THE GARDEN GODDESS: A common sense approach to gardening with nature

Throw the chemicals out!

Gardening organically is really just a matter of common sense. It’s all about first taking some time to understand how nature works and then having the forbearance to work in partnership with nature.

Organic gardening does not mean you have to surrender your plants to pests and diseases. Actually, with good gardening practices your plants are not exposed to diseases, and when you adopt the practice of companion planting techniques, you end up with very few pests. In past columns we have covered the importance of using good hygiene in the care of your tools, composting in early spring and keeping your garden areas weed free, another factor in keeping your garden healthy.

In a future column we’ll be discussing the blatant disregard for the environment that is demonstrated by the use of pesticides, herbicide, fungicides, and microbiocides. Did you know that all EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) testing that is performed on the toxicity of any chemical is done by the actual chemical manufacturer? How objective and truthful do you think those tests might be? In the next few weeks I expect to be able to show a direct correlation between the use of pesticides and the colony collapse syndrome of the honeybee, as well as the fungal infection currently decimating the bats in Connecticut.

Many people use Preen, a pre-emergent herbicide, to assist in preventing airborne weed seed from settling and growing in their garden beds. If you do the research, it turns out that Preen (trifluralin) can and does wind up in our aquatic environments, i.e. our rivers and oceans. It has even been found to be mutagenic (causing genetic mutation) in various species, both aquatic and non-aquatic, and there is some concern about human carcinogenicity. One U.S. study suggested a link between trifluralin use and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Furthermore, trifluralin is suspected of being an *endocrine disruptor and is known to be a groundwater contaminant. Unfortunately, studies involving Preen use are inadequate. Thus the question remains: does convenience justify the potential risk and ultimate cost to us and our environment?

*The endocrine system influences almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. It is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism, and sexual function and reproductive processes.

Why tempt fate by fooling with unnecessary chemicals, when by following the simple guidelines we have discussed in past columns you can have a green and productive garden. These guidelines include working with your site, as well as focusing on the soil and compost, compost, compost. I am reviewing the guidelines below. In addition, I shall add THROW the CHEMICALS OUT!

A sustainable vegetable garden

Enjoying a Potager Garden filled to bursting with beautiful rows of fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers, planted for both taste and aesthetics, was initially written for the February 15th column. Readers have asked me to review that information. Last spring, Litchfield clients wanted a sustainable and manageable vegetable garden that would provide their Family with organic produce. I designed a potager, or kitchen garden, with raised beds in interesting patterns. I enclosed it with a handsome wall of framed cedar and screening, and accented with arbors and entry gates. The raised beds were set three feet apart to allow a hand mower to trim the pathways, and constructed of treated lumber rated as safe for gardens and called EcoLife by Culpepper Lumber. This lumber and the cedar for the fencing, arbors and gates, was purchased from Iffland Lumber in Torrington.

Raised beds are kind on a gardener’s back and easy to keep weed free. Since vegetables are attractive in their own right, a potager can be as pretty as other parts of the garden. When you are deciding what to put where, the overall effect should always be on your mind. By mixing the vegetables in with flowers and hedgerows, the line between vegetable and flower gardening is blurred to create an unexpected aesthetic vision. Because I used raised beds and an enclosure, hedgerows were not needed with this design. I did, however, employ the concept of companion plantings to achieve the maximum in nutritional and pest-free benefits for the vegetables and herbs.

In this particular garden, the client wisely chose to grow only things she knew her family would use. This economy of choice included several varieties of Lettuce, Big Boy Steak Tomatoes, Plum Tomatoes, Beans, Leeks, Broccoli, Cabbage, Pumpkins, Carrots, Squash, Spring Onions and Strawberries. The herbs she planted were Sage, Chives and Garlic Chives, Parsley (both curly and flat), Marjoram, lots of Thyme, Basil, Oregano and Rosemary. In between the herbs we tucked little Sweet Violets, viola adorato, and Nasturtium. The flowers of both are used to add color to salads. Marigolds were nestled amongst the Tomato plants, Sweet Alyssum and Lobelia trailed through the Pumpkin patch, and swaths of luminous Foxgloves competed with Rosemary for the sheltered corners. Colorful? You bet!

Carrots love tomatoes

Consider these companion plantings when planning your vegetable garden, and the yield will be twice as much:

Asparagus love Parsley and also like to team up with Tomatoes.

Beans, Cabbages, and Peas should never be planted next to Onions or Garlic.

Cabbage is much improved when its neighbors are Sage, Mint, Thyme or Rosemary.

Carrots adore Strawberries and Lettuce and make both sweeter.

Cucumbers welcome Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Corn, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radishes, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, and Savory as neighbors. They really dislike any strong Herbs.

Dill is beneficial to Cabbage but retards the growth of Tomatoes and Carrots.

Foxgloves in your potager not only stimulate growth and resistance to disease but also improve the storage qualities of Potatoes, Tomatoes and Apples that are grown near them.

Gladioli: Over the years I have noticed that many gardeners like to plant Gladioli in their vegetables gardens, simply because the stakes they need look ugly in the flowerbeds. They are, however, extremely bad for Beans and Peas and so bad for Strawberries that the berries will suffer from Gladioli planted up to fifty feet away.

Leeks are in the Onion family and as such should not be planted with Bush Beans, Pole Beans, or Peas.

Marigolds are invaluable, as they are good for everything and kill nematodes in the soil. They also repel whitefly. Potatoes and Tomatoes definitely thrive around them. In ancient Mexico Marigolds were considered sacred to the Goddess of agriculture.

Parsley is a wonder herb, helpful to most plants. Roses especially rely upon Parsley’s properties to increase their scent and protect them from greenfly.

Rue, on the other hand, is harmful to Cabbages and is positively poisonous to Sage and Basil.

Strawberries should never be planted with Cabbages but do add sweetness to Beans and Lettuce. The herb Borage is particularly helpful for Strawberries.

Tansy keeps insects off Cabbage and Cucumber.

Tomatoes should never be planted near Potatoes, but they really appreciate Parsley and Marigolds for keeping aphids, greenfly and beetles away.

Focus on the soil

Soil testing should be performed yearly. I strive to keep the soil pH at around 6.5 in most of the gardens I care for and accomplish this by yearly soil testing. Of course, there are exceptions to this pH rule, which vary according to the site and the plantings. Most flowers, vegetables, and lawns prefer slightly acidic to neutral soils (pH 6.5-7). Rhododendrons, Holly, Azaleas, and Magnolias flourish in moderately acidic soil (pH 5 to 6). Applying lime is one way to raise the pH and make the soil less acidic. As I mentioned in a previous column, I gather lime rocks from the Canaan lime quarry every spring and set a rock next to plantings needing a higher pH. In addition, sometimes, as in the case of Phlox, I use the lime rock to keep powdery mildew at bay. Over time as the rain beats against these rocks, the lime leeches slowly into the soil, where it is needed the most.