If you’re interested in growing organic apples – or almost any other tree fruit, for that matter – then you’re going to want to listen up. I experimented with bagging fruit on trees on a small scale last year, but this year, I’ve gone all-out and developed a “study” of my own. Last year, I only bagged a few apples, just to see what the results would be, and I was blown away....

The three red lettuce contenders: Red Sails – Perhaps the widest grown red lettuce, Red Sails first made a splash in 1985 when it won an All-America Selections award. It forms large frilly heads – up to a foot across – with deep burgundy leaves that turn green towards the base. It’s easy to grow, cold tolerant, heat tolerant, and remains tasty and bitter-free, even after bolting. I’ve been growing it for a decade, and in my informal trial, Red Sails really stood up well to the unexpected stretch of cold, damp weather we had in early June....

1) Proper spacing and planting in a tomato garden Giving the plants in your tomato garden enough room to grow results in plants that are healthier, more productive, and less prone to diseases. Spacing depends on a few factors including the types of tomatoes you’re growing and how you intend to support the plants. Indeterminate tomatoes that are grown vertically on stakes can be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart. Compact, determinate varieties need 24 inches between plants....

An heirloom vegetable that dates back before the 17th century, and much more popular in Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Hungary, etc.), parsley root (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum) is also referred to as Hamburg parsley, Dutch parsley, and turnip-rooted parsley. I’ve seen it likened to what celeriac or celery root is to celery. A member of the carrot family, parsley root looks like a parsnip. But the long, slender roots are more of a creamy white hue....

How to prevent squash vine borers organically in three simple steps. Step 1: Immediately upon planting your squash seeds or transplants, cover the area with floating row cover or a layer of insect netting to keep the adult vine borers (see photo) from accessing the plants until they’re large enough for Step 2. Step 2: When the plants have two to three sets of true leaves, remove the row cover and wrap a four-inch long strip of aluminum foil around the base of each plant....

Narrow down flower bed ideas and map out a plan Before you get started, it’s important to make sure the garden’s conditions are conducive to your master plan and creativity. That means building healthy soil that will help the plants you choose to thrive. Or, it means choosing plants based on the soil conditions. For example, if your garden is being built on a part of the property that does not drain well, you’ll want to consider plants that don’t mind wet feet....

Cucumelons are native to Mexico and Central America and are open-pollinated, so you can save the seeds from year to year. But, as mentioned above, you can also save the tubers in late autumn by digging and storing them as you would a dahlia. The fleshy tubers grow 4 to 6 inches long, are white to beige in color, and each plant can yield several good-sized tubers. Gardeners in zones 7 and up, can deep mulch their plants in autumn with a foot deep layer of shredded leaves or straw to overwinter them....

What are water soluble fertilizers? To understand what water-soluble fertilizers are and how they work, you first need to understand how plants access nutrients. Plants acquire nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other essential soil-based elements through their roots. But it isn’t until you fully water plants—or they get a good, soaking rain—that soil-based elements become accessible to your plants’ roots. Once watered, your plants’ roots draw in much-needed moisture and the nutrients present in the resulting soil solution....

Here are 3 ways to grow more food this year: Grow UP! – There are many benefits to growing food vertically. You’ll save valuable garden space, but you’ll also reduce insect and disease problems and make harvesting a snap – no more stooping, bending, or trying to negotiate your way through a tangle of vines to hunt for hidden veggies. Growing vegetables vertically also allows you to space the plants closer together, resulting in a significant increase in yield....

What is a hardy hibiscus? These herbaceous perennials are hybrids of a few different North American native Hibiscus species. One of the most common parents, species Hibiscus moscheutos, is a perennial hibiscus that grows in the wet soils of floodplains, marshes, and meadows. Because of this, it’s also known as the swamp mallow or the rose mallow. Depending on the variety, other parents could be Hibiscus syriacus, H. coccineus, H. palustris, and several others....

