Follow these simple instructions from Little House in the Suburbs by Deanna Caswell and Daisy Siskins for drying, grinding and storing fresh herbs from the garden.
Dried Herbs from the Garden
Author Archives: Emily Dydo
Weeds— What They can Tell You about Your Soil
Question: My lawn-care company representative says he can tell that my soil is acid and compacted just by which specific weeds are growing in it. Do weeds really reveal the soil’s condition?
Seed-Saving Basics
Seed-saving is not difficult, but it is not as simple as collecting seeds from dried pods at the end of the season. To ensure some reliability and true-to-type seed, you need to take a few strategies into account.
‘Yoshino’ Japanese cedar
Virtues: We love ‘Yoshino’ Japanese cedar for its open, pyramidal shape and fragrant, blue-green needles. ‘Yoshino’ tolerates cold, grows quickly and does not require pruning.
Señorita Rosalita spider flower
Virtues: We love Señorita Rosalita spider flower for its lack of thorns, sticky foliage, unpleasant aroma and unsightly seedpods. This heat-tolerant plant adds dramatic height to the garden with its spidery clusters of lavender-pink flowers that bloom continuously from spring … Read Article
Sowing Lettuce Seeds
Question: I’ve been having problems with my fall lettuce crop. I sow the seed in late August, but I end up with a lot of skips. What am I doing wrong?
Changing Plant Names—Why Bother?
Changes to the scientific name of plants are part of life, though often frustrating. However, names are only changed for good reasons, and changes aim to give an accurate representation, not only of the true identity of a plant but … Read Article
Tips for Grouping Pots
An assortment of potted succulents can make a beautiful garden for a patio, deck or courtyard—especially if you apply basic design principles to the entire grouping.
Plants for Beneficial Insects
Question: Are there certain plants I can grow to encourage beneficial insects in my garden? Beneficial insects include a wide range of insect predators and parasites.
‘Chocolate Sunrise’ canna
Virtues: We love ‘Chocolate Sunrise’ canna for its contrast of bright orange-yellow flowers against chocolate-colored foliage. Cultivated in a delicate breeding program in the Middle East, blooms appear in spring and last throughout the summer and fall, attracting bees and … Read Article
Split-Resistant Varieties of Tomatoes
Question: I can’t seem to produce a decent-looking ‘Better Boy’ tomato without it splitting open on the vine. What am I doing wrong? Am I growing the wrong tomato variety?