My herbs are gigantic, so any idea I read or see concerning herbs sticks in my head. Latest and greatest is from 1,001 Ingenious Gardening Ideas, (page 204 if you’ve got the book). Harvest herbs of rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, and chive. Make sure all the herbs you harvest are between 5-8 inches in length. [...]
Living in the Midwest, we are blessed with the Great Lakes. A huge resource, that sometimes, we forget is here. Yesterday, on WBEZ’s 848 , they spoke with Loreen Niewenhuis about her book, A 1,000 Mile Walk on the Beach: One Woman’s Trek of the Perimeter of Lake Michigan. Her talk sounded like it was [...]
With the cold and wind here to visit for a while, I’ve been enjoying the crock pot for my cooking. The Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson has stews, breakfasts, soups, and desserts! This book has pictures of each recipe and substitution suggestions for vegan meals. How comforting to come home from work and have [...]
With Autumn blowing in it’s cooler temperatures, it’s a great time to jot down some notes from this year’s garden. Things to note: Where you planted your vegetables. Plant rotation is key to a healthy garden and keeping disease under control. Different plants take different nutrients from the soil. Allow three years between plantings in [...]
Just recently, my friend Billy was excited to tell me about eating daylilies. You can add baby shoots to stir fry, stuff the flowers and cook them up much like squash flowers, or prepare the roots like a potato! I never knew, and now I will look unto these little gems as more than a [...]
When people see mushrooms in the garden, they worry. No need. Mushrooms are very beneficial in breaking down mulch or added compost so that it’s more accessible to plants roots. They’re also extremely helpful in rejuvenating toxic soil, for instance in cleaning up oil spills (hello, BP, you listening?). Paul Stamets’ book, Mycellium Running: How [...]
Bonsai is an ancient art form, as well as a practice in nature, originating in China. Chinese Bonsai is inspired from myth and appears very animal like, recalling thoughts of serpents and dragons through gnarled stem and roots. Later, the Japanese adopted it as a form of Zen Buddhism, mimicking a more natural tree landscape, [...]
guerrilla gardener-This the the gardener that takes the world to be his/her own garden. A spot of open soil is enough to inspire the green deed, from seed bombs to planned out spaces. Just remember, once you start a spot, make sure you check up on it to weed and water. urban farmer-The inspiring do-it-yourself-er [...]
Helen Babbs moved to London and turned her flat balcony roof into a lush garden get-away. Over the two years, she provided herself with fresh greens and veggies, flowers for beneficial insects, and a scented night garden with jasmine and tobacco. Babbs book of the experience, My Garden, the City and Me: Rooftop Adventures in [...]