dusty rose gardens

 Just like life, sometimes all we need to grow is a little space. Same concept when planting or sowing seeds. In line with my mission to decommission gardening gatekeepers and demystify vegetable growing knowledge, I will keep things simple and intentionally plain (even dull at times).  Keep in mind, that there will be so-called "experts" (some which are valid and others which are not) that will label my approach as grossly oversimplified. That's the point. I believe that it is better to add on to the basic principles presented below, rather than flood you with volumes of data and expect you (the beginning gardener) to extract the essential bits. So without further delay, below are very basic tips on spacing: Overcrowding your vegetables is a very common mistake that can effect plant health (long story short, plants need their own space so they don't compete for resources like sun and nutrients) If sowing (planting directly in soil) seeds, make sure to note the spacin...

Having taught introductory gardening classes in Los Angeles, one common thing I noticed among budding new gardeners was a sense of overwhelm. Due to the vast amount of gardening literature, social media gardening influencers, and word-of-mouth anecdotes, this sense of uneasiness is slightly warranted. Fear not, as I run on a platform of demystification and am here to help. As an active University of California Master Gardener, I have access to tons of academic gardening resources and literature. I see how easy it can be to make gardening (or any subject for that matter) overly complicated, dense, boring, and inaccessible.  Follow these basic rules and you will learn, have fun, and grow your own food:  Always assume there is more to know about a given subject, but focus on getting the gist of whatever you're currently engaged in. Example: If you're getting ready to plant, only focus on the critical items related to planting. Everything else is irrelevant and not worth your time...