How to Grow and Use Tea Hibiscus/Florida Cranberry

I get excited about foods I’ve never grown before and for a few years now I’ve tried my hand at growing Hibiscus sabdariffa, which you may be familiar with as the “zinger” in Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea. H. sabdariffa is also known as tea hibiscus, red tea, Florida cranberry, roselle, and sorrel (unrelated to the leafy French sorrel). It…

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How to Find and Enjoy Black Walnuts

You may have noticed a tree in your neighborhood that rains dull green baseballs each fall. In most locations these heavy fruits are ignored by residents, unless a group of children utilizes them in a mock battle – or better yet – discovers the joys of walnut-stained body parts and clothing. Often my mother threw up her hands in despair…

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How to Grow Passionfruit in the Backyard

If you’ve enjoyed passionfruit in exotic juice mixes or as a novel fruit from the produce section, you may be surprised at how easy it is to grow at home. The passionflower grown for commercial production is the South American species Passiflora edulis, but we have a local, native species that tastes just as good! Passiflora incarnata is not only…

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How to Find Local Food

Whether you’ve never even grown a houseplant or your family sucks down all the fresh cukes from your garden so fast that you need an extra basket with which to make pickles, you can probably find what you need from a local source.

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How to Grow Eggplants Faster than the Flea Beetles Can Kill Them

A common problem for southern eggplant-lovers are flea beetles. Though they resemble their namesake in appearance and behavior, flea beetles would rather turn our eggplant foliage into Swiss cheese than drink blood. Some of us would prefer the bloodletting since a large infestation of beetles can kill a crop before it even sets flowers! Fortunately for organic gardeners everywhere, there…

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How to Grow Mini-Melons On a Trellis

If you don’t have room for sprawling melon plants to ramble across all the pathways in your garden, give trellising a try. Lightweight melons are perfect for trellising because they do not strain the stems of the plant as they dangle. Each melon is approximately a single serving size but because the smaller size requires less energy, the plant is…

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How to Choose and Grow Fig Varieties for the Southeast

If you live in USDA zone 5 or warmer, you can grow figs. If you are in a colder area, the trick is to put your fig in a microclimate (next to the sunny wall of a building, beside a sheltered, blacktop driveway, etc.). You can also try pruning and wrapping your fig in the winter but if you selected…

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How to Grow Yardlong Beans

Who needs fertilizer? Heat and humidity seem to be the recipe for lush, productive yard long bean vines. They’re tasty, too — this is one oddball veggie you won’t just try once for novelty’s sake. The elongated pods really can reach a yard in length, though they are best at around 18″ or less, when they are still thinner than…

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How to Grow ‘Zephyr’ Summer Squash

Though I usually prefer heirlooms over hybrids, this is one of the few I make an exception for. I adore the tender, flavorful, and visually stunning summer squash I pick from my prolific ‘Zephyr’ plants. The care and growth habit is similar to other bush summer squash like crooknecks and pattypans. Though squash tends to experience more pest and disease…

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How to Grow Slow-Bolting Cilantro ‘Delfino’ in the Hot and Cold Months

Though it is the same species as regular cilantro, the variety ‘Delfino’ looks like a different plant. Looking more like a fennel than a cilantro, the ferny foliage of this 2006 All American Selections winner also has the same strong, sweet flavor as its large leafed counterpart. It makes a wonderful garnish, but it certainly stands on its own in…

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How to Grow More than “Green” Beans (Other Colors of Snap Beans)

If ordinary snap beans are getting boring, it’s time to try purple or yellow ones! Many people are hesitant to try unusual vegetables but let me offer reassurance that they’re just as easy and tasty as the green versions. In fact, they are so similar that you can mix and match what you grow and use a potpourri in the…

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