Humanity relies on trees for oxygen, shade, and food. They play incredibly important roles in our lives. They’re often large and sturdy, which may give off a feeling of safety, which is why they often symbolize peace and protection. It takes several years for trees to reach this sturdy state, and they rely on us to be cared for until they reach that point. Young trees require consistent watering, pruning, and a good layer of mulch around trees....
If you’ve grown tomatoes, you know about the dreaded tomato black spot. But did you know that tomato black spot isn’t relegated to one particular cause? Sometimes it’s a disease, and sometimes it’s not a disease. Sometimes the cause of infected fruit is from infected plant debris, other times it’s pests or weather conditions. Table of Contents It can be disheartening to see black spots on your tomato plants and tomato fruit....
Arugula, also referred to as rocket or roquette, is a savory salad green that is packed full of flavor and nutrients. Its peppery leaves infuse a spicy zing to salad mixes, sandwiches, pesto, pizza, and sauteed dishes. Not only is arugula a delectable ally to many recipes around the world, but it is a valuable partner in the garden. Let’s find out more about arugula companion plants! Table of Contents...
Only one thing can compare with the peppery flavor of nasturtium flowers: nasturtium microgreens! They may be less decorative, but these baby greens pack a stronger taste than the full-grown leaves. Not only that, they’re also more nutritious and take a lot less work to grow. They’re perfect for the lazy gardener who wants to spice up their meals. Table of Contents Microgreens are harvested for their cotyledons and tender stems....
One of the most beloved flavors in the world is vanilla. Vanilla extract is essential for baking, and it’s a lovely flavor for most confections. This leaves a lot of gardeners wondering how to grow vanilla at home. Vanilla bean plants are lovely climbing orchids that host vanilla beans with patience. Table of Contents But growing vanilla bean plants isn’t as simple as planting seeds and watching them take off. A vanilla orchid has specific needs, based on the native habitat of vanilla orchids altogether....
Table of Contents Lurking in your garden, there’s a pest which is feasting upon the leaf sap in your plants: the leafhopper. This relative of the cicada insect is nowhere near as noisy as its distant cousin. Instead, it announces its arrival by damaging the tender leaves of your favorite crop plants, sucking the life right out of them. But what is a leafhopper, other than a jumping plant devourer? Is there a good way to prevent this pest from invading your garden, and if so, how do you do it?...
The squash vine borer is a common pest across North America. While in some areas this moth is less prevalent than other pests, it’s particularly damaging. That means identifying moths and squash vine borer larvae and controlling them is important, especially if you want to maintain a healthy squash plant. Table of Contents Personally, they’re one of my least favorite garden pests. While aphids and thrips come in large numbers, SVB comes singly....
Begonias are hugely popular plants among gardeners. These plants produce tons of colorful flowers and vivid bright green foliage. Wax begonias are stunning as bedding plants or in hanging baskets, these plants can be easy to care for. Table of Contents Named in 1690 for French botanist Michel Bagon, these plants became formal garden fixtures. Different species from different regions were discovered, and the plant genus expanded fast. But at the same time, begonias are rather confusing....
Table of Contents If you’re used to eating boring iceberg lettuce salads that are covered in a flavorful dressing, fear not – there are plenty of more exciting and delicious salad greens to add to your garden! Standard iceberg lettuce is great, but it’s even easier in many cases to grow other salad greens that are more nutritious and delicious. Adding some of these into your salad-making arsenal will go a long way for your health and your taste buds....
One of the oldest cultivated crops, figs have been a staple food for years. There’s many cultivars, but the Chicago hardy fig is one that’s growing in popularity. Surprisingly cold-hardy, this tree can tolerate cooler climate conditions than other fig trees. Table of Contents But it’s also really good in warmer, Mediterranean-type climates. And because of its wide range of climate tolerances, it’s able to be grown in much of the continental US....
