Growing backyard grapes is not difficult, but success depends upon choosing the right variety for your climate, training the vine, and pruning regularly. Grapes require a cold spell during the winter (but not a killing freeze), warmth in spring for flowering and fruit set, and heat and sunshine in summer to ripen the fruit. Dessert […] More
The mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is a small citrus tree that resembles an orange. The name tangerine and mandarin are often used interchangeably for a group of small orange-like fruits that have an easy-to-peel rind. The mandarin orange is not one citrus fruit but many. Some mandarin oranges are called mandarins, some are called tangerines, and some […] More
Tangy grapefruit can be eaten raw—by the half or peeled and sectioned, it can be added to green and fruit salads and compotes, and it can be juiced. Grapefruits require heat to develop their sweet-tart flavor. A grapefruit that feels heavy for its size is ripe and ready to eat or juice. Grapefruits are best […] More
Limes are too tart to eat on their own, but like lemons, they add a refreshing tang to both sweet and savory dishes. Limes are grown mostly in Florida, California, along the Gulf Coast, and in Mexico. Limes are the least cold-tolerant of citrus fruits. They are best grown where summers are hot and winter […] More
Lemons have a low heat requirement and can be grown where sweet oranges and grapefruit won’t ripen. Lemon trees thrive in cool-summer areas of the citrus belt. They will even produce fruit indoors in northern cold winter regions. Lemon trees are well-suited to dry-summer regions. Lemon trees are vigorous plants. They do not dwarf well. […] More
Oranges can be divided into three basic groups—sweet oranges, blood oranges, and sour oranges. Sweet oranges can be divided into two subgroups—navel oranges and common oranges. Navel oranges and common oranges are the most commonly grown oranges both in home gardens and commercially. Navel oranges are mostly peeled and eaten fresh out of hand. Common […] More
Apriums are juicy, sweet eating out of hand. An aprium is a hybrid fruit—¾ apricot and ¼ plum. The aprium is bright orange on the outside with just a hint of skin fuzz. Its bright orange flesh is dense and surrounds a stone similar to an apricot’s. The aprium is about the size of a […] More
Planning the home fruit garden requires a bit more future-thinking than the vegetable garden. Most vegetables are annuals or biennials and spend just one or two seasons in the garden. Most fruits are trees or shrubs and live for 10 to 50 years or more. The first consideration in planning an edible garden—either fruit or […] More
Chill hours are the number of cold hours or days that a deciduous fruit tree (or nut tree) requires for flowering and fruit production each year. Every fruit tree variety has its own number of hours of chill needed for fruit production. Some fruit trees need as few as 100 chill hours, others need as […] More
Chinese cabbage can be eaten raw or cooked–steamed, boiled, and quickly stir-fried. Cooked leaves and stalks add flavor to soups, stews, pasta dishes, and stir-fries. Chinese cabbage is a general name for several varieties of thick-stalked and green- or pale green-leaved vegetables that fall under the even more generic name Chinese leaves. Chinese leaves are […] More
Fresh chopped or shredded collards can add a little spice to salads. As well, collards can be steamed, boiled, sauteed, and added to soups and stews. Collards are a good match for smoked pork. Combine collards with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, or beans and puree. Collards have a very strong cabbagey flavor and are considered […] More
Young fruit trees require early training. It is best to begin training a fruit tree as soon as it is planted. Young tree training is best continued for the first three or four years of the tree’s life. Training a fruit tree includes staking, pruning, and branch spreading. All of these will help create a […] More
Stephen Albert