Sally Odum's Blog
Posted by Sally Odum
Simple mole deterrent and bird deterrent strategies to keep moles and birds from your vegetable garden and fruits without having to resort to drastic measures.
Mole Deterrent
- Castor oil and castor beans are the best mole repellents. You can make your own solution with castor oil and soapy water. Sprinkle it on the ground where the mole has been burrowing.
- Vibrating devices that work by transmitting vibrations into the soil.
- If you have a drastic mole invasion, you may want to install an underground barrier around your vegetable garden. Use as a last resort.
- Mole traps - Use traps that kill as a last resort. A number of mole traps are available that capture the mole but don't kill it.
- Moles eat earthworms and grubs. Keep grubs under control in your yard and you eliminate one of the mole's food sources.
Bird Deterrent
There is a time and season for everything, and while most people want to attract birds to watch them, sometimes it is necessary to deter them from the garden where they can be a nuisance.
- Scarecrows are quaint and they are still effective.
- Shiny, moving objects such as tin cans, pinwheels, pie pans, aluminum foil strips, or even hanging strips of plastic. They may not be pretty or aesthetically pleasing, but they do work. Birds don't like coming where there's a lot of movement or noise.
- Cats. Cats will chase away birds. However, don't get upset if they catch a bird and bring it to your doorstep when they feel like sharing their bounty. I've had cats deposit both baby rabbit and birds outside my door.
- Feed the birds elsewhere ...away from your vegetable garden. If they have water and food in abundance, they won't be so inclined to go to your garden.
Posted by Sally Odum
Sometimes you have to get creative to deter wildlife from your vegetable garden. One of Suite 101's readers recently wrote to share the story of a squirrel rolling away a canteloupe. I've personally fed wild rabbits fresh vegetables more times than I care to mention. But I love seeing the rabbit, deer and squirrels and would never hurt them. So they must be deterred from entering the vegetable garden. Everyone has wildlife stories about their gardens if they have been gardening very long! People resort to all sorts of crazy strategies to try to keep out wildlife and pests. Here is a list you can try to deter deer and rabbit from your garden.
Deter Rabbit From Your Vegetable Garden
- The number one rabbit deterrent seems to a 3-foot high fence, preferably made out of one-inch chicken wire. Put part of it underground to prevent any burrowing by the rabbit.
- Hawk and owl likenesses placed around in your garden may be enough to scare away the rabbit.
- Wire mesh around the trunk of trees will keep rabbit from eating the bark.
- Garlic - red pepper spray or sprinkled on the ground
- Mothballs
Deter Deer From Your Vegetable Garden
- Plant a fence of thorny shrubs or trees to keep them out. Obviously this is a long term solution since you will have to wait for the fence to mature. Hawthorn and Holly are good.
- A regular tall fence or parallel fences. They may jump your fence if it is 6' or less. If you have a low fence, try putting a second fence just after the first one. The deer jump over and get confused.
- Aluminum foil, pie tins or hanging aluminum cans are a good deterrent for many wildlife, including deer. These bright, shiny, noisy objects will blow in the wind, reflect in the sunshine and moonlight, and act as a deterrent.
- Place bars of highly fragrant soap where you want to deter animals. They don't like the smell.
- Dogs
- Windchimes
- Predator Urine
- Mothballs
More pest, insect and wildlife control and deterrent measures
Posted by Sally Odum
"Sally,
I read your column that featured Mike from West Michigan who wanted to share gardening with his children. Not only was that story so heartwarming, but it brought back memories of my own childhood as well as my grannie’s.
My grannie was born in 1914 in Ruther Glen, Va. She was the youngest of 10 children, and her favorite sister, Goldie, had a green thumb. My grannie remembers taking the train down to Richmond to visit Goldie and spend the entire summer. She would often times write her momma and poppa to see if she could extend her vacation because she enjoyed Goldie’s company and garden so much. Goldie was known in that area for growing the best tomatoes, and flowers. My grannie still smiles when she speaks about those summers. They would eat tomatoes right out of the garden like apples, and squeal with delight as the juice ran down their chins to their necks.
