Blog - Page 90 of 217

Review & Giveaway: 101 Chilies to Try Before You Die

Are you a chili grower? Do you like your peppers hot? If that's true, then 101 Chilies to Try Before You Die by David Floyd is for you. Floyd is a chili expert (www.chilefoundry.co.uk) who has written about chili peppers and experimented with chilies for the last 20 years. He's dabbled in selling his own chili products (including chili ice cream) and reports in his introduction to the book that his career took him on many trips to California, "where…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 29, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:10 Comments

Fresh oranges from our tree

Ask Gardenerd: Citrus Fruit Tree Care

The questions keep flowing in this time of year. Here's the latest from Jim: "How much water and fertilizer do I need for 2 y o blood orange tree. And do those minimums change in hot or cold weather? My leaves have 2-color leaves, green near midrib and yellowish towards outside Why?" Jim, you might not like my answer, but it is the answer to many a gardening question: it depends. Fertilizer and water needs depend entirely on your soil.…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 28, 2016
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
Post comments:1 Comment

Prep for Storing Seeds

Blythe asks, how to deal with bugs in seeds.

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 23, 2016
Post category:Blog
Post comments:0 Comments

Kellogg's Breakfast Tomato

Ask Gardenerd: Pruning Tomatoes

Summer is the perfect time for this question from Jeff Bremer: "Hi Christy, What's your opinion on pinching-off the "branches" that sprout out of tomato plants? Some of my friends don't pinch at all, but my neighbor pinches his plants back so he has only one "stem." Thx, Jeff " Ah yes, to pinch or not to pinch, that is the question. What are we pinching? Side shoots and suckers. Side shoots are additional vines that grow from the base…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 22, 2016
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
Post comments:2 Comments

Slice shallots thin. Pieces should be evenly sized if possible.

Preserving Shallots

Shallots are a luxury. They're expensive and they don't store for long. So we grow them ourselves. But when it's time to harvest, that last part (about not storing for long) becomes an issue. Enter our solar food dryer. Preserving shallots is easy when you dehydrate them. Dried shallots are perfect because they store all year long, they reconstitute easily in most dishes and they pass for fresh in flavor. Whether you use dried shallots in scrambled eggs, soups, or…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 21, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:3 Comments

Which Mulch, Hay or Straw or Chip Bark?

What is the best type of mulch to use?

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 17, 2016
Post category:Blog
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Blue Beauty tomato shows true blue. We just fed the tomatoes with compost tea.

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Gardening Never Stops

Summer Solstice is almost here. The garden still needs attention, and evidence of the rewards close at hand are everywhere. Time to feed, weed and guide your plants along into summer. Summer Gardening The garden doesn't go on vacation even if we do. Give your garden a little love this summer and it will keep going while you're gone.

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 15, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:0 Comments

Droppings and munching are a clear sign you have tomato hornworms.

YouTube: How to Find Tomato Hornworms

You know it's summer when you see holes in your tomatoes. Tomato hornworms can ruin a perfectly good tomato plant (and experience). We're here to show you how to find them amid the chaos of tomato foliage. There's a trick. Watch below as we demonstrate (or at least try) to hunt for tomato worms in our latest YouTube video: How To Find Tomato Hornworms Finding pests takes diligence. Check your plants regularly to stop critters before they do too much…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 14, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:3 Comments

Armyworms

The best control is to interrupt the life cycle with beneficial nematodes. Steinernema feltiae is a good nematode that eats over 230 different pests; it focuses on those that incubate in soil, like grubs, fleas, weevils and fungus gnats.

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 9, 2016
Post category:Blog
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Ask Gardenerd: What’s Eating My Cabbage and Spinach?

Ah, pests. Here at Gardenerd, we like to say that having a garden without pests is like having children and expecting them to be well behaved all the time. It's unrealistic. Most garden pests are telling us something, and the rest we can usually deal with easily without chemicals or harmful pesticides. Here's a question that came into Ask Gardenerd this week: "Hello, I am very new to gardening and I just started my first vegetable garden in February. It…

Post author:Christy
Post published:June 8, 2016
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
Post comments:3 Comments