Author: Gracie Wood

When our first gardening year was ending and winter had set in, I looked through the numerous seeds left over and realized something. I had succumbed to societal pressure when I decided what to grow. ‘Well, everyone plants xxx, so of course I should plant xxx.’  As a result, I spent a lot of time planting, nurturing, and devoting valuable resources to things we don’t really eat.  And I didn’t plant things we eat a lot. Herbs are a great example.  For instance, I planted a whole lot of marjoram and oregano.  Love it, and it’s pretty easy to grow.  But...

I could be the poster child for Seeders Anonymous. I have a black thumb when it comes to starting seeds indoors. Every few years I get ambitious about using plants started from seed, drool over seed catalogues, spend entirely too much money and order more seed than I could possibly have room to start indoors. Once the seed arrives, I procrastinate, struggle with making a decision on how to start the seeds, and then ultimately forget to water at a crucial time in the seedling’s development. My first steps in overcoming my problem is to admit I am powerless...

First and foremost, I just want to remind you that this is all my opinion, based on my own experience, reading, and learning. When it comes to gardening, there is no one be-all-end-all way to do anything. So please take what I suggest here and apply it to your own needs. Try it, use what works, and adapt as necessary. In Situ vs. Ex Situ In situ means “in the place,” and refers to seeds you plant directly in the ground; rather than seeds that you germinate in flats and then transplant – ie, ex situ. I’m explaining this...

It’s time to plant garlic in the Northern Hemisphere!  I encourage you all to try this as it is so easy, and extremely rewarding. There are all sorts of lovely types of garlic to try – some mild, some spicy, some long keepers, some beautiful braiders, and some just mouthwatering! We had a lovely crop of garlic this year.  And let me tell you that garlic is pretty darn resilient.  We planted our garlic in mid- and late November.  It sprouted and looked lovely.  Then we moved at the end of April and brought some of the garlic with...

Gardening is all about trial and error, but who wants the errors? Learn how to avoid some common mistakes-and enjoy your best gardening season ever. Whether we’re beginners or experts, we’ve all made mistakes in the garden. Sometimes it’s a matter of overwatering or underwatering. Sometimes we put a plant in the wrong place. Or maybe we don’t amend the soil properly. Making mistakes is part of the process, but it’s nice to avoid them altogether. Here are eight common gardening mistakes and how to prevent them: Mistake 1: Drowning or underwatering plants Some gardeners water too much, and...