Vegetable Garden Reference Center

Vegetable Gardens . Edible Gardens . Sustainable Living


                 
ArtichokeAsparagusAsparagus PeasBeetsAdzuki BeansBeans Bean SproutsBlack BeansBlack Eyed PeasBroad BeansBok ChoyBroccoliBrokali Brussels SproutsBitter Melons BorageCabbage CarrotsCauliflowerChick PeasChinese LanternsCollard GreensCucumbersCardoonCeleryCornDinosaur GourdEggplant FenellGarlicGreat Northern White BeansGround Cherries HorseradishHairy VetchIvy GourdJerusalem ArtichokeJicamaLima BeansLoofah GourdsMalabar SpinachMicro GreensOnionsParsnipsPeppersPotatoesRabbagePumpkinRadicchioRadishesRomanesco Runner Beans RhubarbRosemary Salsify SamphireSea Kale Spring Root CropsSquashSkirretSpinachStrawberry SpinachTomatilloTomatoesTurnipsUlloco TubersWinter MelonZucchini





    
Herb Gardens Indoor Herb GardensTea GardensAngelicaAniseAnise-HyssopBasilBee Balm Borage Calendula CapersCatnip Celeriac ChamomileChicoryChivesCilantro Dill Edible FlowersGinsengElectric DaisiesHibiscus Horseradish LavenderLemon Balm Lemon GrassLemon Verbena Lovage MarjoramMilk ThistleMintOreganoParsleyPassion FlowerRosemarySaffron SageSavorySteviaTarragonThymeTurmeric





    
Fruit TreesApplesBlue Sausage FruitCherriesCustard ApplesDurian FruitJujube FruitKumquatsLemonquatsMedlarsPersimmonsPeachesPlumsRangpur LimeStrawberry TreesTzimbalo Indoor Fruit TreesColumnar Fruit Trees
Berries A-Z List Edible BerriesBlueberriesApple BerryArctic RaspberryChokeberriesCloud BerriesCurry BerryGoji BerryGoose BerryGoumi BerryHoney BerryJamun BerryJosta BerryLingonberryMidgen BerryMiracle BerriesRaspberriesSalal BerrySalmon BerrySchisandraSherbet Berry SeaberriesServiceberriesSnotty GobblesStrawberriesSurinam CherryWintergreen BerriesWaxberryWonder Berry
Melons Melon VarietiesBabaco MelonBanana MelonCanary MelonsCantaloupe Casabanana MelonCrenshaw MelonsJelly MelonKajari MelonPepino MelonTiger MelonsWatermelonCool Climate MelonsGrapesGrapesGrape VarietiesCotton Candy GrapesGiant GrapesRainbow GrapesWitch Finger GrapesChampagne Grapes





    
Mushrooms OverviewMushroom Varieties Hydroponic MushroomsAlmond MushroomsWine Cap MushroomsOyster MushroomsPortobello MushroomsShiitake MushroomsLions Mane MushroomCandy Cap MushroomsTrufflesMorel MushroomsHarvesting Mushroom Spores





    
AlmondsChestnutsHazelnutsPecansPistachiosTiger NutsWalnuts





    
Nutrient DisordersDIY Soil TestsFertilizer LabelsTrack And Adjust Soil pHBiocharComfreyLeaves as FertilizerEpsom Salts as FertilizerEggshells as FertilizerCoffee Grinds as FertilizerWood Ash as FertilizerUrine as FertilizerComposting Worm CompostingBeneficial FungiRototiller Tips





