Have A Merry Christmas

The Topic: Worms

There are thousands of different kinds of worms. The largest species measure many feet or meters long, while the smallest worm cannot be seen without a microscope. Worms usually live in soil; some live in water. Many worms eat small plants and animals, others feed on decaying matter. Still other types of worms live as parasites in various animals and plants causing a number of diseases. Most types of worms have a well-developed sense of touch. They also have specialized organs that respond to chemicals in their surroundings. Many species have a sense of sight, with eyes or eyespots on the head.
Go to this site to read it all---
http://42explore.com/worms.htm

Morning Has Broken

WHERE IS MATT?

Antique Seed Packet Art

These antique seed packets were exquisitely hand lithographed byartists 95 years ago. Not only are the packets valuable as art,but historically they depict many varieties and colors of flowers and vegetables that are considered extinct today and may only be seen as images in these packets. Go here--- http://www.seedart.com/

Edible Landscaping

Look around any yard in the United States and you're bound to see a limited palette of ornamental shrubs used as foundation plantings, hedges, and specimen plantings. Although beautiful, I can't help but think they're missing out on a great opportunity to grow similarly attractive shrubs that are edible instead. Go here for more---

http://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=edible-shrubs10

The Dirt Doctor's Organic Guide

Dirt Doctor Radio Show on Organic Gardening. Call in or listen to the Dirt Doctor's radio show every Saturday morning in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from 11:00AM – Noon on KSKY News Talk 660AM. Also every Sunday morning from 8:00AM – 11:00AM central time in Dallas/Fort Worth and other cities across America. Call in or listen to the national show as we talk about natural organic gardening, pest control, healthy living and anything else on your mind.The shows are also available for replay via webcasts and download. To find a radio station in your area or to download a past show, click on Radio. The phone number for questions or comments during the show is: 1-866-444-3478 (DIRT).

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/

Click here to Return to 'Worm Guys'

To return to our main site click here--- http://www.wormguys.com/

Organic Gardening

When I began my initial foray into the world of vegetables, I was a weekend gardener with limited time and no garden education. My only knowledge of vegetable gardening was definitely of the big-square-plot-of-dirt, row-each-of-tomatoes-beans-lettuces-etc. school of kitchen gardening. That was how I thought all vegetable gardens looked. Big. Plain. Rectangular. Aggressively functional with a nodding proximity to Tobacco Road. This article and more here---

http://www.organicgardening.com/

Fruit Trees Here

Anna – Made for deep south. Large. Light greenish-yellow skin with slight red blush. Sweet, slightly tart, crisp, creamy white flesh. Good choice for pies, applesauce and eating fresh from the tree. Stores well. An extremely young bearer. Pollinate with Dorsett. Ripens late June. 100-300 chill hours. Zones 5-9. On this web site get all kinds of fruit trees. Growing and planting instructions too. Let's make our own food. Go to--- http://www.isons.com/trees.htm

Top Soil Disappearing

John Aeschliman shows a spot where rain has washed soil from a neighboring farmer's property onto the road. Aeschliman says his method of farming, in which plants are seeded directly into the remains of the previous crop without tilling, gives stability to the soil, enabling it to retain water and preserve the organic matter within it.
While many worry about the potential consequences of atmospheric warming, a few experts are trying to call attention to another global crisis quietly taking place under our feet. Go here for the full article from The Seattle P.I.-- http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/348200_dirt22.html Thank you Kleiners Korner for this information. For Kleiners Korner go to www.kleinerskorner.com/

Organic Garden Tips

1. Mulch your flower beds and trees with 3" of organic material - it conserves water, adds humus and nutrients, and discourages weeds. It gives your beds a nice, finished appearance.2. Mulch acid-loving plants with a thick layer of pine needles each fall. As the needles decompose, they will deposit their acid in the soil.3. The most important step in pest management is to maintain healthy soil. It produces healthy plants, which are better able to withstand disease and insect damage.4. Aphids? Spray infested stems, leaves, and buds with a very dilute soapy water, then clear water. It works even on the heaviest infestation.5. Compost improves soil structure, texture, and areation, and increases the soil's water holding capacity. It also promotes soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development.6. Look for natural and organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers, such as the use of compost. Our use of inorganic fertilizer is causing a toxic buildup of chemicals in our soil and drinking water.7. When buying plants for your landscape, select well-adapted plant types for your soil, temperature range, and sun or shade exposure. Go to this site---http://www.organicgardentips.com/

