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in Gardening Tips, Guides
Vegetable Crop Planting and Phenology
Events in the natural calendar can be used to guide planting times in the vegetable garden. The study and observation of seasonal events and their correlation to plant, insect, and animal life is called phenology. The study of regular events in the lives of plants, animals, and insects is called phenology (from Greek words meaning […] More
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Lights to Grow Plants – Choose The Right Light
To grow vegetables and herbs indoors you will almost certainly need artificial light. Natural light preferably from a south-facing window will always benefit plants growing indoors, but sufficient natural light is not always available indoors. That’s when your plants will need the right artificial light. Plants use light to grow. They convert light into food […] More
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Beets and Swiss Chard Growing Problems: Troubleshooting
Beets grow best in cool weather. For best fresh eating, harvest beats when they are half grown–about six weeks after sowing. Beets will still be good eating when grown to full size. Thinning beets is important: thin first when roots begin to thicken–the tops will be young and tender and can be served fresh in […] More
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Tomato Flavor Explained
Flavor is probably the best reason for selecting a tomato for kitchen garden growing. Once you have identified your favorite tomato (or tomatoes), the memory of that fruit’s flavor will easily get you started in spring and keep you going until harvest year after year. Getting to know new tomatoes and their tastes will bring […] More
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Best Vegetables to Grow Quick Lists
What vegetables should you grow in your garden? There are three basic guidelines to follow: Plant the vegetables that you and your family like to eat; plant vegetables that are suited to your region, to the time of year, and to the space and time you can devote to gardening; decide if you are going […] More
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in Gardening Tips, Guides
Vegetable Crops for Narrow Beds and Wide Rows
There are more than two dozen vegetable crops well-suited for planting in narrow beds, also called wide rows. A wide row—or narrow bed—is about 3 feet across, never wider than you can reach to the center of the bed from one side or the other. The wide row-narrow bed means you will never have to […] More
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in Gardening Tips, Guides
No-Dig and Light-Dig Garden Preparation
The no-dig or light-dig garden preparation method calls for spreading soil amendments across planting beds and allowing rain, wind, and soil organisms to till or work the amendments and their nutrients into the soil. You do not have to dig or use a rototiller in your garden every year. Lightly turning planting beds with a […] More
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Asian Greens for Cool-Weather Harvest
Crispy, succulent, and sweet-flavored Asian greens are easy to grow and demand little space. Like other greens such as lettuce and spinach, they are cool-season crops and prefer to reach maturity in cool air temperatures. They are quick growing and well suited for sowing in spring for late spring harvest or late summer for autumn […] More
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in Gardening Tips, Guides
Asparagus Year-Round Care Calendar
Asparagus is among the earliest and tastiest crops each year. Perennial asparagus beds can produce spears for decades and decades with proper care throughout the years. Plant asparagus where there is plenty of sun in the spring and the soil is rich in organic matter and well-drained. As a guide, you will need about 20 […] More
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Chinese Vegetables: Warm-Season Varieties
Many Chinese vegetables–also known as Oriental vegetables– are well suited for warm-season growing. Grow these crops from spring through the end of summer. These crops are favored in Chinese and Asian cooking, and they are easy to grow. Most are fast-growing and suitable for small gardens and containers. Chinese vegetables can generally be broken into […] More
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Vegetable Garden 12-Month To-Do Calendar
One of the most challenging aspects in gardening is to get things started at the proper time. Success in the garden often depends on timing. Planning the work ahead is important. A simple checklist can be used to make sure that everything is started and carried out at the proper time–starting in spring with preparing […] More
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Broccoli Growing Problems: Troubleshooting
Broccoli is treated much as cabbage. Grow broccoli as rapidly as possible. Give broccoli plenty of moisture and be sure to feed it through the season–a planting bed amended with aged compost is an important start. While broccoli is hardy at maturity, young plants should not be subjected to frost. For broccoli growing tips see […] More