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Oz Gardener

Oz Gardener's Blog (9)

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Rain Gardens

Background Rain gardens are planned gardens that capture, and filter, rain water that would otherwise run off, or through, your property. Runoff is a serious problem where increased development has replaced land with impervious surfaces … roads, roofs, patios, etc. that preclude rainwater from soaking into the ground. Problems Associated with Rainwater Runoff Pollution of streams and water supplies as rainwater picks up chemicals from roads, lawns, farms, and parking lots Eros… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on May 27, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

My Tiller Website Reviews

Here's my current assessment of various tiller web sites that I've visited. I'll be updating this when companies make major changes to their sites. If I've missed something, or if there's a site that you think should be added to the list, please send me an email. Ardisam Earthquake BCS Bolens (MTD) Craftsman Cub Cadet (MTD) Echo Hoffco Honda Husqvarna MacKissic (Merry Tillers) Mantis Maxim Poulan Remington Stihl Troy-Bilt (MTD) White Outdoor (MTD) Yard Mac… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on May 11, 2009 at 1:27pm — No Comments

Your First Vegetable Garden

If this is the year for your first vegetable garden, congratulations! You’re about to embark on a wonderful venture of discovery and fun. You may have some setbacks – even very experienced gardeners do – but, most setbacks are very minor in comparison to the rewards that most of us get from gardening. Here are my suggestions for all you starting out this year … Start Relatively Small – For most beginners, smaller is better. Unless you have recently retired, finally quit playing golf or some ot… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on May 6, 2009 at 1:30pm — 6 Comments

The Oz Victory Garden

Our new First Lady, Michelle Obama, has recently announced that she will break ground on the White House lawn to plant an organic vegetable garden. In many ways this gardening project is also rooted in the new administration’s desire to transform America not only politically but also environmentally. President Obama’s campaign was founded on the concept of a greener America that relied less on foreign oil and more on eco-friendly technology such as hybrid cars and other energy saving innovations… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on May 4, 2009 at 2:16pm — No Comments

Gardening to Save Money

How to Save Money by Growing More of Your Own Food

Grow highly productive vegetables – lots of yield for the space allocated - that you enjoy eating and that you can harvest from spring through fall.

Since you’re limited to the surface area that you have on the ground, “go vertical” to get the most production from the space that you have.

Waste nothing. Eat it, share it with someone in the

… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on April 28, 2009 at 5:00pm — 1 Comment

Composting 101

What’s The Best Way to Make Compost? To make compost, you’ll need to dedicate some outdoor space to the process. Ideally, the location of your compost production should be convenient to the garden, as well as close to the source of the raw materials (kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, etc.), without being an unappealing eyesore. Finding a good spot for your compost pile might be a little bit easier if you have a lot of land; but, even suburbanites and city dw… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on April 10, 2009 at 12:00pm — 6 Comments

Composting 101

Why Is Compost So Good? Compost is good for two very compelling reasons. It’s great for the garden, and it’s environmentally responsible. Garden Benefits Garden Benefits Compost is great for the garden because it improves the soil, which in turn supports healthier and more productive plants. Compost provides virtually all of the essential nutrients for healthy plant growth, and it almost always re… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on April 9, 2009 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Composting 101

What Is Compost? Compost is simply decomposed organic material. The organic material can be plant material or animal matter. While composting may seem mysterious or complicated, it’s really a very simple and natural process that continuously occurs in nature, often without any assistance from mankind. If you’ve ever walked in the woods, you’ve experienced compost in its most natural setting. Both living plants and annual plants that die at the end of the s… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on April 8, 2009 at 4:12pm — No Comments

The Oz Victory Garden

Michelle Obama, our new First Lady, recently made news by starting a vegetable garden at the White House. With the help of 26 local school children, Mrs. Obama began to prepare a place in the White House lawn that will soon be an organic vegetable garden. We’re told that the produce will be used by the White House kitchen staff to feed, among others, Sasha and Malia, who have a preference for fresh vegetables. While it’s unclear as to whether or not the term “Victory Garden” has been used by th… Continue

Added by Oz Gardener on March 30, 2009 at 8:49am — No Comments

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2009

KG Day - Help us choose a date!

Kitchen Garden Day has traditionally been celebrated at the end of August which is a great time for gardens in temperate, northern climates but not a great time for many other gardeners around the world (e.g. August is winter in the southern hemisphere, monsoon season in India, too hot for many gardeners in southern states, etc.).

We're exploring the possibility of changing the date to the spring and would like your input. Please answer our poll here.

