Podcast: Seeds with Jere Gettle
Jere Gettle, founder of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, is hard to pin down for an interview, but we finally found time to chat in this week's podcast.
Winnetka Purple artichokes are in full swing as our second plant produces fruit (it's really a flower bud, but hey...)
Wordless Wednesday: April Bliss
Planting time is finally here, and we're celebrating spring to its fullest. Out with the old, in with the new! Celebrate April bliss with us. Here's a look at what we're growing this week.
YouTube: Spring Planting Guide
Our latest YouTube video answers the question, "What do I plant in spring?" It depends on where you live, and your last frost date. What is a last frost date? Find that out, too, in this new video. This new resource supports our regular Spring Planting Guide that appears in our late winter newsletters each year. With these two guides, you'll never wonder "what to plant when" again. Spring Planting Guide https://youtu.be/JBUQzttRFbs Watch our new Spring Planting Guide video here…
Chris Smith amongst his okra
Podcast: The Whole Okra with Chris Smith
Chris Smith is obsessed with okra, and in our latest podcast we explore his new book on the endless possibilities of this oft-scorned fruit. The Whole Okra: A Seed To Stem Celebration, recounts Smith's endeavor to trial 72 varieties of okra in North Carolina. It is a "lighthearted but information-rich collection of okra history, lore, recipes, craft projects, growing advice, and more". Chris Smith amongst his okra We chat about his homestead, his fascination with pressing seeds for oil, and…
Magenta tree spinach (Chenopodium giganteum) spotted at the Santa Monica Main Street Community Garden. It's both edible and beautiful!
Wordless Wednesday: Spring Delights
Spring delights are already abundant here in Los Angeles. Step outside and you're greeted with the fragrance of wisteria overhead, or the wild Painted Lady butterfly migration all around. Loquats are ripening, artichokes are sending up buds, and the SuperBloom is showcasing southern California like never before. Here are some photos to inspire you on the first day of spring. Loquats are ready! These delicate fruits don't store or ship well, so grow your own! Wisteria buds open, scenting the…
Podcast: Fun with Plants with Amy Stewart
This week's podcast features a conversation with Amy Stewart, the New York Times best selling author of Wicked Plants, Flower Confidential, and The Drunken Botanist. We chat about her latest novel series, The Kopp Sisters, and Amy shares some of her favorite plants to grow for cocktails. Amy Stewart, image courtesy of Delightful Eye Photography Gardening & Writing Hand in Hand Our conversation reveals that her passion for writing came first, followed by gardening. She later found gardening to be…
Black Magic kale sprouts under grow lights.
Wordless Wednesday: Start Your Engines!
The time has come to plant your garden, whether indoors or out. Start seeds, amend soils, and bring dreams into reality this month. Soon you'll taste the rewards of today's toil. But it's not really toil, it's a labor of love. May this Wordless Wednesday inspire your gardening activities this week. Barry's Crazy Cherry tomato sprouts under grow lights. Black Magic kale sprouts under grow lights. It's bred to be durable in hot weather. Using the link helps Gardenerd make…
Aphids are the major reason why our kale meets its end in March. Time for something new.
YouTube: Battling Aphids without Bug Spray
Our latest video is timely as the winter gardening season winds down. Some crops grow tired at the end of the season, as indicated by massive aphid infestations on greens like kale, chard, and spinach.
Erica Wohldmann shows off her foraged stash.
Podcast: Foraging with Erica Wohldmann
My guest this week is Erica Wohldmann, professor of Psychology at Cal State University Northridge and avid forager of urban and wild places. She spent 6 months gathering food and medicine in the forest to live off, without spending a single dollar on meals. She shares her knowledge and philosophy with us today. Erica Wohldmann shows off her foraged stash. Foraging in Urban and Wild Places Erica talks about what to look for when foraging for mushrooms in the forests.…
Our pomegranate tree leafed out this week. So exciting!
Wordless Wednesday: Signs of Spring
With recent rain storms, the garden is going gangbusters. Signs of spring are everywhere. Here's some inspiration for what is to come regardless of whether you're gardening now, or your garden is knee deep under snow. A bee with full pollen pockets inspects a bok choy flower. Our pomegranate tree leafed out this week. So exciting! We cut down our cover crop, chopped it up, and covered it with compost. It will be ready to plant 3 weeks later. It's…