tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90327052862876125632024-03-20T11:12:22.080-04:00Lessons from the GardenJen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-45872012028957136572014-02-13T12:01:00.002-05:002014-02-13T12:01:40.109-05:00Pre-snowstorm Preparations with a Solar FlowerIt would be redundent to add to the many snow photos and videos being circulated about this crazy winter we are having in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Even now, it is coming down hard and the snow drifts make it hard to know if we have 10" of snow or 2 feet! It depends where you measure. Knowing this snow was coming, along with the rest of the world, I took a few precautions. Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-9244765807366062082013-10-23T16:12:00.000-04:002013-10-23T16:12:37.009-04:00Signs of Autumn in the Garden[I'm temporarily back from my hiatus. After a very rainy season, with not much to do but harvest in between rainfalls, and beginning cyber school at home with my oldest son, I'm back for a quick garden update.]
Fall is all around us. We see it in the beauty of the leaves changing colors and, the long shadows of the sun and the tremendous sunsets we've been blessed with recently.Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-15471704010088964762013-08-26T13:20:00.001-04:002013-08-26T13:29:15.690-04:00When Your Garden Smiles Back at You! (Harvest time for Jack-be-Littles)
One of 13 adorable pumpkins!
One of my favorite Philadelphia Mummer's Songs to hear on New Year's Day is "When You're Smilin'". It not only reminds me of my PopPop, but also makes it impossible not to smile! So as I put my kids on the bus today for the first day of school, I couldn't help but smile. This same day that is a day of sitting at desks for them, is freedom forJen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-60960689522037830332013-08-16T13:42:00.003-04:002013-08-16T13:42:24.520-04:00Pico de Gallo Overwhelmed by Cilantro and Stink Bugs
It looks innocent now, but wait till you smell it!
With the overabundance of tomatoes, I decided to get creative and experiment with some recipes. I'm a huge fan of eating a tomato sliced with salt. I love them. I grew up with the deliciousness of the "Jersey Tomato" just over the border. So when my garden gave me plenty, and some even tasting Jersey-ish, we have Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-75282778923352764042013-08-12T19:00:00.003-04:002013-08-12T19:00:53.043-04:00Garden Update: A day in the garden in photosIf you live in the Northeast, you'll agree this was a crazy summer of high heat and lots of rain! If it wasn't a heat wave, it was raining. Sometimes, we had both! Apparently, this was great for my garden and the daily harvest is still so much that I have to share. In fact, sometimes I think my neighbors are tired of me begging them to help me eat all the tomatoes. Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-67556636673444247642013-07-26T13:29:00.002-04:002013-07-26T13:29:57.933-04:00Tomato and Cucumber Update
One day's harvest!
My favorite salad ingredients are the tomatoes and cucumbers. So when I saw my plants growing like weeds this summer, I got excited. And now, earlier than ever in my garden, the tomatoes are ripening. They're ripening really fast!
Just this morning I gave away almost 10 tomatoes just from yesterday. So I was suprised when I went out and neededJen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-69360874646919996932013-07-17T13:39:00.004-04:002013-07-17T13:39:40.462-04:00Jack-be-Littles in Little Spaces
Morning in my tiny pumpkin patch next to the dahlias
When the free packet of seeds arrives in the mail, and they always do, I have a hard time throwing them out. Where these seeds come from is far and wide. They might arrive from a garden society, or come free with a mail flyer. The best arrival was after I carefully picked my heirloom seeds from a catalog, Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-82709204639649749562013-07-08T10:38:00.001-04:002013-07-08T10:38:16.333-04:00How to Support the Monster Tomatoes
Huge tomatoes and it's only July 7th!
My tomato plants are gigantic! I mean huge. Bigger than I've ever grown. Maybe some of you out there grow them this big every year and my photo is nothing new. However, in my neck of the woods, I'd be lucky to have them this tall by the end of the season, NOT beginning of July. How tall are they? Well, look atJen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-85987773439161606392013-06-24T14:59:00.000-04:002013-06-24T14:59:07.577-04:00Purple Beauties!
