05-27-11 Memorial Day Gardening
In this issue:
- May in the Garden
- Composting Workshop
- Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Harvesting Corn
- Gardenerd Product of the Month: Infant Creeper
1. May in the Garden
Memorial Day is celebrated this weekend, where we remember our fallen soldiers who have died in war. Memorial Day was established in 1868 as Decoration Day in honor of those who died in the Civil War. Official traditions that continue today include flying the flag at half-staff until noon and observing a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Not-so-official traditions include the running of the Indianapolis 500 race (since 1911) and of course, the kick-off of barbecue season. Gardeners celebrate by grilling freshly picked veggies and tossing home-grown salads.
We were on vacation for a couple weeks in Italy (check out this week’s blog posts for details) and came home to a garden bursting with new growth. Delicata and acorn squashes are flowering and setting fruit. Corn is filling in, as our recently planted pole beans start to climb the stalks below. Tomatoes are flowering, and so are the potatoes. We harvested a double sink-full of kale upon returning – see below for a photo – and we picked the first few green beans of the season.
As warmer weather comes to your garden, we’d love to hear what’s working and what isn’t. Last year we had a cold summer in coastal Southern California, and it was nice to hear from others who were having the same troubles as we were. Drop us a line anytime!
Happy Gardening,
Christy
2. Composting Workshop
Got compost? We believe that every Gardenerd needs a compost bin. Why? Not only does it reduce waste, but it saves you from having to go to the nursery to buy bagged soil mix of questionable quality.
We still have a few spaces left for our upcoming Composting Workshop on June 4, 2011 from 10-12. Details and registration are available at the website.
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Harvesting Corn
We planted corn early, but this tip will help you no matter when your corn went in the ground. Knowing when to harvest your sweet corn can take practice. Here’s what to look for:
- Silks turn brown and dry
- Kernels are full
- Fluid that comes from a pierced kernel is milky
For a visual aid to help you harvest your sweet corn, check out this article
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Gardenerd Infant Creeper
We celebrated Mother’s Day this month, and a bunch of babies have been born this month, so we’re offering up one of our cutest items of Gardenerd Gear. It’s our Infant Creeper – for the little gardenerd-to-be in your life. Why not dress your little one in something that shows he or she has good taste, even at the tender age of nothing. Choose from boy, girl and gender neutral colors.
Stay tuned for more tips and tidbits from Gardenerd.com. Happy spring gardening!
