If the only “greens” you’ve tried is the big green head of no-taste lettuce from the grocery store, you need to expand your horizons. The past few years have seen an enormous growth in the variety of greens that are available to grow, at farmers markets and even in the grocery store. Greens [Continue]
Have some extra space in your yard? Elderberries are a great, easy shrub that will provide food for your table or for the birds. Both the flowers and the berries are useful. Flowers can be harvested to make an herbal tea believed to be a remedy for colds, fever and flu. You may [Continue]
Early blight. Late blight. Vertcillium wilt. Fusarium wilt. Blossom end rot. Septoria leaf spot. Anthracnose. Tobacco mosaic virus. Root knot nematodes. The list of tomato diseases is long and the symptoms of each overlap making it difficult to determine which particular disease has hit your tomatoes. No matter the disease, the end result is [Continue]
Every year brings new and exciting plants for gardeners and this year is no exception. Here are some of the latest offerings for 2007. One of the flashiest new flowering shrubs is ‘Pinky Winky’ hydrangea. Despite its rather silly name, it is a gorgeous plant with large two-toned light to dark pink flowerheads. [Continue]
It’s strawberry picking time! Wouldn’t it be nice if you could walk out to your garden and pick strawberries at your convenience rather than scheduling a trip to the pick-your-own place or paying exorbitant prices for the ready-picked? Strawberries are not exactly carefree plants, but with just a little effort you can grow luscious [Continue]
Over the past decade, gardening has become the most popular leisure-time activity in the United States. There are so many benefits – physical, spiritual, the production of healthy fresh food, the satisfaction in saying “I grew it myself,” and the connection to nature. Then there is the reason most people start gardening – to [Continue]
Red, orange, yellow, deep purple and sky blue are the colors of autumn. They are also the colors people gravitate toward for decorating this time of year. These colors and many more can be found in ornamental corns, which lend themself well to fall decorating themes. One kind of decorative corn with which [Continue]
I have never understood someone who goes out to eat and then says, “That was the best steak I’ve ever had!” A steak is a steak, right? And a tomato is a tomato. Or so I thought until Pete Guckenberg of rural Omro gave me an heirloom tomato he grew from seeds given to [Continue]
Your co-worker gives you a nice juicy tomato from her garden. Should you hurry to the break room and put it in the refrigerator until you go home? Your neighbor puts a half dozen zucchini on your porch and runs away. You are scheduled for three days of vacation and don’t have time to deal [Continue]
Several weeks ago I went to pick the first ripe tomato my garden produced this year. I watched it change to a deep red-orange over many days, waiting with impatience for it to ripen perfectly before I would pick it. Finally the day came. I plucked the plump tomato off the vine and turned [Continue]