3 Organic Ways to Stop Weeds from Growing

Image: Gibby's Garden

Weeds are the last thing we gardeners want to see growing, especially in abundance. Not only do they soak up vital nutrients, water and sunlight, they take time to pull - a time consuming task. Over the years I’ve found 3 ways that really help keep weeds from growing including mulching, cultivating and weeding more frequently, helping to free up my summer for more fun activities.

1#: Mulch! Mulch! Mulch!

One of the best ways to stop weeds from growing is by mulching, and this is something that I cannot stress enough. Mulch prevents weeds from growing while helping the soil stay moist, so it’s like getting a 2 for 1 deal. There are many varieties of mulches to suit your needs and tastes including hay, straw, bark, pine needles, crushed peanut shells etc.

Note: I’ve been using mulch hay as mulch for years now mainly because I live on a farm and it’s free and readily available to me. This year after my garden was tilled, I immediately put down a thick layer of mulch to stop weeds from growing before I had a chance to plant. Now, I still get some weeds, but I’ve cut the time I used to spend weeding by about 2/3.

#2: Cultivate

Cultivate around larger plants making sure not to disturb their roots and between rows using a hand held or electric cultivator. I use a hand held cultivator to lightly turn the soil. This uproots weeds as well as their seeds before they have a chance to grow. This is one of the more physical and time consuming ways to stop weeds from growing but it works; especially when coupled with mulch.

#3: Weed Frequently

The more often you weed the fewer weeds you’ll have to pull. When you get rid of weeds by cultivating or pulling by hand, you disturb the soil which helps stop future weeds from growing as well as eliminate the ones already there. I like to check my gardens every few days and pull or cultivate any weeds to stay on top of things.

As much as I would love to say I don’t get any weeds, I can’t, but I’m happy to report I’ve drastically cut down the time I spend weeding my garden. I encourage you to try the 3 ways I’ve shared and to key me in on any of your own ideas. Mind you I’m an organic gardener, so spraying with pesticides isn’t an option for me.

Guide to Choosing Seeds for the Organic Vegetable Garden

Gibby's Garden

With so many varieties of vegetables to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down which vegetable seeds to choose and which seed company to buy them from. A few things to consider when choosing vegetable seeds is budget, USDA zone and how much space is available in the garden.

Tips for Choosing Vegetable Seeds and Varieties

Choosing Vegetable Seeds for the Northern Garden

3 questions to ask yourself before choosing which vegetable seeds to plant and tips to help make deciding which brand(s) of seeds to buy easier.

Read full article . . . 

Choosing Which Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden

Tips on choosing which types of vegetables and their varieties to plant in your garden. Follow this guide to make choosing the best vegetables to plant for you and your family simple and fun.

Read full article . . .

How Many Vegetables to Plant per Person

Figuring out how many vegetables to plant per person for an entire household can seem a little overwhelming. By answering a few questions and consulting a few free online charts, this process is a lot easier. Deciding how much of which vegetables to plant makes choosing vegetable varieties easier because you can choose from high or low yielding plants depending on the needs of your household.

Read full article . . .

Vegetable Seeds vs. Transplants: The Benefits of Each

Should you choose vegetable seeds, transplants or both? In the north, it’s best to use a mix of both and here’s why.

Read full article . . .

Buy Vegetable Seeds in Fall to Save Money

Buying your vegetable seeds in the fall and winter from online seed companies and catalogs can net you some pretty big savings. Many companies offer discounts and other incentives that are worth taking advantage of.

Read full article . . .

How to Make Your Own Seed Tapes

We all know how much of a pain it can be to plant those tiny seeds like radishes and carrots. To save on time, follow this guide to make your own seed tapes for next to nothing.

Read full article . . .

4 Gardening Tips for the Month of September

Gibby's Garden

You've been diligent. You’ve worked hard all summer long pulling weeds, watering, carefully tying wayward plants to their supports and implementing the best organic pest control you know how. September is here and there’s still much to do. Here’s a list of tips gathered from my own experience to help your garden go out with a bang.

Tips for Gardening in September

Tip #1: Harvest!

You worked hard nurturing and pampering your organic vegetable garden all summer long. Now it’s time to reap your final rewards. Get out and harvest and continue to do so as vegetables mature. Keep in mind that the harvest will slow during the month of September as the nights turn colder and plants begin to die off.

Tip #2: Preserve Your Bounty

You’re bound to have excess vegetables from your harvest. Don’t let them go to waste! Freeze, preserve and dehydrate your vegetables so you can enjoy them all summer long. 

