Thinking about growing a cutting garden but aren't sure where to start? Here are some cut flower garden "dos and don'ts" for beginners.
Roasted green beans flavored with garlic and parmesan – Looking for the best way to make green beans? Our oven-roasted green beans are crispy and golden on the outside yet tender on the insid…
Learn how to grow nasturtiums, and add bright pops of color to your garden (and spice to your salad) with this easy to grow edible flower.
Grow delphiniums for the summer-blooming garden, and the tall flower spires provide a focal point of interest in any garden setting.
What is a moon garden? Moon gardens include plants with white flowers and silver or variegated foliage that can be seen reflected in the moonlight. Moon gardens also include white garden flowers with evening fragrance. Moon gardens can be created with your entire yard, a specific area, or even in just one container.
These drought-tolerant plants will add life and color to your garden, even if you live in a hot and dry desert environment.
Best Damn Greens Ever - A mix of collard, mustard and turnip greens, smoked turkey and carefully selected seasonings makes this slow cooked southern classic ready right out the stock pot.
Even the smallest garden will benefit from the addition of a tree – but which type to choose?
I am excited to share that The National Garden Bureau has chosen the allium as the bulb of the year! They pick one annual, one perennial, one bulb crop and one…
Here's how to make the best roasted okra around! Baking it in a hot oven might be the best way to cook this green vegetable.
Fall is an excellent time to divide many perennial plants. You're likely to have more time, and your plants will be set for the spring.
These hardy perennials can thrive in part sun, full sun or shade, high heat or freezing temperatures, and still bloom beautifully every year.
Mid-summer in the herb garden is full of glorious smells, but it's hard to beat the fragrance passing by the lemon balm patch. Lemon balm is at its fullest when temps are hottest in the
How to achieve the prettiest contemporary cottage garden style - and why the 70/30 rule will make your planting so much more successful.
It's not often I make such a declaration but the simplicity of this recipe paired with the flavor really does make this the Best Green Bean Recipe Ever in my opinion.
These collard greens are quickly cooked in olive oil and finished with a squeeze of lemon juice. You're going to love these healthy, vegetarian collards! Recipe yields 2 side servings. To make multiples, simply repeat the ingredients and instructions below (cook each batch separately for best results).
Discover the irresistible flavors of crack green beans with our easy-to-follow recipe. Using fresh green beans, crispy bacon, and a blend of savory seasonings, this dish is a crowd-pleaser.
Learn how to grow luffa (loofah), a delicious vegetable to eat (when picked very young) or let luffa grow and develop into a useful sponge.
For the first time on our new homestead, I've got too much kale and collard greens to eat fresh. This is amazing considering the deer love greens as much as my family! The abundance is a happy thing, though, because greens are easy to preserve for winter eating. You may certainly can greens, but I find them mushy and disagreeable when preserved this way. You may also dehydrate greens to use in smoothies or to powder and add to various dishes. You may also freeze dry greens for similar purposes. (Learn more about dehydrating vs. freeze drying here.) But my preferred method for preserving greens is freezing - because frozen greens are most like fresh, cooked greens. Typically, I defrost frozen greens, pop them into a skillet with a dab of bacon drippings or olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and maybe some onion or garlic powder, and saute until bright green. DEElish! You may also use frozen greens in any cooked dish, like casseroles or enchiladas. But first, you gotta prepare the greens, which may include: * collards * kale * spinach * mustard greens * turnip leaves * kohlrabi leaves * radish leaves * Brussels sprout leaves * broccoli leaves * cauliflower leaves * Swiss chard * and orach. But no, it's not quite as simple as popping the greens into a freezer bag and tossing them in the freezer. That, my friends, would result in goopy mush. (But it works well for green beans!) Preparing Greens for Freezing 1. Wash the leaves, and remove all thick stems. I usually tear the leaves off the stems, but you may cut them if you prefer. The stems are edible, by the way, but they require more cooking than the leaves, and I usually just compost them. 2. Roll the leaves into a cigar shape and slice into thin strips. The thicker the leaves, the thinner the slice you'll need. For example, collards are pretty thick and tough, so I cut the slices just under 1/4 inch wide or so. Spinach is pretty thin-leaved, so I make the slices about 1/2 inch wide. Chopping kale in preparation for freezing. Blanching Greens for Freezing 3. Fill a large pot with hot tap water and place it over high heat. 4. While waiting for the pot to come to a boil, thoroughly wash and sanitize the sink. Pour ice cubes into the cleaned sink and add cold tap water. 5. When the water in the pot comes to a full boil, carefully add the prepared greens. Blanch for an appropriate amount of time: Collards = 3 min. Other greens = 1 - 2 mins. The thicker (tougher) the leaves are, the more blanching time they require. 6. When the greens are done blanching, place a colander over the opposite side of the sink (the one without ice in it) and strain the greens. 7. Quickly transfer the strained greens to the ice water.* 8. When the greens are completely cool to the touch, use a slotted spoon or your hands to transfer them back to the colander. Allow to them to drain for a few minutes. Freezing Greens 9. Transfer the greens to freezer-safe containers. Use within 1 year. Greens blanched, bagged, and ready for the freezer. *NOTE: A more traditional method is to pour the blanched greens directly into the ice water, without putting them into a colander first. However, I find my method cools the greens faster, thereby stopping the cooking faster, which in turn leads to a more nutritious and fresher-tasting end product.
Goldenrod is helpful for making salves for sore muscles, tea for your kidneys, and may be useful for respiratory woes.
Learn about how to plant, grow and care for lavender! There are many benefits to growing lavender, find out how to properly care for this great plant!
These Parmesan Roasted Green Beans are a deliciously easy side dish that comes together quickly.
The most delicious relish recipe that is made with fresh picked zucchini and not cucumbers. A great way to use up the zucchini from your garden so that you can enjoy it all year long!
Learn how to grow ranunculus (even if you live in a hot summer climate like the low desert of Arizona) with these 5 tips.
I don’t think I’m in the minority when I say that dahlias have to be among the most beautiful flowers that you can grow. I mean, just look at this gorgeous bouquet of dahlias:
Dieffenbachia plants are easy to care for. Learn how to grow dumb cane: water, sunlight, soil, fertilizer, pruning, pest control, and more!
Fall is the best time to plant garlic. Here's exactly how to plant a single clove of garlic to grow an entire bulb.
