Garden: Garden Maintenance
By Maddy Breeden
One of our Garden Interns, Ruby, weeding the herb bed!
At Gauchos Go Green, we believe that a thriving and happy garden is the heart of a sustainable community. This week, we are focusing on a critical aspect of keeping our garden healthy and productive: garden maintenance! No matter your experience with gardening, understanding the basics of fertilizing, watering, weeding, pruning, and composting will ensure that your garden flourishes.
Fertilizing: Nourishing the Soil
Fertilizer is essential for providing plants with the necessary nutrients to grow. Specifically, using organic fertilizers provide numerous benefits. Organic fertilizers, such as compost and manure, release nutrients slowly, improving soil structure and promoting healthy root development. Additionally, fertilizers prevent pests and control weeds. However, over-fertilizing can harm plants, so it is important to follow recommended guidelines for each type of plant you wish to grow.
Watering: The Lifeline of Your Garden
Plants need water to grow! Plants need water for photosynthesis, for cooling, and to transport minerals and nutrients from the soil and into the plant. The proper amount of watering is crucial for plant health. The best time to water is early in the morning or late in the afternoon in order to avoid peak sun and minimize evaporation. Deep, infrequent watering encourages roots to grow deeper, making plants more drought-resistant. Always monitor your plants for signs of over or under-watering, such as yellowing leaves or wilting, and adjust your watering schedule as needed!
Weeding: Keeping the Garden Clean
It is crucial to weed your garden to prevent competition for nutrients, water, and sunlight. At the Gauchos Go Green Garden, we are constantly looking out for unwanted growth and immediately removing it by hand or with small shovels. It is important to ensure you remove the roots to prevent regrowth. Mulching is an effective strategy to suppress weed growth. Organic mulches, like straw or wood chips, inhibit weeds and retain soil moisture. Stay vigilant, as weeds can quickly take over if left unattended.
Pruning: Encouraging Healthy Growth
Pruning is the selective removal of plant parts, including branches, buds, leaves, blooms and roots. It helps to shape plants, remove dead or diseased parts, and stimulate new growth. It is important to know where and when to cut in order to prevent stunting growth. Use clean, sharp tools to make precise cuts and prevent the spread of disease.
Composting: Recycling Organic Waste
Composting is an amazing way to recycle garden and kitchen waste and to turn it into nutrient-rich soil. A balanced compost pile includes a mix of green materials, such as vegetable scraps and coffee grounds, and brown materials, such as dry leaves and cardboard. A compost must be turned regularly to aerate it and speed up decomposition. Once decomposed, the pile can be mixed into garden beds or used as a top dressing to enrich soil. By composting, you reduce waste and create a sustainable source of organic fertilizer.
For our newly planted tomatoes, the ground was reworked with organic soil, compost from the community compost pile, and a little bit of mulch to help the tomatoes retain water.
At Gauchos Go Green, maintaining the functionality and beauty of our garden is a group effort. By focusing on these fundamental practices, we ensure that our garden is not only thriving but also stands as a testament to our commitment to sustainability. Happy gardening!
