When my daughter came in and told me how cute the cat looked all curled up in the ceramic pot in the cold frame, I was not happy. It was not my daughter’s fault. The cats often sleep in empty pots. This time, however, there were NO empty pots in the cold frame. There were […]
Tracking How Long It Takes Your Seeds to Germinate
One of the best things a gardener can do when planting is to note exact dates that seeds are planted. Whether this be in pots or directly outdoors, it will make it much easier to make decisions about how the garden is doing. Once there is more familiarity with how long it takes certain seeds […]
How Well Does a Straw Bale Garden Decompose in the Arid Desert of Southwest Idaho
A few days ago I needed to break up one of my 3 straw bale gardens in order to set up a chicken pen. This particular straw bale garden was just beginning its third spring. All of it, dirt and straw, has been watered regularly with drip irrigation. I have grown vegetables such as zucchini, […]
Laura’s Favorite Sweet Pineapple Coleslaw
Having just planted some cabbage seeds a couple of weeks ago, I had an impatient and premature craving for my yummy homemade coleslaw. I finally perfected the recipe last summer, after years of fiddling with it once a year or so and being disappointed. Now, I can whip it out and KNOW I am in […]
Dealing with Desirable Volunteers in Your Flower Bed Design
One of the challenges when planting is to choose optimal growing sites for particular plants. Will it get enough sun? Will it have enough moisture? Will the location be too hot for long term survival? Will it be too close to other plants? So, when I have a desirable flower that reseeds, I don’t spend […]