Pure Black Castings            VermaPlex             VermaMax

       Digger Jones
      a blog by a dog

Vertical Gardening: A.K.A. Green Wall, Living Wall

The latest trend in gardening these days is Vertical Gardens.  Why? Here are a few good reasons:

• Plants grow up, thereby taking up less space
• Less labor due to less soil preparation and digging (so what's wrong with digging?).
• More varieties of plants possible in much less space.
• Can grow "bottom-up" and "bottom-down".
• Less weeding
• Reduced chores (yeah!)
• Increased air circulation
• Lower risk of plant diseases and pests
• Easier to tend and harvest
• Less bending, stooping, and breaking of backs.
• Increased yields in a smaller space.
• Vineing types of plants are well suited to vertical gardens. They perform better than bush types.

So, we're jumping on the Vertical Gardening trend. We're also going to do it mostly hydroponicly, using perlite as our soil-less medium and VermaPlex ® added to the water supply for the fertilizer.  Occasionally, we'll add some liquid VermaMax ® as a nitrogen booster (liquid VermaMax®  will be available soon). For our non-hydroponic plants (like beefsteak tomatoes) we'll still use organic worm castings Pure Black Castings™ in the potting soil mix.

Our vertical garden will also be self-watering. Self-watering worked wonders for us and we feel vertical gardening takes the self-watering gardening system to the next level of efficiency. Less, space, less labor, increased yields, fewer problems  means more time for other activities (like digging holes for no apparent reason.)



Next:  Now that the shade yurt is completed, we'll be building our plant towers and watering system. 

Vertical Gardening Supplies:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®. Add to potting soil mix.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Add to your hydroponic water supply for continuous feeding.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides at Monroe Works.

 Pure Black Castings            VermaPlex             VermaMax

 


      a blog by a dog

The shade yurt for our vertical garden is coming along.  We're using Derek Fell's "Vertical Gardening, Grow Up Not Out" as our vertical garden guide and Hal Jackson's Laurel Nest Yurts as our yurt building guide.



After getting the edgers in place underneath the yurt supports, Ol' Bill put down ground cloth and then added mulch:



After which I promptly took up residence. 



A nice big water bowl is all that's needed.  Oh yeah, and the vertical garden.

Vertical Gardening Supplies:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®. Add to potting soil mix.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Add to your hydroponic water supply for continuous feeding.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides at Monroe Works.

 Pure Black Castings            VermaPlex             VermaMax

 


      a blog by a dog

Despite the unusual heat we're having for January, ol' Bill's been hard at work on his shade yurt for our vertical garden.  After putting up the yurt, we decided we should  add landscape edgers under the wooden legs to prevent them from rotting.

This is another project that could have been done before setting up the yurt, but we would have missed out on all that huffing and puffing to shove those babies underneath.  I observed it all from the shady side.


After loosening the tie-downs, Ol' Bill pried up the supports while Kayce shoved under the blocks.  I, as stated above, watched intently from the shade.

 
The flexiblity of the yurt allowed each section to be lifted without harming the structure.  Once the blocks were in place and the supports adjusted until all were settled, the tie-downs were... well... tied down.



And, behold, all is supported, not a board out of whack.  Can't say the same for ol' Bill's back.
(No rhyme intended).

Next:  Ground cloth and mulch.

Vertical Gardening Supplies:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®. Add to potting soil mix.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Add to your hydroponic water supply for continuous feeding.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides at Monroe Works.

 Pure Black Castings            VermaPlex             VermaMax

 


      a blog by a dog

Ol' Bill added the shade cloth to the yurt and figured out how to tie it down.  And just in the nick of time.  It's mid January, but we've been in the 80's for the past week.  I think we're going to need the shade, and soon.

Vertical Garden Shade Yurt Update

It took some doing, but here it is:





After the yurt was put up, we discovered the roof ring separated and needed some screws.  Would have been much easier before it was put up, but then ol' Bill would have missed out on hanging onto the ladder with  his toes.


The clamps come out when the glue dries.


See that nice shaded corner? That's where I'm headed right now....

Next:  Putting landscape edgers under the legs....another thing that would have been easier before putting it up.

Vertical Gardening Supplies:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®. Add to potting soil mix.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Add to your hydroponic water supply for continuous feeding.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides at Monroe Works.

 

 Pure Black Castings            VermaPlex             VermaMax

 


      a blog by a dog

We've been quite for a while, and with good reason.  More on that later.

Vertical Garden Yurt

Here's what ol' Bill's been up to:  building a Yurt to house our vegetable garden... Vertical Vegetable Garden to be exact.  We' ll be able to add shade cloth for our intense Florida sun and frost cloth for our untimely Florida frosts.  This protection should extend our growing season considerably.  Besides, ol' Bill just wanted to build a yurt.


