“When you can’t change the direction of the wind – adjust your sails.” – H. Jackson Brown The weather is not our friend this spring. First, we got snowed out for our Cool Crop fundraising plant sale on April 27. Now our farmers tell us that the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants need more sunny...

May in Chicagoland can be taxing on the edible garden. As spring transitions to summer, we experience light frosts, 80+degree days, hailstorms, winds topping 30mph, and rain for days followed by no rain for more than a week. If you think you’re having trouble adjusting your thermostat...

Whether you’re growing in a raised bed or in the soil, the surface of your garden might look like this is in the spring: Left uncovered throughout the winter, soil can take on a grayish appearance and pebbles may graze the surface. Weeds will start to pop up and the soil level may be a...

Before you start clearing out your plot this spring, make sure you aren’t removing plants you may actually want to keep. After a long winter, herbs like sage and thyme might look dead, but as perennials they should start springing back to life within a few weeks. Here’s a quick...

Earth Day is coming up in less than a month, which is a typical planting date for cool-weather crops in Chicagoland. Cool-weather crops such as broccoli, kale, and parsley can handle slight dips in nighttime temperatures, provided they have been hardened off properly. This is also a great...