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Every year I say I'm going to get better about tracking what seeds I started, when I repotted them, where I planted them, and what I harvested. I usually start with a spreadsheet from the Better Hens and Gardens site and it goes well for a while... then I stop. I've tried a few of the things...

I think I've discovered the reason I never get much out of my Fall garden, despite the fact that we have a long growing season with a first frost in the middle of November. It's because I am buried under peaches and tomatoes in July, right at the time I apparently need to be starting seeds for...

Unfortunately it's not in a very photogenic location, but this year the fragrant Stargazer lily will have FIVE blooms! image by wsmoak, on Flickr There were two last year and I thought that was exciting. :) The porch smells heavenly, especially in the evenings. -Wendy

What do you think? Do I possibly have a native azalea? 140423_8201 by wsmoak, on Flickr 140423_8205 by wsmoak, on Flickr It's on the edge of a wooded area and doesn't get much sun. It was the victim of some clearing a couple of years ago, it used to be taller but got whacked off at about...

A couple of years ago I set up a seed starting area with 'daylight' florescent bulbs -- just whatever they had at Home Depot. I have two shelves each with two 'shop light' fixtures over them, so four tubes per shelf. They take 48" T8 florescent tubes. Towards the end of last season I noticed...

Not exactly *in* the garden, but isn't this guy neat?? 121223_7219 by wsmoak, on Flickr Who knew we had polka-dotted salamanders here... -Wendy

Seed Savers Exchange is asking for memberships and while I've ordered seeds from them in the past, I'm vaguely aware of some controversy that caused the founder to leave. Here's an article... http://gmo-journal.com/index.php/2012/03/22/controversy-with-the-doomsday-vault/ Any comments? I'm...

We've been here since early 2010 and the first two summers all the Confederate Rose (which is actually a hibiscus...) did was grow some leaves... no flowers. This year I noticed some flower buds, and today one finally opened! Of course it promptly poured down rain so I didn't get pictures, but...

If all goes as planned we should have babies tomorrow! She is looking decidedly FAT and has been ravenous lately. She did some initial work on her nest and pulled some fur, but then lost interest. 120905_6896 by wsmoak, on Flickr (She is a Californian, just very faded from the hot summer.)...

Does anyone have loofah squash seeds to share? -Wendy

I have lots and lots of Australian Butter Squash seeds. They need a lot of room or a sturdy trellis, and produce multiple small pumpkin shaped squash per vine. (Well, if the vine borers don't get them...) They taste similar to sweet potato if you bake them. I'm told you can also use them in...

No, not Butternut. Butter squash. These things: 120822_6848 by wsmoak, on Flickr That was from *five* seeds, and that's not even all of them! It was like an alien life form, it took over the back 1/3 of the garden, at least until the bugs got it. Many of them are infested with...

I planted a whole packet of Violet's Multicolored Butterbeans (from Southern Exposure) and they are READY! They're past ready -- it says 80-90 days, and here we are at barely 75 and there are some rattling around in brown shells. So, I have plenty of seed saved for next year, with no effort at...

Zone 7b here, seeds started in mid-January (when I couldn't stand the dark and cold anymore and needed to see something green!) and moved to the greenhouse when it warmed up enough: 120505_6564 by wsmoak, on Flickr I also have a trio of Early Girl plants started at the same time, but I...

A local CSA posted a link to the "Jam Labelizer" which lets you enter text and produces a high quality JPEG for you to download and print: http://www.jamlabelizer.com/ Click the left and right arrows, there are several designs to choose from. What are some other sources for jar labels? -Wendy

So... what's the appropriate way to deal with these little grayish flat bugs that lay eggs on my plants? I spent an hour scrubbing snow peas by hand this morning! These are the same things that got in the collards, and I'm afraid I did not do a good fall cleanup last year so I've probably...

The previous owners were not into edible landscaping. Twenty acres and there is... _one_ unidentifiable pear tree. So! We cut down all the decorative but useless trees and bushes along the driveway and put in the first trellis for blackberries last year. This year we're adding a couple of...

New raspberry bush (probably from Gurney's, it must have been on sale. :D ) I was going to put it in a pot and baby it through this first summer, but when I unwrapped it, the roots were three feet long! I've been watching the cane for signs of growth, but today I noticed it's sprouting all...

I went to get another head of cabbage and found this: 120314_6370 by wsmoak, on Flickr Looks like furry four-legged damage to me, (rabbit? squirrel?) what do you think? -Wendy

I can't tell if this doe is pregnant, (you're supposed to be able to palpate, but I'm inexperienced and she would rather not be turned upside down!) However, it's day 27 so I gave her the nest box. Fifteen minutes later, much nest redecoration is going on... 120313_6352 by wsmoak, on Flickr...