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Open House: Winter in the Garden

casasugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:44 -0800

My brother, who lives in the Midwest, is definitely done with his garden, since snow is on the ground. Like many other Midwestern garden enthusiasts, he's busy plotting out next year's veggie patch. While my garden has definitely slowed down thanks to the cold and rainy weather, that doesn't mean nothing's growing. This morning, I took a photo of what I'd harvested before heading to work. Figs are still ripening, and my Easter egg radishes are coming in — though oddly, it's primarily the white-colored ones that are mature. And, of course, mint, which is nearly impossible to deter or kill, is keeping my mornings filled with fresh herbal tea.

What's happening with your garden? Is it hibernating under a dusting of snow? Or are you still harvesting some vegetables and fruits?

Garden Therapy: Little Farm in the Big City

casasugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:00:06 -0700

Imagine the possibility of creating a low-maintenance, beautiful, and productive farm in the middle of a city. Such is the reality for homeowner Jennifer Carlson, a Seattle resident who turned her backyard into something extraordinary. For photos of her smart landscaping and gardening ideas, as well as some adorable animals, check out the slideshow. For even more information, head over to This Old House to see blueprints and more photos. Any city dwellers who wonder how they can turn their small patch of yard into something productive will delight in Carlson's home. Source

Midday Muse: A Plethora of Pumpkins

casasugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:00:14 -0700

I have a confession to make: I didn't grow any winter squash or pumpkins this year. For some reason, I forgot about this noble and nutritious Fall favorite. This photo, which was taken at the Spargelhof Klaistow farm in Klaistow, Germany, shows off some of the 400 types of pumpkins and squash grown at that farm. While my modest backyard garden wouldn't be able to support more than a few pumpkin varieties, it's inspiring to see the possibilities. Did you grow any pumpkins or winter squash this year?

Source

Casa Quickie: Plant Carrots With Radishes

casasugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:30:46 -0700

One smart move I made when planting my Winter garden was to mix my radish seeds and my carrot seeds together. I used Easter egg radishes and Chanterey carrots for the garden, which are both known for their mild flavor. I also favored the Chanterey carrots because they are short, and thus suited for raised beds that might not have as much soil depth as some gardens.

But why did I mix the seeds together in the same row? What's the advantage, you ask? Well, radishes mature in only a month, which means that once you pull them, your carrots, which take at least twice as long to mature, will have more room to spread out and grow. Also, since the soil has been loosened, the carrots will have an easier time growing. Just make sure to pull out your radishes gently; you don't want to pull out your baby carrots before their time!

Source and Source

Garden Therapy: Planting Winter Gardens

casasugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:30:35 -0700

If you're lucky enough to live in a temperate climate, you might be planting your Winter garden soon. I started to put my garden in this weekend. First I had to clean out the old plants and compost them, then I prepared the soil and planted my seeds. This season, I'm putting in kale, chard, lettuce, garlic, scallions, carrots, and radishes. All of these crops do well in cool weather. Since we rarely, if ever, get a frost in the San Francisco Bay Area, I'll be able to enjoy fresh vegetables all Winter long. Are you planting a Winter garden?

Name This Plant

casasugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:00:37 -0700

This garden standby grows well in Bay Area Winters. Can you name it? (Hint: It's got a good head on its shoulders.)

Name This Plant

casasugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:00:01 -0700

These crunchy vegetables are a great addition to salads, and even better, they're an easy, rewarding crop to grow. Can you name this plant?

Cool Idea: Drought-Resistant Landscaping With a Twist

casasugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:45:00 -0700

If you live in a drought-prone area, it's smart to landscape with succulents and cacti, which require very little water. That's what this household did. By covering the soil with mulch, this garden further decreases its need for watering. But what's that plant in the left-hand corner of the picture?
Yes, there are some vegetables mixed into this succulent landscape. More specifically, it looks like some Summer squash, perhaps zucchini, is sharing the front yard with succulents and cacti. I love this mix of plants; it's something I wouldn't have thought of trying, and I think the plants look great together.

Name This Plant

casasugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:30:02 -0700

Whether you pickle it or eat it raw, this garden veg is delicious. Its vines are also fun to either trellis or let wander all over your garden.

