Seeds sown in warm soil and hot late summer weather can have a difficult time germinating. Moistening the seed bed and protecting seed from hot weather can ensure germination. Here are some simple steps to increase seed sowing success: (1) moisten the seed bed with a sprinkle of water; (2) sow seed; (3) cover the…
Almanac
Garden Tips for August
August is a month of endings and beginnings in the kitchen garden. In nature, change is about. Summer will begin to fade in many gardens during August giving way to autumn and cool weather. In hot summer regions, heat may continue for several more weeks then give way to warm but not cool temperatures. In…
Grow Tomatoes This Spring
No tomato tastes better than the one you’ve grown yourself. Whether you are growing tomatoes for slicing on sandwiches, salads, snacking, cooking, or canning, there is a tomato or two that will grow easily where you live. Here’s a collection of tips to help you start growing the tastiest, juiciest tomatoes ever in your home…
Vegetable Garden Tips for March
Welcome to March in the vegetable garden! March brings the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Spring in the Northern Hemisphere arrives on March 19 this year. “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter…
April Seed Starting Veggies Zone-by-Zone
Here are seed starting tips–both indoors and outdoors–and schedule for April zone-by-zone. If you are unfamiliar with the USDA zone where you live, look at the minimum annual temperature guideline following each zone. Soil and Seed Starting Mix Getting seed started indoors is essentially the same as sowing seed outdoors directly in the garden. If…
Seed Starting Vegetables in March
To get a head start on the growing season, start your vegetable seeds indoors. Cold soil and unsettled weather will challenge seeds sown directly in the garden in early spring. Cool-season crops that are the easiest to start from seed indoors are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, and lettuce. Warm-season crops to start indoors…
Seed Starting Vegetables in February
Starting seeds indoors will give you a head start on the growing season. Starting seed in the garden can be challenging–for the seed, that is: soil too cold or too wet are the chief obstacles to germination. For early cool-season crops try indoor seed starting this year; you can get started this month. Plants that…
Seed-Starting Vegetables in January
If you haven’t started already there’s no time like the first month of the year to jump-start spring. In the coldest regions, the first weeks of January are the time to begin planning the spring and summer garden. As soon as your plans are set, get seeds ordered. In low frost and frost-free regions of…
