Tomorrow, I’ll be starting a series on beginning organic gardening and would love your thoughts and experiences!
Some of the issues I am looking at covering are:
- What is organic gardening?
- Plant selection
- Site selection
- Soil amendments
- Beginning composting
- Weed control
- Pest control
- Disease control
In the mean time, I’d love to know about your experiences with organic gardening. Have you tried only to cede your garden to the bugs? Or have you found your garden to be relatively healthy? Why are you interested in organic gardening?
Feel free to share links to your blog as well if you’ve written about your experiences and concerns regarding gardening. I’d love you to join the discussion so we can all learn from each other!

Roscommon Acres is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Turn your children out on the pasture, pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation!





Monday, 24. May 2010
In Florida, gardening is easier said than done, but we’re slowly getting the hang of it. My goal is healthy production and if I have to occassionally use non-organic methods to get there, so be it. The only poison I’ve used thus far is Sevin which I figure has been around long enough that if it were THAT bad it would already be off the market. I use it sparingly to stave off pickleworms. As for soil ammending, we have friends with horses and we bring home a trailer load of horse manure each season. Plant selection is key for us as they have to be resistant to so many pests and diseases. We like Baker Creek, Southern Exposure and Tomato Growers Supply. Also note that hybrids are NOT genetically modified! hybrids have been developed for decades and other than not bearing true seed, have no problems. unless you buy from Monsanto, you won’t be getting GMO seed. For weed control I open feed bags flat and cut holes in them. I plant in the holes and mulch over the top. I only recommend doing this where you have drip irrigation under it as water is slow to get to the plants when watered from above. Good luck! Plant enough so that even the little kids can participate and not be risking your whole harvest! :->
Alison´s last blog ..what to plant now
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Dana Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 11:53 am
That’s sort of my philosophy. I’ll spray if I absolutely have to, but only for some things. I decided I don’t like cabbage and its relatives enough to spray so I just stopped planting them after losing too many battles with those annoying little worms. My fruit trees, however? We haven’t put them in yet, but that is too big of an investment to just dig up if they get attacked and other methods aren’t working!
So far, we haven’t needed to.

Dana´s last blog ..Getting started with organic gardening
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Alison Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
try planting garlic around brassicas if you decide to try again. ive heard it does wonders!
Alison´s last blog ..what to plant now
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Dana Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I had heard that, too, but ours was planted between the garlic and the sage, both which was supposed to help. It didn’t.

Dana´s last blog ..Getting started with organic gardening
Thursday, 27. May 2010
I have a post coming about beating the cabbage fly……it’s scheduled for about 3 days from now….
Louisa´s last blog ..Wowza!
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Dana Reply:
May 28th, 2010 at 12:02 am
Excellent! I look forward to reading it.
Dana´s last blog ..Our goslings arrived!
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Monday, 16. August 2010
Hi Dana,
I’m just getting aquainted with your blog! I was doing a little searching for new homeschooling blogs and found you! I love your philosophy on homeschooling and the realism you sprinkle in your posts…Oh, and we are kindred spirits when it comes to naming houses too! Our’s is called Dandelion House just like my blog! Now, to reply to your organic gardening post…
We keep chickens, for eggs and the cocka doodle doo for our flower and veggie gardens which creates a wonderful rich compost! When planting with seeds, I always try to select organic seeds and I am a subscriber to all things Mary Janes Farm… check it out if you don’t already know about her… her bi-monthly magazine is a wealth of info on everyday organic living.
now for the fun part! I am giving out 15 blog awards as part of accepting the Versatile Blogger award and a I have chosen your blog as one of them!
I’ll have the post up in a couple of days announcing all the blogs but in the mean time stop by for a visit if you can find an extra minute!
Dandelion Wishes,
Deb
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Dana Reply:
August 16th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Hey, thanks! I always love meeting other homeschoolers! And more named houses! That’s always a bonus.

Dana´s last blog ..Watermelon Rind Jelly
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