Posts

Lemon thyme is a must for any herb garden. This versatile, zesty herb has all the savory notes of common thyme with an added sweet citrus aroma and taste! Table of Contents Its versatility extends to ornamental gardening, with a range of upright and low growing ground cover and variegated varieties to choose from, with lavender-pink flowers attracting beneficial insects and adding pops of color. Used fresh, lemon thyme should be added at the end of cooking to retain flavor....

Aphids suck! Literally, they are sapsuckers. They’re one of my least favorite parts of gardening. They have strength in numbers, and they gross me out. They eat plants that have taken a long time to grow, and they can do a lot of damage quickly. Table of Contents One thing I’ve come to realize, though, is that aphids are an inevitability in the garden to some extent. Love them or hate them, they’re around....

If you’ve noticed a mosaic dark green on your cucumbers or squash, your plants may have contracted cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). CMV affects a wide array of plants, and a cucumber mosaic virus infection can’t be cured. The sad truth about this disease is it can’t be treated. Table of Contents But that doesn’t mean you can’t prevent a CMV infection. You have the power to avoid bringing CMV strains into your garden....

Jams, jellies, sorbets, cordials, syrups, fruit salads, cakes, and crumbles, the list of how to use your currant harvest is endless! With four different colors to choose from, each with its own unique flavor and use in the kitchen, it’s easy to see why gardeners love to grow the currant plant. Table of Contents Pink and white currants look like delicate jewels hanging in huge bunches and are deliciously sweet eaten fresh from the bush....

Succulents are well known for loving the sun. But what if your garden is mostly shadows or all the bright windowsills are taken? Luckily, you have options. There are many shade succulents that tolerate or even thrive in the garden, some of which even produce flowers! Table of Contents Now, when we say shade, we mean shadows with partial sun. There has to be some amount of light. Unfortunately, you can’t stick these succulents in a closet and expect them to live....

Let’s face it, we all have weeds in our gardens. Ivies or dandelions, crabgrass or pokeweed – they’re going to happen. Finding the best weeding tool for the task can be confusing, too. Since some weeds can be chopped and dropped, and others need the roots removed, it becomes a real mess to figure out. Table of Contents But you’re in luck – I have some suggestions to sort out your weed woes....

If you’ve been following our microgreens series, you may be ready for a challenge – and we have the perfect one! Celery microgreens are difficult to grow, but their sharp flavor is absolutely worth it. With feathery leaves and a healthy, refreshing taste, these mini veggies are a fantastic addition to your microgreen garden. Table of Contents Because these are microgreens, we’ll be harvesting the sprouts, not full-grown celery stalks. However, the stems still have a bit of that famous celery crunch without the tough strings....

Nobody wants a gooey, messy kitchen compost caddy. Compost bags will prevent that problem. Table of Contents But what bags are the best? Is there a difference between biodegradable and compostable? And do they actually break down in your compost pile or not? I’ll clear up all these questions for you! We’re going to explore the compost liners that’re available right now. Some are meant for municipal use, others are for home gardeners....

Beauty takes on new meaning when it comes to Echeveria lola. This ornate succulent shyly takes the center stage of showy plants. Its gray-blue leaves glow with the faintest hint of pink, or take on a greenish hue. The edge of each leaf has an intricate design resembling a curly bracket. Echeveria lola is a very common household succulent – and for good reason. Table of Contents Lola is a hardy plant that grows well in containers and landscapes....

Want a vegetable that is good for you and your garden? Growing daikon radish is the answer. Known for its long, icicle-like appearance and large flourishing leaves, a crop of daikon not only provides you and yours with healthy nutrients in a mild flavor profile but also breaks up compacted ground in your garden. Table of Contents Daikon radishes, or Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, were first cultivated in East Asia — specifically Northern China....

Among fruit trees, the apricot tree is one of the easiest to grow. With patience and good care, you’ll have access to juicy fruit in spring and summer. It starts as a little tree, and quickly branches into a lovely arching structure with sweet-smelling blooms after a few years. Table of Contents Apricots are great stone fruits for a home orchard. One is great for your very own apricot tree guild too....

Mushroom compost is a wonderful addition to your gardening efforts. A great soil builder, it’s also really useful for keeping the soil moist, and it helps to break down dense clay. Table of Contents But what is mushroom compost? How do you use it? Can you make it yourself? Let’s answer these questions and more! What Is Mushroom Compost? When you buy a bag of mushroom compost to use in the garden, it just identifies it as mushroom compost, or sometimes mushroom soil....

I don’t know about you, but I’m a lazy gardener. Table of Contents I want my tools to do most of the work. This is even more true when it comes to watering my garden. When I first started gardening, I worked with what I had on hand…a good hose reel and a high-quality garden hose. But neither of those mattered very much because I didn’t have a hoze nozzle!...

You may know clover as a cover crop or ground cover. Maybe you even have early memories of searching through clover patches for that lucky, four-leaf token. What you probably didn’t know though is that clover can be edible! Clover microgreens are a fun and safe way to add some flavoring, nutrients, and luck to your life. Table of Contents Clover microgreens are a lovely light green and have a fresh, mild sweetness....

Microgreens are an easy way to incorporate extra greens into your diet. They also provide instant gratification since you can plant them indoors and harvest them in at least two weeks! If you want to have easy access to some flavor, fennel microgreens are the way to go. Table of Contents Fennel has a zingy, peppery flavor that’s close to licorice or anise. Fennel microgreens are milder in flavor and a bit sweeter than fully grown fennel....

Are you just starting to grow from seed? That’s ok! It’s a great time to start! Growing from seed is a wonderful option for people who love gardening. All those seedlings can add up in price, and oftentimes there is a whole world of variety available to people who grow from seed. If you’re just getting started, and even if you’ve been growing from seeds for a while, it’s a good idea to soak seeds before planting....

One common problem that plagues gardeners is tomato leaf curl. This symptom can be caused by many factors and the key is to correctly identify the issue before administering a solution. Table of Contents Tomatoes are one of the most commonly grown plants and take the pride of place in many gardens. From gorgeous heirlooms to prolific hybrids, there is a tomato plant out there for everyone. Nothing beats the taste of a tomato straight off the vine, but tomatoes can also be a bit tricky to grow....

Some of my favorite things to grow in my garden are root vegetables because of their element of surprise. With many other common plants, you can often track their progress by frequent visual inspection. Those that grow underground hold a sense of mystery with only their foliage to give some indication of what’s below the surface. Along with tugging free triumphant parsnips after their long growing season, I’ve also encountered some unpleasant surprises, including experiencing the damage of the carrot fly and discarding substantial parts of my carrot harvest due to this pest....

In the summer of 2021, I went into the back portion of my yard covered in bamboo and discovered vigorous vines that had cropped up over the canes. The leaves tipped me off, giving me a sense that this plant was a member of the cucurbit family. After some confusion, I learned it was the cucamelon plant. Table of Contents Cucamelon plants have a long history in the global south, from Venezuela up to Mexico....

When you think of Hawaiian hibiscus, you’re probably thinking of relaxing on the beach with a drink in your hand the sound of waves and lush tropical greenery everywhere. Suddenly, it’s time for a vacation! If you need a little piece of tropical paradise in your home, you need to consider adding this beautiful plant to your garden. Table of Contents “Hawaiian hibiscus” isn’t referring to just one type of hibiscus—it’s talking about seven species in the genus Hibiscus, as well as the Chinese hibiscus, which is a related type of flower but is not a native species to Hawaii....