Experienced gardener or new gardener your gardening success will be greatly helped by planning the garden before you begin the growing season. The purpose of a garden plan is to make your work less and your returns more. A garden plan and a couple of supporting lists can guide you through this growing season and […] More
Many vegetables can be grown in winter and harvested in winter or early spring. Some vegetables take most of a year to mature; they are planted in spring and harvested in winter. Other vegetables can be sown in midsummer or early autumn for autumn and winter harvest. Vegetables for winter harvest include leeks, salad leaves, […] More
Mulching can benefit your vegetable garden. Mulch is any material laid on the surface of the soil. Mulch protects the soil surface and allows air and water through. It can be organic, such as compost, shredded leaves, or lawn clipping, or inorganic or synthetic, such as coarse sand, gravel, or plastic. Mulch reduces evaporation from […] More
Soil pH is a scale used to measure the soil’s acidity or alkalinity. Alkaline soil is called “sweet” by gardeners and farmers; acidic soil is called “sour.” Soil pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Acidic soil measures below 7; alkaline soil measures greater than 7. Soil pH […] More
The most useful measure of the vegetable garden growing season is soil and air temperature averages. Warming soil temperatures activate root growth and the uptake of moisture and nutrients. Soil temperature is very closely affected by the air temperature. As days lengthen in spring and the air temperature warms toward summer, the soil temperature follows. […] More
A wide garden row in a narrow bed is ideal for growing leaf and small root crops. Wide rows are set across narrow beds. Narrow beds are planting beds that a gardener can reach into to tend crops without stepping on the soil. Wide rows are set across narrow beds. Wide rows are ideal for […] More
Vertical gardening means growing plants on an upright support such as a stake, trellis, cage, net, or fence. Beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, squash, and pumpkins—nearly all vining and rambling crops—can be grown on vertical supports. Some studies say that the yield per square foot for vine crops can be doubled by growing them vertically. Many […] More
Cool-season vegetables are for planting and growing in late winter, early spring, or in late summer, autumn, and early winter. These crops do best in temperatures between about 40°F and about 70°F (4-21°C). Many can withstand temperatures colder, but few can thrive in temperatures warmer. Make sure that cool-season crops planted in spring have enough […] More
Dry gardening–called dry farming on a grander scale–is a strategy for gardening where rainfall and irrigation water are in short supply. By definition, dry farming is non-irrigated agriculture in a climate where there is 20 inches of rain or less a year. Vegetables require water to germinate, grow, and fruit. Plant cells are made mostly […] More
You can grow vegetables for harvest in the fall. Plant a fall and winter harvest vegetable garden in mid-to-late summer. Hardy, cool-weather crops are best suited for the fall vegetable garden. Cool-weather vegetables like to get their start in warm soil and come to maturity when days and nights are cool. Cool-weather vegetables include leafy […] More
Vegetable crops should be protected from temperatures much greater than 95°F (35°C). Most vegetables will be stressed when temperatures rise to 100°F and many will die in sustained temperatures greater than 110°F. Signs of heat stress in vegetables include wilting at the ends of new growth, blossom drop, leaf drop, and sunburn of leaves and […] More
Vegetables grown for their leaves and roots are the best choices for shady gardens. Salad greens such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and celery can be grown in shaded gardens. Roots crops such as beets, leeks, potatoes, and turnips can be grown in shady gardens. A garden site that receives as few as two hours of […] More
Stephen Albert