Gardenerd's Organic Gardening Blog

Nature gives us answers if you know where to look.

YouTube: Choose The Right Onions by Day Length

Day Length matters. I see it all the time--nurseries carry Long Day onion seedlings in Short Day onion territory. What's the difference? Our new YouTube video breaks it down. We'll show you the difference between a Walla Walla and a Texas Early Grano. Once you know that, you'll be able to choose the right onion for your region. Which onions are right for your growing region? If your grow onions over winter, as we do most mild-winter climates, it's especially…

Post author:Christy
Post published:September 17, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:1 Comment

Load jars into canner on the rack with 3 quarts water in the bottom.

Pressure Canning Beans – A New Adventure

While most homesteaders are well-versed in "putting up" or canning at the end of the season, pressure canning is a next-level adventure. We recently went down that rabbit hole, complete with unexpected twists and turns. Our new pressure canner not only does pressure canning, but it replaces the water bath canner, and also can be used for pressure steaming. Woot! Our new Graniteware pressure canner What's the Difference? Water bath canning uses a full pot of boiling water to create…

Post author:Christy
Post published:September 11, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:20 Comments

Prune dead and diseased tomato foliage

Ask Gardenerd: Lumpy Tomato Roots, Root Nematodes

A timely question came in to Ask Gardenerd this week from Catherine: "My garden went gangbusters this year but I noticed...the roots of all plants (4 tomatoes and 2 cucumber plants) were bumpy, like they had grown lumps all over. I read something about 'root nematodes' but the link wasn't very informative about what causes this, or if it is a pest or an organic condition, if I need to treat the soil before planting anything new, etc. Any thoughts…

Post author:Christy
Post published:September 10, 2019
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
Post comments:3 Comments

Darren Butler - photo by Frankie Louise

Podcast: Fruit Tree Care with Darren Butler

C. Darren Butler is more than a tree expert. Yes, he's a certified and consulting arborist. But he's also a Master Gardener, an ecological landscape designer, and a landscape consultant. In this week's podcast, we chat with Darren about proper tree planting techniques and tree care. We also cover his online gardening resource for Southern California, GardenZeus. Darren Butler - photo by Frankie Louise Listen to the Podcast Here Subscribe to the Gardenerd Tip of the Week Podcast on Apple…

Post author:Christy
Post published:September 5, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:3 Comments

Our only Luxury Pumpkin was devoured recently by rats.

Wordless Wednesday: The Downside of Gardening

Summer gardening brings delights and disappointments, i.e. the downside of gardening. Hot days tax plants, critters discover your tasty produce, and plant death is just around the corner.

Post author:Christy
Post published:September 4, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:4 Comments

Glass Gem popping corn is about waist high now. Some say it's early, but we feel right on time about it.

Ask Gardenerd: Can I Plant Broccoli After Corn and Beans? Let’s Talk Plant Families.

Lina wrote into Ask Gardenerd this week, "Can you plant broccoli in the same fabric pot where corn and beans were previously planted?"

Post author:Christy
Post published:August 28, 2019
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
Post comments:1 Comment

Salad Leaf Basil

Recipe: Spring Pea Soup with Pesto Goat-Cheese Tartines

This recipe for Pea Soup with Pesto Goat-Cheese Tartines is the reason for making pesto now, and freezing it for winter or spring. As the title implies, spring peas are the main character in this dish.

Post author:Christy
Post published:August 27, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:2 Comments

Shawna in her Sunshine Garden that was featured in Groundbreaking Garden Designs.

Podcast: Gardening for Wellness with Shawna Coronado

Our guest on the Gardenerd tip of the Week Podcast this week is Shawna Coronado. She's a gardener, photographer, a radio and TV personality, a healthy lifestyle expert, and author of 6 books.

Post author:Christy
Post published:August 22, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:0 Comments

Our favorite pepper is the Fish pepper. Its flavor eclipses other peppers.

Wordless Wednesday: Not Back to School Yet!

I always hated Back to School days, and when I start seeing Pee-Chee folders and pencil cases in advertisements, I still get that sense of dread. Luckily we're adults now, so we can garden instead. Here is some inspiration to erase any dread you may feel this time of year. Winter Luxury pumpkin grows week after week. We're excited to grow this type for pies. Using the link helps Gardenerd make a few cents. We clip our sweet corn ears…

Post author:Christy
Post published:August 21, 2019
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:1 Comment

Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio (hanging bundles of southern Italian tomatoes) on display.

Throw a Tomato Tasting Party!

I recently attended the Ocean View Farms tomato tasting celebration 2019 and ate my way through more than 70 varieties of tomatoes to help determine the best of the best.

Post author:Christy
Post published:August 16, 2019
Post category:Blog
Post comments:1 Comment