Organic Farming & Gardening Introduction

Ok, here we go.....

Introduction:

I'm known as poor_old_dad, not just here in these forums, but everywhere else too. Or "POD" for short. I've been asked to serve as Moderator of the Organic Gardening class. This doesn't mean that I know everything about the subject or even that I know more than some of the fine gardeners around these forums. But I do have a very large reference library of books here at my farm and a lot, lot, lot of bookmarked web sites I've been collecting for over a decade, plus over half a century of hands on experience. And I really do love talking to folks about Organic Farming & Gardening and helping folks get started gardening, find answers to questions, and solutions to problems.

Since the beginning of the Free School, I've been wondering how to integrate this with the already existing Gardening Forum. Here's what I've come up with as a starting point. In the Free School Organic Gardening class I'll post background information, references, resources, and the what/why/how of Organic Farming & Gardening. Questions, comments, and hopefully additional information from other gardeners on those type subjects will be handled here. Specific, individual, answers to questions and solutions to problems, etc., will be done in the Gardening Forum as always. Again, this is just a starting point, and rest assured, if you ask me a question here about your.... I don't know.... tomatoes or something, I'll do my best to answer it.

Like I said, I'll be posting background information, references, resources, and the what, why, and how of Organic Farming & Gardening. There is a lot more to the Organic movement than not putting poisons on the foods we eat, although that is very important. It is also about nutrition, soil conservation, sustainability.... well, lots of things. We'll be getting into all these and more.

For now, how about everyone just saying hello & a little about your background & what you'd like in this class.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

hey! I am actually a certified horticulturist. I am just getting into the organic side of gardening, but I know alot about plants, and how they grow and how to care for them. I just want to learn how to stop poisoning them, and myself. So here I am. I am hoping to learn some, and mabey share some knowledge as well. So, hello, and hope everyone gets alot out of this class!
p.s. Congrats P.O.D.~ on 51 fabulous years of O.G.! WOW! I am super impressed, and super excited to learn all you've got to give! So glad you agreed to mod this class!
Peace & whatnots

 

i was a hoping it would be you dad workin with us on this class... i couldnt think of anyother here that would have the knowledge you have on the subject...cant wait to learn through the class here and hopefully learn how to improve my mess round here

 

Hi PO Dad
Im looking forward to starting a herb garden,,,hopefully soemwhere in the course of the class we will be learning about herb gardens,,,

Peace&Love&Light

 

Hello I have been experimenting growing my own very small organic garden. I have learned a lot but could learn a lot more to make my garden productive. Currently I rent but would like to, soon, buy some land and have a much larger garden where I can supply most of my food as well as possibly make some money providing healthy food to others. It has never made sense to me to put harmful products on the food we are going to eat turning farmland into health hazards. I have tried to do all my gardening naturally to create a place that is healthy to enjoy and my kids can watch the natural processes of life.

Thank you for taking the time to share what you have learned with us, POD.

 

i've been organic gardening off and on for about 30 years. i'm presently renting and need to learn more about container gardening. i'm also interested in using small portable cold frames. i'm living in the pacific northwest which is a very wet climate for the most part, which is challenging. just lookin' to learn more.

 

We have raised a small garden for the past few years. Most of what we have done is trial & error. I look forward to learning healthy ways to care for our garden and take experiences of others and put it to use in our garden. POD, you have answered questions for me in the past in the gardening forum and I'm glad you're here to guide us in this class!

 

Holidays are over, I've celebrated my 60th birthday & the birth of my first Grandchild, but now it's time to get back to class...

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

WoW POD, Conga Rats!! On both occations.. cigars or pink champange?

Bright Blessings
sh

 

Pink champange?

I always thought it was cigars or donuts.... but anyway cigar (boy).

He came into the world in the true hippie way. Born December 4th, at home with mid-wife & mid-wife's apprentice attending. He weighed 8 lbs and 7 ounces (3.8 kilograms), and was 20.5 inches (52 centimeters) in length.

In the true 21st century way, he already has a web site!!

Peace,
poor_old_[grand]dad

 

congrats, grandpa!

 

Hi there - I didn't think this question fit under "compost" so I'll ask it here:
The last people living in this house planted a very invasive ivy-type plant around the house. It's holding too much moisture against the foundation and I need to get rid of it, but how? It's WAY to big to just pull up, and there's no way I'm spraying poison on it. Someone suggested boiling salt water - would that work?
The nearest plants I care about are about 5 feet away from the ones I need to get rid of.
Help! and Thanks!

 

Boiling water without the salt would be a good place to start. Cutting it down to the ground then covering it with a weighted down tarp that no light can get through will be the next step. And pulling it up may still be needed.

Is it green & growing now? Or has it died back or gone dormant for the winter?

Peace,
poor_old_dad
PS.: Welcome to the forums...

 

It's gone dormant for now. I was picking at it today and was amazed at just how dense it is. Should I do the boiling water now or wait til spring?
Thanks for the help and the welcome!

 

By pass the water for now. Go out every day and cut off stems right at ground level until you get tired. After it is all cut back, you need to place something heavy and totally opaque and completely cover the area. A dark tarp or cardboard or a couple layers of black plastic will do. Whatever you use, cover it with 4 to 6 inches of straw or hay. The idea is to smother it by cutting off ALL light. Expect to leave the covering in place for the rest of the year!!! Ivy is one of the hardest things to get rid of, but you're right about getting it away from the foundation etc., it can do considerable harm.

Trying to pull or dig it up probably won't work, and what ever you do, don't go over the area with a tiller. When trying to get it out of the ground little pieces of root will break off under ground and a new plant will sprout from it.

Peace,
poor_old_dad

 

hey, im Karla. im very interested in organic gardening and permaculture. i had my first garden last year using mostly heritage and heirloom seeds. i made two no dig raised beds and a potato cage. i learned a lot and im excited to learn more.
what i hope to get from this course is a bit of guidance and support as i try to grow myself some food at my new place, a little beachfront cabin. i have next to no yard so most htings will be in containers. what i do have is a beach (and all the lovely resources it provides like seaweed and building materials), a stand of bamboo for stakes and fences, plenty of sun, and a rooftop that i can put lots of containers on. i plan on doing about 5 varieties of tomatoes because i love starting, growing and eating them and i can put them in pots. i just got my seed catalogue and am trying to decide on what to get. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
i should have room for one or two smaller beds and im thinking beans or peas. id love to do a squash variety and cukes too if possible. im gonna have to plan my beds first i think lol. if anyone wants to throw some ideas out there, i can post a pic of what i have to work with.
thanks so much for this course

 

Hey - I just wanted to thank PoD for the great advice. The stubborn plant is gone, and the impatiens are in! Many thanks!

 

Hi There POD,

I'm Lois, up here in Canada, in the "Warmland" of the Cowichan Valley where almost anything grows.

For the last 8 years my partner Rick and I have been establishing a base for a market garden and we are making progress, expanding a little every year.

We have 29 garden beds of various sizes and shapes, including a round space for kitchen herbs.

I'm almost 47 and I've been gardening off and on since I was 10.

We grow a variety of vegetables, have a plague of Jerusalem artichokes and Michihili that come back every year, only took 1 planting and now we're stuck with them. Ah well, a lesson learned.

We've got the roadside stand constructed and I'm working on a craft inventory to sell as well as produce.

I hope this qualifies me to be here.

Take care
Lois