” I like your way of gardening! Not much hassle but great rewards.”
“I love your common-sense approach to gardening.”
“—that’s why I’m a reader here – no “overwhelm” just practical advice – that works.”
“I’ve been gardening for over 30 years but have learned so much from your posts. I appreciate your thoroughness and orderliness. Thanks so much.”
“Gardening is so much easier and productive since I’ve met you, Theresa. I really mean that–you have helped me so much! I used to break my back fighting weeds, poor soil, etc. Not any more!”
“—you are providing others with invaluable help. — Tending My Garden is a fantastic resource – and (the feedback) is the proof. I feel so thankful to have found it.”
“I’ve just come across your website and found so much information on onion growing it’s amazing! –”
” I came across your site searching for why my cucumber plants were wilting mid-afternoon and whether I should water them. I have not stopped reading your posts since then. —- very addictive —–will be my go-to site for my gardening needs.”
“I’m so glad I found your website!! The info is exactly what I’ve been looking for! —– more than just the typical stuff you find posted everywhere. While landscape design is my profession Vegetable gardening is a passion. I can’t wait to read more of the past posts!!”
“These days, I am no longer googling for my gardening needs. I am TMGing.”
“One of the things that sets you apart is that you know the difference between tried and true advice as opposed to the stuff we read in those ‘generic’ learn-to-garden books. I have stopped worrying about so many things since I began reading TMG.”
“The way you communicate with your readers is just marvelous! You provide such a wealth of gardening information! I am so glad to have found your blog, I`m learning so many new things here!”
“— your blog was instrumental in getting me past the ‘paralysis of over-analysis’ phase of my balcony garden…I was intimidated and lacked the knowledge I needed to get started. Your ‘can-do’ style inspired me to get started and see my summer-fall season as an experimental phase of ‘research and development’…”
“—This is the most in depth, informative blog on gardening I’ve seen.”
“—–This is what folks need to hear and it is exactly what is missing at the book stores as well. —-With all of the books, videos, encyclopedias, and google searches I could get my hands on, THIS SITE is my #1 source and a benchmark to which all other sources are compared and measured.”
“You have changed my whole gardening life! ”
“I love gardening and would never stop my subscription (to TMG). I’m learning more from you than I have in years of trying it by myself.”
” I am just so encouraged by all that I am reading from you. I can’t make myself leave your site!”
“My garden has doubled in productivity since I started reading here.”
“I wanted to let you know that from your guidance, I have discovered that ‘less is more.’ I was planting the old fashioned way–rows with lots of weeds to take care of–. Then I learned your secret of mulching heavily with straw and/or leaves. What an amazing difference. The soil is always ready for a seed or two in an empty spot and weeding is minimal. Last year we harvested twice as much produce in half the space.”
“Theresa, I’ve been gardening for about 40 years, and in the last 10 or so have tried my hand at gardening organically. I bought the books, read the websites, took the magazines, etc., but have been largely overwhelmed and discouraged. I happened upon TMG and have been reading for around 3 months. Now I know I can really do this!!! Thank you so very much for being so realistic and practical. And also for being so open, willing, and giving. You are a blessing!”
“I have learned so much, actually far more from you than from any gardening magazine I have ever subscribed to.”
“— I’m in the process of switching from chemical-based gardening to organic gardening and your website has helped me tremendously. There’s so much info on organic gardening – some of it very conflicting. You present stuff in an easy to understand, logical way.”
“Every time I hear something “out there” about gardening, I think…….wait that sounds too complicated, Theresa keeps it simple…….do what she does. Lol. You have kept me from jumping on the crazy train! ”
“I discovered your blog just last week while searching the web for information on raised bed gardening. I was actually pricing rough-cut lumber from a local saw mill, and looking for design ideas for wooden boxes when I stumbled upon your post “Contained Raised Beds? NO WAY!” I have not left your blog since!
I am so impressed with the information I have found here, as well as how much you put into it. I appreciate how you respond so thoughtfully to your readers’ questions and comments. And of course I LOVE your “common sense” approach.”
“This is only my 3rd or 4th season (of gardening). (Because of TMG) I am literally years ahead of my time in terms of being an accomplished gardener! ”
“Your wonderful blog and the manner in which you handle explaining things in incremental steps is just amazing. I am on a steering committee for a local community garden effort and your blog will be my recommendation to anyone who gets involved.”
