Okra is a traditional crop in the south for good reason: it is one of a handful of veggies that not only survives, but thrives in our long, hot summers. Plant seeds directly into the garden, or transplant seedlings when the daytime temperatures are consistently above 80 and nights above 60. Plant okra in the…
Cover Crops For excellent soil health in your vegetable garden, incorporating cover crops should be a high priority. One of the worst things you can do for the soil is to let it stand empty for long periods of time (like winter or the gap between spring and fall crops), because that is when…
Garden productivity starts and ends with the soil. Great soil produces the highest quality, best tasting crops. Poor soil is a key factor in crop failure, disease and insect infestations. The good news is that no one is “stuck where they are.” Soil building is a never ending job, and should be considered the primary job,…
The Farmers Market We recently began selling some of our garden produce at our local farmers’ market, with the goal of raising funds for our donation garden. Over and over we have been asked questions like, “where is your farm?” and, “did you grow this yourself?” The answer to the first is “We don’t have one, but…
Squash Bugs & Squash Vine Borers Growing squash in your home vegetable garden can reward you with heavy yields for little work. However, avoiding insect infestation, specifically squash bugs and squash vine borers, is critical to success. We have battled these pesky creatures in our garden over the years. Luckily there are several rather simple…