"Cool, Cheap, Mini Root Cellars" and Memories of Dad!

  I saw this yesterday and just had to share it with you all! It reminded me of how my dad used an old "Chest Freezer" one time to store root veggies in. He barred it in the ground right up tho the edge of the door, so you could get into the mini root cellar with easy access! Now granted we had an an old conventional root cellar, about 15x20 in size with a room over top of it, but dad never through anything away and usually found a use for it, one day! There are many ways you can make a mini "Root Cellar", as long as you keep the veggies dry and cool. We could probably do a whole series on mini root cellars but we won't. This is just to stir the thinking of the "Urban Gardener" that can not build a conventional cellar or even have the room to build one!
  Well here is what reminded me of the Ol' Root Cellar and of my Dad, "Mother Earth News".

Other Examples "Mini Root Cellars" are:
1) Use a larger trash Can with lid
2) Cut the top of a plastic 55 gallon drum off
3) Plastic storage containers

If you would like to Build a larger "Root Cellar" Here a a few good How-To links!
1) How to Build a Root Cellar
2) A Basement Root Cellar
3) Tips on Building a Root Cellar

VEGGIES AND APPROXIMATE STORAGE TIMES:
You want to maintain temperatures at 32° to 40° F (0 to 4 C)
Cabbage.......3-4 months
Brussels Sprouts.....3-5 weeks
Jerusalem Artichokes..1-2 months
Carrots........4-6 months
Chinese Cabbage...1-2 months
Eggplant........1-2 weeks
Parsnips........1-2 months
Rutabagas......2-4 months
Squash........4-6months
Radishes........2-3 months
Tomatoes.......1-2 months
Cauliflower......2-4 weeks
Broccoli.........1-2 weeks
Beets........4-5 months
Pumpkins......5-6 months
Potatoes.........4-6 months
Turnips.......4-6 months
Although the above storage times are approximate, check periodically for spoilage.

  Well I hope you get inspired and inventive? If you have any other ideas for any type of root cellar, mini or conventional, please share with us! 

Proverbs 12:3 "A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved."

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Bradford Pears Trees, You Can Keep Them!

 You may think of the "Bradford Pear Tree" as that beautiful white flowered tree that lines the roads or long driveways of most newer built subdivisions. Maybe you think of the great autumn colors and how long the keep there leaves in the fall. Maybe you like how the birds are attacked to your yard to enjoy the little treats that they produce. Well, that's fine a good but you can keep them all! At one time we had 6 total planted on our little city lot but do to winds, snow and just their weak splits we only have one left. Its not just us its many neighbors in my neighborhood have had the same luck. Just today, I had to cut down another one! Yes, I agree that they are very pretty trees but they will not last you very long. I would try other trees such as "Purple Plumb", "Dogwood","Crab apple" or if you have to have an ornamental pear, try a "Cleveland Pear".  
  They split easily, they grow suckers, and they have a very shallow root system. As they grow taller, much stress is put on the lower and larger joints of the tree, which invariably causes splitting.Its not fun planting beds around them either, since the roots are so shallow. And let me tell you the stumps take forever to decompose and they shut suckers up off the stump for years to come. So if you have to cut one down, which if you plant one I guarantee you will in your lifetime, be sure to have the stump ground out of the ground (approx. 300.00 plus dollars). The trees may also suffer from fire blight or entomosporium leaf spot, both diseases that can kill the tree if left untreated.So in my opinion, leave it untreated, lol!
  I tried trimming them as the experts say to do. Every Year I would prune them back but Oh know that doesn't work either. Face it, Stay clear of these weak trees. Unless you leave somewhere were the wind doesn't blow, the snow doesn't fall or the rain isn't to long, lol!
  The Bradford Pear tree was introduced into the United States in 1963 by the USDA, having been planted here since after the turn of the last century. They are originally native to Korea and China and I wish they would have kept them! It is a fast growing tree that flowers early in spring before any leaves are born and have a short life because of the quick growth!
  Well I have done what I can to warn you, lol! So now its up to you what you do with the info provided! Good Luck and God Bless!


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What do you SEED in this picture?

Look Very Very Closely!

Photo by: TheRedeemedGardener

Photo by: TheRedeemedGardener

  

  

  Pardon the use of words there but I couldn't resist (SEED)! What I see is next years "Blue lake" Pole Beans SEEDS! Yes its the end of the growing season but you still can think of next year as you clean up the garden beds for the winter. That is if you do not year round garden. Saving seeds from your beans is much easier than you may think and here is how.