What are green onions The terms ‘green onion’ and ‘scallion’ are often used interchangeably, sometimes with ‘bunching onion’ and ‘spring onion’ tossed in there as well. This crop isn’t grown for its bulbs, but its flavorful greens and tender stems. There are two types of onions grown as green onions: Bulb onions (Allium cepa) – Bulb onions are typically grown for their yellow, red, or white bulbs, but they can also be planted to produce green onions....

Types of perennials with purple flowers Fans of purple in the garden are always pleased to learn that there are violet-hued blooming perennials in a broad range of sizes and shapes. From purple-flowering ground covers to the tallest purple perennials, there’s a purple plant for every garden no matter its size or style. In creating this list of purple perennial flowers, I found it easiest to divide them into groups based on their stature....

About Mexican Bush Sage Salvia leucantha is a perennial ornamental sage that’s often grown as an annual during the summer months in northern regions. Since it only survives the winter in warm climates that stay above 18°F, this plant is treated as an annual and grown only for a single season in all but the warmest regions. In my Pennsylvania garden, it would never survive the winter outdoors, but in South Carolina or southern Texas, the same plant will live for many years....

When to repot a Phalaenopsis orchid There are several signs indicating that it’s time to repot a Phalaenopsis orchid. The lower leaves pucker, turn yellow, and start to die back. The plant stem gets leggy and flops to the side. Aerial roots grow down over the edge of the pot. If the orchid is potted in coarse bark, the bark may be crumbly and soil-like, instead of firm. If you haven’t repotted your Phalaenopsis in three or more years, that’s another sign that it’s time to repot your orchid....

Plant disease prevention As with all ailments — whether human or plant — prevention is key. Maintain a healthy garden environment through proper maintenance. Keep pruning equipment clean and in good repair. Don’t over-fertilize, and because fungal diseases love wet environments, always water in the morning so foliage has time to dry before nightfall. But, even when you do everything “right,” diseases can still strike. It’s important to remember that nearly all fungicides are protectants, meaning they’re best used before, or very soon after, the pathogen first strikes....

Growing Vegetables in Containers Before sharing what I consider to be some of the best container vegetable plants for your garden, I’d like to take a moment to point out that choosing the right varieties to grow is just one step in successful container gardening. You also need to make sure you choose the right-size container, fill it with high-quality organic potting mix, and locate the container in as much sun as possible....

Whether you’re doing a heavy viburnum pruning or a light shaping of your rhododendrons, proper pruning promotes well-branched shrubs with a denser growth habit. Tips for spring-blooming shrub and viburnum pruning: You shouldn’t prune spring-blooming shrubs into round meatball shapes. Instead, start by removing any dead branches, and then selectively trim others, one-by-one, in order to maintain the shrub’s natural shape. Related post: Berries for the birds Use a clean, sharp pair of pruners or a small pruning saw to make the cuts....

How far apart to plant tomatoes: Why tomato spacing is important There are four main reasons to aim for well-spaced tomato plants: Disease prevention. Tomato plants are susceptible to many diseases and if spaced too closely, insufficient air circulation can elevate the risk of disease. Adequate light. Heat-loving tomato plants need plenty of sunlight for healthy growth. If you crowd seedlings, the plants will cast shade on their neighbours as they grow....

Why is knowing when to cut back irises important? There are three primary reasons to trim back irises: While bearded irises put on quite the show for two to three weeks every spring, once their blooms fade, the plants look a lot less attractive. You’ll want to trim off the spent flowers to keep the garden looking its best. In addition to removing the spent flower stalks, disease prevention is another factor that plays into when to cut back irises....

Today, we’ve teamed up with Bloomin’ Easy to introduce you to five amazing flowering shrubs for your garden that offer a long bloom-time filled with scores of colorful flowers. These shrubs are pest and disease resistant, fully winter hardy, and their naturally compact growth means they won’t get unruly in smaller garden beds or foundation plantings. All five of these flowering shrubs also offer interesting foliage colors and textures, and as an added bonus, they’re all pollinator- and wildlife-friendly while still being deer resistant (hooray!...