Before you start changing next year’s garden, don’t begin with everything that went wrong. When a growing season winds down, it is easy to remember the spinach that bolted, the watering that became difficult, or crops that did not produce the way you expected. But...
A garden does not have to be perfect to be worthwhile. It does not have to be large, beautifully organized, or overflowing with produce. It does not even have to go the way you planned. And right now, learning how to grow even a little of your own food can feel...
There comes a point in the season when you may look outside and think, Well, I guess we’re about done here. The days are getting shorter, harvests are beginning to slow, and colder weather is on the way. And if you’re still figuring out summer gardening, the idea of a...
You may have noticed another number climbing lately … the price of diesel fuel. That matters beyond what we pay at the pump. Diesel helps power farm equipment and move food from farms to processors, warehouses, grocery stores, and ultimately our tables. The U.S....
Many home gardeners think of strawberries as a spring project. As soon as the weather warms up, they head to the garden center, bring home a few plants, and hope for a good harvest. But what if one of the biggest keys to sweeter, healthier strawberries actually...
If crop rotation has ever felt like one more garden rule to keep track of, you’re not alone. The idea is actually much simpler than it can seem on paper. Every spring, many gardeners find themselves trying to solve the same puzzle again: What should go in this bed?...
Container gardens can change quickly in summer. One pot may dry out faster than another, even when both are watered at the same time. This does not mean you are doing anything wrong. Different containers, plants, temperatures, and amounts of sunlight can create very...
Every gardener knows the feeling. You walk outside and something is eating your plants. The aphids are back. The squash is wilting. The kale has holes in every leaf. So you go to the garden center. You buy a spray. You treat the symptoms. And next week the same...
Quick Answer: Most Effective Slug Removal Methods The most effective slug control combines mechanical removal (hand-picking, log traps, strategic beer traps), biological controls (beneficial nematodes, natural predators like birds and toads), and habitat manipulation...
Quick Answer: Why Most Slug Control Fails Most slug control fails because it only addresses visible slugs while the majority of the population lives underground. Effective slug management requires: (1) Disrupting the egg-laying cycle by scuffling soil surfaces twice...
