At this month’s plant exchange, watching three young boys cavorting while squeezing juice out of fresh rosemary leaves brought a flood of emotions. First, hope. The hope that there is hope for…
Windward Plant Swap: September 23, 2023
How big is too big for a plant exchange? It’s just a rhetorical question. So far, as our Hawaii Kai exchange has grown, so has the kokua and support needed to run…
More Santa G plant presents for the September exchange
Just got this email from ardent gardener and plant exchange donor G. He’s bringing a number of starters for our upcoming Tuesday exchange on September 12. Here’s his list. I’ll add this…
Duckweed: I can’t believe I’m going to grow this stuff
Many years back, I received a gift of duckweed. I put it into my aquaponics tank, where it was quickly gobbled up by hungry tilapia. I didn’t give it a second thought….
Rice Paddy Herb: Why did it take me so long to discover this delicious plant?
I just learned about rice paddy herb on the 808 Green Thumbs Facebook group. This is an outstanding culinary find! Its scientific name is Limnophila aromatica. Popular in Southeast Asia, it is…
The birds and the bees
It’s been a tough week for me and the quail, so when I got the good news from Leah I was ecstatic. One of the coturnix quail hens she hatched from eggs…
The Plant Exchange as our “Third Place”
The other day, my son was watching a YouTube presentation on third places. Apparently, a third place is the place that is not your home or work, but is the place that…
Recommended: Renee’s Garden Container Cucumber, Bush Slicer
I’ve been a fan of Renee’s Garden seeds for many years: over a decade, in fact. Their product line is fun, eclectic and often unique. They also specialize in the backyard gardener…
Growing without soil: hydroponics vs. aquaponics
I like to think about hydroponics as being a good indoor “gardening” technique that graduates to aquaponics outdoors. Technically, it’s not true. You can use both hydroponics and aquaponics indoors or outdoors….