The debate about whether or not to prune tomato plants seems to be a constant in the gardening world. There are a million different ways to do it and everyone swears their way is best. As a result, pruning the second most popular home garden crop – peppers – always seems to be forgotten. But did you know that pruning pepper plants can result in many benefits? I know plenty of gardeners who don’t prune pepper plants, and that’s okay, but there are lots of good reasons why giving your pepper plants a strategic and well-timed trim pays big dividends. Continue Reading
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Pruning pepper plants for improved plant health and yields
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How to grow kale: Tips for planting, preventing pests, and harvesting healthy plants
I’m one of those weirdos who loves kale. While I occasionally make kale chips, pesto, or use the young leaves in a kale Caesar salad, I eat the leaves the most either steamed or stir fried, or in soups. I also like to plant kale in my ornamental containers. It’s a perfect double-duty plant, because it adds interesting foliage and you can harvest some of the leaves for meals. Learning how to grow kale is pretty easy. Unfortunately its nemesis, the cabbage worm, can crush—or rather eat—all your kale-growing dreams very quickly. Here are some tips on raising healthy kale plants.
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Perennial vegetables: 15 easy to grow choices for gardens and landscapes
While most food gardeners concentrate on annual vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce, there are many perennial vegetables that offer an annual crop of leaves, stems, fruits, roots, tubers, flowerbuds, or bulbs. Plus, most are easy to grow, resistant to pests, and improve soil. There are so many reasons to add perennial vegetables to your garden and landscape. Read on to discover fifteen of my favourite perennial edible plants. Continue Reading
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Blossom end rot: How to identify, prevent, and treat
Watching little green tomatoes mature into large ripe tomatoes is one of the garden’s greatest joys. But when something goes awry and those ripe red fruits don’t come to fruition, it can be heartbreaking. Though tomatoes are subject to several different fungal diseases that can affect fruit development, perhaps the most upsetting tomato disorder of all is blossom end rot. Thankfully, if you can properly ID this disorder and learn to prevent and treat it, you won’t have to face the heartbreak it brings in future years. Continue Reading
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How to harvest lavender for bouquets, culinary uses, and DIY projects
My love for lavender stems back to a trip to Provence before my last year of university. I have a postcard of the lavender fields we passed while in transit—and have been dreaming about them ever since. I was delighted when my first garden had an established lavender plant in the front garden. And in my current home, I have a few. I love to pick small bouquets and add sprigs to bigger arrangements with other cut flowers. However, if you’re going to gather it to use in sachets and cooking, it’s important to know how to harvest lavender—and when.
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Tomato plant suckers: When and how to prune tomato plants
It’s a question I’m asked all the time, “Should I remove tomato plant suckers?” The answer: “It depends!” There really isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question as it relies on a few factors like the type of tomato plants you’re growing and how you’re supporting them. Read on to learn whether or not you should pinch out tomato suckers.
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