Harvest to Table

Artichokes grow best in areas of long mild winters and cool summers. Artichokes do not grow well where the summers are very hot, and where winters are cold and the ground freezes, artichokes must be replanted each year. Perennial artichokes should be cut back to about 12 inches in winter and the roots and crown [...]

Okra can be grown with ease wherever sweet s grown. Okra is often associated with the South–think gumbo soup, but it grows well in northern gardens as well. Okra grows in average soil; start okra when the soil and air temperature is right for planting corn For okra growing tips see Okra Growing Success Tips at [...]

Zucchini in North America and Australia; courgette in France, England, Ireland, and New Zealand; zucchini in Italy: it’s the summer squash with the shape of a cucumber. Yellow, green, or light green, it is one of the easiest vegetables to grow–all it needs is warm weather. There are at least 50 popular varieties of zucchini. [...]

Onions and their close relatives–chives, garlic, shallots, and leeks–are among the oldest of home garden plants. Allium is the genus for these crops. All varieties of Allium require loose, well-drained soil rich in nitrogen. There are hundreds of varieties of onion family plants. All suffer from similar pest, disease, and cultural problems Here is a [...]

Fresh-picked home-grown green peas are worth the effort. The flavor of fresh-picked peas will far outdistance the flavor of store bought peas because flavor of peas dulls quickly after picking as sugar change to starch. Peas grow best in cool weather, but peas are not limited to spring planting. Late summer and fall planting can [...]

Corn is the only member of the grass family that we grow and eat as a vegetable. To come to harvest quickly corn requires warm temperatures, rich soil, and even, regular watering. Corn is wind-pollinated so planting in blocks or multiple rows to ensure pollination is important. Here is a troubleshooting list of possible corn [...]

Eggplant lovers grow eggplant. Eggplant is not an easy-care crop: it demands rich soil, even consistent water, warm temperatures, bonus side-dressings of nutrients, and little or no wind. If eggplants don’t get what they want, there are no rewards for the grower. But keep an eggplant happy and out of harm’s way and you will [...]

Peppers–sweet peppers and hot peppers–share nearly all of the cultural and growing requirements of tomatoes. If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow peppers. Choose a site with full sun where the soil is moisture retentive but well-draining. If you are planting sweet peppers and hot peppers in the garden, give them some distance they [...]

Muskmelons, cantaloupes, winter melons, and watermelons: they all thrive under the same cultural conditions and they all share similar growing problems. •Cantaloupes are muskmelons: these melons have pumpkin-like ribbing, a skin covered with a netting of shallow veins, and most varieties have a musk smell. •Winter melons (which are a type of muskmelon) ripen at [...]

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that will keep on producing 20 years or longer given the right location and care. A healthy asparagus patch requires a bit of attention. Rule Number One: Keep ahead of asparagus problems, pests and diseases. Here is a troubleshooting list of possible asparagus problems with control and cure suggestions: Yellow [...]