Urban AG Solutions

Open space for planting…perhaps the most beautiful thing in the garden! Gettin’ on it this week with some lovely turnips from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds up here Noble Rot Happy Monday, all!

Working on a new system at Rot. I’m planting directly into potting soil bags (which I’ve done before…with good results), but this time the bags are in bottom-watering bins. This should allow for maximum growth as soil moisture level can be held constant. The bins also protect the bags from taking the direct sun and overheating. I did choose high-quality potting soil ( Recipe 420 Potting Soil ) and fertilized with fish bone meal (4-17-0) and azomite. I’m trying to address a persistent problem with eggplant that I believe is soil-borne, so I’m starting with new soil and hoping for maximal production. Stay tuned on the progress!

(Christy Wilhelmi) has absolutely nailed the marketing for her new book Bolting to Seed, a garden murder mystery, with these delightful seed packets. The fact that it’s Scarlet kale inside suggests a certain bloodiness appropriate to the book. I can’t wait to discuss it with her and (Enoch Graham) next Sunday the 21st as part of our monthly garden book group, held the third Sunday of each month. While we normally feature how-to garden nonfiction, it’s fun to venture into other sides of the garden world. We had Christy on the show a couple years ago with her first garden novel Garden Variety, and amidst love and local politics, that book managed to pack in a lot of gardening tips, so I’m expecting more of the same from this one. Hope to see you there! Link in bio.