Gardening Supplies Archives - Southern Garden Nursery

Posted on January 7, 2024January 6, 2024 by Fawn Neun

Finding the Right Seed Trays for Spring Planting

Depending on where you live, you may already be planning your spring garden. Here in Zone 10a, I’m starting seedlings now to plant out in mid-February. But, I’m running low on seed trays, so I’ve been shopping around to see what direction to go in this year.

What Are Seed Trays

What are seed trays? Seed trays are small containers that let you get plants started before the planting season. They consist of small containers for soil or planting medium that let you germinate many seeds at once.

When we talk about seed trays, most people are referring to cell flats. Those are the flimsy plastic containers with divided sections for starting your seedlings.

In most cases, you’ll get a number of cell containers of six or four cells with a large tray underneath to catch any water draining from the plants.

They also often come with clear plastic covers to help hold in heat and moisture. I rarely use them myself, because Zone 10a is hot and humid enough. And generally, I find that seeds germinate and outgrow the lids too quickly.

But don’t throw them away! They come in handy as watering pans.

Some seed trays also come with a heating pad to encourage some of the more heat-loving seedlings, like eggplant.

But not all seed trays are made out of flimsy plastic. Some upgraded models will be sturdier. And you can also purchase biodegradable seed trays so you don’t have to disturb the roots when you plant them out.

Alternatives to Seed Trays

Seed tray cells are my usual go-to. I have a few dozen of them, but this year, I plan to really fill in the borders. In the past, I’ve also used everything from Jiffy pods to toilet paper rolls. And while both work, they only work well under certain circumstances.

For example, while Jiffy pods are pretty awesome, they have limited capacity. So you really have to consider how long you have until you can plant them out.

Toilet paper rolls are pretty super, too, and they’re a great way to reuse something that would often end up in a landfill. But they’re delicate and may not hold together long enough.

Why Use Seed Trays?

If you want to get a jump on your planting season, seed trays give you a distinct advantage. Instead of waiting until the conditions are perfect to plant them outdoors in the soil.

In many Southern gardens, fall is the best time to plant vegetables. It can simply be too hot during the late summer to plant your veggies in the garden. In my area, it’s simply too wet! Damping-off is common, and it’s frustrating to watch your little seedlings fall over and die.

I start many of my spring seedlings in December, but there is still a risk of frost or the odd freak freeze. Starting my plants in seed trays allows me to move them easily indoors should the temperature drop.

Seed trays let you germinate strong, healthy seedlings under the best conditions until the outdoor conditions improve.

Vegetable Starts

The best reason for using seed trays is that they let you extend your growing season.

You want to plant out your seedlings as soon as you can after your last expected frost so you can get more out of your vegetable garden.

In Atlanta, for example, you have a 50-50 chance of a frost after April 4. So, why not give your plants a head start by germinating them in seed trays in February.

For me, the 50-50 point falls on January 4, although I usually wait a little longer. The 10 percent chance falls on February 14, so I need to get planting now!

But if you examine most vegetable seed packets, you’ll see that that they recommend planting by soil temperature, not by date. Using starter trays lets you control that temperature, either by starting them indoors or providing a heating pad.

And when you look at the cost of buying starter plants, you can see why starting your own seeds is so attractive. I think our local home improvement store sells vegetable starts at about $5 each. Since you can reuse your starter trays season after season, growing from seed is a real bargain.

Which Vegetables to Plant

If you’re thinking about starting your plants in trays, note that some plants aren’t suitable to starting in pots. They may have delicate roots that go into shock when transplanted.

However, the following all do well in starter trays, so consider peppers, lettuce, eggplant, and tomatoes. If you want to start cucurbits before your planting dates, you can also use biodegradable starters like Jiffy pots.

Always plant beans directly in the soil where you intend to grow them. They’re pretty hardy, so even if you plant them a little too early, you should have no trouble with them.

Flowers Starts

Using starter trays lets you add tons of color to your borders on the first planting day of spring. It seems like the cost of annuals has really exploded over the last five years. Investing in a set of good starter trays means you’ll be ready on that first day of spring.

You’ll also be able to add more throughout your growing season. Here in 10a, I’ve planted annuals in February only to see them expire in May. I’ve learned my lesson, and this year, I’ll be starting annual in succession to make the most of our long growing season.

And if you love perennials as much as I do, it’s great to get a nice long start on them by starting them indoors in the fall. They often grow very slowly, compared to annuals, so being able to plant out good size perennials that you’ve grown from seed can save you a lot of money.

Most annuals will do well in starter trays. Consider favorites like impatiens, petunias, and vinca.

And my one big money-saving trick? When you take cuttings, use your seed trays! They’re super for propagating small cuttings for future flowers.

Successful Seed Starting in Trays

Before starting any seeds in trays, do some research to find out how they handle transplanting. There’s always some debate, so as in all gardening, it can be a gamble. But you may win out if you experiment.

I’ve seen some sources say to always plant cucumbers directly, but I’ve had no problems starting them and transplanting them out using seed trays. Most of my trouble with cucumbers come much later in the form of powdery mildew.

Before you reuse your starter trays, make sure you wash them thoroughly with soap and water. While you may get lucky a few times, a thorough cleaning can help prevent disease spread.

You’ll also want to make sure you transplant them when they’re ready. Transplanting a rootbound plant can mean damage. If it’s still too cold (or too hot or too rainy), plant them up in a bigger pot to keep them thriving.

Best Seed Starter Trays to Buy

If you live in the South, it’s time to prepare for spring planting now. And if you need to stock up on starter trays, take a look at a few of my top picks.

Burpee Self-Watering Seed Starter Trays

Sale

Burpee Self-Watering Seed Starter Tray, 72 Cells

GROW LIKE A PRO: Complete indoor seed starting set includes two 36 cell…
BIGGER, BETTER SEEDLINGS: Take the guesswork out of when and how often to…
STAY ORGANIZED: Seed starting grow kit also comes with two plant-o-gram…
GROW 72 SEEDLINGS: Tray has space for up to 72 seedlings in cells measuring…
100% GUARANTEED: Burpee is committed to the success of all gardeners. We…

These starter trays from Burpee guarantee your plant won’t perish of thirst. This design with a self-watering mat also prevents damping-off by maintaining the right level of moisture. It comes with growing medium pellets of coconut coir and a humidity dome.

Hydrofarm CK64060 Jump Start Starter Tray

Jump Start CK64060 120V 17W Germination Hot House with Heat Mat, Watertight Tray, Cell Insert and 7″…

GERMINATION: Ideal environment for starting your seeds and cuttings by…
POWER: This UL-listed waterproof heat mat runs at 17 watts, 120 volts
HUMIDITY CONTROL: Features a 7-inch humidity dome for controlled humidity…
WHAT’S INCLUDED: Includes heat mat, humidity dome, watertight tray, and…
OPERATING TEMP: Operates 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient air…

If you need extra height for your starts, these seed trays have you covered. With a 7-inch dome lid, you’ll be able to provide plenty of room for your starter plants. It also comes with a heating mat to reach that perfect soil temperature. Offering 72 cells, you’ll be able to start plenty of beauties for your borders.

Park Seed Bio-Dome

Park Seed Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit with 40 Jumbo Cell Planting Block, Base Tray, Humidity Dome & 40…

Climate control. You can remove the clear vent as the plants grow, but at…
Incredible rooting medium. The bio sponge is simply the best way we’ve ever…
Bottom watering. You water the base of this tray, NOT the bio sponges…
Root strength. This goes along with #3 — these seedlings form LOTS of…
Ease of transplant. None of this business of transplanting the plug into a…

Park Seed offers a sterling reputation, and its starter trays deliver some distinct advantages. This model boasts biosponges, so you won’t need growing medium until you reuse it. And you’ll want to reuse them because their sturdy construction will last for years.

Getting a Head Start on Your Garden

With no White Christmas here in Zone 10, it’s isn’t hard to start dreaming of a Green Spring. Seed catalogs have already hit the mailbox, and I need to get to work.

First, research the plants you want to grow and get a good idea of how much room they’ll need and how soon you’ll need to start them before your last frost date. Check out info from NOAA for your dates.

