Updates to the Dirty Dozen

As climates, pests and plant diseases change, so too the chemicals on our food. Large-scale farmers fight a constant battle to produce blemish-free fruits and vegetables with shelf lives long enough for the transport of food thousands of miles to our grocery stores. It's quite a phenomenal feat really.

The purpose of my book -- now updated with the new name, Organic Container Gardening--Grow Pesticide Free Fruits and Vegetables in Small Spaces -- has never been to bash the farmer.  Their job of feeding millions for a small re-numeration is hard enough! But I do want to feed my family fewer chemicals so I take the Environmental Working Group's list of foods that are high in pesticide residues seriously. By growing the fruits and vegetables from the list my family eats most commonly, I can reduce the chemicals in our diet, enjoy more nutritious produce and save a little money at the grocery store.

The truth is, no one knows how the chemicals from one fruit or vegetable will interact with those from another food in our bodies. No one really knows if chemicals -- designed to cause nerve or other damage to pests -- will build up in our bodies and cause cancers or other illnesses, though there is some research in children to support this theory.

We can't grow all the foods we eat ourselves, but we can grow those we eat most commonly, particularly those we know are high on the list of the most contaminated fruits and vegetables, aka "the dirty dozen". The Dirty Dozen is the 12 Fruits and Vegetables with the highest pesticide residues AFTER they have been "washed and prepared for eating", according the USDA/FDA studies.

Organic Container Gardening details how to grow "the dirty dozen", including the two newest members of this notorious club, Kale and Blueberries. We're pleased the book has been well reviewed and believe it truly has helped home gardeners grow organic produce in containers.

The new dirty dozen list, from most contaminated to least, is as follows:
Apple
Celery
Strawberries
Peaches/Nectarines
Spinach
Grapes
Sweet Bell Peppers
Potatoes
Blueberries
Lettuce
Kale

I don't usually get involved in politics, but thought this gardener could use a little help from the gardening community. If you click on the link, you'll see a tidy yard with a raised bed garden. After the city of Oak Park, Michigan tore up this lady's front yard to replace a sewer line, she planted a vegetable garden. Because she refuses to remove the garden, she's been charged with a misdemeanor and is now facing jail time. I think we can shame the city into doing the right thing here.  Please re-post!

The following is a repost from http://www.theagitator.com/2011/07/07/does-michelle-obama-know-about-this/

Oak Park, Michigan:

Their front yard was torn up after replacing a sewer line, so instead of replacing the dirt with grass, one Oak Park woman put in a vegetable garden and now the city is seeing green.
The list goes on: fresh basil, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cumbers and more all filling five large planter boxes that fill the Bass family’s front yard.
Julie Bass says, “We thought we’re minding our own business, doing something not ostentatious and certainly not obnoxious or nothing that is a blight on the neighborhood, so we didn’t think people would care very much.”
But some cared very much and called the city. The city then sent out code enforcement.
“They warned us at first that we had to move the vegetables from the front, that no vegetables were allowed in the front yard. We didn’t move them because we didn’t think we were doing anything wrong, even according to city code we didn’t think we were doing anything wrong. So they ticketed us and charged me with a misdemeanor,” Bass said . . .
City code says that all unpaved portions of the site shall be planted with grass or ground cover or shrubbery or other suitable live plant material. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are what Basses see as suitable.
However, Oak Park’s Planning and Technology Director Kevin Rulkowski says the city disagrees. He says, “If you look at the dictionary, suitable means common. You can look all throughout the city and you’ll never find another vegetable garden that consumes the entire front yard.”

Read the rest of the story at:  http://www.theagitator.com/2011/07/07/does-michelle-obama-know-about-this/

Watering the Vegetable Garden

How do you water a garden during a drought? We usually have too much rain in the summer so to combat this new challenge for us, we installed drip irrigation, mulched and prayed. The size of our vegetables demonstrate a need for more water so we're putting the drip irrigation on a timer. If you'd like to read more about irrigation options, you might be interested in this article I wrote for ehow: Irrigating the Vegetable Garden.

Drip irrigation always itimidated me before I enrolled in a Master Gardener program. It turns out to be pretty easy! Just buy a kit with all the attachments, hook it to your garden hose and you'll be up and ready in about one hour.