Saving Bean seeds:

1) Let the Bean Fully mature on the plant.

2) Either let the beans totally dry out on the plant or pick the biggest filled pods from the plant string them on some string and hang them in a warm/dry place to dry out.

3) When the pods are as dry as a "popcorn fart", just crumble the bean pods in your hand to remove the bean itself.

4) As with any other seed you save. Put the beans in an airtight/dry container or plastic baggy.

5) Store them with the rest of your seeds for next year in a dry place.

6) Next season when you are ready to plant, remember to soak your bean seeds in water for 24 hours before planting. This will help germination!

If you didn't catch my post on saving Tomato Seeds, here it is as well! "Saving Tomato Seeds, for next year".

Tips for Saving Beans:

•  Choose beans from plants that are strong, prolific, and disease-free. Remember: healthy plants = healthy seeds = healthy plants next year.
•  Only save those dry beans that are large in size, smooth, and whole. Don't save seeds that are smaller than the others, wrinkly, or broken.
•  Only save seeds from heirloom, open-pollinated beans. Hybrids won't come true from seed.

 

Mark 4:30  Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; ³² but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

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"Black Gold and Other Soil Amendments"

   Well this is the time of the year when I will tuck most of my beds in for the winter, other then the one that I plant fall/winter crops in! There are many things to do in the fall but to me the must important thing to do is soil preparation for next year, The soil is the "Heart of the Garden".
 There are at least four factors to consider in selecting a soil amendment:

• how long the amendment will last in the soil,
• soil texture,
• soil salinity and plant sensitivities to salts, and
• salt content and pH of the amendment.

 Soil tests can determine the salt content, pH and organic matter of organic amendments. The quality of bulk organic amendments for large-scale landscape uses can then be determined.
  Remember each plant that you have planted has had its fill of a lot of the minerals and vitamins that are in the soil. So its our job to help replace those key elements so we can get the best out of our garden next season. Some people will plant a cover crop, which with my bed that I have kept open for fall/winter crops that what I will do but with the others I believe I will just use good old "Black Gold and Other Soil Amendment"!

The Redeemed Gardener

   If you don't know what black gold is, it's the product of those free compost bins I made in the beginning of the year. Read more on that at "Dirt Cheap Compost" and don't worry if you live in the city you can have compost with the "Champion Composters", worms! Here to the right is a hand full of the finished product out of my compost bins. I also mixed in equal parts of horse manure that I got for free from a friend of mine at church, you remember her from the trip we made to see her new born baby goats! All I had to do is go pick it up and they are glad to get rid of it! After I worked that into my beds, I took a couple scoops (about the size of a large coffee can) of die chicken manure and scattered it on top of the soil. Chicken manure is very rich in stuff that the soil needs. I got 5 gallon buckets of it for free as well from a friend of mine that owns chickens and by just asking he gave me some! Then as with the other Amendments I work it down into the soil.

Chicken Poop in a Bucket, lol!

  Why work it into the soil, because amending a soil is not the same thing as mulching, although many mulches also are used as amendments. A mulch is left on the soil surface. Its purpose is to reduce evaporation and runoff, inhibit weed growth, and create an attractive appearance. Mulches also moderate soil temperature, helping to warm soils in the spring and cool them in the summer. So that leads me to the final thing that I do to tuck them in for the winter and that's put a good layer of my mulched up leaves/grass mix, from the yard right on top of the soil, about 4 to 6 inches will do. Then I will work that in in the early early spring to the soil as well. You can also use bark mulch as well and here is a great video to watch on the use of mulch in the garden, "Back to Eden". These are just some of the things I do to get the soil prepared for winter and for next season. There are also many different "Organic and Inorganic Amendments" out there, I just chose Organic for all the best reasons! Here is a very good article I found from "Gardener's Supply Company" that is more in depth from the professional side of this subject. Remember I am a simple farm boy (living in the city) that has been known to be called "Jethro" before, lol! Those of you that haven't been with me for a while should read that article for a good ol knee slapper of a laugh!
  So for us simple folks here is a recap:

•   Test your soil, to see what it is missing and what type it is
•   Locate the type of Amendment you need for your garden (free/organic is best)
•   Work you Amendment into your soil
•   Tuck your Garden in with a good layer of mulch, (leaves, bark, news paper, etc)
•   And let God do the rest, "He Promises"

"You must keep all earthy treasures out of your heart, and let Christ be your treasure, and let Him have your heart." ~ C.H. Spurgeon

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