A Place to Talk Dirt and Share the Harvest

As we inch closer and closer to spring/summer gardening season, it's about time to start preparing. Figuring out what to plant, making sure the seeds are ready to go, coming up with a plan for how everything will lay out in the garden, and figuring out how to make sure it all gets enough water. The Big Focus: Drip Irrigation For me, that last point is the primary thing I'll need to focus on for this year. This year will be my first year going completely drip irrigation (hopefully). I'm not...

I see a lot of complicated planting charts online with exact dates for every single vegetable. If that works for you, great. But out here in Vernon, TX (Zone 7b/8a), I keep it simple. I basically live my gardening life by two holidays: Valentine's Day and Easter. Of course there are a few exceptions, especially if it's still freezing on Easter, but this is a general rule for me. Here is my rough schedule for the year. I’d love to hear how this compares to your schedule, especially if you...

We grow cucumbers for two reasons in our garden. First, there is nothing better than grabbing a fresh one, slicing it up for a salad, or doing it the old-fashioned way: soaking them in a bowl of buttermilk with some salt and pepper. If you've never tried the buttermilk soak, you are missing out. But once the vines really start producing and we can't eat them fast enough, it’s time to break out the canning jars. No special recipes here, either, we just use the "cheat code". I know some...