Things are starting to feel (slightly) warmer and you may have noticed the first daffodil leaves starting to push up to join the snowdrops and crocuses. The gardeners and motorcyclists are starting to get antsy! But donāt start planting your tomatoes quite yet. Greenhouse Update Strawberries jet getting started! Spring is ramping up in the greenhouse and itās starting to look pretty. Tomatoes are getting seeded next week! But this yearās strawberry baskets are starting to pop and looking...
20 days agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
What a change - itās was almost tropical out there for a couple days! Letās wrap up our garden planning series. Weāve covered WHAT to grow, WHEN to plant it, and HOW MUCH to grow. Today, letās tackle the final act: WHERE everything goes in your gardenās grand production. Just as every director has their own vision for staging a play, there are different styles for arranging your gardenās cast of characters. You might prefer the precision of a Broadway musical - where each vegetable has its...
about 2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Jeez! I hope you are staying warm. Letās do some more on-paper and in-doors gardening this week! Last email when answering our 3 Big Questions we talked about the WHEN of planting. Today I want to help decide how MUCH to grow. Think of your garden like a theater production. A director wouldnāt cast 20 Hamlets - nor would they attempt to stage a chorus line with just three dancers. In your garden, you need to know whether youāre producing an intimate one-act show with just enough runner beans...
2 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
Last week we explored choosing the right plants for your garden. Today, I want to share how I turn my plant wishlist into an actionable plan that makes our gardens more successful. It all starts with what I call the Big 3 Questions (When is it going to be planted? How much to grow? Where is going to live?), letās tackle the first one now: WHEN to plant. Just like a chefās kitchen runs on perfect timing and temperature, your garden thrives when plants go into the ground at just the right...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
A good plan is imperative to a great garden! And now is the perfect time to do it ā especially when itās too cold to go outside and dig around. It has definitely been tea and cuddling weather lately! I start all my planning with a big long list of everything I want to include in the garden. Without years of gardening behind you, the best place to start is your own favorite recipes. Youāre much more likely to enjoy gardening when you use all the veggies youāre raising! - Big salad family -...
3 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
I hope you are enjoying this slow, cool rainy day and all your trees, shrubs, and perennials are getting a well deserved drink before winter truly sets in! Every garden tool has its use? As the gardening season winds down your shovel has been faithful all season long and now its time to show it some TLC too! Clean, sharp tools not only make gardening more enjoyable but also help reduce strain on your body and allow your tools to last for years to come. Hereās your quick guide to winter tool...
4 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
Hello, With the end of the veggie garden in sight for most of us (our expected first frost date is around the first week of November here in the Rivertowns), itās the perfect time to reflect and prepare for an even better garden next year! Garden notes or a garden journal will be a huge asset when it comes time to plan or make decisions about next seasonās garden. Good notes Improve our planning - they allow us to see when and where certain veggies were planted and make adjustments Identify...
6 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 1 min read
As the weather gets cool, itās time to brush off the trowel one more time and dig soil tests! This is the best time of year for checking on how you can bring nutritional balance to your soils as well as prime the soil micro ecology for next seasonās plantings. Anything you add to the soil now will have plenty of time to enter the soil food web and be ready for your next seasonās veggies to scoop right up! While we might harvest tomatoes and lettuce as gardeners what we truly cultivate first...
6 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read
This whole month, Iām back in planting mode! Along with the fall veggies (spinach, baby lettuce, radishes, arugula, etc.) that Iām planting, Iām also focusing on cover crops to prepare my beds for the coming winter (you did notice the chilly nights this past week, didnāt you?). Letās get everyone on the same page here: Cover Cropping is when we grow crops primarily for their benefits to the garden rather than for harvesting food. Cover cropping can have a myriad of benefits depending on the...
7 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 2 min read