https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog daily 0.75 2018-12-20 https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/7/hello-sagegardentheory monthly 0.5 2018-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536574784390-Z2XNKROH3GBOVDTM9B7S/30442578_10155501252437825_6886113286507582096_n%281%29.jpg Blog - We Post Garden Photo Updates On Instagram! - Follow us @sagegardentheory We started the IG page but it seemed right to make a blog to better document our learning journey. If you haven't followed us already on Instagram, please do so! We'd love to have you. Until then, please excuse any haphazard mess you may see on this site. We are doing our best to kick things off soon, so stay tuned for a crunchy herbal dose of AMAZINGNESS! Yup. It's going to be THAT KIND of BLOG. ;) https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/7/how-to-grow-potatoes-in-a-container monthly 0.5 2018-04-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507421925384-EK6LAJ0QPNQ1MNF90B8X/IMG_9774.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Project Potato started on: 10.06.2017... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1509053673199-KBNVUY8ZFCAESQFOBI2Y/IMG_4650.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1522205833867-TBHX8V2J3ROTVTNBNYAG/IMG_6338.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 #potatofail 2018 =( https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1522206249201-BWBJCJG30AGF4GKCE5TT/IMG_6459%281%29.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 So spikey! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1510100639429-CWTFHOA1EQVK32V8D8VW/IMG_5153+%281%29.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 November 6th, 2017 - Covered and watered! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1522293324116-BJ9XAY8HVHVJKPR8HRPY/IMG_2871.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Holding in hand for scale... NOT ALL WERE PUNY POTATOES! =D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1510099961037-19SPCVZBPM9DUY3NAYN8/IMG_5151+%281%29.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 November 6th, 2017 - Nice, GREEN & HEALTHY leaves! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1522292548346-WQZQZFSRJ08CGEGM40E0/image-asset.jpeg Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 March 26th, 2018 - The total harvest from our 3 small containers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507420179152-RK96XY7629G80CA4RRJF/IMG_9777.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Sometimes, sprouted produce appears just begging to be planted... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1521682286288-1CAYBNC66PC3NQID1Z0J/IMG_5349.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 December 7th, 2017 - SO GREEN AND HEALTHY! =D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1510101112851-C7B7NNR5BIXA1OEVUPG0/IMG_9776.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Fun times playing with dirt! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1522293889461-MKUQCU2EA3SKDZK1J8Q7/IMG_8727.jpg Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1509054320428-708BQ1AP55W1OAYZ83VZ/IMG_4667.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Who knew potato leaves were so furry! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1521685178651-QD6QLJ56E8PWZ913CA8K/IMG_6505.jpg Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Why?!?? T_T *cries* https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507421052609-7SL6TQ8GZZUKCT1EU8NY/IMG_9775.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow Potatoes In A Container - Attempt #1 Having a sh*t day? Head out back to the garden for some good ol' #gardentherapy! ;) https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/7/how-to-repair-a-portable-greenhouse monthly 0.5 2018-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507423128826-PN1TVQ0XJG6APNZPH6PP/IMG_9780.JPG Blog - How-To: Repair A Portable Greenhouse - Where to find Gorilla Tape? Oh, OSH... you totally GET ME. =P https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1508532329059-CQ7J5DTB1BJDOVJW043D/IMG_4568.JPG Blog - How-To: Repair A Portable Greenhouse - How-to repair a vinyl green house with gorilla tape I've had my green house for a couple of seasons now and residing outside 24/7 in our sunny California weather has done a number on the poor thing. I can easily purchase a new outer tent cover for the frame, but I didn't want to shell out good money for something that would do the same thing to me all over again. Instead, I decided to tuck some plans away for a future green house that would be sturdier in construction, and that I would attempt to extend the life-cycle of this destined to become a single-use product. So what's a gardener to do when you have a green house to save for, but a dying one in dire need of repairs? Duct tape fixes everything, but I needed something clear, so it was clear Gorilla Tape to the rescue! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507422802107-SA296VVPCAS23L5CZ17E/IMG_9779.JPG Blog - How-To: Repair A Portable Greenhouse - Use Gorilla Tape or any clear packing tape to seal cracks The fix was easy: PULL, TEAR and ADHERE to any cracking plastic or holes that were caused from sun damage. #easypeasylemonsqueezy. After a year, the majority of tears in the plastic were located around the framing and where you rolled the zip-up flap door. This took a good hour to patch up all the holes, but as soon as I finished, it was as good as new! I'll try to update over time to see how well the Gorilla branded tape holds up with the fix. ;) This fix has lasted me a full season, though I've had to continue to patch holes here and there as time progresses. Regardless, I got to keep a green house in my garden arsenal for another year. #makethebestofwhatyouvegot https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507956883798-O20PXLQORQ3LIVHN4ZS0/IMG_9758.JPG Blog - How-To: Repair A Portable Greenhouse - the importance of a green house in your garden - You get to start your seeds early to prolong your harvest season and crop yields! - The green house maintains a level of heat and humidity while shielding your seedlings from the cold and extreme weather. - Extending your growing abilities allows you to grow things that might not be able to survive your natural environment. - It prevents external pest-pressures one might find when planting seedlings. Losing too many of your plant-starts to slug and rodent damage? Listen hard: GET. A. GREEN. HOUSE. #yourewelcome https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/14/hello-mr-macworthy monthly 0.5 2018-09-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507968378254-FJRDG0RMJC7A65Y73GBU/919126_102159153324055_651406665_o.