Vegetable stew Here is an easy to make vegetable stew that you can cook up any time of the year. The combination of vegetables in this stew can vary with the season and harvest. Choose two or three vegetables from the longer-cooking list and two or three from the shorter cooking list. If you want
Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen
Roasted roots: carrots, parsnips, potatoes, butternut squash Roasted root vegetables make for a sweet and savory side dish. Roots great for roasting are carrots, turnips, celery root, rutabagas, parsnips, kohlrabi, and fingerling potatoes. To these you can add garlic bulbs and thick slices of butternut squash if you like. Toss root vegetables with a bit
Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen
Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen
Newly established planting beds and planting beds that have been used in past seasons must be readied for the coming growing season. To prepare an established planting bed for the growing season you must decide what is going to be planted in the bed. While most planting beds are basically prepared in the same way
Growing backyard grapes is not difficult, but success depends upon choosing the right variety for your climate, training the vine, and pruning regularly. Grapes require a cold spell during the winter (but not a killing freeze), warmth in spring for flowering and fruit set, and heat and sunshine in summer to ripen the fruit. There
Leeks can be blanched and kept clean by growing in tubes—paper tubes or tubes made of biodegradable material or in recyclable plastic tubes (shown here). Leeks are nearly a year-round garden grower. Start leeks indoors in winter for planting out in very early spring for an early summer harvest. Set out leeks transplants in late
Cucumbers are best picked green, firm, and moderate in size–as soon as they are edible and usable size. Home-grown cucumbers should be picked slightly smaller than the size you’d find at the market. Smaller cucumbers will be just as tasty as larger cucumbers. Never allow cucumbers to mature on the plant. If cucumber fruits mature
Melon seedlings Melons are a tender, warm-weather crop. Sow melon seeds or set plants directly into the garden in spring 2 weeks after all danger of frost has passed and when the soil has warmed to 70°F (21°C) or thereabouts. Melon seed can be started indoors 4 to 3 weeks before plants are transplanted directly
