Organic Vegetable and Herb Garden
SOS for your Soil Compost has been approved for certified organic production by the Northeast Organic Farmers Association of New York (NOFA-NY). All you need to do is add compost to your vegetable garden as a mulch, about 2″ will do it. This will provide the much needed microbes to digest the natural minerals in your soil and have them root ready for your plants to take in.
Garden Clubs and Community Gardens
Please contact me for lectures at your Garden Club or Community Garden for the use of our mulching compost and overall garden care. I meet with some community gardens monthly. I love to share my knowledge from all things veggies/fruit to perennial care. Shamma Murphy 516-581-7882 or shamma@sosforyoursoil.com
What to do in your Vegetable and Herb Gardening through the year
Important Dates to Remember:
Expected last frost date for Long Island (Zone 7): April 22
Expected first frost date for Long Island (Zone 7): October 29
January: relax and enjoy some carefree days
February: around the 18th (9 weeks before last frost) start these seeds:
Celery and Parsley, Onions and Leeks, Thyme and Chives
March:
Around the 4th (7 weeks before last frost) start these seeds:
Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower and Kale (brassica family), Eggplant, Peppers and Tomatoes (nightshade family), calendula, lettuce
Around the 11th (6 weeks before last frost) start these seeds:
Sunflowers, Bok Choy
Around the 18th (5 weeks before last frost) start these seeds:
Basil, Marjoram, Savory and Sage, Cilantro, Cosmos, Marigold, Snapdragon and Nasturtium
April:
Around the 1st (3 weeks before last frost)
start these seeds:
Corn, Squash, Cucumber and Melons (cucurbit family)
direct sow these seeds:
Carrots, parsnip, dill, arugula, spinach, peas, radish, beets, potato (add a thin layer of compost, once the seeds have sprouted, add more for moisture retention and weed suppressing.
transplant these seedlings:
Onions, lettuce, cilantro (add compost)
Around the 8th (2 weeks before last frost)
direct sow these seeds:
Dill, Sorel, Beets (add a thin layer of compost, once the seeds have sprouted, add more for moisture retention and weed suppressing.
transplant these seedlings:
Parsley, chives, kale, Bok Choy, Thyme (add compost)
Around the 15th (1 week before last frost)
transplant these seedlings:
Leeks, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Calendula (add compost)
Around the 22nd (date of last frost)
direct sow these seeds:
Beans (add a thin layer of compost, once the seeds have sprouted, add more for moisture retention and weed suppressing.
transplant these seedlings:
Sage, savory, marjoram, cosmos, sunflower, basil, cilantro (add compost)
Around the 29th (1 week after last frost)
transplant these seedlings:
Marigold, snapdragon, nasturtium, corn, cucumber, melon, squash,
tomatoes, zinnia (add compost)
May:
Around the 8th (2 weeks after last frost)
transplant these seedlings:
Celery, eggplant, peppers (add compost)
June: keep weeds in check, all soil should be covered with a mulch compost. Make sure to prune your tomatoes.
July: check on garlic, when the bottom three leaves are brown, pull a head to see if it’s ready (you are checking for size). They can be ready anytime during July, even into the beginning of August.
Make sure to keep pruning your tomatoes.
Keep checking for weeds.
The more you harvest, the more your plant will produce.
Once potato flowers have died, you can harvest for soft skinned potatoes.
August: when onion tops are brown, they are ready for harvest.
First week: Start seeds of carrots, beets, radish, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower
Last week: transplant all seedlings, direct sow peas (add compost)
September: keep harvesting
October (very end)/November: everything should be harvested, knock down all smaller plants right into the bed, anything large, cut as low as possible, put in your compost pile.
Plant garlic (choose this spot carefully since it will live there until at least beginning of July) cover the entire garden in a good two inches of compost, throw in cover crop seeds (oats and field peas are best). Walk away from your garden until March.
November/December: revisit what you did this past year, check your phone for pictures and ask yourself these questions:
What did really well?
What was your favorite thing that you grew? Is there anything you never want to grow again?
Is there anything that you did that you would change? That’s what next year is for.
This is the best time to plan next year’s garden and get those seeds ordered.
My favorite seed companies:
High Mowing Organic Seeds, Hudson Valley Seed Company, Fedco
My favorite potting soil:
Happy Frog
Add Microcrystal Fungi when you start seeds, Mykos is a great brand.
When you start seeds inside you may want to use a heat mat and a grow light. Be sure to water from the bottom.
Reference Books:
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook
YouTube: The Gardening Channel with with James Prigioni, GroVeg
Important:
Take lots of pictures, this will be the best way to keep a log.
Compost Improving Soil in Bellport, NY
These stunning raised fruit, vegetable and herb gardens are in Bellport New York, belong to one of our lovely customers. These beds have received a nice topping up of compost for the past three years and all of those microbes are hard at work feeding these healthy plants for the best possible harvest.
Pollinator Plants
To grow a bountiful veggie garden, adding pollinator plants along the edge and scattered throughout will help to keep the bees and butterflies coming to your garden all summer long. Annuals scattered within allow for easy rotation of crops. Sunflowers, Cosmos, Nasturtium, Calendula, Marigold and Zinnia are favorites.
