Tomorrow is Memorial Day.Our original plans for this weekend, of campfires and grilled hot dogs, fizzled out under the cold and steady rain. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing. It forced us to slow down during a weekend that’s usually a blur of activity. Between cups of
tea, reading and card games, I managed to do a few things in the garden. Under a steady drizzle, I did a thorough harvest of my bed filled with spinach. I picked it hard and brought in a massive basket full of rain-washed spinach. I blanched it, packed it and put it in the freezer. I went back out and pulled all of my radishes. I knew that with this much rain, they would crack if I left them in the
ground. Tomorrow, I will pull all the Japanese turnips and give the arugula a good haircut. With this sudden drop in temperature, I’ll probably get another good flush before the heat causes it to send up flowers again.  In the theme of the weekend, I moved throughout the garden thinking about all of the war efforts that were carried out on the home front during WWII. There were war bonds to buy,
and rubber and metal drives and organizations like the Civil Defense Corps. And as a gardener, I couldn’t forget victory gardens. As I worked in the rain, snipping spinach, my thoughts also fell to the sad goings on that were happening at home during that time. The Japanese internment camps and the continued segregation and mistreatment of the African American community. We were
also a nation recovering from the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.  We are a complicated country, past, present and future. But I’m grateful to the men and women who gave their lives for us to keep moving forward, always striving toward the principles set down when this country was founded. Â
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The nation's 250th birthday is this Independence Day. Plant a patriotic semiquincentennial flower garden with these flowers.
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If you just can't get the hang of growing lavender, here are a few alternatives with similar sun and soil requirements.
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There's some conflicting advice floating around about the best way to start zucchini and summer squash in the garden. Let's clear this up.
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As far as garden vegetables go, zucchini are pretty tough plants. They're naturally drought tolerant, will grow in all kinds of soil and will continue to provide you with summer squash even when nibbled on
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It's time to get those seedlings planted in the garden. Whether you've spent the past few months growing them yourself or picked up some starter packs at the local nursery, now is the time to
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When uncertainty brings hardship to your door, starting an emergency garden can ease financial strain and help put food on the table quickly.
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Let's get your burning question out of the way. No, I'm sorry, but marshmallow plants do not grow marshmallows. However, should you plant marshmallow in your yard, you can harvest the roots, and those can
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In late spring, you need to do this simple trick to protect your cucumbers from squash vine borers. It takes moments and costs pennies.
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With these 8 cucumber growing secrets, you can overcome the usual cucumber growing challenges this season:
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Wise gardeners know that herbs make excellent companion plants. And any gardener who enjoys cooking will surely have culinary herbs among their vegetables each year. But many folks don't realize they're forgetting something important before
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When you think calatheas are boring and that new leaf on your monstera goes unnoticed, perhaps it's time to check out carnivorous plants.
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As you dive headlong into spring, with the hopes and dreams of a bountiful garden harvest, your mind may begin to wander and wonder how on earth you could also turn a profit. After all,
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I saw the thumbnail image for this article and had to chuckle. Â About a month ago, we opened the very last bottle of strawberry lemon balm mead that's featured in the bottom right corner. My word, it was incredible. Jammy and rich. I'll have to make
that again this summer.
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It's strawberry season, and it's time to make all of your favorite strawberry dishes. Strawberry jam is hands down my favorite jam. You can keep that weird gelatinous grape stuff, thanks. And strawberry shortcake? Who
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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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