Mormon Life - Gardening tag

LDS stake garden grows vegetables, skills and unity

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:34:00 -0600

source: heraldextra.com

Members of the Payson Mt. Nebo Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came together last week to plant a garden for the fourth consecutive year.

Before its beginning in 2009, the stake presidency, consisting of Rodney Newman, Robert Marsh and Mark DeHart, felt a garden would be a good project for their stake. They believed it would foster fellowship, teach gardening and food preservation skills and provide food for the needy as well as other stake members.

{Lifestyle} Planting an Edible Garden

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:03:00 -0600

by Joy Bossi and Karen Bastow
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Whether you have two acres or two containers, it is possible to harvest crops nearly year round in your own little slice of garden heaven.

“Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the veggies is?”

Planting an edible landscape gives room for all the veggies and fruits any family would love. In many areas, spring planting may start as early as March—or even February in warmer climates. Here in the Intermountain West, we are pushing the freezing envelope if any warm season crops are planted before the middle of May. Okay, okay . . . it’s even better if we wait until around Memorial Day.

Whether you have two acres or two containers, it is possible to harvest crops nearly year round in your own little slice of garden heaven. The downsizing of home lots can cause some concern about available space.

Instead of just choosing plants that provide ornamental delight, try planting some yummy edible substitutes that are beautiful in their own right. Lawn has its place and important function, but if the only sunny area in your yard is now lawn, maybe that is the space you should be aiming at for food production. Gardens can be planted in rather unconventional ways that add interest and surprises throughout the entire yard.

In our book, The Incredible, Edible Landscape, we help gardeners explore new ways to produce food in the most local place of all—their own yards! There are many reasons we feel this is an important part of provident living, and here are a few:

-Serious counsel has been given to grow our own food.

-Commercial food supplies sometimes become contaminated with E. coli, salmonella, etc.

-Pesticide residue on our fresh foods poses increasing health risks.

-Nutrients begin to be lost the moment crops are harvested.

-Perhaps most importantly: no one should miss out on the taste of a freshly picked ripe peach or a sun-warmed, homegrown tomato.

As President Benson once said, “The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”

One of the early titles of our book was “Provident Gardening.” That title ended up on the editing room floor, but the message behind that title is still addressed in every chapter. So, just what is gardening providently? It’s carefully preparing for future needs by focusing on growing edibles—and not only in the future but, deliciously, in the here and now! Knowing how to grow veggies under a variety of conditions can certainly supplement and enhance basic food storage. We strongly believe that NOW is the time to learn and practice gardening skills. There is no better place or time to hone these skills than when choosing your next gardening project. Try some of these edible substitutions for a start:

TREES – FOR -

Almond trees Flowering Cherries

2 varieties of Filbert Clump River Birch

Sour Cherry trees Lilac, Forsythia

Dwarf Peach tree (not in deep shade) Japanese Maple

SHRUBS –

Gooseberry Pyracantha, Barberry

Raspberry Privet, Juniper

Grape vine Virginia Creeper

Dwarf peach, plum, or apple Mugho pine

ANNUALS –

Opal basil Ageratum, Lobelia

Eggplant Tall Zinnia

Bright Lights Chard Medium Marigold

Sun Sugar tomato Black-eyed Susan vine

PERENNIALS –

Asparagus Ornamental Grass

Golden Sage Moonbeam Coreopsis

Chives Blue Fescue Grass

Oregano Ajuga

Here are some more ideas for incorporating edible plants into your garden:

Rhubard chard with edible Pansies.

Can you spot strawberries, nasturtiums, peppers, marigolds, melons, peaches, and ornamental sweet potatoes?

Condominium containers = edible landscape

Here’s a personal survey to help you determine your progress towards provident gardening:

1. Do you know how to grow plants from seeds?

2. Can you gather seeds from the produce you grew?

3. Have you stored those seeds?

4. Are there spare tools, parts, fertilizer, etc. in your storage?

5. Can you protect your little plants from cold, heat, insects, wind, and animals?

6. Do you know how to properly plant a leggy tomato start?

7. Can you freeze, dry, bottle, preserve and store your produce?

8. Would you like to know how to grow a Chocolate Cookie Bush?

Our book addresses these and other important gardening questions, but for all of the ideas in our book, the most important message we share is this: spiritual and emotional comfort and healing can come from being in a garden—especially when that garden is an incredible, edible landscape!

To learn more or order The Incredible, Edible Landscape, please visit joyinthegarden.com.

LDS members inspire faith-driven initiatives to preserve the natural world

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:53:00 -0600

source: universe.byu.edu

Despite sharing a small south-campus apartment with three other roommates, Brian Shirts is passionate about his garden, which he cultivates on a few small patches of Earth in his apartment complex parking lot.

“The ability to make my own spaghetti sauce and make it taste better than anything you can buy is a great feeling,” Shirts said. “I guess it all comes down to being able to create something and the desire to make it the best.”

Shirts is far from alone in his desire to maintain a connection with nature. Among Latter-day Saints, interest in environmentalism has grown since the 1970s, when then church President Spencer Kimball renewed Brigham Young’s decree that church members, as the earth’s stewards, should clean up and cultivate their properties.

Community Garden Helps Stake, Families Grow Together

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:19:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

Steady labor, a positive attitude, and faith in God can yield the sweetest of fruits. Such a harvest is being enjoyed by scores of folks from all backgrounds at the Provident Community Garden located in a suburban area of northern Las Vegas.

The members of the Las Vegas Nevada Sandstone Stake have played a major partnering role in the garden, which opened last month. Working with folks from the city’s business and religious community, the Sandstone stake has been pivotal in the garden’s development—and they’ve made several new friends along the way.

“We have truly seen the hand of the Lord through this garden,” said Paul Moffat, a member of the Sandstone stake high council who also serves as the president of the garden’s governing board.

