Q & A : Shade Gardening

Q. I live in Southeast Charlotte and have a house on just over 1/3 of an acre. My house is 2 stories+ and faces east and my backyard is fenced and filled with trees. So, there's almost no sun back there... I would love to grow tomatoes or grow some types of hot peppers and make my own hot sauce, but with the limited sun I assume that's not feasible. I'm assuming that mushrooms don't require sun -in fact, they require shade I imagine.

Do you have any tips and hints to help me get started? I want to do something but I just don't know what!

A. Passion for gardening is certainly something you can't buy or haggle, so it's great you're willing to try something new knowing failure may become a good friend of yours! I would like to emphasize that if you take one thing away from these suggestions, remember the importance of experimentation. You want some fiery peppers? Plant some in a raised bed or large pots with good drainage and properly amended soil and see what you get!

Let's start with an area assessment. Depending on how shady the area,  there are several plants can grow reasonably well with only 3-5 hours of sun (lettuces, leafy greens, peas, beans, and herbs). Mushroom logs would definitely reside happily in your shady knoll! You mentioned your house is east facing, perhaps a side garden would work best on the south facing side of your house. Whatever the location, a raised bed would certainly be your best bet. Plants wouldn't have to compete with neighboring tree roots for water and nutrients in the soil. They would also get a fresh start with that loose, rich, organic potting soil mix you're going to be using.

 
Secondly, consider reflective surfaces. If you have minimal sun, make the most of what you have by using a reflective mulch (or crumpled up pieces of aluminum foil around the base of a plant) and attracting sunlight with a white lattice (or other reflective fixture) posted up behind your plants. You're plants won't pass judgement if you happen to blind your neighbors in the process. And we won't judge you for the source of your inspiration! It could even distract them from the cooing chickens you're thinking of smuggling in.

On a more precautionary note, shade can increase the dampness which brings to mind disease and pests like slugs and snails. So keep a close eye on your darling peppers and parsley and don't overwater. Less sun allows the soil to retain more moisture. Soft, sticky pests will scamper at the sight of egg shells. Homemade tea concoctions made from a variety of kitchen items like vegetable oil, cayenne pepper, paprika, and dishwashing soap can make your garden sing.

So, be brave! Let your unwieldy gardening spirit soar and go buy some seedlings!

Additional Resources:

 http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/vegetables-to-grow-in-shade-zm0z11zsto.aspx?page=3

http://www.motherearthnews.com/shade-tolerant-vegetables-zm0z11zsto.aspx 

http://anewscafe.com/2011/07/07/dig-this-gardening-in-the-shade-challenges-and-opportunities/

http://www.paystolivegreen.com/2008/12/make-your-own-homeade-pesticides-and-repellants/

Race Car Driver, Organic Gardener

For Jeff Gordon, it’s not all about dodging 10 car pile-ups and gunning for the checkered flag. Just like a lot of us, the NASCAR driver wanted an organic garden so he and his family could eat better quality produce that they grew themselves.

We made four 2.5’x5’x 12” high, raised beds using Western Red Cedar 4”x4” timbers and installed them in a sunny nook behind the kids’ playhouse.

We planted an assortment of leafy green varieties like spinach and bibb lettuce, as well as popular summer favorites like green beans, tomatoes and radishes. The family’s personal chef regularly harvests produce from the garden for use in creative, healthy meals.

Rooftop Gardening with the Cole Family

“We tried putting a garden in the backyard, last year, but it didn’t grow very well”, explained Alicia, pointing to the railroad ties down below. Weeds had overtaken the raised bed which sat in a shaded alcove in the backyard.

“And we had a hard time keeping the dogs out of it too”, she laughed, pointing to the two German Shepherds pacing around the backyard.

“So I thought why not put a garden on the roof?”

"As a physician, I definitely think that good food is linked to good health", explains Alicia. " I want my kids to not only know where food comes from but eat healthy, home-grown vegetables (and keep me out of the grocery stores on busy week day work days!).  I am excited about growingcarrots, garlic, lettuces and leafy greens in the cooler seasons. In the meantime, I should have a bumper crop of zuchinni this summer!"

The flat roof area on the back of the Coles' home was plenty big enough for a garden. It had a convenient access door, a load bearing wall underneath that could support the Ringling Brothers Circus, and nearby downspouts where they could harvest rainwater.

In order to minimize heat, the Coles had the existing black roof replaced with new cooler white roofing material. Before installing the raised beds and rain barrel, we placed a layer of durable so-slip material that’s specially designed to prevent tears in the waterproof membrane caused by objects and foot traffic.

Two 4’x6’ Kitchen Garden style raised beds fit perfectly over that burly load bearing wall, and according to Alicia the 80 gallon rain barrel is already earning its keep.

