Memorial Day Weekend Garden Scramble
Memorial Day weekend is a huge gardening time for Vermonters. We're no exception. The weekend began on Friday at Cate Farm, where these great folks grew the garden's seedlings for basil (Italian, cinnamon, lemon, and Thai), Sungold cherry tomatoes, chili peppers...
What else is growing at the garden?
Garlic Harvest
Last fall we planted garlic. We used a combination of garlic seed we grew here and some we purchased from nearby organic growers: porcelain stiff neck, Moreno hillside, and elephant garlic. Before rinsing off the heads, we snipped the stems instead of braiding or...
Turning Over a New Leaf: Squash Bugs
In early August, another garden pest arrived: squash bugs. These are not squash borers, another challenge we've been working with since our squash seeds became plants. What you see here are eggs and newly hatched bugs. They are on the underside of the squash leaves,...
Between the Garden and the River
Today, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) staff paid us a visit. Clean Water Initiative Operations Coordinator Helen Carr and Best Management Practices Verification Coordinator Jordyn Geller assessed the riparian buffer planting that came into...
Visiting the UVM Leek Moth Study
Last season we noticed deterioration on garlic and onion plants. When we reserved garlic heads for seed, there seemed to be more than usual rotten cloves and heads. This season, with more plant damage evident, we learned why. A pest called the leek moth has migrated...
Garden Giving: Feeding the Community
Every season, The Garden at 485 Elm contributes fresh, delicious, organically grown food to local organizations feeding Central Vermonters.
Introducing Flowers for Cutting
Gardeners at 485 Elm are welcome to initiate projects here. Liz visited last year, and we were happy she joined this season. Before moving to Montpelier, Liz operated a gallery-B&B-CSA in Moscow, Vermont. She continues to make art and garden, sometimes together....
Mulching for Plant & Gardener Health
Many farms around us were all out of hay mulch. We finally found a source, and brought home fifteen bales this week. Why do we use straw and not hay? Straw has had seed heads removed. When we spread straw mulch, we're not planting unintentional crops, i.e., weeds....
Weeds We Don’t Weed Out
Some garden volunteers are crops, such as tomatoes and ground cherries that reseed themselves. Even more interesting volunteers may be mistaken for weeds. Here are a few we enjoy allowing to grow, then picking to eat.
How to Harvest Basil
It’s Garden Pesto Time
Ingredients: Handful each of roughly chopped... Garlic scapes Chives Scallions Basil Parsley Cilantro And… 2 handfuls raw walnuts Garlic-infused olive oil & roasted nut or seed oil Splashes of lemon juice to taste A few pinches of nutritional yeast Pinch of...
