Rose Kennedy

Pruning zucchini puts me in mind of the catchy seven beats that tap out “Shave and a haircut…” and then the response, “Two bits!”The knocking pattern for gags origi

Did you know there’s a plant named after a time of day?And while you may recall the rather old-fashioned fo

Regarding Solanum lycopersicum‘Hawaiian Pineapple’ tomatoes, I have good news and possibly bad some news for home gardeners.The good news: These pretty, bicolor heirloom tomatoes taste mildly sweet and fruit

At the start of the new year, seed catalogs hold me spellbound, particularly as I try to decide which slicing tomatoes I will plant this year.I attempt to be conservative when selecting how many

Can you freeze fresh tomatoes? Short answer: sure.But this is one of those times when you should hold out for the lo

Even though I amend diligently and till mightily, my garden soil is still heavy.It’s amazing I can grow carrots in this dirt, but I can, and I have long-ag

I’m a practical-minded vegetable gardener, and that’s why I favor banana peppers.This type of Capsicum annuum earned its fruity name by producing ligh

Foodies aren’t the only ones who can enjoy a range of mustards.Along with those gourmet pots of the popular condiment that are

Most cucumbers you grow in the garden make it obvious if they’re ailing. The leaves of Cucumis sativus plants get spots, perhaps, the fruits have holes, or both turn yellow or start shriveling.But “hollow heart” cucumbers don’t reall

Growing ‘Costoluto Genovese’ tomatoes is one way to experience a taste of Italy without a passport or plane ride.This heirloom tomato variety hails from Genoa, a Mediterranean port city in northwestern I

When you want to grow tomatoes but the soil in your garden is sticky and lumpy, is there any way to meet your goals?You’ll be happy to know you can grow toma

There are many succulent plants that are hard to kill and easy to care for. And then there is kalanchoe.Species in the Kalanchoe genus are both hardy

You know the phrase, “an iron fist in the velvet glove”? Scholars like to quibble over who uttered it first, with Napoleon as the leading candidate.Me, I’d argue only that they could have been talking about olea

In a world full of cell phone-camera-alarm clocks, slow cooker-air fryer-Instant Pots, and convertible cargo shorts-pants, I appreciate the anacampseros succulent.This compact plant does one job for us gardeners, and it does i

Oleander, Nerium oleander, is one beautiful yet tough flowering shrub.Grown outdoors, it will bloom i

The long-standing “almost every year” holiday tradition at our house is to give younger family members a huge amaryllis bulb to grow fragrant red blooms indoors in late December.Even at eight years old, my daughter Lucy could spr

I like to think of the many types of Sempervivumas “Stayin’ Alive” plants.No, it’s nothing to do with disco. Rat

One of the coolest things about growing sunflowers is watching the way the flower heads pivot to follow the sun as it moves across the sky, from dawn to dusk.Known as “heliotropism,” this trait makes t

Growing cover crops is a sustainable way to add organic matter to your soil and prevent erosion.When you choose to plant sunflowers

Since bok choy is suitable for cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 11, just about anyone in the US can grow their own supply of the cruciferous leafy green.And don’t rule yourself out just beca

Need a pick-me-up homegrown flower? Sunflowers, daisies, or dahlias might immediately come to mind. But I prefer pansies!I think of this day-brightener

Can I expect you back next year? Sunflowers can’t announce their intentions, but the perennial varieties will indeed return to your garden next season without involved effort from you.Other cultivars, of course, must be reseeded, but that doe

Flaming Katy, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, is like a warm smile among succulents.Also known as florist’s kalanchoe, Christmas kalanchoe,

Having a stash of homegrown zucchini you’ve blanched to keep in the freezer or canned and pickled to store in the cellar is wonderful.But when the plants themselves a

Also known as houseleeks, Sempervivum varieties nicknamed “hens and chicks” are already easy to care for, and readily produce offsets to share or add to your own garden beds, container gardens, or terrariums.Is it too much to expect them to bloom, too?

Along with robins, daffodils, and cool breezes, why not add homegrown onions to your list of things to look forward to this spring?Spring onions, Allium cepa, are easy to grow

When you hear of a houseplant that’s nearly impossible to kill, you probably think of something that looks like a stick or is made out of plastic.But pothos, Epipremnum aureum, is not just easy to keep al

You take the amber waves of grain. I think the most beautiful farm view in America is a glorious field of blooming black oil sunflowers.This variety of Helianthus annuus, the common sunflowe

If you’re a “Here We Come A-wassailing,” Yule log, Tiny Tim, and plum pudding-type of holiday reveler, have I got the holly for you to grow at home!English, aka common, holly (Ilex aquifolium) is native to Europe, no

‘Mortgage Lifter’ tomatoes were so popular in the 1930s and ‘40s, people would drive 200 miles to buy plants.At that time, you could only get them from the breeder, an amateur who pre

Growing vegetables involves an element of mystery, but not always a positive one.Case in point: When zucchini drop their blossoms

Slow and steady wins most races, but mustard greens do well with the opposite approach.They grow quickly, and this helps them avoid many of the pests

Need some help with weeding and edging your lawn, but you’re not prepared to work with a hefty, gas-powered piece of lawn equipment?The lightweight, cordless Worx WG184 Power Share 2-in-1 40

A lot of the vegetables you can grow in your garden require the utmost patience before you can pick. But mustard greens require a different skill set ahead of the harvest.They demand diligence. Starting about 10 days aft

Whether you mostly eat takeout and warm up frozen dinners or are a dedicated home chef, the harvest season for homegrown scallions is a gleeful time.They’re so handy for chopping t

When you love growing vegetables and crave a hint of onion flavor in savory dishes, scallions can deliver what you want 50 to 70 days from sowing.Even if you opt to devote part of the veggie patch to grow slower-paced