| 8-21-09 Late Summer Musings |
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In This Issue:
1. August in the Garden As summer starts to wind down, there are a few pockets of emptiness appearing in the garden. In places where parsnips were nestled, now sit barren patches of soil (and also that one half-eaten parsnip - thank you Mr. Gopher). The withered vines from the pumpkins have been cleaned up so only the bright orange spheres remain. The Orach Mountain Spinach is putting on quite a show, with burgundy seed spikes arching through the sky -- oh we'll be collecting those seeds before long and the anticipation is killing me. Quite possibly the best part about the end of summer (even though we still have a month left of it) is the anticipation of fall and a new growing season. Now is a great time to start thinking about what new varieties you'd like to try this fall. It's also the perfect time to turn your compost pile, so you can harvest nutrient-rich amendments for your garden at planting time. There's plenty of fall gardening information in the Gardenerd Archives to help you get started. But I'll try not to get ahead of myself, even though a big box of seed catalogs just showed up on the doorstep. Happy Gardening, Christy
2. Graywater In the News For those living in Southern California, water is big news. We don't have much of it, and it costs a lot of money to bring it here from somewhere else. So imagine the excitement when word hit the street that the City of Los Angeles has revised the regulations about graywater. In an effort to lift some restrictions that have otherwise made it illegal (and nearly impossible) to have a graywater system in your home, the government now allows you to use water from your washing machine, dishwasher and showers to water your landscape, with plenty of guidelines to ensure health and safety. Check out these links for more information on how you can implement a system in your home: Frequently Asked Questions about Graywater California Plumbing Code Amendments 3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Plan your Fall Garden No matter where you live, there's a good chance that you can extend your growing season and plant a few fall veggies before frost hits your neighborhood. Using greenhouses, insulated garden cloth and cold frames, you can grow lettuces, brassicas, kale, chard, collards, and root vegetables. For those in the warmer climates, the sky's the limit. Get your garden journal out and get going; that way when the seed catalogs show up, you'll know exactly what you need. Need help getting that garden going? Come take the Gardenerd Fall Garden Planning Workshop. Space is going fast, so register today: Fall Garden Planning Workshop Registration 4. Product of the Month: 2009 Fall Heirloom Seed Collection Not sure what to grow this fall? Let Gardenerd.com help you. We've put together a great collection of 12 cool-season veggies from Seeds of Change that will bring your garden to life: organic lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, chard, kale, radishes, turnips and herbs. You'll save 25% off individual seed packet prices. Pre-order your 2009 Fall Heirloom Seed Collection today and get growin'. 2009 Fall Heirloom Seed Collection |
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