LDS green thumbs learning provident living by gardening

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:10:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Mormon Life says: I love this idea. Here's a tip from the folks here at the Provident Community Garden that will benefit even the most seasoned green thumb: No garden is complete without turnips — "turn up" with determination; "turn up" with a smile; "turn up" to do the Lord's work.

Call it a little gardening humor wrapped around plenty of gospel truths. Steady labor, a positive attitude and faith in God can yield the sweetest of fruits. Such a harvest is being enjoyed by scores of folks from all backgrounds at the Provident Community Garden located in a suburban area of northern Las Vegas.

Gardening project in Arizona

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:25:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

Mormon Life says: I love the idea of having ward or stake gardens. In February of 2009, Allen C. Christensen received a request from Larry Justice, president of the Tuba City Arizona Stake, for help with a project. A gardening project, to be more specific, that would help enhance self-reliance and provident living among members in the Tuba City Arizona Stake and the surrounding areas.

Brother Christensen, recently retired director of the Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture and Food Institute, went with his then-colleague Richard Brimhall to meet with President Justice and some of his priesthood leaders in March of 2009, and it was decided that they would do a comprehensive demonstration garden at the Tuba City Arizona Stake Center.

In the demonstration garden they planted corn, squash, beans, peppers, raspberry bushes, grape vines, fruit trees and just about anything else they could because they needed to spend some time working with the soil.

Gardens teach children important life lessons

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:52:00 -0700

source: MormonTimes.com

Mormon Life says: Great tips for building your kids' enthusiasm for gardening. Young children love gardening. For parents, a home vegetable garden provides a great opportunity to teach children some of life’s most valuable lessons.

In October 1977, LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball provided this instruction:

“Who can gauge the value of that special chat between daughter and dad as they weed or water the garden? How do we evaluate the good that comes from the obvious lessons of planting, cultivating and the eternal law of the harvest? And how do we measure the family togetherness and cooperating that must accompany successful canning? Yes, we are laying up resources in store, but perhaps the greater good is contained in the lessons of life we learn as we live providently.”

Essential Herbs for Home Storage and Use

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:04:00 -0700

by Emergency Essentials
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Have you ever considered storing your own medicinal herbs? This is a simple list of common and easy-to-obtain herbs and their uses. Remember: use with care!

Many people keep a variety of herbal remedies on hand for home use. This is not intended to be an exhaustive treatise on the use of medicinal herbs, but rather a simple list of easy-to-obtain healing herbs and some of their uses. Some have found the following herbs and applications useful. All herbal medicines carry some degree of risk: they are, after all, medicines. Be wise in your use of them, do your research. Having some knowledge about these natural remedies may help in an emergency.

1. Calendula [kuh-len-juh-luh]. This herb is applied externally in the form of salves and ointments for treating skin irritations. It is also known as Pot Marigold, a member of the daisy family. An ointment made from the flower is used to reduce inflammation and swelling and to promote healing of injuries, sores and skin ulcers. In tea form it is used for sore mouths and throats, stomach ulcers, and to ease menstrual cramps?Pregnant women are not advised to take it! 

2. Chamomile [kam-uh-mahyl, -meel]. The national flower of Russia and is also a member of the daisy family. Most often, Chamomile is taken as a tea made from the flower that calms, relaxes and eases stomach aches. Many people use it as a sleeping aid, and it is known to reduce stress and promote health throughout the digestive system. 

3. Echinacea [ek-uh-ney-shuh, -see-uh]. Also known as Coneflower, Echinacea is generally taken in capsule or lozenge form or as a tincture to boost the immune system and help fight off colds and flu. (A tincture is an alcohol-based derivative of a plant.) The roots and above-ground parts of the Echinacea plant can be used. It is not a one-dose medication, but must be taken from the first symptoms every two to four hours to be effective. It should not be taken for more than ten days. North American plains Indians used it to treat sore throats, coughs and as a pain-reliever. As with any plant, allergic reactions may occur in some people. 

4. Garlic [gahr-lik]. A pungent herb of the allium (lily) family, garlic may be taken raw or cooked as a flavoring agent. Raw, the bulbs (cloves) can be eaten for cardiovascular benefits, an antibacterial or an antiviral aid. When applied to the skin, garlic also has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Eaten cooked, it retains only its cardiovascular value (lowering blood pressure). Allowing it to sit for a few minutes after it is chopped or crushed before consuming or adding to salads or recipes increases its nutritional and medicinal value. It has several useful ingredients, including allicin and selenium. Commercially-prepared capsules do not seem to have the same level of benefits as fresh. 

5. Ginger [jin-jer]. This popular herb is a stimulant, and was eaten candied by British soldiers in wartime to fight fatigue. It can be eaten raw or taken in capsule form or as a tea to combat motion sickness, nausea, indigestion and inflammation. Sweet and hot in flavor, it has been a staple spice in many world cuisines, including Chinese, Indian, and West Indies. Ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger snaps, pickled ginger and crystallized ginger all attest to the variety of uses this spicy herb has to offer. The rhizome of the plant is the part used?often mistakenly called the root. To make ginger tea, add 1 cup very hot water to 1 tsp. fresh-grated or powdered ginger, cover and steep for ten minutes. Strain and enjoy. 

6. Lavender [lav-uh n-der]. This sweet-fragranced herb, known for its relaxing qualities in aroma therapy and massage oils, can be used in fresh or dried form or as an essential oil in baths and compresses to treat insomnia, headaches and to soothe burns. It can also be taken as a tea by combining 1 heaping tablespoon of dried flowers with one cup hot water, and allow it to steep. Many bakeries are adding lavendar to baked goods (especially sugar cookies) for a different and refreshing flavor. An old favorite in sachet packets, lavender flowers can also be combined with lemon balm leaves and hops strobiles (female flowers of the hops vine) to tuck into your pillowcase for a good night?s sleep. 

