SEASONAL SAVERS - Good tips for city gardeners

save time, money, resources, your environment!
sou have ways to hunt these down, now matter where you live. research first, then get creative in your own scene. any questions? contact G'G for help to go forth and be green.

a watering option for EASIER gardens?
Love growing veggies? have a needy plant? ever go on vacation? Consider the traditional global-gardening technique of buried clay irrigation. At Gardeners'Guild they're called 'Ollas'! http://www.gardenersguild.org/waterwiseollas.htm
neem oil concentrate?
This is a biodegradable plant oil that is safe AND effective in relieving plants from all kinds of bugs, on leaves and in the soil.
coco-fiber growing pots?
Ditch the peat and go nuts for coco-fiber. Highly renewable, this material comes from coconuts and maintains both moisture and oxygen levels in soil without becoming hydrophobic as peat can.
pre-emergent (corn gluten)?
For those who have established lawns, corn gluten offers a chemical-free way to stop weeds and fertilize too. Gardeners' Guild is committed to natural solutions for urban garden areas.

Some new year's resolutions really can be easy.

The calendar does not control you! You control the calendar.

In the new age of pencil-less procedures, GG goes against the grain and recommends keeping a lead-based writing form handy to track weather patterns on your nearest calendar. In other parts of the country, weather patterns are less extreme than in the desert southwest. Using a simple means of notation takes only a minute when important changes occur and frees the mind for things other than remembering.
Tips for winter maintenance:
1. Watering - It can be difficult to remember watering when temperatures get cold. Many watering systems are turned off, and the plants rely on nature and your nurture to get them through with grace. Over-watering can be an issue as well because it can prevent root development or rot them altogether. So in case of wacky and wild precipitation, or to provide a little life insurance for your plants, write it down! After acquiring the pencil, only one step required: Mark rain/snow dates down to maintain a healthy watering schedule.
2. Weeding - In January, we often start to see weeds sprouting up. The time to prevent them is BEFORE the plants appear. This can be easily accomplished with the pre-emergent corn gluten, now back in stock at GG. Corn gluten is natural and application is simple, best done with a seed spreader, but can be done by hand.
3. Feeding - When warmer temperatures return, your first fertilizing will already be done! The corn gluten is high in nitrogen and will provide extra nutrients in early spring without one thought.
Find out more about Corn Gluten as a weed'n'feed on the GG blog: www.gardenersguild.blogspot.com
In 2008, look for the new urban gardeners almanac to create your own chronicle!

Holiday hours at the GG supply shop:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday (Dec 16-18th) 12noon -5pm
Wednesday the 19th through Saturday the 22nd 11am-7pm
Sunday, Monday (Dec 23rd and 24th) 12noon - 5pm
CLOSED Tuesday, Wednesday (Dec 25th AND 26th). Thanks!

Good things afoot for the New Year... Watch next week's email for details about 2008.

weird, warm weather.

Well, melting of the Northwest Passage has made this mythological throughway an economic and environmental reality.
At least 10 years sooner than expected, open waters in the Artic have Russians planting their flag on the sea bottom floor. That's only the beginning. The first question coming to mind as footage plays on international news: "When did that happen?" Strangely enough, scientists were stunned about the accelerated conditions as long ago as October of 2006.
Canada must be excited about this. Finally, the moderate and kind have arrived on top -- they've been rewarded with one of the most valuable shipping routes on the globe. And with weather warming next year, too, maybe there's an opportunity for vacation cottages. Deputy Minister of the Environment to Canada's newest province, Nunavut, sees another upside. Warming trends will provide longer boating seasons and reduced energy consumption with rising temperatures.

Here are some other facts from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies:
"Global warming is now 0.6°C in the past three decades and 0.8°C in the past century. It is no longer correct to say that "most global warming occurred before 1940". More specifically, there was slow global warming, with large fluctuations, over the century up to 1975 and subsequent rapid warming of almost 0.2°C per decade."

Indeed the earth has warmed and cooled significantly over the last thousands and millions of years. Maybe we won't shrivel into a raisin tomorrow, or bake like a potatoes next year. But there is something awfully persuasive about clean air, clean water and, darn it. If we can reduce the damage done to the environment, ourselves, and the other living creations on this big blue marble, why not take a shot.

water well!

arid climates make water an issue?

Consider your needs: water is an integral element in any garden design. Whether as a decorative feature, or basic sustainance for your plants, design the space to be wise about water. Group plants together to create focal points and increase watering efficiency.

Capture and conserve: these two simple ideas can easily green your garden. Every gallon saved has an impact, not to mention that plants love rain water most. Almost anything can be used to collect water, though captured water should only be used for hydrating plants. Safety and some common sense is the first priority when improvising with materials on-hand, or planning a project.

In the desert southwest, placement of plantings can be naturally waterwise if located in shade through a part of the day. Incorporate existing structures and walls in your design to help also shade your plants. The shade will slow evaporation.

More tips: Form wells around new plantings to capture water in a helpful place. Use mulch to prevent evaporation. Learn about Ollas (pronounced 'oi-ya'), an almost-forgotten method of vessel irrigation. Bury wood pieces or 'ground sponges' as tools for water storage, a technique often used by permaculturists.

Plants do have exposure preferences and water requirements. In the beginning, most plants will need regular watering to become established. In the second and third years, Only some plants, usually those native to the area or similar climates, will be more independent over time. Choose wisely. Consider native plants! Research 'bioregions' to understand more about how plants choose.

From Arizona which has desert conditions, find a seasonal watering schedule for extreme conditions in gardening: www.gardenguy.com

above are guidelines to get you started! contact or visit Gardeners'Guild for more info.