By Tamara Galbraith

Ok, let's get the nasty bit out of the way right now: "castings" is just a nice word for, um, poop. So when we talk about earthworm castings, it's actually the stuff that comes out of the business end of a worm.

That's the bad news. The good news is that earthworm castings are an invaluable tool in maintaining an organic garden, especially for you veggie gardeners out there.

Castings are simply one of the best fertilizers you can use, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, you can use as much as you like, and earthworm castings will not burn your plants. For another, castings contain nutrients that are more easily absorbed by plants. Mixing them into the soil will help with moisture retention too.

And buying a bag of castings isn't anything like, say, lugging home a sack of cow manure. Castings don't smell, and the medium is light and fluffy to the touch. You can use them by themselves as a soil supplement. We also carry soil amendments, planting mixes and potting mixes that contain worm castings.

You'll quickly get over any "ewww" factor when you see how much your plants love the gift earthworms leave behind.

Vegetable gardens are so satisfying and rewarding. Consider what your very favorite vegetables, fruits or herbs are, and then imagine how exciting it would be to just step out the door of your home to harvest them fresh for your meals of the day! Not only is this instant satisfaction, but you'll enjoy the very best flavors—nothing bought in the supermarket can compare. As an added plus, you can proudly announce to guests, "Oh yes, these were from my garden."

Follow these steps. It's simple.

1. Pick a sunny location, free of grass (or "free it" from the grass!):
Some veggies can tolerate shade. Try garlic, onions, chives, basil, and broccoli in shady areas.

2. In-Ground or Raised Bed:
Decide whether you will be planting in the ground or in a raised bed. Obviously, if you pick the raised bed, there will be additional preparation if the boxes haven't been made yet.

3. Soil preparation:
Determine whether your soil is predominantly sand or clay. If you are lucky, it will be a nice loam, but don't count on that. Chances are, your soil isn't a loam. You will want to supplement the native soil with a composting product, such as Worm Gold Plus, together with a good planting mix, like Kellogg Amend. Roto-till or good old-fashioned shovel in these amendments and level out the soil.

4. Design for Access and Convenience:
Depending on the size of your vegetable garden, you will need to consider how to access it for feeding, weeding, and harvesting. Perhaps it is narrow (up to 3 feet), in which case, you can reach from the garden bed edge without a problem for these chores. If your garden is wider than this, plan a way to access your plants without trampling them and compacting your soil around the plants. This may mean a stepping stone path through the middle, or small paths to otherwise unreachable plants.

5. Plant selection:
Plant selection ties into #6 below. Presumably you've already got an idea of what you want to grow. Think about your vegetable garden's ultimate size, shape and support needs when designing plant placement. Tomatoes and pole green beans need support structures. They should be placed more toward the back of your garden, so they don't shade your smaller/shorter vegetables and herbs. Carefully consider the ultimate plant size for space considerations. They are little when planting, but some veggies get very large. They'll need the space and airflow.

6. Companion Planting--the technique of combining two plants for a particular purpose:
Books have been written on this very topic, and we cannot begin to cover all the issues in this one article. But we think that you’re getting the idea. There are many things to consider when starting your vegetable garden this season. Companion planting is an important one.

7. Fertilize:
You have choices here: regular chemical fertilizer (liquid or slow-release) or organic fertilizer like like Whitney Farms Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer. Remember when choosing fertilizers that you are ultimately planning to eat these vegetables.

8. Pest Management--get your pinching fingers ready, or your garden hose:
Again, remember that you plan to eat these vegetables, so your choices on pest control are limited. Also, you need insect pollinators for fruit/vegetable production, so bees and other pollinators are important for your vegetable garden. If you must spray the pest insects, Monterey Safe T Side a year-round spray oil is a safe remedy. You should pick a time of day with minimal bee activity and carefully follow the product instructions.

9. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch--for weed control and good moisture retention:
Throughout the growing season, water and periodically fertilize; keep weeds down to eliminate plant space competition. Have fun watching your vegetables and herbs grow. If you do grow any vegetables from the legume family, such as green beans, these plants add nitrogen back to the soil. What a plus! At the end of the season, instead of ripping the plants up, roots and all, leave the roots behind. It's good for your soil!

Southern indicas are sun-loving azaleas, developed here in the USA from the original indicas. They are hardy and contain an enormous selection of hybrids in many sizes, shapes, and flower colors. These azaleas are among the more vigorous, hardier, and faster growing of the azaleas. Plant them in masses or as individual specimens.

We have a large collection of the Southern indicas or 'Sun azaleas.' Click here to see a sample of their beautiful blossom colors. Below is a partial list of the Southern indicas that we have available:

White: Alaska, Flanders White, and GG Gerbing.

Pink: Duc De Rohan, Formosa, George Tabor, Pink Lace, Iveryana, Reverie, and Southern Charm.

Red: Pride of Dorking and Red Bird.

We have a wide variety of plants that will complement your Southern indicas if you wish to create a garden that features azaleas. Also consider adding a tree or two to the sunny side of your garden. The Redbud, Agonis (Peppermint Willow) and Bauhinia are excellent smaller scale trees for the sunny side of a garden with limited space. Whatever your preferences, Southern indicas are a wonderful addition to your garden.

Perhaps your garden has both sun and shade areas. No reason for an overall azalea theme to end at the edge of the sun. Ask us about our Belgian indicas, the shade-loving azaleas. We’ll help you to combine flower colors and plant growth to create an azalea garden that's perfect for you.

Belgian indicas are shade-loving azaleas originally designed for greenhouse sales, not garden shrubs. Their popularity in our homes spread into our gardens, and today there are varieties that are excellent for landscape planting - known for their lush, thick foliage. In late winter through spring, these azaleas are covered with beautiful semi-double or double blossoms.

We have many varieties of Belgian indicas. Click here to see a sample of their beautiful blossom colors. Below is a partial list of what we have available:

White : California Snow, White Gish, Madonna, and Snow.

Pink to Salmon : California Sunset, Cha Cha, Coral Bells, Caprice, Flamingo, Gloria Ruth, Happy days, Bobbink, Rose Queen, and Rose Bud.

Reds: Hino Crimson, Chimes, Prize, and Sherwood Red.

Shade gardens with these azaleas can be simply magnificent. We offer a wide variety of companion plants to your Belgian indicas that will allow you to create a wonderful shade garden – in the form of a formal garden, casual garden or woodland garden, depending on your plant selections and design.

Consider having several trees in your garden as well. For example, the Japanese maple, a small-scale tree for a limited size garden, will love the shade and bring beauty throughout the year. And whatever your style, Belgian indicas are a wonderful addition to your shade garden.