With its hard rind, it’s sometimes difficult to tell when butternut squash is ripe. But there are some simple tells in the stem and rind you can watch for to know when your butternut squash is perfectly ripe. If you love numbers, you can also follow your calendar and get an exact window of when […]
Category: Gardens
Pumpkin Leaves for Dinner — 5 Recipes from Around the World
Is it Safe to Eat Pumpkin Leaves? Home gardeners will be happy to know that pumpkin leaves are edible, safe to eat, and delicious. Think of them like spinach or collard greens, only sweeter. The younger, smaller leaves are more tender, less bitter, and require less preparation. In many cultures, pumpkin leaves are a staple […]
Limited Gardening Space? Grow a Vertical Vegetable Garden for Your Balcony
Do you live in an apartment, have limited gardening space, or just want to make your balcony, porch, or deck edible and beautiful? With a few simple tips, anyone can grow a vertical garden for their balcony. If you have a covered balcony, you’ll need to refer to our list of shade-tolerant plants or steps […]
How To Know If You Have Sandy Soil and What to Do About It
If you have sandy soil, the best way to amend it is with organic compost or well-rotted manure. But first, find out what kind of soil you actually have. You may be surprised. I would consider myself a sandy soil expert because my soil is exceptionally sandy. It’s so sandy in fact, that there is […]
Cherry Tree – How to Choose the Right One for Your Zone
Sweet cherry trees grow best in zones 5 through 7, while sour cherries grow best in zones 4 through 6. Some hybrid varieties can grow well in zones 6 through 9. Cherry trees need to be planted in full sun in well-draining soil. Sour cherry trees do not need other cherry trees to cross-pollinate, but […]
When to Harvest Sweet Potatoes + 4 Must-Do Sweet Potato Gardening Tips
The sweet potato is a tropical heat-loving plant in the morning glory family that requires 3 to 4 months of warm weather to develop and be ready for harvesting. You know when to harvest sweet potatoes by the ends and leaves beginning to turn yellow, or before your first fall frost. Sweet potatoes take 90 […]
Plum Tomatoes — Roma vs Plum + How to Grow Them in Any Weather
Plum tomatoes are a category of tomatoes that are best for making rich tomato sauce and paste. Plum tomatoes have a thicker fruit wall, finer seeds, and less moisture making them particularly suited to making tomato sauce and paste. Some of the most famous varieties of plum tomatoes are the Roma, San Marzano, Ropreco Paste, […]
Pepino Melon — How to Grow it in any Climate
The Pepino melon is actually not a melon but fruit from the nightshade family similar to tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers. It’s called a melon though because of its melon-like flavor. It is best grown in USDA hardiness zones 9-13, as a perennial, but can also be grown as an annual in climates with more […]
How to Grow Cucamelon and Keep Them From Turning Sour
The cucamelon, which looks like a tiny watermelon, yet tastes like a citrusy cucumber, can be easily grown in your backyard garden. Even though the cucamelon grows best in warm climates and originated from Mexico and Central America, with a few special care tips, you can grow them too. Cucamelon Quick Facts Botanical Name—Melothria scabra […]
Compost Pile vs Bin – Which Works Best + Hot Compost Recipe
If you are planning to create a compost pile on your property to nourish your garden and repurpose lawn and kitchen scraps, you will love the results. There is nothing quite like fresh compost in the garden to produce the most incredible vegetables and flowers. You may be wondering which is better—compost pile vs bin. […]