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
Whether you are a beginner or experienced gardener, growing a zucchini plant is easy. Growing zucchini is one way to be sure you have success with a vegetable garden. This summer squash is simple to cultivate. You just need a few plants to grow up to 10 pounds of zucchini. While it will grow prolifically alone, with some maintenance and care — especially with pollination — it will flourish throughout its growing season. Zucchini grows well … 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
If you haven’t tasted a yellow watermelon before, you’re in for a treat. They are sometimes sweeter than pink and red varieties. I never heard of them until we grew them. It’s easy to grow yellow watermelons if you live in a warm climate. You’ll need to give them enough space because they are vining plants. Learn about yellow watermelon varieties and what it takes to grow them from seed. They are low maintenance and … Read more
Learn how to grow garlic from a clove. Once planted, one clove will yield an entire bulb. Growing garlic is easy. It’s low maintenance and perfect for beginners. In addition, it doesn’t take a lot of space in the garden. Garlic grows well in pots. Garlic is a cool season crop and requires a cold period to grow. The bulbs grow underground and are moderately tolerant to frost. One of the best things is mammals … Read more
Commonly called Frangipani, plumeria is best known as the flowers in Hawaiian leis. Plumeria flowers are fragrant and waxy. They have long and leathery green leaves. You can grow them as small trees, shrubs, or houseplants. Growing in a container is ideal and makes it easy to move indoors in cold weather. For optimum flowering, they should have a full sun, all day. However, with a half-day of direct sun, they will still produce vibrant … Read more
Winter vegetables allow you to get the most out of your gardens year-round. As you begin to approach the time of year where your gardens change, you’ll need to find cold-hardy vegetables. They are also known as cool season crops. There are plenty to grow and harvest. Knowing which vegetables grow in cold weather will also help you know what’s in season to help ensure you buy fresh produce. What Are Winter Vegetables? As their … Read more
Many types of oranges make delicious snacks and ingredients throughout the year. As they are widely available, it can be beneficial to know what they can bring to your homestead. Although there are many varieties of oranges, all of them come from two categories. You’ll be able to choose between bitter oranges (C. Aurantium) and sweet oranges (C. Sinensis). Sweet oranges are frequently seen as the better option, as they are one of the most … Read more
Composting has many benefits, including reducing waste and producing your own feed for your garden. If you like the idea of composting, consider a compost tumbler. It’s easy to use and rotate, and it’s low maintenance. There’s no smell and it doesn’t attract critters. For my birthday, I asked my family to buy me the largest dual chamber compost tumbler they could find. My husband bought me one from Amazon, and my sons (12 and … Read more