Every gardener dreams of a bountiful harvest, a reward for the weeks and months of careful planting, watering, and weeding. Whether you have a sprawling backyard plot or a few containers on a sunny patio, maximizing your garden’s output is key to getting the most from your efforts and space. Strategic planning is your most …
Vegetable Gardening
Morel mushrooms are the elusive, honeycomb-capped treasures of the forest floor, prized by chefs and foragers for their rich, nutty flavor. But what if you could cultivate these gourmet fungi right in your own garden? While notoriously tricky to grow, a few key strategies can turn a patch of your backyard into a personal morel …
Radishes are a wonderful, fast-growing crop to grow in the vegetable garden. Because they take as little as three weeks to mature, I like to tuck radishes in just about anywhere there’s a bit of extra space. By the time the other plants start getting big, the radishes can be harvested, freeing up more room …
Here’s a fun truth: Growing garlic couldn’t be easier. It doesn’t require much, and once you eat homegrown garlic, you’ll want to grow your own all the time. Many think of garlic as a Mediterranean plant that cannot be grown in cooler climates. But modern varieties that have been specifically bred for cooler growing conditions …
Are you wondering how to grow eggplant? A beautiful vegetable with dark fruit, eggplant is a classic in Mediterranean dishes. The glossy purple coloring is so appealing! But remember that eggplants require a long, warm season to grow. There are different varieties of eggplant, and this can affect how you grow them, as well as …
Beets are a wonderful crop to grow for many reasons. These vegetables are packed with nutrients, and you can harvest some of the leafy greens while you wait for the vibrant, fleshy roots to fully mature. To ensure healthy plants both above and below the soil, grow one or two companion plants for beets nearby. …
An aromatic perennial herb in the mint family, culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) makes an excellent companion plant in both the herb and vegetable garden. It deters several common garden pests, and its lovely flowers attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. Sage gets along better with some plants than others, though, so keep reading to learn …
Tomatoes are the crown jewel of any garden, prized for their flavor, versatility, and health benefits. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, unlocking the secrets to a bountiful tomato harvest can transform your gardening experience. Tomatoes may be beloved, but they’re also famously particular. They demand the right balance of warmth, nutrients, airflow, …
Here is a mistake more home gardeners make than any other in spring: they wait. They watch the forecast, they fuss over the date, and they hold off planting until the weather feels safely warm. By the time they finally put seeds in the ground, the cool-season window has already closed. The crops that should …
My attempts at growing brassicas, or members of the cabbage family, have been all but thwarted by pests like cabbage loopers, cabbageworms, and harlequin beetles. And when the ravaged plants have finally had time to recover and begin producing, they bolt instead, because the summer heat has set in. While any of a slew of …