Lilacs in full blooms Events in the natural calendar can be used to guide planting times in the vegetable garden. The study and observation of seasonal events and their correlation to plant, insect, and animal life is called phenology. Modern phenology got its start in England with the observations of naturalist Robert Marsham. Marsham began
Plastic sheeting warms the soil in advance of planting. Pre-warm cold soil before sowing or transplanting warm-weather crops into the garden. Black or clear plastic sheeting is a simple and inexpensive way to warm the soil and get a jump on the growing season. You can also dig, loosen, and turn over the soil in
Candied orange peel (or any citrus peel) is a sweet and sour treat. You can serve it as a dessert or as a treat. It will keep for several months in the refrigerator. No more tossing out those brightly colored peels. Use organic, unsprayed citrus for this recipe—oranges, lemons, tangerines, grapefruits. Candied Orange Peel or
Here is a recipe for fresh vegetable lasagna—for all seasons. I am going to give you—in one recipe—the options to make this hearty and tasty dish in cool weather—using butternut squash or kale or spinach or a combination of these—or in warm weather—using bell peppers or eggplant or Swiss chard. As well, you likely will
Tomato sauce—basic, herbed, or with vegetables added—is easily made from tomatoes fresh from the garden or tomatoes frozen last harvest. Use tomato sauce on pastas, pizzas, vegetables, or soups. The key to flavorful tomato sauce is ripe, juicy tomatoes—the fresher the tomatoes the more flavorful the sauce, but that’s not to say you can’t make
Use a garden fork to prepare the soil for planting. The no-dig or light-dig garden preparation method calls for spreading soil amendments across planting beds and allowing rain, wind, and soil organisms to till or work the amendments and their nutrients into the soil. You do not have to dig or use a rototiller in
A bumper tomato crop comes with early season planning. Getting tomatoes off to a strong start will almost guarantee a great yield next summer. Here are 10 easy steps to an outstanding tomato harvest: 1. Seed Sowing Time. Tomato seedlings are tender and easily fall prey to disease, pests, and unpredictable changes in weather. Starting
Orange marmalade is the most popular marmalade. Marmalade is a soft translucent jelly preserve quite simply made from fruit, water, and sugar. Marmalade looks like jam but it contains thin fruit slices or diced fruit suspended in the jelly. Many say the fine flavor of the Seville orange makes the best marmalade. But you can
To get a bumper crop from your pepper plants, you must dedicate yourself to helping the plants thrive. Pepper plants are more temperamental than tomatoes—they demand warm temperatures, even soil moisture, feeding, and support—literally. Here are 10 steps that will all but guarantee sweet and hot pepper growing success. (But don’t turn your back peppers
To make the best meatballs keep two things in mind: (1) choose the best meat you can find—for example, prepare beef meatballs with grass-fed beef that is naturally lean and full and rich in flavor, and (2) use a light hand; shape meatballs that are light and airy not kneaded or compacted. To make 4
