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There are two types of tomatillos, Physalis philadephica and Physalis ixocarpa. And there are several varieties of both. These members of the nightshade family are native to Mexico and Central America, and have featured prominently in the cuisine of those countries since the pre-Columbian era. Have patience when growing tomatillos You can pick a LOT of tomatillos from one plant. However, because the plants aren’t self-pollinating, you need at least two or more tomatillo plants for them to produce fruit....

I fancy myself to be a pretty crafty person. I love to knit and sew and embroider, and whip out my glue gun when the mood strikes. But I had never really considered packaging up my dried garden bounty to give to someone as spices, or natural beauty products, or tea. I’ve been inspired by my friend Stephanie Rose who creates the most beautiful projects for her site Garden Therapy. I was even able to plant one of the seed collections (the Natural Beauty Garden Kit) she created for Garden Trends....

What does a garden spider look like? Other common names include the yellow garden spider, the corn spider, the banded garden spider, or the writing spider (Argiope aurantia). A member of family Araneidae, this species is actually quite beautiful, if you care to look close enough. The large females have a distinctive black and yellow abdomen, and 8 black legs that are graced with red or yellow markings. The leg span of fully grown females can be up to three inches long from front to back....

Back in 2017, I got a behind-the-scenes look at how growers come up with new plant introductions, while attending the California Spring Trials with the National Garden Bureau. That trip gave me an extra sense of appreciation for the work that goes into plant breeding. This article is where I discuss the eye-catching new plants that cross my radar each year. New plants for 2023 Echinacea Artisan Yellow Ombre I grow a lot of echinacea plants on my property....

As a professional horticulturist with nearly 30 years under my belt (I started working in a greenhouse in my teens – I’ll let you do the math!), I’ve used a lot of tools over the years, and let me assure you, good tools matter. The tools on this list are clever and useful. Very useful, in fact. Each of the items I’m going to tell you about is exceptional at making you a better equipped, more eco-friendly, smarter, less rushed, ready-to-take-on-those-weeds-like-the-badass-you-are kind of gardener....

Our favorite small trees: Sweetbay Magnolia ‘Moonglow’ (Magnolia virginiana ‘Moonglow’) is one of my favorite small trees for the landscape. This beautiful tree is multi-stemmed and bears creamy white flowers throughout the spring and summer (that’s one of the flowers in the feature photo). At dusk, the flowers release an irresistible sweet scent. This cultivar of a North American native tree tolerates wet soil and prefers full to partial sun. Its semi-evergreen habit is an added bonus!...

Which seeds can be saved? Before you head to the garden to start gathering seed, remember that not all seed can or should be saved. Aim to save seed from open-pollinated and heirloom plants rather than from hybrids. Hybrids are the result of a cross between two different parent plants and the seed saved from this type of plant does not typically come true to type. Not sure if your varieties are hybrid, open-pollinated, or heirlooms?...

What is a broccoli flower? It’s not uncommon for broccoli plants to bolt. Bolting means the plant has started to flower which can affect the eating or storage quality of the crop. The first sign of a broccoli flower is that the head becomes loose and the small green buds start to swell. They may even begin to show the yellow color of the flowers. Once this process starts, it only takes a few days for the plants to fully bloom....

A quick introduction to lemongrass The scent and flavor of lemongrass leaves and stems is an essential ingredient in recipes from around the world. There are two common species of lemongrass. One is edible, the other is not. West Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is indigenous to Southeast Asia but has been introduced to various tropical growing regions around the world. It is grown as a commercial food crop in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, and other tropical regions....

7 of the Best Vegetable Gardening Books: The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible With over 563,000 copies in print, Edward C. Smith’s, The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible has become a modern classic. For someone new to food gardening, this is a great place to start. Smith’s advice is practical and helpful, and he demonstrates many ways to boost production with his high-yield growing system. For me, I found the large section on organic soil care invaluable and Smith’s tips on creating quality compost made a big difference in my yields....

