Digging into spring planting: The importance of soil temperature and moisture

It’s that time of year again (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere). Gardeners everywhere north of the tropics are thinking about what to plant and when to plant it. Everyone has their own method for determining when to put seeds in the ground outdoors. Many of them are tied to particular calendar dates or to holidays like Easter or phases of the moon. A few are even tied to sayings handed down from grandparents.… Continue reading this article “Digging into spring planting: The importance of soil temperature and moisture”

Compost, raised beds, and unexpected finds

My 3-section covered compost bin system, inside a chain linked fence, excludes scavengers.

Like many home gardeners, we maintain a compost bin (a lovely 3-bin system built by my husband). I don’t need very much compost as the only organic matter I add to our landscapes is an arborist wood chip mulch. We do have a couple of raised beds for veggies and I do need organic matter for potted plants, so our compost goes there.… Continue reading this article “Compost, raised beds, and unexpected finds”