Whether you are growing summer or winter squash varieties, learning how to identify and control powdery mildew can lead to healthier, more productive plants. From blight on tomatoes to brown rot on peaches, food gardeners are all too familiar with how fungal diseases can affect the production and appearance of their plants. In the squash patch, a disease known as powdery mildew is often our biggest enemy. This article offers tips for identifying and preventing powdery mildew on squash, as well as a list of resistant varieties. You’ll also find details about organic spray products you can use to manage this disease in your garden.
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Preserving herbs: Drying, freezing, and more
Homegrown herbs are one of the garden’s greatest pleasures. Preserving herbs in a way that doesn’t negatively impact their flavor enables you to enjoy your homegrown herb harvest for months. In the following excerpt from the gorgeous and useful book Herbal Houseplants, (used with the permission of its publisher, Cool Springs Press) author Susan Betz sheds some much-needed light on how to properly preserve herbs via drying and freezing. Plus, you’ll learn tips for harvesting, as well as preserving herbs in butters and herb-infused vinegars.
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When to harvest tomatillos for the best flavor
Tomatillos are a favorite in my veggie garden. One plant can produce an almost overwhelming harvest, which for me means I can make lots of salsa verde (a staple in my fall pantry). Knowing when to harvest tomatillos will help to make sure you are picking the fruit when it’s at its most flavorful.
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Late-season shrubs for fall beauty
When creating a garden bed, my goal is to create a space that provides color and interest all year long. In spring and summer there’s plenty of bold and bright flowers and foliage but by late summer many plants have begun to wind down for the season. Yet, that doesn’t have to be the case as there is no shortage of striking late-season shrubs that add long-lasting beauty and appeal to the garden. In fact, by August, the five plants below are just getting started. Today I’d like to introduce you to some of my favorite shrubs for late summer and autumn. These plants are featured on Savvy Gardening thanks to the sponsorship of Bloomin’ Easy Plants, the grower and supplier of these autumn blooming beauties.
When to harvest beets from a home garden
I’ll admit it. I’m a reformed “beet hater.” When I was a kid, I thought I didn’t like beets because the only ones I’d ever eaten had come from a can and tasted like dirt. But when I grew up and had my first oven-roasted beet from a friend’s garden, I had my own personal beet epiphany and went from being a beet hater to a beet lover. Now, beets are an essential crop in my garden every season. Like carrots, Swiss chard, turnips, spinach, and other crops, learning the best time to harvest beets plays an important role in the flavor and texture of your harvest. In this article, I’ll share some important details regarding when to harvest beets for peak nutrition, taste, texture, and storage life.
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An herb spiral: A beautiful and productive bed for growing garden herbs
An herb spiral is a raised garden bed that is both beautiful and functional. It’s perfect for small space food gardens, but can also be tucked into ornamental landscapes to supply fresh herbs for the kitchen. Like other types of raised beds, spiral gardens are low-care spaces and their unique shape allows the gardener to plant both sun and shade-loving herbs in the same bed. Intrigued? Keep reading to learn more about building and gardening in a spiral herb garden.
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