Hiya, Rural Sprout readers, I was out in my garden yesterday, looking over some of the tender, new seedlings that were hit by the frost earlier this week. I had radish and turnips that had just sprouted and had only recently made their appearance above
ground.  The morning after the frost, they looked pretty bad to the point where I wondered if I would have to replant them. Those tiny little cotyledon leaves were wilted and burned by the cold. Yet, on Saturday, after a few days of warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, there was new growth and the plants were looking good. For such small things, they turned out to be much tougher than they appeared.  I know I’ve said this many times through the years, but one of the things I love about gardening is that there are always opportunities to start over again. There’s always another round of seeds to be sown, or if worse comes to worst, there’s always next season. Gardening is nothing if not hope eternal, even if it’s just radishes and turnips. Perhaps that’s why when things get tough, we head out to our gardens – a living reminder of our own resilience and grit. Â
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Now that my tomato seedlings are underway, I'm turning my attention to planting flowers once again. I have two large boxes of flower seeds that I've saved over my years of gardening from various places.
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When it comes to planting a spring garden, planning is everything. Don't fall into the trap of not staggering your harvests.
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This might be an unpopular opinion, but I believe every single garden needs at least one shrub. I still like perennials and annuals, but shrubs just tie the room together. Uh, I mean the garden.
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Onions mystify a lot of gardeners, new and old. Let's look at the right way to grow onions, removing two of the biggest stumbling blocks.
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A visit to any trendy food vendor will yield some interesting ingredients on the menu. For example, my daughter recently tried squid ink ice cream at one of our favorite spots in East Aurora, NY.
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Garden arches are beguiling structures. Curving over the pathway, from one bed to another, they create these wonderful lush green tunnels to transport you through the rows. Passing under the vine-covered frames provides a blessed
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Quick and easy, you'll be glad you made a worm tower. I'm not a huge fan of worms. While everyone else is waxing poetic about the fresh scent after a good rain, my nose picks
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If you're planning a fall garden, don't forget to include a few of these excellent lettuce varieties that will grow even in cooler temperatures.
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Heirloom, organic, open-pollinated - there's a lot to consider when buying garden seeds. Here's everything you need to know and 11 best places to source seeds.
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Cultivating healthy homegrown food, and relying a little bit (or a lot!) less on what industry churns out, is a self-reliant dream for a growing number of people. With knowledge, inspiration, a pot, raised bed
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Enough silly, unhelpful tips. Here's a plan from a real gardener with 35 years of experience on how to start a garden for free.
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When it comes to herbs, most of us immediately think of thyme, rosemary or parsley. But when asked about herbal tea, generally, the first one to come to mind is chamomile. Its bright apple scent
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Did you miss a newsletter or want to read a few for inspiration? Find past newsletters here. 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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