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Monday, February 28, 2011

Pets in the Garden

It seems many gardeners spend great effort to rid their gardens of deer, rabbits, squirrels, gophers, bears, and birds. How much similar effort is taken to reduce the damage of our house pets? Or do we just accept their incursions because we enjoy and are thankful for their companionship?

For me, gardening with one of my "garden buddies" adds to my enjoyment. I wrote of losing my Shaca at Thanksgiving. She was inseparable from me and was always a fixture in my gardens as I worked. Before her, my dog Stranger helped supervise my efforts. Both of them loved to lie in a fresh garden bed and enjoy the cool soil when I allowed the opportunity. Now our new puppy Lily is beginning to take an interest in gardening.

Lily helping me develop more garden beds.

An important aspect of gardening with pets is to make the effort to train them for appropriate behavior. If your dog knows the command to get off the furniture, it's little effort to modify that training to get out of a raised bed; I worked with Lily on that and she learned quickly. If you've trained them to drop a ball or a shoe, it's easy for them to drop a garden glove or tomato when given the command. If they know to not eat the people food on the table, they'll learn not to eat the people food in the garden.

Recognize that animals don't instinctively understand the concept of borders or expensive flowers or "wait until harvest." When Shaca was young she loved to run into the house with a big green tomato in her mouth. For her it was just like a tennis ball and she was ready to play, but for me it was another ravaged tomato. With concerted effort I was able to train her to leave the tomatoes alone and never again had that problem.

For one beautification project I constructed a little winding stone path that led to the vegetable garden gate and fully expected the dogs to figure it out. They never did. When running to the gate they took a straight-line approach through whatever plants were in their way. I lessened the impact on some perennial beds by planting sturdy, prickly bushes like Barberry in the most obvious intersections of their travels. Stone benches and big pots worked in other places.

Recognizing their patterns can help. At our new house I took the time to identify the paths they travel. This time when I put in a stone path I placed it on top of the path they had worn into the lawn. I reduced the damage to the grass, added a decorative path, and let their tendencies affect my plans.

Years ago I made many attempts to grow shade plants at the base of a big Silver Maple in the backyard. One day I spent the entire morning planting ground covers and low flowers. I ran to the nursery for more flowers and upon my return witnessed devastation. There was no sign that a single plant ever existed in that space. A squirrel entered the tree shortly after my departure and Shaca spent the entire time leaping for the squirrel and ripping out the plantings in the process. I soon abandoned trying to grow anything there except in pots. When it came to squirrels and that tree, there was no stopping Shaca's enthusiasm.

Shaca jumping for a squirrel in the locust tree.

You can remedy most situations by anticipating that damage will happen. I fenced my previous vegetable garden to keep the dogs out, except when I was with them. A fence goes up around my new vegetable garden soon. They'll leave the tomatoes alone and stay out of the beds when they know you're looking, but when on the trail of a scent in your absence they don't pause to think about their course. A low fence is all you need to keep pets where you want them.

It's easier to break bad habits by not encouraging them. It's fun to watch a young dog dig a hole with passion, but they don't understand the difference between a bare spot that is being tilled and a treasured bed filled with imported lilies; digging is just digging to them so don't let it start. Few things are as disgusting as being on your hands and knees planting bulbs and finding a cat's "gift" deposited in the soil beneath your fingers. If you have a cat, take every effort to let them know that the garden isn't a bathroom.

You can ensure zero damage by leaving pets in the house or in a fenced run and never letting them roam the yard. That's an option, but not one to which I adhere. My deer problem is not as bad as it could be because our dogs roam, leave their scent, and make their presence known. Though Shaca caused some damage chasing squirrels, I never had the squirrels cause any damage to my plants.

Having pets in your garden is about creating a partnership. You're the senior partner and it's up to you to set the rules. By being firm with your training you can develop a sense of protection in your pet. Your dog will chase away the birds raiding your strawberries or the deer chewing your bushes. Shaca accidentally dug up one of my young lavenders once, but it was because she did a great shop digging for gophers and limiting their incursions in the garden.

Shaca and Zeffer on watch by the raspberries.

My personal focus is on dogs because that's what we have. Geese can be great protectors of your yard. Chickens will rid your garden of insects and weeds. Cats are known for their abilities to keep vermin at bay. Whatever your pet, let them be part of your gardening experience.

I know of gardeners who truly partner with their pets while gardening. Their dog will carry tools or vegetables in a pack. Dogs can pull carts and be taught to pull hoses. I haven't tried that yet and probably won't, but if you have the training skills it may be worth the effort.

Take the time to think about how you garden and how your pets are part of it. With a little effort you can make it more rewarding than it is now. I'm looking forward to gardening with Lily. And I'm sure she'll enjoy it too.
It seems many gardeners spend great effort to rid their gardens of deer, rabbits, squirrels, gophers, bears, and birds. How much similar effort is taken to reduce the damage of our house pets? Or do we just accept their incursions because we enjoy and are thankful for their companionship?

For me, gardening with one of my "garden buddies" adds to my enjoyment. I wrote of losing my Shaca at Thanksgiving. She was inseparable from me and was always a fixture in my gardens as I worked. Before her, my dog Stranger helped supervise my efforts. Both of them loved to lie in a fresh garden bed and enjoy the cool soil when I allowed the opportunity. Now our new puppy Lily is beginning to take an interest in gardening.

Lily helping me develop more garden beds.

An important aspect of gardening with pets is to make the effort to train them for appropriate behavior. If your dog knows the command to get off the furniture, it's little effort to modify that training to get out of a raised bed; I worked with Lily on that and she learned quickly. If you've trained them to drop a ball or a shoe, it's easy for them to drop a garden glove or tomato when given the command. If they know to not eat the people food on the table, they'll learn not to eat the people food in the garden.

Recognize that animals don't instinctively understand the concept of borders or expensive flowers or "wait until harvest." When Shaca was young she loved to run into the house with a big green tomato in her mouth. For her it was just like a tennis ball and she was ready to play, but for me it was another ravaged tomato. With concerted effort I was able to train her to leave the tomatoes alone and never again had that problem.

For one beautification project I constructed a little winding stone path that led to the vegetable garden gate and fully expected the dogs to figure it out. They never did. When running to the gate they took a straight-line approach through whatever plants were in their way. I lessened the impact on some perennial beds by planting sturdy, prickly bushes like Barberry in the most obvious intersections of their travels. Stone benches and big pots worked in other places.

Recognizing their patterns can help. At our new house I took the time to identify the paths they travel. This time when I put in a stone path I placed it on top of the path they had worn into the lawn. I reduced the damage to the grass, added a decorative path, and let their tendencies affect my plans.

Years ago I made many attempts to grow shade plants at the base of a big Silver Maple in the backyard. One day I spent the entire morning planting ground covers and low flowers. I ran to the nursery for more flowers and upon my return witnessed devastation. There was no sign that a single plant ever existed in that space. A squirrel entered the tree shortly after my departure and Shaca spent the entire time leaping for the squirrel and ripping out the plantings in the process. I soon abandoned trying to grow anything there except in pots. When it came to squirrels and that tree, there was no stopping Shaca's enthusiasm.

Shaca jumping for a squirrel in the locust tree.

You can remedy most situations by anticipating that damage will happen. I fenced my previous vegetable garden to keep the dogs out, except when I was with them. A fence goes up around my new vegetable garden soon. They'll leave the tomatoes alone and stay out of the beds when they know you're looking, but when on the trail of a scent in your absence they don't pause to think about their course. A low fence is all you need to keep pets where you want them.

It's easier to break bad habits by not encouraging them. It's fun to watch a young dog dig a hole with passion, but they don't understand the difference between a bare spot that is being tilled and a treasured bed filled with imported lilies; digging is just digging to them so don't let it start. Few things are as disgusting as being on your hands and knees planting bulbs and finding a cat's "gift" deposited in the soil beneath your fingers. If you have a cat, take every effort to let them know that the garden isn't a bathroom.

You can ensure zero damage by leaving pets in the house or in a fenced run and never letting them roam the yard. That's an option, but not one to which I adhere. My deer problem is not as bad as it could be because our dogs roam, leave their scent, and make their presence known. Though Shaca caused some damage chasing squirrels, I never had the squirrels cause any damage to my plants.

Having pets in your garden is about creating a partnership. You're the senior partner and it's up to you to set the rules. By being firm with your training you can develop a sense of protection in your pet. Your dog will chase away the birds raiding your strawberries or the deer chewing your bushes. Shaca accidentally dug up one of my young lavenders once, but it was because she did a great shop digging for gophers and limiting their incursions in the garden.

Shaca and Zeffer on watch by the raspberries.

My personal focus is on dogs because that's what we have. Geese can be great protectors of your yard. Chickens will rid your garden of insects and weeds. Cats are known for their abilities to keep vermin at bay. Whatever your pet, let them be part of your gardening experience.

I know of gardeners who truly partner with their pets while gardening. Their dog will carry tools or vegetables in a pack. Dogs can pull carts and be taught to pull hoses. I haven't tried that yet and probably won't, but if you have the training skills it may be worth the effort.

Take the time to think about how you garden and how your pets are part of it. With a little effort you can make it more rewarding than it is now. I'm looking forward to gardening with Lily. And I'm sure she'll enjoy it too.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Gardening and Cancer

Recently I had the misfortune of being diagnosed with a Basal Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, and had surgery this week to remove it. I share this not to elicit sympathy, but to highlight a potential consequence of outdoor gardening. Many of us love to garden in the warmth of spring and summer and to soak up the sun's rays just as our plants do. Skin cancer can result.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, Basal Cell Carcinoma is the world's most common form of cancer and almost all of these cancers occur on parts of the body that are exposed to sun. Sun exposure is clearly the culprit. Workers with outdoor occupations and people, particularly older people, who spend leisure time in the sun are especially susceptible. Does that sound like anyone you know?

Those of us who can be classified as "older people" tend to have more time to enjoy leisure activities like gardening. After decades of unprotected exposure to the sun we compound previous skin damage with more damaging exposure. Cancer is seldom on our minds as we dig, plant, and harvest.

As cancers go, Basal Cell Carcinoma isn't too scary; it's not life threatening. It seldom metastasizes, or spreads, to vital organs in the body and is not considered fatal. It is easily treated in its early stages, but left untreated it can damage skin tissue and cause disfigurement. Of course, it should definitely be dealt with when diagnosed.

Anyone with a history of sun exposure can develop Basal Cell Carcinoma. Your risk is higher if you have light-colored skin. Blond or red hair also puts you at risk. Blue and green eyes are another risk factor. In the past, more men than women developed it, but women are catching up fast.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and can be deadly. It is almost always curable if recognized and treated early. If untreated, it can metastasize and be fatal. The same people susceptible to a Basal Cell Carcinoma can be susceptible to Melanoma, but heredity plays an important role in developing Melanoma. If you have a close family member who developed Melanoma, you are more at risk.

People who have developed one Basal Cell Carcinoma are at risk of developing more, even when the first is treated. On the day of my surgery there were six other men in the waiting room for the same procedure as me. They were all older and were all on repeat visits. One man was having surgery for the sixth time.

The treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma is simple. The doctor removes it. This can be done through surgery, liquid nitrogen, topical medications, and radiation. When it is near the nose or eyes, as in my case, a surgeon will often perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery. My outstanding doctor made this procedure easy and almost comfortable. In the surgery, the visible cancer and a thin layer of skin around it is removed. The tissue is examined immediately under a microscope while the patient waits. If additional tumor is observed during the microscopic examination, another layer of tissue is excised. This process is repeated until all of the cancer is removed. Success rate is often 95 to 99 percent.

Surgical excision and, increasingly, Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the primary treatment for Melanoma.

Recognition is the most important step in identifying that you might have a skin cancer. Knowing your skin and recognizing changes is critical. You need to be aware of  the Five Warning Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma and the ABCDEs of Melanoma. You can click on either of the links at the bottom of the page for photos of possible cancerous conditions.

You've heard it before, and I'll say it again. Protect yourself from the sun when you're outside. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts and gloves, wear UV-blocking sunglasses, and use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher (higher is better).

While fair-skinned, light-haired, blue-eyed people have many risk factors it is important to know that everyone is at risk for developing skin cancer. If you spend time in the sun, like gardening, you should see your doctor regularly for skin examinations. If you detect a skin abnormality like in the photos linked above, you should see your doctor immediately.

I'll continue to garden because I love it. I don't mean to imply that gardening is worth the risk of skin cancer. Rather, with the proper precautions and awareness, gardening can be done safely by mitigating many of the risk factors for developing a skin cancer.

The way many of us garden can be dangerous even when we're aware of the risk. I'll often head out to the garden to move the hose or pick some vegetables. Because it's a quick trip, precautions aren't taken. Then I see a few weeds that need to be pulled. Then the herbs need to be pinched back. Then it's time to move the water again. Then the wheelbarrow needs to be put away. Then the compost pile needs to be turned. Before I know it, the quick trip turns into a few hours in the sun. Sound familiar?

I exam my skin much more closely now and look for another Basal Cell Carcinoma to appear. I'm also applying a high-SPF sunscreen more regularly and wearing my hat even more than before. Even for the quick trips to the garden I try to remember to apply sunscreen and wear my hat. As it becomes habit, I realize it really isn't that much extra effort but the dividends are huge. Preventing skin cancer is a big deal.

