Resident Greenius: The Lawsons

TJ and Julie show GreenTown their sunbox and seedlings.

Now that our 10 foot snowdrifts have nearly melted, I'm going to celebrate by writing a post about....gardening! With a couple years of crop cultivation under their belts, TJ and Julie Lawson have agreed to be our first official Greeniuses ("green geniuses".)  For those of you who don't know, GreenTown's Resident Greenius Program is basically a community skills bank for anything and everything green. For example, if anyone in town has a question about composting, they can refer to the bank and know who to call!

In order to get a better understanding of their gardening techniques, Mason and I (who have shamefully never had a garden) made a trip over to the Lawsons' last week to observe. What we found was a wealth of knowledge. From do-it-yourself compost bin instructions to seed selection tips, Mason and I got our first lesson in backyard gardening.

STEP ONE: selecting

Before you can start a garden, what do you absolutely need? Seeds, of course.

Now, while it may be tempting to run to the nearest hardware store to pick up a few packets, TJ recommends doing a bit more research. For example, say you're interested in growing tomatoes. Did you know that there are over 7500 tomato varieties to choose from?

For his own garden, TJ relies on Seed Savers Exchange, the largest non-governmental seed bank in the United States. Located on an 890-acre farm in Decorah, Iowa, this seed bank maintains over 25,000 endangered vegetable varieties--most of which have been brought to the United States by members' European, Middle Eastern, and Asian ancestors. For his latest batch, TJ simply perused the online shop, made note of intriguing varieties, and placed an order. A couple of weeks later, he and Julie had some of the purest heirloom seeds on the market at their doorstep.

STEP TWO: composting

Now that we have seeds covered, our next step is to create a medium in which the seeds can germinate.To illustrate one soil-making option, Julie leads us to the backyard where she and TJ have built a composting bin. Composting is a process by which plant remains and other once-living materials decompose to make a crumbly, nutrient-rich substance.

Building a composting bin is actually fairly simple. TJ and Julie, for example, decided to take a straight-foward DIY approach that involves: six salvaged pallets, a couple nails, and two hinges. They placed one pallet (slat-side up) on level ground to be used as the bottom of the bin (which allows for good drainage and aeration), arranged four pallets upright around each side of the base to form a box, and fastened them in place with the nails. They then secured the remaining pallet on top of the box with two hinges so that they could gain access to the compost.

In terms of their compost recipe, the Lawsons are experimenting with a mixture of table scraps (otherwise known as green material) and leaves, sawdust, and other yard waste (brown material). Every week or so, they stir the contents of the bin to allow for more aeration (which is necessary for the decomposition process).

STEP THREE: sowing

With soil in place, it's time to talk about seed germination! Experts recommend starting this process indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost. By sowing the seeds inside, you will create a controlled environment, ultimately extending your plants' growing season.

To begin this task, TJ and Julie used a device called the Pot Maker to create starter pots out of old recycled newspaper (no glue needed). They then filled the pots with nutrient-rich soil, planted the seeds, placed the pots in a south-facing window sill, watered the seeds daily, and waited for the magic to happen! I am happy to say that almost all of the seeds have germinated and are about ready to be transplanted.

STEP FOUR: transplanting

Once the seedlings are established and the threat of frost is gone, the gardening operation can be moved outdoors. To help the plants make this transition, TJ and Julie have constructed a hinged sun box from scrap wood and a salvaged freezer door from the old Dillons store in town. Once the time is right, they will fill the box with soil and plant the seedlings...newspaper and all!

The idea behind the sun box is that when it is closed, the box will keep the seedlings protected during the early part of the season. Then as the weather turns warmer, the glass top can be propped open during the daytime to help "harden off" the seedlings. Eventually, the top can permanently be opened to allow for good air flow and growth.

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Thank you TJ and Julie for all your advice!

Comments

[Richard Naylor]

Hey Greensburg Greenuises!
I'm really excited about what your town is doing. How wonderful to want to rebuild in a more sustainable and healthier way.
I hope you become a beacon for the rest of the areas of the country where people experience natural disasters. Typically they just rebuild the same old wasteful ways.
I am a member of ECO-WNC (The Environmental and Conservation Organization of Western North Carolina) on the Green Infrastructure Committee. It's a non-profit NGO dedicated to supporting sustainable best management practices among
developers and builders here.
I will also be teaching a course on "Sustainability: Our Hope for the Future" at our Blue Ridge Community College this summer. I'm sure I will be referring to your wonderful town's efforts to rebuild sustainably for coming generations.
What an inspiration you all are to the rest of us Greenuises!

Best wishes for a great garden.

Richard Naylor
304 Newport Road
Hendersonville, NC 28739

[Diane Eickhoff]

Great ideas. One question. This was my first year using Seed Savers & starting my plants from seeds. I read some conflicting reports on how to get seeds to germinate, but basically the consensus seemed to be that they needed to be in a warm DARK place to germinate, but it sounds like you didn't follow that line of reasoning. Just wanted to make sure I understood correctly -- you germinated your seeds in south sunlight? Thanks very much.

Diane Eickhoff
Kansas City, Missouri

[Catherine Hart]

Hi Diane,

Regarding your seed question: Whether or not a seed needs light to germinate
depends upon the kind of seeds you are trying to get to sprout. Here's a
link to an article that provides quite a bit of detail:
http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/Germination.htm

Many vegetable seeds are started in a soil medium and then placed in a sunny
window, as the Lawsons recommended. I'd suggest that you look up each type
of seed you are growing individually to see what its particular needs are.
When seeds are purchased in packets, you'll get the instructions on the back
of the packs. Since you're involved with Seed Savers, I'm wondering if you
are getting that amount of detail?

Happy growing!

~Catherine Hart
Program Director and
avid gardener
Greensburg GreenTown