"Dear Gardenerd,
How do we know if our seeds are genetically Modified?"
Excellent question! I have answers for you.
The good news is that GMO seeds are widely available to the commercial agriculture industry, but the push to sell them to home gardeners is not yet popular (and most likely not lucrative).
The bad news is that farmers growing non-GMO crops for seed are having a harder time isolating themselves from farms that ...
A very thoughtful question came into Ask Gardenerd this week:
"I'm new here. So far my big challenge is getting started. I do have a question. I do want to eat organic. Let's say I get a small plant, like an herb, from Home Depot or a similar store, I plant
it and grow it organically with no man-made chemicals are pesticides. Does that make the plant organic? Is it kind of organic? If I keep it growing year-after-year and grow it organically, will
...
A question came in to Ask Gardenerd this week:
"Hi, I've just harvested my garlic and it's ok but a little small. Any tips to get it fatter. John, ps Love your site"
Thanks for writing in John, and I'm glad you like the website. Since your email address seems to be in Australia, it makes sense that you would be harvesting garlic right now.
I have my own answers to growing big garlic, ...
A question came in to Ask Gardenerd this week:
"Could you please help me understand how to
trim my 4’ tall asparagus patch that was planted in the fall? Does it need to turn completely brown? How low do I trim it?"
Great question, and the answer can be confusing, because there are two schools of thought on the matter. Many gardeners, including those at Peaceful ...
I love when questions like this come from fresh gardenerds:
"I just stumbled on your website and am interested in gardening classes. I started gardening this spring by using pots and hanging pots. My veggies and herbs did extremely well. I put seedlings
in potting soil, watered occasionally, and voila! I'm an Ocean Park farmer! But now I'm excited and want to learn the basics. Can you provide me with upcoming class information and recommend an
introductory book? Thanks, Bob Meepos"
Hi Bob,
I'm glad to ...
A question came into Ask Gardenerd this week that I've been hearing for the past month or so. Seems like a good time to address it:
"When do you know when to pull out things that grow underground like radishes, green onions, even carrots? I'm either too early or too late. - Rochelle"
Well Rochelle, the answer is in your hands. More specifically, it's your index finger. When growing root crops, the foliage will put on a pretty show above ground, but the real magic is
happening underground. In order ...
A new question came in to Ask Gardenerd this week:
"Hi, My mom has a very good fuji apple tree, but we lose a lot of apples to worms. Is there a natural, organic, non-Monsanto something that would help deter pests? Thank you, -Michael"
I'm so glad that you are seeking an alternative method to prevent this problem! It's so easy to grab a bottle off the shelf and start spraying. Let's see what we can do to get you on the road
to apple tree salvation. ...
We've been answering Ask Gardenerd questions on the sly lately, but this one seemed like it would benefit other gardenerds who love their tools:
"Can you suggest a good garden furrower? The old single wheel in front style?"
I don't have a garden big enough for a tiller/furrower so I don't have personal experience with one, but I noticed that most of the furrowers out there attach to giant monster tillers. Before we move on, a momentary side bar about tilling since we're on the subject:
Tilling ...
Check out the newest instructional video on the Gardenerd YouTube channel. We show you how we transplant tomato sprouts into bigger pots and nurture them to planting size. Cool tips for you
from Gardenerd!
Transplanting Tomatoes
...
Every once in a while I get a question that I don't know the answer to. This week was one of those times:
"I am planting some yellow raspberries this spring. I am now able to harvest strawberries in the spring and blackberries in the summer. I selected the yellows so that I could have a fall harvest
of fruit. What do I need to know to encourage this to happen? What should I expect the first year?"
Cane berries can be fun - thorny, but ...