Category Archives: Blog

Harvesting Blackberries – Very Carefully

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Christy

Here is Southern  California the cane berries are ripening.  We planted
a cutting last year, and the reward has been sweet so far. We’ve been nibbling on a few blackberries each day.  

The question always comes up: How do you know when to harvest?  Here is a simple primer.

Blackberries produce fruit on second-year canes

…
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Three Sisters Garden: Trials and Tribulations

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Christy

The concept of a Three Sisters Garden is romantic. A Native American tradition of growing corn, beans and squash together has traveled through the centuries and still remains a viable planting method for these hot weather crops. But what happens
when it doesn’t turn out picture perfect?  Let me tell you.

Our Three Sisters Garden started off with a whimper, with the heirloom Black Aztec sweet corn
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What to Do with Lemon Balm (A.K.A. another excuse for ice cream)

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Christy

Being a participant in the Westside Produce Exchange means
that you never know what you’re going to get. A typical bag, depending on the season, contains lemons, oranges, greens like kale and chard, avocados, artichokes, green beans, and tomatoes.
There’s always a bouquet of herbs like rosemary, basil, oregano, and thyme.

This month’s exchange did not disappoint, but it did leave some of us in a quandary about what …
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Ask Gardenerd: Spots on My Herbs

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Christy

A question came in this week to Ask Gardenerd that I have been asking myself for awhile, but never felt compelled to research the answer. Now I have
no excuse:

“Hello!   The leaves of many of my herbs have white speckles on them lately. (It almost looks like they’re variegated). It’s definitely not on the leaves, but more so ‘in’ the leaves
and is appearing on many of the varieties, such as thyme, basil, and cilantro.  Any …
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Mother’s Day Brunch from the Garden

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Christy

In her delightful book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver
wrote about planning an entire season ahead for a party that would feature a meal prepared from the garden. She worried that there wouldn’t be enough food, or that the plants wouldn’t be mature
enough in time.

This Mother’s Day, we took a lesson from Barbara and planned a brunch that not only took place in the garden, but was …
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Venice Garden Tour 2012 Review

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Christy

It’s that time of year when gardens are looking their best and neighborhood garden tours abound. Here in Los Angeles, we finished up our own
participation in the Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase and last weekend we set out on foot to explore the
homes on the Venice Garden Tour. Here is our quick photo review:

Ever since the Venice Garden Tour combined with the Venice Home Tour, the …
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Taste of Pace

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Christy

This week Gardenerd got a mention on a local L.A. chef’s website. Find out a little bit more about her adventures with seed bombs (a guerrilla
gardening staple) and while you’re there check out Pace’s monthly supper club.

Flower Bombs in the City

P.S. don’t forget to water those seed bombs regularly, or they’ll just bomb.
 …
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Urban Green Reaches Out

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Christy

The latest post from Mar Vista’s Bounty Hunter is live and in action at Patch.com. Learn all about Urban Green, an amazing program that educates
and provides fresh produce in food deserts:

Urban Green Grows Great Grub
 …
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Corn Tasseling Early?

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Christy

Every once in a while, instead of instilling calm and comfort, the garden promotes panic. Such is the case when I discovered that my heirloom
Black Aztec sweet corn was starting to send out tassels.

The problem is not that it is tasseling, but rather that it is tasseling now – while the stalks are only 2 feet tall. What’s going on here?

Black Aztec sweet corn gets a jump on …
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Ask Gardenerd: Bugs in my Cabbage

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Christy

A question came into Ask Gardenerd this week:

“Hi!,  In my garden my cabbage is being infested with these white bugs that look like they fly….I have taken out a couple of my plants that look destroyed but still have more in the
ground, also my Brussels sprouts have them too!   I have used spinosad organic killer and I am concerned it will get on my other crops…..what do you recommend??  Thank
You!!!   Jill”

You’re not alone Jill. Many people …
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