The Jack-o-Lantern is one of the bastions of the Halloween season. Carving pumpkins is a part of many families' traditions around this holiday, and the practice has its roots in Irish folklore. The story begins with a man nicknamed Stingy Jack. He was given the moniker due to his reluctance to pay for a drink, which he convinced the Devil to foot the bill for. He invited the Devil to have a drink with him, and convinced the Devil to turn into coin that could be used to pay their tab. Once the Devil transformed, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross he carried. This proximity to the cross prevented the Devil from changing back into its original form. 

Soon after this encounter, Jack died. Because of Jack's previous transgressions, he was not allowed entry into heaven. Jack was also not allowed into hell; the Devil was upset by all of the tricks Jack had played on him, and kept his word that he would not claim his soul. Jack was sent off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way through his purgatory. Jack placed the piece of coal into a carved out turnip, and as the legend goes, has been carrying it around with him as he aimlessly roams the earth. The ghostly figure that was once Stingy Jack was renamed Jack of the Lantern, which after some time was shortened to Jack O'Lantern. 

Immigrants from England, Ireland, and Scotland that came to the United States in the 1830's brought with them this practice, and changed the American pumpkin-carving tradition at this time of the year to one uniquely associated with the Halloween holiday. Nowadays, Jack O'Lanterns are typically carved from round, orange pumpkins and are set out on doorsteps and placed in displays for the season. The most commonly used pumpkins for carving are Connecticut Field Pumpkins, which are known as the original commercial Jack O'Lantern pumpkin.

The Halloween season is marked around the Bay Area with the opening of various pumpkin patches. One of the best ways to find one in your area is to get on Yelp and check out their map.

Now that you've got a place to get your pumpkin and a story to tell the kids while you're carving, you're all set for the holiday! 

Happy carving.

As you all are aware, it was Mother's Day this past Sunday! Unfortunately for me, my mom was out of town, but I still celebrated by taking myself to the famous San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, and did I have a great time! This is such a  beautiful time of the year to visit the rose garden. The blooms are fantastic, and you can take pretty, Instagram-worthy pictures of the rolling waves of roses laid out in front of you.

The San Jose Municipal Rose Garden is a 5 1/2-acre open space in the middle of the Rose Garden neighborhood in San Jose, set aside by the city at the request of the Santa Clara County Rose Society in 1927. The garden features many different varieties and colors of roses, a large reflection fountain, and plenty of space for picnics. For all of you rose-nerds out there, about 75% of the plants are hybrid-teas with a single high-centered bloom per stem, but the garden also features grandifloras, floribundas (my personal favorite), miniature roses, climbing roses, and polyanthas. 

I've included some of my pictures below; you'll feel like you were there with me! 

I hope you enjoyed my photos; until next time!

This is one of the best recipes I've discovered so far on my journey to become a better cook! These fantastic tasting shrimp are great for appetizers, to bring to dinner parties, or to have as a meal all on their own. And the bonus is, they're so quick and easy to make that everyone will be wowed when you whip them up on the fly. I really hope you'll all try this one. This recipe makes two servings of shrimp, and is fantastic when served with sliced french bread to soak up all that yummy sauce! 

1. Prep your ingredients! This step is key, as once everything is ready to go this recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare. 
   1. If you're starting with frozen shrimp, your first task will be to defrost them. This can be accomplished by putting your shrimp in a bowl of cool water, covering and letting it sit for 10 minutes. Dump the water out and test your shrimp. If they are not defrosted completely, repeat the process. Continue until your shrimp are defrosted. For me, this process usually takes about a half hour. 
   2. Peel and devein your shrimp.
   3. Pat shrimp dry, toss into a bowl and season with Kosher salt to taste and the smoked paprika. 
   4. Rinse, pat dry, and chop your parsley. 
   5. Peel and slice your garlic cloves. 
   6. Measure out your sherry wine and set aside.
   7. Measure out your EVOO.
2. Set a pan over Medium heat on your stovetop, then add the sliced garlic and EVOO to the pan. 
3. Cook the garlic in the oil over medium heat until it just starts to turn golden. The goal is to get the garlic to soften without adding too much color. 
4. Add your shrimp to the pan and turn the heat up to High. Stir the shrimp constantly for two minutes over high heat. At the end of two minutes, they should be starting to curl up nicely, but still not be completely cooked through. 
5. Add your sherry, and continue to stir constantly for another minute, until the sauce boils and the shrimp is cooked through.
6. Remove the pan from the heat, and add most of the parsley in. Stir to combine.
7. Split your shrimp in two, and serve over toasted sliced French bread (optional, but it's so good you're going to want to try it at least once!). Top with parsley. I also like to add a baby shake of cayenne over the top for a little spice!

I really hope you guys try this recipe. It's such a great summer dish, and so very tasty! 

If you have stone fruit trees, you're going to want to pay close attention to this post. Plum Bud Gall Mite has been discovered in Santa Clara County. For those of you unfamiliar with this pest, here's the low-down:

• They are very small (microscopically small). Typically, they are 0.15mm long or less, and are very difficult to see without a magnifying glass. 
• Because of their size, they are difficult to identify before they have started to cause damage to your trees. 
• They are primarily found in the Middle East and Europe. 
• They feed predominately on Almond, Apricot, Peach and Plum trees. 
• The injury they cause to trees can vary, depending on how bad the infestation is and the health of the tree prior to their arrival. They have led to weakened trees, decreased fruit yield, and death. Some trees also recover, and other trees are resistant to this particular mite. ​

You also have a few options available for getting rid of these mites. To learn more, consult the link below:
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

You can also check out this Plum Bud Gall Mite fact sheet: 

I have a morning routine that includes making the bed, drinking my coffee, feeding my pets, and then walking around the yard and looking at all of my plants. As many of you know, I'm a big fan of gardening. I was just starting my walk around the yard this morning when I noticed scale on my maple tree! For those of you who aren't familiar with scale, here's what they look like (the black-and-white bumps on the branch): 

Overall, it wasn't a great way to start my morning. I love my maple tree; it's the only tree still standing on my property from when we purchased it (the other two mature trees died during the drought a few years ago). The bottom line is that I will not lose this tree. Consider this post a declaration of war on scale. And it's going to be a messy one. 

Scale is, although it may not look like it, an insect. When they are young, they are mobile. They find a tree to infest, and then settle down and create little 'scales' (so named because someone thought they looked like individual scales on a fish). The immobile scales are female; they will slowly become concave over time as their insides fill with eggs. They turn brown and die just before the eggs hatch, at which point tiny insects will migrate up the tree and to neighboring plants to start the cycle again. 

Unfortunately, these little buggers are all over my tree, so if I don't create a treatment plan soon, they could potentially do a lot of damage. They feed on the sap in a tree, and create something called 'honeydew' as a byproduct; ants feed on this honeydew. This should have been my first clue: a fast-moving trail of excited-looking ants moving up the tree trunk. I blew it off as ants being ants. Little did I know, they were alerting me to a potential problem! 

Scale can eventually kill their host tree. The honeydew they produce attracts mold, which can cover the tree branches and leaves and create photosynthesizing problems. The now injured tree is susceptible to other issues and can die as a result. ​

After some online research, I discovered that the specific type of scale I have is Calico Scale, or Eulecanium cerasorum. I broke open one of the scales, as well, so you all can see the eggs growing inside:

Resources:
The Tree Geek
UCANR Master Gardener

This recipe is a great, light dinner with tons of flavor and Spanish influences.
​

* Note: You can use any flaky, white fish for this recipe.

I love this recipe because it's simple, beautiful to look at, so yummy, and it makes you look like a fantastic chef to dinner guests! It also gives you a great excuse to have a glass of white wine. So, try it out and let me know how it goes in the comments below.

Until Next Time!

There are few more terrifying garden situations than the dreaded mulch volcano: an ill-performed attempt to achieve… who the heck knows. They can be seen in many places, but are most common in public or commercial spaces, where uneducated landscapers and gardeners are hired to complete tree installation and regular maintenance duties. Despite their widespread use, these piles are very harmful to tree health, resulting in disease, decay, root rot, pest issues, and the eventual death of the tree. Also called 'Pyramid Mulch' and 'Mountain Mulch', these landscape atrocities are the bane of many arborists and horticulturalists who are called in after the fact to remedy the, in most cases, resulting hopeless situation.

