How to Grow and Care for Tomatoes in Your Garden

A close up of three ripe tomatoes growing in the garden pictured on a soft focus background.

The fresh taste of juicy homegrown tomatoes is one of the joys of summer gardening. Whether you enjoy them tossed in a summer salad or cooked in a classic sauce, tomatoes are a must-have in the veggie garden. Learn how to plant and grow your own tasty tomatoes and enjoy the fresh taste of summer. Read more now.

11 of the Best Pumpkins to Grow for Pies, Puree, and Other Treats

A close up of an autumnal kitchen scene, with a pie, a rolling pin, unshelled walnuts, and three pumpkins on a rustic wooden surface on a dark background.

If you want to grow pumpkins to make pie, puree, and other delicious treats, which variety should you plant? While you can make pie out of many pumpkin cultivars, some have sweeter flesh than others. Learn about 11 of the best pie pumpkins to grow in your garden now on Gardener’s Path.

Get Your Daily Dose of B Vitamins with These Homegrown Vegetables

A vegetable garden with rows of produce growing in the sunshine with a brick wall and trellis in the background.

Vegetables harvested fresh from the garden bring a burst of flavor to our meals. They also add a nutritious boost of vitamins and minerals – including many B-complex vitamins. Read more now to learn how these vitamins help with essential functions in the body, and which types of homegrown produce are the best sources.

How to Choose the Best Halloween Pumpkins to Grow in Your Garden

An autumnal scene, with pumpkins carved and whole, surrounded by straw and candles set on a wooden surface.

If you’re getting ready to plant your Halloween pumpkins, you might need help choosing the perfect varieties for that spooky night. In this guide, you’ll learn the best varieties to grow whether you’re carving, painting, eating, or just setting out the bright veggies for decoration. Read on to discover your favorites.

The Top 10 Reasons to Love Tomatoes and Add More to Your Diet

A close up background picture of a variety of different tomato cultivars, some are cut in half and others pictured whole, set on a wooden surface.

Whether you like your tomatoes raw, stewed, juiced, pureed, or transformed into a sauce, we can all agree that they’re amazing veggies. Tasty to eat and enjoyable to grow, they also offer incredible health benefits and contain essential vitamins and minerals. Learn the top 10 reasons to love tomatoes – read more now.

35 of the Best Bush Bean Varieties

A close up of various different colored bush beans set on a hessian surface, there are green, purple, and yellow varieties.

Ready for a tour of 35 of the best bush bean varieties? Whether you are growing in planters, worried about bean diseases, or dealing with unusually hot or cool summer conditions, there’s a variety for every garden. Discover the best classic snap, stringless, filet, wax, purple, and Romano bush varieties. Read more now.

Healthy Purple Produce: Should You Eat More Purple Fruits and Vegetables?

A close up of a variety of different purple vegetables and fruits set on a wooden surface.

Purple fruits and vegetables get a lot of praise for offering powerful health benefits. Here we explore what makes foods purple and dive into the nutrition facts. We also cover ideas to grow and eat more purple produce at home. Embrace the power of purple! Read more now to learn what makes purple produce so special.

How to Plant and Grow Ghost Peppers

A close up of ripe ghost peppers, ready for harvest, growing on the plant, surrounded by foliage and fading to soft focus in the background.

Do you like hot peppers? If you can stand the heat, why not try growing ghost peppers? Once thought to be the hottest pepper in the world, the bhut jolokia packs an almighty punch of flavor and adds sizzling heat to a variety of dishes. Learn how to plant and grow ghost peppers with these top tips. Read more now.

How to Grow Napini Kale

A close up top down picture of a flowering shoot of the Brassica oleracea plant in the second season, commonly harvested as napini.

Did you know that kale is a biennial that produces tender edible shoots and buds in the second season? Napini, or kale rabe, is delicious, tender, and sweet, a treat you won’t want to miss out on. What’s more, growing kale for napini is easy. Learn how to grow and harvest your own napini kale. Read more now.

