Organic Control for Tomato Hornworms on PeppersTomato Hornworms are really big green caterpillars that can devastate your pepper garden. Giant brown moths lay pearl-like eggs on your pepper leaves, from which the monsters will hatch and start to eat voraciously. They can decimate all the leaves on a plant overnight. The best organic control might be picking the caterpillars off the plants, but by then it could be too late to save your plants. Also, touching and pulling them off is gross, but depending on how mad you are, you won’t mind! ...
How to Transplant Pepper PlantsHow to Transplant Pepper Plants Whether you started your own pepper seeds, or if you're transplanting peppers from the garden center, here are our top tips for best success. Transplanting peppers is a simple process, though there are a few tricks to help your pepper transplants thrive. 1. Make sure to harden off your seedlings first! This simply means to bring indoor-started pepper plants outside and expose them to the sun gradually. This will help avoid transplant shock. 2. Create Labe...
Container Salsa GardenGrow your own Container Salsa Garden! Salsa garden plants generally include Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Cilantro, and Onions. These are your basics – but you can really vary it up with different types of tomatoes and hot peppers. Best Tomatoes to grow for Salsa Our wide variety of Heirloom and Hybrid Tomato seeds can be grown in your potted container garden to create a wide range of colorful salsas. Classic salsa is often make with Roma Tomatoes, such as San Marzano Tomatoes. The flesh is much th...
How to grow hot peppers: The best advice from pepper growersWhat is the best hot pepper growing advice you have ever received? Just go for it! Some people just don't try. Grow some of the fastest growing peppers to start, as they are easier to germinate and you get to harvest them much sooner than some other varieties such as many of the super hot peppers. These fast growing peppers are also great for short season gardening – so you can get plenty of peppers before your first frost. Start Seeds Indoors: We recommend starting hot pepper seeds ...
When to Plant Cucumber SeedsWondering when to plant cucumber seeds? Well, it's mid-June and it is the perfect time to plant cucumber seeds! You can plant cucumbers seeds after all chance of frost has past, for many areas in the United States that is from May to June, depending on your growing region. As they are fast growing, you could also plant cucumber seeds in June and early July and still have time for a harvest in late summer and fall. We find that they do best when planted directly in the ground. But, if you ...
What Seeds to Plant in AugustWondering what to plant in August? In the West, we start seeds for the following vegetables in August:Lettuces, spinach, beets, carrots, green onions, cilantro, basil, bok choy, mizuna, kale, peas, green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, radishes and cabbage. Now is a great time to fill in bare spots in your garden or to start seeds to plant into places where cucumbers, basil or other summer veggies are at the end of their production. Vegetables to Plant in August-SeptemberSome of the cool w...
Gardening ChallengesWhat are your biggest garden challenges? Every gardener has challenges, it's part of what makes gardening fun! Learning something new every year, gardeners accumulate lots of knowledge over time via experience. What are some of your top challenges in your garden? WeatherWeather can be harsh sometimes, especially with late spring storms, hurricanes and tropical storms, non-stop rain, freezing cold temperatures, super hot 90˚F+ temperatures, you name it. We like to start many vegetables suc...
Happy June Gardening!It's June 1st, but it's not too late to plant zucchini seeds! Our Summer Squash Black Beauty Zucchini produces a huge crop of tender zucchini squash during the summer - and they are super fast growing, they start to harvest in 55 days! We direct sow the seeds in mounds in the garden, zucchini plants grow fast and don't like to get root bound, so starting them indoors is unnecessary. It's June...Is it too late to plant seeds? There are plenty of other veggies that you can p...
Fastest Growing VegetablesDo you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? Here are our top suggestions for the fastest growing crops that you can start from seed: Radish – Harvest in 22+ Days!The classic Cherry Bell Radish is super easy to grow and it is one of the fastest growing vegetables you can plant!. Simply direct sow the seeds in fluffy soil, keep them moist and watch them sprout in just 5-7 days depending on soil and weather conditions. They grow quickly into pretty 1" cherry red globes that a...
When should I plant my seeds?When should I plant my seeds? This is a great question! The first thing to do is to determine your last average frost date, which you may determine here: almanac.com/gardening/frostdates. Afterward, count back six to eight weeks to start your seeds. Also, consider the first frost date in the fall because the period between your last frost date in the spring and the first frost date in the fall is your growing window. So, note each seed variety's maturity date to ensure you have enough t...
Problems growing carrots?We used to have trouble growing carrots, specifically with sowing carrot seeds, likely because we did not keep them consistently moist during their germination period. Carrot seeds not germinating? Carrot seeds can be planted directly into the garden soil and are easy to grow. But there is a secret to growing carrots and getting the seeds to germinate. If you have problems with carrots in your garden (or at least starting the seeds), use the Carrot Board Trick: For best results, sow car...
