Jalapeños are by far the most popular hot pepper in North America. They are a New World plant that’s native Mexico. Like its tomato relatives, jalapeños are a summer garden classic. The medium heat of jalapeños (2500-8000 units on the Scoville scale) gives them just enough heat to spice up a meal without making them…
If you’re looking for a novelty vegetable that’s attractive, easy to grow, and nutritious, you need Okinawa spinach in your garden. A perennial “spinach”, this leafy green grows with little to no maintenance in the right climates. It’s the perfect addition to your perennial garden or permaculture food forest. Okinawa spinach is a great way…
If you are growing it this year, there are a few different ways you can harvest your lettuce crop. You can pick the individual leaves as needed or harvest the whole head to make a large salad for dinner or to try a new grilled romaine recipe. Here’s how to know when you can start…
Tomatillos are a unique vegetable (or fruit, if you prefer) to grow. They have a tangy, citrusy flavor that stars in salsa verde and lightens up both cooked and raw dishes. Literally meaning ‘little tomato’ in Spanish, tomatillos do grow in a similar way to tomatoes, but have a very different appearance when ripe and…
Fava beans, also called broad beans, are somewhat of a novelty crop in the U.S. but have been grown and enjoyed in many other countries for thousands of years. They’re one of the world’s oldest domesticated crops! These large, almost meaty beans have a delicious nutty flavor with a slight sweetness and hint of bitterness….
Saving lettuce seeds is a fun and sustainable way to garden that also saves you money and helps you grow plants adapted to your specific growing conditions. If you continue to save seeds each year, you’ll eventually end up with lettuce that is better suited to your garden than seeds from off the rack. Knowing…
Growing your own carrots is rewarding and fairly easy, even in a container garden. The hardest part of growing carrots is waiting for the seeds to germinate and keeping them clear of weeds until they’re established. Carrot seeds are tiny and famously slow to sprout. It’s important to know what carrot sprouts look like so…
Lima beans are an easy and rewarding crop to grow in your garden. They grow in nearly an identical way to green beans but usually need a little bit more time to mature. You can harvest lima beans at the shelling stage to cook and eat fresh or wait until they reach the dry stage….
Are you ready to finally plan your garden ahead of time for a successful harvest and enjoyable gardening experience? This free printable garden planner can help! This garden planner printable is packed full of pages to help you plan, track, and organize your seasonal, monthly, and weekly garden tasks. Make this the year you finally…
Are you wondering how your delicious, crispy lettuce transformed into something bitter and unpalatable overnight? Nobody wants to eat bitter lettuce. If you wanted a bitter green, you would have grown arugula! Unfortunately, your lettuce crop can quickly transform from sweet and delicious to bitter. The good news is that there are ways to avoid…