CasaSugar

Garden Therapy: New Garden Boxes From Old Wood

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 04:30:00 -0800

This Summer, I used part of a friend's redwood fence to build an additional garden box. Craftster member Emilyhell was lucky enough to try something similar thanks to some generous friends with a remodeling project. She writes, "My boyfriend and I got some old recycled redwood for free from some friends who were replacing their deck. We built these five-foot-square planter boxes and just today finished planting our fall/winter vegetable garden."

I love the kneeling/sitting area that Emily and her boyfriend built with the top, flat piece of decking. This will help them to lean over and brace themselves when they're harvesting all of their yummy veggies. What a smart, eco design. Nice work!

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Midday Muse: A Plethora of Pumpkins

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:00:14 -0700

I have a confession to make: I didn't grow any winter squash or pumpkins this year. For some reason, I forgot about this noble and nutritious Fall favorite. This photo, which was taken at the Spargelhof Klaistow farm in Klaistow, Germany, shows off some of the 400 types of pumpkins and squash grown at that farm. While my modest backyard garden wouldn't be able to support more than a few pumpkin varieties, it's inspiring to see the possibilities. Did you grow any pumpkins or winter squash this year?

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Casa Quickie: Plant Carrots With Radishes

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:30:46 -0700

One smart move I made when planting my Winter garden was to mix my radish seeds and my carrot seeds together. I used Easter egg radishes and Chanterey carrots for the garden, which are both known for their mild flavor. I also favored the Chanterey carrots because they are short, and thus suited for raised beds that might not have as much soil depth as some gardens.

But why did I mix the seeds together in the same row? What's the advantage, you ask? Well, radishes mature in only a month, which means that once you pull them, your carrots, which take at least twice as long to mature, will have more room to spread out and grow. Also, since the soil has been loosened, the carrots will have an easier time growing. Just make sure to pull out your radishes gently; you don't want to pull out your baby carrots before their time!

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Garden Therapy: Planting Winter Gardens

CasaSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:30:35 -0700

If you're lucky enough to live in a temperate climate, you might be planting your Winter garden soon. I started to put my garden in this weekend. First I had to clean out the old plants and compost them, then I prepared the soil and planted my seeds. This season, I'm putting in kale, chard, lettuce, garlic, scallions, carrots, and radishes. All of these crops do well in cool weather. Since we rarely, if ever, get a frost in the San Francisco Bay Area, I'll be able to enjoy fresh vegetables all Winter long. Are you planting a Winter garden?

Garden Therapy: Winter Tips

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:15:49 -0800

Since snow and ice don't make for a successful garden, most of us have to resort to satisfying our green thumb through nurturing indoor plants and kitchen window herb gardens in the Winter. To make the most of your Winter plants, try these indoor gardening tips.

Indoor plants will turn to follow the light, so you should rotate an indoor plant to encourage proper growth. Otherwise, your plant will likely lean to one side.
Concerned that your plant isn't getting enough light this Winter? If your plant has small leaves, thinner stems than usual, and its color is lighter than it has been in the Summer months, it is likely light-deficient. Try moving it closer to a window.
Another option is to supplement natural sunlight with artificial lighting, such as with a table lamp.

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Creating Festive Winter Gardens

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:00:54 -0800

Do you reside in a harsh Winter climate? Manitoba, perhaps? Vermont, Norway, or Minnesota? Don't worry - there are still some pretty Winter options for creating container gardens.

Small conifers, or needled evergreens, are great choices for hardy winter container gardening, and these dwarf trees come in a variety of shapes, including balls, cones, and columns, as well as varieties that trail, which will add variety to your container. Add some wintergreen to the container for a bright pop of color from its red berries. In the Spring, you can transplant directly from the containers into your yard for easy landscaping. Check in at Evergreen Plant Nursery for some evergreens.

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Midday Muse: The Charming Winter Garden

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:00:21 -0800

Sometimes a garden, such as the manicured hedges at the park of the Versailles castle in Versailles, France, can look even more charming when it's covered with a thin frosting of snow. While our gardens may be hibernating through the Winter months, that doesn't mean they don't hold their own joys and quiet beauty.
What do you find beautiful about a snowy garden?
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Garden Therapy: Plant Garlic For a No-Fuss Crop

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:30:31 -0700

Want to get your garden on this Winter, but don't want to spend a lot of time or money? Then garlic is your go-to crop.

In most of the US, now is the ideal time to plant garlic, since the cloves you plant will establish roots before the ground freezes. They require virtually no care, and you can then harvest them in June or July.

If you're squeezed for space, you can also plant garlic in containers. Start with good quality potting soil, and fill most of a container with it. Then plant one garlic clove (buy in a garden or hardware store) per small pot. Push the clove about an inch under the soil surface. Water, then set along the side of your house out of the way of cold winds, and let it winter there. It's always so fun to see the green garlic shoots peeking up in the Spring!

Source: Flickr User lburiedpaul

Gardening . . . in the Winter?

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:15:43 -0700

While I'm happily indulging in Spring weather here on the West Coast, I realize that the temperatures aren't cooperating in every part of the country. In fact, my mom, who lives in Wisconsin, told me that there was a huge snowstorm just last week! With that in mind, I thought I'd give you some inspiration courtesy of Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl, who shows you how to grow food even in the middle of a snowstorm in chilly Boston! Check out the video to get inspired. You see? You can extend your gardening season even in cold climates.

Cool Idea: Lighting the Dark Garden

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:58 -0800

I've been pretty bummed about the time change, since it's usually dark by the time I get home from work. This means that any outdoor chores, gardening work, or frolicking with the dogs is done in near pitch black, or lit from sharp, glaring porch lights.

Kathy LaLiberte, director of gardening at my favorite gardening store, Gardeners Supply Company, has come up with a pretty solution to combat the darkness. Besides using solar lights along pathways, she's also indulged her inner artist with a cool project.

She writes:

Last Fall we came up with a combination art project/all-season, outdoor lighting solution. We made an orb with two rusted steel bands from an old whiskey barrel planter. They're held together at the top with a rusted-iron hose guide, which fits into a metal pipe that anchors the whole thing to a cedar post. Around the center of the pipe I wove a loose ball of wild grape vines. Then I stuffed the ball with a 24-foot string of small LED lights (these are the warm white ones - I don't like the cool blue lights).

How do you light your yard or garden after the clocks fall back?