Soil Facts for Every Georgia Gardener

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Experienced gardeners realize that the success of their gardens starts with healthy soil.  But, what does healthy soil really look like?  Here is a snapshot:

Healthy soil is full of organisms

Soil is not inert; it is full of living organisms that are important in the soil ecosystem.  Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and earthworms are all essential in healthy soil.  Most of these organisms cannot be seen with  the naked eye.  A virus is only 0.03 to 0.02 micrometers in width while a much larger earthworm can be an indication of soil health.   To compare the size of soil organisms visit Cells Alive.  Researching these soil residents would be a fun thing to do in the cold days of winter.

Healthy garden soil has a pH of 6 to 7

pH is the measure of hydrogen ion concentration.  In the soil it is a part of complex chemical interactions.  Simply put, soil nutrients are not available for the plant roots to absorb at high and low pHs.  Have your soil tested regularly to determine your soil pH and get advice on how to correct it if needed.

Soil with compost

Compost is important

Organic matter assists desired soil chemistry, improves soil texture, can add nutrition to the soil, and can aid in the increasing the microorganisms.  Making your own compost can be a very rewarding way to use garden scraps.  This could be a great goal for 2017.

Soil chemistry and the soil ecosystem are complicated and intricate topics.  Check with your local UGA Cooperative Extension office to see what soil workshops are being offered this winter.  During the first part of 2017 we are going to do several in-depth posts about healthy soil on this blog.  We hope you will be a part of the discussion.

Happy Gardening!

Kickback

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Kickback

What causes kickback?

The most common cause of accidents is kickback. Kickback occurs when the top quarter of the saw blade, also known as the kickback zone, contacts a solid object (wood or metal). Because the cutter is coming down the edge of the saw bar in the kickback zone, the depth gauge is lower than it should be in relation to the tooth. Literally, the saw bites off more than it can chew, stopping or slowing the chain. The result is a rotational force that flings the bar backward, into the operator. When the bar rears back, the chain break will be activated and stop the chain in 1/55th of second. The saw may still strike you, but the chain is not rotating and the damage will not be as severe.

DO NOT USE THE KICKBACK ZONE AND ALWAYS BE AWARE OF ITS LOCATION!!!

Low Kickback Chains (aka Safety Chains)

Low kickback chains are commonly found on saws for homeowners and are standard equipment on many new saws. As you can see from the picture, low kickback chains have an additional depth gauge between the cutters. The extra depth gauge is either the result of a special drive link (called a bumper drive link) or putting a bumper on the tie straps.

The depth gauge sets the depth or thickness of the chip produced by the cutting corner of the cutter. The depth gauge is an important safety feature. The thicker the chip, the more severe the potential kickback. By regulating chip size, depth gauges also regulate the severity of reactive forces.

  1. Low kickback chains really do reduce kickback, but they’re not popular with professionals for two reasons.
    If you’re felling trees, it makes a bore cut nearly impossible. The bore cut is a safety technique that minimizes the possibility of getting injured or killed by the barber chair or stump jump. Because the upper half of the bar tip won’t cut well, bore cuts go very slowly.
  2. If you sharpen the chain yourself, a safety chain can be more difficult to sharpen. This isn’t a problem if you take your chain to a dealer to sharpen.

Looking Forward to 2017

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As 2016 winds to a close and we start planning for our 2017 gardens, I want to thank you for being part of this gardening adventure.  Your comments and feedback are very much appreciated and I love seeing photos of your gardens.   I am very excited about what is in store for 2017!

Happy New Year,

Becky Griffin

UGA Extension’s Community and School Garden Coordinator

and the rest of the Center for Urban Ag Team

becky-in-the-garden-2

Christmas Wish Lists

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Women who work in the local food movement do not put together the typical Christmas wish list.

Abbie King is passionate about children having access to fresh fruits and vegetables!
Abbie King is passionate about children having access to fresh fruits and vegetables!

Abbie King is known all over Georgia for her work in the Farm to School movement for Georgia Organics.  With a background in nutrition and health, Abbie’s job at Georgia Organics is more like her mission.  When asked what she would like to have as a special Christmas gift Abbie had an interesting answer.  She would like to have a drip irrigation system that is tied to the rain barrel in her home garden.   Considering the drought we are in that is a very nice request but it might be hard to fit under her Christmas tree.

Has the recent drought made you rethink how your garden is watered?  Did rain barrels provide enough water or just a nice supplement?

Drew Outright is passionate about sustainability and how that relates to community building.
Drew Outright is passionate about sustainability and how that relates to community building.

Drew Outright is a program manager at Georgia Tech (go Dawgs!).  She is heavily involved in Tech’s Living Building project which will include a vegetable garden.  This is an incredible project that will be a huge asset for Atlanta.   Drew’s holiday request is a gift card for vegetarian cooking classes.  She might be brushing up her culinary skills to get ready for the Living Building’s first vegetable harvest!

