Don't ignore them too much though...they have an amazing ability to procreate. One gopher usually means a sweet cuddly family hiding under the barn!

My parents "evicted" a gopher family a couple of years ago, who had moved in under their barn and set up a nice multi-room home. The exterminator found "bedrooms", their "pantry", even an underground restroom set apart from the other "rooms"! Aside from being burglers of tomatoes, pests in general, and uninvited renters on your property, gophers are quite fastidious! :)

If Bill Murray couldn't get him with dynamite... :)

For my birthday, my hubby agreed to plant 5 blueberry bushes, 3 blackberry bushes, and an elderberry bush! I bought 'em, he will do the back breaking work of digging and planting them!

For all you Southern gardeners out there, I recommend Willis Orchards out of Berlin, GA. They specialize in varieties that do well in our hot, humid summers. I needed the rabbiteye varieties of blueberries, and Willis had several varieties so that my harvest will go on for weeks! They also have great prices on 3-4 yr old plants, that will likely give you fruit THIS summer!

This edible landscaping thing is FUN! :)

I'm going to try the trash can method! I've seen several articles on how to do the drainage holes and piling the dirt...can't wait to see how much I can harvest...

I've got a potato order coming from SeedSavers soon! Can't wait!

I am SO ready for Spring!!! :)

The Aerogarden has been on my wish list for a while! Very cool looking, and appears to perform well too!

I actually want one for my office, just to bring a little garden greenery into my windowless cubicle. Salad for lunch!

Until I am able to increase my gardening budget, it will stay on the wish list! LOL Someday...

I'm in zone 7b in the Atlanta area, and my rosemary surprised me by surviving the winter outside (at least as of today)...

It's up against the house, so I suppose it got some shelter from the wind, etc?? I need to prune off a bit of brown ends, but most of the plant is still green and has great aroma!

Mmmm...rosemary & roasted potatoes...mmmm.... :)

This is a very real problem in so many cities. Here in downtown Atlanta, you will find a food desert in the heart of the city for sure...

Just to share a quick story, one of my coworkers grew up in downtown Atlanta in the food desert, and she was AMAZED the first time I took her to my favorite farmers market during lunch one day. It overwhelmed her almost! Her mom taught her to cook, but she had never chopped up an onion or bought fresh carrots with the greens still on. She had only seen bagged, pre-chopped onions and the like.

It's great that so many are coming to the rescue! Nothing beats FRESH...nothing worse than QUICKIE MART! :)

This article was great! I've never used savory, and didn't know how to use it! :)

Oooh...I'm thinking roasted potatoes with savory and garlic...

This is such a fascinating subject! My husband is really interesting in trying to grow lettuce year round this way!

Here in Georgia, our local garden expert, Walter Reeves, had a segment on his weekly gardening TV show about growing hydroponics in a large tote, in a mixture of epsom salt and other ingredients, and he was able to grow some beautiful veggies that way! I think his method can be an inexpensive way for my hubs to try it, just to satisfy his curiosity! :)

I'm planning a small Asian garden this year! My hubby is building some new raised beds for our backyard, so I will have room to experiment with new veggies!

In my Asian bed, I'm planning to grow bok choy, some mustard greens, some bunching onions, and some yard-long beans. Here's hoping for some stir-fry goodness this summer! :)

Happy Gardening everyone...

This is the 2nd good review I've seen for this book...may have to go buy myself a little present! :)

Well, I'm still on quest to adopt a couple of bunnies...but... :)

Since I last posted, we've added a lab retriever puppy and two parakeets to our family! The puppy certainly takes up my limited free time (joyfully!), so my bunny adoption will have to wait a bit longer...

My understanding is that lab puppies will play with bunnies (with direct supervision, of course), so they can learn to live together.

Anyway, my oldest daughter mentioned that we were getting a bunny or two for Mother's Day?? Hmmm....We'll see! :) VIVA LA BUNNY POOP!!! :)

Poor Phil! It's time to move SOUTH! LOL
In Atlanta, his royal groundhogness, General Beauregard Lee, did NOT see his shadow...Spring is coming soon! :)

I'm going to stick with General Lee!

Just a few more weeks until it's time to dig again... :)

I planted a small pot of cilantro last year, and didn't expect much...I was so tickled to have a nice supply for a couple of weeks! This year, I'm going to do successive plantings...

