Are you a garden club, library, community center, homeowner gathering or association that just wants to get together and learn about a particular topic related to gardening? There are multiple presentations that I give to these groups helping them become better organic gardeners.
- Organic Gardening – Not A Dirty Word
There are many reasons to go organic these days as we learn more about the imbalance in nature. Organic gardening utilizes practices that are more harmonious with nature and our awareness becomes key factor in choosing the products we purchase and use.
Topics discussed:
- The fundamental principles of organic gardening
- Why organic? What is it in practice?
- How we moved away from organics, and how to go back to the basics.
- The fundamental principles of organic gardening.
- Which products to use and which ones to stay away from
- How chemical fertilizers destroy the food chain and the soil structure
- Soil Science The Key To Organic Gardening – The Good Guys We Can’t See
To learn how it can be done chemically free by restoring the soil utilizing microbes. This means that your soil will now be able to provide all the necessary macro and micronutrients, those plants that sprout and grow will be filled with minerals and vitality, the food you harvest will be healthier, tastier and more diversified and your intestinal microbes will wildly applaud your new and healthier diet. All this while creating a more ecologically balance earth and getting better and bigger vegetables.
- Covers the basics of what soil is composed of at a physical and microbial level.
- The importance of restoring the soil.
- What it means to have good soil and the details of the soil food web and the various micronutrients which are part of the web.
- The Nightshade or Potato Family
These are the most popular vegetables that are grown and we will discuss in detail how to grow these and the pest that the problems you are likely to encounter and how to prevent them. How to grow giant tomatoes or just a bumper crop. All about growing potatoes, tomatoes (many varieties, from cherry to steak tomatoes), eggplants, and peppers.
- We’ll explore their habits and required growing conditions
- The best time to harvest these vegetables
- Some problems, and how to avoid them.
- I discuss special techniques for best production
- How to prune them for maximum production.
- Bring Back Our Bees!
I will discuss the role that bees play in our food production, current demise of the bee population. The type of flowers and vegetables they love and some common perennials and natives to plant for continuous color. How to maximize the flowers in your vegetables to bring back the bees. Along with some steps that are necessary in protecting them and inviting them to your garden.
- Raised Bed or No Raised Bed
A raised bed can be the solution you were looking for to avoid any backbreaking work. Sometimes you can toil in your garden and still not get ideal results, especially when growing root crops. Learn about the benefits and how, in the long run, you save so much effort and money. We will compare the various types of beds, production, and cost involved.
We’ll explore how some vegetables thrive and produce over and above regular flat ground, as well as additional benefits we may not be aware of.
- Fertilization: Deciding to be Organic
This presentation covers:
- The difference between organic and non-organic fertilizers.
- How chemical fertilization impacts the soil food web.
- The impact synthetic fertilizers have on plants.
- The best time to fertilize.
- Why not all organic fertilizers are good.
- Making Compost Teas and manure teas and its uses. Unlike most tea’s making it correctly in order to have an abundance of microbes is important.
- What other types of organic fertilizers are out there and which to avoid.
- How to Prevent Common Problems?
This presentation has a chock full of information. Gardening can have its challenges but knowing some simple secrets will make you a better and more successful gardener. There are many problems that can easily be prevented if you know the cause.
- Find answers to pertinent questions: Why won’t your lettuce germinate?
- hy you are getting no root development but only leaves?
- Why do carrots seem not to germinate?
- Learn about some problems with tomatoes and how to prune them for maximum production, as well as things to keep in mind when growing peppers and eggplants, and lastly, about the different flowers on cucumbers and squashes.
- Vegetables That Use Transplants: In Spring or Fall
Planting from early spring through the end of fall creates a continuous production. I elaborate about the topic and cover the benefits of fall and winter gardening.
- Why is it easier in the fall than summer gardening? There are fewer pests, weeds and scolding hot days.
- The sequence of vegetables you can plant all the way into late fall and how you can extend the season well into December in the northern states.
- Turn Your Vegetable Scraps and Leaves Into “Black Gold”
How to Make Compost
I discuss the basics of composting, see how compost is the foundation of organic gardening and what maintains the system of growing food organically. How compost keeps the soil alive and helps restores the soil web. I cover the type of ingredients necessary for good composting and heat generation. Most importantly, we will explore how to make compost throughout the winter and how you can turn your vegetable scraps and leaves into “black gold”. Anytime is the best time to start!
- Fall Vegetable Gardening Can Be Fun and Easy
Fall gardening can be most rewarding! I discuss why it’s easier to grow many vegetables in the fall, rather than in the summer or spring. The sequence of vegetables you can plant all the way into late fall, and how to extend the season even into the following spring. In addition, I include a list of which plants can be directly seeded as opposed to using transplants and the benefits of each.
- Planning the Garden for Continuous Planting
Making a garden plan has an impact on its production. Designing the garden to create balance and beauty are important steps discussed. I cover topics on:
- How complementary plantings can increase production and help control pests
- Crop rotation
- How companion planting can prove the best preventive measures.
- Site considerations and the overall layout of the garden
- First Things First: The Good Guys
As dedicated organic gardeners, we need to learn how to separate the bad insects from the good insects in the garden. We also need to know how to help our surroundings in order to entice more ladybugs and other good guys to relocate in our gardens.
Meanwhile, we must get smarter, swiftly, about how to keep pests out of our vegetable and perennial gardens and learn the ways to control these.
In this presentation I cover how to create a balance that will support the good insects, eliminate bad pests and prevent all sorts of pesky pests from ever arriving during the growing season and beyond.
It all starts with prevention by implementing special techniques to prevent diseases and minimize insects. We need to become aware of the biological controls available. Learn which botanical agents are available to assist you and, most importantly, to recognize the good guys at various stages of development.
- The Bad Guys – Part 1
This is the second of a series on insects. In this presentation I cover the bad bugs out there in your garden causing major devastation. You will see the various developmental stages of development and learn how to recognize the seven worst culprits in your garden.
Find out which vegetables are attacked by these insects and how to best control them. What are the biological controls available? Special techniques to prevent diseases and minimize insects
- The Bad Guys – Part 2
Another series on insects that can devastate your garden. I discuss the various developmental stages and describe another seven culprits that might appear in your garden. You will be able to see the various developmental stages and how they cause major damage as well as the importance of recognizing them and the impact on our plants.
Learn which vegetables are attacked by these insects and how to best control them. How to use proper horticultural practices to control these and what is out there to help you along.