Most years, I think “I will make sure to dig up a couple of pepper plants in the fall and bring them into the greenhouse just before the first frost comes.” One year, I actually did get around to transplanting one, but since I had to take a lot of garden soil with it, it […]
Making the Most of Spring Garlic
Let’s say that one year you had to abandon your garden to go live in Taiwan for several months and your garlic never got harvested that fall. Then, when you got home in the next year, you tried to transplant it in the fall, but it had apparently been too bunched up. You gave it a […]
How to Keep Cats from Sleeping on New Seedlings in Garden Beds and Pots
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, […]