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! - Artsy-Fartsy on instagram! @alphabetpoops #alphabetpoops... anything in the lo-fi frame is pretty much his. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536440691941-T4PQPXD423SZ0IMD5B7A/10599401_272623629610939_242260421901266311_n.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! - Nicknames & other aliases: - White Lightning - Albino-Aubergine - Popcorn JellyBelly - Booger Bear - Booger Tissue - Pup-Pup the Perma-Pup - Chitters - Mac-Wizzle *Fun Fact: I was named after a one-eyed baseball player in the show "Eastbound & Down". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507965831187-M6P8RE0CUQP1176DM2QU/108.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536398475455-0T40ERFSEWIR90D3K883/11880656_415251608681473_3479297827852086521_n.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536440562511-5TVRT8LICA1P450V9DNT/30411663_10155501265022825_8264337448955920900_n.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536398399666-TZFM5DDHK4DJHGUNC7ZZ/10701938_302644836608818_2989659318749242445_n%281%29.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536398395774-QY7OF7W9LCRITLWA22XI/10514577_297704787102823_8498971946733508960_n.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536397342150-G6S2G85KN48FZ3HT4ATQ/41263770_10155825086177825_1805343297615429632_n.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! - part-time instagram model - High-5's on command. - Rolls over for treats. - Will shake your hand if you got a treat-transaction to consider. - Plays "dead" when you point a gun at him and say, "Bang! Head-Shot!"... (lol, can you tell we're a "Gamer" household?) - "Spin-Around" is my cat-walk move... it's sexy - Special Omnivore diet - EAT. ALL. THE. THINGS. - Grooming costs more than mom's haircuts annually: my style consists of a Lion-head, mid-length skirt, and Carrot-tail. You can see the evolution of my beauty by checking out #mrmacworthy on Instagram. - Occassionally poops letters. #alphabetpoops - Will work for food... and belly rubs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1507964404411-DB593JNSHX2GLODLZG3N/94.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! - they call me white lightning... Meet Mr. MacWorthy \ˈmak-wər-thē\ - A West Highland Terrier (Westie) that is also known as "White Lightning". He was born February 18th, 2012 and joined our family soon after. We're constantly amazed at how lucky we are to have landed such a well behaved dog with a big personality! He's ALWAYS CURIOUS, but also cautious... I've been lucky that he hasn't tried to eat anything I've grown without us handing it to him to consume. (He's a sucker for snap pea treats!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536440671517-7YUQK9Z1Q7VS4CLVHBCG/41068539_10155825085482825_4209041999887597568_n.jpg Blog - Why Hello There, Mr. MacWorthy! - a few of my talents include: - Guarding the garden. - Pooping letters (Look up #alphabetpoops on IG...) - Chasing squirrels. - Respecting approved garden visitors. - Inspecting seedlings. - Killing spiders. - Sunbathing. - Warming bellies. - Tail wagging. - Greeting house guests. - Getting b*tches. https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/14/our-gardens-humble-beginnings monthly 0.5 2017-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1508017718677-9YTV3A7T1OONLJBDS0HJ/1.jpg Blog - Our Garden's Humble Beginnings... https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/26/plant-profile-lemon-thyme monthly 0.5 2018-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1509060947625-C8L31DIWE7IY23BUPOU4/38.jpg Blog - Lemon Thyme (Thymus x Citriodorus) - Growing lemon thyme at home Botanical Name: Thymus Citriodorus Common Name(s): Lemon Thyme Growing Zone: 5-9 Lighting Conditions: FS Average Height: 12 inches Uses: Aromatic, Culinary, Medicinal, Ornamental Harvest Season: Year-Round Source: Companion Plants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536376457268-IL966BLHA71Z3P6ZES7Z/13557763_10153772878267825_3532300672983536622_n.jpg Blog - Lemon Thyme (Thymus x Citriodorus) - Using Lemon Thyme (thymus x citriodorus) This culinary herb is very versatile, it works in savory dishes with proteins like chicken and fish, but also lends its citrus-y notes well to dessert dishes and baked goods. Though this is not limited to just culinary use, you can also use it in your own DIY cleaners by steeping the herb in some white vinegar. (There are many recipes on Pinterest!) You can even create an herb-bouquet to gift to friends, family and loved ones! #easypeasylemonsqueezy ;) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536375169921-2PNY8WTEJ9WO2AD10MCQ/30222174_10155501264962825_7647934731869960202_n.jpg Blog - Lemon Thyme (Thymus x Citriodorus) - Harvesting Lemon Thyme (Thymus Citriodorus) - Harvest during early morning hours to ensure maximum potency of plant oils. - Regardless of how much you may need to take, always leave about 30% of the green plant material intact so it may have enough energy to bounce back. - The pink/lavender flower blooms are edible and can be added to various culinary applications. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1509065585766-T2GYNBDR4KI10WASCQGR/IMG_4693+%281%29.jpg Blog - Lemon Thyme (Thymus x Citriodorus) - Benefits of lemon thyme (thymus x citriodorus) The compounds in lemon thyme can help to treat and prevent conditions like: Respiratory tract ailments: Compounds like thymol can provide relief from bronchitis, whooping cough and similar illnesses. Gastrointestinal ailments: Lemon thyme can be used to treat gastritis along with bloating and indigestion. Source: SPICEography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1509061476454-PHFTC8YFZJI6IK8ZY34C/1.jpg Blog - Lemon Thyme (Thymus x Citriodorus) - Lemon thyme (Thymus Citriodorus) I knew I wanted to plant a tea garden for a long time, but I had no idea lemon thyme would be a part of my initial purchase to start one in 2014. I was honestly just trying to make the most of shipping, and I vaguely remembered a friend in Istanbul that had a potted one in their home, which they used it to scent their hands after cooking with fish or smoking. I made sure both varieties (lemon thyme and chrysanthemum) were perennial to help my inexperienced-self to have an advantage on acquiring this new gardening skill. Thankfully, it proved successful. ;) https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2017/10/30/youtube-channels-for-beginning-gardeners monthly 0.5 2018-06-13 https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/4/7/reasons-why-i-garden monthly 0.5 2018-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536462556966-J07CS8BWL10R4YTD3W7J/IMG_2871.JPG Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - Try Asking Yourself The following Questions: What is the environmental impact of our mass-production agricultural practices? How do our agricultural practices affect our overall health? What is the carbon impact when it comes to logistics and supply of our food systems? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536444101559-AH9MKB11LS27X2LF87YM/11231089_10153009199532825_5696294095099118513_n.jpg Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - What production practices are used to produce your food? Is it GMO? How organic is the producer's practices? How fairly is this produce sourced and are the farmers compensated accordingly? Are they "Fair Trade"? Is your food irradiated? Why do companies pay Lobbyists to chip away at our freedoms and liberties on the daily when it comes to using pesticides and GMOs? Are they trying to control our food systems? (Simple strategy: control the food/water = control the population.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536462136668-HUBX20WGP2UD3RKGNZMX/IMG_9994.JPG Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - So go out and start gardening and sharing After reading all of the above questions, have you asked yourself, "Why HAVEN'T I started gardening yet?" - Apologies... I should know better than to answer a question with another question (naughty!) but it's hard not to want to garden when you start doing some light reading. I really don't want to add to any "fear-mongering" or "SHTF" theories, but it doesn't feel good knowing I am not in control in the event where I have to fend for myself. Being the child of immigrant parents that fled for their lives during war, I can understand the need to stay aware and prepared. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536443462065-FJCR45IH5CKVH6VIE7TA/30440911_10155501251532825_2312792842856360307_n.jpg Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - Why should I pay for overpriced organic produce? ...from Whole Foods when there is still a potential of E. Coli contamination with all these recalls? Why is 1.3 billion tons of food wasted every year? Why am I being ripped off for sub-par produce that's BASIC AF when I can grow heirloom tomatoes that taste 1000% BETTER? (Oh, you don't like tomatoes because they're 'mealy' in texture? Perhaps it's because you've never had a REAL HOMEGROWN ORGANIC TOMATO ripened on the vine...? Why am I paying for a gym membership when growing my own healthy food working in my backyard would save me money and still contribute to my overall health? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536443439155-IRX3NMT21G3EALR2HQ4H/41166746_10155825113042825_3375524040419573760_n.jpg Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - "Why grow things when you can just buy it at the store?" - I'm often asked this question. Most people I know prefer conveniences over having to labor to get what they need, which is fine... to each their own. I personally would love to use my spare time to do other things, but my interests slowly shifted to growing food when I started to learn all the things that were wrong with our food systems. I started asking questions like: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536462910841-U8PEN18RD2Y5V2FB3K2C/20841008_10154920879067825_5254463126641913595_n.jpg Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - Why is organic food so EXPENSIVE? Why can't I find produce like wax apples or other rare varieties of fruit and vegetables in my local grocery store? Why is my food irradiated? Which foods are exposed to this? Where is the country of origin? What is a "Food Desert"? How much food supply do we have in the event of a collapse (of any sort) when we live in a densely-populated food desert/urban area? Will we even be able to access what's available/left by the time we realize we need to prepare for an emergency? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536447470027-BYBV82JZZAYYERI4X631/IMG_0099.jpg Blog - Q & A: "Why Did You Start Gardening?" - walmart patented technology to create ROBOTIC BEES? Walmart is looking to pollinate plants with robotic bees, but why? Why invest energies into technology that'll only be relevant when our food system collapses when you can invest those same energies into saving the existing bee population? Is REAL food going to disappear soon, and do these large corporations/conglomerates know something we don't? Why do I keep seeing "trends" being forced on me to try "meal replacements" and "soylents"? https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/4/10/plant-profile-fava-beans monthly 0.5 2018-09-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536380232835-3ZTWI08OBVGIXGMPHLW9/30412399_10155501270497825_3312324064307308163_n.jpg Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) - Harvesting fava beans or broad beans from the garden Harvesting the Fava bean is a fairly easy task: if there is a minimum of 3-4+ pods in the bean, grab it at the base and twist off the plant. Take care to not damage the stalk so it may continue to push out another flush of flowers. Once the plant is near expiry, save seeds then chop n' drop the remaining plant to amend your soil with. This plant is a nitrogen-fixer! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536382082746-OB9L8KZ8M09YL6V9B259/20882534_10154920845612825_8696635416443481805_n.jpg Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536553837381-S8VO8ZKXJJT23BBUNUP8/41223355_10155825086502825_1167388616612118528_n.jpg Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536381151251-J4JDEA98BREOV5OG65LF/20841194_10154920846107825_4539399842748193426_n.jpg Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536381155082-YY0X8F3M8XNWS9M443DQ/20840852_10154920845997825_295943004994471972_n.jpg Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536380374964-USZEK5U58C6WRT6AMJRN/IMG_9994.JPG Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) - Shelling fava beans for fresh eating and seed saving Fresh Eating: - Remove pods from outer husks by pulling the bean's string. - Blanch shelled pods in boiling water with salt for 1 min. - Drain and shock in ice-bath to prevent overcooking. - Once cooled, squeeze the pod between your thumb and index finger to pop the edible pod out. Use for cooking as desired. Seed Saving: - Harvest dried beans from plant and remove outer husks. - Store in a dark and dry place to maintain seed viability. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536378393688-MOOUJCVXCITODQHSNQML/20800090_10154920845972825_5948706954602261344_n.jpg Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) - Fava Beans or Broad Beans (Vicia Faba) Spring time is always a welcome sight when I see the little paper-white flowers that look like miniature orchids appear on the fava bean stalks that have popped up to signal winter's end. A true gift to pollinators if you're looking for a multi-purpose plant. I originally decided to pick up some fava bean seeds to see if I could grow some foods that were known to help heal the gut and offer a high-protein source for our family. After reading up on the subject, I learned that the beans would also act as a great nitrogen-fixer for my soil... it was a win-win. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536379197144-D32E688YOMU4P40AX25X/IMG_0898.JPG Blog - Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) - Growing fava beans or broad beans (vicia faba) at home Botanical Name: Vicia x Faba Variety Name: Ianto's Fava Bean Common Name(s): Fava Beans, Broad Beans, Horse Beans Growing Zone: 6+ Lighting Conditions: Full Sun Average Height: 2 - 7ft. tall, pods can grow to 18" long! Use(s): Culinary, Medicinal, Ornamental, Aromatic Harvest Season: September - November Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/7/my-garden-journal monthly 0.5 2018-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536350462310-XAG1H9CI17HYMV4HJHOC/10486523_10153009199577825_6240419390823715216_n.jpg Blog - Ju-Hua Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum Morifolium) - Harvesting the Chinese "Ju-Hua" Chrysanthemum flowers - Harvest between 10am - 2pm to maximize potency of your crop. Essential oils are most available within the plant at this time because it is trying to attract pollinators. - Avoid harvesting flowers that have any moisture on them to avoid mold/rot during the drying process. - Minimize contact with skin, since the volatile oils may irritate skin with prolonged exposure. Wash hands after contact. - Roasting flowers before drying can cut the grassy-flavor and make nutrients more available to you in the brewing process. - You can dehydrate in baskets placed in a dark/dry place out of direct sun or oven bake using electricity on low temperature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536346862796-HZPXT31LYLANKY1U1ISN/11351312_10153009202902825_3850818346875164921_n.jpg Blog - Ju-Hua Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum Morifolium) - "Ju-Hua" Chrysanthemum I wanted to grow our own tea garden back in 2010, but there was nothing online regarding the "Ju-Hua" Chrysanthemum variety that is used to produce the Chrysanthemum tea you would find being served at Chinese Dim Sum restaurants. I almost gave up hope until the universe responded with what I was looking for in this blog post. Once we were able to source the plant from Companion Plants, I added the perennial herb Golden Lemon Thyme into my cart to maximize our shipping and for future blending with other plants... and THAT'S HOW IT ALL BEGAN. =) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536352712810-K1W5H6QGAU0JAUHZ7AZE/11218879_10153259268927825_855108881554408482_n.jpg Blog - Ju-Hua Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum Morifolium) - Growing the "Ju-Hua" Chrysanthemum plant at home Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum morifolium, C. sinense Syn. Dendranthema morifolium Common Name(s): Chrysanthemum, Mums, Ju-Hua, Chu Hua, Florist's Chrysanthemum Growing Zone: 5-9 Lighting Conditions: Partial Sun OR Full Sun Average Height: 3ft. Use(s): Culinary, Medicinal, Ornamental, Aromatic Harvest Season: September - November Source: Companion Plants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536350670859-51YY6UAZVDPOGXQQ0YTC/11231089_10153009199532825_5696294095099118513_n%281%29.jpg Blog - Ju-Hua Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum Morifolium) - The drink recipe for "Ju-Hua" Chrysanthemum tea - 0.2 ounces (about 5 grams) dried chrysanthemum tea - 3 cups water, but you can steep multiple times until the flowers lose their flavor. - Place your tea in a teabag or tea strainer of your choice. Due to the nature of this tea, the petals can really get in the way of your drinking experience, so best to tie up the tea in a tea bag or cheesecloth, grab a tea strainer, or use a teapot with a built-in strainer. - Boil 3 cups of water, and pour over the tea. - Let steep for 3 – 5 minutes and serve. Source: The Woks of Life https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536351305821-0U3UGT4IK9SKP1A3E6P0/12208759_10153285759862825_4814142544179382415_n.jpg Blog - Ju-Hua Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum Morifolium) - Benefits of Chinese "Ju-Hua" Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum (mum) is a plant. It gets its name from the Greek words for “gold” and “flower.” People use the flowers to make medicine. Chrysanthemum is used to treat chest pain (angina), high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fever, cold, headache, dizziness, and swelling. In combination with other herbs, chrysanthemum is also used to treat prostate cancer. As a beverage, Chrysanthemum is a very popular as a summertime tea in Southern China. Chrysanthemum may increase blood flow to the heart. It may also increase sensitivity to insulin. Source: WebMD.com https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/9/how-to-befriend-your-local-barista-for-free-coffee-grinds monthly 0.5 2018-10-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536478771531-M3AJJ5486KZW7PARLYLT/41096981_10155825086947825_7098535772881420288_n.jpg Blog - How-To: Befriend Your Local Barista For Free Coffee Grinds! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536478399340-N9Q6ZQ3CNDP3Y7BDQSR6/13962745_10153867094367825_2391293394204443847_n.jpg Blog - How-To: Befriend Your Local Barista For Free Coffee Grinds! - Free-Cycle: Used Coffee Grinds from the local coffee shop PRO-TIP: Avoid arriving with your request during rush hour. There are days these places are already short-staffed... have mercy on them, people! (I was previously a barista at a coffee/tea house…) Make your request when it's not so busy, (but it never hurts to ask) and don't get mad if you're turned down. Try again or another location at another time. Want a better success rate? Share your garden's bounty with your local barista! They love getting to know their neighborhood regulars https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536478855293-P9L3L4TZPWM6VOTTXLGL/20799885_10154920845367825_5575565170383802692_n.jpg Blog - How-To: Befriend Your Local Barista For Free Coffee Grinds! - Coffee Grinds Are A Source Of Nitrogen In my Garden It's nice that I am able to source it for free in coffee shops, but even if I had no coffee shop around me, I'd have coffee at home and save the discarded remains from the cups our household consumed. https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/10/ozeng1m4mon1slvq4frffqg8hu838o monthly 0.5 2018-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536556534785-Q21DK8R15JTM5JVBXICJ/41074965_10155825087042825_318258180440195072_n.jpg Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store - Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store Did you know a pineapple plant takes up to two years to produce a single fruit and that the fruit may be smaller than the parent plant? You can easily grow one yourself using water propagation techniques at home. It sounds harder than it really is, so go ahead and try it yourself - it’s fun and easy to do! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538097440851-U1WEQ58HTWH45NILWM1G/IMG_0382.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store - Step 5: Re-Pot plant when it outgrows its container You can plant your crown directly in soil or upgrade to a larger pot as shown here. Once the pineapple crown was transferred to the 5gal. pot, it continued to grow in size (look at the length of those leaf blades!) and after I had accidentally amended it with a flower blooming solution, the crown put out a few more pups at its base. Each crown will produce its own pineapple flower and fruit when the time is right. That’s it! =) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536556461176-A701PJ8GH7UTE9GZYIDL/41015330_10155825087567825_5791673453450887168_n.jpg Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store - Step 1: Cut Off The crown/Top Of A Fresh Pineapple Freshness is key! The longer the pineapple top (also known as the “crown” of the pineapple) can stay alive, the longer it has to propagate roots. You may even find that the crown is already sending out little air roots! Once you have cut off the pineapple top, make sure you peel off the bottom layer of leaves as close to the base of the crown where you made the cut to expose the core. (Pictured above) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538096738616-OYZG4JLP1UXY9MXZOUBP/IMG_0379.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store - Step 4: Plant out pineapple crown with 1/4” root growth Once your crown has a good 1/4” length in roots, it is safe to plant them in some soil. To save space, I used a small 1gal. plastic planter I rescued from the garbage pile during Spring Cleaning week. (You can definitely use a larger pot size if one is available to you.) Keep in mind if you decide to use the same pot size I did, you will need to re-pot within 6 months - 1 year after planting to encourage growth. Otherwise, you are welcome to keep it at this size if you only wish to grow it as a houseplant with no fruit production and just stop here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536556976322-S7SISOX0W8XEAG7JZN1T/41063110_10155825087327825_8737951470101463040_n.jpg Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store - Step 2: Immerse the Crown/top in water so that the exposed core is submerged Make sure you change the water at least every other day (or when it starts to get cloudy.) so the roots can grow quickly. Some of the outer leaves may brown at the tips, but that is perfectly fine. So long as the center of the pineapple crown stays green, you’ll have a high chance of it taking root when you introduce it to soil. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536556017403-LO7A1BEW0NU7DT82G07G/IMG_9480.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store - Step 3: After 2-3 weeks of growth roots will appear I was so excited my first successful attempt sprouting roots, I purchased more when I saw them on sale at my local Costco. I repeated the steps for my latest crown acquisition (Bwuahahaha!) and felt like, “The Mighty Queen Of Water Propagation”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538097633485-VB41995OQG9I1V95GZPO/IMG_0376.JPG Blog - How-To: Grow A Pineapple Top From The Grocery Store https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/10/plant-profile-shishito-peppers monthly 0.5 2018-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560935670-JKSIDOQAT9STKT7XDILG/30261477_10155501252812825_5630966576265997879_n.jpg Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536561466421-LY0093S34J3OWZEB89QZ/30222391_10155501252807825_3155807304608005666_n.jpg Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi - How-To: Prepare A Quick Snack with blistered shishito Peppers It's easy to blister up some shishitos for a quick and easy snack! Just head up a cast-iron skillet on high, coat peppers with a thin layer of oil and toss until partially charred. Season with furikake and plate to ENJOY! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560239344-GOWI19LRHGSSZ35HBVT4/IMG_0066.JPG Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi - Harvesting Shishitos from the kitchen garden Shishito peppers are best enjoyed between 2" - 6" long. They can be picked red or green and the flavor still remains the same... unless you happened to find yourself eating the 1/10th spiciest pepper of the batch! This makes them a great appetizer for dinner parties for some innocent "Russian Roulette" fun. ;) Make sure you hold the base of the stem and the stalk firm when tugging the pepper off the plant. Its delicate branches can snap off easily when if you pull aggressively without care. The plant is sturdy and can take some abuse though, just make sure you amend the soil well so the plant has energy to bounce back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560210773-WPCR9RV62EV8OLYJ3Q9Z/IMG_9426.JPG Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi - Growing the Shishito pepper plant at home Botanical Name: 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi, Capsicum annuum, Common Name(s): Shishito, Wrinkled Old Man, kkwari-gochu (꽈리고추; "groundcherry pepper") in Korea due to its wrinkled surface resembling groundcherries. Growing Zone: 4 - 9+ Lighting Conditions: Full Sun Average Height: 18" - 24" tall, 2" - 6" long fruit Use(s): Culinary, Ornamental Harvest Season: May - October Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560657512-EVXJ84PQDRZTS9OB1Y6R/IMG_9427.JPG Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560643049-L9SL0K1XSWVTOKYCL8XY/20882818_10154920878892825_7569251536029221763_n.jpg Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560789761-GRIKG5YC8Z806XJNZVO6/20882558_10154920880117825_5849561020386345875_n.jpg Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536560624577-H0151BBGM5LJJICX0G07/20841981_10154920878997825_721986223670404679_n.jpg Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536558279010-OFX0EGCQUMMYDD9GL3TG/20841853_10154920880192825_1115715794137611_n.jpg Blog - Shishito Peppers, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi - Shishito, 獅子唐辛子 Shishitōgarashi AKA: THE "WRINKLED OLD MAN"... an appropriately named pepper. Did you know that 1 out of 10 peppers you eat might be spicy? It's a fun little snack. #russianroulette ;) https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/10/how-to-grow-garlic-from-the-grocery-store monthly 0.5 2018-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536569413605-8KDPS0NT09MDHDN8RTFQ/IMG_8752.JPG Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - Our Very First soft-neck garlic Harvest from the garden With the recent Christopher Ranch controversy, I honestly can't tell you what type of garlic I grew other than the fact that it was a soft-neck variety that found its way from the grocery store into my pantry. It is unfortunate that most grocery stores will only go as far as labeling it as "garlic" when there are so many different soft/hard-neck varieties out there. Although the garlic cloves from our first harvest was put in ground in early March, we decided to pull them early because we were lacking real-estate in the garden and needed to reclaim some containers. These were pulled on June 19th, 2018... just a little over three months of growth! Next time, I'm going to leave these in so they fully develop, but they've found a permanent home in my kitchen garden for sure! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536571936959-M00WX8DT738OWALSE91D/IMG_0106.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536571936703-4IDNIXCQLSKD57K7XH0K/IMG_0107+2.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536572177917-RC9TU3NG9A2YW7D4FTB8/IMG_0103.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536571933227-OFSOEO30MNNBM8ZMGRET/IMG_0104.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536570149724-4N3SOSBO7VAWD7VM5LBB/IMG_9061.JPG Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - Step 2: Braid/plait your soft-neck garlic and hang to dry I only grew 8-9 bulbs of garlic my first-time trying, but it took no effort at all! (I should've grown more, but I digress...) Though I had a small amount to work with, they still managed to hold together in a short-plait and I let them hang in between the rungs of a bookshelf I had converted for use as a drying rack. There are plenty of tutorials online that can show you how to do this! I recommend YouTube so you can follow along a tutorial of your choosing. Now go and learn something new! ;) Let the garlic hang to cure for anywhere between 3 - 6 weeks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536566129451-J5TV9S5648OVUUYQ2CK9/IMG_6383.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - It's easy to sprout your own garlic in a container garden... Can you believe this green sprout appeared in just 2 days after having been put into the soil? It is amazing how Mother Nature quickly gets to work in the garden. We put the cloves in-ground on March 10th, 2018 and this image was taken on March 12th, 2018. These garlic cloves were determined to GROW! Make sure you have at least 4" spacing in between each clove you plant to make sure they have room to properly form bulbs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536572512848-H2WD9BGJCXA31X5RNIJM/IMG_9060.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - Step 4: Store away in your pantry in a dark and dry place After your garlic has been cured and stored away properly, it can last anywhere from 6 - 8 months... though if I'm putting it all out there, I may as well let you know this amount barely lasted us two months, LOL! There's nothing more amazing than having FRESH garlic to cook with VS. what you find at the store. Homegrown garlic cloves were firm and full of moisture, where the seed stock that came from the grocery store was dry in texture and lacking flavor in comparison to the homegrown equivalent. Have you grown garlic at home? Leave a comment and let us know which varieties you like to grow and cook with! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536570840828-1PCW63JXYQACVF2SFUKV/IMG_0105+2.jpg Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - Step 3: Once dry, trim roots and stalks, then peel the bulb You should be able to tell the garlic is dry when the paper wrapper on the outside is crisp. After the garlic has cured for the recommended time, use pruners/scissors to trim off the top stalk of the bulb, though try to leave at least 1/4" - 1" length to prevent the interior cloves from drying out. Then peel off the dirty outer wrapper to clean up the bulb. Make sure you trim the roots down so it is tidy and they are ready for storage! FUN FACT: It is believed that you can tell the difference between Chinese-grown VS. California/domestically-grown garlic by the presence of root "stubble" at the bottom of the bulb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536573767465-UPZ4SA3HXKYIR87N3ETC/IMG_2559.JPG Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - How-To: grow soft-neck garlic For long-term storage At Home We are not far from Gilroy, California - the "Garlic Capital Of The World" - where garlic scents the air and there's no escaping it as you drive past on the freeway. Annually, they host a Garlic Festival where you can try foods like garlic flavored soft-serve ice cream, though it's not my favorite. I'd much rather have raw/roasted garlic with Korean BBQ, or use it to flavor pasta sauces and other recipes, though it's still fun to visit. For whatever reason, growing garlic intimidated me, until some sprouted in my pantry and I just didn't feel like cooking with it... I decided to plunk the sprouting cloves in some vacant containers I had laying around and waited to see what happened... From beginning-to-end, this is how we grew garlic for the first time in our container garden! