Rose Kennedy

So many mustard greens, so little time? That’s only half true.There are dozens of types of this tasty cool-weather annual that you can grow, for a fact.There are rosettes

Sometimes a garden presents you with an unexpected reason to rejoice. Usually that’s a flower – an unanticipated crocus blooming in the snow, or a crepe myrtle, presumed dead, sending up fresh growth.But my personal favorite garden surprise involved vegetables, during the first season I grew ‘C

Carrots that you grow yourself are crunchy, flavorful, and best of all, fresh! But the ‘Nantes’ variety is a good reminder that they’re not all the same.This type of Daucus carota is distinguished by its skin, which does not req

It seems like you only have to look away for a second, or maybe a day, and your mature mustard greens will start flowering.And not long after that, they’re full of s

Maybe some of you will be able to relate to the number one reason that I really like mizuna, Brassica rapa var. japonica.I associate it with a magical New Year’s Day party in 2016. A chef friend made us all a braised vegetarian di

Growing ‘San Marzano’ tomatoes at home in the US is a tasty reminder that sometimes it’s just fine – good, in fact – to be second best.We are never going to be able to duplicate the growing conditions exa

Trivia buffs and riddle lovers can take a break today, because the answer to the question, “What’s the difference between a lima bean and a butter bean?” is… nothing.Both are just different names for the tasty legume

Saving money on groceries and tapping a source of stress relief are two reasons home gardeners love to have a veggie patch. But when you grow limas, also known as butter beans, there’s another advantage.With many Phaseolus lunatus cultivars, growing your own is by

We’re here to look at the best varieties of shelling peas, Pisum sativum, to grow in your garden. But first I have a confession to make.I love to make very strong recommendations about what peop

Tart on the taste buds and a rich source of nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, and iron, sorrel is one tough, delicious plant.This perennial herb or ornamental is adapted to USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. It’s also gro

Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to honor a mom who gardens.After all, she’s brought so many gifts to the worl

Pumpkins spur the imagination, from the 19th century idea of using them for jack-o’-lanterns to Cinderella and her spellbound pumpkin carriage.But along with folksy celebrations and fai

Uh-oh. Does your outdoor gardenia have brittle branches and brown leaves following a bout of freezing temperatures?If you’re left wondering whether the or

Are you choosing sunflower cultivars to grow in your garden or in containers? I hope some of my favorites might become your favorites, too.I must warn you, though. When it comes to sunflo

Being able to grow fruit in your own home orchard for a harvest right on your own property is a fascinating concept.When the fruit trees in question are pears,

What do people, pills, and lettuce have in common?When they are bitter, they’re the worst.Mayb

Sometimes a business need drives the home garden market. That’s how it was with pollen-free sunflowers, certain varieties of Helianthus annuus.These varieties first became popular with florists a

On a long-overdue visit to New Orleans, I spotted multitudes of tree philodendrons (Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum) thriving in protected areas of ordinary gardens, producing oversize, deeply lobed, heart-shaped leaves on five- or six-foot plants seemingly effortlessly.Those who grow tree philodendrons indo

The philodendron houseplant is such a reliable old friend, and so commonplace, that you might tend to overlook it in favor of more remarkable species.But then along comes the tree philodendron, sometimes called lacy leaf, split leaf, or horsehead philodendron, a species that’s so large

Are you feeling stressed about holiday shopping? Not sure what to get for the gardeners on your list?We’re here to help!There are so man

If I was choosing my Dream Team for a kitchen garden, wild garlic chives would win the “easy to care for herb” spot, hands down.They’re perennials, hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 9, and spread readily.

I have a bridge-playing friend whose favorite expression is, “I’d rather be lucky than good.” Black-eyed peas, though, they’re both.These Southern US favorites are a New Year’s Day good luck tr

I’ve always been one who favors the easy-care houseplants – low-maintenance succulents and pothos and such. It takes something special to ease me out of my comfort zone.Alocasia is just such a plant. Its oversized “elepha

When certain plants produce huge yields, grow fast, and take a lot of nutrients and water, it’s only natural they would become the stars of the garden.Cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, definitely play that role. But i

Alfalfa, Medicago sativa, is an open-pollinated heirloom legume also known as “lucerne.”It’s an impressive cover and forage crop, but it’s important to reme

There are two ways to approach saving seeds to eat from homegrown pumpkins.With the first, you focus on the seeds themselves, and do

There are some furry critters that will nibble just a few flowers or fresh shoots from your garden, and that’s okay. But rabbits, well, they can go too far.When they start consuming such large porti

There are two main reasons why I don’t like to see holes in the cucumbers I grow in my garden.The first was best stated by a work fri

Growing gardenias indoors serves as a small reminder that you can’t be all things to all people – or to all plants.Flowering Gardenia jasminoides is a looker, with vibrant green foliage and cre

Don’t you just love win-win situations?Choosing which type of cucumber plant

I can’t help noticing that when an entity is attractive, whether it’s a plant for the garden or something else entirely, it’s often not practical, and the reverse is also true.But ‘Red Rubin’ basil bucks that trend.We link to vendors t

When it’s been growing vigorously and then begins to wilt, your Anthuriumhouseplant is trying to tell you something.Whether you’re tending an A. andraeanum or A. scherze

Friends and neighbors who have you in their lives to grow pumpkins to share with them are fortunate indeed. Pies, fall displays, jack-o’-lanterns – all are provided for.You can extend this good fortune by saving seed

When you live somewhere warm enough to grow them as annuals or perennials, pigeon peas sure do come in handy.These legumes, Cajanus cajan, are one of the

Going for the gold has its appeal in certain circles, but as a diehard vegetable gardener, I prefer to go for the green.Or, more accurately, the greens.And one way I l

The hardy, spritely green, low-maintenance jade plant, Crassula ovata, is a consistent day-brightener.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. I