There's nothing better for salsa and my black bean dip! :)

Don't forget to grow some beautiful flowers right in with those sexy little veggies! LOL

I'm thinking those lovely blooms will attract pollinators (what bee can resist a zinnia?), AND they give you something to cut for your kitchen vase to make every meal more elegant!

As for beautiful veggies, I just couldn't resist buying some rattlesnake beans, tigger melon seeds, and a lot more tomato varieties than I have room for...It's true that we really do eat with our eyes first!

You are SO right that these are the ugliest little beasts around! The first time I saw one I did a scardey-cat dance in the backyard until I got brave enough to pull it off! LOL

My kids found that putting them near our bird feeders resulted in some happy birds...Birds love a big fat worm for snacks....

I love this idea! I'm definitely going to try it next winter...happy worms and good soil! :)

This article is 100% accurate! This past Christmas, all I wanted was shelving for my new indoor seed-starting "garden center" at home, and a bean/pea trellis! :)

Other signs:
1. As soon as I get home from work, I kiss the kids, kiss the hubby, and RUN right out to check my tomatoes! :)

2. I already have WAY too many seeds...Did that stop me? No way! Baker Creek just sent me more, with a cap to wear!

3. I'm in a subdivision...so no chickens allowed. BUT, I can have a rabbit or two ("farm" raised poop!). I WILL have a rabbit or two this year! :)

4. I like the idea of worms in my house...eating my garbage. This surprises even me! :)

I will definitely try this...my scrambled eggs need some garlicky pizazz! :)

What a great ministry Nancy! There are SO many families hurting right now...what a difference a few gardeners can make in their lives!

I am going to commit to planting a row (or two!)...our county food bank accepts produce on certain days...

Thanks for sharing! :) Jada

I also like the fun names...my favorites are:

1. Tigger Melon (looks just like tigger/tiger stripes!)
2. Rattlesnake beans (a good likeness)
3. Bloody Butcher tomatoes (Ewwww...)
4. Teton de Venus (tomatoes with nipples...)
5. Baby Boo pumpkins

This looks like fun! Don't worry Chris...I still like to do my "thinking" on paper and write out gardening lists too. :)

Hi Ruth! Alas, no sweet cherries grow in Georgia, as far as I know...I think sour cherries might grow...

I get my cherry stash from Costco! When they are available, I buy several bags and spend an evening or two pitting and freezing... :) Jada

Jodi, I will join you in the trashcan project! I printed off the trashcan instructions...just waiting for Spring, and my April delivery of SeedSaver potatoes! :)

I have ordered La Ratte (a fingerling potato), and another red fingerling variety. It will be my first attempt at potatoes....

I had a coupon for a free bag of "Root Crops Alive" fertilizer, which is supposed to increase my harvest...Wow, the stuff stinks! LOL!

I will share the result of my harvest next summer.. :)

Thanks Ruth! I love to go out to my garage freezer/treasure trove, and whip up smoothies from my frozen fruit stash. I froze quite a lot of blueberries and peaches last summer (I picked them near my in-laws' place), and they are SO good with a banana, dollop of honey, and glug of milk blended in!

Also, there is nothing better than a sweet cherry, pitted and frozen. It's like eating a little popsicle! They have enough sugar that they don't freeze solid hard, so they have the texture of a popsicle! SO GOOD! :) I pit and freeze a few pounds every summer when they are in season...

I have to admit though...brussel sprouts are OUT for me. I really can't stand 'em! Interestly though, my super picky kids really like them! What's up with that? So, a few times a year, I pop one or two in my mouth with a smile on my face, to encourage them....YUCK! :)

PS. One last thought! I'm long-winded today! I hear on the radio that a lady called the Butterball hotline, to report that she had put her extra large turkey in a snowbank, and then it snowed overnight! LOL!! She couldn't remember where she had put the turkey in her yard! LOL!! The Butterball lady told her to next time put a pole up where the turkey was... :)

Here's for those plastic strawberry/cut fruit containers from the grocery/deli dept! Built in greenhouse lid, and drainage holes included! :)

The Baker Creek Catalog is the "Vogue" of seed catalogs, in my opinion (although Seed Savers is a close 2nd!)...I love the photography, quotes throughout, and product descriptions. This is a company that is marketing itself very well!

I ordered from Baker Creek for my Spring 2010 garden, and can't wait to try the Asian greens, onions, and other goodies! They sent me a bonus packet of Saskatchewan Cream watermelon seeds (a white watermelon) that I'm going to try just for fun...

