Another first for 2017: Scarlet Runner Beans. Normally I plant all beans in the early spring. But this year I found a packet of beans in June. So I planted them with the daphnes, that way both could climb the tower trellis. The beans grew in the shade of the apricot tree. The flowers were pretty during July. Then one …

There are two constants in New Mexico cuisine. The first is unspoken: you get a sopapilla with every meal. The second is a question: green or red? Unlike California, with its various salsas and hot sauces, New Mexico uses green sauce and red sauce, both from the Hatch Chile. I mean it: There is no bottles of hot sauce on …

As I was searching for ripe tomatoes among the tomato plants, I discovered this large strange pod. It is the pod for Purple Trumpet Vine. I have grown this vine for 15 years but have never noticed the pod. The example for the oversight is that it appears during peak tomato season and the vine is obscured by the full …

Delicata squash, or Cucurbita pepo, is a type of winter squash. While it’s the cousin to both acorn squash and zucchini, it has the delicate flavor of a sweet potato. Grown in the spring and summer months, and harvested and eaten in the fall and winter, Delicata gets the label of winter squash based on when it’s eaten, not when …

It is August so that means tomatoes. I was worried in July: A pair of squirrels were eating so many of the early varieties of tomatoes. But my strategy of over-abundance has worked out. I have 45 plants and more tomatoes than the squirrels know what to do with. I have a lot of beefsteaks and oxheart tomatoes now. A …

This is tasty and quick. Preheat toaster convection oven to 350Wash eggplants; trim off stem; cut in half length-wise; place skin-side down in panAdd some cherry tomatoesSprinkle with salt and/or seasoningsDrizzle with olive oilAdd crumbled feta cheeseBake for 25 minutes

Pineapple lilies (Eucomis) are miniature floral representations of the tropical fruit. They are annuals or rarely perennials and are extremely frost tender. The slightly bizarre plants are only 12 to 15 inches (31-38 cm.) tall but have large flower heads that resemble tiny pineapples flanked with green bracts. Learn how to grow a pineapple lily flower for a unique garden …

Of course, you grow eggplant in your veggie garden to enjoy the delicious eating at dinner time, but when your eggplant variety produces magically ornamental plants, like when you are growing Fairy Tale eggplants, it’s an extra bonus. This type of eggplant is as beautiful as it is delicious. What is a Fairy Tale Eggplant? The eggplant ‘Fairy Tale’ is …

Rosa Bianca is a joy to behold – lavender/rose with white markings in a round, Rubenesque teardrop shape. This Italian heirloom is particularly creamy and tender. Pick on the small side when about 5″ to 6″ and still brilliantly shiny, before seed formation begins. One of the most widely used vegetables in global cuisines, Eggplant is low in fat and …