How to Grow Broccoli in Containers

A close up of a black seedling tray containing broccoli seedlings set on a wooden surface on a soft focus background.

Broccoli is a cool weather crop that’s nutritious and delicious. If you want to harvest tender, homegrown broccoli for your soups, quiches, and sides, but don’t have room in your garden, why not try growing it in containers? Planting in pots saves space in your garden and can extend the growing season. Read more now.

How to Plant and Grow Ramps

A close up picture of bunches of ramps at a farmer's market with the roots removed, the bulbs cleaned, held together with elastic bands, on a soft focus background.

Ramps are an incredibly delicious treat in the kitchen, but they’re overharvested in the wild. The solution? Grow your own. Ramps are a fuss-free plant once they’re established, with a flavor that can’t be imitated. Our guide to growing Allium tricoccum includes everything you need to get started. Read more now.

How to Regrow Lettuce from Kitchen Scraps

A close up of three glasses on a windowsill with lettuce scraps that are regrowing, fading to soft focus in the background.

Did you know you can turn lettuce scraps into more delicious, leafy greens with nothing but a container, some water, and a little bit of time? We’ll show you how to grow your own hyper-local greens for free, with minimal effort. It’s also a fun project to do with the kids. Learn more now.

Gardening at Home: 31 of the Best Kits to Get Started

A close up of various gardening tools for indoor gardening with a watering can, pots and seed starter trays, and small hand tools, set on a wooden surface.

It’s the perfect time to start growing your own herbs, fruits, veggies, and mushrooms at home, or to take up a new hobby like terrarium-making or succulent propagation. We’ve found the best kits to help you get started. Most include everything you need, with helpful instructions. Pick your favorite, and get growing!

How to Harvest and Store Carrot Seeds

A top down close up picture of a light red and white carrot flower growing in the garden in light sunshine on a soft focus background.

Saving seeds from your homegrown carrots now can ensure a bounty of garden vegetables in future seasons. If left to flower, each plant produces over a thousand seeds, so saving them is a no-brainer in terms of cheap food production. Learn how to harvest and store your own carrot seeds with this guide. Read more now.

When and How to Harvest Broccoli

A close up of freshly harvested broccoli heads with the foliage removed, set in a wooden box.

Broccoli is one of those veggies that offers so much more than we often give it credit for. This staple crop can be harvested for its large heads, as well as its young tender leaves and side shoots. Read more now to learn how to harvest and store broccoli, and pick up some delicious recipe ideas too.

21 of the Best Japanese Eggplant Varieties

A close up of a variety of small purple eggplant fruits set on a dark gray surface.

Japanese eggplant is a delight on the plate and you can grow this veggie right in your own backyard. When choosing seeds, you’ll find an incredible selection, in shades that are dark black, bright purple, lavender, pink, and even green. Read on to discover 21 of the best Japanese and Asian eggplant varieties.

Vegetable Seeds: Which to Sow Outdoors vs. Indoors?

A close up of a small rustic green cabinet surrounded by baking paper containing seeds ready for planting. To the left of the frame are some biodegradable seed starting pots and a pair of gloves.

Some vegetable seeds should be sowed directly in the garden – while others are more successful when started indoors, and transplanted later. Find a list of which veggies are which, understand the reasons behind these guidelines – and learn about some exceptions you should know about, too. Read on to learn more now.

29 of the Best Lettuce Varieties For Your Garden

A close up of eight different varieties of lettuce, from tight headed iceberg to frilly red cultivars, set on a wooden board on a white surface.

Lettuce is an easy to grow, nutritious addition to your vegetable patch. There are lots of cultivars available in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. From the classic crunch of the crisphead to the delicate, tender oak leaf, there’s sure to be one to suit you. Discover 29 of our favorite lettuce varieties.