    
Beneficial InsectsGreen LacewingsLady BugsPraying Mantid
Beetles and WeevilsBeetlesWeevilsAsparagus BeetleBlack Vine WeevilBean BeetlesCarrot WeevilColorado Potato BeetleCucumber Beetles Flea Beetles Harlequin Bugs Japanese BeetlesJune BugsMexican Bean BeetleRedneck Cane BorerSap BeetlesSquash BugsStrawberry Root WeevilTarnished Plant BugWorms and MothsWorms Pickle wormsCabbage LooperCelery WormCherry Fruit WormCorn BorerCorn EarwormCranberry fruitwormCutwormsDiamondback MothGreen Fruitworms Leaf Rollers Leek MothRaspberry fruitwormsTomato Horn Worm WebwormsWirewormsFliesFliesFungus GnatsGypsy MothsWhite fliesMaggotsAssorted Pests AphidsBirdsGrasshoppers LeafhoppersLeaf MinersMitesPill bugsScalesSlugs and Snails Spider CricketsSquirrelsThripsOrganic Pest Control Companion Plants for PestsTop Pest Control Tips Neem OilMilk for Powdery MildewBaking SodaCinnamonAspirinNutrient IssuesSoil - Fertilizer - NutrientsPlant Nutrient DeficienciesBlossom End RotCrop Specific ResearchArtichoke PestsCucumber PestsCucumber Plant DiseasesCucumbers Turn WhiteCucumber Mosaic VirusCucumber Bacterial WiltStrawberriesTomato Plant DiseasesPepper Plant PestsPepper Plant DiseasesPumpkins and SquashRaspberry Blackberry PestsWatermelonHollow WatermelonsSmall Stunted WatermelonsWatermelons Bursting Splitting





    
Companion Planting OverviewAsparagus Companions Beets Companions Carrot CompanionsCorn CompanionsCucumber CompanionsEggplant CompanionsGooseberry CompanionsHorse Radish CompanionsLeeks CompanionsLettuce CompanionsOnion CompanionsPea CompanionsPepper CompanionsPotato CompanionsPumpkin CompanionsRadish CompanionsRaspberry CompanionsSpinach Companions Strawberry CompanionsTomato Companions







               
Carrots in Containers Corn in Containers Raspberries in ContainersStrawberries in ContainersTomatoes in ContainersSelf Watering Containers





          
Sea Shore Vegetable GardensShade Gardens
DroughtDrip Irrigation Silicon for Drought Gardening Drought Resistant EggplantDrought Resistant HerbsDrought Resistant TomatoesDrought Resistant CornVinegar for Drought Gardening





          
Hydroponic Crops Best Crops for HydroponicsHydroponic BeetsHydroponic BasilHydroponic Blueberries Hydroponic Bok ChoyHydroponic BrocolliHydroponic CarnationsHydroponic CarrotsHydroponic ChivesHydroponic Corn Hydroponic CucumbersHydroponic FlowersHydroponic GarlicHydroponic LettuceHydroponic Micro-GreensHydroponic MushroomsHydroponic OnionsHydroponic PeppersHydroponic PotatoesHydroponic RadishesHydroponic Raspberries Hydroponic SaffronHydroponic SpinachHydroponic StrawberriesGrow Rooms and EquipmentHome HydroponicsGrow Room DesignHydroponic SystemsGrow LightsDual Spectrum Lighting Reflective MaterialFluorescent lightsHydroponics VentilationGrowth MediumsGrowth MediumsPerlite Expanded Clay AggregateHigromite - HygromiteRockwoolCoco Coir / Coconut FiberOasis CubesSphagnum MossNutrientsHydroponic NutrientsHydroponic CalciumHydroponic PhosphorousHydroponic NitrogenHydroponic PotassiumHydroponic SiliconMaintenance and Trouble Shooting Hydroponic Salt Build-upHydroponic Algae ControlHydroponic Water Quality Mycorrhizae Beneficial FungiTDS in HydroponicspH in HydroponicsIndoor Pollination





          
Common Ways to Preserve FoodJelly and PreservesPicklingDrying Fruits & VegetablesFruit JerkyFreeze DryingSun Dried TomatoesPreserving With AlcoholHerbal Teas Ice CreamWine MakingFruit and Vegetable PowdersCrop Specific PreservingApplesAsparagusBlueberriesCarrotsCornEggplantGoji BerryGooseberryHorseradishMushroomsOnionsPeppersPumpkins RaspberriesStrawberries Sweet PotatoesTomatoesGreen Tomato RecipesCanning TomatoesFreezing TomatoesVegan MushroomsDrying Mushrooms
          
Prickly PearsPrickly Pear VarietiesBarrel CactusDragon Fruit
          
Water Timers Water Tee-Pees Talking to PlantsRegrow Kitchen ScrapsWinter Cover CropsPlants From CuttingsHydrogel Water Crystals

BonsaiFruit Bearing BonsaiBonsai Coffee PlantsKumquats as Bonsai Trees


Featured Articles

Fall Planting of Apple Trees

Fall Planting of Apples

Apple Trees most certainly can be planted in the Fall in most climates.