This Just In: Eat the View Petitions For White House Edible Garden

casasugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:30:28 -0700

Edible estates are a growing trend at homes around the country as food costs rise, along with food-safety concerns and environmental awareness, but there are some who think we shouldn't be confined to our own lawns. Eat the View is a nonprofit campaign to plant healthy, edible landscapes in high-impact, high-visibility places, and is petitioning for a vegetable garden on the lawn of most visible home in the country, the White House. I myself recently volunteered at one of these high-visibility gardens, San Francisco's Slow Food Nation Victory Garden, which sits in front of City Hall. The premise behind Eat the View's campaign is that as "America's House," the White House should set a positive example for the country and the world. The fresh, healthy, and environmentally-friendly produce grown in the garden would go to the White House kitchen as well as local food pantries. There is currently already a staff of 13 gardeners and groundskeepers, who maintain everything from the Rose Garden to the presidential putting green. And, it would not be the first time the White House had a green thumb: in the 1940s, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt grew a victory garden of her own. To see a video about the subject,

Name This Plant

casasugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:00:44 -0700

This feathery fronded plant is a staple in the crisper drawer. Can you guess what it is?

Name This Plant

casasugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:00:04 -0700

This yummy veg will twist and turn around these bamboo poles, first flowering, and then producing long, pretty pods. Can you name this vegetable?

Cool Idea: Color-Coordinating Your Plants

casasugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:30:31 -0700

When I volunteered at the SF Victory Garden, I was inspired by this small garden bed, which provided a fun twist on an edible garden. Using scarlet runner beans and rhubarb chard in the bed, the gardeners matched the colors of the two vegetables; the red of the chard stalks matches the red of the blooming bean flowers. While color-coordinating flowers is nothing new, using vegetables as ornament is a very neat idea. The matching colors are eye-catching and pretty, but the fact that these plants are also edible makes them doubly appealing.

For some ideas on coordinating veggie colors,

Cool Idea: San Francisco's Urban Farm

casasugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:57 -0700

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend all day weeding garden beds, helping fix irrigation lines, and water seedlings in a 10,000-square-foot garden. But I wasn't on a rural organic farm, I was in front of City Hall in San Francisco.

Just last week, over 150 volunteers rolled up a huge swath of sod in front of City Hall, and over a few days, established this 10,000-square-foot edible garden. All of the organic garden beds are planted in rice straw wattles, which are essentially long tubes of rice straw. The project, called the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden, is open to the public from July 13 to Sept. 21. Stocked with beautiful, edible vegetables and native, drought-resistant Bay Area plants, the garden provides visitors with an up-close look at gardening, as well as inspiration for creating their own garden.

To find out more about the Victory Garden,

Before and After: Mystery Squash

casasugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:00:39 -0700

Remember when I found these mystery seedlings taking over my row of beets?

I pulled up many of the mystery seedlings, but left a few in the garden, since my curiosity was piqued. Well, that tiny little seedling has now become something of a monster plant. I've had to trellis it two separate times, and now I think my best bet to deal with its massive size is to simply drape it on the ground, outside of the garden box.

To see what it looks like now,

Name This Plant

casasugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:00:45 -0700

This member of the squash family is great in Italian dishes and sautes. Can you name it?

Before and After: My Garden's Blooming!

casasugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:30:36 -0700

A while ago, I showed you how to build a garden box and plant it.

Here's how my garden first looked after I planted seeds and seedlings in it.

To see how it's growing,

Midday Muse: How Does Your Garden Grow?

casasugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:00:56 -0700

I don't know about your garden, but Grumpalita's garden isn't coming up silver bells and cockleshells, but it's coming up radishes. Isn't this shade of red just luscious? This photo makes me want to whip up some of YumSugar's Summer corn and radish salad.
How is your garden growing?

DIY: Planting Your Garden Box

casasugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:00:12 -0700

Did you read my post on building a redwood planter box? If so, you're already halfway done. You still need to anchor the box, level it, fill it with soil, and plant it. Read on for my list of suggestions on how to do it.

Move your box to the area you want to permanently place it. Since the area in my yard was on a slight incline, I had to dig the box in further on one side than on the other. In any case, you're going to want to dig a perimeter trench for the box, and then place it in the trench.
Use a level to make sure that your box is sitting evenly.
You can stand on the four corners and jump up and down a bit to make sure it's anchored well, too.
Now, break the soil that you dug out of the trenches and use it to stuff into the sides of the box to fill in any holes.
Then, use a pitchfork or shovel to dig up and turn over the grass and soil inside the box.

