What kind of mulch and how close to plant stem can I put it? Most people decide by how much they are willing to spend and what they have access to. Some municipalities have yard waste recycling centers and provide free compost and mulch, others charge a few dollars a truckload. Some people like me like to use grass clippings and leaves because I can get them for free. Others use shredded newspaper, cardboard, buckwheat hulls, woodchips, etc. Do these all have about same water needs? Can I water all the plants the same - ie tomatoes don't need more water than squash or basil? If that's true, then I will just run a soaker hose around the plants, cover with some compost I have from last fall plus old leaves and some grass clippings (keeping away from plant stem) Right? Did you read my post on watering above? So long as you have good drainage, the plants will take what water they need. Follow the advice above about one inch of water per week by supplementing rainfall. What about fertilizer? I made the raised garden bed 9 months ago because of our heavy clay soil. So I don't know how nutrient rich it is - it's about 1/4 - 1/3rd clay, 1/3 or more good compost, 1/3 misc - some rotting leaves, soil ammendments like bone meal, epsoma, top soil etc. How much and how often? Don't get overwhelmed, just try to get educated on the topic from all sides before making a final decision. Chemical fertilizers can render your soil sterile over time and upset the balance of the ecosystem of your soil tremendously - enough to a point where repeated use will actually force you into needing chemical fertilizer because your soil won't be able to support itself naturally. Hence, a good reason to care so that while you still have a choice, why not use natural means? Take the time to learn that there is not a "cure all" for every pest at every stage of it's life cycle. Some won't work if it's going to rain. Some don't work well if it's too hot, etc. Pest management is complex, if you wish to use chemical products, do so responsibly which goes further than reading the label. If you want to learn, a good place to start is here: Integrated Pest Management This lecture is presented in two parts. Each part is 90-minutes in length. Recorded in Sacramento County in California's Sacramento Valley, this lecture is byMary Louise Flint, Ph.D., Director, IPM Education and Publications, UC Statewide IPM Project and Extension Entomologist & Cooperative Extension Specialist. Education: B.S. Plant Science, University of California, Davis Ph.D. Entomology, University of California, Berkeley Appointment: 100% Cooperative Extension Research Interests: Integrated pest management of landscape, agricultural and garden pests; biological control of arthropod pests; alternatives to pesticides; adoption of alternative practices by practitioners; innovative delivery of pest management information. Topics discussed in the Integrated Pest Management Lecture: * IPM references and resources * Preventing pest problems * Natural common enemies * Making less toxic pesticide choices * Controlling aphids, scales, caterpillars, coddling moths, tree borers, snails and slugs, and lawn insects. You can watch the programs now online: Just make sure you have Real Player installed or download it free. Integrated Pest Management Part1 90 minutes Integrated Pest Management Part 2 90 minutes You'll want to bookmark the following link to Professor Flint's Lab Research on: Controlling Pests in Gardens and Landscapes: Vegetables and Melons I promise you'll learn one or two things to put in your gardening bag of pest management arsenals. ;)

For those that think "it does not make a difference where the NPK atoms come from," do you also get the nutrition you need for your body in pill form only? It isn't the same thing. This is an apples and oranges comparison. Study after study has been done and plants are not physiologically capable of determining where it gets nutrients from. Plant response is the same regardless. A case in point is hydroponics. There ain't no soil, but the plants do just fine. Whether a bag of organic fertilizer, a cow's butt or a bag of synthetic fertilizer the 'stuff' that enters the roots is the same regardless. All fertilizer and no organic matter makes soil unhappy. This is not the same as saying 100% of nutrients have to come from organic matter or plants will be unhealthy. Take organic matter, strip away the organics to make the mineral available to the plant (which is what the soil herd do) and it's the same thing as is in the bag of fertilizer. That's what the plants take up into themselves.

Struwwelpeter I can relate. Here in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada the mid to high 70's would be warm this year. Some days have only hit the mid 60's F to low 70's. Despite that, my musa basjoo has finally started growing more, maybe one leaf every week. I think sunny days do make a difference, even if it's cool. Maybe it warms the plant up more. As our soil is very clay-like I amended at planting time with peat moss and composted manure. I have been fertilizing every 10 to 14 days with a mild solution of miracle gro and water, or else a conifer fertilizer that I have (somewhere I read that conifer fertilizer helps prevent petunias from getting yellow so I use that on all the plants once in a while). I usually mix my solution quite a bit milder than the package recommends so maybe this compensates for the more frequent fertilizing. As you probably know, with flowering plants if you fertilize too much you risk getting lots of lush green growth but no blossoms, but with a banana I don't worry as it will likely never bloom in our short summers anyway. So, I like to think I am just trying to do my best, with the less than ideal weather this year, trying to push out as much growth as possible. Glen

Methods researcher and innovator Carl Whitcomb disputed fall fertilization causing late growth of hardy stock in the 1987 (1991) edition of Establishment and Maintenance of Landscape Plants, saying that timing of growth of northern adapted plants was regulated by temperature and day length. When I looked at the 2006 edition in a nearby library some months ago the main discussion of this topic appeared to be essentially the same including talking about why fall is better but in his Summary of Procedures section he now appeared to be favoring spring fertilization over fall (although both were still recommended) - without explanation so far as I was able to see. In the 1987 (1991) Summary we were advised to Fertilize all landscape plants as soon as installation and one thorough watering are complete. If soil tests have been conducted and phosphorus and other non-leaching fertilizers have been incorporated, only nitrogen should be applied. Fertilize the plant on the soil surface immediately after planting (spring or fall) or use slow-release fertilizer in the planting hole. Fertilize at the rate of about one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of soil surface area. Spread the fertilizer over the area which has been kept clean of weeds and grass and has been mulched. Repeat fertilization procedure two or three times during the growing season but especially in fall when soils are warm and roots are especially active To get the exact wording of his most recent recommendations look for the latest editions at nearby college libraries, ones out here with horticulture departments have them and we're a long way from Oklahoma. Here is a link that might be useful: Whitcomb's Books