GROWING HEIRLOOM PEAS ORGANICALLY

Above: The Blue-Podded Pea, dating to before 1596

Peas love good, rich, moist loamy soils. Gypsum may be added to heavy clay soils to lighten them, and organic compost is excellent for building mountain and valley soils poor in nutrients. Fish bone meal, alfalfa meal, and kelp meal are amendments that will provide the complete range of nitrogen, phosphorous and potash to your garden plot necessary for successful vegetable production. Remember that organic soils are alive with microbes, so food tastes better, is more nutritious, and is safe to eat. Also, organic soils capture carbon out of the air, reducing heating of our planet’s atmosphere.

Peas have been grown as a garden crop for centuries and seem to have been a popular vegetable through all that time. Several heirloom varieties of peas still exist:

‘Blauwschokker’ (Blue-Podded) pea is an ancient variety so old it was described in Gerard’s Herball written in 1596. Plants are very healthy and productive. The pods can be eaten as snow peas when picked early, used as shelling peas later, and dry well for use as soup peas. The vines of the Blue-podded pea grow 60 to 72 inches tall and require a trellis.

‘Alaska’ is an heirloom pea from 1880. It is early, ripens all at once, and like many heirloom varieties will dry and keep well. It is excellent for soup. The vines grow about 30 inches tall.

‘Tom Thumb’ heirloom pea from 1854 is a miniature pea variety that does not need to be trellised. The vines grow to 8 or 9 inches tall and are suitable for containers and for growing in cold frames early and late in the season.

‘Lincoln’ is a famous variety from 1908 that is adapted to warmer American summers. The vines grow to about 28 inches tall and the pods produce 8 or 9 peas each.

‘Wando’ is very adaptable to differing climates. It is more heat resistant than most peas and can be planted later. ‘Wando’ dates to 1943 and the vines grow about 30 inches tall.

Because peas can take some frost, even while quite young, they can be planted early. Some people living in milder climates than Montana’s plant their peas on St. Patrick’s Day; 17 of March.

Here in Western Montana we make our first sowing April 15 to 20 depending on the weather and the soil temperature. A second sowing usually is made July 1 (after first crop is harvested.) It is efficient use of space and easy picking if trellises are set up in the garden bed. The first crop bears from around June 15 -July 1, and the second crop bears from about September 15-October 25.

Plant your peas in full sun for best production. The ideal growing temperature is 55–70 F., with 60-65 F. being ideal (peas prefer cool weather). The optimum soil pH for peas is 5.5-7.5. Peas will germinate between 40-85 degrees F., but 60-75 F. ideal. Germination may take 6-17 days. Direct-sow pea seed 1 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Plant a few extra at the end of the rows to fill in later as mini transplants.

Water well; keep the bed moist, not wet. For the second (midsummer) planting, plant seeds 2-3” deep 1 inch apart, otherwise the same as spring. Do not let plants dry out at any time, especially during flowering! Water peas early in the day only, allowing leaves to dry early in the day–steady moisture is best.

Some pests of peas are: gophers, aphids, birds, mice, cutworms, mites, leafhoppers, cucumber beetles, pea weevils, and various caterpillars. Powdery mildew can be troublesome also, especially if soil becomes dry and air circulation and sunshine is limited.

To harvest: pick peas when the first pods reach full size: 4”- 5”, not smaller. Pick snow peas before seeds start to swell. Snap peas need to be picked when pods are full size, fat, and round with peas inside. Check and pick every 3 days to keep plants producing. The first peas ripen at the base of the plant—remove them carefully to not damage plants. The harvest period should be 4-6 weeks long, for each planting. Pick all (ready) pods to keep vines producing. After harvesting keep cool, in high humidity and out of the sun.

Keep freshly picked peas cool, in high humidity and out of the sun. Store them in a cool location or in the refrigerator. Picked pods last only 5-6 days. Peas do freeze well and most varieties dry and store well.