Why use drip irrigation? Drip directs a slow, steady source of water to plant roots at a rate they can absorb with little-to-no run-off or evaporation.


The difference in moisture retention between a mulched container and an unmulched is remarkable. I find straw does a better job of moisture retention than does landscape fabric. A layer of newspaper under straw or landscape fabric helps with weed suppression and moisture retention. At the end of the season, I pull up the landscape fabric to give the soil a chance to regenerate. Mulch need not be removed. It breaks down and improves the soil texture.

Now for the praying part--I think I'm going to invite some Native American friends over for a rain dance. It can't hurt.

Spinach

Is it too hot to grow spinach now? During the summer months, I usually grow Malabar, a heat-tolerant cousin to spinach, but this year I'm trying heat tolerant Japanese spinach varieties instead.

Komatsuna, sold by Evergreen Seeds

most closely resembles spinach in texture and shape. The flavor of Komatsuna is spicier than traditional spinach.

Okame, sold by Kitazawe Seed Company has spinach-like flavor, but has thicker, serrated leaves. Grow Okame in late spring and early fall. Though it bolts later than traditional spinach, it does bolt quicker than other Japanese spinach varieties.

Samba, sold by Kitazawa Seed Company, is fairly heat tolerant and is resistant to powdery mildew. A bit crunchier than traditional spinach, Samba must be cooked before eating.

In partial shade to full sun, plant the seeds or transplants 12-18 inches apart in rows at least 2 ft. apart. Spinach is a heavy nitrogen feeder and requires a consistent watering schedule. Excessive water encourages powdery mildew, however, so allow the top two inches of soil to dry before watering again. Drip irrigation discourages moisture related disease.

Grapes

Ever wanted to grow grapes and make your own wine or jelly? It is not as difficult as you might think! You can even grow them in containers. Coming in at #12 on this year's "Dirty Dozen" list, imported grapes -- often all you can purchase at the grocery store -- might give you a little more motivation to try growing grapes.

I first tried growing grapes when I wrote Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits & Vegetables for Your Organic Garden. I grew Muscadine grapes because they grow easily in north and central Florida. I don't like them for fresh eating, but they are an excellent source of Resveratrol and also make excellent jelly.  Resveratrol is the powerful antioxidant found in the skins of red grapes.


Here's a short excerpt from the book:

Michigan State Food Monitoring Program tested fresh grapes in 1991. Nine different pesticides were found on samples tested. Twenty-three percent had residues of Microbutamil and 23% had residues of Iprodione.

In 1994, the Texas Department of Agriculture conducted pesticide residue testing on grapes at wholesale outlets in Texas. Sixty-one percent of samples tested positive for more than one pesticide residue. Twenty-two pesticides were found in total...

"Muscadine grapes grow throughout the southeast, extending from central and northern Florida along the Gulf of Mexico to Texas and as far north as Missouri. Pest and disease resistant, these vines are almost always grown without chemicals. Though muscadine varieites have rather large seeds, they are prolific producers of sweet delicious fruit...

'Thompson' is suitable for desert climates. In colder climates, consider 'Reliance' or 'Canadice.'

Growing Grapes in Containers:

"Grapes have a tap root and need a very deep container. To have a chance at producing fruit, containers should be at least 15 inches deep.
Excellent drainage is especially important when growing grape vines. Add 1/4 inch of gravel to the bottom of a container with at least three drainage holes...

Site Selection

"As grapes are a vining plant, set up a trellis for them prior to planting. Grape vines are usually trained to travel horizontally so keep this in mind when selecting a location for the plants. Because the plants will quickly grow onto any support they can reach, it is not easy to move the plants to other locations during inclement weather. Select a site where the plants can grow year round. If a fence is not available, attach a trellis to a wall using supports spaced 4 to 6 inches from the wall to allow air circulation...





Optimum Growing Conditions:

Location/Sun Exposure:
Fruit production may be diminished in windy conditions. Select a protected site for growing grape vines. Muscadine varieties produce fruit in full sun to partial shade. Site selection for true grapes depends on the temperature. In hot climates, place grapes in full sun to partial shade. In cooler regions, true grapes require full sun.

Moisture: Water grape vines consistently, but allow the soil to dry between waterings. To avoid excess moisture on the leaves and subsequent fungal diseases, consider installing drip irrigation.

