For the last two years my bees have enjoyed my wonderful garden and have thrived there under the huge, lush fig tree. But it’s time for them to move to another location now. I visited the Arizona Worm Farm at South Mountain...
Author - Cricket
Growing and Using Hibiscus Sabdariffa
Living in Arizona has become such a pleasure as I discover how to use the plants that grow so well here in the desert. Hibiscus Sabdariffa, also known as Roselle, is one of those fantastic plants that actually thrives in the...
Compost Made in 24 Hours!
Compost in 24 hours… Seriously! The first time I met Jessica Marquardt was when she was an intern in the Master Gardener class I was mentoring. It was funny because I happened to be managing a hands-on station all...
Keeping Bees and Friends in Washington
In case you didn’t know, I used to live in Washington before moving to Arizona. I didn’t keep bees then, but I did keep friends. One of them also turned out to be a pretty awesome mom and beekeeper. Kathleen and I...
Spicy Armenian Cucumber Salad
Anyone who gardens in the summer in Phoenix knows that regular cucumbers fry in our triple digit temperatures. But Armenian Cucumbers, which by the way are actually melons, thrive. Plant them in the late spring or early summer...
Bioregionalism: Are you Rooted and Connected to where you live?
Has this ever happened to you? You are driving to a restaurant with an out-of-town guest and suddenly they spot some amazing plant that they love… and naturally, they ask you what it is. Of course you should know the...
Choosing Your First Beekeeping Suit
Choosing a beekeeping suit is something that can be a bit of a mystery when just starting out as a beekeeper. I know that I had no idea what to look for, and so just looked for something cheap. Well, that’s what I got, and...
30+ Plants for Arizona Bees
Here are 30+ plants for Arizona bees that you can pick up at the nursery now to provide nectar and pollen all summer long. I just got back from visiting one of my favorite nurseries in the valley, Summerwinds Nursery. There have...