lessons

22 Nov
2012
fifty cloves of 'Music' hardneck garlic

Happy Gardening New Year!

I’m a few days late with my New Year’s resolutions for the 2013 garden. Yes, I know, today is Thanksgiving Day. And, no, I haven’t gotten my holidays confused. We’re still about six weeks away from the first day of 2013 on the calendar, but, here in my garden, we’re ...

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1 Aug
2012
a handful of ripe and nearly-ripe 'Blush' tomatoes

Garden stroll #13: Moving beyond the doldrums

Last week, I admitted to a bad case of the midsummer doldrums. It’s a common enough condition for gardeners, and comes (for me) just about as regularly as the spring and fall equinoxes. After visiting with the doldrums for a few days, I’m moving on. The purple-podded ‘Royal Burgundy’ bush ...

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8 May
2012
books-feature

Five books to inspire the gardener

Last week, I mentioned that I’m participating in the 2012 Blogathon — which is essentially a month-long promise to blog every day for the entire month of May. That’s 31 blog posts in 31 days. That’s a lot of blogging and original ideas and creativity. Honestly, the thought of it ...

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13 Mar
2012
weeding

5 things toddlers can teach us about gardening

Last week, on a warm and sunny babysitting day, I asked the three-year-old nephew if he wanted to help me plant some peas. His response — delivered while spinning and jumping and grinning — was pretty clear: ”Yes! Yes! I do I do I do!” So, we found a bent trowel ...

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5 Jan
2012
A collection of organic, heirloom and non-GMO seeds for the 2012 garden.

Another year in the garden

There’s flurries blowing around the street and salt staining the sidewalk. It’s the coldest day of the winter, and the sky has that steel-gray snow-is-coming look to it. There’s no doubt: winter has finally arrived in my little Virginia town. Winter. And, yet, here I sit — bundled in sweaters ...

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20 Sep
2011
There's not a right angle to be found in the Outlaw Garden, which curves and meaders through the front yard.

Lessons from a first-year front yard vegetable garden

There’s a chilly rain falling on the front yard vegetable garden today. It’s mid-September, and the garden has definitely transitioned from summer to fall. I’ll be honest: the garden has looked better. There’s a lot of cleanup to do out there. The squash plants have finally collapsed, the tomatoes need ...

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