Green Gal

Watching seeds sprout into seedlings and grow into plants never ceases to amaze me. The joy and wonder of new life! The first little brassica seedlings emerged on February 12, and I posted about it on Instagram here . And then two days later, the scallions began germinating, so now I've got broccoli, kale, and scallion babies photosynthesizing by the window. Some of the brassicas (broccoli and kale) seem to be getting a bit leggy, making me wish I had an outdoor greenhouse. The seedlings get a lot of sun in this window, but they still seem to be reaching a bit. Scallions on the left, kale on the right. With our strong wind gusts here in Reno, we'd need a sturdy greenhouse that wouldn't blow away. We're dreaming up designs for next season and thinking about where a greenhouse might fit in our little backyard. One idea is to place it where our hot tub currently sits. This hot tub came with our house and we've never used it. It drained while we were away--a pipe probab...

Sowing seeds is an act of hope & intention. In these uncertain times, planting seeds invites joy, wonder, & anticipation. There's still uncertainty, but with care & attention, we can cultivate new life. And if we're lucky, we get homegrown tomatoes! Yesterday, the 2021 growing season officially began here! I sowed my 1st round of seeds to start indoors by our sunny sliding glass door. I also finished most of my crop plan for 2021. Our growing season in Reno is short & hot. According to UNR Cooperative Extension , Reno has 90-120 frost-free days. The average last frost day is May 15, & the average 1st frost day is September 15--although this doesn't account for our specific microclimate. Since it's only our 2nd year in this house, I am just starting to collect data about our seasonal growing patterns so I can plan better in years to come. I enjoy crop planning--it combines my love for planning & organizing with my passion for growing food. For tho...

Nine months ago, I harvested my first vegetables from Green Gal's Garden. That initial harvest on May 20 consisted of nine heads of bok choy. Although the harvest that day was small and too early for my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, it was a momentous occasion. Planting the bok choy transplants  Momentous because, with a little bit of my help, some living beings had rooted themselves in the garden soil and gathered sunlight and nutrients and grown from tiny seeds in my small greenhouse to edible vegetables. The miracle of seeds growing into plants has been happening for a really long time on this planet, but observing and supporting this process continues to be magical and profound. The process of photosynthesis is intimately tied to the lives of every human on earth. Bok choy seedlings in the greenhouse Nine months later, I look back on all of the vegetables and herbs that I harvested in the garden from May 20 until November 8, 2018, and ...

Who else is ready for the weather to warm up the soil for our spring gardens? I've spent so many hours looking at seed catalogs and seed packets lately, I just can't wait for tomatoes and peppers! Despite the cool temperatures lately, the 2018 growing season has officially begun for Green Gal's Garden! We sowed our first round of seeds on February 18, including three varieties of basil and one variety of cauliflower. The first seedlings sprouted up out of the soil on February 24, and more continue to sprout and grow happily in their little cells of potting soil. I'm planting another round of seeds this week, and I finally finished my crop plan (just yesterday actually!) so now I have a schedule of what's getting planted when and how much and when it'll eventually get transplanted and then harvested. I printed it out to have a physical copy to refer to (see below), but it will be a living document on the computer that will get updated and changed as the ...

"Every issue that's out there is your opportunity to step up," shared Amigo Bob Cantisano, one of the founders of the EcoFarm Conference, in his welcome address at EcoFarm 2017 on Wednesday evening. I was in the audience as a first-time attendee of EcoFarm, an annual conference celebrating its 37th year this past week at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, across the road from the glorious Pacific Ocean. The Ecological Farming Association that hosts this conference has a mission "to nurture healthy, just, and ecologically sustainable farms, food systems, and communities by bringing people together for education, alliance building, advocacy, and celebration." I am so grateful I had the opportunity to participate in the conference this year! I was able to do so with the help of my good friend David Shaw , who recently started a permaculture business called Santa Cruz Permaculture . He invited me to table with him for his business in the exhibit...