Grow turnip, rutabaga, and kohlrabi in cool-weather. Get these vegetables started early in spring at least two months before the onset of very warm weather, or plant them in late summer so that they come to harvest in the cool days of autumn. Grow turnips, rutabagas, and kohlrabi rapidly–these crops are most flavorful if they […] More
Radishes are a cool weather crop that will tolerate some heat. Sow radishes in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked in spring and plant succession crops every 10 days until the end of spring. Lifting radishes as soon as they are large enough to eat is important. Radishes that stay too […] More
Grow cabbage as rapidly as possible. Give cabbage plenty of moisture and be sure to feed it through the season–a planting bed amended with aged compost and side dressings of compost tea every two weeks will do the job. Cabbage can be grown in three distinct crops: early, mid-season, and late. Early cabbage can be […] More
Cauliflower is grown much like cabbage but requires more careful treatment. It is best to start cauliflower indoors where it can be protected from both cold and hot temperatures. Spring-planted cauliflower is likely to face early cold and late heat which will make the effort difficult. Summer-planted cauliflower for fall harvest will be both easier […] More
Peppers–sweet peppers and hot peppers–share nearly all of the cultural and growing requirements of tomatoes. If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow peppers. Choose a site with full sun where the soil is moisture retentive but well-draining. If you are planting sweet peppers and hot peppers in the garden, give them some distance so […] More
Beans: garden beans–including pole, bush, and shell–lima beans, mung beans, scarlet runner beans, asparagus beans, and southern peas (which are not beans but share similar cultural requirements). All of these crops share similar problems. Here is a list of common bean problems and possible causes and cures. For more on vegetable garden pests and diseases […] More
Muskmelons, cantaloupes, winter melons, and watermelons: they all thrive under the same cultural conditions and they all share similar growing problems. Melon problems and solutions Leaf problems Leaves curl under and become deformed and yellowish. Aphids are tiny, oval, and yellowish to greenish pear-shaped insects that colonize the undersides of leaves. They leave behind sticky […] More
Give cucumbers the right conditions–warm, sunny weather and consistent water–and they will be one of your top-producing garden crops. To keep ahead of cucumber problems, pests, and diseases, here is a troubleshooting list of possible cucumber problems with brief control suggestions. Cucumber problems and solutions Seed and seedling problems Plants are eaten or cut off […] More
Squash can be susceptible to several garden pests and diseases. When it comes to solving plant problems, diagnosis is 9/10 of the cure. You must know what is wrong with your plant before you can select the right control measure. Good Products for Growing Beans at Amazon: Squash problems and suggested controls Seed and seedling […] More
To come to harvest quickly corn requires warm temperatures, rich soil, and even, regular watering. Corn is wind-pollinated so planting in blocks or multiple rows to ensure pollination is important. Here is a troubleshooting list of possible corn-growing problems with control and cure suggestions: (Read to the bottom of this post for corn-growing success tips.) […] More
Tomatoes and peppers drop their blossoms when environmentally stressed. But when conditions are less extreme, a plant that has dropped its blossoms will flower again, set fruit, and be productive. Temperatures too cold or too hot; weather too dry or too wet; soil too nutrient-rich or deficient are the most common reasons tomatoes and peppers […] More
Sometimes there will be problems in the vegetable garden. There is always a cause and there is often a cure or control. Pest problems are often easy to spot: leaves or fruit look chewed or puckered from sucking pests. Diseases can be fungal, bacterial, or viral; often symptoms may look the same–brown or yellow spots […] More
Stephen Albert