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How to Be a Happy Food Gardener
I’ve read more self-help books than I care to admit. Some were helpful, some were forgettable, and a few were written with such certainty that I half expected the author …
beans
7 Types of Beans to Grow to Add Color to Your Vegetable Garden
I'll admit that writing about the different types of beans to grow in your garden is no easy task. You could probably write an entire Ph.D. thesis on beans if …
10 of the Best Savory Herbs to Grow for Family Meals
I'm taking a leap here. Anytime you offer your opinion of "the best," whether it's savory herbs, kitchen utensils, or watering cans, you risk missing some good stuff. And since …
10 Vegetables that Require Little Sun to Flourish
When we bought our house, my favorite thing in the backyard was the hundred-year-old Ash tree smack dab in the center of the yard. She was statuesque, gorgeous, sturdy, and …
Quinoa and Pepper Medley Casserole
Let me tell you about this flavor-packed vegetarian masterpiece that's become my secret weapon for Meatless Mondays! As someone who used to think "spicy" meant a dash of black pepper, …
The Best Flowers for a Vegetable Garden to Attract Pollinators and Deter Pests
When Emily Dickinson wrote this poem in the mid-1800s, she may or may not have been thinking about flowers for a vegetable garden. There’s really no way to say. She …
7 Common Vegetables that Should Not be Planted Together
I remember being in third grade and my teacher separated two of the annoying boisterous kids (okay, one of them was me), and said: “You two just can’t be around …
Beans, Glorious Beans!
If meatloaf really does start in the soil—as my father insisted—then beans are the foundation. They bring the hearty texture, rich flavor, and plant-based protein that make a veggie …
Growing Meatloaf
How to Plant a Meatloaf (According to Dad)
One sunny April morning, I caught my father kneeling in the bean row with a packet of seeds in one hand and a …
Soil Care in Moderate Climates (Zones 6–8)
For gardeners in Zones 6–8, the soil feels like a gift. Winters are short enough to grow cover crops (or even hardy greens), summers are long enough for tomatoes, peppers, …
