The Authentic Gardener
The Authentic Gardener is a series of posts that guide the visitor in an organic garden through the seasons. Tips and techniques for achieving high-yields in a small space and conservation practices.
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Garden in Full Splendor
The hard work of April and May is now bearing fruit- or vegetables and flowers- as the case may be. The garden is in full, splendorous bloom. Fava beans are already 5-6 inches long; the pods shiny, light green. Oddly, the pods are constrained to the mid and lower half of the plant stalks. I see immature flower-pod combinations near the top of the stalk but few are maturing, instead shriveling away. So there is definitely an issue going on, just not sure if it’s due to the previous damp weather and then sudden heat or its an insect. I’m leaning toward an insect issue, but it doesn’t diminish the…
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The Summer Garden
The summer garden is thriving in the early July heat. Though there has not been any substantial rain, the vegetables and herbs seem content with my deep, but infrequent watering schedule. Tomatoes that I seeded outdoors in early June are now setting fruit. I am still feeding once per month during the active growing season with Dr. Earth organic fertilizer. Note: I do not receive any compensation for mentioning Dr. Earth fertilizer, it is just a product that I have used and like. After two years of having little to no pears, I am hopeful for some harvest. Even with a bit of fruit drop due to an excessively wet…
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Victory Gardens
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Victory Gardens
Covid-19 gripped the world and brought home the point of knowing, or not-knowing as was the case in the early months, where most of our food supply comes from. 2020 became the year that heralded the return of the Victory Garden. With supply chain interruptions and contamination fears in abundance, it spurred a gardening renaissance akin to that of World War II Victory gardens. During the war years, Americans came together, eager to do their part to support the war effort. Paramount was that our soldiers overseas have a steady supply chain. Items such as eggs, produce, meat, silk stockings-as silk was needed for parachutes- and metal of all kinds…
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Spring Garden
The spring garden is beginning to show signs of life again. Spring bulbs that I planted last fall, are poking up through the mulched beds. Perennials are beginning to awaken. My established pots of rosemary, sage and thyme are showing a slight ‘greening up’. I hope their growth doesn’t get too far along since mid-March is notorious for 60 degree days and 30 degree night temps. Indoors, my five-year-old, potted Meyer lemon is responding to a dose of citrus tree fertilizer and is loaded with fragrant blossoms. Because the tree spends more time indoors than out, I use a natural hair paint brush to try and pollinate each blossom .…
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Victory Gardens
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Winter Garden Planning
It’s time to begin winter garden planning for the coming spring. While the cold days of winter drag on, seed catalogs begin arriving. I like to sit with a steaming cup of tea, catalogs spread out on the table, pouring over each description of the vegetables I want to grow this spring. I go back and forth between the pics I snapped during the summer (because even though I tell myself I’ll remember, I don’t) and the seed catalogs. Then I make notes of which tomato variety or bean plant performed well last year. I cull those which did not perform well and that I won’t consider giving precious space…
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Victory Gardens
