Author Archives: admin
Sensory plants for kids
Over a year ago, my daughter participated in a Garfield Park Conservatory activity where she was able to bring home a chocolate mint plant. We potted it up and kept it indoors on a sunny, south facing windowsill with promises … Continue reading
The value of dirt
Two weeks ago the National Wildlife Federation released their Dirt Report (warning, this is a PDF). I can’t stop talking about it, professionally or personally. My work at Openlands intersects with my family and passion for gardening. This condensed research … Continue reading
Indoor seed starting with a toddler
If you know me as a parent, you know that I like to include my daughter in the things that I do: making dough for bread or pizza, cleaning the windows, and gardening, of course. This weekend it was time … Continue reading
The second and third weeks of March have felt like a dry June here in the midwest, then the temperatures dropped somewhat. Most plants are four to six weeks ahead of their normal bloom times. Back to our current weather…while … Continue reading
Seed starting outdoors…already
Forget for a moment that this winter hasn’t been the mildest on record for Chicago and much of the U.S. Just think of it being March, the end of winter. March means that some seeds like peas, spinach and swiss … Continue reading
Seed starting indoors? Not this year.
Normally I am a huge advocate for growing ones own seedlings to transplant into your garden. There are so many pros to this: money savings, the pure joy of doing it, getting to grow hard-to-purchase varieties. This year, I am … Continue reading
Here’s to 2012!
One of my new year’s resolutions this year – hey, it’s never too late and it’s not even Chinese new year yet – is to update ZapGardens.com at least once a month. I have been terribly derelict since being consumed … Continue reading
