Mrs. David's Garden Seeds®

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

This week, we are talking about organic fertilizers for the garden. This will help you prepare for spring planting now. The topic again is organic fertilizers for the garden. For years, David swore by the liquid fish fertilizer and the liquid seaweed fertilizer that you can get on Amazon. He has this hose attachment that holds the liquid fertilizer, sending out a little at a time with the hose water. It sort of smells like you are at the ocean. It works great, too. Then we moved out to Rossville and now, whenever he needs an organic fertilizer, David drives over to Hondo and goes into the Medina Fertilizer company and picks up several types that they offer.

As mentioned above, David's favorite organic fertilizer for the garden is any of the Medina products that are now out. He faithfully uses them all over our farm. No, this page is not sponsored by them. David just really likes their products. Here is some other fertilizer information on this website.

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden -  1/15-/21/2024

Monday, January 15, 2024

Well, good Monday morning to you! It is so cold and icy here, about 22° this fine morning. The roads are icy and the Martin Luther King march in San Antonio has been canceled. Matt spent the night with us because of the ice so he is here already working. I am still in my office, but I will be out doing orders momentarily. Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Nacho and his son are here working. They drove on the ice to get here...

The steps and decks are icy. Matt is sanding the place down so no one falls. We are open for business today so if you need seeds and eggs, come on by from 9am to 5pm. We had one customer who bought two dozen eggs. That was it. It was icy for quite a while because the temperature stayed in the 20s. It finally got up to 33° for a little while this afternoon. The ice melted but now it is 28° and getting colder. Hopefully, there will be no precipitation tonight.

It took me the entire day to fill and close orders. Of course, I did not fill them alone. I had help from our team members. I have two orders that we are waiting on a variety of cucumber but all the others are ready for the mailman. I have three bags of mail for our mailman when he comes tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who is ordering their spring seeds. We appreciate it so much.

The fish and animals are doing okay but it is just too cold out there for anyone to have to be out in it. On Wednesday, it will warm back up.

All of my zinnias are now brown. I am sure that everything else is dead as well.

We have an overabundance of eggs so I made eggs for breakfast and again for dinner tonight. We need to start eating a lot more of them because I have no place to put them. The fridge in the Farm Store is pretty full and I am out of space in my home fridge. When I have no eggs, everyone wants them. When I have 30 dozen, no one wants them. I guess it is funny.

Anyway, I am going to sit back and watch some Kojak. You all have a good night. Take care and keep warm.

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

Organic fertilizers for the garden can be difficult to choose because there are so many. There are about seven micro-nutrients essential to plant growth and health that are only needed in very small quantities. These are manganese, boron, copper, iron, chlorine, molybdenum, and zinc. Though these are present in only small quantities, they are all necessary.

Boron is believed to be involved in carbohydrate transport in plants; it also assists in metabolic regulation. Boron deficiency will often result in bud dieback.

Chlorine is necessary for osmosis and ionic balance; it also plays a role in photosynthesis.

Copper is a component of some enzymes and of vitamin A. Symptoms of copper deficiency include browning of leaf tips and chlorosis.

Iron is essential for chlorophyll synthesis, which is why an iron deficiency results in chlorosis.

Manganese activates some important enzymes involved in chlorophyll formation. Manganese deficient plants will develop chlorosis between the veins of its leaves. The availability of manganese is partially dependent on soil pH.

Molybdenum is essential to plant health. Molybdenum is used by plants to reduce nitrates into usable forms. Some plants use it for nitrogen fixation, thus it may need to be added to some soils before seeding legumes.

Zinc participates in chlorophyll formation, and also activates many enzymes. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include chlorosis and stunted growth.

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Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Good afternoon. I was too busy this morning to type on here. It was 18° and bitterly cold. It is now 1pm and it finally hit 32°. The pool has ice on top of it but the fish pond does not. Both of our people were late to work. The nearby town did not have water early this morning and Matt had a flat in the Walmart parking lot. Nacho was here working early.

