Hello VEGheads, Are you thinking about growing carrots? Are carrots your plant that you simply can not grow? (Every gardeners has one, I have a few) I have grown carrots every year; Every year I get better and better carrots. I typically like to plant them as a fall crop, but they can be planted year round in zone 9. The reason why I don't like to grow them over summer is because they like to receive consistent watering and if they don't they will crack. However if you can pr

I'm still working on planning out my garden and have yet to start seeds for my raised bed. I know, I'm slacking. It's hard for me to start planning my summer garden when my winter garden in still producing and we've been having cold weather so I don't see any reason to pull out the plants yet. I've been thinking about the plants that I'll be putting in my garden, I have some new plants to me, like eggplant. I've never grown it, but would like to add it to my garden. Then I ha

With Spring right around the corner you may be looking for some options of seeds to purchase. I'm a large advocate for supporting local companies and wanted to highlight some California based seed companies. I have a few things that I look for when I'm searching for a seed company. Here's the list in order of importance to me: 1. Heirloom seeds - Heirlooms are old varieties that are unpatented and able to be saved carefully year after year and get the same crop. Not to mentio

Any gardener has a seed collection. I have kept mine in a kitchen drawer. Then when that became invasive. And at the bottom of the bag was a bunch of seeds, some I could identify (corn). Others were a little harder, (spaghetti squash or zucchini) And further more down right impossible. (broccoli, cabbage, beets) I almost never planted them, occasionally I would just to see what happened. I came across a "hack" to use a photo book as a seed organizer. It worked wonderfully unt

You may giggle at my hopes of becoming sustainable in my little 400 sq ft backyard. While I know I will not raise chickens or wheat, I'm doing the best I can. I have a list of favorite meals that have come from my backyard, including herb roasted potatoes and rabbit. 16 different fruits, vegetables and herbs have been collected in the first year I've been at my apartment and brought inside to be prepared for food. I believe that nothing compares to the freshness of the produc

You wouldn't be here if you weren't at least interested in gardening. Here are the reasons that I enjoy gardening so much and why I will always have a garden in one form or another. 1. Food! This is the reason I started gardening. The need for cheap fresh food. My very first year I spent $13 on seeds and soil, used ANYTHING I had as a container. Butter tubs, a kiddy pool, coffee containers, old planters, etc. I knew that my garden wouldn't be pretty but as long as I was grow

You've ordered french fries, after your friend said didn't want french fries. Only to then have them sneaking them off your plate before... Or you've been the person to not order your own fries. *guilty* This is how I feel when it comes to pests in my garden. Don't get me started... As an organic gardener I try to go the least evasive route when it comes to pest management. This often means allowing the pests to do their damage in hopes that the ecosystem will bring in a gard

You've ordered french fries, after your friend said didn't want french fries. Only to then have them sneaking them off your plate before... Or you've been the person to not order your own fries. *guilty* This is how I feel when it comes to pests in my garden. Don't get me started... As an organic gardener I try to go the least evasive route when it comes to pest management. This often means allowing the pests to do their damage in hopes that the ecosystem will bring in a gard