My grannie passed on the gardening bug to me. Growing up in Northern Virginia, finding time and room for a garden was tough, but my grannie and I managed. She lived with us growing up, and still lives with my parents. We made a small garden, planting tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon and bell peppers. I was ecstatic to watch the garden grow before my little eyes, and would check on it every day. One late summer day, as my grannie, mom and I were sitting on the porch swing, we saw something out of the corner of our eye. A squirrel had managed to get a small cantaloupe out of the garden and was pushing it down the hill. We died laughing and joked that the squirrel would be surprised when it found out it wasn’t a large nut after all! Needless to say, between the deer, squirrels and bunnies, I had no garden by the end of the summer. No matter how much fencing we put up, we couldn’t keep the hungry critters out. That didn’t deter my grannie though. Instead she gave me an ancient gardening encyclopedia (which I still have) and we started growing flowers.
Now that my grannie is 93, I do the gardening for her, and even bring fresh cut flowers to her house. My husband and I just bought a darling cape cod in Fredericksburg, Va, and we are already planning the garden. My grannie insisted we put up a good fence!" "...I plan on taking her out in the wheelchair so we can plant another garden together. Perhaps by late summer, we will have big, juicy tomatoes to eat off the vine and squeal as the juice runs down our chins!"
~Submitted by Aimee Massey, Virginia
Aimee:
Thank you so much for sharing your memories! The mental image of the ambitious squirrel pushing the canteloupe is hilarious. That would make a perfect inspiration poster with the title "High expectations" or "Reach for your dreams" or "If you think you can - you CAN" or something. My grandmothers gardened too. I think my favorite memory is the table all spread out with a variety of dishes of delicious vegetables. That's because they were so plentiful from the garden.
Best Wishes,
Sally
Posted by Sally Odum
Chard - Originating in Spain and Portugal, Chard (Beta Vulgaris) contains vitamins A, C, E, B6, Calcium, Zinc and Iron. It is usually cooked in stirfry recipes or vegetable steamers. One of the easiest of all vegetables to grow, chard can provide a continuous crop throughout the season, much like collard greens.
Chard Calorie Count & Nutrition
One cup of Swiss chard supplies 45% of daily vitamin A, 18% of daily Vitamin C, 4% of Iron, 2% of Calcium and a mere SEVEN CALORIES.
Celery - Originating in Southern Europe and the Meditteranean, celery contains manganese, silica, chlorine and natural sodium. It is mostly water. Plant it in rich loamy soil for best results.
Celery Calorie Count
Consuming celery can net you a ZERO CALORIE snack since the act of chewing burns up any calories! That's why it is a staple in modern diet programs.
Cucumbers - Originating in the East Indies, cucumber (cucumis satiuus) is a member of the family known as cucurbits. Cucurbits are also commonly referred to as the cucumber, gourd, melon or pumpkin family. The cucurbits include: Citrullus lanatus (watermelon), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Cucumis melo (melon), Cucurbita (squash & pumpkin), Luffa (loofah), Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd), Benincasa hispida (wax gourd), Trichosanthes (snake gourd), Telfairia (oyster nut), and others.Cucumbers are easy to grow. Cucumber vines can be left to sprawl on the ground or you can let them grow up a trellis or fence. Cucumbers can be divided into varieties for pickling, long green, and slicing cucumbers.
Cucumber Calorie & Nutrition Count
1/2 cup of sliced cucumbers = EIGHT CALORIES!
One 8" cucumber =~45 calories
Cucumber supplies 2g protein, 14% of daily Vitamin C, 6% of daily Vitamin A, 5% of daily Calcium and 5% of daily Iron.
Posted by Sally Odum
A common reason for rotting and shriveling zucchini is lack of pollination by bees. Pollination is absolutely required for fruit set. Without pollination, the fruit that grows will yellow, shrivel, rot and die. Three solutions: Get some bees. Attract some bees (see "Butterfly and Bee Garden") or hand pollinate.
The zucchini has a male flower and a female flower, which must be pollinated in order for you to get proper fruit. To hand pollinate, break off a male flower, remove its petals to reveal the yellow pollen on its pistol, then roll the pollen onto the center stigma of the female flower.
You tell flowers apart because female flowers are larger and have a baby fruit behind their petals. The male flowers grow on a long stem and are smaller.
Some people use a cotton swab or artist's brushes to hand pollinate – a good idea.
If the bee crisis continues, everyone on earth needs to learn how to hand pollinate so please pass the word. I was remarking about the bee crisis to a famous gardener and mentioned that 1/3 of the human diet was derived from honeybee pollinated vegetables, fruits and nuts, and indirectly affected items. He wisely responded to me that if worse came to worse and all the honeybees died people could always hand pollinate their vegetable gardens to survive.
