The Sylvia Center’s Post

"There’s something deeply rewarding about going out to the garden and selecting a fresh, rich, colorful pepper right off the plant and immediately taking it to the kitchen for use. But long before you can make this vision a reality, you have to actually grow your pepper plants and bring the fruits to maturity." My latest post for Martha Stewart .com discusses some plants you shouldn't grow near your pepper plants. https://lnkd.in/ez-hQpNv

Ok, I think this counts as “work” in the sense that I run a company dedicated to supporting regenerative agriculture. To the great surprise of my former self at almost any age, I have become a maniacal gardener. Here’s me (see pic) getting ready to assemble homegrown flower arrangements for the house ahead of guests arriving. Yes, I also do arrangements and am available for events of 24 or fewer guests… So, a few weeks ago I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Steve Wood from Australia’s leading gardening podcast, All the Dirt. (Listen at the link below if you want to hear us talk dirt). Here’s what’s nuts. If you know me at all in the last five years, you’ll agree that you don’t have to be talking to me for more than two minutes before I find a way to work in my views on “the industrial food complex” or start yapping about Dirty Clean Food … it’s who I am. #regenwarriors So. Miranda Stamps and I have been buying seedlings from Steve at the Margaret River Farmers’ Market for THREE years. And, much to the chagrin of my children - and everyone who’s ever stood behind me in line - my average talk time while shopping at the market is twelve minutes per checkout. (Forgive me, those who listen patiently to me every weekend while I yap). Considering the above, we are talking about a multi standard deviation probability event that Steve and I have not figured out that we are both are #regenag die hard fans and I run Dirty Clean Food. Every neighbor knows it. Every checkout professional at Mitre 10 knows It. And this revelation only happened because I emailed him an advance order from my work account when I arrived too late for tomatoes. It could have gone on forever, but Steve noticed and asked what I did at Dirty Clean Food. (He likes Dirty Clean Food - of course he does because he likes planet earth and food that tastes good). I say all this, because THIS is how much I am apparently into gardening. Somehow, of all the thousands of topics of chitchat, only talking about gardening could stop me from talking about Dirty Clean Food. It’s unspeakable. All versions of my former self are shattered at who I’ve become. I want to talk about pruning tomato plants these days more than I want to talk about The University of Alabama football (gridiron) I admit it, I love gardening. And if you listen to this podcast, you’ll hear total validation from an expert that I have done at least a halfway decent job on our backyard. A compliment I’ll cherish for a decade! Thank you, Steve! So listen to the soothing sounds of Australia’s leading gardening podcaster and subscribe. Don’t do it for me. Do it for the dirt. https://lnkd.in/ghzA_FP9

FEEDBACK SYSTEMS Plants give us feedback about how well they’re growing in certain areas. If they’re happy, they thrive. If they’re less than happy, they often struggle. As a gardener, I like to trial plants in different locations or under different conditions in my garden. Maybe I add a little bit of limestone to the growing hole to see how a species will perform in our pH 4.2 soil. That was really helpful to better understand the native Streptanthus maculatus (clasping jewelflower) needs more calcareous conditions to grow. Without limestone in the planting hole, plants barely got above a foot tall. With a dash of limestone, plants got over 3 feet tall and were towers of flowers. As an educator getting feedback about the systems I've created to equip gardeners with the skills they need to grow is also helpful. I love getting emails about what people learn from my newsletter, podcast, and online learning. I was so touched to recently receive this positive feedback from Jackie who took my first Botanic Bootcamp class Success with Seed Sowing. "Lots of great information in clear, concise form. I did Master Gardener training and honestly, you did a much better job communicating the information. I got a lot out of this session. I winter sow a lot of native seeds, but my approach thus far has been a bit haphazard. You have encouraged me to be a bit more methodical about it, but also to just try more experimental sowing to see which method is more successful. Also, I tried starting some vegetable seeds inside last year and it didn't go fantastically. I am now willing to try again. I truly appreciate your enthusiasm." If you’re interested in learning more about sowing seed, here’s where you can access it. https://lnkd.in/g7wedz5Q 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 🌱 Every weekend, I send out a newsletter to 1000+ gardeners where I share skills to help them grow. Cultivate your skills by subscribing at https://lnkd.in/gSXJA6mn.

🍅 Explore the Stages of Growing Tomatoes! 🌱 Curious how a tiny seed turns into delicious tomatoes? 🤔 Check out our article for a visual guide through each growth stage! https://lnkd.in/gndPYfyy #TomatoGardening #GrowYourOwn #GardenTips 🌻🍅

Crash Courses and Pivoting https://buff.ly/3yN4dBj #bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk This past Tuesday morning, my car was packed, I had coffee in the front seat, and I was fully ready to arrive in Dubois, Wyoming, for my internship at Mae Orchard Blooms. As I began the long drive to Dubois from Nebraska, the quality of my car’s driving seemed to decrease with every hour, and the check engine light popped on as I crossed the Wyoming border. By the time I reached Laramie, I was uncertain of my car’s ability to make the remaining five hours. Several phone calls, auto-center trips, and hours later, it was apparent my vehicle was not fit to complete the drive, and I wouldn’t be able to arrive at my internship until Thursday. While this sudden change of plans was frustrating, my internship host, Brandie, said something that applies to multiple facets of life: “Things happen and then we just pivot”. While this phrase might seem simple, it’s a reminder of the unpredictability we often face and the flexibility required to adapt, something that will come in handy to remember as I begin to learn about flower farming. Besides a life lesson, I got a crash course in all things peonies on Friday. I was introduced to the many variety of peonies on the farm, and what each kind brings to the table (literally). This is the time in the season where all it takes is a heat wave for the peonies to bloom, the calm before the storm. Brandie showed me how to process the cut blooms by cutting three leaf sets up from the plant, recording the amount of stems from each variety that was cut, and placing them in water in the cooler. Brandie’s criteria for a good cut flower variety (it varies from the grower and the type of plant) is how easy the variety is to establish in Wyoming’s unpredictable climate, the length of the stem, how long the blooms last in the vase, and how many buds per plants are produced. I also learned how to debud the side buds on peonies. These are essential to remove because they divert the plant’s energy from producing large, main buds on the plants. Something I would like to challenge is rethinking what I know about plants and growing them. I am studying botany and have several years of informal gardening, landscaping, and floral design experience under my belt. Yet, for all of my head knowledge on the subject, I know little about what it actually takes to start and run a flower farm. Just from the first day and a half, it sounds like flower farming is mostly about finding what works in that climate and for your personal preferences. Things aren’t always conventional or happen the way the textbook or Pinterest board predicts. This redirection has given me a whole new wave of appreciation for the hands-on experience I am getting this summer from Brandie. It is also challenging me to think more about what I would want my future flower operation to look like, in a way that works for me. Many practical que…