Link to Skin Cancer Foundation
Five Warning Signs of Basil Cell Carcinoma
Recently I had the misfortune of being diagnosed with a Basal Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, and had surgery this week to remove it. I share this not to elicit sympathy, but to highlight a potential consequence of outdoor gardening. Many of us love to garden in the warmth of spring and summer and to soak up the sun's rays just as our plants do. Skin cancer can result.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, Basal Cell Carcinoma is the world's most common form of cancer and almost all of these cancers occur on parts of the body that are exposed to sun. Sun exposure is clearly the culprit. Workers with outdoor occupations and people, particularly older people, who spend leisure time in the sun are especially susceptible. Does that sound like anyone you know?

Those of us who can be classified as "older people" tend to have more time to enjoy leisure activities like gardening. After decades of unprotected exposure to the sun we compound previous skin damage with more damaging exposure. Cancer is seldom on our minds as we dig, plant, and harvest.

As cancers go, Basal Cell Carcinoma isn't too scary; it's not life threatening. It seldom metastasizes, or spreads, to vital organs in the body and is not considered fatal. It is easily treated in its early stages, but left untreated it can damage skin tissue and cause disfigurement. Of course, it should definitely be dealt with when diagnosed.

Anyone with a history of sun exposure can develop Basal Cell Carcinoma. Your risk is higher if you have light-colored skin. Blond or red hair also puts you at risk. Blue and green eyes are another risk factor. In the past, more men than women developed it, but women are catching up fast.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and can be deadly. It is almost always curable if recognized and treated early. If untreated, it can metastasize and be fatal. The same people susceptible to a Basal Cell Carcinoma can be susceptible to Melanoma, but heredity plays an important role in developing Melanoma. If you have a close family member who developed Melanoma, you are more at risk.

People who have developed one Basal Cell Carcinoma are at risk of developing more, even when the first is treated. On the day of my surgery there were six other men in the waiting room for the same procedure as me. They were all older and were all on repeat visits. One man was having surgery for the sixth time.

The treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma is simple. The doctor removes it. This can be done through surgery, liquid nitrogen, topical medications, and radiation. When it is near the nose or eyes, as in my case, a surgeon will often perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery. My outstanding doctor made this procedure easy and almost comfortable. In the surgery, the visible cancer and a thin layer of skin around it is removed. The tissue is examined immediately under a microscope while the patient waits. If additional tumor is observed during the microscopic examination, another layer of tissue is excised. This process is repeated until all of the cancer is removed. Success rate is often 95 to 99 percent.

Surgical excision and, increasingly, Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the primary treatment for Melanoma.

Recognition is the most important step in identifying that you might have a skin cancer. Knowing your skin and recognizing changes is critical. You need to be aware of  the Five Warning Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma and the ABCDEs of Melanoma. You can click on either of the links at the bottom of the page for photos of possible cancerous conditions.


You've heard it before, and I'll say it again. Protect yourself from the sun when you're outside. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts and gloves, wear UV-blocking sunglasses, and use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher (higher is better).

While fair-skinned, light-haired, blue-eyed people have many risk factors it is important to know that everyone is at risk for developing skin cancer. If you spend time in the sun, like gardening, you should see your doctor regularly for skin examinations. If you detect a skin abnormality like in the photos linked above, you should see your doctor immediately.

I'll continue to garden because I love it. I don't mean to imply that gardening is worth the risk of skin cancer. Rather, with the proper precautions and awareness, gardening can be done safely by mitigating many of the risk factors for developing a skin cancer.

The way many of us garden can be dangerous even when we're aware of the risk. I'll often head out to the garden to move the hose or pick some vegetables. Because it's a quick trip, precautions aren't taken. Then I see a few weeds that need to be pulled. Then the herbs need to be pinched back. Then it's time to move the water again. Then the wheelbarrow needs to be put away. Then the compost pile needs to be turned. Before I know it, the quick trip turns into a few hours in the sun. Sound familiar?

I exam my skin much more closely now and look for another Basal Cell Carcinoma to appear. I'm also applying a high-SPF sunscreen more regularly and wearing my hat even more than before. Even for the quick trips to the garden I try to remember to apply sunscreen and wear my hat. As it becomes habit, I realize it really isn't that much extra effort but the dividends are huge. Preventing skin cancer is a big deal.

Link to Skin Cancer Foundation
Five Warning Signs of Basil Cell Carcinoma

Thursday, February 24, 2011

The Dirt On Soil

Soil is the most important component of your garden. Let me repeat that. Soil is the most important component of your garden. The large majority of plant problems, as much as 80 percent, can be attributed to the condition of a garden's soil. You can have fancy raised beds, state-of-the-art drip irrigation systems, and expensive heirloom seeds, but if your soil is poor your crop results will be too.

Soil is simply a mix of minerals, air, water, and organic material that combine to form a growing medium for plants. A few days ago I mentioned soil tilth. (In "Developing New Garden Beds" on Feb 20, 2011).  Tilth is all about the soil's ability to support a plant's root growth. Root growth directly correlates to plant growth; poor root growth equals poor plant growth.

There are three properties that define soil tilth: soil texture, soil structure, and soil fertility.

Texture refers to the size of the particles that make up the soil. Sand, silt and clay identify relative sizes of soil particles with sand being the largest particle and clay being the smallest particle. To visualize a relative comparison, think about golf balls. Imagine that one golf ball represents one grain of sand. Compared to a golf ball, a particle of clay would be smaller than a single grain of salt. Clay can be 10,000 times smaller than sand. As all those varying particles join together to form soil, the prevailing component defines it. If sand is the major component you have a sandy soil, if everything balances well you have a loamy soil, and if clay is overwhelming you have a clayey soil.

Sandy soil in one of my gardens.

Structure is how those particles of clay, silt, and sand fit together to create soil. An important part of that structure is the little air pockets that exist when two particles join together. Those air pockets are defined as pore space. Think about golf balls again. When you hold six or seven golf balls in your hand you can easily identify the big air spaces between the individual balls. Sandy soil has lots of air, lots of pore space. Now pour salt into your hand. Can you see the air pockets when the sand grains stick together? It's not as easy. Clay soil has very little air space between particles, very little pore space.

Pore space between soil particles.

Fertility refers to the capacity of the soil to supply nutrients to plants. Organic matter in the soil, microorganism activity in the soil, and chemical elements present in the soil all influence its fertility. Soils are primarily mineral based and depending which minerals are present, different elements are available to plants as nutrients. The primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; those are the same three nutrients you see available on almost every box or bag of fertilizer. There are a total of 17 elements that plants need for growth. Oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen are supplied through water and air and all of the rest come from the soil.

16% nitrogen, 16% phosphorus, 16% potassium

Good soil, or a soil with good tilth, has good texture, good structure, and good fertility. In good soil only about 50 percent of it is solid; the remaining 50 percent is pore space. That pore space is filled with air, water, or a combination of the two. Roots grow through the pore space seeking the air and water.

If a soil has too small pore spaces, like in a high-clay (clayey) soil or in a compacted soil, roots have a hard time growing. Clay soils do well in retaining water and nutrients inside the pore spaces, but at the cost of air. The lack of large pore spaces means the water has a hard time draining out and air has a hard time seeping in. There are plants that do relatively well growing in clay soils, but many can be drowned when the soil gets wet.

If a soil has too large pore spaces, like in a high-sand (sandy) soil, the opposite problem holds. There is an over abundance of air while water and nutrients drain quickly through the pore space. Roots can easily grow through the air space, but without water retention they'll quickly dry out.

The key is to moderate the soil texture and improve the structure. This is most easily accomplished by adding soil amendments. The best soil amendment to improve structure is organic matter. Think of these soil amendments as little moist chunks of sponge as compared to the golf balls and salt grains discussed earlier.

When the large pore spaces between the sand particles are filled with little sponges, the water is soaked up as it drains through, retaining moisture and nutrients. When those same sponges are in clay, the tiny particles join together and surround it and as the organic matter decomposes it leaves behind a little pocket of air, creating new pore space.

Adding organic matter to a poor soil won't correct all of its deficiencies overnight, but it will begin to improve right away. Regular applications of amendments over a long period of time is often necessary to make good soil, and it is worth the effort. Organic material is good for all three soil tilth properties.

I'll discuss amendments and organic matter in another article soon. If you think your soil is too sandy or too clayey to grow a garden don't despair. Help is on the way with the addition of organic matter.

Link to "Developing New Garden Beds"
Soil is the most important component of your garden. Let me repeat that. Soil is the most important component of your garden. The large majority of plant problems, as much as 80 percent, can be attributed to the condition of a garden's soil. You can have fancy raised beds, state-of-the-art drip irrigation systems, and expensive heirloom seeds, but if your soil is poor your crop results will be too.

Soil is simply a mix of minerals, air, water, and organic material that combine to form a growing medium for plants. A few days ago I mentioned soil tilth. (In "Developing New Garden Beds" on Feb 20, 2011).  Tilth is all about the soil's ability to support a plant's root growth. Root growth directly correlates to plant growth; poor root growth equals poor plant growth.

There are three properties that define soil tilth: soil texture, soil structure, and soil fertility.

Texture refers to the size of the particles that make up the soil. Sand, silt and clay identify relative sizes of soil particles with sand being the largest particle and clay being the smallest particle. To visualize a relative comparison, think about golf balls. Imagine that one golf ball represents one grain of sand. Compared to a golf ball, a particle of clay would be smaller than a single grain of salt. Clay can be 10,000 times smaller than sand. As all those varying particles join together to form soil, the prevailing component defines it. If sand is the major component you have a sandy soil, if everything balances well you have a loamy soil, and if clay is overwhelming you have a clayey soil.

Sandy soil in one of my gardens.

Structure is how those particles of clay, silt, and sand fit together to create soil. An important part of that structure is the little air pockets that exist when two particles join together. Those air pockets are defined as pore space. Think about golf balls again. When you hold six or seven golf balls in your hand you can easily identify the big air spaces between the individual balls. Sandy soil has lots of air, lots of pore space. Now pour salt into your hand. Can you see the air pockets when the sand grains stick together? It's not as easy. Clay soil has very little air space between particles, very little pore space.

Pore space between soil particles.

Fertility refers to the capacity of the soil to supply nutrients to plants. Organic matter in the soil, microorganism activity in the soil, and chemical elements present in the soil all influence its fertility. Soils are primarily mineral based and depending which minerals are present, different elements are available to plants as nutrients. The primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; those are the same three nutrients you see available on almost every box or bag of fertilizer. There are a total of 17 elements that plants need for growth. Oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen are supplied through water and air and all of the rest come from the soil.

16% nitrogen, 16% phosphorus, 16% potassium

Good soil, or a soil with good tilth, has good texture, good structure, and good fertility. In good soil only about 50 percent of it is solid; the remaining 50 percent is pore space. That pore space is filled with air, water, or a combination of the two. Roots grow through the pore space seeking the air and water.

If a soil has too small pore spaces, like in a high-clay (clayey) soil or in a compacted soil, roots have a hard time growing. Clay soils do well in retaining water and nutrients inside the pore spaces, but at the cost of air. The lack of large pore spaces means the water has a hard time draining out and air has a hard time seeping in. There are plants that do relatively well growing in clay soils, but many can be drowned when the soil gets wet.

If a soil has too large pore spaces, like in a high-sand (sandy) soil, the opposite problem holds. There is an over abundance of air while water and nutrients drain quickly through the pore space. Roots can easily grow through the air space, but without water retention they'll quickly dry out.

The key is to moderate the soil texture and improve the structure. This is most easily accomplished by adding soil amendments. The best soil amendment to improve structure is organic matter. Think of these soil amendments as little moist chunks of sponge as compared to the golf balls and salt grains discussed earlier.

When the large pore spaces between the sand particles are filled with little sponges, the water is soaked up as it drains through, retaining moisture and nutrients. When those same sponges are in clay, the tiny particles join together and surround it and as the organic matter decomposes it leaves behind a little pocket of air, creating new pore space.

Adding organic matter to a poor soil won't correct all of its deficiencies overnight, but it will begin to improve right away. Regular applications of amendments over a long period of time is often necessary to make good soil, and it is worth the effort. Organic material is good for all three soil tilth properties.

I'll discuss amendments and organic matter in another article soon. If you think your soil is too sandy or too clayey to grow a garden don't despair. Help is on the way with the addition of organic matter.

Link to "
Developing New Garden Beds"

Monday, February 21, 2011

Chit Your Potatoes

Almost everyone, gardeners and non-gardeners alike, has discovered a lost bag of potatoes tucked away at the back of the pantry. The softening spuds invariably display small green or white sprouts popping from the wrinkling skin. By the time the potatoes reach this point they're not very good to eat, but they're ideal for planting. You can take advantage of this normal potato activity and grow your own.

Just discovered in my pantry.

You can get a jump on growing potatoes by starting them indoors about six weeks before planting outside. Because potatoes only need soil that is about 50F degrees, they can be planted earlier than many other vegetables. A good time to begin the process for most areas is February and for colder areas you can start in March.

Potatoes are not typically grown from seed. New plants come from pieces of whole potatoes. Those gnarly sprouts growing in the dark on your shelf are the beginning of a new potato plant. When you buy "seed potatoes" you're not buying seeds, but rather a chunk of potato that as one or more eyes on it. The eyes are the small depressions that dot every potato. It's from these depressions that the sprouts develop.

