Read more about the article Guess What! Tree Kale Does Go to Seed
Flowers appear at the tip-top of our tree kale plant.

Guess What! Tree Kale Does Go to Seed

Continue ReadingGuess What! Tree Kale Does Go to Seed

I've heard colleagues say that tree kale never goes to seed, that it can only be propagated by cuttings. Well, my 10-foot tree kale would beg to differ. It's gone to seed after falling over in a wind storm (probably stress-induced) while it continues to produce tasty leaves. Tree kale is a perennial vegetable lauded by the permaculture community because it forms deep roots (obviously deep enough to withstand falling over in a wind storm). We propped that baby back…

Read more about the article Being Prepared
Food grade barrels are best for use in vegetable gardens.

Being Prepared

Continue ReadingBeing Prepared

A building caught fire in our neighborhood recently, leading to a power outage for two hours. The lack of internet and electricity, even for a short time, reminds us how dependent we are upon these modern conveniences. A recent article in the LA Times about Dr. Lucy Jones and her research of earthquakes and the San Andreas Fault brought even more clarity to the fact that we are SO not prepared for a natural disaster. Sure, we've got camping equipment…

Read more about the article Design: Vertical Patio Garden Delight
The vertical garden is planted with spring and summer crops.

Design: Vertical Patio Garden Delight

Continue ReadingDesign: Vertical Patio Garden Delight

We recently created a tidy vertical garden for a busy business woman in Marina del Rey. Her condominium patio didn't allow room for a full-sized garden, and tight quarters limited her sun exposure to one wall. Her patio housed a collection of random containers, some with leggy plants long overdue for re-potting. We took steps to unify the patio to enhance her new vertical garden. Our first step was to re-do the patio to remove infiltrating tree roots. The client…

Read more about the article Ask Gardenerd: Protecting Blackberries

Ask Gardenerd: Protecting Blackberries

Continue ReadingAsk Gardenerd: Protecting Blackberries

We got a good one from Ask Gardenerd this week: "Hello, our blackberries are thriving this year, probably because of all the rain we got in SoCal, but I am afraid the birds will get them before us, like they did with our blueberries. Do you have any tips and tricks for proper bird netting installment over blackberry bushes? Any brands or techniques you could recommend? - Micky" Good question, Micky. There are several approaches and bird netting is one…

Read more about the article Benefits Of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Warm / Hot Season crops

Benefits Of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Continue ReadingBenefits Of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) changed the way farmers do business. No longer do they have to go through a middle man to reach the consumer, they can sell direct. It means a larger share of profit and a stronger relationship with the consumer. In many cases, the CSA model has saved the farm. If you can't grow your own, join a CSA. Here's some interesting info on the history of CSAs, and a few tasty recipes for this season's veggies.…

Read more about the article Wordless Wednesday: May
Fresh strawberries from everbearing plants. We love Seascapes! Feed with kelp emulsion every two weeks.

Wordless Wednesday: May

Continue ReadingWordless Wednesday: May

May is here and the garden begins to show signs of fruit. Flowers have been going off since April, but now is the time for summer fruits and veggies to jump into action. A few simple actions can help your garden prosper this spring/summer and even next spring.

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