That does address the short term survival need with practical wisdom. However, most agricultural crops today are produced for the mass market by huge corporate farms. Honeybees are literally trucked in to accomplish pollination. Hand pollinating these large fields of crops does not seem feasible since it’s so tedious, and even if a way were found, it would still cause disruption in the food supply for an undetermined length of time. It would increase food prices exponentially too.
Posted by Sally Odum
Question:
Greetings,
My name is Mike and I came across your website as I was researching answers. I have 3 small children and I would like to start a garden with them involved. I remember as a child, my Dad and I tended a small garden behind our home and it was a great bonding opportunity for us. I would like to recreate the same opportunity. Not sure how to go about it though since I was so young. I have an area picked out, I have a roto tiller lined up; what I need a better feel about is what kinds of veggies to put in the garden that would be suitable for my 13, 10 and 6 year old kids. Most importantly, not sure about the timing since I live in West Michigan where just last week the ground was covered with snow. Its gone now, and should be until next year, but do we wait a bit just in case? Also, if we do tomatoes, should we start with seeds or small plants. Any advice will be welcomed. Thank you and have a great day. ~Mike
Answer
Hello Mike! According to WZZM13.com (which has an excellent "Green Thumb" column on gardening by the way), In general, the last frost date in West Michigan is usually between May 10 and May 20. I would definitely wait to plant outside until after the last frost date. One of my friends just lost all her garden plants from a late frost in NC. But you could plant in containers if you wanted to. Then when it gets too cold, you could bring the plants in.
I usually plant tomatoes from transplants and I think they do better if you choose healthy ones from a good nursery. However for children, a big part of the joy of gardening is to actually plant a seed and watch it sprout, then grow into something big with vegetables on it! My personal favorites as a child were: tomatoes, mammoth sunflowers (because they grow so tall and fairytale-like), radishes and root vegetables (because they grow underground - not so much for the taste), watermelons, cantaloupe, strawberries and especially cucumbers. Tomatoes and cucumbers, as children we used to pick them off the vine and eat them on the spot if you took the salt box with you to the garden. If you want something quick growing to give a quick reward, salad greens, turnips, and scallions are all fast growers. Squash and eggplant are easy to grow.
Since you have a little time before you can plant outside in the soil, you might try starting from seed in trays inside. Just make sure they have a light source. There are articles on Suite 101 about starting from seed which may be helpful. The Michigan State University Cooperative Extension http://www.msue.msu.edu/portal/ has a lot of information for your particular area.
Let me know if I can help further. I commend you for doing something so worthwhile with your children and I wish you 1000s of fond memories. ~Sally Morton
To Suite101.com readers - Do you have memories of gardening with your parents as a child? Please send them in. I am compiling a book of heartwarming stories about families gardening together.
Also, if you have further suggestions for Mike or any other father or mother on gardening with children, send those in too and we'll share them with other readers.
Posted by Sally Odum
Many of the vegetable plants given below can be planted in the fall as well. These are cool season vegetables. Fall planting times will be given in a separate chart. Use this as a basic guideline, but consider your gardening zone and consult a regional vegetable planting guide. There can be microclimates within larger climates too, so consider your particular area. Often asking at your local county extension or gardening center will get you quick answers about what it is safe to plant, and when. If it is still too cold and early to plant in your area, pass the time getting your garden plot ready with amendments and tilling. If you want to get a headstart on warm season vegetables, you can start seeds indoors, in greenhouses, or in cold frames.
