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 […]
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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,
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A reader writes in and asks, “What’s the difference between hay and straw? Which one should I mulch my garden beds with, or does it matter?” A: Hay is grass or grain (clover, wheat, barley, alfalfa, timothy, oats or rye) that has been cut to use as animal fodder. A farmer will use a combine to pick
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Ever considered planting tomato seeds? Perhaps you’ve grown tomatoes from transplants for a few years now, like we have, and are looking to get a little more experimental and hands-on with your NJ tomato crop. As my NJ gardener pal, Laura, is likely to tell you, growing tomatoes from seed requires a bit of extra
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Growing NJ Tomatoes for Sauce Are you confused when it comes to selecting varieties of tomatoes to grow in your garden? Tomatoes are bred for specific characteristics, hence the thousands of choices. You have tomatoes that ripen early, and those which take longer to mature but are worth the wait… also plants that fill the
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Garden Planting Dates for NJ Zone 6 Mid-May isn’t the only time to plant a veggie garden, you know! New gardeners who are looking to expand beyond tomatoes and cucumbers may be interested to learn which crops should be planted at what time of year – spring, summer, and fall. Below, an overview of our
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by Maria G. Thinking about growing cabbages in your organic garden this year? This is a cool-weather crop that thrives in the early spring and fall. If you’re reading this in April, you’ve already missed your chance to have organically grown cabbage this gardening season. But don’t worry – September will be here before you
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Broccoli is a cold-weather plant that does best if planted in early spring for a June crop, or late August/September for a November-December harvest. Broccoli seeds can germinate in as low as 40-degree soil. Your broccoli plants will do best if planted in rich, composted garden beds. After 3 weeks, fertilize by adding compost to
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October 15 is noted as the “average first frost date” for Planting Zone 6, as per the Farmer’s Almanac and various other gardening information sources. Around these parts of NJ, this time of year typically brings a light frost, which means that water vapor on the plants will freeze due to the temps having dropped to 32 degrees
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5 Common Mistakes Made by New Gardeners New to the gardening game? Don’t let these frequently-made farming flubs put the kaibosh on your crop this summer! Gardening mistake 1: Planting in poor quality soil. The quality of the soil means everything to the health and vitality of the veggies and herbs growing in it. Your garden
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