Hardening Off those Plants.

Plants need to be hardened off before being transplanted. What does this mean? It is the process you take them through to get used to direct sunlight, wind, cold, heat, dryness, and any other weather conditions they will be asked to live through during their lives. When plants are started in the greenhouse, in trays or pots, their world is sheltered and comfortable; food is readily available in th [...]

Planning for a Full Harvest all Season Long

Growing vegetables in your backyard, community garden or in some containers by the kitchen door is a great way to feed yourself -- whether it be just a few ripe tomatoes in August or a full fledged homesteaders garden, you are on the right path to feeding yourself and your family.  Gardening is a great way to improve how you eat while spending some contemplative time outside. With all of these be [...]

Spring Time and Season Extension

We are busy happily working in the greenhouses! Early spring is an active time for seed planting. Some vegetables need to be planted in  a greenhouse and nurtured along as the Vermont summer is just not long enough for them to be planted directly in the garden. The germination of the earliest vegetables is a thrill to us and we know that they w [...]

Bringing in Herbs for the Winter

Herbs are one of the key ingredients in summer cooking that make the food really stand out, but we don't have to stop once winter comes.  The key, in my mind, to things tasting good is to layer in flavors using various simple techniques.  Herbs are the fastest and simplest of those methods, other than say, adding salt. We have had such a warm November th [...]

The Autumn Garden: Time to Gather and Restore

In Vermont, the shortening days of summer and early autumn bring with them a new sense of pace and rhythm in the garden. The color change in the leaves of the plants is a signal that their energy is flowing back down into the earth and allowing for some repose from the activities of production and reproduction. Annuals decompose and become nutrients for future plants, perennials store some energ [...]

Don’t Fear Frost! Extending Your Growing Season

Here in Vermont, we can count on just a few frost-free months. But with a little bit of planning, strategic planting, and getting the right tools, you can harvest through a bit of frost and snow. But by planning out crop planting so that [...]

Spring Time Gardening: Getting an Early Start

We are busy happily working in the greenhouses! Early spring is an active time for seed planting. Some vegetables need to be planted in a greenhouse and nurtured along as the Vermont summer is just not long enough for them to be planted directly in the garden. The germination of the earliest vegetables is a thrill to us and we know that they will thrill you in your gardens. Spring is a great t [...]