For the rest of the directions, just

Casa Interview: Patti Moreno, The Garden Girl, Part II

casasugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:57 -0700

Through the rest of the month, as we celebrate Spring and a return to the garden, I'll be screening videos from The Garden Girl. The Garden Girl, Patti Moreno, is an inspiration to aspiring gardeners everywhere. She'd never even touched a trowel until the birth of her first daughter, and now she's established an urban garden paradise at her home in Boston. You can read the first half of my interview with Patti here.

Casa: Are there any plants that you consider no- or low-fail for folks who consider themselves to have less than a green thumb?

The Garden Girl: Mint is pretty hardy and a perennial which means it will come back year after year. I love using mint as a garnish to my lemonade. Last year, mojitos were the house cocktail all summer; I had friends lining up for my summer parties. There are tons of different types of mint. My most prized variety is Chocolate Mint — it's wonderful in coffee and hot chocolate and on ice cream. If you choose something you really love to eat, I think you’ll have more success. Another no fail crop is parsley and oregano. Simple and easy. Like most people, my family eats a lot of lettuce, which is easy to grow in the Spring and Fall, but needs a lot of water in the summer.

Casa: What has been the biggest project you’ve taken on?

The Garden Girl: The biggest project I’ve undertaken was building my new Urban Sustainable Living Garden last year. It’s around 500 square feet and the perfect size to grow enough for a salad at lunch and a vegetable at dinner the entire growing season for a family of six. It was a lot of fun, but the hard part was videotaping the whole process so I could share with others. Adding the video component slowed the process down, because I ended up doing everything at least three times! But I am really proud that I was able to do the whole garden entirely by my self. Ideally, you want to involve your family and neighbors, but I wanted to really show that the system of gardening that I’ve developed can be accomplished, by following through and being committed. I’m only 5’2” so if I can do it, you can too.

Casa: Can you tell us a little about some of the animals you have at your garden?
My bantam chickens are awesome. They’ve become pets of mine. I strongly suggest getting bantam chickens if you are interested in getting livestock. They are about the same size as a pigeon. They are also very trainable. I have Silkies who are perfect for the city because they can’t fly, but my favorites are my Aracauna bantam chickens that lay green and pink eggs. My hen "Rocket" is so cool. She thinks she's an eagle and tries to fly everywhere. Their eggs are delicious and about 2/3 the size of regular large eggs you get at the grocery store and taste so much better. Don't get roosters, it just makes your neighbors angry. I also keep angora rabbits and regular rabbits. I shave the Angora rabbits every three months and spin their fur into yarn, which I make into gifts and hats. My other rabbits just dig and turn the soil for me.

Casa: What are your favorite food crops?

The Garden Girl: Lettuce, lettuce and more lettuce. Growing up I had no idea there were lots of varieties of lettuce. This year I am growing, four season lettuce, bib lettuce, radicchio, kale and arugula. Arugula is so good. It is a huge hit at my mini farm stand I run during the weekends. For herbs, mint and as many varieties of Basil as I can grow from sweet basil to lemon to cinnamon. Fresh basil makes such good pesto sauce that when I entertain I never have leftovers. My other name is the Tomato Lady. I grow mostly heirloom varieties, but my favorite is Mortgage Lifter. Even the name is great. Mortgage Lifter got its name from a farmer who developed it during the depression of the 1930s. It sold so much on his home farm stand that within eight years he had paid off his mortgage. Now that is a tasty tomato.

Casa: What are your favorite flowers to grow?

The Garden Girl: Nasturtiums, which are edible flowers. They add great color to salad and taste peppery. I had a lot of fun with a cool variety of marigolds last year. I love perennials. Peonies are my favorite. I love seeing them bloom and multiply year after year. I have an area in my garden that is a perennial garden that is beautiful all year long. This year I want to get a cutting garden going and be able to have flowers in vases all over my house. I can't overlook my roses though. Not only are they pretty, but living in the city, I have them planted along my fences and under my windows making any trespassers who trespass wish they hadn't.

Source

Name This Plant

casasugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:00:31 -0800

I am a type of squash, but can you tell me what kind? Just one word please—don't write squash afterwards or your answer won't qualify!

Name This Plant

casasugar — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 04:53:06 -0700

One of my grandma's favorite Danish recipes, agurkasalet, is made primarily with this delicious vegetable. (Note: It's shown in its baby state; this veggie gets much bigger.)