May is here and the garden begins to show signs of fruit. Flowers have been going off since April, but now is the time for summer fruits and veggies to jump into action. A few simple actions can help your garden prosper this spring/summer and even next spring.
We continue our Plants for Pollinators Series with Honeylove.org. Our latest video gives you helpful suggestions for trees and shrubs you can plant for the pollinators in your life. They need pollen and nectar throughout the year, and some of these trees and shrubs bloom during the dearth, when other flowers are done for the season. This list is just the beginning. Depending on your hardiness zone, native trees and shrubs are your best bet. Consult your local native plant…
In a small-space garden, the beds aren't always ready when it's time to plant new crops in the ground, so if we start seeds in flats, we close the gap between pulling winter crops and planting spring/summer crops. Every year we start our corn seeds in a deep seed flat in order to get a jump on the season. By the time the peas and lettuces are done, our corn seedlings are already 6-inches tall and ready for transplanting. This…
What's a rocket stove, you ask? It's a stove designed to use 80% less fuel for heating, cooking and canning. How can you build a rocket stove in less than an hour? We've got you covered right here. Rocket stoves are usually J-shaped, which allows campers, homesteaders, and permaculturists to feed twigs and sticks into the hook end of the J for a roaring fire to cook over at the top of the J. We have friends who professionally build…
We're thrilled to offer a new product line in the Gardenerd Store: Custom Biologicals. If you've always wanted to apply biologically active compost tea (ACT) to your garden but don't have the time to buy all the ingredients to brew your own, this is a shortcut. It's not the same as ACT, but it's close. It's not the whole Soil Food Web, but a few key members. Custom Biologicals has been creating biological soil amendments since 1992. "Biological soil amendments…
Spring is for cooking fresh from the garden. How delightful it is to run across a recipe, and to happen to have all the ingredients on hand, either in the fridge or in the garden. For those harvesting winter- or early spring-grown radishes right now, this recipe is for you. The recipe uses fresh radishes, chickpeas, and broccolini for a delicious rustic Italian meal. We made a few substitutes to demonstrate how flexible this recipe is. Okay, so we don't…
We know half the country is still blanketed with snow, but April is off the chain in southern gardens. It's going gangbusters here, folks. Come August/September our garden will look like death warmed over (scorched, in fact) so this is our time to enjoy the benefits of rain and cooler temperatures. What's growin' on in your garden or greenhouse? Starting seeds under grow lights? Sprouting cucumbers in the garden? Transplanting tomatoes into pots? Post a picture to Instagram and tag…
I usually leave crafting to Martha Stewart, but this project has been four years in the making and I'm chuffed about it. Four years ago we began harvesting honey from our backyard bee hive. Four years ago we started saving the wax in order to make five new pillar candles for a swanky candelabra in the dining room. Last week, the dream came true. Many people don't know that before I became the Gardenerd, I was the Crafter of Things.…
Spring is here, and our friends at Botanical Interests have offered Gardenerd an extraordinary giveaway of spring seeds, garden tools, and more. Three winners. Three gift sets to choose from. Behold the wonder of these drool-worthy giveaways: Deluxe Garden Gift Set - a $75 value Botanical Interests Deluxe Garden Gift Set This gift set includes flowers, veggies, tools and soap. What more could you want?: Bring Home the Butterflies Flower Mix – Long-blooming, colorful mix supports the butterfly lifecycle. Basic…
This one is for you kale lovers and permaculturists out there: perennial tree kale. Yes, it's true. Imagine a year-round supply of kale that doesn't fall prey to aphids in hot weather. Perennial vegetables form deeper root systems and require less water and care than annual varieties. When annuals bite the dust, perennial tree kale keeps going. The caveat? It lives for 3-4 years, then must be propagated from cuttings. You can do this, and Gardenerd is here to show…