as I prepare for a new book, win my first!

Penguin Random House LLC

There are several annual plants I would recommend to new gardeners who want to cover an unsightly mess but do not want permanent plants that could impede house maintenance.

There is a whole new language to be embraced when you first start to garden. We have just selected 5 gardening terms that you may come across.

New gardeners are keen to get going and it may be painful to wait for several months to grow your own from seed or cuttings. Fortunately there are several ways to shortcut the process by buying starter plants.

In this series of ‘fives for New Gardeners’ I have limited the number of photographs I have included but I am proud that I grew this African Violet from a leaf rooted in water. Gardening includes a bit of pride so I am happy enough for now.

A colony of Foxgloves not a skulk or earth as in Foxes

Some plants give double pleasure by producing berries after their flowers have already performed. Here is my top 5:

Bulbs are commonly understood as plant storage devices and here the term bulb is used to cover various forms of dormant plants.

Shopping for home accessories isn't an overnight process, but if you're looking to begin the journey of filling your space with beautiful accents, you'll want to keep these pro tips top of mind.

Home canning season is just around the corner. Having equipment ready and recipes selected before fresh produce is available will allow a smooth transition to a busy time of year. Only choose recipes that have been developed specifically for the canning method you are using. Safe canning methods include the boiling water bath method, the atmospheric steam canner method, and the pressure canner method. Recipes should only come from research-based sources like the USDA, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and Extension sources and should include the ingredients, preparation instructions, and processing times.

HE’S LIKE A PLANET that returns into your slice of the sky from time to time in a good way: direct, forceful, and something you can’t overlook, a happy nudge to go ahead and do something already. For me, here Jonathan Ellerby comes again.

When Alexandra Stafford, author of the book “Bread Toast Crumbs” and creator of the website alexandracooks.com, has visited the podcast before in recent years, we’ve usually talked vegetable cookery or soups, because we’re both big soup-makers. But 2020 is no normal year. And so what the hell? Let’s bake.Plus: Comment in the box at the bottom of the page for a chance to win one of the books we’re featuring—all five will be given away here to five readers. Then head over to Ali’s website for a chance to win each book, too (details below).Read along as you listen to the November 30, 2020 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher