A gardener from our community plot once told me a frustrating story. She had grown beautiful butterhead lettuce all spring. Perfect leaves. No pests. A real success. But she couldn’t eat it. Every time she made a salad with her homegrown lettuce, her stomach bloated up like a balloon. Cramps followed. She felt miserable for … Read more
Last spring, a new gardener in our community plot asked me a simple question while we were planning her first garden beds. “Should I plant cilantro with my vegetables or somewhere else?” I watched her sketch out rows of tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce. She had drawn cilantro right between the carrots and spinach. “Well,” I … Read more
Last fall, my nephew asked me a question while we were planting garlic cloves in my garden beds. He’d been learning about food groups in school. “Uncle, is garlic a vegetable? Because we use it like a spice, but we’re planting it like a vegetable.” I opened my mouth to answer, then stopped. I’d been … Read more
My daughter received a Venus flytrap for her seventh birthday. Within two weeks, she had fed it three flies, named it “Chomper,” and became convinced we needed an entire carnivorous plant collection. “Dad, why can’t all our plants eat the bugs instead of us spraying them?” Good question, honestly. That birthday gift sparked a fascination … Read more
A few years ago, my friend Linda started having digestive problems. Her doctor couldn’t find anything wrong. Tests came back normal. But she felt bloated and tired after every meal. Her neighbor, who practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine, asked her a strange question: “What color fruits are you eating?” Linda thought about it. Almost everything in … Read more
I was helping my nephew plant his first garden last spring when he asked me a question that stopped me cold. “Uncle, why are we putting tomatoes in the vegetable section if they’re fruits?” I opened my mouth to give a quick answer. Then I realized I couldn’t explain it properly myself. I knew tomatoes … Read more
Last summer, my friend Rachel called me in a panic. Her golden retriever, Duke, had gotten into the garden while she wasn’t watching. He’d eaten several fallen fruits from the ground—some safe, some not. “I found grape stems and apple cores near his bed,” she said. “How do I know what he actually ate?” That … Read more
Every December 31st, my Tita Rosa spends the entire morning arranging her fruit display. She’s been doing this for over forty years. Last year, I watched her carefully place each orange, each grape cluster, and each round mango on her grandmother’s wooden tray. “This tradition saved our family business in 1983,” she told me, adjusting … Read more
I’ll never forget the year we got a call from a family over in The Oaks. They’d just set up their gorgeous, real Noble Fir, decorated it all perfect, and left for a Christmas party. Came back to a tree that was already drooping and losing needles. It was only December 10th! Turns out, they … Read more
I’ll never forget the call I got from a homeowner in Pasadena. She was almost crying about her beautiful white patio stones. They were covered in dark purple stains. She thought something was wrong with her tree. Turns out, her mulberry was just doing what mulberries do best – making a mess! We had a … Read more
Poison ivy – you’ve probably heard about it, but do you really know what it looks like? For anyone who spends time hiking or just hanging outside, it’s pretty important to be able to spot those toxic plants so you can avoid them. I learned the hard way when I got an awful rash after … Read more
As the leaves start to change and the air grows crisp, pumpkins become the star of autumn. These vibrant, versatile gourds have been a symbol of fall for centuries. They adorn our doorsteps, grace our tables, and fill our hearts with nostalgia. But how much do you know about these autumn icons? Let’s explore 8 … Read more