Traditional garden spacing in rows Spacing in the Garden

Vegetable garden spacing isn’t an exact science. How do you know how far apart to place your plants? First, check the plant tags. The spacing requirements listed generally refer to traditional rows and to the distance from the center of … Continue reading

Bowl of hybrid and heirloom tomatoes on a table What is an Heirloom? What is a Hybrid?

In the world of veggies, two words can tip emotional scales: hybrid and heirloom. Some gardeners staunchly favor one over the other. Many plant both. Learn the difference and decide for yourself. Bonnie Plants offers both hybrid and heirloom varieties. … Continue reading

fall-freeze-map-feature First and Last Frost Dates

Median First Freezing Temp (dates) – Median – A – Aug 1 – Aug 31 B – Sep 1 – Sep 30 C – Oct 1 – Oct 15 D – Oct 16 – Oct 31 E – Nov 1 … Continue reading

find-your-garden-zone-feature Find Your Gardening Zone

Find Your Hardiness Zone by Entering Your Zip Code. USDA Hardiness Zones and Average Annual Minimum Temperature Range 1976-2005   Temp (F)     Zone       Temp (C)     -60 to -50 1 -51.1 to -45.6 -50 to -40 … Continue reading

you-need-bees-your-garden-feature You Need These Bees in Your Garden

We sometimes hear from customers whose first squash of the season shrivel. Cool, wet weather and fewer honeybees may be the cause. The weather usually corrects itself as summer arrives, and there are ways to encourage some special native bees—the … Continue reading

you-must-use-good-sprayer-feature You Need a Good Sprayer

Your plants are likely to be visited by harmful insects or diseases. If you have more than two or three plants, a sprayer makes it easier to deal with the pests because you’ll need something better than a ready-to-use bottle … Continue reading

why-grow-your-own-feature Why Grow Your Own Vegetables and Herbs?

People who have never gardened or those who haven’t in a while are now growing vegetables and herbs for fun, health, and economy. Garden for freshness and flavor. Most store-bought vegetables can’t match the flavor of homegrown. Vine-ripened tomatoes have fuller … Continue reading

which-veggies-which-season-feature Which Veggies for Which Season?

Because a vegetable needs either warm or cool weather, crops sort themselves into two distinct categories: cool season (for spring and fall) and warm season (for summer). Planting in the proper season is the first step to a bountiful garden. … Continue reading

What is AAS feature What Is All America Selections?

All America Selections (AAS) is an evaluation program that has recognized exceptional new varieties throughout the United States since 1932. Varieties are tested and judged at botanical gardens, university trial gardens, and other locations around the country. Only those meeting the … Continue reading

seasoned-advice-first-time-gardeners-feature Seasoned Advice for First Time Gardeners

by Guest Expert, Lucinda Mays Lucinda Mays is the neighbor you’d love to have if you were new to vegetable gardening. The next best thing is reading what she has to say here. If Lucinda Mays looks familiar, that is … Continue reading