As gardeners, the approach of fall is bittersweet. We love the flavor of something freshly picked. Tomatoes offer a warm, luxurious taste of summer and berries are sweet on the vine. Yes, as gardeners, we hustle to gather while we can, but there is a certain relief as fall draws near. The promise of a […]
Gardening
Final Fall Harvest
Weather has a profound effect on gardening. Winds can flatten a field of crops, hail can pummel plants into bits, and drought causes fruit to wither on the vine. But the single most frantic day for gardeners driven by weather, is the day leading into an evening where a freeze has been predicted. Today was […]
Garlic: Demystifying Hardneck and Softneck
With the cooler temperatures, September heralds in one of my favorite planting seasons and within this planting season is one of my favorite items to plant. Some may refer to it as the Stinking Rose or Italian Perfume, but to me, garlic is heady. Garlic is quite easy to grow. It does best in well-drained […]
Garden Shed: A Place to Putter
Growing up on a farm, gardening was a way of life. Potatoes were planted on Good Friday, seeds were planted a few weeks later, and tomatoes seedlings went in the ground in mid-May. Mom took charge of the garden and all of us kids were her helpers, following behind carrying tools, dragging hoses, and holding […]
Harvesting Hops on the Homestead
This time of year when I walk past the chicken run, I am reminded of my favorite fermented beverage. And no, it is not because my chickens drive me to drink, but because of what is growing on the west facing side of the run. We have hops! We deliberately planted hops in that location […]
Spider Mites: The Summer Garden Pest
While summer is in full swing and produce is coming in by the bushel, there is one summer pest that can wipe a smile from my face. It’s spider mites! They are a very tiny arachnid in the Tetranychidae family. This family also also includes spiders, ticks, and daddy-longlegs. Their coloration can range from brownish […]