Corn Failure A.K.A. Starting Over
In a small-space garden, the beds aren't always ready when it's time to plant new crops in the ground, so if we start seeds in flats, we close the gap between pulling winter crops and planting spring/summer crops. Every year we start our corn seeds in a deep seed flat in order to get a jump on the season. By the time the peas and lettuces are done, our corn seedlings are already 6-inches tall and ready for transplanting. This…
Build a Rocket Stove
What's a rocket stove, you ask? It's a stove designed to use 80% less fuel for heating, cooking and canning. How can you build a rocket stove in less than an hour? We've got you covered right here. Rocket stoves are usually J-shaped, which allows campers, homesteaders, and permaculturists to feed twigs and sticks into the hook end of the J for a roaring fire to cook over at the top of the J. We have friends who professionally build…
Shop: Custom Biologicals
We're thrilled to offer a new product line in the Gardenerd Store: Custom Biologicals. If you've always wanted to apply biologically active compost tea (ACT) to your garden but don't have the time to buy all the ingredients to brew your own, this is a shortcut. It's not the same as ACT, but it's close. It's not the whole Soil Food Web, but a few key members. Custom Biologicals has been creating biological soil amendments since 1992. "Biological soil amendments…
Recipe: Spring Polenta with Radishes and Garlic Scapes
Spring is for cooking fresh from the garden. How delightful it is to run across a recipe, and to happen to have all the ingredients on hand, either in the fridge or in the garden. For those harvesting winter- or early spring-grown radishes right now, this recipe is for you. The recipe uses fresh radishes, chickpeas, and broccolini for a delicious rustic Italian meal. We made a few substitutes to demonstrate how flexible this recipe is. Okay, so we don't…
Wordless Wednesday: April
We know half the country is still blanketed with snow, but April is off the chain in southern gardens. It's going gangbusters here, folks. Come August/September our garden will look like death warmed over (scorched, in fact) so this is our time to enjoy the benefits of rain and cooler temperatures. What's growin' on in your garden or greenhouse? Starting seeds under grow lights? Sprouting cucumbers in the garden? Transplanting tomatoes into pots? Post a picture to Instagram and tag…
Candles from Bees
I usually leave crafting to Martha Stewart, but this project has been four years in the making and I'm chuffed about it. Four years ago we began harvesting honey from our backyard bee hive. Four years ago we started saving the wax in order to make five new pillar candles for a swanky candelabra in the dining room. Last week, the dream came true. Many people don't know that before I became the Gardenerd, I was the Crafter of Things.…