13 of the Best Rhubarb Varieties for the Garden

A close up of the red stalks of the rhubarb plant growing in the garden, with bright green foliage on a soft focus background.

Rhubarb pie melts in your mouth, but you can use pie plant in jams, cake, ice cream, and more. And there are plenty of varieties from tart to sweet and everywhere in between to satisfy your cravings. We round up thirteen of the best rhubarb varieties for you to grow in your garden this season. Learn more now.

Kale Spacing: How Far Apart to Plant for the Best Harvest

Neat rows of large, mature kale plants, intercropped with cabbage and other vegetables. In the center of the frame is a light green curly variety, and to its right a large purple variety.

Curious how much space to leave between each of the kale plants in your garden? By spacing these leafy green vegetables just right, it will be easy to care for and harvest your crop throughout your growing season. To find out the best spacing recommendations for your kale varieties and harvesting plans, read more now.

Why Is My Cauliflower Turning Purple?

A close up of a cauliflower head that should be developing white curds but instead is tinged with purple discoloration, set amongst the dark green leafy foliage.

Cauliflower can be a challenging cool-weather crop to grow in the home garden. Sometimes, developing curds that should be snowy white take on a purplish hue. Learn what causes this phenomenon, how to avoid it, and what it means in terms of crop quality. We’re discussing purplish cauliflower, here on Gardener’s Path!

10 Best Broccoli Varieties for Your Garden (Plus 3 Delicious Bonus Options!)

Top-down shot of small green heads of broccoli growing on plants with large green leaves.

If you’re looking for a cool weather crop, you can’t beat growing broccoli. It’s versatile and delicious, an excellent vegetable that’s perfect to enjoy at any time of day. Not sure which cultivar to choose? Read on for 13 varieties of one of nature’s healthiest choices for the table, now on Gardener’s Path.

9 of the Best Arugula Varieties for Your Vegetable Patch

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Nothing tastes better than fresh, homegrown arugula. Did you know that there are numerous varieties to choose from, each with a slightly different flavor, texture, or color? We round up nine of the best varieties of arugula for you to grow in your vegetable garden this season. Learn more about our favorites now.

7 Tips for Harvesting Your Best Leek Crop Ever

A close up of freshly dug leeks with roots and foliage still attached set on a dark soil background with a garden fork to the right of the frame.

Early and late-season leek varieties provide an abundant supply of nutritious, oniony flavor. From careful sowing and working hard to keep your crop moist to blanching the stems to a snowy white, now it’s time to bring in your best leek harvest ever. Enjoy sweet success with our expert tips. Read more now.

Is Kale an Annual or a Perennial?

A top down picture of different types of kale growing in an autumn garden surrounded by yellow and brown leaves.

A vegetable garden favorite, kale is a reliable producer of healthy leafy greens. But is this cruciferous vegetable an annual or a perennial? We’ll have to go back to the birds and the bees to fully understand kale’s life cycle. To find out when to expect flowering and seed heads from your kale plants, keep on reading.

How to Grow Broccolini

A close up of a broccolini plant with delicate heads on long thin stems growing in the garden on a soft focus background.

Tender, crunchy, and sweet with a mildly peppery flavor, broccolini is a hybrid broccoli that is praised for its thin edible flowering shoots which can be harvested multiple times a season. Learn how to grow broccolini in your garden, the best varieties to choose, and enjoy this tasty vegetable all season long.

7 of the Best Ornamental Gourd Varieties

A close up picture of a large variety of different ornamental gourds and edible squash in different colors, textures, shapes, and sizes in bright sunlight.

Ornamental gourds are easy to grow and add color and texture to your garden. Did you know they are available in an array of shades, shapes, and sizes – and they’re perfect for brightening up the backyard or decorating your fall table. Learn about the different varieties and discover our 7 favorites. Read more now.