And make sure you get starter trays that are the right size for what you’re planting, including the depth and the height of any humidity dome.

Let me know what you’ve got planned and how you’re starting your seeds this spring. I’d love to hear from you.

Posted on December 7, 2023December 7, 2023 by Fawn Neun

10 Awesome Gifts for Gardeners on Your List

Gifts for gardeners, mom, dad, or significant other

It’s that time of year, again! It’s the holidays, and for most people, thoughts of the garden are far off. Not in Florida! We garden year-round here, so our next plant or crop is always at the top of our minds. So, if you’re looking for great gifts for gardeners, we know exactly what to suggest.

Top Gifts for Gardeners At Every Price Point

Times are tight, so you don’t want to spend more than you have to in order to impress that “special someone who gardens” on your list.

Choose from our favorites below, from thrifty to indulgent.

1. Roo Gardening Apron with Pockets and Harvesting Pouch

If your gardener is anything like me, you may find yourself fishing seeds and green beans out of your pants pockets on wash day.

This is SO on my wish list!

The Roo Gardening Apron is the ultimate tool for hands-free, efficient gardening. This innovative apron keeps all your essential tools within arm’s reach.

The best part of the Roo Apron is the large harvesting pouch. Made of water-resistant ripstop nylon, this spacious pocket is ideal for collecting harvest or debris.

It features an adjustable cotton rope for easy emptying, ensuring you stay clean and dry during any task.

It also features multiple smaller pockets for your phone, tools, and gloves, making it a versatile companion for all your gardening needs.

Ergonomically designed, the Roo Apron ensures maximum comfort with a unique strap system that distributes weight away from the neck and shoulders.

It’s adjustable to fit a wide range of gardener sizes, suitable for anyone from 4’6” to 6’4”. It comes in green, blue, purple, and gray, so it makes one of the perfect gifts for gardeners of any size or type on your holiday list

2. Home & Garden Trends Garden Kneeler

One of my younguns got me one of these for Christmas a few years ago, and I still love it.

This version is extra wide for more comfortable seating. It’s also lightweight and easy to fold, but it still holds up to 330 pounds.

The best part is the tool pouches, which let you carry everything to any part of the yard without losing them or having to trudge back and forth.

These make excellent gifts for gardeners of a certain age, so make sure grandma and grandpa can putter in the yard in comfort.

3. Garden Hair Don’t Care Hat

Gardeners always have a sense of humor, and this is one of those gifts for gardeners that lets them know you’re in on the joke.

But it’s not just funny, it’s also practical. this hat

It’s a perfect blend of style, comfort, and practicality for garden enthusiasts. Crafted from 100% cotton, this classic baseball cap offers a natural, relaxed fit that ensures comfort while maintaining a balance between style and technical performance.

It features six panels and six ventilation holes, ensuring breathability and comfort in any weather, making it ideal for spring and summer activities.

This versatile hat comes with an adjustable size to fit most head sizes comfortably. The convenient metal closure allows for a custom fit, ensuring comfort and a secure fit at all times.

It offers protection against harmful UV rays with its pre-curved visor, keeping your skin safe and hair out of your face. Its moisture-wicking interior headband acts as a sweatband, keeping you cool and comfortable during hot summer days.

4. Play22 Complete Garden Tool Kit

The PLAY22 Garden Tools Set is one of the perfect gifts for gardeners who have just started on their journey. This comprehensive and high-quality collection of gardening essentials includes a sturdy carrying case and includes nearly every hand tool a new gardener could want.

Each tool in this set is made from sturdy steel, ensuring they are rust-proof, break-proof, and easy to clean. The ergonomic handles offer comfort during use, so it’s perfect for seniors or others with arthritis or carpel tunnel syndrome.

However, its thoughtful design and robust construction make this set an ideal gift for gardeners of all skill levels.

This set saves time and energy, providing immediate access to all the necessary tools for tending to the garden. With a lifetime warranty, the PLAY22 Garden Tools Set is a reliable and long-lasting companion for any gardening adventure.

5. Survival Vegetable Seeds Garden Kit

There may not be anyone as obsessed with seed collection as I am, but this Survival Vegetable Seed kit comes close with a wide range of veggie seeds to plant.

This collection makes great gifts for gardeners and preppers, both novice and experienced. This kit offers an extensive range of over 16,000 seeds across 35 easy-to-grow vegetable varieties, all non-GMO and heirloom.

It includes favorites like lettuce, beets, carrots, onions, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, peas, beans, and more, making it ideal for creating a diverse and thriving home garden.

Each packet includes complete growing and harvesting instructions. Grown, sourced, and packaged in the USA, this seed bank is an excellent gift choice for gardening enthusiasts, providing a sense of food security and self-reliance.

This Survival Vegetable Seeds Garden Kit is not just a collection of seeds; it’s an investment in sustainable, self-sufficient gardening.

6. NISAKU NJP650 The Original Hori Hori Namibagata Japanese Stainless Steel Weeding Knife

This is one of my favorite gardening tools that I own.

This is one of my top-tier gifts for gardeners, with an affordable price and made with craftsmanship and functionality.

Crafted in Japan, this weeding knife is made from the finest stainless steel, ensuring quality and longevity. The blade features inch markings, allowing gardeners to measure soil depth accurately, which is especially useful for planting bulbs and seedlings at the correct depth. This feature adds a level of precision to your gardening that standard tools simply can’t match.

The NISAKU NJP650 is a versatile multi-use tool, boasting both serrated and straight-edge blades. Its durability is unmatched, with a rust and scratch-resistant blade that maintains a razor-sharp edge through extensive use.

Ergonomically designed for comfort and efficiency, the knife has a blade size of 7.25 inches and a wooden handle of 5.25 inches, providing a balanced grip for various tasks. Weighing just 10 ounces, it is lightweight yet sturdy, offering ease of use for prolonged periods without causing hand fatigue.

7. Plant Theatre Cocktail Herb Growing Kit

For your gardening buddy who has turned to drink (or your drinking buddy who has decided to spend more time in the garden.

These cocktail herb growing kits make great gifts for gardeners who also like a tipple or two.

It’s an innovative way to infuse natural flavors into your drinks. This kit is not just about growing herbs; it’s about elevating your cocktail experience with a touch of gardening fun.

This kit offers a delightful variety of seeds tailored for cocktail enthusiasts, including cucamelon, blue borage, lime basil, hyssop, lemon balm, and mint leaves.

These herbs are carefully selected to add a unique and fresh dash of flavor to any beverage, making your cocktails stand out with home-grown, fresh ingredients.

The kit comes fully equipped with all the essentials needed to start your herb garden. It includes six pots, six peat discs for easy plant starting, six plant markers to keep track of your herbs, and a selection of seeds.

These herbs are perfect for displaying on any plant stand, adding a touch of greenery to your living space.

8. Grow Dammit Garden Sign

Do you remember what I said about gardeners and our sense of humor? Well, sometimes you just have to laugh when the harvest is poor and the flowers refuse to sprout.

This “Grow Dammit” sign is a humorous gift for gardeners, and it’s ideal for anyone who appreciates the joys and challenges of gardening.

It comes beautifully packaged in a gift box, making it ready to give for any occasion. The phrase “grow dammit” resonates with gardeners, symbolizing perseverance and determination in a lighthearted way. It’s sure to bring a smile to anyone who enjoys gardening.

The design of the sign is both natural and vintage, crafted from metal with a natural rust mark surface. This distinctive look allows it to stand out in any garden setting, adding character and charm.

This “Grow Dammit” garden sign is more than just another yard decoration; it’s a statement of humor, resilience, and the spirit of gardening.

9. Gaucha Designs Leather Garden Tool Belt

Go pro with this full-grain leather garden tool belt.

Step up your gardening game with the Gaucha Designs Leather Garden Tool Belt, an exquisite blend of functionality and style for gardeners, florists, and various professionals. This tool belt is more than just a utility item; it’s a fashion statement that combines practicality with elegance.

Crafted from full-grain leather, this 100% leather tool belt is designed for both women and men. It’s an ideal companion for carrying all your hand tools, making it perfect for gardeners, florists, and farmers.

