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Essential Garden Edibles
After nearly 15 years of growing food, I have settled into my garden and learned the local climate, built up my soil, and developed planting rhythms, growth expectations, and a list of essential garden edibles that work best for my garden and household. These 13 fruits, veggies, and herbs have become my essentials because of their flavor, versatility and/or preservability: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, okra, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions, basil, dill, and cilantro. What should go on the list? While I grow tons of different things, these emerged as the foods that I look forward to eating, that I enjoy growing, and that I can combine easily…
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All the Crispy Plants
I just sat down to share pictures of the fall fire-pit garden and heard a loud buzzing coming from behind my head. I took off my sweater and then shook out my hair, and an angry bee flew out and into the overhead light. I turned off all the lights, opened the backdoor and eventually guided it to freedom. Most days I would have to agree with her that my hair looks like a bee’s nest. I can’t blame her for the mistake. Ironweed I’ve been snatching up crispy plants for major discounts – typically 75% off. Please, give me all the slightly crispy plants this time of year! At…
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Signs your soil is healthy
Last summer when we dug up a new area for the vegetable garden, I decided to quit using pesticides on my vegetables. I had never used them heavily, but as I read about the potential damage to bees and nematodes, I couldn’t see how hurting the things that pollinate the plants and the things that nourish the soil had any real benefit. I’ve also switched to mainly organic sources of nutrients as opposed to conventional chemical fertilizers. Composted manure and yard waste release nutrients over a longer period of time, decreasing the chance of burning up the soil. We also added a French tile drain to help with the wet,…
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A New Course!
It’s funny how when I plug in to something I really enjoy or have a passion about, going to work is something I look forward to. Granted my version of going to work is sitting down on the red couch and opening my laptop, but it is work nonetheless. My education is in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. As a girl who grew up playing in creeks and streams, it only makes sense that I’d eventually pursue my advanced degree in the same. Truth is, I love water. My day is never complete without soaking in the tub, and in the summer without either taking the boys to the public pool…
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So you missed out on summer gardening…
If you missed out on gardening this summer, don’t sweat it. It was hot – very hot – and the mosquitoes are still biting. However, now you have two options. You can either go ahead and plant some fall crops, or you can skip that all together and begin to prepare your soil for the spring. If you are starting a new in-ground garden (not a raised bed), I suggest you wait to plant. Because our garden was brand-spankin-new this past spring, the soil was lousy. We didn’t have the benefit of fall tillage, mulching and composting and the winter rest, so the soil was not very forgiving. We harvested…
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Drainage – My garden Cesspool Part Two
Living in the city on 1/3 an acre of land in clay country, finding the ideal spot for a vegetable can be problematic at best. When we moved to our house back in 2007, our lot was covered in pines. Over the past three summers, our garden has been relocated and rebuilt no less than three times. Finally, this summer was THE summer when my gardening stars were to align. We’d removed 19 pines from our yard (don’t worry, there are still plenty of trees left) and we moved the garden to the south side of the house where sunlight abounds. The topsoil appeared rich, and we dug right in.…
