Thinking Of Getting Chickens This Spring? Here's A Round-Up
Yesterday I went to the chicken coop and came back with a dozen eggs. I really like keeping chickens. Are you thinking of getting chickens this spring? Here’s a round-up …
Gardening
Sweet-Smelling Flowers For The Garden
Between the herb garden and vegetable boxes and chicken coop, my yard is pretty utilitarian looking. This year, I’m going to put in some flower beds and shrubs to make …
Growing Cover Crops On Raised Beds
That is one of my garden beds. The plants your see are my cover crop, also called “green manure.” Cover crops are plants that are grown over the winter to …
Lessons From My 2014 Garden
As my 2014 summer garden is winding down. It was a strange year. The plants I normally get a lot of produce from didn’t do well, while plants I’ve never …
My Grocery Store Onions
Last spring, I bought some red pearl onions to use in a stew. I didn’t use all of them, and they started to sprout. Naturally, I put them in the …
How To Get Rid Of Cabbage Worms
[Planet Natural] Fall is the time to plant brassicas. This is the mustard family of plants. It includes cabbage, turnips, kale, mustard, radish, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli (among others). …
Ananas D'Amerique A Chair Verte Melon
One of the nicest surprises in my garden this year was the Ananas D’Amerique A Chair Verte Melon. I don’t know why it has such a crazy name. I planted …
My 2014 Fall Garden
Can you believe August is half over? I’m busy harvesting. This is today’s haul: kale, tomatoes, four different types of green beans, three different types of peppers, corn, lemons, oranges, …
Magical Compost Tea
You may be asking yourself why I am posting a bucket of muddy water on my blog. Ah, but that’s not mud, that’s compost tea. I’ve written about the magic …
Grow Your Own Hops
Three years ago, a friend gave us two Cascade hops plants. Since we make our own beer, I put them in the ground to see what they would do. Two …
How I Grow Lettuce
For years, I had trouble growing lettuce. My California climate meant the lettuce tended to bolt–i.e. form flowers–before I had a chance to harvest it. Either that, or I just …