Marveling at Motherwort Leonurus cardiaca, a beautifully descriptive Latin name for this medicinal herb garden staple. Roughly the name translates to lion tail heart … but this plant is more commonly known as Motherwort. The first time I planted Motherwort I made the mistake of planting her in th...
Midwinter Update 2/1/21 I have always loved this time of year that sits between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, that the ancient Celts called “Imbolc”, later the Christians called “Candlemas”, and more recently “Groundhogs Day”. It’s the time where winter begins to yield to spring as ...
It is pouring down rain here in Southern Oregon and once again it is time to start planting seeds. Each year I make a detailed schedule for my garden which includes: what I want to plant, when to seed and transplant dates for seedlings. I like to plan so that I can make the most of my garden sp...
This planting calendar is a quick reference for when to begin seeding each crop. The calendar is specific to our region and climate, so you may need to adjust your planting times depending on your first and last frost dates. You can download the calendar by right clicking on the image and sa...
As part of the 2019 Fall Seed Academy Training here we planted out a half-pound of 21 different garlic varieties as part of an observational trial to learn more about the different garlic types. There were 9 garlic types represented. Here are our results: The yields varied from a high of 11 p...
Everything is blooming here in Southern Oregon and the herbs I planted so carefully this spring are ready for harvest. Some of the herbs to harvest right now are Calendula, Tulsi and Spilanthes. The more frequently that you harvest from these herbs the more they will flower, which means a bigger...
As mid summer approaches in Oregon and tomatoes, garlic and peppers start arriving it is a great time to re-seed Cilantro in your garden. Coriandrum sativum is bright and refreshing and one of our favorite cross over culinary-medicinal herbs. A native plant ranging from Southern Europe to Africa...
The New Map / Emergent Strategies: Making Sense of the intersection of Collapse, Energy Descent & Climate Change “It always seems impossible until it is done.” Nelson Mandela We live in one of the interesting times foretold long ago by the Chinese sage who is credited with the odd blessi...
Planting Successions Many summer vegetables will grow quickly in the long days of the northern latitudes. Some crops such as green beans, basil, cilantro, carrots, beets, sweet corn and more will produce and then wane and finish their productive life cycle. This is where planning for successive...
When the danger of frost has passed in your climate, it's possible to direct seed several tender summer annual "flowers" that will put on a magnificent show this year in the garden. Try zinnias, sunflowers, marigolds, sorghum and millet. I find that the bigger the seed, the easier it is to t...
