I love green in the garden. Who doesn’t? It’s the colour of new growth. Photosynthesis. Good health. But that’s not the green I’m talking about here. I’m talking lime green. Pucker-yer-lips, jolt-to-the-system lime. I used lime green cushions in my back patio to add a punch of colour to an otherwise subdued palette. The lime […]
Now Harvesting: early-September
As you can see, I’m still collecting beans and zucchini, while the broccoli plants I harvested from in early summer have rewarded me with a second flush of petite heads. I love that. I’m also harvesting tomatoes, scallions, herbs and cucumbers, and am still eating potatoes from last month’s harvest. I’ve planted most of my […]
Tomato harvest 2010
I’d like to introduce you to some of the tomatoes I’ve been harvesting this year. I grow tomatoes every year, without fail. They are a must-have, even though they take up a significant portion of my growing space. For me, the major problem with growing tomatoes isn’t blight or blossom end rot. It’s choosing only […]
Confession: I buy plants from Big Box stores
Acer palmatum ‘Ao Shidare’, purchased from—gasp!—Home Depot. I realize that it’s deeply unfashionable to shop at such stores, and that my confession may come as a shock to some of you. After all, I’m a Hardcore Gardener, right? And Hardcore Gardeners are very clear in their disdain for Home Depot and their ilk (please see […]
Time to: strip your tomatoes
My tomato plants, post end-of-summer pruning. It’s not quite time for the annual winter garden clean up (just typing that made me feel a little ill), but it’s a good idea to start to prepare for fall by planting your winter garden, and by pruning your tomato plants. Why prune? Two reasons: to focus the […]
Now Harvesting: late-August
The word harvest takes on new significance at this time of year, as the garden really steps it up. Right now I’m harvesting tomatoes, fresh herbs and beans daily, with cucumbers, peppers, and zucchinis making a semi-regular appearance. Pulled up my crop of ‘Ambition’ shallots today, too, and was impressed with how they’d multiplied. If […]
Fruit and flowers
My husband, Ben, and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary on Friday. We don’t normally exchange gifts, but since the traditional gift for a four year anniversary is fruit or flowers, I told him he could at least buck up and get me some blooms. Being the man that he is, Ben took it one […]
Contest! Win one of three sets of reusable totes or mesh produce bags from Bag the Habit
A while back I wrote a post called Seven tips to make gardening “away” easier, which consists of—you guessed it—seven ideas for making it easier to garden at community garden plots, guerrilla gardens, or any garden that can’t be accessed simply by opening your back or balcony door. The main challenge with these “away” gardens, […]