April 13, 2026
Most seed catalogs do not really prepare you for it. They tend to show the more attention-grabbing forms, like the birdhouse gourds. Those can be dried and turned into containers or utensils. This is real, but misses the point. Bottle gourd is not a novelty crop. It is a workhorse. A crop used all over […]
February 8, 2022
If live in a house in Southern California there is about a 50% chance you already own at least one citrus tree. Here is everything you need to know to get the most out of that tree!
January 26, 2022
Hemp is an ancient crop, but there are a lot of myths about it. After about 100 years of oppression, the U.S. finally fully legalized the farming of hemp in the 2018 farm bill. Is it legal to grow at home, and why would you?
January 19, 2022
Indigo was once a popular natural dye, providing the name to the color. Today it makes for an interesting ornamental plant and acts as a soil builder.
December 13, 2021
Few plants are as American as the Sunflower. There are over 70 varieties of sunflowers, most are from North and Central America, with only three from South America. Before Europeans arrived in the Americas, sunflowers were found nowhere else in the world. Sunflowers were domesticated 3000-5000 years ago by Indigenous people.
December 7, 2021
Blackberries and Raspberries are a sweet, tart bundle of flavor.
August 18, 2021
A popular herb, Rosemary is much loved by pollinators and also makes for a wonderful evergreen hedge.
August 18, 2021
Chives are heavy nectar producers, grown as an ornamental and for their culinary value.
August 18, 2021
Lavender has many uses, ornamental shrub, cut-flowers, fragrance and as a flavorful herb.