Tip #3: Continue to Weed

Weed? Yes you read that right. Though your vegetable garden is coming to an end, those pesky weeds are still striving to have their say. Continue to pull them, especially before they go to seed. This will help set you up for fewer weeds during the next growing season. Weed seeds will have no problem ingratiating themselves into the soil of your garden where they’ll snuggle quietly over the long winter months while waiting for spring.

Tip #4: Remove Dead Vegetable Plants

As your vegetable plants begin to die off, pull them and toss them into the compost pile. If any are diseased, tomato plants with blight for example, bag those and put them by the curb on trash day. Whatever you do with your plants, don’t leave them piled up in the garden over the winter. These piles provide welcoming homes for pests to nestle under over the winter.

Winding Down for the Season

For those of us in the north, the gardening season is starting to wind down. What we do now, in September and October, influences our gardens next year in terms of a preemptive strike against pests, weeds and disease. My best tip for the month of September; get outside and enjoy what’s left of the season and take a moment to remember why it is you love to grow your own organic vegetables. Was it worth it?

Guide to Organic Garden Pest Control in the North

Image: born1945/Flickr

Garden pests have no problem taking advantage of Maine’s short growing season. They emerge starting in late spring to lay their eggs, hatch into nymphs and continue their lifecycle all while feeding on our gardens. There are lots of ways to keep garden pests under control organically through prevention and with a little patience and work.

How to Control Slugs Organically

Slugs are common garden pests here in Maine and in other parts of the country. They slither their way in during the dead of night and chew through the leaves of our plants. So what are we as organic gardeners to do?

We take a stand and make our own slug traps; organically. Learning to make your own slug traps is pretty easy, takes a matter of minutes and most supplies are already around the home. Here’s what you need and what to do.

Read full article . . .

Guide to Identifying and Controlling Cucumber Beetles Organically

Not only do cucumber beetles live in Maine’s organic vegetables gardens, they thrive throughout the entire U.S. and most of Canada. These pests eat through leaves in fruits as adults and borrow their way into the base of plant stems and then eat away at roots at the larval stage, often killing young plants. There are 4 ways to control cucumber beetles organically before, during and after the growing season.

Read full article . . .

Guide to Identifying and Controlling Japanese Beetles Organically

Japanese beetles are destructive garden pests that leave behind a wake of damaged and dying plants. They thrive in Maine and the rest of the northeast making their first appearances in July. There are 5 ways to keep these pests under control organically, bringing gardeners 1 step closer to a healthy and more productive garden.

Read full article . . .

Guide to Identifying and Controlling Squash Bugs Organically

Squash bugs, commonly called “stink bugs,” are known to some for the odor they emit after being squished. Gardeners know that there’s more to these garden pests than their smell; they invade vegetable gardens and make themselves at home as they chew on plant stems and suck on their juice. Preparation is key to controlling these guys organically, which can be done 7 different ways.

Read full article . . .

Guide to Identifying and Controlling Imported Cabbageworms Organically

Cabbageworms (imported) are found throughout the U.S. and Canada. After invading the garden and chewing through the leaves of plants, they leave behind large holes and piles of dark droppings called frass; 2 telltale signs the garden pests have arrived. Fortunately for gardeners, there are 6 ways to control imported cabbageworms organically.

Read full article . . .

Guide to Identifying and Controlling Aphids Organically

Aphids maybe small, but don’t let their size fool you. These garden pests are known to wreak havoc in gardens throughout North America leaving behind damaged plants from root to tip. The good news, there are 5 ways to control aphids organically.

Read full article . . .

How to Freeze Vegetables to Enjoy Them Year-Round

Image: Gibby's Garden

I don’t know about you, but I love cracking open the freezer and pulling out a bag of organic vegetables from my garden as Maine dips into freezing temperatures and our beautiful state gets blanketed in snow. Freezing vegetables, whether from your own garden or those bought at the local farmers market, allows you to enjoy their fresh taste year-round. The good news, even for those without a green thumb; vegetables are easy to freeze in a matter of minutes.

3 Rules for Choosing the Best Vegetables to Freeze

When choosing which vegetables to freeze, always abide by these 3 rules:

• Fully Ripened
• Unblemished
• Undamaged

Blanch those Vegetables

Blanching vegetables is fast and easy. Frankly, it takes longer for the water to boil than it does to blanch a batch of veggies. What is blanching? It’s placing vegetables into boiling water for a set amount of time, removing them and immediately dunking them into a sink or bowlful of iced water. The heat only begins to cook the vegetables so they remain crisp and retain their fresh taste. The iced-water stops the cooking process so vegetables don’t become mushy.

Before blanching, remove any dirt and debris from your vegetables. Trim and peel as needed and cut, slice and dice into desired pieces. Think about how you use the vegetables the most. Are they for soups and stews, casseroles or side dishes? Think and prep ahead.

