How exciting to watch as the first signs of early spring are occurring- I just love seeing my crocuses, miniature iris and snow drops in bloom. Sorry to those of you who are in the colder zones, but these magical moments are just around the corner for you too! I promise…

Now that I can actually begin thinking about my upcoming garden plans, I am considering which veggies to add this year. My children surprisingly have both acquired a taste for Brussel sprouts this winter (don't ask me how) so we definitely have to include this fun, unique and highly nutritious crucifer veggie to this year's garden.

I have also started thinking about adding specific herbs to my garden as an organic pest control method. I gave a presentation last month on Organic Gardening and included some information on Companion Planting. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about a variety of herbs that repel certain insects and am anxious to try them in our garden this season. Read on to my article on Companion Planting and learn how to repel those pests that love to devour your garden. I have also included some info on Crop Rotation which is also an effective and organic pest/weed control technique.

Please email us at info@thehappygardener.info if you have any effective alternative methods for pest and weed control that we can share with our readers. We love to hear about your experiences!

Happy Gardening!

There are specific herbs and/or flowers you can plant with your vegetables, roses, and shrubs/trees to decrease particular pests that they are commonly susceptible to.

Here are some companion plants and the pests they repel:
Anise: repels aphids
Basil: repels thrips, flies and mosquitoes
Borage: deters tomato hornworm and cabbage worms

The Happy Gardener's Outdoor Foliar Feed is 100% vegetable based, safe for use around children and pets, will not harm the ladybugs or bumble bees, but will kill Japanese beetles and aphids on contact!

photo courtesy of freefoto.com Ian Britton

NY Times Best Selling author, David Bach, recommends The Happy Gardener is in his newest book, Go Green, Live Rich.
David Bach is on a mission to teach the world that you can live a great life by living a green life. Many people think that going green is an expensive choice. But Bach says you can help make the world a cleaner place while still making your path to financial freedom.
Available in bookstores April 2008

Rotating your crops each season will help break the cycle of pests and weeds. Simply move your crop from one place to another to balance nutrient demands that crops make on the soil, foil insect and disease attacks, and deter weeds.

For effective crop rotation, divide your crops into these (4) different crop types for (4) different rotations:

1. Leaves: these plants thrive on nitrogen. Lettuce, salad greens, spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale
2. Fruits: thrive on phosphorus. Squash, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants
3. Roots: love potassium. Onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, beets, radishes
4. Soil Builders: excellent for the soil because they store nitrogen from the air and release it into the soil. Legumes, beans, peas

photo courtesy of Burningwell.org

Shamrocks are a sure sign of the arrival of spring as a symbol for the "season of rebirth. The "shamrock" that St. Patrick is associated with was most likely white clover (Trifolium repens) and is difficult to grow indoors. Because of this, the shamrock plants that are seen in grocery stores and floral shops this time of year are species of oxalis or wood sorrel.

Oxalis leaves are clover shaped and can be shades of green, red, purple, or a combination of all these colors. There are hundreds of species of oxalis, but two that are commonly grown for indoor enjoyment are the Irish shamrock (Oxalis acetosella) and the good- luck plant (Oxalis deppei). Both have green leaves and small white or red blossoms, but the good-luck plant has white streaks running along the leaf vein. The leaflets fold up at night or during overcast days and open during daylight hours.

When selecting an oxalis, look for a plant with flowers and lush, healthy foliage. Oxalis plants usually bloom all winter if placed in a bright sunny window. These plants prefer soil that is kept slightly moist.

In the summer months, wood sorrels should be allowed to rest or go dormant. The first sign that a plant is entering dormancy is leaf dieback. When this happens, stop watering and fertilizing the plant. The plant should be moved to a cool, dark place for two to three months. When you see new foliage you can move it back to a sunny window and begin watering and fertilizing.

Shamrock plants are usually not bothered by insect pests, but are susceptible to root rot if kept too wet. If taken care of this is a flowering plant you can enjoy for years to come.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

I suggest while you’re in the planning stage of your garden or landscaping, take a drive to some of your favorite neighborhoods and see what they have had done.

Pick elements that fit your tastes and planting needs. If you pick a newly developed area, they may haved used a professional landscaper. Often they have used the latest trends and are usually aware of ease of maintenance and plant hardiness for your area. It’s a great way to have a professional help you!

photo courtesy of PDPhoto

Now is the time to order your Pre-emergent Lawn Care for Spring Application. The Happy Gardener's Lawn Feed n' Weed is an organic blend of corn gluten and sea vegetables to prevent the germination of weed seeds such as crabgrass, Bermuda grass, clover, dandelions...etc. It is also formulated to establish a strong root system to increase resistance to drought, pests and disease!


Click here to learn more about The Happy Gardener's organic Lawn Feed n' Weed. You can help make a difference in the health of our families, community and environment.

Did you know that worms can consume three times their weight per week? Recently my two daughters, age 5 and 7, and I started a vermicomposter using the Happy Gardener Vermicomposter. At the end of each day we take our collection of food scraps and feed them to our little worm friends. The bin is small so it is easy to store indoors. In six weeks those little wigglers convert the scraps into nutrient-rich humus to use on our plants. Oh the smell! There is no odor when the lid is on. When the lid comes off for a fill-up, the main smell is that of rich, fresh soil.

This has been a fun project for the whole family and the garden has never loved us more. For a quick read on how to get started I recommend "Worms Eat My Garbage" by Mary Appelhof.