7. Lemon Balm. Used as a tea to calm, soothe and uplift, this relative of mint often pairs with lavender in its applications, but can also function alone. The leaves have a lemony fragrance when crushed and an antiviral agent that shortens the duration of cold sores. It is also reputed to be able to calm a racing heart, but care must be taken by persons with an under-active thyroid, as lemon balm properties tend to slow thyroid function. Many European cuisines use lemon balm in salads, stuffing for poultry and in flavoring summer drinks. 

8. Peppermint. This popular flavoring is not only used in candies and chewing gum, but as a decongestant to aid in cold and flu relief and as a tea to soothe stomachaches and headaches. It is useful in relaxing a spastic colon and helping to relieve morning sickness. Applying a few drops of peppermint oil to the temples or forehead can help to relieve tension headaches. 

9. St. John's Wort. "Wort" is an Old English word that simply means plant. This herb got its name because its small yellow flowers usually begin to bloom around June 24, the day believed by some to be the birthday of John the Baptist. It is used in various forms to relieve mild to moderate anxiety and depression. It can be used in tea, tincture and capsules. The active ingredients include hypericin, hyperforin and several tannins and flavonoids. Research continues on its usefulness. 

10. Valerian [vuh-leer-ee-uh n]. This hardy perennial plant with ferny leaves and pink or white heads of fragrant flowers has long been valued for the relaxing and sleep-producing effects of its root. It has also been used in perfumes as far back as the 1500?s. Studies have varied and been inconclusive as to the sleep-inducing properties, which are believed to result from a combination of factors present in valerian rather than from just one. 

When preparing ourselves for the unknown, it is very wise to look around us to see what is available to help us cope. Herbs are nature's medicine cabinet and could be considered an important part of any preparedness plan.

Planting the seeds of self-reliance

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:37:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

Many Church members live in apartments or small homes with no yard space for a garden plot. Others live in dry regions where the soil is barren. Some feel that they do not have the time or financial means to grow their own food. Yet with faith, diligence, patience, and a little creativity, anyone can succeed in gardening.

As members prayerfully consider the counsel to plant gardens and search for ways to be obedient to this principle, they will be amazed at the solutions they find. Here are some experiences and advice from members who have followed the counsel to plant a garden.

Essential Herb Gardening

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:10:00 -0700

by Sara Patterson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Growing herbs 101. Food gardening has proven to be a useful, and tasty, hobby for many. For some, it is a passion. “You feel a sense of accomplishment taking something from a seed and seeing it grow,” says Greg Goodrow, who works with IFA Country Stores in Utah. “It’s a therapeutic thing. I think that’s why a lot of people garden. They get a feeling of doing something worthwhile.”

For novices, cooks, or those with little space, an herb is just the thing to get your started this spring. Here are some basic herbs that are simple to care for and work well in the kitchen.

Basil
Chefs out there will know how frustrating it can be to buy fresh basil, one of the most common fresh herbs in cooking, only to have it spoil before it’s used. This truth makes having a growing basil plant even more attractive than just its great taste and smell. Though basil can still temperamental when you grow it, if handled correctly, it will be a great addition to your garden and kitchen.

“Basil is a fun one to grow,” says Goodrow with a smile.

Basil dies in winter, so you will need to replant it each spring. If you are planning on starting your basil outside rather than in a pot indoors, even a slight frost will kill it, so make sure the days are warm before planting.

Plant it in a place that is well sheltered from the wind and receives a lot of sun. Greg Goodrow advises gardeners to add a rich soil medium to the area, rather than planting in the soils already found in the yard. Basil requires good, healthy ground to flourish.

If you choose basil for your garden, you will soon learn that there is a huge variety. “There are hundreds of kinds of basil,” says Goodrow, “and each type has a different flavor. Some have a hint of licorice. The most common is sweet basil.” He also adds that Thai, sweet dani (or “lemon”), and purple basil to the list.

For harvesting basil, Goodrow suggests you “harvest the leaves before the flowers come. Once the basil begins flowering, the leaves lose their flavor.” Remember to pick leaves from each of your basil plants rather than stripping one plant completely—chances are it will never recover.

Chives
Chives grow from bulbs; therefore, unlike basil, they become dormant in the winter and sprout again the next spring. “Chives are easy to grow from seed,” Goodrow says. “They like a rich soil, and you need to keep it fairly moist, especially at first.”

In March or October, pull up your chives, separate them into individual bulbs, then replant them with the tip of the bulb right at the surface.

Once full grown, chives can take care of themselves and no longer need your caretaking. If you cut them back, they’ll just continue to grow up. The cut leaves will grow back quickly, allowing for multiple harvests in a season. Goodrow said that they are also very tolerant of heat and conditions outside.

Dill
Dill is a tall, lanky plant that will grow up to 2 or 3 feet. “Dill is easy to grow,” Goodrow says. “It doesn’t have any special needs, but if planting them outside, do it when the soil is warm.” Like basil, give it very good soil. Dill plants can be fussy about being transplanted, so make sure that the first place you plant them is where you want them to stay.

Dill is best used on seafood, in eggs, and for pickling.

Parsley
Plant parsley a few weeks after the danger of frost has passed and the ground has dried out a bit. Goodrow explains that it will grow in poor soil, so put it in the ground you aren’t reserving for your more picky plants.

There are a lot of varieties of parsley and all are easy to grow. As a perennial (meaning it will last many seasons), parsley will come back bigger each year. When you harvest your parsley, snip off the large outer leaves and allow the inner leaves to continue growing.

