Chris McLaughlin
Chris is a garden writer and author living on a micro-farm in Northern California's Gold Country where she's smitten with the rich history surrounding her town. She's been gardening and studying plants for over thirty years and her passion for growing led her to become a Master Gardener in 2000.
Chris writes for numerous online sites including Vegetable Gardener.com, Blissfully Domestic.com, and The Dirt. Her work can also be found in print magazines such The Herb Companion, Urban Farm Magazine, and The Heirloom Gardener. When she's not working on an assignment, she's playing around on her personal blogs, A Suburban Farmer.com, The Savvy Plant, and Kids Safe Landscape.
Chris' books, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting (Alpha Books) and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables (Alpha Books) were released in 2010. Because she feels she does her best work under tremendous pressure, she's currently working on Hobby Farms Rabbits: Small-Scale Rabbit Keeping (BowTie, 2011) and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Small -Space Gardening (Alpha, 2012).
As the mother of four, grandmother of two, and a 4H leader, Chris enjoys nothing more than sharing her love for growing plants and raising animals with kids. When she isn't writing she's gardening, caring for the animals on her hobby farm, sewing, and enjoying her her family.
Follow Chris on Twitter: @Suburban_Farmer
Latest Articles
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Dwarf Peaches and Nectarines for Small-Space Gardens
Dwarf fruit trees reach a mere 4' to 6' tall and are perfect for the small garden or yard.
Jul 8, 2011
- Chris McLaughlin
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Using Chemical Products Correctly in the Home Garden
Chemical pesticides and herbicides can be toxic or damaging if they're applied incorrectly. It's the gardener's responsibility to learn to use them safely.
May 30, 2011
- Chris McLaughlin
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How to Choose the Right Pruning Tools
Proper fruit tree pruning practices require the right pruning tools. Learn which tool is the best one for each technique.
Jan 31, 2011
- Chris McLaughlin
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10 Reasons Why You Should Prune Fruit Trees
Improving appearance is only one good reason to to prune fruit trees and other plant species. Let me give you nine more.
Jan 31, 2011
- Chris McLaughlin
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Using Integrated Pest Management in The Home Vegetable Garden
The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is to start with the least toxic pest remedy and move up to the next level of control.
Dec 31, 2010
- Chris McLaughlin
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Plant Container Choices for Growing Vegetables
Growing vegetables in containers is one of the best ways to make the most of small garden space. But which type of plant container should you choose?
Dec 30, 2010
- Chris McLaughlin
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How to Choose Bare-Root Fruit Trees for the Home Orchard
Choose a healthy bare-root fruit tree for the home garden or small orchard.
Dec 13, 2010
- Chris McLaughlin
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Purchase Bare-Root Trees From Fruit Tree Catalogs
Collecting a wide selection of fruit tree catalogs makes home orchard planting fun and easy.
Dec 13, 2010
- Chris McLaughlin
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Grow Heirloom Carrots in the Home Vegetable Garden
Heirloom carrot varieties offer unusual and gorgeous colors, many of them out-flavoring the more common carrot varieties. All that and history, too.
Nov 14, 2010
- Chris McLaughlin
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Plant Profile for Sweet Bay Tree (Laurus nobilis)
Laurus nobilis is an aromatic herb that belongs in every kitchen garden. It's easy-to-grow and brings height and evergreen structure to landscaping.
Oct 27, 2010
- Chris McLaughlin
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