While there are many factors to consider when planning a garden, it’s important to plan based on the types of dishes you and your family enjoy preparing. If you and your family enjoy cooking food with a global flair, you might want to consider planning a ‘curry garden’. ‘Curry’ is actually a loose, catch-all term that doesn’t properly refer to any specific dish. In its originating culture, each dish would have its own unique name....
As back-to-school approaches it can feel like planting the garden was all but a distant memory. But with the cooler temps comes a whole new potential garden season! While some plants like broccoli and cabbage commonly need to be started in the summer to be ready in time for a fall harvest, there are still plenty of plants you can start growing in early fall! Of course what you can plant in early fall depends on your location, so as a first step be sure to check the Growing Calendar in Planter to see which plants can be grown now in your local area....
One of the things we first learn as gardeners is how important it is to select a full sun location for a veggie garden. Unfortunately, many of us don’t have the luxury of having an extra large yard with all-day sun exposure. Even if you’re lucky enough to have a sun-drenched backyard, you might have underutilized partially shaded areas of your yard that you wish you could grow food in. The good news is…you can in fact grow some vegetables in part shade!...
Popular plants such as tomatoes, peppers, and beans often take center stage in the summer garden. It can be easy to fall into a routine of planting the same favorite crops over and over again. But even if you stick with the classics, it’s worth branching out and trying a couple new plants each year. There are some plants that can tend to be overlooked that can make excellent garden additions if you give them a chance....
Why Go Natural with your Colors? Have you ever tie-dyed with your family or friends? It’s a fun and creative activity, and many synthetic dye kits are available on the market! However, there are several good reasons to try dying with plants; put simply, natural dyes are more eco-friendly than those on the market. You reduce your ecological footprint every time you choose to reduce your packaging waste or avoid introducing chemicals to the water system; choosing homemade alternatives is a great way to do both!...
Summertime is a busy time in the garden. From managing watering, to preparing for vacation, and tackling garden problems, there is a lot to do to keep your garden going strong! Even though summer can get hectic, don’t forget to take a step back from the to-do list to plan your fall garden. While the tomatoes are ripening and the peppers are plumping, it’s time to be thinking about which seeds to sow and seedlings to transplant for fall harvests....
The first time your hear a gardener use the word ‘bolting’ in the same sentence as ‘plants’ it can be a bit of a head-scratcher (…are they running away?) In the gardening world, bolting refers to a non-fruiting plant that has started to produce flowers and seeds- also known as ‘going to seed’. Gardeners often see bolting as a bad thing, but it doesn’t have to be! What is bolting? When a plant bolts it focuses all its energy on producing flowers and seeds, instead of growing new, lush leaves or larger roots....
As the last remains of snow melt away and temperatures gradually warm up, gardeners start dreaming of putting in the first crops of the season. While we often look forward to planting summer crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, the early spring can be a season of great abundance and should not be overlooked! What are Cold-Hardy Crops? There are several cold-hardy crops that will grow in cooler temperatures and can withstand a mild frost or even a freeze....