Dawn Head

When you are a new gardener, it’s typical to have lots of questions. Where and what to plant? What type of soil to use? Here I answer beginner gardener FAQs. You will have more success gardening when you plant the right types of plants for your region during the correct season. You also need to use nutrient-rich soil and plenty of sunlight (6 – 8 hours when growing vegetables and fruits).  Use these frequently asked … Read more

It’s fun to buy seeds (they are inexpensive!) and to imagine yourself growing lots of vegetables and fruits. But don’t buy anything until you learn which types of plants grow well in your area. Here I explain how to start a vegetable garden for people new to gardening. Read this before you buy anything. There is nothing like the taste and satisfaction of growing your own fruits and vegetables. But it can be costly and … Read more

Growing Swiss chard is easy when you do it the right way. Swiss chard is typically grown as a cool-season crop that thrives in cool temperatures and tolerates frost. Swiss chard can grow back after you cut it. It is a “cut and come again” crop. You can harvest the outer leaves while leaving the inner leaves and the center growing point intact. This allows the plant to continue growing and producing more leaves you … Read more

Learn how to harvest prickly pear safely. I live in Tucson, Arizona, and have at least 30 prickly pear cactus plants on my property. We lost a few to a record-breaking drought a few years back. Aside from that, we have done nothing to maintain them and enjoy the harvest of prickly pears each year.  We moved to Tucson when my son was in second grade. The first full week of school, in August, his … Read more

Tomato hornworms and tobacco hornworms will wreak havoc on your garden. You may first realize you have a problem when you see bite marks on leaves along with leafless stems on your tomato plants. Damage control is the first thing you need to do. We explain how to get rid of tomato hornworms easily and for good. It’s a game of I Spy when you realize you have tomato worms or tobacco worms. Inspect the … Read more

Learn about growing a lime tree. They do well in the ground and in containers. There are many lime varieties to choose from, depending on what you want to use them for. Some are more cold hardy than others. Whether you’re a key lime pie fanatic or love the thought of bringing the tropics into your home, growing a lime tree is a fun endeavor. You can use limes for cooking and baking. In my … Read more

Growing a stevia plant is a way to enjoy sweet leaves whenever you want. You can use them fresh, dried, powdered, and as a liquid to sweeten drinks and food. Stevia grows well in garden beds and containers and makes an edible houseplant. They are high-yielding plants that produce all year. They grow much like basil. We explain how to grow a stevia plant, how to care for it, plant uses, and more so you … Read more

Growing a pomegranate tree will yield mighty pomegranates in your backyard. They also grow well in container gardens and indoors. It’s a pretty tree with colorful blooms. These deciduous shrubs are easy to care for, drought tolerant, and typically unaffected by pests and disease. A pomegranate tree is a good choice if you want a fruit-bearing tree. They are suitable for beginner gardeners. Pomegranate trees are ideal first trees to start a small orchard. It … Read more

The loquat tree, also known as Erioboytra japonica, produces juicy, sweet, tangy plum-sized fruits with a yellow or orange thin downy skin. Depending on the cultivar, their flesh can be white, orange, or yellow. The fruit is delicious, whether fresh or dried. It can be added to fruit salads or fruit caps or cooked and preserved. They also make excellent pies, preserves, and jams. It’s possible to grow a loquat tree in a pot. They … Read more

The yucca plant is a popular ornamental indoor and outdoor shrub. Although it’s easy to confuse the names yucca and yuca, these are two different plant species. We’ll be covering the yucca plant here, which doesn’t have an edible starchy root but has excellent medicinal properties and other uses. Yucca plants are perennial evergreen trees and shrubs. Most are in the family Asparagaceae.  Some varieties flower and a few produce edible fruit. They are not … Read more

Pepino melon – The perennial pepino shrub often produces an abundance of fruit in various types of conditions. It has recently become more popular to plant in home gardens, especially in warmer climates. Where it originates naturally is South America, where the climate is warmer and humid. If you’re wondering what it is, where to grow pepino plants, and when to harvest pepino melon, read on to learn more about these unique fruits. The great … Read more

Growing a quinoa plant can be surprisingly easy, especially after you get it going. After harvesting, you can enjoy it in salads, as a side dish or meal.  Quinoa plants are colorful and can be part of an edible landscape. It’s easy to grow for beginner gardeners and is drought tolerant making it low maintenance. Quinoa is a warm season crop. Therefore, you’ll need to live in an area warm enough so it will have … Read more

Beefsteak tomatoes are easy and fun to grow in your home garden. They can grow to be a pound or more each. Whether you’re slicing them for sandwiches, dicing them up for a quick pico de gallo, or eating them straight off the vine, there’s no way to go wrong with beefsteak tomatoes. I love planting them in my garden. Here’s what to know about the meaty beefsteak tomato: What it is, how to use it, … Read more

Learn about growing zucchini successfully. Gardening can be expensive and takes time. Do it right the first time. Whether you are a beginner gardener or experienced, growing a zucchini plant is easy when you give it enough room, use good soil, care for it, and possibly, help it pollinate.  This summer squash is simple to cultivate. You just need a few plants to grow up to 10 pounds of zucchini. There are two ways to … Read more

While store-bought Romas tomatoes can be succulent and flavorful, there’s nothing like  homegrown to have your dishes bursting with life.  Whether you’re cooking up some marinara sauce or slicing up a fresh summer salad, Roma tomatoes are some of the most delicious varieties around. These plum tomatoes are considered paste tomatoes. They have fewer seeds and a lower moisture content than others. They are easy to grow. Here I explain what the Roma tomato is … Read more

Artichoke Plant – Enjoyed since Roman times, artichokes are herbaceous perennial plants that belong to the thistle family. Their flower buds are edible and harvested before they flower. Artichokes are an attractive landscape plant and a nutrient-rich vegetable. These plants can grow up to 3 feet in height and width. The edible part is the flower bud before it blooms. When allowed to bloom, the flowers can grow to 7 inches in diameter. With the right … Read more

The mulberry tree is a fast-growing, large deciduous tree. It provides fruit as well as shade. Some varieties can produce berries the first year. They require minimal care once fully established. Mulberries are some of the tastiest berries, with a melon-like flavor owing to its low acidity. They make delicious pies, jams, and smoothies too. Read on to learn about mulberry trees, including history, hardiness, how to plant, care for, and harvest, and the different … Read more