Time to get down and dirty

With so much down time these days, many folks are looking for things to do. Other folks might not feel like doing much, but perhaps a bit of fresh air would entice them. Since many outdoor physical pursuits are curtailed, how about a bit of gardening?

I realize not everyone is a garden geek like me. Even if you have no desire to engage with the plants, you can get the benefit of their presence. 

• A pot of petunias by your door or on your balcony might make you smile. 
• A window box can hold marigolds or just as easily a bit of lettuce and a few herbs. 
• A hanging basket looks lovely with trailing nasturtiums and can benefit the bees and butterflies as well as your salad plate (Did you know you can eat the flowers and leaves of this plant?)

Want to plant some seeds? You can start more delicate plants on a windowsill inside – this can be fun for kids to do, watching what happens. Beans and basil are good for kids as they sprout in a few days. More hardy items can go outside now in places where the ground is warming, with a cover over them to start as a bit of protection. Here are a few planting tips:

• Pay attention to how much sun there is in your planting spots. The Okanagan summer sun will roast peas and lettuce if it sees them all day, but tomatoes like all that heat. Check seed packets or ask someone where you buy the seeds for advice.
• If planting peas or beans, soak seeds overnight folded in a damp paper towel before planting. If your seeds are older, take a few days with the damp towel and watch to make sure they sprout.
• Use egg cartons for planting seeds. When they are ready to transplant, cut apart the pieces and plant as is – the cardboard will decompose in the garden.
• Plant carrots and radishes together in a row. The earlier sprouting radishes help make space for the growing carrots when you harvest them.
• To cover and protect tender seedlings outdoors, cut the bottom off a plastic or cardboard milk jug and place over plant. Don’t forget to remove cover when watering to ensure the plant gets a proper drink.

If you are a garden geek, then you’re probably out poking around as I am, uncovering the new shoots and coaxing them into the sun. You may also notice the bugs, too. Some of them, like the bees, are welcome and necessary. Others, like earwigs and ants, can be a nuisance. 

• Put out a water feature so the pollinators don’t get too thirsty. Plant friendly blossoms to offer food for our friends, too; bachelor button, bee balm, cosmos, calendula, coneflower and chives are all good choices.
• For an infestation, try these ideas: trap earwigs in crumpled newspaper balls placed among plants or in a shallow dish filled with equal parts canola oil and soy sauce. Dispose of victims in soapy water. Deter ants by sprinkling cinnamon or spraying apple cider vinegar where you don’t want them to go.

Another pest many people know are deer. They are hard to deter, but if you’re adding a plant to your space, it’s interesting to note that they tend not to like plants the pollinators love.  

I realize that many people may be dipping their hands in the dirt, trying out this gardening thing but not ready to commit in a big way. You don’t have to “go big” to have fun or get results, and there are many ways to get creative about tools to use and containers for planting. This can be a whole new way to recycle.

Old serving utensils and even cutlery can be used for digging and transplanting -  for example, a grapefruit knife, serrated on one side, makes a great weeding tool.

• Recycle an old colander or laundry basket for harvesting fruits and vegetables. Wash them in the container outside to save mess in the house.
• Clothespins can be very handy – clip gloves closed to keep bugs out, keep open seed packets closed, hold sprigs of herbs to dry on an old laundry line or a piece of chicken wire.
• Create a string dispenser with wounded gadgets. A leaky watering can or a chipped pot with a drainage hole will work – unscrew the sprinkling spout from the can or turn the pot upside down, and thread the string through the hole. Glue the pot to a board to keep it steady if it’s small. 

One last tip for you: support an independent local business when you shop for seeds or plants. They are more likely to have knowledgeable staff around to help and they need your business now more than ever.

I hope this offers enough encouragement to get more people in the dirt. I find it wonderful therapy, and there are all kinds of rewards that pop up as a result of the effort.

Happy digging!

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.