Monthly Archives: July 2013

If you read my post on Bok Choy, here’s a quiz for you: Are beets a warm or cool-season vegetable? A cool-season vegetable, right. Why? Because it’s the root and leaves that we eat. If you were to plant beets … Continue reading →

Bok Choy is called many things but basically it’s Chinese cabbage, and it grows great here. Bok Choy is a cool-season vegetable: a term that throws many people off. Here’s an example–I once had a call at the Santa Clara … Continue reading →

Blackberries, of all the berries, are the most adapted to California primarily because they have a high heat tolerance. Ironically, I have had the least amount of luck growing them. This could be, in part, because they are my least … Continue reading →

Besides being a really cool name (my husband wouldn’t go for it), what garden would be complete without basil? Seriously. Unless it’s a succulent garden, basil should be included in every kitchen garden, herb garden, organic garden, butterfly garden, ethnic … Continue reading →

Inspired by the conversation I had at lunch today: To those in the South Bay who want to grow blueberries, I have all kinds of advice and tips. I could bore you with acidic soil stories and protective bird netting … Continue reading →

Three types of avocados exist: West Indian, Guatemalan, and Mexican. The West Indian avocado isn’t adaptable to California conditions, rendering it useless to me. Guatemalan avocados are the rounder, less pear-shaped fruit with leathery rough skin. Guatemalan avocados are almost a … Continue reading →

Aloe Vera is a succulent belonging to the lily family. Aloe has a long medicinal history attached to it and while it is edible, we don’t eat it. We do use it for the occasional sunburn, but have it around … Continue reading →

Every garden needs an apple tree. We have two espaliered galas that we heavily prune each year in order for them to stay manageable. Espalier is fancy word, indeed! It sound as if we must really know what we are doing … Continue reading →

It’s tricky to decide if arugula should be classified as an herb or as a lettuce according to my special taxonomy of yard goodies. But, I’ve decided that arugula should stand alone in my world for the several different qualities … Continue reading →

A sure sign of Spring: asparagus poking through. Yet, here comes more in the middle of July! Not only does fresh-picked asparagus taste better than anything you can buy, but it adds all kinds of possibilities for people who care … Continue reading →