Leeks are grown for their thick, juicy, long stalks. They are a mild-flavored alternative to the onion. Leeks require a long growing season—up to 170 days. They grow best in cool, mild weather. Leeks are nearly a year-round garden grower. Start leeks indoors in winter for planting out in very early spring for an early […] More
Sweet potatoes are tender, warm-season perennial plants grown as annuals. Sweet potatoes are commonly grown from rooted sprouts called slips. -purchased at the garden center or from a seed catalog. Sweet potatoes require warm, frost-free weather to grow. The time to put sweet potato slips in the garden is after the soil has warmed to […] More
Eggplant is a very tender warm season perennial grown as an annual. Grow eggplant in the warmest, frost-free time of the year. The edible fruit can be long and slender or round or egg-shaped fruit. The fruit is creamy-white, yellow, brown, purple, or sometimes almost black. Eggplant is a small- to medium-sized bush vegetable that […] More
Celery is a cool-weather crop. It requires a long growing season–16 weeks of cool weather to come to harvest. Celery is a hardy biennial grown as an annual. It has a rosette of 12- to 18-inch (30-45cm) stalks, topped with divided leaves. Celery is grown for its edible stalks, leaves, and seeds. Celery is the […] More
Sweet peppers are one of the most rewarding vegetables to grow in a home garden. Their crisp texture and mild, sweet flavor make them a favorite for fresh eating, cooking, and preserving. Over the decades I’ve been gardening, I’ve experimented with dozens of sweet pepper varieties, tested different soil amendments, and learned how to deal […] More
Growing hot peppers is both an art and a science, and after years of cultivating different varieties in my own garden, I’ve learned what it takes to produce strong, healthy plants with fiery, flavorful peppers. Whether you’re planting mild jalapeños or extreme Carolina Reapers, the key to success starts with proper planting, soil preparation, and […] More
Growing hot peppers is one of the most rewarding experiences for home gardeners and spice enthusiasts. There’s nothing quite like picking fresh, homegrown peppers and using them to create salsas, sauces, and spice blends that are bursting with flavor. Hot peppers offer an incredible range of heat levels and taste profiles, from mild and smoky […] More
Peppers are one of the most rewarding crops to grow, but if you want the best flavor, you need to give them the right care from the start. Temperature, watering, feeding, and, in the end, patience are the keys to growing peppers that are rich, sweet, or spicy—depending on the variety. If you neglect even […] More
To get a bumper crop from your pepper plants, you must dedicate yourself to helping the plants thrive. Pepper plants are more temperamental than tomatoes—they demand warm temperatures, even soil moisture, feeding, and support—literally. Here are 10 steps that will all but guarantee sweet and hot pepper growing success. (But don’t turn your back on […] More
Ice plant is the name given to several colorful low-growing plants often used as groundcovers—especially in mild winter regions, but also grown as houseplants in cold winter regions. These perennial plants are grown as summer-flowering annuals for window boxes and hanging baskets as well. Ice plants are commonly succulent perennials, subshrubs, or annuals. Almost all […] More
Gaillardias are short-lived perennials and annuals grown for their long-lasting brightly colored daisy-like flowers that appear from summer into early fall. Gaillardias bear single and double flowers in shades of red, red-orange, maroon, and yellow. There are about 30 species of Gaillardias. They are native to central and western North America. Most Gaillardias grown in […] More
Centaurea cyanus–commonly called Bachelor’s button or cornflower–is a hardy annual and member of the Centaurea genus which includes dusty miller and mountain bluet. Bachelor’s-button is one of the most popular annuals with its bright blue tufted round blossoms. Centaurea cyanus is a bushy plant with grayish-green, lance-shaped leaves, and dense thistle-like flower heads. It grows […] More
Stephen Albert