Vegetable Blanching Times

Vegetable	Blanch Time
Asparagus *	2–4 mins
Beans	2-3 mins
Broccoli *	3-5 mins
Cabbage	1 ½ mins
Carrots	3-5 mins
Cauliflower	3 mins
Corn *	4-8 mins
Onions *	2-4 mins
Parsnips	2 mins
Peas *	1 ½ -3 mins
Potatoes	Fully Cook
Squash	1 ½ mins
Tomatoes	15 seconds
Turnips	2 ½ mins

Asparagus: Thin Stems: 2 Mins - Thick Stems: 4 Mins

Broccoli: Thin Stems: 3 Mins - Med. Stems: 4 Mins - Thick Stems: 5 Mins

Corn: Small: 4 Mins - Med: 6 Mins - Large: 8 Mins (Ears) Kernels: 3-4 Mins

Onions: Chopped: 2 Mins - Whole: 4 Mins (small)

Peas: Edible Pods: 1 ½-3 Mins - Shelled: 1 1/2 Mins

Choose a Freezing Method

Tray Pack Method: Spread vegetables on a cookie sheet so they aren’t touching. Pop the sheet into the freezer. When vegetables are frozen solid, remove from the cookie sheet and place in freezer-safe storage bags or containers. The tray pack method freezes vegetables individually, so a precise amount can be removed from the containers and used at any time.

Dry Pack Method: Pack vegetables into containers or freezer bags. Amounts can be measured ahead of time, i.e. 1 cup or 2. Seal and freeze.

Additional Freezing Tips

• Some vegetables will change color when blanched, in most cases, it’s a slight change. Sometimes, a more dramatic color change happens; for instance, when burgundy beans are blanched, they change from purple to dark green in color.

• Before popping vegetables into the freezer, pat them dry to remove excess moisture. This helps to prevent freezer burn.

• When using containers to freeze vegetables, leave a ½ inch of head space between the veggies and the lid.

• When using freezer bags, remove as much air as possible before sealing to help prevent freezer burn.

Freezing vegetables, the same can be applied to fruit, is a sure way to enjoy them year-round. When it comes to certain vegetables like carrots and beans, I freeze them in different sizes to eat as a healthy side dish or add to a stew simmering away in the crock pot all day. Either way, using either freezing method, vegetables hold on to that fresh from the garden taste. If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself and you’ll see.

Organic Vegetable Gardening Tips for the Month of August

Image: Gibby's Garden

We Mainer’s typically refer to August as the “dog days of summer.” It maybe hot and buggy out, but our organic vegetable gardens are at the peak of production. August is the time to head outdoors and harvest the fruit of our labor and give our gardens that final push into the end of the growing season. Here are some ways to extend the season, control garden pests organically and preserve the harvest.

Tips for Extending the Growing Season in Maine

In Maine, we have a short growing season, as do our neighbors in the north. By following a few simple tips, we as gardeners can make the season a little longer and get more from our gardens.

Tip # 1: Pick all Mature Fruits and Vegetables

To extend the growing season, frequently harvest the garden picking all fruits and vegetables as they mature. Some plants, such as string beans, will stop producing if their mature fruits haven’t been harvested. Once mature fruits have been picked, plants can focus their energy on growing and maturing more fruit.

Tip # 2: Pinch Dead and Dying Leaves/Vines

Take a walk through the garden and pinch dead leaves and vines along with any that are beginning to brown or have been ravished by garden pests. Once these are gone, your plants may be smaller, but they’ll be healthier and will again focus on growing and maturing more fruits and vegetables. Also harvest any damaged or diseased fruit.

Handpick Garden Pests

Spray Affected Plants with Soapy Water

Replace/Refill Traps

Guide to Organic Pest Control for the Garden

This guide contains links to posts here on Gibby’s Garden about controlling specific garden pests organically (slugs, Japanese/cucumber beetles, squash bugs etc.) There’s a summary for each post included in the guide and each post lists ways to identify and control the pests the organic way.

Additional Gardening Tips for the Month of August

Remove Dead/Dying Plants: As plants begin to die off towards the end of August, pull them from the ground and remove them from the garden all together. Removing dead plants keeps garden pests from over wintering under them, which will lessen their presence in the garden the following growing season.

Freeze and Preserve the Garden’s Bounty:  Blanch vegetables before freezing them and can and preserve the rest to enjoy through to the next growing season.

