Hello there, Rural Sprout Readers, Along with the brutal cold making the rounds again, we received a fluffy, light blanket of snow this weekend. I’ve been spending more and more time in my basement playing in the dirt. My lettuces and radishes have sprouted, and they’re doing well. I’m
eagerly anticipating that amazing crunch from the first French breakfast radish. I imagine that by the time I harvest my first indoor radish, it will be time to plant my first outdoor radishes. As I was starting artichoke seeds, I noticed that at some point I have changed how I sow seeds. I used to put the soil in the pot and then poke the seed down to the correct planting depth. Nowadays, I put the seed on top of the soil and then cover it with the correct amount of soil for the planting depth. As I noticed this, I started to realize
that it’s how I’ve been sowing my seeds in the garden, too. The funny thing is, I don’t remember when this shift happened. So, now I have to know, dear reader, are you a poker or a burier? Does it depend on the size of the seed? Do you sow seeds the same way you do in your garden as you do when starting seeds indoors? I would love to
know.  I received a letter from a reader this week, and they included some tomato seeds they received from an old Russian lady a couple of decades ago. They have been growing these tomatoes ever since. This might be my favorite part about gardening. Sure, you can open up a seed catalog, or many seed catalogs and find hundreds of tomato varieties to grow.  But beyond those catalogs is a world of countless varieties and strains of vegetables, passed from gardener to gardener over millennia. Seeds from tomatoes grown in someone’s vegetable patch by a great-grandmother or brought over from the Old Country, hidden in their great-great-grandfather’s shoe, create a legacy that Johnny’s and Territorial just can’t touch. Gardening is about connection and sharing, and I’m glad to be able to connect and share with each of you.Â
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If you're growing hydrangeas in your garden, or thinking about planting one for the first time, you'll want to read this "must-know" list.
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If you're serious about growing tomatoes, companion planting is a must. But some advice has become old and outdated. Let's take a fresh look.
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Direct sow these seeds before your last frost, and get a jump on your gardening season even if there's snow on the ground.
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For many gardeners, growing citrus is nothing more than a dream due to their climate. But you can grow the same flavor in other plants.
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There are no raspberries in our new garden! I repeat, there are no raspberries in our new garden! As someone who has spent the past five years consuming raspberries by the bowlful, from mid-summer to
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Have you ever noticed how we tend to keep our gardening segregated? Veggies go in one bed, and flowers go in another. Oh sure, we might plant the odd marigold next to our tomatoes because
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As a new poultry owner, there's nothing quite as exciting as looking into the nest box and seeing your first egg. Here we go, the reason we decided to get chickens in the first place;
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Are you tired of planning your garden on paper, only to find it's a bit more difficult to transfer those neat lines and groups of veggies to the soil? This simple planting grid is easy
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I'm quite fortunate as a gardener. My partner and I have a large no-dig garden out at his place. But my apartment is on the second floor of my building. Gardening at home is limited
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Take your coffee obsession to a whole other level - learn how to grow coffee plants outdoors and add a touch of the jungle to your backyard.
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If you've got a jade plant, you need the secret houseplant trick taking social media by storm - learn how to turn jade plant leaves red!
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No one enjoys unexpected houseguests, especially those of the rodent variety. Here's what you need to get rid of mice out of your house.
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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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