video tutorials, tried-and-true tips + our latest learnings to surround you with abundance all season long
Traditional wisdom sends us to our garden Memorial Day weekend. And for good reason: the soil is finally warm, it is marvelous to not wear socks and all the quintessential summer crops (tomatoes, basil, beans) can be planted with confidence knowing there will (likely) not be another frost 'til fall.
Certainly, Memorial Day is a great time to start your garden but friends, there’s no need to wait. Especially if you love salad as much as Davi and I do :)
With the right seeds, the right tools and the right timing, you can be eating greens six weeks or more before Memorial Day, even in our short seasons here in the Finger Lakes.
Yes, even when it's still snowing on April 19th, as it is today :)
Here are my five ways to make sure you're eating salad before Memorial Day.
When does nature sow her seeds?
In the fall!
Much more on this as autumn approaches :)
In the meantime,...
Growing up in my father's garden, I learned to love bats as much as grow lettuce, sing songs and save seeds.
Bats play an astonishing role in our world. We would not enjoy mango, banana, chocolate or tequila (from agave) were it not for millions of bats pollinating them each night. Keystone species in nearly every ecosystem, the 1,200+ species of bat account for nearly 20% of mammals on earth. Even if you aren't cultivating guavas in your garden, there are so many reasons to welcome them.
-Bats eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes per hour, often consuming their weight in insects overnight
-Bats also eat Cucumber Beetles, the primary vectors of bacterial wilt.
-Bat guano (dung) is rich, well-balanced fertilizer for your garden. Did you know guano was Texas's largest mineral export before oil?
-Watching bats fly above the garden at twilight always takes my breath away. They are incredible acrobats (teehee),...
For years we’ve been asked to demystify seed starting and here it is: Rise & Shine shares everything you need to start seeds successfully at home in 40 beautiful pages with easy-to-follow instructions and insightful tips for the novice and experienced grower alike.