The tool belt’s durability makes it a reliable choice for storing gardening tools like scissors, pruners, pliers, tree grafting tools, woodwork tools, and more.

Each belt is handmade, reflecting a passion for style and quality. The fashionable flair of this leather tool pouch sets it apart, elevating any workwear look.

The Gaucha Designs tool belt is one of the best gifts for gardeners who take growing seriously.

10. KING BIRD Large Walk-in Greenhouse

Hands down one of my favorite garden purchases this year and one that I highly recommend. If you’re looking for showstopping gifts for gardeners in your life, this is it.

This greenhouse caters to their gardening needs throughout the year, combining practicality with durability.

The standout feature of the KING BIRD Greenhouse is its innovative watering system. It comes equipped with a 15-foot water hose and an irrigation kit.

The system is designed to adjust the water mist size and direction. This ensures your plants receive the right amount of water without waste. Additionally, this feature is a boon during the hot summer months. It can be used to cool down the greenhouse with a refreshing spray.

It features two entrances with PE and zippered screen doors, allowing easy access from both sides. The screen windows can be rolled up to control the temperature and humidity inside, creating an optimal growing environment for your plants. This design also helps in keeping out unwanted birds and pests.

The PE grid cover of the KING BIRD Greenhouse is another highlight. It offers UV resistance to prolong the lifespan of the structure and safeguard your plants.

KING BIRD places a high value on customer experience and product quality. This is why they offer a 1-year warranty or more on all their greenhouse kits, ensuring peace of mind for the gardener. The KING BIRD team is always available to assist with any questions or support, underlining their commitment to customer satisfaction.

Overall, the KING BIRD Large Walk-in Greenhouse is not just a structure; it’s a comprehensive gardening solution, ensuring your plants thrive in a controlled and nurturing environment, regardless of the external weather conditions.

Whatever Your Budget, There’s Great Gifts for Gardeners on Your List

No matter where they live, your favorite gardener is looking forward to spring. If they live in Florida, you know they’ll be out there the day after Christmas, playing with every new toy that Santa brings.

And it doesn’t matter if you have a lot to spend or just a few bucks, my favorite gift on this list is actually the cheapest one at the time of writing this.

Your favorite gardener is sure to love anything you choose when you keep their passion for growing in mind.

Posted on June 12, 2023August 1, 2023 by Fawn Neun

Great Last-Minute Gardening Gifts for Dad

Not all gardening gifts for dad have to be power tools!

There’s something about dads who work outside even after they’ve worked at a job all day. My dad was like that. With Father’s Day coming up, gardening gifts for Dad or Grandpa seem like an easy choice for guys like that.

They work all day in some stuffy office and spend hours commuting in their cars, but the minute they get home, that’s when the real work begins. They go into a trance, putting the crazy world behind them and focusing on one plant, one plot of dirt, one crop at a time.

Are you looking for some great last-minute gardening gifts for Dad? Or maybe you’re looking for gardening gifts for Grandpa because he was the one that shared his love of backyard growing with you when you were growing up.

Find gardening gifts for dad or gardening gifts for grandpa

I’ve got some great recommendations to make. I’ve spent a lot of time (and too much money) trying to make my gardening life more efficient, and even less painful. And some of these deserve a slot on any grower’s wishlist.

Here are some of my favorite gardening gifts for dads and grandpas, or any gardener on your list. You may even want to treat yourself!

1. Tuzoc Metal Garden Hose, 100FT

A garden hose may seem like a lame gift, but if Dad is getting up in years, I can tell you that garden hoses get heavier as you age. He may have been wanting one of these stainless steel garden hoses for ages, but they’re a little on the pricey side for someone on a fixed income.

It doesn’t take much to wrench a shoulder or pull a back muscle when you’re constantly watering in the summer heat. He’s going to LOVE this garden hose. It’s tough and durable while still being light enough to water everything without much exertion at all.

I recently picked one of these up, and I recommend it highly.

Buy on Amazon.

2. Black Iron Hori Hori Garden Knife

A hori hori knife is an indispensable tool for any gardening enthusiast. This Japanese-inspired wonder is a combination of a knife and a trowel, making it the ultimate gardening companion for any Garden Ninja.

Its sharp, serrated edge effortlessly cuts through soil, weeds, and tough roots, while the flat side can be used for digging, transplanting, and scooping. The sturdy blade is perfect for precision cutting and dividing plants, and the pointed tip aids in creating seed furrows or removing stones.

With measurement markings along the blade, the hori hori knife ensures accurate planting depths.

From planting to weeding and everything in between, the hori hori knife is a true multitasker and is my No. 1 go-to gardening tool.

Buy it on Amazon.

3. Rechargeable Battery Powered Garden Sprayer

You don’t have to be professional or spend professional kind of money to get a powered garden sprayer. Dad deserves a break from tedious priming and hand-pumping while tending the garden.

This rechargeable battery-powered garden sprayer makes plant care a breeze, and who doesn’t need a little extra help battling squash bugs and powdery mildew in the summer heat and humidity?

With a convenient and portable design, this innovative tool eliminates the need for manual pumping or carrying heavy containers. The battery-powered mechanism provides consistent and even spraying, ensuring uniform coverage. Best of all, it’s rechargeable.

I purchased a rechargeable powered sprayer in 2021 and it’s been a game changer.

You can buy it on Amazon.

4. Genuine Ladbrooke 6-Pc. “Master Grower” Soil Blocker Set

On the other hand, if Dad is serious about self-sufficient vegetable gardening, he’s going to fall in love with the Ladbrooke soil-blocking system. No more fragile cell packs, no more weird, desiccated pellets in netting that never decomposes.

The right gardening gifts for dad make it easier for him to share his love of nature with his children

While you’ll find a number of knock-off soil blockers on the market, don’t be fooled by cheap imitations. Ladbrookes is the genuine article, made in England, where gardening truly is an elevated art form.

And if the big kit is too spendy, they do have smaller sets to fit your budget. I recommend starting out with the Mini 4, which makes 1-3/8″ dirt brownies in which tomatoes and peppers just thrive.

You can buy both on Amazon and avoid the international shipping fees.

5. AcuRite Iris (5-in-1) Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Weather Station

Because there’s nothing worse than spraying fungicides or fertilizer only to see all your hard work and money get washed away in the rain. Your favorite Garden Guru will love this weather station so he can stay on top of climatic conditions in the garden.

For gardening dads with a greenhouse or grow house, check out this Acurite package with three sensors for monitoring the temperature and humidity from the comfort of your home.

Acurite has been around for 80 years, and its reputation is stellar. I’ve been using a three-sensor black-and-white system from them for the last four years to keep tabs on the greenhouse, chicken coop, and bunny run. Well, at least that was until the bunnies buried their sensor while digging a new burrow.

So, we’re down to two sensors, but they’re both critical for monitoring conditions during those rare overnight freezes and in the heat of the day when plants (and chickens) can get dangerously stressed.

A wireless indoor/outdoor weather station is an essential tool for gardening dads. He’ll have access to accurate and up-to-date weather information, so he can make informed decisions about his gardening activities.

This information helps to determine the ideal planting times, adjust irrigation schedules, and take necessary precautions during extreme weather.

Buy AcuRite weather monitors from Amazon.

6. VIVOSUN Portable Garden Kneeler Seat

Garden Kneelers aren’t just for seniors. My son got me one of these about five years ago, and it’s still incredibly handy. Even if you don’t need a pad for kneeling or a handy seat, it’s an awesome portable caddy for your tools. I use mine as a small table to hold my coffee cup, phone, and Bluetooth speaker while I putter in the backyard and listen to the No-Till Growers Podcast while I work.

A portable garden kneeler/seat is a game-changer for dads and grandpas who appreciate a more leisurely garden experience. Kneel in comfort or just sit and relax while you enjoy the peaceful satisfaction of all your hard work.

The best gardening gifts for dads make it easier for him to enjoy his garden without pain.

The soft cushioning of the kneeler relieving the strain on your knees while the sturdy frame ensures enough stability and support to kneeling and rising so much easier. This kneeler/seat features handy storage pockets that detach and function as a tool belt.

