The middle of summer is the peak time for vegetable gardening. This type of garden gives us loads of fresh vegetables to use in healthy recipes. But an amazing garden doesn’t just happen by planting seeds. It’s easy to make vegetable garden mistakes, even for a seasoned gardener. These 19 easy vegetable gardening tips will …
Mimosa trees are one of those trees that you either love or hate. They are considered by some to be “trash trees” because of their short lifespan. They also have weak wood which breaks easily in high winds, and are vulnerable to disease. To make it worse, they are a rampant spreader, sending out hitchhiker …
Japanese Silver Grass – Miscanthus sinensis – is a perennial plant that has variegated green and white striped leaves and huge plumes in the fall that stall well above the top of the plant. The plant can be used to hide neighboring views and completely cover a chain link fence. It also has lots of winter …
Every now and then, it is fun to just let your hair down and enjoy a bit of gardening and cooking humor. These graphics and jokes are a way for us to lighten your day. Life should not always be too serious. The Gardening Cook agrees. So we have made a collection of some of …
Turning a compost pile can be time consuming and a bit difficult to do. The material can get very heavy and cumbersome to move around which is needed in order to change the organic matter into hummus. All vegetable gardeners know that composting is a great way to get organic fertilizer for your garden beds. …
I recently wrote an article which talked about a long list of weird things that you can compost which you might not have thought about. Today, I am doing to discuss those things you should never compost. Vegetable gardening is greatly enhanced with adding organic matter formed by composting. If you enjoy growing vegetables, you will …
Don’t throw away those plain brown luncheon bags, or fast good restaurant bags after use. Save them for on the spot composting! If you don’t want the chore of composting with a large compost pile, you can still compost. Just use recycled brown lunch bags. They work great in any flower or vegetable garden. Keep …
Composting allows me to add some organic matter to my garden, but the material often needs sifting. Instead of buying a compost sifter, I made my own DIY Compost Screen by using common plastic garden trays. These trays are readily available at most garden centers when you purchase a flat of seedlings. The come with …
Butternut pumpkin (also known as butternut squash) is one of my favorite fall vegetables. Cooking this vegetable in the oven brings out the sweetness in it. It looks as though it will be the star of my vegetable garden this year! Butternut pumpkins can be cooked so many ways. I love to roast them, and …
All gardeners know the task of keeping tall flower stalks from flopping over. There are lots of retail supports that you can purchase, but they can be pricey and also sometimes are not the right lengths. A great creative gardening hack is to use expandable curtain rods as plant supports. The answer is easy. Collect …
I recently asked The Gardening Cook Facebook fans to submit their favorite planters When it comes to creative planters, the sky seems to be the limit. Almost anything with an opening can become a garden planter. The Gardening Cook fans are an inventive group when it comes to thinking outside the box of normal pots. …
I recently asked my readers on my Facebook Gardening Cook page to give me some frugal gardening tips and they did not disappoint. These clever ladies and gents shared tips that help with getting plants for free to using old newspapers for mulch and so many more ideas. If you would like your frugal gardening …
Fresh rosemary is one of my favorite spices. I use it all the time in Italian cooking and also in many of my chicken recipes. This herb easy to grow and is a great one to start with for those who are new at growing herbs. The favor of this fresh herb is robust and …
I have long dreamed of having a test garden. I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with various types of plants. Some turn out well and others don’t last the season, but I enjoy it all. Since I write about how to grow plants for my blog posts, I wanted a dedicated place where I can test growing …