The headless cabbage Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey What do ancient Greeks, Romans, Scots, and Southerners have in common? The answer is a love for a “mess” of tender, succulent collard greens. What exactly are collards? They are leafy non- heading cabbage family members referred to as Brassica oleracea var. acephala, the last term …
Invite the mints into your herb garden Story by Kristi Cook Of all the herbs one can grow, the mints (Mentha spp.) are perhaps the easiest and most prolific. Enticing names like chocolate mint, pineapple mint, ginger mint, and peppermint, make many of us unwitting “collectors,” filling our already overflowing gardens with each new flavor …
Spicy herb or an herbal spice? Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) starts life as a green rosette of fragrant, tasty leaves and with the arrival of warm weather, sends up slender, two-foot-tall stems with tiny white flowers that produce tasty seeds that we know as the spice called coriander. Cilantro is …
Growing your own blueberries in the home garden By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey Why should you grow your own blueberries? Blueberry bushes have masses of white flowers in spring. In early summer, the bright blue fruits are delicious – and the plants have no thorns, making them easy to pick – and in the fall the foliage …
Creating a bee-friendly herbal oasis Story by Brenda Lynn An herb garden is an oasis of scents, textures, and flavors that add just the right zing to summer meals. But we aren’t the only ones who enjoy a burst of flavor on a hot summer day. Honeybees and other pollinators are drawn to the delicious …
Grow your own basil in the home garden By A.J. Heinsz-Bailey One of the most revered flavors of the summer herb garden is the annual herb basil (Ocimum basilicum). When one thinks of basil, the first thought that usually comes to mind is traditional Italian pesto. Basil has also been used in African, Asian, and …
Grow your own organic sweet corn at home Story and Photos by Kristi Cook My garden is a living quilt composed of each family member’s favorites. For my daughter, there’s purple asparagus to announce spring’s arrival. For my husband, it’s jungle-like plantings of okra destined for the fryer. And for my littlest one, I grow …
An easy addition to your vegetable garden Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey What vegetable is often overlooked, easy to grow and comes in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes? If you guessed “radish” you would be correct. The word Radish comes from the Latin word “radix” which means “root”. The first known radishes …
Canteloupe is a delicious melon for your summer garden Story and Photos by Christine Coker When we purchase “cantaloupe” in a U.S. grocery store, what we’re used to seeing is a fruit with an outer surface that consists of netting, an orderly mosaic pattern, that sits atop and covers the outermost skin. We may or …
Growing pears in your home garden Story and Photos by A.J. Heinsz-Bailey If you are considering adding fruit trees to your landscape, pears (Pyrus communis) are a great way to get started. They will be covered in beautiful white flowers in the spring and succulent tasty fruits in the fall. They are easier to grow …
