Companion planting is my new normal in the vegetable garden. I love experimenting and finding beneficial buddies for my plants. With companion planting, you can utilize your garden space efficiently, increase biodiversity and repel pests and diseases. By maximizing your space, you can grow a lot of food in a small space! Since growing tomatoes is one of the most common plants for beginners, we want to cover all the basics for tomato companion plants!...

Wildflower fields full of black-eyed Susan are a sight to see in the late spring and summer in the American south. Akin to their sunflower relatives, Rudbeckia hirta thrive in similar conditions. Large open prairies that get full sun are great for them, but flower beds are also perfectly appropriate. Table of Contents Anywhere you’d like to plant yellow flowers or native plants to attract beneficial insects is splendid for this stunning member of the Aster plant family....

If you’ve been following our series on microgreens, you probably have a good grasp on growing plants small-scale. In this article, however, we’re going to focus on how to grow pea microgreens, which go against most of the rules. Don’t worry though, growing pea shoots is still fairly easy – and tasty! Table of Contents Pea microgreens taste much like full-grown peas and are known for being sweet, like snow peas....

One of the most beloved plants in the Southeastern United States is the pecan tree. Pecans are plentiful there, with over 500 different pecan cultivars. Some are bred to survive in the sweltering southern heat, while others can survive winters in the central US. Table of Contents While pecan trees are forest trees, they can be grown at home, especially if you have room for them. Maybe you’re interested in planting pecan trees to make your own pecan tree grove....

Table of Contents If you’re a gardener in California (or other states in the Pacific Northwest), chances are good you’ve had to battle one of these 39 invasive species. I personally can go on a quick canyon run and spot a handful right off of the bat. Following the great comments on my post about invasive species that are sold at garden centers, I wanted to get deeper into invasive species....

One of the best additions to any recipe is fresh herbs. Taking herbs from the garden to the table is a great way to improve the flavor of different recipes, and using the right method for drying them is essential. Herbs like oregano can be harvested and dried throughout their growing seasons. But what’s the best way to dry it? In this article, we’ll cover how to dry oregano. Table of Contents...

When life gives you lemons, plant a tree to grow more! With proper Meyer lemon tree care, lemons are a succulent delicacy that you can grow in your own home, no matter where you live. Meyer lemons are less acidic than the traditional grocery-store ones. This gives them a sweeter flavor that chefs and lemonade drinkers go crazy for. The tree itself is lively and colorful with its plentiful yellow-orange fruit and vibrant, evergreen foliage....

Moon flower can be a stunning addition to any flower garden. This vining plant is a fast grower that will readily attach itself to any type of support structure and create a vertical wall of flowers in your garden. They produce beautiful white flowers that are rounded and can be the size of a salad plate (about 6 inches in diameter). Although the white variety is probably the most popular they do come in other colors such as pink, purple and blue....

Creating a sensory garden is a rewarding experience no matter the reason. Upgrading a garden to include sensory elements is just as good. And doing so benefits everyone who enters the space. Table of Contents Whether you work in a garden that’s public-facing, or one that is in your backyard, incorporating sensory elements is easy. Considering all five senses, and working with them has the benefit of getting you closer to the plants and elements in the garden as well....

You’ve noticed a disturbing trend. The lower leaves on your tomato plants have developed spotting. Some are turning yellow and are falling off. And it looks like it’s spreading. If this sounds familiar, you may have just discovered septoria leaf spot. Table of Contents But while this is likely the most common tomato disease known to home gardeners, it’s fixable. It’s also not limited to tomatoes — it may pop up in many places you wouldn’t expect!...

What is the best roach killer on the market? We’re going to take on that question today, and I know it’s a difficult one! Table of Contents Nobody wants to discover cockroaches have infested their home. They’re everywhere in the urban sprawl. Garages, pantries, cupboards, behind kitchen equipment… nowhere is safe. And they’re disgusting. Whether you use the best roach bait or the best roach spray, all that matters is that it’s effective....

Boysenberry plants (Rubis ursinus x Rubus idaeus) grow a large reddish to dark purple berry that springs after small white flowers are spent. They are sometimes thorny, sometimes not, and are grown in several USDA zones. Boysenberries have a rich past, and a flavor that is loved across the United States due to their popularization via Knott’s Berry Farm. Table of Contents A Rubus ursinus x Rubus idaeus plant needs some maintenance throughout its life....

Are you looking for a cool weather brassica that is as versatile as spinach, but keeps longer? Look no further than growing tatsoi. Packed with nutrients and easy to cultivate, tatsoi (Brassica rapa) is an Asian green that is cooked like bok choy. Tatsoi has origins in China. It is structured like bok choy but is smaller and slightly more bitter. Table of Contents At the end of winter or in the fall, it’s a poor time to grow flowers or warm weather lovers like okra, tomatoes, and peppers....

If you think of green sprouts when you think of growing microgreens, you need to meet the beautiful Swiss chard microgreens. With their brightly colored stems and light green leaves, they’ll add much-appreciated color to your meals. Why settle for a green salad when you can add orange, yellow, or red chard? Table of Contents Swiss chard microgreens have a sweet earthy flavor similar to beets, which is no surprise since they’re in the beet family....

Thyme is an exceptional herb to grow in the garden and is a fragrant addition to many culinary dishes. If you are new to growing thyme in your garden or love cooking with this herb, it is important to know when and how to harvest thyme. Table of Contents Thyme has some distinctive varieties such as garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris), lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus), caraway thyme (Thymus herba-barona), or wooly thyme (Thymus psuedolanguinosus)....

Basil is an essential and dynamic herb for many dishes. For the home cook, having easy access to fresh basil can elevate your tomato dishes, stews, and soups. Innovative cooks have utilized basil to create herbal vinegar dressings for salads, made fritters out of the flower stalks, and even steeped the leaves for a refreshing tea. These flavors can be missed once the growing season has ended, so let’s explore growing basil indoors!...

Table of Contents With so many indoor grow light options, especially in the LED market, it has become really confusing to figure out which grow light to buy. And when it comes to buying a full spectrum LED grow light, not all LEDs are built the same way. You need to pay attention to both the quality and quantity of light a fixture produces if you want to understand real power that LED grow lights can deliver to your canopy....

When you’re planning for the upcoming season, you might want to start seeds indoors. Maybe you have trays and starter pots and you’re planning to plant multiple seeds. But you might wonder to yourself, “How many seeds do you need to grow a plant?” Table of Contents That’s a good question to ask, and the answer is multifaceted. So many different considerations come into play when you’re getting seeds started indoors to grow plants....

Snails! They’re cute, but most gardeners don’t get excited about slugs and snails eating their plants. They’re often treated as pests because snails feed on foliage and can remove tender leaves quickly. Some see little difference between snails and insects. But is a snail an insect? Table of Contents Well, the short answer is no. They’re members of the animal kingdom, like bugs. But they’re in a different phylum altogether — the phylum Mollusca to be exact — unlike insects who are in the phylum Arthropoda....

Getting the best pruning shears is a necessity. Your garden pruners are one of your best tools as a gardener. How else do you get rid of excess growth or keep your plants trimmed to an appropriate size? Table of Contents But choosing the right hand pruners for your task can be a matter of personal preference, or it can be job-specific. There’s a variety available to choose from. Do you need ergonomically designed secateurs?...