We Can Grow It

05/06/2019

Quick videos to show you what to do in the garden in May!

05/01/2019

Lots to do in the garden in May!

May in Chicagoland can be taxing on the edible garden. As spring transitions to summer, we experience light frosts, 80+degree days, hailstorms, winds topping 30mph, and rain for days followed by no rain for more than a week. If you think you’re having trouble adjusting your thermostat or weather g...

04/27/2019

Chives are cold-hardy and ready to harvest! A great way to warm up in hot mashed potatoes or grits tomorrow.

Do you have chives in your garden? It's harvest time!

03/25/2019

It's almost time!

Earth Day is coming up in less than a month, which is a typical planting date for cool-weather crops in Chicagoland. Cool-weather crops such as broccoli, kale, and parsley can handle slight dips in nighttime temperatures, provided they have been hardened off properly. This is also a great time to pl...

03/21/2019

Mulch, mulch, mulch!!

Soil temperature influences how and when seeds and plants sprout and develop. Here are the keys to understanding and even adjusting your garden's soil temp.

03/18/2019

Growing flowers from seed can be both easy and rewarding! However, the process may be somewhat intimidating for beginner gardeners. Here are some quick gardening tips for better bachelor's buttons.

03/07/2019

A bowl of homegrown salad is just a few months away!

Have you noticed that there are different types of lettuce out there? Lettuce can be grouped into one of several main growth types – looseleaf, bibb (sometimes called boston or butterhead), romaine (cos), batavian (also called summercrisp), and iceberg (crisphead). You may notice leaf shape descri...

03/02/2019

Some light weekend reading!

Scientists recently described the process by which plant roots acquire nutrients from the soil: They attract, farm, and then partially consume microbes.

02/20/2019

It’s time to start your onions and leeks from seed! Here are some helpful tips from Hudson Valley Seed Company, which is based in an area similar to Chicagoland’s USDA plant-hardiness zone.

Grow great onions from seed with Doug's expert tips and tricks!

02/05/2019

Tired of spindly, home-grown seedlings? Grow lights help immensely!

To grow healthy plants, you need to use proper lighting for seedlings. Learn how to choose the right grow lights for seedlings, without breaking the bank!

12/28/2018

Usually a welcome visitor in the garden.

12/22/2018

Seed catalogs seem to come earlier every year! What's on your wish list?

For some enthusiastic gardeners, the seed catalog is a giant wish list, with nearly every seed variety circled, regardless of the size of the vegetable garden they’ll be planted in! But for others, the array of tomato varieties, mysterious codes and symbols next to plant names, and figuring out ho...