15 of the Best Tomato Hybrids for Your Veggie Patch

A selection of different heirloom tomatoes shown on a wooden background. A variety of large and small red fruits, as well as yellow and dark green cultivars. Some of the smaller fruits are still attached to the vine, and to the top of the frame are some herbs, just visible.

From the teeniest, tiniest cherry all the way up to the biggest, beefiest tomato, hybrid tomatoes come in a range of shades, shapes, and sizes, meaning there’s a perfect option tickle everyone’s taste buds! Read on to find out which variety of hybrid tomato ‘pips’ your interest in our guide to the top tomato hybrids.

9 of the Best Cabbage Varieties to Grow at Home

A close up of a Brassica oleracea var. capitata growing in the garden. The central head has dark purple leaves around it fading to light green large leaves with purple veins on the outside.

Whether you enjoy it in sauerkraut, soup, or coleslaw, cabbage is a versatile addition to your vegetable patch. With different colors, textures, and sizes there are lots of varieties to choose from. Learn more about the different types of cabbage and choose the perfect one for your garden. Read more now.

Will Kale Grow in Containers? Tips for Growing Your Crop in Pots

A close up of four terra cotta pots with Tuscan and curly kale growing in the bright sunshine on a balcony. The plants have large leaves in various shades of green, the background is white railings and a house behind.

Kale is a frost hardy annual that’s grown for its nutritious, flavorful leaves in fantastic colors and fanciful shapes. And it’s just as easy to grow in pots or containers as in the ground. Learn how to plant up a few pots for the kitchen garden right now, then enjoy its beauty and health benefits well into winter.

How to Grow Leeks

A hand from the right of the frame grasping the stem of a mature leek plant, ready to pull it out of the soil. To the left and in the background are rows of the same vegetable, with dark soil surrounding them, in bright sunshine.

Underutilized in American kitchens but delicious and worthy of a larger role in everyday recipes, leeks are easy to grow. They require rich soil, a good amount of water, and lots of sun. Read on for expert tips and advice about how to add this member of the onion family to your garden, and dine like the French do.

Tips for Protecting Kale from Pests and Disease

A top down picture of a mature curly kale plant growing in the garden, the large outer leaves are a darker green color and the small inner leaves are reddish green. In bright sunshine, the background is further foliage of the same plant.

Despite kale’s tendency to be healthy and vigorous, the plants can be vulnerable to insects, nematodes, bacteria, and fungi under certain circumstances. Read on to learn how to identify and control pests and pathogens on your kale plants.

Can You Eat Kale That Has Turned Yellow?

A close up of dark green healthy curly kale plants growing in the garden bathed in light sunshine.

Kale comes in several varieties, ranging in color from light green to deep purple. But when the leaves start turning yellow, you may be wondering if they’re safe to eat. To learn more about why your leaves may have changed color and whether you can still eat kale that has turned yellow, read more now.

9 Cauliflower Head Disorders and How to Avoid Them

A close up of a cauliflower head, well developed and a creamy white color nestled between dark green foliage in bright sunshine.

Cauliflower is a cool weather crop that can be challenging to cultivate. Sometimes growing conditions are less than optimal and the heads don’t form as they should. Join us to learn about 9 common disorders that may cause irregular cauliflower head formation, and measures to avoid them. Read more now.

How to Naturally Kill Insects on Kale: The Best Organic Solutions

A Brassica oleracea plant, seen from above, with its leaves chewed and destroyed, only small fragments of them remaining on the plant. Instead of being bright green, it is a dull yellow color. In the background is soil and other damaged foliage.

Don’t let your kale get overrun with pests. If you’re growing kale in your vegetable garden there’s a good chance you’ve got some insects damaging your plants. If they get out of control you’ll want to take action. Learn how to identify who’s chomping on your greens and kill these bugs naturally. Read more now.

How to Harvest Cabbage

A close up, top down picture of a cabbage plant with a mature head. There are large, dark green leaves on the outside, and light green tight leaves around the head. The background is soil, in bright sunshine.

