Growing Zucchini Squash

Country people joke that we keep our cars locked in the summer so someone won’t put a bag of zucchini in the front seat.  Zucchini is easy to grow and produces large amounts of vegetables, so you only need a few plants to feed your family.  Even then,...

Growing Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes ready to harvest photo by User:Vmenkov Sweet potatoes, also called yams in the United States, are related to the morning glory.  They, like the Irish potato, came from Peru and Ecuador originally.  Sweet potatoes are part of the root of the plant and...

Collard Greens: A Southern Delicacy

Collard Greens Many Southerners consider collard greens a delicacy.  My Daddy’s family ate them and he enjoys them.  My mother’s family did not, and Mom never fixed greens, except spinach, when I was growing up.  I can take them or leave them, but I can...

Growing Lettuce and Salad Greens

Mixed lettuce plants photo by Rameshng Lettuce is another one of those cool weather crops.  It does not grow well when it gets over 75 degrees, especially for the varieties that make heads.  In my area of Texas, we plant lettuce in the first part of February.  That...

Growing Cool Season Spinach

Spinach in the field Spinach likes cool weather.  It has grown in popularity and more and more people are planting it.  However, it is somewhat temperamental to grow.  Spinach will tolerate temperatures as low as 20 degrees but bolts and produces seed when it gets...