Are you growing Goji Berries in your garden? If the answer’s NO, there’s a fair chance you aren’t too familiar with the intriguing history, the amazing properties or the immense health benefits of goji berries. Also known as Chinese Wolfberries or Lycium Barbarum, these small berries have long been a source of food, medicine and fascination.
I know a lot of gardeners who do everything that can possibly be done to grow the perfect strawberries, and still fall short. Sometimes, it’s not what you do but what you don’t do that makes the difference! You might’ve invested in the costliest variety, used the most popular fertilizers and employed the most effective irrigation technique, it can all account for little if you’ve overlooked some key points. Here’s what you shouldn’t do when growing strawberry plants.
Fall is officially here! Autumn is my favorite season. The leaves turn colors and drift away, the air is crisp and cool, and warm apple cider and pumpkins are waiting to be enjoyed. Many people may not know this, but Fall is actually the perfect time to plant a tree! The ground is still warm enough to support the roots, and the tree will have plenty of time to settle in before winter.
Drying food is a long-established and time-honored method for preserving fruits and vegetables. The basic premise is simple: small pieces of food are placed out in the sun and warm, dry air passing over, under and around the food pulls the moisture from it. Ovens and commercial drying equipment are meant to mimic this natural process.
Few things trigger memories pleasant memories like a handful of plump, juicy strawberries. Their appeal doesn’t stop with taste, though. A perennial garden favorite, strawberries also offer pretty white flowers and unique foliage, making them perfect as a ground cover. They’re affordable, too; a well-maintained strawberry patch offers harvests year after year at very little cost.
In terms of grower satisfaction, it’s hard to beat herbs. If you have limited time and space, herbs give you more for less than anything else you can grow. Just one or two leaves of the right herb can completely transform a salad, pasta dish or stew. Best of all, they are easy to grow and immune to most pests.
The fast-growing, luminous yellow blooms of sunflowers are enjoyed for their panoramic beauty and are the source for a tasty treat! Helianthus annus; Sunflowers are both a splendid flower and a magnificent snack producer! Growing sunflowers in your home garden is an experience that gives immense pleasure to everyone. Children are often tempted to grow their own big blooms of sunflower to compete with their friends.
Time to dust off the wheelbarrow and get the mower started – it’s officially spring again! But with a new season filled with such promise – and so much to do in the garden – where in the world do you start?
Every spring, you head down to the local nursery to buy the plants you carefully selected during your winter hibernation. The joy of seeing the plants you will nurture and enjoy is often marred by the jolt you receive when the cashier gives you the total price of your new garden! Thankfully, there’s a way to avoid sticker shock; you can start seeds at home. Not only does starting your own seeds save you a ton of money, it opens up your seed choices considerably.
If you’re like me, you can’t wait to harvest your strawberries. I believe no garden is complete without a crop of them. The strawberry is one of the best all-around fruits you can grow. What I like best about strawberries is they are the first bloomers of the spring. Can you imagine a better looking, more versatile fruit popping up first in your garden?
You’ve your seeds sprout, grow true leaves and get taller. In your controlled environment, your seedlings have enjoyed a relatively stress-free life, protected from the heat, cold, wind and rain. Without elemental exposure, your little seedlings lack the hardiness to be successfully transplanted; but you can change all that by starting the hardening-off process on your own.
You likely heard it from your mother when you were a child: “Eat your greens! They’re good for you!” At the time, you probably tried to hide your greens under the mashed potatoes or scrape them off the plate and onto the floor in hopes the dog would eat them. But if only we listened to our parents!
Now that the plant has sprouted and gone through the food supply provided by the seed itself, you’re responsible for feeding the burgeoning baby plant. You should feed your seedlings one-quarter strength plant food. If the solution is too strong, it will burn the baby plant. Use room temperature water when you are watering your plant.
To sprout, most seeds prefer a temperature between 70 and 85 degrees (for specific temperatures, see the back of your seed packet). Seeds can be kept in any place that offers warmth. Windowsills can also work, but be sure to check them for drafts that could potentially end your seedling’s short life.
Indigenous to South America, the peanut is a member of the legume family; it’s not a nut like its name may suggest. It’s one of most widely grown crops in the world because of its flavorful, edible seed. It can be grown indoors or out, depending on the growing season; a longer season is better for outdoor growth, while a shorter season lends itself to indoor growth.
Hey fellow gardeners! We know there’s probably still some snow on your ground, as winter is hitting the U.S. pretty hard this year. But despite all the winter storms, snow and ice, we thought we’d brighten the mood with some talk of spring and what’s to come! Soon your gardens will be green, your flowers will be blooming, and your vegetables and fruits will be producing delicious treats.
Close your eyes; try to imagine a crispy crunch that fills your mouth with the distinct sweetness of the absolute juiciest fruit- that’s what it’s like biting into a Honeycrisp Apple. The delicious flavor of this hybrid variety is a cross between Honeygold and Macoun apples. Honeycrisp apples are a blushing red color; they are firm and round in shape, and an all-time favorite for eating it fresh, in salads or in cooking recipes.
Blackberry plants are perennials with a biennial growing and fruiting pattern that provide a bounty of sweet and juicy fresh fruits year after year. Apache Blackberry, a thornless erect variety, yields firm, large mouth-watering fruits.
Some gardeners give up after September, because they think there’s nothing left to do. But, don’t fret, fellow gardener: There is still time to do some bulb planting!
Indigenous to South America, the peanut is a member of the legume family; it’s not a nut like its name may suggest. It’s one of most widely grown crops in the world because of its flavorful, edible seed. It can be grown indoors or out, depending on the growing season; a longer season is better for outdoor growth, while a shorter season lends itself to indoor growth.