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One of several Pomegranate trees on the property.
One of several Pomegranate trees on the property.

Field Trip: Arlington Gardens, Pasadena

Continue ReadingField Trip: Arlington Gardens, Pasadena

During the Garden Writers Association Symposium in September, bus loads of eager gardenerds stepped off to visit Arlington Gardens, an historic site in Pasadena, CA. It is "Pasadena's only designated public garden designed to demonstrate sustainable water-wise gardening in a Mediterranean climate." Boy, did it live up to that claim. In the middle of our drought, this garden was lush and thriving. Enjoy these photos, and then plan your visit. Walking around to the different "rooms" in the garden, we…

Read more about the article Ask Gardenerd: Preventing Bugs Next Year

Ask Gardenerd: Preventing Bugs Next Year

Continue ReadingAsk Gardenerd: Preventing Bugs Next Year

As we start over with a fall garden in warm-winter climates, or put the garden away in more temperate regions, the question arises once again: "How can I prevent bugs that were problematic this year in my fruit and vegetable garden ie. aphids, sawflies, stink bugs from overwintering and becoming a problem next year?"  - Fern Fried Well, Fern, it's all about interrupting the life cycle and creating competition when it comes to pests. It's also about boosting the vitality…

Purple Opal basil
Renee's Purple Opal basil

Basil Trial: Our Favorite Basils

Continue ReadingBasil Trial: Our Favorite Basils

This summer we tested four new basil varieties against four of our favorites. That was a lot of basil! It was a grueling process (ha-ha) and as a result, we have many pints of pesto in the freezer for winter use. Basil is a hot weather crop, so its planting season is over, but you can use this trial to help guide you as seed catalogs begin to fill you mailbox. So many choices, here's what worked for us: Tested…

Grasshoppers bite chunks out of the sides of leaves, but can consume entire leaves over time.
Grasshoppers bite chunks out of the sides of leaves, but can consume entire leaves over time.

Ask Gardenerd: Are Grasshoppers Bad?

Continue ReadingAsk Gardenerd: Are Grasshoppers Bad?

We love it when people ask about bugs before killing them. Better safe than sorry. You may be killing a beneficial insect, so please ask before taking action. Like Dora here: "Are grasshoppers bad for my garden? If so how can I get rid of [them] naturally?" Dora, we used to let grasshoppers wander the garden thinking they were good, until they eat one of our hibiscus plants down to a stick. Then they attacked our lemon tree and ate…

Moringa seeds - loose and ready for the taking...swapping.
Moringa seeds - loose and ready for the taking...swapping.

Field Trip: Heirloom Expo Seed Swap

Continue ReadingField Trip: Heirloom Expo Seed Swap

This will be my last post about the 2015 Heirloom Expo, but it's one that couldn't be left out. Every year the Heirloom Expo hosts a seed swap for those who have been saving seeds throughout the year. They bring their seeds to swap with other gardeners, hoping to find interesting varieties to take home and try this year. It's mayhem. It's wonderful. It's worth writing about. Baker Creek not only hosts the seed swap, but they hand out bargaining…

Dr. Vandana Shiva of Navdanya
Dr. Vandana Shiva of Navdanya

Heirloom Expo Wrap Up – All About Seeds

Continue ReadingHeirloom Expo Wrap Up – All About Seeds

The 2015 Heirloom Expo was another huge success. I had the pleasure of giving a talk to a full house about Growing Food in the Drought. The rest of the time I was wandering amidst the beauty, sampling wholesome food, listening to top-notch bluegrass music, and meeting some of our fearless leaders in the movement toward seed freedom. Please allow me to gloat for a moment. Being a speaker (and having a blog) affords one the opportunity to chat with…

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