It’s February, and the seed catalogs are here. Actually, they’ve been rolling in since last fall, tantalizing gardeners with gorgeous pictures of heirloom flowers and vegetables. But as tempting as it is to go ahead and start our seeds a little early, starting seeds too soon has disastrous consequences. Seeds started too early tend to…
Rutabaga, or Swede (swedish turnip) – as it’s known in most parts of the world – is a close cousin of turnips and part of the brassica family. It’s sometimes difficult to get this vegetable to a decent size because so many things can go wrong – starting the seeds at the wrong time of…
You may have heard all the buzz surrounding coco coir and its new role in horticulture. Many are finding success using coco coir as a soilless growing medium in hydroponic systems, and home gardeners and farmers are catching on. Coco coir is starting to rival peat moss as a favorite growing medium for our treasured…
You’ve seen them – those thin plastic lids that snap over the top of a seed tray. Maybe you’ve even used one before. Now you may be wondering, are humidity domes really the miracle garden tool that will spell the difference between success and failure in your garden this year? Read on to learn what…
Caring for your own plant nursery for the very first time is no easy task. There are a lot of things you still need to experience as a first time gardener. Starting seeds indoors and keeping those seedlings alive requires a lot of effort, skill and observation. I’ve written about seedling mistakes before, and improper…
It’s the first really warm day of spring, and you decide to put your seedlings outside so they can soak up some sunlight. You check back in on your plant babies in late afternoon and they look…awful. Wilted. Bleached out. You wonder, what on earth is going on?