Lush, green carrots tops are not always a sign that the root is developing properly beneath the soil. On the contrary, while the tops look healthy and vibrant, the roots can be stunted, forked, twisted, or otherwise deformed. It can be disappointing and frustrating to wait 75 to 80 days…
Bean rust is a fungal disease that attacks legumes, like black-eyed peas, purple hull peas, green beans, pole beans, fava beans, snow peas, snap peas, etc. The spores, which spread easily, can affect all parts of the plant, including the leaves, pods, stems, and shoots. Rust fungi have a complicated life…
Turnips are members of the brassica family, and therefore, better suited to the cooler weather of spring and fall. This root crop is often considered to be a sweeter and less starchy substitute for potatoes. Turnips, like carrots and other root crops, can easily be grown in containers or raised…
Patty pan squash, also known as scallop squash, sunburst squash, white squash, scaloppini, and button squash, is a summer squash that has a nutty buttery flavor. Unlike the elongated cylindrical shape of zucchini or the somewhat elongated or crooked neck of yellow squash, patty pan squash has a flattened spherical…
Lavender is a perennial herb with gray-green foliage and fragrant flowers that range from blue-purple to dark purple. It is a member of the mint family and is native to the Mediterranean. It thrives in sunny, dry conditions, although it will grow in other environments. Lavandula, the herb's official Latin…
Lavender is a popular herb that is native to the Mediterranean. It is known for its beautiful, fragrant purple flowers. Many gardeners purchase additional plant starts instead of propagating lavender because the herb has a bit of a reputation for being difficult to multiply. While purchasing plant starts is effective,…
Dill is an annual, self-seeding herb that has wispy stems and feathery leaves. Both the leaves and seeds are edible, and they are perhaps best known for flavoring pickles. But dill is also used to season soups, fish, roasted potatoes, and other vegetables.In addition to seasoning foods, this native Mediterranean…
Pickleworms first appeared in the United States in 1869 when they were discovered inside pickling cucumbers, hence the name. While this caterpillar does attack cucumbers, it prefers summer squashes, like yellow squash, zucchini, and pattypan (scallop) squash. It will also attack other cucurbits like cantaloupe, pumpkin, winter squash, and sometimes watermelon, although it is…
It can be frustrating to patiently wait for cucumbers to mature on the vine only to discover that the beautiful produce you longed for is deformed. When something like this happens, the first question we tend to ask is, what went wrong? The second question is, what can I do…
Chamomile is a member of the Aster (Asteraceae) family as are daisies, calendula, zinnias, dahlias, cosmos, marigolds, artichokes, and lettuce. The two main types of chamomile are Roman chamomile, which is also referred to as English and Russian chamomile, and German chamomile, which is also called Hungarian, Italian, and blue…