Hail Protection for GardensBest Hail Protection for Gardens If you live in an area that is hail prone, such as the front range of Colorado (also known as hail alley), then you know that you want to protect your garden from hail storms. Don't worry, hail happens – but there are real ways to provide hail protection for your garden. #1 Hail Protection for Garden: “The Classic Hail Protector”An overturned pot. Hail Garden DIY Tip: Yes, something as simple as an overturned planter, bucket or flower pot will help p...
What is the best way to transplant tomato plants?Transplanting tomatoes? Here's our five top tips for the best way to transplant tomato plants into your garden: 1. Harden off your indoor-started tomato seedlings first so they don't get shocked by sun, pick an overcast day, or plant in the morning or evening so you aren't planting in full sun. 2. Amend soil where you will be planting with homemade compost if you have it. You can also put some compost deep into the planting hole. 3. Pinch off some of the lower leaves. 4. Remove s...
Roasted Green Chile ChickenGreat for lazy days you want to throw things in a pot and walk away. Ingredients:1 tsp Oregano1 tsp Cumin 3 pounds Chicken (bone-in preferred)4 slices of bacon (chopped)1/2 Yellow onion (large dice)1 10oz. can crushed tomatoes (or finely chopped fresh tomatoes)1/2 C chopped hatch green chiles (roasted)Cilantro for garnishInstructions:1. In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot. Bring to medium heat. Throw in dried spices and roast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn (no oil)....
Salsa Garden LayoutSALSA GARDEN LAYOUT Salsa Garden Layout If you're planning a Salsa Garden, here's some tips! Give tomato plants a lot of space! You can plant jalapenos closer together as they don't grow as large as tomato plants. Make sure to give them enough room away from the tomatoes so they don't get engulfed! Cilantro and Green onions can be grown along the sides of your garden as a border or in between the tomatoes and peppers. We put together this sample Salsa Garden Layout above – bu...
Salsa GardenSALSA GARDEN If you're like us, you can never get enough salsa! So why not grow your own salsa garden? Looking for salsa garden seeds? We have you covered with over 100 peppers from around the world, plus lots of heirloom tomatoes, too, that make the BEST salsa ever! Grow your own salsa garden! Salsa Garden Kit Check out our salsa garden kit and grow your own salsa! Our Salsa Garden Seeds are perfect for any salsa-lover. Our fabulous Salsa Garden Kit has four packets of seeds to get your...
Organic Control for Tomato Hornworms on Peppers
Tomato Hornworms are really big green caterpillars that can devastate your pepper garden. Giant brown moths lay pearl-like eggs on your pepper leaves, from which the monsters will hatch and start to eat voraciously. They can decimate all the leaves on a plant overnight. The best organic control might be picking the caterpillars off the plants, but by then it could be too late to save your plants. Also, touching and pulling them off is gross, but depending on how mad you are, you won’t mind! ...
How to Transplant Pepper Plants
How to Transplant Pepper Plants Whether you started your own pepper seeds, or if you're transplanting peppers from the garden center, here are our top tips for best success. Transplanting peppers is a simple process, though there are a few tricks to help your pepper transplants thrive. 1. Make sure to harden off your seedlings first! This simply means to bring indoor-started pepper plants outside and expose them to the sun gradually. This will help avoid transplant shock. 2. Create Labe...
Container Salsa Garden
Grow your own Container Salsa Garden! Salsa garden plants generally include Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Cilantro, and Onions. These are your basics – but you can really vary it up with different types of tomatoes and hot peppers. Best Tomatoes to grow for Salsa Our wide variety of Heirloom and Hybrid Tomato seeds can be grown in your potted container garden to create a wide range of colorful salsas. Classic salsa is often make with Roma Tomatoes, such as San Marzano Tomatoes. The flesh is much th...
How to grow hot peppers: The best advice from pepper growers
What is the best hot pepper growing advice you have ever received? Just go for it! Some people just don't try. Grow some of the fastest growing peppers to start, as they are easier to germinate and you get to harvest them much sooner than some other varieties such as many of the super hot peppers. These fast growing peppers are also great for short season gardening – so you can get plenty of peppers before your first frost. Start Seeds Indoors: We recommend starting hot pepper seeds ...
When to Plant Cucumber Seeds
Wondering when to plant cucumber seeds? Well, it's mid-June and it is the perfect time to plant cucumber seeds! You can plant cucumbers seeds after all chance of frost has past, for many areas in the United States that is from May to June, depending on your growing region. As they are fast growing, you could also plant cucumber seeds in June and early July and still have time for a harvest in late summer and fall. We find that they do best when planted directly in the ground. But, if you ...
