Hiya, Rural Sprout readers,  I am back from my vacation, and it was wonderful. Just what the doctor ordered. I managed a
feat on vacation that I’m pretty proud of. I took four fair-skinned people, myself included, to the beach for a week, and none of us got sunburned.   I’m still amazed myself. We planned our time in the surf and sand for the afternoons and applied copious amounts of sunscreen. We had a lovely week and returned refreshed, which is rare for family vacations. But enough about that. Everything grew while we were
away, including the Bielefelder chicks we got in April. They’re huge now!  We installed a Rainbird drip irrigation system this spring (made in the USA!) at the behest of my sweetie, who likes to be able to travel and not be tied down by the garden and animals.   I have to say; I’m thoroughly impressed with this setup.   There’s a thick layer of mulch covering the drip lines and everything else; there’s no bare
soil anywhere, so we don’t need to water too much, as it stays in the soil.  It’s June, and this area is already hurting for lack of rain. But the garden is in great shape. I’ve said it in plenty of articles – bare soil = evaporation. Mulch, mulch, mulch.  But irrigation aside, everything is behind because of our oddly cold spring with surprise late frosts. The summer is just
starting, so let’s see what happens over the next few months.   Of course, now that I’m back from the beach, just you watch, I’ll get sunburned in the garden. Â
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Hanging baskets, window boxes, railing planters, and a healthy number of terracotta pots are just the…
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Many a gardener, both new and seasoned alike, have been surprised by the discovery of hard bumps…
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Where I live in zone 5b, the final vestiges of winter are - at long last - behind us. Days past the…
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Although the gardener grows plants as a source of food and beauty, it's easy to forget that the…
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After you've successfully fermented batch after batch of amazingly crunchy sauerkraut, perfecting the…
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Tomatoes are a pain in the butt to grow. They are, let's not deny it. Radishes? I've got those…
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For many gardeners, it's quite common to enjoy freshly picked green beans at the dinner table. (We…
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Let's be honest, how often have you planted a flower because it was useful? How often have you…
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When it comes to coffee, people tend to be very specific. Some take it black; some people prefer…
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Basil is an annual herb well known for the role it plays in the Italian dish pesto and for use in the…
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Did you miss a
newsletter or want to go back and read a few for inspiration - Click this link. Don't forget
to check out our Facebook page for daily updates.  That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers.
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Sincerely, Tracey Besemer Editor |
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