I haven’t seen this done much here in America, but in England (where it seems everyone is a skilled gardener), they like to do “Trench Composting”. They dig a shallow trench in an area to be planted later. Then, they throw in compost-friendly kitchen waste such as banana peels, coffee grinds, vegetables scraps, etc. Then they cover it with a few inches of soil and water it. In a few months, they plant vegetables directly over the trench and as the plants send out roots, they find the composted treasure and are nourished with the rich nutrients it left behind.
It sounds good to me..unless you have wildlife or a chocolate lab (who thinks she is “wildlife”) that will dig up the treasure and have themselves a feast. I guess you could park a few rocks or other heavy objects over the trench while it works its magic to keep any critters at bay. People who do this method of composting rave about the amount of earthworms drawn to the area and how rich the soil gets in a short amount of time. If any one out there has tried this, let me know how it worked for you.
I had heard the buzz about using seaweed powder in the garden and have even fed my plants with sea kelp extract from time to time with excellent results. So when my boys asked me the other day if they could bring home some seaweed they found on a recent trip at the beach, I wondered…”Can I use that seaweed right in my garden as fertilizer?”
After a bit of investigating, I have found that we CAN use freshly harvested seaweed to feed the garden. You just have to get over the embarrassment of lugging home a bag of seaweed from the beach. Yes, people may stare at you, but this is for the betterment of the garden people! So if you live near an ocean and were thinking about collecting some seaweed for your garden, I am including the information here for you.
First, you should know that seaweed is a great fertilizer that contains both macro and micro-nutrients. It has the usual NPK of other fertilizers, as well as magnesium, zinc, calcium, sulfur, iron and copper. As it breaks down, it stimulates soil bacteria, and helps with aeration and moisture retention.
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I can’t grow peonies in my California beach garden, but I can grow peony poppies! This gorgeous peony poppy (yes, it is a poppy – not a peony) has a gorgeous blossom that is about five inches across. The plant stands four feet tall and is a real showstopper. This one is called “Pink Peony” (what a surprise) and it will reseed! So one plant should keep you well stocked for a few years.
I bought this poppy from Annie’s Annuals in Northern California. Their four-inch pots have to be the healthiest plants I ever get through mail order. Annie’s is all out of this particular poppy right now, but be sure to check back at their website in early spring for a nice selection of poppies and other unusual plants for your garden. You won’t be disappointed.
Dear Pink Lemonade Tree-
I’m sorry Sir, but I have had it!
I have done everything I can to help you prosper and still, after five years, you have yet to produce a single decent crop for me. I have lovingly watered you, fed you, weeded the space below your branches and I get…nothing. I have given you more attention than any other citrus in my garden and you ignore my affection as if I don’t even exist.
Remember when you had that horrible outbreak of Mexican Leaf Miner? I didn’t judge you! I didn’t say a word, even though I knew you contracted it from fraternizing with Miss Lime down the way. Instead, I searched out an organic remedy and carefully treated you each week until you were nursed back to health. And then there was that time that one of your roots blocked the hole in the bottom of your pot. Who pulled you out, trimmed your roots and replanted you with that expensive, organic potting soil. Who? And what did you do? You did not even reward me with one pink lemon.
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RADISHES:
Have you ever left radishes in the garden so long, they went to seed? Save the crunchy seed pods and use them in salads. They are delicious. Or let the seeds pods dry out and save the seeds for planting next year.
SNAILS:
Here is a new idea for keeping snails out of your flowerpots. Smear a bit of menthol heat rub (like Ben-Gay or Tiger Balm) around the rim of each pot. The snails will not cross over! I’m sure you will need to re-apply every once in awhile.
Theresa Loe is the award- winning Co-Executive Producer & Canning Expert on Growing A Greener World TV. She blogs here about Living Homegrown®, local and fresh-from-the-garden. 