The process of forcing potatoes to sprout is called chitting. When you chit a potato, you control the sprouting and prepare the chitted piece for planting. You could just pop a whole potato in the ground and wait for it to grow, but through the controlled chitting you can get five, six, or a dozen plants from a single potato.

For chitting, start with the potato that you'd like to grow. Many potatoes in the supermarket are sprayed with chemicals to inhibit sprouting so store-bought potatoes won't produce the best results. Certified organic potatoes or potatoes saved from your harvest last year are better. You don't need to wait until the potato has started to sprout; a fresh, firm specimen is good.

Cut pieces with good eyes on each.

Identify the eyes and cut the potato into smaller pieces with two or three distinct eyes on each. An important step is to callous the cut side. Place the potato on a clean, dry surface in a darkened area for two or three days with the cut side exposed to the air so it can dry. This helps prevent disease and allows the potato to secrete a natural fungicide. If you plant a cut piece without callousing the open surface, that piece is likely to rot long before a new plant emerges.

Potato pieces after callousing.

When the forgotten potato in your cupboard sprouts it's because of the warm dark conditions. Those white growths are weak and not best for growing into new plants. We want thick, healthy green and purple sprouts from our eyes. To get good ones, the calloused pieces need exposure to some natural light. Find a cool sheltered location with a window in your utility room, library, garage, kitchen, or anywhere the pieces are exposed to occasional indirect light. Place them in a clean, dry container like a cardboard egg carton, with the cut side down and the eyes facing up. Then sit back and wait. You don't need to water them or do any other typical gardening activity.

Calloused potato pieces resting in a nice, cool, lighted area should have sprouts up to an inch long in four to six weeks. That's chitting. If the potato piece as many sprouts, you can brush off the smaller ones just as you would thin out overgrown areas of your garden. When you have a couple thick, sturdy, stubby growths on each piece, you're done chitting. At that point they're ready to plant outside.

You could go through the same callousing process later in the season and plant the unchitted pieces directly in the ground, but there's no guarantee they'll grow. If you plant pieces that have already sprouted, you know the spud has a good start, will grow faster, and can be stronger and more productive than unchitted brethren.

Planting chitted potatoes.

When the soil is 50F degrees or warmer in March or April, put the sprouted pieces in the planting bed. Completely cover the sprouts with soil. In a surprisingly short time they'll burst through the surface. Chitted seed potatoes grow much faster than unchitted pieces.

I'll talk more about growing potatoes in days ahead. You can also read my blog "I Say Potato, You Say Potato" from October 21, 2010, to see the results of my harvest last year.
Almost everyone, gardeners and non-gardeners alike, has discovered a lost bag of potatoes tucked away at the back of the pantry. The softening spuds invariably display small green or white sprouts popping from the wrinkling skin. By the time the potatoes reach this point they're not very good to eat, but they're ideal for planting. You can take advantage of this normal potato activity and grow your own.

Just discovered in my pantry.

You can get a jump on growing potatoes by starting them indoors about six weeks before planting outside. Because potatoes only need soil that is about 50F degrees, they can be planted earlier than many other vegetables. A good time to begin the process for most areas is February and for colder areas you can start in March.

Potatoes are not typically grown from seed. New plants come from pieces of whole potatoes. Those gnarly sprouts growing in the dark on your shelf are the beginning of a new potato plant. When you buy "seed potatoes" you're not buying seeds, but rather a chunk of potato that as one or more eyes on it. The eyes are the small depressions that dot every potato. It's from these depressions that the sprouts develop.

The process of forcing potatoes to sprout is called chitting. When you chit a potato, you control the sprouting and prepare the chitted piece for planting. You could just pop a whole potato in the ground and wait for it to grow, but through the controlled chitting you can get five, six, or a dozen plants from a single potato.

For chitting, start with the potato that you'd like to grow. Many potatoes in the supermarket are sprayed with chemicals to inhibit sprouting so store-bought potatoes won't produce the best results. Certified organic potatoes or potatoes saved from your harvest last year are better. You don't need to wait until the potato has started to sprout; a fresh, firm specimen is good.

Cut pieces with good eyes on each.

Identify the eyes and cut the potato into smaller pieces with two or three distinct eyes on each. An important step is to callous the cut side. Place the potato on a clean, dry surface in a darkened area for two or three days with the cut side exposed to the air so it can dry. This helps prevent disease and allows the potato to secrete a natural fungicide. If you plant a cut piece without callousing the open surface, that piece is likely to rot long before a new plant emerges.

Potato pieces after callousing.

When the forgotten potato in your cupboard sprouts it's because of the warm dark conditions. Those white growths are weak and not best for growing into new plants. We want thick, healthy green and purple sprouts from our eyes. To get good ones, the calloused pieces need exposure to some natural light. Find a cool sheltered location with a window in your utility room, library, garage, kitchen, or anywhere the pieces are exposed to occasional indirect light. Place them in a clean, dry container like a cardboard egg carton, with the cut side down and the eyes facing up. Then sit back and wait. You don't need to water them or do any other typical gardening activity.

Calloused potato pieces resting in a nice, cool, lighted area should have sprouts up to an inch long in four to six weeks. That's chitting. If the potato piece as many sprouts, you can brush off the smaller ones just as you would thin out overgrown areas of your garden. When you have a couple thick, sturdy, stubby growths on each piece, you're done chitting. At that point they're ready to plant outside.

You could go through the same callousing process later in the season and plant the unchitted pieces directly in the ground, but there's no guarantee they'll grow. If you plant pieces that have already sprouted, you know the spud has a good start, will grow faster, and can be stronger and more productive than unchitted brethren.

Planting chitted potatoes.

When the soil is 50F degrees or warmer in March or April, put the sprouted pieces in the planting bed. Completely cover the sprouts with soil. In a surprisingly short time they'll burst through the surface. Chitted seed potatoes grow much faster than unchitted pieces.

I'll talk more about growing potatoes in days ahead. You can also read my blog "
I Say Potato, You Say Potato" from October 21, 2010, to see the results of my harvest last year.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Developing New Garden Beds

As the ground warms, the snows melt, and spring rains fall, you have a great opportunity to prepare new planting beds. It is still too cool to sow seeds and put in transplants so use your gardening energy to expand your garden. Unless you're blessed with perfect soil and ready-made beds, you'll have to do some digging and the moisture supplied by melting snow or spring rain can make that task easier.

Choosing the proper time to put spade to earth is very important. If you dig when the ground is frozen or when it's too wet you can severely damage your soil by harming its structure, a major component of tilth. Tilth is the physical condition of the soil that allows it to support root and plant growth. Good soil tilth allows good water movement and air infiltration through the little air pockets, or pore spaces, that exist within the soil. When you disrupt the frozen or water-logged soil, you break up the pore space and affect its ability to support plant growth.

If mud sticks to your shovel when you dig, it's too wet. If you stomp on your spade and the soil is like rock, it's frozen. Moist soil allows you to dig easily. After digging a shovelful of soil, lift it hip high and let it fall. If it lands in a single clump or plop, it's still too wet. If it begins to break apart as it falls and bounces or spreads out briskly as it lands, it is the right consistency. Grab a handful and squeeze the soil. If your fingers freeze, it's too cold. If you can squeeze out water, it's too wet. If it feels moist but breaks apart easily, it's okay.

Once you've determined the soil is okay to dig, put your plan into action. You do have a plan, right? Use the cold days waiting for the soil to thaw and dry to plan your new garden and measure its dimensions. There is no need to labor beyond what is needed so set your borders and break ground. I like to hammer in small stakes that define the area. You can use landscape paint, a special can designed to spray upside down and mark the ground or grass. Marking the edges with flour by pouring it from a small hole cut in the bag works well too (just like a baseball infield).

Digging out sod in a staked area.

Most new or expanded gardens venture into territory that something else occupies. It might be grass or turf, rock, previous plantings, or maybe a shed or small fence. Whatever it is, you'll need to remove it to get to bare soil. Allow enough time in your planning for the removal work. I once put a vegetable garden in a large area six to ten inches deep with fist-size "decorative" rock. It took nearly a month to remove enough to begin preparing the soil. It was an ongoing effort and ultimately took nearly three years to remove all of the rock, with a lot of help from family and friends.

The areas where I'm putting new beds is covered with prairie grass and weeds. In many home gardens, it's the turf that is removed to expand a garden. A square shovel (spades are pointed) works well to get underneath the grass and dig it out, but it's labor intensive. If you have a large area of turf to remove you might consider renting a power sod remover; it allows you to dig it out in long strips and replant it.

If the soil is loose and the grass isn't too deep or thick, you can use a tiller to break it up. You'll need a heavier, rear-tine tiller. It will leave big clumps of grass that you can remove by hand or with a shovel. A tiller on unbroken soil doesn't work well if it's rocky, too wet, or is heavy with clay. It can also add to your weed pulling later on because weed seeds will be turned into the soil.

You can also smother the grass to kill it and make its removal or tilling easier. A large sheet of black plastic anchored to the ground will kill the grass and even some weed seeds as the sun heats up the soil underneath. It takes weeks, can also kill the microorganisms in the soil, and will need to be removed before planting.

Plastic killed the grass in the same area I dug up.

Covering the grass with four to eight sheets of black and white newspaper and covering that with a thick layer of compost or soil will kill the grass, not harm microorganisms, and allow planting soon after. That's the method I used in some of my raised beds.

Newspaper smothering the grass in a raised bed.

As you remove the obstacle to a new garden, you can sculpt the land in the process. My vegetable garden is on a slope. As I remove the sod, I place it on the lower end of the bed to raise the relative elevation. When I add compost and new, enriched soil the overall planting bed will be more level, making planting and watering easier.

Raising the lower corner to level the entire bed.

That is a segue for a future blog and the next step in the process of developing garden beds. After creating your plan, removing surface obstacles, and getting down to bare soil, you're ready to amend it before planting. Amending your soil is a crucial step in almost all garden development, and coming soon to a gardening blog near you.
As the ground warms, the snows melt, and spring rains fall, you have a great opportunity to prepare new planting beds. It is still too cool to sow seeds and put in transplants so use your gardening energy to expand your garden. Unless you're blessed with perfect soil and ready-made beds, you'll have to do some digging and the moisture supplied by melting snow or spring rain can make that task easier.

Choosing the proper time to put spade to earth is very important. If you dig when the ground is frozen or when it's too wet you can severely damage your soil by harming its structure, a major component of tilth. Tilth is the physical condition of the soil that allows it to support root and plant growth. Good soil tilth allows good water movement and air infiltration through the little air pockets, or pore spaces, that exist within the soil. When you disrupt the frozen or water-logged soil, you break up the pore space and affect its ability to support plant growth.

If mud sticks to your shovel when you dig, it's too wet. If you stomp on your spade and the soil is like rock, it's frozen. Moist soil allows you to dig easily. After digging a shovelful of soil, lift it hip high and let it fall. If it lands in a single clump or plop, it's still too wet. If it begins to break apart as it falls and bounces or spreads out briskly as it lands, it is the right consistency. Grab a handful and squeeze the soil. If your fingers freeze, it's too cold. If you can squeeze out water, it's too wet. If it feels moist but breaks apart easily, it's okay.

Once you've determined the soil is okay to dig, put your plan into action. You do have a plan, right? Use the cold days waiting for the soil to thaw and dry to plan your new garden and measure its dimensions. There is no need to labor beyond what is needed so set your borders and break ground. I like to hammer in small stakes that define the area. You can use landscape paint, a special can designed to spray upside down and mark the ground or grass. Marking the edges with flour by pouring it from a small hole cut in the bag works well too (just like a baseball infield).

Digging out sod in a staked area.

Most new or expanded gardens venture into territory that something else occupies. It might be grass or turf, rock, previous plantings, or maybe a shed or small fence. Whatever it is, you'll need to remove it to get to bare soil. Allow enough time in your planning for the removal work. I once put a vegetable garden in a large area six to ten inches deep with fist-size "decorative" rock. It took nearly a month to remove enough to begin preparing the soil. It was an ongoing effort and ultimately took nearly three years to remove all of the rock, with a lot of help from family and friends.

The areas where I'm putting new beds is covered with prairie grass and weeds. In many home gardens, it's the turf that is removed to expand a garden. A square shovel (spades are pointed) works well to get underneath the grass and dig it out, but it's labor intensive. If you have a large area of turf to remove you might consider renting a power sod remover; it allows you to dig it out in long strips and replant it.

If the soil is loose and the grass isn't too deep or thick, you can use a tiller to break it up. You'll need a heavier, rear-tine tiller. It will leave big clumps of grass that you can remove by hand or with a shovel. A tiller on unbroken soil doesn't work well if it's rocky, too wet, or is heavy with clay. It can also add to your weed pulling later on because weed seeds will be turned into the soil.

You can also smother the grass to kill it and make its removal or tilling easier. A large sheet of black plastic anchored to the ground will kill the grass and even some weed seeds as the sun heats up the soil underneath. It takes weeks, can also kill the microorganisms in the soil, and will need to be removed before planting.

Plastic killed the grass in the same area I dug up.

