Read more about the article Design: My First Garden
The finished product is a fun starter garden the whole family can enjoy.

Design: My First Garden

Continue ReadingDesign: My First Garden

It's fall, and garden installations are top on our list. Last week we created a starter garden for a health-conscious couple and their young boys. They all want to know where their food comes from, and this first garden is a great way to learn. Since theirs is a household of boys, our garden needed to be protected from soccer balls, water guns, and general rambunctiousness. We chose the neat and clean lines of portable cedar planters, that elevate the…

Read more about the article Field Trip: More Italy!
Artichoke hearts sold fresh, floating in water.

Field Trip: More Italy!

Continue ReadingField Trip: More Italy!

There's nothing quite so exotic as a farmers market in a foreign country. You get to see the staples of the local diet on display. Here in the US, we see peppers and eggplant and tomatoes just like in Italy, but the varieties are different and there's so much more. Radicchio, fennel, porcini mushrooms and chestnuts are readily available at Italian farmers markets right now. Just remember, the rules there are different: don't touch the produce, tell the vendor what…

Some home grown, some pilfered. All beautiful.
Some home grown, some pilfered. All beautiful.

Wordless Wednesday: Harvest 2015

Continue ReadingWordless Wednesday: Harvest 2015

These are never really wordless, but you get the idea. Today is a celebration of a season passing, and a season's passion. Harvest time is satisfying, beautiful and temporary. Next we start fall crops. Here is a little of both. And what's next? Fall! What are you pulling from your garden these days? Post your haul / stash / treasures here.

Read more about the article Fall: Time to Plant Perennials
California native plants are ready to go in the ground now.

Fall: Time to Plant Perennials

Continue ReadingFall: Time to Plant Perennials

Fall is the time of year to plant perennials. Why? Isn't the season winding down? It is, but it's the perfect time to put winter-hardy perennials in the ground because they will use winter to develop strong roots. When spring rolls around, those fall-planted perennials will be leaps and bounds ahead of spring-planted plants, and will produce flowers or fruit more quickly. We're taking these cooler days to plant California Natives in the front yard. Next spring they'll jump into…

Planting Fall Gardens 2 – the Gardenerd Test Garden

Continue ReadingPlanting Fall Gardens 2 – the Gardenerd Test Garden

In addition to helping others plant their fall gardens, I'm not ashamed to admit that I get the most joy out of planting my own.  The Gardenerd Test Garden is being planted slowly but surely, and as of this writing there are a few things to report:

We planted sugar snap peas a few weeks ago and they are about 6 inches tall and starting to reach for the trellis.  I used the Gardenerd-designed tomato cages from summer to support the peas - it might be a bit short, but we'll see how it goes.

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Gardenerd at Large – Planting Fall Gardens

Continue ReadingGardenerd at Large – Planting Fall Gardens

It's been busy these last few months.  It seems that everyone wants a garden, and I'm happy to help. 

Today I helped a family in Corona Del Mar to plant a garden in a small space in their back yard.  The space was occupied with a couple of recently planted fruit trees that weren't yet established, and some shrubs.  After measuring the space and making some suggestions for plant removal, we were on our way....

Fall Gardening To-Do List

Continue ReadingFall Gardening To-Do List

For those who are cooling down for the winter, there are plenty of things to do before saying goodbye to gardening this fall.  As the leaves change color and the weather becomes more crisp, here are a couple fall gardening check lists for your end-of-season needs:

Organic Gardening Magazine's Fall To-Do List

Better Homes and Gardens Fall Garden Checklist

I also found a section on Consumer Reports' website that you might enjoy surfing through:

Consumer Reports Fall Lawn and Yard Checklist

Happy fall gardening!
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