By Cindy Naas

Basil is pretty much the entire point of summer as far as I’m concerned.

If I could grow only two things in my garden, I would choose basil and tomatoes.

I can make a meal out of only those two things.

Growing Basil

Basil is one of the herbs which needs a lot of water to thrive. Mine grows next to the tomatoes in my garden. However, my in-ground garden is small, but I love basil so much that I also grow it in to oblong planter boxes, keeping it well watered. It likes a more fertile soil than some of the other herbs such as oregano and thyme, and needs a lot of sun.

Harvesting and Storing

Basil leaves should be picked often. During the height of Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

Many vegetables are suitable for planting in a container, and sweet potatoes are no exception!

These relatives of the Morning Glory plant are very easy to grow this way.

First, you should get your sweet potato sprouting. If you can, try to find locally or organic grown sweet potatoes, as the ones you find in regular grocery stores are often chemically treated to keep them from sprouting. All you need to do is place the root end (the smaller one) in a jar of water and wait.

They like it hot, so keep it somewhere that is Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

If you have an interest in gardening and have spent any time on the Internet at all in recent years, you’ve heard of “The Garden Girl“.

Her videos have informed and inspired many all over the world, and she is more popular than ever in this day of the downtrodden economy when people are desperately searching for ways to maintain and enrich their own lives without increasing their food budget.

What intrigues me most about Patti Moreno isn’t just that she is one of the most prolific urban gardeners I’ve come across in recent years, but that her roots are in my beloved New York (I spent several years living in the city and still consider it home).

I found genuine inspiration in Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

I can’t contain my excitement any longer.

My cucumbers are almost ready to eat but even with my voracious appetite, I can’t eat them all!

What in the heck am I gonna do with a bushel of ripe cucumbers and a full belly?

Thank the gardening gods for those who have gone before us and the knowledge they passed on, because I would be lost without homemade pickles! I firmly believe that everyone is entitled to my opinion so I have decided to share my own personal recipe for Simple Summer Pickles with my Casual family.

Be warned though – once you have tasted them you won’t want to share and believe me when I tell you that everyone is going to want some!

Ingredients
• 3 large cucumbers
• 1 red pepper
• 1 onion Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

It has been a while since I have subjected you to an update of the progress from my own personal urban garden, so I felt it was something that as long overdue.

Here, therefore, is the latest in the ongoing saga that is my gardening life.

Despite a few devastating tomato-related setbacks (I lost quite a few of my seedlings due to an unfortunate run of bad weather), I have two strong and healthy heirlooms that are growing like gangbusters.

The two pictured here are my Mr. Stripey (“Livia”) and my Russian Black (“Svetlana”), both in 5-gallon buckets. Not pictured are my remaining seedlings from one Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter and one Abraham Lincoln Original. Read the rest of this entry »