“Some people dry parsley in a dehydrator or on low heat in the oven. Usually they mash it up and put it in a container,” Goodrow says. Though not a personal favorite, he explains that parsley is frequently used as a garnish because of its bitter taste.

Thyme
When Goodrow grew his own thyme, he started the plant inside then took it outside, where it grew to about 6 inches around. “It takes a bit longer to get it to a good size, but it’s very aromatic,” he explained. “It is fairly easy to grow.”

Thyme does best with as little interference as possible. Plant it under full sun and in light and in sandy or loamy soil, and it will grow itself. Too much water will rot the roots. Like basil, thyme should be replanted each year as it dies off in the winter.

Now it’s time to get growing!

Coming Up Weeds

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Ah, weeding. The favorite Saturday pastime of adults and children alike. Many of us can recall fond childhood memories of hot summer days spent pulling, prying, even putting our whole weight behind those stubborn pests. Truly, weeding is one memory that the years can't romanticize. Isn't there an easier way to get it done? Well, yes.

Wet the soil. It's an old tip, but it's an important one, especially when your beds have been baking in the hot summer sun. For best results, water the area thoroughly and allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes.

Break out the tools. A weeding tool, which has a forked tip, is best used for tougher weeds. To use it, push it into the soil and lever the forked end against the stalk and roots. For young, shallow weeds, simply rake over the area and allow the weeds to die, then pluck them out. You can also ensure weeds stay shallow by gently stirring the soil's surface, thus uprooting newly developing weeds.

Lay black plastic or garden weed cloth. This works best in areas overrun with weeds. With time, the heat will kill the weeds, making them easier to pull and lessening their impact on the garden. Be prepared for this method to take some time (maybe up to a whole season).

Weed out seedlings. The proverbial "One year's seeding makes seven years weeding" is true. After you've cleaned up your beds, make sure to stay on top of the weed situation. Get rid of weeds when they are small and before they go to seed, and you'll avoid marathon weeding sessions in the future.

One final tip: Never lay a pulled weed on unprotected ground; the seeds could spread. Either stick the weeds directly in the garbage, or lay them on a surface covered with plastic or newspaper.

Sowing the Seeds of Survival

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by Angie Sullivan
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Storing and planting garden seeds is a great way to reap the benefits of gardening now and in the future. I decided we would take a small detour on our journey to preparedness to talk about something that is probably on many minds this time of year: gardening.

I know what you're thinking--what does gardening have to do with preparedness? When land is available, one of the best ways to keep fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet during an emergency is by growing them in your own garden. A garden adds nutrition and variety to your food storage.

So let's talk a little about storing and planting garden seeds. You'll see how it's a great strategy when it comes to preparedness!

Storing Garden Seeds Non-hybrid, open pollinating seeds are the best type to store when purchasing storage seeds. These types of seeds can be planted and their seeds can be collected at the end of the season for a future garden. Most seeds purchased today are hybrid seeds and cannot produce more plants. That is why choosing "non-hybrid" seeds is so important. Remember the old adage, "You can count the seeds in an apple, but you cannot count the apples in a seed."

The Garden Seeds available from Emergency Essentials are non-hybrid, open pollinating and include packets of several different vegetables. Each packet of seeds is foil lined, and the seeds are sealed in a #10 can. Garden seeds should be stored in a cool and dry environment, sealed tightly to avoid moisture. Each of these cans has enough seeds to produce a vegetable garden of up to two-thirds of an acre!

Planning Your Garden Draw a garden plan. This will help you decide what to plant and where, and it will help when you rotate the next year. Use whatever space you have available, but remember that your garden should have at least four to six hours of full sunshine every day. The soil should be able to drain well. If you are using planters or window boxes, be sure to allow holes for drainage. Fertilize the soil by adding fertilizer before tilling. Continue to fertilize throughout the growing season. Plant a good variety, remembering that different colored vegetables yield different nutrients. Try planting a "rainbow" of colors to get the most vitamin variety.

How To Plant A good general rule is to plant seeds at a depth of three times the diameter of the seeds. Fine seeds, such as parsely, should be scattered on top of the soil and pressed down lightly. Climbing plants such as tomatoes, peas, and beans should be planted near stakes or trellises. Allow yourself room to move around and weed between the plants.

Saving Seeds Saving your own seeds may seem time consuming, but when you replant your own seeds, they usually yield plants better suited to your soil and climate! After planting, keep track of the healthiest non-hybrid self-pollinating plants. Once the seeds have been collected, they need to be dried thoroughly before being stored. Excess moisture can cause the seeds to mold and rot. Use a fine screen or a sheet of plastic or glass to dry the seeds on. Dry the seeds in a warm place, out of direct sunlight. Seeds that are dried can be stored in small pill bottles, small envelopes, and other small containers. Label each packet well and add any relevant information. Then, store them in a cool, dry place. If you use envelopes, you might want to seal those envelopes in a jar with an airtight seal to keep out any additional moisture.

Sprouting Seeds There are times in an emergency when your family needs nourishing vegetables immediately. Waiting months to harvest a garden may not be feasible. A fast and easy way to obtain nutrients is through sprouting.

Sprouting is simple, and there are kits available to aid you in the process, or you can use items you find around the house. Good sprouting seeds are alfalfa, mung beans, triticale, soy beans, lentils, whole peas, adzuki beans, clover, garbanzo beans, rye, wheat, beans, rice, and oats. The last five seeds listed will sprout in only two days! The rest will sprout in three to five days.

Have you enjoyed our small detour? Hopefully you are inspired to add the very important item of garden seeds to your food storage supply. Reap the rewards of gardening and add variety and nutrition to your food storage plan at the same time!

Square Foot Gardening

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by Erin Jones
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: With just a few unconventional techniques, you can have a beautiful, unique, and organized garden that doesn’t take too much effort. Picture your garden: Is it overgrown with weeds? Is it ugly and embarrassing? Are there any edible plants at all?

