gardening
Sustainable Saturdays in University City
Monday, July 11, 2011
Foraging! Wine and Cheese! Local Honey! Farmers’ Market! Seed Bombs! Get in this great series of events this coming Saturday! Farm to Table in West Philadelphia.
PHS and Philly Homegrown Pop-Up Garden
In partnership with Philly Homegrown, PHS created a beautiful pop-up garden in the formerly empty lot at 20th and Market. Just look at all the beauty next to those boring skyscrapers! You’re welcome to pop-in on Wednesdays and Thursdays and spend some time in the garden. The garden will stay up until October, then come down for the winter and pop-up in a new location next Spring! I stopped by for a short workshop on vegetable growing. These Wednesday workshops are free and easy to squeeze in over your lunch hour:
• August 4: Gardening Odds and Ends — Fabulous Containers
• September 1: Edible Landscapes — Growing Beautiful Food
• September 22: Edible Landscape — Planting and Harvesting
And, if you’re feeling like a special lunch afterwards, you can visit one of six local hot spots – R2L, Square 1682, Table 31, Sampan, Barbuzzo, and Paradiso —who have agreed to use ingredients from the pop-up garden in special dishes whose proceeds benefit City Harvest, PHS’s program that provides fresh produce for underserved Philadelphia residents.
Posted by Erin on 07/11 at 07:57 PM
Time to Harvest: Garlic!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
If you forgot that garlic was due on Summer Solstice (like I did) it’s time to run out to your garden and pull-up your garlic! Some of my bulbs this year were huge, and they smell great. I braided them and hung them in my kitchen for immediate use, but if you’d like to keep yours for decoration (which means that you must have A LOT to part with any of it!) you can hang the stalks, bulbs attached, in a dark room for 6 weeks to “cure.”
Posted by Erin on 06/29 at 03:41 PM
Time to Harvest: Lettuces!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Have you already harvested your first lettuce of the season? I have cut some mixed red and green lettuce, but just take a look at this beautiful head of red butter lettuce I enjoyed last weekend. A boiled egg, some sea salt, a touch of olive oil, vinegar and dijon mustard - it was perfect! Remember that one you start cutting your lettuce to keep planting every week or so, and you’ll have a steady supply through the Spring.
Posted by Erin on 05/23 at 03:53 PM
Easy and Cheap Pallet Garden for small spaces
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
I LOVE this DIY tutorial from Fern at Life on the Balcony. With just a simple wooden pallet (available free, on the side-of-the-road, almost anywhere in Philadelphia), a staple gun, some landscape fabric, potting soil and plants you can make and incredibly cute hanging garden for your balcony, front porch, back “yard” or any little urban spot. I’m going to try this soon, and I’d love to see your versions!
Follow the directions HERE.
Erin
Time to Plant: Lettuces
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
You can plant lettuces as soon as the ground thaws, and up to 8 weeks before the last frost date. That means now! Hurray! I planted my first lettuces tonight - yugoslavian red butter lettuce, red romaine, green butter, and red and green romaine. You can sow seeds directly into the ground, 1/4 inch deep, seeds spaced about one inch apart, and rows 10 - 12 inches apart. Pat down the dirt over your seeds, water and fertilize, and get excited about an early spring crop!
Posted by Erin on 03/01 at 07:14 PM
Buying Heirloom Seeds
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Why is it important to buy heirloom seeds? Heirlooms help protect genetic diversity in crops. The more diverse varieties that you plant, the less likely they will all be wiped out by a single blight or bug or disaster, like the great potato famine. As grocery stores and corporate farming have slowly narrowed down the public’s concept of any particular plant, we’ve lost history, flavor and beauty. Heirloom varieties are often beautiful and seem unique - think purple varigated carrots - and may be more resistant to your local pests. I ordered seeds this year from D. Landreth, the oldest seed company in the United States, located right here in Pennsylvania. I’m so excited for my breakfast radishes, chiogga beets, garlic chives, fairytale eggplant, giant california scarlet king zinnias, and and mexican sour ghercins, among others. Many seed companies, D. Landreth included, let you purchase individual seed packets or collects - like their neat patio plant collection of miniature vegetables that grow well in containers.
Get a group of friends together, place a big order, and get excited for your seeds to arrive!
Start Your Own Community Garden!
Monday, January 17, 2011
I can personally attest to the awesome-ness of this course - after I took the winter and spring sessions I started not one, but two community gardens in West Philly!
Garden Tenders: Create a Neighborhood Garden
These self-help courses are designed for individuals and groups who want to improve their neighborhoods by turning vacant lots and other spaces into both community and individual gardens. Garden Tenders participants learn how to get gardens started, and how to keep things going once the garden is in the ground.
2011 COURSES
Winter: Saturday, January 29, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: Fee $10 Preregistration deadline: Jan 21.
Spring: Wednesdays, March 23, 30, April 6, 20, and 27, May 4 and 11, 5:30-8:30 p.m. &
Saturday, April 16, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: Fee $25 Preregistration deadline: March 18.
These trainings are held at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 100 N. 20th Street, 5th Floor.
To register and pay online, go to https://www.pennhort.net/gardentenders
Act 48 credits are available.