You can buy it on Amazon and have it delivered wherever your dad gardens.

7. Gardenfather Tee Shirt

It’s hard to find gardening gifts for Dad when it seems he already has every tool, gadget, or going thing for his outdoor passion.

If Dad also has a sense of humor, maybe a Father’s Day gift on the lighter side is in order.

Dad Jokes deserve full retaliation, and what better way to show Pops that you inherited his lame sense of humor than a gag gardening gift?

It's hard to find gardening gifts for dad when it seem he has everything.

Although, it doesn’t have to be completely useless. There are plenty of funny gardening gifts for Dad that he’ll appreciate just as much for their practical use as the laugh factor.

Tee shirts are great gardening gifts for Bad because he’ll always have something comfortable he can wear while he’s working outside.

Hats are even more useful for keeping the sun off his face and out of his eyes.

Find more funny gardening gear for Dad on Amazon.

8. LANNIU Garden Tool Set

Now, if you can’t find the right gardening gifts for Dad because he’s a total noob and has nothing, then this handy set has everything and somewhere to put it, too.

There have been a lot of newbie gardeners in the last few years. Between the boredom of pandemic lockdowns to rising food prices to just the desire for a healthier lifestyle.

If he’s never gardened before, he may not have any tools at all.

This handy set has a full array of great starter tools for the newly-hatched gardener. It also works as a seat when you need a break or need to juggle seed packets.

Find great gardening tool sets for Father’s Day on Amazon.

9. Garden Grafting Tool Kit

Serious gardening dads deserve serious gardening gifts for dads. Help Pops take his self-sufficiency to the next level with this well-appointed tree grafting kit.

This choice is easy on the wallet but offers hours of gardening fun. Dad will be creating his own Frankentrees in no time!

For gardeners with small spaces or poor decision-making skills (like me), adding fruit trees can prove overwhelming. Which fruits to grow? Which varieties?

Why not try them all?

Learning how to graft fruit trees opens up a whole new world for avid gardeners and homesteaders. You can combine the desirable traits of different fruit tree varieties into a single tree.

By mastering this skill, he’ll gain the ability to create custom fruit trees with improved disease resistance, superior fruit quality, and increased productivity.

Find grafting kits for Pops on Amazon.

10. Greenhouse

I’ve talked about my love of greenhouse growing before. Sure, it’s Florida and there’s not much need for supplemental heat – but there IS plenty of need for extra shade and protection from driving rainstorms.

I’m adding this gift idea here because it’s on sale right now. It’s a pop-up, so even grandpas can set this one up by themselves. It’s just the right size for protecting seed trays from both cold weather and excessive sun.

Some of the larger greenhouses for the consumer market even offer watering kits, which is super nice when it’s too hot to stand outside with a hose.

Find greenhouses for every budget on Amazon.

11. The Day Off

Maybe the best gardening gifts for Dad are a few hours to relax — or at least a chance to snooze in the shade outside.

Everyone loves a hammock, but not everyone has two trees spaced exactly the perfect distance apart.

A freestanding hammock with a frame can go anywhere Dad wants it — full sun, deep shade, or even behind the shed where no one can find him all day.

When it comes down to it, your dad will probably love anything you get for him. Even if he already has six of them in the garage. (Even if you’re the one that got those other six.) He’ll really just be happy that you understand his need to weed.

Posted on July 4, 2022August 1, 2023 by Fawn Neun

Take Advantage of End-of-Summer Garden Sales

Use end-of-summer garden sales to replace old equipment

Gardening in the South and Subtropics can be a struggle. Along with some crazy weather, we’re also so off-step with the rest of the country, that getting supplies can be impossible. You really have to be prepared and buy ahead. On the other hand, the rest of the country is holding some amazing end-of-summer garden sales just when we need them!

I don’t know how many times I’ve walked into the local home improvement store during peak gardening season only to find shelf after shelf filled with Christmas decorations. As soon as August hits, the mish-mash of holiday retail madness ensues. Back to school blurs into Halloween, which hints at Thanksgiving, and then crescendoes into Christmas. I’m now expecting to eventually find a skeleton in a Santa suit display at my local big box, ala Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather.

This is particularly demoralizing when you’re still trying to grow the ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner and Holiday gifts.

End-of-Summer Garden Sales to the Rescue

It pays to be prepared, and the one advantage we have is that you can find deep, deep discounts on garden tools and supplies as the gardening season ends in the rest of the country.

Most gardeners are done by July and may already have planted their Fall gardens. So, you’ll find plenty of discounts online.

You can even buy lots of seeds for cheap, because they must be sold by the end of December.

Pro Tip: If you pop your seeds into an airtight container and put them in the fridge, you can save them for years.

Some Awesome End-of-Summer Garden Sales on Amazon

Because I own a nursery, I have a rolling inventory of things I need and purchase on a regular or seasonal basis. I also purchase most of my supplies through wholesale outlets. So, I don’t do a lot of online window shopping.

However, just recently, I ran across a flurry of great discounts on Amazon for gardening supplies. Since Florida gardeners are just getting ready for our main gardening season, I thought I’d share them with readers so they could take advantage of end-of-summer garden sales.

RELATED READ: Florida Gardening: What to Plant in July

Please note that these discounts may not be available when you read this blog post. These are fantastic current discounts I found on the day of writing. So, YMMV when it comes to sales and discounts that may change.

Seed Starting Trays

If you need to replace your cell trays, it’s a good time to do so.

While Amazon Affiliate rules mean I cannot list the prices or ratings on the products, I’ve only listed products with discounts of at least 20 percent and ratings of over 4 stars from buyers.

Here are some of the best bargains I found today in seed starting trays:

MIXC 10 Packs Seed Starter Tray Seed Starter Kit with Humidity Dome

JIAQUAN 5-Pack 120 Cells Seed Trays Seedling Starter Tray

Guioiby 10 Pack Seed Starter Kit with Vented Humidity Dome

Seed Starting Mix

Some gardeners use seed mix, others use potting soil, and still, others use whatever they have lying around.

If you’re one of those gardeners that really relies on your vegetable harvest to put food on the family table, you don’t want to experiment. You need excellent germination rates and you need to make the most of every seed you sow.

I found some discounts on seed starting mix that will help you keep overhead costs down.

**Espoma Organic Seed Starter Premium Potting Soil Mix**

Espoma has won me over with its excellent products that really perform. I don’t get any commission for referring it like I do the other products on this list. But I’m so impressed with their gardening products, I don’t care. I had to share.

Black Gold Organic Seedling Mix

Potting Mix

Roots Organics Original Potting Soil with Mycorrhizae

PittMoss Plentiful Organic Potting Mix

I use a lot of potting mix, so I usually make my own. Organic formulas are usually pretty pricey, so finding them on sale is always a good thing.

Fertilizers and Plant Supplements

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer

Dr. Earth brand is one of my favorites, and I’ve used it many times in my garden. I was particularly impressed with their fertilizer for acid-loving plants and the effect it had on my touchy little gardenias!

J R Peters Jacks Classic 20-20-20 All Purpose Fertilizer

I’ll admit that I’m less than perfectly fastidious about being organic when it comes to ornamental plants, especially those in pots, like tropical hibiscus and houseplants.

Jack’s is one of the first fertilizers introduced to me during the early days of my interest in horticulture. A friend of mine in junior high who worked at his uncle’s nursery said it was their go-to feeding solution. And that was a very, very long time ago — last century! Jack’s has been around for ages and is still lauded by those who use synthetic fertilizers.

Alaska Fish Emulsion Fertilizer Concentrate

Alaska brand fish emulsion fertilizer is a solid product that I have used myself with good results. I’ve seen some very pricey ones online, but I’ve also noticed they do a lot of advertising.

Soil Inoculants

Myco Bliss Organic Mycorrhizal Fungi

Wildroot Organic 16 Species Mycorrhizal Inoculant

I’ve been watching a lot of seminars on soil health recently because it’s been just too hot to spend much time outdoors. I was interested to see one presentation that showed a dramatic increase in yields when the beneficial fungi to beneficial bacteria ratio was close to 1:1. Adding a mycorrhizal inoculant may be the quickest way to improve the soil health of your garden.

Gardening Tools

Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears

Fiskars has a long-lived reputation for quality, so when I told my husband I wanted new pruning sheers, these are the ones he chose. And he was right — excellent quality!

SHARPAL 103N All-in-1 Knife Garden Tool Multi-Sharpener

They say you’re only as bright as your sharpest garden tool, and I suspect they’re right. Keeping your tools in good condition — sharp, clean, dry — doesn’t just extend their lifespan and save you money. It also makes them easier to use and prevents fatigue. No one wants you to spend 10 minutes sawing away a fruit tree branch when you’re pruning. It wears you out and damages your precious plant.

Hori Hori Garden Knife

I’ve been wanting a Hori Hori knife for years — and in fact, I got such a great price on it, I had to stop writing this to buy it. It’s not exactly David the Good’s machete, but that may be for the best.

You'll find discounts on plants at many end-of-summer garden sales

Treating Yourself on the Cheap

As gardeners, they are always some special tools we crave. Perhaps they’re a bit too expensive to justify. Maybe they’re just a better-built and pricier version of something we already have. Sometimes, we have trouble justifying spending money on tools that make gardening and homesteading just a bit easier.

When you find a tool you crave, just make sure you check out online stores in July and August for those end-of-summer garden sales. October and November are great months for in-store sales because even in the South, they’re clearing the shelves for fake trees and cheap ornaments from China to put on them. November and December are great for seed clearance sales. You’ll find there’s usually a lot of life left in those seeds.

It’s worth keeping an eye out for that special tool. A few I’ve purchased in the last couple of years seemed indulgent, but when it came down to it, they changed my gardening life.

All products were flagged as discounted on the date of writing, but you may find the sales have expired or ratings have changed.

Posted on June 13, 2022January 15, 2024 by Fawn Neun — 1 Comment

How Long Will Flower Seeds Last?

It’s only June, but you’ve already filled your garden to the brim with summer vegetables and herbs. The flower borders are chock full, and you’ve even tucked a few spare cosmos and zinnias into the squash patch. The problem is, you still have packets and packets of flower seeds left to plant. Can you save them for next year? How long will flower seeds last in storage?

Maybe you just got swept away with gardening enthusiasm and bought too many seeds. Or maybe you ran into a great sale. We all do it – buy too many seeds. They’re relatively inexpensive, and it’s easy to fall in love with the picture on the packet. But too many seeds can also mean a few broken dreams.

How long can you keep these extra seeds without having to throw them away? Do flower seeds expire?

How Long Can Flower Seeds Be Stored

Depending on the variety, flower seeds will last in storage for 1 to 5 years.

How long flower seeds will last will depend on a few key factors. Are they annuals or perennials? What kind of seed coating or shell does the seed have? Where are you storing your flower seeds?

And finally – how important are these seeds to your gardening plans?

That seems like a harsh question, but it’s a valid one when it comes to deciding whether to simply toss them or to use critical storage space to keep them in the right conditions.

Seed Saving Priorities

If your garden is already full of zinnias, whose seeds are extremely easy to save, should you really bother to save that damp, torn, half-packet you found at the bottom of your seed stash?

Perhaps you have a small garden and very limited space for seed starting. Should you bother to save seeds when you know you won’t have room to plant them next spring?

Where Does Your Garden Grow?

For those of us who garden in the South and the subtropics, in particular, saving seeds after spring planting means saving them for fall planting. If you live on the Gulf Coast, for example, you may want to plant those zinnias in February, May, and September.

If you live in Iowa or Nebraska, however, when the season is short, you want to be ready right out of the spring gate. Perhaps you have a large property, with room to experiment? If your spring priority is getting food in the ground, perhaps you don’t want to spend time or money on flower seeds. You may want to save the ones you have to help bring in pollinators, but it’s not your top priority. In that case, you may want to save your flower seeds even if the germination rate is low.

If you’re anything like me, you save everything – obsessively — even seeds that are likely to fail. Even seeds for flowers that you hate and vegetables you won’t eat.

Because seed saving sometimes becomes a bit of a lifestyle.

So, how do you determine what’s worth keeping?

How Long Do Packaged Flower Seeds Last?

When you purchase seeds from a big box store, you’ll often find the package labeled with the “best-by” date and date of expiration. This date isn’t when the seeds expire, but it is the date that stores will remove them from their inventory.

Companies that handle a lot of seed packets will purchase and package all the seed they sell in one year and mark it for sale for the following year. For example, they’ll buy mass quantities of those same zinnia seeds harvested by farmers in 2022 to sell at your local garden center starting in January of 2023.

You may also see markings on the packets that include lot numbers and germination rates. While there are federal standards for vegetable seed germination rates, flower seeds are regulated at the state level. And to be honest, they’re pretty low standards. In many cases, germination rates as low as 40 or 50 percent are considered acceptable.

Seed Germination Rates Vs. Vigor

Many new gardeners are surprised to learn that good germination doesn’t always result in a strong healthy crop. Even though I’ve been gardening for many years, I made this mistake with an overlarge package of bush bean seeds. The first four crops were amazing, but planting number 5, about three years later, produced dismal-looking specimens.

So, while your flower seeds might sprout beautifully under the best conditions, the seeds may be too old to produce tall, strong, vigorous plants.

Oregon State University has proposed several methods of testing seed vigor, but they may be considered excessive by the average home gardener.

However, the difference between germination rates vs. vigor is another reason you need to determine your gardening priorities when saving flower seeds. Unless you’re a professional grower or garden designer, you may be willing to take more chances on old seed.

How long do perennial flower seeds last?

When stored properly, perennial flower seeds may last up to 5 years.

How long do annual flower seeds last?

Annual flower seeds, except for a few exceptions, will normally last up to 3 years.

Flower Seed Viability Chart

When properly stored, your flower seeds may last as long as shown on the following flower seed viability chart. The years listed are the maximum to expect under optimal conditions.

Flower Seed Viability Chart

How long to store seeds.

Ageratum	4	Echinacea	4	Petunia	3
Alyssum	5	Euphorbia	4	Phlox	2
Amaranthus	5	Forget Me Not	2	Poppy	4
Ammi majus	2	Four O'Clocks	2	Portulaca	2
Artemisia	5	Gaillardia	3	Rudbeckia	2
Asclepias	1	Gomphrena	5	Salvia	3
Aster	2	Helianthus	3	Saponaria	5
Bachelor's Buttons	5	Heliotrope	2	Scabiosa	3
Borage	5	Hollyhocks	3	Stocks	3
Calendula	6	Impatiens	2	Snapdragon	5
Campanula	3	Larkspur	3	Strawflower	2
Carnation	5	Lavender	3	Sunflowers	5
Celosia	4	Linaria	3	Sweet Pea	5
Clarkia	3	Lisianthus	3	Tithonia	2
Columbine	2	Lobelia	4	Verbena	5
Coreopsis	2	Lupine	5	Vinca	1
Cosmos	4	Marigold	5	Viola	1
Chrysanthemum	5	Monarda	4	Wallflower	5
Dahlia	5	Morning Glory	4	Yarrow	5
Daisy	3	Nasturtium	7	Zinnia	6
Delphinium	3	Nicotiana	5
Dianthus	5	Nigella	2
Digitalis	2	Pansy	2

So What Are Optimal Conditions to Keep Flower Seeds Viable

There are several elements that can hasten the demise of your stored flower seeds – and they’re the same elements that make them sprout: heat, light, moisture.

Experts recommend ensuring the following to provide optimal conditions to extend the life of your saved seeds:

Home Gathered Seed

If you’re collecting your own seed from the garden:

Remove any chaff, leaves, or stems
Air dry for one to three days
Freeze seeds for a few days to kill any insects
Package in a paper bag or paper packet for short-term storage
Refrigerate in a sealed container with desiccant packets

Long Term Storage

If you’re storing seed over the winter or for the long term, you’ll need to take better note of conditions. Once processed and whether home-gathered or purchased:

Ensure seeds are dry – 7 to 8 percent is optimal. You can dry your seeds on screens with a fan or out of the sun on a warm day.

