Northwest Renovation » Eileen Stark

Starting a Garden Indoors

Eileen Stark — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:59:16 +0000

Growing plants from seed brings out everyone’s nurturing side and is about as close to magic as we can get. More pragmatically, starting seeds indoors lengthens the growing season, provides a pest-free growing atmosphere, saves money, guarantees that plants are grown chemical-free, and allows you to choose from a huge selection of seeds. If you [...]

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Starting a Garden Indoors

Winter in the Garden

Eileen Stark — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 10:59:29 +0000

The cool temperatures and paltry daylight of winter seem to send our gardens into a slumber that doesn’t break until the first crocus pops up in early spring. Even though amazing things are happening below the soil’s surface, most of us lack a keen interest in soil science, so it’s the above-ground doings that grab [...]

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Winter in the Garden

Growing Glorious Garlic

Eileen Stark — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 17:55:51 +0000

Of all the plants we grow in the garden, garlic, a bulbous hardy perennial, must be the most pungent. Related to onions and a member of the lily family, garlic is one of the oldest known cultivated plants. It is native to central Asia and has long has been a staple in the Mediterranean region, [...]

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Growing Glorious Garlic

Gardening for the Birds

Eileen Stark — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 02:41:38 +0000

For many people, one of life’s pleasures is watching birds, such as tiny, acrobatic hummingbirds searching for nectar or flocks of twittering bushtits feasting on minute insects in the trees. Tragically, many bird populations are declining due to the obliteration of the birds’ wintering grounds, the use of pesticides and other chemicals, competition with non-native [...]

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Gardening for the Birds

Create Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden

Eileen Stark — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 22:51:15 +0000

In our age of genetically modified, chemically dependent agriculture, growing our own food is not only self-satisfying, it’s good for the planet. Besides being able to harvest truly fresh, delectable, nutritious produce, the energy used to ship vegetables is virtually eliminated and that patch of lawn that contributed nothing but a need to be mowed [...]

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Create Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden

Border Your Yard in Berries

Eileen Stark — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 03:27:57 +0000

One of the best things about summer is the scrumptious fruit available, and if you want that truly just-picked flavor, consider turning part of your yard into a mini-berry orchard. Blueberries, huckleberries, and raspberries require relatively little space, are easy to grow, and are generally pest-free as long as a few rules are followed. Berries [...]

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Border Your Yard in Berries

Autumn Gardening

Eileen Stark — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 02:56:14 +0000

It’s not difficult to become interested in gardening in the Pacific Northwest, where the seasons continually offer treats for the eye as well the gastronomy. Autumn is no exception, giving us not only the vibrant colors of deciduous trees and late blooming plants, but also the opportunity to prepare the garden for a quieter time. [...]

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Autumn Gardening

Bring Northwest Beauty to Your Garden

Eileen Stark — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 07:51:47 +0000

Long before we were born, magnificent forests covered much of the Pacific Northwest, along with other plant communities, including prairies, coastal plains, and peat bogs. But since it’s virtually impossible to restore the original forest or bog in a garden, is it really important to add native plants, especially when you have a passion for [...]

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Bring Northwest Beauty to Your Garden