Let’s Get Vertical Gardening »
What’s better than a living piece of art? With vertical gardening that’s exactly what you’re getting and as a bonus, you get to help out the environment. The great thing is that a vertical garden can be made out of almost anything. Just search vertical gardening on Pinterest and you will be led through a world of [Read More...]
A Gentle Introduction to Herb Gardening… »
Will 2013 be the year you start an herb garden? Have you been overwhelmed and confused when you approach the project? There are so many books written on the subject, and it may seem as if growing herbs is somehow difficult, expensive, exhausting and just too much trouble! I am here to tell you that none of [Read More...]
Salt Injury on Trees »
Salt injury is something home owners should be aware of when the snow starts to fall and the plows are out and you need de-ice the driveway and sidewalks. The symptoms of salt injury are similar to injury caused by other stresses. When in doubt, suspected salt injury can be verified with soil and [Read More...]
Growing the Norfolk Pine Indoors »
The Norfolk pine makes a wonderful living Christmas tree; its lush green twigs of soft needles provide the perfect combination with holiday ornaments or just beads of garland strung around the tree. Known botanically as Araucaria heterophylla, the plant is native to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific between Australia and New Zealand. It is [Read More...]
Can I Use Just Any Pumpkin for Baking? »
We sell all sizes of pumpkins at our roadside farm market. We are often asked which pumpkin is the best for making pies – will any do? The answer is a bit complicated as most pumpkins are edible and can be made into pumpkin puree for pies and other goodies, but there are some preferred [Read More...]
The 5 Sexiest Ways to Use Your Pumpkins This October »
First off, I definitely just used the word “sexiest” as a fake bright light to draw the moths in. So moths, welcome, and shame on you. Secondly, there is nothing inherently sexy about pumpkins. They look sort of like fat, orange warts and the word “gourd” sounds too much like “goiter” for me to be [Read More...]
What to Store in the Fridge – and What NOT to »
I help my family on our fruit and vegetable farm in Newaygo, MI where we sell all that we grow (and only what we grow) at our roadside farm stand. Many of our customers ask about storing vegetables in the refrigerator and how long they will last. So I decided to make an alphabetical list [Read More...]
Is it the End of the Line for your Tomatoes? »
Does this look familiar to you? Battling blossom end rot on your tomatoes (or peppers or eggplant)? Often when your tomatoes are stressed from the extremes of heat or cold and/or lack of water they are also suffering from a physiological disorder commonly called blossom end rot. During an average year on my family’s farm in [Read More...]
What Can I Plant Now in Zone 5? »
Are you wondering what to plant in your vegetable garden now that it is August? What will you be able to plant now and harvest this year? I will list off some of the fruits and veggies my family and I just planted and plan to plant on our farm located in Michigan in zone [Read More...]
Companion Planting for Garden Success »
Companion planting is the practice of grouping specific plants together to deter harmful pests and diseases and increase nutrient absorption. Many plants contain natural substances in their leaves or roots that can repel harmful bugs or attract beneficial ones. Other plants add vital nutrients, such as nitrogen or magnesium to soils that have been depleted [Read More...]