All vegetable gardeners are eager for spring planting in the garden. After planning new gardens and features in January, cleaning up, starting seeds and pruning in February and March, we are ready for planting as soon as possible. The real fun begins in our area in the end of March, when, if the ground is […]
In 2013 we selected a hybrid seed called Dick’s Pick Hybrid Butternut Squash (from Jung Seed) this year for butternut squash. We planted it in late May when the soil was warm. This variety required 100 days to maturity. Pictured here is one of the plants almost ready for harvest. (Please disregard the powdery mildew […]
When my father (89 in 2013) was here for Christmas, we talked about food memories from his New Orleans’ childhood. One of many we discussed was stuffed mirlitons. He says that every year at the end of the growing season someone would put aside several mature squash in a closet. In February, the squash would […]
We’re planning to grow okra again this year. A couple of years ago I grew okra for indoor arrangements and for fall/winter containers. If you leave the pods on the plants, they eventually get woody, curl and split–looking like linen-colored lilies! The plants were easy to grow and got to be 3-4’ tall with sturdy […]
Pumpkins are everywhere this time of year and will be around for the next few weeks until Thanksgiving. Did you know that • botanically speaking, pumpkins are actually fruits? We eat the ripe fruit and seeds. • the word “pumpkin” has no botanical meaning? What we think of as pumpkins are actually members of the […]
We have been growing nasturtiums in the vegetable garden for many years. The hardest part of growing nasturtiums is remembering to buy the seeds and plant them! (So they are great for childrens’ gardens.) Since there are many different colors available I switch colors every year. I love the round green leaves, the large flowers […]
Did you know that adding wood mulch to your planting beds every year can cause a lack of nitrogen in your soil? A better alternative is composted leaf mulch. Composted mulch will improve the soil structure as well as increasing biological activity and diversity. Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm encouraged garden designers to embrace […]
