Articles and Tips October, 2008
Halloween Gardening Pun (and fun!)
Tomorrow is Halloween! Yay! Chris and I are both major fans of Halloween. For some last-minute inspiration, pop on over to his nifty Halloween website! Halloween is a fun time for gardeners. After all, pumpkins are the star of the show! We did a big post on pumpkins a few weeks back. For fun on Halloween night, make Pumpkin Brains …
Fall Color in the Garden
Fall color is at peak in some areas and passed in others. To leaf-peepers at home and on vacation, the fiery red of sugar maples, purples of sweet gums and brilliant yellows of birches is a beautiful mystery. It doesn’t have to be so. Here is an easy primer on fall color.
You Look Lovely in Red
Most of …
Is Everything Organic also “Safe?”
As a horticulturist that spent years in school and countless (boring but useful) hours in pesticide training, I am always wary of people that give all organics a blanket approval. To be a true organic gardener, there are some things you need to know about organic gardening. One of the best reference …
Native Plants in Your Organic Garden
Image by HillowakWhat are native plants? Why is everybody so hung up on planting them in their gardens? Are native plants necessary inclusions in an organic garden? Are the words “organic” and “native” interchangeable?
What are “Native Plants?”
The definition of “native plant” is different for every gardener. The definition can be as broad as “a …
Growing Greens in the Cold
Our last post got everyone ready for some yummy greens! Now, for the tastiest greens, you need to grow them yourself. Here are some tips to do just that!
Cold Frames
Garden with a cold frame and you can harvest vegetables all year round–even in the coldest of locations. Cold frames have been used in one …
Great Organic Greens!
Cooler weather means greens! As your grocery store prices rise, and “fresh” produce comes from Chile, you can grow some of your own to offset the cost and have tastier, more nutritious food on your dinner plate. Below, a portrait of greens, their nutritional values, recipes and how to grow them.
K K K Kale!
Kale is one of my all-time favorite greens. (Just ask …
Cold Weather Composting
Image by liketearsintherainAnimals and microorganisms that break down organic matter into compost rely heavily on temperature to help them. Heat acts as a catalyst, speeding up the composting process. Composting does not stop as the weather cools down, but there are some things you can do to make composting more successful in the cold.
Tips for Composting …
Don’t Let the Frost Hit the Pumpkin
It’s October which means one thing: Halloween! The entire month leads up to one ghoulish, scary and fun holiday! Halloween just wouldn’t be Halloween without pumpkins. Jack o lanterns, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and more await trick or treaters when they arrive home lugging bags of candy. There are lots of myths about growing and harvesting …
Planning a Habitat Garden: North and South
The problem about giving gardening advice on a website that is not region-specific, is that every piece of advice has to be replicated in duplicate or triplicate for it to be useful. That is just fine! Repeating the same advice for three or four climate zones will help with our “Natural Search.” (Ha ha! Another pun! I am bad with the …