The root system has the opportunity to establish itself within the soil and come back after its natural dormancy in the Spring healthy hearty and ready to go.

Trees planted in the cool weather of early autumn do not experience the atmospheric heat stress that spring planted trees are subjected to. In warmer weather fruit trees lose a lot of moisture via evaporation / transpiration hence the need for water is much higher. Fall planted trees do much better on much less water and nutrients. Full Article


12 Edible Crab Apple Varieties

Crab apples and Apples are the same species, but different cultivars. An apple that's over 2 inches round is considered an apple, while anything smaller is a crab apple. They are both edible, although crab apples got a bad rep due to the bitter and pithy taste of ornamental varieties commonly grown.

edible crab apples

Most crab apples are also more acidic than standard apples and have elevated levels of pectin. This makes them excellent for preserves and even pickling. Full Article


  


Permaculture Basics What is Permaculture

Garden of Eden The original Permaculture

Permaculture is a philosophy of utilizing nature for the mutual benefit of both humans and the ecosystem. It involves observing natural functions and interactions of plants, birds, bees, bugs, toads, snakes, soil, rain, and all the elements and factors present in a natural setting and designing or actually redesigning them to suit our needs without destroying micro-ecosystems around us and ultimately the macro ecosystem. Summarized it is Emulating Nature to suit our needs. It is the essence of agricultural sustainability and represents a utopian ambition of managing a new age Garden of Eden, Elysian fields or perhaps Xanadu. At times it can be frustrating as we endeavor to harness natural systems to work in harmony with our needs, but the long term rewards are beneficial not only to us but our planet and the critters we share it with. - Full Article



Gardening is better than Prozac and you get Tomatoes

Garden Mental Health

If you have ever gardened, you know it makes you feel good although you are not really sure why. The positive impact on your mental health is undeniable. It instills a sense of well-being and primitive euphoria almost as good as an orgasm. There is strong evidence of gardening being an effective treatment and preventative of mental illness.

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Making Preserves. Putting Up

Common Ways to Preserve Food
Whats the Difference - Which is Better

Preservation of otherwise perishable food runs paralell to Human evolution and the advance of civilization. Societies that failed to preserve food from times of plenty for times of famine perished. Those that were able to maintain a continuos year round food supply flourished. In Modern times the focus on sustainablity is intensifying, not just for basic survival but for economic prosperity and the sense of pride that comes with growing and preserving your own food supply year long without having to rely on 7-11, Piggly Iggly or Stop n Shop.

Full Article

 Making Old Fashion Tomato Preserves

Old Fashioned Home Made Tomato Preserves

'Americans were big preservers,' said Stephen Schmidt, a culinary historian and the author of the forthcoming book 'Dessert in America.'

Homemakers going back to the 18th century were putting up tomatoes in syrup, then serving them on their own with custard or as a condiment for desserts like sago pudding, a tapiocalike dish. Later came tomato jelly and jam . The tomato recipes, which appear in many cookbooks.. often contained lemon or ginger, and the preserves in syrup were sometimes made with yellow tomatoes. "NY Times Recipe Redux"

Full Article


Biodiversity, Ark of Taste, Heritage & Heirloom Foods

The Ark of Taste is a world wide catalog of endangered foods that are deemed peculiar to a distinct ethnicity or geographic region, they are basically heritage foods. Biodiversity refers to the vast variety of species on our planet. Plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. In modern gardening we strive to orchestrate the interaction of living things within our gardens for the end result of a bountiful harvest.Full Article

Preserve Biodiversity

Biochar Basics - What is it How to Make Biochar - Full Article

Making Bio-Char