Keep at temperatures below 50 degrees Farrenheit
Store below 50 percent humidity
Store in paper packets
Label thoroughly
Place paper bags or packets
Keep packets in a closed container such as a canning jar or baby food jar
Add a desiccant packet to reduce moisture damaging seeds

Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Note that your freezer provides a more consistent temperature since it is opened less frequently than the average refrigerator.

Wildflower seed, dandelion. Free public domain CC0 photo.

Saving Flower Seeds to Last

Now that you have a good idea of how long your flower seeds will last, it’s time to start winnowing. If you’re done planting for the year – or even just for the summer – assess your inventory.

If you have seeds that are years old, with no hope of germination, it’s time to toss them and make room for others.

If you have seeds you’ll plant soon, dry them completely and put them in a cool, dark place until fall sowing.

For next year, make sure you tuck them away into the freezer. You don’t want them exposed to heat, moisture, and light before you’ve had a chance to plant them.

Posted on October 3, 2021August 1, 2023 by Fawn Neun

Flowers Aren’t Frivolous: French Marigold Benefits for the Garden

Southern gardens are plagued by insect pests and harsh growing conditions. And even in other parts of the country, gardeners are looking for more natural and sustainable ways to deter pests and disease without the use of synthetic and dangerous chemicals. Enter companion planting, and enter one of the more famous flowers used for this technique: French Marigold benefits the garden in numerous ways.

Companion Planting

If you’ve been gardening in the 21^st century for more than a couple of weeks, you’ve heard of companion planting. In short, this is the practice of planting mutually beneficial plants together in one space to support each other. It can also be the planting of herbs and flowers near vegetable plants that will support those vegetables in some way.

Complicated Combinations

One of my chief complaints about the practice of companion planting is that it can involve complicated combinations of herbs, flowers, and edibles. While I would love to go into a deep dive on the science of each, that will have to wait for next summer during the down season.

The subject of what to plant together and what not to plant can become mind-boggling. Add in a rotation schedule and you’ve got all the makings of a migraine.

I’m lazy and I like my gardening simplified. I plant diversely and densely and let nature sort it out. I like to think that if I have the basic makings of biodiversity and support my soil microbiology, it will all come out the way nature intends in the long run — even if I don’t’ get what I want in the short run.

This drives my family crazy because the ones that like to cook (or feed the rabbits from the garden) end up wandering around the whole yard trying for find what they’re looking for. No, I don’t have endless patience for labels. And no, I don’t plant all the same plants in one area so they’re easy to find and harvest.

That’s intentional. I figure that if my stepson can’t find the Pak Choy, then the slugs will also have some trouble finding it. The same goes with beans and aphids and cabbage and cabbage loopers.

We’re supposed to be the species with the big brains and the ability to generalize, after all.

Steady Go-To Companions

However, one thing I definitely do is to plant flowers (and sometimes herbs — I have trouble with herbs) within ALL of my vegetable garden beds. Flowers attract pollinators and predator insects that hunt down those cabbage loopers and aphids.

If I was to offer any recommendations to new gardeners in any zone, the first would be to plant seasonal annual flowers within EVERY single fruit and vegetable planting.

French Marigold Benefits

French marigold (Tagetes patula) has a reputation as the wunderkind of companion plants. Most of that reputation is well deserved and well documented.

Along with being available in a number of varieties for various applications, they’re also very attractive, with bushy foliage and bright, cheerful blooms. Best of all, they’re incredibly easy to grow and maintain.

I’ve grown French marigolds in both Central Ohio and Central Florida, and both times I’ve been impressed by their dogged resilience.

Pest Repellants

In short, French Marigold benefits include deterring root-knot nematodes, the bane of the Florida gardener’s existence. They’re also said to deter slugs and hornworms.

I can tell you from experience that they do NOT deter snails. Snails LOVE French marigolds. In fact, they make serve as an excellent trap crop for snails. I regularly find snails clinging to my French marigolds. I break the stem and carry it, snail and all, to my chicken yard.

Chickens LOVE snails. And they also like marigolds.

Methods to the Madness

It seems that French marigolds repel pests using different mechanisms, depending on the pest. Volatile chemicals in the foliage and flowers that give them their distinctive odor can sometimes confuse insects that seek their target plants through smell. Other insects may simply find the odor repulsive and unpleasant.

Another mechanism is through root exudates. Plants emit various elements through their roots in order to attract beneficial bacteria to trade nutrients. These elements include sugars, which the bacteria adore, and offer micronutrients and macronutrients in exchange with the plants.

And by no means the last method, some French marigold benefits include using the flower as a trap crop, as I mentioned above regarding snails. In fact, in the case of root-knot nematodes, there is some debate as to whether marigolds repel them through root exudates or simply attract them to themselves, thereby “trapping” them in their own roots.

White Fly Results

A 2019 study examined the theory that French marigolds will reduce whitefly populations in tomatoes. I’ve never found them on tomatoes, but my peppers always seem to attract a crowd.

A few experiments found that planting French marigolds alongside tomatoes reduced the whitefly population in the greenhouse. In this case, it was the volatile compound, limonene, these flowers produce that repelled the pests.

Root Knot Nematodes

Root-knot nematodes can completely destroy a once-thriving garden. And it seems that Southern gardens are particularly rife with this soil pest. I remember moving to Florida as an experienced temperate zone gardener in 1993 and being warned that they were public enemy number one.

The UF/IFAS website recommends French marigolds as a cover crop before planting. It posits that the action of alpha-terthienyl, a root exudate, inhibits the hatching of many nematode eggs. It also suggests planting them at least two months prior to your crop, and disking or hoeing them in is the most effective method. The site says interplanting isn’t particularly effective.

In my case, I grow year-round and successively. I don’t do cover crops on beds in production, so using marigolds this way wouldn’t work for me. Especially since I do no-till.

So, I simply interplant several marigold “crops” throughout the year and then crop and drop them on top of the soil at the beginning of each season. At the same time, I plant more marigolds throughout the beds.

I harvest seeds and plant them again later. I even sell them in my Etsy shop for very little profit so other gardeners can be sure they have the right type of marigolds.

As I vaguely recall, the action of nematode suppression in marigolds extends to about a meter, or three feet in diameter, so I make sure that I have at least one planted every yard or so, staggered throughout the beds.

Tagetes patula, French marigold — French marigold in my garden

Medicinal Uses

Because of its rich components of chemical constituents, French marigolds have a number of traditional medicinal and cosmetic uses, many of which could translate well today.

A 2016 paper suggests that the blossoms, containing the flavonoids patuletin, quercetagetin, and quercetin, help protect against oxidative stress and offer anticancer properties when used in an infusion (i.e., tea).

I’m not a doctor and don’t intend to play one on the internet, so make sure you do all your due diligence before compounding your own herbal medicinals. Some are harmless, some are effective, and some can prove quite dangerous.

It’s important to remember that there are two different species of flowers we call “marigold,” with French marigold being “Tagetes” variety. There is also Calendula officinalis, also known as “Pot marigold,” which is used extensively in cosmetics.

Fortunately, while the common name is very similar, the two plants don’t resemble each other and have very different appearances.

Pot marigold, Calendula officinalis — *Calendula officinalis* , or “Pot Marigold”

Beauty and Function

Tagetes patula, French marigolds, offer a host of garden benefits. However, perhaps their most important quality is the beauty they add to the garden. Even if you’re immune to the superficial beauty of flowers, any dedicated gardener has to admit that the practical beauty of an increase in bee visitors is a spectacle to behold.

Posted on September 29, 2021August 1, 2023 by Fawn Neun

Seed Saving Hack: Gardening Game Changer

I’m an obsessive seed collector. It’s probably pathological. I’ll buy them from the corner dollar store on sale, or at full price. I’ll buy seeds I don’t have room to grow. I will wade into median strips if a pretty wildflower or weed calls to me, looking for seeds. Seed saving can become addictive.

There are even plants I grow almost practically just to collect their seeds.

I know that sounds strange, so it would be more accurate to say that I grow and plant extra plants just to collect the seeds from them later.

I’ve even been known to risk my life to collect seeds.

