“I think my most favorite [houseplant] has to be the truly easy-to-grow, even if you forget to water [it] for weeks, snake plant a k a Mother-in-Law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata).” —redbazel

Houseplants add color and beauty to any room, but sometimes they can be frustrating to grow. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance or easy-to-grow option, try one of these GardenWeb member favorites.

“Red geraniums are my absolute favorite [indoor plant]s. I have two in my kitchen. They’re cheery, easy to grow and I love the color.” —lynninnewmexico

Vegetables are easy to grow and are very rewarding at harvest time. The most important requirements are sunshine and watering. Other requirements are a loosened soil, some fertilizer, and a little bit of weeding. If you have an area in your yard that gets sunshine most of the day (6-8 hours in summer) then you can have a vegetable garden. The first time you start a new garden requires the most amount of work, but don’t get discouraged, the work you do in the beginning does not have to be done again each year.

The ground that the plants will grow in needs to be loosened up so that the roots of the tender vegetable plants can grow into your soil and make strong, healthy plants. The roots are the only way the plant takes up water and nutrients so you want to make their job easy. Unfortunately, soil found in most yards has become compacted over the years and can be as hard as concrete in summer. Therefore, the best time to dig your garden is early spring when it is moist enough to dig easily but not so wet that the soil is muddy and heavy. The first step is to mark out your spot making sure there are no trees or large shrubs around it with roots that will spread into your garden. Then, remove the grass and create some type of border around the garden to keep it neat and weed free. I also recommend a short fence if you have pets, as the garden can easily be mistaken for a large litter box.

You must dig your soil to loosen the clumps and allow air in, which will allow the roots to breathe (yes, they need air also). The depth that I recommend is at least 12″. It seems like a lot when you are digging but keep in mind that your tomato plants will extend their roots approximately 2 feet down into the soil. I use a large digging fork and involve my whole family but a rototiller makes short work of it. Rakes also help in smoothing the soil out after the digging is done. You should add about 2″ of compost at this point and mix it into the soil well. Do not add too much, 10-20% of the soil should be compost, but no more than that or you will over- fertilize your garden. When it looks like a good place to lie down and take a nap then you are ready to plant. You may also need Lime or Gypsum in your garden to correct the Ph. If you live in an area with lots of rainfall, add lime every year, about 1 pound per 100 sq. feet. If you have low rainfall amounts each year, you may need to add some Gypsum to new gardens to remove some of the salt content. Check with your local garden center for the correct amount.

Before you plant, you need to do some planning to allow enough room for the plants you want to grow. Plants generally get very large and you need to allow enough space for each one, or the plant will become stressed and may not produce good fruit. When you purchase them most plants will have information on how much room they will need when fully grown. A good rule of thumb is to allow 18-24″ spacing for most plants. I recommend using a paper & pencil to draw the garden plan out. Always keep in mind that the sun will be important to all of the plants so put the tallest ones in the back so they do not shade the shorter ones.

Some plants you may wish to grow in your first garden for Summer harvest:

Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash, Bush Beans, Eggplant, and Cucumbers (If you have lots of room then you should also plant Corn.)

Spring and Fall crops include:

Leaf Lettuce, Broccoli, Spinach, and Peas

Plant at least 2-3 of each type of plant, depending on how many vegetables you want, but don’t worry about using all 6 plants in the 6 packs or you will have so much fruit you may never eat another cucumber again. You should water gently after planting until the soil is moist at 1″ below the surface. Water again when the soil appears dry on the top. This can happen daily in warm summers. I recommend putting newspaper strips or pine needles as mulch around the plants to protect the soil from drying out so quickly and to keep the soil cool when the temperatures go up.

