Gardening

I'm no expert but I do love to play in the dirt. Below are some posts you might find interesting and, hopefully, helpful, too!

Save Your Eggshells For Healthier Tomatoes
Blossom end rot is one of the many woes that plague tomato growers. The good news is that you can avoid it altogether by ensuring your tomato plants have adequate calcium while they're growing. And one easy, free way to do that is to simply crush up some eggshells before you plant. More>>

Don't Toss Those Scallion Roots - Plant Them, Instead
My friend, Julia, taught me this great, thrifty tip. Next time you use scallions, save the root ends you'd normally compost or toss and plant them in your garden or in a pot of dirt. A whole, new scallion plant will soon sprout up. More >>

Planting Asparagus - Investing in a Tastier Future
It takes them a couple years to get going but once they hit their stride these fern-like perennial plants will provide delicious, super fresh spears for a quarter century. Plus, they make your pee smell really intense :) What's not to love?! More >>

Don't Piss Away Valuable Fertilizer - Pee on Your Compost
Human urine is chock full of minerals that make rich soil and happy plants. So next time you need to tinkle, head to your compost pile or pull out your yogurt container or bucket. It's a time-honored practice that works wonders in your garden while diverting waste from your septic system or municipality. More>>

How to Avoid Getting Poison Ivy
For the vast majority of us, poison ivy (or poison oak) is a serious pain in the butt. But you can avoid it by taking some simple precautions and buying a boatload of poison ivy soap. More>>

The Troubling Link Between Japanese Barberry & Lyme Disease
Studies done at the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Agriculture and Experiment Station found that forests that are infested with invasive Japanese Barberry bushes have TWELVE times more deer ticks than forests that were not. Since deer ticks (black legged ticks) are the primary vector by which Lyme disease and a number of other serious co-infections are spread this is a good reason to get rid of your barberry plants. More>>

 Grow Your Own Sweet Potatoes
You don't have to order expensive sweet potato slips from a seed company to grow delicious, organic sweet potatoes. Just start early, choose one (or more) organic varieties you enjoy and follow these steps to a huge bed of sweet potatoes come fall. More>>

Getting Rid of Aggressive Invasives in the Garden
Some plants like to take over. Musings on how to tackle problem plants like Japanese silvergrass and Japanese barberry that have no natural predators here in the U.S. More>>

Extending the Growing Season - Cold Frames & Hoop Houses
Here in the northeast of the U.S., winter comes all too soon and stays a bit too long. Thankfully, there are time-tested, low-tech ways to extend the growing season, including hoop houses and cold frames. More>>

Grow Your Own Garlic
As crops go, garlic is one of the easiest and most fulfilling things you can possibly grow. And all you need to get started is a patch of dirt and a head of organic garlic! Give your garlic a good start by planting it in the fall and read on for more tips. More>>

Plant an Herb Garden
Not ready to tackle a big garden? Planting a selection of your favorite kitchen herbs can be the perfect way to dip a toe into the gardening pool. More>>