Wondering when and how to harvest homegrown cabbage? Get tips from our experts that explain the right time for plucking your spectacular spheres of deliciousness, and discover the best methods of picking them from the garden, how to store them in the kitchen, and fabulous recipe suggestions. Read more now.

Anticipating and Assessing Frost Damage in the Fall Vegetable Garden

A close up of a dark green cabbage covered in frost. The center head is protected by the outer leaves, where most of the frost is concentrated.

When the thermometer takes a sudden dive, you may wake up to a vegetable garden coated with frost. Some crops can tolerate it, but others are ruined instantly. Learn about the hardiness of vegetables, what to do when frost is in the forecast, and how to deal with the damage that may occur. Read more now.

Is Ornamental Kale Edible?

A close up, top down image of ornamental Brassica oleracea, some with vibrant purple leaves, with green edging, others with yellow and green patterns. The center of the plants looks more like a flower than a vegetable.

Ornamental kale is the perfect option to add color to your fall and winter garden, as its leaves only get more vibrant when the weather gets colder. Kale is known for being a healthy, leafy green, rich in several types of nutrients and antioxidants. But is ornamental kale also as nutritious, and safe to eat? Read more.

How to Grow Collard Greens, A Taste of Southern Culture

Close up of a collard greens plant, the large outer leaves showing some signs of pest damage, with holes in the leaf. The smaller, central leaves are a brighter green, contrasting with their light green veins and stalks. In the background is soft focus garden soil.

How would you like to put some soul into your vegetable garden, and your cooking? Learn all about raising nutritious collard greens, an easy-to-grow leafy member of the cabbage family. It brings to the table a rich cultural history indigenous to the American South. Check out our growing tips now.

How to Plant A Southern Fall Vegetable Garden

Gardener using a shovel to turn over soil.

Learn all about how and when to plant a southern fall vegetable garden, and enjoy homegrown produce well into fall and winter, when your northern friends can’t even see their soil underneath all the snow. Plus, get expert tips on which plants you’re likely to have success with in autumn.

How to Plant and Grow Turnips

Looking for a versatile, nutritious, and easy to grow cole crop to plant in your garden this season? There is a reason that the turnip has been a staple of the human diet for centuries! Learn more about how to grow and care for this historic crop right here on Gardener’s Path.

11 of the Best Vegetables to Grow in Pots and Containers

Tomatoes and other vegetables planted in terra cotta pots, on a wooden deck.

Want to start growing your own vegetables but you don’t have much space to spread out? Is it your goal to make the most of every nook and cranny of your small garden, balcony, or windowsill? Learn more about the best varieties of vegetables to grow in pots and containers, now on Gardener’s Path. Read more.

7 of the Best Varieties of Popcorn to Grow Your Own

Horizontal image of a cob of dry yellow popcorn with a folded back dried husk on a dried light brown stalk, with more dried cornstalks in the background.

The must-have movie companion, popcorn is one of the most popular snacks around. Whether you prefer it salty, sweet, or smothered in butter, if you’re a fan of popcorn and are thinking of having a “pop” at growing your own, then check out our handy roundup of the best varieties to grow, now on Gardener’s Path.

How to Grow Rutabagas: A Cool-Weather Crop Perfect for Fall

Horizontal image of three pinkish purple and white rutabagas with dirt-covered roots and green stems and leaves, laying on their side in the dirt, with more leafy greens in the background.

Do you love potatoes and carrots? Want to try growing something new in your garden this year? It’s time to add rutabaga to your list. This under-represented root vegetable is nutritious, delicious, and an excellent choice for long term storage. Best of all, it’s easy to grow your own. Read more now!

How to Harvest and Store Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are misnamed but easy-to-grow, healthful root vegetables that are completely unrelated to regular potatoes. Now, on Gardener’s Path, discover the intricacies of harvesting, curing, and storing your own homegrown tubers. You’ll also find some easy and delicious ways to prepare this tasty orange veggie.