 

Hydroponic Vertical Garden

What's more, we're going to make it hydroponic, using organic VermaPlex® as the liquid fertilizer and perlite as the soilless growing medium.  Check back for our progress often.  Ol' Bill is chomping at the bit.

Vertical Gardening Supplies:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®. Add to potting soil mix.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Add to your hydroponic water supply for continuous feeding.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides at Monroe Works.

Pure Black Castings            VermaPlex             VermaMax

      a blog by a dog

Start New Plants With Daylily Offshoots

See those little daylilies growing off from the sides of your plants?  Snap them off and transplant to expand your garden for free.  Here's how.

• Fill 5 inch containers with potting soil mix.

• Break offshoots off when several leaves develop and there are some rudimentary roots forming.

• Plant deep enough to keep the plants upright.
• Moisten with VermaPlex ®mix (1 part VermaPlex® to 20 parts water) to stimulate root growth.
• Place transplants into full-sun.
• Check daily and water if needed.
• Roots will begin growing rapidly.
• Apply VermaPlex®/water mixture in two weeks.
• Transplant into your garden in the fall or early spring.

And there you go - expand your daylily garden for free.

Certified Organic Bulbs Fertilizer:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Innoculate your garden soil and your compost heap.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides and Monroe Works.

         a blog by a dog

If you want to improve your gardens aeration and create compost right in your garden, add earthworms.  Earthworms not only breakdown mulch and manures, they also leave behind nutrient rich castings .

 Here is how:

• Cover your garden area with organic material and mulch.  Worms need the cover and they need the food.  If they are exposed to the sun and there nothing to feed on, they will simply crawl away.  Wouldn't you?
• Keep the garden soil and mulch moist.  The worms can't survive in dry conditions.
• Keep the garden from being soggy.  Worms can't survive in overly wet conditions.  Get it? They need in JUST RIGHT.
• To calculate how many worms you will need, add 8-10 worms per square foot.
• Don't add the worms when it's excessively hot.
• Use a mix of European Nightcrawlers and Red Worms.  European nightcrawlers are burrower and will aerate the soil.  Red worms stay in the upper area beneath the organic material, but are slightly better composters.  You can use either one or the other as well.
• Avoid chemicals and pesticides (which you do already, right?).  Worms are highly susceptible to toxins in the environment.

So there you are, nothing to it really.  Add worms to your garden and create compost without any distribution work on your part.  That's the part I like.

Earthworm Resources:

Red Worms
European Nightcrawlers
Combo Earthworms

          a blog by a dog

It's hot.  It's sticky, It's wet.  Welcome to Florida in July.  Florida gardening in July can be a challenge, but I'm here to help.

Annuals for Your July Florida Garden

First, the dry heat, now the rains.  Have you noticed any problems in your garden?  If your annuals survived the heat, their probably suffering "wet feet" from  all the rain that's come our way.  Now, I'm not complaining.  We certainly needed the rain, with the drought and all.  But, you know, come on.... gemme a break.

 

Here are some common problem and concerns you may encounter now that we're in the mean season of July:

• Fertilizing.
  Plants need a constant source of nutrients.  A slow release, organic fertilizer is best and you may need to add more after the excess rain.  Our sandy soils let a lot of good stuff wash away, although worm castings are best for preventing leaching.  Yellow foliage is a symptom of nutritional deficiencies. Add side dressings of Pure Black Castings™ and drench or foliar spray with VermaPlex® every 7-14 days.
• Rot.
  "Wet feet" as mentioned can be a problem if you have poor drainage.  Annuals don't like it.  Some varieties, like periwinkles and wax begonias, are especially sensitive. See a list below of rain-tolerant annuals.
• Pests.
  Garden fleas, grasshoppers, whiteflies, nematodes, slugs, and snails are showing up now and will do a number on your annuals.  Look for organic methods for eradication.  VermaPlex® as a foliar spray will go a long way in keeping these suckers (literally, some suck the juices from your lovely annuals while the rest devour them at an alarming rate) at bay.  Spray the underside of leaves as well as the tops.
• Periods of drought between heavy downpours.
  It's either too wet or too dry.  Turn off your sprinklers during rain spells.  Check your annuals when rains stops for a couple of days to prevent them from drying out.  Plants in containers are especially vulnerable to drying out, so check them daily.

Rain and Heat Tolerant Annuals for Florida

Below is a list of annuals you can plant now for our rainy season:

 

• Coleus
• Creeping Zinnia
• Globe Amaranth
• Impatiens
• Melampodium
• Periwinkle
• Purslane
• Rose Moss
• Torenia
• Wax Begonias

Garden stores will clear out their seeds this time of year, so get them a.s.a.p. or order online.

