For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here'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."
are you using mulch correctly?
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It's almost winter, which means your garden is probably starting to wind down. I got my last round of seeds in the ground this week (including cover crop seeds) and am waiting for my strawberry patch to die back before I winterize it. (My everbearing plants are still trying to pump out flowers!) But, winter's coming. All of my beds are mulched with a variety of things: straw, plant debris, shredded leaves, pine needles. I also like to use sheep wool over winter because it's so insulating (and because we usually don't get enough snow cover) and I get mine from a local farmer. (I have a rundown here of different mulches I've tried in my garden.) There are lots of ways you can mulch your garden to keep it healthy, and lots of things you can use for mulch, but the main thing is: are you using them correctly? And more importantly, are you using them correctly once the weather starts to warm up in spring? Here's what you should know about mulching effectively (and when you shouldn't). This weekend I started rooting a few new stems from my African blue basil. I usually do this once a year to refresh my plants (that I keep in the house year-round) when they start to get too unruly. A friend came over while I was taking cuttings and was surprised when I told her it's a perennial basil. "So it doesn't die back at the end of the season?" "Nope. Keeps going all year." And in fact, the basil I have in my house now is a clone of a clone of a clone of... (you get the idea) a single African blue basil that I first grew in my garden OVER 14 YEARS AGO! In Southern California! How crazy is that? It's like the gift that keeps on giving. The only problem is, perennial basil isn't the easiest plant to find. And for a long time, I didn't think you could even get seeds because African blue and many other perennial basils don't produce seed (or produce sterile seed). Or do they? Out of curiosity, I clicked over to my favorite site for rare herbs, where I originally got my plant, and not only do they still carry African blue basil, they now have other perennial basil varieties including SEEDS! Here's what I found:
Richters also has a phenomenal selection of annual basil (over 60 varieties!) and other culinary and medicinal plants, so if you're looking to add something new to your garden next spring, you're gonna love their site. 😄 P.S. Are you using mulch the right way? Find out how to mulch effectively (and when you shouldn't). P.P.S. The holidays are right around the corner! And if you're still stuck on what to give your favorite people, my books make great gifts for foodies, travelers, and outdoor lovers! |
Garden Betty
For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here'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."