In This Issue:

1. With Nature comes Gratitude
2. New item - black T-shirts!
3. Late Fall Garden Tips

1. With Nature comes Gratitude

With all the natural disasters going on in the last few months, it felt inappropriate to be sending out a happy "fall-planting" newsletter. So I apologize for the delay on getting this out.

Not to be irreverent, but in the wake of all the damage in New Orleans, my garden, which has been ravaged by gophers and grasshoppers, doesn't look half bad. The bottom line is: I'm grateful to be alive and healthy, and I'm thankful that I have a place to garden. I hope you will join me in celebrating the little things that we take for granted this month. 'Tis the season for thanks and giving, sharing our harvest, and celebrating the bounty that surrounds us, whatever that looks like.

2. New item - dark T-shirts!

It's holiday shopping time – the perfect opportunity to empty your coffers on thoughtful gifts for friends and family. Here's your chance to be one of the first on your block to have the brand new dark Gardenerd T-shirt! Give the gift of Gardenerd this holiday season!

Link: http://www.cafepress.com/gardenerd.40433863

3. Late Fall Garden Tips

It may be too late to plant fall crops, but it's the perfect time (at least it is in Southern California) to bury a few treasures for spring. That's right - bulbs! It is my tradition to plant bulbs every year during Thanksgiving weekend. I was a little late in doing it this year, but nonetheless, last weekend I planted daffodils and hyacinth. Don't miss out - plant now for a flurry of fragrance and color throughout spring. It's simple, dig a hole, throw in the bulbs (you don't even have to put them right side up, they right themselves eventually) and bury them. I like to mix in a little bulb fertilizer from Whitney Farms in the bottom of the hole before planting. Remember, bulbs come up right where you plant them, so plant in a random fashion, rather than rows. Also, grouping bulbs together in a circle creates a lovely cluster of color. Try planting them closer together than the package recommends and you will find happy little pockets of colorful accents in spring that will have you grinning from ear to ear.

You may have noticed that the gardening catalogs have started to trickle in. Each year at this time, my very favorite catalog arrives in the mail. I wait for the perfect time to snuggle up with it when I can leaf through the pages and dream of possible gardens to come. It's the Seeds of Change catalog. They offer 100% Certified Organic Seeds grown in their test gardens by caring, ecologically and environmentally conscious people who know seeds like nobody's business. You can expect to find rare, heirloom and traditional seeds to choose from. This year's catalog offers interesting selections like Snowy White Eggplant, Black Peony Poppy, Amana Orange Tomato and Tall Fernleaf Fiddleneck. Don't let those unusual options scare you off though; you can still find Big Leaf Basil, Jalapeno Peppers, and about 17 different varieties of Sunflowers. Check it out and treat yourself to something special this year.

Link: http://www.seedsofchange.com