In a greenhouse, plants can be grown that would never survive in the surrounding environment. Many aren’t just non-native plants. Some are exotic ones from far-away parts of the world, especially tropical regions. Growing such plants can be great fun, and not just because you’re defying the outdoor climate. The fruit of some offer grocery–store […]
You’ve dug all the potatoes, harvested the onions and garlic, and now have open spaces in your outdoor garden. With first frost still two to three months away, there’s plenty of time to grow a second crop in these unused areas. But what’s best to grow? And when and where should you start the new […]
It’s berry season here in Rhode Island. The raspberries, blueberries, red and white currants are all ripe and ready to be picked. Strawberries have almost finished. In a few weeks blackberries will also be available. These berry plants produce several pounds of fruit each season, most of which goes into the freezer for pies, smoothies […]
Our local weather forecast is for sunshine, more sunshine, and nothing but sunshine. In fact, we haven’t had a heavy rainstorm since April 23rd. For a gardener, that’s a problem, especially when the local water board has banned outdoor lawn and garden watering because of drought. So what does a gardener do? One answer is […]
Mmmm! Biting into a fresh tomato on a hot summer day can be one of a gardener’s most pleasurable experiences. But if you haven’t grown tomatoes before, what do you need to know? Here are some basic answers. First, you need to decide whether to grow determinate or indeterminate tomatoes. Determinate plants are smaller and […]
It’s warming up in Rhode Island, but the wind is still very cold off the ocean because the ocean water is only about 43°F (6°C) in late April. This cold early springtime breeze keeps my garden temperature roughly two weeks behind inland areas. To counter this issue, I start most seeds in my basement and […]
Here in New England, snow from the recent record-breaking storm is being washed away by torrential rain as I write this. Most nights still have frost, but the dreaded nighttime temperatures in the teens (oF) seem over. Although it’s still too cold and wet to work in the garden, it’s time to start plants so […]
After a winter storm here in New England, a new layer of snow often lies deep on the ground. In the early morning, it also covers the greenhouse, providing insulation that reduces nighttime heating bills and also adds a delightful softness to the roof’s outline. But as the day wears on, the greenhouse interior warms. […]
Last month I looked at the highly acidic pH results of my garden soil test, and this month I’ll say more about what else I’ve learned from that testing. One lesson is that I made a big mistake by dumping a trailer load of fresh horse manure onto my garden beds, partly because my compost […]
Even though I added an entire truckload of horse manure, several lawn-tractor cart loads of seaweed, and so many wheelbarrow loads of compost that my body ached from moving it, the peppers, tomatoes, and other fruiting plants in my garden had less than ideal yields this year. The lower-than-normal harvest of tomatoes especially suggested that […]
As described in a previous blog post, I built a large hoop house down the length of a pair of the raised beds in my garden, enabling me to significantly extend my outdoor growing season. All summer long the hoop house frames have been left uncovered while daytime temperatures remained in the 70s and 80s. […]
Growing your own fruit trees is quite different from growing vegetables and flowers in a greenhouse or outdoors. For one thing, there’s much more waiting involved. That’s because most people who buy a fruit tree at a nursery or garden center pick a young one that will fit in their car, or if they purchase […]
