Grow your own organic sweet corn at home Story and Photos by Kristi Cook My garden is a living quilt composed of each family member’s favorites. For my daughter, there’s purple asparagus to announce spring’s arrival. For my husband, it’s jungle-like plantings of okra destined for the fryer. And for my littlest one, I grow …
An easy addition to your vegetable garden Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey What vegetable is often overlooked, easy to grow and comes in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes? If you guessed “radish” you would be correct. The word Radish comes from the Latin word “radix” which means “root”. The first known radishes …
Canteloupe is a delicious melon for your summer garden Story and Photos by Christine Coker When we purchase “cantaloupe” in a U.S. grocery store, what we’re used to seeing is a fruit with an outer surface that consists of netting, an orderly mosaic pattern, that sits atop and covers the outermost skin. We may or …
Growing pears in your home garden Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey If you are considering adding fruit trees to your landscape, pears (Pyrus communis) are a great way to get started. They will be covered in beautiful white flowers in the spring and succulent tasty fruits in the fall. They are easier to grow …
The new gourmet ‘it’ vegetable for Southern kitchens Story and Photos by Cynthia Wood While on a food and native plant pilgrimage to Austin, Texas, I was offered a small plate of charred, wrinkly green peppers sprinkled with sea salt. The waiter said that the peppers were called shishitos and that they were native to …
Papalo is a bold herb that loves the heat Story and Photography by Cindy Shapton Tired of running out to the garden to get some fresh cilantro for your salsa only to find it has bolted in the heat of summer? You may want to plant papalo (PAH-pa-low) next spring. Referred to as summer cilantro, …
Starting seeds during the cold months Story and Photography by Rebecca Stoner Kirts I first heard about the technique of winter sowing for starting seeds while I was listening to a podcast over a year ago. The hosts were homesteaders from Texas. They had extensive gardens and also sold plants. They propagated most of their …
Story and Photography by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey It’s the end of October, not much is happening in the garden … then you see them. Little orange pumpkin-like fruit hanging on a spectacular small tree dressed in vibrant red and orange leaves. Barely noticed in summer, they’re now the highlight of your yard. The genus name of …
Understanding vegetable crop rotation Story and Photography by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey Crop rotation is truly very important. The productivity and health of even the smallest vegetable garden will benefit from this centuries-old practice. If you’re first thought is, “I’m not a farmer. This doesn’t apply to my small garden,” you would be wrong. One reason to …
Growing plums in your Louisiana landscape Story and Photography by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey In the early 19th century, “plum” meant any desirable treasure, a coveted prize, or the best of a group. Now the word is used as an adjective describing something covetable, like a “plum role” in a movie. Living up to this reputation is not …