It is difficult to truly pinpoint the exact time this landscaping trend emerged and why it has become so prevalent considering the catastrophic damage it does to trees. Some believe it began when HOAs and similar organizations (for example, builders of cookie-cutter housing developments) began simply dumping overly generous amounts of mulch on top of the previous years' layer, over time causing the level to rise. Others believe it is due to lazy landscapers who purchase mulch in bulk and are reluctant to carry the extra away, instead piling it up at the base of trees. It is, after all, organic material that will eventually be absorbed into the earth. In this specific situation however, more is definitely not better, and in many cases, it is much worse.

Most plants, including trees, can benefit from a layer of mulch, though typically this layer should only be about 1-2 inches in depth. When mulch is piled higher than this, it causes a cascade of problems. Naturally, trees will develop a root system that is visible above ground level and extends down into the earth. A natural layer of mulch around a tree is kept away from the trunk, and is a few inches deep. This allows for roots to access oxygen and water, for the bark to breathe, to allow moisture to evaporate from where it should not be kept, and to slowly add nutrients and organic matter to soil over time.

When trees are subjected to this type of volcanic environment, they undergo many issues. Having mulch touch any stem of any plant can invite fungal and pest diseases to take hold, but with trees, it also causes damage to an important organ: the bark. Tree bark is dry tissue which protects the inner layers of the trunk from pests, diseases, dehydration, and oxidation. It needs to be open to the air so that the lenticels (small openings in the bark) can freely exchange gases and so that any moisture can evaporate quickly. Mulch piled against bark can increase water retention, which elevates the moisture content in bark and causes decay.

Additionally, although mulch appears light and airy at first glance, it actually has a lot of mass and weight. When it is piled in large quantities, it creates a somewhat impenetrable layer that air and moisture have trouble getting through to reach the root system. Trees, however, can compensate for this issue, typically by extending their root system above the soil level to grow in the mass of mulch on top. This secondary root system can allow the tree to survive for a while.

Although trees can produce this stop-gap measure, over time as the mulch decomposes it makes the surface hydrophobic, which means it will not take in water. This causes even these above-ground roots to dehydrate. This causes the tree a lot of stress, and can ultimately cause it to fade and die. When it is vulnerable, it is more apt to develop issues with disease and pests, which can cause further and faster decline and even open other nearby plants to developing pest and disease issues. These pests and diseases often are unfairly blamed for the ultimate failing of the tree in the landscape.

Fortunately, cleaning up the aftermath of a mulch volcano is much easier than cleaning up actual lava flow. The first step is relatively straightforward: remove the mulch. Using gloved hands and working from the trunk outwards, begin brushing away the mulch from the above-ground roots, similar to an archeologist uncovering a dinosaur. An air compressor can also be used for this purpose, though it can kick up a lot of dirt and dust into the air. Once most of the mulch is removed, take a few minutes to assess whether an above-ground root system has formed and how developed it is. Keep an eye out for any roots that do not grow straight out from the trunk, and instead wrap around the mass of roots:

These are called girdling roots, and as the tree trunk grows in diameter over time, it will eventually reach the girdling root and start to compress. This will result in an unstable tree base around the root flare and also restrict the flow of nutrients, photosynthates and water from leaves to roots and vice versa. Even if the mulch volcano is removed, these girdling roots will cause the tree to perish prematurely and be much less stable, increasing the odds of it being taken down during a storm. The bottom line is, these roots will need to be removed for the tree to have a chance at a healthy life. Using cleaned and sharpened pruners, loppers, and/or saws (depending on how large the roots have gotten) remove all roots above the main root structure. If girdling roots have merged with others, saw through the girdling root and avoid damaging the ones growing correctly. Take off any smaller roots at this time as well. The photographs below illustrate a before and after for a tree rescued from a mulch volcano:

As stated before, mulch can improve the health of trees in many ways, and adding mulch around the base of trees has become an automatic step in installation. Mulch should not cover the main roots or the root flare (where the trunk begins to spread out and increases in diameter). It should be kept several inches away from the roots themselves, be between 2 and 3 inches deep, and have a level top surface. This depth allows both air and water to penetrate the mulch, but still allows for increased protection against temperature changes, evaporation of soil moisture and weed suppression. The somewhat naked-looking portions of the above-ground roots that were exposed by the removal of the mulch volcano will form bark similar to the bark on the trunk over time.

Paying attention to how trees and other plants are mulched and how healthy the mulch layer in a garden bed is is an important step in monitoring the health of a landscape. It is an integral part of good garden culture, and your plants will thank you.

