When should you plant garlic? The common advice is to plant after the first hard frost. That advice may work but it is not right. The best planting time has nothing to do with frost!
Does Garlic Need Frost Before Planting?
Podcast With Joe Gardener – Plant Science for Gardeners, Part 2
I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Joe Gardener Show Podcast where we discussed my new book, Plant Science for Gardeners.
Join Joe and myself as we discuss interesting things about plants.
- Key role of stomata
- Phloem – movement of nutrients to leaves
- Best light for plants
- Why plants harden off
- Cheap insecticidal soap
- Do plants communicate?
- Monarchs & plant chemicals
Listen to the Joe Gardener podcast now
Will Electroculture Grow Better Plants?
Electroculture is one of the hottest new gardening techniques, or at least that is what social media wants you to believe when they say things like, “Electroculture gardening is a cutting-edge and fascinating method of plant cultivation”. It has actually been around for a long time, and that should be a clue. If it works so well, why is agriculture not using the technique? Maybe it is too difficult to implement on a large scale and is best suited to smaller backyards? Let’s have a closer look.
This post uses affiliate links
Best Time To Plant Trees
When should you plant new trees? Many people plant in spring, probably because they want to do some gardening at that time of year. Others claim that fall planting is better. Here is what the experts say.
How to Grow, Harvest and Eat Hostas
It’s hard to find an ornamental garden without at least a couple of Hosta, but did you know hostas can be grown as perennial vegetables? Hostas, also called plantain lilies, have found their way into almost every garden in Zones 3 through 8, and for good reason – they’re resilient, beautiful, drought tolerant, shade tolerant, and low-maintenance yet not aggressive. For the same reasons, hostas make a wonderful addition to a perennial vegetable garden.
How to Grow, Harvest and Eat Hosta, harvesting shoots, source: Practical Self Reliance
Are the Chemicals in Coffee Safe?
Did you know that coffee contains thousands of chemicals and some are carcinogens. Is coffee safe to drink? In my previous post Fear of Chemicals I discussed some basic concepts about chemicals and tried to convince you that most chemicals will not harm you.
I know many of you are still doubtful so consider the following.
Soak Garlic Before Planting – Good Idea?
I have never soaked garlic before planting, but it might be a good idea. There is certainly a trend towards soaking with water, fertilizer, fish emulsion, or disinfectants. This post will examine these techniques to see if they affect plant growth and the size of harvested garlic.
How to Grow, Harvest and Eat American Groundnuts
American groundnut (Apios americana) is the North American equivalent to the South American potato. Unlike common potatoes, American groundnut is a perennial flowering vine which produces numerous tubers along its root system. The entire plant is edible though the tubers are highly valued by foragers and wild food enthusiasts for their nutty, slightly sweet flavor.
How to Grow Asparagus for Decades-Long Harvests
Asparagus is one of the best options for cold-climate gardeners interested in growing perennial vegetables. Most people – and mainstream plant retailers – have never heard of the perennial vegetables that grow in cold climates. You might be hard pressed to find American groundnut tubers or Good King Henry seeds but it’s easy to find asparagus cultivars and accompanying recipes and friends to use them up. Plus, asparagus prefers cooler climates and will continue to produce an abundance of delicious spears for up to 30 years.
How to Grow and Harvest Egyptian Walking Onions
Are you an onion addict who dreams of a steady supply of fresh Allium? Expanding your onion repertoire with perennial onions is your best bet. Egyptian walking onions (Allium x proliferum), also called tree onion or topset onion, is a three-in-one perennial onion that can be harvested from spring to fall in Zones 5 to 9.
Nitrogen for Leaves, Phosphorus for Roots and Flowers, Potassium for Health
I am sure you have heard the saying, plants need nitrogen for growing leaves, phosphorus for growing roots and flowers, and potassium for overall plant health. Well, it is not only wrong, but very misleading because it causes gardeners to use the wrong fertilizer.
In this post I will have a close look at this and show you why it is wrong. Along the way you will learn a lot about plant growth and how to get more flowers.
Microbe Science for Gardeners is Released
Microbe Science for Gardeners – Secrets to Better Plant Health is released and I got my first copy today. This book looks at the interaction between microbes and plants in a new way and debunks some of the myths around it, while at the same time providing good solid information about the microbes themselves.
The book discusses the most common types of microbes both as individuals and their interaction with each other. These microbe communities exist on leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and even on fruit. Each community is different and affects the plant in different ways. Soil communities are important but so are the ones above ground. Armed with this knowledge the book then provides solid advice on what the gardener can do to create healthy microbe communities and as usual, it discusses a number of myths along the way.
