The Coastal Gardener

Gardening nourishes our body, mind, and soul, and makes us healthy and happy. Watching tiny seeds are growing into the edible plants is both therapeutic and rewarding. However, gardening is not the cultural norm, and many of us do not have basic gardening knowledge and skills.

Growing up as a child the vegetable I dreaded being put on my plate and expected to eat were Brussels sprouts. That dreaded experience always started when I came into the house from playing outside. Opening the door to step inside, I was immediately smacked in the face with that smell.

Douglas W. Tallamy NATURE'S BEST HOPE: A NEW APPROACH TO CONSERVATION THAT STARTS IN YOUR YARD. Timber Press, 2019 Portland, Oregon 254 pages. Douglas W. Tallamy BRINGING NATURE HOME: HOW YOU CAN SUSTAIN WILDLIFE WITH NATIVE PLANTS Timber Press, 2007 Portland, Oregon 265 pages.

Goulson, Dave A STING IN THE TAIL MY ADVENTURES WITH BUMBLE BEES Picador Publishing 2013 New York, NY 256 pages Goulson, Dave A BUZZ IN THE MEADOW, THE NATURAL HISTORY OF A FRENCH FARM Picador Publishing 2014 New York, NY 266 pages With all the buzz about bees and pollinators, I have over the last f...

,Thinning Fruit will Result in Larger Fruit If you want larger fruit you will want to thin immature fruit in the early spring. Apple, Asian and European pear, apricot, peach, plum, kiwifruit, table olives and persimmon all benefit from fruit thinning.