What Seeds to Plant in August
Wondering what to plant in August? In the West, we start seeds for the following vegetables in August:Lettuces, spinach, beets, carrots, green onions, cilantro, basil, bok choy, mizuna, kale, peas, green beans, broccoli, sugar snap peas, radishes and cabbage. Now is a great time to fill in bare spots in your garden or to start seeds to plant into places where cucumbers, basil or other summer veggies are at the end of their production. Vegetables to Plant in August-SeptemberSome of the cool w...
Gardening Challenges
What are your biggest garden challenges? Every gardener has challenges, it's part of what makes gardening fun! Learning something new every year, gardeners accumulate lots of knowledge over time via experience. What are some of your top challenges in your garden? WeatherWeather can be harsh sometimes, especially with late spring storms, hurricanes and tropical storms, non-stop rain, freezing cold temperatures, super hot 90˚F+ temperatures, you name it. We like to start many vegetables suc...
Happy June Gardening!
It's June 1st, but it's not too late to plant zucchini seeds! Our Summer Squash Black Beauty Zucchini produces a huge crop of tender zucchini squash during the summer - and they are super fast growing, they start to harvest in 55 days! We direct sow the seeds in mounds in the garden, zucchini plants grow fast and don't like to get root bound, so starting them indoors is unnecessary. It's June...Is it too late to plant seeds? There are plenty of other veggies that you can p...
Fastest Growing Vegetables
Do you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? Here are our top suggestions for the fastest growing crops that you can start from seed: Radish – Harvest in 22+ Days!The classic Cherry Bell Radish is super easy to grow and it is one of the fastest growing vegetables you can plant!. Simply direct sow the seeds in fluffy soil, keep them moist and watch them sprout in just 5-7 days depending on soil and weather conditions. They grow quickly into pretty 1" cherry red globes that a...
When should I plant my seeds?
When should I plant my seeds? This is a great question! The first thing to do is to determine your last average frost date, which you may determine here: almanac.com/gardening/frostdates. Afterward, count back six to eight weeks to start your seeds. Also, consider the first frost date in the fall because the period between your last frost date in the spring and the first frost date in the fall is your growing window. So, note each seed variety's maturity date to ensure you have enough t...
Problems growing carrots?
We used to have trouble growing carrots, specifically with sowing carrot seeds, likely because we did not keep them consistently moist during their germination period. Carrot seeds not germinating? Carrot seeds can be planted directly into the garden soil and are easy to grow. But there is a secret to growing carrots and getting the seeds to germinate. If you have problems with carrots in your garden (or at least starting the seeds), use the Carrot Board Trick: For best results, sow car...
Hail Protection for Gardens
Best Hail Protection for Gardens If you live in an area that is hail prone, such as the front range of Colorado (also known as hail alley), then you know that you want to protect your garden from hail storms. Don't worry, hail happens – but there are real ways to provide hail protection for your garden. #1 Hail Protection for Garden: “The Classic Hail Protector”An overturned pot. Hail Garden DIY Tip: Yes, something as simple as an overturned planter, bucket or flower pot will help p...
What is the best way to transplant tomato plants?
Transplanting tomatoes? Here's our five top tips for the best way to transplant tomato plants into your garden: 1. Harden off your indoor-started tomato seedlings first so they don't get shocked by sun, pick an overcast day, or plant in the morning or evening so you aren't planting in full sun. 2. Amend soil where you will be planting with homemade compost if you have it. You can also put some compost deep into the planting hole. 3. Pinch off some of the lower leaves. 4. Remove s...
Roasted Green Chile Chicken
Great for lazy days you want to throw things in a pot and walk away. Ingredients:1 tsp Oregano1 tsp Cumin 3 pounds Chicken (bone-in preferred)4 slices of bacon (chopped)1/2 Yellow onion (large dice)1 10oz. can crushed tomatoes (or finely chopped fresh tomatoes)1/2 C chopped hatch green chiles (roasted)Cilantro for garnishInstructions:1. In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot. Bring to medium heat. Throw in dried spices and roast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so they don't burn (no oil)....
Salsa Garden Layout
SALSA GARDEN LAYOUT Salsa Garden Layout If you're planning a Salsa Garden, here's some tips! Give tomato plants a lot of space! You can plant jalapenos closer together as they don't grow as large as tomato plants. Make sure to give them enough room away from the tomatoes so they don't get engulfed! Cilantro and Green onions can be grown along the sides of your garden as a border or in between the tomatoes and peppers. We put together this sample Salsa Garden Layout above – bu...
Salsa Garden
SALSA GARDEN If you're like us, you can never get enough salsa! So why not grow your own salsa garden? Looking for salsa garden seeds? We have you covered with over 100 peppers from around the world, plus lots of heirloom tomatoes, too, that make the BEST salsa ever! Grow your own salsa garden! Salsa Garden Kit Check out our salsa garden kit and grow your own salsa! Our Salsa Garden Seeds are perfect for any salsa-lover. Our fabulous Salsa Garden Kit has four packets of seeds to get your...