Featuring white and blue flowers, creeping speedwell or Veronica filiformis is a low-growing perennial if you’re looking for an easy-to-maintain ground cover option. Forming a dense mat on lawns, this low-growing plant remains evergreen and blooms from April to July. Table of Contents Featuring round or kidney-shaped leaves and beautiful flowers, creeping speedwell originates in western Asia and eastern Europe. It’s a ground-hugger of a plant which can tolerate moderate foot traffic....
Garlic is my absolute favorite vegetable to grow. It is easy to care for, perfect for the beginner gardener and the reward is the unmistakable flavor essential to many great dishes. If you’d like to grow your own garlic, then it’s useful to understand the different garlic growing phases to ensure you make the most of it. Table of Contents Depending on where you live and the variety of garlic plant you grow, the time it takes from sowing to harvest can be anything between 5 and 10 months....
What Is A Salsa Garden? A salsa garden is just a normal garden, but focused on growing salsa essentials: tomato, onion, peppers and herbs. While none of these plants require a great deal of meticulous care, they will need to be planted at the right time and harvested at the ideal flavor point. If you already have a garden, find a sunny spot for Roma tomatoes and peppers hot enough to satisfy....
Your garden is overloaded with produce during the harvest this year, and you have come to the realization that you just can’t eat that much zucchini, tomatoes, or green beans all at once. But you lack freezer space, or perhaps it’s already overflowing with earlier production. The apple tree is starting to show signs of a major overload, too, warning you that you’re going to need to do something with all of this food....
We all know cotton is a valuable material worldwide. But its byproducts, like cottonseed meal, have value too! Table of Contents With more and more people growing their own food, cotton seed meal is increasing in use. As a fertilizer option, it’s a slow-release pick. It provides more organic matter to your soil, too. And with over 14 million pounds of it produced every year, it’s constantly renewable! Let’s cover the myriad of uses for cottonseed meal....
It also grows very quickly, typically harvested in around ten days. The seeds are relatively cheap, going for around $15/lb. But you can also grow these greens on a smaller scale and buy seed packets at your local garden store. If you like them, opt for a larger volume of seed in your next purchase. Alright, let’s get growing! Arugula Microgreens Quick Info Soak – No Rinse / Drain – No Plant – Day 1 Ideal Harvest – 10 days You can either follow along with the video tutorial, or go with the written one below – the choice is yours!...
Strawberry guava tree is a beautiful, fruit-bearing shrub that is native to South America, specifically Brazil. Closely related to common guava, the plant is an excellent candidate if you want to grow fruits in your backyard. As a landscape plant, strawberry guava has a bit of everything: Table of Contents Deeply-colored foliageBeautiful formDark, patterned barkSweet-tasting fruits It goes by the scientific name of strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum). The plant is simple to care for and grow....
Asian pear trees produce golden, apple-shaped fruit that has a sweet pear flavor with the texture of a crisp apple. The Asian pear tree not only produces an abundance of delicious fruit, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing without taking up too much space. It has beautiful white flowers in the spring, lush green foliage in the summer, and colorful falling leaves in autumn. The species name, pyrifolia, means fiery leaves because of its intense fall color....
Attention distracted gardeners… we have a plant for you! It’s extremely drought resistant, grows in practically any soil, and tolerates shade. Pests and diseases stay away from it, even though it’s edible to humans. You’re going to love all these benefits of the calamint plant. Table of Contents Calamints are low-lying, bushy plants with cone-shaped clusters of fragrant flowers. Their bloom time stretches from early summer to late fall, attracting all sorts of pollinators....
Cauliflower is notoriously difficult to grow. Even with the growing tips from our guide on growing cauliflower, it takes quite a bit of commitment. If you’re after the nutrients without the hard work, we have the perfect alternative to grow: cauliflower microgreens! Table of Contents Though it’s the exact same plant, cauliflower microgreens look drastically different. Instead of the classic, white head, you’ll get a bushel-full of vibrant, green leaves. The cauliflower plant is harvested right when the cotyledons open, which is very early in the plant’s natural life cycle....