Covering the grass with four to eight sheets of black and white newspaper and covering that with a thick layer of compost or soil will kill the grass, not harm microorganisms, and allow planting soon after. That's the method I used in some of my raised beds.

Newspaper smothering the grass in a raised bed.

As you remove the obstacle to a new garden, you can sculpt the land in the process. My vegetable garden is on a slope. As I remove the sod, I place it on the lower end of the bed to raise the relative elevation. When I add compost and new, enriched soil the overall planting bed will be more level, making planting and watering easier.

Raising the lower corner to level the entire bed.

That is a segue for a future blog and the next step in the process of developing garden beds. After creating your plan, removing surface obstacles, and getting down to bare soil, you're ready to amend it before planting. Amending your soil is a crucial step in almost all garden development, and coming soon to a gardening blog near you.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Buying Chicks

The chickens are in the mail, figuratively for now and literally in a few months. It just took a few minutes to complete the process of buying them online, not much different from buying a chicken book from Amazon.com.

After weeks of research, reading websites, forum threads, and half a dozen books, I purchased the chicks from mypetchicken.com. I was impressed by the amount and quality of information on the site, but in the end it came down to their ability to send me the chickens I wanted in the quantity I desired.

There are numerous chicken breeders who offer online ordering. Mypetchicken.com even supplies the names of many of these breeders, who are their competition. The common minimum order from breeders is 25 chicks; that's a standard minimum in the industry. A scan of Craigslist in my area last night showed no less than three people looking for someone to share their order of chicks because they didn't want 25 babies.

Breeders want you to order that many because the body heat of all those chicks in the packing box helps keep them alive during shipping. Mypetchicken.com includes a heating element in their box to keep the chicks warm so their minimum order can be as low as three chicks, depending on where you live. The US Postal Service delivers the chicks through Express Mail. It's interesting that UPS, FedEx and other mail carriers will not ship live chicks. They typically arrive at your post office, they call you, and you pick them up.

Because I wanted one chick from six different breeds, Mypetchicken.com was the only source I found that offered the ease of getting exactly what I wanted. I settled on these pullets (the term for a female chicken less than a year old): Australorp, Barred Plymouth Rock, Golden-Laced Wyandotte, Red Star, Rhode Island Red, and Speckled Sussex. They also offered the option of specifically choosing female chicks with the additional option of having them vaccinated against Marek's disease, an illness that can cause paralysis and death in chickens. Of course those extras cost extra.

The basic cost for chicks is only about $3.00 each. The vaccination cost was $1.00 extra and the female option was 50 cents more. Surprisingly if you want a cockerel (a male less than a year old), it's 50 cents cheaper; most flocks don't need many roosters so they sell them for less. For less than $5.00 each you can have a baby chicken that is protected from disease.

The biggest cost for small purchases is the shipping fee. To ship them overnight from their home in Connecticut to my home in Colorado is about $36. For orders of fewer than seven birds, it costs more to ship than it does to buy the chicks. When it was all over, total cost was about $10 each for my six personally-selected pullets. That wasn't too much in my opinion because I got exactly what I wanted.

There are two basic ways to select chicks. You can choose a specific sex and pay more for females or less for males. You can also choose a Straight Run option. With straight run, you get the number of chicks you want chosen randomly from the breeds you want. Statistically you get half female and half male, but that is no guarantee. It's a risk for someone who wants hens for laying eggs because a straight run selection could deliver nothing but roosters. I was willing to pay more to get female chickens.

Even the sex selection only has a 90 percent guarantee. It's an art to look at a chicken that is only a few hours old and determine the sex when it has no external genitalia. This sorting process at the breeding facility is called sexing and even the best chicken sexers occasionally get it wrong. I have faith my six chicks will all be female. Of course I won't be sure for many months, until they get big enough to display the feather, size, and color differences that differentiate cockerels from pullets.

With online ordering, after you've selected your chicks you choose your delivery date. Incubated eggs take 21 days to hatch. Breeders know exactly when they need to put eggs in the incubator to get a hatched chick and can offer precise hatching and delivery dates.

As I checked mypetchicken.com on a daily basis doing my research, I began to notice that early delivery dates were becoming sold out very quickly. My original plan was to receive chicks in mid-March, raise them in a brooder (more on that in a future blog) for six to eight weeks and then move them to a permanent coop in May when the weather is warm, and start getting eggs in late July or early August. By the time I ordered my chicks this week, the earliest delivery date was late April; I checked today and now some of the birds I wanted aren't available until May. As a result, my timeline is pushed back a month.

Late winter is the time of year that most people are ordering chicks. Chicks hatched in early spring have plenty of time to grow and mature to the point that they begin laying eggs while the weather is warm. Hens tend to slow down or cease egg production when the weather is very cold. Pullets delivered in summer are just getting to the point that they would be laying eggs at the same time of year that they would normally stop laying eggs in winter (I'm sure that's more confusing for the chicken); not a good scenario for someone raising chickens for the eggs.

Delivery dates vary by chicken type on mypetchicken.com. Many of the popular and common birds like Barred Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red still have delivery options for early March. Less common birds or those with greater demand sell out early. The Red Star and Speckled Sussex aren't available now until May.

My selected chicks have different availability dates and it's the latest that determines when my order is ready. With ordering and payment complete, my chicks should arrive by April 27th. That gives me plenty of time to prepare the brooder and be ready for their arrival.

Another option for buying chicks is through a local farm store. Ours sells chicks beginning in late March through early April. They have fewer options of breeds and tend to offer the common birds like Barred Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red. They're available as straight run, pullets, or cockerels. In a few years when it comes time to replace or add chickens, and if I like those two breeds, I'll consider that option. It will definitely save on shipping costs.

In about six months from today, I should be getting the first of the eggs laid by my pullets. As challenging as the selection process was, I suspect the hard part has yet to come. Expect more when the chicks arrive and the brooding begins.

Go to: mypetchicken.com
The chickens are in the mail, figuratively for now and literally in a few months. It just took a few minutes to complete the process of buying them online, not much different from buying a chicken book from Amazon.com.

After weeks of research, reading websites, forum threads, and half a dozen books, I purchased the chicks from mypetchicken.com. I was impressed by the amount and quality of information on the site, but in the end it came down to their ability to send me the chickens I wanted in the quantity I desired.

There are numerous chicken breeders who offer online ordering. Mypetchicken.com even supplies the names of many of these breeders, who are their competition. The common minimum order from breeders is 25 chicks; that's a standard minimum in the industry. A scan of Craigslist in my area last night showed no less than three people looking for someone to share their order of chicks because they didn't want 25 babies.

Breeders want you to order that many because the body heat of all those chicks in the packing box helps keep them alive during shipping. Mypetchicken.com includes a heating element in their box to keep the chicks warm so their minimum order can be as low as three chicks, depending on where you live. The US Postal Service delivers the chicks through Express Mail. It's interesting that UPS, FedEx and other mail carriers will not ship live chicks. They typically arrive at your post office, they call you, and you pick them up.

Because I wanted one chick from six different breeds, Mypetchicken.com was the only source I found that offered the ease of getting exactly what I wanted. I settled on these pullets (the term for a female chicken less than a year old): Australorp, Barred Plymouth Rock, Golden-Laced Wyandotte, Red Star, Rhode Island Red, and Speckled Sussex. They also offered the option of specifically choosing female chicks with the additional option of having them vaccinated against Marek's disease, an illness that can cause paralysis and death in chickens. Of course those extras cost extra.

The basic cost for chicks is only about $3.00 each. The vaccination cost was $1.00 extra and the female option was 50 cents more. Surprisingly if you want a cockerel (a male less than a year old), it's 50 cents cheaper; most flocks don't need many roosters so they sell them for less. For less than $5.00 each you can have a baby chicken that is protected from disease.

The biggest cost for small purchases is the shipping fee. To ship them overnight from their home in Connecticut to my home in Colorado is about $36. For orders of fewer than seven birds, it costs more to ship than it does to buy the chicks. When it was all over, total cost was about $10 each for my six personally-selected pullets. That wasn't too much in my opinion because I got exactly what I wanted.

There are two basic ways to select chicks. You can choose a specific sex and pay more for females or less for males. You can also choose a Straight Run option. With straight run, you get the number of chicks you want chosen randomly from the breeds you want. Statistically you get half female and half male, but that is no guarantee. It's a risk for someone who wants hens for laying eggs because a straight run selection could deliver nothing but roosters. I was willing to pay more to get female chickens.

Even the sex selection only has a 90 percent guarantee. It's an art to look at a chicken that is only a few hours old and determine the sex when it has no external genitalia. This sorting process at the breeding facility is called sexing and even the best chicken sexers occasionally get it wrong. I have faith my six chicks will all be female. Of course I won't be sure for many months, until they get big enough to display the feather, size, and color differences that differentiate cockerels from pullets.

With online ordering, after you've selected your chicks you choose your delivery date. Incubated eggs take 21 days to hatch. Breeders know exactly when they need to put eggs in the incubator to get a hatched chick and can offer precise hatching and delivery dates.

As I checked mypetchicken.com on a daily basis doing my research, I began to notice that early delivery dates were becoming sold out very quickly. My original plan was to receive chicks in mid-March, raise them in a brooder (more on that in a future blog) for six to eight weeks and then move them to a permanent coop in May when the weather is warm, and start getting eggs in late July or early August. By the time I ordered my chicks this week, the earliest delivery date was late April; I checked today and now some of the birds I wanted aren't available until May. As a result, my timeline is pushed back a month.

Late winter is the time of year that most people are ordering chicks. Chicks hatched in early spring have plenty of time to grow and mature to the point that they begin laying eggs while the weather is warm. Hens tend to slow down or cease egg production when the weather is very cold. Pullets delivered in summer are just getting to the point that they would be laying eggs at the same time of year that they would normally stop laying eggs in winter (I'm sure that's more confusing for the chicken); not a good scenario for someone raising chickens for the eggs.

Delivery dates vary by chicken type on mypetchicken.com. Many of the popular and common birds like Barred Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red still have delivery options for early March. Less common birds or those with greater demand sell out early. The Red Star and Speckled Sussex aren't available now until May.

My selected chicks have different availability dates and it's the latest that determines when my order is ready. With ordering and payment complete, my chicks should arrive by April 27th. That gives me plenty of time to prepare the brooder and be ready for their arrival.

Another option for buying chicks is through a local farm store. Ours sells chicks beginning in late March through early April. They have fewer options of breeds and tend to offer the common birds like Barred Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red. They're available as straight run, pullets, or cockerels. In a few years when it comes time to replace or add chickens, and if I like those two breeds, I'll consider that option. It will definitely save on shipping costs.

In about six months from today, I should be getting the first of the eggs laid by my pullets. As challenging as the selection process was, I suspect the hard part has yet to come. Expect more when the chicks arrive and the brooding begins.

Go to:
mypetchicken.com

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Get Your Seeds Now

Late winter is a good time to buy seeds of plants you want to start growing indoors. There is plenty of time to choose what seeds you want, order them online, from a nursery, or buy them from one of the kiosks popping up in stores, and put together your planting plan.

If you want to start seeds in your kitchen, garage, or sun room and then transplant them later, you'll need to look at both the seed packet and a calendar. The packet or directions from the grower will tell you when you should plant indoors. Typically that time will be four to eight weeks before the last frost date for your garden. For many areas of the U.S. you will soon be within the four to eight week window. You can find your last frost date at the National Climactic Data Center.

Get out your calendar and mark that date. As I've written before, it's not a 100 percent certainty that you won't get frost past that date, but it's a good starting point for developing your plan. When you have your seeds you simply work backward on the calendar and then mark when you should start sowing them as directed on the packet.

Not every seed is planted early in the spring. Many flowers and vegetables require that you wait to sow them outside after the last frost and when the soil is warm. For those seeds you can delay buying them until late spring, but why not get everything together now. Even if snow is still be on the ground, you can anticipate the warming weather and you can think about good gardening times ahead.


You'll want to follow the directions for planting as closely as you can. Planting earlier than the recommended time is not as wise as you might guess. If seedlings are exposed to the late winter or early spring sun from a window for too long, they can grow into little, tall, spindly plants that won't do well when transplanted outside. The reduced amount of natural light during this time of year isn't enough to provide good growth.

Seeds planted correctly will have the right amount of time to germinate and grow to the proper size for transplanting. This is based on natural light and the assumption that you're planting seeds in a pot near a window. If you plan to use artificial light for long periods of time, you can get away with planting earlier than recommended, but the spacing of the light is critical and most people don't have the proper set up for that.

Different plants have different planting times. While warm season plants like tomatoes, eggplant, or peppers can die or be stunted if they're sown or transplanted before the air and soil warm properly, some cool season plants like cabbage, broccoli, and peas can tolerate a light frost and actually do better when planted before the last frost date. Often the seed packet will tell you what is appropriate for those plants. If not, do a little research yourself and see if you can sow your cool season plants early.

Think about how many plants you want in your garden as you develop your planting plan. Seeds are packaged differently depending on their size and type. Typically you see them sold by the gram or ounce. When you buy a mass-produced packet from a box store or supermarket it's hard to tell how many seeds you're buying. When you buy from an online specialty seed company they'll usually give you a good idea of how many seeds you'll get.

