Ever since I switched to growing tomato seedlings indoors, under grow lights, I’ve noticed something strange happen to my tomato seedlings: they’re often turning purple. This has happened to my tomato seedlings at various stages of their growth, and even though it didn’t have serious consequences, it made me want to investigate.
When people look at my luxurious tiny garden, they think I spend all my time in there. In fact, most non-gardeners are under the impression that gardening is difficult and time-consuming – a hobby for retired people who have nothing but time on their hands. Well, as a professional in my mid-thirties, I can tell…
If you’re new to gardening, you’ve probably seen a dibber in YouTube videos or various resources online. This simple hand tool is essentially a stick used to poke holes when transplanting seedling plugs outside, or when sowing bigger seeds or smaller bulbs. While sowing seeds doesn’t necessarily need a dibber, creating the perfect-sized hole for…
Some of our favorite plants come from the smallest seeds. Arugula, basil, carrot, and poppy are just a few varieties of seed small enough to make us question our gardening choices. The biggest problem with sowing small seeds is thinning all the extra seedlings – but there are ways to spread them out. There’s no way…
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…