An article that I wrote for Low Impact Living.com has surfaced on a great health and wellness blog recently. Nature in Us focuses on all aspects of self-care and green living. Check out the article and the blog:
http://www.thenatureinus.com/2009/03/vegetable-gardening-this-is-year.html
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Got some exciting news today. It's official, the White House is going to install a vegetable garden on March 20th, the first day of spring!
For those who have been following the push to get the Obamas to plant a victory garden, www.eattheview.org has been a major influence in making this happen, along with Alice Waters and many others. Petitions were signed, letters were sent, and the new administration listened. Here is the article from the New York Times today:
Obamas Prepare to Plant White House Vegetable Garden
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When planning out your garden this spring, don't forget about the soil. Learn how to use this handy amendment to boost yield in the garden.
The questions have really been coming in lately. Here's one selected for this week's post:
"How do I control white flies? I tried using bugs that would eat them,
but they arrived in the mail dead. Is there anything else I can do? All of my plants died last summer and we had clouds of white flies all over
the place."
Such a bummer about those white fly predators showing up dead. Take solace in knowing that you are not alone. Others have suffered the curse of the white fly. In fact, you might even check out a previous blog entry about ...
Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse and the Edible Schoolyard Program, was interviewed on 60 minutes Sunday night. Not only is she the poster child for the Slow Food Movement, but she is also joining in on the bandwagon to get a garden planted at the White House. If you missed the interview, check it out here:
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The Associated Press published an article today about the dramatic increase in home gardens this year. It seems that as a whole we are facing the challenges of our declining economy with a shovel. Here in Mar Vista we're doing our part to cut back on water usage, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, as well as growing our own food. As a result, there seems to be a lot to show for it - including the upcoming Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase. On April 26 from 2-6 p.m., homeowners throughout the city will be showing off their Xeriscape, low ...
Learn the secrets of companion planting in this week's Tip of the Week. Find happy companions for your veggies and herbs.
One of those all-encompassing questions came in to Ask Gardenerd last week:
"I have an apartment and no land of my own but was interested in how I can make a garden for myself. Thanks"
I have oh-so-many suggestions. Here's a good place to start - a search of container gardening entries on the Gardenerd Blog:
Container Gardening info
This spring is a good time to start planting in containers. Here are a few good veggies/herbs to try out in pots:
Herbs - basil, parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme, chives
Veggies - lettuces (partial shade is perfect for these guys during the ...
A question came from Santa Cruz, CA this week:
"I want to get a fig tree that will produce fruit we can eat and need some advise. We live in Santa Cruz County, CA in an apartment with no private yard (or dirt) so it will have to be in a container. We have a patio area that is tucked into a corner of the building and gets full sun most of the day. What type of tree, container, soil, etc. should I get? Thank you,Michelle"
Hi Michele,
Santa Cruz falls under Hardiness Zone 9a-10a, so you're in good company for growing figs ...
We've had a flurry of questions over the last couple weeks here at Gardenerd.com. Here's one that came in with urgency:
"We have had an issue with maggots in my compost tumbler. I am not
using any meats or fats of any kind - only green food wastes. How do
I correct this? Is my compost ruined?"
Not to worry. Those maggots (most likely Black Soldier Fly larvae) are actually helping your compost break down. While it's true that they bring out the "ick" in most people, maggots, worms, and other garbage consumers are actually powerful creatures when it comes to ridding ...