Annuals live their life in one season. They bring bursts of color to the garden. A mixture of annuals with perennials, shrubs, and groundcovers creates an interplay of texture and color. Annuals can be started from seed, or they can be bought in containers and flat already in flower. Use annuals to fill in bare […] More
Timing is everything when it comes to the home vegetable garden harvest. Once vegetables are picked they immediately begin to lose flavor, tenderness, and nutritional value. Harvest your crops as close to the time you plan to serve them, within an hour or less of serving time is best. How do you know when it […] More
Herbs well suited for growing in cool weather are cilantro, chervil, chives, dill, and parsley. Unlike warm-weather summer-grown herbs, cool-weather herbs can be sown directly in the garden a month or more before the last frost in spring for late spring harvest and again in late summer for fall harvest. Cool-season herbs grow best in […] More
No cook should be without these twenty versatile, aromatic, and savory herbs. These herbs offer simple ways to bring flavor and aroma to many delectable dishes. Herbs for cooking are plants whose leaves, seeds, fruits, flowers, or other parts are used fresh or dried for flavoring food. (A spice–broadly speaking–denotes a flavoring derived from the […] More
Organic potatoes are a great addition to any home garden. Not only are they packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but they also provide a unique and flavorful cooking experience. Growing organic potatoes in your home garden is both rewarding and easy as long as you are well-versed in how to grow potatoes. Here are […] More
Herbs are both beautiful and useful. They require a small amount of effort for a great reward. An herb garden is easy to start; you can grow herbs in their own stand-alone bed, include them in existing flower and vegetable beds, or grow them in decorative pots. Herbs are highly adaptable they will grow in […] More
Plants require nutrients to grow and for good health. Most plant nutrients are common natural organic chemical elements. Sixteen organic chemical elements are the nutrients necessary for plant growth. Three are non-mineral elements that come from air and water; thirteen are mineral elements that come from the soil. All of these elemental nutrients in varying […] More
Many herbs have edible flowers that can be used as a colorful garnish for salads and sweet and savory dishes. Add herb flowers to delicate salads and salad herbs such as lamb’s lettuce and chervil. Tip: toss the leaves of a salad you plan to add herbs to first then add dressing then add edible […] More
Onion sets are small, dry onion bulbs grown the previous season but not allowed to mature. Grow your own onion sets from seed. It is not difficult, does not require much time, and can put you ahead in both time and money. Planted in the second season onion sets produce an early crop of bulb […] More
Vegetable garden season extension is a term used for growing vegetables outside of the natural growing season—that is during winter, early spring, or autumn spring when outdoor temperatures are too cold for most plants. To extend the season, plants must be protected by covers small or large. When soil and air temperatures fall below minimum […] More
Vegetable crops and other plants need light, water, air, nutrients, and the proper temperature to grow. Light for photosynthesis Plants use light to make food (carbohydrates—sugars and starches) in their leaves. This process is called photosynthesis; it is the transformation of light energy into chemical energy. Here’s how photosynthesis works: the green pigment in plant […] More
You will only need a few tools for your vegetable garden chores, so choose good ones: Spade and spading fork: used to turn the ground and break up large clods. Steel rake: used for smoothing the soil after spading as you prepare the seedbed. Later used for clean up at the end of the season. […] More
Stephen Albert