By Vanessa Richins

You don’t have to live in Hawaii to grow your own pineapples.

It makes a lovely houseplant, and if you are patient, you may just be able to get it to produce fruit.

They will be a bit sour if grown outside its ideal conditions (again, think Hawaii) but it can be mixed into recipes along with some sugar.  Even if you don’t eat the pineapples produced, they are sure to attract attention.

Starting your pineapple plant is as easy as cutting off the top of a pineapple fruit.  Be sure to cut it so it has a small amount of flesh on it.  Apply some rooting hormone to the cut.  Let the top dry for several days or it will rot.

Next, plant it in a pot that is about 8″ wide.  Use a light potting soil so your pineapple plant will be Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Rosemary is a perfect choice for city gardeners who have some room on a porch or balcony, since it is one of the herbs which really should be grown in a planter.

Rosemary is too tender to be left outside in the winter in most of the U.S.

It also makes a beautiful indoor plant in the winter, filling your home with the spicy-fresh scent of rosemary.

Growing - Rosemary needs a fertile yet well-drained soil. I use an extra handful of manure added to my container potting soil mix, and I line the bottom of the pot with small rocks. Water fairly often, letting the soil become nearly but not quite dry between watering.

This plant will not thrive in constantly damp soil. Grow in full sun. In regions with late summers/early falls, place small stones on top of the planter soil to retain heat into the evening.

This will allow the essential oils to become more concentrated, at least according to my elderly Italian neighbor who grows perhaps the finest vegetable garden I have ever seen.

Harvesting - Rosemary is used in fairly small quantities. Using scissors, snip off ends of branches. Peel off the needles or snip the needles directly into your recipe. Rosemary doesn’t keep as well as some herbs, I always pick it just before I need it.

Recipes: Here are a couple of really good uses Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

I am becoming a big fan of using storage tubs as containers.

You can get a bigger container for a much better price than a regular pot, allowing you to grow more plants than otherwise.

You just have to make sure there are enough drainage holes drilled. Placing the tub on bricks or some other sort of platform will further aid draining.

Onions are another vegetable that can do well in a tub (or any other container.) You need a container that is at least 10″ deep. You would also want to get one that is at least a few feet wide - that way you can harvest lots of lovely onions.

For onions, you can plant either Read the rest of this entry »

By Michael Nolan

I’ve been offering advice on home gardening for quite a few years now, and the most common excuse I hear from people who don’t have a garden is that they lack the space they need.

Nothing sets me off like the word can’t, and most often these people get a full scale lesson in gardening for small spaces whether they like it or not. Just about anyone, anywhere can handle a bit of container gardening.

Did you know that in the 1940s here in America nearly half of all fresh produce in this country was grown at home in Victory Gardens? Over the years it seems as though we as a society become so spoiled that we forgot how to take care of ourselves. But I digress. Let’s discuss how you – regardless of your available space – can grow at least some of your own vegetables and herbs at home.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Growing veggies in a container garden is a fun way to bring fresh produce to your table even if you live in the middle of a big city.

Thanks to Urban Garden Casual, you’ve got the secret recipe for mixing perfect container soil.

Here are some tips to make sure that your garden is everything you want it to be.

Size Matters

There are so many pretty pots to choose from when you go to your local nursery or home improvement store. But, are all pots created equal? Well, it depends. Read the rest of this entry »