Due to its variability and centuries of clever breeding, the cabbage family has contributed numerous cultivars to the home garden. But sadly, most are easily beset by pests like cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, cabbage aphids, flea beetles, slugs, mites, and harlequin bugs. If … [Read more...]
Growing Shade Garden Vegetables and Herbs
Some organic home gardens can do best in the shade. This is great news for those of us who don't want to have to trim those decades-old trees in the backyard too much or live in older neighborhoods with large trees. And, those of you with balconies or porches with limited … [Read more...]
Good Crop Rotation Partners: Quick Reference List
One of the simplest ways to keep your crops healthy is to move particular crops from bed to bed every year, so that plant diseases and insect pests can't get a hold as easily as they otherwise might. While this can be difficult in a small garden, it's not impossible. If you know … [Read more...]
Actually, Opossums are the Good for the Garden
Before running opossums out of your garden, please reconsider. These odd-looking beasts may seem threatening, but they're not, really. While they might hiss and bare their teeth when they see you, they're just trying to scare you away. They're actually kind of shy. If you … [Read more...]
Gardening Quick Tip: Use Rhubarb Leaves As Slug Traps
If you grow rhubarb for the tasty stalks, don't toss the potentially poisonous, inedible leaves on the compost heap. Use them as organic slug traps instead! Rhubarb leaves are quite large, sometimes as much as a foot across, and all it takes to attract slugs is to lay the … [Read more...]