Vegetable garden
Vegetable gardening, including planting seeds for veggie crops, choosing seedling plants for the outdoor garden, and growing vegetables in small-space gardens.
-
How to fill a raised garden bed
How to fill a raised garden bed in six steps, what to put in the bottom, the best soil mix, and how to fill a…
-
When to plant garlic: the fall planting window by zone
Plant garlic in fall, about four to six weeks before the ground freezes. Here is the window by zone, what to do if it is…
-
What temperature to cover plants for frost
Cover tender plants when the forecast low hits 36°F (2°C) on a clear, calm night. Here is which plants need cover, what to use, and…
-
Seed starting supplies checklist
Every supply you need to start seeds indoors, from trays and seed starting mix to heat mats and grow lights, with notes on what you…
-
Best seed starting kits
The best seed starting kits for beginners and busy gardeners, from a self-watering tray to an all-in-one dome with a grow light, plus the cheap…
-
How to grow winter squash and store it all winter
Winter squash like butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash grow all summer and store for months. Here is how to plant them, when to harvest, and…
-
How to grow leeks from seed to harvest
Leeks are easy to grow and handle cold well. Start seeds indoors in late winter, plant them deep, and hill soil around the stems for…
-
How to grow Brussels sprouts and when to harvest them
Brussels sprouts take a long season, but they taste best after a frost. Plant them in spring for a fall harvest, keep them fed, and…
-
Beneficial insects that eat garden pests (and how to attract them)
Ladybugs, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and ground beetles eat aphids, caterpillars, and slugs for free. Here is how to recognize the good bugs in your…
-
How to grow eggplant and when to pick it
Eggplant loves heat. Start seeds indoors early, plant out once nights are warm, and protect young plants from flea beetles. Pick the fruit while the…
-
How to get rid of tomato hornworms
Tomato hornworms are big green caterpillars that can strip a tomato plant in days. Find them by their droppings, pick them off, and leave any…
-
How to prevent and treat tomato blight
Early blight leaves brown target spots on lower tomato leaves. Late blight turns plants into a brown, greasy mess in days. Here is how to…
-
How to get rid of powdery mildew on plants
Powdery mildew coats leaves in white dust, most often in mid to late summer. Remove the worst leaves, spray with potassium bicarbonate, neem oil, or…
-
How to get rid of cabbage worms on broccoli, cabbage, and kale
Cabbage worms are green caterpillars that chew holes in broccoli, cabbage, and kale. Cover your plants with row cover, hand-pick the worms, and spray Bt…
-
How to grow sweet corn in a home garden
Sweet corn needs warm soil, rich ground, and a block planting so the wind can pollinate it. Here is how to plant, feed, and water…
-
How to get rid of cutworms and protect your transplants
Cutworms chew through young transplants at the soil line overnight. Protect each plant with a simple collar, clear weeds before planting, and dig out the…
-
How to grow green beans (bush and pole beans)
Sow green beans outdoors after your last frost, once the soil reaches 60°F (16°C). Bush beans need no support, and pole beans need a trellis.…
-
How to grow cucumbers in your garden
Sow cucumbers outdoors once the soil reaches 65°F (18°C). Give them full sun, a trellis, and a deep soak every week. Here is how to…
-
How to grow beets from seed
Beets grow best in cool weather and loose soil. Soak the seeds, sow them early, thin to 3 to 4 inches apart, and harvest when…
-
How to grow rhubarb and when to harvest it
Plant rhubarb crowns in early spring in full sun and rich soil, then wait. Skip the harvest the first year, pick a few stalks the…
-
How to grow Swiss chard from spring to fall
Swiss chard is one of the easiest greens to grow. One spring sowing gives you leaves from late spring until hard frost. Here is how…
-
How to grow asparagus and when to harvest it
Asparagus is a perennial that can feed you for 15 years or more. Plant crowns in a trench in early spring, wait to harvest until…
-
How to grow radishes in spring and fall
Radishes go from seed to salad in about a month. Sow them in cool weather, thin them early, and keep the soil moist. Here is…
-
How to grow broccoli from transplant to side shoots
Broccoli grows best in cool weather and rich soil. Set out transplants a few weeks before your last frost, keep them fed and watered, and…
