By Lori Shapiro Spring has, finally and gloriously, burst. The warmer, longer days are driving the emergence of stunning spring flowers. The delightful weather and colorful blooms may motivate you to finally buy those seeds you have been thinking about. But summer is fast approaching, and you have so many demands on your time, and the easiest and fastest way to buy some seeds is with a couple quick clicks on Amazon. What could possibly go wrong? These very relatable sentiments were expressed by a colleague as she excitedly showed me a package of sweet pea seeds she had recently ordered on Amazon , as visions of delicious homegrown spring peas delighted her imagination.
WCG wants to help gardeners in the community grow the best plants for pollinators and diversity of local wildlife! Now is the time to be planning our gardens, and planting native plant seeds! Turning gallon jugs into mini-greenhouses is a great way to grow your own plants, a method called “winter seed sowing”. We have instructions for this method here: Winter Seed Sowing Basics - WCG.pdf Seeds that require 30 days or fewer of cold stratification (exposing seeds to cold, moist conditions to break dormancy). Even though snow is melting, seeds can still be stratified in temperatures between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Backyard Composting Resources Composting Basics from Cornell Extension Detailed Composting Instructions from Cornell Extension MassDEP Composting Instructions Instructions to make a wire compost bin Local Residential Composting Services Black Earth Compost Bootstrap Compost City Compost Healthy Soil resources Building Healthy Soil - a good comprehensive article about building healthy organic garden soil Climate Victory Gardening 101 from Green America. Includes 10 Carbon Capturing Practices The Carbon Sequestering Garden - a Northeast Organic Farming Association MA Chapter NOFA/Mass publication International Year of Soils 2015 from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Symphony of the Soil (film) - is an artistic exploration of the miraculous substance soil. By understanding the elaborate relationships and mutuality between soil, water, the atmosphere, plants and animals, we come to appreciate the complex and dynamic nature of this precious resource. The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health