Garlic planting is best performed during the month of October in most parts of the country. But, did you know that not all garlic is created equal? There are hundreds of different varieties, but not every one is right for every region of the country. Prior to planting, examine the features of hardneck vs softneck garlic to discover which type is best for you.
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3 Ways to Grow Fresh Vegetables in Winter
You don’t need a heated greenhouse to grow fresh vegetables in winter; there are many simple season extenders and techniques that can take your garden from summer to fall to winter. In my books, The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener and Growing Under Cover, I share the various crop protectors and winter vegetables that allow me to enjoy a year-round harvest in my zone 5 garden. Maybe you’re already a winter gardener and have planned and planted for the cold season? Or, you’re new to season extending and are wondering if it’s too late to establish winter crops? Read on. I’ve got three easy ways to help you harvest into winter.
Unusual flower bulbs for your garden and how to plant them
Don’t get me wrong, I like tulips and daffodils. Their cheery faces usher in spring with a rush of color and enthusiasm, and like most gardeners, I welcome them with open arms. But, I also like to include more unusual flower bulbs in my garden, too; ones that you don’t find on every corner. These exceptional beauties herald spring in a very different way than a riot of bright yellow daffodils. Instead, these unique spring-flowering bulbs offer their uncommon beauty in a way that’s both subtle and curious.
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Turn an old washbasin into a raised bed
I love a good upcycling project. When I was writing Raised Bed Revolution, it was important to me to include raised bed ideas that didn’t require woodworking skills. Not everyone has the tools or the space to build a raised bed. However, there are so many options that don’t involve a lot of effort to get set up—old stock tanks, kits, fabric raised beds, an old suitcase or drawer, or an old washbasin. With some of these, you’re simply drilling a few holes for drainage.
Collecting seeds from your garden
There are many awesome reasons for collecting seeds from your garden. Besides an obvious sense of satisfaction, it’s also an easy way to shave some serious dollars off your gardening budget and preserve the tomatoes or nasturtiums your great-grandmother grew in her garden. As well, annually selecting your earliest, best-tasting, most productive, and disease resistant veggies will result in plants that are specifically adapted for your area. Flower gardeners can also play with breeding by saving seed from those plants that offer improved traits like larger flowers or unique bloom colour.
Guide to vegetable garden pests: Identification and organic controls
Every vegetable gardener faces pest issues from time to time, and learning how to manage the little leaf-munching menaces without using synthetic chemical pesticides is an essential step in growing a healthy, productive garden. To help gardeners with this task, we’ve put together this easy-to-use guide to vegetable garden pests.
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