Ask Gardenerd: Are Grasshoppers Bad?
We love it when people ask about bugs before killing them. Better safe than sorry. You may be killing a beneficial insect, so please ask before taking action. Like Dora here: "Are grasshoppers bad for my garden? If so how can I get rid of [them] naturally?" Dora, we used to let grasshoppers wander the garden thinking they were good, until they eat one of our hibiscus plants down to a stick. Then they attacked our lemon tree and ate…
Field Trip: Heirloom Expo Seed Swap
This will be my last post about the 2015 Heirloom Expo, but it's one that couldn't be left out. Every year the Heirloom Expo hosts a seed swap for those who have been saving seeds throughout the year. They bring their seeds to swap with other gardeners, hoping to find interesting varieties to take home and try this year. It's mayhem. It's wonderful. It's worth writing about. Baker Creek not only hosts the seed swap, but they hand out bargaining…
Water Where it Counts with Ollas
Learn how to use ollas for watering plants
Heirloom Expo Wrap Up – All About Seeds
The 2015 Heirloom Expo was another huge success. I had the pleasure of giving a talk to a full house about Growing Food in the Drought. The rest of the time I was wandering amidst the beauty, sampling wholesome food, listening to top-notch bluegrass music, and meeting some of our fearless leaders in the movement toward seed freedom. Please allow me to gloat for a moment. Being a speaker (and having a blog) affords one the opportunity to chat with…
Harvesting Jerusalem Artichokes
It's been 9 months since we planted the three Jerusalem Artichokes that had sprouted in the fridge. Now the plant has dried up and it's time to harvest. Most guide books tell you not to harvest until after frost, but here in Southern California things are different (heck, we planted in December, so that should tell you something). The flowers on our massive sunchoke stalk are long gone and the leaves and stems are crispy brown. The biodegradable pot has…
Watering Trees in the Drought
Do not forget to water your trees during the drought
Wordless Wednesday: Heirloom Expo 2015
It's hard to keep the beauty of the Heirloom Expo to oneself. Enjoy a few images for the week: Stay tuned for more from the Heirloom Expo!
Field Trip: Quachuu Aloom Farmers in L.A.
The Seed Library of Los Angeles recently hosted a dinner with visiting Qachuu Aloom Farmers as they journey up to the Heirloom Expo this coming week. David King at the Learning Garden (home of SLOLA meetings) invited me to attend, and learn about how these native Guatemalan farmers harvest and save seeds for amaranth and other crops. We got more than we bargained for during this dinner event. Not only did we eat well, but we learned tricks for how…