Soil pH is important because… pH is so important to plant growth because it determines the availability of almost all essential plant nutrients. At a soil pH of 6.5, the highest number of nutrients are available for plant use. See the USDA chart below for a visual explanation. If the vegetable garden pH is too acidic, certain nutrients become less available, phosphorus in particular, while other nutrients, like aluminum and manganese, can become toxic....

What kind of caterpillars eat tomato plants? There are several different types of caterpillars that feed on tomato plants both in vegetable gardens and in containers. Some of these caterpillars eat tomato leaves, while others feed on the developing fruits. I’ll introduce you to 6 tomato pest caterpillars later in this article but let me start by introducing you to the basic life cycle of all of these garden pests....

I’ve spotted sparrows, junkoes, robins, cardinals, blue jays, finches and more enjoying the cool water of my bird bath. I want to make sure it remains fresh, clean and free of diseases. Birdbath placement My cement birdbath is beside a cedar hedge, just off my deck. There is a bit of shade at various points throughout the day, making it a great place for birds to cool off. The birds can disappear into the bushes at any hint of danger—I live on a ravine, so predators, like raptors, are plentiful....

Hummingbird Visitors Today, I’d like to talk about attracting the most admired of all garden visitors – the hummingbird. I garden in Pennsylvania, and because ruby-throated hummingbirds breed here, they are the most common species. I have, however, heard of the occasional gardener in our region being blessed with a late-season sighting of a rufous hummer, a migrating western species that sometimes veers off-course when moving from its breeding grounds in the Pacific Northwest to its winter home in Mexico....

What’s an overwintered crop? It’s a clever way to foil Mother Nature (and impress your neighbours!), and harvest months before the ‘normal’ planting season of late spring. It involves direct seeding cool and cold season veggies – typically leafy greens – in early autumn. They are then protected with a simple structure or insulating materials until they are ready to harvest in March and April. Related Post: Clever Cloches 1) Mulching The easiest, quickest, and cheapest overwintering technique is to use a mulch of straw or shredded leaves....

We’ve teamed up with Bloomin’ Easy Plants to show you four stunning dark-leaved shrubs to consider for your next garden project. Nightglow® Diervilla Nightglow® Diervilla is named for its blooms, even though the foliage is also pretty stellar. The vibrant yellow clusters of flowers appear in late spring and look like fireflies, which inspired the name. The common name for Diervilla, which is native to North America, is bush honeysuckle....

Meet the toothache plant First, let’s address all those crazy common names for this plant known botanically as Spilanthes acmella (syn. Acmella oleracea). Toothache plant refers to the fact that the attractive golden flowers with a red center contain spilanthol, a natural anesthetic that produces a buzzing sensation and numbing when the flowers are placed in the mouth and gently chewed. This trait is also the reason for the other common names of buzz buttons and electric daisy....

I’d been wanting to recreate the look, so when I was buying some spring bloomers from a local florist, I added sheet moss to my purchase. You’ll need: Spring plant Coir pot Sheet moss Garden twine and/or florist wire Creating your moss-covered pot Soak the sheet moss and then gently wring it out like a facecloth. Otherwise the moss crumbles. The wet moss is easier to work with, but I’ll admit it’s challenging to wrap the moss around the pot....

Before drawing up a garden plan, you should consider a few key points: Bylaws: Are there bylaws or HOA laws that will influence your plans? Light: For heat-loving veggies, like tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, and peppers, your space needs to get at least eight to 10 hours of sun a day. You can get away with less for shade veggies. Soil: This may need to be heavily amended with organic matter. It can be done over time, but a solution is to garden in pots or raised beds, so you can control the soil in your garden....

What are green beans? Snap beans, also known as green beans or string beans, are a warm season vegetable and planted in late spring once the risk of frost has passed. There are two main types of beans, bush and pole. Bush beans form compact plants and pole beans vining plants that can grow 8 to 10 feet long and should be supported on a trellis or other structure. Snap beans don’t just produce green pods....