Winter Vegetables are the cold hardy varieties that don’t flinch at the arrival of fall frosts, and have no problem withstanding a moderate amount of freezing weather. In fact, some winter vegetables can survive to enjoy the warmth of spring and continue producing harvests for the crafty gardener.
Here’s a list of my favorite cold hardy [...]

Straw mulches can serve many beneficial functions in the home garden. Straw is inexpensive and readily obtainable from garden centers, or even more economically from local farmers. Just be sure to purchase straw rather than hay, since the latter is more likely to contain weed seeds.
Straw is an organic material that breaks down slowly and [...]

The leaves took longer to fall this year, but they’re finally down, except for one Japanese Maple out front. I spent part of the past weekend gathering them to use for next season’s compost.
I can’t say that I enjoy the raking and collecting, but it is satisfying to look over the huge piles that will [...]

Fig Trees lend an exotic presence and the flavor of tree-ripened fruits to the home garden. With extra care to provide winter protection you can succeed in growing a fig tree even in northern climates.
Growing Fig Trees
Many people prefer the taste of fresh figs even more than that of the dried fruit. By learning how [...]

Nasturtiums are one of my favorite edible flowers for growing to compliment the vegetable or herb garden. Tasty, attractive, and easy to grow, nasturtiums also perform well in containers. The blossoms range from bright red, to apricot, yellow, peach, salmon, pink, orange, gold, cream, or mahogany.
Some nasturtiums have a mounding growth habit best suited for [...]

Vermiculture isn’t a common practice even among experienced organic gardeners, but it can be a very interesting addition to your gardening activities. Vermiculture or vermicomposting simply refers to the process of earthworm composting used to recycle yard waste and everyday kitchen scraps.
Benefits of Vermiculture and Vermicomposting
Clean and odorless, vermicomposting is carried out in specially designed [...]

Mustard Greens while not as popular as kale, collards, and other leafy greens make an excellent addition to the home garden. Their strong, spicy hot flavor is probably the reason that many gardeners neglect them, and cooks ban them from the kitchen, but there are many good reasons to set aside a little space for [...]

Soil improvement is a common goal of many gardeners looking for ways to enhance the growth of their gardens. Soil problems can range from poor texture, such as heavy clay, to issues involving soil that is deficient in nutrients, waterlogged, shallow, hard packed, or just not producing the healthy crops that the gardener desires. My [...]