If planted in a well-drained site, with protection for the roots from frost over the winter, runner beans can be grown as a perennial. Otherwise, enjoy them as fast-growing annuals plants. Runner beans are...
Summer turnips are great for salads, pickles, and stir-fries. The mild, crunchy roots are a refreshing addition to salads, as are the edible leaves. Turnips are easy to grow at just about any time of...
These big sprawling plants are easier to grow than tomatoes and do not require any protection from rain. Their fruits develop within a distinctive, paper-like wrapper that forms from the calyx of the flower....
Tomatoes like fertile, well drained soil that is high in organic matter. Dig in finished compost and manure, and add 1 cup complete organic fertilizer beneath each transplant. The nutrition from heavy clay soils...
The three species of squash that we offer represent a wide variety of shapes and colours. Each will cross-pollinate readily within their species. For instance, all C. pepo will cross-pollinate with each other, but not with C....
The succulent leaves of Swiss chard can be used much like spinach. You can even use the big ones for wraps like cabbage rolls. The colourful stems can be cooked like asparagus. Enjoy the...
Enjoy tasty, succulent, spinach-like leaves all summer, after regular spinach varieties have all bolted. This oddball's closest relatives in the family Aizoacea include some of the most familiar succulent houseplants. It is grown as an...
The trick to growing spinach is to grow it fast and harvest it fast, and use the right varieties in the right season. Spinach bolts as the days get long and when the soil gets hot....
Sesame is commercially produced in desert settings, so when we say it’s drought tolerant, we really mean it. In fact, this is really the key to success with sesame seeds, as we will outline...
The humble rutabaga is often called a turnip, but rutabagas are much more useful in the kitchen, are more nutritious, and they store well. Amazing yields of flavourful roots are possible in a small...
Time radish plantings one to two weeks apart for a longer harvest period. The secret to growing a great radish is to plant when the soil is cool, to not plant too close together,...
Quinoa greens are packed with vitamins and minerals, and have a nice, mild flavour. The seeds can be ground into a flour that is gluten free, or simply cooked like rice. Continue reading below for...
Peppers are tropical plants that need lots of heat to be productive. Well grown in a warm summer, they are the gardener’s triumph. Hot peppers often do better in a cool summer than the...
Since you cannot purchase shelling peas or edible pod peas that are freshly picked, this is one vegetable every home garden should grow. The peas in the pod taste sweetest right after they have...
The flavour of parsnips becomes sweeter after frost. They are a very versatile vegetable in the kitchen to fry, roast, steam, mash, or bake. Parsnips take their time becoming large in the garden, but...
These cool-season vegetables are incredibly easy to grow and very tasty. The leaves can be used raw in salads, or the whole plant can be steamed or stir-fried. Both types require regular watering and...
Choose sweet onion varieties for enjoying raw or cooked within a few weeks after harvest. Storage types keep much longer, and will last until the following spring in the right conditions. All onions are...
In the home garden, melons can be picked at full maturity, when they have the highest sugar content and best flavour. Their roots are delicate and require high nutrition and lots of water. For...
Easy to grow, versatile in the kitchen, and packed with vitamins and minerals, these plants produce edible leaves and stalks and many can be grown year round. It’s worth getting to know these varieties...
Lettuce grows best in cool weather in the spring and fall, but it can be grown in the summer, and all winter long in milder regions. Sow short rows every 2-3 weeks following the...
Leeks are a valuable addition to the garden because they can be used instead of pungent storage onions from October until April. Even in heavy soils, leeks are easy to grow and have lots...
This close relative of the cabbage was bred over centuries to develop a flattened "meristem" over a taproot that descends into the soil. Sometimes referred to as German turnips, kohlrabis are very rich in...
Gai lan is commonly known as Chinese broccoli due to its origin in east Asian cuisine, but it is easy to grow and well suited for all vegetable gardens. Follow along with this handy How to...
