"Magic Dirt", what's the deal?

The foundation of every great garden no matter how big or small is the soil. And this is particularly true for organic gardening. For over 40 years, Earth Care Farm in Charlestown, RI has been producing high quality farm-made compost that gardeners and landscapers have come to rely upon to enrich their soil naturally. Their potting and bedding mixes are commonly referred to as "Magic Dirt" by fine gardeners and organic farmers across Rhode Island. But let's face it, Charlestown is a bit far for most of you to drive for your dirt. And that's why starting this year we will be offering it at the Roadside Stand. Need just a little bit? Then bring a bucket or two and fill them up! Let's get you that great compost to top dress your gardens or potting mix for containers and avoid the plastic bags that smaller quantities normally come in. Need a larger quantity? We can deliver right to your driveway locally, just message us for details. And this year, all of the native plants grown on site here at Prickly Ed's Cactus Patch will be grown in this magic dirt to give them an extra strong start!

Musings from the Cactus Patch

In the latest edition of Musings from the Cactus Patch, our Blog, we shared some inspirational video resources to help you dig in more on the subject of restoring habitat right in your own yard. These include an amazing talk by the one and only Dr. Doug Tallamy. Take a look and pass it along!

Rewilding 2022

In case you missed it on Facebook, here is a great list of tips from the fine folks at the Catskills Native Plant Nursery on how to start gardening with nature rather than against it this coming year.

Structure garden spaces using mowed paths instead of large blocks of lawn. The result will look and feel more natural while requiring less polluting lawn care.

Naturalize areas around tree trunks to function as shelter and habitat for small creatures and to protect the bark and tree roots that keep a tree healthy. You can either just let vegetation grow in and edit it or create a planned garden space.

Learn to spot invasive and undesirable plants and remove them before they go to seed for fewer weeds in your garden and in nature.

Make sure any outdoor lighting follows the guides lines of International Dark Skies in order not to interfere with the navigation of nocturnal animals. https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/wildlife/

Plant garden spaces densely so leaves shade the ground and you can eventually eliminate the task of mulching. Leaves offer better moisture retention and are healthier for soil than chipped wood when they break down.

Plant straight native species whenever possible and cultivars with proven nature value. Many cultivars are sterile and you need to research which ones to avoid. Some non-native plants still support pollinators, but you can’t just assume anything with a flower is beneficial.

Rake less overall so native bees, especially bumblebees, can safely nest in the ground and other small creatures can find leaf shelter when needed.

Aim to create a garden that works like an ecosystem. Observe the pocket environments of your property and chose plants that have evolved to want those conditions and thrive like they do in the nature.

Learn to co-exist with creatures like opossums, skunks, foxes, wasps, snakes and moles. These humble predators will handle many of your pest problems and you won’t need so many chemicals and traps, even some organic pest control methods can do harm.

Use plants to solve your landscape problems: high-water tables can be managed with plants that like “wet feet”, alpine and riparian plants can fix erosion problems; cool down your home with properly placed shade trees, buffer cold winter winds with evergreens and create privacy with biodiverse hedgerows.

All the above could be a topic unto itself, but this list is just meant to get you thinking about enhancing your garden for the coming year in a way that will enrich your interaction with the natural world and protect the wildlife we need to share it with.