How To Grow — category: How to Grow Vegetables

It may seem counter-intuitive for a gardener to actually plant what must be the world’s commonest weed. But dandelions have lots of culinary potential, they feed pollinators, and they cultivate the soil with their long taproots. Latin Tarataxacum officinale Family: Asteraceae Difficulty Easy We Recommend: The one and only: Common Dandelion. Timing Direct sow from early March to early September. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 10-25°C (50-75°F). Seeds take 14-21 days to germinate. The flowering process begins 56 to 105 from sowing, and continues for the life of the plant. Starting Sow short rows every two weeks for a constant...

Here is all the information you need on how to grow hops. Hops make a dramatic addition to ornamental gardens. Highly decorative, fast growing, trouble free, and cold hardy, hops give a flare and interest to gardens that few other plants do. Ideal for trellises and arbors and as a fast growing perennial hop bines are perfect for creating a privacy screen at the back of the garden. And no, bine is not a typo! A bine is any plant with a stem that twists around something as it grows. Hops are herbaceous perennials. Expect them to die back to...

Corn Salad is a largely unknown leafy vegetable that has a long history in Europe, where it is know variously as mache, vit, fetticus, and so on. Harvest individual leaves or whole rosettes. These are small, but succulent and tasty. Corn salad is very nice on its own or mixed in with other salad greens. It is an excellent match for baby chard and arugula leaves. Learn when to plant corn salad in our How to Grow Corn Salad instructions below. Difficulty Easy Latin: Valerianella locusta Family: Caprifoliaceae Season & Zone Season: Cool season Exposure: Full sun to partial shade...

Okra is a fast growing, warmth loving, very attractive flowering plant. The pods emerge from each pollinated flower, and will produce viable seeds if left to mature. Learn when to plant okra seeds in our How to Grow Okra instructions. It’s a fun summer crop, and adds variety to your organic vegetable garden. Latin Ablemoschus esculentus Family: Malvaceae Difficulty Easy We Recommend: Try Clemson’s Spinelss Okra (OK101). Although many cultivars exist, this industry standard is productive in a variety of climates, and it’s thornless and easy to grow. Season & Zone Season: Warm season Exposure: Full sun Zone: 3 and...

Summer turnips are great for salads, pickles, and stir-fries. Any place that you would use spinach or Swiss chard, you can give turnip greens a try. Follow along with this handy How to Grow Turnips Guide and grow food. Turnips make excellent pickles. Latin Brassica rapa var. rapa Family: Brassicaceae Difficulty Easy We Recommend: Even if turnips “aren’t your thing,” we still recommend that you try Hakurei (TR815) for its mild flavour and crisp texture. It is fast growing, nutritious, and both the greens and roots are delicious. Season: Cool season Exposure: Full sun Zone: 2-10. Hardy for overwinter growing in Zone 7+ Timing...