Happy gardening!

Before getting your hands dirty, make sure to take some time to walk through the garden and think about what worked and what didn't this year. Take note of any diseases or pests that were particularly hard to deal with, what plants they attacked, and where in the landscape they set up camp. These notes will inform your planting layout and plant choices for next year. Engaging in ongoing cultural practices like crop rotation and more resilient plant choices can go a long way in preventing these same issues from being a nuisance again.

After collecting any seeds for propagation, remove annual ornamentals and crop plants that have reached the end of their harvesting season. Make sure to safely dispose of any plant material that is diseased. Healthy debris can be tossed in the compost pile or pulled, chopped up and left on top of the soil surface. For perennial plants that die back to storage roots over the winter months, make sure to clearly mark their location using stones or flags to avoid accidentally disturbing or damaging them while working with your soil. After they have been marked, their above-ground foliage can be cut back.

Test soil by using the hand or mason jar tests. If you had any glaring issues during the growing season, consider doing a more in-depth pH test or sending your soil in to a professional soil testing company. A reputable soil testing company can be found through your local extension or Master Gardener program. If your soil has good structure and overall tilth, it may not need much amending. If soil is poor in nutrients or has structure that is not conducive to plant root growth, plan on adding a healthy amount of compost or other organic matter.

Identify any problem areas in the garden that have become compacted or have poor drainage. Compaction can occur when certain areas in the landscape are walked or driven over frequently​. Compacted soil does not have adequate pore space to allow for water infiltration or root growth and should be remedied. Another soil issue is the formation of low areas or depressions caused by settling of soil, decomposition of underground material, or poor drainage. As wet weather increases in frequency, keep an eye on these areas to determine if they should be filled in or possibly turned into rain gardens.

Once you've gotten a good idea of what work needs to be addressed, gather necessary materials, including mulch, compost or other soil amendments and tools like rakes and shovels, and then head out into the garden.

Any areas that will be planted in the spring as annual displays or crop beds should stay covered over fall and winter to protect soil and provide nutrients. Cover crops are a great way to condition soil, improve structure and tilth, and add organic material. Popular cover crops include Crimson Clover, Hairy Vetch, and Fava Beans. The best months to sow these crops is in late summer to early fall (typically August through October). To sow cover crop seeds, level out the planting area and rake it smooth. Then, broadcast seeds at the recommended rate (this information will be on the seed packet). Cover them with a light layer of more soil, and the mulch over them to protect from wind and erosion. Most cover crops will germinate within a few days to a few weeks after sowing.

Completing fall soil care tasks ensures that come springtime, your plants will have the necessary nutrients for growth. Spreading out soil conditioning tasks also means that the beginning of spring can be spent planting and engaging in attentive integrated pest management techniques to keep the garden growing well all season long.

As summer really begins to ramp up and we get warmer weather, we'll start spending more time outside - but we'll be accompanied by a pest that nobody enjoys: Mosquitoes! I don't know about anyone else, but those little guys love me. If I go to an outdoor party, I come home looking like a kid with a bad case of the Chicken Pox. Another group of fun  critters to be aware of during this time are Ticks, especially if you have children or animals that play outside a lot in the summer months. The upside is, there are things we can all do to limit the availability of nesting grounds for these bugs and protect our families from bites.

In Santa Clara County, the group who deals most with these bugs is the Vector Control District. They are strongly urging the public to be aware of these pests, and to be diligent in maintaining their yards to lower mosquito and tick population numbers:

How To Reduce Mosquito Populations
First, take a look around your front and back yards. Do you have any areas where there is standing water? Don't just look on the ground - mosquitoes can breed in any sort of container with standing water, like watering cans, buckets, cups, and ponds. Having standing water on your property increases the likelihood that you'll have a mosquito problem in your yard. And remember, mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus! So what can you do?

Check outdoor kiddie pools, toys, containers, buckets, planter bases, trashcans, rain gutters, old tires, and leaky faucets or hoses for standing water. If you find any, pour it out! Mosquitoes only require a quarter of an inch of water for about a week to breed, so even a little water can be a potential problem!

You can also reduce your personal risk of being a mosquito's next meal by wearing long-sleeved shirts when outside at dawn and dusk, using bug repellent, and by checking window and door screens for tears that could let bugs into the house.

