Garden Maiden
nurturing, keeping and tending to our Good Earth
GARDENING RESOURCES & USEFUL LINKS
"And when your back stops aching and your hands begin to harden...You will find yourself a partner in the Glory of the Garden." ~ Rudyard Kipling
Old Farmer's Almanac is a great place to get your gardening started. There is a ton of useful information including planting times in your zone.
Choosing the seeds you put in the ground is part of the excitement of planning your garden. I am particular about the seeds I choose because I want to be sure my seeds are non-GMO and heirloom as much as possible. I primarliy buy my seeds from High Mowing Seeds. Here is a great list of organic and heirloom seed suppliers from Organic Gardening, too.
My main resource for what to grow and how to maintain my garden in Illinois is the University of Illinois Extenstion Horticulture site. U of I is my alma mater and the research and tools on this site reflect the excellence in research and application of this fine institution. (yes, I am biased, it's my alma mater!)
"Not every soil can bear all things." ~ Virgil
LOCAL RESOURCES
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REDBUD CREEK FARM:: A favorite trusted site for seedlings that are organically grown and every landscaping plant you can imagine!
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GARDEN's GATE LANDSCAPING:: Located in Ottawa, this is a great resource for mushroom compost, garden decor and live plants from their massive greenhouse. While much of what they grow is not organic, it's an incredible selection for non-edibles to add to the butterfly garden!
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DIRT AND DUTY COMMUNITY MARKET GARDEN:: This is my own pet project where we create a community garden in Grand Ridge and teach families how to grow their own food. Participants learn start to finish gardening from seed starting to harvest and market viability. Year long garden playshops teach the community the benefit of growing food organically. The garden plot also hosts a garden therapy club that is open to the public. Proceeds from the market stand benefit Veterans and their families.