Winter Archives - Page 6 of 7

Lady bugs keep aphids at bay in our Swiss chard patch.

Wordless Wednesday: Ocean View Farms Plot

People ask me about my community garden plot a lot, I guess because I don't post photos from it. Most of the pictures you see here on Gardenerd are from our Test Garden, but today I'm sharing what's growin' on at Ocean View Farms (OVF) Organic Community Garden. For those not familiar, OVF plots are 15'x15' so biointensive planting is a must. We cram as much as we can into that plot, and we get a lot out of it.…

Post author:Christy
Post published:February 14, 2018
Post category:Blog
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Dazzling Blue Kale, the best of both worlds.

YouTube: 360 Degree Tour of Gardenerd HQ

We hope you are enjoying your holiday season. We are too. But in the meantime, here is a cool new video that gives you a 360 degree tour of Gardenerd HQ. Look around, use your mouse to scroll left and right. Check out what's growin' on in the middle of December in Southern California. Note: If the scrolling 360 effect doesn't work on this embedded video, click through to our YouTube channel to watch with all the bells and whistles.…

Post author:Christy
Post published:December 28, 2017
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:4 Comments

Monarch caterpillars stripping the last of the milkweed.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is tomorrow, the shortest day of the year. Dark at 4:30 is sad, but it's temporary. From this point forward, the days get longer. Here we celebrate the beauty of winter even with no snow or frost in sight. Winter Solstice Whether your garden is covered with snow or providing you with daily greens, Happy holidays and happy Winter Solstice from our garden to yours!

Post author:Christy
Post published:December 19, 2017
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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The recipe makes about 2 pints

YouTube: Garden Gifts for the Holidays

It's been awhile since we've done a YouTube video (we've been working on yet another book) but here's one just in time for the holidays. It's filled with ideas for garden gifts--or gifts from the garden--and for the gardenerds in your life. Garden gifts are the best kind, and your friends and family will know you put your heart into it. Whether you need a quick hostess gift, or something special for all the aunts and uncles, you'll find ideas…

Post author:Christy
Post published:December 12, 2017
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:1 Comment

Garlic, carrots and radishes are so happy with all the rain.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter is Our Spring

California is known for its weather, and for those who don't yet know, winter everywhere else is our spring. Here in SoCal flowers have sprouted everywhere, peas are growing strong, brassicas are loving the rain (LOTS of rain!). For gardeners with yards covered in snow, enjoy those seed catalogs by the fire. We're still tending the soil and harvesting winter crops. Enjoy these shots from our winter garden. We hope you are enjoying the winter regardless of whether you are…

Post author:Christy
Post published:January 25, 2017
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:4 Comments

White Sonora wheat rises up for pollination.

Wordless Wednesday: Winter into Spring

March is a time of transition. Winter crops die, making room for spring seedlings. Volunteers poke through the soil and take a chance. We celebrate new life in the garden as the old fades away. We move from winter into spring. Start seeds, weed soils, add compost over bare soil, plan big and enjoy this transition from winter into spring!

Post author:Christy
Post published:March 2, 2016
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Multicolored carrots include Yellowstone, Cosmic Purple and Scarlet Nantes

Yes, Virginia, There is a Winter Garden

So many people are shocked to discover that you can grow food in winter. In many places, where the ground freezes, it is more challenging but still possible. In warm-winter climates like Los Angeles, it's a piece of cake. Folks flock to Hollywood from other parts of the country, for stardom, yes, but mainly for the weather. If you've never grown a winter garden, let's start now. It's December, and for colder locations it's too late to plant, so take…

Post author:Christy
Post published:December 2, 2015
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
Post comments:7 Comments

Jade is hard to kill.

Ask Gardenerd: Winter Care for Succulents

This week's question is a good one: "Hi and thank you in advance for your help. I live in Texas and have a lot of succulents in pots (20) and other things in the ground like cannas. Question is: how to keep them alive through winter? Get some kind of tarps or bring them into the house or invest in a small greenhouse if so what kind? Thanks!!" Winter in Texas can be brutal, and like many places, you may…

Post author:Christy
Post published:November 11, 2015
Post category:Blog Sage Advice
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All-blue, russet and red potatoes are jewels from the garden.

Winter’s Bounty: Harvesting Colors in Warm-Winter Climates

As much of the country is covered with snow, or too soggy to start spring gardening, the warm-winter gardener is reaping the blessings of mild temperatures. Winter's bounty is a basket of root crops, greens and peas. Take a look at what we're harvesting from this season's Test Garden (p.s. we're not bragging. There have been plenty of failures due to drought conditions and heat waves, but these pictures are too colorful not to share). Our kale may be full…

Post author:Christy
Post published:February 11, 2014
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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Packets before going into the oven - a thing of beauty!

Recipe: Seitan, Vegetables and Cracked Pepper en Papillote

New Year, new recipes to cook up home grown goodness. It's also time for quick meals that don't require a lot of work or fancy preparation. This recipe may look fancy, but it comes together quickly using vegetables and parchment paper (papillote) in about half an hour. If you are exploring more meatless meals, this is one to try. I used homemade seitan on-hand, but store-bought is fine. You can probably substitute an animal protein if desired, just adjust cooking…

Post author:Christy
Post published:January 7, 2014
Post category:Blog What's Growin' On
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