Keep an eye out for signs of insect damage to the leaves, mostly holes chewed by caterpillars. If you see this then you can use an organic insecticide such as Bacillius Thuringiensis ( or BT worm killer) according to package instructions. Do not spray strong insecticides every time you see an ant. You will poison your vegetables and stress your plants out which will reduce your crop and may kill your garden. Most insects are actually supposed to be there for pollination and to eat caterpillars, so only spray when you see something that is eating a leaf and causing severe damage, and then check the labels carefully to make sure the insecticides are organic and safe for vegetables.

Weeds are a fact of life with gardening but they should be pulled, not sprayed. Again, the poison to the weeds is poison to us. If you check for weeds every 2-3 days and use a weeding tool, the work goes fast and easy. Using a mulch will keep many weeds from starting.

I highly recommend Organic fertilizers such as worm castings or Osmocote pellets which can be purchased in our Catalog. These are mixed in at planting time and last almost the whole growing season. If you wish to use a spray on fertilizer, (such as Miracle Gro), then approximately every 3-4 weeks, spray the leaves of the plants according to package instructions for vegetables. You may use any type of “complete” fertilizer that is recommended for vegetables, as they are all basically the same ingredients, but remember, more is not better, so follow the instructions carefully to keep from over fertilizing.

If you follow the above instructions, you will be successful in harvesting lots of vegetables. It really is easy and you will learn more every year. Experiment and do not get discouraged if something does not work the first time. People have been gardening for 30 years and are still learning new things every year. Good luck!

Via backyardgardener

Light Requirements

Vegetables, like many flowers, need lots of sunlight to thrive and produce tasty vegetables. Most vegetables need full sunlight, which gardeners define as six or more hours of sunlight per day. This direct sunlight stimulates the plant’s cells to produce the food it needs through photosynthesis to build a strong root system and produce fruit.

Many people are confused about what type of light they have in the garden. Try this simple test. Pick a day when you’re home and can observe the garden. Take a look at the garden area you want to grow vegetables in first thing in the morning, and write down whether or not the sun is actually touching the ground. Look for full, bright sun, not dappled sunlight filtering through tree leaves. Now set a kitchen timer or alarm clock and return to your observation once an hour or once every two hours until dinnertime, marking down how much light the spot in the garden receives. Then, add up all the times you saw direct light. This will give you an idea of whether you’re working with full sun, partial sun or shade.

While you can grow some vegetables in partial sun, most will struggle. If the entire yard gets only partial sun or shade due to immovable objects like garages, homes, or trees in neighbors’ yards, look for a place that gets bright direct sunlight and grow vegetables in pots instead.

Where to Grow Vegetables

You can grow vegetables directly in the ground, in raised beds, in pots or containers. Each offers different advantages.

Planting Vegetables in the Ground

You can plant vegetables in the ground. All you need to do when planning a vegetable garden is select the area, dig it up, and plant.

Mark off a part of the garden where you want to grow your vegetables. Try not to make the vegetable beds too wide. Four feet is adequate. You want to leave at least several feet between the vegetable beds so that you can maneuver wheelbarrows and other equipment around the garden, and also so that you can easily walk among the rows for watering, weeding, and harvesting. If you make the vegetable beds too wide, it will be difficult to reach the plants in the middle. You’ll also end up trampling over the soil, which compacts it or pushes it down and makes it harder for the plants’ roots to develop.

You’ll need to turn over the soil. This means digging it up to loosen it. If you can, add compost or other amendments to the soil to add nutrients to it.

Plant your vegetable plants or seeds according to your gardening zone and planting directions.

Raised Beds

Raised bed vegetable gardens are a bit more expensive to create, but they offer several advantages. Raised bed gardens are made with wood or other materials. Each box is then filled with soil and planted with vegetables. Raised bed vegetable gardens are generally easier to plant and tend to, and it’s also easier to add and create great soil. You’ll need to purchase wood, cut it to the right sizes to make the beds, assemble them and add soil.

Be sure to leave adequate space between beds. It’s also wise to rotate vegetable crops among the beds each year so that you don’t plant the same thing year after year in the same bed. If any diseases are present, rotating crops prevents them from ruining next year’s harvest.

