As the frost recedes, the possibilities in our gardens expand. Around March 28, gardeners along the south coastal regions of British Columbia witness the last average frost date. This pivotal time signals a period of preparation and anticipation for the...
Continue ReadingIn milder climates, gardeners can make use of the lengthy winter months through a gardening technique known as overwintering. This method involves planting crops in the summer and fall, then leaving them in the ground to harvest the following spring and summer. These hardy plants either go dormant over the winter or grow very slowly.
Continue ReadingThe Brassica family contains the highest number of food bearing plants in all of the plant families, including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collards, cauliflower, and broccoli. All of these plants share the quality of being cold-tolerant. With crop protection, most...
Continue ReadingWho says your garden's bounty has to be a summer-only affair? There's a cornucopia of seeds just waiting to burst into life in July, especially in areas that enjoy milder winters. Many of these varieties will mature into full-grown plants...
Continue ReadingEating lots of cabbage may also protect the eyes from macular degeneration. To preserve its vitamins and mineral content, do not overcook cabbage. Store cut cabbage in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with holes in it and use as soon as possible. Cabbages are also highly ornamental in the garden - choose varieties for colour, deep-red, blue-green, dark-green or leaf texture, savoy (crinkled), or flat leaf.
Continue ReadingCrop rotation is the practice of not growing plants where similar plants grew the previous year. Crop rotation prevents the build up of pests and diseases and optimizes the use of soil nutrients. Plants from different “families” need different amounts of...
Continue ReadingSome vegetable varieties thrive in the cool conditions of fall and early winter, and offered a bit of protection from extreme cold, they can be harvested right through until spring. The best winter gardening varieties actually improve in flavour, texture,...
Continue ReadingAs far as the calendar is concerned, spring is half over, despite the sense for many of us in 2017 that is yet to begin! There are still dozens of seeds to start in May. It can still be cold...
Continue ReadingKnown since ancient Greece and Rome, the modern cabbage is a descendant of wild mustard. The Roman statesman Cato the Elder wrote of its medicinal properties, “It is the cabbage which surpasses all other vegetables.” The seventeenth century English physician...
Continue ReadingNow we’re just three weeks away from the longest day of the year (summer solstice on June 21st), so the soil is warm enough to plant squash and bean seeds. Even in colder climates where the nights are still frosty,...
Continue ReadingWinter is finally over, and spring has arrived. It’s time to plant seeds! Many gardeners make the mistake of thinking of seed planting as a one time, annual event, as though it was something to get over and done with...
Continue ReadingWith careful planning, seeds can be sown from winter to autumn in order to keep the garden productive pretty much all year round. Here are some tips for seed sowing for the longest harvest window. Determined growers sometimes think of...
Continue ReadingThere are many combinations of plants for interplanting – which combination suits your needs the most? One way of maximizing the return from garden space is to interplant crops. This is the practice of planting one kind of crop, and...
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