Fresh, ripe strawberries are irresistible, but the varieties sold in most stores are far from the best, being firm (and consequently tart) berries to stand a long haul to market and several days on the display shelf. If you want the sweetest flavor, you should grow your own. Which ones you choose depends on whether … Read more
Soil, the basic stuff of life, consists of the upper layer of the earth in which plants grow and obtain their food. It is formed by physical and chemical weathering due to the interaction between wind, water, heat, cold, ice, plant growth, and animals. For the most part, soil processes are biological in nature. Therefore, … Read more
Everyone who contemplates a few herbs in the garden wants to grow tarragon. However, beginners may not know that the desired form is the French tarragon, sometimes called “estragon.” It is the base for the famous vinegar essential for tartar sauce, French green salads, and many fish sauces. Occasionally, tarragon seed is offered, but it … Read more
Cold frames should now be filled with tender material, awakening the final planting-out in the garden. Hardy and semi-hardy annuals and vegetables should all be in the garden by this time. The final planting-out date of the tender material depends upon your locality. The protection afforded by the cold frame is still needed in the … Read more
The family food garden is a wonderful source of essential minerals and vitamins when it includes carefully selected vegetables. The more colorful the vegetables are, the better. The rich color in leaves and roots indicates an exceptionally high vitamin content. The yellow or red plant pigment known as carotene gives vegetables like carrots and sweet … Read more
With April begins the high pitch of planting fever. Sore hands, wet feet, bruises, and an occasional scratch from a thorn or a twig are all part of the game. Mean weather takes its toll, too, on our tempers and strength, so a little planning is needed for handling plants that arrive early. Advice in … Read more
If you are the type of city gardener who likes to grow vegetables that require a minimum effort in return for a rich reward, zucchini is the dish for you. This succulent plant, a member of the squash family, is also called Italian squash. Though virtually unknown to the average gardener, it is rich in … Read more
Money isn’t everything as far as gardening is concerned. In fact, the Guerry G. Slaughters of Charlotte, North Carolina, decided the money would have very little to do with limiting their gardening program. They made this resolution when confronted by their 62’ x 185’ foot city lot—a rugged, sloping wilderness of underbrush and poison ivy … Read more
We were lucky when we bought Spruce Acre in Ithaca, N. Y., 15 years ago. The former owner had left us a healthy asparagus bed of 100 plants. Since then, I’ve wondered why so many gardeners ignore this vegetable. Does preparing the bed sound complicated (your state agricultural college can give you advice)? Don’t you … Read more
Sweet potatoes rate the attention of home gardeners wherever they can be grown. That includes territories beyond their range as an important farm product, such as Connecticut and southern New York. During the last 25 years, we have grown them in various kinds of soil. Though the vines grow luxuriantly in the Summer rains or … Read more