Hot! Hot! Hot!
November 6, 2017
Last week, three of us poured our energy into designing a proper thermal compost pile. Today was the critical third day after the initial turning of the pile. Did the center stay above 131 degrees F? Drum roll. Both thermometers…
A Nod For Natives
October 16, 2017
These days I hang out with volunteers of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS). I don't tend to say much. I know my place (right field).
These are pleasant knowledgeable folks and I am learning a lot. One member coaxed…
New Watering System Is On Tap
October 1, 2017
It's fascinating how one mulberry or one thornless blackberry can sustain me while I work in the orchard. Just that brief sweet juicy explosion can satisfy, nourish and make me smile. These two fruits are new to the orchard…
Working With Weather When Watering
August 28, 2017
It's dry this summer. It seems like we are either watering, or obsessing about whether we are watering too much or too little.
Nobody wants to over water fruit trees. Why waste water. Excess water creates more tree growth,…
The Case of the Knife in the Watermelon
August 6, 2017
Well, no. Actually, the case of the missing spaghetti squash.
Laura and Mitch, new gardeners in the orchard, plopped in some squash starts Memorial Day weekend and by the end of July their garden bed was busting with yellow…
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
July 22, 2017
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Dog days of summer are here. Tomatoes are ripening, zucchinis are looking like footballs and aphids are blanketing the vegetables and flowers. With no rain to help wash the pests off, what’s…
Determined about Indeterminate
June 28, 2017
I put down my scythe and walked over to Sue's tomato area, hoping for a quick lesson. She moves as quickly as she speaks so I had to dart around to keep close enough to hear her.
She slowed a minute in order to carefully…
Pity the Poor Path
June 5, 2017
Our gravel path is full of unwanted vegetation. Now is the perfect time to weed since the ground is still nice and moist. Bring a friend for a weeding date! Renew yourself with contemplative work in the sun.
Any friend of…
It’s May! The Busiest Month at the Orchard
May 24, 2017
Don't blink. You might miss something. Everything is growing and gardens are glowing. Welcome new gardeners Mitch, Michael and Stuart.
Michael and Stuart got an early start by protecting some plants with saran wrap.
Sue…