Use sterile, well-draining seed starting mix to prevent disease issues that can affect germination rates. Jenkins emphasizes using "a sterile seed starting mix that is light and well-draining as well ...

Be a part of history and save money when planting next year’s garden.  Collect and save the seeds from your favorite heirloom tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas this fall.

Why is seed saving important? Saving seeds can help gardeners save money, grow better crops and become more self-reliant. Learn how to save heirloom seeds. When you save your own seeds, you are ...

Many flowers are generous seed producers. Marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, and coneflowers are great choices. Let ...

Read the seed packet or catalog and make sure what you buy is labeled open-pollinated or heirloom, not hybrid. My grandfather grew what we now call heirloom tomatoes: time-tested varieties that breed ...

Another great aspect of harvest season is that it’s the time of year when most plantsgo to seed, thus ensuring a strong new crop for the following spring. Those of you with food gardens have probably ...

It’s always a bit sad to see our summer vegetable gardens peter out as the season comes to a close. Those once-verdant plants are now fading as the long, hot summer takes its toll. Though harvests of ...

Q: We are going to plant seeds saved from store-bought heirloom tomatoes. Any advice? J.S., Houston A: It's a little late to be sowing seed as it takes 6 to 8 weeks to get 6-inch transplants for the ...

The word “heirloom” likely conjures an image of the past, and when it comes to growing food, the implication is mostly accurate. But while some try to define heirloom cultivars by age — at least 50 ...

Sometime during the spring, backyard food growers will decide what kind of tomatoes to grow: heirlooms or hybrids. Hybrid varieties have had the benefit of genetic tinkering that allows for some cool ...