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Producing Tasty Brussels Sprouts
January 28, 2012
Although the butt of jokes, Brussels Sprouts are a highly nutritious member of the cabbage family. On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will reveal the special tricks it takes to produce sprouts with a surprisingly sweet taste. Plus answers to all your growing questions!
I have been trying to grow Brussels sprouts the past two years. I start from seed and each year, the plants do well; but the sprouts are loose-leafed and/or very small. I garden in sunny raised beds, feed the plants with my own compost and a fish and seaweed fertilizer, and test my soil every year for pH and fertilizer needs. Should I even bother trying again? Get the answer »
Thanks to Janice from Hannibal, Missouri for sending us this fantastic shot of her "compost castle" — an ingenious construction built by her creative boyfriend!
Is it a deadly menace? A natural mole repellant? An attractive tropical? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will take a close look at the notorious castor bean plant. Plus: Answers to an especially large selection of your growing questions.
What can you do if your Spring bulbs are jumping the gun? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will discuss premature sprouting of Spring bulbs and how to avoid a common Springtime mistake. Plus your fabulous phone calls.
Worried about the safety of store bought food? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath, will name the crops that are the most peppered with pesticides and explain which ones are easiest for a home gardener to produce. Plus: organic answers to all your growing questions.
Looking forward to a new season of growing? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will ring in the New Year by listening back to some of your most fabulous phone calls from the season past. Plus: Your gardening New Years resolutions.
Just what can you accomplish with a greenhouse? On this week's You Bet Your Garden, host Mike McGrath will explain the big difference between free standing and attached; and the types of tricks any greenhouse will do best. Plus: organic answers to all your growing questions.
On this week's You Bet Your Garden, join us for our annual Christmas Spectacular where you'll learn fascinating facts about poinsettias, Christmas cactus and mistletoe. Plus holiday tunes from Ken Kweeder and the Reindeer band.
Mike returns to Akron (where he received a very warm welcome in January 2010)! He'll do multiple shows each day on popular topics like composting, tomato growing and chemical free lawn care. See more details »
Don't have land of your own, but still want to eat fresh, local and organic? Now is the time to seek out and join a local CSA. Short for "Community Supported Agriculture", CSAs are local farms in which you buy a share for the season and get a share of the enviable edibles that the farm produces once a week throughout the season. Subscriptions tend to sell out fast, so look through these lists and locate your closest options before Spring arrives:
Folks who don't have land of their own but who love to garden can still grow some of their own food by seeking out a spot in a nearby community garden. Community gardens give the landless a place to grow and to gather, sharing seeds and advice. The American Community Gardening Association maintains a good list of gardens around the country (just enter your zip code on the map), but many are unlisted anywhere--so ask friends, co-workers and your local state extension office about local gardens. And if you see what looks to be one near your home or work, drop by on a Saturday and chat up the folks inside.
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