ORGANIC GARDENING NOTES FOR SPRING

GREAT WESTERN, HYBRID BOURBON

DOUBLE WHITE, PIMPINELLIFOLIA (SPINOSSISSIMA)

LAURE, CENTIFOLIA

ORGANIC GARDENING NOTES FOR EARLY SPRING

The ground is thawed in the valley and soon the foothills will be snow free. As soon as the earth dries out and wet turns to moist, you can work up the soil. Dry organic amendments can then be forked into your beds. Organic blood meal (13-0-0) is an excellent source of nitrogen and is quickly taken up by plants. Alfalfa meal (3-1-3) will enrich soil with a moderate amount of nitrogen, small amount of phosphorous, and a moderate amount of potash. Ground fish bone meal (5-16-0) also contains moderate amounts of nitrogen, but is a terrific source of phosphorous.

Well-rotted manure (usually about 3-1-1) will add a good amount of nitrogen and smaller amounts of phosphorous and potash, but adds lots of beneficial, moisture-holding organic matter. Be careful in sourcing manure as it may contain high levels of salt (especially if sourced from feed lots). It is safest to use one year old, well-rotted manure on food crops. Too fresh of manure will burn crops and can contain pathogens. In our USDA Certified Organic market garden we are only allowed to use manure from grazed land that is at least one year old; and it must be applied at least 120 days before crops are planted. Another option is to use manure that has gone through a heat of at least 160 degrees F. for 3 weeks; this kills harmful pathogens. Compost may be spread on a USDA Certified Organic farm or garden but it must be made only from vegetable matter—no meats, dairy products or eggs, etc.

If you are starting a new garden bed, spread cardboard, rotted moist straw, or tarps to kill grass out. Newspapers will dry up and blow away unless anchored by rocks or chunks of turf. You can till right into the turf to prepare your spot, but weeds will be present and you will have to keep after them. Try to till only once, pull weeds out, add amendments and mulch the soil until ready to plant. Too frequent tilling destroys the structure of the soil and causes it to release carbon.

Remember that healthy organic soils are alive with microbes and fungi that help plants pull CO2 out of the atmosphere. By gardening organically you are helping the earth to gather and store carbon dioxide. This is exactly the opposite environmental effect of conventional gardening, which uses chemical fertilizers and often features bare soil. Chemical fertilizers require large amounts of carbon to make and bare soil causes soil organisms to die; with the result that soils lose carbon rather than pulling carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it.

Forest, grassland and hedgerow soils pull the most carbon from the atmosphere of any land ecosystems. In your garden, you can help this process by setting aside areas for wildflowers and grasses, shrubs, shrub borders and shelter belts or groups of trees with wildflowers and/or groundcovers underneath. You will be providing habitat for endangered native bees, butterflies, birds and reptiles as well as building carbon storage.

Now is the time to start your peppers, onions, leeks, tomatoes, tomatillos, and eggplants from seed to set out in May. Wait until late April/early May to start squash, pumpkins, watermelons, canteloupes, etc. If you plan to set out cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli or other cole crops in mid-to late April, start them from seed inside now also. A soil free organic seedling mix can be made from: 3 parts peat, 2 parts vermiculite, and 1 part perlite. Heat mats placed under flats will aid germination of crops that like warm temperatures, such as peppers and tomatoes. An east facing window is satisfactory, or fluorescent lights hung a few (8 to 10 inches) inches above the flats.

Soon containerized fruit trees, shrubs, roses, bulbs, perennials, plus annual flowers and vegetables will be available in your local organic garden shops. This year, I have grown several varieties of Certified Organic shrub roses on their own roots, found on old homesteads here in the Mission Valley:

‘Great Western’, a Hybrid Bourbon shrub rose is a long-time favorite in our area. This rose was introduced in 1838, named after one of the first transatlantic steam ships. It blooms for about three weeks in late spring/early summer. The plant is tall and wide, about 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The flowers are fully double; a blend of rich reds and purples, with wonderful fragrance. My grandmother grew this rose and there are plants at the museum in Ronan. ‘Great Western’ is a hardy, easy to grow shrub rose. The plant spreads slowly.

‘Laure’, a Centifolia rose from 1837, was found in Ronan, at an old home built in 1913. It is a rather short plant, with fully double, fragrant, powder pink blooms. It is also a once bloomer, with a flowering period lasting about 3 weeks in late spring/early summer. The plant spreads once established, but this is an advantage if your garden has an abundance of voles. When a young plant is put in, a vole cage could be placed around the roots, but the plant will eventually spread outward and in later years a plant with an abundance of root stems will survive vole trails.

