Please enjoy our neighborhood gardening blog. So much happens in life, hopefully our blog will be helpful and encouraging!
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posted May 3, 2011 3:34 PM by Rainier Valley Garden Tour
Today, I’ve got some thoughts on what we can do outside of our regular
sustainable practices. At home, I like to grow my own veggies and berries, but
this often feels like I grow them for the novelty of it all. I also like to
collect my rain water for future use, but then lots of people do. Here are a
couple of other options for us all:
In an effort to reduce the need to transport fruits and vegetables into our
neighborhood, thus preventing our air from getting any more gross than it has to
be, what think we of planting more fruit trees? I know, you’re thinking, “I get
bored with apples” or “Cherries are such a pain to pick”. Well hey, there are
more options out there than just those. Here’s a great note about what we could
be planting to keep life and lunch interesting: 10 Easy Fruit-Bearing Trees. Check it out.
Since we’re talking about being sustainable and breaking free from the
standard things we might do, let’s throw another idea out there: a rain
garden. What’s this? It isn’t a garden of cans and rain barrels. It is a
garden of flowers, shrubs, bushes or trees that help to slow rain water,
preventing erosion and over-burdening of the sewer systems. Another benefit is
that the water that flows through the rain garden is purified and made fresh
before re-entering the water table or joining the surrounding drainage systems.
This sometimes involves pipe and guiding the excess water, and sometimes
involves just plants and soil doing their natural jobs.
Here is a great source for rain garden information. If you’re interested in learning
more or contacting somebody locally, check out Seattle Rain
Garden.
Happy gardening! |
posted Apr 26, 2011 6:24 AM by Rainier Valley Garden Tour
I love to expiriment with growing different vegetables. Carrots are the easiest that I’ve found, then radishes, tomatoes and then broccoli. This year, I am attempting greens! I have been reading up on different types of lettuce, chard and kale, and greens seem to be the winner for easiest, most hardy vegetable to grow. Check out www.northwest-gardening.com/vegetables/lettuce.asp for some great information about growing greens in the Northwest. In the mean time, if you’re inspired and are looking to grow your own organic goodness, there are a few great organic suppliers both online and locally. I was lucky enough to find a great deal on SeedsOfChangeFoods.com. Best of luck with trying something new! |
posted Apr 26, 2011 6:23 AM by Rainier Valley Garden Tour
I love living in the Rainier Valley. It is amazing how when I was little, I was always told to never go to Rainier Ave because it had such a negative history. I must say, that just isn’t the case anymore, and I’m grateful. Saturday afternoon, I went walking with a friend. We were actually out hunting for gardens for the 2011 Rainier Valley Garden Tour. The neighborhood is so alive. We started in the southeast corner of Columbia City and worked our way to the northwest and then back. Every street we walked down, there were people out and about: walking, working in the yard, sitting on the porch…you name it. I was really impressed by some of the work that our neighbors were tackling. One resident had just replaced his colapsing driveway wall with a beautiful rockery. Another was in the process of building portable raised beds for vegetable gardening. Others were doing the standard work: maintaining. Everybody we came across was so talkative and ready to share what projects they’ve got going on. It was inspiring. Below you’ll find some pictures from around the neighborhood. You can see why I feel so fortunate to live here.  
