Never Turn Away Volunteer Plants
Have you ever left your garden unattended to go on a quick getaway by yourself, with your friends, or with your family? Maybe you want to be spontaneous and go …
the compost
How to Use an Indoor Compost Bin That Doesn’t Stink
I have a love/hate relationship with my indoor compost bin. I love that I don’t have to walk out to my compost heap every time I peel a banana or …
How to Create a “Seed Quilt” for Winter Sowing in Place
Most gardeners who practice Winter sowing are familiar with the milk jug method–planting seeds in containers that sit outside all Winter, allowing natural stratification before Spring germination. But what if …
How to Prepare Soil for Winter for a Better Garden Next Year
If you're at all like me, you're probably thinking about next year's garden the minute the thermometer starts to drop. Heck, I'm still enjoying garden-fresh Swiss chard, and I'm thinking …
Carrot Tops: The Forgotten Half of the Harvest
Every time you toss carrot greens into the trash or compost bin without a second thought, you’re discarding what might be the most nutritious part of your harvest. Those feathery, …
Ways to Make Compost Break Down Faster
I know the feeling. You're excited about your compost pile; you've tried to keep the mix right between browns and greens. Finally, you're ready to get some finished compost and …
How to Save Root-Bound Tomato Plants Before It’s Too Late
There are some opinions out there about what to do with root-bound tomato plants. Quite a few people seem to believe that the best thing is to just dump them …
Goodbye, Cruel Tomatoes!
This summer I had a most disgusting experience in my vegetable garden—the kind they don’t tell you about in those cheerful books and glossy magazines. It was back in August. …
Saving Bad Tomatoes for Chickens? Not So Fast
I often save some of my produce for the local wildlife. I imagine they will eat from my garden one way or the other, so I might as well give …
Is Cow Manure Fertilizer Safe for Vegetable Gardens?
If you've ever driven through farm country at the right time, you're already somewhat familiar with cow manure fertilizer. That's one of those rare times in life where I think …