Latest Activity

Joel LeGrand and Maggie are now friends
12 minutes ago
Shakir Ullah Shams, p verrill and Justice Bell joined Kitchen Gardeners
28 minutes ago
Glenn Fletcher commented on Glenn Fletcher's photo 'Holgate Windmill'
Hi Penelope I'm glad you're feeling good and no longer wilted. I will have to try the cracked wheat idea. It sounds good. Glenn
1 hour ago
Joel LeGrand commented on Stephanie Hankins's photo 'PC110450'
Hi, Wonderful colors, makes me hunger. Enjoy!
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Rana shafiq ur rehman and Alex Kallas are now friends
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15 hours ago
Stephanie Hankins commented on Stephanie Hankins's album 'Veges!'
I started my first garden ever in late May! Thanks to all my friends and everyone on here, I feel I have been soooo blessed! I can't wait to work my soil and begin again in March!!!!!!!
17 hours ago
Stephanie Hankins added 3 photos to the album 'Veges!'
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18 hours ago
Stephanie Hankins joined Joy Williams's group
Tomatoes
I think this might need it's own category, don't you? Tomatoes are one of the most popular things to grow and we've been placing them in all kinds of groups, but the fact is we almost all grow them, and they have specific needs.
19 hours ago
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20 hours ago
Joel LeGrand commented on Joy Williams's group 'Garden Pests'
sorry I meant GOURMET.
20 hours ago
Joel LeGrand commented on Joy Williams's group 'Garden Pests'
Hi everyone, I got my information from the 2010 catolog, I left the website so anyone could look the product up. The catolog says that it is safe for vegetables,that the oil repellent in some bugs & suppresses feeding instincts in others. I have not…
20 hours ago
Joel LeGrand left a comment for Angela
20 hours ago

From the KGI Main Site

"First Garden" now has the "First Hoophouse"

Big Question: Feast or famine?

Roast Your Own Chestnuts

More photos from KGI's first global gathering

Gardeners Have the Power!

Braised brussels sprouts with pine nuts

Garden Q & A: extending the salad season

New White House kitchen garden videos

KGI is going to the White House (and we want to take you with us)

Optimal timing for your garlic harvest

Notes

HOW TO - ADD A LINK

Several people have experienced difficulty putting working links into comments and blogs etc and I know it is clumsy.... so here is how you do it.....

First type the text you want to appear....  ie  IAN'S PAGE

Then go back and highlight the link text.

Then hit the hyperlink button...a pictogram of a chain link.

Your browser may intervene and request permission to allow temporary scripting or some similar message.   Allow it and go back and highlight the text again

… Continue

Created by Ian Jun 7, 2009 at 7:28pm. Last updated by Ian Jun 8.

Forum Policy

Hi, I'm starting to put together a few guidlines on using the discussion forum on here.

I would be happy to hear any comments you may have.  This is very much a work in progress so plese feel free to ask me to add anything you think is needed.

I don't want to make our community hide bound by rules and regulations but I think that, as the community has grown, some explanation of what is expected is needed.

Administration

You can refer any que

… Continue

Created by Ian May 23, 2009 at 1:55am. Last updated by Ian May 25.

Climate maps

Hi following recent discussion I have put climate maps of the USA, Australia and Europe on here for reference..

 Climate map of the USA

Climate map of Australia

Climate map of Europe

 

… Continue

Created by Ian Sep 12, 2008 at 6:20pm. Last updated by Ian Apr 14.

Recipes, Recipes, Recipes

Hi Everyone,  I've started to collect together recipes from various posts on the site and put them all together here.

If you have a recipe you want to add on here, just post it on the site and leave a comment on my page telling me where it is and I'll go and fetch it back here.

They are organised in Contributor Order but I'm open to better suggestions!

BEVA'S RECIPES

… Continue

Created by Ian Jun 2, 2008 at 9:54am. Last updated by Ian Apr 13.

US STATES ABBREVIATIONS

 

US STATE ABBREVIATIONS

AK - Alaska               AL - Alabama              AR - Arkansas
AZ - Arizona              CA - California           CO - Colorado
CT - Connecticut          DC - Dist of Columbia *   DE - Delaware
FL - Florida              GA - Georgia              GU

… Continue

Created by Ian Jan 27, 2009 at 4:27pm. Last updated by Ian Jan 27.

HOW TO - MAKE COMPOST

Recently there was an excellent discussion about composting. I’ve pulled together all the various comments here. You can also watch KGI's video on composting here.

 

 

KATE’S ADVICE

I used to have a tumbler that we made from a wine-barrel but

1 you have to fill it up all at once

2. it seemed mostly

… Continue

Created by Ian May 30, 2008 at 5:29am. Last updated by Roger Jan 15.

Notes Home

Welcome to Notes.

To view notes that are in the system hit the "all notes" button above.

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Created by Ian May 28, 2008 at 12:10pm. Last updated by Ian May. 30, 2008.

A Note about Notes

I have just written this note so that I can see what we can achieve by using this new feature.

If you read this and have any suggestions then please leave a comment on my page or email me.

Ian

Continue

Created by Ian May 28, 2008 at 6:19pm. Last updated by Ian May. 28, 2008.

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