Perhaps one of the best gardening tips for the month of August is to get outside and enjoy the garden in all its glory. Take pictures, jot down where which vegetables were planted and absorb another season of hard work. Breathe in the freshness of the garden, especially after a quenching rain, listen to the birds and crickets chirping with eyes closed and store everything away to remember later when all of Maine’s gardens are buried beneath a foot of white, fluffy snow.

Is Organic Vegetable Gardening for You?

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What does it take to be an organic vegetable gardener? For starters, it takes planning, sweat and work, but, if you have a passion for gardening and growing and eating your own organic vegetables, the work really isn’t that bad.

For me, knowing where my vegetables came from, how they were grown and having the peace of mind that I won’t be ingesting any chemicals or pesticides makes enjoying the fruits of my labor well worth it.

I don’t want to discourage you from organic vegetable gardening, but it does take some work; how much depends on your commitment and the size of your garden. Most of the work takes place during planting and mulching. From then on the work gets much lighter leaving time to enjoy the summer.

After your seedlings have been transplanted, your seeds sown and a fine layer of mulch added, the majority of the work is over; it’s basically up to your garden to do the rest of the work. Sure you’ll have to pull a few weeds here and there; they are stubborn after all and some will pop up through the mulch, but they are much easier to pull from beneath a layer of mulch than bare ground.

You’ll also have to combat garden pests, but with the right know-how, doing this organically, without any pesticides, really isn’t that complicated. In the end, you’ll have the satisfaction of providing healthy, organic vegetables for your family - I know I do.

How to Grow Vegetables Organically

Seeds: There are lots of seed companies that sell organic vegetables seeds. They haven’t been coated or treated with any chemicals which makes them organic. They’re a bit more expensive and choosing to go this route is up to you. You can still garden organically without using organic vegetable seeds.

Fertilizer: Fertilize your garden with organic fertilizers. These can be bought at garden centers and nurseries. I use compost and year-old manure and it works wonders.

Mulch: Use organic mulch such as grass clippings, leaves, straw or hay etc. Mulching keeps the soil warm and moist and blocks weeds from growing. It takes some work to completely mulch a large vegetable garden but it is worth it when you spend minutes as opposed to hours weeding every week.

Pest Control: No chemicals or pesticides needed. Hand pick pests, use organic traps and plant insect repelling herbs and other plants in the garden.

The whole point of organic gardening is to eliminate the use of chemicals and pesticides. You can grow a productive and healthy garden without them, trust me, I’ve been doing it for years. My advice is to read about different techniques and tips and give them a try. Figure out what works for you, what doesn’t and what fits into your lifestyle.

Do you have any organic vegetable gardening tips to pass along?

How to Control Weeds Organically Using Mulch

Photo: rfduck, on Flickr

Weeds are the bane of many gardeners and I know I’m not alone when I say I could do with out them. Besides crowding the garden and stealing water and nutrients from plants, weeds take time to pull and control.

Some people turn to chemicals to keep weeds under control but that method doesn’t fit into every style of gardening. If you’re like me and grow and organic vegetable garden, applying herbicides and other chemicals isn’t an option - and that’s okay.

My solution: mulch, mulch, mulch.

What is Mulch?

Mulch is basically any material, organic or not, spread around plants.

Benefits of Mulch

Mulch is a great way to control weeds organically. It also keeps the soil moist and warm which is a big plus here in Maine. Mulching around plants helps keep the soil from compacting which makes it easier for water to penetrate.

How Much to Apply

In order for mulch to be most effective, a good 2 to 4 inches of it must be evenly applied.

When to Apply Mulch

I like to apply my mulch as soon as possible. When you have transplants, go ahead and mulch around those immediately as well as any areas between rows. When it comes to seeds, mulch around your rows but not directly over where your seeds are planted. Once seedlings emerge and are a few inches high, mulch around those to finish the job.       

Leave an inch of un-mulched space around the main plant stems for good measure. If you’ve rototilled but won’t be able to get out and plant your vegetable garden for a week or more, cover it with mulch to prevent weeds from growing. When you’re ready to plant, rake away the mulch from your rows and do your planting.

Types of Organic Mulch

• Bark
• Pine Needles
• Newspaper
• Cardboard
• Straw
• Hay
• Compost
• Wood Chips
• Leaves
• Grass Clippings
• Nut Shells

Organic mulches break down and add those beloved nutrients to the soil. Since they do break down eventually, they will need to be reapplied every so often.

I use mulch hay in my vegetable garden which I apply every summer. Thankfully, I live on a small farm so this type of organic mulch is readily available to me. To save money on mulch in your own garden, use organic materials that are readily available in your area.

Though mulch is an effective way to control weeds organically, expect to see a few persistent weeds pop up here and there. These will be easy to pull because the soil beneath is moist and isn’t compacted. 

