Category: Organic Gardening

The Benefits of Organic Food

A Growing Body of Scientific Evidence Many people purchase organic food because they believe it is healthier than conventionally grown food. The organic industry is constantly told that there is no evidence to support these claims. This article looks at…

Growing Carrots and Food Security

I don’t talk a lot about varieties, I grab seeds from the Farm Supply store, read about them seed catalogs, and various websites, and work very often with trial and error. That is the sum total of how I write,…

Organic Gardening

If you need more information in the form of a hold in your hand to read while waiting for an appointment, waiting for the kids to get out of school, waiting for your husband while he pines around the hardware…

The Garden of Ethics

America’s environmental wake-up call is increasingly evident in our own backyards, especially when it comes to our gardens. Through more conscientious gardening such as organic methods, native plantings, and a renewed interest in growing our own food, we’re restoring a…

Blossoms falling off bean plants

Bean blossom drop can occur when temperatures stay consistently over 90 degrees and/or if the plants are stressed. There’s not much you can do about the heat except wait it out. It may help to put a breezy row cover…

Squash and Cross Pollination

Summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins and gourds belong to the Cucurbita family. Members of this family may cross-pollinate with each other. (Insects can bring pollen from other plants to female flowers.) However, the first year of a cross, the resulting…

Watermelons and Cross Pollination

Do you have to separate watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) from other types of melons to keep them from cross-pollinating? No, other types of melons like cantaloupes or honeydew (Cucumis melo), and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) can all be grown close together without…

Blossom End Rot

Blossom end rot on tomatoes Photograph by David B. Langston, University of Georgia Tomatoes grown in containers and indeterminate (vining) heirloom tomatoes can be more susceptible to Blossom End Rot (BER) that is caused by an inability to adequately uptake…