Did you get the most out of your harvest in 2016?  Have you thought about learning new cooking techniques for your vegetables?

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Mary Carol Sheffield creates workshops to assist gardeners of all skill levels.

Mary Carol Sheffield is a UGA Extension agent for Paulding County Extension.   Mary Carol provides resources and training for the food growers in her county.  She is active in the Journeyman Farmer Program, assists local beekeepers, and conducts food growing workshops throughout the year.  Mary Carol would like Santa to bring her a seed starting heat mat and a grow lamp rack.

Do you all start your own vegetable plants from seeds?  It is a wonderful way to try new varieties!

Keren Giovengo is proponent of adding native plants to your landscape, including your community and school gardens. They can attract beneficial insects!

Keren Giovengo is the manager of the EcoScapes project from UGA Marine Extension.   She is a champion of using native plants in the landscape.   Her Christmas wish is straight forward:  My Christmas wish is that everyone – young and old – has an opportunity this holiday season to observe and experience the natural beauty that surrounds us. It is my hope that these natural gifts – clean water and natural communities with native plants and wildlife – will inspire us to bring our gardens into a sounder relationship with nature. By letting nature be our teacher, our landscapes can become a source of ecological renewal – a protector of biodiversity, a sanctuary for indigenous plants and wildlife, and a sustainable landscape of rich experiences and unique beauty.

Will you have a chance to get outside over the Christmas holiday and enjoy the beauty of a winter landscape?

Whatever your Christmas wish list includes I wish you all a holiday filled with good food, friends, and family!

Merry Christmas!

Using Integrated Pest Management in Your Garden

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The winter months are a great time to review your gardening approach.   Any particular pest plagued your garden this year?  How effective was your disease management?  This video describing an integrated pest management garden approach may give you some inspiration for planning your next crop:

IPM for Vegetable Gardens

Happy Gardening!

Walk Georgia While in Your Garden

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Walk Georgia is a free UGA Extension web-based program that encourages Georgians to get out and move. As gardeners we know all about moving (and bending and lifting and pulling…). Participants create an account and log their activity on the website. As you log activity you virtually travel through Georgia learning about areas as you go. It is a great way to be accountable for your health and to learn more about the state.

Of course, gardening is listed as an exercise activity. This could be a fun way to compete with other gardeners in a friendly exercise competition. You may spur each other on to being more active. The weeds won’t stand a chance!

Walk Georgia

With many, many exercise apps on the market this one stands out because it is so simple to use, it is free, and it is Georgia specific.

Also on the Walk Georgia webpage are exercise tips and recipes. For gardeners who grew potatoes this year, try this recipe from Walk Georgia for a great meal on a cold day.

Potato Leek Soup

¼ cup olive oil

5 cups chopped leeks

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 cups cubed potatoes

2 quarts chicken stock, low sodium

2 cups canned skim evaporated milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick Dutch oven and add the leeks, celery, and onion. Cook slowly for 10 minutes until golden and soft. Do not let the mixture brown.

Add potatoes and chicken stock; cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 20-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

Mash the vegetables. Heat the milk and add to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste.

Six Servings:

Calories: 314 | Carbohydrate: 45 grams | Fat: 10 grams | Protein: 14 grams | Sodium: 635 milligram with low sodium broth, 869 milligrams with reduced sodium broth | Fiber: 3 grams | Cholesterol: 3 milligrams | Exchanges: 3 starches, 1 lean meat

For more information on Walk Georgia contact your local UGA Extension agent or visit the Walk Georgia website.  They also have a Walk Georgia Facebook page.

Happy Gardening!

Five Signs of a Dull Saw Chain

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Five Signs of a Dull Saw Chain

Do not think because an accident hasn’t happened to you that it can’t happen.

Do you need to sharpen your chain?

If you notice these signs while working with your chainsaw, it is time to sharpen or possibly replace the saw chain.

  • The saw chain does not pull itself into the wood. It has to be forced to cut by applying pressure to the engine unit.
  • While doing a split cut or a cross cut (making a vertical cut) the saw chain creates fine sawdust instead of coarse strands.
  • Smoke crops up even though the chain lubrication is in working order and the chain tension is correct.
  • The chainsaw runs in one direction causing a crooked cut. This is an indication of dull cutting teeth on one side of the chain or uneven cutting teeth lengths.
  • The chainsaw “rattles” and “bounces” during the cut. It is difficult to achieve precise positioning.

The above information is from the Stihl blog, yet another great resource. There are many good videos online that will help you sharpen your chain and help you use the service marks on the chain.

We have two other important pieces of information for you.

  1. As you see, there is just one saw safety class listed below. That is because it is the only training on the books right now. Baring a miracle – THAT IS YOUR LAST CHANCE in central Georgia. Sign up!
  2. The saw safety newsletter is going to take a break in December. We will be back in January and start right in on the four essential safety features of every saw. Until then, do not depend on others for safety – help yourself!

