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I pulled up my first black radish three years ago and almost tossed it in the compost pile. The rough, coal-colored skin looked like something had gone terribly wrong in my garden. My neighbor walked over, took one look, and laughed. “That’s not diseased,” she said. “That’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like. You … Read more
My neighbor Maria knocked on my door last summer holding a sad, wilted plant with elephant-ear leaves drooping toward the ground. “I killed my taro,” she said with genuine disappointment. “My grandmother grew this in the Philippines for decades. I can’t even keep one alive for a month.” Turns out, Maria had been treating her … Read more
My neighbor Margaret still talks about the time she pulled her first homegrown potato from the soil. She was 67 years old, had gardened for decades, but had never tried potatoes. “I just stood there staring at it,” she told me. “Store-bought potatoes taste like cardboard compared to this.” She’s right. And here’s the thing—Americans … Read more
A few years ago, a new gardener in our community plot stared at her neighbor’s raised bed with complete confusion. “What on earth is that?” she asked, pointing at what looked like little green aliens sprouting from the soil. Her neighbor laughed. “That’s kohlrabi. Best vegetable you’ve never heard of.” The new gardener wasn’t alone. … Read more
A few years ago, a woman from our gardening club showed up at a meeting looking defeated. She had just moved into a home with a deeply shaded north-facing garden. Nothing would grow there. She’d tried hostas. She’d tried ferns. Everything looked sad and sparse. Then someone suggested bleeding hearts. Six months later, she invited … Read more
My grandmother had a bleeding heart plant growing in the shady corner of her garden for as long as I can remember. Every spring, those delicate arching stems would appear covered in pink and white hearts. As a kid, I thought they looked like tiny lanterns dancing in the breeze. Years later, when I started … Read more
I’ll never forget the first time I saw a poinciana tree in full bloom. I was visiting a friend’s property in South Florida. As I drove up the driveway, this massive tree stopped me cold. It looked like someone had set the sky on fire. Thousands of scarlet flowers covered a canopy that stretched at … Read more
My neighbor Tom spent three summers failing at Brussels sprouts. Each year, the same story. Tiny, bitter sprouts the size of marbles. Plants that toppled over in September storms. Leaves eaten to lace by caterpillars. Then last fall, I watched him pull a stalk from his garden with over 80 perfect sprouts. Each one firm, … Read more
My neighbor Janet grows beautiful romaine lettuce in her backyard garden every spring and fall. Last year, she knocked on my door with a problem. “I harvested six heads of romaine yesterday,” she said. “And three of them are already wilting in my fridge. What am I doing wrong?” I walked over to her kitchen. … Read more
A few years back, my friend Lisa from our community garden in Seattle called me in frustration. She had just spent $6 on a tiny bunch of bok choy at the grocery store. Six dollars for something she could eat in one stir-fry. “There has to be a better way,” she said. I walked her … Read more
Last spring, my neighbor Dave pulled me aside at our community garden. He had a confession. “I’ve been growing lettuce for three years now,” he said, looking a bit embarrassed. “But I always thought it was basically crunchy water. No real nutrition. Just something to fill up the salad bowl.” Dave isn’t alone. Many health-conscious … Read more
My neighbor Margaret called me last summer in a panic. Her backyard apple tree was loaded with fruit, and she had no idea what to do with hundreds of apples. “I’ve been buying expensive superfood powders for years,” she told me. “And here I am with a tree full of one of the healthiest fruits … Read more