My community garden plot. Broccoli, garlic, cabbage, leeks, kale, and a heavy rye/clover cover crop make for a lush-looking garden — even in February. While much of North America is having an unusually harsh winter, here in Vancouver, it’s downright balmy — much to the chagrin of the organizers of the Olympic Winter Games! The […]
Veggies & Edibles
What a gardener really wants for Valentine’s Day
Forget the drugstore chocolate in the velvet heart, or even dinner at a swanky restaurant. What I want right about now are seeds. (When I think “Valentine’s Day,” I think, “time to plant peas!” not “better buy a card!”) Here are my picks for some vegetable seeds that would make great Valentine’s Day gifts. No […]
The big reveal: announcing The Book
Posts were few and far between on Heavy Petal in 2009, and if you’re still reading, I’m grateful (and a little surprised!). I was busy writing a book. There, I said it. I’ve been afraid to mention it here in case I jinxed it, but I’m forcing myself to do it now. Kind of a […]
Gardens to visit: Terra Nova
My family and I visited the Terra Nova Rural Park in Richmond today. Despite having being told about the awesomeness of Terra Nova over a year ago, today was our first visit. Spelt growing in the Daily Bread section of the Schoolyard Society garden mixes wonderfully with other edibles. The original ornamental grass! In addition […]
First tomato!
Normally right around this time I’m excited to see the first green fruits forming on my tomato plants. Never have I actually harvested this early in the summer. Then I planted ‘Ailsa Craig.’ “Our earliest tomato,” said the guy I bought the seeds from (Two Wings Farm at a Seedy Saturday), and he wasn’t kidding. […]
Sooke Harbour House gardens: a real live edible landscape
A couple weekends ago, we visited friends of ours in Sooke, a small community on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Sooke is known for a couple of things. For families and outdoorsy types, it’s all about the beaches and swimming at the Potholes, while the Sooke Harbour House is a must for the luxury […]
Five reasons why container farming rules
I meet so many urban gardeners who long for land. Who dream of larger spaces to grow… well, more. Can’t say I’m completely innocent, either. I’ll admit it: I have yard lust. Whenever I walk through residential neighbourhoods and spot an expanse of lawn or concrete, I tear it up and replace it with abundant […]
Planning for a year-round harvest (or How I went from slacker to Serious Planner)
After months of dreaming, weeks of research, and a few nights of sketching and list-making, my veggie garden is planned out for the year. The permaculture course I just completed at an urban farm here in Vancouver inspired me to be way more organized about my planting this year. (More on this course and its […]