Now imagine a new garden without these common ailments. Upon first look, the garden of your dreams has a slightly different appearance: divided evenly into sections, it has a beautifully landscaped area with more diversity foot-for-foot than typical gardens.

This is square foot gardening. Mel Bartholomew, the originator of the system, believes that square foot gardening is more than just a new method of gardening--it's a different psychological approach.

What Is It? Bartholomew, a retired engineer, created the method after he saw rundown gardens and realized that most gardening methods are geared toward large-scale growers. He set out to develop a method that would work in a small space for anyone who wanted to garden. "I came up with the idea that we could eliminate all the bad things about single row gardening and turn it into square foot gardening," says Bartholomew.

While traditional gardening involves planting seeds in rows, square foot gardening divides the garden into a series of squares. Each twelve-by-twelve-inch square holds a different vegetable, flower, or herb, with each square the same distance apart in all directions. The resulting square foot system takes little work, keeps gardeners from overplanting, and uses 80 percent less space than a traditional garden.

Square foot gardening also produces five times the crop as a traditional garden. "Part of the beauty of square foot gardening," says Bartholomew, "is it allows you to grow more of your own food, which helps with your budget."

The Method To start a square foot garden, first pick an area that gets a lot of sunlight. Bartholomew suggests keeping the garden close to your home so it's easy to see and take care of. Decide how many garden boxes you want to create. You can create just one box, or as many as you please.

Now follow the steps of square foot gardening:

1. Layout. Lay out four-by-four foot planting areas with walkways in between.

2. Boxes. Build garden box frames no wider than four feet, and about six to eight inches deep. Length is not important, but a good size is four-by-four feet. Make the frames from any material (lumber works great) except treated wood. Fasten the boards together with deck screws.

3. Aisles. If you're planning for more than one garden box, space boxes three feet apart to form walking aisles. Make them large enough to kneel in.

4. Soil. Fill each box with Bartholomew's mix of one-third compost, one-third peat moss, and one-third coarse vermiculite. If you're placing the boxes over grass, you can cover the grass with cardboard or landscape cloth so weeds won't grow through the soil.

5. Grid. The most important part of the system is a grid is placed on top of each box and divides the box into one-foot squares. The grid should divide the box frame into sixteen spaces for up to sixteen kinds of crops. You can make the grid from any material such as wood, plastic strips, or old blinds. Attach the grid pieces where they cross with screws or rivets. The grid organizes your garden and makes it easy to manage.

6. Care. Don't walk on the soil. Tend the garden from the aisles.

7. Select. Plant a different flower, vegetable, or herb crop in each square foot, placing one, four, nine, or sixteen seeds per square foot (check the recommended plant spacing on the seed packet). According to Bartholomew, the easiest crops to grow are beans, beets, swiss chard, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, squash, and tomatoes.

8. Plant. Make holes with your finger; plant one or two seeds in each hole and cover. Store extra seeds in the refrigerator. Do not overplant.

9. Water. Water often by hand from a bucket of sun-warmed water.

10. Harvest. When you finish harvesting a square foot, add compost and replant it with a new and different crop for crop rotation.

Both beginners and experts can take to square foot gardening. Bartholomew suggests making it a family affair by getting kids involved with creating their own gardens.

Bartholomew believes that square foot gardening helps accomplish President Kimball's advice to "grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property" and to "study the best methods of providing your own foods."

"President Kimball said to find the best, most efficient, most attractive method of gardening and to practice that," says Bartholomew.

--- Making Your Garden Last . . .

Now that you've grown your own beautiful garden, are you overwhelmed by its success? Canning is the perfect way to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long. Here are some quick tips to help you get started.

Check your supplies. Inspect all your jars, lids, and rings to make sure there aren't any defects.

Make some space. You're going to need a lot of room for your canning project, so clean up your kitchen counters before you start. One way to have ample space is to purchase an outdoor stove, such as the three-burner stoves available from Camp Chef (campchef.com). Another benefit of using an outdoor stove is that your house won't be uncomfortably warm and filled with steam.

Start with tried and true recipes. Ask friends and family for their best canning recipes so you have a good experience with your results the first time through. Later, you can get creative.

Apartment Gardening

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Many apartment dwellers may have resigned themselves to living without a garden. But even with limited space and resources, you can grow some great things through container gardening.

Container gardening is about your only option if you only have a balcony or a patio. Don't fear; you can grow a great garden in containers. Here are some tips:

Good Plants for containers include tomatoes, peppers, and cabbage. The patio variety of tomato, or a cherry tomato like Sweet Million, Sun Gold, Sweet 100, or Small Fry, come highly recommended.
Make sure the container is big enough. Put tomatoes in two-gallon containers or pots that are at least twelve inches across.
Plant two or three plants in a half barrel.
Stake the tomatoes.
Use potting soil or top soil mixed with compost or peat.
If possible, put the containers where they will get six hours of good sunlight. If that isn't possible, just do the best you can.
Peppers can have slightly smaller containers than tomatoes. Pots should be at least eight inches across.
Water immediately after planting with a starter fertilizer. After planting, water often, since soil dries out fast.

If you don't have a balcony or patio but do have a window that gets a lot of sun, you can still grow a small garden.

Any herb can be grown in containers. Look for a long window box pot with several different herbs in it. Some herbs that do well include basil, bay, dill, thyme, parsley, chives, lemon balm, garlic chives, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and savory.
Also, you can try some salad greens, like lettuce, Asian greens, or mustard spinach. Cut the greens when they are six to eight inches in height. You will often get a second or third cutting from greens. Most indoor grown plants want at least five hours of direct sunlight.
You can also supplement natural light with shop-style fluorescent lights. Position them so they are six inches above the top leaves.

