Entries by Mike Wade

Square Foot Gardening

Gardening in a Limited Space by Greta Dupuis Do you have limited space to grow your vegetables in?  Small yard, only one raised bed, or even just containers on a porch or deck?  Way back when (1981, in fact), PBS ran a series of shows with Mel Bartholomew which showcased how he divided a 12-foot […]

YELLOWJACKET TRAPS, THEN PANSIES

Spring Solutions for Yellow Jackets By: Sandy Swegel Is Spring about to happen in your neighborhood? Before you start getting pansies or collecting daffodils, stop and put out your yellow jacket traps…if yellow jackets are a problem for you in the summer. The yellow jacket life cycle is pretty simple. Almost all the yellow jackets […]

ILLITERATE GARDEN

Garden Problems We All Have By: Sandy Swegel “My garden is illiterate.  It didn’t read the book about what it can’t do.” That was the wisecracking opening remark at a gardening talk I attended recently.  We all laughed and during the break we started talking about some of the stupidest plants we know. Looking at […]

New Agricultural Products

by Sandy Swegel As a gardener I often say “Thank God.” The growing legality of growing marijuana has meant a proliferation of stores that sell amazing tools and new agricultural products that make gardening easier and cheaper. Despite living in Colorado, I’ve never been interested in smoking pot. Even as a decadent college student I […]

February Plant of the Month – Carrots

Plant of the Month February 2017   Common Name: Scarlet Nantes Carrot Scientific Name: Dacus carota var. sativus Native Range: Mediterranean Region Hardiness Zone: 4 to 10 Days to Maturity: 65-75 General Description: Scarlet Nantes Carrot is a standard market carrot that has a long, cylindrical shape and a rich reddish-orange color. The flavor is […]

February Plant of the Month – Beets

Plant of the Month February 2017 Common Name: Detroit Dark Red Beet Scientific Name: Beta vulgaris var. crassa Native Range: Europe & Asia Hardiness Zone: 2-7. For zones 8-11 grow as a fall crop Days to Maturity: 55-65 General Description: The Detroit Dark Red Beet is the most popular all-purpose red beet. It is globe-shaped, […]

Why Grow From Seed

Seed Starting by Sandy Swegel We all know it’s a good idea to grow from seed. Every winter I fantasize about the amazing garden I could have if I just got started earlier. And every year I somehow end up buying plants that I know I could have started on my own with a little […]

Get a head start on leeks

Heirloom Vegetable Seeds by Sandy Swegel Organic leeks were $3.99 a pound in my grocery store this week. I love leeks because they add a more rich and complex flavor to soups and sauces than onions do. They are more expensive than onions but just as easy to grow. The only challenge for gardeners in […]