‘Double White Scotch Rose’ introduced in 1808, is another locally found variety. It has pure white, double, fragrant flowers in late spring. It is of the same rose family as ‘Harison’s yellow’ the popular, thorny, hardy yellow shrub rose. ‘Double white is equally hardy and trouble free, and spreads on its own roots to form a beautiful large group of plants. I have seen established plants about 7 feet tall and spreading to about 8 or 10 feet wide.

Have a great spring!

LOWER YOUR PERSONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT

LOWER YOUR PERSONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT

Every day we see news reports or read about the devastating effects of climate change and frightening predictions of damage to our planet’s ecosystem. Most scientists agree that the earth’s climate is warming due to massive carbon dioxide emissions. Many of us feel powerless to affect changes, but each one of us, as individuals, can make choices to limit carbon dioxide emissions. We can do this by our own, in our day to day lives. I have put together a list of 10 things each of us can do to help limit increases in CO2 emissions and even help to capture emissions out of the atmosphere.

Reduce your air travel. Airplanes produce a huge amount of carbon. Take the train, or a bus, or travel with others in an automobile. One air flight from Los Angeles to New York adds about 25% to the yearly total of the average person’s carbon emission footprint.
Purchase meat produced locally from animals that have been grass-fed on pastures. Try to determine that the land has not been overgrazed. Healthy, well-managed grasslands actually capture a huge amount of carbon dioxide through the growth of grasses, which pull CO2 out of the atmosphere and store it in their leaves, stalks and roots. Locally purchased meat means it was not shipped over long distances using fossil fuels, so the total carbon emissions are much lower.
Inspect your home heating system and your home’s insulation. Replace old heating units with new, energy-efficient models. Block drafts, install storm windows or double-pane windows, and add more insulation if needed, especially in attics and floors. Insulating curtains are helpful in winter to conserve heat.
Replace any older, inefficient appliances and maintain those you have. Replace older incandescent light bulbs with new LEDs (light-emitting-diodes). Consider adding solar or wind-powered technologies to assist or even replace your power source.
Maintain your automobile and farm equipment so that all machines run efficiently (thereby using less fuel). Make fewer, more efficient trips in your vehicle and try to car pool with others to save fuel. Having just one more person with you in the vehicle reduces your carbon footprint by half on that road trip.
Use principles of conservation farming on your farm and in your garden. These techniques actually capture CO2 out of the atmosphere! Forests, hedgerows and grasslands are huge carbon sinks, because growing plants pull carbon from the air and store the excess in their stems, leaves and roots. Protect the carbon-holding ability of your soil by reducing tilling or not tilling at all. Rotate crops every year, use organic fertilizers, such as composts and manures, taking care to not over-apply nitrogenous fertilizers that may be washed into water systems. Do not leave soil to fallow (this causes degradation of soil animals which help plants capture carbon). Use cover crops as these build soil and capture carbon. Do not overwater as this smothers soil animals and washes CO2 out of your soil. Do not overgraze pastures as this reduces carbon capture significantly.
Consume less by buying fewer, but better products that last longer. Making any one new product uses a lot of carbon. Avoid heavily packages foods and one-use (disposable) products. Try to purchase products in biodegradable plastic containers and recycle whenever possible.
Buy locally-produced food. Much carbon is wasted shipping food thousands of miles from where it was grown. Avoid items that have been flown in by air as they have an enormous carbon footprint. If you garden, try preserving your own food by canning, pickling and drying. Dried foods are the most efficient and use the least carbon, especially if a solar food dryer is used. Vegetables and fruit can be stored and kept in a root cellar with a passive ventilation system, which uses no power.
As much as you possibly can, buy any and all products from companies that support committing to a low-carbon future. Because our businesses in our economy are so sensitive to demand, carefully choosing low-carbon footprint products may affect change more quickly than anything else.
Consider turning part of your lawn into a wildflower garden (make sure this uncut area is at least 12 feet away from the house for fire safety). This will gather more carbon than a regular, trimmed and cut lawn and will promote the growth and presence of native insect pollinators, and reptiles and birds. Plant hedgerows, trees and shelterbelts on your property using well-adapted and native species. Hedgerows and forests gather the most carbon of any ecosystem on our planet. Using organic gardening methods will protect and nurture your soil. It has been estimated that if the entire world switched to organic farming and gardening practices, enough CO2 in the atmosphere would be collected to lower CO2 to preindustrial levels in only three years!

