make a difference.

Well, I believe every garden and every gardener is a link in a chain that needs to grow strong enough to break the bondage of the Monsantos and Bayers and Syngentas of the world. The mega-global seed/supply companies that are choking out small organic seed suppliers and changing the future of our food supply and our world — and not for the better!

Just this year I have seen a drastic reduction in organic varieties offered by some of my favorite companies who have succumbed to financing from Big Ag. Such companies are buying up small organic companies at a record clip, which means they can control the dna of our favorite heirlooms, inserting their vile Roundup chemistry into them. Soon, I fear, heirlooms will be corrupted with such genetic modifications (GMO) and the range of truly organic varieties so limited as to be non-existent. Think I am being alarmist?

Just check out this chart on seed company ownership. It should send a chill up your spine.And it only tracks until 2013. Since then, the acquisitions or closings of some of your favorite small organic seed companies have only increased and at an alarming rate.

What can you do? Please, support small organic seed companies such as CherryGal.com, before I too succumb to economic realities. I will never sell out, but  could close because with the combined pressures of mega-agriculture, Google (which makes gaining visibility harder by the day) and difficulty obtaining truly organic stock, it may just be necessary.

I hope not, but I need your help to stay alive. Please visit CherryGal.com today. Use the code SeedStart2018 to get 20% off any order of $50 or more in the Garden section, and know that you are helping keep a small organic seed company alive for one more season.

 

Decorate Your Garden

Posted on by
5

Goddess Head Planter

As the snows swirl and you turn up the electric blanket, do you plan your garden? I do. It is one of my favorite winter pastimes. Not only do I spend hours poring over the dozens of catalogs that arrive daily selecting vegetables, herbs and flowers for my own garden and those of my customers, I think about decorating areas of my garden that might not offer the sunshine or soil needed for growing plants. So I create a different kind of “planting.”

An old cherry tree that long ago succumbed and was cut down, provided a perfect “stand” for a large pot and a beautiful Goddess Head Planter. I will soon be receiving my 2018 supply of these weatherproof concrete beauties in two sizes: Large 10″ and Small 8.5″ . Both make wonderful additions to your garden or gifts.

But don’t stop there. I have an old pole (not sure what it was for originally but it looks like it might have been a utility pole) in my garden in a dark spot where poison ivy and wisteria compete. So I decided to turn it into a Totem Pole, collecting various ceramic face masks that appealed to me.

My Garden Totem Pole

One of my favorite garden decoratives is my Garden Fairy statue. I have fun with her … putting a scarf around her when its cold, for example.

I have chickens. I love my chickens. And they boss me around. So this wonderful small plaque from Carruth Studio seems to capture our relationship perfectly. I placed it on the arbor that borders my girls’ compound.

Chick Chat Plaque

I have other decorative pieces placed throughout my garden. My chicken compound and arbor offer some structure to what can sometimes become an unruly wild mixture of flowers, herbs and vegetables. A memorial plaque for my dear departed yellow fellow Rusty, a mailbox that holds my hand tools, a bird bath. The trick is not to “junk up” your garden with such things, but also to have fun with them.

My garden Mailbox for hand tools

Let me know how YOU decorate your garden!

 

Oswego Tea … Beautiful Native, Historical Herb, Useful Medicinal

Posted on by
Reply

Oswego Tea

I wait with anticipation for the appearance in Spring of my beautiful bed of Monarda Didyma, or Oswego Tea. Before the blooms, I can enjoy the fragrant and delicious foliage.

Also known as Scarlet Bee Balm, it is an ancient American native plant. The genus is named after Nicholas Monardes, a Spanish physician who wrote in the 16th Century about New World medicinal plants. The common name was bestowed by John Bartram (1699-1777), a Quaker farmer known as the “Father of American Botany”, who observed Oswego Indians using it for tea. It was used as a substitute for black tea during the American Revolution.

Monarda Didyma is less medicinal in taste that its cousin Monarda Citriodora (Lemon Mint). Like all members of the mint family it has a square-shaped stem. The large shaggy brilliant red flowers grow 30-36″ high and are aromatic and edible. Unlike other Bee Balms, it does not invite mildew — that unattractive “frosting” on the foliage so common on Purple Bee Balm in particular — in the garden. It is delightful and impressive to scatter the red petals over any entree or salad. An important bee forage plant it is also very attractive to hummingbirds. Here in North Carolina it fills out beautifully from early Spring and then blooms for weeks May-June and, if you deadhead the blooms, you will enjoy another burst of color again in August. Also a nice cut flower, wonderful tea and potpourri when dried.

Native Americans used this plant to cure flatulence and insomnia. The Blackfeet used poultices of this plant for skin infections and minor wounds. It is also used for mouth and throat infections since it is a natural source of the antiseptic Thymol, used in modern mouthwashes.

The seeds are somewhat difficult to harvest as they appeal to many birds. You can either bend the stem over a bowl gently, so you do not snap it and tap the base of the flower. If the light brown seeds fall out you are in luck! If you miss them, there’s always next year, as this wonderful flower WILL be back! An alternate method, and one which may yield a second bloom, is to cut the spent flower heads back to a leaf union and carefully place the head on paper for drying. If you do this properly, your plants will sprout new stems with flowers at the union, and once your harvested flower heads are dried, you can gently crush and shake them over a white paper plate until the seeds are ejected. Now — this is important — you will see many many more little black square irregular grains that look a bit like pepper. These are NOT seeds. But there are lots of them and you need to carefully search for the few seeds which are roundish, smooth and light brown.

