The Vegetable Patch - page 3

Advice on how to grow vegetables from seed to harvest, care for them, protect them from diseases, and boost harvests. Natural treatments only!

Onions all year round

Fresh onions in spring, preserves in winter: plant onions in your vegetable patch to provide for year-round availability in the kitchen!
onions all year round

Life goes on in the vegetable patch

Never a day’s rest for the gardener! Summer harvests are in, and now in Autumn plots are prepared for the planting and sowing of winter crops.
vegetable patch in fall with spinach growing in the foreground

Spring sowing and planting

There it is! Spring! Rather than cramming to fit everything in a single month, stage your sowing and planting wisely to maximize your harvests and avoid spring burn-out.
Row of onion and strawberry plants

Companion planting in the vegetable patch

Just like humans, vegetables also have friends and foes. Some families stimulate or protect each other. Other families tire each other out and make each other vulnerable. Companion planting is the art of pairing them well!
Raised beds with companion planting

Artichoke, how to grow it

Even if this might come as a surprise to many, the growing of artichoke is relatively simple to pull through.
Artichoke head raised up against a hazy background.

Growing tomato in pots

Really fired-up to grow tomatoes, but you’ve only got a tiny balcony or terrace and think it’s impossible? Think again!
Tomato growing and ripening in a pot

Lentil, from seed to harvest

Known and renowned for its nutritional properties, lentil is an annual plant that is a cinch to grow in the garden.
Lentil plants growing in a vegetable patch, with pods ready for the harvest

Grow bell pepper in pots for great results

Even if you don’t have a large garden in your house or can’t spare a portion of the garden for a vegetable plot, you still have options to grow a few special bell pepper varieties in pots on a balcony, deck or terrace.
Potted bell pepper

Bell pepper, a carnival of colors

Whether it be raw, cooked, hot or cold, savored fresh in bite-size snacks, in mixed salads or ice cream or simply baked to a golden color in the oven, bell pepper summer fruits and vegetables are easy to cook.
Single green bell pepper on the plant

Mizuna cabbage, japanese greens

Mizuna looks like lettuce, it is very similar to arugula, but it’s actually a type of cabbage. A crunchy texture and peppery taste are what make it much sought after.
Three greens: lettuce, mizuna cabbage and coriander

Brussels sprouts, the Origin story

Its rough, bitter taste sends the weak-spirited away… since the 17th century! Nonetheless, Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber, especially during the winter season.
Brussels sprouts peeled and laid out on a cutting board, ready for a winter meal.

Prune your cherry tomato to make sure you get a harvest

That burst of juicy sweetness in the mouth makes these the queens of appetizers! Cherry tomato is easy to grow in a pot, ideal for urban gardeners. A bit of pruning is necessary to make sure your harvest is abundant – and your fruits ripe!
Steps and guidance to prune a cherry tomato plant like this one

Growing vegetables on your balcony, give it a try!

Persons living in an apartment also have the right to grow their own vegetables, don’t you think? Actually, you don’t need to have a lot of land to plant seeds or plants. With our tips and tricks you’ll discover how easy it is to have your own vegetable patch on a balcony!
Tomato plant on a balcony with fruits ripening

Natural techniques for an organic vegetable patch

Chemical treatments are increasingly being banned across the planet thanks to the increased awareness of people. Growing “organic” vegetables has become mainstream, much more today than the fad it once was.
Natural tips for an organic vegetable patch

No-treat vegetable patch: easy peasy

Experiment with companion planting which has by now proven its effectiveness in organic vegetable gardening. It’s easy, all pros and no cons: no treating and less work!
Easy growing for vegetables without even treating

Fennel, from seed to harvest

Fennel is a plant for which the roots are the part we eat and its nutritious and culinary value is exceptional. It is a very good summer vegetable.
Fennel growing in a vegetable patch.

Sea kale, Crambe maritima – a seaside cabbage both cute and tasty

Sea kale, or Crambe maritima, comes as quite a surprise: both in the garden and in the vegetable patch, it’ll trigger questions by curious onlookers! Sea kale, a summary Botanical name – Crambe maritima Common name – Sea kale Family – Cruciferae, Brassicaceae Type – perennial Bearing – clump Height – 12 to to 28 inches (30 to 70 cm) Planting density […]
Clump of sea kale with gravel mulch.

Regional planting calendar to maximize your vegetable patch – MetroFrance Edition

For those of you in France who want to absolutely maximize your vegetable productivity, it’s important to follow a rigorous planting calendar. For that, it’s important to realize that not all regions have the same climate and weather conditions. Indeed, the climate isn’t the same in all parts of France, and this has a direct […]
Climate zones in France to guide the planting calendar in the vegetable patch

Permaculture, nature is the ultimate teacher

Permaculture is the art of following biological insights gleaned from considering nature as a teacher. Key is the observation of natural exchanges occurring in ecosystems. It usually involves growing plants together on small, densely-populated surfaces. Fundamentally, it ventures much further than pure biology and encompasses all questions searching to understand the relationship between mankind and […]
Permaculture is when you consider nature your teacher

What is permaculture?

Rooted in both ancestral knowledge and innovation, the answer to the question “What is permaculture?” is straightforward. It is the practice of observing nature to learn from what it can teach us, aiming for food self-reliance and abundance.
What is permaculture? Explanation

Tomatillo, the Mexican Physalis

A rarer form of Physalis, tomatillo is a late summer vegetable that is easy to grow since the plant resists disease well. Tomatillo fruits are usually cooked and help soften the spice in many Central American recipes. Top tomatillo facts
Green tomatillo fruits from growing the plant
Any questions? Ask them on the forum!