What to Plant in a Vegetable Garden

Want to keep your vegetable garden growing a little longer this fall? In this episode we'll talk about simple ways to extend the gardening season with frost blankets, row covers, low tunnels, cold frames and other methods of protecting your plants from chilly temperatures. We'll also talk about deciding which plants are worth protecting - and when it's okay to let the garden go and call it a season. Plus, I'll share some options for those green tomatoes still hanging on the vine when frost is...

What starts in the garden doesn’t always stay there. You might begin with one tomato plant or a packet of lettuce seeds, but growing your own food has a way of changing how you think and how you live. Gardening teaches you to plan ahead, solve problems, use what you have, preserve the harvest, and become more resourceful one skill at a time. In this episode I’m sharing how my own gardening journey led from growing tomatoes to preserving food, foraging wild plants, stocking the pantry, and l...

If you've ever struggled to get carrot seeds to germinate, you're not alone. Carrots have frustrated me for years - until a simple garden experiment completely changed the way I grow them. In this episode we'll discuss planting tips for carrots, why fresh carrot seed makes such a difference, the carrot life cycle, why it's important to grow open-pollinated seeds if you want to save your own seeds, and one of my favorite ways to attract pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden. Comp...

You spot a dark, sunken patch on the bottom of a beautiful tomato - and immediately wonder what went wrong. Blossom end rot is frustrating, but the good news is that it isn't a disease, and it doesn't mean your whole crop is doomed. In this episode, we'll talk about what really causes blossom end rot, and how watering, weather, and growing conditions affect your tomato plants' ability to take up the calcium they need. You'll also learn what to do when blossom end rot appears and some simple w...

After 30 years of growing tomatoes, I've made just about every mistake there is to make. I've experimented with varieties, trellises, pruning methods, containers, raised beds, and just about everything in between. In this episode, I'm sharing the biggest lessons my tomato plants have taught me. We'll talk about finding what works in your garden, why experimenting is part of the process, and the simple practices I've settled on after three decades of trial and error. If you've ever wondered ...