Wood ash from a fireplace or woodstove can be a good source of plant nutrients calcium, potassium, and phosphorus in the garden. Wood ash is alkaline—about half as alkaline as lime—so it can be used to balance acid soil, but it should not be used on alkaline soils—as found in most of the western United […] More
Vegetables are sensitive to hot temperatures–just as they are sensitive to cold temperatures. Each vegetable crop grows best in its own range of temperatures. The optimal temperature range for peppers and eggplants, for example, is 70° to 85°F; pollination will not occur if the night temperature falls below 55°F, and blossoms may fall if the […] More
Late spring and early summer is the time to set out heat-loving crops–tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, zucchini, squashes, cucumbers, okra, and melons. Plant these crops where they will get plenty of sunshine for rapid growth and timely harvests. Work plenty of aged compost or commercial organic planting mix into the beds, mounds, and hills ahead […] More
Keep a vegetable garden calendar and map. Use the calendar to record when you start seeds when you plant in the garden, and when you expect to harvest each crop. Use the garden map to record where you plant each crop or plan to plant later in the season. Keeping track of the garden in […] More
Protect vegetable seedlings planted in the garden from cool and cold nighttime temperatures. Protect warm-season seedlings such as tomatoes and peppers from temperatures below 55°F. Protect cool-season seedlings such as lettuce and cabbage from temperatures below 45°F. Cages and tunnels covered with plastic are quick ways to protect crops and extend the warmth needed for […] More
Baby vegetables are commonly vegetables harvested before they reach full size and served whole while they are small, delicate, succulent, and tasty. Other baby vegetables have been especially bred to be flavorful while still small. Because baby vegetables are harvested small they can be planted very close together. This makes baby vegetables well suited for […] More
Need top-choice, sure-bet, best-pick, easy-to-grow bean varieties? Here are 25 top performers for the home garden divided into 5 popular bean types: (1) snap-bush green, (2) snap-pole green, (3) bush yellow, (4) lima, and (5) dried and shell beans. Keep reading to the bottom of this post for my tips for sure-fired bean growing success. […] More
There are proven ways to extend the growing season. Season extension is the garden term for growing crops outside of the natural growing time Mother Nature gives each year. Days and nights with frost or freezing temperatures are not part of the natural growing season. But very cold weather does not mean you can’t keep […] More
A kitchen garden is—as its name suggests–a garden that is as close to the kitchen as it can be. A kitchen garden provides the cook ingredients that are fresh-picked and at their peak of ripeness—fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers. Plan to use the produce from your kitchen garden immediately, at the very next meal. […] More
How big should a kitchen garden be? Two more questions: How much space do you have? How much ground can you care for? A small garden that provides the vegetables you will eat is better than a vegetable plot that produces more than you can use or give away. A small garden that you can […] More
Stephen Albert