Overview Description Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis), also known as Napa cabbage or wong bok, is a cool-season biennial grown as an annual for its tender, mildly sweet leaves. It is a member of the Brassicaceae (mustard) family and is prized for its crisp […]
Chinese Cabbage – Growing Guide Read More »
So we’ve been in drought all summer and our well just ran dry. However we have a full ICB tote full of algae and nastiness that could be used to get us through until the fall rains or just poured into our well. Any advice on how to shock or filter a tote to get it potable?
submitted by /u/Erinaceous
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Any advice on how to make a ICB tote with rainwater drinkable? Read More »
started a lil food forest here in northern Illinois, Zone 5/6A. first season has been fun! Totally new to this so looking for advice… we’ve got a couple of semi-dwarf cherry trees, a hardy kiwi vine, some herbs (basil, rosemary, stevia, mint, sage, chives) veggies/fruits (strawberries, cucumbers, hot peppers), flowers (cone flowers, marigolds, bee balm, yarrow), shrubs (elderberry, viburnum) and a lot of clover/nasturtium to set up following seasons. As the season changes, what should I be doing? What are some must-do things in the fall to prepare for next season… A few things on my list so far: (1) chop and drop the clover and other annuals (2) get the compost pile cookin’ (3) add a layer of mulch, esp around the trees and scrubs. thoughts? advice?
submitted by /u/Oppo_Region
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newbie looking for some advice going into the fall Read More »
Seeking permaculture lover(s) with experience for our forming community in zone 8b in/around Mendocino County, CA (2-3 hrs north of San Francisco and 1-2 hr east of the Pacific Ocean). Info about the community: https://www.ic.org/directory/forming-eco-village-commune-and-grief-oasis/
We’re in the process of buying an off-grid property with an existing 0.5-1 acre fenced garden including raised beds, hoop houses, ~150 sqft greenhouse, ~300 sqft indoor/outdoor workshop. The land has spring and well water, multiple year-round ponds, and the garden has 6000 gal of tank storage. There is an existing chicken coop waiting to be populated. There are a few assorted young/mature fruit trees. We’re looking for someone with an ambitious, but practical minimal-cost, vision who can guide our community effort in food cultivation. Ideally, this community member is willing to share their knowledge and teach all who are interested in helping and learning. Before permanent membership in the community, you’ll join on a rental/work-exchange basis to ensure we’re a good fit for each other. You’ll have a private bedroom and access to all communal spaces. If finances are a limiting factor, we won’t ask you to pay rent or utilities. We anticipate some shared community income that can cover staple consumables (basic foods, etc.). You’re welcome to perform outside work off-property if you want to supplement. We plan to offer vehicle share to any capable and legally insurable drivers living with us, but we only have 1 vehicle at this time (a camper van). We also plan to have various analog and e-cargo bikes for basic mobility needs.
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Today we’re visiting my friend Michelle’s garden near Carkeek Park in NW Seattle. Michelle’s and (currently inactive) blog both go by the name of Sound Gardener, hence the title of the post. This is the view that greeted me as I came through the front gate…
Further in I turned back to admire the tree fern, Dicksonia antarctica (one of a pair), Michelle planted last fall (serious plant envy)…
The gate I used is in the shady area in the upper right of this photo, these plantings are in the SE corner of the garden.
It was so nice to see a loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) of this size in Seattle. I feel like it’s an extremely under planted tree up there (except for in my friend Scott’s garden).
Near the gate was this sad Trachycarpus (I forgot to ask, but I’m assuming winter damage) whose trunk was being used for staghorn mounting.
Looking to the west, a planted up area in the L made by the house and the garage.
Michelle is a first rate plant collector, which made this pared back planting of Aspidistra elatior and Muehlenbeckia complexa ‘Big Leaf’ even more special. I mean it’s obviously a perfect combination with the dark charcoal of the house and built-in planter, but what restraint!
Blechnum gibbum ‘Silver Lady’ (I think).
Oh the Pyrrosia!
Working our way along the front of the house, dreamy Brassaiopsis dumicola.
Who needs flowers with a foliage mix like this? That’s Lysimachia paridiformis var. stenophylla in the upper left, and the powdery blue foliage belongs to a Vireya.
This feels very familiar, plants hanging from branches… there’s nothing better!
I meant to ask about the mossy pots, they’re super cool… especially planted up with my favorite pyrrosia.
More sexy aspidistra against that dark house color, and Fatsia polycarpa ‘Needham’s Lace’ (or maybe ‘Green Fingers’?).
Turning back towards the fence; canna, and banana, and palms…
I know Trachycarpus princeps is the holy grail for PNW palm lovers, but I never really got it until looking at this plant. Yep, it’s special.
Another canna, and banana, and palm shot, but looking to the left and a different section of the garden.
Love that finely cut Schefflera delavayi (Heptapleurum delavayi) foliage.
I think Michelle identified that toothy eryngium, but I cannot remember. Maybe it’s E. agavifolium?
I fully intended to tromp over closer to get a better look at the variegated Aralia elata but I forgot. At least I got a photo…
There’s the second tall tree fern, over near the house.
So beautiful…
I gasped when I saw this Saxifrage, anyone know what it is?
Fun combo of volunteer fern and Sarracenia.
Nolina hibernica ‘La Siberica’ and Grevillea victoriae, in the foreground.
Another Eryngium on the left there, maybe E. eburneum? E. paniculatum?
These tree ferns along the north side of the house have been in place longer than the two tall ones we saw earlier, obviously Michelle knows a thing or two about overwintering them successfully.
I really need to get with it and put a couple in the ground.
We’re in the back garden now and checking out the xeric plantings along the back of the house. I think this was called out as Cheilanthes lanosa.
Agave montana? It’s a super spiky hottie whatever it is.
There was also a good looking Agave ovatifolia…
And a Yucca aloifolia, maybe ‘Magenta Magic’.
It’s not often you see a Banksia serrata (I believe) in a PNW garden. If I remember correctly Michelle picked it up for free at the Washington Park Arboretum greenhouse, fingers crossed it performs long term.
Butia capitata, I think? I am palm stupid so…
Damn! Echium pininana…
There’s the Echium pininana again from the other side..
It seems everyone’s got a Wollemia nobilis these days except me!
One last back garden pic, yes that’s a variegated Daphniphyllum…
And a quick snap as we walk back through the front garden. I’ve known Michelle for 6-ish years now… it was wonderful to finally get to visit her garden!
Sound Gardener’s garden… Read More »
Plantlife charity enlisted help of 850 volunteers to look for waxcaps in places such as private gardens
Graveyards, sheep farms and garden lawns are among the hundreds of new sites for rare pink and purple fungi discovered by citizen scientists.
The charity Plantlife has enlisted 850 volunteers to look for waxcaps in their local areas, so scientists can get data from places such as private gardens to which they have not previously had access.
Fungi finds: UK citizen scientists make rare pink and purple discoveries Read More »
