Calhoun County Gardening – Encouraging New Gardeners: Exploring Potted Vegetables, Raised Beds, and Winter Gardening Tips

Calhoun County, AL – I want to encourage new gardeners to try new options! Why not try a few potted vegetables on a patio or deck? If in ground gardening is labor intensive with a tiller, build a pallet raised bed! In raised bed gardening you can yearly add to your soil to increase the value of the compost. The secret I use in the winter months is to use tarps or landscape fabric with metal landscape pins, to cover the soil. I uncover the soil in early spring after the last frost. The covering of your soil in your garden zones helps to keep weed seeds out, reducing pulling weeds while your seedlings get a headstart. Also the winter heavy mulching of perennials with bark chips or pine straw increases the spring new plants. I remove half of the mulch after the last frost to give the perennials breathing room to duplicate. It takes 14-21 days to compost a straw bale to start planting the straw bale. See my email below if you need a bale busting recipe? I always use potted gardening along with in ground gardening. Pots can be moved in hot summer temperatures to more protected shade, if needed. Have fun with all the gardening options!

Betty Clark is a contributing writer. She is an organic gardener since 1998. Signature flower she grows are Dahlias. She has a straw bale garden, raised bed garden, and in ground garden. Both her surnames are agricultural farming families (8 generations). Her hobbies include ancestry research, antiques, continued education classes, and workshops. She also has a background in marketing & promotions including expos. To contact Betty Clark with gardening questions: bettyclark2151959@gmail.com

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