Simple ways to save money while you garden
Your herb garden has been producing all summer, but the growing season is coming to an end. The oregano is overflowing its container, your thyme needs trimming, and the rosemary has more fragrant stems than you could possibly use before winter. Rather than letting those herbs go to waste, you can preserve much of your…
Your basil has started looking tired, the tomatoes are slowing down, and the first chilly nights have arrived. But one herb in your garden might still be producing fresh green leaves while everything else prepares for winter. Parsley is surprisingly resilient when temperatures drop, making it one of the most useful herbs to keep growing…
Your basil plants have been producing fragrant green leaves all summer, but the weather forecast suddenly shows nighttime temperatures dropping into the 40s. You might assume there’s still plenty of time to harvest because freezing temperatures aren’t expected yet. Unfortunately, basil is one of those garden favorites that can suffer cold damage before an actual…
You’ve spent weeks growing lettuce, kale, spinach, and carrots, only to discover that an unexpected cold snap is heading your way. The thought of losing those vegetables just before harvest is frustrating, especially when you’ve already invested money in seeds, soil, and garden supplies. Fortunately, one relatively inexpensive gardening tool can help protect your crops…
You’ve planted your fall vegetable seeds, kept the soil moist, and finally watched tiny green shoots emerge from the ground. There’s just one problem: dozens of seedlings are growing practically on top of each other. Removing perfectly healthy little plants might seem wasteful, especially when you’ve spent time and money getting them started. However, leaving…
Your tomato plants are fading, the cucumbers have stopped producing, and your summer garden looks like it’s ready to close for the year. But before you pack away your tools, there’s one vegetable worth considering for your next cool-weather garden: beets. These colorful root vegetables can thrive when temperatures drop, provide more than one edible…
The weather forecast calls for freezing temperatures, and you don’t have a frost blanket handy. You spot an old roll of plastic sheeting in the garage and figure it should work just as well. After all, if plastic keeps rain and wind out, shouldn’t it protect your garden from the cold, too? Unfortunately, that seemingly…
If you’ve ever tasted spinach straight from the garden on a chilly fall morning, you might have noticed something surprising: the leaves can taste sweeter and less bitter than the spinach you harvested during warmer weather. That isn’t just your imagination. Cooler temperatures can actually change the chemistry inside certain vegetables, creating flavors that are…
Your summer tomatoes are finished, the cucumber vines are turning brown, and the garden beds that kept you busy all summer are starting to look empty. But before you pack away your gardening tools, there’s one inexpensive crop that can keep fresh food coming well into autumn. Lettuce thrives in cooler weather, and with the…