“I just found your site —- when I was checking for what to do with onions. I have never seen so much useful information in one place. — What a wonderful site! I learned more in just a few minutes than I have ever gotten elsewhere. Thank you!!!”
“Finding your site thanks to Diane’s flowers has helped continue my education but in a very easy manner. I’ve found that your experience has confirmed that heritage gardening does not have to be exhaustive but more fun. I find your thinking about gardening assured me that my “maybe I’ll just let nature do the work” is ok and now I’m learning why.”
“Just read your post on Garden diversity- as always excellent, thorough and you have this ability to give all the information one might need in a nutshell – keeping the reader engaged all through.”
“I wish I had found your blog years ago. It would have saved me lots of money spent on gardening books & magazines.”
“Even tho I am on the other side of the world and the seasons are reversed, your insight, knowledge and experience are so valuable to me as a starting out organic gardener.”
“I directly credit the MAJOR increase in productivity in my garden to you. —-(it) is amazing compared to how my garden used to operate.”
“I have learned invaluable lessons and methods from you, have found you to be very well researched, very well thought out, and very methodical. And so easy to learn from.”
“— you infuse encouragement and heart into your website and I greatly receive these gifts.”
” I read each post you write as though I am a sponge; sucking up every last word you write, and holding onto it tightly. … your philosophy on gardening is inspiring. I feel light years ahead of some of my friends who have been gardening for much longer than I, and it is all thanks to you and your easy to read, vital information.”
“I just read your post on using straw once sprayed with 2-4D. Then I read a few more snippets … I think I’m in love…just to find an organic gardener blogging in such a practical way.
It is a fact that we live in a world with more than a few undesirable chemicals infiltrating the world we live in, but we have to understand what will decompose, what is persistent, and how to proceed. … reading your commonsense words just made my day. ”
“I can’t imagine not having TMG for reference and inspiration. It’s one of the few sites I go back to every year for specifics — I hope everyone who reads here, in particular newer readers, understand just what gold is buried in (TMG’s) archives. There’s nowhere else to read some of the things I’ve learned here on TMG, and I’m in NO way overstating.”
” I think there are more people than you know who would love to garden with your ideas – they just don’t know it’s possible.”
“Your postings ALWAYS shed light in a slightly different way —. It’s like taking a walk around the garden with a favorite friend who can be relied on to share the truth.”
(I want) ” to tell you how much I enjoy your blog, your style of writing, the clarity of the information you provide and the very obvious expertise you have achieved.
Reading your blog and the information about your book has given me hope that I can try again (to garden), this time with much greater success and a lot less work.”
“Your information has always been the best out there. The style of your writing is informative but also interesting, honest and humorous at times. You always make me smile and want to get back out there and try something new.”
“Last fall I found TMG and purchased your book. I took to heart your wisdom and applied it to my garden. I added lots of leaves and organic matter. After I planted my garden and applied lots of mulch I have done nothing but harvest. My garden is not perfect but my family is eating, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, okra, cucumbers and swiss chard. That is a complete 180 (degrees) from the previous 2 years. Real soil works, mulch works! If you are a new reader to TMG …unplug from Big Food and the chemical marketing matrix!”
“I have finished your book and am so excited to get to work on preparing my vegetable garden — Your book is full of such great information and takes so much of the “mystery” of gardening out of the equation.”
“What I’ve learned here has proven to be a major life changing part of our lives over the past 5 years.”
“—and I love reading your posts and using them as my garden encyclopedia.”
“I finished reading your book! Thank you so much! It was well worth the price and the shipping! ” (This reader is from Japan and her shipping cost was $25)
Also, the farmer may have sprayed the hay field with herbicides to get rid of the weeds. If so this could be death to your garden plants because it is still in the hay and will either kill them or affect their growth. It happened to me.
I appreciate your adding this point Beppy. I even added a PS to the post so folks will be sure to read your comment. So many gardeners pay no attention to this possibility and I think that’s a mistake —– because as you say —- it does happen!
For those interested in reading more
http://tendingmygarden.com/compost-mulch-residual-herbicides-what-you-can-do-about-them-in-your-garden/Thanks so much for the great input!
Theresa
What about the grains now grown
with GMO seed. Would the straw be contaminated?
Thank you so much for your newsletters they have been such an encouragement considering I always believed I had two brown thumbs.
Sincerely,
Ann (from Kansas)
Ann, your question is such an EXCELLENT one and one I wish I really knew the right answer to it.