Now it is 3pm and the temperature has jumped up to 36° Fahrenheit. Alexa says it will get down to 17° tomorrow morning so another freezing day. I hate how the forecast keeps changing.

We gave three bags filled with orders to the mailman so if you ordered seeds from us over this past long weekend, they are on their way to you. Happy planting and thank you!

Nacho and Seth took some time this morning to peel some of our luffas that were harvested. Then they shook the seeds out. Soon we will pack fresh luffas and fresh luffa seeds for purchase.

My beautiful summer zinnias are finally dead and gone and looking very brown. I don't think the butterflies will be messing with them anymore!

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

This page talks about using Advantages of Organic Fertilizers for the garden, mostly vegetables. These are fertilizers that provide nutrients to vegetable plants without using chemicals.

What are some examples of Organic Fertilizers? Try seaweed, fish emulsion, humates, molasses, bone meal, corn gluten meal, greensand, lava sand, epsom salt, compost, mulches, worm castings, chicken manure, gypsum, hydrogen peroxide, lime, minerals, and more.

Another of the Advantages of Organic Fertilizers is using seaweed. Seaweed is a saltwater plant, when grounded, will stimulate root growth and has over 60 trace minerals needed by plants. This organic fertilizer when combined with fish emulsion will make the best complete fertilizer for growing our plants.

Also, if you are on a farm and have a pond, that pond may have organic material growing in it. This can be harvested and added to the garden.

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Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Happy birthday to Benjamin Franklin, a very important person in American history. Of course, he is known for discovering electricity, making bifocals, and creating libraries. He is also the one who coined the phrase, "a penny saved is a penny earned." Back then, there wasn't the inflation problem that we have today. If you happen to have any $100 bills lying around, take a look at them. That is Benjamin Franklin.

Benjamin Franklin helped to draft the Declaration Of Independence and, of course, he is one of the signers. He wrote Poor Richard's Almanac and also drafted the Constitution of the United States of America. He was the first Postmaster General. There is a lot more that he did but that is all we will get into today. Feel free to Google him and find out more.

It is 9° Fahrenheit! How? Today was supposed to be warm but it is the coldest day so far. At least the wind has finally stopped blowing so that is good. Tomorrow it is supposed to get up to 71° so we will see.

I have been busy adding this statement:

"In rare cases there may be some substitutions of one or more seed varieties depending on availability."

to all of our seed collections. Why? Because sometimes we run out of a variety and we have to add something else so we can continue to provide you with seed collections. This saves you money and everyone loves our seed collections. If you would like to see them, here is the link.

Well, it is now 9am and 25° Fahrenheit. It is warming up fast but should only reach 47°. Some halfwit on Facebook put out a statement that 25° is better than 100°. Obviously, this person does not have animals outside in the freezing cold and she probably does not know what it is to be cold where we unprepared for the cold. I unfriended her. I do not need that much stupidity in my life. A lot of homes and businesses do not have central heat and air conditioning so they are not prepared for the cold. They don't have it because it costs thousands of dollars and they cannot afford it. Even the local schools do not have it so ignorant people should not be saying stupid things.

Outside feels like the arctic tundra. My poor fish have not eaten in days. They stay at the very bottom of the pond. There is no ice there because the waterfall is continuously moving the water but our pool is all icy.

Our chickens and rabbits are warm because we have blocked out the wind but I have a feeling they would like it to be a bit warmer outside. Their water keeps freezing so we have to go out and de-ice it. The roads are fine now because there has not been any new precipitation.

On to filling orders for today.

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

Earthworm castings are also another great addition to organic fertilizers for the garden. Some people will grow earthworms just to get these castings. However, I prefer to put my earthworms in the garden. This way they make castings but also break up my soil.

In the areas where I have put the earthworms, my soil is not compacted and seems to be very fertile.