What exciting personal project are you developing this week? I get very excited about my garden at this time of year. It’s one of my favourite ‘flow’ activities. I think it’s my age…this never used to appeal! I’m lucky enough to have inherited a mature, abundant sweet cherry tree from the people who owned my house before me and I’ve added plum and apple trees, and blueberry and raspberry bushes. I love eating fruit from my own garden 🍒🫐🍎 This year I’m adding veg. I’ve started with tomatoes 🍅 (someone’s going to tell me it’s officially a fruit!) This week I’m going to try courgettes If you are a proper gardener, please tell me if I’m doing this wrong 🤪…this is the method I’ve used: 👨🌾 I’ve halved and planted my favourite tomatoes from the supermarket in multi-purpose compost 👨🌾 I used Sugardrop baby toms because they’re sweet and yummy 👨🌾 I’m keeping them in my sunroom for now because I haven’t got a greenhouse, and I’ll add some bamboo canes 👨🌾 I’m planning to do the same with courgettes…just scoop out some seeds and plant? Will this work?? Perhaps the legendary gardening addict, also skilled and fluent in LinkedIn Lynnaire Johnston can advise me on this (as well as on all things LI) 😉 #realfood #increaseguthealth #intermittentfasting 🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸 If you’re struggling with excess weight and you want to make peace with food, I can help you. My next Coached Intermittent Fasting course starts in June. I keep groups small so that the nuances of your individual requirements can be met. Or if you prefer a 1:1 approach, that is available anytime. DM me for details or go to my website. 🔸Want to see more posts like this? Hit 🔔 in my profile (& choose see all posts) 🔸Think I know my stuff? Hit endorse in my skills section

New Post: How to Grow Carrots the Right Way? Step by step - https://lnkd.in/d8u7gEtd to Growing Carrots Growing carrots can be a highly rewarding endeavor for gardeners of all skill levels. Carrots are not only a staple in many culinary dishes but also rich in nutrients, making them a healthy addition to any home garden. Their versatility, combined with the satisfaction of cultivating your own produce, makes carrot farming a highly enriching activity. In this blog post, we will delve into the essential tips and techniques that will help you cultivate carrots successfully. Whether you are a novice or an experienced gardener, the insights provided will cover all the crucial aspects of carrot […]

More and more farm shops and cafes are thinking about adding a kitchen garden or PYO option to their site. If this is you, read on to hear from others who've already got stuck in. Padstow Kitchen Garden Roots & Seeds Cafe Bistro and Canalside Farm all share their advice, including what works, what doesn't, and why plotting in a pumpkin patch (if you have space) could be a great investment for your business. #farming #farmshop #kitchengarden #gardening #farmretail #specialityfoodmagazine

Transforming Gardens into Cabbage Cafes: The Rise of the Cabbage Butterfly Transforming Gardens into Cabbage Cafes: The Rise of the Cabbage Butterfly Int... Read More - https://lnkd.in/dCwcESDY

Celery: Being a bit of a foodie, I use a lot of celery and I have to say it is one of the most versatile vegetables I grow. I have discovered that I can grow it all year round in Melbourne even when I get pretty harsh frosts, so provided you get your seedlings in well and truly before the frosts start your plants will be ok. In keeping with an edible garden I plant it here and there amongst its companions and I ensure that if planting it in spring, I plant it in an aspect where it will get afternoon shade to slow it down from bolting and to stop it from going woody. Commercially it is grown all together very densely, this forces it to grow tall and slender and the stems are paler and sweeter by having light suppressed in this method, so suppressing the light as it grows will get you the same result without having to plant densely. To do this use about a 200mm black plastic pot and cut the bottom out or do the same to a milk carton, and slip it over the celery, this does the job nicely, make sure though the stems are taller than the pot before you do this, and in fact can be slipped on about three weeks before they are to be harvested. Celery being such a gross feeder, fertilise every two weeks with a good liquid feed like Charlie carp or Vasilis liquid gold or whatever you already have. The outer stems can be harvested as the plant is growing, or you can wait and harvest the entire plant by slicing it off at ground level. Don’t dig the base out once you have cut the top off it will grow again. It’s the plant that just keeps on giving. Now I do let some of mine go to seed and I collect the seed not to save for next year but to use in cooking and curing meat, as it is a natural nitrate, I use it in place of man made nitrates. Companions: Cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, tomatoes. Celery also deters mosquitoes. Pests: tiny snails and slugs will get down in the the stems near the base, so use rolled oats sparingly as a bait for them. For more information on edible gardening, you can go to my website and order any of my books at https://lnkd.in/g29_HpTE