Share my passion for all things gardening!
I recently planted cover crops in some of my vegetable garden beds that are done producing for the year. So, what are cover crops anyway? They are usually members of the legume or grass families that are planted in idle soil to suppress weeds, maybe to protect soil from erosion, or to add nutrients into the soil. That last reason […]
Read moreEvery year I grow a lot of green beans. I usually only grow pole beans (‘Italian Snap’) but am also growing bush beans (‘French filet’ style beans) which have been really productive. I have to admit that I’m a bit of a chicken when it comes to canning low-acid vegetables, which beans are. That’s because of the risk of botulism […]
Read moreThe veggies are ready to go into the oven for tomato sauce! Boy, are we in the middle of tomato-harvesting season and I’ll bet you are, too. We primarily grow paste tomatoes for making sauces and catsup but we don’t always have the time or inclination to break out all of the canning gear. Today, I picked our first big […]
Read moreIf you’re wondering how my vegetable garden is coming along, you’ll be pleased to know that my column in today’s issue of The Spokesman-Review is an update on that very topic. Most everything is growing and producing well, but I’ve had a few frustrating setbacks. Take a look: Good summer for vegetables. By the way, the photo above shows my […]
Read moreCan you believe it’s the middle of August already? It’s time for another of my columns in The Spokesman-Review: Ornamental grasses add winter interest. Today’s topic was a request from one of my Master Gardener friends and colleagues: ornamental grasses that provide some interest in the landscape during the colder months of the year. If you live in the Inland […]
Read moreMary Lee Gaston Here is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: ‘Lasagna gardening’ yields big harvest. Throughout the summer months, I enjoy meeting with local gardeners and writing profiles of them and their wonderful gardens. Today’s column is a profile of Mary Lee Gaston, who lives in northwest Spokane. She grows an amazing vegetable garden […]
Read moreHere is a link to the feature story I wrote in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Gardening goes undercover. It’s about garden season extension so you can grow salad greens and other veggie crops through the fall and winter. I have been so excited to write about this topic ever since conducting my own little experiment last year. I had […]
Read moreBoy, this month is really going by quickly, don’t you think? It’s time for another of my columns and this one is about the last garden tour of the summer: Tour shows off South Hill oases. The Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane are hosting their 28th annual Yard & Garden Tour next Sun., Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 […]
Read moreI thought you might be interested to hear how things went in our quest to grow cherries organically this year: We have four producing cherry trees at this time. Two sweet cherries (‘Bing’ and ‘Rainier’) and two pie cherries (‘English Morello’ and ‘Montmorency’). We also have a young ‘Montmorency’ that isn’t producing yet. In the spring, my husband Bill hung […]
Read moreHere is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Knowing culprit keeps tomato problems in check. Since gardeners love to grow tomatoes, and since certain issues can crop up with them, I thought it would be helpful to talk about this today. Hopefully your tomatoes are growing great, though, and you’ll never need this information! If you’re […]
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