My excuse: a crazy, busy, bustling, “retired” life

  "Where the hell have you been?" my garden and the SGS blog both asked. I put in my last day of employment over a year ago, but when I set my sights on retirement from my "day job", sitting back and relaxing was far from the plan. In this next phase of my life, I will have plenty of time to garden while I finally pursue the career path I chose some 44 years ago: creating and selling art. After I wrapped up my professional responsibilities, I gave myself six months to develop a... Continue reading

Allium reincarnation

I don't know how a vegetable might earn karma points, but you can often persuade a remnant to offer a little more good with a second life! Onions are a great example. Next time you cut open an onion, set aside the bottom bit. You know, the part with the dried-out roots still sticking out. This little piece of refuse has the potential to become not one, but several new onions. Note that this process does not work with every onion. I'm not certain of the rhyme or reason for success. Maybe it's... Continue reading

It’s that time of year… my annual Dandelion Rant

  What's the deal? Where did all this dandelion hate come from for a plant that adds nothing but value and fun to our otherwise earth-sucking grass lawns? I personally find them delightful. I eat some, I dry some for salves and soaps, and I give some to my bunnies, but I leave plenty of those bright, lovely sunshine heads for the early pollinators who need them. The roots make a lovely tea, but I tend to leave those. They do so much for the dirt with their super-long,... Continue reading

Victory Garden

Day one I'm not holding my breath for all that purported "American Greatness" to start showing up any time soon. I'm beginning my Victory Garden today. We can stretch our food dollars, save money on supplies, and help the planet heal with our gardening practices. This post details a few ways to do just so. When I see piles of sticks and leaves all bagged up with plastic and ready for the trash heap, I instinctively do a head bump. I confess to sending a lot of tree matter away before I... Continue reading