 
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posted Apr 26, 2011 6:21 AM by Rainier Valley Garden Tour
April 5, 2011 at 11:08 am · Filed under Uncategorized · Edit My favorite thing about summer and fall is being able to harvest the fruits of my labors. Juicy tomatoes ready to fall off the vine, cucumbers for great salads and herbs to dry for cooking all winter long. This last winter was exceptionally harsh with a very early cold snap. Sadly, many of us experienced some tough losses in our gardens with the 12 degree temperatures in November. I lost my gnarled little rosemary and two of my heart lavenders. Neighbors lost even more. To my surprise though, my broccoli and Brussels sprouts weren’t impacted. Neither crop had produced anything in 2010, just steady growth. I truly didn't believe that they would survive through the winter. Alas, they did. With just a few sunny days in February and March, florets appeared at the tops of my broccoli stalks. They continued down the sides. I was shocked! I was so excited as they got bigger and ripened. The type of broccoli I planted is not like what you’d normally get at the store. The crown it produces isn't 2 lbs and 7″ across. It is small, perfect and tender.  I cut what pieces were ready, took them inside and washed them, then served them on a bed or organic couscous. What a perfect first harvest meal for 2011. More florets are growing and will be ready to cut soon. It is such a treat to have produce from my garden when it still feels like winter outside! |
posted Apr 26, 2011 6:19 AM by Rainier Valley Garden Tour
I know how much I love sunny days, but I have nothing but issues when it rains and is amazingly windy. Well, here’s my way of coping with it: think about the good things that come from rainy days. The Rain 
Rain is a necessity to ensure that there is water so that we can remain alive. As a bonus, it also cleans the air and makes everything have an amazingly fresh scent. Without rain, my water bill would be super high, as I’d have to water my garden all of the time. Days like today make those of us with rain barrels very thankful for being forward thinking about water conservation. In a few months, when the sun is hot and the lettuce is wilting, that stored up rain will help keep things growing…without depleting other resources, including the bank account. The Wind I am currently sitting in my living room watching the trees whip around. There are blossoms flying through the air. Pine cones and needles are falling. Branches with little buds are hitting each other… and everything is being pollenated, setting the rest of the year up for success. I, myself, do not have any fruit trees, but the neighbors do. I’ll tell ya’, with a few more crazy, windy days like this, the fall apple and pear crops will be bumper. The other thing that this nasty wind is doing is moving all of the little bits of trash, litter and leaves off of the roads and into nice little piles to be picked up. If that’s inspiring to you, City of Seattle has a program to help and encourage you: Spring Clean Your Neighborhood. The city is supplying clean-up bags, gloves, safety vests and waste disposal permits. This open program goes from now until the end of May. Check it out at www.seattle.gov/util/SpringClean or call 206-233-7187 for more information. In the mean time… Let’s utilize icky days where the rain soaks us and the wind steals our hats to be productive. Here are my suggestions for a day like today: 
- online plant shop to find local vendors that can supply both wisdom and socially responsible garden options
- dress up like the Gordon’s Fisherman and brave the storm to work outside. You may be cold and wet, but fresh air is the bonus
- review pictures of your garden from last year to see what thrived and what failed, then plan appropriately
- use those same pictures as inspiration and create a peice of art to brighten your spirits: collage, des compage, watercolors, papier mache….
Even though crazy weather can be bothersome, take the opportunity to appreciate what it does for us and think about…no, take action on, some of the many things that you can do despite the weather. |
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posted Apr 26, 2011 6:18 AM by Rainier Valley Garden Tour
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updated Apr 26, 2011 6:40 AM
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It seems like years since anything exciting has happened out in the dirt. Winter was harsh and killed off the weaker species, now only the strong survive. Before the never ending battle between rain and frost began, I took some time to plan out how I was going to grow my veggies and herbs this year. How did I plan? By planting my spring bulbs of course! I know, it sounds funny but it’s true. In late October, just when I was thinking about putting my garden to bed for the winter, I had an epifany about my spring bulbs. I was going to plant them in nice border rows at thje front of my garden, making a think border of color, but then realized what a pain it is to dig up bulbs each spring to prevent them from rotting…and wouldn’t it be brilliant to plant them in a way that I could water around them through the summer, but still have summer vegetation above them… And that’s when I thought garden Tic Tac Toe. I planted my tulips, daffodils and some random hycinths like a tic tac toe board with plenty of space to plant herbs or leafy greens in each square. I covered the bulbs with soil, let it settle over the winter and now they’ve sprung up, creating perfect beds to plant useful things. What has been planted: Rainbow chard, chives, Thai basil, mamouth basil, curry and Provence lavender. I’m still waiting to for my seedlings to show their little heads, but if half make it, I’ll consider this a success in kitchen gardening! |
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