Stevia is a tropical perennial herb grown as an annual. The sugary-tasting leaves of stevia are 30 to 40 times sweeter than granulated sugar—and they have no calories. The leaves can be used fresh, dried, or ground as a sugar substitute to sweeten desserts, fruit, and drinks. Here is your complete guide to growing stevia. […] More
Lemon verbena is a semi-tropical plant. Its leaves have an intensely lemony fragrance and flavor. Leaves can be used in herbal teas and added to fruit salads, vegetables, and desserts. Dried leaves will remain fragrant for several years. Add a touch of lemon verbena to foods, then taste, then add more if needed—use a light […] More
You can grow borage in minutes. Borage is a decorative herb festooned in summer with clusters of intensely blue star-shaped flowers. The leaves and flowers of borage taste like cucumbers. The flowers can be floated in summer drinks and candied for decoration. The leaves can be used in salads, sandwiches, and desserts or sautéed like […] 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
Belgian endive and chicory, both belonging to the chicory family (Cichorium intybus), are well-loved for their distinctive flavors and the versatility they bring to culinary creations. Belgian endive, known for its compact, pale, torpedo-shaped heads, is cultivated through a unique forcing process in darkness that yields its mild bitterness and crisp texture, perfect for salads […] More
Lentils are a cool-season legume. Sow lentils in spring as early as 2 weeks before the average last frost date. Lentils can be started indoors before transplanting to the garden; lentil seeds will germinate in 10 days at 68°F. Lentils require 80 to 110 days to come to harvest. Description. Lentils are a hardy annual; […] More
Need top-choice, sure-bet, best-pick, easy-to-grow bean varieties? Here are 25 top performers for the home garden divided into 5 popular bean types: (1) snap-bush green, (2) snap-pole green, (3) bush yellow, (4) lima, and (5) dried and shell beans. Keep reading to the bottom of this post for my tips for sure-fired bean growing success. […] More
Stephen Albert