The USDA recently updated their Plant Hardiness Zone maps. The new map reflects that warmer temperatures allow less-hardy plants to survive Ohio winters. Columbus (and most of Ohio) is now in Zone 6a, an upgrade from Zone 5b. Not in Columbus? Check out the interactive map to find your Zone. It must be noted that the Arbor Day Foundation came to the same hardiness zone conclusion in 2006. Both groups say that this is not [...]

Most annual vegetables send out flowers.  It’s their way of ensuring their own reproduction. The home gardener must manage flowers, tending the ones that will develop into fruits we want and removing those that distract the plant from its functions. Leave the flowers on these plants, as they develop into vegetables: tomato cucumber pepper eggplant peas beans squash, including zucchini, acorn, and pumpkin (a special case, as the blossoms are edible but if you eat [...]

Many of our plants have set flowers and baby vegetables are beginning to appear! This is an exciting time to be a gardener.  All the work starting the seeds, prepping the soil, planting the seedlings, and weeding are starting to pay off. There is anxiety too. I am struggling to keep something (a squirrel I think?) from eating the flowers off the zucchini plant.  I have seen it send out flowers many times but none [...]

The sun calls me outside; the bitter cold pushes me right back down into this chair. Satsumas are acceptably tasty, but they are no garden picked pea, no sun ripened tomato, no dreamy sweet kale. The dirt is frozen so I can not work it.  My fingernails are dangerously clean. Soon I will take up painting the walls of my house.  The minerals will stick to my skin.  The colors will change.  I will occupy [...]