Buying a packet of lettuce seed online for a few dollars is a great deal when you discover you will be getting 500 or 600 seeds. They are very small seeds and fill a very small space. A similar packet from a store might be about the same price but contain a third of the seeds or less. Of course, you have to decide if you really need 500 seeds. A Mesclun Salad seed blend I'm buying from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds contains 1,000 seeds for $3. With that many seeds I can spread them generously in my raised bed and thin as needed to produce good plants.

When you buy larger seeds you need to be ready for a packet with lots of air in it. Squash and pumpkin seed packets may only have 20 seeds. I once bought a packet of "super-size pumpkin" seeds that only had three seeds. That was disappointing.

The difference in seed quantity is also related to the mature size of the plant. Pumpkin plants grow larger than lettuce. Twenty pumpkins can easily fill the same space as 500 lettuce plants. Sunflower seeds follow the same idea; you'll get fewer seeds in a packet for large sunflowers and more if the flowers are smaller.

Seed packets should also have the year printed on them that identifies for what season they were packaged. If planted while they're new, seeds should have a greater than 90 percent germination rate. If you plant old seeds you may have a much lower success rate. I know I'm buying more seeds this year than I have time or space for in my garden, but I know I can plant leftovers next year as long as I'm willing to accept that not all of them will germinate.

My last frost date isn't until mid-May and I won't be able to start growing indoors until mid-March at the earliest. Having the seed packets in hand now and having my gardening calendar marked shows that that's less than a month away for me, probably sooner for you. Once you've marked the calendar with the indoor planting date, it's easy to mark it with when you plan to transplant outdoors. Then it's a simple matter of looking at the seed packet for "days to harvest" and marking that date on the calendar.

You'll be able to know in February on what date you can expect to harvest your beans or tomatoes or cabbage. I think that's an anticipation and inspiration that is worth the wait. Of course, you have to have the seed packets to make it happen. If you haven't bought them yet, do it soon.
Late winter is a good time to buy seeds of plants you want to start growing indoors. There is plenty of time to choose what seeds you want, order them online, from a nursery, or buy them from one of the kiosks popping up in stores, and put together your planting plan.

If you want to start seeds in your kitchen, garage, or sun room and then transplant them later, you'll need to look at both the seed packet and a calendar. The packet or directions from the grower will tell you when you should plant indoors. Typically that time will be four to eight weeks before the last frost date for your garden. For many areas of the U.S. you will soon be within the four to eight week window. You can find your last frost date at the
National Climactic Data Center.

Get out your calendar and mark that date. As I've written before, it's not a 100 percent certainty that you won't get frost past that date, but it's a good starting point for developing your plan. When you have your seeds you simply work backward on the calendar and then mark when you should start sowing them as directed on the packet.

Not every seed is planted early in the spring. Many flowers and vegetables require that you wait to sow them outside after the last frost and when the soil is warm. For those seeds you can delay buying them until late spring, but why not get everything together now. Even if snow is still be on the ground, you can anticipate the warming weather and you can think about good gardening times ahead.


You'll want to follow the directions for planting as closely as you can. Planting earlier than the recommended time is not as wise as you might guess. If seedlings are exposed to the late winter or early spring sun from a window for too long, they can grow into little, tall, spindly plants that won't do well when transplanted outside. The reduced amount of natural light during this time of year isn't enough to provide good growth.

Seeds planted correctly will have the right amount of time to germinate and grow to the proper size for transplanting. This is based on natural light and the assumption that you're planting seeds in a pot near a window. If you plan to use artificial light for long periods of time, you can get away with planting earlier than recommended, but the spacing of the light is critical and most people don't have the proper set up for that.

Different plants have different planting times. While warm season plants like tomatoes, eggplant, or peppers can die or be stunted if they're sown or transplanted before the air and soil warm properly, some cool season plants like cabbage, broccoli, and peas can tolerate a light frost and actually do better when planted before the last frost date. Often the seed packet will tell you what is appropriate for those plants. If not, do a little research yourself and see if you can sow your cool season plants early.

Think about how many plants you want in your garden as you develop your planting plan. Seeds are packaged differently depending on their size and type. Typically you see them sold by the gram or ounce. When you buy a mass-produced packet from a box store or supermarket it's hard to tell how many seeds you're buying. When you buy from an online specialty seed company they'll usually give you a good idea of how many seeds you'll get.

Buying a packet of lettuce seed online for a few dollars is a great deal when you discover you will be getting 500 or 600 seeds. They are very small seeds and fill a very small space. A similar packet from a store might be about the same price but contain a third of the seeds or less. Of course, you have to decide if you really need 500 seeds. A Mesclun Salad seed blend I'm buying from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds contains 1,000 seeds for $3. With that many seeds I can spread them generously in my raised bed and thin as needed to produce good plants.

When you buy larger seeds you need to be ready for a packet with lots of air in it. Squash and pumpkin seed packets may only have 20 seeds. I once bought a packet of "super-size pumpkin" seeds that only had three seeds. That was disappointing.

The difference in seed quantity is also related to the mature size of the plant. Pumpkin plants grow larger than lettuce. Twenty pumpkins can easily fill the same space as 500 lettuce plants. Sunflower seeds follow the same idea; you'll get fewer seeds in a packet for large sunflowers and more if the flowers are smaller.

Seed packets should also have the year printed on them that identifies for what season they were packaged. If planted while they're new, seeds should have a greater than 90 percent germination rate. If you plant old seeds you may have a much lower success rate. I know I'm buying more seeds this year than I have time or space for in my garden, but I know I can plant leftovers next year as long as I'm willing to accept that not all of them will germinate.

My last frost date isn't until mid-May and I won't be able to start growing indoors until mid-March at the earliest. Having the seed packets in hand now and having my gardening calendar marked shows that that's less than a month away for me, probably sooner for you. Once you've marked the calendar with the indoor planting date, it's easy to mark it with when you plan to transplant outdoors. Then it's a simple matter of looking at the seed packet for "days to harvest" and marking that date on the calendar.

You'll be able to know in February on what date you can expect to harvest your beans or tomatoes or cabbage. I think that's an anticipation and inspiration that is worth the wait. Of course, you have to have the seed packets to make it happen. If you haven't bought them yet, do it soon.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

What's Your Name Again?

This year I'll be adding new Phaseolus vulgaris, Beta vulgaris, and Lagenaria siceraria to my vegetable garden. Actually, I'll be adding beans, beets, and gourds. To me the names in the first sentence are hard to remember and sound a little too academic, but for many gardeners they represent the correct way to identify plants. They are a correct way, but the common way is good too.

Black-Eyed Susan

Choosing what to call plants is often a challenging decision for gardeners because sometimes it seems we speak different languages when referring to the same thing. From my grandmother, I learned that the big yellow flowers with dark brown centers are called Black-Eyed Susans. They were among the first flowers I planted as an adult. When I became serious about gardening and first entered conversations with expert gardeners, I was confused when they talked about the Rudbeckia in their gardens. It turns out Rudbeckia hirta and Black-Eyed Susans are the same plant.

Some gardeners, usually ones with specialized training, prefer to use the scientific name for plants. That includes the genus and species; it's a precise taxonomic description with Latin as the base. Scientific names are recognized by national and international organizations and are consistent for a plant regardless of the location of the garden. Many other gardeners prefer to use common names. Common names use common language to identify a plant, though those names may vary by region or country.

My gardener friends Diane, Cathie, and Carol can sit and talk at length about visiting nurseries and seeing plants. They talk about catalogs and new varieties and new opportunities. They use the scientific Latin names and understand everything they say to each other. To me it's virtually a foreign language, but I admire and am envious of their knowledge.

I do try to expand my vocabulary and understanding by learning the scientific names for many of the plants I grow so that I can converse appropriately. I memorized Centranthus ruber because that was one of my favorite plants; that's "Jupiter's Beard" or "Red Valerian" depending on where you come from. I'll talk about my Echinacea more than I will my Coneflowers (they're the same thing). I grow Penstemon and talk about them that way, though others call them "Beard Tongue." Agastache is a common xeric plant in our part of the country and I knew it by that name before I heard of "Giant Hyssop."

Jupiter's Beard

Where names become problematic is when you want to share information with another gardener or with a nursery worker. If you are talking about something that the other person doesn't understand, communication breaks down. You both may know about a specific plant, but if you can't identify it with an appropriate name common to the two of you you might as well be speaking different languages (which you really are).

Using a translator is a great idea. I like the "National Garden Book" published by Sunset Books. It includes an encyclopedia of plants that lists them by both common and scientific names. Last summer my good friend Diane asked if I wanted some of her Achillea, Calendula, and Delosperma for my new beds. Of course I said yes. Then I went home, looked them up in my book and found out I was getting Yarrow, Marigold, and Ice Plant.

Neither the common nor the scientific names are "the best" way to identify plants. My usage is relative to the situation at hand. When speaking about plants with my wife, daughter, or most people I know, I use the common names. That's how they know them. When I talk to fellow Master Gardeners or people I know prefer a scientific name, I'll do the best I can to pepper the conversation with my limited knowledge of Latin. If I don't know the plants they're talking about, I've learned to ask for clarification; it helps me learn.

I recommend learning the scientific names if you're serious about gardening. It's not for you to show off, but rather so you can communicate with other serious gardeners and gardening resources. Many locals know that the state flower of Colorado is a Columbine, the "Rocky Mountain Columbine" to be precise. If you want to grow it in your garden you might have trouble finding the seeds or plants if you didn't know to look for Aquilegia caerulea. Knowing that Columbines are Aquilegia is a good start, but there are many species: Aquilegia alpina is the "Alpine Columbine", Aquilegia chrysantha is the "Golden Columbine", and Aquilegia vulgaris is the "European Columbine". If you're looking for a specific flower in a specific color or size, you'll need to know the complete scientific name.

I'll continue to use the common names for most of my conversation and plant tags, but will expand my name awareness at every opportunity. Many popular catalogs list plants by common names, especially with vegetables and fruits, which makes ordering easy. Our local nurseries are mixed, with many of their plant tags only listing the scientific name. If I know what I'm looking for I don't have to ask for a translation from an employee, but more often than not I need help.

For most gardeners it's about the process of gardening and not the name of the plant. We know what we like and what we want to grow. We may not know what a plant is called, but if we want it we'll find out. Whether we use the common name or the scientific name only matters to the person supplying the first plant to us. Beyond that you can call it whatever you like.
This year I'll be adding new Phaseolus vulgaris, Beta vulgaris, and Lagenaria siceraria to my vegetable garden. Actually, I'll be adding beans, beets, and gourds. To me the names in the first sentence are hard to remember and sound a little too academic, but for many gardeners they represent the correct way to identify plants. They are a correct way, but the common way is good too.

Black-Eyed Susan

Choosing what to call plants is often a challenging decision for gardeners because sometimes it seems we speak different languages when referring to the same thing. From my grandmother, I learned that the big yellow flowers with dark brown centers are called Black-Eyed Susans. They were among the first flowers I planted as an adult. When I became serious about gardening and first entered conversations with expert gardeners, I was confused when they talked about the Rudbeckia in their gardens. It turns out Rudbeckia hirta and Black-Eyed Susans are the same plant.

Some gardeners, usually ones with specialized training, prefer to use the scientific name for plants. That includes the genus and species; it's a precise taxonomic description with Latin as the base. Scientific names are recognized by national and international organizations and are consistent for a plant regardless of the location of the garden. Many other gardeners prefer to use common names. Common names use common language to identify a plant, though those names may vary by region or country.

My gardener friends Diane, Cathie, and Carol can sit and talk at length about visiting nurseries and seeing plants. They talk about catalogs and new varieties and new opportunities. They use the scientific Latin names and understand everything they say to each other. To me it's virtually a foreign language, but I admire and am envious of their knowledge.

I do try to expand my vocabulary and understanding by learning the scientific names for many of the plants I grow so that I can converse appropriately. I memorized Centranthus ruber because that was one of my favorite plants; that's "Jupiter's Beard" or "Red Valerian" depending on where you come from. I'll talk about my Echinacea more than I will my Coneflowers (they're the same thing). I grow Penstemon and talk about them that way, though others call them "Beard Tongue." Agastache is a common xeric plant in our part of the country and I knew it by that name before I heard of "Giant Hyssop."

Jupiter's Beard

Where names become problematic is when you want to share information with another gardener or with a nursery worker. If you are talking about something that the other person doesn't understand, communication breaks down. You both may know about a specific plant, but if you can't identify it with an appropriate name common to the two of you you might as well be speaking different languages (which you really are).

Using a translator is a great idea. I like the "National Garden Book" published by Sunset Books. It includes an encyclopedia of plants that lists them by both common and scientific names. Last summer my good friend Diane asked if I wanted some of her Achillea, Calendula, and Delosperma for my new beds. Of course I said yes. Then I went home, looked them up in my book and found out I was getting Yarrow, Marigold, and Ice Plant.

Neither the common nor the scientific names are "the best" way to identify plants. My usage is relative to the situation at hand. When speaking about plants with my wife, daughter, or most people I know, I use the common names. That's how they know them. When I talk to fellow Master Gardeners or people I know prefer a scientific name, I'll do the best I can to pepper the conversation with my limited knowledge of Latin. If I don't know the plants they're talking about, I've learned to ask for clarification; it helps me learn.

