This week we're delighted and honored to have Ira Wallace as a guest on the Gardenerd Tip of the Week Podcast. Ira is co-owner of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and is a well-known seed saver and educator.
I don't know about you, gardenerds, but the pest population here in Los Angeles has exploded this spring/summer. We're experiencing rats like never before (emboldened by our absence over 2020, no doubt). White flies are absolutely everywhere, and leaf hoppers are abundant.
"What are the best seeds to save for beginners?" asked one of our YouTube subscribers. Seed saving is a huge topic, and it can be overwhelming. So we were happy to do this video on Seed Saving for Beginners to narrow the search to just a few types of plants from which to save seeds.
Our guest this week is Matt Rees-Warren, author of The Ecological Gardener: How to Create Beauty & Biodiversity from the Soil Up. He chats with Christy from his home in England about how we can reduce plastic, conserve resources, and create ecosystems in our gardens.
Let's take a look at the 2021 Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Guide.
It's right about the time when tomato plants look like they're doing something, and we start to see fruit on squash and cucumber plants. Exciting times, gardenerds. All that work is about to pay off. Let's take a moment to enjoy the progress in our gardens, and savor the late spring garden excitement.
As a result of our recent YouTube video about pinching basil, we got a request to do a similar video about growing cilantro and parsley. So we did! Our latest video covers how both of these delicious herbs grow, and how to help keep them from bolting to seed.
This week's guest on the Gardenerd Tip of the Week Podcast is an inspiration in every way. Tasha Powell took her own journey toward growing food, and turned it into the community-led non-profit organization now called Appetite for Change, in North Minneapolis, MN.
When I posted a photo of these Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies on social media, there were a number of requests for the recipe. Bread makers are always looking for ways to use sourdough discard, and this is one of the best. It involves an extra step, but it's worth it.
It's basil season, and to keep your plants growing strong, you need to employ a key garden task: pinching basil. Most gardening books describe how to pinch basil in a way that isn't quite accurate, or at least, not the best way to do it. Our latest video breaks down how and why to pinch basil.