A garden planting bed is home to your vegetables, herbs, and flowers. You want a planting bed in which plants will thrive and you want a planting bed that is easy to make and easy to maintain. Making a new garden planting bed should be a one-time investment in sweat equity. Once a new bed […] More
May is the month to get your summer vegetable garden planted and growing. Almost all warm-season crops can either be sown or transplanted into the garden by mid-May. If you live in a short growing season region (Zones 3 to 6) keep crop-protecting devices such as row covers and plastic hoop tunnels and row covers […] More
Planting a container vegetable garden is not much different than planting your in-ground vegetable or kitchen garden. The same seasonal requirements apply–plant cool-season crops in early spring or late summer; plant warm-season crops in spring and summer. Because your container garden space is limited in size–including the depth of the soil for root growth–first, select […] More
Kale can be steamed, sautéed, boiled, and simmered. Kale can be tenderized and served in salads or combined with potatoes to make a tasty soup. Kale is a great match with hearty foods such as pork chops, fried catfish, garlicky sausage, and cornbread. Kale can be prepared just as you would spinach. It should not […] More
Succession planting means growing different crops in the same space one right after the other in the same season or planting the same crop in different parts of the garden in succession at different times. Succession planting results in a succession of harvests–a long continuous harvest season. Succession cropping will help you get the most […] More
A cold frame is a bottomless box with a clear or translucent top. It is set on the ground or over a planting bed to capture solar energy and heat the air, soil, and plants inside. A cold frame can extend the growing season by one to several months. A cold frame can keep plants […] More
A cold frame—a low, bottomless box with a clear glass or plastic top, that is set on the ground or over a sunken bed—can extend the growing season by 1 to 3 months. Use a cold frame to extend the growing season from fall into early winter and late winter into spring and protect plants […] More
A raised garden bed is a planting bed made of wooden planks, metal sheeting, cement blocks, hay bales, or other material. A raised bed is easy to make. Consider a raised bed if you live in an area where the soil is rocky or mostly sand or mostly clay or if you live in a […] More
Succession cropping is the planting of two or more crops in the same space at different times: a second crop succeeds a first as soon as possible after harvest and in some regions, a third crop can succeed the second after harvest. Succession planting is the practice of planting a new crop in the same […] More
Celery is ready to harvest 85 to 120 days after transplanting depending on the variety. Celery is finicky and can be a challenge to grow. The optimal temperatures for growing celery are 65° to 75°F (18°-24°C) during the day and 60° to 65°F (15°-18°C) at night. Related articles: Temperatures must stay above 55°F during the […] More
Squash are tender warm-weather crops. Sow squash seeds directly in the garden one week or more after the last frost in spring. For an earlier start, sow squash seeds indoors 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost and transplant seedlings to the garden 2 to 4 weeks after the last frost. The optimal planting […] More
Tomatoes are a tender, warm-weather crop. Start tomatoes indoors 10 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost in spring. Set tomato seedlings into the garden after all danger of frost is past. Plant tomato seedlings in the garden 4 weeks after the last frost. The garden soil temperature for setting out transplants should be […] More
Stephen Albert