Beans not getting soft?If you cook beans from scratch (dried beans), you may have noticed that they sometimes don't get soft no matter how long you cook them. There are a couple reasons that beans might not be getting soft: Old beans may not get soft, so use fresh beans. Why? As dried beans age, moisture evaporates, giving pectin time to age and harden the skin, which results in beans that refuse to get fully soft. Beans can remain hard if acidic ingredients are added before they get soft. Tomatoes, vinega...
Pinto Beans Recipe - a simple classic!EASY PINTO BEANS RECIPE: Enjoy homemade pinto beans with this classic and simple recipe: Soak beans overnight. Rinse. Add beans to pot. Add water. Add salt, add a whole onion (or dice it up) and a head of garlic. Bring to boil, then bring down to simmer. When they get soft, taste and add more salt if desired. This usually takes about 2-3 hours. Once the beans are cooked and soft, you can add any other ingredients to spice it up! Optional additions and variations: Chile de Arbol, destemmed...
How to Grow Chilli PlantsChillies, chiles, peppers, whatever you want to call them, are easy to grow plants in any vegetable garden. They do like warm weather, so it is best to start them indoors 6-8 weeks before hardening them off and transplanting them outdoors. Chile plants do great in 5 gallon+ pots, and they also grow very well in the ground. Make sure they have well-draining soil, and amend it with homemade compost if possible to keep the plants healthy. Here our our Top 14 Tips on How to Grow Chilli Plants: ...
Fastest Growing VegetablesDo you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? We have a great selection of fast growing vegetable seeds to grow in your garden. Whether you want to fill more vegetables into your garden, or you're starting your garden late, or just want to eat fresh veggies faster, any of these varieties are sure to please! 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 i...
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 bucket or flower pot will help protect your ...
Vegetable Container GardeningVegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
Gardening by the Zodiac SignsWhen it comes to planting in your garden, soil, sun and seasons aren't the only factors to consider. It turns out the the zodiac signs can be just as important. For the best results, they should be considered when choosing plants for your garden. What to plant in your garden according to your zodiac sign. ARIES (March 21 to April 20) You are a fiery, energetic, and quick individual who likes spicy, invigorating plants and foods. Growing onion, garlic chives, basil, cayenne peppers, a...
Pumpkin Chile Soup RecipeIf you grow pumpkins and green chile, then you should definitely be making pumpkin chile! This delicious recipe has a slight sweetness from the pumpkins, and lots of flavor from the green chile and red chile. Pumpkin Chile Soup Recipe INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 can of diced tomatoes 1.5 cups of roasted Green Chile, peeled and diced 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 1.5 cups chopped or mashed pumpk...
Easy Christmas Green Chile RecipesThese are the best Christmas Green Chile Recipes and other spicy dishes to make your holidays even tastier: Hatch Green Chile Gravy Recipe »Go Christmas-style at Christmas with green chile gravy and red chile recipes below – pour half green, half red on your mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, and other dishes for a festive and super tasty Christmas-Style delight. Red Chile Sauce Recipe »Fresh Red Chile Sauce Recipe » A classic, Mexican Red Chile Sauces make every recipe special...
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...
Spicy Vegetarian Chili RecipeSPICY VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPE INGREDIENTS: 6-8 Cups of fresh diced tomatoes (or 1 large (28oz) can of diced tomatoes) 2-4+ diced hot peppers such as Serranos 4 chopped sweet red peppers or bell peppers 2 onions, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cans (15 oz) of kidney beans, drained 2 cans (15 oz) of black beans, drained (or use other beans like pinto beans) 1-2 cups of water (or broth of choice) 1 Cup of Corn, optional 2 tablespoons of chile powder 1 teaspoons of ground cumin Salt &...
What seeds can you plant in July?What seeds can you plant in July? In July, it's not too late to fill your garden with more vegetables!Fill the gaps and sow more seeds to grow more food this summer.Sometimes you have space that opened up from where you were growing spring lettuce or radishes, or perhaps you had a plant that fizzled out, or just haven't planted an area yet. Well, there is no better time than July to sow some more veggie seeds and increase your harvests this summer! Seeds to sow in July for a bou...
Tomato spotted wilt virus - mottled tomatoesThe above photo of some wild looking mottled tomatoes is damage most likely caused by the Tomato spotted wilt virus. Plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus exhibit bronzing of the upper sides of young leaves, which later develop distinct, necrotic mottled spots. It looks wild, but it usually results in a less tasty tomato though it is still safe to eat if it doesn't taste too bad. This viral disease is infectious to many other plants including peppers, so it's best to remove ...
How to grow more peppersTo increase your pepper plant harvests, it is important to provide optimal growing conditions, such as in full sun and warm temperatures, plus good, loamy soil with lots of organic matter. Providing a balanced fertilizer, ideally organic, is also good for continued support of growth. Here are more tips on growing more peppers: 1. Choose Productive Pepper Varieties: Pick the fastest growing peppers to ensure a long, productive harvest. While all peppers will eventually produce a ton of pods...
