Interplanting – It’s a Good Thing
You've most likely heard of companion planting, so interplanting won't be entirely unfamiliar to you. It's basically the idea of planting two or three different plants together to take advantage of available space, and to benefit the plants involved. For example - by alternating plantings of lettuces and kale in rows, you can take advantage of slow-growing kale by using the space in between to grow a quick crop of lettuces. Another example is radishes and artichokes or squash. You…
Recipe: Pasta al Cavolo Broccolo e Romanesco (Gluten-Free)
It's a mouthful of a title, but basically Pasta al Cavolo Broccolo e Romanesco is pasta with Romanesco broccoli and a delightful Italian sprouting broccoli otherwise known as Spigarello or Cavolo Broccolo a Getti di Napoli. I made up this recipe based on what was in the fridge. Spigarello is grown for the leaves more than for the heading flowers. You can use it as a substitute for kale, collards or spinach in cooked dishes like this. Our recipe starts…
Natural Easter Eggs
Use natural dyes to brighten your holiday table.
Wisteria (Wistaria) on My Mind
Wisteria blooms each March in Southern California, though last year it bloomed in February (well hello, climate change). Each year we look forward to fragrant blossoms hanging delicately from the pergola overhead and we don't seem to mind the beautiful mess they make as the purple petals fall to the ground. Bees love wisteria and dance around each dangling cluster of blossoms gathering nectar for this season's honey stores. But before we wax rhapsodic any further, let's get something straight:…
Recipe: Root Veggie Chowder with Collard Ribbons
Spring may have arrived, but we're still seeing winter root veggies and greens at the Farmers' Market and in the garden. We tried this new recipe from Vegetarian Times' Eat to Beat Inflammation ebook to use up some of our home grown carrots and collard greens. The recipe involves cooking veggies separately, but all in all it was easy to put together in under an hour. It calls for rutabaga, but we substituted parsnips because we had them on hand…
Thinning New Fruit Trees
There’s a trick to ensuring stronger trees, with years of plentiful produce if you exercise patience early on.
Meet The Author
Now that Gardening for Geeks is on the shelves, it's time to celebrate with a chance to "Meet the Author" and talk dirt (soil, that is). Here are some upcoming events where you can bring your copy to be signed or chat with fellow gardenerds about your spring garden escapades. Gardening for Geeks Launch Party - April 7, 2013 - 4-6 p.m. Where: Ilan Dei Studio Shop, 1650 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice CA, 90291 Ilan Dei has graciously agreed to…
Two Tips for Spring
Special tips for your winter harvest and upcoming spring garden.
Changing of the Guard: Exit Winter, Enter Spring
Spring is just around the corner, and those who can grow fall crops are just starting to swap out winter's harvest for spring seedlings. Here's what we're harvesting this time of year: Lettuces Broccoli Romanesco Cavolo Broccolo a Getti di Napoli - Spigarello to many of you Spinach Arugula Kale Peas Root veggies - carrots, parsnips, beets, etc. There are a few nibbles here and there on lettuce leaves, and more aphids than we'd care to admit, but that's just…