Garden nerd Archives - Page 13 of 14

Compostable cutlery, nearly three years later

Compostable Cutlery – Not!

I've been unknowingly conducting an experiment on compostable cutlery over the last three years. Today I report my findings to you, in hopes that it will dispel some of the myths about biodegradable products. I celebrated a landmark birthday in February nearly 3 years ago. In our effort to lower our carbon footprint, we bought compostable/biodegradable cutlery and planned to compost everything from the party, including paper plates and cups (no birthday girl wants to do dishes in a ballgown). …

Post author:Christy
Post published:November 14, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:6 Comments

Frittata fresh from the oven with blobs of goat cheese

Sweet Potato & Kale Frittata with Goat Cheese

As the weather cools down, the urge to turn on the oven increases. This new recipe from Selma Brown Morrow appeared in a recent issue of Vegetarian Times and captures the essence of cold-weather comfort food. It comes together in 30 minutes, but if you choose not to nuke your sweet potatoes as instructed, add about 15 minutes to the process. Sweet Potato and Kale Frittata with Goat Cheese 1 med sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces 8…

Post author:Christy
Post published:November 13, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Soil builder cover crop

Fall Garden In Progress

Some gardens are shut down for the winter, while others are heading in that direction. In warm-winter climates, however, it's just the beginning of another great growing season. Fall gardens or cool-weather crops are some of the most satisfying to grow (not to mention the easiest). As summer veggies make an exit (or not), we'd like to share with you what's growin' on in our Test Garden this fall: We soak seeds overnight and coat the peas with inoculant before…

Post author:Christy
Post published:November 7, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:2 Comments

Chives in abundance

What to Do with All Those Chives?

I love chives, but let's face it--a little bit goes a long way. If I use more than two or three stems (or scapes) at a time, it's a rarity. So what do we do with this fragrant, romantic herb besides snipping a few stems over baked potatoes? Let's explore. Toss with salads -Mark Bittman suggests using copious amounts in a chive salad, with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Chive pesto - make this pesto from Mariquita Farm and…

Post author:Christy
Post published:November 6, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Making Belgian Waffles

Belgian Waffle Tradition Takes Mar Vista

The latest article from Mar Vista's Bounty Hunter is ready for your perusal. Find out more about the connection between Belgian waffles and fries, and where to find these tasty treats in L.A. A Little Bit of Belgium in L.A.

Post author:Christy
Post published:November 5, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Home Grown Sweet Potatoes

Home Grown Sweet Potato Recipe

The sweet potato is the jewel of fall and winter. This year we grew our own, and now it's time to serve them up in a savory recipe. There are far too many recipes which add sugar or maple syrup to sweet potatoes, which IMHO is a disservice to the tuber. Why not enjoy them in their natural state? Here's our favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes. Aren't they gorgeous!? They cook up beautifully too. We used our one and…

Post author:Christy
Post published:October 24, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Swarm box ready for guests

Installing a Swarm Box

As you may know, bees are responsible for pollinating 1 out of every 4 bites of food we eat, so attracting bees to your garden is a really good idea. One way to do it is to put up a swarm box. Swarm boxes give bees an attractive place to call home. When their hive grows too large, the queen will take some of the bees and leave in search of new digs. If they choose to inhabit your swarm…

Post author:Christy
Post published:October 23, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:6 Comments

Ginseng Sweet Potato harvest

Growing Sweet Potatoes

As Autumn sets in, it's time to harvest sweet potatoes. They have spent the last three or four months growing in warm weather, but before frost hits (or as soon as it does) those sweet potatoes have to come out. We planting a sampler pack of three different varieties in May. It was a first for the Gardenerd Test Garden. The sampler featured two slips each of All Purple, North Carolina White, and Ginseng. They look pretty sad to start…

Post author:Christy
Post published:October 18, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:4 Comments

Bells and Kale--a lovely combination

Field Trip: Natural Bridges Farm

While up in Santa Cruz, we visited an amazing farm near the ocean. The reason why it's so amazing goes beyond its glorious rows of dahlias, kale and salad greens. It's the farm's mission to give homeless people a new life. Natural Bridges Farm is a certified organic, U-pick farm with a CSA component for local residents. It is run by the Homeless Garden Project, which offers "job training, a safe and beautiful community space, and delicious, local, organic produce."…

Post author:Christy
Post published:October 17, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:2 Comments

Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumbers

Growing Mexican Sour Gherkin Cucumbers

They look like tiny watermelons, but taste like cucumbers. What the heck are they? That's what most people say when they lay eyes on a Mexican Sour Gherkin cucumber. It's an heirloom variety that keeps gardeners from getting bored. We first saw them at the Culver City Garden Show, where fellow gardenerd Elizabeth Camp was showing them off. One look and we knew they were a garden must. We grew them this summer in our Test Garden, so here's the…

Post author:Christy
Post published:October 11, 2012
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:19 Comments