Posts by Mary Wildfire
122 posts found, showing 20 per page
Garden Mary Wildfire October 30, 2020
Protecting From Frost
As I write this, the forecast is for potential frost tonight. Since my garden is on the ridge, but not quite the highest point locally, it may well escape the frost even if other spots are hit. Nonetheless, I will cover some things. More
Protecting From Frost
As I write this, the forecast is for potential frost tonight. Since my garden is on the ridge, but not quite the highest point locally, it may well escape the frost even if other spots are hit. Nonetheless, I will cover some things. More
Garden Mary Wildfire October 23, 2020
Mushrooms
I only know of one kind of mushroom that grows well in a garden (winecaps), but since mushrooms are a food crop you can grow, I’m going to write about them. They have the virtue of making use of sites that are otherwise “wasted”—places in full shade. This could be a patch of woods near your house, but if you don’t have such a site, you can grow mushrooms under your porch—some people even grow them in basements. More
Mushrooms
I only know of one kind of mushroom that grows well in a garden (winecaps), but since mushrooms are a food crop you can grow, I’m going to write about them. They have the virtue of making use of sites that are otherwise “wasted”—places in full shade. This could be a patch of woods near your house, but if you don’t have such a site, you can grow mushrooms under your porch—some people even grow them in basements. More
Garden Mary Wildfire October 12, 2020
Cover Crops and Garlic
Cover crops, also called green manure crops, are those planted for their effect on the soil and enhancement of subsequent crops rather than for direct use. There are a variety of types and species, and this is a complex subject which I’m still learning about. More
Cover Crops and Garlic
Cover crops, also called green manure crops, are those planted for their effect on the soil and enhancement of subsequent crops rather than for direct use. There are a variety of types and species, and this is a complex subject which I’m still learning about. More
Garden Mary Wildfire September 24, 2020
Uncommon Crops
This week I’m going to discuss some crops you may not have grown before. We already talked about sorghum and sweet potatoes. I’ve mentioned peanuts but will talk more about them here; also popcorn, ginger and sesame. More
Uncommon Crops
This week I’m going to discuss some crops you may not have grown before. We already talked about sorghum and sweet potatoes. I’ve mentioned peanuts but will talk more about them here; also popcorn, ginger and sesame. More
Garden Mary Wildfire September 18, 2020
Saving Seeds
Because of the virus, there was a big upsurge in gardening this spring, and as a result, many seed companies ran low and there were long delays on seed orders. There was also a shortage this summer of canning lids. Since the virus is still with us, and other scary things loom on the horizon, we may well see similar situations next year. More
Saving Seeds
Because of the virus, there was a big upsurge in gardening this spring, and as a result, many seed companies ran low and there were long delays on seed orders. There was also a shortage this summer of canning lids. Since the virus is still with us, and other scary things loom on the horizon, we may well see similar situations next year. More
Garden Mary Wildfire September 3, 2020
Season Extension
Season extension refers to ways of growing things later into fall after a frost, or starting earlier in spring. It’s still summer now, but if you want to be able to harvest crops in November and December—or to get started in February next year—it’s not too early to contemplate some ways of protecting vegetables from winter. More
Season Extension
Season extension refers to ways of growing things later into fall after a frost, or starting earlier in spring. It’s still summer now, but if you want to be able to harvest crops in November and December—or to get started in February next year—it’s not too early to contemplate some ways of protecting vegetables from winter. More
Garden Mary Wildfire August 31, 2020
Paperwork
Sorry about this, but I’m going to take you out of the garden, away from the sunlight and breeze, the bugs and the weeds, the burgeoning squash and the luscious tomatoes and beans. Into that dark dwelling with you; we’re going to talk about record-keeping. More
Paperwork
Sorry about this, but I’m going to take you out of the garden, away from the sunlight and breeze, the bugs and the weeds, the burgeoning squash and the luscious tomatoes and beans. Into that dark dwelling with you; we’re going to talk about record-keeping. More
Garden Mary Wildfire August 16, 2020
The Tall Ones
This week we’re going to look at some plants that tower over others in your vegetable garden: sunflowers, sorghum, and field corn. Sunflowers are fun and fairly easy to grow; children especially enjoy growing them. More
The Tall Ones
This week we’re going to look at some plants that tower over others in your vegetable garden: sunflowers, sorghum, and field corn. Sunflowers are fun and fairly easy to grow; children especially enjoy growing them. More
Garden Mary Wildfire August 10, 2020
Late Crops
The time has come to plant some late crops. Many of these are brassicas—broccoli, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower and kale—and these are more easily started in pots indoors. Yes, you can start them right in place, but if it gets hot and dry they may not germinate, and you will have to defend your tiny seedlings against weeds and bugs and perhaps other hazards. It’s easier to start them inside and then transplant them out when they’re big enough to defend themselves, plus it will begin to cool off not long after that. More
Late Crops
The time has come to plant some late crops. Many of these are brassicas—broccoli, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower and kale—and these are more easily started in pots indoors. Yes, you can start them right in place, but if it gets hot and dry they may not germinate, and you will have to defend your tiny seedlings against weeds and bugs and perhaps other hazards. It’s easier to start them inside and then transplant them out when they’re big enough to defend themselves, plus it will begin to cool off not long after that. More
Garden Mary Wildfire August 7, 2020
Chickens
Yes, yes, this is supposed to be a garden column, but bear with me. There are good reasons for people with gardens to keep chickens. First of all, if putting a dent in your food budget and heaving healthier, fresher food for your family is a top reason for gardening, you can’t go wrong with eggs fresh from the hen. More
Chickens
Yes, yes, this is supposed to be a garden column, but bear with me. There are good reasons for people with gardens to keep chickens. First of all, if putting a dent in your food budget and heaving healthier, fresher food for your family is a top reason for gardening, you can’t go wrong with eggs fresh from the hen. More
Garden Mary Wildfire July 31, 2020
Preserving the Harvest
It’s too hot and too dry and there are still too many bugs. Nonetheless, I hope you are now harvesting lots of vegetables from your garden. If you have too much at once, how can you preserve it for later when you need it—winter, maybe? More
Preserving the Harvest
It’s too hot and too dry and there are still too many bugs. Nonetheless, I hope you are now harvesting lots of vegetables from your garden. If you have too much at once, how can you preserve it for later when you need it—winter, maybe? More
Garden Mary Wildfire July 20, 2020
Alliums
Alliums are members of the onion family, including onions, garlic, leeks, elephant garlic…and some perennial onions like potato onions, shallots and Egyptian Walking onions which I won’t discuss as I have not successfully grown them. More
Alliums
Alliums are members of the onion family, including onions, garlic, leeks, elephant garlic…and some perennial onions like potato onions, shallots and Egyptian Walking onions which I won’t discuss as I have not successfully grown them. More
Garden Mary Wildfire July 13, 2020
Chiggers and Ticks
This week I’m going to talk about the bugs that bother, not gardens, but gardeners. There may occasionally be mosquitoes or gnats, but they are not prevalent around here. Deer flies are problematic in spring but only in sunshine and they usually are solitary. More
Chiggers and Ticks
This week I’m going to talk about the bugs that bother, not gardens, but gardeners. There may occasionally be mosquitoes or gnats, but they are not prevalent around here. Deer flies are problematic in spring but only in sunshine and they usually are solitary. More
Garden Mary Wildfire June 28, 2020
Bugs!
