The Nurse Farmer

04/21/2026

04/17/2026

Bachelor's buttons with yellow snapdragons. I wanted to put this arrangement on the coffee table, but I'm afraid my cat will knock it over.

04/17/2026

https://phys.org/news/2021-01-mystery-blue-nature-rare-bee.html

At a dinner party, or in the schoolyard, the question of favorite color frequently results in an answer of "blue". Why is it that humans are so fond of blue? And why does it seem to be so rare in the world of plants and animals?

04/17/2026

Small patch of Bachelor's Buttons, a rare, true-blue flower, I grew from seed.

During the Victorian era, single men wore these flowers in their buttonholes to signal their availability.

Did you know that bees are especially drawn to blue flowers? Planting flowers in or near a vegetable garden helps attract bees to pollinate our vegetables. Planting flowers also provides a food source and habitat for bees and other pollinators.

04/15/2026

There have been a couple of times when I have allowed myself to overheat and dehydrate while gardening outdoors. How could I allow that to happen?

Link in comments:

04/15/2026

Weeds compete with other plants for water and nutrients, so it's important to control them before they overtake your garden. I use a hoe and natural herbicides like soap and vinegar. The Nature Nurse, how do you keep your weeds under control?

04/15/2026

I found the perfect wild muscadine vine growing in my yard and transplanted it into a large pot. I'm not sure whether it's a red or white grape. I'm going to let it mature for a while, then transplant it into the vineyard.

04/14/2026

https://www.thenursefarmer.com/blog/hydrate-before-you-wilt-the-nurse-farmers-hard-learned-lessons

The whole point and moral of this story is very simple. Stay hydrated and avoid overheating while gardening outside. I mean, we all know that, right? Being a nurse, of course, I know that too. Yet, despite that, there have been a couple of times when I have allowed myself to overheat and dehydrate.

04/12/2026

Spring is here and my older muscadines are already producing baby grapes which will be ripe for picking in late summer or early fall.

04/10/2026

Rake up straw and leaves to use as mulch to place around your plants will help conserve water and suppress weeds.

04/10/2026

Coffee Grounds Add Nitrogen & Organic Matter To Your Garden

04/09/2026

I got a head start on my spring garden by starting my cumber seeds indoors two weeks before our last frost. They are growing well underneath my home-made tripod trellis. I will use the cucumbers to make Mamma Mia salad later this spring.