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Habitat Stewardship Brochure Series
Do you recognize important wildlife habitat when you see it? UNH Cooperative Extension has a new brochure series to help landowners learn about and help conserve important wildlife habitats found on their land.
Upcoming Events & Workshops
Backyard Maple Sugaring - How to Make Your Own Maple Syrup!
February 20, 2010
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Land in Trust - Care & Feeding of Your Conservation Easement
2010 Monadnock Winter Conservation Series
•Care & Feeding of a Conservation Easement
February 18th
February 20th
March 20th
May 15th
For All Animal Species
Cheshire County
Cheshire County’s UNH Cooperative Extension office is part of a network of county, state and regional outreach education offices that bring the University of New Hampshire resources directly to the people who live and work in Cheshire County. The staff, along with more than 30 campus-based Extension specialists, provides county residents with research-based education and information, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions that improve their lives. Cheshire County Extension educators provide information education in: |
ANYONE CAN START A GARDEN!
Despite the many benefits they offer, starting a vegetable garden may seem like a daunting project. After all, there’s all that tilling, fertilizing, planting, and watering, right? While there’s no denying that a garden involves a lot of work, it really isn’t that difficult. The following provides some tips and ideas that will help make your garden a success.
Selecting a Site
More than anything else, a successful garden depends on putting it in the right spot. The ideal site for a garden would include a loose, well-drained loam soil with plenty of organic matter. Perfectly level ground isn’t absolutely necessary, but it decreases the chance of soil erosion and makes it a little easier to work. A garden needs to receive a minimum of six hours of full sun each day; and eight to ten hours are even better. Any buildings, trees, or shrubs that shade the garden limit the amount of sunlight your garden receives and will stunt plant growth.
Of course, many sites are less than ideal for one reason or another; just make the best of what you have available. If your property isn’t perfectly level or well-drained, stay away from steep slopes or low spots with frequent flooding. Building raised beds also helps to alleviate minor soil drainage issues. If you don’t get the minimum amount of required sunlight, see if you can remove some trees or prune away some branches to make things a little brighter. If soil fertility leaves something to be desired, work at improving it over the course of a few years.
Deciding What to Plant
Of all the benefits of raising a garden, one of the biggest is providing your family with fresh vegetables you all enjoy. Make a list of the vegetables you all like the most, and use it as the basis of your planting decisions. (full article)
Wednesday, February 17th topics to include:
Site Selection - Soil Preparation - Variety Selection - Starting Your Own Transplants
Wednesday, February 24th topics to include:
Pest Management - Food Preservation (including Canning & Freezing)
Questions Answered 1-877-EXT-GROW (1-877-398-4769) M-F, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM |
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“Working Together to Support Military Kids and their Families”
For more information about this program and ways to get involved, click here. |
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Home Energy
Helping You Put Knowledge and Research to Work in Cheshire County
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