Landscaping 101

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:00:00 -0700

by Claire Thornock Brazelton
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: You might think you have to hire someone to make the perfect yard a reality, but anyone who is willing to take the time and use the right tools can create their own picturesque landscape.

There are so many things to consider in landscaping that you might feel intimidated when it comes to making your own yard beautiful. Never fear. Whether you are starting a new landscape from scratch or want to improve an old one, these simple guidelines will help you to create that perfect look.

Plant Choice According to Stephen Labrum, a professional landscaper and grounds supervisor for the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork, Utah, the first step you need to take in deciding which plants to use is to look at your property and decide how you are going to use the space. He suggests looking through books and magazines for inspiration.

"I have my own file and cut things out of magazines to get an idea of a great garden area or patio--things that I then incorporate into projects," says Labrum. But remember, there are several things to consider when choosing plants.

Climate "Go to professional gardens such as at temples, city buildings, and school campuses to get an idea of what plants grow well in your area and what they look like," Labrum says.

Visiting these places not only allows you to see a visual landscape but also shows you plants at a young, intermediate, and mature stage that grow well in your area.

Local nurseries can also be a great help when finding plants to put in your yard. The people there can tell you specific things about plants and trees, like how big they are going to get, what soil is the best, and how to care for each plant.

Another way to understand your climate and which plants will thrive in your yard is to find your city's cold hardiness zone. You can find this either in a book from your library or online.

Variety When you are searching for trees, bushes, or flowers, use an assortment of species that have different heights, colors, and leaf sizes. Avoid buying numerous amounts of the same plant. "In nature, not all one species of plant grows in any given area. There are varied trees, bushes, and flowers," Labrum says. "The goal of your landscape is to make it look as natural as possible; it will make it feel more comfortable."

Don't always run with the crowd. You don't want the exact same trees and design as your neighbors. Be sure to add your own personal touch to your plant selection so that your house will stand out.

"The landscape is what keeps your eye coming back to the house," Labrum says. "It's like a new discovery of a picture, noticing different things every time you look at it."

Design The best way to design your landscape is to divide your yard into different "rooms." Labrum explains that the best functionality of your house is separation of rooms, so that is how your landscape should be too. "In my backyard I have a 'play room' with a swing set, a 'secret garden room' with a bench and pond, a 'running around room' with a big grassy area, and a 'garden' room where my garden is," says Labrum.

Connect each separate room with "hallways"--areas in the yard that don't necessarily have a purpose but get you from one room to the other. Allow each room in your yard to have its own unique plants and style, but make sure to incorporate some similar plants throughout each room so that each room is tied together.

"Its good to have different interests in your landscaping, just like you do in your house; each room has it's own paint, carpet, and pictures, yet similar things tie it all in together," Labrum says.

Finally, plant things in odd numbers. Clustering three to five plants together will give your yard a more natural look.

--- Quick Landscaping Tips

Before you start planting, make sure to know where your sprinkler, natural gas, and electrical lines are throughout the yard so that a line won't be broken during construction.
Before you start planting, look at your landscaping idea from all different perspectives: a neighbor's house, across the street, and even from a window. Show your design to a nursery worker for more input.
Don't be afraid to ask. If you visit a public garden and are wondering what types of plants or trees they use, go into the office or building and ask to speak to the landscaper.
Remember, the landscape of your house is like the mat and frame of a picture. Be sure that your landscaping and house complement each other.

Winterizing Plants

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:00:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Don't forget your plants as you make preparations for winter!

You take special steps to get your house, car, and kids ready for the winter, but what about your plants? When you start to reach for your jacket, make sure you take the following steps to help your green beauties:

Get rid of your annual plants (flowers, herbs, veggies) right away. Also, trim your perennials back to just above the soil. This will keep insects and disease away during the winter.
Non-hearty bulbs such as dahlias and gladiolas should be removed from the ground. Dry them, then store in a cool, dry place until spring.
After getting rid of any weeds or dead leaves, buy some tough compost and spread it over your beds to keep them protected from winter's unpredictable temperatures.
Put your potted plants in an unheated garage or shed - pots frequently crack in freezing weather. If your pots are too heavy to move, you can insulate them by wrapping them in bubble-wrap and covering the soil in compost.
Once your plants are settled, take the time to clean, oil, and sharpen your garden tools - it will make them much more pleasant to pull out in the spring.
Unhook and drain your garden hoses, then keep them indoors. This will lengthen their lifetime, and you can spend those extra bucks on new flowers next spring!

Picking the Ripest Fruits

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:00:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

There are those among us who know all the tricks of the fruit-picking trade, and then there are those of us who sometimes think we know, only to find out later we picked duds. Here are a few tricks to make fruit buying successful every time:

Oranges: Squish them a little; if they have some give, it means their rind is thick and they've had time to mature. Or, as with grapefruits, weigh them in your hand; if they're comparatively heavy, they're nice and juicy. (Note: contrary to popular belief, the orangest oranges are not necessarily ripe; it only means they were grown in colder temperatures.)

Peaches: First smell the peach to make sure it smells good; if you can't smell anything, it's not ripe. Then feel it to make sure it is tender (but don't push too hard). Taking these simple steps should save you the disappointment of eating a sandy, tasteless peach.

Cherries: Look for deeply colored, firm (but not hard) cherries with green stems (as opposed to dark, which will be old).

Watermelon: Look at the discoloration, where the melon has rested on the ground. If it's a big, broad discoloration (whitish-yellow) along the bottom of the melon, it's been sitting in the sun a lot, ripening, and it's perfect. If it's just a small spot of discoloration, leave the fruit for someone else.

Pineapple: The leaves of the best pineapples, when bent over on themselves, should snap at some point, rather than just bend. Overripe pineapples will smell sour.

