This Week's Bounty: Vegetables that Should Not be Planted Together, Signs of Food Spoilage, How to Regulate Humidity, and More

Our weekly roundup of advice and tips for growing good food at home. [Food Gardening Network Weekly]( December 5, 2021  Enjoy this newsletter? Please forward it to your friends Featured Weekly Video [How to Keep Gardening in December]( Hello December! The weather is getting colder, the holiday decorations are going up, and visions of early spring crops are dancing in your head. But you don’t need to wait all winter to scratch that gardening itch. In fact, there’s plenty you can do to keep your thumb green by gardening in December. Gardening in December? She must be kidding! While it may be too soon to start seedlings outside, you can make real progress indoors and be fully prepared for your spring outdoor garden. Check out these five ways to keep gardening in December. [Read More...](  [Magazine Issue]( [Food Gardening Magazine December 2021 Issue Available Now!]( Open the December 2021 issue of Food Gardening Magazine! You’ll learn “How to Keep Gardening in December”, plus you’ll discover videos about “Gifts for Garden Lovers You Can Buy”, “Crafty Gifts You Can Make From Your Garden” and “Edible Gifts Ideas from Your Garden” and you’ll get in-depth articles about Winter Squash, Potatoes, and Thyme. [Read More...](  Vegetable Gardening [Combinations of Vegetables that Should Not be Planted Together]( You read that right. Even though there are lots of vegetables and herbs that complement one another in the garden, there are some vegetables that should not be planted together. Ever. They’re like the opposite of corn, beans, and squash. Or if we were to allude to popular culture, growing some of these vegetables together would be like asking Batman and the Joker to be neighbors. Or Jim Halpert and Dwight K Schrute. It wouldn’t be pretty. [Read More...](  [Fennel]( [The Fabulous Fennel Gardening Guide Available Now!]( Fennel deserves a lot more love and attention from food gardeners! The Fabulous Fennel Gardening Guide will give you everything you need to know about fennel, including planting tips, harvesting methods, and quick-and-easy recipes that will please even the most discriminating diner! [Read More...](  Seeds & Seedlings [When to Plant Seeds Outside and 4 Other Tips for Beginner Gardeners]( My first garden was a failure. Aside from a few herbs, I literally harvested nothing except for three [tomatoes](. The [zucchini]( plant died before it produced any fruit. The basil was plagued by pests of some sort. I’m pretty sure the neighborhood skunks and rabbits ate every [strawberry]( that looked like it might ripen soon. I didn’t know much more about gardening than I had to pull weeds and give it water. I didn’t know when to plant seeds, how to prep the soil, or even what would grow in the area I had chosen for the garden. [Read More...](  [Strawberries]( [The All-Strawberry Gardening Guide Available Now!]( Strawberries are among the most popular home crops, growing everywhere from hanging pots to open land gardens. With this All-Strawberry Gardening Guide, you can get all the details that go into raising delicious, sweet berries of your own. [Read More...](  Food Preservation [Signs of Food Spoilage in Preserved Vegetables]( I get it. You worked hard on preserving those fresh garden veggies, and you’re looking forward to enjoying them on a cold, dark winter evening. You pull a glass jar from your pantry, and you notice the signs of food spoilage. [Read More...](  [Lettuce]( [Leafy Lettuce Guide Available Now!]( Growing lettuce is as easy as BLT. A cool-season annual, this leafy crop grows readily from seed, and you can sow seeds every few weeks to have a season full of salad! With hundreds of varieties, there’s a lettuce for you. Grow it indoors or out, in your garden or on your balcony. With this collection, you get all the details that go into growing and harvesting delicious, leafy lettuce. Get recipes that go beyond the salad bowl and see what’s possible when you grow your own lettuce. Get it all in this [Leafy Lettuce]( Collection right now! [Read More...](  Soil & Fertilizer [7 Tips for Preparing Clay Soil for Planting Vegetables]( I’ll admit that part of the joy of gardening is having a good excuse to play in the dirt. As adults, we don’t get to do that very much, but it sure does feel good. Of course, playing in the dirt actually means getting the soil ready; there’s always compost to add or weeds to dig up. Even when you have “perfect” soil, you still have to do some prep work. Preparing clay soil for planting your garden isn’t that much different. [Read More...](  [Parsley]( [How to Grow Parsley Gardening Guide Available Now!]( Parsley is a must-have herb for any kitchen—and every cook should have fresh parsley available to chop at all times. With our How to Grow Parsley Gardening Guide, you’ll have everything you need to know about growing and enjoying this essential herb. [Read More...](  Indoor Gardening [How to Regulate Humidity for Indoor Herb Gardens]( Figuring out how to regulate humidity indoors can sometimes feel like a hopeless venture. Just when you get it right, someone opens the front door, and the whole indoor atmosphere changes. Or here in New England, one day can be 70 and sunny, and the next is 48 and windy. [Read More...](  [Magazine Issue]( [Food Gardening Magazine December 2021 Issue Available Now!]( Open the December 2021 issue of Food Gardening Magazine! You’ll learn “How to Keep Gardening in December”, plus you’ll discover videos about “Gifts for Garden Lovers You Can Buy”, “Crafty Gifts You Can Make From Your Garden” and “Edible Gifts Ideas from Your Garden” and you’ll get in-depth articles about Winter Squash, Potatoes, and Thyme. [Read More...](  Member Favorites - [Making Food-Safe DIY Window Box Planters Fit for a Home Chef]( - [10 Tips for Starting Seeds in Egg Cartons]( - [5 Benefits of Worm Castings for Indoor Plants]( - [5 Mistakes to Avoid When Adding Manure to Garden Beds]( - [Solutions for Improving Garden Drainage in Vegetable Gardens]( - [What's Actually IN Organic Fertilizer for Vegetables and Can You Make it Yourself?]( - [3 Ideas for a Whimsical Kids Herb Garden]( - [How to Create an Aquaponic Herb Garden with Mason Jars]( - [How to Grow Herbs For Tea in Your Kitchen]( Premium Recipes of the Week - [Quick Sesame Snow Peas]( - [Chicken Breasts with Fresh Sage]( - [Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Lasagna]( - [Roasted Vegetables with Sage and Pecans]( - [Mouthwatering Mashed Potatoes]( [FREEBIES: Get Them Now!]( [ GET MY FREEBIEÂ]( [ GET MY FREEBIEÂ]( [ GET MY FREEBIEÂ](     You are receiving this email as part of your free subscription to email updates from Food Gardening Network. 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