For more information, contact Sally McCabe at 215-988-8846 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Posted by Erica on 01/17 at 02:34 PM
Seed Starting Workshop
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Every year I faithfully start my home garden plants from seeds, and invariably, most of them die. I just don’t seem to be good at it. Maybe I need a workshop! Not only does starting plants from seeds save money, it allows you to save your favorite varieties and grown them year after year.
Alexis Kidd a Philadelphia Master Gardener will present the different seed starting methods, resources to get you started, and how to build a light stand. All for just $10!
Fairmount Park Horticultural Center
N. Horticultural and Montgomery Drive, Phila., Pa. 19130
Registration 9AM $10.00 admission fee
To pre-register call 215-471-2200 Ext 100
For more information go to: http://philadelphia.extension.psu.edu
Short, inspirational documentary about Mill Creek Farm
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Check out this great, two-part short documentary about Mill Creek Farm in West Philadelphia. Jo and Jade have been going at it for years and have built a real community resource, supplying education, organic local food, and a safe community space. Learn more about how to get involved on their website.
To help ensure that Mill Creek can continue its work, help it become part of a landtrust. Let Councilwoman Blackwell know that this land shouldn’t be on the auction block for future developement”
Please take a minute to send a message to Councilwoman Blackwell.
To submit your comments online, use this form:
http://www.phila.gov/citycouncil/blackwell/feedback.html
To learn more about the land trust issue and how Mill Creek Farm is threatened, go HERE.
Get to Farming!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Great news Urban Farmers! The Pennsylvania Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act allows concerned citizens and neighbors to claim abandoned lots and “refurbish” them - which means you that you can turn that trash lot next door into a garden. Recently, the Urban Tree Connection in Haddington section of West Philadelphia tested the law and won, striking a victory for neighborhoods dealing with blighted property. You can read more about the recent case in this Philadelphia Inquirer article. Now, get to planting!
Time to plant the garlic!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Here in the East Coast, its not too late to plant your garlic for spring - in face, it’s just the right time! And planting couldn’t be easier. Just choose a healthy bulb of organic garlic and break it into cloves.
Dig a hole in healthy dirt about an inch and a half deep. Plant the clove of garlic, tip up, and cover well with dirt. Tamp down the soil and water. Make sure that your garlic gets at least an inch of water a week until the ground covers with snow. Now, just wait until those beautiful garlic scapes pop up in the spring and enjoy!
Posted by Erin on 11/15 at 09:51 PM
John and Kira’s launches seasonal chocolates
Friday, October 22, 2010
For the last few years, local sweets darlings, John and Kira (Baker-)Doyle, have been producing artisinal quality chocolates from their kitchen in the Northeast using Philadelphia ingredients ( I love the garden mint from Drew Elementary and UCity High School). Now they’ve sweetened the deal by adding seasonal specialties. This fall’s line features spiced pumpkins filled with pumpkin pie caramel and spices, chocolate cherries and rosemary bergamont and mint “urban garden” chocolate bars. you can find John and Kira’s at local farmers markets, the Reading Terminal Market’s Fair Food Farmstand, or order direct from their site at http://www.johnandkiras.com.
Posted by Erin on 10/22 at 11:47 AM
Winter Herbs and Wreaths
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Check out these workshops at Urban Jungle (1526 E. Passyunk Ave.) to wrap up your gardening season, and stay tuned for more coming up next spring!
November 4th, 6pm - Herb Gardens - REGISTER
Enhance your home-cooking experience by growing fresh herbs on your windowsill this winter! Smell and taste a range of fresh herbs, learn about new varieties of herbs, and taste home-made herbal tea and snacks. Cost includes instruction, herb seeds, recipes, wine, and snacks. $20 per person.
November 18th, 6pm - Winter Wreaths - REGISTER
Celebrate the changing of the seasons with Doris Stahl, Penn State Philadelphia Urban Horticulture Educator, who has been making wreaths and other crafts from her gardens for many years. The wreaths will be made with natural materials, if you have something special to include or a preferred ribbon please bring it to personalize your wreath. Cost includes instruction, material, wine, and snacks. $35 per person.
Calling All Teachers!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Green City Teachers training starts soon - sign up to learn how to integrate horticulture and environmental education into your classroom, and to get up to 16 Act 48 credits!
What: Green City Teachers Basic Training
When: Thursdays, October 21 & 28, November 4 & 11. 5:30 - 8:30 pm and Saturday, October 23. 10 am - 2 pm (bus tour)
Where: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 100 N. 20th St. 5th Fl., Philadelphia, PA 19103
Why: This five-session course will encourage Philadelphia educators to integrate horticulture and environmental education into their classrooms as they participate in a forum for sharing ideas. Topics include Basic Horticulture, Food Gardening, Trees, Indoor Gardening, and Habitat Gardens.
How much: Pre-Registration Fee: $20.00 . Walk-in Registration:$25. To register online, visit http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/green-teacherPage2.html. Online registration fee includes an additional $2.09 handling charge.
For more information: http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/green-teacher.html.
And stay tuned for the summer session where you will learn to build a school garden!
