Plant & Plate

food and garden

Plant your tomatoes deep

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This is your annual reminder that you should plant your tomatoes deep. Deeply. Whatever. When you plant your tomatoes, bury 2/3 of the stem, leaving just the top couple sets of leaves sticking up from the soil. Some people say to pinch or snip off the lower leaves first; others say not to bother. I […]

Seed swap this Friday, March 16

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  Hey locals: there’s a seed swap at the Ecology Center in Berkeley this Friday at 7 pm! And if you’re not local or can’t make it on Friday, look for seed swaps or seed libraries in your own community. Or plan your own! They’re a great way to meet other gardeners and find out […]

Beans, beans, good for your heart

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My nephew asked me if beans really are good for your heart, which led to a wonderful discussion about plant-based proteins, the importance of dietary fiber, and the difference between correlation and causation. This wasn’t out of the blue; he had been singing, “Beans, beans, the musical fruit! The more you eat, the more you […]

Borscht

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(Originally posted 01/11/14) Did you resolve to eat more vegetables this year? Good for you! Now, you may be dismayed by the selection at your local grocery store or farmers market, particularly if you’re trying to eat local and seasonal. It’s true, winter does not offer the widest bounty of vegetables. No tomatoes, fresh corn, sweet […]

Kale roots (autumn gardening)

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Have you ever wondered what kale roots look like? Probably not. But here you go anyway: the root system of a lacinato kale plant (aka “dino kale”). This is not a suggestion that you dig up your kale plants. In fact, autumn is the best season for kale — cooler temperatures mean sweeter leaves from all […]