Thinking about creating a garden this year? Then take a lesson from the Chinese, who successfully cultivate prolific, raised bed gardens in miniscule backyards. High, mounded garden beds yield nearly twice the amount of produce than traditional row gardens. The plants also tend to be bigger and bear more fruit. Here are a few more […]
The Advantages of a Raised Bed Garden Read More »
Prior to this past summer, I was never able to grow carrots. They emerged from the ground looking like… well, God forgive me, let’s call them my little orange Thalidomide babies. But then I tried something different. First, I did some research on how to grow carrots. Then I employed some of the new techniques
Sacrificial Carrot: How to Make Your NJ Carrot Crop Go the Distance Read More »
Simple Tips for How to Stop Slugs, Snails and Potato Beetles from Destroying Your Garden Plants (without Chemicals) Slugs and Snails These slimy insects travel and feed primarily at night, sometimes early morning. More rain means more slugs, and they favor eating the gorgeous, sweet lettuce that’s growing in your garden. Hunt them in the
Organic Pest Control in Your Garden: Slugs, Snails and Potato Beetles Read More »
Ah, the humble turnip… my all-time favorite vegetable. Beautiful, smooth white-and-purple painted globes of goodness, often with a flat bottom. I always think of Beatrix Potter’s wonderful drawings. So many varieties of turnips to plant, taste and enjoy! My first taste of turnips occurred at my friend’s mom’s house. She served a delicious dinner of
Ode to the Turnip | Planting Turnips in NJ Zone 6 Read More »
Wondering about mulch and how to use it to fertilize and protect your garden plants? Here’s our handy how-to article. What is mulch and why should I use it in my vegetable garden? When should I mulch my vegetable garden: spring, fall, or both? What types of mulch are best for my vegetable garden? How
Mulch Q&A for Vegetable Gardens Read More »
So it’s nearly the end of May, and the garden veggies you planted in March, April and just last week are beginning to yield some great results. Now that things are growing and blooming, what should you be tending to, picking or otherwise doing with your raised bed garden? A few suggestions from GardenBedsNJ: Harvesting
Mid Spring Gardening Upkeep Read More »
What’s happening in your NJ organic garden this July? We cleared the mesclun mix out, after enjoying a full spring’s worth of delicious, fresh salads. My husband took some cutting shears to some of the dead lower leaves on our tomato plants, and removed some yellowed leaves on our eggplant as well. The peas that
Organic Gardening: Updates from the Experimental NJ Gardeners Read More »
Cucumber plants grow quickly and impressively from seed. The first time you dig a little hole and drop that big cucumber seed in, expect to be shocked when fast comes the day that a mighty cucumber sprout emerges triumphantly from the dirt. From there, your cucumber plants will just seem to lap the other veggies
How to Plant Cucumbers in NJ Zone 6 Read More »
by Maria G. I wrote a recent entry about how I grew some beautiful lettuces from seed. Today, at a garden center, I came upon a rather expensive shallow pot filled with the same types and colors of lettuce that I had successfully cultivated myself. These ready-to-eat lettuce plants were large, and evidently heavily fertilized. Looking
How to Grow Vegetables from Seed Read More »
Strawberries are tough to grow for a few reasons. For all the work and planning they require, the harvesting season is pretty brief. Here in Zone 6, we plant strawberries in the early spring, to be harvested by end of May, and June in the case of some varieties. Strawberry plants are susceptible to viruses,
How to Grow Strawberries Organically – NJ Zone 6 Read More »