Backyard Gardening Tips

I'm not nearly as experienced a gardener as Frank, but this last summer I took over the mantle of groundskeeper at my grandmother's house. In past years my retired grandparents always planted an extensive garden, featuring mostly tomatoes, but also herbs and beans. They had the patience to weed and keep the growth orderly. I, however, and not nearly as patient, so in order to keep the weeds at bay we purchased breathable, black plastic gardening ground cover and some garden stakes. I cleared the entire patch, raked and loosened the soil and then covered the whole area. I cut 4-inch diameter circles, one for each plant to sprout through. Of course, some weeds popped up, but not nearly the likes of what we had in the past. We planted six varieties of tomatoes, three cucumber plants, three eggplants, a row of beans and a row of peas. We placed basil in large planters at each corner, for aesthetics and to eat fresh with our tomatoes. (Easy summer lunch recipe - slice one tomato, add a few thin slices of mozzarella and gently tear up some fresh basil, lightly sprinkle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar...you won't be disappointed.) I am not exaggerating when I say that we had enough cucumbers and tomatoes to satisfy three households of avid vegetable eaters. And, as Frank says, it was an entirely rewarding experience.

I was always told to cover "big" plants in the winter (think: rose bushes) with a burlap sack, and this has worked time & time again for me, season after season! It of course requires proper pruning before, but the plants seem to do much better through the winter season.

Well, I can't even pretend to be anything close to a green thumb - but I did learn one great tip that has kept my latest bonsai tree alive, and healthy since December.

And that is to soak the whole base of the tree in water, rather than pour water on it like you would with a houseplant. Thus far, this seems to be very effective, and this is the healthiest looking bonsai I've ever owned.

Thanks, Frank. I finally got my peas and beans in the ground yesterday. My family's eternal gardening knowledge brought from the Old World dictated getting these seeds in the ground by St. Patrick's Day...although I doubt that was a major celebration in early 19th century Hungary. I guess my grandmother modified the rule a little....

Thanks for the tip, kmburgos!