Does mulching to control weeds organically sound like a good idea to you?

Soil Preparation: Getting Those Gardens Ready

Its spring and we all know what the means; it’s almost time for us to plant our vegetable gardens here in Maine. But before we head outside to sow our seeds, there are a few things we need to do.

Have you ever heard the term soil amendment? Basically, this term means to change the soil by adding to it and making it suitable for the types of vegetables you want to grow.

Amending the soil in your garden in pretty easy. The first thing I do is take a look at it. What color is it? Pick up a few handfuls of soil and run it through your fingers. What’s the texture like?

Now, you can go out and buy one of those soil test kits to check the pH balance and other nutrients if you want. I’ve never used one and frankly have gotten along just fine without one. By the way, I don’t buy expensive fertilizers either but we’ll get into that a little later in the post.

Steps to Prepare Garden Soil

1. Pick out large rocks and other debris

2. Amend soil - (add organic fertilizer)

3. Till soil - This step mixes fertilizer into soil & loosens it for better root establishment

4. Level soil - Use the back side of a metal rake

5. Prepare rows/mounds for planting

How to Amend Garden Soil

Maine has rocky soil. If you’ve ever put in a new lawn, garden bed, or field for that matter, you’ve probably noticed. Thanks to the movement of glaciers through our great state many years ago, there are rocks and depressions of all sizes everywhere. This can be a pain when starting a new garden, but it doesn’t mean we can’t prepare a nutrient rich garden bed with a little work.

The best soil for gardens is loam. Loam is abundant in Maine. There are plenty of general contractors and construction companies that will be happy to sell you loam by the truckload or bucket load depending on how much you need.

I use loam mixed with cow manure in my garden and it works wonders. My brother has cows and is more than happy to bring me a load of manure. I never put fresh manure in my garden - only year old manure. Fresh manure can burn the roots of some plants.

With that being said, I have a special section of the garden reserved for my root vegetables. Root vegetables like carrots and radishes grow best in sandy soil. Sandy soil makes it easier for the roots of the plants to push through the soil and grow.

To amend the soil, layer organic compost or fertilizer a few inches thick over the garden bed and then till the soil to mix it in. Once the tilling is done, level the garden bed by using the backside of a metal rake.

Prepare Rows and Mounds

Knowing which types of vegetables you’ll be planting, how many, and where they are going to go ahead of time makes preparing a garden bed much easier. Before your seeds and transplants are ready to go into the ground, form mounds and rows according to seed packet and transplanting instructions. This saves time and energy when planting.     

Taking the time to prepare a garden bed a week or two before planting, in my opinion, makes getting the garden off to a good start easier. It’s less overwhelming, easier on the back, and is a great time saver.

What will you be doing to prepare your organic vegetable garden this spring?

Image: Image: Keattikorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Introduction to Gibby's Garden

Image: Gibby's Garden

Hello world and welcome to Gibby’s Garden. For my first post I thought I’d introduce myself, the author of Gibby’s Garden, to the blogospehere. To get a grasp of what this blog is about, please check out the About Gibby’s Garden page.

About Me (Patrice)

With all formalities aside, I love to garden - period. To be more specific, I love growing organic vegetables from start to finish. There’s something about getting my hands dirty (I never seem to keep my garden gloves on for very long), smelling freshly tilled loam, and sowing every seed and gently transplanting seedlings into my garden that makes me feel fresh and renewed.

The work aspect of vegetable gardening gives me a sense of accomplishment and quiet frankly, is a great de-stresser for me. After 20+ years of gardening, first as a child with my parents and grandparents, then as an adult on my own, I still get excited as my first seedlings sprout from the ground.

Caring for my plants and watching them grow, bloom and finally produce makes all the work I put into my garden worthwhile. I like knowing that come early fall, the vegetables I’ve canned and frozen will provide a little extra something for my family over the long winter months.

Since I started vegetable gardening on my own almost 10 years ago, I’ve had a lot of hits and misses along the way. For instance, I quickly learned that the instructions on the back of seed packets are there for a reason and just because you think it’s a good idea to cram as many plants together thinking you’re saving on space, doesn’t mean that it is.

In short, I’ve picked up a lot of gardening tips and techniques over the years and I’d like to pass them along to you. Some of them I’ve learned the hard way, while others I’ve learned from reading books, blogs, and magazines.

If you’re a Maine organic vegetable gardener, then I think we’ll get along just fine. (You can be from anywhere really) I hope you come back to Gibby’s Garden as my blog gets off the ground and continues to grow. I’ll be sharing lots of how-to’s, advice and stories about organic vegetable gardening and I invite you to share yours.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net