For years, I wasn’t able to harvest clean leaves from Swiss chard and kale. Most of the time they were full of holes, eaten by something. I don’t mind sharing my bounty with others. Humans or otherwise. I am not interested in spraying chemicals in my garden, either! Once I started selling at the farmers […]
From time to time, we hear about Super-foods. A must-grow for the gardeners! That are rich in anti-oxidants! Everyone falls over each other to get their hands on. And in few years, nobody remembers them. Goji berry was a star once, with claims of medicinal and nutrional values. Then others took on the mantle. I […]
Do you really need compost bins? Composting has become mainstream. It isn’t limited to landlords anymore. High-rise dwellers are doing composting big time. From compost tumblers to condo-sized fancy designer models, now you can buy compost bins to your heart’s content. But do you really need those premium-priced ones? Well. I have about nine compost […]
When we harvest vegetables, we are simply taking away nutrients from our garden. Yes, plants grow with the help of sunlight and water. And gases like carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitrogen from the air. We don’t run out of them. They are abundant around us. But plants also take minerals from the soil. Unless we […]
Enjoying the fruits of labor year around is the goal of every gardener. But nature gets in the way. For people in the tropics, it is not much of a problem. Yes, they do have the cold periods. But cool-weather loving vegetables will breeze through them. But they do have their droughts to deal with. […]
Gardens are not just about the area. Those who don’t have the luxury of space, can still grow a lot by going vertical. Now there is a new interest in having a living wall by hanging plants in pockets. That is for another day! But for backyard gardens and container gardens, adding another dimension takes […]
With the scarlet flowers and the sweet smell of pineapple, there is a sage that can enrich your garden. Yes. Pineapple sage is one herb that brings joy to all senses. Crush the leaves between fingers to release the heavenly fragrance while you are in the garden to refresh yourself. No wonder that in traditional […]
Typically, this is how I start conversations with my customers at my farmers market stand. ‘Have you ever tasted Sorrel?’ ‘No, what is that?’ ‘Taste it and let me know’ I will hand them a piece. ‘WHAT IS THAT?’ ‘Is it lemony?’ ‘Yeah!’ ‘You can eat fresh in the salad. Or Eastern European and french […]
We, gardeners, are the favorite children of Mother Earth. Because we are the ones who hug her more often. We work in her soil, enriching and cultivating it. So She blesses us with her abundance. But, She is so proud of us that she makes sure that the signs of her love stay with us. […]
It has become a star of sorts at my farmers Market stall. Something of a novelty, that starts conversations. Size of a grape and look of a melon with a lemony taste to boot. Suddenly it found itself in the limelight, gaining popularity. Nowadays more is written and talked about Mouse Melon or Mexican Sour […]