Pea seedlings When the crocus and narcissus bloom, the soil is growing warm enough to begin working in the kitchen garden. And if you want a sure sign that winter in your area is past, look for the first leafing out of the birch trees and the bloom of the lilacs. Don’t rush spring if
Planting strawberries: strawberries can be grown from seed, seedlings, crowns, or runners. If the idea of serving your own fresh-picked strawberries next summer sounds good, spring is the time to get your strawberries growing. Strawberries are a perennial plant which means once you’ve got them in the ground you will have them for two or
The principal components of soil are minerals, organic matter, air, and water. The soil in your garden was created over thousands of years through the disintegration and decomposition of rock and organic matter. Temperature and rainfall, the life and death of plants, animals and bacteria and fungi, and the rocks that were there to begin
Arugula is pungently peppery and well matched to milder salad greens and endive. Certainly, you can serve juvenile arugula on its own. Arugula flowers bring the same peppery dash to a salad and some wonderful color as well. Arugula flowers are white pinwheels with burgundy center stripes and veins. You can use arugula flowers as
Kale is usually cooked and rarely eaten raw because of its strong pungent flavor. Small amounts of raw, young kale can be added to salads to bring a spicy note. Steam kale and serve with butter, lemon juice, and chopped bacon. Kale has large cabbage-like curled leaves, usually soft green but also shades of blue-green
Is May the most beautiful month of the year in the northern hemisphere? Well, it’s certainly one of the most beautiful months. The snow and ice are gone and the heat of summer has not yet arrived. Wild flowers are in bloom everywhere and the garden is either moving towards its spring peak or well
May arrives between autumn and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Grays and browns replace the brilliant fall colors of April this month. Nature is beginning its rest time now as the harvest comes to a close. There still may be a few days of hazy sunshine this month but the first chill and frost are
Mustard greens can be eaten raw or cooked–steamed, sautéed, or simmered. Prepare mustard greens like you would spinach, but expect a stronger flavor. The strongest tasting of the so-called bitter greens—mustard has a sharp, biting peppery taste that can sting like a strong radish. Even cooked mustard greens will have a “bite”. Both the leaves
Set lettuce and other leafy green transplants in the garden Autumn will arrive in the Southern Hemisphere–Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile–on March 20. Here’s a roundup of planting, harvesting, and things to do during March in the Southern Hemisphere. Plant Autumn Crops Cool-season crops should be planted as soon as possible:
The planting date for each vegetable depends upon the weather that the vegetable can best tolerate. Planting vegetables in their right season will greatly enhance your harvest. Most vegetables belong to one of two seasonal groups: cool-season crops and warm-season crops. The planting date for each vegetable depends upon the weather that the vegetable can
