An Entirely Flattering Open Letter To Steve Martin
(Fellow gardenerd, forgive my use of this platform to express what appears to be unrelated subject matter, but it's something I have to do. We will return to our regularly…
Prune rosemary after it finishes flowering
Summer Pruning
These Dog Days of summer are challenging. It's too hot to plant or work in the garden, but garden is starting to look ragged as plants near the end of…
Summer party lights hang from a giant Brazilian Pepper tree
Summer Garden Party Recipes
It's hot, and nobody wants to turn on the oven. This is the time for a magical, outdoor, sunset-lit summer garden party. These parties are the stuff of summer. How…
The New Drought Landscape
Water, water, everywhere...well, not so much anymore. States like California and Texas are suffering severe drought conditions and gardeners are rising to the occasion by swapping out thirsty lawns for…
One of many carrot seed heads
Saving Carrot Seeds
Carrots are fun to grow at home and if you're lucky, some of them will bolt to seed at the end of the season. Then, if you grew an heirloom…
Ratatoulle, RatItalian-Style
Ratatouille, RatItalian-Style
When I saw that Smitten Kitchen recreated the ratatouille recipe from Pixar's animated film of the same name, I couldn't resist making it. But there's one caveat: I don't care…
Invasive fruit flies plotting their attack
Homemade Fruit Fly Traps
They're everywhere! Tiny, annoying fruit flies, that is. They're trying to get into our tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, and plums. They're even breeding in our compost bucket. What to do? Break…
San Marzano tomatoes, fresh parsley, fresh oregano, and homegrown garlic and onions.
Recipe: Homemade Tomato Sauce
Italians believe that San Marzano tomatoes are the only tomatoes for making sauce. I'm Italian, and I've made sauce with just about any tomato I can get my hands on,…
Nature gives us answers if you know where to look.
Harvesting Onions
Onions take a long time to grow, but when it comes time for harvesting onions, it's incredibly satisfying, and worth the wait. Here in Southern California we plant onions by…
Kelloggs Breakfast
Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes
It's harvest time for tomatoes, whether they be determinate or indeterminate. These orbs of delight are the quintessential summer fruit and we're picking them daily. We planted early this year…