Vegetable Seed or Plant * Planting Time * Depth * Distance between Plants* Between Rows
Beet....................................Feb 15-Apr.1.................1/2-1".......................2 in..............................12-18"
Broccoli (plants)..............Feb 15-Mar.15................1-2"..........................18 in...........................24-30"
Cabbage (plants)............Feb 1-Apr. 1...................2-4"..........................12 in............................24-30"
Carrot................................Feb 1-Mar 1.....................1/2"...........................2 in.............................14-24"
Cauliflower (seeds)........Feb 1-Mar 1.....................1/2"..........................18 in...........................30-36"
Cauliflower (plants)........Mar 1-Mar 15...................1-2"..........................18 in...........................30-36"
Endive...............................Feb 1-Mar 15...................1/2"..........................12 in............................12-24"
Garden Peas..................Feb 1-Mar 1.......................2".............................2-3 in...........................18-30"
Kohlrabi...........................Feb 15-Apr 15..................1/2"............................4 in..............................18-24"
Leaf Lettuce....................Feb 15-Apr 1.....................1/4-1/2"....................4 in..............................12-18"
Head Lettuce..................Feb 15-Mar 15..................1/4-1/2"....................12 in............................18-24"
Mustard...........................Feb 1-Apr 1........................1/2"............................2 in.............................12-18"
Onion Sets.....................Feb 1-Mar 15.....................1/2"............................4 in..............................12-24"
Potato (Irish)..................Mar 1-May 15.....................4-6"...........................10 in............................36-42"
Radish............................Feb 1-Apr 15......................1/2"...........................1 in...............................6-12"
Spinach...........................Feb 1-Mar 15.....................1/2"...........................4 in...............................12-14"
Posted by Sally Odum
Late Winter/Early Spring (Cool season) vegetables that can be planted between February – March in the Upper South (US) include:
Asparagus, Beet, Broccoli (plants), Cabbage (plants), Carrot, Cauliflower (seeds and plants), Endive, Kohlrabi, Lettuce (Leaf and Head), Mustard, Onion (sets or plantas), Garden Peas (try English peas and dwarf sugar pod peas), Potato, Irish,Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Spinach, and Turnips.
In the Lower South (US), between January and March, you can successfully plant: English peas, onion sets or plants, asparagus roots, Irish potatoes, beets, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, collard, English peas, lettuce, kale, spinach, turnips and other hardy and semi-hardy items.
In the Lower South (US), in March you can begin planting bush beans, mustard, broccoli (plants), cabbage (plants), parsley, corn, mustard, radish, and other frost-hardy plants.
In Australia, you could plant in February:
- Inland: Beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, potatoes, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, turnips.
- Coastal: Basil, bush and climbing beans, beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, peas, potatoes, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, turnips.
In Australia, you could plant in March:
- Inland: Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks,lettuce, peas, shallots, spinach, swedes, turnips.
- Coastal: Beetroot, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, peas, radishes, shallots, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, turnips.
Posted by Sally Odum
Below is a list of links to a free Online Global Vegetable Planning Guide for most states in the United States, Virgin Islands, Australia, Alberta Canada, and United Kingdom. There's also a link to the Mother Earth News comprehensive vegetable planting chart. You can print any of these out on your printer. Another source for a free vegetable planting guide is your local garden center.
Links to Vegetable Planting Guides
United Kingdom, month by month planting guide
More Resources for Vegetable Gardening
The Mother Earth News comprehensive vegetable planting chart
(click on “print this article” to view the entire chart)
There is a Gutenberg Project EBook to Home Vegetable Gardening, which you can find at the project website and download free.
Help me update this list!
If your state, region or country is not listed and you know of a free vegetable planting guide or other free resources available online, please email me and I'll add it.
Posted by Sally Odum
"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle ... a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dream."-- Barbara Winkler
When I first read the quote above, I thought, "Wow, she understands!" The first sight of the signs of spring are enough to send weary, cold bodies into spasms of hope and anticipation. I've always loved the joy of planting a seed and watching it grow. I think I enjoy that more than reaping the harvest. I certainly enjoy it more than keeping out the weeds...
Here is another quote I like:
"In everyone's life at some time our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."
-- Albert Schweitzer
How about this one, from Ecclesiastes:
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
Posted by Sally Odum
Kids Gardening is a great place to get ideas for your children or for teachers to get ideas for their classes and school. They offer educational resources for teachers, funding opportunities, and instruction through the website, conferences, and newsletter. You can subscribe free to the kidsgardening.org ezine. The February 2007 lesson was “Plants in Outer Space?” It's a program designed to help launch kids into “cosmic gardening explorations.”
Here’s a quote from this exciting series of lesson plans:
“The development of extraterrestrial horticultural technology is key to extending our explorations into the next frontier...and the generation you teach may be the first to experience it first hand!” Now, I'll bet you've added a new phrase to your horticulture vocabulary!
Fascinated and want to learn more? Try these web resources:
Growing Plants Without Gravity
Growing Food for Space Travelers
A very good report on the benefits of a youth garden can be found at the NGA website at this link. You’ll find examples of some of the things that grow in kids’ gardens, like:
- Health
- Environmental awareness
- Love for learning
- Academic, Social and Life Skills
- Community Resilience
March conferences 2007
- Farm to Cafeteria & Food Policy
- Garden Ed for Young Children
- Service-Learning
- Cleveland Area School Garden Symposium
- Cultivating a Healthy Future