Whether you say crocuses or croci, they’re looking lovely in Chicagoland. They’re just plain cheerful. The beginning of our gardens! Today, I spent about five hours adding compost, outlining a new bed or two, and trying my hand at growing poppies again. I’ve not had any luck with poppy seeds. Fingers crossed this year. I [...]
Oh, how I wish this were happening outside. That’s what is happening in my house… still cold, grey, and hibernating… Well, it’s not the Spring we had last year, with temperatures nice and mild. But there is not a doubt in my mind that we will have more light and the warmer temperatures will [...]
Chicago was 60 degrees yesterday, Jan 29th of the year 2013. Wow! I road my bike without a jacket. Very strange indeed. I had put out some extra sunflower seed for the wildlife and spent a good amount of time watching this squirrel “plant” a bed. We’ll see this summer if his efforts produce a [...]
Well winter really hasn’t hit Chicago much yet this year. In fact, a few lilacs were budding and thinking it Spring. EEEK! The kale, sage, thyme, and some snapdragons are going strong. That, I don’t mind. The fresh sage and thyme were great to have for the Thanksgiving feast! I did get some garlic in [...]
Ask yourself if you will tend a garden plot. Will I have time to water and weed? Start small. It’s best to start out with a few pots or maybe one bed. Starting with these vegetables from seed can be very rewarding: carrots, lettuce, kale, cucumbers, beans, squash. Take a long look at the light [...]
First off, why is this happening? Thoughts on La Nina, active solar storm season, and global warming all come to one’s mind. With solar storms come beautiful auroras, that were highly visible last Tues in some parts of the world (image above is Matthew Hodges‘). Now, what can one do for the garden? Well, mostly [...]
We just got snow last night and what perfect timing…all the seed catalogs seem to be coming my way with every winter day. I thought I’d share R.H. Shumway. The old-timey-ness is just plain endearing with little caricatures and drawings throughout. Flipping through the pages, you get transported into a different time. Postcards of the [...]
This year was my first to grow potatoes, and I started thinking about grains. Is it possible to grow grains in your own city yard? I’ve heard of folks canoeing along the Wisconsin rivers harvesting wild rice, and I’ve heard of cover crops, which are grains…so this is what I’ve learned. Seems that there is [...]
This is the forest pumpkin and below is the kitty pumpkin. Both are from a farm stand in Wisconsin. I saved a few seeds to try to grow next year and roasted the rest. Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe heat oven to 325 degrees rinse seeds, coat with butter or olive oil and season with salt [...]
The first frost hasn’t come yet, and with today’s temperature in the 60s, the garden is still blooming and producing. Instead of deadheading this last round of blooms, let your flowers go to seed. It’s a great way to attract and feed our little feathered friends. Black-Eyed Susan, Echinacea, Coreopsis, Aster, Thistle, Goldenrod, Basil, and [...]