Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen Garden Grower’s Guide. His Vegetable Garden Grower’s Masterclass is available online. Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year.
Growing potatoes in pots, grow bags, and containers is an excellent way to produce fresh, homegrown spuds without the need for a large plot of land. Growing potatoes in pots and containers is a great option for small gardeners, and the results can be very rewarding. With a little care and attention, you can enjoy […] More
Potatoes require a cool but frost-free growing season. Grow potatoes through the summer in cool northern regions. Grow potatoes in fall, winter, and spring in hot summer southern regions. Here is your complete guide to growing potatoes. Quick Potato Growing Tips Which potato to plant: Potato Types and Varieties. Where to Plant Potatoes Good Products […] More
Potatoes grow from other potatoes. A potato grows from a whole, small potato, or a piece of a larger one. The whole potato or cut piece has several recessed, dormant buds on its surface–these dormant buds are called “eyes”. When conditions are right, the buds will sprout and develop into independent plants. Potatoes used to […] More
Starting vegetable seeds indoors will give you a head start on the growing season–extend your growing season–and make your garden more productive. Starting seeds indoors eliminates one of the biggest unpredictables of vegetable gardening–poor outdoor germination conditions. Light, temperature, water, nutrients, and spacing are planned and regulated indoors; seeds find it much easier to grow […] More
When it comes to growing potatoes, choose the potato you grow to match the way you want to cook potatoes. Use low-starch potatoes for boiling, roasting, grilling, sautés, stews, salads, and au gratin dishes. Use medium starch potatoes for steaming, baking, roasting, grilling, and au gratin dishes. Use high-starch potatoes for baking, frying, and mashing. […] More
You can grow a miniature vegetable garden. Growing vegetables in containers is an easy and pleasurable way to garden if you live in an apartment, townhouse, or condominium. A sunny balcony, patio, courtyard, porch, doorway, or windowsill is all you need to get your small garden growing. Most vegetables and herbs will succeed in […] More
How do you cook peas? Peas are cooked in the least possible amount of water and in just the time for them to become just tender. The French cook peas in the water it takes to moisten lettuce leaves. Line a saucepan with damp greens and a few pea pods, pour in the shelled peas, […] More
There are more than 200 varieties of chilies or hot peppers. Sometimes the names of chilies can get a bit confusing because often the same pepper will be known by two or even three different names. Here’s a quick users guide to about four dozen very popular chilies and how you can use them in […] More
Slice open a hot pepper and you will see tiny blisterlike sacs on the inner wall of the pepper. These sacs contain capsaicinoids or organic chemicals. Capsaicinoids make peppers hot. The more sacs you see on the inside of a pepper the hotter the pepper will be. When a pepper is cut or handled roughly […] More
Peppers are a tender, warm-weather crop. Start peppers indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the average last frost. Plant to set young pepper plants outdoors after nighttime temperatures are expected to stay above 60°F (16°C). Start pepper seeds indoors up to 14 weeks before the last spring frost if you plan to harden off seedlings […] More
Tomatoes are a tender, warm-weather crop. Start tomatoes indoors 10 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost in spring. Set tomato seedlings into the garden after all danger of frost is past. Plant tomato seedlings in the garden 4 weeks after the last frost. The garden soil temperature for setting out transplants should be […] More
Most orange tomatoes are a sweeter and fruitier flavor than red tomatoes. Most yellow tomatoes are less tangy than red tomatoes. Because they have less bite orange and yellow tomatoes are well served at breakfast and in fresh mixed vegetable salads. Many but not all orange and yellow tomatoes are lower in acid content than […] More