How to Reduce Tick Populations

Ticks are those pesky little spidery-looking bugs that can crawl onto you during your outdoor adventures. They are common in wilderness areas, but can also be present in yards. Juvenile ticks are most active and numerous in the summer months, and are known to spread Lyme Disease. Ticks can be avoided by wearing long pants and sleeves, spraying bug repellent, and by checking yourself, your children and your pets for ticks after being outside. Ticks can be picked up anywhere, but are most abundant in grasses, in leaf litter and on logs and rocks in the foothills and mountains. 

A Little About Birds

Birds can be carriers of West Nile Virus. To be safe, make sure to keep pets and children away from dead birds, and make a phone call if you see a group of dead birds around an area. This could be a sign that the birds were sick with a disease. Do not touch the birds, just simply call California's West Nile Virus Hotline, at 1 (877) WNV-BIRD (1-877-968-2473) or visit their website for more information at www.westnile.ca.gov . 

Reporting
To report standing water, unkempt pools, standing water in gutters, or if you notice any areas where mosquitoes are abundant, call the Vector Control District at 1 (408) 918-4770, or go to their website www.sccvector.org and report it through the online form, which can also be accessed by clicking the button below:

​Armed with the above information, you can make a difference in lessening the mosquito populations in the area, reduce your risk of coming home with an unwanted new friend, and keep our county disease-free!

You know the drill. Every year you spend wintertime dreaming of brightly colored flowers and leaves on those naked trees in your yard, and when you start to see the first few buds beginning to emerge, you start thinking about your yard and how this year will be the year. Your yard will be the envy of all your neighbors. You will host garden parties straight out of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. And most importantly, you'll have a beautiful place to relax away from the hustle bustle of life. Unfortunately, creating this reality is more difficult and more time-consuming than you plan for, and the final result falls short of your goal. So how can you do it better this year? Hopefully you can glean some insights from this post.

In following these steps and investing the time and energy necessary, you can transform your yard into a colorful, living work of art! So here we go:

Next, you're going to want to tend to your lawn. Over the winter, it may have gotten waterlogged and the dirt may have become compacted. A great tool to have on hand is an aerator, or you can hire someone to aerate your lawn for you. Aerating your lawn helps to make the soil less compacted, allows water and nutrients to reach deeper, and is especially helpful in high-traffic areas. It is a must if you want a lush, deep green lawn in the spring and summer months. To aerate your lawn, first moisten the soil, either by running your sprinklers for a few minutes or by going over it with a hose. Let the water seep into the soil, and then start aerating. After you've finished, you can add some fertilizer, weed and feed, or even more grass seeds to fill in bare spots. Don't overlook caring for your lawn! A great lawn can really compliment the rest of your garden.

Your next step should be to walk around your yard with your garden shears, moving systematically so as not to miss anything. Identify branches, flowers, and leaves/grasses that have died off, and remove them from the plant. This will encourage new growth. If you have grasses, they can usually be cut all the way back to the ground at this time, and will pop up in the spring, rejuvenated and strong. Removing dead and diseased plant matter from your yard will immediately improve the way it looks, as well as encourage your plants to put on new growth faster!

Finally, the fun part! Look at your yard, and figure out what projects you'd like to tackle this year. Take walks around your neighborhood and get inspiration for the types of plants you'd like to add. Whether you have just a strip to redo, or a whole 500 square feet, you can work towards making your yard just a little more picturesque. For example, my big project this year includes redoing the entire back half of my property! Start getting excited for spring, but remember, it's still early, and there may still be a few frosts coming. Putting in new plants should be put off until after the last frost of the season. And as always, plan before you plant! Make sure to choose the correct plants for your soil type, the area of your yard, and the temperature range of your microclimate.

Starting with these few tasks in your garden can give you a great head start in creating the yard of your dreams this spring and summer!

Sesamum is a genus of plants in the Pedalium family and includes 20 species. One of these species, Sesamum indica, is grown across the globe for its edible seeds and is referred to as Sesame or Benne. It is one of the oldest oilseed crops, domesticated over 3,000 years ago in India, and produces seeds with a rich, nutty profile. These tiny bursts of flavor are used in many dishes, most popularly on buns and bagels, in a wide variety of Asian dishes, and to enhance crackers and other sweets around the world.

