The Green Wars (with audio)
Raising five kids, my father never had much green stuff in his wallet, but he had a green thumb on his hand and “went green” in the 50’s—long before it …
the compost
A Habanada Pepper Gone Wrong
Some of my favorite stories from GreenPrints are between two partners in the garden, and some grand argument. Why is that? I'm not sure, but it always starts with one …
When Can I Plant Snow Peas?
Those first vegetables of early Spring are like an oasis in the desert. Sunshine on a cloudy day. A smile when you're feeling down. I think that's why so many …
10 Ways to Make Summer Vegetable Garden Maintenance Tasks Easier
Almost any gardener can tell you that the beauty and joy of a garden are proportional to the amount of work that goes into it. That gorgeous garden with deep …
Fruit Hoarder
I am out for a walk in early June in Seattle when Anna, our neighbor on the corner, alerts me about her pears: “There’re going to be a lot of …
Atlas, the Kingsnake, and Contemporary Landscaping
I didn't start out to re-landscape the yard. I was just frustrated by our slow—and expensive—curbside trash pick-up. But then came drought, and global warming, and the extinction crisis, to …
5 Winter Mulching Tips for Cold Zone Perennial Crops
There's not a lot going on in the garden in the middle of winter. Most of the plants are gone; the carrots have all been pulled up and stored; the …
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Seeds Outdoors
One would assume that starting seeds outdoors is as simple as putting them in the ground, throwing a bit of dirt on top, and leaving the rest to nature. I …
5 Benefits of Fermenting Compost for Your Garden
Compost, that black gold of the garden, has a very intriguing inner life. Bacteria, fungi, microorganisms, chemical reactions, and fascinating transformations are all present in the midst of our compost …
How to Make Natural Compost from Everyday Food Waste
Did you know that, according to the EPA, the United States produces more than 42 million tons of food waste every year? That's 210 cruise ships filled top to bottom, …
