Home and Garden

Organic vegetable gardening is a system of growing vegetables that promotes and enhances biological diversity. It is based on a minimal use of off-site inputs and on practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.The two main reasons...

Organic vegetable gardening is a system of growing...

My garden site is wet and slow to warm up in the spring so indoor vegetable gardening is the way I get into my garden earlier. If you have a similar type property or if you want to enjoy fresh veggies for most of the year, indoor gardening is the way...

My garden site is wet and slow to warm up in the s...

Growing vegetables is easier than you think. Here you will find all the gardening advice you will need to grow your own.Still not sure where to begin? Well let's start with some basics.A vegetable plant has the same basic needs as we do: light, food,...

Growing vegetables is easier than you think. Here ...

Depending on where you live and your climate, winter vegetable gardening can involve harvesting, sowing, cultivating and evaluating. If you live in a warm climate you can be planting and growing certain vegetables all year long. For most gardeners wi...

Depending on where you live and your climate, wint...

No room for a vegetable garden? Then container vegetable gardening is your answer. Do you live in an apartment, condo or have a shady backyard? If you have a roof-top, windowsill, patio or just a doorstep then you can grow vegetables in containers. Y...

No room for a vegetable garden? Then container veg...

Some plants do better in cooler weather so fall vegetable gardening is possible. The end of July and early August are the best times to plant seeds for harvesting in the fall, however if you have some healthy transplants or want to plant quick growin...

Some plants do better in cooler weather so fall ve...

Materials Sunflower seeds Compost tea Compost Stakes (optional) Directions Have your child plant sunflower seeds early in the growing season, after all danger of frost has passed, about one inch deep and three feet apart. If you're planting sunflo...

Materials Sunflower seeds Compost tea Compost Sta...

Materials Scraps of plain and floral fabric White glue or glue sticks Poster board Pictures of flowers (optional) Directions Cut out flower shapes from the fabric: petals, leaves, stems, and buds. An adult can do the cutting of shapes if the child...

Materials Scraps of plain and floral fabric White...

Time 5 to 10 minutes Materials Vegetables such as carrots or potatoes Scrub brush Directions Scoot your child up to the sink on a chair or step stool and demonstrate how to use the brush to clean the vegetables. Talk about how vegetables grow an...

Time 5 to 10 minutes Materials Vegetables such ...

Materials Roly-poly squash Gourds Allium gigantium Chinese lantern Venus flytrap Spaghetti squash Sunflower Pampas grass Peanut plant Date palm Directions The off-beat garden can be designed for outdoors or indoors. Choose one to three varieties th...

Materials Roly-poly squash Gourds Allium gigantiu...

Plant tomatoes early in the growing season, about two or three weeks after the last frost. Some varieties produce only one crop of tomatoes (a good choice for containers), while others keep producing until the first frost. Materials Tomato seedlings...

Plant tomatoes early in the growing season, about ...

Materials Garlic clove Potting soil Small pot Directions Plant an unpeeled garlic clove in potting soil, pointed end up. Cover completely, water every few days, and keep in the sun.

Materials Garlic clove Potting soil Small pot Di...

by Nancy Witting Compost is a free gift of nature that all plants thrive on. As a soil amendment or mulch, it improves the fertility and water-holding capacity of soil, encourages healthy root development in plants, and provides food for the microorg...

by Nancy Witting Compost is a free gift of nature ...

by Nancy Witting Gardening with your family can be fun, and it can be a great way to teach your kids about nature and the environment. If you'd like to see green plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees in your yard instead of just a broad expanse of lawn,...

by Nancy Witting Gardening with your family can be...

The key to a healthy garden is good soil, and good soil is full of nutrients and organic matter. The best way to improve your soil is to add compost. You can buy compost or make it yourself in a store-bought or homemade composter. Materials Large pl...

The key to a healthy garden is good soil, and good...

Your child should grow seedlings indoors about one month before he wants to plant them outside. Materials Styrofoam cups Potting soil Seeds Pen Tray Spray bottle full of water Plastic wrap Directions Fill Styrofoam cups with potting soil. Plant th...

Your child should grow seedlings indoors about one...

Because growing requirements vary among herbs, be sure to read each seed packet before you begin. Materials Marker Popsicle sticks Empty coffee cans or other leakproof containers Potting soil Herb seeds, such as basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage...

Because growing requirements vary among herbs, be ...

Pumpkins need about four months to grow, so plant the seeds three to four weeks after the last spring frost. Materials Soil and compost Pumpkin seeds Compost tea Leaves or grass clippings Newspapers or straw mulch Directions Choose a sunny area fo...

Pumpkins need about four months to grow, so plant ...

Here are some easy-growing garden favorites: Tomatoes. Summer Sweet and Juliet are grape tomatoes. Small and oblong, they produce hundreds of amazingly sweet fruit that are perfect cut in half in salads, tossed with pasta, on pizza, or eaten alone. ...

Here are some easy-growing garden favorites: Toma...

Materials Lemon, orange, grapefruit, Potting soil or earth and/or potato without lumps Knife Plastic wrap and rubber band Leakproof containers Large bucket Water Directions Lemon, Orange, or Grapefruit Plant Soak the seeds in water overnight. Have...

Materials Lemon, orange, grapefruit, Potting soil...

Time 1 to 2 hours, plus maintenance Materials Gardening tools Paper Pencil Packaged seeds Directions Let your child select a designated number of seed packets after you have sketched out a rough layout of the garden together. Check the packet fo...

Time 1 to 2 hours, plus maintenance Materials G...