I recommend learning the scientific names if you're serious about gardening. It's not for you to show off, but rather so you can communicate with other serious gardeners and gardening resources. Many locals know that the state flower of Colorado is a Columbine, the "Rocky Mountain Columbine" to be precise. If you want to grow it in your garden you might have trouble finding the seeds or plants if you didn't know to look for Aquilegia caerulea. Knowing that Columbines are Aquilegia is a good start, but there are many species: Aquilegia alpina is the "Alpine Columbine", Aquilegia chrysantha is the "Golden Columbine", and Aquilegia vulgaris is the "European Columbine". If you're looking for a specific flower in a specific color or size, you'll need to know the complete scientific name.

I'll continue to use the common names for most of my conversation and plant tags, but will expand my name awareness at every opportunity. Many popular catalogs list plants by common names, especially with vegetables and fruits, which makes ordering easy. Our local nurseries are mixed, with many of their plant tags only listing the scientific name. If I know what I'm looking for I don't have to ask for a translation from an employee, but more often than not I need help.

For most gardeners it's about the process of gardening and not the name of the plant. We know what we like and what we want to grow. We may not know what a plant is called, but if we want it we'll find out. Whether we use the common name or the scientific name only matters to the person supplying the first plant to us. Beyond that you can call it whatever you like.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Choosing Chickens

Did you know there are more than 200 breeds of chickens? Between purebreds and hybrids, you can find over 400 different varieties of chickens. They all fall into two basic categories: Large or Bantam. Large chickens are regular, chicken-sized chickens and bantams are miniature versions of bigger chickens that only weigh a few pounds, or less; there are bantam varieties for almost every standard large breed. With all of these chickens to choose from, how can someone who wants to start a backyard flock pick the best birds?

I've been wrestling with that question for a few weeks now and have figured it out. It all comes down to personal preference. There is no best answer that fits everyone's chicken situation.

First, people who want to raise chickens have to answer the most basic question: "Why do I want chickens?" Chickens are good for three primary reasons: because they lay eggs; because they taste good for dinner; because you can win a ribbon at the county fair. You can add a fourth reason, that they can make good pets, but that is really a bonus after deciding which of the main three reasons suits your purpose.

As with any animal that has been bred by man for centuries, different breeds serve different purposes. There are chickens specifically engineered for laying eggs. There are chickens developed for fast growth and meaty breasts for the dinner table. There are chickens that don't taste very good, don't lay many eggs, but have very pretty and unusual feathers. And, of course, there are chickens that lay eggs and taste good -- dual-purpose birds.

For my wife and me, our primary reason for wanting chickens is the eggs. I do expect them to become members of the family, each with a clever name. As many farmers and ranchers know, it's hard to eat something that has a name, so we're not planning on inviting our birds to dinner, as the entree. I'm also sure we'll have a little chicken cemetery at the back of our property to remember them after they're gone.

Right away that decision cuts our bird choices in half. We only need egg layers, which means female chickens. Remember the riddle from elementary school: "If a rooster lays an egg at the very top of a steep roof, which side of the roof will the egg roll down?" Silly, roosters don't lay eggs. Coincidentally, our city doesn't allow roosters in a home flock.

When narrowing down the breeds for egg layers, there are some important factors to consider. What climate does the chicken prefer? What size and/or color of egg is important? Does the chicken produce a lot of eggs? What is the temperament of the chicken? Is it a standard or a bantam? Will the chicken go "broody"? (Broodiness is when a hen wants to just sit on a nest and raise chicks, not laying any more eggs).

We live in an area that can get very cold in winter; breeds that can endure cold temperatures are very important. I prefer large eggs and color doesn't matter much. Because we're going to all of this trouble for the eggs, getting a hen that lays a lot sounds like a good idea. We and our grandchildren will probably play with the chickens so a friendly, docile temperament is preferred. Bantams are great for people who don't have much space, but we do so regular-sized birds are good. If I'm making the effort to collect eggs, I want a bird that's earning her keep and not lounging around in the nest.

Both backyardchicken.com and mypetchicken.com have online guides to tell you which breeds are best after you identify your preferences from the questions above. I've purchased a number of chicken books and "Raising Chickens for Dummies" is good for identifying different breeds for different preferences, but the online resources are better.

Getting a lot of eggs is important and the best egg-layers are easily identified. However, a critical factor is our climate and some of the best layers don't do well in the cold. Some of the best white-egg laying birds can also be aggressive, nervous, or flighty. With a focus on selecting hens that can handle cold weather and are calm and friendly, it came down to a number of hens that lay brown or colored eggs.

Since I don't want broody hens and I want birds that lay a lot of eggs, the field was narrowed down further. Broodiness is good if you want to raise your own chicks; you want the hen to stay on the eggs until they hatch. Because we won't have a rooster to fertilize the eggs, choosing hens that have had broodiness bred out is a good thing.

When the selection process was complete, I identified three friendly chickens that handle cold very well, supply lots of big eggs, and seldom get broody: the Plymouth Rock, the Rhode Island Red and the Star. Three other friendly birds that do very well in the cold, lay lots of big brown eggs, but occasionally get broody are the Australorp, the Sussex, and the Wyandotte.

Those are my top six and the ones I plan to get as the beginning of my flock. I'm also considering an Easter Egger. They score as well as the top three, but supply medium-sized blue and green eggs. That can be fun.

I'd only planned on starting with four or five hens and am already thinking about getting seven. Almost everything I find online and in books says that raising chickens is very enjoyable. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and end up with a bigger flock than planned. I can attest to that. I'll place my order for chicks within the next few days so I can still take a little time and determine what the final selection will be. I'm comfortable knowing that whatever the final count is, the birds will be good ones because of the research that went into the decision.

Go to:
backyardchicken.com
mypetchicken.com

Did you know there are more than 200 breeds of chickens? Between purebreds and hybrids, you can find over 400 different varieties of chickens. They all fall into two basic categories: Large or Bantam. Large chickens are regular, chicken-sized chickens and bantams are miniature versions of bigger chickens that only weigh a few pounds, or less; there are bantam varieties for almost every standard large breed. With all of these chickens to choose from, how can someone who wants to start a backyard flock pick the best birds?

I've been wrestling with that question for a few weeks now and have figured it out. It all comes down to personal preference. There is no best answer that fits everyone's chicken situation.

First, people who want to raise chickens have to answer the most basic question: "Why do I want chickens?" Chickens are good for three primary reasons: because they lay eggs; because they taste good for dinner; because you can win a ribbon at the county fair. You can add a fourth reason, that they can make good pets, but that is really a bonus after deciding which of the main three reasons suits your purpose.

As with any animal that has been bred by man for centuries, different breeds serve different purposes. There are chickens specifically engineered for laying eggs. There are chickens developed for fast growth and meaty breasts for the dinner table. There are chickens that don't taste very good, don't lay many eggs, but have very pretty and unusual feathers. And, of course, there are chickens that lay eggs and taste good -- dual-purpose birds.

For my wife and me, our primary reason for wanting chickens is the eggs. I do expect them to become members of the family, each with a clever name. As many farmers and ranchers know, it's hard to eat something that has a name, so we're not planning on inviting our birds to dinner, as the entree. I'm also sure we'll have a little chicken cemetery at the back of our property to remember them after they're gone.

Right away that decision cuts our bird choices in half. We only need egg layers, which means female chickens. Remember the riddle from elementary school: "If a rooster lays an egg at the very top of a steep roof, which side of the roof will the egg roll down?" Silly, roosters don't lay eggs. Coincidentally, our city doesn't allow roosters in a home flock.

When narrowing down the breeds for egg layers, there are some important factors to consider. What climate does the chicken prefer? What size and/or color of egg is important? Does the chicken produce a lot of eggs? What is the temperament of the chicken? Is it a standard or a bantam? Will the chicken go "broody"? (Broodiness is when a hen wants to just sit on a nest and raise chicks, not laying any more eggs).

We live in an area that can get very cold in winter; breeds that can endure cold temperatures are very important. I prefer large eggs and color doesn't matter much. Because we're going to all of this trouble for the eggs, getting a hen that lays a lot sounds like a good idea. We and our grandchildren will probably play with the chickens so a friendly, docile temperament is preferred. Bantams are great for people who don't have much space, but we do so regular-sized birds are good. If I'm making the effort to collect eggs, I want a bird that's earning her keep and not lounging around in the nest.

Both backyardchicken.com and mypetchicken.com have online guides to tell you which breeds are best after you identify your preferences from the questions above. I've purchased a number of chicken books and "Raising Chickens for Dummies" is good for identifying different breeds for different preferences, but the online resources are better.

Getting a lot of eggs is important and the best egg-layers are easily identified. However, a critical factor is our climate and some of the best layers don't do well in the cold. Some of the best white-egg laying birds can also be aggressive, nervous, or flighty. With a focus on selecting hens that can handle cold weather and are calm and friendly, it came down to a number of hens that lay brown or colored eggs.

Since I don't want broody hens and I want birds that lay a lot of eggs, the field was narrowed down further. Broodiness is good if you want to raise your own chicks; you want the hen to stay on the eggs until they hatch. Because we won't have a rooster to fertilize the eggs, choosing hens that have had broodiness bred out is a good thing.

When the selection process was complete, I identified three friendly chickens that handle cold very well, supply lots of big eggs, and seldom get broody: the Plymouth Rock, the Rhode Island Red and the Star. Three other friendly birds that do very well in the cold, lay lots of big brown eggs, but occasionally get broody are the Australorp, the Sussex, and the Wyandotte.

Those are my top six and the ones I plan to get as the beginning of my flock. I'm also considering an Easter Egger. They score as well as the top three, but supply medium-sized blue and green eggs. That can be fun.

I'd only planned on starting with four or five hens and am already thinking about getting seven. Almost everything I find online and in books says that raising chickens is very enjoyable. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and end up with a bigger flock than planned. I can attest to that. I'll place my order for chicks within the next few days so I can still take a little time and determine what the final selection will be. I'm comfortable knowing that whatever the final count is, the birds will be good ones because of the research that went into the decision.

Go to:
backyardchicken.com
mypetchicken.com

Friday, February 11, 2011

Changing Your Landscape

Gardening is more than just growing plants. For me it is an entire process of envisioning, designing, building, planting, growing, and enjoying. My yard is a blank palette on which I can create my botanical masterpiece. Of course, it's always a work in progress.

I spend many hours throughout the year just standing and looking out a window or sitting on the grass and staring at the gardens. In my mind's eye I'm looking into the future and imagining how it would look if I changed what I currently see.

The "before" picture.

My house rests on a few acres of land in an equine neighborhood. Many of our neighbors have horses and our property is designed to comfortably support them. My wife had a few horses in years past, but we have no plan to raise them again. My challenge is to build the gardens I love with the spacious opportunities, without diminishing the ability to board horses; if we sell the house in the future, subsequent buyers may want to have horses.

Though I have a lot of space to work with I must keep things constrained and controlled. I can't turn the entire property into gardens. Most gardeners operate under one constraint or another. They have limitations of space, water, money, time, or one of the many other things that get in the way of enjoying gardening.

Developing a garden plan is the best way to deal with your constraints. As I stare out my window, I typically focus on just one area, the plot I'll develop next. I imagine what it could become and jot down ideas. I take measurements of the space involved and draw a simple plan. As weather, budget, and time allow, I break ground and start creating. While I continue gardening chores in other areas, my primary attention is the new beds.

I try to record every step of the process photographically. I think you can learn much from your before and after pictures. There have been gardens that I developed over many years and gradually forgot what it looked like originally. Being able to see an image of what you started with can give you a great feeling of accomplishment. It can also remind you of original intent, because plans change as you progress.

The bed in these photos took most of the summer to develop. The original space was overgrown with prairie grass, Aspen shoots, and weeds. I spent time digging out the aspens and weeds after mowing the grass. It took an entire day with the help of a dozen friends to dig up the sod and add soil amendments. Over a period of two months, new annual and perennial plants were added. Another full-day project added wood borders. Mulching the plants was a continuous process as new ones were added. It looked good at the end of the season, but the real evaluation comes this year, the second year when the plants will be larger and give me a better sense of what else needs to be done.

Changing the landscape.

I have a good idea what I want the bed to look like. I chose bushes that will grow four feet high and flowers that will fill in the areas around them. I grouped Daylilies on one end and Penstemons on the other. Colors should flow from yellow and orange on the left to pink and purple in the middle and red on the right. Petunias grew on the borders in the first year for their color, but will be replaced by low-growing perennials in future seasons.

It already looks better than the haggard appearance in the beginning. I imagine I'll be adding, moving, or removing plants every year in an effort to make it look better still. As the plants change and my desires change, the bed will change. I'll enjoy every aspect of the transformation.

Much of the work is done with more to do.

Everyone has an opinion about what is best in the landscape. Some gardeners love expansive lawns. Others want no grass and only flowers. Many want a mix of gardens with roses, tomatoes, and pansies adding their values. Regardless of personal preferences, few houses come with intact gardens that match the wishes of new owners.

Whether you hire someone to do the work for you or do it yourself, enjoy the process of creating and developing new garden spaces. Even if it's just a few feet of ground where you remove the sod and plant periwinkle around a new birdbath, enjoy the time when you look hard at the space and imagine what it can be. Write your ideas down and draw a plan. Take photos of your efforts. At the end, step back and take pleasure in what you've accomplished. Then do it all again in a new space.
Gardening is more than just growing plants. For me it is an entire process of envisioning, designing, building, planting, growing, and enjoying. My yard is a blank palette on which I can create my botanical masterpiece. Of course, it's always a work in progress.

