Nothing Says Summer Like Zucchini Zucchini—is anything more quintessentially summer? But here are some tidbits you might not know: The ancestors of zucchini, like all squash, are native to the Americas. They were brought to Europe in the 1600s, but the Italians are credited with actually breeding zucchini. The word comes from the Italian word for squash–“zucca”. The … Read more
Our garden vegetables are prone to certain diseases. Our best defense is knowledge and good cultural practices. Learn About Vegetable Garden Diseases Diseases are opportunistic—tending to attack stressed plants. Starting with healthy organic-rich soil is the first line of defense. Make sure plants are in the correct amount of sunlight and water when needed—but do not … Read more
Today is the first day of Summer—depending on who you ask. Meteorologists consider June 1st as the first day of summer. Astronomers consider June 20th (or 21st/22nd depending on the year) as the first day of summer based on the position of the earth to the sun. It’s the longest day of the year. Every … Read more
It is midsummer and insects are out, setting their sights for your garden. Here’s what you need to know. As much as I love my vegetable garden, there are nasty little pests who like it just as much. Here is a list of some of the more common vegetable pests and some suggestions as to … Read more
Is anything more “summery” than that first bite of a “home-grown” tomato? So here are a few facts: Tomatoes are native to Peru and were an important food crop of the Aztec Indians. The Aztec name for tomato is “tomatl” meaning “fat thing.” The botanical name is Solanum Lycopersicum, meaning “wolf Peach.” According to Wikipedia, … Read more
One of the most important things we can do as a gardener is to keep weeds out of our vegetable and flower beds. Too many weeds can crowd plants and force them to compete for water and nutrients. This competition means your plants have less energy to grow or bloom. Weeds can also provide hiding places … Read more
When I was a child, I was terrified of praying mantises. I thought they looked like little mini-space aliens. And I really didn’t like the way they’d turn their head to look right at you. As an adult, I developed a respect for these hungry little predators. Praying mantises are related to cockroaches and termites. … Read more
A couple of weeks ago, I did a blog on repelling mosquitoes. I had a customer come in and say her biggest problem was not mosquitoes—it was squirrels. So here’s how to live with them. First, Some Interesting Facts The word ‘squirrel’ comes from the Anglo-Norman word “esquirel’ meaning ‘shadow-tailed.’ They are native to every … Read more
I just got all my veggies planted. I can put up my feet and relax now, right? Well—no. So here’s what I need to do now: Keep Weeding Right now, weeds are already popping up in my freshly planted raised beds. If I slack off, they get out of hand fast, so I’ll check every … Read more
I’m getting so many people these days looking for plants that repel mosquitoes, so here you go: Citronella Citronella-scented geraniums are pretty, lacy-leaved members of the geranium family that contain citronella oil. Mosquitoes don’t like them. Other lemon-scented herbs that also contain citronella oil are lemon thyme, lemon balm, and lemongrass. The lemongrass and citronella-scented … Read more
