Most of us just plant when we actually can get to it and try to time things close to the right time of year at least.  But this time of year, when I feel like I have more time and can plan the garden a little better, I try to time my plantings with the moon.  There are several theories about when to plant what based on the moon and stars.  I sometimes utilize the more complex approaches, but the main thing I like to do is plant seeds with the new moon.   Read more »

 It might, but it is still early and temperatures are bound to fluctuate, with plenty more chilly temperatures ahead.

Thankfully, we finally had one good rain. But it was a lot in a short time period so much of it ran off.  This points once again to the reasons to have plenty of mulch on the soil – to protect it from pounding rain, reduce erosion and then to keep the moisture in during dry spells. Read more »

Well tonight is predicted to be one of the coldest nights of the year, and it barely warmed up today, but we can still be out gardening! When we get this super cold spell, the main thing we need to worry about is citrus.  We can grow citrus here in Sonoma County but there are a few nights a year that can turn a happy citrus tree to toast.  Cover it with a blanket or build a little structure over it.  Plastic is not good protection and can be a problem if left on and the sun comes out and cooks the tree. Read more »

  Happy New Year! And what a totally different year it is! I was re-reading my blog from a year ago, http://www.igrowsonoma.org/blog/garden-dreaming-planning-and-pruning, when the soil was totally saturated from so much rain. This year the soil has been extremely dry in many places for weeks, with very little rain for over 2 months and strong, desiccating winds around a month ago. Read more »

I have been scratching my head trying to figure out what to write for my mid December blog and I realize part of the problem is that I don’t do much gardening this time of year. Read more »

This is my favorite time of year. I know that it is a blessing that I have the luxury of taking walks on these brisk days amongst glorious fall color and that I don’t feel extra pressure around the holidays. My work load has always been light now and I like to spend time with Mother Nature. It feels like she is dozing off now, full, content and relaxed, after a long year of growth. Read more »

Gorgeous days make me wonder what season I am in, then I am reminded as it starts getting dark by 6.  Read more »

What a lovely Indian Summer we’ve had! The early rain was a problem for tomatoes and grapes, but it turned the fields and hills green already and the warm afternoons ripened a bumper crop of peppers in many of our gardens and farms. With frost predicted this weekend, I’ll soon be harvesting the last peppers to roast or sauté and freeze, and the last basil for pesto. Since my garden is too tiny for cover crops, I will be putting down a nice mulch of old goat shed bedding where the summer crops were and over my little garlic patch, which I planted 2 days ago. Read more »

I love the fall, this beautiful weather we are having is my favorite time.  The rains have given us back some of the green, things feel less dusty and dry.  Yet it is warm enough to ripen the last of the peppers and tomatoes and give us one more batch of pesto. Read more »

Although the weather around the world has gotten more erratic with devastating consequences in so many places, California has been spared the worst extremes and has been relatively close to “normal” most of this year. It got warm right around the beginning of summer and here we are with the first rains of the season coming the second week of fall, right after our usual September heat wave. Read more »