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Apricots Of Mediterranean origin and flowering in late February and March, outdoor apricots demand a frost-free sunny site. Bush trees can be grown only in the southwest and southeast North America and England; elsewhere, as fan-trained trees on walls facing east, south, or southwest, or in greenhouses. Apricots prefer a moisture retentive, friable and well-drained soil: they object to stiff […]
Dianna Vreeland, the celebrated editor of Vogue magazine, was fabled for the pronouncements that she made about all kinds of things. One of the most famous was, “Pink is the navy blue of India.” Of course, this statement came at a time when navy blue was one of the perennial “neutral” colors in women’s fashion in the United States. Mrs. Vreeland […]
Asparagus This delicious vegetable is expensive to buy but easy to grow. The shoots are cut below soil level when they are about 10cm (4in) long, but all cutting must cease soon after the middle of June to allow the plants to develop over the summer and build up the crowns for the following spring. Asparagus plants must not be […]
TOMATOES All gardeners take pride in vine-ripened tomatoes. In addition to traditional red tomatoes, you can grow tomatoes that ripen to yellow, orange, and even purple. Small cherry tomatoes are ideal for salads and fleshy paste tomatoes cook into a rich, thick sauce. Tomatoes are not difficult to grow provided they get plenty of sun and warmth. PEPPERS Peppers are […]
Everyone knows how delicious is the taste of carefully home-canned produce from the family Vegetable Garden, but as a rule she cannot forget even for a moment the labor which Canning costs the women of the household. I myself have a small Vegetable Garden and do my Canning without assistance, three or four quarts at a time. Those who enjoy […]
BRUSSELS SPROUTS This fall and winter vegetable is included in the Mustard family, Cruciferae, and is referred to botanically as Brassica oleracea gemmifera. The plant originated as far back as the 14th century near Brussels, Belgium, from which town it gets its name. The sprouts are miniature “cabbages” or “buttons,” each, when usable, about 1 1/2-2 in. in diameter, and […]
Parsley Cultivation The point to remember about parsley is that it is certain to be needed by the cook at all times of the year. To allow for this, frequent (at least three) sowings should be made between March and September. Large beds of parsley will not be required by the average family and so the plants may be used […]
Savoy This hardy plant, a type of cabbage, has been grown in Britain since the seventeenth century. The leaves are quite distinct from those of other cabbages, being very puckered or crimped. Although there are early varieties, most gardeners prefer those which are of use during the winter and early spring. Successional crops are obtained by choosing drumheads for cutting […]
Shallots Some people prefer the milder flavor of the shallot, Allium ascalonicum, which they grow in place of onions. Generally, however, shallots are grown for pickling. When stocks of non-bolting onion sets were not available, many gardeners found shallot growing far easier than onion growing. The soil in which they are to be grown must be well-drained and, unless very […]
SWEET CORN No other vegetable captures the succulence of summer like sweet corn. Whether you like your kernels white, yellow, or with both colors on the same ear, new hybrids offer incredibly delicious flavor with very little effort. A warm weather vegetable, sweet corn must not be planted until after the last frost when the soil is warm. Because sweet […]