In this issue:
- May in the Garden – May Sunshine
- Video: Plant Lima Beans Like a Pro
- Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Plant Sweet Potatoes
- Gardenerd Product of the Month: NEW! High Yield Small Space Organic Gardening
1. May in the Garden – May Sunshine
May sunshine is finally here (in coastal Los Angeles). We may be headed for June Gloom, but May Gray seems to be over and we finally have some sunshine warming the soil. May, and specifically Memorial Day, is the unofficial start of summer. So let’s get growing to celebrate!
In the Gardenerd Test Garden, we’re harvesting the first blackberries of the season. Our long beans and sweet corn are up running, and the tomatoes and peppers are getting used to their new homes. We planted lettuces, basil, radishes, arugula, and cilantro from seed this week. And we’re still harvesting carrots, parsnips, and celeriac from beds to make room for warm/hot weather crops. It was exciting to spot 4 dragon fruit flowers on the cactus this week too! The garden provides constant wonder and excitement. Join the celebration of spring and plant something this week.
In this newsletter, you’ll find our latest video on how to grow lima beans biointensively. And check out the tutorial on planting sweet potatoes, because now is the time!
Happy gardening,
Christy
2. Video: Plant Lima Beans Like a Pro
Lima or butter beans are great to grow in spring. Learn how to plant them biointensively for a big harvest!
Grow Lima Beans Like a Pro – Biointensively!
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Plant Sweet Potatoes
The rule of thumb is to plant sweet potato slips in May and harvest tubers in November. If you didn’t pre-order slips back in March, online nurseries may be out of stock, but check our favorite source for options. Or check your local nursery for seedlings. Or start slips at home (with the old toothpick in water method among other options). Here’s some inspiration to get you started.
Growing Sweet Potatoes – here’s the process, from how to plant them from slips to harvest
Potatoes vs. Sweet Potatoes – Not sure how they differ? Find out in this video.
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – NEW! High Yield Small Space Organic Gardening
Christy’s new book is getting 5-star reviews! Here’s what critics are saying about it:
From The Gardenangelists, Carol Michel and Dee Nash:
“If you want a garden at your home and you don’t have a lot of space, [the book] has tons of ideas for how to make a really nice garden…There’s a ton of good information in here; [the author] really knows her stuff.”
From Helen Yoest, Bee Better Naturally:
As a dedicated organic gardener for wildlife and food, I was impressed by how [the author] could succinctly pack in so much information. High Yield, Small Space Organic Gardening will be all you need if you are new to organic gardening.”
Get your copy at your favorite bookseller, or order an autographed copy for the gardenerd in your life (even if that’s you!).
Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. Make the most of May sunshine — get out there and grow something!
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