Sesame seeds can be found in most grocery stores, but they are also easy to grow and harvest at home. Sesame seed plants are grown as annuals, and produce seed pods that burst open when mature. To learn more about Sesame plants, including how to grow and harvest them, see the Sesamum plant page. When purchasing these seeds, consumers have a choice between white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds. Although they do have slightly different flavor profiles, the two types of seeds are typically chosen for their appearance.

Black sesame seeds are known to be more bitter than their lighter counterparts, and are typically used in dishes alongside other bold ingredients so they are not overwhelming. These seeds typically still have their hulls on, adding extra texture to dishes like sushi. ​White sesame seeds, on the other hand, have a delicate and nutty flavor and can be used in most dishes to complement other flavors. They do not have hulls, and have a softer texture. They are popularly used on hot dog and hamburger buns. White sesame seeds can be toasted to bring out more of their flavor. To complete this process, they can either be dry toasted for a few minutes on the stove or baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for between 8 and 15 minutes' time. During baking, the seeds are stirred every few minutes.

Harvesting Sesamum plants requires waiting until the end of the growing season when seed pods have turned brown and dried out. Entire stems are cut from the plant and hung upside down to continue drying. Seeds are released naturally during this process, and towards the end, stems are shaken to release seeds. After harvesting, seeds are laid out to ensure they are not holding any extra moisture, which can ruin the storage process and cause the sesame seeds to mold.

Store sesame seeds in an airtight glass container placed in an area that is cool, dark, and dry. They will stay good (and keep their flavor) for about six months. To store seeds for longer amounts of time, consider storing them in the refrigerator (for up to a year) or freezer (for up to two years). To check if seeds have gone bad, open their container and smell them. If there is a sour, bitter, or generally unpleasant smell, the seeds should be disposed of.

Sesame seeds are used whole, and are a common ingredient in many different cuisines. They add a richness and nutty flavor. Most people come into contact with sesame seeds when they are added to baked goods like bagels and buns for barbequed meats or used to add crunch and flavor to sushi rolls. They play a key role in spice blends like Gomashio, Shichimi Togarashi, Furikake, and Za'atar. In addition to being in dry seasonings and rubs, these seeds are also the stars of condiments like Tahini, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, and Halva. Black Sesame, Gajak, and Funchi Criollo are soups that are created using sesame seeds as a main component.​

Desserts can be made featuring sesame seeds as well. Cookies, cakes, pastes, and bars are created using whole or mashed seeds. Examples include Barazek, Chikki, Binangkal, Pasteli, Tikut, and Benne Wafers. Cakes like Changzhou and Huangqiao Sesame Cakes are traditional Chinese dessert items that feature sesame seeds. They are also used to make candies, like Mampostial, Pilones de Ajonjoli, and Tilgul.

Sesame seeds are and will continue to be,  staple seasoning; their flavor, texture and health benefits make them indispensable additions to any spice cabinet.

One thing you need to know about me is that I absolutely love gardening. My first apartment, although it was small, had a patio with a strip of dirt three feet wide and about twelve feet long. There were already two trees planted in the strip, and the first thing I did after I moved in was to plant ferns and put down some blue rock. It made such a difference, and although the apartment wasn't in a great area and there was street traffic and it leaked, etc. etc., I loved it because I had my little garden. Since then, I have moved into a house and now have a big yard to play with.

My love of gardening drew me to Filoli Gardens time and time again, and when I saw that there was a class offered called 'A Year In The Garden' I jumped at the opportunity. My mom loves to garden as well (she has an even bigger yard than I do) so we signed up together. I ended up loving the class and learned a lot about the biology of the garden, how plants really grow, why some plants die for no apparent reason, and so many other great lessons. After the class ended, I continued to read and do my own research, adding plants to my yard and even consulting with friends and family if they had gardening questions.

I've taken the next step and created my own gardening 'course'! It's very loosely based on the topics covered in my Filoli class, but with a lot more information, supplemental videos and diagrams, and my own little touches throughout. I have never made it public; I was playing with the idea of possibly hosting my own gardening class out of my backyard, but this course is well-adapted for long-distance and internet users, so I've now added it to this website! You can check out the course here:

If you've got a green thumb as well, it's worth checking out. And if you're a gardening novice and would like to improve your plants' livelihood, it's a must! It can be done at any pace, so feel free to browse through the topics and choose the ones you like. I hope you all enjoy it.