It’s that time of year friends. Seed catalogs are arriving daily and gardeners of all sorts are evaluating their seeds stocks, shopping with reckless abandon and preparing seed starting materials. Yes, Spring is less than two months away and we want to be ready to greet her with the warm embrace that is a collection of robust seedlings, ready for the annual migration to their … Continue reading 5 Simple Tips for Seed Starting Success
Happy New Year! I’d like to start by saying that I hope you and yours enjoyed a safe a happy holiday. 2020 was challenging, to say the least, but rather than dwell on a year that cannot be changed I prefer to focus on the blank canvas in front of us. Let us create a masterpiece, shall we? My 2021 gardening season is forecasted to … Continue reading New Year, New Gardens — Welcome 2021!
While I do appreciate a good bowl of soup at any time of year, I am particularly fond of them throughout the cold months. I don’t know what the weather is like where you’re sitting but here in Maryland, USA the cold months are upon us…and I’m jonesing for a big bowl of warm-me-to-my-bones deliciousness with some good crusty bread. MmmmmmMMM!! A while back I … Continue reading Garden Goodness: Soups, Stews & Chilis
As many of you well know, I am an enthusiastic participant of the citizen science program known as Project FeederWatch. Led by the ornithology department at Cornell University, Project FeederWatch enlists the help of the general public to monitor bird populations across North America. Simply by recording the different species that visit your backyard feeders and the total number in attendance, you can help scientists … Continue reading Project FeederWatch 2020-2021
The coming year is going to be riddled with additional gardening challenges for the Rices. First, we’re expecting a 17-year brood of cicadas. Based on everything I’ve read, this mimics an event straight out of the bible with millions of cicadas covering all surfaces, destroying every stem in their path. Ok, this may a bit of an exaggeration, but it holds enough truth that experts … Continue reading Garlic Planting 2020
I know that the winter solstice is several weeks out, but my fall garden seems to have abruptly turned a corner this weekend. Last week I was harvesting several lasts; last of the carrots, last patty pan squash, last eggplants and tomatoes. The excitement of so much harvesting was quickly followed by the letdown that is a desolate garden. Don’t get me wrong, there are … Continue reading “Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder”
It’s that time of year, leaves are falling and you’re raking up mass piles of…mulch. Yes, that’s right. Leaves serve as an excellent form of mulch for overwintering perennial herbs, flowers and vegetables. 3-4 inches of leaf litter layered over the base of plants helps maintain moisture levels, creates an insulation barrier by trapping air, and prevents soil erosion. As a bonus, keeping a layer … Continue reading Quick Tips 10.17.2020
Gardening, much like all things in life, is all about perspective. The fun part is how that perspective changes throughout one’s gardening journey. In my case, one aspect of my gardening perspective that has changed dramatically over the last five years is how I view succession planting. Specifically, planting in late summer for a fall harvest. When we moved to Maryland (zone 7a) I was … Continue reading Food for Thought: Fall Plantings
This one will be short and sweet — I’m hosting my first seed swap. I have enjoyed many swaps now and thought it would be nice to share the experience with family and friends. We do still have 4 spots available for any gardeners in the USA or Canada that may be interested in participating. I’ve included a link below and there are instructions written … Continue reading Earthy Seed Swap 2020
We’ve survived the dog days of summer, and as autumn creeps in our plants start to look exhausted. Growth slows, the leaves may take on a yellow tinge or start to curl under, and productivity drops; the season’s end is approaching. Now is a good time to start weighing your options for seed saving. Do you have any heirloom or open-pollinated varieties growing in your … Continue reading Saving Cucumber Seeds
