When it comes to perennial garden plants, lavender often tops the list. This member of the mint family adds fragrance to every flower bed and attracts a variety of beneficial …

With summertime fun comes both the heat and the sun. And if cooking inside has you rethinking turning the oven on, get outside in the early morning or later in …

Your basic homebrew kit. This is it, everything you need, and none of the extras you don’t to get you well on your way to having a pantry full of …

As a teenager, one of my favorite memories was sitting on the back porch with my mother while we read on a summer evening. The porch was screened in, and …

Most chicken keepers have a lurking fear of something going wrong with their flock. There are so many health issues that chickens can encounter, there’s no wonder we worry! The …

Frequently relegated to garnish status, parsley is often overlooked as an herbal seasoning. Adding a brightness, freshness, and piquancy to foods, the flat-leaf variety is so flavorful that it can …

Did you know that very few ducks actually “quack”? It’s true, they don’t. Are you aware that male ducks are called drakes? That females are called hens or ducks? And …

If you’re looking to diversify your garden with a strong, beneficial plant, then look no further. Horseradish is your new best friend – and possibly your garden’s. Horseradish is not …

Stellaria media is all around us, one of the numerous early wild edibles, more commonly known as chickweed. Other names for this gracious little plant include chickenwort, starweed, maruns, craches …

In the far past, hedgerows were often planted to mark property lines and edges of fields where grazing animals fed. It kept the sheep in and the deer out. At …

When I moved into my second-story apartment downtown, it was the first time in my life that I didn’t have a yard. I had no patch of grass to call …

Although the gardener grows plants as a source of food and beauty, it’s easy to forget that the plant’s sole purpose in life is to reproduce. Bolting – or going …

Is that one ripe? Can I pick that yet? How can you tell if it’s ready? To all of my new gardening friends out there, let me put your worries …

Zucchini and squash can be relatively easy plants to grow. But like most crops, there are a number of things that can go wrong. If you’re having issues with your …

Fifteen years ago, my wife Shana and I bought a little farm on twelve acres in southcentral  Pennsylvania. It was all we could afford at the time — maybe even …

It’s strawberry season, and it’s time to make all of your favorite strawberry dishes. Strawberry jam is hands down my favorite jam. You can keep that weird gelatinous grape stuff, …

Crunchy. Zingy. Garlicky. In my book, these three words describe the perfect pickled vegetable. Who doesn’t love a good, crisp dill pickle heavy on the garlic; that first juicy bite …

There is no need to wonder why growing strawberries is so popular. They’re extremely rewarding, not just in harvest size but in looks, and incredibly easy to grow. Their small …

B. A. N. A. N. A. S. And no, we’re not talking about the iconic Gwen Stefani song (although we won’t judge you if it’s stuck in your head right …

As someone who lives on the second floor of a large brick building, I know a thing or two about stifling rooms in the heat of summer. You know, the …

Hover flies are truly unsung heroes in the garden. Operating like undercover agents, hover flies are easily mistaken for bees or wasps. When at rest on a flower, it’s nearly …

Every year we gardeners spend the entire growing season holding our breath. Seriously, we do. Think about it for a moment. We wait patiently in the spring, fingers crossed, hoping …

Few things taste better than the summer’s first fresh strawberry. Take one bite of a sun-ripened berry, and you’ll never be satisfied with watery commercial varieties again. Fresh strawberries are …

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Ducks are better than chickens. I know; it hurt me a little to say it too. But it’s true. It’s …