A Native American Gardening Technique

I have three sisters. But I am not talking about the three headstrong women who share my parents with me; I'm talking about the girls in my garden. I happened upon this planting technique fiddling around on Google one day. It's an ancient, Iroquois planting method for corn, beans, and squash. The three sisters sustain each other and I am utterly "a-maized" (I love a good pun if there is such a thing) at the results. In our neck of the woods, this process can be started in early- to... Continue reading

Powdery Mildew, Your Butt Is Mine!

Last year my squashes and cucumbers were growing like weeds in the garden out back. I was proud, happily envisioning months of delicious stewed squash, cucumber sandwiches, and refreshing cucumber water. Then I noticed a dusting of white powder on many of the leaves. I had a sense something was amiss but hoped it was merely dust that settled onto the leaves after a dry-weather lawn mowing session. I mean it easily wiped off. I told myself all would be right as rain when, well, it... Continue reading

The Thrifty Gardener – A Book Review

I've been reading and studying Alys Fowler's The Thrifty Gardener, and I'm so sad I've come to the end. I've quoted and linked back to her several times in this blog series, so some of you may remember me mentioning I had ordered her book. As my experiences in gardening for the last two years have been less than spectacular, I decided getting myself educated probably wasn't a bad idea. Go figure. I ordered through Amazon and the publication came right away. What a delight. The... Continue reading

Nasturtium Salad

This is not a flower arrangement. Out on the deck, I have a big washtub full of nasturtiums. They are bright and cheery, and every morning I'm greeted with a big burst of color. The best part, however, is that these lovelies make a tasty addition to salads and sandwiches. The large round leaves fit perfectly between sliced cheese and sandwich meat. Cut the leaves into slices and add to your salad mix and then garnish with the flowers. It is beautiful on the table, nourishing for the body,... Continue reading