That sounds even stranger, so it would be more accurate to say that I’ve collected seeds from dangerous plants thinking it was something else that looks a lot like something benign.

THAT was an interesting couple of hours.

I’ve been known to leave paper plants covered in spent blossoms sitting on any flat surface around the house, as well. I finally got that under control, and now I have storage with ventilation for drying seeds.

But storage has always been a problem. What do I do with them once I have them dried and bagged?

For years, I tossed plastic zip bags filled with seed and moisture absorbers into a big woven basket. Whenever I needed to plant seeds, I got to enjoy a whole hour or more of sifting through all the bags and trying to read the Sharpie labeling.

But then I saw something in a video or an article or somewhere that changed everything.

Photo Cases to the Rescue

There are a dozen different “manufacturers” for these photo cases. My guess is that small Amazon FBA sellers purchase them in bulk from Alibaba or some other factory in China, so the brand name probably isn’t particularly important.

But I can tell you that I got the one above from Amazon, and it has been a complete game-changer when it comes to storing and organizing my seeds.

I don’t miss spending hours browsing through my pile of plastic bags at all. I’m able to sort them according to what makes the most sense to me.

I’ve got brassicas all in one 4×6 container, tomatoes in another, lettuces in another, etc.

My seeds stay dry and organized while I’m creating soil blocks for planting them out. Better yet, the light packets don’t blow off the table or potting bench with every little breeze.

Seed Saving Benefits:

Easy to carry around the house and garden
Finding what I want takes just a moment
Seeds remain whole and uncrushed
Seeds stay dry and cool
Takes up very little space on my office shelves
Translucent containers makes it easy to assess what you have before opening

Heartily Recommended

I don’t normally like to flat-out recommend a product, and I’m not really recommending this particular seller or manufacturer, or model.

However, if you’re seed saving, whether your own seeds or purchased seeds, I can heartily recommend any of these photo cases for seed organization and storage.

Posted on August 17, 2021November 16, 2023 by Fawn Neun — 1 Comment

Adventures in Soil Blocking

You’ve seen them on YouTube, right? All those market gardeners when their beaucoup cool soil blockers? You may have even done some online shopping to see if soil blocking is right for you.

But boy, are those soil blockers expensive! Those farmer dudes must be raking it in!

(Of course, they’re not!)

But in all seriousness, a heavy-duty, reliable tool for production is going to cost you. I’ve been eying the complete Ladbrooke soil blocking system for a few years now.

Ladbrooke Authentic Soil Block Maker 5-Pc. Essentials Nesting System Includes Mini 4, Micro 20,…

The Genuine Ladbrooke Essentials 5-pc soil blocking set provides the starting blocks of the…

Looks amazing, right?

You get the mini cubes, micro cubes, and the dibbler all in one handy kit.

Or maybe the “Master Grower” set, with the 4-inch blocker, for, you know, pumpkins and stuff.

Ladbrooke Authentic Soil Block Maker – 6-Pc. Master Grower Nesting System Includes Maxi, Mini 4,…

Look for the Ladbrooke logo on the handles of the Mini 4 and Micro 20. The Master Grower is our full set that includes all the pieces for the well known “nesting” system of soil blocking. The Micro 20 has a new stronger, smoother design.

Truth is, I couldn’t really justify the cost.

Yes, it’s the premium brand for soil blockers, and they’re used across the world by professionals.

But I couldn’t bring myself to pay for them.

So, I did the next best thing (sort of) and got a cheap plastic one from Fiskars.

After all, Fiskers is a good brand, right? They’re my go-to for scissors and secateurs. Surely, they can produce an awesome soil blocker, right?

First, I mixed up some soil blocking mix. Soil blocks rely on a high fiber content to keep them together, so they require a large amount of coconut coir (or peat moss, if you use it).

Some of the classic recipes for soil block mix include four parts coir to two parts perlite to one part compost. Plus, a whole host of amendments.

This is kind of long, but you can watch my personal hero, Jim Kovaleski, mix up some beauties:

My own attempts gave me some trouble. Was it wet enough? Would it stick? Would they crumble?

My awkward attempts started with me shoving the soil mix INTO the blocker. Nothing like that smooth, super-efficient ka-chunk that I see on the You-Tubes.

And this is what I got.

The Downside of Soil Blocking

Yeah, they worked. They held together. Sort of.

But do you see that I get only 40 modules in a tray with the Fiskars, instead of the 72 I would have gotten with modules?

I’ll try this thing a few more times, probably for pumpkins this fall.

But I have to admit, I’m not in love with the inefficient waste of space with this “spherical” design. I could have just used Jesse Frost’s hand-made soil balls and saved myself the money.

The soil doesn’t eject from the device very smoothly, particularly with the mini-block insert.

And honestly, the finished soil blocks will not stand up if your dog stomps through them in the middle of the night.

YMMV

Fiskars Soil Block Maker for Garden Seeds with Natural Air Pruning, Eco Friendly Soil Blocking…

Fiskars Soil Block Maker helps you grow healthier seedlings by encouraging stronger root systems through natural air pruning

You can find the Fiskars soil block maker on Amazon if you’re interested in giving it a shot. If you don’t seed like a maniac, as I do, it may work for you.

Posted on August 14, 2021November 16, 2023 by Fawn Neun

Freedom From the Big Box: Making Your Own Potting Soil

Have you ever thought about making your own potting soil? That stuff at the big box stores is expensive, and you may not even know what’s in it.

Lately, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of peat in soil mixes. This is especially true in the UK, where there are so many gardeners and so little peatland. They’ll even be outlawing it by 2024.

Peat isn’t sustainable — not really. It takes thousands of years to replace. Here in the U.S., we get most of our peat from Canada, where we can assume that there is much more to be had. But it doesn’t grow back any faster in Canada.

While it seems disasterous that gardeners might someday run out of peatmoss, the really concern is that peat bogs sequester more of the earth’s carbon than any other type of vegetation. Every time a peat bog is drained and backhoe rips up a layer of peat, tonnes of carbon are released into the atmosphere.

And it’s not a trivial amount. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), peat bog harvesting results in the release of about 1.3 gigatonnes of CO₂ every year. This equals approximately 5.6 percent of global CO₂ emissions overall. That’s just flabbergasting.

Save Money AND the Planet by Making Your Own Potting Soil

With the UK banning peat in potting soil, manufacturers are rushing to create replacement mixes. You’ll find many brands overseas, but here in the U.S., they’re few and far between. They’re also expensive.

It may seem overwhelming to make your own potting soil, but it’s so worthwhile once you get a system in place. I can blame soil-blocking and a busted air conditioner for my foray into homemade potting soil.

I like the idea of using soil blocks. Mainly, because my seed trays were falling apart. I literally was using duct tape to hold them together. Soil blocking requires a special seed starting mix, so I was already armed with most of the ingredients for potting soil.

One of the key ingredients for potting soil is compost. That’s one that isn’t so quick to come up with — not homemade compost, anyway. I’ve been focusing a lot on soil health more than production this last year. So, I have finally managed to produce a somewhat adequate supply of homemade compost. (I also had a fresh bag of Black Kow to fall back on, just in case.)

Spare Covid masks make mixing potting soil safer too!

Soil Blocking Mix

For soil blocking (more on that another time), I started with a basic mix of:

4 parts coconut coir

2 parts perlite

1 part compost

1 cup Epsoma Bio-Tone Starter Plus organic plant food per cubic yard of mix

Soil blocking relies heavily on the fibrous nature of the coir (or peat) to maintain integrity, hence the high percentage in this mix. I went with the Epsoma Bio-Tone because I didn’t want to invest heavily in bags and bags of blood meal, green sand, kelp meal, etc., that most soil block mixes prescribe.

Sale

Espoma Organic Bio-Tone Starter Plus 4-3-3 Natural & Organic Starter Plant Food with Both Endo &…

FOR EVERYTHING YOU PLANT: Use Bio-tone Starter Plus fertilizer when…

Mother Earth Coco Bale, 100% Natural Coco Coir Fiber for Soilless Gardening, 5 kg.

