What Worms Say: 'Be Careful How You Till'

   Dennis Linden, at U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service soil lab in St. Paul, Minn., discovered this about worms...'When worms find a good eating hole...they tend to return again and again.'...Kind of like us. when we you go to the same favorite eating spot over and over. Worms are sign of healthy soil. They loosen the soil, create pathways for plant roots, drain and aerate the soil and spread organic mulch around your garden.

   When worms find a good food source they remember the location and keep coming back for more..Worms eat organic matter...leaves, old vegetables, fruits etc.,... now if you till your soil and till this 'worm food' deeper than 6 inches, worm tunnels will tend to be horizonal and when the worms look for their meals, they create horizonal holes. BUT, if you keep this mulch--organic matter closer to the surface, the worm tunnels or burrows will tend to be vertical instead of horizonal. This is much better for your garden's health.. Your garden's soil will have better air and water penetration, helping with removal of chemical toxins. Vertical tunnels also encourage more beneficial microbes growth, these microbes break down pesticides and fertilizers.
   Let's keep our earthworms happy and have them coming back for seconds. They will remember our gardens and return year after year.
JA ROSE-BARTLETT 'WORM GUYS'    http://www.wormguys.com/
Photo by [177]

Water Features In Your Garden

Running or quiet still water features add a great deal to your gardens, they can provide lots benefits. In addition to the natural beauty of the water, a water source is important for the well-being of beneficial insects, birds, wildlife , plants, trees and shrubs and give your family a calming 'oasis' to unwind, relax and focus.

   I believe an artistic, beautiful calming water focal point in your garden is well worth the time and expense in creating one, and the peace of mind they give is priceless. Adding lighting and music to the water are are just two creative ways to make your garden very unique and special to you...who would want to live indoors with this beauty at your doorstep? Really, it extends the living area of your home. We find that we spend more time in our 'special' space and in the warm weather months than ever before...in warm weather that's where you will find us.
Think about creating your own unique 'water space' in your garden too.
JA ROSE-BARTLETT 'Worm Guys' http://www.wormguys.com/
Photo by pvera

What Do Composting Worms Really Want?

Well, have you ever asked yourself...'What do composting worms really want?' I didn't think so, I hadn't either... until I started learning about these wonderful creatures and all they do for us. And, we started raising them for our garden.

    I'll give you my answer first. The Answer: Composting worms want to COMPOST, of course. So, how do they do that and how can we help?
1. Give worms a home...Welcome them into your life. See them as helpful creatures, which they are...don't go running off into the night after seeing a worm. Teach your children how they safely turn kitchen wastes into valuable rich soil, so,we can all raise safe healthy food, taking care of ourselves without putting harsh chemicals in our gardens or our bodies. Our children will keep this with them and pass it on to their kids too.
2. Raise some worms. Yes, this is fun and easy. Just get some worms. Where? Worms can be found online and can be shipped right to your home. That's easy. Some composting worms are named Red Wigglers or Red Worms...there are about 900 to 1000 Red Wigglers per pound..they are small, but eat lots of kitchen wastes and make great castings or soil for our plants. Put them in a worm bin [there are several types also found online or most gardening stores, or easily make one yourself with a big plastic or wooden tub]. You can also raise worms indoors or outdoors. You can read more about worms in a book by Mary Applehof called 'Worms Eat Our Garbage'.
Worm castings are safe for even the most delicate of plants. Just sprinkle a small amount on the top of the soil around your plants..castings are food for plants. Plants love castings. It is dark rich crumble sweet pleasant earth-smelling 'worm poop'. Compost tea can be made with castings too, by mixing water with the castings and pouring this on your plants. You can more read about this in a book by Dr.Elaine Ingham PhD , called..'The Compost Tea Brewing Manual'.
3. Feed worms your table scraps. That's what they like. Worms like vegetables, peels and scraps, fruit rinds and peels, some coffee grounds. tea bags are fine, things we throw away. Just don't feed them meat, meat products, milk, milk products or grease...these things will spoil and start to smell up your worm's home and attract flies too.
4. After raising your very own worms. In no time, you will see how really easy and fun it is. How happy your plants are and how much safe and delicious food your garden produces. You'll wonder why we didn't know about how wonderful and safe worms were before now.
I just love worms. JA ROSE-BARTLETT 'WORM GUYS'. http://www.wormguys.com/
Photo by Comrogues .

So..You Don't Have Room For A Garden...Now What?

So,You do not have a yard to plant a garden, there are veggies and flowers that that grow well in containers: Like.. beets; cabbage; cucumbers; lettuce; lima beans; onions; peppers; radishes; spinach; squash and tomatoes, tulips, grasses and any annual plants.
Go to this site for great info..

http://www.njeffersonnews.com/local/x552029592/Great-gardening-tips-for-beets-and-cabbage

Photo by Maggie Hoffman

How To Care For Blueberries