Author Archives: Chrystal

The Man is on call + too windy to kayak + warm and overcast = perfect day to garden. I put on some lipstick (“Maple” by Laura Mercier), my oldest yoga pants, diamond earrings, an old MEC fleece jacket and … Continue reading →

Finally got out in the yard after many days spent staring out the window. The arborist came and removed the dead plum, the dead maple, pruned the apple tree and removed the big round bush that was in the way. … Continue reading →

Earlier this week Dr. Mooks came over with her collection of seeds and we planned our gardens, based on our success and failures from last year. There were several things that were phenomenally successful for her, such as “sweet slice” … Continue reading →

Last night there was a  hail/snow storm and so the entire garden is covered with a layer of icy pellets. This morning I was BBMing (blackberry messaging) with a friend in Ontario who asked me “how do you garden in … Continue reading →

There are certain things that don’t belong in the garden compost including branches, hedge trimmings, anything coniferous and weeds. Okay, so weeds usually do end up in the back yard compost. At this time of year we have such huge … Continue reading →

Earlier this year, my friend sent me a link to a blog post about “tres hermanas” or three sisters – a traditional companion planting method for corn, beans and squash.  The concept is that the corn and squash are nourished … Continue reading →

Today I went through my seeds and picked out all of those that are suitable for winter planting: I have just one empty bed right now so I uncovered and watered it. The soil had completely dried out, so when … Continue reading →

Despite being warm and sunny, fall has crept in. Overall, it has been a great year in the garden, despite the fact that a lot of things got dried out and died as a result.  Three trees – all floral … Continue reading →

The garden has really reached it’s peak – we’ve been harvesting kale, chard, lettuce, beans, potatoes and garlic. I am starting to make a list of what worked great this year and what didn’t (onions, carrots, parsnips, cucumbers). And I … Continue reading →