By Cindy Naas

Keeping unwanted pests out of your garden doesn’t have to mean a shelf full of toxic chemicals.

There are many options for even the smallest garden when trying to get rid of unwelcome visitors to your garden.

Other insects can increase productivity in your garden and increase the overall health of plants and soil. Here are some of a gardener’s best friends:

Ladybugs

These small orange insects are the single best defense against aphids, and each ladybug will eat over 4,000 aphids in its lifetime. Ladybugs can be ordered online or purchased in Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Even small gardens can produce staggering amounts of some veggies.

Here are some suggestions and recipes to use up all of the zucchini, chard and tomatoes your garden might be producing right now.

Assuming that all of your neighbors have stopped answering the door when they see you approach with a bag of fresh veggies, you can still use up your harvest without eating the same thing every night.

Zucchini

Zucchini can be blanched and frozen in slices, or steamed, pureed and frozen pre-measured for making zucchini bread later this year. Or, try these recipes:

Zucchini Cranberry Muffins

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

If growing a few kinds of tomatoes, a couple of pepper plants and maybe herbs has inspired you to want to be involved in a larger farm, why not consider CSA, or community-supported agriculture?

It’s a great way for city dwellers to experience farm life and support farmers, too.

CSA is a way of spreading the risk of farming amongst a group of people, and of sharing the produce of the farm as well.

Members subscribe to each growing season, paying a set fee for a share of each week’s produce. In a good year, a subscriber might get several bags of fruit and veggies, but Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Whether your yard is large or small, you can experience the amazement and joy of a tree that has been shaped into unusual and wonderful new designs.

There are several different forms you can choose.

Bonsai

Bonsai trees can fit into any household. Did you know that these little trees are the same exact species that you would find outdoors? The Japanese have perfected this art of careful pruning and training over the course of many years. if you have the time and lots of patience, you can learn to create your own bonsai.

• A good general book : The Complate Book of Bonsai by Harry Tomlinson
• For the quirky fun side of bonsai : Pop Bonsai: Fun with Arranging Small Trees and Plants by Lisa Tajima

Topiary

Topiaries are trees and shrubs that have Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

My favorite birds are hummingbirds.

These tiny, vibrant creatures can bring a smile in an instant.

I love their natural curiosity and how they are able to appear motionless. Besides a hummingbird feeder, there are many plants that will attract them. Here are a few of my favorites.

1) Sunset Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)

All of the hyssops that have pink or orange flowers attract hummingbirds, but my favorite is Sunset hyssop. These flowers are a brilliant mixture of orange, purple and pink. When I worked at a water conservation garden, I loved pruning by this plant. The hummingbirds were always nearby, sparring. Sometimes they would zip right near my head to see what I was doing. This plant has a splendid scent – described as licorice or root beer. Once it is established, it is drought resistant

2) Hummingbird Trumpet (Zauschneria spp)

These trumpet-shaped flowers come Read the rest of this entry »