A grocery store carrot can never compare to the taste of a fresh-picked carrot from the garden, but growing carrots can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid the obstacles and have a successful carrot crop. If you want to grow carrots in your garden, here’s everything you need to know. […]
Though I have been a gardener for decades, I did not always grow asparagus because I was hesitant to commit a garden bed to a long-lived perennial crop, but in time I realized I was missing out on one of nature’s greatest gifts. Home-grown asparagus is unsurpassed in flavor and sweetness, and it’s downright beautiful […]
Corn — or maize, as it’s known in much of the world — is the most planted crop in the United States. In agriculture, corn is grown for human consumption, spirits, animal feed and even fuel and disposable containers. In the home garden, this warm-season crop is usually grown for one reason: to enjoy the […]
Turnips are root vegetables in the cabbage family that are spicy and crunchy when raw, and sweet and earthy when cooked. Turnips that mature in cool weather are the sweetest of all, but this crop can be grown for both spring and fall harvest. If you want to grow turnips in your garden, here is […]
Parsnips are cool-season root vegetables that are similar in appearance to carrots but with their own unique growing requirements and distinct taste. Parsnips that have experienced a few touches of frost prior to harvest are the sweetest, with a nutty or earthy flavor. If you want to grow parsnips in your garden, here is everything […]
Radishes are an easy-to-grow root crop that is suited to both a spring and fall harvest. They are quick to mature, which makes them ideal for succession planting. If you want to grow radishes in your garden, here is everything you need to know. You can also download my How Do I Grow Radishes? one-sheet […]
Cauliflower is a nutritious, versatile vegetable that offers so many possibilities in the kitchen and is satisfying to grow. If you want to grow cauliflower in your garden, here’s everything you need to know to keep it thriving from planting to harvest. You can also download my How Do I Grow Cauliflower? one-sheet and keep […]
Beets are a cold-weather crop that I look forward to growing in both spring and fall. Not only are beets a hearty root vegetable, but the tops are edible as well. They also grow quite fast, so you can enjoy beets before many other crops. If you want to grow beets in your garden, here’s […]
Broccoli is one of my favorite plants to grow and eat, and it’s one of the most nutritious crops there is. If you want to grow broccoli in your garden, here’s everything you need to know to keep it thriving from planting to harvest. You can also download my How Do I Grow Broccoli? one-sheet […]
Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable that’s renowned for its nutritional value, and it’s popular with gardeners because it is so easy to grow. It is a cut-and-come-again crop that produces for quite some time and is cold hardy too. If you want to grow Swiss chard in your garden, here’s everything you need […]
Pattypan, crookneck, straightneck and zucchini — these are the summer squashes, all highly productive, a pleasure to grow and better to eat. What sets summer squash apart from winter squash is that the fruit are soft-skinned, tender and intended for eating right away. They are picked while immature and lack the tough skin that makes […]
Winter squash is so-named because unlike summer squash, which has a soft skin and should be enjoyed right away, the hard-skinned fruit of winter squash can be cured and then stored for several months. Butternut, spaghetti and acorn squash are classic examples, and pumpkins too are a cultivar of winter squash. If you want to […]
I love to grow basil — there’s nothing better than walking outside to snip a few stems for whatever you’re cooking at the moment. Basil is a great plant for gardeners from beginners to experts because it’s easy to care for and doesn’t require lots of space. It can easily be grown in a container […]
Few things say summer quite like biting into a sweet, juicy melon. Cantaloupes, honeydew and watermelons are all a delight to grow when they have the sun, heat and fertility that they need. Their spreading and climbing vines make the garden visually appealing too. If you want to grow melons in your garden, here’s what […]
Tomatoes are by far the most popular home garden crop in America, and it’s clear why. You’ll never eat a tomato that tastes better than one you picked from your own garden. If you want to grow tomatoes for the first time or are looking to up your tomato-growing game, here’s what you need to […]
Green beans, string beans, snap beans or haricot vert — no matter what you call these legumes, they are easy to grow and a delight to eat fresh from the garden. If you want to grow green beans in your garden, here’s everything you need to know. You can also download my How Do I […]
Cucumbers are a fast-growing summer crop and make a great addition to any vegetable garden. They’re known for their desire to roam, with vines that climb everywhere, but these days, there are also bush-style varieties available that make cucumbers a good option no matter how little space you have. If you want to grow cucumbers […]
I love to eat okra, but it’s not a love we all share — and that’s okay. Okra is a vegetable you either like or you don’t, though we can all agree it provides great ornamental value to any landscape. In flower, the plant is striking as an attractive backdrop. And if the flower looks […]
Eggplant is a warm-season crop that you’ll love eating, and as a bonus, it adds a lot of visual interest in the garden with its purple flowers and gorgeous fruit. Eggplant is related to tomatoes and peppers, so if you’ve ever grown either of those, you’re already off to a good start — but no […]
Spinach is a cool-season plant that’s one of the first crops of spring and a great fall crop as well. You’ll enjoy growing this undemanding plant and will enjoy eating it even more. Harvest spinach any time to enjoy raw in salads or cook it up in seconds for a delicious side dish that’s loaded […]
Peppers are one of the most rewarding plants grown in an edible garden. They are very productive — giving gardeners all the fruit they can eat, and then some — and the fruit look gorgeous as they develop. If you want to grow peppers in your garden, here’s what you need to know. You can […]
Brussels sprouts are cool-season brassicas that taste even better after they have been kissed by frost. Nothing complements a main course in fall quite like fresh Brussels sprouts that came straight to the kitchen from the garden. They have a delicious, slightly crunchy, nutty flavor and can be served roasted, sautéed, steamed and even raw. […]
Growing culinary herbs is the easiest way to start a kitchen garden, as herbs are undemanding and produce continuous harvests throughout the season. Even if you have no room for a garden — as long as you have sun — you can grow herbs in containers. If you want to grow herbs, here’s what you […]
Lettuce is a fast-growing cool-season crop for spring and fall that is attractive in both vegetable and ornamental gardens and is suited to container gardening as well. If you want to grow lettuce in your garden, here’s what you need to know. You can also download my How Do I Grow Lettuce? one-sheet and keep […]
Artichokes are delicious to eat roasted, grilled, fried or steamed, and in the garden they provide incredible ornamental value with their structural form, silver-green foliage and blazing neon purple color when allowed to bloom. If you want to grow artichokes in your garden, here’s what you need to know. You can also download my How […]
Cabbage is a brassica crop — related to broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts — that thrives in cold. Because of its frost tolerance, cabbage is perfect for starting your gardening season early in spring or for extending it into the fall. If you want to grow cabbage in your garden, here’s what you need […]
Strawberry plants are cold hardy and easy to grow, and they thrive in containers and raised beds. Best of all, home-grown strawberries taste a thousand times better than any store-bought variety. If you want to grow strawberries in your garden, here’s what you need to know. You can also download my How Do I Grow […]
If you’ve never grown onions, you’ll be pleasantly surprised because they’re super easy to grow, hardy through winter, and ready to harvest anytime you are. Young plants are harvested as green onions or scallions. But the longer you wait, the bigger the bulb — at least until they reach full size at maturity. Here, I’ll […]
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