Keep cool.

 

Certified Organic Annuals Fertilizer:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Innoculate your garden soil and your compost heap.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides and Monroe Works.

Pure Black Castings™                VermaPlex®                  VermaMax®


          a blog by a dog

    Digger's Composting

Careful About Materials You Add To Your Compost Pile

You may be like us and are gathering up materials for your compost heap and mulch for winter plant protection.  Did you know that herbicides used on turf grass, hay fields, and other common compost/mulching materials can retain pesticide/herbicide residues that can harm your plants and trees?

And these herbicides can be found in horse and cow manures, too.  As if we didn't have enough to worry about these days....

Some Herbicides Don't Break Down

There has been a serious problem for gardeners since 1999 with herbicides  that don't break down during the composting process.  These herbicides, used to kill weeds in hay and grass can be deposited onto your garden soil and lawns, causing damage to plants, trees and vegetables.

The active ingredients, proved to not cause harm to animals but not proven safe for plants, include:

• Clopyralid
• Aninopyralid,
• Aminocyclopyrachlor 

The last one is the active ingredient in the brand-name herbicide Imprelis and is attracting attention.

The above herbicides are in the pyridine family which kill plants by altering plant hormone levels.  The reason they do not harm animals is that plants have different hormones than animals and it's safe for the animals to ingest it.

But, what about the manure from these animals?  And what about using the treated grass clippings, hay and straw in our gardens and compost piles?

The problem is that these herbicides is, because they remain in the environment for long periods of time , they are causing problems with plants that we all want to keep alive, like our tomato plants, for crying out loud.

The bottom line:  Be careful where your compost materials come from.  You may inadvertently cause damage or kill your plants, trees and vegetables.

Steps Organic Gardeners Can Take

1. Compost your own materials. 
   Only bring in composting materials from sources that you know what maintenance practices are used.
2. Know your composting sources. 
   If you use a commercial composting, find out if they accept municipal organic waste material.  And, if they do, is it tested for herbicide residue.
3. Be an activist. 
   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is so named because it is supposed to, get this,  "protect the environment".  Write them and let them know you want protection from harmful herbicide residues.  Herbicides need to be tested for potential harmfulness to plants before approval.  Contact manufacturers of herbicides that you want herbicides thoroughly tested before they are put on the market, and not just for animal safety.

Use Only Organic Composting Materials

The only real way to prevent these products from getting into the environment is to not use them in the first place.  Avoid using herbicides yourself and don't import compost materials onto your property from outside sources who do.

Certified Organic:

Pure Black Castings™:  Certified Organic Worm Castings created using only organic materials.
VermaMax®:  Chicken Litter organically composted using VermaPlex®.
VermaPlex®:  Created from Certified Organic Pure Black Castings™.  Innoculate your garden soil and your compost heap.
Organic Fertilizer Information: Find use/application guides and Monroe Works.

Pure Black Castings™                                                       VermaPlex®                                   VermaMax®


          a blog by a dog

Digger's Fall Garden Project

New Strategy for Our Fall Garden

Ol' Bill's been's working feverishly on his new garden project.  If you've been following my blog (you have been following faithfully, haven't you?) we've struggled with our garden due to the area's weird weather patterns.

The "shade yurt" is just about ready to set up, just in time for unpredictable October. 

Shade Gardening

Our Central Florida weather similar to Louisiana and Texas:  Relatively mild winters with occasional freezes; early/late frosts and early/late heat.  The summers can get hot early and do the tomatoes in before the fruit ripens.  An early frost can wipe out young plants in the fall garden; a late frost can wipe out young plants in the spring.  A mild winter can be a blessing, providing fresh vegetables year long.  A harsh winter can freeze out the hardiest of plants.  Whatever weather we get in any given winter is a crap shoot.  We won't even get into the drought/flooding issues.

Well, ol' Bill has come up with a possible solution.  To protect the plants from sun, frost and freezes, he's building a yurt - a Mongolian portable house.  It's fast,easy and inexpensive to build, so we did.  Or rather, ol' Bill did.  I supervised as usual.

After the yurt is erected, we'll set up a self-watering container garden system in it, cover the yurt with shade cloth and have frost cloth covers at the ready.  Oh Tricky Central Florida Weather, bring it on.


                      Shade Garden

After construction, we set up the yurt to see how it went together.  Then, we dismantled it and are just finishing up the protective finish.  More to come....

Garden Fertilizer Resources:

About Worm Castings :  Articles and use/application guides.
Pure Black Castings ™:  Certified organic, OMRI listed 99.9% pure worm castings
VermaPlex ®: Liquid soil inoculant made from these organic worm castings
VermaMax®: Organically composted chicken litter.  For extra nitrogen and 6% Calcium.

Other Resources