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Thursday, January 18, 2024

Good morning. It is 29° Fahrenheit. Now, instead of 71°, it should get up to 69° but at least it did not get down to 24° like the forecast had called for. David has left to go have fasting blood work done. I can't seem to find Ethel anywhere but Pamela and Sue Ellen are on high alert, patrolling the house because they know Matt is here. I believe Ethel is with him.

I am working on the website and watching Ozzie and Harriet at 6:15am. That sure was a good show. I wish life were still so simple.

I just whipped up a breakfast casserole and put it in the oven. Hopefully, it will come out good and be done by the time David gets back. My guess is that he will eat breakfast in Pleasanton and do some grocery shopping at Walmart but if he is still hungry, I will have something for him.

David got back with some groceries. We spent the day working. I filled a lot of orders. Nacho and his son were here again mowing the property this time. Encino Pest Control came by for their monthly service. Our teen helpers are sick again. We have not seen them here since before Christmas.

It warmed up this afternoon to 71°. It felt great. I cleaned and refilled the pond. The fish were swimming around having a good time. We had no customers visit today which I thought was strange. The weather was beautiful so I thought we would have a bunch of gardeners come out this afternoon.

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

Organic Gardening is using only animal or vegetable fertilizers rather than man-made chemicals. It also means natural pest control instead of industrial insecticides.

Using organic fertilizers for the garden is a theology that stresses increasing the natural health of the soil, choosing appropriate plants that are suited to your area, and working with nature to produce a healthy and productive garden.

Advantages of Organic Fertilizers is they are approved by the WSDA which stands for Washington State Department of Agriculture Organic Program.

The mission of the WSDA is to protect consumers and support the organic food industry by ensuring the integrity of organic food products through establishing organic standards and certifying organic producers, processors, and handlers.

The WSDA's Organic Food Program has put together reference material to assist applicants with the organic certification process.

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Friday, January 19, 2024

Hello! It is 6:45pm and I have not had time the entire day until now to sit down and talk about the day. It was cold this morning and very windy. The chill lasted all day long and now it is cold again. It started out in the low 40s and got up into the 50s. In the morning, it will be 28°. I am not looking forward to that at all!

Nacho and Seth were here working all day. They just left. Matthew is about to leave as well. I took Ethel out back to go potty just before it got dark. I noticed my greenhouse door was wide open. I went in and found everything pretty dry so I watered everything. I have not watered since before we left for the Tomato Conference last week. Ooops...Someone else usually waters for me but he is no longer here.

I filled orders most of the day. Every little while, customers would come to buy seeds in the cold wind. Now, yesterday when it was warm and beautiful in the afternoon, no one came but here it is so chilly and they all came out. Of course, we are always glad to see customers but it is funny to see when they do and do not show up.

We will be open tomorrow from 10am to 2pm so come by and get some seeds for spring as well as eggs. My chickens are laying plenty so come get yourself a few dozen and make a big breakfast on Sunday morning. I think I will make a German pancake. Follow my recipe and make one, too. They are simply delicious.

Nacho discovered a whole bunch of busted water lines out in the orchard. The cold temperatures broke them just like every other winter that we have been out here.

My fish had a great day, moving around and eating their food. Now in the morning, they will stay at the bottom again, not eating. I just hate that.

I have to go clean up the kitchen. I made a roast this afternoon for tonight. In fact, it was about 3:15pm or so when I came into the house to put it in the oven. I got it all ready and the oven was heated when I got a text from David that a customer was here. I put the roast and vegetables and sweet potatoes into the oven and set the timer for two hours.

I went out to the Farm Store and one of my friends was there. We had a good visit. She was getting a birthday gift for a family member. David came in, not knowing who it was. He joined in for a short while and left. By the time she started to drive off, the closed gate stopped here. I had no idea it was already 5pm!

The roast was good. Everyone, bundle up and stay warm. South Texas was not made for this very cold weather. Have a great night!

