Category Archives: Pets & Pests In The Garden

The Magic Of Mushrooms

Posted on December 16, 2019 by Ann Lovejoy
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  Mycological Exploring These days, almost everyone I know is talking about Fantastic Fungi, a film celebrating the role fungi play in all life on earth. Much of the film focuses on the lifework of Paul Stamets, founder of Fungi … Continue reading →

Posted in mushroom hunting, Pets & Pests In The Garden, Recipes, Sustainable Living | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Filling A Tiny Garden

Posted on April 22, 2019 by Ann Lovejoy
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Though the old wood fence is sagging and rotting, I love the weathered look. Indeed, I’m considering lifting the panels off the ground and hanging them in sturdy frames like artwork, so they help screen our space from the neighbors but aren’t rotting from soil contact. One section is already gone; when I was discussing ideas with my clever house contractor (the uncle of my long-time garden guy), my neighbor popped her head over the fence and said her elderly mother loved to grow tomatoes but this section of fence blocked her light. In response, Jorge simply lifted the 8-foot panel away. Poof! We’ll replace that section with stockade wire and build out a bed to hold my three-way espalier apple tree, which I’ll train on the wire. Continue reading →

Posted in Annual Color, Drainage, Garden Design, Health & Wellbeing, Pets & Pests In The Garden, Pollinators, Soil, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living, Tomatoes | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Tax On Plants

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Ann Lovejoy
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Manipulating Deer Today is tax day and the local deer seem to have figured that out. The deer tax is paid in foliage and flowers, sometimes fruit, but as with all taxes, it would be easier to bear if we … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden Design, Health & Wellbeing, Pets & Pests In The Garden, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Simple Garden Syrups

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Ann Lovejoy
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Simple syrups are just that; extremely simple mixtures of cane sugar and water, boiled for a few minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. Before electricity and freezers were common, most fruits were canned in simple syrups, which helped preserve their quality and flavor. Simple syrups can be flavored with all sorts of things, from vanilla beans and peppercorns to toasted fennel or coriander seeds. In summer, it’s delightful to capture the fleeting scents and tastes of herbs, flowers, and even fruit in such syrups. The primary rule here is to use only organically grown fruit, flowers, and foliage, as pesticide residues are definitely not edible.
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Posted in Easy Care Perennials, Pets & Pests In The Garden, preserving food, Recipes, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living, Vegan Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments