Tomatoes plants are almost always transplanted into our garden from seedlings. Whether you grow the seedlings yourself or buy them from a nursery it is best to remove the lower branches and bury the stem up to the uppermost leaves. The reason we do this is because the hairs along the lower stem will develop into roots. […]
It is late winter and many of the crops from our September planting are either finished (cauliflower, broccoli, peas, beets, and carrots) or bolting (cilantro, lettuce, arugula). Now is the time to pick out which plants we want to save for seed. Choose plants that are healthy, vigorous and with characteristics worth saving. The red […]
During mild, wet, winter months it is not uncommon to see mushrooms growing among your vegetables. With mushrooms invariably come questions: what is it and what do we do about it. First, DO NOT EAT THEM, mushrooms may be lethally poisonous, especially with young children and older adults. A recent case of mushroom poisoning occurred […]
The Common Ground Garden Program of the University of California Cooperative Extension Los Angeles will be offering the MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM, 13 Saturdays, March 2 – May 25, 2013, 9am-4pm, plus additional required continuing education opportunities to be announced. Important Dates: January 4: Last day to request application survey link January 15: Last […]
Every season there is a star, a variety that exceeds our expectations either with fruitful bounty or with taste. Last summer it was chayote. This past summer the star was Trombetta di Albenga, an Italian, heirloom, vining squash, that when picked early tastes similar to zucchini only better. It can be grown either along the […]
Great article from University of Florida Master Gardener Program. It’s time for kids to go back to school, which also means it’s time for teachers to start thinking about their school gardens. You can help a local teacher and school garden by purchasing a few things on their school garden shopping list. School & Office […]
This past weekend I attended the Seed Library of Los Angeles’ (SLOLA) presentation of “The Truth about GMOs.” Special guest speakers included: Jeffrey Smith, Director, Institute for Responsible Technology, and the leading consumer advocate promoting healthier non-GMO choices; author of the world’s bestselling and #1 rated book on the health dangers of GMOs, Seeds of […]