Covering Compost: Types of Mulch

This week has been a huge learning curve for me. Through a call to my local county extension office, short discussion with my agronomy specialist husband, flipping through lots of indexes for “mulch,” and, of course, trial… and error, I have learned a thing or two about different mulches. Actually, as nerdy as this may sound, mulching isn’t for the amateur. This year’s... Read More

Monster Cookies!

Annie is posting for Calamitous Cook this week. A couple weeks ago, my sister-in-law Megan came down for the day. We had tons of fun just hanging out together, and meanwhile, made the most ridiculous portion of cookies I’ve ever seen! Just the ingredients! To name a few: a whole dozen eggs, 3 pounds of peanut butter, and 15 cups of oatmeal! It all started because Megan and... Read More

Trimming Roses (But Yet, Not Boring)

It was necessity that forced me to trim our absurdly overgrown roses this year. Drew is painting the house, and if I want him to paint the washhouse also, I was going to have to trim the rose bush that had literally overtaken the entire south side of the shed. Thank goodness roses like to be trimmed. This is like going into the barber for a trim and coming home with a buzz-cut. Sorry... Read More

Baby Cows, New House

Hi all! Debbie and Annie posting together from the Midwest 🙂 this week. Annie is temporarily without internet, and Debbie is temporarily without her computer setup, so we’re combining Gerber Gardens and Wolfe Wednesdays for one big happy Wednesday evening post! Mom, Debbie, Annie (and baby Gerber), and the kids all went to the city today for Wolfe house-hunting. We may have... Read More

Patient Pansies

It happens every year during early spring. The temperatures temporarily soar up into the 70s and even 80s, and I spend a couple cheer-filled days outside, digging, tidying, and fighting the urge to plant tomatoes. Jack is NOT helping! These last couple of days have been a lovely mix of great joy, finally working on my OWN HOME, and horrible impatience, going crazy waiting to see... Read More

New Seedling Growth and House Painting Preparation

These last few days have been a frenzy. Friday was my last day of work and when I officially moved permanently to my new home. Saturday, I spent unpacking while my husband power-washed the house to prep it for painting. The power-washer is a fantastic time saver since it saved us from scraping by hand (yuck!), but the finished product is hideous! I’m so glad these are the... Read More

Seedlings and Basic Carpentry for Cold Frame Prep

Happy Thursday, Everyone! Spirits are high in Central Kansas this week. Spring’s drizzling rains finally gave way to its cheery sunshine and everyone seems to walk around with a “spring” in his step. This week (and last) I have been living with my parents so that I could finish out state testing at the elementary school where I work. This Friday, I will move to our new house,... Read More

Seedlings at the Kitchen Table

I planned, prepared, and sat down to write my blog this week. I was ready to start the post with something along the lines of “Directions on How and When to Plant Indoor Seedlings.” It was designed to impart to my readers my vast (ha!) knowledge of the varying qualities of potting soils, proper moisture for germination, and even a few invaluable tips on window placement and... Read More

New Soil

This week marks the end of one phase of my life. Saturday, a moving van is showing up, so that my husband and I can load up our few belongings and transport them to our new home in small-town, south Kansas. This week has been crawling by, feeling much like one feels at the top of a roller-coaster, knowing the rush is coming soon. Paint colors have been picked, garden plans have... Read More

Close to Eden

As I was thinking about my beginnings in gardening, I suddenly felt an acute empathy for so many people in my life who claim that they simply “don’t have a green thumb.” Most of them use stories of pathetic, wilted, porch-grown tomato plants and neglected, forgotten, (and thus) deceased herb pots as evidence of their lack of the “gardening gene.” I believe my empathy comes... Read More