If you've already encountered a few or a group of spotted lanternflies in your yard, you may need to take extra steps to protect your yard since this invasive pest can damage the ecosystem around them.
19.06.2024 - 14:19 / finegardening.com
On a trip through Germany in 1971, I took a train from Frankfurt to Munich. The train was half-empty, and I looked around for a while before finding a friendly face. He was a factory worker in Germany but was originally from Italy. I don’t think we had talked more than three minutes before we were on the subject of food. He asked me if I had tasted pasta with broccoletti di rape. I assured him that I had, and he clasped his hands, rolled his eyes, and exclaimed in his beautiful dialect, “It’s so good it hurts!” What he called broccoletti di rape, or rape (pronounced rah-PAY) for short, is better known in this country as broccoli rabe. However you pronounce it or spell it, this marvelous cool-weather vegetable is a joy to grow and to cook with. Learn how to grow your own broccoli rabe from seed, and take advantage of this versatile green.
One of the best things about broccoli rabe is how easy it is to grow. Once sown, it requires practically no care at all. Unseasonably warm weather may cause it to bolt too quickly, and deer can be a problem. The only other trouble used to be the unavailability of seeds. Decades ago, I had to get mine from Italy. Today, seeds of broccoli rabe are readily available from American seed companies.
Broccoli rabe has a penchant for cool, wet weather. Here in the Northeast, I sow two plantings. I sow my first planting in late August or early September and harvest it from late October through November. I sow my second planting after a hard freeze; these seeds hunker down for the winter, then produce an early-spring crop. I also allow some of the plants from the first planting to go to seed in late fall so that the seeds will germinate in spring.
Following the advice of my father and grandfather,
If you've already encountered a few or a group of spotted lanternflies in your yard, you may need to take extra steps to protect your yard since this invasive pest can damage the ecosystem around them.
Planting fast-growing evergreen shrubs in your landscape is an easy way to create a privacy screen, reduce noise, and add beauty to your space. Evergreens provide year-long foliage so you don't have to worry about losing leaves in the late fall and winter seasons. Plus, many evergreen shrubs are native to the Southern region and provide food and habitat for bees and birds. Consider these expert recommendations for fast-growing evergreen shrubs to grow in your yard.
Want your backyard to be a personalized fruit market? Then, prune your favorite established fruit plant, gather its cuttings, and start multiplying.
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You can easily grow this plant with seeds.
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It’s always tomato girl summer in my garden. I purposefully lean down and focus on what I grow in my spring garden beds to prepare and make room for the eight to 12 tomato plants that are a combination of favorites started from seed and new varieties picked up at the local farm’s heirloom tomato pop-up. It’s definitely taken me many years to perfect my gameplan, but over time I listened to my space and learned what worked best for me. I think that’s what is most important here: to understand that not every garden guide is a strict must-follow. Think of this as just a few new ideas or suggestions in the pursuit of full harvest baskets this summer. From seed starting in soil blocks to homemade trellising that will maximize your yield—I hope you feel inspired to try something new. Happy tomato growing my friends. Here’s to a bountiful season ahead!
Looking at your latest bountiful harvest, you may realize that you need to learn how to freeze broccoli. This is a great problem to have! When your garden efforts pay off with a bumper crop, you can preserve your vegetables to enjoy year-round. There are several steps required to freeze broccoli, but it’s pretty easy. All you need is a good knife and cutting board, along with a large pot and a large bowl. In this article, you’ll read tips for harvesting broccoli, all you need to know to prep broccoli, and finally, how to freeze broccoli that you grew yourself. Why freeze broccoli from the garden Eating “local”—meaning from the garden—is an aspiration for many of us. While season-extensio
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