Pruning cucumbers is an essential skill that every gardener should master for a thriving, high-yielding crop. With more than 30 years of experience growing cucumbers, I’ve learned that regular pruning can help you achieve healthier plants, reduce disease risks, and encourage more fruitful harvests. In this guide, I’ll share practical tips on how and when […] More
If you’re looking to grow summer squash and zucchini, you’re in for a treat! These vibrant vegetables are some of the most rewarding to grow, offering a bountiful harvest in a short period. Whether you’re interested in zucchini, yellow squash, or pattypan, knowing how to get your plants started is crucial to a successful season. […] More
Summer squash is one of the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow in the home garden. With the right care and attention, you can harvest tender, flavorful squash all summer long. Summer squash comes in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes—from classic green zucchini and golden zucchini to yellow crookneck, straightneck, and scalloped […] More
Caring for winter squash properly is the key to growing strong, productive plants that yield flavorful, long-lasting fruit. After decades of growing winter squash in home and market gardens, I’ve developed a simple but effective care routine that supports healthy vines, improves pollination, and increases yields. In this post, I’ll share proven tips and personal […] More
Winter squash is a rewarding and flavorful crop to grow in the home garden, offering a long shelf life and rich, nutritious flesh perfect for soups, roasts, and baking. As a longtime gardener with decades of hands-on experience growing dozens of winter squash varieties—from sweet Delicata to hearty Blue Hubbard—I’ve learned what it takes to […] More
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from growing tomatoes over the years is that proper support makes a huge difference in plant health, fruit production, and ease of harvest. Without support, tomato plants tend to sprawl across the ground, making them more susceptible to disease, insect damage, and rot. Whether you’re growing bush […] More
Pruning and pinching tomato plants is a simple but essential practice that can significantly improve plant health and fruit production. Over the years, I’ve learned that proper pruning helps direct the plant’s energy toward producing bigger, healthier tomatoes instead of excessive foliage. If you’ve ever struggled with a tangled, unmanageable tomato plant or small, lackluster […] More
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my years of growing tomatoes is that consistent watering and proper feeding make all the difference between a thriving, high-yielding plant and one that struggles with disease, blossom-end rot, or weak growth. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and need the right balance of nutrients and moisture at every […] More
Over the years, I’ve learned the hard way that patience is key when planting tomatoes. One spring, eager to get a head start, I set my transplants out too early—only to watch them struggle as cold nights stunted their growth. Since then, I’ve fine-tuned my approach, and I’m here to help you avoid the same […] More
Standard-sized tomatoes take 20 to 30 days from blossom set to reach full size–commonly called “mature green”; they take another 20 to 30 days to ripen, that is begin to change color. A tomato can be picked when it begins to change color–from green to red, pink, yellow, or orange depending upon the cultivar. The […] More
Pruning a tomato means removing unneeded growth tips from the plant. These growing tips are sometimes called shoots or suckers. Growth tips are the new growth–the small leafy-bud growth–located in the “V” or crotch between two stems. Pruning or pinching away new growth allows a tomato plant to concentrate its energy on the development of […] More
Grow tomatoes on stakes to ripen fruits earlier than plants that are not staked. Grow tomatoes on stakes to keep fruit cleaner and easier to spot at harvest. You can grow almost twice as many staked tomatoes in a given area than if you let plants grow unstaked or in cages. Tomatoes grown on stakes […] More
Stephen Albert