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This video is part one of a series about growing mushrooms in the garden outdoors.
BENEFITS: 1. Fungi Are Great Recyclers: One billion years ago, the fungi kingdom began decomposing, carbon rich, hard-to-digest organic matter into forms that other organisms can use. We would not have the soil that we walk on today if not for the fungi kingdom. Growing mushrooms in the garden helps decompose common organic matter faster, while growing a food source. 2. Fungi Feeds Soil Food Web: This organic matter in turn feeds all of the living things in the soil food web, your plants, and eventually you when mushrooms fruit. 3. Fungi Distribute Water & Nutrients: Mycelium, the web-like threads underneath the soil, form a communication network, sometimes called the wood-wide-web which distribute nutrients and water. This web beneath our feet, connects vast systems of roots from plants and trees all over the planet. 90%+ of plants form mycorrhizal relationships with fungi. 4. Fungi Holds Soil Together: Mycelium physically binds soil particles together, creating stability that helps increase water infiltration and soil water holding capacity. 5. Builds Immunity: Evidence suggests that mushrooms support healthy immune response, lower inflammation and, through interaction with the gut microbiome, improved immune cell functionality. This is true not just for humans but also animals and insects. Mushroom extracts have been shown to improve the immunity of bees that are in danger of collapsing because of the varroa mite parasite. Let us know if you would like to incorporate mushroom growing in the garden. If you are growing mushrooms in the garden or need help identifying mushrooms in the garden tag us on social media. SUPPORT OUR MISSION: All of our lessons from the garden are free and we are always looking for new members to help us support our mission. Become a member of the oldest organic garden club in America. Memberships are only $10 a year and 100% of dues go to the Zilker Botanical Garden.
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January and February is the time of year to plant asparagus while it is dormant. Check your local garden store for asparagus crowns. You can also separate your existing asparagus to transplant and/or share with friends.
Today at the teaching beds @ Zilker Botanical Gardens, we transplanted asparagus crowns next to our strawberry bed. 🍓👊✳️ They are great companions! Both are early spring crops that will begin to produce after your last frost date. They root on different levels to maximize the nutrient return in your garden. Both should be mulched to keep down weeds and to maximize yields. Here are the steps to get them established at your location. 1. In FULL SUN Dig 12" d x 24" w trench. 2. In trench mound up mixture of compost & sand for drainage. 3. Drape crowns 18" apart over mound. 4. Cover with soil, then mulch. 5. Water in between rains. 6. Fertilize before and after your harvests. Be patient, in a 2-3 years asparagus will be in full production. When conditions are favorable, buds arise from the crown and develop into edible spears. Fresh asparagus from the garden is like 🍬 You can also grow asparagus from seeds but it takes even longer to get established. Happy winter gardening. ❄️ SUPPORT OUR MISSION: All of our lessons from the garden are free and we are always looking for new members to help us support our mission. Become a member of the oldest organic garden club in America. Memberships are only $10 a year and 100% of dues go to the Zilker Botanical Garden.  Jan 21 - 27
We just passed the first quarter and the moon is now in waxing gibbous going into a full moon. Now is also a time to seed-in peas, fava beans, and also plant transplants of strawberries, nut trees, fruit trees and berry bushes. Avoid planting tropical fruit trees and citrus until after the last frost. This is also a reminder to prune and trim your fruit trees while they are dormant. After February, plants start to bud and it will be too late. It’s always best to try to transplant and seed-in with the coming rains. SEED-IN English Peas: Snow, Snap, Sugar Fava Beans TIP: For best results in germination, soak seeds overnight and then toss in a Rhizobium bacteria inoculant before planting in soil. START INDOORS
TRANSPLANT Apples Peaches Pecans Pears Pomegranates Persimmons Figs Grapes Raspberries Blackberries Strawberries For more ideas on Ornamentals, Perennials, and Herbs, visit the Central Texas Gardener and The Natural Gardener lists online. Download the Texas A&M Extension Planting Chart and Varieties Chart at AustinOrganicGardners.org. SUPPORT OUR MISSION: All of our lessons from the garden are free and we are always looking for new members to help us support our mission. Become a member of the oldest organic garden club in America. Memberships are only $10 a year and 100% of dues go to the Zilker Botanical Garden.  Jan 14-20 Transplant or Seed in Leafy Greens
We hope you had time to relax and wind down as we approached the New Moon. As we are approaching the First Quarter and are in Waxing Crescent, it’s a good time to plant leafy greens. During the waxing of the moon (the period extending from the day the moon is new to the day it reaches its fullest point), the moon pulls moisture upwards. Seeds do well during this time because moisture is available at the surface of the soil. It’s always best to try to transplant and seed-in with the coming rains. TRANSPLANT
SEED-IN or TRANSPLANT
START INDOORS
Now is also a time to plant fruit trees, graft & prune.
