Vegetable gardening
Too Many Tomatoes?
It’s tomato time! My kitchen is overflowing in tomatoes – yellow, red, round, huge, grape shaped, gold with black shoulders (the fantastic ‘Indigo Kumquat’), and so many more. I always overplant tomatoes. Why? Because I LOVE TOMATOES! By time I plant the varieties I teach with in seed starting workshops, plus favorite varieties from years…
Read MoreI Hate to Harvest – A True Confession
I love to grow vegetables but I hate to harvest. I love to start start vegetables from seed. Even before the first set of leaves unfurl, I’m dreaming about planting each seedling in my raised garden beds. I carefully labeled everything so I can track who grows where… I visit my garden every day, looking…
Read MoreLet’s Plant! Seed Starting Workshops 2020
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/451363110th Anniversary Series Since 2010, I’ve taught hundreds of people to grow their own vegetables, herbs, and flowers from seed In this workshop, you’ll learn my easy, hands-on methods and secret tips for growing and feeding your family wholesome, organic produce from your backyard or your balcony. I brings the seeds and supplies. You take home…
Read MoreApril is the Time to Plant Warm Climate Vegetable Gardens
Yeah! It’s time to plant summer veggies in warm climate vegetable gardens. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and other summer vegetables are good to plant now, whether from seed or from seedling. Wait until the end of the month when the soil is warmer before planting basil, pumpkins, and squashes. Every year, I trial new vegetable varieties in…
Read MoreLet’s Plant! Seed Starting Workshops
— Join Nan for a hands-on workshop near you — Tickets must be purchased in advance to reserve your spot and supplies. March 16, 2019, 9:30 am to noon, Community Roots Farm, Oceanside, CA, Purchase tickets March 17, 2019 , 12 pm to 2:30 pm, Bancroft Center For Sustainability, Spring Valley, CA, Purchase tickets March 24,…
Read MoreThe Last Harvest of Summer
Sorta sweet, sorta sad… the last harvest of summer.
Read MoreNan's Garden Tip #101: Mulching Vegetable Gardens
Want to make your vegetable garden more waterwise? Here are two suggestions: Switch to drip irrigation Most vegetables dislike having wet leaves. In fact, wet leaves often become mildewed leaves. Drip irrigation is far more efficient than overhead spray and it keeps leaves dry and mildew free. Mulch with a three-inch thick layer of home-made…
Read MoreTom Sawyer and My New Wall
Is it okay for my blog to quote another blog? Oh, what the heck! The wonderful Sharon Cohoon, Southern California editor for Sunset Magazine (and the woman I’d like to be when I grow up) wrote about my new garden wall in her blog, Fresh Dirt. I love what she wrote! When you walk out…
Read MoreMy Greener, Waterwise World
I had a delightful morning as I welcomed the crew from Growing a Greener World into my garden. Growing a Greener World is the new PBS television gardening series hosted by Joe Lamp’l, one of my co-authors on my latest book, Waterwise Plants for the Southwest. Theresa Loe, associate producer for Joe’s show, contacted me…
Read MoreSave water in your garden with my "Canary Test"
People constantly ask me how much and how often to water their plants. There is no definitive answer. It depends on your microclimate, the type of soil in your garden, the type of irrigation you use (drip, overhead, etc.) and more. That said, figuring out how to water your plants isn’t all that difficult if…
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