As I write this, it’s overcast, drizzling and freaking cold. Quite a change from the day before, which was 66 degrees and sunny. Welcome to winter in Humboldt. I’m sure we’re all grateful for the break in the endless rain that occurred in late December and early January. I know I am, as it’s a […]
pruning
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Winter Garden Checklist
The Pennsylvania rodent has decreed that we’ll have another five weeks of winter and in the Midwest, South and Northeast, I’m sure they believe this to be true. Meanwhile, out here on the North Coast, our promised rain seems to have disappeared. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to abandon the garden because there’s a […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Winter Pruning on the North Coast
Winter has finally arrived in Humboldt, after the sunshine and warmer temperatures in early January. We’ve had frosty nights, even on the coast, and now the normal rains have returned, at least for now. But it’s still time to get out in the garden, especially if you have fruit trees, ornamental flowering trees or roses. […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
The Particulars of Pruning
With the mercury hovering in the frost zone, here on the home farm we’re enjoying the rush of chilly temperatures. An essential but often overlooked element of successful home farming is the downtime of the winter months. We use this time to put up our feet and drink some hot homegrown tea by the fire. […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
January Gardening To-Do List
This is certainly the coldest winter I can remember since I’ve been in Humboldt County — so chilly that even plants I think of as being hardy are showing serious damage from frost. Though we have all of January’s usual tasks (pruning, pruning and — oh yeah, pruning!), we should give our plants a little […]