Volunteer tomatoes have a funny habit of showing up without an invitation, planting themselves in the garden and then acting as though they own the place. By late summer, that once-cute surprise can turn into a serious question: should the plant keep growing, or should it get pulled before it becomes a tangled mess? The…
fall gardening
8 Crops That Can Be Harvested Well Into Chilly Weather
Summer does not get the final word in the vegetable garden. Several crops actually prefer the cooler conditions of fall, allowing gardeners to keep snipping, pulling, digging, and harvesting long after heat-loving tomatoes and peppers have called it a season. This involves choosing crops that tolerate cold and timing them so they reach useful size…
Can You Grow Mâche Where Summer Lettuce Failed?
Summer lettuce can be a bit of a drama queen. Give it too much heat, let the soil dry out, or ask it to keep producing when the thermometer starts climbing, and suddenly that promising patch of crisp green leaves turns into a bitter, bolting mess. Mâche, also called corn salad or lamb’s lettuce, offers…
7 Frugal Garden Projects to Finish Before Daylight Shrinks
Summer has a sneaky way of making the garden feel endless. Then one afternoon arrives when dinner somehow needs to happen before the sun disappears, and suddenly every unfinished garden chore starts waving from across the yard. Thankfully, several worthwhile projects cost little or nothing, and finishing them now can make next season easier, cheaper,…
Why Do Some Pumpkins Turn Orange Long Before Harvest?
A pumpkin can flash its Halloween-ready orange weeks before the calendar says it should, leaving gardeners with one very reasonable question: Is that pumpkin actually ripe, or is it simply showing off? Color plays an important role in pumpkin maturity, but orange skin alone does not mean the fruit has finished developing. Pumpkins change color…
What Can You Do With Empty Grow Bags After Summer Crops Finish?
When summer tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and potatoes finish their garden careers, those floppy grow bags often end up looking like sad little gardening pancakes. Before tossing them into the trash, take a closer look because a quality grow bag can serve the garden for several more seasons, provided you clean it, inspect it, and store…
Could a Cold Frame Be Useful Before Cold Weather Arrives?
A cold frame might look like a glorified box with a window slapped on top, but before cold weather arrives, that humble little structure can become one of the garden’s most useful pieces of equipment. It can protect cool-season vegetables, give seedlings a sheltered transition outdoors, and help keep fresh greens coming after summer starts…
Is Your Garden Ready for Shorter Days and Longer Nights?
The calendar may still insist that summer has plenty of life left, but the garden already knows better. As daylight fades a little earlier each evening, plants begin shifting gears, even when afternoons still feel hot enough for lemonade and a shady hammock. That quiet seasonal change affects everything from flowering to vegetable production, making…
5 Ways to Keep Newly Divided Irises From Drying Out
Freshly divided irises look surprisingly tough. Those chunky rhizomes seem almost indestructible sitting on a garden cart, but appearances fool plenty of gardeners every season. Leave them exposed to hot sun, drying wind, or a forgotten afternoon on the driveway, and those healthy divisions can lose precious moisture before they even reach the soil. Keeping…
5 Ways to Turn an Overgrown Herb Bed Into a Fall Harvest
An overgrown herb bed does not mean the gardening season has ended. With a few smart moves, tangled stems and crowded plants can transform into a fresh supply of flavorful herbs for autumn meals, teas, and homemade seasonings. The secret involves more than grabbing pruning shears and attacking the garden like a hedge-trimming superhero. A…