Growing Spaghetti SquashAre spaghetti squash hard to grow? Growing spaghetti squash seeds are some of the easiest and rewarding squashes to grow! They are easy to start from seed, you can direct sow them in mounds in your garden, no need to start them indoors. In fact, we find that direct sown squash often do better than their indoor-started counterparts, this is in part because they have sensitive root systems that don't like to be disturbed (aka transplanted). Make sure to provide good soil for them, they lik...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? It's not too late to start your garden! June is a great time to plant companion plants with your peppers, tomatoes and other veggies. There is a great range of seeds to choose from that you can plant in June including cilantro, squash, cucumbers, nasturtium, lettuce, basil, and many more. Read about them below... Cilantro - great for salsas, and the flowers attract lots of beneficial insects and produce more seeds (also known as Corian...
Seeds to Plant in May - Direct SowingA summer squash above was direct seeded in mounds in May at a community garden in Denver. Squash is best direct sown as it doesn't like to have it's roots disturbed, so we generally plant it directly in the garden in May and June. Is May too late to direct sow seeds? Answer: Nope! May is a great time to direct sow many seeds in most growing regions in most of the Northern Hemisphere! May marks the transition from spring to summer in many regions, and the days are super long in M...
How to Start a Seed LibrarySharing seeds is one of the best ways for communities to share the love of gardening and growing food! Here are our top tips for starting a seed library in your community: Step 1: Find a community space for the Seed Library A well-visited community space is your best bet! Choose a venue that is free and open to the general public such as a local public library or community center.Some people are starting to create outdoor "Little Free Seed Libraries" alongside the book versions ...
Grow Peppers in PotsDid you know you can grow peppers in pots? Most pepper varieties do great in pots! Check our list of Best Peppers to Grow in Pots Add some peppers to your garden this year! Growing peppers in pots is a great way to expand your garden, or peppers if you don't have a garden bed! You can place pots on patios, decks, or balconies to increase your harvest each season. The Easter Pepper, shown above, makes an absolutely stunning centerpiece in a tall ceramic pot in a pollinator garden. The lar...
Beans not getting soft?
If you cook beans from scratch (dried beans), you may have noticed that they sometimes don't get soft no matter how long you cook them. There are a couple reasons that beans might not be getting soft: Old beans may not get soft, so use fresh beans. Why? As dried beans age, moisture evaporates, giving pectin time to age and harden the skin, which results in beans that refuse to get fully soft. Beans can remain hard if acidic ingredients are added before they get soft. Tomatoes, vinega...
Pinto Beans Recipe - a simple classic!
EASY PINTO BEANS RECIPE: Enjoy homemade pinto beans with this classic and simple recipe: Soak beans overnight. Rinse. Add beans to pot. Add water. Add salt, add a whole onion (or dice it up) and a head of garlic. Bring to boil, then bring down to simmer. When they get soft, taste and add more salt if desired. This usually takes about 2-3 hours. Once the beans are cooked and soft, you can add any other ingredients to spice it up! Optional additions and variations: Chile de Arbol, destemmed...
How to Grow Chilli Plants
Chillies, chiles, peppers, whatever you want to call them, are easy to grow plants in any vegetable garden. They do like warm weather, so it is best to start them indoors 6-8 weeks before hardening them off and transplanting them outdoors. Chile plants do great in 5 gallon+ pots, and they also grow very well in the ground. Make sure they have well-draining soil, and amend it with homemade compost if possible to keep the plants healthy. Here our our Top 14 Tips on How to Grow Chilli Plants: ...
Fastest Growing Vegetables
Do you want to grow the Fastest Growing Vegetables? We have a great selection of fast growing vegetable seeds to grow in your garden. Whether you want to fill more vegetables into your garden, or you're starting your garden late, or just want to eat fresh veggies faster, any of these varieties are sure to please! 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 i...
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 bucket or flower pot will help protect your ...
Vegetable Container Gardening
Vegetable Container Gardening:The best seeds to grow Even if you don't have a lot of space, vegetable container gardening is possible so you can have your own homegrown veggies and herbs. Starting Seeds for Vegetable Container Gardens: You can start many seeds in a sunny window, or get some inexpensive led or flourescent grow lights and start seeds under the lights to get them growing strong for transplanting into their final containers or pots come spring. The cost of starting your cont...
Gardening by the Zodiac Signs
When it comes to planting in your garden, soil, sun and seasons aren't the only factors to consider. It turns out the the zodiac signs can be just as important. For the best results, they should be considered when choosing plants for your garden. What to plant in your garden according to your zodiac sign. ARIES (March 21 to April 20) You are a fiery, energetic, and quick individual who likes spicy, invigorating plants and foods. Growing onion, garlic chives, basil, cayenne peppers, a...