I spend many hours throughout the year just standing and looking out a window or sitting on the grass and staring at the gardens. In my mind's eye I'm looking into the future and imagining how it would look if I changed what I currently see.

The "before" picture.

My house rests on a few acres of land in an equine neighborhood. Many of our neighbors have horses and our property is designed to comfortably support them. My wife had a few horses in years past, but we have no plan to raise them again. My challenge is to build the gardens I love with the spacious opportunities, without diminishing the ability to board horses; if we sell the house in the future, subsequent buyers may want to have horses.

Though I have a lot of space to work with I must keep things constrained and controlled. I can't turn the entire property into gardens. Most gardeners operate under one constraint or another. They have limitations of space, water, money, time, or one of the many other things that get in the way of enjoying gardening.

Developing a garden plan is the best way to deal with your constraints. As I stare out my window, I typically focus on just one area, the plot I'll develop next. I imagine what it could become and jot down ideas. I take measurements of the space involved and draw a simple plan. As weather, budget, and time allow, I break ground and start creating. While I continue gardening chores in other areas, my primary attention is the new beds.

I try to record every step of the process photographically. I think you can learn much from your before and after pictures. There have been gardens that I developed over many years and gradually forgot what it looked like originally. Being able to see an image of what you started with can give you a great feeling of accomplishment. It can also remind you of original intent, because plans change as you progress.

The bed in these photos took most of the summer to develop. The original space was overgrown with prairie grass, Aspen shoots, and weeds. I spent time digging out the aspens and weeds after mowing the grass. It took an entire day with the help of a dozen friends to dig up the sod and add soil amendments. Over a period of two months, new annual and perennial plants were added. Another full-day project added wood borders. Mulching the plants was a continuous process as new ones were added. It looked good at the end of the season, but the real evaluation comes this year, the second year when the plants will be larger and give me a better sense of what else needs to be done.

Changing the landscape.

I have a good idea what I want the bed to look like. I chose bushes that will grow four feet high and flowers that will fill in the areas around them. I grouped Daylilies on one end and Penstemons on the other. Colors should flow from yellow and orange on the left to pink and purple in the middle and red on the right. Petunias grew on the borders in the first year for their color, but will be replaced by low-growing perennials in future seasons.

It already looks better than the haggard appearance in the beginning. I imagine I'll be adding, moving, or removing plants every year in an effort to make it look better still. As the plants change and my desires change, the bed will change. I'll enjoy every aspect of the transformation.

Much of the work is done with more to do.

Everyone has an opinion about what is best in the landscape. Some gardeners love expansive lawns. Others want no grass and only flowers. Many want a mix of gardens with roses, tomatoes, and pansies adding their values. Regardless of personal preferences, few houses come with intact gardens that match the wishes of new owners.

Whether you hire someone to do the work for you or do it yourself, enjoy the process of creating and developing new garden spaces. Even if it's just a few feet of ground where you remove the sod and plant periwinkle around a new birdbath, enjoy the time when you look hard at the space and imagine what it can be. Write your ideas down and draw a plan. Take photos of your efforts. At the end, step back and take pleasure in what you've accomplished. Then do it all again in a new space.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Snow News Is Good News... Or Is It?

Like much of the United States, we got hit with more snow this week. The Colorado Springs area only received a few inches, with our neighborhood getting the most at about six inches of fresh powder. The Rocky Mountains received much more than that, delighting skiers who have had an abundance of white powder already this winter. While I've heard locals, gardeners and non-gardeners alike, comment on how "we need the moisture", the precipitation we've had is very deceiving.

My raised beds after a recent snow.

Accompanying the snow were frigid Arctic temperatures. The high temperature yesterday was 20 F with a low of 3 F. The high today is supposed to be 16 F with a low of -4 F. Throw in the wind we had and the wind chill temperatures were well below zero. Of course, our forecast is for temperatures climbing into the high 50s by the end of the week. As the snow piled up in drifts it was easy to think that it was worth enduring the cold in exchange for the water that would find its way into the soil when the snow melts. The problem is that the snow doesn't hold much moisture.

Yesterday my wife commented, "All this snow will be good for the garden." I told her that wasn't the case and spent a few minutes explaining that temperature affects how much water is contained in the snow flakes. Colder air has less water vapor in it and snow flakes formed in Arctic air like we experienced are light and dry. Our snowiest months are March and April and the temperatures during those months supply big, heavy snowflakes laden with water because the warmer air contains more water vapor. Her eyes began to glaze over as I continued, but the point was that all the snow we have blanketing the garden now will have little effect. In fact for many people it may harm their landscape.

Coincidentally, a front page article in The Gazette today highlights the same concern. A standard role of meteorologists is to measure the amount of precipitation in snow. The meteorologists I used to work with explained to me long ago that it takes about 10 inches of snow to equal one inch of measured precipitation, or water. As the temperature drops, the amount of precipitation drops too. Kyle Mozley, a National Weather Service meteorologist, says in today's article that it might take 20 to 30 inches of snow to obtain one inch of precipitation when it's accompanied by below-zero temperatures.

As I've written before, plants still need moisture during the winter, especially when the daytime temperatures occasionally climb into the 50s or 60s. It's easy for gardeners to look at the six inches of snow they have on the garden and think that it equates to a "good watering." In actuality that six inches might only hold 1/5 of an inch of water.

Worse yet, when the sun comes out after a storm, a good portion of that moisture may be lost through sublimation. Sublimation is when a solid substance is transformed directly into a gas without becoming a liquid. On a cold sunny day you can often see this happening as the water vapor departs the snow. When it looks like steam is rising from the snow, that's sublimation in action. Solid water, or ice, is becoming gaseous water, or vapor; the liquid part never happens.

When you combine snow from cold days and nights with sublimation, the moisture in the snow is very low and when it melts the surface may get damp, but not much water finds its way into the soil. If a gardener assumes that the snow is providing necessary winter water, they'll be mistaken and the plants will suffer as a result.

Plants with shallow root systems are the ones that will suffer the most. New trees, shrubs, and perennials haven't established root networks and are relying on your help through a dry winter. The new shrubs and trees may require as much as five or ten gallons of water per month once the temperatures rise above 40 F degrees. Older, larger shrubs may need more than that. Lawns can dry out quickly and you won't be aware of "winter kill" until everything else starts to green in the spring.

This is also a time to look for microclimates again. Plants that get reflective heat from the sun or that receive more wind will dry out faster. You'll notice that the snow melts faster next to your house on the south side. The windswept yard may cause a drift a few feet deep on one end, but in the middle the snow may be virtually absent. Both of those areas have less snow, which means less water, and then warm up faster causing the plants to be drier.

Take a close look at your garden and landscape. Do your own analysis of the snow and precipitation levels for different areas. Once the temperature rises above 40 F degrees and the snow is gone, be ready to go out with your watering can or garden hose. As always, stick your finger in the soil to be sure it isn't still frozen. Try to water your plants around noon so the water has time to soak into the soil before nighttime freezing temperatures come around again.

It takes extra effort, but late winter is when most of the potential damage can occur. Days are starting to get warmer, soil will be more likely to thaw, and snow won't be enough to provide necessary moisture for plants. If the roots are going to dry out and be damaged it's going to happen during days like these.

By the end of the week, when I'm enjoying the return of warm days, I'll be walking through my garden and sticking my finger in the soil next to my perennials, shrubs, and new trees. Mulch helps a lot to retain moisture and my mulched beds may not need much additional water, but I'll be providing it for all of the areas that do. I'll be left with a dirty finger and wet boots, but my plants will be better for it.
Like much of the United States, we got hit with more snow this week. The Colorado Springs area only received a few inches, with our neighborhood getting the most at about six inches of fresh powder. The Rocky Mountains received much more than that, delighting skiers who have had an abundance of white powder already this winter. While I've heard locals, gardeners and non-gardeners alike, comment on how "we need the moisture", the precipitation we've had is very deceiving.

My raised beds after a recent snow.

Accompanying the snow were frigid Arctic temperatures. The high temperature yesterday was 20 F with a low of 3 F. The high today is supposed to be 16 F with a low of -4 F. Throw in the wind we had and the wind chill temperatures were well below zero. Of course, our forecast is for temperatures climbing into the high 50s by the end of the week. As the snow piled up in drifts it was easy to think that it was worth enduring the cold in exchange for the water that would find its way into the soil when the snow melts. The problem is that the snow doesn't hold much moisture.

Yesterday my wife commented, "All this snow will be good for the garden." I told her that wasn't the case and spent a few minutes explaining that temperature affects how much water is contained in the snow flakes. Colder air has less water vapor in it and snow flakes formed in Arctic air like we experienced are light and dry. Our snowiest months are March and April and the temperatures during those months supply big, heavy snowflakes laden with water because the warmer air contains more water vapor. Her eyes began to glaze over as I continued, but the point was that all the snow we have blanketing the garden now will have little effect. In fact for many people it may harm their landscape.

Coincidentally, a front page article in
The Gazette today highlights the same concern. A standard role of meteorologists is to measure the amount of precipitation in snow. The meteorologists I used to work with explained to me long ago that it takes about 10 inches of snow to equal one inch of measured precipitation, or water. As the temperature drops, the amount of precipitation drops too. Kyle Mozley, a National Weather Service meteorologist, says in today's article that it might take 20 to 30 inches of snow to obtain one inch of precipitation when it's accompanied by below-zero temperatures.

As I've written before, plants still need moisture during the winter, especially when the daytime temperatures occasionally climb into the 50s or 60s. It's easy for gardeners to look at the six inches of snow they have on the garden and think that it equates to a "good watering." In actuality that six inches might only hold 1/5 of an inch of water.

Worse yet, when the sun comes out after a storm, a good portion of that moisture may be lost through sublimation. Sublimation is when a solid substance is transformed directly into a gas without becoming a liquid. On a cold sunny day you can often see this happening as the water vapor departs the snow. When it looks like steam is rising from the snow, that's sublimation in action. Solid water, or ice, is becoming gaseous water, or vapor; the liquid part never happens.

When you combine snow from cold days and nights with sublimation, the moisture in the snow is very low and when it melts the surface may get damp, but not much water finds its way into the soil. If a gardener assumes that the snow is providing necessary winter water, they'll be mistaken and the plants will suffer as a result.

Plants with shallow root systems are the ones that will suffer the most. New trees, shrubs, and perennials haven't established root networks and are relying on your help through a dry winter. The new shrubs and trees may require as much as five or ten gallons of water per month once the temperatures rise above 40 F degrees. Older, larger shrubs may need more than that. Lawns can dry out quickly and you won't be aware of "winter kill" until everything else starts to green in the spring.

This is also a time to look for microclimates again. Plants that get reflective heat from the sun or that receive more wind will dry out faster. You'll notice that the snow melts faster next to your house on the south side. The windswept yard may cause a drift a few feet deep on one end, but in the middle the snow may be virtually absent. Both of those areas have less snow, which means less water, and then warm up faster causing the plants to be drier.

Take a close look at your garden and landscape. Do your own analysis of the snow and precipitation levels for different areas. Once the temperature rises above 40 F degrees and the snow is gone, be ready to go out with your watering can or garden hose. As always, stick your finger in the soil to be sure it isn't still frozen. Try to water your plants around noon so the water has time to soak into the soil before nighttime freezing temperatures come around again.

It takes extra effort, but late winter is when most of the potential damage can occur. Days are starting to get warmer, soil will be more likely to thaw, and snow won't be enough to provide necessary moisture for plants. If the roots are going to dry out and be damaged it's going to happen during days like these.

By the end of the week, when I'm enjoying the return of warm days, I'll be walking through my garden and sticking my finger in the soil next to my perennials, shrubs, and new trees. Mulch helps a lot to retain moisture and my mulched beds may not need much additional water, but I'll be providing it for all of the areas that do. I'll be left with a dirty finger and wet boots, but my plants will be better for it.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Gardeners and Psychologists

I'm an amateur psychologist; I think most people are. With a few basic college psychology classes under my belt and a thorough understanding of how television FBI profilers do their 60-minute jobs, it's fairly easy to observe the people around me, strangers and friends alike, and try to figure out what makes them tick. Just as easy as it is on TV. When my wife or daughter share their dreams with me, I can make my interpretations sound perfectly plausible. Comfortable with my pseudo-expertise, I am acutely aware that true psychologists spend years in school and many more years practicing their profession, far surpassing my amateurish efforts.

I'm also a gardener; I think most people are. I'm continually amazed by the number of people I encounter who don't initially volunteer their interest in gardening, but then talk profusely about it once I mention that I'm a master gardener. A recent visit to my doctor uncovered his gardening desires and he quickly volunteered that his RN was a master gardener too. She was trained in California and finds Colorado much more challenging. The three of us talked about gardening in the exam room.

Many people share their dreams, concerns, and phobias with psychologists, whether in the office or on the street. Master Gardeners fill a similar role for people who have desires, doubts, and fears about their garden.

Many people who are amateur psychologists hesitate to admit their interest in psychology and would never claim to be an actual psychologist without education and certification. The same people will gladly espouse their gardening tendencies; however, without formal training like what a master gardener receives, they're also hesitant to call themselves gardeners. That's where I think many people sell themselves short.

