Whether you hate them or love them, beets' culinary value is undeniable. This cool-weather crop can be eaten almost entirely, including its green tops. Homesteaders can choose from a wide selection of …
Types of Broccoli
With high nutritional value and culinary uses, broccoli is one of the most prized vegetables you can grow at home. In local grocery stores and farmers markets, broccoli varieties usually have large …
All About the Acianthera Nikoleae
Featured image is the Dresslerella caesariata, not the Acianthera Nikoleae. Since this is a newly discovered species, not that many images are available. Take a look at the Internet Orchid Species …
Types of Peas
Belonging to the legume family, the cultivated pea plant (Pisum sativum) is a cool-season crop with an annual lifecycle. The term “peas” often refers to the seeds found in the pods. Botanically …
6 Reasons You Should Have Flowers in Your Vegetable Garden
With self-sufficiency as the someday goal, my first gardening days were purely practical. I browsed through seed catalogs with an iron will, bypassing the flower sections with a steely gaze -- and a …
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Medicinal Benefits of Tulsi
Ocimum tenuiflorum also known as tulsi or holy basil, is a popular Ayurvedic herb in India that is commonly used for tea. With “holy” being in one of its common names, you may have correctly concluded …
Types of Spinach
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) can be the next great addition to your garden. A flowering leafy plant, spinach is popular among health buffs due to its nutritional value. Consider growing your own …
Starfish Snake Plant
"Come see my newest succulent.” My friend greeted me at the door. She is always trying to grow something new, so I wasn’t surprised to be invited (yet again) to study a plant. I followed her to the …
Types of Corn
Maize (Zea mays), more popularly known as corn, is one of the most produced cereal or feed grains in the United States (along with barley, oats, and sorghum). In fact, according to the Department of …
How to Save Brassica oleracea Seeds
Originally titled "How to Save Brassica oleracea Seeds (Cabbage, Kale, Collards, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts, Gai Lan)." I know it's a mouthful, so you can see why the title was …
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Types of Carrots
Many carrot cultivars today were domestically developed from the wild carrot (Daucus carota) due to their edible leaves, stems, and taproots. Carrot plays a significant role in many cuisines around …
What Is Landrace Gardening?
“No. No, no, NO! ARGHHH!” This is typically not the sound you want to hear coming from the squash patch. But I had reached my wit’s end and was throwing a (teeny tiny) hissy fit over my plants …
Types of Peppers
The umbrella term “pepper” covers cultivars of the genus Capsicum, belonging to the same nightshade family of eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes. Depending on the variety, peppers provide different …
Medicinal Benefits of Garlic
Garlic bread, garlic mashed potatoes, garlic pesto, garlic-y vegetable stew, garlic aloo gobhi -- are you seeing a theme here? Garlic! This article is going to talk about the popular ingredient in a …
Sustaining Survival Gardens
I’m not trying to sound apocalyptic with that title. Growing food has been a way of life for centuries. Long before farmers markets and grocery stores, people grew produce. It was a part of day-to-day …
Types of Cucumber
Botanically classified as a fruit, cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a versatile ingredient, providing crunch and freshness in countless cuisines around the world. Apart from the typical, elongated, green …
All About Nitrogen Fixing Plants
Most gardeners have heard of nitrogen-fixers and use them on an active basis. How many know about the scientific methodology of how nitrogen-fixers work? How about identifying symptoms of nitrogen …
Old Trees
“Did you know there’s an 800-year-old oak tree in Kent, England? It’s called Majesty or the Fredville Oak.” “And what about that sycamore tree near Hadrian’s Wall?” I replied. “That one's only …
How to Save Tomato Seeds
If you are a gardener, chances are you’ve grown tomatoes. There are few plants more adored and widely grown across the gardener landscape from carefully watered patio pots, to the sprawling volunteer …
Types of Green Beans
The term “green beans” generally refers to the unripe fruits of many common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties. Different regions have different names for green beans, including French beans, snap …
Bitter Melon
“What is that?” I asked, pointing to the spikey, green gourd-like side dish on my plate. “Bitter melon,” my friend answered simply. We were sharing dinner at her place for a change, enjoying foods …
Are Slugs and Snails Harmful?
