Tag Archives


What to do with Overgrown Green Beans

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Christy

It happens to even the most savvy gardener. You go out of town on vacation and when you return, there are beans…lots of beans. Not just any beans, overripe beans. Tough, fibrous, partially mature beans that are still green. What … Continue reading →

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Wordless Wednesday: Harvest 2015

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Christy
Some home grown, some pilfered. All beautiful.

These are never really wordless, but you get the idea. Today is a celebration of a season passing, and a season’s passion. Harvest time is satisfying, beautiful and temporary. Next we start fall crops. Here is a little of both. … Continue reading →

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When to Harvest Broccoli?

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Christy

I get this question all the time: how do you know when broccoli is ready to harvest? The answer is in your fingertips. You can tell when to harvest broccoli by touching the head, or bud (that’s what broccoli is, … Continue reading →

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Harvesting Onions

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Christy

Onions take a long time to grow, but when it comes time for harvesting onions, it’s incredibly satisfying, and worth the wait. Here in Southern California we plant onions by seed in the fall, or by “sets” in spring.  By … Continue reading →

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Summer Garden Virtual Tour

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Christy

Our summer garden is growing strong, and since we’ve posted about new varieties and projects earlier in the season, I thought I’d post an update to share how things are going. We’ve seen successes and failures this year, but that … Continue reading →

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Preserving Green Onions

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Christy

No matter how we try to use up green onions from the garden, we always end up either with too many in the fridge or overgrown, leek-sized onions taking up space in the garden. This week we did something about … Continue reading →

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Oh Sweet Goodness: First Honey Harvest

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Christy

We couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. Our bees were filling up frame after frame of their hive with golden nectar and we wanted to share the experience. So we donned our suits and veils and harvested a single frame … Continue reading →

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Harvesting Watermelons

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Christy

Just in the nick of time, our watermelons are ready to harvest before summer ends. How do you know they’re ready?  Consider this post to be a companion piece to our watermelon Tip of the Week Podcast, visual aid style, that illustrates the tell-tale sign that watermelon is
ready for harvest.

There are old wives tales about the sound that watermelons are supposed to make when ripe. You can also look at the underside of the melon to check whether …
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Harvesting Delicata and Acorn Squash

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Christy

Since we planted squash very early this year (in order to get the plants established by the time June Gloom set in) we are already set to harvest some of our winter squash. Our Golden Pippin Acorn
squash and most of our Delicata squash plants have withered, leaving behind golden fruits that will store through winter.

With pumpkins, it’s easy to know when to harvest – just let the vines turn brown and crispy, then pick your pumpkin. Not all winter squash is that simple. For example, I’ve …
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Harvesting Garlic

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Christy

Growing your own garlic is such a joy, and harvesting it can be even more fun. Each October we plant what turns out to be a year’s supply of
garlic in about 7 or 8 square feet (using the Square Foot Gardening method). Then we nurture the bulbs through winter and into spring. In late spring, which is May or June here in Los Angeles,
the foliage starts to turn brown and die back. We cut …
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Posted in What's Growin' On | Tagged , , | 5 Comments