The mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is a small citrus tree that resembles an orange. The mandarin orange is not one citrus fruit but many. Some mandarin oranges are called mandarins, some are called tangerines, and some are called clementines. Most mandarins are half the size of an orange or smaller, but some are just as large. Most
Pears are easy to grow. There are pears for fresh eating, cooking, and canning. Pears grow just about everywhere apples grow with the exception of far northern gardens. Grow pears in USDA Zones 4 to 9. Most pears require cross-pollination for fruit set. Choose pears that flower at the same time in spring—early, mid-spring, or
Strawberries are the first fruit of spring. They can also be one of the last fruits harvested in autumn, and they are a winter crop in many regions. To get a long harvest of strawberries, choose a combination of early harvest, mid-season harvest, and late-season harvest June-bearing strawberries, and also plant everbearing, and day-neutral varieties.
Crop rotation means moving vegetables around the garden to maintain soil fertility. By rotating crops from one spot to another each season—or even in the same season, you can preserve and even boost nutrients in the soil. Differing crops use different amounts of soil nutrients and a few crops add nutrients to the soil. How
Plant leeks and shallots in autumn and spring. Leeks and shallots are easy to grow. They are the subtle, refined-flavor alternatives to bulb onions and garlic. In mild winter regions, plant leeks and shallots in late autumn or winter. In cool–but not cold–winter regions plant leeks and shallots in late summer and autumn for spring
Onions are easy to grow from seed, but you must start early. In the Northern Hemisphere, sow onion seeds indoors in January and February, outdoors in April or May. Onion bulb formation and daylight Onion bulb formation is influenced by the length of daylight and the hours of dark each day. So-called long-day onions form
Sow garden peas in the garden not later than two to three weeks before the average last frost date. If you wait, the yield will be small and will likely not justify the space they need in the garden. Young garden pea plants grow best at 59℉ to 68℉ (15℃-20℃). If you can’t plant early
Cabbage is a hardy, cool-season crop. Cabbage seedlings can be set in the garden 4 weeks before the last frost in spring. You can sow cabbage seeds indoors in flats 4 to 6 weeks before you set seedlings in the garden; that’s 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost. The minimum soil temperature for
Set cauliflower seedlings in the garden about two or three weeks before the average last frost date, not earlier. Sow cauliflower seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before setting seedlings in the garden. Cauliflower grows best at 57° to 68°F (14°-20°C). Time cauliflower planting so that plants do not mature in hot, head-stunting summer weather.
Grow an early and late or main crop of celery each growing season. The early crop will be harvested in August; the late crop will be harvested in September or October, before the first fall frost. Start celery seed indoors. Sow seed for the early or August harvest in February. Set young plants in the