Grapes: The best, crisp grapes will be lighter than those that are squishy and old; pinch a few on the bunch to see if they are firm. For ripeness, look for flecks of tough, brown skin, which are signals that the grapes have had good time to ripen in the sun.

A note on strawberries and tomatoes: The best strawberries and tomatoes are those that are freshly grown. Check around with your friends to see if any of them have plants, or look for roadside stands and farmers' markets that sell them. Visit fruitstands.com to help you find local farmers' markets or fruit stands.

Prepping Your Garden

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:00:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Here's a list of helpful chores to jumpstart your plants for beautiful blooming this season. Clean and Sharpen Tools: If you didn't do this during the winter, do it now. Clean, sharpened, and dry tools will prevent you from doing extra work. Three-sided bevel files work well for sharpening, as does steel wool (for smoothing). Deadheading: Get rid of spent flowers from bulbs, but be sure to leave the rest of the plant for now. Pruning: Prune early-blooming shrubs such as viburnum and forsythia as soon as their blooms have passed. Prepare Soil: Remember to fertilize and mulch your borders and beds. You should also consider fertilizing any fruit trees. Get rid of winter debris in your beds and remove heavy winter mulch if you applied it last season. Before you plant, break down soil at a level surface and cover the soil (with black plastic sheeting or similar) to warm the soil before planting. Lawn Care: This is an ideal time to start a new lawn from seed. If you already have a lawn, start mowing now, but don't cut the grass too short for the first couple of times. Have Fun!: Browse through seed and gardening catalogs to figure out what you want in this year's garden. For a sunny flower plot, you might try combining the Orange Sun Coleus, Million Bells Terra Cotta Yellow, and Red Verbena flowering plants (visit wilsonbrosnursery.com for more ideas). Or you can turn your regular flower bed into a summer fruit and vegetable bed. Some of the most successful fruits, vegetables, and herbs for beginners include strawberries, carrots, peppers, zucchini, basil, and rosemary.

Sunflowers in the Garden

Fri, 27 Jun 2003 08:38:00 -0600

by Brett Walker
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We always had sunflowers in our garden when I was young. Planted each spring, they grew along the slats of our side fence. Sunlight caught their nodding heads for a few hours each day as the great orb traveled left to right across heaven's dome.

It happened like a ceremony, we called it a "planting." Sometime between late April and mid-May as the sun coaxed our lawn from brown to green and shoes became less necessary, we'd get the family together for an evening alongside the fence. Daddy would bring rakes still caked in last year’s mud and old shovels with frowning tips. Momma carried various buckets- one for a medley of seeds, one for “nourishment,” and one for the few “plants already growing there” we’d be removing.

Plants we’d remove were referred to as “useful, but unimportant.” Never once did I hear my parents call them weeds. Only later in the year would we guess why they grew just fine without water, while the “useful, important” plants withered. Those hardy plants were useful, my parents said, because they grew- and were possibly unimportant for the same reason.

Our planting proceeded in uniform fashion. We’d turn the soil over not just once, but until hands turned red and began to blister. The ground became so airy that to step on it was to lose sight of your foot- and Daddy’s patience, as well. Occasionally, one or more of my siblings would daringly dart across the fertile bed when he’d turn away. Stepping in it made you feel weightless- as though you could fall backwards and make as angel like we’d done so many times in the winter snow.

A shouted, “Kids!” would always bring us back to planting.

A few quick maneuvers with the rake and our rows were initially hoed. Daddy had a way of moving this way and that, then stepping aside to show us an even, consistent row that traverses the length of our fence. A neat groove lined the top of each row. Once finished, he’d hand the rake to Momma, who would then open each seed packet by making a small tear in one end. She positioned each shaken-out-seed “just so” in the shallow trough, then covered it lightly with loam. We’d anxiously watch until called upon to assist with easy seeds like onions and beets.

Any leftover space was offered to the children, who could plant what they wished. Two or three years earlier, we’d impatiently planted a hodgepodge of the seed left in the bottom of the bucket-seeds Momma called “magical.” We were anxious to see what would grow. Only in August could we tell the Hubbard squash from the pumpkins. With diligent watering, we succeeded is raising a pumpkin that had to be moved in our wagon, and a squash that could be split only with an ax. From them on, we’d scrape any magical leftover together once all the little packets were gone, then broadcast these seeds in our corner spot and await nature’s outcome.

We’d fill a bucket many times to water the seeds. We’d trickle liquid here and there, then walk up and down between the rows to compact dirt that would become even more compressed as the season wore on.

The day’s crowning event was the planting of our family jewels. We’d taken from the previous year’s harvest a handful of 50 or so sunflower seeds. We fingered them individually from a small plastic bag, and embedded them evenly in the space that remained along the fence. A seed was placed on the tip of a finger, then pushed deep in the ground was all it took.

And that is where the real garden grew.

It wasn’t until I was almost twenty that I put the entire puzzle together. One year, as my voice was just beginning to crack, our sunflower sowing had an uncommon reaping. Regardless of the number of sunflower seeds that we planted that year, only five-one plant for each family member- grew into a full-sized sunflower. Many would grow much shorter, non-flowering versions of this plant called sunflower, but only four, then mysteriously, five grew to maturity. It was never clear why this happened. It was an unexplained phenomenon that paralleled and perhaps shaped our lives-at least for the season.

What became Daddy’s flower was, of course, the tallest. Momma’s was the next in size. The rest followed the pattern of our family-two taller, competing plants closing in on Momma’s in height, and one daintier plant that was both leafy and narrow. Each grew by what seemed inches a day, sort of catching up to where it should be relative to the size of our family. Daddy’s sprinted ahead of the rest, showing record-setting promise- then slowed as it peeked over the fence into the Smith’s yard. Jimmy’s and mine crowded each other halfway up the fence. Sarah’s stood a little to the side, almost in the shade. It seemed more interested in growing leaves then getting ready to become a flower.

