Watering 101

July 2, 2013

...hands and your common sense to figure it out. There is no formula. In the picture above, you see the surface of the soil in one of our raised beds. This is imported soil, the kind that comes in bags. It doesn’t hold water in pools like clay soil does, it doesn’t sink in fast as it would in sandy soil. It’s actually pretty tricky to water because it seems like it should sop up water well, but I think all the organic matter in it actually slows abs...

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The Return of Knickers?

Mr. Homegrown

April 26, 2016

Thoughtstylings

13 Comments

...ously expensive, handmade shotguns. Anyone who dressed like the men in the picture would be found guilty of that most English of sins, Trying Too Hard, and sniggered at.” At least there’s (pre-ironic?) Oktoberfest in Bavaria: Image: HaTe on Wikipedia. Yes, I know, you’re too distracted by the Tyrolean hats to notice the knickers. Bike in Tweed, Stockholm 2013. Image: Wikipedia. In a somewhat more ironic context, knickers have appeared at “tweed ri...

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How to Keep Squirrels and Birds From Eating Your Fruit

Mr. Homegrown

January 25, 2013

Fruit Trees, Gardening, Pests

14 Comments

...ect water inside. They can be washed and stored and are durable enough to last several seasons. After they serve their duty, they can be put in the recycling bin. Noel is the person who sent the picture of all the winter fruit he grows in Florida that we put on the blog on Sunday. Judging from that picture he’s got a handle on critters issues. Thanks Noel!...

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More on our gardening disasters

Mrs. Homegrown

January 21, 2013

Gardening, Mistakes, Thoughtstylings

15 Comments

...idiosyncratic reason. Fun plants, in other words. Above, I re-posted that picture of the heart-shaped flax bed I created planted back in 2011. Planting a few square feet of flax was not the most practical act in the world, but it was fun. I’d never seen flax growing before, and I wanted to get to know its ways, because it’s such an important plant– the source of linen and linseed oil and of course, flax seeds. I considered it a privilege–I don’t...

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Interview With Apartment Gardener Helen Kim

Mr. Homegrown

August 27, 2008

Gardening, Herbs

1 Comment

...ts were supported by steel mesh baskets and lashed to building with 50 lb. picture wire. I never heard back from him and he was replaced by another in a long line of building managers. Several years of walk-through inspections have come and gone, and nobody has mentioned it since. While I still wonder as to what the actual law is on windowsill plants, I’m not about to stir the pot by clarifying it with the management here. HE: You’re an amazing ch...

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