Finally, a note about harvesting for tea or medicinal use. When gathering herbs for fresh use, pick early in the morning, when still kissed by dew. But when gathering herbs for drying, wait until the sun has dried the dew, to prevent mildew. Gather small bunches of the healthiest plants and tie at the ends with string with a tail. Then hang in a protected environment. For me, it is from the shutters of my interior kitchen window over my sink. No sunlight at this window but plenty of fresh air as an overhead fan circulates during warmer months. This is ideal. Otherwise, special drying racks work well. The idea is to dry quickly, without sunlight, but plenty of air circulation to keep mildew from forming. Turn if necessary to make sure the bunch dries completely. Once dry, crumple the leaves from the stems and store in airtight canisters.

CherryGal.com is offering this wonderful and special herb in two organically-grown forms, both in LIMITED SUPPLY — as Seed and as lifted Seedlings in Spring. Don’t wait until they are all gone! Get your seeds now, or reserve your seedlings for shipment at the appropriate time for your growing zone.

My established bed of Monarda Didyma

 

Historic Garden Lima Bean … Sieva Carolina Baby Limas

Posted on by
1

This wonderful and hard to find bean was grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. According to their website, “Lima beans were a hot-weather favorite of Thomas Jefferson, who sowed them yearly from 1809-1824. Monticello’s gardener, Robert Bailey, saved seed of White Carolina beans in 1794. Also known as Sieva, this variety is small and delicately-flavored. Originally from South America and grown by Virginia native tribes, lima beans were also called “bushel,” “sugar,” or “butter” beans in the 1700s.”

Very happy to be able to offer this year at CherryGal.com. Its been several years since it has been available in organic form. SIEVA CAROLINA LIMA BEAN, also known as Carolina Butter Bean, is a Southern heirloom with excellent flavor and dark green 9′-10′ vines. Sieva Carolina bears even during extreme heat, which is why it is a native in this Southern region. Pole habit. 60-75 days.

Limited Supply so don’t wait!

Get Your 2018 Gardens Started …

Posted on by
Reply

A wonderful DISCOUNT opportunity for your 2018 garden. CherryGal.com’s 2018 Organic Heirloom Seeds are now available! I gather rare and unusual selections of organic heirloom vegetables, herbs and flowers for your garden, all packaged in small sizes and prices for the home gardener. Here is just a sampling of my 2018 offerings!

Rare and unusual seeds such as the French Crystalline Ice Plant, much prized by high end chefs for its unique presentation and flavor …

Beautiful garden flowers such as the Mother of Pearl Shirley Poppy….

Ed’s Red Shallot, the only shallot you can grow from seed!

Filderkraut Cabbage, huge pointy heads up to 10 lbs each, so sweet and flavorful they have their own festivals in Germany.

Morado Purple Corn, a popular South American treat for making of ChiChi Morado drinks during holidays.

North Carolina heritage varieties such as Sieva Carolina Pole Baby Lima Beans – a truly rare variety grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello.

All manner of heritage vegetables and an enormous range of culinary and medicinal herbs!

I will also be offering selected herb plants and strawberry plants, as well as decorated Fit Of Pique Garden Pots and Strawberry Jars in the Spring at the Farmers Market beginning in April.

But to get you started now, I am offering a special discount of 20% off any Garden Heirlooms order over $50. Just use the code SeedStart2018 – and you can use as many times as you like until it expires January 10.

Best,

Deborah Phillips

CherryGal.com

MOSAIC

Posted on by
Reply

Shards of grief

Buttons of joy

Jewels of friendship

Glass through image

Color reflects and resonates but

Form, form is everything

Images sing

Glue … of life … love

Broken, yes.

Truth, yes.

Rearranged, with purpose.

Rearranged to harmony

Mastic of Faith

Holds tight

Framed but not bound

Living a new life

Beauty for now

Fodder for tomorrow

To be taken up

Again

With purpose and love.

– Deborah Phillips, 2017

Purple … 2018 Color of the Year

Posted on by
Reply

Fit Of Pique Six Sweet Kitties

Purple’s back baby! I have always loved the color but shied away from it until I turned 60. Then I figured, I’m old enough to wear purple now ha ha!

Well, a shade of purple — Ultra Violet to be exact, which is a purple highlighter shade — has just been named Color Of The Year by The Pantone Color Institute, the trendsetter for fashion and style in clothing, homes and even food!

Several weeks ago I wore a shade of purple jacket to church and my priest remarked it was “the royal color.” I hadn’t thought of it that way, but politely demonstrated my “royal wave.” To me, the color — in all its shades and tones — represented a flamboyance. Which is why, in my long years in corporate fashion hell, I never wore it. But now I have some version of it in almost half of my closet, including my underwear drawer.

A wonderful article in today’s New York Times lays out the history and composition of the color, from ancient times to today. I recommend it – a quick read which will enrich your understanding of purple and all its cousins.

If you are interested, the Fit Of Pique frame illustrated here, Six Sweet Kitties, utilizes two shades: Lavender Lustre from vintage gilded Noritake Made in Japan porcelain, and vintage Purple Transferware by Maastricht, a Dutch china company. One of my favorites!

Fit Of Pique Six Sweet Kitties