A comprehensive guide on how to grow cucumbers, maximize production with a vertical trellis, and identify and treat common cucumber diseases and problems. Growing cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) in your backyard garden can be a rewarding experience. Cucumbers are a versatile vegetable, perfect for salads, pickling, and even eating fresh off the vine. That's why cucumbers are a popular backyard vegetable. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about growing cucumbers, from planting to managing common diseases and pests. Selecting the Right Cucumber Variety and Planting Before you start, choose the cucumber variety that best suits your needs. There are two main types: Site Selection for Planting Cucumbers Planting Time Planting Method Many garden vegetables can be planted directly into garden soil or started as seeds for transplanting into the garden. Cucumbers grow well either way. So, the question about how to grow cucumbers comes … [Read more...] about How to Grow Cucumbers, Trellis Cucumber Plants, and Treat Cucumber Diseases
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Best New Gardening Books for Summer Reading
Summer is the season for gardening, and it’s also the time to read the best new gardening books. There’s something delightful about finding a comfortable spot outdoors and reading a great book. It’s one of the joys that makes summer special. This year we have a bountiful crop of great new gardening books for summer reading. So, pour a cold glass of lemonade, pull up a chair and get lost in the best new gardening books for summer reading. Editor's Note: Home Garden and Homestead is a proud member of the Amazon Associates Program. We earn a small commission (at no cost to you) when you click on a link and make a purchase. Thanks for supporting our website! The Urban Garden In cities and towns across America (and the world), urban gardeners grow plants of all kinds in whatever space they have available. The Urban Garden is a book for anyone who gardens in limited space. Authors Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight both have roots in the Washington, DC area, and their new book … [Read more...] about Best New Gardening Books for Summer Reading
Best Black Plants for a Goth Garden
A goth garden is an increasingly popular garden style which captures the essence of gothic aesthetics with its eerie atmosphere. This type of garden is characterized by dark foliage, dramatic flowers, and Victorian-era architectural elements. A goth garden can remind one of an old, overgrown graveyard or a haunted Victorian garden. The revival of gothic elements in garden design taps into a love for the moody, the romantic, and the macabre. It is often inspired by gothic literature, architecture, and modern goth subcultures. By the way, despite the photo above, you cannot grow black roses in a goth garden. Why? Because black roses cannot yet be grown on a rose bush. Typically, any black rose you see is a white or red rose that has been soaked in black dye. But don't worry, rose breeders are busy developing roses with darker and darker petals. Why Goth Gardens are Growing in Popularity Goth gardens are growing in popularity for several reasons. They offer an aesthetic … [Read more...] about Best Black Plants for a Goth Garden
Windowsill Herb Garden: Best Plants and Growing Tips
Creating a windowsill herb garden offers the joy of fresh savory flavors and greenery indoors right in your kitchen. Growing a windowsill herb garden is an easy way to have fresh kitchen herbs right at your fingertips. Many herbs grow well in small pots and containers. They will thrive on a sunny windowsill in a kitchen or on a deck or patio. Most herbs prefer moist soil. But don’t let the soil get waterlogged. It’s best to grow them in a pot or container with a hole in the bottom that lets excess water drain away. A plant saucer underneath the pot will keep your herb pots from making a wet mess on your windowsill! Different Plant Types for Your Windowsill Herb Garden It’s important to decide which specific plant varieties to grow in a windowsill herb garden. But first, let’s take a moment to review the differences between annual, biennial, and perennial plants. These three plant types refer to the life cycle of the plants, which affects how they grow, bloom, and need to be … [Read more...] about Windowsill Herb Garden: Best Plants and Growing Tips
Grow Edible Houseplants and Potted Fruit Trees
When Martha Stewart needs advice about how to grow edible houseplants and potted fruit trees, she visits Logee’s Greenhouses in Danielson, Connecticut. The owners of Logee’s, Byron Martin and Laurelynn Martin, are experts on how to grow all kinds of fruiting, tropical, and rare plants. Their latest book, Edible Houseplants, is a guide to growing 46 edible and fruit-bearing plants inside a home, a greenhouse, or on a sunny patio. The plants featured in the book include citrus trees such as lemon, lime, and grapefruit. They also include advice on growing mangos, bananas, figs, guavas, vanilla vine, black pepper plant, and much more. The book contains colorful photos of each type of plant, along with complete guidelines for growing the plants. “Because of the Martins, I now grow my own oranges, lemons, grapefruits, limes, carambolas, coffee beans, calamondins, papayas, vanilla, passion fruit, figs, and guavas,” said home maven Martha Stewart. “I rely on them for advice about the … [Read more...] about Grow Edible Houseplants and Potted Fruit Trees