Many American gardeners cling fast to the idea that the growing season doesn’t begin until Memorial Day weekend. Yet in Europe gardeners use a variety of methods to extend their season and increase their garden’s harvest. Thanks to Elliot Coleman’s book Four Season Harvest, more and more Americans are discovering …
I’m a big fan of season extenders like cold-frames and mini hoop-houses for the family garden. Last year I managed to erect a mini greenhouse of sorts, using PVC and plastic, and with that I hardened off my seedlings in anticipation of the growing season. This year I not only …
It’s this time of year, when we’re thinking about gardening but it’s still too early to get down and dirty, that I take the time to perform some TLC on my garden tools. I know of many gardeners who never even think about it, but it really is another crucial …
I’m planting garlic today! I’ve never done this before, so I can’t offer any advice from personal experience. However I did my homework as I prepared to plant the bulbs and here are the resources that I found.
If you miss the chance to take preventative action, such as in applying neem oil to the leaves and stems of your tomato plants–all in not lost. In the organic garden, keeping up with the pests who would make a meal of your crops is a never-ending chore. I go …
Now that the bulk of the spring planting is behind us, I’ve turned my eye to the up-keep of the gardens. That includes all of the weeding that comes with gardening, as well as combating the insects that would make a meal of my tender seedlings and vegetables. With the …
Keith said I had a glazed look in my eyes as we sat in the conference room at the MOFGA educational facility in Unity yesterday. I was high on the excitement and pure joy of participating in the Pollinator Conservation Planning Short-Course offered by the Xerces Society. I first learned …
Things are growing good here at the Runamuk micro-farm and the spring garden is well on it’s way. Our first delivery of “super-loam” from Lynch Landscaping in Skowhegan, Maine arrived Monday evening and I was so happy I could have rolled around in that beautiful stuff! And wouldn’t you know …
Disaster struck Runamuk yesterday. There had been a hard frost Saturday night. When I went out Sunday morning to check on my tomato and pepper seedlings in the second grow house, every muscle in my body turned to jell-o, and I began to tingle all over. All of those precious …
I received an email postcard from The Maine Potato Lady the other day informing me that my seed-potato order was ready for pick up at their warehouse. So yesterday I loaded the two boys in the car with provisions, and drove nearly an hour over to Newport (no small feat …
