The Lipstick pepper is a sweet, thick-walled heirloom pepper which matures earlier than bell peppers, making it an excellent alternative for those in northern climates. It also tends to be more prolific, putting out more peppers per plant. Unknown on grocery store shelves, the Lipstick pepper is quickly becoming a favorite among home gardeners and … Read more
An essential part of salsa verde, tomatillos are an easy and productive plant to grow in the garden. However, pollination issues are common, especially when growing one plant. This has led some gardeners to question if tomatillos have male and female flowers or have male and female plants like some other species. Do Tomatillos Have … Read more
There are a few plants which can be grown both for food and as an ornamental, and dragon fruit is definitely one of them. Dragon fruit plants (also called pitaya/pithaya) are long, gangly cactuses which sprout large, colorful fruits reminiscent of dragon skin. They are native to Central America but nowadays they are widely grown … Read more
If you are trying to germinate your seeds or increase the speed that they germinate, don’t be tempted to reach for a bottle of fertilizer. Fertilizer has no real impact on seed germination. If you’ve tried germinating seeds but they never sprouted, there are many possible reasons why. They could be too old or have … Read more
Starting plants indoors from seed can be a rewarding way to get a head start before the main growing season or get started with an indoor garden. However, germination (the process by which a plant begins to grow from a seed) can sometimes be spotty. Some of your seeds might not germinate, or they might … Read more
Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable that’s grown for it’s juicy, plump stalks. The stems are tart and sweet, and used in pies, jams, compotes, and other dishes. Because these stems are only part of rhubarb we can eat (the leaves are toxic) it can be disappointing to see our rhubarb plants growing not-so-succulent stalks. Fortunately, … Read more