Container Gardening

For those who are working with little gardening light or perhaps apartment or city dwellers, container gardening offers many advantages. Many varieties of wonderful vegetables can be grown in pots. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, herbs and even miniature varieties of melons can thrive in pots. Be sure to water pots and containers thoroughly and check them daily. They tend to dry out in the hot summer months, particularly when plants mature.

Choose Your Vegetables

As you continue planning your vegetable garden, think about the type of vegetables you want to grow. You can grow any vegetable within reason, but you may need to choose different varieties that are adapted to your climate. Local garden centers are helpful for this, since they typically stock plants near the right planting time, as well as varieties that thrive in your gardening region.

Seeds or Plants?

Many people wonder whether it’s better to start with seeds or plants. Some vegetables will only grow well from seeds. Most root vegetables, like beets, radishes and carrots are like this. They don’t like their roots disturbed, so seeding right into the garden soil is recommended. Melons also prefer to be started right in the soil. Other vegetables like tomatoes can be fussy when started from seed, and buying healthy, well tended plants gets you to delicious tomatoes faster.

Vegetable gardening continues to grow in popularity. Plan your garden by considering the amount of light you have to work with, types of gardens, and whether you want to start with seeds or plants. You can grow satisfying, delicious vegetables this year with a bit of planning and effort.

Planting pumpkin seeds is a quick and easy way to jumpstart a lush garden, but gardeners should be careful to plant seeds appropriately for the healthiest plants with the highest yield.

Types of Pumpkins

Pumpkins come in an amazing variety of sizes, ranging from just a few ounces to behemoths that weigh more than 500 pounds. Colors can also range from a pale cream or white to pink or red hues, including every conceivable shade of orange. Classic jack-o-lantern pumpkins, however, are Connecticut field pumpkins that generally weigh in between 10 and 20 pounds and are a bright, solid orange color. Planting seeds to grow your own pumpkins, whether you want to experiment with unusual varieties or just want a good crop of carving pumpkins, is easy and enjoyable for both novice and experienced gardeners.

Tips for Planting Pumpkin Seeds

For the best crop, seeds must be properly cared for from the moment they are chosen until they sprout vigorous seedlings.

Choosing and Preparing Seeds

When choosing pumpkin seeds, select seeds that have been air dried rather than dried in an oven which could remove too much moisture. Seeds should be firm and evenly colored without blotches or discolored patches that could indicate diseases.

Before planting, soak seeds for up to 24 hours in warm water to promote faster seed germination. Another method to help seeds sprout more quickly is to carefully file the thick lengthwise edges of the seed so the new shoot can break the shell more easily.

When to Plant

Pumpkins require between 100 and 140 days of growth before the vegetables will be ripe. In moderate climates, pumpkin seeds can be planted outdoors after the worst of the spring rains have passed and when daily temperatures consistently reach into the low 70s. In cooler climates with shorter growing seasons, pumpkin seeds can be started indoors in peat pots and transplanted outside once temperatures are acceptable.

Where to Plant

Pumpkins are vigorously growing vines that require at least six hours of sunlight per day. Plant seeds in a sunny spot with plenty of room to spread out – a single pumpkin vine can stretch as far as 30 feet. The soil should have a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 for the best growth, and nutrient fertilizers with moderate amounts of potassium and phosphorus as well as high amounts of nitrogen can be used to prepare the soil and nourish the plants.

How to Plant

When planting pumpkin seeds, the seeds can be arranged in either hills or rows depending on the available garden space and the number of seeds being planted.

For hill planting:

• Create a mound of soil three feet in diameter with a mild trench around it for collecting water.
• Plant four to five seeds on each hill, spaced six to eight inches apart.
• If planting multiple hills, each hill should be at least 10 feet apart to give plants sufficient space.

For row planting:

• Create an elevated row of dirt with small trenches on either side to collect water.
• Plant two or three seeds every 18 inches along the row.
• If planting multiple rows, each row should be at least 6 inches away from its neighbors.

