Pollination is one of the most important factors in growing a productive squash harvest. Without proper pollination, squash plants may produce small, misshapen fruits or fail to set fruit at all. Over the years, I’ve worked through pollination challenges in my own garden, learning firsthand which techniques lead to higher yields and healthier plants. Whether […] More
Over the years, I’ve learned that snap beans are one of the easiest and most rewarding crops to grow in a home garden. Whether you’re planting compact bush beans or climbing pole beans, they’re fast-growing, highly productive, and don’t require heavy feeding. I’ve grown snap beans in raised beds, containers, and traditional garden rows, and […] More
Tomatoes are one of the most rewarding crops for home gardeners, offering a wide variety of flavors, textures, and colors that can’t be matched by store-bought options. With thousands of varieties to choose from—ranging from sweet cherry tomatoes to meaty beefsteaks—there’s a tomato for every culinary need. Having grown tomatoes for years, I’ve learned that […] More
How do you choose which tomatoes to grow in your garden? Here’s a suggestion: Make a list of how you and those in your household enjoy tomatoes. Consider the 5-S’s— salads, sandwiches, sauces, soups., and salsa. There are tomatoes perfect for each of these uses. Plant 1 to 3 tomato plants for each household member […] More
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Broad beans, also called fava beans, are a cool-season crop. The broad bean is a bushy, hardy annual that can grow from 3 to 4½ feet (.9-1.3m) tall. The broad bean has square stems with leaves divided into leaflets. Plant broad beans, also called fava beans, directly in the garden 4 to 7 weeks before […] More
Lima beans are tender annuals grown for their flat, crescent-oval-shaped seeds. There are two types of lima beans: bush and pole or vine varieties. Bush types grow to about 2 feet tall (.6m) and tend to have smaller seeds; they bear more quickly than pole lima bean varieties. Pole lima beans have large seeds and […] More
Soybeans are bushy, free-branching, warm-weather annuals. There are more than 10,000 soybean cultivars. Seeds can be smaller than a pea or as large as a kidney bean. Soybeans grow 12 to 36 inches (30-91cm) tall. Stems and leaves are hairy. The flowers are white with lavender shading. Pods grow 1 to 4 inches (2.5-10cm) long […] More
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
Stephen Albert