Welcome back to our “Year in the Organic Garden Series!” In February, we focused on techniques for successful seed starting. If you missed the post, or want to refresh your memory, please take a look at February in the Organic Garden. Now that we’re caught up, we turn our attention to the official start of the outdoor organic gardening season. March is prime for cool season crops which means we’ve got a lot of leafy greens, brassicas and root crops to sow and grow. We’ll get to that … [Read more...] about A Year in the Organic Garden – March
Organic Gardening
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
A Year in the Organic Garden – February
Welcome back to our “Year in the Organic Garden Series!” In January, we focused on the purpose of this series, soil testing and garden planning. If you missed the post, or want to refresh your memory, here’s the link January in the Organic Garden.. Now that we’re caught up, we turn our attention to indoor seed starting as the primary activity for February. Starting your organic garden from seed does take some time and attention, but it is also cost effective and rewarding. Even great … [Read more...] about A Year in the Organic Garden – February
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
A Year in the Organic Garden – January
Welcome to a new year and a new blog series for our readers! By far, the most frequent questions we receive are about proper techniques for successful organic gardening for both edibles and flowers. We thought it would be fun and useful to pull together a series that follows each season and serves as a resource to answer those very questions. Our plan is simple. Early each month we will post an article to share our advice on what a successful organic gardener should be focused on in the … [Read more...] about A Year in the Organic Garden – January
Soooooo Many Hops!
Today’s post is a conversation with Steve from Winston-Salem, NC. In his spare time, he is an organic gardener and home brewer. He’s also kind enough to shop at FSG (Thank you!). Steve has been growing his own hops for a few years now and we thought it would be fun and useful to get his insights on growing this great plant. We hope you agree! Please introduce yourself to our readers. Hi, well you already shared my name, some of my hobbies and my home town. Other things that … [Read more...] about Soooooo Many Hops!
Hey Grass, Move Over! Make Room for Clover!!
About this time last year I was seeking a new solution to an annual ritual with predictably frustrating results. I’m referring to my Fall habit of preparing the lawn, seeding new grass, tending it carefully, being pleased with the results and then watching it all die just as soon as the heat of the next Summer arrives. One of my colleagues here at FSG suggested that I overseed my lawn with clover as a potential solution to my problem. I did a little research and found out that clover … [Read more...] about Hey Grass, Move Over! Make Room for Clover!!
A Guide to Healthy, Organically-Grown Tomatoes 2023
This article was originally published in 2017, it has been updated with new information and product links. As always, please leave us your comments below! -Pam Scott- I love tomatoes! Canning them, freezing them, drying them, pickling them, roasting them and saucing them is my idea of fun. Tomatoes, basil and mozzarella define the taste of summer for me. Growing up in cool, dry, New England, I spent most every August canning tomatoes with my mother. You can imagine my despair when … [Read more...] about A Guide to Healthy, Organically-Grown Tomatoes 2023
Talking Pawpaws with Sleepy Gap Pawpaws
Today’s post is a conversation with Andra of Sleepy Gap Pawpaws which supplies Pawpaw Seedlings to Fifth Season Gardening Co. We thought you’d enjoy learning more about this native fruit tree and hearing her story. Enjoy! Please introduce yourself to our readers! Hi, my name is Andra and I am the founder of Sleepy Gap Pawpaws near Asheville, NC. Sleepy Gap Pawpaws is a small-scale nursery and we also have an orchard with 130 trees growing for future harvests. In my other job I am a … [Read more...] about Talking Pawpaws with Sleepy Gap Pawpaws
Building a Raised Bed (2023)
Whether you live in the city or out in the country, the best way to have complete control over your garden is by building a raised bed. I say this because everyone’s soil is going to be different. It could be very sandy, loamy, high or low in nitrogen, or even solid red clay like mine is. The best way to overcome challenges presented by your soil is by building a garden bed on top of your existing soil. The first step is determining the size bed you would like to build. I built my raised beds … [Read more...] about Building a Raised Bed (2023)