Tips for all pumpkin seeds:

• Plant seeds one to one and a half inches deep in loosely packed soil.
• Seed orientation makes no difference to either germination or growth.
• Soil should be kept consistently moist. Pumpkins are 80 to 90 percent water depending on the variety, and adequate moisture is essential for healthy, productive plants.
• Larger pumpkin varieties will need greater space between rows or hills.

Seedling Care

Once the pumpkin seeds sprout – usually in one or two weeks – great care should be taken with the seedlings to ensure healthy, vigorous plants that will yield a good crop of pumpkins.

• Water young plants regularly but only at the base of the plant; avoid watering the foliage to minimize mildew.
• Prune plants and thin hills or rows once permanent leaves are established to give each plant adequate room to grow.
• Add compost or other fertilizers if desired.

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Watermelons are available in many sizes, shapes, and colors. The shapes vary from round to oblong, with colors ranging from light green to almost black. The fruit skin color can be solid, striped, or marbled. The edible portion of the flesh can be yellow, pink, pink-red, bright red, or deep red. An additional choice of seeded vs. seedless is also available.  And don’t forget National Watermelon Day – August 3rd

There’s more to the world of melons than just the cantaloupe and honeydew, but this may not be true for long: many varieties are “on the brink of extinction,” according to cultivator and collector GoldmanThis handsome volume documents unusual types of melon like the Collective Farm Woman (originally from Ukraine) and the serpent-shaped Snake melon with lavish color photos and playful descriptions. Goldman also instructs readers on how to pollinate, grow and harvest these plants; includes a list of commercial sources..” Publishers Weekly

Gardeners in northern areas should choose early varieties and use transplants. Mulching also promotes earliness by warming the soil .

Plant after the soil is warm and when all danger of frost is past. Watermelons grow best on a sandy loam soil, although yields on clay soils can be increased significantly by mulching raised planting rows.

As watermelon require a relatively long/warm growing season it is advisable to start your seedlings indoors, and transplant into your garden when frost danger has disappeared.

Start the seeds inside 3 weeks before they are to be set out in the garden. Plant 2 or 3 seeds in peat pellets, peat pots or cell packs and thin to the best one or two plants.

Transplanted watermelons will mature 10 to 12 days earlier than plants that are direct-seeded. Use of seedless varieties, is recommended if you are not seed saving The seed-coat of seedless varieties adheres tightly to the cotyledons, so place seeds with the point up when starting transplants.

Watering

Watering is critical in growing watermelons. The key time to water is from the time the fruit begins to form until it is half-grown. Excessive watering too close to harvesting of watermelon will reduce the sugar content and cause the fruit to have hollow centers.

Fertilizing
When setting out transplants, apply a a common starter solution.
For sandy loam soils or coarser soils apply  fertilizer based on soil tests when the watermelon vines begin to spread about.

If heavy rainfall occurs early in the season apply an extra side dressing.

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There are actually two distinct varieties of crops referred to as artichokes. This article deals with Globe Artichokes, as in the illustration above. The other “artichoke”  – Jerusalem Artichoke, is not really an artichoke and not even remotely related to true artichokes. Jerusalem Artichoke, also known as “sun-choke” and casava in some places is actually a type of sunflower or, more correctly, the tuberous roots of a type of sunflower.

It is perennial living from year to year. The edible tubers resemble potatoes but are rough and knobby and have a crisp texture, much like that of water chestnuts.

The Globe Artichoke is closely related to the thistle. The part we eat is from the immature flower bud. If the buds or “globes” are not harvested, six inch bluish thistle-like flower heads develop.

The edible portion of the “globe” is composed of the fleshy bases of the flower bracts and the receptacle to which the bracts are attached, known as the “heart”.

Asparagus is an easily grown long lived perennial, given proper care – asparagus plants can be productive for over a decade.  But ..  It takes at least two years and sometimes up to three years to establish an asparagus patch.

