Starting a vegetable garden can be fun and an inexpensive way to bring healthy food to your kitchen table. But it can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. The secret to getting started with vegetable gardening is to take a little time to make a plan. Take a look at your yard […] More
Blackberry plants are easy to plant and grow. The blackberry is a vigorous grower. Modern blackberry varieties and cultivars are derived from native species which are still found growing wild along roadsides. Blackberry plants vary from trailing to erect to bushy and from thorny to thornless. Some varieties and cultivars are suited for chilly northern […] More
Kale is a leafy cool-weather crop that requires two months of cool weather to reach harvest. Kale is a biennial plant, a hardy brassica (member of the cabbage/mustard family). Mature kale leaves can be coarse but there are several types that are grown for their tender, palatable young leaves. Kale is an important leaf crop […] More
Cardoon is a tender perennial vegetable often grown as an annual. Cardoon looks like a cross between burdock and celery. It is grown for its young leaf stalks which are blanched and eaten like celery. Cardoon has heavy, gray-green, fuzzy leaves that are deeply cut leaves and a heavy, bristled flower head. Cardoon is a […] More
Kale is a hardy cool-weather crop. It can be grown in early spring and in mid to late autumn. Kale tastes especially good after it has been touched by frost. Sow kale seeds in the garden 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Start transplants 6 to 8 weeks before setting out in the […] More
Artichokes are perennial plants. Artichokes prefer cool, moist summers and mild winters. The perennial artichoke plant will not survive where the ground freezes. The artichoke is an edible thistle flower bud that is eaten before it opens. Artichokes are tender perennials that grow from 3 to 4 feet (.9-1.2m) tall and to 6 feet 1.8m) […] More
Curly or curled endive and escarole are cool-weather vegetables; they are varieties of the same plant. Curly endive has curled, ruffled leaves and escarole has smooth leaves. Curly endive is sometimes called frisee. Sow endive or escarole seed in the garden as early as 4 to 6 weeks before the average date of the last […] More
Okra is a tender, heat-loving annual best grown in very warm climates. It is grown for the peculiar, mucilaginous taste of its immature pods, commonly called gumbo. Okra is primarily a tropical crop, but it can be grown where cucumbers or tomatoes are hardy. To produce the best, crop, however, it wants much summer heat […] More
The tomatillo is a warm-weather crop. Tomatillos are easy to grow and bear fruit all summer long. Tomatillo fruit is used to make sauces and salads and is very popular in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. The tomatillo has a sweet-sharp flavor recognizable in the green sauce used on chicken enchiladas and fresh green salsa for […] More
Parsnips are cool-weather biennials grown as an annual. Parsnips taste best if brought to harvest in cool weather. The parsnip is a creamy white root that grows from 4 to 9 inches (10-22cm) long, similar to a carrot in appearance and tasty like a celery heart. The parsnip is a biennial grown as an annual. […] More
Rhubarb is grown for its leaf stems (called petioles) which are thick and fleshy. The stems are colorful—cherry-red to deep red and sometimes green–and tart. They are used in jams and pies—with plenty of sugar added—and are often matched with the sweetness of strawberries. Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable that requires a dedicated growing spot […] More
Garden cress can be planted directly in the garden, or it can be sprouted indoors. Plant garden cress seed in early spring; it will germinate quickly in soil that is 65°F (18°C). Garden cress is a fast-growing edible herb that has a sharp, tangy flavor like mustard. Garden cress is grown in soil. Garden cress […] More
Stephen Albert