A Haircut for your Brussel Sprouts
This helpful tip will encourage your brussel sprouts to grow big and strong. It's better than a Dorothy Hamill haircut.
Xeriscape Project Brings Joy
This weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting a woman who recently decided to tear up her front lawn for a low-water Xeriscape solution. Sherri and her husband wanted to embrace the idea of a lawn-less life, so they hired a landscape designer to help them get started. Here's what Sherri had to say about the project:
"Our most recent effort was tackling our lawns – and this has been the most satisfying project so far! The drought conditions in Southern California ..."
A Spring Garden Festivus
I'm not at all a Seinfeld fan, but for some reason, Kramer's Festivus holiday jumped out of my head and into the title of this entry. I guess that his enthusiasm for celebration was so similar to what I have been feeling when I'm out in the garden these days. Something new has gone in the ground each day this week. The promise of new life, new varieties and (crossing our fingers) no gophers has taken over my head.
Here is a quick list of what has been planted from seed this week:
Lettuces - 6 different heirloom varieties
Arugula
Mustard Greens
Golden Chard
Orach ...
Tomato Recommendations
Our adventurous tomato cage gardenerd writes in:
"Can you recommend particular tomatoes that you have had success with. I am building your cool tomato cage and am inundated with the choices available in tomatoes."
I can recommend a slew of heirloom tomatoes that have worked for me, because honestly - that's all I've grown before. Depending on where you live, your hardiness zone or the topography of your landscape, you can find tomatoes for all climates.
As for my recommendations: We are very near the coast in Southern California where I garden. We get a marine layer for a few months that ...
Nursing Early Tomatoes
Get your tomatoes in the ground as soon as the soil can be worked. Use this handy tip to keep them snug and warm until warmer weather.
Earth Hour 2008
Explore more ways that you can help mother nature along by participating in Earth Hour 2008.
Tomato Cages – the Gardenerd Way
Those who signed up on the Gardenerd website and downloaded the Top 5 Organic Gardening Tips will appreciate this one. A gardener wrote in today:
"What kind of store do you find the fencing for tomatoes? I don't think they have it at Home Depot. Would it be more like a farm supply store or some kind of fencing company?"
Admittedly, I found my fencing in the exact size I needed in the discard pile at the community garden where I have a garden plot. However, there is another person nearby who uses the same kind of fencing in ...
Need a lawn alternative? Buffalo grass works in many circumstances
Grass Growing for Beachside Folks
We got a new question in this week:
"I live 1 mile from the beach and have very sandy soil and a very sunny yard. I can't grow grass, keep grass or prevent grass from burning. Help!"
Is it safe to assume that you've tried out different watering schedules, primarily avoiding watering between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m? If not, try that first. You may need to water more often for shorter periods of time, depending on the type of grass you have, so that the water stays near the root zones, instead of washing out past them. You would also ...
Growing Tomatoes in Florida
A Florida gardenerd wrote in recently:
"I live in Orlando, Florida and I know that every place has its season to grow vegetables. I am interested in growing tomatoes and green peppers to start. Don't know anything about it, and want to know how to grow them organically. Thank you for your help."
You're smack in the middle of the ever changing Zone 9 over there in Orlando. According to several sources, that area has been shifting between zone 10, 9a, and 9b for the last 50 years. Sandy soil, tropical heat and sudden frosts, right?
I did some research and ...
Pruning, Tools and Tool Care Class Review
On Saturday, we rounded out the Gardenerd Organic Gardening Series with the final class on Pruning, Tools and Tool Care.