Hiya, Rural Sprout readers, Well, it was quite a week. We started off with three nights of freeze warnings, which meant covering and uncovering the garden and a few of my perennials each time. (And the emptying of my linen closet for sheets and towels.) But we’re ending the week
with sunshine and moderate temperatures. Good sleeping weather, as they say. It’s a pity I don’t have the time to do more sleeping, since the weather seems to favor it. Ah well.  As I was making my morning stroll through
the garden with my cup of coffee in my hand, I had to chuckle, looking at everything I’ve planted so far. We gardeners are a dishonest lot. We’re pretty good at lying. I’ll bet we give the average fishing enthusiast a run for their money. Don’t mistake me. I’m not saying that we’re out here telling fish tales about monster carrots or 15lb tomatoes. Rather, we’re very good at lying to ourselves. The evidence is currently growing in my garden, and I’ll bet it’s growing in yours, too.  Oh, sure,
I’ll have time to grow two crops of spinach back-to-back this spring. That will keep the freezer full for the year. (I’m currently using light mesh to shade my spinach in April so it won’t bolt.)  If I plant the peas in this bed, I’ll bet they will be finishing up around the time I need to get serious about staking the tomatoes. (Uh-huh, sure, Trace.)  I’m not going to mess around with potatoes this year. It’s pointless to grow them; they’re so cheap, and we have so many local farmers’ markets. (There are currently nine 5-gallon buckets of potatoes started in my garden. I couldn’t say no to the German Butterballs and French Fingerling.)  I’m only going to start enough tomato seeds
for six plants this year. (I wonder if my neighbors need tomato seedlings? I have extra. And that’s after sharing with family and friends.)  Look, you may have caught a fourteen-pound bass once, but did I ever tell you about the time I grew two tomato plants, one poblano pepper, zucchini, three cabbages, six bibb lettuce, and ten green bean plants in a 4’x4’ raised
bed? Yes, all at the same time! Why are you looking at me like that?I have to laugh at myself. I spend my working hours preaching the gospel of dirt and vegetables, and the proper way to do things. But the second I’m off the clock, I’m out in my garden committing all maner of gardening sins, asking miracles of Mother
Nature, and bending the laws of basic physics like every other gardener. How have you deluded yourself in the garden recently, my friend?Â
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If you need a little privacy in your yard, but can't or don't want to deal with shrubs, consider these tall perennials for the job.
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Like most green thumbs, I rarely say no to a trip to the garden center. Who doesn't love the smell of damp earth and growing things? But like most skills and hobbies, consumerism has produced
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Bridal wreath spirea are a beautiful flowering shrub for any garden, but there are a few interesting things about them you should know.
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Radishes are one of the easiest crops to grow. But if you're only eating the root, then you are missing a trick! Whether you have a large garden or only a windowsill, growing radishes can
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If there is one family of vegetables that gives gardeners headaches year in and year out, it's brassicas. Whether it's Brussels sprouts that have been defoliated by cabbage moths or broccoli that's gone to seed
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After a long, dreary winter, there's nothing like the visual shock of yellow splashed throughout a dull landscape. Daffodils seem to be the very definition of happy, bringing an end to another winter. But once
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There are lots of organic things you can do to make soil more acidic. Here we reveal eight of the best, and five things you should never do.
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Did spring get away from you? Don't worry, there's still time to get a spring garden in the ground with these 9 fast-maturing vegetables.
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Are you planning to can this summer for the first time, or are you an experienced canner in need of inspiration to find modern ways of doing old-fashioned things? Either way, you are in the
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Get your tomatoes to ripen a little bit faster this summer by employing one or more of these handy tricks.
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Growing herbs can be a rewarding experience in the garden and the kitchen. If you're used to dried herbs from the supermarket, you may be surprised the first time you crush a freshly picked sage
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Have you ever been tempted to move your houseplants outdoors in spring? I must admit, the temptation was hard to resist for me about a decade ago when I first started keeping houseplants. My thinking
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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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