It's hot, and the Dog Days of summer (July 3-Aug 11) promise to continue through the end of the month. Here's to keeping cool, and harvesting often. As I write this, one of our new hens is in the egg box for the first time. We await our first chocolate brown egg from our Cuckoo Maran. I'll post a picture if it happens today.
This is the perfect Ask Gardenerd question for those with no room for a compost bin. It came from Nancy Ross: "I have been putting my scraps for compost directly into my raised beds. Is this OK? Will this reduce the need for plant food? Thanks!" Great question, Nancy. The short answer is, yes, you can do that. Let's explore the details. A lot of people who don't have room for a compost bin, or who don't have the energy…
This week's Gardenerd Tip of the Week Podcast features a chat with Ceebs Bailey, who keeps 17 chickens in the middle of the city. Ceebs helps run Honeylove.org and is our beekeeping mentor, but today, we're talking about chicken keeping. She shares her favorite tricks for integrating new chickens, introducing chickens to dogs, and feeding tips for healthy hens. Chicken Keeping with Ceebs Bailey Listen here for our interview with Ceebs. You'll laugh, you'll learn, you'll want chickens: Chicken Keeping…
The most timely question came in to Ask Gardenerd from Corinne today. She asks, "Do I need to roast my chili and jalapeno peppers before freezing them or can I freeze them whole and roast them as I use them?" Great question, Corinne. The answer depends on how you plan to use them later on. Freezing Peppers To Roast... If you plan to roast the peppers before using them, you should roast them before freezing. Then peel the skins off,…
If we're lucky as gardeners, we arrive at mid-summer with a burden of "too many" tomatoes. There is no such thing, really, but there is an urgency about what to do with them before they spoil in the summer heat. Here are some of our favorite recipes to enjoy, can, and use up your tomato harvest. A bounty of tomatoes including Michael Pollen (green pear), Roman Candle (yellow roma), Sunrise Bumble Bee (striped cherry), and Green Cherokee (green beefsteak). Tomato…
Whether you are sick of zucchini yet or not, we've discovered a recipe that will make you fall in love with this ubiquitous vegetable all over again. Any recipe with 2 ingredients is our kind of recipe. If it's any indication of how good these are, I have zero photos to show for my efforts. They were gone in minutes, before I could snap a shot. So, turn on the oven, get out your mandoline or a sharp knife and…
Beginners Tips to save Easy Seeds with our podcast guest, Eleuterio Navarro
The garden is seeing a lot of action this summer. Winter squashes are setting fruit, corn is tasseling, and cucumbers are climbing trellises. The summer garden is ON, including the heat. Here's some inspiration to keep you going this summer. Water your plants early in the morning or after the heat of the sun has past in the afternoon. Soak roots deeply and use mulch everywhere. Your plants will reward you in return. Enjoy your summer garden and stay cool!
Temperatures hit 116° F in some Southern California gardens this week, causing heat damage to many crops. This question from Mary is timely: "My tomatoes are getting heat stroke! I'm wondering if it's too late to save all of them. I've installed a 50% sunblock shade, and I've thrown out any that have bleached. I wish I had picked them before this insane weekend, but now I'm worried that any of them with dime-sized white spots are goners. This is…
I was excited to interview Judi Gerber, co-author of From Cows to Concrete: The Rise and Fall of Farming in Los Angeles, for the Gardenerd Tip of the Week Podcast. I had a feeling her historical perspective on immigration from the agricultural standpoint would shed new light on the subject dominating the news. Judi is also a Master Gardener and program coordinator for Torrance Memorial, which rents a plot at the Torrance Community Garden. She teaches gardening classes and is…