Ready to harvest!
My red onions are harvested and they look delicious! Feeling so proud of these purple beauties right before harvest, I had done a quick Google search to see if there was anything I needed to do other than pull these babies out of the ground. To my surprise, they grew so well, because onions are simply easy to grow! I had great success with my shallots last year soJen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-66089558907686537992013-05-29T11:02:00.002-04:002013-05-29T11:02:52.511-04:00Happy Birthday to Me with Gardening Shoes!
Gardening shoes from Gardeners Supply
My husband is a runner. He has been for years, except for a time when he became a triathlete for a few years and is now branching off this year into mud runs. However, at his core he's a runner. That means all gift-giving tends to be focused around running. There's shoes, and apparel, and water bottles and all sorts of accessories Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-47345560828210302382013-05-20T13:32:00.000-04:002013-05-20T13:32:08.316-04:00Spring Gardening (slow start but finally here)This Spring, the cold seemed to just drag on and on in the Northeast. It was a very slow start to the gardening with seeds taking longer to sprout and plants taking longer to grow. And although I'd be harvesting more by now, I'm just thrilled that the garden looks so robust. And thanks to the covering of tarps, everything survived the Mother's Day frost. So here's Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-59856812974367806992013-05-15T13:01:00.000-04:002013-05-15T13:01:37.756-04:00Lettuce Time! Harvesting Loose Leaf Lettuce
Lettuce ready to harvest (notice most of the radishes to the left are already eaten)
The general cry these days is "Buy Local". I'm all for supporting the local farmer. And this year my town started its very own Farmer's Market. Yay! It was a packed day at the opening of the Downingtown Farmer's Market. Many farmers sold out within the first two hours (the market Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-80418064734017704102013-04-15T13:32:00.001-04:002013-04-15T13:35:21.425-04:00Build Your Own Raised Bed for Small Spaces (DIY)
After two years of gardening in my original raised bed, I decided it was time to expand. Afterall, I had already expanded in the virtual world (thanks Tap Ranch!) so it was time to get to work at home too. However, I also need to share the backyard for the occasional activities of my kids. So we opted to build a smaller 4x4 raised bed. Here are the plans so you can Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-82304795071512187722013-04-12T15:34:00.003-04:002013-04-15T07:06:21.771-04:00Crazy Weather: When to Plant Tomatoes
Source
In early April, it appeared that winter was doing it's best to hang on here in Pennsylvania. Then suddenly, we were hitting 87 degrees this week! And just like that, today, the cold temps have blown back in for the weekend. It's always difficult to know when to plant tomatoes and the other summer crops, but this crazy weather has left many scratching their heads.&Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-53673415959799757152013-03-25T09:38:00.000-04:002013-03-25T09:38:51.283-04:00DIY Plant Grow Light Stand
The time had come for me to take my gardening to the next level. I had spent two years drooling over the online grow light stands and shelves (up to $500!!), and it was time for us to make our own. Notice the "us" which includes my handy husband. I found some online plans, and my husband agreed to make it happen. First thing I noticed, is that all the Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-79085150754487587382013-03-17T08:41:00.001-04:002013-03-17T08:41:15.114-04:00Starting Seeds indoors (The Grumpy Gardener)
source
I'm grumpy. My family knows it. And I suspect many other gardeners in the Northeast are grumpy this weekend too. We've set the clocks forward, the seeds are purchased, the crocuses are in bloom, but instead of getting to work in the garden, it's snowing. Yup, my annual St. Patty's Day planting will have to wait. It snowed yesterday, it's cold today, and Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-6323833479305202762013-02-09T11:42:00.000-05:002013-02-09T11:42:11.012-05:00I'm Dreaming of a Green Garden!
