October 2007

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Edible Shrubs for your Landscape

Look around any yard in the United States and you're bound to see a limited palette of ornamental shrubs used as foundation plantings, hedges, and specimen plantings. Although beautiful, I can't help but think they're missing out on a great opportunity to grow similarly attractive shrubs that are edible instead. The first order of business is to decide which shrubs to grow. Much of your decision will be determined by usage..... >>more

Edible of the Month: Kale

Kale is an old-fashioned vegetable that's been enjoying a revival of late. Not only is it loaded with nutrients and easy to grow, newer varieties make an attractive landscape additions to any flower or vegetable garden. If you were going to eat only one vegetable for your health, kale should be it. Kale is loaded with calcium, iron, and Vitamins A,.... >>more

Kale-Sausage Soup

I like to use lacinata or dinosaur kale and harvest them in fall when leaves are sweet tasting. Being a vegetarian, I've adapted Ellen's recipe, substituting soy-based vegetarian sausage for regular sausage and using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. It still tastes great and ..... >>more

Soil Common Sense

The soul of your garden is the soil. A healthy soil translates into a healthy garden. But before you begin adding compost, manure, fertilizer, lime, and other soil amendments, you need to know what type of soil you have and its properties. Clay, silt, and sandy soils ..... >>more

Send Your Ideas!

Do you have any tips to share? Are there topics you'd like me to address?
E-mail me at ediblelandscaping@garden.org

October Q and A

Question: I'm a school teacher in Houston, Texas. We have raised beds right near our school that I want to plant into edibles. What can I plant now with the kids?

Answer:That's great you're growing edibles with the kids. Being in USDA hardiness zone 8, you still can plant lots of edibles that will grow throughout the winter in Texas. Some of the cool season vegetables to plant in October from seed include beets, carrots, Swiss chard, lettuce, kale, peas, radishes, and spinach. Some vegetables to plant from seedlings or transplants include broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Don't forget edible flowers and herbs, too. Pansies and violas are cool season flowers, and the kids can eat the blossoms. Parsley is a great cool season herb that will survive until early spring.

Question: I have a 2-year old lemon tree in a container. The first two years I got several lemons. This spring my tree had some tiny lemons, but they all fell off. What happened?

Answer: It sounds like your lemon tree needs some fertilizer. Citrus likes a high nitrogen fertilizer such as 30-10-10. Look for a fertilizer that will acidify the soil and that also contains micronutrients such as iron, manganese, and zinc. Check your local garden center for citrus fertilizer products. In general, container citrus prefer a moist but well-drained soil. When the top 2 to 3 inches of soil are dry, soak the rootball thoroughly until water drains out the bottom. Also, if you're using treated municipal water, let it stand for a few hours so the chlorine will evaporate. Then use that water for your tree.

National Gardening Association