Category Archives: Food Forest

Signs of Spring, Golden Currants and a DIY Greenhouse

Posted on March 9, 2013 by

Spent the whole day in the garden, puttering, pruning, and propagating. The rhubarb is waking up, another sign that spring is here, and the Nanking cherries I planted last year are blooming – pictured below is the one planted in … Continue reading →

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Constantinople Quince!

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

I traveled to the Sierra Seed Cooperative’s seed exchange to pick up the Constantinople Quince I bought from the Felix Gillet Institute.  It’s a nice tree – well rooted, lively and healthy.  I put it in the ground in the … Continue reading →

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Blue Honeysuckle and Red Currants

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

Good news – the Lonicera caerulea cuttings I acquired last spring are showing signs of life, and I think that both (zarnitsa and blue velvet) will be ready for planting out in the food forest in the spring. In other … Continue reading →

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Felix Gillet – Plant Superhero

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

I recently became aware of Felix Gillet, a pioneer nurseryman and all-around fruit and nut tree superhero who did much of his work in Nevada City, not far from my neck of the woods. Felix Gillet (born March 25, 1835, … Continue reading →

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A Seed Library, Andean Vegetables, and How To Fold a Seed Bindle

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

At Bootjack Garden, a fantastic blog about a garden not so far from my own (~146 miles south and east, near Yosemite), Katie recently posted about the idea of seed libraries, and I was immediately inspired to see about getting … Continue reading →

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Almonds and Guavas and Figs

Posted on January 21, 2013 by

It’s been quiet out in the garden and the food forest.  In the words of Ben Lee, a lot goes on but nothing happens.  This winter has been an unusual one, with weeks and weeks of clear, bitterly cold days … Continue reading →

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Pruning and Propagating and Hoping…

Posted on December 8, 2012 by

Last year was a good year for grape propagation, and so I spent the day pruning the grapes, which have gone dormant, and potting up cuttings thus: I’ve been gang potting cuttings lately, as it saves time and materials, and … Continue reading →

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Mathematical Onions

Posted on October 28, 2012 by

The multiplier onions I mentioned here arrived last week, and I planted them today. Also known as potato onions, multiplier onions are a variety of Allium cepa in the aggregatum group. Similar to shallots, but rather larger, each plant produces … Continue reading →

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Putting the Annual Garden to Bed

Posted on October 23, 2012 by

The weather is changing quickly here, with relatively heavy, early rains yesterday and today.  Spent the weekend harvesting the last of the summer crops, putting the garden to bed, and planting the last of the fall/winter vegetables.  Pulled the soaker … Continue reading →

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Patience and Pomegranates

Posted on August 26, 2012 by

This year is the year- after about 5 seasons in the ground, the pomegranate held onto perhaps a third of its flowers, and is in the process of ripening seven or so decent-sized pomegranates! It’s great when perennials finally start … Continue reading →

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