Spring reminders: Free seeds and more

Notes from Bill Stoneman, interim garden coordinator:

Seeds: There are a lot of free seeds in Katie’s mid-garden shed. Take a look there before you buy. These seeds were donated by Livingston Seeds via the Dane Co. Extension Office.

Tillage:  Multiple tillage methods are effective. You can use the broad fork or a tiller.  If you are not able to use the tiller yourself, please request help. We will line someone up to till for you.  Remove all your trash, weeds, tools, trellises, etc. in preparation.

Compost:  Use one full wheelbarrow for ½ plot and 2 full wheelbarrows for a 20’ x 20’.  Please dig from the pile close to the hay shed to release the pressure against the shed – this was unintentional, of course.

Fertilizer:  The garden provides fertilizer – organic graded 4-6-4.  My personal recommendation is to use it over or in the row at about 1-2 cups per 20 feet of row.  I use 2-3 tablespoons of the fertilizer per early transplant right in the transplant hole.  I use it at these rates at least 2 times per season – sometimes three times up until fruit formation in the case of tomatoes or peppers. Of course you can follow the label – which suggests more fertilizer per plant.  I’ll post the label in Katie’s mid-garden shed.