Quince, summer 2015, in my "mini front yard orchard" |
While winter is a great time to catch up on napping on the sofa, time spent tending the garden in winter will allow more time for napping in the sun on the patio in summer! |
Stories of the trials, tribulations, and the joys of sharing a garden with two energetic Miniature Pinscher dogs.
Quince, summer 2015, in my "mini front yard orchard" |
While winter is a great time to catch up on napping on the sofa, time spent tending the garden in winter will allow more time for napping in the sun on the patio in summer! |
Posted by Sarah at 6:52 PM 0 comments
Labels: Edible Garden, Garden Maintenance, winter gardening
Canned tomatoes: So far this year I have canned 46 pints of tomatoes...29 to go to meet my goal of 75 jars! |
Posted by Sarah at 9:58 AM 0 comments
Labels: Community Gardening, Cooking from the Garden, Tips, Tomatoes
Why grow potatoes?
French Fingerling Potatoes, cut up for planting, we made sure each section had 2 or 3 growing eyes and left the cut pieces out to dry for a few days before planting. |
These are the potatoes harvested from our community garden plot last fall. |
Posted by Sarah at 8:54 PM 0 comments
Labels: Community Gardening, Edible Garden, Potatoes
The planting and harvesting doesn't take a break for winter in my gardens. Now is the time to really get serious about planting crops to harvest in fall, winter, and early spring. I have cabbage and Brussels sprouts planted in pots waiting for the summer crops to be pulled, and peas were planted in the space opened up after the garlic and shallot harvest.
Sprouting broccoli, great because once you harvest the main head, little heads will sprout out below, plus the leaves are tasty too! |
Cascadia peas, started in pots, waiting transplant. |
Posted by Sarah at 8:39 AM 0 comments
Labels: Edible Garden, winter gardening
Most all of my landscape design clients want sustainable or "green" features in their landscapes; native plants are often requested, as are water saving features. For the past 18 months, I've had the pleasure of working with a client who sees sustainability way beyond a few native plants and low water usage.
The design process started right after she purchased the house. We evaluated the site to see what features we should keep and what features needed to be protected from the extensive remodel she was about to undertake. Plants to save or protected and materials for re-use were noted, and a master site plan for circulation and hardscape features was drafted. We planned out construction phases to work with the budget, remodeling schedule, and planting seasons.
The first phase was transplanting plants, removing weeds and undesirable plants, rough grading of the site, and mud control.
The second phase was installing raised beds for a spring vegetable garden.
The third phase was installing the hardscape elements and planting key plants for privacy and screening.
Posted by Sarah at 2:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: Garden Design, Juniper Lumber, Sustainability
This year we are growing 9 tomato plants, 3 in our home garden and 6 in our plot at the Campbell Community Garden. Two varieties that are new to us, Dejena Lee's Golden Girl, and San Marzano Redorta, plus our tried and true Better Boy, Sioux, and German Giant (which had huge fruit last year). The weather has been nearly perfect for getting an early start, some years I wait to get my warm weather plants into the ground until the end of June or even early July, but not this year; we planted the first week of June!
Sioux, German Giant, and Better Boy tomatoes; you can see the peas fenced off to protect them from the dogs in the background.
As part of my community garden project, I've been working with Straw Bale Films to produce video segments on gardening. You can see my tomato planting technique and the tomatoes in my Community Garden plot below:
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Posted by Sarah at 7:47 PM 0 comments
Labels: Community Gardening, Edible Garden, Garden Videos, Tomatoes
Barberry amongst the Rave On Heuchera, White Peony, and Geranium Renardii |
Posted by Sarah at 9:51 AM 0 comments
Labels: Our Garden
Building a good garden takes several years. One must spend time amending the soil with compost and other goodies, adjusting PH, etc. Getting to know the micro climates of a site takes time as well. And the bank of dormant weed seeds (brought to life by tilling, fertilizing, and watering) need to be exhausted.
My Father's new garden bed, he can sit in a chair to water and pick strawberries |
Campbell Community Garden, under construction! We start planting on June 1st! |
Posted by Sarah at 10:07 PM 0 comments
Labels: Community Gardening, Garden Projects
I try to avoid using pesticides in our garden, even organic pesticides (they are often chemicals after all). However when I decide that a problem warrants the use of a chemical control, I want it to be as effective as possible in the smallest dose. Using garden pesticides frugally is not only better for the environment, it is better for the pocketbook.
The biggest pest in our garden is snails; I have been battling them for the twelve years I've tended my Milwaukie garden. I've learned to not be squeamish about squishing them with my garden shoes, and have worked to keep the ground around the more susceptible plants, like hosta, free of fallen leaves and other slug and snail hiding places. According to the University of California's Integrated Pest Management Online website:
Posted by Sarah at 2:03 PM 0 comments
Labels: Garden Maintenance, gardening with dogs
The winter garden is plugging along. In past years I covered our home veg beds with plastic, this kept them warmer but the poor air circulation contributed to disease problems, so this year I covered the beds with Agribon row cover. The Agribon allows light, water, and air to pass through, but protects the plants from wind and keeps them a few degrees warmer than if they were uncovered. This year has been a lot milder than the past few, so I can't make a real fair comparison to the performance of the plastic to Agribon, however, I do see a few advantages to the Agribon:
Tuscan Blue Rosemary, Giant Winter Spinach, Lacinato Kale and Bright Lights Chard |
Giant Winter Spinach & Lacinato Kale |
Broccoli, variety unknown |
Posted by Sarah at 2:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: Cooking from the Garden, Garden Maintenance, gardening with dogs