Many gardeners and homesteaders can testify to taking a stroll through their garden and finding slimy little guys slithering on their flowers and vegetables. A common thought that arises would be “Are …
Types of Garlic
Due to the culinary and health wonders it offers, garlic is a well-loved perennial you can grow at home. It is an essential ingredient to many cuisines across the globe, bringing bold flavors to your …
Preserving Jalapeño Peppers
My jalapeño peppers did terrific this year! Small harvests came in clusters or waves, and even though I ate these babies regularly, I had to start preserving them. It began with the dehydrator. Then …
Getting Rid of Squash Bugs
Am I the only one who had an all-out war with squash bugs this year? They annihilated most of my butternut and zucchini before the plants even had a chance to produce. I knew how to get rid of them, …
Types of Onion
Growing your own onions at home can introduce you to the colorful world of onion varieties. Whether you’re cooking them or having them raw, choosing the suitable variety will drastically improve your …
Pinecone-Like Orchid
“Look at this!” I was having tea with a buddy, looking through some garden magazines. Much better than the internet -- I think so, anyway. “Oh my,” I replied. “That looks like a pinecone made …
Types of Celery
Celery (Apium graveolens) is one of nature’s most rewarding gifts. From its leaves and stalks up to its bulb and tuberous roots, the celery plant can be added to countless dishes, boosting unique …
How to Save Eggplant Seeds
Eggplants are one of my favorite fruits. I feel conflicted admitting that, however, as they’re one of the more challenging plants to grow on my dry Ozark hill. Since I don’t spray plants with …
Types of Cabbage
Cabbage is leafy, cruciferous produce, belonging to the Brassica genus, and a cousin to kale and brussels sprouts. Due to its versatility, cabbage is an integral ingredient in many cuisines. From …
The Surprising Benefits of Rabbit Manure
I love raising rabbits for many reasons, one being the many benefits of their manure. Rabbit manure is an incredible resource for organic gardens. It increases soil quality by improving both the soil …
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Why Save Seeds?
As we dip into the cold stillness of winter, the garden lays silent and still under its mulch blanket. The trees are bare, the birds quiet, and anything green and growing seems like a distant memory. …
Types of Eggplant
Belonging to the nightshade family, eggplants are versatile summer produce due to their meaty texture and subtle flavors. They are a staple ingredient in various dishes, especially in Indian and …
Ocotillo Facts
Ocotillo, also known as coachwhip, Jacob’s staff, vine cactus, or by the scientific name of Fouquieria splendens, is a flowering spiny shrub that’s a characteristic species of the Sonoran and …
Types of Kale
Considered a cruciferous vegetable, kale belongs to a group of cabbage cultivars originally grown in the eastern Mediterranean. Under the plant species of Brassica Oleracea, it grows in cold …
Types of Tomatoes
With more than 10,000 varieties, fresh tomatoes are one of the most varied fruits in the world. It’s a common misconception that these juicy summer favorites only come in red colors and plump shapes. …
All About the Dragon Flower
“How many names does it need?” I asked. “I don’t know,” admitted my gardening friend (who loved all manner of trivia). “But this plant has quite a few -- dragon flower, snapdragon, toadflax, dog …
10 Bizarre Tomatoes You Can Grow
Tomatoes have come a long way through their agricultural history. From their domestication by the Aztecs to their first transatlantic adventure to Spain; from their bizarre stint as a deadly poison in …
Exploring the Pigsqueak Plant
“What was that plant you gave me last year? I can never remember the name.” My friend, Susan, pointed to a plant in her garden. “The Bergenia?” I nodded. “Yes. It’s sprouting a stem -- I …
Debunking Compost Misconceptions
For some, composting is a stinky mess that half-reformed hippies insist on building in "decent" neighborhoods. For others, it's a mysterious, alchemical process that master gardeners alone comprehend. …
Can I Compost Pasta?
Pasta can be composted, but it requires correct preparation and ideal pile conditions to avoid major composting issues. Cooked pastas, especially with sauces or other food ingredients, are prone to …
Can I Compost Hair?
Hair is fine to compost as long as it is not treated with synthetic chemicals or infested with disease or parasites. Healthy hair’s nitrogen content supports the growth of composting microorganisms. …
Can I Compost Wine Corks?
Not all corks are suitable for composting. Although natural corks are fine to go in the pile, synthetic cork varieties should be excluded and considered for other sustainable disposal -- such as …
How to Fix Stinky Compost
When I was fresh out of college, I worked as a guide at a wilderness retreat center. We hosted weekend retreat groups, encouraged participants to compost food waste in our big compost bins, and …
Can I Compost Seeds?
Although seeds are essentially compostable, most composters and gardeners shy away from them due to concerns about seedling growth and spread. You can minimize this issue by correctly preparing your …
Unusual Exotic Plants
“Did you know there’s a shrub in India that blooms once every 12 years?” (My friend was sharing more gardening trivia.) “I read about it somewhere,” I replied. “What’s it called?” “The …
Can I Compost Pine Needles?
Pine needles are generally compostable, but they may not work for some composters because they are slow to break down — even in optimal pile conditions. Also, there is a common misconception that pine …
Can I Compost Flowers?
Some flowers are compostable, but others should be disposed of elsewhere to prevent a possible spread of disease, toxins, pests, and poisons in the compost pile. When composting, use healthy flowers …
Can I Compost Garlic?
Garlic scraps are fine to compost as they provide calcium, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Inclusion of garlic should be in moderation, however. Large quantities of certain garlic compounds can …
Can I Compost Tomatoes?
Tomatoes are fine to compost. They affect the composting process dramatically. Nitrogen can come from fresh tomato fruit and plant parts, and when dried to crisp, old tomato plants provide carbon to …