"Dream Garden" by Maxfield Parrish
You know you have the gardening itch when you start making up songs about your garden in the shower! The blizzard hit New England last night and mostly missed us. Still, the near miss of being buried in snow got me really longing for the days of gardening. My broccoli are still in the garden and hopefully wintering over for Spring. Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-78351249349951583162012-12-20T00:25:00.002-05:002012-12-20T00:25:24.132-05:00Pointsettia: The Christmas Star
The pointsettia is probably the most recognizable Christmas flower around. It comes in reds, pinks, and whites. I remember as a kid having that flower in our home. In my first apartment, my landlord left one on my doorstep with "Merry Christmas" attached to it. As a single female, starting out in a new city, that small gesture from my landlord brought Christmas cheer&Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-56245724673447261442012-12-03T14:38:00.000-05:002012-12-03T14:38:26.740-05:00Winter Break
The garden is winding down and the holidays are fast approaching. I've noticed that the Lessons from the Garden are not as frequent as during the growing season. I hope to check back in from time to time since a garden is never finished. However, as the days get colder, I find myself indoors more working on my other hobbies. For a glimpse into those projects, wander over Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-53287253361264011962012-11-25T00:34:00.001-05:002012-11-25T00:34:34.767-05:00Lessons from Squanto: Gardening with fish
From This is America, Charlie Brown, The Mayflower Voyagers
This past Thanksgiving, my family watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving show, This is America, Charlie Brown, The Mayflower Voyagers. I was very familiar with the other Charlie Brown Thanksgiving show where Snoopy serves up toast and jelly beans after fighting with the lounge chair. It's still funny! However, this Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-42223851562939076532012-10-19T09:21:00.001-04:002012-10-19T09:21:54.926-04:00Growing Roses: Pleasant Outcome in Pennsylvania!
When my husband and I were first married, we rented a 1940s house with two beautiful rose bushes growing on the side of the house. They were the red long-stemmed kind that any woman would kill to have at her disposal any time she felt like a rose! Although I didn't know anything about roses at the time, I was happy to cut the flowers and bring them in to vases. Unlike the Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-56744208067208456962012-10-11T22:15:00.001-04:002012-10-11T22:19:04.458-04:00Frost Watch/Warning: tips for the garden
Frost Watch/Warning! It strikes fear in the heart of gardeners with young plants in the Spring, or those trying to extend their growing season in the Fall. Those are the words now popping up on our forcast for Friday night into Saturday. My initial reaction was the usual "oh no!" until I realized that my garden is now filled with cold weather crops. They'll enjoy this Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-41473688660478371172012-10-04T14:37:00.000-04:002012-10-04T14:37:05.966-04:00Accepting Fall
I love autumn, it's a beautiful time of year. It's the season of my wedding annivesary. It's the time when my firstborn was born! The only downfall, is that it means leaving behind summer, which I love so much more. So in my garden, I try to keep those summer crops going as long as possible. Today, with acceptance, I went out and pulled the tomatoes. NormallyJen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-69260313688613284802012-09-19T10:35:00.000-04:002012-09-19T10:35:12.291-04:00Sweet Potato finale
That's it? Only 12 potatoes for 5 plants?!
I wish every blog could be words of wisdom or some great reveal of a harvest. However, sometimes the lessons from the garden are the kind that make you learn and move on. In this case, I learned that for our family, growing sweet potatoes were not worth the effort. When considering the amount of garden space they consumed,Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9032705286287612563.post-43950139739877690262012-09-14T13:44:00.002-04:002012-09-14T13:44:33.884-04:00Planting Fall VegetablesDon't hang up those gardening tools just yet! There's a whole other season of planting just beginning. If you're a summer gardener only, try your hand at the cold weather vegetables. Much like the Spring veggies I planted around St. Patty's Day, the Fall ones also thrive in the cold temperatures and aren't scared away by frost. They prefer cooler temps! So clear out Jen Stewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16724053288958173401noreply@blogger.com4