Love them! :)

Great post! Here's a few resolutions from a gardening newbie! :)

1. I will stay in my gardening budget. I can NOT buy every packet of seeds just because they are beautiful! (This is a hard one!)

2. I will keep a calendar to better space out my successive plantings.

3. I am going to buy a new canner, and preserve more of my harvest for later! (Hub's spaghettis sauce! YUM!) :)

4. I am going to continue learning as much as I can about veggie gardening. This website is invaluable for that! :)

HAPPY 2010 everyone! I can't wait for Spring planting...but reading the seed catalogs right now is pretty fun too! :) -Jada

I just got my copy last night...WOW. Absolutely beautiful! They will be getting an order from me soon! :)

This video cracked me up...had to watch it twice! LOL

I laughed out loud when grandma(?) didn't know there were worms in the house! "Terrible!" LOL! The dog and cat were pretty funny too: that cat would have torn that dog up if he hadn't walked off... :)

You have a full life and a nice family. When and if the economy totally tanks and we go into a depression, I'm moving to Roxbury and begging for a job as your farmhand! At least I'll be able to eat off the land at your place!

Thanks for sharing! -Jada

My 8 yr DD found a chocolate mint plant at Lowes just a few weeks ago...we'd never even heard of it! We couldn't leave without it..

Sadly, I should have repotted it (it had already outgrown its pot when we bought it), and it died from thirst. The pot couldn't hold any water, the plant was so big. Let me tell you, a chocolate mint plant STINKS bad when it passes on! It goes from nice "Andes mint" smell, to moldy-milky hot chocolate smell....

Take care of your mint plants, friends! Don't let this happen to you! :)

I can't wait to harvest my first crop of garlic! I planted Chet's Italian red, and German Extra Hardy. (From Seedsavers, of course!)

They are growing like crazy...

Mmmm.... :)

I want to try a worm compost unit inside (or least in the garage this winter), but the hubs is against having worms as indoor roommates....I have talked him into a rabbit though! Maybe Santa will bring a rabbit this Christmas!

Another random thought: My kids LOVE the book "Diary of an Earthworm"...it is pretty funny! Check it out!

Final(weird)random thought: What a shame that human poop is no good! I had 3 babies in 5 yrs-for a while I could have sold it by the diaper! :) (I know, weird) :)

Great post! This is exactly what I've planned for next Spring! The ONLY thing I've ever done in my backyard is mow it (the kids don't play back there anyway), so why not turn the whole thing into a veggie garden? :)

The tarp sure beats Roundup! Cheaper too! :) -Jada

Very cute! I love the Muppet veggies! :)

Awesome! I'm in Georgia too, and my okra was also happy! Yours looks much happier though! You must be in the perfect spot...lots of good sun and good soil! :)

I have a great recipe for okra fritters if you are interested...little fried corncakes w/okra slices. SO good! :)

Great read! I would agree that a hot biscuit is the way to go with sorghum! :)

I am lucky that one of our local area grocery stores (Ingles) usually sells sorghum, so I always have a supply. Failing that, my mom has a source for it in Burns, TN, from a couple who makes it there! It makes the BEST gingerbread and ginger cookies...much better than regular molasses in my opinion! Wouldn't think of Christmas baking without a jar or two...

Thanks for sharing!!

Funny how the critters know where to go for tomatoes! I haven't seen a rabbit in our neighborhood in the 8 yrs we've lived there, but this summer we caught a HUGE rabbit in the yard, sniffing the garden! LOL! I got his picture before he ran off, and we haven't seen him again....

Your greenhouse is great! Nice to have such a big herb garden close to the kitchen, I bet! :)

I'm just gonna put myself out there and say this: I am a complete amateur! A total padawan to Patti's ObiWan-ness (Star Wars fan)! I am AMAZED! I'm also inspired to take over my entire house with grow space...The kids could sleep in the bathroom...LOL!

WOW!!! :)

Those carvings are absolutely fabulous! I love the skeleton! That would be so hard to do...

Happy Halloween, all! :)

This is SO cool....and makes the end of summer gardening more fun! May we remember our harvests in fond memory! :)

Just too cool! Amazing what you can grow with a little space and a little ingenuity! :)

Hey Foodie,
I have the best seed starting success with the Burpee or Jiffy starter kits. There's a bit of a start-up cost to buy the trays and mat, but they are reusable year after year! (You just buy the refill seed pots.) The seed pots provide the right soil...potting soil is sometimes too heavy and doesn't drain enough. I really love the smaller trays that fit on my windowsills! You also water them from the bottom, so the tiny leaves don't get disturbed.

I've tried growing seeds in other containers such as yogurt cups, etc, but I consistantly get better results from the kits...Hope this helps?? -Jada :)

That's some brutal summer temps! I'm in the Atlanta area, so we get pretty hot too..high 90's in the summer, with humidity too! Anyway, I start my tomato seeds inside in very early March, and plant them around April 15. (That the last frost date for the Atlanta area.) I also buy a few tomato plants from Lowes in April, and plant them at the same time. Mine do great all Spring and early summer...
I grow a lot of my tomatoes in big container pots, so when the summer heat hits really hard, I have to water everyday. That keeps 'em going, but I think daily watering does not make tomatoes all that happy. By end of August, the plants are done and the containers can't hold any more plant growth.
Hope you get some opinions from your fellow Texan gardeners! Post some pictures next Spring! -Jada :)

One of the things I do to unwind after a long at work is go out and tend my herbs. The fall temps have finally done my sweet basil's demise, but I still have a really nice rosemary plant, and a good amount of sage! What a pleasure to go out and cut a sprig of rosemary to add to some roasted potatoes...
I grew my herbs in my front yard, right in with my flowers! They looked great, and were a good way to have my "edibles" near the kitchen! :)

This article was perfect timing for me...we just carved a pumpkin last night that had tons of seeds. It's a yearly tradition for us to roast most of the seeds for "good eats", but I did put a few aside for saving! Now I know how to preserve them properly! :)

I forgot the original intent of my post! LOL I've got to stop daydreaming...
My coworker has a 6x8 greenhouse, that he heats with a small spaceheater with a timer. He also heats his garage, which acts as a 2nd greenhouse. (The garage has windows.) He tells me that his electric bill doubles in the coldest months! Usually a total of $120-180 a month total! WOW!! I never realized how much energy those spaceheaters use. That dollar amount is probably a low figure for you in California...here in Georgia I think we pay much less.

Hope you get some good ideas! :)

Since you posted that FAB-U-LOUS greenhouse, I just HAD to post this link of my dreamhouse. Notice the fireplace, that will keep YOU and your plants nice and toasty. I suspect that this owner doesn't worry about electricity bills all that much!
When I get rich and famous, I will have this house! I'm working on the rich and famous part... :)

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/Luxury-Greenhouses/products/1098/

WOW, what a beautiful greenhouse! I hope you are able to fill it to the ceiling with good stuff! Those tomatoes are beautful too!

I think you are right about the powers that be controlling the seed...I plan to save seeds next summer for the first time. I'm also a member of SeedSavers, which is fun!

Please post pictures this winter of your greenhouse/farmers market! :) Would love to hear what you are able to produce despite the cold outside....

I had never even heard of the Burren...very cool place!

My hubby is going to be ordering some frozen chiles from New Mexico this month! We are also "chile heads", but I can't grow 'em hot enough for hubby...Maybe I'll try again next year to grow my own! :)

PS. My favorite meal to eat chiles is definitely breakfast! A breakfast tortilla with egg, chile, and salsa is my PERFECT breakfast! :)

Thanks for sharing your photos! :)

Thanks Garden Girl! I really appreciate the info! There is a rabbit rescue organization in my area, that has either single bunnies or bonded pairs. I think a pair would be better too! I was thinking the Angora bunny would be harder to groom, so I'm looking for a mini-rex or dutch...
Thanks again! Happy gardening...Jada

I love it! Wonder if any planes overhead got confused? :)

Beautiful garden! I also check my "veggie babies" every afternoon when I get home!

Thanks Chris!
I will definitely check out that particular book! There is certainly no shortage of rabbits up for adoption in this area...there seems to be a lot of unplanned pregnancies in the rabbit community! :)

I think a pair (spayed/neutered!) would be a great addition to our family...I didn't realize how intelligent and social rabbits are! I've already found a source for timothy hay and my hubby is going to build a nice hutch. So, once we have a bunny house, we'll be good to go!

Thanks again for the info...mucho appreciated! :) Jada

Great article...Hubby and I are going to clear out an entire section of shrubs in our front yard, and replace it with a mixture of flowers and EDIBLES! I had good luck this summer with growing jalopenos and herbs right in with my front flowers! Quite a few veggie plants can be decorative too...

I haven't canned in SO many years! Forgotten how much fun it can be...My husband has a grand plan to can his "famous" marinara sauce next year with our tomatoes. I'm going to have to grow a LOT more tomatoes next Spring! :)

The jelly looks SO good in your video! :)

Great info! I invested in several different tomato seeds from Seed Savers this year...will be fun to save my own next season! :)

What beautiful food! I could definitely go for potatoes at every meal myself...
I hope my leeks get that big! Right now they're just seedlings in my window. The only food in your article that I have to turn my nose at is rutabagas! :) Just can't stand 'em!
Glad you had a nice trip! Thanks for sharing your photos, etc.! Jada

Extremely helpful article! I bought a packet of "Giant Musselburgh" on a whim (ever buy seeds on a whim?), but now I'm excited to get my seeds started tonight!
Leek and potato soup in my future..... :)

I never thought to take cuttings from my big basil plant! Hubby uses it in everything, so an indoor plant would be nice this winter.... :)

Really beautiful garden! I hope future administrations keep up this really nice tradition! I bet the chefs really enjoy walking out and writing the menu based on what's ready for harvest...

It may be a little late now (it's mid-Sept as I write this), but I'm gonna try to plant some peas this weekend. I'm in the Atlanta area, so I may can eek out enough warm fall days to harvest a few....Assuming I can still find seed at the store! :)

Hi Patti, I'm amazed at what you're able to grow in your garden! Question: Did you put drainage holes in the garbage can that holds your cherry tree? I'm thinking of trying a dwarf citrus tree...Thanks for any advice! :)

How interesting! I will definitely try this since my composter is full right now! I'm always looking for ways to enrich my Georgia clay soil! :)

Hi there...this year my family enjoyed watching tons of hummingbirds! My kids really loved watching them fight for territory as they buzzed around. I planted a large number of zinnias in every color I could find, and that seemed to really attract them. I also planted some bee balm and foxglove in that area.
We had a hummingbird feeder among the flowers, but I really think the zinnias were the primary attraction...Hope this helps! :)
Happy gardening....Jada

Just for fun, this year I signed up with the National Wildlife Federation to be a "certified wildlife habitat". I thought it would be lots of fun for my kids to learn about local birds and other critters. It has been a LOT of fun for the whole family! By far, our favorite wildlife to watch are the American goldfinches, stripping our zinnea flowers down to the seed pods! The birds tear the petals off, and then snack away until the pod is completely empty. We have finch feeders, but "our" finches much prefer our zinnias...
I would love to tear out the zinneas and put in some fresh plants for fall, but I'm going to wait until the finches have had their fun! :)

Awesome! I posted a question about gooseberries a couple of weeks ago, and this is PERFECT! Great info...I think I'm going to try growing them for sure! :)

Thanks Chris!...They seem like happy critters, that's for sure! They must not mind the heat either-my tumbler gets really hot in our Georgia summer...Happy gardening! :)

What a beautiful farm! Nice video...I especially liked seeing Deborah Madison, because I love her cookbooks so much! :) Would love to make it to Decorah someday...it's on my bucket list, for sure! :)

Great going, Garden Kid! I wish I had some of those raspberries for my cereal! :) My three kids like to pick yellow cherry tomatoes and snip okra in my garden, but they LOVE to pick blueberries and blackberries at Grandpa's house! Keep those videos coming.... :)

Great article! Do you have a source for the wineberry plants? I've checked the big seed website with no luck...Thanks! :)

Great article...I have found that pepper plants, herbs, and lettuce look really great in my front flower bed! Swiss chard also looks really good as a border plant. I just tuck them in around my zinnias and daisies, and they definitely look like they belong! :)

I'm one of those weird Southerners who actually does NOT like tomatoes! (I know, it's a shame.) BUT, my hubby LOVES them, so I grow them especially for him, as well as a number of coworkers and family. I've got 6 different heirlooms growing this year, with plans to double that amount next season. Tomatoes are fun to grow! They have been a great way to get my kids involved in gardening. My top producers this year have been some beautiful yellow cherry tomatoes, as well as my "Talladega" and "German Queen" vines. While I can't say I want to eat them off the vine, I sure love to grow them for the folks that do! :)

Very helpful info! I'm going to plant garlic for the first time this fall, and didn't really know what to expect! :) (BTW, Seed Savers.org has a great selection of garlic right now!) :)

Excellent info...I was definitely not pruning correctly! And it's gotta be Hellmann's mayo, right? :)