Autumn and winter crops replace summer crops as days shorten and temperatures begin to drop. Root crops do best in cool weather as do most leafy crops. As warm-weather fruiting vegetables—tomatoes, peppers, and squashes—finish their run for the year remove them and prepare planting beds for autumn and winter crops–beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, kale, spinach, […] More
Nematodes are microscopic soil-dwelling worms, many less than 1/16-inch long. There are beneficial nematodes and pest nematodes. Beneficial nematodes help turn organic matter into plant nutrients. They also prey on soil-dwelling plant pests such as white grubs and root maggots. Pest nematodes feed on plant roots, stunting and sometimes killing plants including many vegetables. Nematodes […] More
Most vegetable garden diseases can be prevented and controlled. Limit disease damage by identifying diseases quickly and taking action. Regular visits to the garden will help you spot diseased plants before the disease spreads. Choose the most effective control and then work to prevent future disease outbreaks. Listed here are 25 common vegetable diseases. The […] More
A weed is any plant that grows in the garden that you do not want. Weeds steal water and nutrients from vegetable crops reducing yield. Weeds compete with vegetables for sun and provide a refuge for pests and diseases. The best strategy for weed control is to prevent weeds from germinating and eradicate those that […] More
There is no better way to start the vegetable garden season than with a list of the crops you want to grow this year. To make your list, answer these simple questions: With your list in hand get to the garden center and purchase your seeds and other supplies before the spring rush. In garden […] More
July is a busy month in the vegetable, herb, and fruit gardens. The summer harvest begins in July. Succession planting of warm-season crops continues and planting of cool-season crops for fall harvest can begin this month as well. Warm-weather crops coming to harvest this month must be picked at the peak of ripeness–just ripe, tender […] More
January is the coldest month of the year in the northern hemisphere. This is the month to get seed catalogs and begin planning the spring garden. Beware of false spring days. Check with the weather service or local cooperative extension for your area’s average last frost date–the last expected frost and the start of outdoor […] More
Early October is the right time to begin thinking about the coming frost and cold weather. How will you extend the season if your summer crops are not yet ready for harvest? Many warm-weather crops and all cool-weather crops can withstand the first or second or even third frost with a little protection. Extending the […] More
November is a busy month in the kitchen garden. Many gardeners would say November is the most important month–now is the time to prepare the soil for next spring and afterward put the garden to bed for the winter. (Of course, winter vegetable gardening can be very rewarding. So if you are continuing the fresh […] More
December brings early winter, but not much of a slowdown in the all-year vegetable garden. Cool-season crops planted early in autumn will come to harvest in the next several weeks. (If crops have slowed down, don’t fret. Once daylight drops to less than 10 hours, cool-weather vegetables slip into a no-growth mode. Growth will resume […] More
Vegetables need water to grow quickly, tender, and tasty. Keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season—that means not too wet and not too dry. If the soil dries out, vegetables can become bitter-tasting and woody. If the soil is too wet, vegetable roots can become starved for oxygen and plants can die. Water […] More
Use natural organic methods to control vegetable garden insect pests. There are tried and true garden insect controls that have been around for thousands of years. “Prevention is better than a cure” is an old adage that is true in the garden as it is in most areas of life. Today these techniques are commonly […] More
Stephen Albert