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
summer
Bringing Houseplants Outside for the Summer
-Pam Scott- Chances are that most of the plants you keep indoors during the winter are tropical or semi tropical plants. As temperatures warm up and the days get longer, it makes sense to want to bring your beloved plant friends outdoors to enjoy the extra light and humidity that spring and summer have to offer. Many tropical plants will suffer as indoor air conditioning draws all of the humidity from the house, drying out leaves and soil. As the sun goes higher in the sky, many house plants … [Read more...] about Bringing Houseplants Outside for the Summer
Some Helpful Tips for Growing Squash
-Pam Scott- Spring is in full swing. Most of us have our seeds and seedlings tucked safely in the ground as we head full speed towards summer. On these 80-90 degree days it's hard to imagine that it was only weeks ago that we were hit with a heavy frost. Summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, okra, beans, squash, and cucumbers are growing quickly due to warm sunny days and rainy nights. One of the most frequently asked questions we hear these days is “How do I keep bugs and mildew from … [Read more...] about Some Helpful Tips for Growing Squash
DIY Hard Seltzer: A Trend Worth Trying
-Kristin Weeks- Summer is the busiest season of the year nationwide for beer sales, and over the past several months, the adult beverage industry has witnessed a major rise in popularity of a new kind of boozy beverage, hard seltzer. This light, low-cal, low-carb alternative to beer is attractive to consumers preferring more health-conscious drinking habits and an active lifestyle. Hard seltzer offers that with its sessionability (low ABV, 5% typically) and convenient packaging. Both national … [Read more...] about DIY Hard Seltzer: A Trend Worth Trying
Brewing in the Summer
-Ryan Blankenship- Summertime is usually a slow time for the traditional home brewer. Mainly because it gets so hot outside, most of us don’t want to spend 6-8 hours over a boiling hot kettle. It can also become difficult to regulate your fermentation temperatures. If you’re a diehard brewer like we are, however, you might be deciding on what beers do best during the summer. A few of my favorite summer style beers include: Belgian pale ales, Kolsch, and Saisons. Today I want to give a little … [Read more...] about Brewing in the Summer
Homemade Smoke’n Hot Paprika
-Pam Scott- The days are getting shorter, summer is winding down, and I can’t say I will miss the beastly hot days that have kept me out of the garden. The cooler nights seem to be reviving some of the annual flowers, tomatoes and herbs, and my pepper plants are still cranking out lots of peppers that are turning fire engine red overnight. This is the promised bounty of plants seeded in late February, potted up indoors to mature early, and finally transplanted outside. We try to extend the … [Read more...] about Homemade Smoke’n Hot Paprika
Mulch Much?
-Chris Amaya- With spring almost over, and the sun soon to be getting too hot for comfort during mid-day, its easy to accidentally forget to water the garden. Fortunately there is a natural buffer that allows plants to stay hydrated longer while simultaneously benefiting soil biology. Mulching the areas around established plants before pesky weeds can germinate will be your saving grace this season. Without mulching, these small, weedy plants can turn into big competition for your … [Read more...] about Mulch Much?
All Grain Brewing: Step Mash vs. Single Infusion
-Ryan Blankenship- All great beer begins with the mash. So what actually happens when we’re mashing grain? In a nutshell, the mash is a process in which malted grains are mixed with water at a specific ratio, temperatures, and pH in order to activate the enzymes in the malt and convert the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars. If grain goes unmalted, then the starches bound in the grain are inaccessible to yeast due to the size of the molecule. This can sometimes be desirable, … [Read more...] about All Grain Brewing: Step Mash vs. Single Infusion
Tips & Tricks to Beat the Summer Heat for Your Indoor Grow Space
-Gabrial House- Summer is right around the corner, and while that is exciting news for the outdoor gardener, some indoor growers will be cursing the heat. One of the big problems for indoor growers is their heat footprint from their grow lights. In this blog we are going to talk about some easy ways to beat the heat! Whether you’rr starting a new grow space or already using an established space, we will look at some tips and tricks to keep your room in full summer swing. If you are … [Read more...] about Tips & Tricks to Beat the Summer Heat for Your Indoor Grow Space
Growing Fruit at Home
-Luis Guerra- Ahhhh! There’s nothing like eating a fresh-picked piece of fruit or a handful of berries, warmed by the sun and perfectly ripe. Especially if it’s in the comfort of your own yard. The nice cool temperatures of spring offer the perfect opportunity to get started planting some edible perennials on your property so you can enjoy the delicious bounty these plants offer. A number of fruit-bearing plants grow very well in our area in small spaces and with little effort, … [Read more...] about Growing Fruit at Home