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

The following are Gardening Organic Fertilizers that Vegetable Garden Made Easier would like to recommend:

Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizer 2-4-1 Organic. It is OMRI approved, high phosphorus transplant solution.

Manufactured using a cold hydrolysis process, this liquid fish fertilizer with high phosphorus (the middle number in the analysis) helps to reduce transplant shock and to promote vigorous growth.

Neptune's Harvest Organic Fish Fertilizer gives you fish hydrolysate which ensure a complete fertilization program.

Growers who use fish fertilizer on a regular basis have reported increased marketable yields and improved shelf life on fruits and vegetables. Organic Fish Fertilizers are known to build the natural sugar in plants. Flowers and foliage will be stronger and more colorful. Blooms will be more plentiful, fragrant and longer lasting.

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Saturday, January 20, 2024

Good morning. It is a very cold 28° outside. I had to take Ethel out to go potty. I do not want to go back out and feed the animals. Our store will open at 10am today. We will close at 2pm. Yes, I still have plenty of eggs. Yes, we have all of your favorite spring seeds.

I went out to Fulfillment early to start filling orders. I went over to the Farm Store and opened it. I made a pot of pecan coffee. About an hour or so later, we had our first customer. We had four good sales today. One man came who said he needed 100 Tycoon Seeds. Right now, our Tycoon seeds are limited. We have 19 packs left and that is it. They are a hybrid tomato that is made in Israel. The Tycoon was the 2011 San Antonio Rodeo tomato so it is a big deal. It is a nice tomato with good flavor. It is disease resistant as well as heat resistant. For a few years, the guy who makes them stopped. Then he started again so we have been selling it as often as it is available.

When the war in Israel started, we had plenty and it did not occur to David to order more. Now no one can get any and all of the seed companies have very few left. When they are out, that is it until the war is over.

Back to the customer, right now, our Tycoons are $6.95 a pack for 25 seeds. He told me that was too much and he found them cheaper elsewhere. I said that is good. He then asked for Early Girl, another hybrid tomato. They are $5.95 a pack for 25 seeds. Hybrids cost more because the person making the hybrids charges more money than heirloom seeds cost.

The customer told me that was too much. Then he asked how much my eggs are. I told him $4 a dozen while my competitors in the area are charging $5, $6, even $7 a dozen. Of course, they were too much. He said he might be back next week for the Tycoon and Early Girl. He left. I walked out after him, telling him to have a good afternoon. He then stopped and asked me if "they" are hiring. Are you kidding me? No, we are not hiring, nor would we hire someone with such an awful attitude. He was not friendly at all during the whole exchange. He did not smile. He did not thank me for the information. He was gruff and seemed angry that we would dare to charge money for our seeds and eggs.

We are in business to make money. This is our bread and butter. We do not have any other income. Just like the bigger seed companies, we sell seeds to earn a living. We are not making money with the eggs. It costs a lot to feed 54 chickens good feed and the egg cartons, stickers, and ink that we are required to put on the cartons all cost money. The hybrid seeds cost us a lot so we have to charge more than we pay just to break even.

Because we are a small company, some people think they can barter on the cost of a pack of seeds. Do you do that at Walmart? No, you don't. So don't do it to small businesses either. We are not greedy people. We work hard seven days a week anywhere from ten to twelve hours a day, sometimes more. That is what it takes to succeed as a small business.

Anyway, three people had cups of coffee but not one person bought a bag so I am not sure it is a good idea. I know that soon we will have a lot of spring customers and some will buy it. Today was all about buying seeds for spring, mostly vegetable seeds.

I ended up pulling orders all afternoon and then made pork chops and fixings for our Saturday night movie. Svengoolie was a replay so we watched Expendables 4. It was good but there was a lot of blood. The explosions were fun. David and Matt enjoyed it.

More On The Tycoon Tomato

Let's talk some more about the Tycoon. I went to some of the big seed companies that everyone thinks of and none of them has any Tycoon tomato seeds.