Pumpkin Chile Soup Recipe
If you grow pumpkins and green chile, then you should definitely be making pumpkin chile! This delicious recipe has a slight sweetness from the pumpkins, and lots of flavor from the green chile and red chile. Pumpkin Chile Soup Recipe INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 can of diced tomatoes 1.5 cups of roasted Green Chile, peeled and diced 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 1.5 cups chopped or mashed pumpk...
Easy Christmas Green Chile Recipes
These are the best Christmas Green Chile Recipes and other spicy dishes to make your holidays even tastier: Hatch Green Chile Gravy Recipe »Go Christmas-style at Christmas with green chile gravy and red chile recipes below – pour half green, half red on your mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, and other dishes for a festive and super tasty Christmas-Style delight. Red Chile Sauce Recipe »Fresh Red Chile Sauce Recipe » A classic, Mexican Red Chile Sauces make every recipe special...
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...
Spicy Vegetarian Chili Recipe
SPICY VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPE INGREDIENTS: 6-8 Cups of fresh diced tomatoes (or 1 large (28oz) can of diced tomatoes) 2-4+ diced hot peppers such as Serranos 4 chopped sweet red peppers or bell peppers 2 onions, chopped 6 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cans (15 oz) of kidney beans, drained 2 cans (15 oz) of black beans, drained (or use other beans like pinto beans) 1-2 cups of water (or broth of choice) 1 Cup of Corn, optional 2 tablespoons of chile powder 1 teaspoons of ground cumin Salt &...
What seeds can you plant in July?
What seeds can you plant in July? In July, it's not too late to fill your garden with more vegetables!Fill the gaps and sow more seeds to grow more food this summer.Sometimes you have space that opened up from where you were growing spring lettuce or radishes, or perhaps you had a plant that fizzled out, or just haven't planted an area yet. Well, there is no better time than July to sow some more veggie seeds and increase your harvests this summer! Seeds to sow in July for a bou...
Tomato spotted wilt virus - mottled tomatoes
The above photo of some wild looking mottled tomatoes is damage most likely caused by the Tomato spotted wilt virus. Plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus exhibit bronzing of the upper sides of young leaves, which later develop distinct, necrotic mottled spots. It looks wild, but it usually results in a less tasty tomato though it is still safe to eat if it doesn't taste too bad. This viral disease is infectious to many other plants including peppers, so it's best to remove ...
How to grow more peppers
To increase your pepper plant harvests, it is important to provide optimal growing conditions, such as in full sun and warm temperatures, plus good, loamy soil with lots of organic matter. Providing a balanced fertilizer, ideally organic, is also good for continued support of growth. Here are more tips on growing more peppers: 1. Choose Productive Pepper Varieties: Pick the fastest growing peppers to ensure a long, productive harvest. While all peppers will eventually produce a ton of pods...
Growing Spaghetti Squash
Are spaghetti squash hard to grow? Growing spaghetti squash seeds are some of the easiest and rewarding squashes to grow! They are easy to start from seed, you can direct sow them in mounds in your garden, no need to start them indoors. In fact, we find that direct sown squash often do better than their indoor-started counterparts, this is in part because they have sensitive root systems that don't like to be disturbed (aka transplanted). Make sure to provide good soil for them, they lik...
What Seeds to Plant in June - Companion Plants!
Wondering what seeds you should plant in June? It's not too late to start your garden! June is a great time to plant companion plants with your peppers, tomatoes and other veggies. There is a great range of seeds to choose from that you can plant in June including cilantro, squash, cucumbers, nasturtium, lettuce, basil, and many more. Read about them below... Cilantro - great for salsas, and the flowers attract lots of beneficial insects and produce more seeds (also known as Corian...
Seeds to Plant in May - Direct Sowing
A summer squash above was direct seeded in mounds in May at a community garden in Denver. Squash is best direct sown as it doesn't like to have it's roots disturbed, so we generally plant it directly in the garden in May and June. Is May too late to direct sow seeds? Answer: Nope! May is a great time to direct sow many seeds in most growing regions in most of the Northern Hemisphere! May marks the transition from spring to summer in many regions, and the days are super long in M...
How to Start a Seed Library
Sharing seeds is one of the best ways for communities to share the love of gardening and growing food! Here are our top tips for starting a seed library in your community: Step 1: Find a community space for the Seed Library A well-visited community space is your best bet! Choose a venue that is free and open to the general public such as a local public library or community center.Some people are starting to create outdoor "Little Free Seed Libraries" alongside the book versions ...
Grow Peppers in Pots
Did you know you can grow peppers in pots? Most pepper varieties do great in pots! Check our list of Best Peppers to Grow in Pots Add some peppers to your garden this year! Growing peppers in pots is a great way to expand your garden, or peppers if you don't have a garden bed! You can place pots on patios, decks, or balconies to increase your harvest each season. The Easter Pepper, shown above, makes an absolutely stunning centerpiece in a tall ceramic pot in a pollinator garden. The lar...
