Coffee Shop Talk

I will be giving an informal talk about my potager and Square Foot Gardening at noon on Saturday, May 1 at Market Square Coffee Shop

Market Square Coffee

@ The Stranded Cow

527 N 6th Street

Paducah Kentucky

Can I toss that?

Can I toss this? A question often asked around our house. Usually the answer is “no,” it can be composted. Cereal boxes, egg shells, dryer lint, newspaper, coffee grounds and, of course, kitchen scraps. (I don’t have a garbage disposal in my kitchen, don’t need one.) My neighbors no longer raise their eyebrows when I take the pick-up down the street and load up their bagged leaves. So far I have been able to restrain myself from asking for kitchen scraps at dinner parties, but have been known to collect coffee grounds and tea bags at church suppers.

Art in the Garden

My friend, Jana's raised bed.

Patience!

The unusual warm weather this past couple of weeks tempted me to set those cute little tomato and basil plants in the ground. Past experience tells me “be patient!” And I am glad I was as it has turned a bit cool again. Even if frost didn’t get them, they would have just sat there and waited for the soil to warm. Now is the perfect time to give their beds a layer of compost and to prepare for the little darlings. Tomatoes are one area I do not use the Square Foot method. I usually put 4 plants in one 4’X4’ bed and they fill it up. I think I will try to control their size by doing more pruning. From what I have read, they usually produce as much if not more than letting the vines go rapid.