Garden Betty
For people who want to grow more food with less work. đą This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribersâhere's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."
herbs you can grow outside all winter âď¸
I talk about my perennial herb beds a lot, and that's because I absolutely love how low-maintenance they are... especially in fall and winter. I do cut back some of my plants this time of year to keep them nice and tidy, but they otherwise take care of themselves. My zone 5 microclimate often sees a few nights of single-digit temps in winter, but these plants hold steady and bounce back beautifully once temperatures start to warm up in late February. They're often the first harvests I get...
best ways to store your homegrown produce over winter
As I'm writing this, I've got a bunch of pumpkins that have survived deer all month on the porch đ, a bucket full of winter squash that I need to spread out on a shelf, and a big tub of freshly cleaned garlic bulbs stored in the garage. (I harvested the garlic in mid July but with how busy I was in the garden this summer, I just got around to removing the dead stems last week. It was a job I put my kiddo on in front of the TV, and to her dismay, she did so well that I'm making it her job...
the trick to keeping carrots đĽ fresh and crunchy for 6 months
Pssst... Just a few Egyptian walking onion sets remain! Get yours now to plant in fallâand enjoy onions forever! These organic walking onion topsets (bulbils) are harvested fresh from my own garden in Bend, Oregon. Here's an easy guide to growing them in any climate (and my original email about them from a few days ago). Back to this email... đ No, it's not a trick subject line. I've kept my homegrown carrots crisp, fresh, and flavorfulâjust like the day I harvested themâfor six months. And...
ground covers that ACTUALLY stay green all winter
Not gonna lie: The winter landscape can sometimes look a little depressing after a few freezes when everything starts dying back. I do love the sculptural branches of a deciduous tree that's shed all its leaves, but when the days are short, nothing beats a lush carpet of green. My own garden in Bend would certainly be a lot less interesting if it weren't for evergreen ground covers, which add color and texture in winter and fill the garden with flowers in summer. I'm in zone 5, and there are...
I'm shipping organic walking onion seeds!
So, I'm trying something a little different here. I just finished dividing my overgrown patch of Egyptian walking onions, a type of perennial onion that can be harvested for its green stems (like chives or scallions) as well as its bulbs (which kind of resemble shallots). Walking onions are known (and named) for producing topsets (clusters of baby onions called bulbils) that grow on the end of stiff stalks. As these topsets grow larger and heavier, they cause the stalks to flop over, allowing...
still have green tomatoes? here's how to ripen them inside đ
Before I get into today's email, I want to share that Territorial Seed is running an end-of-season sale right now. This is a great opportunity to stock up for next spring! Check out their selection of seeds that are 50% off (while supplies last). Around this time of year, you've probably got loads of green tomatoes on your plants, taking their sweet time turning red. And that would be fine if it weren't for the weather getting colder and colder (with perhaps the threat of a freeze looming)....
cold stratification and the seeds that need it
When it comes to starting seeds, we know that a few variables have to be present for successful germination: viable seed, consistent moisture, and warmth. Right? Which is why it seems counterintuitive when you find out many seeds actually need COLD to germinate! That's rightâthey won't sprout unless they go through a long enough period of chilling to break dormancy. But it's not just cold that these seeds need. It's a combination of cold and moisture (and time), a process that's also known as...
For people who want to grow more food with less work. đą This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribersâhere's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."