Let’s talk about insects, or bugs (entomologists have specific definition for these words, but you and I need not be so formal. If it’s small, runs around or flies, and has more than four legs, it’s a bug to me). Right away, having escaped the academic morass of definitions, we get into moral quandaries. What is a “good bug” and what is a “bad bug”? More
Bugs!
Let’s talk about insects, or bugs (entomologists have specific definition for these words, but you and I need not be so formal. If it’s small, runs around or flies, and has more than four legs, it’s a bug to me). Right away, having escaped the academic morass of definitions, we get into moral quandaries. What is a “good bug” and what is a “bad bug”? More
Garden Mary Wildfire June 25, 2020
Patience and Persistence
Few if any gardeners are blessed with an unbroken stream of thriving, productive crops. Every year some things do especially well, better than I expected, and others flop. I’ve learned to accept the duds, and often learn something. Some of it is about patience and persistence. More
Patience and Persistence
Few if any gardeners are blessed with an unbroken stream of thriving, productive crops. Every year some things do especially well, better than I expected, and others flop. I’ve learned to accept the duds, and often learn something. Some of it is about patience and persistence. More
Garden Mary Wildfire June 18, 2020
Harvesting
There are gardeners who do everything else right—choose their seed carefully, plant and weed and water and mulch…and then neglect to harvest the crops. You may be busy when your crops are ready for harvest, but this is the payoff, the point of the whole effort, so don’t neglect gathering your produce. Some crops lose quality very quickly if not harvested at the right time. More
Harvesting
There are gardeners who do everything else right—choose their seed carefully, plant and weed and water and mulch…and then neglect to harvest the crops. You may be busy when your crops are ready for harvest, but this is the payoff, the point of the whole effort, so don’t neglect gathering your produce. Some crops lose quality very quickly if not harvested at the right time. More
Garden Mary Wildfire June 17, 2020
Succession Crops
One way to get the most out of limited garden space is to plan for a second crop in the same space as one you harvest early. One set of crops that are done early and thus make way for others is the salad bed: lettuce, spinach and radishes, often planted together. More
Succession Crops
One way to get the most out of limited garden space is to plan for a second crop in the same space as one you harvest early. One set of crops that are done early and thus make way for others is the salad bed: lettuce, spinach and radishes, often planted together. More
Garden Mary Wildfire June 16, 2020
Cucurbits
Cucurbits are the vine crops: summer and winter squashes, pumpkins (which are winter squashes) and melons and cucumbers. All are tender plants which can’t be planted or set out until after the last spring frost, but I don’t bother starting them early inside. There’s no need in our climate; we have plenty of time to bring them to maturity planting them in May, or even June. More
Cucurbits
Cucurbits are the vine crops: summer and winter squashes, pumpkins (which are winter squashes) and melons and cucumbers. All are tender plants which can’t be planted or set out until after the last spring frost, but I don’t bother starting them early inside. There’s no need in our climate; we have plenty of time to bring them to maturity planting them in May, or even June. More
Garden Mary Wildfire June 4, 2020
Nightshades
“Tomatoes! When’s she gonna talk about tomatoes?” Actually the plant family known as solanaceae or nightshades, includes four common garden vegetables: potatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatoes. All are tender plants, but frost dates should be long gone until fall. More
Nightshades
“Tomatoes! When’s she gonna talk about tomatoes?” Actually the plant family known as solanaceae or nightshades, includes four common garden vegetables: potatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatoes. All are tender plants, but frost dates should be long gone until fall. More
Garden Mary Wildfire May 26, 2020
Flowers and Herbs in the Garden
In this blog I’m going to suggest that you consider growing a few flowers or herbs in your vegetable garden, if you have room. It’s not only because you can enjoy a vase of colorful flowers, or herbs to put in your cooking; these additions can actually help your vegetables. How? More
Flowers and Herbs in the Garden
In this blog I’m going to suggest that you consider growing a few flowers or herbs in your vegetable garden, if you have room. It’s not only because you can enjoy a vase of colorful flowers, or herbs to put in your cooking; these additions can actually help your vegetables. How? More