There is a particular kind of restlessness that sets in around late February. The days are getting longer, seed catalogues have been read cover to cover, and the garden — still bare and quiet — is full of possibility. For vegetable gardeners, early spring is not a time to wait. It is a time to…
Summer is arguably the most generous season for gardeners. The long daylight hours, warm soil, and reliable sunshine create the kind of conditions most vegetables quietly dream about all year. Whether you have a large backyard plot or a few containers on a balcony, summer gives you a real opportunity to grow food — fresh,…
Cabbage is fairly easy to grow, but sometimes things might not go as expected. I have grown this veggie for years, and there are times when heads don’t form. This condition can be caused by several factors, including high temperatures, excessive nitrogen, and inconsistent watering, among others. Before I delve into details, it’s important to…
Romanesco is a worthy addition to any vegetable garden. The sophisticated member of the cabbage family is superbly flavored and nutritious. What makes it popular is not even the nutty taste and its crispy texture, but the striking apple green heads with numerous spiraling cone-shaped florets. It simply looks like something from another planet. Leaves…
Roma tomato plants produce small red fruits that are oblong in shape. They are also referred to as plum tomatoes and belong to the determinate variety. They produce fruits that are meaty inside with fewer seed,s ideal for making sauces, paste and canning. You’ll tell if a tomato plant is determinate or indeterminate through observing…
Tomatoes dropping off the vine prematurely is one of the frustrating things that many gardeners go through. It’s commonly a sign that your plants are stressed or that they are missing something important. To save the situation, let’s understand why this happens, and you can fix it. Some of the main causes of this problem…
Have you noticed a dry black or brown sunken spot of decay appearing on the blossom end of your tomatoes. This problem is common, especially on the first tomatoes of the season that you may have struggled to nurture after an extremely dry period. Tomatoes rotting on the vine is commonly caused by blossom end…
Tomatoes split or crack on the vine due to inconsistency in the amount of water they receive. When you grow tomatoes in dry conditions or with little supply of water, they are likely to split after a heavy downpour. Irregular watering can also cause this problem. An excess amount of water causes the inside tissues…
Are your tomato plants blossoming but failing to set fruit? This can be a frustrating experience, especially after putting in a lot of effort. Many gardeners are experiencing this problem without knowing the causes or what to do. So, why are tomato flowers not setting fruit? Tomato plants may produce flowers but fail to set…
It is the wish of every gardener to have a bountiful harvest of large and juicy tomato fruits. Unfortunately, something may happen along the way, and you end up getting small tomatoes. Let’s explore why your tomatoes are too small and how you can make the fruit bigger. The main reason for small tomatoes is…