Choosing Seeds
When you’re on the hunt for seeds this fall or next spring, there are a few things to consider when picking out seeds for your garden.
Black Coco Beans – An Heirloom Surprise
The Three Sisters garden is a Native American planting technique that consists of beans, corn and squash. The corn is planted first, and when it reaches 2 feet tall, pole beans are planted around the corn. The beans use the corn as a trellis to climb. Then squash (usually pumpkins) are planted around the base of the corn and beans to provide shade so the sun won't dry out the soil. It's been done for centuries... let's see how I can screw it up.
The corn part went well. It's the beans that ...
Tomato Tasting Party – Everybody Wins!
We have a tradition with a longtime friend in which we gather together, bringing our best tomatoes each season, to share in the bounty of the summer harvest. We slice them with care and taste each variety to determine our favorites. There is olive oil and salt, a little basil, and very good bread on hand. Each time we've done a tasting we have come away with a new favorite. This year was no exception.
We gathered in the garden with our contributions and began with show and tell. My husband and ...
Mar Vista’s Bounty Hunter: Almond Joys
The latest post of fabulous finds at the Mar Vista Farmers' Market is ready for your viewing pleasure. Find out the skinny on Fat Uncle Farms blistered almonds:
Going Nuts for Fat Uncle Farms
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Fruit Flies in the Kitchen
This week's Tip of the Week will look at a few techniques to keep fruit flies from taking over your fruit basket.
Culver City Garden Show Review
This past Saturday I wandered through the 58th Annual Culver City Garden Show. I had never been there before, and what a fun time it was. Gardenerds abounded with booths selling plants and plant-related items. Master Gardeners were present to answer gardening questions. The California Native Plant Society was on hand to talk about native plants and plant care. But my favorite part, of course, was the vegetable and fruit display.
There were contests for the best fruits and most obscure vegetables. This table below featured ...
Solar Flax Chips
We're constantly trying to replicate store-bought treats in the Gardenerd kitchen, and this week we successfully tackled raw flax chips/crackers. We did it all in the solar food dryer too - so the entire experiment was carbon neutral!
If you are looking for a substitute for potato chips or any other salty snack, you've got to try these flax chips. They are nutritious and delicious - it's hard to eat just one. Here's how we did it:
The Recipe - ...
Eclectic Meal Choices in Mar Vista
The weekly Farmers' Market wrap up is available for your perusal on the Gardenerd Blog. You'll get hungry just reading about all the options you have:
In the Market for a Meal?
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Fall Garden Planning
It’s August, which means that it’s time to start thinking about your fall garden. This week's Tip of the Week will give you tips to get you started!
Ask Gardenerd: When do I harvest my root crops?
A question came into Ask Gardenerd this week that I've been hearing for the past month or so. Seems like a good time to address it:
"When do you know when to pull out things that grow underground like radishes, green onions, even carrots? I'm either too early or too late. - Rochelle"
Well Rochelle, the answer is in your hands. More specifically, it's your index finger. When growing root crops, the foliage will put on a pretty show above ground, but the real magic is happening underground. In order ...