Gardeners and homesteaders alike have long known the benefits of adding compost to their gardens. Healthy soil is the key to healthy plants, and the addition of compost enriches soil health. Black gold, as the fully decomposed waste is often called, is teeming with macro and micronutrients and beneficial microbes…
Compost is the byproduct of organic matter that has undergone the decaying process. It is a nutrient-dense material teeming with beneficial microorganisms. When added to soil, not only does compost improve the nutritional and microbial profile, but it also improves soil structure, enabling better water retention and drainage, especially in…
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…
If you have noticed a black or dark brown, powdery, soot-like mold covering primarily the upper surface of leaves and branches, chances are it's sooty mold. This fungal organism grows on the honeydew secretions of aphids, scale, whiteflies, leafhoppers, mealybugs, and psyllids. When fungal spores land on the sweet, sticky…
Whiteflies are white or cream-colored, triangular-shaped insects that resemble miniature moths. They measure a mere 1/12 of an inch long (2 mm). While there are hundreds of species, there are only a handful that cause problems for home gardeners. When the weather turns warm, these soft-bodied insects congregate in groups, usually…
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…