Welcome back to our “Year in the Organic Garden Series!” In September, we finished planting our Fall garden and discussed the benefits of Cover Crops. If you missed the post, or want to refresh your memory, please take a look at September in the Organic Garden. In October, we’ll plant bulbs (edible and flowers) and add some fall color. It’s also a great time to plant perennials before Winter arrives. As always, we welcome your own comments, questions and contributions to help make … [Read more...] about A Year in the Organic Garden – October
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A Year in the Organic Garden – September
Welcome back to our “Year in the Organic Garden Series!” In August, we were harvesting our summer fruits and veggies and preserving the excess. We also got our Fall garden going! If you missed the post, or want to refresh your memory, please take a look at August in the Organic Garden. In September, our Summer’s harvest is waning or just plain done and we fully transition to cool season gardening. Read on for our suggestions on how to make the most of the month. As always, we welcome … [Read more...] about A Year in the Organic Garden – September
Growing Healthy and Beautiful Roses… Organically!
Roses are one of the most beloved flowers in the world, known for their beauty, fragrance, and symbolism. However, growing and maintaining roses requires proper care to ensure they thrive. Oftentimes people think that growing beautiful roses requires using synthetic pesticides and fertilizer. In fact, there are Organic products that will help to keep your roses healthy, and your garden and soil happy too! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, these tips will help you cultivate … [Read more...] about Growing Healthy and Beautiful Roses… Organically!
Ten Steps to Make Your Garden More Sustainable and Earth-friendly
In honor of Earth Day, we’re sharing ten steps you can take to make your garden more sustainable and Earth-friendly. You’ll notice that many of these tips are linked to each other. For example, if you mulch or add compost to your garden, your plants will require less water and will thrive much more easily in the summer heat. If those plants are native, they’ll provide food for pollinators, which in turn increases garden yields and health. In nature, everything is related, which means even small … [Read more...] about Ten Steps to Make Your Garden More Sustainable and Earth-friendly
Mugolio…that’s Italian for Fermented Pine Cone Syrup!
If you’ve heard of Mugolio, consider yourself well-ahead of us over here at Fifth Season Gardening. Turns out it’s a gourmet food that’s easy to make with readily available ingredients and the most basic of equipment. We had to give it a try! True Mugolio is from Italy and made only with cones from the mugo pine. Green cones are collected in the spring, mixed with sugar and allowed to ferment for 2+ months. Natural yeasts on the pine cones are responsible for the transformation into a … [Read more...] about Mugolio…that’s Italian for Fermented Pine Cone Syrup!
It’s All About Mulch
Summer is here! And so is the heat! Watering is critical as always, but there’s a simple thing you can do to help keep your garden in great shape…Mulch! We’re fans of mulching in our organic gardens during the summer months. Mulch helps moderate soil temperatures, controls exposed soil erosion, prevents nutrient depletion from water runoff, mitigates weeds and retains moisture for thirsty plants. Applying a nice 2-inch to 3-inch layer of mulch on top of exposed soil will simultaneously … [Read more...] about It’s All About Mulch
Gardening with Kids–Making it Work!
Gardening has been great for my kids. It helps their bodies – maybe they will try that vegetable that they grow on their own. It helps their minds – learning where food comes from and how it grows. And it helps their souls – time outside and the sense of accomplishment that comes when that first seed sprouts! We have also hit a few hurdles on our journey, so we keep it simple – the attention span of a 6-8 year old is not lengthy enough for some of the more advanced techniques out there. We … [Read more...] about Gardening with Kids–Making it Work!
Building Raised Beds on a Slope
Hi all! Sometimes we get questions from folks that want to build raised beds, but aren’t sure how to do so in a sloping space. It is important that your beds be close to level so that water is evenly distributed. Your plants will like that part and it does look better this way too! So, we rolled up our sleeves and took a run at the project. Here’s how we did it and we’re pleased with the results. Hopefully you’ll find this information helpful and if you’ve got tips on how we could have … [Read more...] about Building Raised Beds on a Slope
Winter Houseplant Care
You may have noticed lately that the days are getting the tiniest bit longer. The buds on the trees are beginning to swell and the leaves on the tulips and daffodil bulbs are attempting to peek through the mulch. Some heartening signs of spring but the truth is… we are still deeply embedded in winter. The verdant awakening of spring is still on hold. You have probably also noticed that your houseplants are enjoying a bit of a rest as well. Most tropical plants will go through a dormant … [Read more...] about Winter Houseplant Care
A Beginner Grows Some Spuds
I found myself with more personal “me” time this past year and was determined to occupy the “free” time with a new hobby. Enter the world of gardening…oh boy! There’s a lot going on with that word “gardening.” Simple, rewarding, economic, healthy they all said, and yes, while these things are true – there’s so much to this hobby called gardening! Determined never-the-less, I decided to start my “garden” with some “easy” to grow potatoes. Simple, tasty, and inexpensive (btw, groceries are … [Read more...] about A Beginner Grows Some Spuds
