Onions are a kitchen staple. Grow onions from seed, seedlings, or sets (small dry onion bulbs started the year before). Bulbing onions require 80 to 120 days to reach harvest. Green onions are harvested before they form bulbs, in 40

Early October is the right time to begin thinking about the coming frost and cold weather. How will you extend the season if your summer crops are not yet ready for harvest?Many warm-weather crops and all cool-weather crops can withstand

You can freeze extra tomatoes for use in winter. Frozen tomatoes are best used in cooked dishes as freezing will cause them to lose their firmness. Here are two ways to freeze tomatoes: Place whole or peeled tomatoes in a

The name October comes from the Latin word for eight, "octo". October was the eighth month in the Roman calendar. That all changed in the sixteenth century when the Gregorian calendar was adopted. Now, October is the tenth month.The whole

October is the month of greatest change in the southern hemisphere kitchen garden, spring is here. Now is the time to plant with the summer reward in mind.Plant tomato, eggplant, capsicum, cucumber, sweet corn, marrow, melons, zucchini, and pumpkin this

Bartlett pears come to harvest in summer; most other varieties come to harvest in early autumn. European pears such as Bartlett and Comice ripen to perfection only after they are removed from the tree having been picked still green and

Cabbage can be harvested nearly all year round as long as the weather stays cool. Plant cabbage in early to mid spring for harvest mid summer onwards. Plant autumn cabbage in late spring for harvest in fall. Plant winter cabbage

Broccoli can be served raw as an appetizer or in salads. Cook broccoli until it is just tender, still firm and crunchy. Broccoli needs cool weather to grow--warm weather will cause the buds to "rice" or open as flowers. Broccoli

Cauliflower can be expensive at the produce counter, but it can be a staple of the kitchen garden with cool weather and regular water. Cauliflower requires two months of cool weather to reach harvest. Protected from frost it is a

When harvest comes for each crop, be thorough. The best specimens will go right to the table. All crops need to be harvested. What you can't use fresh, store for later use. Crops that are damaged should still be picked

Brussels sprouts can be served as a side dish alone or with a sauce. Add Brussels sprouts to soups, stews, and stir-fries. (Tips on cooking and serving Brussels sprouts click here.)Planting Calendar. Brussels sprouts are best grown in cool weather,

Beets roots can be eaten raw or cooked and added to salads and soups. Beet greens and thinnings can be eaten raw in salads or cooked much like spinach. (Tips on cooking and serving beets click here.) Planting Calendar. Beets

is sweet and moist with an aroma and flavor similar to a combination of the tastiest tropical and subtropical fruits, strawberry, watermelon, honeydew melon, fig, and banana. The salmon or pink to magenta colored flesh of the prickly pear can

is a small, saucer-shaped warm-season squash that usually grows to no more than 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Patty pan squashes look something like a toy top. They can be white to creamy colored or various shades of green

Costata Romanesca is an heirloom Italian squash often considered the best tasting and best textured summer squash. It is sometimes called cocozelle or ribbed Roman zucchini. It is also called courgette, marrow squash, and vegetable marrow.Costata Romanesca is an elongated

Zephyr' is a straightneck summer squash. 'Zephyr' has a yellow stem end and is pale green at the blossom end. Faint white stripes run the length of this squash. (Learn more about summer squash click here.)Zephyr is a cross between

The weather will direct your efforts in the kitchen garden in September. Frost may strike even the mildest of regions before the end of the month.Know the average first frost date for your area. This date will allow you to

September is the ninth month of the year these days, but under the old Roman calendar, September was the seventh month. The Latin word for "seven" is septem.The autumnal equinox will arrive on September 22 this year in the northern

September brings in spring and ends winter in the Southern Hemisphere.The first day of spring in the southern part of the world this year is September 22. On this day, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly

This is Part III of a four part series; see series list below.Below is a list of cool-weather vegetable varieties for your garden.Select plant varieties that are suited for cool weather or that come to harvest quickly when planting cool-season