13 of the Best Okra Varieties for Your Vegetable Patch

An okra plant with a white blossom.

Okra is a flowering annual that bears edible pods in shades of red and green. Famous for its use as a thickener in gumbo, it’s not just for Southern gardens, but all USDA Hardiness Zones. Discover 13 of our favorites, and choose from dwarf varieties suitable for containers to tree-sized plants, here on Gardener’s Path.

13 of the Best Cauliflower Varieties for the Home Veggie Garden

Green, purple, and white cauliflower heads on display.

Grow cauliflower for a healthy garden-to-table experience. Choose white snowballs, Italian greens and purples, and orange “cheddars.” Packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber, raw and cooked dishes showcase its mild, sweet-to-nutty flavor. Find the best varieties and where to buy them, here on Gardener’s Path.

The Ultimate Potato Growing Guide

Fresh organic potatoes dug up in a backyard veggie patch sitting on dark, rich garden soil.

Potatoes can be a tricky crop to grow. You can’t see what’s going on below the soil, so you need to confidence that what you’re doing is working. You can erase your doubt and hesitation after reading our expert potato growing guide. Read all about how it is done here on the Gardener’s Path, and you’ll be a spud master!

Grow Crunchy, Sweet Bell Peppers in Your Own Backyard

A close up horizontal image of a bright red bell pepper growing in the garden.

Growing bell peppers in your own garden is beyond rewarding. Sweet yet savory, crunchy, and versatile, they’re delicious at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And the amazing varieties you get to choose from when you grow your own will motivate you to keep growing bell peppers year after year. Learn more on Gardener’s Path.

Plant Your Salad Greens Early: Tips for Growing Lettuce and Microgreens

Small lettuce plants growing in straw mulched garden.

Fresh, crisp, and succulent, salad greens are best suited to grow in the early days of spring. But with a little planning and ingenuity, you can enjoy these tasty morsels almost every month of the year. Get all the details right here on the best growing conditions and environment for a steady harvest!

How to Start Annuals Indoors from Seed

How to Start Annuals Indoors | GardenersPath.com

Are you itching to get into the garden, but it’s still too cold outside? Satisfy your craving to play in the dirt by starting seeds indoors. With an egg carton and potting medium, you can grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables to transplant outside when the weather warms. Learn how on Gardener’s Path.

How to Be Successful with Your Lettuce Patch

A woman's hand is about to pluck green ruffled baby lettuce leaves from a garden patch.

Need help getting your lettuce patch up to snuff? Give our detailed guide a read for the best tips to grow leaf and head types in veggie patches, raised beds, and containers, everything from arugula to romaine. We cover seed starting and planting tips, watering and fertilization requirements, how to harvest, and more.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes at Home

Light green leaves of a sweet potato vine, growing on a brown cedar fence.

Sweet potatoes are the healthy root vegetable that everyone loves. They suit any meal, and roasting turns transforms them into a caramelized, nutritious treat. Would you believe they’re one of the easiest annual edibles to grow? Just imagine what they taste like freshly harvested. Read more now on Gardener’s Path.

Plant Green Beans and You’ll Feel like a Gardening Pro

A large number of freshly picked green beans have been placed into a pile on an old, rustic looking table. The vegetables are topped with a few of the leaves and flowers of the plant they were picked from.

Green beans are the way to go if you need a win this garden season. They are quick to germinate and, depending on the variety, mature within two months. This means you can sow seeds repeatedly, well into the growing season, for multiple harvests. Want to learn how to grow your own? Read more now on Gardener’s Path.

6 Best Types of Kale for Cold Climates

Frost on cold-hearty Lacinato kale on a cold morning. | GardenersPath.com

Kale can do very well in the coldest temperatures. See which varieties are best-suited for late fall and early winter gardens. Get growing tips for a longer harvest in our cold-weather kale growing guide on Gardener’s Path.