Categories
Vegetable Gardening

Are Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, and Yams Related?

Ah, the holidays, a time when families come together, and tables groan under the weight of delectable dishes. I can vividly recall one particular holiday feast as if it happened just yesterday. There, spread before me, was a veritable potato parade that could have made even the most dedicated spud enthusiast dizzy with delight. It […]

Categories
Watering & Irrigation

How to Save Water with the Clay Pot Irrigation Method

Hi, my name is Amanda, and sometimes I forget to water my vegetable garden! Phew, that feels good to get off my chest! If you can’t be out in the garden seven days a week, an irrigation system might be the next best thing. There are many irrigation methods to choose from like sprinkler systems or drip methods. Some of these systems can lead to wasting water if you’re not careful.

Categories
Vegetable Gardening

Tomatoes: The Fruits of Our Labor

Ah, tomatoes. The plump, juicy orbs of summertime. The base of every good marinara sauce. The bane of every green thumb’s existence. But where did these delicious fruits come from? And why are they so darn finicky to grow? First, let’s travel back in time to the 16th century. Tomatoes, native to South America, were […]

Categories
Growing Fruits & Berries

Seriously, what’s the deal with cranberries?

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the biggest debate of them all…cranberry sauce. Some love the whole cranberry sauce, some say jelly is the way to go, and others just say “no thanks!” altogether. Everyone seems to have their preferences and is not willing to budge. In fact, in my experience, […]

Categories
Garden Tools

How to Grow Potatoes in a Bag

The decision to learn how to grow potatoes in a bag is not one to be taken lightly. Are you short on garden space but still want a crop of universally delicious starch bombs? Or maybe you like science experiments. You probably fall somewhere between Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye in age and have always been drawn to DIY science like crystal-growing, rock-tumbling, and figuring out which dish soap makes the best bubble solution.

Categories
Vegetable Gardening

Attack of the Mutant Vegetables: The 6 Weirdest Vegetable Mutations

The first time I saw the mutant vegetables, I was scared. It was like a horror scene out of “The Walking Dead” or something. But then it hit me: Those were my carrots! That’s my corn! Oh my gosh, why is my tomato being so naughty? My mind raced with thoughts of how to solve […]

Categories
Pests & Diseases

10 Common Garden Bugs That Are Actually Good for Your Plants

You can’t talk about gardening without talking about bugs. There are a lot of bugs that will destroy a garden if you let them. Aphids, whiteflies, cabbage worms – I could list plenty. What we don’t talk about very much, however, are some of the common garden bugs that are beneficial to our plants.

Categories
Vegetable Gardening

The Great Pumpkin Escape

Once upon a time, when I was just a sprightly seven-year-old, I embarked on an adventure in our family garden that would forever be etched in my memory. Our backyard was a small piece of suburban paradise, enclosed by a six-foot fence adorned with grapevines on one side and delicate lattice on the other. Most […]

Categories
Growing Fruits & Berries

A Blueberry Sunday Morning at Sea

I remember that bright blue Sunday morning like it was yesterday. Paul and I were on the USS Enterprise, cruising from the Philippines to Australia. We had been at sea for what felt like an eternity, nearly 60 days, and our taste buds were longing for something other than the usual powdered and canned rations […]

Categories
Garden Design

It’s time to say goodbye to the garden

As the days get shorter, the nights get longer, and a heavy frost greets me each morning, I realize it is time to do the thing I dread each year. It is time to say goodbye to my garden. My berries have stopped blooming, my cucumbers have gone away, and even the last pumpkin has […]