The last time I got straw from my farmer I asked him if he was growing GMO wheat. He said no. I told him I did not want straw from GMO wheat if he did grow it. He said he would give me barley straw if he decided to grow GMO wheat.
I know he grows GMO corn from time to time and I can’t help but wonder if some of that doesn’t end up in my garden. I hate the thoughts.
The thing is — a lot of research has been done — and we do know that GMO products ingested are harmful to animals and humans. We know that ingesting animals that eat GMO is harmful.
We really are not sure about residue from crops that decay in the soil. However, I would like to err on the side of caution. I want to stay as far away from them as I can —- because if damage is done because of them — we probably can’t undo it.
That’s another thing that is so awful about what Monsanto and the others are doing with all the GMO stuff. With nature — when something goes wrong — it can be fixed. With GMOs — that are taking the very DNA of one species and crossing it with another —– they are upsetting the very balance that was built into things. This might be beyond us to deal with.
I will write more in future posts about how I am looking ahead and planning other things I can do for mulch rather than buy straw from my farmer if GMO stuff becomes the only thing available. I’m not able to grow ALL of the mulch I need, but I am going to start growing some. One small step.
I will continually look ahead and plan and continue to take one small step in the direction I want to go —– My goal being to stay as far away from GMO stuff as possible and become more self sustaining than I am now.
Look to as many other sources for mulch as you can. Pine tags, wood chips, straw from other grains, etc.
If you love gardening — I can almost guarantee you do NOT have brown thumbs! That thought — rest assured — is the result of the marketing you are bombarded with all the time. Don’t give in to it. Look to nature —- and if she is not being cooperative the day you need her — write to me with your question and I’ll try my best to help.
Thanks for the great question Ann and for letting me know that what I write has been encouraging to you.
Theresa
Hello,
I just stumbled upon your excellent web site while researching Tomato blight. Since I am a bit afraid of using hay or mulch since I do not know the source could I use leaves, in my case this being mostly white oak leaves with some red oak and hickory mixed in. I have heard both good and bad things about this. Some say they would be too acidic and too many tannins while others say they work just fine. Your thoughts?
Forgot to say I am also a Virginia gardener! I live in Stafford near Fredericksburg.
Don, leaves are excellent! You can’t get anything much better than leaves for the garden.
Why that bit about leaves or pine needles making soil acid is still going around is beyond me. Anyway, don’t believe it. Use your leaves. They’re like gold for your garden.
You might want to read this post http://tendingmygarden.com/collect-gold-for-your-garden/
Theresa
Several years ago, there was a problem with residual herbicides in cow compost for gardening. Seems the digestion did not “weed” out the herbicides and it was killing vegetables. Google “killer compost”. Hopefully the problem has been fixed. I’m still cautious when using commercial compost. Also about GMO products. When you think about it, just about everything we consume is GMO including seeds we buy. Gmo isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you consider higher yield, disease and insect resistance, better all around crops, veggies etc. When I grew up in the 50’s in Hawaii, there was much research done by Dole to produce a better sugar cane and pineapple. Think about it, Luther Burbank and G.W. Carver pioneered GMO b4 it was GMO.
Residual herbicides surfaced about 1999 -2000. I’ve written about them numerous times and have given lots of details in various posts. And no, the problem has NOT been fixed. When buying commercial compost you have a 50- 50 chance that it contains residual herbicides. Here’s 4 posts:
http://tendingmygarden.com/residual-herbicides-in-composts-part-i/
http://tendingmygarden.com/residual-herbicides-in-compost-part-2-on-grow-mix-potting-mix-compost-manure-mulch/
http://tendingmygarden.com/compost-mulch-residual-herbicides-what-you-can-do-about-them-in-your-garden/
http://tendingmygarden.com/compost-hay-residual-herbicides-extension-office-advice-a-readers-experience/
And yes, there is much that the public consumes that contains genetically modified ingredients. We have to be very current on information to try to stay away from them, but it can be done.
The seed that gardeners have access to is NOT GMO seed. GMO seed is sold to commercial growers (farmers) and they have to sign papers to even buy the seed.
There is a big difference in hybrids (a cross of two varieties of the same species) and GMO, where
one species is crossed with another — for example a fish with a tomatoe.
Burbank and Carver did not pioneer GMOs.
GMOs do not produce higher yields and are not disease and insect resistance. That belief is a result of heavy marketing by companies like Monsanto. The facts are out there, you just have to look for them.