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Ingram, Dr. Julie, Best Practices for Soil Organic Carbon Management in Agricultural Systems, Countryside & Community Research Institute, UK , 2017

Goode, Cecile M., et. al. Understanding the Impacts of Soil, Climate & Farming Practices on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration, Australia, 2016

Muchmuller, Megan B., et. al., Emerging Land Use Practices Rapidly Increase Soil Organic Matter, USA, 2015

Zhang, Limimg, et. al, “Toward Optimal Soil Organic Sequestration With Effects of Agriculture Management Practices & Climate Change in Tai-Lake Paddy Soils of China,” In Geoderma, 2016

Smallwood, Mark, Regenerative Organic Agriculture & Climate Change, Rodale Institute, 2013

ORGANIC GARDENING CAN REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

Montana Native Wildflower Mix

THE LOW CARBON FOOTPRINT OF ORGANIC GARDENING

We have all heard about rising carbon dioxide gas (CO2) levels in the earth’s atmosphere, which is causing heating, resulting in world-wide climate change. The atmosphere holds about 800 billion tons of carbon at present. Another 560 billion tons of carbon is stored in living plant life. However, the soils of the earth hold the most carbon, about 2,500 billion tons! Forest and grassland soils contain the most carbon, and soils degraded by chemically-drenched agricultural practices hold the least. Rainforest soils can contain as much as 10% carbon of total mass, while the poorest and exploited soils have been reduced to as little as 1% of mass. The process of photosynthesis by plants pulls CO2 out of the air and stores it in living tissues, excess carbon is released through the roots into the soil where it is stored. This process is known as carbon sequestration. Plant roots use living soil fungi (mycorrhizae) in the process. Degraded soils have reduced numbers of these fungi, slowing their ability to sequester carbon.

It is estimated that the world’s agricultural soils have lost 50-70% of their original carbon. Most of that carbon has become CO2 and was released into the earth’s atmosphere. If that carbon could be returned to the earth’s soils, the carbon in the atmosphere could be reduced enough to mitigate global warming and limit heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We could do this by changing to organic gardening and farming practices.

Gardening and farming practices that degrade soil are: fallowing, stubble burning, frequent tilling, overgrazing, monoculture cropping and excess application of synthetic fertilizers. All of these reduce the soil’s carbon-holding capacity, soils dry and erode, and CO2 is released into the atmosphere.

Organic gardening practices build living, healthy soils able to sequester much higher levels of carbon. Farming trials in several countries around the globe have shown a rapid increase in carbon in soils where organic gardening and farming methods were employed. A key to this is increasing organic matter in the soil.

Methods known to restore soil’s ability to process and store carbon include: tilling as little as possible or not tilling, mulching, using cover crops, management of crop residues, crop rotation, and proper irrigation.

If you are preparing a new garden space, place a heavy mulch of rotted, damp straw and compost or manure (or bedding from livestock stalls) onto the space for your garden plot. This will smother existing plants and is best done in fall to be left in place all winter. In spring, till the garden space, turning the straw and manure under. This should be the only time you will need to till the soil. Plant your garden crops immediately, and any areas to be planted later can be seeded to a cover crop. A thick cover crop will smother weeds and will pull carbon from the air while it builds your soil.

Rotate your garden or field crops in a four-year (or more) rotation. (Each kind of plant is grown in a location in the garden or field once every four years.) This will discourage pests and diseases. Mulch your garden; this keeps soil animals alive and keeps soils moist and cool. (Heated or dried soils lose carbon.) As you weed, either compost the weeds or incorporate them into your soil. The best time to add manures or compost is in spring or fall.

Plant shelter belts or hedgerows near or around your garden. These will become homes for pollinators, birds, snakes and other animals beneficial to your garden. Forests, hedgerows and grasslands hold the most carbon on the planet, so hedgerows and shelter belts help reduce emissions.

Do not overgraze or till grasslands, because that will reduce the carbon-holding capacity.

In flower beds and borders, prepare your soil the same way as for vegetables and plant perennial ground covers to act as living mulches. In low-water landscapes, sedums or creeping yarrow planted between larger plants will act as living mulches.

Changing to the regenerative methods of organic gardening and farming will result in lower CO2 emissions, healthy foods, heathy wildlife, clean air and clean water.

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