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 »
Ah, another sad September when we must say goodbye to those glorious red tomatoes, luscious cucumbers and summer harvests of kale and chard. Trying to squeeze in time to tidy up the garden before back to school and autumn’s onset. Did you know: you can prep garden beds in the fall so they’ll be ready
Fall Gardening in NJ Zone 6, and Putting Your Garden to Bed for Winter Read More »
Yesterday, my husband pulled a living onion out of the ground in our backyard. It’s March 13, and our NJ raised bed garden is, for the most part, just piles of dormant earth waiting to wake up. So, this was very exciting for us. He diced it up immediately, and we sprinkled the tangy, fresh,
Planting Red Onions in Early Spring in NJ, Zone 6 Read More »
How to Harvest and Prepare Beets So People Actually Eat and Enjoy Them “Eww… beets!?” Remember saying that as a kid? There was nothing worse than beets for dinner, unless it was beets and liver (yes, my mom actually served this to us once… thank God for ketchup!). Now that we’re all grown up and searching
Picking and Cooking Beets Read More »
Peppers Planting Instructions for NJ Zone 6 Peppers are a summer-loving plant here in NJ. The milder ones such as bell peppers lend a nice snap to summer salads as well as the soups and chilis of September. All peppers contain high amounts of vitamin C. Hotter varieties such as cayenne, jalapeno and habanero boast
Peppers Planting Instructions for NJ Zone 6 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 »
Organic Composting Q&A Why compost? How do I create a compost pile? Where should I locate my compost pile? What should I put in my compost heap? Is there anything I should NOT compost? How often should I turn over my compost pile? How long will it take to create compost mulch? How do I
Organic Composting Q&A 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 »
GardenBeds-NJ.com, offers NJ zone 6-specific organic gardening tips on their website, and recently launched a comprehensive gardening guide that is available for instant download by email. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE– March 20, 2015 Hunterdon County, NJ Just in time for the 2015 spring gardening season, GardenBedsNJ.com has compiled a comprehensive, raised-bed gardening guide that’s designed to provide basic
NJ Zone 6 Organic Gardening Guide Teaches New Gardeners How to Grow Their Own Dinner Read More »
Gearing up for the 2017 Jersey tomato season? Below are three common tomato pests with descriptions of each, and how to control them using organic alternatives to pesticide spray. Aphids You’ve probably come across those tiny, dirt-like bits that appear to be moving, on your tomato plants as well as on other garden vegetables. They
Organic Tomato Gardener: Controlling Aphids, Stink Bugs and Tomato Fruit Worms Read More »