The summer vegetable varieties that the family planted are loving all that new sunlight and they’re just fine with those German Shepherds staying way down on the ground below.

I Must Garden and I Must Have it Too

Deer, gopher, squirrel, or swarms of gnats, whichever one takes the starring role in your gardening nightmare will soon have to search for another REM cycle to crash this season. Gardens are starting even earlier this year which means more opportunities for these natural nuisances to make a smorgasbord of your garden. And don't get me started on the insect population that waltzed its way into 2012.

So, short of building a 10 foot fence or loading a pistol, what is the distressed gardener to do? One needn't look further than our trusty state of North Carolina. Just up the road in Durham proper, is a small company called I Must Garden that makes a variety of animal and insect repellents for use on your lawn and garden that are guaranteed to stifle the pursuits of these enterprising creatures.

I Must Garden is a company that was started by a home-gardener who was dissatisfied with the animal repellent products available on the market. She wanted a product that didn't come up short on results and didn't have a laundry list of harmful chemicals she wouldn't risk putting on her edibles or exposing her family to. So, like any clever gardener, she cooked up her own. Her alternative was I Must Garden.  Products that are made with common organic ingredients and natural ingredients you could easily find in your kitchen or grocery store. Not that you'd want to mist your children with it before they brave the wild, but it is completely harmless.

Their environmentally-friendly ingredients include quite a lyrical list of botanical oils like rosemary, citronella, cinnamon, lemongrass, and mint. Their ingredients reflect what animals and pests would ordinarily avoid in nature. Wouldn't you want to be able to put your backyard on that list of things pests avoid in nature? It may sound impossible, but you could soon find yourself singing the Hallelujah chorus strutting past your tomatoes.

Considering what a great investment backyard garden can be, to have a guarantee that it won't be terrorized and you won't lose sleep over it this summer is priceless... Well actually more like $13 depending on the size of the container.

I Must Garden prefers to limit their supply to independent Lawn and Garden stores like Renfrow's Hardware and Blackhawk Hardware here in Charlotte. That way they know their customers will be getting the individual attention and personal service they deserve. Another reason I Must Garden is just plain awesome, in case you weren't quite convinced.

We couldn't help ourselves either. I Must Garden is the brand we choose to keep pests out with no fuss, no splinters, and no firearms.

Clean and Green Festival Turns Five

Got plans on May 19th? Driving all over town in your Suburban trying to find the lowest gas prices before driving to the Beach or mountains? Consider sticking around  for the 5^th annual Clean and Green Festival.

 It's a free event, compliments of the Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation, and conveniently located on the newest portion of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, Elizabeth Park.

There will be endless activities for kids and adults, all of which are free. Four hours of family fun outdoors, or four hours sitting in traffic while little Suzie and Tommy punch each other in the backseat. Your call.  If you're kids are over 4, you could even attend a Hands-on Learning Class while they are on a scavenger hunt or learning how to fly fish! That's right, your kid could be a fly fishing aficionado by 4pm on Saturday... Unlikely? Probably. But you'll never find out unless you go.

There will also be some great classes for adults that cover some of those topics that looked easy on the internet but fell flat in your backyard. Like that time you tried composting by throwing all your egg shells and banana peels in a container outside and nothing happened except the explosion of fruit flies whenever you peeked. Or that time you tried clean that carpet stain with vinegar and your room smelled like pickles for days. Two conundrums that could be turned into can-do's at the Clean and Green Festival.

Not only could you learn about finding the right ratio of “green” and “brown” in your compost, but also about safe, effective eco-friendly cleaning products that won't leave your friends wondering why your house smells like Mt. Olive. These subjects and more will be covered in the classes and the Hands-on Stations hosted by farmers. They occur in succession so you don't have to worry about choosing between two and missing out on some savory nuggets of knowledge.

For the tech-savvy, home improvement types there will be a classes on solar PV technology. You could even have a casual chat with a designer or environmental engineer! Excuse me, I just got a little starry-eyed. For hip-foodies and concerned consumers, you can learn all about eating organic vs non-organic and starting your own kitchen garden. And I know you've thought about chickens, now you just have to come.

 And what's a festival without food? You'll probably work up an appetite from all that excitement! You don't want to miss out on the fabulous food trucks or a tasty libations from three local beer vendors.

So, come join us, May 19^th  from 10am-4pm, in sharing an afternoon of good clean and green fun! Microfarm will be with the other farmers in the Hands-On Station. We'll have a really cool mobile chicken coop, organically grown heirloom seedlings, mushroom logs, an 80 gallon rain barrel, and a 3'x5' Kitchen Garden raised bed on display. I expect everyone who rides a 10-speed up to a four-door monster truck to be there.