This week I was on my own working in the gardens and in the office, but I still managed to learn plenty of new gardening tips!
One was from Jill, the school garden coordinator.
As you probably already know, the three main nutrients for healthy plant growth are Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K), and Phosphorous (P). But, what you may not know, and what I thought was really neat, is that each of those nutrients contributes to growth in different parts of the plant.
N= leaves (dark green growth)
K= roots
P= fruit
So, for example, if you’re noticing your carrots or radishes aren’t growing very large, perhaps your soil is lacking potassium. Having comfrey in your garden is a great way to combat a lack of phosphorous. Mulch with the leaves or use it to brew a compost tea.
The other was from Emily, the EGP manager.
When it comes to winter squash harvest it can be tricky to know when your squash are ready. Emily gave me these four tips for testing your winter squash:
- The stems get hard and dry
- The vines will begin to die back
- A fingernail won’t puncture or dent the squash’s skin
- The squash will usually become a more vibrant colour