Interview: What Ive Learned in a Year with new gardener J. Hagans

I recently found myself thinking about a grand-fatherly gentleman I knew many years ago. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man that spent most of his time in the vegetable garden. He knew every

In Defense Of Okra: Growing, Preparing, And Preserving A Misunderstood Vegetable

Okra seems to have originated in the African area that has come to be known as Ethiopia. It is found growing wild there and seems to be indigenous to this region. The vegetable was known in Egypt

I (heart) my garden , my garden (hearts) me

Cardio-schmardioWould you rather drive to the gym for a treadmill or spend time in your garden? Hallelujah-- those huffing, sweating vigorous fitness-club workouts are not the only way to help m

I Grew This!

(Editors Note: This article was originally published on August 3, 2008. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published articles may not be able to promptly re

How to Plant in Strawberry Jars for Easy Watering

Make sure your pot is clean and sanitary before you start. Brush out any old dirt, wash and then rinse the pot in a dilution of bleach and water, about 1 cup of bleach to 2 gallons of water, then

How To Determine Soil Texture

Obtain your soil sample by digging down 6 inches. Combine 3 such soil samples, as your soil may be different in different spots.Fill a quart canning jar with 1/2 cup of your soil sample.Dilute th

How to care for spring floral gift plants

Blooming plants are a joy to give and receive. And since every store sells blooming gift plants these days, chances are youll get one. It could be a pot of forced bulbs, a potted plant, or a sma

Household Composting

All types of shredded paper are great for the compost pile, as are a number of other kitchen items which you may not have considered. Check out this list of common household items that will give

Henry Mitchell

Scores of gardening books line my office shelves. Many of them just sit there on a high shelf, seldom used and almost forgotten. However, they make my collection look impressive, so I keep them.

Hectic holiday plans and chilly weather - gardeners retreat indoors for quick December to-dos

Organize seed packetsHaul out that stash of seed packets. Remember to round up stragglers- search the garden tool bucket, the shed, your favorite gardening shorts. Now organize your seeds. Sepa

Harvesting seeds that hurt

Some plants have natural defense systems in the form of spikes, spines, and prickles to protect the plant and its offspring from predators. This can present a slight problem for backyard gardene

Hand Lotions and Scrubs for Gardeners

Hopefully you dont have dry, cracked skin on your hands, but if you do let it be because of beautiful, healthy plants and from hours of enjoyment in your garden. Soil, rocks, and working with t

Grow Some Cover Crops For Rich Green Manure

The DiscoveryFrom the days of my youth, I recall many a day spent searching for the elusive four-leaf clover. Clover is such a wonderful plant for a child and when I see it today, it evokes memor

Grow Lettuce Without Bolting

(Editors Note: This article was originally published on May 29, 2009. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published articles may not be able to promptly resp

Goldfish Varieties for the Hobby Water Garden

For the purposes of this article, we will only look at cold hardy goldfish varieties that can be kept outside year round in a water garden setting. All of these goldfish live harmoniously with ea

Get an Early Start on Your Garden with a Cold Frame!

This is the second article in a series on cold frames. In the first, I introduced some common and not-so-common designs for building a cold frame. This article will get you started on where to l

Genus, Species, and Cultivars, Oh My?

Family, Subdivisions and Class: Not a lesson in Socioeconomics Each plant is categorized under a long list of classifications such as Kingdom, Division, Subdivision, Class, Genus, etc. Lucky for

Gardening Through Grief, Stress & Depression

My father became ill this past spring, and there were endless trips to my hometown to help out, as well as hospital visits; health, financial, and legal concerns, and then later the funeral and e

Gardening Mistakes as Teachers

Gardening is like life. We learn as children to adopt behaviors and practices that are rewarding and to discard those that lead to pain or displeasure. As avid gardeners, we have over a period of

Gardening in the Zone

Originally developed in 1960, the USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate zones. There are also two subzones, labeled a and b within zones 2 through 10. The map is divided