Ask the sunflowers. Among three different Tucson-area locations I tend, sunflowers are sprouting this spring in: pots and raised beds where my son and I planted them (barrel in title image), a rock border where seeds accidently scattered, deeply-watered beds Read more…
Brrrr! Slip some shoes on, don’t bother with a jacket, grab the pile of tattered old sheets and towels, and toss them over the six or so plants and beds that I don’t want to freeze on a freezing night. Read more…
No matter how many times I hear the gentle song of mourning doves, the sound transports my mind elsewhere. Poof! I am standing in my late grandparents’ lush, Central Phoenix backyard, my happy place throughout childhood and young adulthood. Mourning Read more…
I confess: I made a trip to Lowe’s to buy a car-load of potting soil on Saturday instead of staying home. It was a chosen, precious outing to help solve a wonderful problem: we had run out of places for Read more…
Good morning! We’re all trying new things at home this week, right? With my Nature to You public activities cancelled, I am using this time (among kid-entertaining, stocking up on groceries, and staying in touch virtually with family) to add Read more…
“The worms are alive!” I practically sang upon confirming that red wigglers moved within cool, moist soil in my portable worm bin. They were laying low, nestled into their rich vermicompost rather than feeding. But they also weren’t massed together Read more…
“Now we have another reason to save egg cartons,” noted a resourceful parent choosing seedlings I had prepared for a Town of Marana gardening class. As I had hoped, the spinach “babies” from my porch greenhouse back in December went Read more…
“I had a lot of fun in the garden yesterday!” beamed one of my elementary students entering school on Wednesday. The boy’s smile and his forwardness meant as much as the words, since he has made great progress in participating Read more…
Cooler days, softer soil… what a wonderful time to pull weeds! Sure, it’s also a good time to plant seeds, construct a new compost bin, move my worms back outside, and more, in part because I’m spending less time watering, Read more…
Desert gardening, on a practical level, means gardening in an arid environment. Desert gardening, on a personal level, means gardening in and with the place that I love. I love watching quail amble through the brittlebushes and goldfinches hop along Read more…
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