Most of us have asked ourselves why our cucumbers don’t look like the perfectly straight, uniform cucumbers at the grocery store. For some of us, it’s not a big deal, but some gardeners really want to grow something that not only tastes better than store-bought cucumbers but also looks better. And it’s way easier to … Read more
Paste tomatoes, often called Romas (Roma tomatoes are a type of paste tomato), are tomatoes specifically grown for making pastes, but they are good for sauces, sun-drying, and even stuffing. Some home gardeners explicitly make space for several paste tomato plants, while others never grow them at all. Is there a difference between paste tomatoes … Read more
You may have heard about oxheart tomatoes or have seen some pictures of them. If you’re not familiar with oxhearts, you may think they are some kind of new variety, but actually, they’ve been around for nearly a century. Oxheart tomatoes are mid season to late season tomatoes that are similar to beefsteak varieties and … Read more
You’ve probably seen those pictures of leek-growing champions giving themselves a hernia while lugging around enormous first-prize leeks. Yes, those leeks are legit and those gardeners are not using mutants or loading up their leeks with hormones. In many cases, those leeks are of specific varieties which are bred to grow abnormally large, but only … Read more
Leeks are a mild-flavored member of the onion family, cousins of green onions, bulb onions, and garlic. In fact, leeks just look like giant green onions. The pale green/white stalks are tender and can be used in soups, salads, or as a substitute for onions in certain recipes. The leaves are tougher and thicker, but … Read more