June 4, 2015

My father, patient gardening friends, master gardeners, Jim Crockett, Horticulture Magazine, Christine Rosmini, Pat Welsh, Barbara Pleasant and Mother Earth News. These are some of the gardeners and publications that have inspired and instructed me over many decades of putting my hands to the soil. 

Blogging for me is about sharing what I’ve learned because others have been so generous with me. Skilled garden writers have done the hard work of effectively organizing and sharing their knowledge. And this continues on the Internet in ways unimaginable even a decade ago.

That’s why I’ve chosen to share this post from High Mowing Seeds today. There’s information here most of us can use to make our vegetable gardens more productive. If there’s something you can take away and your garden thrives, I’m just paying it forward. (BTW, High Mowing Seeds is a great source for organic seeds).

5 Simple Tricks for Preventing Pests and Diseases

1) Mulch. We’ve said it before; we’ll say it again: mulch everything you can. Whether you opt for black plastic, paper mulch, fabric, straw, leaves or newspaper, mulching well can prevent a lot of problems in the garden. To expound on its benefits, mulch

• Decreases mobility for pests that transmit diseases like powdery mildew and bacterial wilt
• Saves water by reducing evaporation from the soil, which in turn may help prevent problems related to water uptake, like blossom end rot
• Smothers weeds that reduce air circulation, exacerbate fungal diseases, and can be hosts for pathogens  Read more