But Momma’s blossomed first. It was a Tuesday mid-morning affair. We had expected a blossoming, but the brilliant yellow burst that greeted us as we raced outside after breakfast was awesome. The flower was only a few inches in diameter, and like a newborn colt seemed wet and wiggly getting to its feet. The yellow petals bent inward until, sparked by the sun, they exploded in flame. Within hours we had a full-fledged sunflower. But that was Momma, a perfect woman of virtue who was first on the scene, bringing immense happiness to whomever she met with a plateful of just-baked cookie, an ear to bend, a tear to shed. We thought she’d always been this way.

The rest of our plants just kept growing, only to flower much later. When Jimmy stepped on a nail in our woodpile, a few leaves on his plant turned brown. Daddy laughed at our theory that these events were some how connected, and passed it off to lack of water. We insisted the brown leaves weren't there earlier that day.

“Brown leaves take time,” he said. But after his tetanus shot, Jimmy and I could see more green in the leaves.

We began using our theory to test other family events. The fact that we had only the right number of sunflower plants for each person in our family seemed strange. Suggesting that the plants somehow mirrored our lives make the neighbor kids sit up and listen. That the leaves on Jimmy’s plant died, then came back to life only after Jimmy’s shot was too much!

“Why hasn’t Daddy’s blossomed yet,” one of us asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Yeah, and why it’s kind of leaning on the fence?”

“It looks sad.”

We’d speculate on such matters as whether daddy was happy, and why he might not be. We knew only that he was gone a lot that summer. Later in the day we’d ask him if he was sad, and he’d tussle our hair and say that is was nice we were concerned.

“He didn’t say, ‘No, I’m happy,” Jimmy would contend.

“But he seems happy.”

“Seems sad to me.”

Each day Daddy’s plant seemed to lean more against the fence. A full head was developing that bent over like a shepherd’s crook. When it bloomed, it’s short petals seemed like the ray’s I’d drawn countless times around circles that meant “sun” in all my early art. The areas inside the petals held hundreds of seeds. But each day it leaned farther against the fence.

Then someone knocked Sarah’s plant over. No one would admit to the act. Sarah cried because we teased her that she’d no longer be a part of the family. We were all so worked up that Momma called Daddy at work to reassure us that he could replant Sarah’s flower when he got home.

“Put it in a bucket of water,” he said. Sarah liked the idea. “My plant’s swimming. Just like I want to swim everyday.”

Jimmy and I secretly expected something to happen to Sarah. We began watching her closely.

“Don’t let her out of your sight, Jimmy.”

“She looks sick to me,” Jimmy hinted.

“Yeah, kind of pale.”

Replanted, Sarah’s plant seemed to thrive. When it grew taller than Jimmy’s and mine, Sarah became quite competitive.

“Mine’s taller than yours,” Sarah sang.

“Daddy fertilized it,” was all we could say.

We were all convinced Daddy’s sunflower head was the biggest and broadest we’d ever seen. Momma’s had such fine features we talked about entering it in the county fair. Where the sunflowers grew, Daddy’s brooded over the rest- still leaning against the fence, but sheltering us from the sun late in the day.

“Why does it lean against the fence?” We asked daddy this question nearly every night.

“Look closely at the base of the stalk,” he pointed out. “Something about the way this plant grew has weakened the base.” He pulled the sunflower away from the fence and showed us how the place where the plant entered the ground could be moved back and forth, just like a door hinge. Then he compared it to Momma’s plant which had a much thicker stalk.

“If I moved it too much, it’d probably break off. So it’s just better to leave it against the fence. It’ll still grow tall and have a lot of sunflower seeds at the end of the year. It’s a good plant as long as you leave it alone.”

I look back on that year with hesitation. Though our sunflowers were gone, they seemed to have set a pattern for our family. Daddy’s business collapsed, and he was gone for weeks on end finding a new job, and then a new home. He’d come home and tussle our hair. At night, he’d lean against the kitchen entryway, talking to Momma about how hard it was being away from her and the family. “It’s lonely,” he said.

Momma held steady and seemed to thrive under the strain of just getting by. The only time I remember sadness was when she couldn’t find a ten-dollar-bill she’d saved for Christmas presents. I still don’t understand how such a small amount of money can bring tears. She turned every form of scrimping into a game. When the oil tank that fueled the furnace ran dry, we rolled newspapers into logs and bound them with wire for the fireplace. We were lumberjacks. Later, we wore sweaters and pretended we were Eskimos until the oil truck finally came. “We live in an igloo,” Momma had said.

Sarah got pneumonia and was hospitalized for a few weeks until she could again breathe on her won. The doctors said that Sarah’s lungs were swimming. Daddy was furious about the oil tank, and came home for a whole week. We’d go see Sarah, who seemed taller and healthier in that hospital bed. We teased that she’d have to stay in the hospital forever.

“I don’t care. It’s warm here,” she’d said. For Jimmy and me, nothing seemed out of place.

Momma kept life moving in such an extraordinary nary way that all we had to worry about was playing. When we moved to Bountiful, all we could think about was our new house with new rooms to play in. Jimmy and I ran through every room when we arrived there that night. “Which one is ours?” we’d asked.

By next spring, in our new yard in a new city, we watched the sun coax our smaller brown lawn back to green. One evening Daddy brought out a rake and Momma found the tiny bag with last year’s sunflower harvest. We eagerly rushed outdoors into the weather, kicking our shoes this way and that as we ran.

“Not room for much of a garden,” Daddy said.

“Always room for sunflower,” Momma replied.

When I was young, we always had sunflowers in our garden.