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536569450854-9I62N5CA8WNT35AM5RRV/IMG_9244.JPG Blog - How-To: Growing Soft-Neck Garlic - Step 1: Harvest your homegrown soft-neck garlic PRO-TIP: When harvesting your garlic, make sure you use a garden fork/knife to loosen the soil underneath the bulbs before pulling up your garlic. This will not only make it easier for you to pull the bulbs from the soil, it will also reduce any damage to the stalk to ensure your bulbs can cure properly. Once you have pulled up your garlic, brush off as much soil as you can before putting them out to dry. Some people do a quick rinse with their hose before laying their garlic harvest out to dry, but I didn't want to risk any mold/mildew damage, so I decided I would just peel off the dirty wrapper later instead. After you have cleaned your garlic, you can lay them out to dry to maximize full air-circulation or braid them and hang them somewhere dark and dry. https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/13/opo-squash monthly 0.5 2018-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536862792177-E7SIZMNZO7SSRD27SKJS/41208633_10155825086612825_3338118096496885760_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) - Growing Opo-Squash Botanical Name: Lagenaria siceraria Common Name(s): Opo-Squash, Mottled-Bottle Gourd, Cucuzza, Snake Gourd, etc. Growing Zone: 5-9 Lighting Conditions: Full Sun Average Height: A vinning plant that produces 6” - 36” long squash/gourds. The plant will spread at least 5’-0”, so give it sufficient space to climb/hang/grow. Use(s): Culinary Harvest Season: September - November Source: Seeds acquired as a gift from Mother-In-Law’s friend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536866598464-6L7VGMPBA4C1PSQ85THS/41069114_10155825086187825_2927778729218277376_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536826445543-T3BHAC567SIIQVDQ0X18/30442578_10155501252437825_6886113286507582096_n%281%29.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) - Look Like You Know What You’re doing In The Garden I am no expert in growing things and it took a while to get the soil right in my containers to grow these heavy feeders, but once you get it right, they definitely reward you with fruits for your labor! ;) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536861989958-GO5YIV9KGY8P9QIIY9PG/20914461_10154920879242825_80717547978692623_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) - Pollinating the Opo-squash The Opo-Squash produces both male and female flowers on the same vine, so it is self-pollinating and requires no additional plants to produce gourds on the vine. For maximum food production, you can use a paint brush to transfer pollen from a male flower to a female flower (easily distinguishable since male flowers have skinny stems and female flowers have a bulb at the base of the flower.) Make sure you fertilize with a flower-forcing liquid amendment like Fox Farm’s Ultra Bloom to maximize production. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536826415807-TSMV734LUHBYVKT5DPWB/30440911_10155501251532825_2312792842856360307_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) - Opo-Squash/mottled-Bottle Gourd/cucuzza squash/bầu sao Opo-Squash or “Mottled Bottle Gourd” is a very common vegetable found in Asian/Vietnamese cuisine (known as “bầu sao”) cuisine. Used in various stir-fry and soup dishes, it is an easy plant to grow if you are looking to feed a family. The texture is more of a cross between a squash and a melon and has a high water content. Once the summer heat kicks in, the plant is prolific and puts out many flowers for more food production. FUN FACT: “Bầu Sao” (Pronounced “b-OH S-ow”) translated from Vietnamese to English means “Star Gourd” in reference to the yellow speckled “stars” that appear on the flesh of the fruit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536866194127-D9KYJ46ZI3LCE1C7R8P1/13590440_10153772878212825_1036160859029123800_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536866013876-6NMXDBR1V4UQM1UX5QUN/30411835_10155501264512825_5685485904760599630_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536866034345-IUNGRMZZ0VTSR4J1EF69/40903454_10155825113267825_6264657010390728704_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536866013311-W6TCIORSF5QV5UKZ4MGL/30411778_10155501252512825_3640887460844170887_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536826571342-R69182PEBABMAQLDXCXY/41263770_10155825086177825_1805343297615429632_n.jpg Blog - Opo-Squash (Lagenaria Siceraria) - Saving seeds to pass on genetics of the opo-squash It’s not too hard to save seeds for the Opo-Squash… just pick the largest gourd on the vine and let it mature. Once it has reached its desired/maximum size, you can cut it off the vine and let it sit somewhere dark and dry. It may take some time for the gourd to dry out depending on your climate/temperatures, however once dry, the gourd becomes hard and you can shake it to see if the seeds are ready to harvest inside. If you hear a rattling sound, it is safe to crack open the gourd and shake the viable seeds out to store somewhere for the following year. PRO-TIP: I don’t even bother shaking the seeds out to store, I just leave the dried gourd as-is in storage until the following year. The dried gourd acts as the perfect housing to keep my seeds safe for use when I am ready to plant next season. https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/13/q-a-what-is-your-favorite-gardening-tool monthly 0.5 2018-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536882307403-8YVHU3OU1Y35VPBJW4OU/IMG_0368.JPG Blog - Q & A: What Is Your Favorite Gardening Tool? - Full-Tang Hori-Hori From Oakridge Garden Tools