Temperature: Muscadine grape vines - 10 degrees Fahrenheit and warmer. True grapes - variety specific. (chart provided in the book.)

Soil: Grapes prefer well-draining soil in a pH range of 6.0-6.5 .

Fertilization: Grapes generally do not require a lot of fertilization. High levels of nitrogen will cause the plant to grow excessive foliage with little fruit production. A treatment with dilute organic balanced fertilizer is usually sufficient..."

There is much, much more about growing grapes in container in Container Gardening for Health, but I hope this blog gets you thinking about growing grapes.

Artichokes

When Richard took me to meet his family the first time, his mom made fabulous stuffed artichokes. Unfortunately, I had never seen whole artichokes before and I had no idea how to eat them...it took me forever to eat the leaves and Richard dutifully scraped the choke off the heart for me. I was so wrapped up in my eating challenge, I failed to notice the rest of the family had finished eating much earlier than me and they were all patiently waiting for me to finish so they could have dessert. I'm happy to say, I not only learned how to eat them, but also how to grow and cook them.

Artichokes grow well in frost-free regions when daytime temperatures range between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and night time temperatures range from 50 – 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm climate gardeners have success with 'Green Globe'. Plant early in spring after the last frost as high temperatures sometimes cause artichokes to open their buds prematurely.

Colder regions might fare better with 'Imperial Star'.

Artichokes grow to 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Select a planting site where they will not shade out smaller plants. Artichoke plants produce for about five years so select a spot where they do not have to be moved each season.

Artichokes grow well in sandy loam. Add about 6 inches of compost to poor soil to improve drainage before planting. Bury the roots shallowly, 2 to 3 feet apart. Keep the soil moist, but never soggy throughout the growing season. Enrich the soil with composted manure and green sand to ensure adequate supplies of nitrogen and potassium throughout the growing season.

If growing in containers, plant artichokes in containers a minimum of 20 inches deep by 36 inches wide. Containers should have at least 4 drainage holes. Add at least 1/4 inch of gravel to the bottom of the container to facilitate good drainage.

Artichokes do not grow true to their variety from seed. For reliable results, plant artichokes from root sections of your desired variety.

Harvest artichokes when they have reached their full size, but the leaves are still tight.

Cut back the plants to ground level after harvesting. Cover them with a thick layer of straw for winter protection.

Weeds, Deer, and Whiteflies in the Garden

Isn't it stinky when you get sick in spring? Finally the weather is nice and you're ready to get planting when bam! along comes the pollen...and the sinus infection...and suddenly your energy level is at zero. I haven't worried too much about my plants during the two weeks I've been sick because we've had a steady drizzle of rain to keep the plants and seedlings happy.

But I decided I'd better drag myself out to the gardens today in case the weeds were taking over.

After several cups of hot sage and peppermint tea, I expended all my energy tying my shoes, but somehow made it out the door to check on my plants. Of course I felt better once I got outside.

The container garden looks absolutely beautiful. The herbs are draping over their pots, the flowers are all blooming and the strawberries are ripening.

I wasn't so happy to see the swarm of whiteflies around my potted citrus however. I sprayed them with diluted neem and a few drops of dishwashing soap. Hopefully this will be enough. I'm going to spray them with water everyday for a few days to discourage them from coming back.

For severe infestations, Neem is a good organic control for whiteflies. It only works on contact, however. That's good in one way because it doesn't leave chemical residues on your plants. Yellow sticky traps, on the other hand will continue to work for weeks. Hang them from tree branches on the level of the swarming insects where they will not be in direct sunlight. They are inexpensive and effective, but you can also make your own by spray painting cardboard with yellow paint and coating the dried paint with petroleum jelly.




In the pasture garden, things didn't look so good. Deer tracks through the rows explained why only about 50% of what I planted has grown. Why didn't the deer bother to eat the weeds that are quickly taking over the newly cultivated raised beds? I spent the day laying newspaper and covering this with landscape fabric. I find a layer of newspaper does a better job of suppressing weed growth than the fabric by itself. Tomorrow I will replant the pole beans, corn and melons. As for the deer, they seem to stay away after I've spent time in the garden.

In the end, it didn't really matter how bad my garden looked. What mattered was how much better I felt after spending a day gardening.

Now it's off to the Wellborn Community Garden to install the drip irrigation.