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Mistletoe Berries

Plants of the Winter Solstice

Many trees and plants were important to the celebration of the winter solstice (on December 21)...
Outdoor Christmas Tree

How Do Christmas Trees Grow?

While most of us think about Christmas trees only in December, for farmers who grow cut-your-own...
Fire Cider

How to Make Fire Cider

Fire cider is a traditional tonic made with herbs stewed in apple cider vinegar.  It’s been used...
Eagle Pumpkin

How to Carve a Pumpkin

When it comes to pumpkin carving, “Farmer Mike” Valladao is an expert. He shares his tips, tricks, ...
Embedded thumbnail for How to Ripen Green Tomatoes

How to Ripen Green Tomatoes

When temperatures begin to drop, tomatoes stop ripening, so it’s time to take action! We will show...
Wheelbarrow Leaf Clean-up

Preparing Your Garden for Winter

After a bountiful season, it’s time to prepare your garden for winter—and ensure a beautiful and...
Crimson Clover Cover Crop

Planting Cover Crops in the Home Garden

Plant cover crops in the fall to protect and nourish your soil by spring! Also called “green manure...
Row of Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Whether you use them for carving or cooking, pumpkins do not disappoint. Here’s how to plant, grow...
Garlic Bulbs

Planting Garlic in the Fall

Garlic is incredibly useful in the kitchen and surprisingly easy to grow in the garden. Learn how...
baking-cooking-apples-recipes

Best Apples for Baking and Cooking

Not all apples are ideal for cooking! Below is a chart with some of the best apples for baking and...
saving gladiolus

Saving Gladiolus

In some places, gladiolus can be left in the ground all winter. In colder climates, however, they...
Celery Stalks

Celery: Bland and Boring? Not So Fast!

Celery is one of the most underrated vegetables. Most people would never think of this humble stalk...
care-for-christmas-poinsettia

History of the Poinsettia

Where does the poinsettia come from? Where was this traditional Christmas plant discovered? Are...
winter-landscaping-plants

Winter Landscaping

You might not think about landscaping in winter, but your yard can be just as beautiful in the...
Winter Squash Birds

Winter Squash (and Pumpkin): Cold-Weather Comfort

Nothing speaks of fall and winter like the appearance of winter squashes and pumpkins in stores,...
Rodent-proof Flower Bulbs

Rodent-proof Flower Bulbs

Are you tired of planting tulips and crocus bulbs only to have them disappear because mice and...
Beets from the Garden

Storing Beets with Wood Chips in the Root Cellar

Though I have used sand to store my beets in the root cellar for many years, this year I decided to...
Potatoes in root cellar

Getting Potatoes Ready for the Root Cellar

Digging potatoes has got to be one of the most pleasurable aspects of gardening. It’s buried...
easiest-perennials-garden-flowers

Easy Perennial Plants for a Low-Maintenance Garden

Find out how to create an easy, carefree garden with beautiful and low-maintenance perennial plants...
Hyacinths

Hyacinth and Muscari

Hyacinth bulbs are planted in the fall and bloom beautifully in the spring. Here’s a guide to...
Gladiolus Flower - Pink

Gladiolus

Gladiolus is a classic perennial known for its tall flower spikes and large, colorful blooms. A...
Salad Greens

How to Grow Your Own Salad Greens

Growing your own salad greens will put a world of fresh ingredients at your fingertips. Whether you...
Carrots on Table

Carrots

Garden-grown carrots are full of flavor and texture! They are a popular, long-lasting root...
Coneflowers: Echinacea Varieties

Coneflowers: 7 Best Echinacea Varieties

Coneflower, or Echinacea, is my favorite native American plant. This rugged pollinator magnet comes...
Spring Tonic Tea

Spring Tonics

What’s a Spring Tonic? While the vernal equinox may mark the moment of spring, the appearance of...
Tomatoes on Vine

Tomatoes

Our Growing Tomatoes Guide covers everything from planting through harvesting! Tomatoes are not...
Cabbage plant

Cabbage

Traditionally, cabbage seeds were planted on St. Patrick’s Day in northern zones. Old-time farmers...
Sunflower Meadow

Why You Should Plant Annual Flowers

Annual flowers are like Rodney Dangerfield: They “don’t get no respect.” However, if you have no...
Horseradish

Horseradish

If you want to plant horseradish, now is the time! Spring is the season—but only in places where...
Broccoli Florets

Broccoli

Broccoli is a sun-loving, cool-season crop that is best grown in the spring or fall. It’s also...
Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Favorite Rhubarb Recipes

Ready for rhubarb recipes? We love the classic rhubarb pie, but you also can’t go wrong with a...
Beets

Beets

A staple in our garden, beets grow easily and you won’t have to wait long until harvesting their...
Chives - Display Crop

Chives

Chives are a perennial member of the onion family that sport beautiful edible flowers. Here’s how...
Woven Raised Garden Bed

Crop Rotation Chart for Small Vegetable Garden

Even if you grow a small vegetable garden, it’s smart to arrange your crops to avoid pests and...
Hellebore Plant

Growing Hellebores: The Christmas Rose and the Lenten Rose

The earliest plants to blossom in my garden are the snowdrops. While they are a welcome sign of...
Coleus Plant

Colorful Coleus Plant Varieties for the Garden

As a young girl, one of my first plants was a coleus grown from a cutting my grandmother gave me. I...
Coleus Leaves

Coleus

Known for its colorful foliage, Coleus is a wonderful, low-maintance plant to add to summer flower...
Growing Microgreens and Sprouts

Growing Sprouts vs. Microgreens

Winter is a great time for experimenting. Since I was feeling starved for green, growing goodness...
Bleeding Heart Growing Guide

Bleeding Heart

The old-fashioned bleeding heart is a favorite perennial of the shady flower garden and was called...
Language of Flowers

Flower Meanings: The Language of Flowers

What does each flower symbolize? Which flowers represent love, hope, healing, loss, and good luck?...
Pansies in Pots

Pansies

Pansies are the colorful flowers with “faces.” A cool-weather favorite, pansies are great for both...
Peas and Pea Pods

Peas

Peas are one of the first crops we plant in the spring. The taste of garden-grown peas is nothing...

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