I’ve grown and thrown a lot of cucumbers too bitter too eat away, and pulled up the plants. The cukes I grew outside are fine this year. But the ones in the greenhouse are too bitter to eat. For the first time, I tried peeling them, and amazingly that’s most of the problem! Now I’m…
Category: In the Garden
Everything outdoors and garden related
Novel Corona Gardening
So, I’ve been encouraged by this “stay at home” time to try some Novel Corona Gardening! I planted a beet that I bought in a grocery store (was a whole beet with the top), and I’ve been harvesting and cooking the leaves. Cook them as you would any green, or add them to soup. And…
Praying Mantis
We are fortunate to have a lot of praying mantes. In the spring, I usually find egg sacs clinging to cement pots and twigs. They really help keep the insects cleaned out of the garden. There’s lots for them to feed on, all around our property. If you use pesticides, stop! They show up on…
Fennel Blooms
Not everyone enjoys the flavor of fennel, but everyone can enjoy it in the garden as a butterfly attractor. Since I grew up with fennel, I love the culinary uses. Every part of the plant is edible. While I’ve used the bulbs, fronds, and seeds for a long time, I’ve just come to really appreciate…
Beneficial Unintended Consequences
Sometimes I stumble onto something that has more beneficial unintended consequences than I could’ve imagined. Recently, I posted the formula for the best Insect Spray for Organic Gardening that I’ve used. Well, as it turns out, the deer hate it too! As long as I spray after it rains, the deer don’t seem to eat…