Why grow heirloom vegetables? Well some would argue that growing heirlooms produces food with higher nutritional value, preserves plant diversity, protects our food supply from the control of corporate monopolies, provides produce that is proven safe for consumption, and that heirloom seeds will ultimately save humanity.
On the opposite side of the heirloom vegetable issue are [...]

Growing Tuscan Black Palm Kale is a great idea if you’d like to create an edible garden that also stands out for its ornamental appeal. Tuscan Black Palm Kale is not only attractive, but many gourmet gardeners consider it to be the finest tasting kale around, and I tend to agree with them.
This heirloom variety [...]

If you’re struggling with unsightly holes and mysterious damage to your plants, controlling garden slugs in the area may be the solution to the problem. Slugs appear at dusk and work throughout the night feeding on their favorite garden plants such as lettuce, cabbage, and Swiss Chard.
Interested in finding a natural solution for controlling garden [...]

Have you noticed the new seed catalogs showing up in your mailbox? If you haven’t now is the time to make your requests and get on the mailing lists of your favorite gourmet and heirloom seed suppliers.
It seems like the vegetable seed catalogs start appearing earlier each year. My first one arrived in November. Not [...]

Parsnips are a delicious and nutritious root crop that doesn’t require much effort to grow in the backyard vegetable garden. I wasn’t acquainted with parsnips until I was an adult, but once I discovered this tasty vegetable I made sure to include it in my organic garden every year.
The keys to success when growing parsnips [...]

With a light layer of snow already covering the garden, the weather forecast is for another four inches of snow to arrive overnight. At this rate I may not get a chance to mulch the garlic and shallot beds with shredded leaves as planned. I’ve had my fill of snow already and we’re not even [...]

This entry on growing beets is a follow-up to yesterday’s post which was devoted to planting red beet roots and getting them off to a good start in the garden.
After the initial thinning you should continue thinning the plants throughout the season to maintain adequate space between the growing beet roots. Use the thinnings as [...]

Homegrown beets are a tender and delicious treat best enjoyed fresh from the backyard garden. Growing red beet roots in the home garden is not a difficult task, but they can be a challenging crop for the beginner gardener.
The most troublesome aspect of growing beets is getting them started. They are often reluctant to germinate [...]