I found a lesser known seed company who has 10 seeds for $3.50. We sell 25 for $6.95. So this other seed company would be charging $8.75 for 25 Tycoon seeds. Another lesser known company is selling 10 for $2.79. So that would be 25 seeds for $6.98. There are some sellers out there who are not seed companies but individuals selling seeds on different platforms like Etsy and Amazon who claim they have Tycoon seeds. They are selling them ridiculously cheap so that tells us they are not Tycoon seeds because they are selling them cheaper than what it cost us to purchase them. In other words, if they are the real deal, these guys are losing money with every seed they sell.

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

As you read product labels you may come across these initials: OMRI. One of the advantages  of using Organic Fertilizers for the garden is they have been review by the OMRI.

OMRI stands for Organic Materials Review Institute.

OMRI provides organic certifiers, growers, manufacturers, and suppliers an independent review of products intended for use in certified organic production, handling, and processing.

OMRI is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. When companies apply, OMRI reviews their products against the National Organic Standards.

Advantages of Organic Fertilizers are they are OMRI Listed® and appear on the OMRI Products List. OMRI also provides subscribers and certifiers guidance on the acceptability of various material inputs in general under the National Organic Program.

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Sunday, January 21, 2024

Good Sunday morning. It is not yet raining but it is cold. It was 38° when I woke up. It is now 8am and 41°. I took Ethel out and it feels bad, but not half as bad as yesterday morning. It is supposed to rain for days. Usually, when the forecast calls for rain, we barely get any. We will see.

It is now 9am and it is 40°. I was hoping it would have warmed a bit. I have to go out now and feed the animals.

I went out to feed the fish and all went well. The pond looks so clear. The fish are at the very bottom because it is so cold.

I went out back. All of the chickens are fine. I scrubbed out one of the water buckets. My hands ached from the cold. Then I went to the bunny cage. We thought our male rabbit was shooting blanks all this time until this morning. There was one dead baby with one female. I looked around and on the floor. One dead baby. It was just too cold. None of our rabbits has ever had just one before. I was so sad.

We went to church and then had sandwiches for lunch. I boiled eggs to make deviled eggs. I finally got them peeled and that is as far as it got. My back was hurting so I went in the den, sat down, and promptly fell asleep. I got up at 4:30pm to tend to all of the animals and lock up. It was still just 40° so going outside was just as painful as it was this morning. It is still rainy.

On the good side of things, I just checked on new orders and there are a lot! Thank you to all of you who are ordering seeds for spring!

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Organic Fertilizers For The Garden

Seaweed/Kelp has a low NPK = 0-0-1. However, just like the fish products and all other natural fertilizers, there are more insoluble NPK nutrients and other trace elements in the product than meets the eyes.

There may be up to 1-3% total N, 1-2% total insoluble P, 3-5% total insoluble K in seaweed products. The real benefit of seaweed is not in its NPK amounts but it can contain 60 trace elements, many growth hormones, and disease control properties in it! Basically every nutrient that any surface plant can ever need!

Advantages of Organic Fertilizers is that seaweed products are mixed with high N products like fish, you have an excellent complete natural fertilizer and soil amendment that will supply every NPK and trace element need of the soil and plant.

Seaweed and other algae plants are some of the most powerful plants in the ocean. Seaweed is also an excellent food source for beneficial fungi in the soil. Advantages of Organic Fertilizers is using SeaCom-PGR Seaweed Concentrate 0-4-4.

Sea-Plus is a highly concentrated seaweed product for the health of your plants.

Provides micro-nutrients and hormones that stimulate growth, increase plant flowering and fruiting, and increase disease tolerance.

Apply by sprinkling on soil or spraying. Key times for application are seed sowing, transplant, bud set, and flowering.

Helps germination of difficult seeds like some perennial herbs and flowers.

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Return from Organic Fertilizers For The Garden to Year Five On The Farm

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