More Organics

As the days run a constant 70 and the nights hit the 50s, the reality of Autumn sets in.  Luckily, there are still a few surprises in my garden and welcome blooms.  Enjoy!

Use your leaves in the garden.  Fallen leaves are rich in organic matter  According to Texas A&M University, “they contain 50 to 80 percent of the nutrients a plant extracts from the soil and air during the season.” Three ways to use leaves: Mulching.  Shredded leaves will decompose faster, but it’s not necessary.  Fall mulching [...]

It is pretty official now, the garden is down for the winter.  Perhaps the kale and chard will last a bit longer, as well as the mums, snapdragons, and rosemary. A little end of the season list: dig up remaining dahlia bulbs to store over the winter in a dry, dark spot with a range [...]

  I always use random pieces of paper to keep my collected seeds, but Heavy Petal, a Vancouver garden site (lucky them in zone 8), has given us gardeners a template.  What an adorable nasturtium design!  And…just in time!

Fall is the best time to divide peonies.  Sept/Oct actually, but I got to these this past week.  It should be plenty of time for them to enjoy a new home.  Dividing helps a crowded plant perform better. Here are the steps! cut stems to a few inches above the ground dig a circle larger [...]

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 [...]

Mums are a fall classic, little puff balls of color, but they don’t necessarily need to be purchased every year.  To keep them around year after year, leave the leaves through winter and mulch after the first hard frost to protect the root ball from the cold.  Spring growth is a little slow, but once [...]

Looks like we had a pest and a parasitic wasp laid eggs on him and killed him.  Ahhhh nature, kinda gross.

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 [...]

Drying herbs is easy! Tender Herbs Pick tender herbs like basil, oregano, mint, and lemon balm with a gentle hand as to not bruise the leaves. Rinse with cool water, shake, and let dry completely. Discard any bruised or imperfect leaves as well as stems. Lay leaves flat on a paper towel not letting individual [...]