Being Thankful in the Garden

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We asked a few people in the local food movement to tell us what they are thankful for during this Thanksgiving holiday.  Here is what they told us:

Fred Conrad at work!
Fred Conrad at work!

Fred Conrad, the community garden coordinator for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, is well known throughout the metro Atlanta area.  You may have seen Fred riding his tractor down the street of Atlanta.  He writes…

I am thankful that I was able to distribute 100% of my summer harvest to families in need through the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program. It is so rewarding to hand the crops that I worked very hard to raise to families who need it and who are very happy to have fresh local produce. We share recipes and family stories and they get to choose the vegetables they like. Seeing the children, meeting the families, and knowing that you just made their life a little easier. It means a lot, service is a blessing to the giver as well. And don’t believe that people don’t know how to cook, they really do.

Bobby Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Urban Farm.   He has spent a busy Fall training new gardeners.  Bobby shares…

I am thankful for community gardeners that we have and the ones to come in 2017

Bobby Wilson of the Atlanta Urban Farm.
Bobby Wilson of the Metro Atlanta Urban Farm.

Jeff Miller is the new Urban Program Development Coordinator for UGA Extension.  Jeff has been busy the last several months getting to know the metro Atlanta Extension agents so that he can better assist them in meeting the needs of metro Atlanta.  You can connect with Jeff at his UGA Extension Metro Atlanta page.  Jeff is thankful for:

…the local food movement gaining traction in Atlanta – supplying healthy fresh produce from urban gardens and farms in the metro area.

Jeff Miller from UGA Extension
Jeff Miller from UGA Extension

We all have much to be thankful for this holiday season.  Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal with family and friends.  Hopefully, some of the food on the table is grown by YOU!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Saw Safety Holiday Demonstration

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Saw Safety Holiday Demonstration

Safety never takes a holiday, but you do, enjoy.

Ah, the joys of Thanksgiving: friends and family, favorite foods, football, and a couple of days off work. But saw safety never takes a holiday. Chances are, someone will hand you that miniature power saw – the electric knife – and ask you to carve the turkey. This video will help you carve that bird with style.

Here’s wishing you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

OpenSky: Alton Brown's Electric Carving Knife

Alton Brown demonstrating electric knife features and how to carve a turkey.

Drought Response Level 2: Outdoor Watering Information

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Prolonged dry weather has prompted an elevated drought response for northwest Georgia. Effective November 17, 2016, fifty-two counties have entered a drought response level 2 and fifty-eight counties are exercising a drought response level 1.  Rainfall has been scarce since August and water conservation is the banner message.  The Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010 establishes certain outdoor watering protocols to conserve water during times of drought.  These rules apply to all properties served by state permitted water systems.

Highlights of Drought Response Level 1:
A drought response level 1 initiates a public information campaign to explain drought conditions and the need for water stewardship and conservation.  Normal outdoor watering should follow best management practices and is allowed between the hours of 4:30pm and 10am any day of the week.

Highlights of Drought Response Level 2:
For existing landscapes, a drought response level 2 initiates the odd/even watering schedule by address for sprinkler systems.  For even addresses (ending in zero, 2,4,6,8) watering is allowed as needed on Wednesdays and Saturdays between the hours of 4pm and 10am.  For odd addresses (ending in 1,3,5,7,9) watering is allowed as needed on Thursdays and Sundays between the hours of 4pm and 10am.  Sprinkler systems should always be properly maintained and adjusted.  Evapotranspiration is much lower during the fall and winter and minimal irrigation is needed to prevent winter desiccation using a rate of 1/2 inch precipitation per week or less during periods of dry weather.

New Landscapes:
Under all levels of drought response, a 30 day exemption period is allowed for the establishment of new landscapes. Once the establishment period has expired, drought response watering practices should be followed accordingly.

Other Allowable Exemptions:
Handwatering using a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle
Food gardens
Hydroseeding
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses
Horticulture crops intended for sale, resale, or installation
Athletic fields, golf courses, and public recreation areas
Maintenance or calibration of an irrigation system
Water from private wells and bodies of water on property (not exceeding state withdrawal limits)
Water from an alternate source (grey water, rain water, air-conditioner condensate)
Commercial Pressure Washing

Summary:
Stay informed on the latest drought information for your area (see helpful resources and information below).  While natural precipitation is generally sufficient to prevent plant desiccation in established landscapes during fall and winter, extremely dry conditions may require supplemental watering to help mitigate plant damage. Follow responsible watering practices and properly manage irrigation systems to protect plant health while promoting a culture of water conservation in Georgia.  Register for training opportunities such as the upcoming “Irrigation Training for Landscape Professionals” at the EDGE Expo at the Gwinnett Infinite Energy Center on December 8, 2016.

For more information on proper watering practices and training opportunities, contact your local UGA Extension Agent or call 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

Helpful Resources and Information:
http://extension.uga.edu/publications/
www.GeorgiaTurf.com
www.GeorgiaWatersmart.com
https://epd.georgia.gov/water-conservation

 

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