June—fresh local strawberries are here—in your own backyard—or at a local Farmers Market. Fresh peas, spring onions, fresh beets, the first of the summer’s cucumbers and squash—they’re all in season! Perfect timing for National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, isn’t it? I’m a huge fan of eating fresh—whether it’s from my garden, a generous neighbor … Read more
Should you mulch your vegetable garden? Well, it can help with such problems as weeds and conserve moisture. But what you use on a vegetable garden is almost as important as what you put in it. Here are some options: Black Plastic–Black plastic mulch can warm the soil. Earlier in the spring, around the end … Read more
Seems like almost every day, I get asked: “What do I have to do to be successful with my tomatoes?” So here are a few things we need to know. Tomatoes need FULL sun! Anything less and their productivity goes down. If you only get five hours of good, strong, midday sun, you’ll still get … Read more
I’ve had several customers this week asking about growing pumpkins—and when to plant for a Halloween harvest. So here’s some information about pumpkins… Pumpkins are members of the cucurbit family—that means they are related to squash, cucumbers, and melons. They were a food crop cultivated by Native Americans long before the European settlers ever arrived. … Read more
So many people are out now taking advantage of warm sunny days to plant their vegetables, I thought I’d re-run my blog from a couple of years ago on preventing diseases in your vegetable. It’s a whole lot easier not to get a problem in the first place… Unfortunately, our commonly grown garden vegetables are … Read more
Horseradish brings up visions of rare roast beef, doesn’t it? But it’s also a very versatile vegetable that can be used many ways. The young tender leaves can even be used like arugula in salads or on sandwiches. Horseradish is a perennial that is related to cabbage, broccoli, arugula, etc. It has been cultivated for … Read more
Did you know that dahlias were originally grown as a food crop? They were cultivated as an edible by the Aztec Indians who roasted and ate the tubers. It’s said they taste like a cross between a carrot and a potato. As a matter of fact, they were originally introduced to Europe in hopes they … Read more
April is National Gardening Month. No wonder–Forsythia, redbuds, Bradford pears, daffodils, and tulips are blooming everywhere you look. Right now my own yard is a riot of color—the lush rose pink of the redbud, the sunny yellow of the forsythia and daffodils, the little patches of rich blue muscari and light blue starflowers, and the … Read more
Living with a forty foot tall maple in the front yard, a huge redbud on one side and an entire hill of oaks and maples behind, I’ve become (out of necessity) a fan of shade tolerant flowers. I thought I’d share with you some of my favorites—annuals, perennials, bulbs. Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis): Dainty nodding bells will … Read more
This past Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day. Did you get a “shamrock” as a gift? I already have a couple. They’re easy and fun to grow. To get the best out of yours, while it’s blooming, keep it in bright light—several hours of direct morning sun or afternoon sun (before 11 a.m. or after 2 … Read more
