Garlic Planting with Bill Mewaldt

We started preparing the new garlic patch about three hours before the class was to begin. The ground that we chose out in the back display garden does not receive any water other than where the drips are around the trees and planting beds, and from rainfall - so it was very dry and compacted soil. We raked back the shredded cedar from the area, and then soaked it four times, about an inch deep. It took about 20-30 minutes for it to completely soak in each time. Then we fired up Rose's little rototiller and started loosing up the soil. This is where I should tell you to be very careful with these little tools. While they are quite effective in breaking up the soil, they are also pretty good at cutting right through an existing drip line.

We then added 1 bag of each:

 Gardener & Bloome Farmyard Blend

Gardener & Bloome Soil Building Compost

Gardener & Bloome Organic Vegetable Fertilizer
http://www.kellogggarden.com/

Rose firing up the Honda

Organic amendments, ready to be tilled into the soil

Garlic all layed out, ready to be planted

Bill placing the garlic into the soil. 2-3 inches

Our "Garlic Guru" Bill Mewaldt, owner of Mewaldt's Organic Farm here in Fallon. http://www.mewaldtorganics.com/

Yes, I really did cut through the drip line, but lucky for me, it had to be moved to cover the garlic bed anyway.

FREE Seeds

 Do you qualify for 25 FREE PACKETS OF SEEDS?

Every year the seed companies take back hundreds of packets of seeds that we have not sold and give us credit towards next years order. Last year we happened to ask them "Just what do you do with all these seeds that are returned ever year?" We were told that they were either 1. Sent to developing countries 2. Repackaged and sold again the following year (something I can not imagine! them doing, opening up all those little seed packets and re marketing them) 3. Destroy them.

So we asked very kindly if we could give them away to non-profit organizations, and they said YES!!! This year we thought we would put it out to more of the community that these packets are available, and since we reach over 4000 on our email list every week...........here goes!

** FREE ** 25 PACKETS OF SEEDS 

Available to any Non-profits in the Fallon/Fernley area. All you need to do is bring in some sort of ID or information on how your non-profit will use the seeds. We will let you sort through the hundreds of seed packets that are available. All we ask, please share this information with your friends that might also be able to use them. Seeds continue to keep their germination success for years, you can store these until next spring and then plant.

Think of the possibilities:
Teachers - class project

Senior Citizens - start a community garden at the Senior Center 

Churches - Want to start a growing area around your Sunday School program?

The seeds will be available until they run out! And a huge Thank you goes out to our two seed suppliers that have agreed to allow us to do this: Livingston Seeds and Botanical Interests.



today in my garden.....

Mabel keeps a very close eye on me from inside.

Early morning, the sun had just come up over the willow trees in the front yard, and wrapped in my soft cotton robe, with a steaming cup of coffee I ventured to my wicker chair on the front porch to plan out my day. It's been pretty busy in "SusanWorld" for the last couple weeks, what with a camping trip, nursery trade show in Reno and trees arriving for Fall at the nursery. I have missed my time in my garden. The weather could not have been more beautiful today with the sun shining bright, no wind and the birds playing in the new seed I set out last night in the side yard. First task at hand: pull up all the calendula that has overtaken, in a pretty way, the entire area under my roses out front. Shades of yellow and orange have been a beautiful ground cover all summer but it is time to mulch in the roses for winter and do some clean up. Anyone my age will certainly have memories of the many times you heard Carol King signing "I feel the Earth Move Under My Feet", (I know, it's in your head now!). As I was pulling up the calendula the earth was literally moving under my hands as the earthworms danced in the sun trying to get back underground. I know I have told you before, but the combo of worm castings and cocoa mulch works!! if you want to bring earthworms to your garden, and have them stay there and multiply.

peppers for tonights dinner



YES......I too, still have plants to get in the ground.



Next it was on to fertilize the lawn. Sure wish I had done this job before we had those marvelous rains of last week, but we were out camping in that storm. I was given a sample bag of Kellogg's Gardner & Bloome new lawn fertilizer so I could do a little test study on my own lawn. They have formulated this new organic to compliment the rest of their soil lines and fertilizers. I did the north side of my lawn with Dr. Earth and the south side with Gardner & Bloome. Will keep you posted if I notice major differences in the results. Both have living microbes and other wonderful organic components. Only wish: neither one puts the settings on the bag for the spreader.


The rest of the day, bike riding, resting and reading, gathering peppers and tomatoes that wil make up part of our dinner for tonight.....ahhhhhh Fall in Fallon. Gotta love it. See you in the big garden, Flower Tree, soon, Susan 




geraniums will be coming in soon





Cody C helped me plant this new multi branched birch in the side yard.



Streaming to Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park

Two nights of starry filled skies, one night of pouring rain, a couple great hikes, wonderful conversation a plenty and lots and lots of laughs. Camping, our style.

http://www.stateparks.com/berlinichthyosaur.html

Can't beat the Nevada sunsets

Wonderful hike! Kathy and I had sunshine a plenty on Saturday, and Bob and I got caught in the rain on Sunday.

Richmond Ore

Old majesty to greet us at the top of the trail.

A shopping we will go....

Michelle and I spent the last two days in Reno shopping at the huge L&L Nursery Supply trade show. This is the best time for us to see all the latest products that hit the nursery world all in one space. We picked up some wonderful new information on organic pest control, new products that will make some of our gardening chores much easier, and we picked out some beautiful new fountains, hats, and SURPRISES, that you will just have to wait till Spring to see.

Michelle was intrigued with this new wire wrapped moss. It will make it easy to turn ANY container into a beautiful hanging basket.

Melissa and I looking through some of the new Dr. Earth products.

New hats for Spring Gardening!!!!!!

Rose was able to join us for a day in between her Arborist classes in Carson Ctiy. Her she is on the new bench she picked out for her own porch.