Happy summer & a humble ask
Happy summer,
Before we discuss the flower above, a humble ask:
If you're on Facebook, please like & follow my new business page - https://www.facebook.com/GrowOurFoodLandscaping/. It will be greatly appreciated.
Now, the flower above is.... a pomegranate! Growing in our region, in the ground. This is the cold-hardy Salavatski Russian pomegranate. Beautiful flowers are followed by red fruit, smaller than those you might find in the supermarket, but abundant. This shrub gets to about 10 feet, and is exceptionally drought-tolerant, a desirable quality as the climate shifts and long dry spells potentially become more frequent. It's also quite deer-resistant.
Some projects we've been working on:
Protective fencing for blackberries & raspberries planted for a client last fall, as well as replacing a few plants that didn't make it.
Weeding & all-electric mowing for a property in Oreland, as well as starting to re-design a couple ornamental beds on that same property.
I'll keep this one short.
Hope you're enjoying your summer.
So many berries!
It's berry season!
It started with strawberries, and now it's time for cherries, blackberries, serviceberries, and mulberries.
Serviceberries are small, native trees, wonderful for landscapes due to their edible berries, fetching form, and fall color. The best I can do to describe their flavor is "blueberries on a tree". Mulberry trees grow wild all over and range in flavor from a mix of tart & sweet to full-on, honeydew-like single-note sweetness. Color ranges from dark purple to white and everything in between. These trees are truly prolific, and if you see a stained sidewalk, littered with berries, look up - that's probably a mulberry branch right above you.
As the flurry of spring activity gives way to warmer days and plant growth takes off, maintenance becomes a key concern. We happily provide all kinds of maintenance, whether it's veggie garden maintenance, harvesting fruit trees, or general pruning to keep your property looking beautiful.
And rain. What about it? We haven't had much, and the plants are getting stressed out there. But it will rain, eventually. And when it does, how wonderful to have a rainwater harvesting system in place to catch & store that rainwater for future use on your plants. Some people's water bills are not cheap (ahem, Aqua), and rainwater is free. Many common concerns have solutions. First flush diverters funnel off the first flush of dirtier rainwater away from your barrel. An electric water pump can address pressure issues. Contact us if you're interested.
Some fun projects we've been working on...
An intensive pruning job in an old ornamental pruning to uncover the original intent. The new owner had the original landscape design plans from 70 years ago!
A full property design for a house in Cherry Hill, N, with a focus on edibles, aesthetics, and privacy.
Installing a row of raspberries for a client in Glenside. Also prepping a 60 square foot planting area in preparation for planting blueberries next year (blueberries like very acidic soil)
Sprucing up an existing vegetable garden in Cheltenham and collaborating with the client in planning out this year's crop.
Spring is here!
Spring is here!
Day-to-day, the weather vacillates, but it's just a matter of time before consistent warm temperatures are back and we will once again forget the bare look of winter.
That being said, now is the perfect time to start a vegetable garden or plant some fruit trees or berries. In just a few months you could be harvesting heirloom tomatoes right from your yard. We're here to help, providing design, installation, and maintenance services. In fact, we are offering a 10% discount between now and May 10 for all new veggie garden, fruit tree, and berry installs. If you refer someone to us, we will apply a 10% discount to any future services we might render for you in the future.
Also...
We're expanding our services - check out the full list here.
Over the winter, I had the opportunity to present a webinar on the basics of growing fruit trees. This is the link - https://www.theenergy.coop/events/the-basics-of-growing-fruit-trees/.
We just wrapped up a fun project in Glenside, designing a 100 ft. long, fence-replacing, edible hedge, with an eye towards privacy.
The first one
Allow me introduce myself.
Most of you probably already know me In Real Life. I wanted to share the news that I recently launched a design & build landscape company called Grow Our Food. We're based out of Elkins Park, PA, and service the surrounding area.
Here are some of our recent projects:
50 ft of raspberries, blackberries, and honeyberries abutting a deck at a residence in Abington.
4 fruit trees planted (and heavy-duty-protected from deer) at a residence in Wyncote - 1 Fuyu persimmon, 1 plum, and 2 serviceberries. (Serviceberries are wonderful small trees with edible berries, most akin to blueberries. Great for pies, jams, and fresh eating.)
A 25 ft row of raspberries and blackberries at a daycare in Elkins Park as well as 2 large apple trees. The apple trees will be planted next week, hopefully with the help of the kids!
Consulting for a sleep-away camp in the Poconos Mountains and generating designs for a recently freed-up portion of their property.
What are your goals for your property? I'd be happy to consult!
Fall is actually a great time to plant, as it allows your plants to grow their roots through the two cooler, less-stressful seasons of fall, then spring, before the heat of summer takes over.
I also do full site designs. What that means is that I get to know your goals and property very well. I analyze the soil, the water regime, availability of sunlight, patterns of human use, utilities, and more. Then I compile all that information together and use it as a jumping off point for various designs to accommodate your goals. For example, there was a family in Willow Grove with three children and a quarter-acre backyard. I worked together with them to generate various design elements that would invite both kids and adults out into the property.