The mere act of putting a plant in the ground, or sowing seeds, or regularly watering houseplants makes a person a gardener, in my opinion. The formal definition of gardener is simply "one who tends a garden"; other definitions refine it as someone who "tends or cultivates a garden as a pastime or profession." I define a gardener as a person who gains pleasure or contentment from working with plants.

You'll see references on gardening shows or in articles and books about "amateur gardeners". Many gardeners define themselves that way too. I'd like to see that differentiation disappear. We're not like psychologists where we need certificates to promote ourselves.

Millions of people have plants in their homes and take effort to keep them growing. I have many friends and family members who grow spider plants (or friendship plants as my grandmother called them). They keep the plants healthy, pluck off the babies, pot them, and share them with others. It takes expertise to keep indoor plants alive and even more to propagate them, yet few of them would call themselves gardeners. They should.

A number of people I talk to enjoy planting a tomato seedling and mothering it while they wait for the delicious fruit. When the plant doesn't produce as expected or succumbs to harsh weather, they consider themselves failures, and certainly not "gardeners". I strongly disagree with that assessment. By making the initial and subsequent efforts, they embody the positive aspects of gardening.

I know people, young and old, who have limited space, yet grow plants in pots on a deck or patio. They fill empty spaces with green. They're definitely gardeners.

Gardening is an activity. Being a gardener is merely identifying that you like to take part in that activity. You don't need special training or a certificate or recognition from others. If you like to work with plants, you're a gardener. Many people don't; they're not gardeners.

Sure, we have stratification and titles like "master gardener" or "professional gardener". Gardeners who spend the time and money to receive specialized education or who make a living through gardening deserve those titles. That shouldn't belittle or diminish the accomplishments or enjoyment of gardeners with simple backyard plots or a single tomato plant on their deck.

I think everyday people, gardeners, can give themselves titles when they think it appropriate. A good master gardener friend of mine personified that. He had business cards with his name, address, phone number, and the title of "horticulturist". One online definition of horticulture is "the art or practice of garden cultivation and management." A person who grows plants is a gardener, but a person who has a garden is a horticulturist. I like that.

At the heart of it, it doesn't matter what we call ourselves. What is important is that many of us like to grow plants and we shouldn't feel bad about that. We shouldn't feel inferior to someone else with more plants and a different title. We shouldn't feel hindered by a few plant mistakes. We should embrace our role in making the world a better place through gardening.

I'm an amateur psychologist and a gardener. I'm more proud of the latter.
I'm an amateur psychologist; I think most people are. With a few basic college psychology classes under my belt and a thorough understanding of how television FBI profilers do their 60-minute jobs, it's fairly easy to observe the people around me, strangers and friends alike, and try to figure out what makes them tick. Just as easy as it is on TV. When my wife or daughter share their dreams with me, I can make my interpretations sound perfectly plausible. Comfortable with my pseudo-expertise, I am acutely aware that true psychologists spend years in school and many more years practicing their profession, far surpassing my amateurish efforts.

I'm also a gardener; I think most people are. I'm continually amazed by the number of people I encounter who don't initially volunteer their interest in gardening, but then talk profusely about it once I mention that I'm a master gardener. A recent visit to my doctor uncovered his gardening desires and he quickly volunteered that his RN was a master gardener too. She was trained in California and finds Colorado much more challenging. The three of us talked about gardening in the exam room.

Many people share their dreams, concerns, and phobias with psychologists, whether in the office or on the street. Master Gardeners fill a similar role for people who have desires, doubts, and fears about their garden.

Many people who are amateur psychologists hesitate to admit their interest in psychology and would never claim to be an actual psychologist without education and certification. The same people will gladly espouse their gardening tendencies; however, without formal training like what a master gardener receives, they're also hesitant to call themselves gardeners. That's where I think many people sell themselves short.

The mere act of putting a plant in the ground, or sowing seeds, or regularly watering houseplants makes a person a gardener, in my opinion. The formal definition of gardener is simply "one who tends a garden"; other definitions refine it as someone who "tends or cultivates a garden as a pastime or profession." I define a gardener as a person who gains pleasure or contentment from working with plants.

You'll see references on gardening shows or in articles and books about "amateur gardeners". Many gardeners define themselves that way too. I'd like to see that differentiation disappear. We're not like psychologists where we need certificates to promote ourselves.

Millions of people have plants in their homes and take effort to keep them growing. I have many friends and family members who grow spider plants (or friendship plants as my grandmother called them). They keep the plants healthy, pluck off the babies, pot them, and share them with others. It takes expertise to keep indoor plants alive and even more to propagate them, yet few of them would call themselves gardeners. They should.

A number of people I talk to enjoy planting a tomato seedling and mothering it while they wait for the delicious fruit. When the plant doesn't produce as expected or succumbs to harsh weather, they consider themselves failures, and certainly not "gardeners". I strongly disagree with that assessment. By making the initial and subsequent efforts, they embody the positive aspects of gardening.

I know people, young and old, who have limited space, yet grow plants in pots on a deck or patio. They fill empty spaces with green. They're definitely gardeners.

Gardening is an activity. Being a gardener is merely identifying that you like to take part in that activity. You don't need special training or a certificate or recognition from others. If you like to work with plants, you're a gardener. Many people don't; they're not gardeners.

Sure, we have stratification and titles like "master gardener" or "professional gardener". Gardeners who spend the time and money to receive specialized education or who make a living through gardening deserve those titles. That shouldn't belittle or diminish the accomplishments or enjoyment of gardeners with simple backyard plots or a single tomato plant on their deck.

I think everyday people, gardeners, can give themselves titles when they think it appropriate. A good master gardener friend of mine personified that. He had business cards with his name, address, phone number, and the title of "horticulturist". One online definition of horticulture is "the art or practice of garden cultivation and management." A person who grows plants is a gardener, but a person who has a garden is a horticulturist. I like that.

At the heart of it, it doesn't matter what we call ourselves. What is important is that many of us like to grow plants and we shouldn't feel bad about that. We shouldn't feel inferior to someone else with more plants and a different title. We shouldn't feel hindered by a few plant mistakes. We should embrace our role in making the world a better place through gardening.

I'm an amateur psychologist and a gardener. I'm more proud of the latter.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Thinking About Chickens

My grandmother had a small flock of chickens and one of my earliest memories is of watching them cluck and scratch through her garden, pulling up worms and nabbing grasshoppers. It's a classic rural American image. Each morning she would fix up a breakfast that always included fried eggs, usually ones she had gathered on her early-morning rounds of the barn and hen house. The over-easy eggs with rich, deep, golden yolks tasted better than any that I've eaten since. When my wife suggested recently that we add a few chickens to our landscape, those childhood memories came rushing back.

Coincidentally, recent local newspaper articles highlighted that raising chickens in Colorado Springs is legal. There are a few restrictions like no roosters, limiting the flock to 10 birds, and ensuring the coop has a minimum amount of space per bird, but raising them requires no special zoning or licensing. Our neighborhood covenants allow them too as long as we get permission from our bordering neighbors; a simple phone call made that happen. Suddenly there seemed to be no obstacles to starting our own flock.

The time for research began. Most of the online sites and threads I found pointed in the direction of BackyardChickens.com, a site devoted to people like me who were raising or interested in raising chickens. The site has just about everything you need to know about chickens and what it takes to raise them in your backyard. There's even a page to do a search of chicken laws in your own city (see the bottom of this page).

Chickens and gardening can be a beneficial match. Chickens love insects and can be a wonderful resource when it comes to pest removal. As they scratch and dig for insects and seeds, they cultivate the soil, loosening and turning it over. They'll root out perennial weeds. Their droppings fertilize the soil as they walk. The wood shavings and droppings mix from the floor of the chicken coop are a nice addition to the compost pile or as a mulch once it's aged. At the end of the season they help clean up the garden by eating pests lurking in the dying plants and by eating many of the remaining plants that you haven't thrown in the compost pile. All of this is about as organic as you can get.

If left alone in the garden while it's growing they can do substantial damage, but with strategic fencing and timely sojourns their positive attributes can be harnessed. Anecdotal evidence says that they're great entertainment to watch. And, of course, they produce delicious eggs.

With all of these benefits, how can I not raise chickens?

I've spent a good amount of time in recent days finding out about the process. It appears "easiest" to start with chicks. There are a number of online sources available and our local feed store begins selling them in April. Choosing the breeds can be challenging, but BackyardChickens.com has a breed selection tool (see the bottom of this page) that let's you put in factors like climate, chicken size, temperament, and egg production rate to choose the appropriate breeds for you. I actually found that I prefer the chicken breed search tool at MyPetChicken.com.

I've selected five different breeds of which I'll order one or two each (more on that in another blog). MyPetChicken.com allows you to purchase as few as three chicks; many other providers have much higher minimums. 

There are a number of sites that provide information about coop design. Again, BackyardChickens.com has the best free advice, including a huge section of their site with photos and step-by-step directions for building coops submitted by fellow chicken raisers. I've already sketched out basic designs for a coop I'll build for our six or seven chickens.

The experience appears to be a bit daunting. Chicks need almost constant indoor attention for the first five or six weeks before they can be released outside into their coop. Beyond that, they need fresh water and food daily. The coop and chicken run need to be strong and fully-enclosed to protect against predators, of which we have many in our area. Maintaining a clean environment is crucial for their health. All of this is required to provide a handful of fresh eggs each day.

In the spirit of organic and sustainable gardening, it's a project I'm willing to undertake. It will be interesting and, no doubt, will provide many topics for future blogs. As the adventure unfolds I'll keep you apprised. It should be fun.

Helpful links:

BackyardChickens.com
breed selection tool
chicken breed search tool 
MyPetChicken.com.
chicken laws in your own city.


My grandmother had a small flock of chickens and one of my earliest memories is of watching them cluck and scratch through her garden, pulling up worms and nabbing grasshoppers. It's a classic rural American image. Each morning she would fix up a breakfast that always included fried eggs, usually ones she had gathered on her early-morning rounds of the barn and hen house. The over-easy eggs with rich, deep, golden yolks tasted better than any that I've eaten since. When my wife suggested recently that we add a few chickens to our landscape, those childhood memories came rushing back.

Coincidentally, recent local newspaper articles highlighted that raising chickens in Colorado Springs is legal. There are a few restrictions like no roosters, limiting the flock to 10 birds, and ensuring the coop has a minimum amount of space per bird, but raising them requires no special zoning or licensing. Our neighborhood covenants allow them too as long as we get permission from our bordering neighbors; a simple phone call made that happen. Suddenly there seemed to be no obstacles to starting our own flock.

The time for research began. Most of the online sites and threads I found pointed in the direction of BackyardChickens.com, a site devoted to people like me who were raising or interested in raising chickens. The site has just about everything you need to know about chickens and what it takes to raise them in your backyard. There's even a page to do a search of chicken laws in your own city (see the bottom of this page).

Chickens and gardening can be a beneficial match. Chickens love insects and can be a wonderful resource when it comes to pest removal. As they scratch and dig for insects and seeds, they cultivate the soil, loosening and turning it over. They'll root out perennial weeds. Their droppings fertilize the soil as they walk. The wood shavings and droppings mix from the floor of the chicken coop are a nice addition to the compost pile or as a mulch once it's aged. At the end of the season they help clean up the garden by eating pests lurking in the dying plants and by eating many of the remaining plants that you haven't thrown in the compost pile. All of this is about as organic as you can get.

If left alone in the garden while it's growing they can do substantial damage, but with strategic fencing and timely sojourns their positive attributes can be harnessed. Anecdotal evidence says that they're great entertainment to watch. And, of course, they produce delicious eggs.

With all of these benefits, how can I not raise chickens?

I've spent a good amount of time in recent days finding out about the process. It appears "easiest" to start with chicks. There are a number of online sources available and our local feed store begins selling them in April. Choosing the breeds can be challenging, but BackyardChickens.com has a breed selection tool (see the bottom of this page) that let's you put in factors like climate, chicken size, temperament, and egg production rate to choose the appropriate breeds for you. I actually found that I prefer the chicken breed search tool at MyPetChicken.com.

I've selected five different breeds of which I'll order one or two each (more on that in another blog). MyPetChicken.com allows you to purchase as few as three chicks; many other providers have much higher minimums. 

There are a number of sites that provide information about coop design. Again, BackyardChickens.com has the best free advice, including a huge section of their site with photos and step-by-step directions for building coops submitted by fellow chicken raisers. I've already sketched out basic designs for a coop I'll build for our six or seven chickens.

The experience appears to be a bit daunting. Chicks need almost constant indoor attention for the first five or six weeks before they can be released outside into their coop. Beyond that, they need fresh water and food daily. The coop and chicken run need to be strong and fully-enclosed to protect against predators, of which we have many in our area. Maintaining a clean environment is crucial for their health. All of this is required to provide a handful of fresh eggs each day.

In the spirit of organic and sustainable gardening, it's a project I'm willing to undertake. It will be interesting and, no doubt, will provide many topics for future blogs. As the adventure unfolds I'll keep you apprised. It should be fun.

Helpful links:

BackyardChickens.com
breed selection tool
chicken breed search tool 
MyPetChicken.com.
chicken laws in your own city.