Made of 100% natural coco fiber

GMPER100L PLANT!T Super Coarse Perlite, 100 L/3.53 cu ft

Perlite is a unique volcanic mineral which expands from four to twenty…

I don’t really have room to store them, and I didn’t want to carry them all, either.

Seed Starting Mix

In seed trays, you don’t need such a heavy hand with the coconut coir. I modified the soil blocking mix to use as a seed starter:

4 parts coconut coir

3 parts perlite

2 parts compost

1 cup Epsoma Bio-Tone Starter Plus organic plant food per cubic yard of mix

Upgrade to Potting Soil

The best part of making your own potting soil is that once you have your seed-starter mix, you don’t have to start from scratch. Just take your seed starting mix and add more compost and Epsoma.

4 parts seed starting mix

1 part compost

1 cup Epsoma per cubic yard of potting soil mix

These formulas all work for Making Your Own Potting Soil for vegetable plants, flowers, foliage houseplants, and landscaping plants. The mix provides an excellent structure, microbiology, and some nutrition.

You can add liquid food for specific stages of growth without worrying about burning your plants.

making your own potting soil delivers great results — Beautiful Homemade Potting Soil

Making Your Own Potting Soil is a Form of Freedom

One of my biggest gardening goals in the last two years is being able to break ties with the big box stores for most of my garden needs. While we have lived in Florida for several decades, the idea of “buying dirt” strikes something in my Midwestern (and frugal) soul.

I like to source as much of my garden inputs as I possibly can. (Just wait, I’ll be re-learning how to fish sometime this year, because when you live within walking distance of the Gulf, you have no excuse for buying fish emulsion).

Making my own potting soil feels like I’m that much closer to self-sufficiency.

Posted on June 12, 2021August 1, 2023 by Fawn Neun

How to Get Around the Florida Fertilizer Ban

The Florida fertilizer ban protects our waterways

It’s been a tough year for Florida gardeners. Despite some perfect weather, 2020 lockdowns made it impossible to venture out to get gardening supplies. Now, with lockdowns easing and access to vaccines for all, we aren’t allowed to get them, thanks to the Florida fertilizer ban in place.

Then came winter – one of the longest and coldest winters that I can remember since I started gardening. My “winter” garden is usually bountiful because temperatures rarely dip down long enough to leave a flush of frost. Not the winter of ’20/’21, though, when it dipped below 40°F not just once or twice, but repeatedly, from early December through March, and for hours on end.

Then came the drought. While spring in Florida always brings dry weather, it seemed particularly egregious this year after watching my tropical plants frozen to the roots time and time again.

After a harsh winter and a parched spring, every Florida garden seems to need a good feed right now. However, if you didn’t manage to squeak it in during the one time it rained in May, you may find you won’t be able to feed your lawn or garden until October. So, how do you get around the Florida fertilizer ban? How do you bring your lawn back to its former glory?

Why We Have a Florida Fertilizer Ban

In the last decade, the State of Florida has encouraged residents to refrain from using fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus during our annual rainy summer season. The frequent appearance of red tides, algae blooms, fish die-offs, and decimated aquatic habitats has led to restrictions.

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus have no trouble finding their way into our many waterways. These excess nutrients can lead to eutrophication, the explosive growth of free-floating algae. This excess growth blocks necessary sunlight, killing other plants, and depriving freshwater wildlife of oxygen.

Then, once the nutrients run out, the algae die off, increasing the levels of bacteria in the water, and further depleting oxygen. This creates “dead zones” in the water that can last for years.

Not only are these algae blooms bad for wildlife, they can also make our fresh water supply toxic to humans and pets. When fertilizer runoff causes large blue-green algae blooms, it can result in large levels of cyanotoxins, which can cause organ damage in humans.

It’s gotten so severe that low-lying coastal areas, like Pinellas County, are cautioning residents to not even allow grass clippings to fall into stormwater drains.

Between toxic phosphate factories causing evacuations and a record number of dead manatees, it has not been a good year for Florida waterways.

And it’s only the middle of June.

So, How to Get Around the Florida Fertilizer Ban?

I had completely forgotten about the fertilizer ban until I saw a message in one of my local gardening Facebook groups about it. I normally don’t use lawn fertilizer, but this year I decided to get some 6-6-6 to help my beloved St. Augustine Seville turf recover from the hard winter. I hadn’t gotten around to applying it since the weather warmed up, though.

Several individuals on the group were relaying where an unscrupulous person could still buy fertilizer, which counties were less restrictive, and where it could be had online.

But the truth is, you don’t get around Florida fertilizer ban.

And the good news is that you don’t really need to.

Let’s Get the Lecture Over With

Successful gardening is all about planning and patience.

(At least, that’s what I’m told by my favorite horticulturist and garden designer.)

A healthy and sustainable garden requires forward-thinking and patience with the natural processes of the garden. You just don’t rush Mother Nature. And you won’t get the best from her unless you plan ahead to meet her somewhat unpredictable nature.

So, next year, plan to buy a slow-release fertilizer and apply it in May.

Then, be patient for October.

The Upside to the Florida Fertilizer Ban

With all this rain and all these thunderstorms, your lawn isn’t likely to need any fertilizer anyway. Especially if you’ve been taking care of the soil the rest of the year.

And if you’re worried about your summer vegetable garden, all I can ask is which turnip truck you fell off of when you landed in Florida.

Because there is no such thing as a “summer vegetable garden” in Florida.

Oh, there may still be a few stoic specimens alive from the spring planting, but the only vegetables you can plant in the summer in Florida are some legumes, and they don’t need your stinking nitrogen. Almost everything you can grow in the summer here should have been planted last month.

Instead, it’s time to give the veg patch a break. Toss in some cowpeas or grow a green manure, and give it a rest.

I’m going to put a couple of my veg beds on a well-earned “bed rest” when I can find a few cool hours of the day. I’ll write about it here, and you can see how I do it and whether it makes a difference come September.

So, take a break, stay out of that heat, and let nature do its Summer Thang™.

Societal Pressures vs. Sustainable Practices

If you just have to have an emerald-green lawn because you’re hosting the family reunion barbecue or have an HOA breathing down your neck, there are a few alternatives to standard fertilizers.

1. While most lawns aren’t deficient in magnesium, a well-worn tip to green up a lawn fast is to use Epsom salts, magnesium sulfate, in a sprayer. It can improve the uptake of nutrients that are already in your soil, so you won’t have to add more.

2. Buy fertilizer without nitrogen and phosphorus. You can still do your landscape a lot of good by providing potassium (which is not restricted) and key micronutrients like iron and manganese.

3. Instead of worrying about buying fertilizer, make your own by mowing your lawn frequently and using a mulching blade. All those clippings you can’t hose down the storm drain are better used for composting in place in your soil. Frequent mowing means shorter cuts, which break down more easily in the soil.

4. Take up fishing! Who needs expensive fish emulsion fertilizer when you have over 8,000 miles of coastline to play with! Fish guts, bones, scales, and seaweed all make excellent fertilizer for your garden.

Last … and Certainly Least

If you just can’t stand the idea of going the whole summer without fertilizing your prized plumeria, well, you can always pee on it.

That’s right – even the State of Florida can’t tell you that you’re not allowed to take a tinkle in the bushes. Urine is full of nitrogen, and if you add some wood ash from your summer bonfire, you’ll have perfect tomato food, according to Scientific American.

After all – it’s organic. Just make sure you dilute it with at least 10 parts water first, and please, watch your aim. You still need to make sure it doesn’t end up in the watershed.

There’s an App for That!

So, if you’re sure you live in Florida but not sure you’re in a county or city with a Florida fertilizer ban in force, you can check the University of Florida web app. Along with an easy-to-use map of ordinances and restrictions, they also have very cool apps for finding the right plants for your zip code, designing and creating a butterfly garden, and a guide to toxic plants.

While it may seem unfair and inconvenient, the Florida fertilizer ban might just lead you to more sustainable gardening practices — like obsessive composting. It could even lead to a new hobby! (Fishing, not peeing in bushes!) If you’re out fishing, you won’t be fussing over tomatoes that won’t make it to the Fourth of July.

And these are all good things!

~ Happy planting!