— Nan Sterman Seeds fascinate me. They look like little pieces of dead wood. But bury them in soil or potting soil, add water, set them where the temperature is just right, and they sprout. Care for them and they grow into plants, many of which we eat. Have you ever seen a tomat

–Nan Sterman From Anza Borrego Desert to the beaches at La Jolla, this is San Diego County’s garden tour season. This time of year, gardeners open their gates and invite the public in to enjoy the fruits (sometimes literally) of their labors. If you love seeing what’s behi

March in the Garden Get Ready for Spring — Nan Sterman March is such a busy month for gardeners. There’s so much to see, so much to learn, and so much to do. Where to begin? Here’s my list for getting your garden ready for the months ahead. Edibles Start your home ve

— Nan Sterman With tomatoes ripening now, it’s a great time to taste test the many different types, learn their best uses, and  decide which to grow next summer. Here’s a tutorial. Tomato types Slicing (Beefsteak) tomatoes produce very large, often crenulated fruits,

— Nan Sterman Sex is complicated in the plant world. Flowers have male and female parts; some have both, some have one or the other. A male flower part is called a “stamen,” that’s where the pollen is. Pollen is the plant world equivalent of sperm. The female flower part is call

— Nan Sterman How often a gardener sends me a photo, asking me if the bug in the picture is a “good bug” or a “bad bug.” Most people assume  every bug is bad but the truth is, most of the insects in our gardens are “good,” or at least, they aren’t “bad.” In my garden, this is an

A Gardener’s Tale by Marianne Gerdes The brand new raised bed garden that Camera Guy built for our family has succeeded beyond our wildest expectations.  Tomatoes tower over our heads, cucumbers climb trellises growing up instead of out and, we’ve learned about a whole new

— Nan Sterman When it comes to vegetable gardening, we spend so much time and effort starting seeds, planting seedlings, fertilizing, watering and hovering over our plants. When are the fruits of our labor ready to pick? Here are some general guidelines for knowing when and how

Nan’s report: A few months back, I did a garden consultation for a couple who asked me about building a keyhole garden in their backyard. Keyhole garden? It comes from Africa, they said, and it’s supposed to be a highly productive method for growing vegetables, yet uses very lit

I’m so pleased to present tonight’s episode of A Growing Passion on food justice.  It’s an issue that has been near and dear to my heart for many, many years. What is food justice?  My definition is this: food justice is the right of all people to grow, sell, and otherwise have access