I purchased this back in November 2015 and it has served me well outdoors in the garden. This being my second hori-hori and having owned it for longer than a few years, I can finally share my thoughts in a full review on this tool. If you are shopping for a hori-hori for yourself - I definitely recommend that you purchase a FULL-TANG hori-hori instead of one that is just half-tang. It makes for extra durability and a sturdier tool to last you a long time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1536880978375-XNT8427L1W2MS4FO3KFQ/IMG_0373.JPG Blog - Q & A: What Is Your Favorite Gardening Tool? - My All-Time Favorite Garden Tool: The Japanese Hori-Hori A Hori-Hori, sometimes referred to as a "soil knife" or a "weeding knife", is a heavy serrated multi-purpose steel blade for gardening jobs such as digging or cutting. The blade is sharp on both sides and comes to a semi-sharp point at the end. FUN FACT: The word “Hori” (ホリ) means "to dig" in Japanese and "hori-hori" is the onomatopoeia for a digging sound. The tool itself is commonly referred to as a レジャーナイフ, "leisure knife" or a 山菜ナイフ, "Sansai (Mountain-vegetable) knife" in Japan. (from Wikipedia) My favorite little “dig-dig” tool can saw through soil, roots and small twigs and branches. Its curved blade can be used as a trowel to take care of most of your basic needs in the garden. https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/9/27/every-gardeners-must-have-tool-the-hori-hori monthly 0.5 2018-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538100805244-G4S12RP95TJOKRHYG0IC/IMG_0369.JPG Blog - The Full-Tang Hori-Hori From Oakridge Garden Tools - The Hori-hori has inches and metric markings This tool has not only replaced my need for a trowel, saw and weeder in my garden, it is also great as a stand-in “dibber” for planting holes. The markings along the blade allow you to be able to gauge how deep you are digging and it is as simple as sinking the knife into the soil, pulling it away a few inches, dropping the seedling/plant-start into the hole and then removing the knife to let the soil settle in after what you have planted. After 3 years of use, the full-tang knife is still holding strong, though the rosewood handles need oiling to maintain its wood-grain luster. (Pictured to the right is the knife after a year's use outdoors without having been oiled.) I definitely recommend this tool to ANY gardener of ANY type! Do you have a hori-hori? What are your favorite gardening tools? SHARE! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538098684373-CXPR72Z701L18G6UKHVF/IMG_0368.JPG Blog - The Full-Tang Hori-Hori From Oakridge Garden Tools - The oakridge garden tools full-tang Hori-hori - Made of the highest quality stainless steel - Versatile All Purpose Knife - Full Tang handle to blade tip - Beautiful Rosewood Handle - Serrated Edge For Cutting On One side and sharp blade on the other - Overall Knife is 12 inches - Blade is 6 3/4 inches long and nearly 1/8th inch thick - Heavy duty nylon sheath w/belt loop for storage and protection -Strong Blade Excellent for Digging in Hard Soil https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538100943034-KMAX1YMT2TJ6KZISDO4W/IMG_0373.JPG Blog - The Full-Tang Hori-Hori From Oakridge Garden Tools - it slices, it dices… and it is the “slap-chop” of garden tools! I was looking for cost-effective solutions to starting my garden thanks to the fact that I was pinching-pennies and stretching my dollar. From my previous experience as a Makeup Artist, I knew I didn’t want some cookie-cutter garden tool kit that offered subpar quality with trendy designs all over them. (Makeup brush kits are the same: you purchase a set of 12-16 brushes and you’ll only use 2-4 of them.) Knowing this, I went to select high-rated hand tools to start with. I was determined to have a cute little garden shovel/trowel, rake and weeder… but then I soon discovered I might need a small saw, and dibber… and honestly, the list could go on-and-on forever when it comes to tools. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon the hori-hori that promised it could be the ultimate all-in-one tool that could be the solution to most (if not all) of my garden needs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1538101177502-A0XC6DKEMZSEU64VTP8N/IMG_0370.JPG Blog - The Full-Tang Hori-Hori From Oakridge Garden Tools - The Japanese Hori-Hori The word “Hori” (ホリ) means "to dig" in Japanese and "hori-hori" is the onomatopoeia for a digging sound. A Hori-Hori, sometimes referred to as a "soil knife" or a "weeding knife", is a heavy serrated multi-purpose steel blade for gardening jobs such as digging or cutting. The blade is sharp on both sides and comes to a semi-sharp point at the end. Wikipedia https://www.sagegardentheory.com/blog/2018/12/19/how-to-use-banana-peels-in-the-garden monthly 0.5 2018-12-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1545277371798-SOHNKUFBFAHQTL5XPJ60/IMG_0482.JPG Blog - How-To: Use Banana Peels In The Garden - How-to: Use Banana Peels In The Garden Bananas are a rich source of Potassium and Phosphorous… and they also contribute a great amount of magnesium, sulfur, calcium and nitrogen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1545277850675-OOOXFFYKXJWS73XUISZF/IMG_0443.JPG Blog - How-To: Use Banana Peels In The Garden - Make sure your hole is at least 4” deep to avoid pests! If your have high soil activity with microbes and beneficial bacteria, your bananas should break down in about 3 weeks or so since they are fairly soft and contain a higher percentage of water content. (Unlike un-powdered eggshells which can stick around for some time.) If you are unable to bury them deeply, make sure you place netting atop your soil or some sort of barrier to ensure nothing comes along and digs up your hard work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59d939d70abd04a436b833a6/1545277579482-E01E0RO8QQA5ZUL6USQG/IMG_0440.JPG Blog - How-To: Use Banana Peels In The Garden - Don’t waste Your Bananas!!! When my bananas go bad, I’ll bury the peels (and even the whole banana if I am too lazy to make banana bread with it!) into the soil around the base of my plants. I also do this after I clear my containers for the season to recondition my soil. I just dig a hole AT LEAST 4” DEEP (or more to prevent pests from digging these up!) and bury them at least 4” away from the root-ball of my plants. 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