By Cindy Haas

Mint is one of my favorite herbs to grow.

I love to sit outside at night in the middle of summer listening to the crickets and watching the stars.

The smell of mint still warm from the sun is always a part of that memory, it is a very evocative scent. Because of its strong scent as well as strong flavor, mint has a lot of uses and is a wonderful choice for adding to your herb garden.

Growing Mint

Mint is easy to grow- it can be too easy. Mint will take over a small garden if allowed, and can Read the rest of this entry »

By Cindy Naas

Plant A Row For The Hungry is a program developed by the Garden Writers Association, created to encourage garden writers to use their position in their communities to encourage readers to donate produce from their gardens to food banks and homeless shelters.

Currently, local farmers are donating produce to an agency which I work for, and we can then offer our clients the opportunity to receive fresh locally grown produce. Here are some statistics on hunger in the U.S., from the GWA website.

“According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one in ten households in the United States experiences hunger or 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 Vanessa Richins

Is a windowsill the only space available for a garden?

Never fear, there are still options for you. Among other plants, herbs are some of the perfect plants to fit in small spaces.

An added bonus is if it is a kitchen windowsill – the herbs are right where you need them for cooking.

Be sure to harvest only some of the plant at a time so the plant can continue growing properly. Here are some of my top suggestions for windowsill herb gardens.

1) Cilantro/Coriander

Did you know that coriander comes from Read the rest of this entry »

By Vanessa Richins

One of the most important parts of planting a garden is planning ahead.

Your garden will look much better and you will save money and keep yourself from getting frustrated.

Here are a few suggestions you should consider when planning out your garden.

1. Size is everything! One of the most important parts of proper planning is considering the size of your garden in comparison to the size of the plants in it. When you are designing your garden, you should draw up your garden complete with accurate measurements. This will help you pick the proper plants.

In a forum I moderate, someone said Read the rest of this entry »