It’s raining outside. Now What? Well, when it comes to gardening lots actually. I’m not alone when I say there is nothing better than curling up with a dirty soy chai latte and a good seed catalog on a chilly day. However, that’s not what we’re going to do.
Get out of bed or that comfy couch and do some real work like cleaning your pruners. Chances are they can use a good wipe down.
Pruners should be disinfected after pruning diseased plant material or before they are stored away. Using a cotton ball or a clean rag, sterilize pruners with a little rubbing alcohol.
Carefully clean the ins-and-outs of the blade. Whatever gunk remains can be removed with steel wool. I use 00 – very fine grade.
Finally, keep the blade sharp. This is important for making clean cuts. There are a couple of schools of thought on how to properly sharpen blades; circular motion, toe-to-head. My horticulture instructor taught me to sharpen the blade from head-to-toe. Just be careful not to nick the blade or sever your finger.
Next time the call of pruning arises you’ll be ready to go!
Welcome to the new home of Anarchy in the Garden – Loud, punk rock fueled, always DIY gardening and home economics hub for the domestic demolitionist. I’ve eliminated the fluff and added more categories. Check em’ out!
Grow – You won’t find begonia growing tips here but you will find info on how to successfully grow your own food in the city. I garden in the only state that matters, California; more specifically Long Beach, CA. That’s USDA zone 10b and Sunset zone 22 for you academic types.
Home Ec – Working 9 to 5 can blow and dinner doesn’t have to be a Del Taco burrito. I’ll share recipes, always vegan or vegetarian, using seasonal homegrown produce. You’ll also find a healthy dose of cleaning tips, craft projects, and much more!
Style – I love Target as much as anyone but dressing head to toe in Merona is not cute. Go ahead, hold down that corporate gig and rock it pretty. I’ll let you in on unique and affordable fashion finds.
Pets – They’re the next best thing to kids! From doggie wear to homemade treats or just gratuitous pictures of my mutts. You’ll find everything pet related here.
Holidays – Handmade Valentine’s Day cards, Mother’s Day bouquets made from locally grown flowers, let’s celebrate! Homemade style.
Community – From volunteer opportunities and gardening workshops to Social Distortion tour dates. An event calendar filled with fun things to do around town.
Lastly, I promise to cut out the suck (aka self-promotion), share more useful information and always keep it punk.
Speaking of Social Distortion, check out their first-ever TV appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. They’ll be performing in So. CA this month!
Much to my delight Southern California has been experiencing Seattle type weather. I don’t know what it is about a light drizzle that makes me want to dig in the soil, turn compost piles, and soil block. It kind of confuses the fur kids.
I’m not the only person eager to play outside. I’ve received several emails, text messages, Twitter DM’s, wall posts on Facebook, asking, “what do I plant right now?”
LOTS but before we tackle the grocery list of vegetables that thrive in fall I’m compelled to share my slight obsession with soil and the importance of soil building.
Soil, often overlooked, unsung hero and unlike dirt, is alive. What’s the make up of your soil; clay, sand, silt? What’s the best soil to grown in and how do I get it?
Back to you. Clay soil, referred to as heavy soil, is gritty in texture, has poor water drainage and aeration, weak root penetration and is an overall drag to grow in. Sandy soil is smooth in texture and considered light. It warms up faster in spring but water drainage and nutrient depletion is fancy-free. Silt, is soil between clay and sand and tends to have clay’s characteristics.
Loamy (friable) soil, is a combo of clay (20%), sand (40%) and silt (40%) and is the most desirable, it contains ample organic matter, water drainage is ideal and expends nutrients moderately.
To achieve optimal soil texture generously amend the planting area with organic matter. Organic matter may consist of homegrown or bagged compost or green manure (cover crops). As the organic matter decays you are rewarded with humus, the organic portion of soil resulting from partial decomposition of plant matter.
You can test your soil before devising an improvement plan. I recommend University of Massachusetts. You’ll get pH balance, extractable heavy metals, and a slew of other nerdy information for a bargain basement price of $9.00! Either way taking the time to improve your soil will pay you back in dividends, or in this case a more bountiful harvest.
The house of Anarchy experienced a huge tomato fail this season. I planted several varieties of heirloom tomatoes at Wrigley Village Community Garden. I nourished them along the way only to have them die at the hands of tobacco mosaic virus. However, like a reliable BFF, zucchini is a steady crop.
The haphazard weather hasn’t detoured fruit production. Sitting on my counter are 13 zucchini and a promise of more to come. I dusted off the food processor, all burners are raring to go, the oven is preheated, and hopefully I’ll avoid a short out. I’m cooking up my favorite zucchini recipes. Check them out!
Abuela would scoff at any calabasitas (sauteed zucchini) recipe that contained corn but I’ll cut the New York Times a little slack. Tacos de calabasitas – omit the corn and cheese, slap on a tortilla and enjoy.
Have a zucchini recipe to share? Leave instructions in the comment section or better yet, provide a link. Happy cooking!
Ok, spiders are arachnids not insects. However one thing I am certain of is they’re beneficial and essential in the garden. While most people squeal and run away from spiders, I squeal and welcome them with open arms.
A spider’s sticky web is the easiest way for a spider to captures its prey but they’re also nimble and grab or pounce on insects that wander too close.
Want to attract more spiders into your garden? Groundcovers, mulches, and clump-like grasses are spider habitats but don’t cozy up to all spiders. The black widow and brown recluse are dangerous to humans.
Carefully clean the ins-and-outs of the blade. Whatever gunk remains can be removed with steel wool. I use 00 – very fine grade.