Wild Life Focus

Wildlife Focus is a brand new website for wildlife and nature lovers everywhere, offering unique, high-quality multimedia content to transport you into the deepest, darkest rainforests of South America – all with the click of a mouse! Go here and enjoy!------ http://www.wildlifefocus.org/

Victory Garden

For information on products, suppliers, resources and recipes from the show click here. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/

Grow Vertically

Lettuce and biodiesel too, that’s the plan of Glen Kertz, CEO of Valcent Products of El Paso, TX. Kertz, who has worked in the greenhouse business for nearly two decades, believes the time has come to localize and simplify food production, and he says his Vertigro system will do just that. I spoke with Glen while he was attending an Orchid growers convention in Miami FL. We talked about his High Density Vertigal Growth System for both vegetables, and algae. Go here for the rest of the story. http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/01/29/mary-mary-quite-contrary-how-does-your-garden-grow-vertically/

Great Garden Info

Backyardgardener.com has provided gardening information since 1996. We are a one stop informational site to help people understand their gardening needs. BackyardGardener provides gardening plans and plant lists to enhance your gardening knowledge. Click here to visit this great web site.--- http://www.backyardgardener.com/

Drying Herbs Video

Easy Gardening

How would you like a garden filled with beautiful flowers, fresh herbs and luscious vegetables, but NO WEEDS and NO HARD WORK? Go here. http://www.squarefootgardening.com/body_index.htm

Guide to Bonsai

For this fun site, go to http://www.bonsaisite.com/

No Dig Gardening

No dig gardening or a raised garden bed, consists of layering organic materials on top of the soil to create a nutrient rich environment for your plants, in this case, vegetables. Go here for more info http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/

Save Rain Water for Gardening

Hey, This is a great idea! Save Rain Water for gardening etc. Go to this web site to learn more. http://www.rainbarrelman.com/ .Got this photo from the site.

Tilling Soil in Winter-?--Wait

Wait. Moving, working or tilling any soil during wet winter weather can damage the structure and air pockets. This may destroy the tilth or compact even the best topsoils. When the winter rains stop and you are done with heavy equipment, add topsoil high in organic matter. The more compost you can add to your compacted subsoil, the better. Organic matter is the great equalizer that both loosens compacted and clay soils and enriches sandy, loose soils, so that both can hold moisture but still allow for air and drainage. When soils like yours have already been compacted, you can save money with a design that takes poor drainage into consideration. Think raised beds and planting berms of topsoil with gravel paths and swales that can channel rainwater. Go here to read more. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens/346686_binetti10.html

Gardener's Delight Site

http://www.burpee.com/ Great Fun Here.

Is it Safe to Compost Spoiled Food?

Yes, as long as the composting is thorough. Use a good mix of ingredients, including molasses, and make sure the temperature inside the pile gets up to 140 F. This information from Texas Garden Columnist-Howard Garrett. Click here to read the full article.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/columnists/hgarrett/stories/DN-NHG_garrett_0104liv.ART.State.Edition1.4732540.html

Space-Saving Gardens

Many of the nation's leading nurseries are predicting big profits in 2008 by developing plants and vegetables for containers and space-deprived urban gardeners. Great information at this site. Go to http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7883808

Garden Goals

It's traditional to pick a few personal goals each year, so why not make some garden goals? This is a great time to commit to greener gardening and learning new sustainable techniques. Brewed compost tea is a fascinating substance that can help heal soil, reduce disease problems and increase crop production. To learn more, attend a compost tea party. Reserve your spot on Jan. 24, from noon to 2 p.m. at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland. Washington. Click here for more. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nwgardens/345746_lovejoy03.html