Living with Chickweed
The other day I saw a research report from some agricultural scientist who'd decided that chickweed—that disgusting little kissing cousin of kudzu—was the ideal winter cover crop for soybean farmers. …
peas
Garden Time
Mud season, the Harvest Moon, or when the frost is on the pumpkin. We're all familiar with such time measurements: the kind far removed from calculated accuracy. Not the precise, …
Relax and Name Frogs
The first of February, my blood perks up like a coffeepot brewing because, down here in Texas, February 14th is Tater Time. The garden to me is a place to …
Breaking Ground
Warm day. Dry soil. Early spring. It's groundbreaking day in the garden. I go out to negotiate with ol' Dobbin, my middle-aged rototiller. She's getting a bit stiff in the …
Why Are My Pea Plants Turning Yellow?
Why are my pea plants turning yellow? Is it something I need to worry about? Are my plants done for? The concern is understandable. After all, yellowing plant leaves could …
Companion Plants for Sunflowers
Take advantage of organic teamwork in your garden to deter garden pests, as well as weeds. Companion planting is a great way help plants protect each other.
For example, squash, peas, …
The Mystery of the Misplaced Eggplant
As soon as the fist-sized, orange blossom revealed its beautiful face and reached towards the late-Spring sky, I knew I had made it. …
A Sinkhole in the High Desert
St. Patrick’s Day had come and gone, and my peas were in the ground. Still in the ground. Not a one had sprouted—and I’d planted them two weeks ago. That …
5 Winter Mulching Tips for Cold Zone Perennial Crops
There's not a lot going on in the garden in the middle of winter. Most of the plants are gone; the carrots have all been pulled up and stored; the …
9 Cilantro Companion Plants That Keep a Whole Garden Thriving
Once upon a time, there was a woman who loved to garden. She planted cilantro near fennel, but the cilantro never grew. She didn't know that fennel secretes a growth-inhibiting …
