Disappearing for Fall Prep

My to-do list has a habit of sprawling everywhere and growing leggy - and every so often needs to be pruned. I enjoyed a brief summer moment where I was able to write here every day. That was immensely satisfying, and I hope to get back to that. However, I can’t ignore the telltale signs…

The National Germplasm database – free seeds for limited uses

I read about GRIN earlier this year while looking for sources of free seeds. Turns out, it definitely is a source of free seeds - but not for home gardeners. Educators, researchers, and producers can request seeds and cuttings of a lot of different plants. It is a really extensive program, and I plan to…

Ants

The first time I seriously got into gardening, I lucked out in getting a 4” by 8” plot. It was way more space than the little apartment balcony garden I had been working with. There was also the added benefit of experienced people around who were happy to share tips and their own curiosities about…

Salal: a nice low to the ground plant

I happened upon some salal plants today while on a walk. This is especially nice because i have been considering different native plants to learn to propagate, so I was wondering how well salal plants would go in the spaces I have available. I am interested in the concept of a food forest garden -…

Garden Notes: Aug 16th; Lupines

I have been trying to get lupines to grow from seed for a few years now. This year, I experimented with planting them in multiple areas. I hoped that having different conditions would mean three chances for some to survive. That experimental approach has helped me a lot in my gardening journey, and it definitely…