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Ana: Posted on Monday, March 18, 2013 9:23 AM
What's going on in the garden?So begins another Spring....
I have a grow light over these and some bottom heat... Here's a peek at the first spring crop.
Meet: Slobolt lettuce,
Arugula,
Bloody Butcher tomatoes,
& Mache salad.
I started new Spring crops... peas,
radishes, and
beets outside in the cold frames.
Winter Kale Crop from Saturday March 16th.... I harvested the last big batch of winter kale on Saturday and made it into a nice soup! This is zone 5 and these crops are just in a cold frame over a raised bed, so it is great to see that I managed to grow them all winter along. |
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Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2013 4:47 PM
This week we saw a lot of snow fall around Chicago-land.
March is the usual
month we begin to change from winter to spring.
Nature is not static. Spring is coming soon and winter will melt away.
It will begin to warm up and then it will be time to begin to garden again for the new growing season.
How can we have a positive impact?
Work with nature and not against it.
Do
not work in the garden on overly wet days if possible, this causes soil
compaction and is bad for your plants and your soil. |
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Ana: Posted on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 5:30 PM
Front Yard Veggie Beds! Would you put one in your front yard? Why or why not? Are there any already in your neighborhood?
What are the pro's and con's of using the front yard for a vegetable garden?
Here is an article about a front yard veggie garden:
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Ana: Posted on Monday, December 10, 2012 3:58 PM
Happy Holidays everyone! Here are some recent winter containers from several homes, I made these last week when it was nice and warm outside! Well, it was 50 degrees~ at least! : )  These were made with all natural materials including willow, yarrow and magnolia leaves.
On these three I added some fun'Snow Ball' lights and plenty of garden grown holly, hydrangea, and juniper!
Here is another set of winter containers below with lovely gold and chocolate brown ornaments, evergreen branches, and mixed greens. |
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Ana: Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2012 2:09 PM
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Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 4:53 PM
Have you ever wondered what a north American native plant really is?
A native is a plant that existed here without human introduction. A Native Plant is a plant that was here before Europeans settled on the land, bringing with them a entire new array of diverse plants.
So what plants existed in Illinois?
There was a vast ecosystem of prairies, wetlands, woodlands, rivers, lakes. Human activities, like building and agriculture has disturbed our land and introduced a lot of invasive species thru the years. |
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Ana: Posted on Monday, April 09, 2012 9:08 AM
Hi everyone, Happy Spring, time to think about the soil.
Ever wonder what is so important about the soil when it comes to
organic gardening?
Here is a quick break down of the facts.....Plants get water, air and nutrients from the soil.
Plants get the majority of nutrients from the soil they grow in.
The importance of quality soil cannot be ignored if healthy plants are the goal. Simply put plants grow better in fantastic soil!
Clay soil = high nutrients, but can be wet and plants can’t get enough air. |
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Ana: Posted on Monday, April 02, 2012 10:56 AM
So what is organic gardening?Why is it organic?
Organic gardening does not use synthetic products, including pesticides and fertilizers.
Organic gardening includes feeding soil with organic fertilizer regularly, and adding organic compost amendments. Organic gardening is thoughtful gardening, working with nature, viewing your garden as a small part a BIG ecosystem. Consider adding organic fertilizer to your garden this Spring. Organic fertilizer enhances healthy growth and amends soil deficiencies. |
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Ana: Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2012 11:00 AM
Why should you plant some natives?
Native plants add more than just beauty....Here are someextra benefits:
- Native plants are low maintenance! They evolved to grow here.
- They are tough and durable. This makes them sustainable.
- Adding more Green garden space adds value to your home and gives you peace of mind.
- Native plants can help conserve water; they have adapted to our hot dry summers.
- Natives provide habitat for local birds, butterflies, and wildlife.
- We don't live in a generic place, and natives help us celebrate Illinois!
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Ana: Posted on Monday, March 19, 2012 6:33 PM
Why should you always go organic when it comes to your home and garden?
Hello everyone and Happy Spring, as we start a new garden
year remember to go organic.The risks of using pesticides are not
worth it. Just the other day I saw someone using a common chemical product and I
thought to myself, is it really worth it to have a weed free garden and
lawn and risk your family's health do to exposure to pesticides?
Just after spraying, I saw this persons children playing in the garden! |
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