Giant Marconi Sweet PeppersMy new favorite sweet pepper to grow at home is the hybrid Italian variety, 'Giant Marconi' (Capsicum annuum 'Giant Marconi'). It's one of the largest of the Italian sweet peppers and has an oblong profile with a slightly lobed stem end. The fruits reach 6-8 inches or more in length.
Make Room for Tomatoes in the LawnNo room for a conventional veggie garden? Think outside the box. I put new garden beds in the lawn.
Tomatoes and Tomato Spotted Wilt VirusTomato spotted wilt first appears as light brown flecks on leaves. This is followed by growing brown spots, drooping, and finally, full browning and dying. The plants will look wilted. It affects many plants other than tomatoes, but on tomatoes the fruit is also severely affected. Discoloration is the most common effect, but cracking and rot also appear in severe cases. It also degrades the flavor and texture.
Fun Facts About TomatoesHere's a fun compilation of some interesting facts about tomatoes.
Quest for the Tastiest TomatoesAvid gardeners everywhere love to talk about their favorite tomato varieties. But how do you know which tomatoes you would like the most, especially if you are a beginning gardener?
The Top 25 Tomatoes and Peppers, Selected by NGA MembersThe 2014 top 25 most popular varieties, as determined by the number of individuals who have posted comments and photos to the entries in our database.
ATP Podcast #48: Questions, Questions, Questions and Answers!Today's show will be a non-themed show where we'll just talk about a variety of gardening topics we've wanted to cover. We'll answer a few questions we've received from the listeners, along with some timely tips on early spring gardening. Is pressure treated lumber safe for raised bed gardening? What about compost made from biosolids? Listen to find out!
Larry's ObsessionAbout three months ago, I began an odyssey that took me to places that, in my life long journey as a gardener, I never would have imagined. It all began with a daylily seedling.
How To Get Indoor Amaryllis/Hippeastrum To BloomI have heard a lot of folks say that they cannot get their Amaryllis/Hippeastrum to bloom the second or third year, and I was very surprised to be told by a saleslady at a garden center that she was unsuccessful.
Protecting In-Ground Plants When Unseasonable Ice, Sleet, Snow, or Freeze Conditions PresentI sit here writing this on 1/28/14 while we await abnormal winter weather to strike this evening. Here in the south our perennials are showing signs of tender new spring growth, but the weather is predicted to give us a beating for the next 2 days in the form of unseasonable ice pellets and mixed winter precipitation, to include snow or sleet.
Composting over Winter in Cold WeatherComposting can be a challenge in Alaska, where the weather is cool in summer and very cold for a long time in winter, but I think I have finally found a wonderful solution so I won't have to pitch out my kitchen scraps all winter and will have a hot compost ready for spring. Note black compost bins buried in the snow.
Recycle Those Paper CataloguesMany of us use online catalogues, but the paper copies still keep coming. They are useful to others who do not use technology, so we should drop them off at a senior center or other book exchange place. Our grocer has a bookshelf at the exit and I drop the paper catalogues there.
Cover Your Plants To Extend the SeasonFor plants that are a little too tender to survive the winter in your climate, you can still grow them with a little protection.
ATP Podcast #47: Our Top Culinary and Medicinal HerbsIn today's podcast we finish off herbs week by talking about our own favorite herbs, how we grow them, how we cook with them, and how we use them for medicinal purposes.
CarawayCaraway is an easy herb to grow in temperate zone gardens, and it has many culinary and medicinal applications.
Herbs - Demystifying the LingoWhen reading up on the use of herbs, one often runs into terms that sound similar but have slightly different meanings.
Herbs - Beyond the Soup PotExplore the fun of using herbs in your daily life. In addition to their culinary uses, they may also be used for medicinal purposes and added to cosmetics, can serve as insect repellents, and reportedly have magical properties.
The Bitter HerbsBitter herbs (also known as bitters) have been used for thousands of years. They are frequently used in cooking, in herbal and alternative medicine, and in the religious ceremonies of numerous cultures around the world. These herbs can be powerful enough to cause physiological reactions within the body. So, what are the bitter herbs?
Parsley and Dill Do Double DutyThese two common garden herbs are useful both for adding flavor to our cooking and for attracting butterflies to our gardens as host plants.
Here a Mint, There a MintEverywhere a mint mint! With apologies to Old MacDonald, let's dig a little deeper into the invasive tactics of a delightful herb named Mentha.
Herbs in WinterHerbs can be a important part of your winter garden, lending plenty of flavor to the dishes you make with your winter veggies.
The Top 25 Herbs, Selected by ATP MembersLet's open Herbs week with a look at the most popular herbs, as determined by the number of individuals who have posted comments and photos to the herb entries in our database.
ATP Podcast #46: The Whitinger Seed CompanyIn this special episode, we are joined by our three oldest children. They'll discuss gardening from children's perspective, along with some funny farm life anecdotes, share some photography tips, and they promote their new seed business.
Spring Mulching Made EasierIf you have perennial beds that need mulch or compost this spring, try this idea.
Love of Gardening Begins with Planting a SeedMy first memory of "gardening" was in kindergarten, when we saved the milk carton we got in school, cut the top off, and planted a marigold to give to "Mom" on Mother's Day.
