Turnips are grown as a root vegetable or for their green leaves, Turnips are a cool-season crop; they grow and taste best when they come to harvest in cool weather. The turnip is a hardy, cool-weather biennial grown as an annual. The turnip has a rosette of bright green, wavy-edged leaves that grow to 12 […] More
Olives are a good choice for the small garden in regions where summers are long, hot, and dry. Olives are attractive for their billowing habit, gray-green foliage, and gnarled branching patterns. Olives are easy to care for. They require little water once established, little pruning, and have few serious pests or diseases. All olives must […] More
Salsify and scorzonera are cool-weather root crops. Salsify and scorzonera, are sometimes confused. The roots look very similar; salsify has a whitish root; scorzonera has a black root. The roots and leaves of salsify and scorzonera are edible. Related article: Scorzonera and salsify are members of the dandelion tribe of the daisy family and the […] More
Celeriac is a cool-season biennial grown as an annual. It has similar requirements as celery. Celeriac is also known as celery root. Celeriac is grown for its large, swollen root that looks something like a turnip. The root develops at the soil level similar to a turnip but celeriac is a member of the celery […] More
Hot peppers are most easily grown from transplants. Grow hot chili peppers in the warmest, frost-free time of the year. Start hot pepper seed indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the date you intend to set peppers into the garden. Peppers can be seeded in the garden or transplanted out 2 to 3 weeks after […] More
The shallot is a small onion of the multiplier type. Its bulbs have a more delicate flavor than most onions. Shallots are cool-weather vegetables usually. They are usually planted in spring and autumn. Shallots can be grown from seeds or sets (small shallots). Sets can be planted in the garden 2 to 4 weeks before […] 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
The chickpea or garbanzo bean is a cool-season annual that requires about 100 days to reach harvest. Chickpeas, also called garbanzo bean and gram, are regarded as beans, but botanically are neither beans nor peas. Chickpea is a tender annual legume. Related article: Chickpea quick growing tips Garden Planning Books at Amazon: Planting chickpeas Chickpea […] More
Peanuts are easy to grow if you live where there are long, hot summers of at least 4 months (5 is better). The peanut is a warm-weather perennial that is usually grown as an annual. It requires 120 to 130 frost-free days to reach harvest. The peanut is an odd and interesting plant. It grows […] More
Chamomile flowers are used to make tea. Chamomile tea has a fresh, clean flavor that is immediately soothing. There are two chamomiles: Roman chamomile (botanical name Chamaemelum nobile) and German chamomile (botanical name Matricaria recutita or Matricaria chamomilla). Both are members of the Asteraceae daisy family.Roman chamomile has a fragrance and flavor similar to that […] 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
Kiwifruits are easy to grow. They grow in clusters like grapes. Each is about the size of an egg or smaller. They have firm flesh like a melon and a flavor that is a blend of melon, banana, lime, and strawberry. There are several kiwifruit varieties, some for growing in warm winter regions, and some […] More
Stephen Albert