Celebrate Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day
It’s mid-April already and we have been busy planting in our greenhouses and high tunnels since January, but did you know that we have also been busy in our fields? We started planting crops including peas, corn, and onions, as soon as the ground warmed up at the beginning of April. You can celebrate Earth… Read More »
It’s mid-April already and we have been busy planting in our greenhouses and high tunnels since January, but did you know that we have also been busy in our fields? We started planting crops including peas, corn, and onions, as soon as the ground warmed up at the beginning of April. You can celebrate Earth Day by getting outside to your planting beds too. Gardening is such a great pastime with so many added benefits. It can help reduce stress, helps you connect with nature while staying active, and you get to eat the fruits of your labor, literally!
Cole crops, such as kale, cauliflower, and broccoli can withstand the cold and be planted in the ground (in between the raindrops) as transplants. We planted peas and corn as seeds in the ground knowing that by the time the seedlings emerge we will be frost-free. Onions have been planted in the ground as transplants, onions were one of the first crops planted by seed back in January in our greenhouses. We will continue planting more crops and moving transplants from our greenhouses to acclimatize to get ready for planting until September.
It’s almost Earth Day on April 22 and we celebrate Earth Day every day on our regenerative farm. We utilize only sustainable and natural growing methods with the goal of eco-diversity and the long-term enhancement of the natural resources in our care. Our soils become healthier each year because of our efforts. Our formula for healthy soil is multi-faceted and includes soil sampling, cover cropping, contour farming, conservation tillage, crop rotation, and other methods. You can read more about our farming practices and the additional steps we use to grow healthy soil on our website.
Our farm store is fully stocked with plenty of annuals, veggie transplants, and herbs to compliment your home décor. The easiest way to add color and texture to your outdoor landscape is to plant herbs in pots. Basil, dill, oregano, parsley, thyme, lavender, and mint are some of the more commonly known herbs and do well when planted and are frost-resistant. Herbs are a great natural pest deterrent and are easy to grow. Not only will they keep your home looking beautiful all season long, but you will also be able to harvest the herbs and use them in your culinary creations to your
taste buds’ delight!
Your garden planting is not limited to just herbs this time of year. Cold hearty flowers such as pansies, tulips, and cold-weather vegetable transplants can be safely planted in container pots or on the ground right now. Be sure to start with well-drained soil for your plant’s optimal health. Adding a little fresh topsoil and covering your garden bed or container pots with mulch is always a good idea to keep your garden growing. Remember to use the plant sticks in each pot as your guide for selecting the best plants. The plant sticks will tell you the preferred sunlight & watering preferences along with the expected size at maturity so you can garden like the pros! We are here to help with all your garden needs from bagged topsoil to mulch, hay & straw covering to the plants themselves! Have a specific question? Ask one of our friendly sales associates or email your questions to us at info@alstedefarms.com
Watch Miss Jenn show you how she goes about planting herbs in her pots outside of her kitchen to create a culinary canvas for her dishes! Best wishes from our farm kitchen to yours!