Planting Asparagus

Plant asparagus in early spring, after the soil has warmed up to about 50 degrees F. There is no advantage to planting the crowns earlier in cold, wet soils. They will not grow until the soil warms and there is danger of the plants being more susceptible to disease if crowns are exposed to cold, wet soils over a prolonged period.

Plant the asparagus where it will not shade the other vegetables and will not be injured when the rest of the garden is tilled.

You can start asparagus from seed, but germination is slow (four weeks or more), and weeds are difficult to control in young seedlings. Plants grown from seed indoors can be transplanted -the following spring -to a permanent location .

It is more advisable to start from “crowns” .  Choose large, one-year-old crowns if possible. They transplant easier, produce plants as vigorous as two-year-old crowns and are less expensive.

Site Selection is critical for asparagus .  Select an area that is free of perennial weeds . Asparagus prefers a loamy soil that is well drained. If possible start to prepare a site 1 year in advance of planting by turning the soil and adding  compist . Check your soil PH , and be sure there is plenty of well rotted organic matter present.

Space asparagus crowns 12 inches to 18 inches apart in the row. When you want more than one row, space rows 4 feet to 6 feet apart.

Traditionally, crowns are planted in a deep trench or furrow. Recent research shows no benefit from planting crowns deeper than 4 inches to 6 inches in the trench. Spread out the fleshy roots at the bottom of the furrow. Lightly cover the crown with soil. Gradually fill in the furrow as shoots emerge. Never completely bury the developing asparagus fern.

Do not compact the soil over the newly filled furrow or the emergence of the asparagus will be severely reduced. Spears should emerge within one week in moist soils.

By mid-season of the planting year, a ridge forms that is 4 inches to 6 inches high and 2 feet wide over the asparagus crowns. Maintain this ridge for the duration of the planting.

To plant asparagus, dig a trench 6-8  inches deep , wide enough to spread out the roots of the crown in the trench bottom.

Place the crown in the bottom of the trench – buds  upward.  Cover the crowns with 2 inches of soil. As the plants grown, additional soil should be added to the trench until it is completely filled at the end of the first season. Deep planting will allow for easier cultivation without injury to the plants.

Watering

Moisture during the summer is critical to keep the plants healthy because next year’s crop is directly related to health of the fern growth after the spears have been harvested in the present year. Asparagus is very drought tolerant and will generally survive without supplemental watering. It seeks moisture deep in the soil. However, if rainfall is insufficient when planting or afterwards, it is beneficial to irrigate the crowns. Otherwise the plants will become stressed and growth will be impeded.

The incidence of disease can be reduced by proper spacing and by watering early in the day so leaves dry quickly or by using soaker hoses. Inexpensive Water timer systems are available .

Weed control

Control weeds by hand-pulling or shallow cultivation to avoid injury to the plant roots.

In a small planting, it’s more practical to control weeds through shallow cultivation by hoeing. Using an organic mulch such as grass clippings that have not been treated with a herbicide also helps control weeds. . If perennial grasses and broadleaf weeds have gotten out of control, use glyphosate (Roundup) before spears emerge in the spring.  During harvest keep cultivation shallow to prevent damaging the spears that have emerged. Organic mulches may be used to inhibit weeds

Common table salt once was used to control weeds in asparagus. But is no longer recommended.  Although asparagus is more tolerant of high salt levels in the soil than most plants, the sodium in table salt can permanently destroy the soil structure.

Fertilizer

Fertilize annually . Immediately after harvest apply about 2 pounds of a 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet , or spread well rotted manure, or  Liquid Fish Concentrate  over the bed.  You may add additional well-rotted manure or compost in late fall.

Lime and fertilizer applications are best based on a soil test. In general, two pounds each of actual nitrogen, phosphorus (P2O5), and potash (K2O) per 1,000 square feet of garden space is adequate

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