Posted on by Maryland Grows
Root, Root, Root for the Home Grown I cannot believe I’ve harvested beautiful rutabagas on April 25 and May 9, but I must, because we ate four in a medley of roasted root vegetables late last month and will eat…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized Tags: Author:Bob, Winter Gardening, Year of Root Vegetables
Posted on by Maryland Grows
I’m really ticked off—at myself. I let my guard down because I don’t “think ticks” during cold weather—and I was shocked when I discovered a somewhat engorged tick on my side yesterday (Mar. 21). I had felt what turned out…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized Tags: Author:Bob, Ticks
Posted on by Maryland Grows
I’m so embarrassed. I promised myself I would never pay $8.00 for a grafted tomato plant, even though I’d seen them advertised in several 2013 seed catalogs. Grafted plants belong in the fruit orchard, not the Tomato Patch—right? And aren’t…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized Tags: Author:Bob, Tomato Patch Series
Posted on by Maryland Grows
Purple deadnettle Plants were blooming in our vegetable garden in the sunshine and 48°F temperature this morning, but the blooms weren’t of some prized edible that had survived our frigid winter. Not surprisingly the blooms were on what we call…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized Tags: Author:Bob, Weeds and Invasives, Winter Gardening
Posted on by Maryland Grows
My cheap mini-greenhouse after two winters’ use The mini-greenhouse I made by cutting the bottom from a plastic storage box failed during recent frigid temperatures. I picked lettuce from the mini-greenhouse every month during the 2011-2012 winter—one of the warmest…
Read MoreCategory: Food Gardening Tags: Author:Bob, Container Gardening, Lettuce, Season Extension, Winter Gardening
Posted on by Maryland Grows
Ankle pain is connected to knee pain. Knee pain is connected to hip pain. Hip pain is connected to back pain. That’s just the way it is for many senior gardeners—at least for me. Because of all my aches and pains…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized Tags: Author:Bob, Mulch
Posted on by Maryland Grows
When I think tomatoes, I think seeds, plants, cultivating, and harvesting. Washington Post columnist Barbara Damrosch has a more attention-grabbing focus: seduction! I had the biggest smile of the week when I read the first sentence of her most recent…
Read MoreCategory: Uncategorized Tags: Author:Bob, Insects, Seed Catalog Series, Tomato Patch Series