For more ideas on Ornamentals, Perennials, and Herbs, visit the Central Texas Gardener and The Natural Gardener lists online. Download the Texas A&M Extension Planting Chart and Varieties Chart at AustinOrganicGardners.org.  It’s that time of year to start plants like tomatoes and peppers indoors. Here’s a few tips on starting them on a budget using items you can recycle around the house.
MATERIALS NEEDED ✓ Egg cartons ✓ Tomato & Pepper Seeds ✓ Scissors or sharp knife ✓ Pencil ✓ Organic Potting Soil ✓ Spray bottle ✓ Full spectrum LED or fluorescent bulb ✓ Balanced, general-purpose organic liquid fertilizer STEPS 1. Cut the lid from an egg carton with scissors or a sharp knife. 2. Poke a small drain hole in the bottom using the tip of a pencil or sharp object. 3. Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray. 4. Fill the egg cells 3/4 full with organic potting soil. 5. Plant two or three seeds on top of the potting mixture in each cell. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting mixture. Refer to the seed packet for specific depth requirements. 6. Water with a spray bottle or turkey baster. Mist as needed to keep the potting mixture lightly moist. Don't over-water, it will become anaerobic and encourage bacteria to grow. 7. Place the egg cartons in a warm area to encourage germination. Sunlight isn’t required during this stage. Most seeds germinate in temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 8. After seedlings sprout, thin to one seedling per cell. 9. Place the seedlings under a full spectrum Fluorescent or LED bulb, with 6 inches between the bulb and the top of the seedlings. You can use a clamp lamp or if you are growing a lot, use a shop light. 10. Fertilize the plants once a week if the seedlings are pale green or yellowish green. Use a weak solution of a balanced, general-purpose liquid fertilizer with a ratio such as 14-14-14 or 20-20-20. Mix the solution at 1 tablespoon of fertilizer in 1 gallon of water. 11. In 10-12 weeks seedlings will be ready to be transplanted outdoors. #seedstarting #organicgardening #zone8b #austin organicgardeners #growtomatoesindoors #startseedsineggcartons #recyclinginthegarden #thegrowthcycle On New Year's Day we enjoyed Purple-eyed Peas or Purple Hull Peas. We grew a vining variety this summer at the teaching beds at Zilker Botanical Garden. We built a vertical trellis for under $40 and grew it with chinese long beans and malabar spinach. The complementary purple and green colors were stunning.
This vining variety is resistant to all three types of fusarium wilt diseases. They are related to black eyed peas but have a purple-eye. They are native to Africa, specifically the country of Niger, andi came over during the era of American slave trading. They grow great in the summer through the heat after tomatoes have finished up. The bush variety make a great cover crop and fix nitrogen in the soil. This southern pea variety is easy to grow, not fussy about the type of soil they grow in and needing very little additional fertilization. Direct sow seeds 2-3 inches apart at ½ inch deep. Depending upon the variety, harvesting time will be between 55-70 days. Despite the name, the Purple Hull Pea tastes like beans and can even be cooked with the hulls. We harvested them when they were still green and cooked them in stir-fries. We also waited and harvest after the peas had turned fully purple and dried out, which makes dehulling easy. At that point, you can allow them to dry more indoors and then store in a jar for New Years Day! #purplehullpeas #happynewyear #superstition #lucky |
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