In Praise of Stinging Nettle

The little patch of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) that I’ve got at the back of my garden is starting to emerge from its winter dormancy. Years ago, when I was first “bit” by this plant, I never could have imagined that one day I would grow it in my garden, or that I would be

Gayla Trail harvesting Pilar Winter Squash aka Zapallito Redondo de Tronco

Food Worth Growing: ‘Pilar’ Winter Squash

Back in late July I told you about a two-for-one squash from Argentina called ‘Pilar’ aka ‘Zapallito Redondo de Tronco’ that can be harvested young as a zucchini, or left to ripen and enjoyed later in the year as a winter squash. Well, three months have passed and I have begun harvesting and eating the

Urban Garden Balcony Garden

Urban Gardenspiration

We’ve hit midsummer, a time in my area when the garden tends to go downhill. While there is much bounty to be had, many plants begin to suffer in the heat. Or it is just their time to go. Or we’re just too darn tired/hot/fed up/over it to keep up with garden chores. Sometimes we

Jerusalem Artichoke Season is Back

Last weekend we dug up a boatload of Jerusalem artichokes aka sunchokes from the garden, right on schedule. Believe it or not, many of the tubers are even bigger this year than last. And there are more of them! God help us. When we began digging, I told Davin that we would only be excavating

Herbaria (July 6, 2012)

As you can see from the photo, this week’s garden was dominated by the invasion of the pom-pom flowers. The other major development is the heat. It is absolutely blazing out right now. In fact was already so hot by noon (when I took this photo) that I had to switch out one of my

Glossary

Annual: A plant grown from seed, that completes its life cycle (from seed to flowering) in the span of one season. Anther: The primary ‘male’ reproductive structure at the tip of a flower’s stamen. The anther produces dust-like grains of pollen; which is responsible for fertilizing the ovules and the eventual formation of seeds. Areole:

Gayla Trail Community Garden

Handy Garden Tips

Roasted Fresh Radishes: Clean as many radishes as needed, pour on Italian dressing, and marinate for 1/2 hr. Next, make ‘foil’ dish, put radishes in and fold well, and cook on hot coals for about 30 minutes. These are very good, believe it or not, almost like a roasted brussel sprout, but not as bitter.

Doggy Design

Guest post by Felicia Friesema Gardening, as you may well know, is a constantly changing learning process that tests our willingness to give in to the natural world, to submit ourselves wholeheartedly to a process that denies us what we think we want in favor of what the garden wants. You want fresh zukes? Battle