Gardening Topics

Find Articles on Specific Gardening Topics Here

View our latest posts on various gardening topics below.

Making Sauerkraut

Time to Make Sauerkraut

by Joyce Peters Cabbage is one of those overlooked nutrient powerhouses. The cabbage family, which includes arugula, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower and kale, is rich in folate, vitamins C, E, and K, and fiber. All are good sources of phytonutrients that help lower inflammation and reduce the risk of cancer. One way to include more...Continue reading→

DIY greenhouse

Saving Your Seedlings with a DIY Greenhouse

by Margie Siegal The bird in the photos is a California Towhee. This robin-sized bird is common in the San Francisco Bay Area. It eats just about anything, but what it really likes is the seedlings you just planted. One year I lost half of my tomato starters to this #$%^& critter. One solution to...Continue reading→

forest floor

Building the Forest Floor

by Birgitt Evans Think about the last time you walked in a forest. There was a carpet of leaves, the newly fallen lying atop decomposing layers of leaf litter, the smell of dampness, perhaps some mushrooms poking up ready to send their spores out into the woods. And if you lifted the layers of leaves...Continue reading→

Honeydrop tomatoes

Results from ABG Tomato Poll

by Marla Koss Thank you to the thirty-one Alamedans who answered our February Tomato Poll in the ABG Newsletter! This is not the first time we’ve put out a tomato poll. Back in 2016 we printed out a slip of paper that was placed on each seat in our meeting room at Rhythmix Cultural Works,...Continue reading→

half lemon

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

by Vicki Scott It’s winter in California, which means it’s time for citrus! While many plants in our Bay Area gardens are sleeping, these magical trees are bursting with fruit, their branches heavy with bright yellow, orange, and green juiciness, just begging to be picked. Whenever I have extra lemons, I love making this deliciously...Continue reading→

Beans and Greens recipe

Beans & Greens

By Joyce Peters Beans & Greens is a healthy, wintry dish that features greens at their peak sweetness and tenderness. 8 ounces of dried white beans or chickpeas 1 medium onion, peeled 1 bay leaf 1 clove Salt & black pepper to taste 1 bunch (about 1 ½ lbs.) greens – kale, collards, broccoli raab,...Continue reading→

Growing tomatoes in Alameda

Quiz on Tomatoes!

By Marla Koss Every year ABG offers various tomato starts at its Spring Plant Sale. The past three years we’ve sold them at our booth at ARPD’s fabulous Spring Shindig out at Alameda Point (this year, held on Saturday April 19th – mark your calendars!). Since we have yet to sow our tomato seeds, we...Continue reading→

roasted veggies

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables

by Joyce Peters Roasting brings out the best in vegetables. High dry heat caramelizes the vegetables to give them sweetness and intensify flavor. This dish is a great company dish that can be prepared ahead by cutting all the vegetables except the potatoes. When you are ready to cook, add the potatoes and seasonings per...Continue reading→

Citrus disease

Seasonal Tips on Pest Management

With the rain beginning, both the calendar and a step outside indicate that autumn is here and winter is not far behind. Pest management strategies need to change with the season, so here are some seasonal tips on pest control in the colder, wetter months. Ants If ants can’t find food outdoors they may try...Continue reading→