Carrots and parsnips grow best in loose, sandy, humus-rich soil. Size does not make for more flavorful carrots and parsnips. For the best flavor, lift both crops before they reach maximum size. Carrots and parsnips can be sown thickly; later thin both from 2 to 2½ inches apart or more depending upon the variety. Young […] More
Sweet potatoes require loose, well-drained soil and about 100 very warm days. Sweet potatoes are usually grown from slips started from roots (to start your own add another 40 days). Set sweet potato starts into the garden about the same time you set out tomato transplants in spring. For sweet potato growing tips see Sweet Potato […] More
Okra can be grown with ease wherever sweet corn is 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 are right for planting corn For okra growing tips see Okra Growing Success Tips […] More
Grow turnip, rutabaga, and kohlrabi in cool-weather. Get these vegetables started early in spring at least two months before the onset of very warm weather, or plant them in late summer so that they come to harvest in the cool days of autumn. Grow turnips, rutabagas, and kohlrabi rapidly–these crops are most flavorful if they […] More
Artichokes grow best in areas with long mild winters and cool summers. Artichokes do not grow well where the summers are sweltering, 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 heavily […] More
Cauliflower is grown much like cabbage but requires more careful treatment. It is best to start cauliflower indoors where it can be protected from both cold and hot temperatures. Spring-planted cauliflower is likely to face early cold and late heat which will make the effort difficult. Summer-planted cauliflower for fall harvest will be both easier […] More
Beans: garden beans–including pole, bush, and shell–lima beans, mung beans, scarlet runner beans, asparagus beans, and southern peas (which are not beans but share similar cultural requirements). All of these crops share similar problems. Here is a list of common bean problems and possible causes and cures. For more on vegetable garden pests and diseases […] More
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 so […] More
Give cucumbers the right conditions–warm, sunny weather and consistent water–and they will be one of your top-producing garden crops. To keep ahead of cucumber problems, pests, and diseases, here is a troubleshooting list of possible cucumber problems with brief control suggestions. Cucumber problems and solutions Seed and seedling problems Plants are eaten or cut off […] More
Muskmelons, cantaloupes, winter melons, and watermelons: they all thrive under the same cultural conditions and they all share similar growing problems. Melon problems and solutions Leaf problems Leaves curl under and become deformed and yellowish. Aphids are tiny, oval, and yellowish to greenish pear-shaped insects that colonize the undersides of leaves. They leave behind sticky […] More
Squash can be susceptible to several garden pests and diseases. When it comes to solving plant problems, diagnosis is 9/10 of the cure. You must know what is wrong with your plant before you can select the right control measure. Good Products for Growing Beans at Amazon: Squash problems and suggested controls Seed and seedling […] More
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-growing problems with control and cure suggestions: (Read to the bottom of this post for corn-growing success tips.) […] More
Stephen Albert