Organic Gardening Never Changes
Gardening in the ‘Good Old Days’.
I have just been reading about gardeners in the 18th and 19th centuries, and I have been quite amazed at the similarity of the problems that gardener’s face today.
Organic gardening was alive and well in those days, as I outline in my soon to be released ebook “How To Master Organic Gardening.”
Although, I think,the double purpose of a garden has been …
The Gen Y Gardener?
According to a recent talk I attended, there have been 7 million new gardeners entering our ranks this year. In a few years, Generation Y (people born between 1977 and 2000) will comprise 47% of the work force. (We are somewhere much lower than that now. I can’t find my notes.) If you listen to the mainstream media, we are portrayed as entitled, philanthropic, in want of instant gratification, constantly asking “Why?” skeptical of authority, …
Earth Day Eating: “Food Matters”
If you regularly read this blog, you know I’m a bookworm. So, in honor of upcoming Earth Day, and (GASP!) my Birthday, I’m reviewing the great new book by Mark Bittman Food Matters. I heard Mark interviewed on NPR right …
Tips for Organic Gardening Newbies
On twitter this morning, one of the people I “follow” said something intriguing about the push for a Victory Garden on the White House lawn. He said that he was worried that the current initiative for Victory Gardens 2.0 will end up causing lots of problems with herbicide/pesticide and fertilizer overuse because people don’t undertsand organic gardening, or even, well, gardening! I hadn’t really thought about …
Vegetable recap 2009
If you read my blog posts early in the spring (around March/April), you saw that I was SUPER EXCITED to have my own vegetable garden again. My husband and I embarked on a gigantic re-purposing of our back landscape beds for vegetables. We put in edging, compost, and tons of veggie seeds. We moved …
Plant Spotlight: Ornamental Kale
Kale is both a great ornamental annual and a tasty, healthy vegetable. As part of the Cole family (along with cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts), Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Kale can be grown in the late fall or late spring. Now is a perfect time to …
Plant spotlight: Spinach!
He’s strong to the finich ’cause he eats his spinach, he’s Popeye the sailor man!
Nutritional benefits
Good Source of: vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), tryptophan, dietary fiber, copper, vitamin B1 (thiamin), protein, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E, omega 3 fatty …
Planning for the Fall Garden
Planting, growing and harvesting does not have to end with the summer! There are a number of crops that can be planted in August. Because of short growing seasons, or tolerance for frost and cold temperatures, these crops will thrive and reward you late into the fall, even into the early winter after the first light snowfalls. In order for this to be successful, it is time now to begin planning for the fall garden.
Fall …
Beets! Pickle, Can, Roast, Make into Borscht
Beets are one of the most nutritious vegetables you can grow. They are also versatile, sweet, and an excellent spring or fall cool weather crop. Now is the time to start thinking about planting beets for the fall.
Swiss chard (a plant that we highlighted earlier this year) is a relative of the beet. However, you eat the leaves of Swiss chard, and the roots …
Spotlight on Swiss Chard
A lot of people are scared of Swiss chard. A member of the beet family, Swiss chard is kind of like the beet without the beet. You can put baby chard leaves in salads, but normally when you buy or pick chard, it is …
