Waste not, want not
As a Depression baby, David Lyons developed strong feelings about letting anything go to waste. On the other hand, he has a big garden. A really big garden. And it's packed with fresh fruits and vegetables. FULL STORY

Helping hands
There's nothing like a drought to reinforce the "basics" to gardeners.Good soil is important, as are plant selection, overall plant health and proper watering schedules. Even the most experienced gardeners, though, can always use more information in their arsenals in the battle to grow better, healthier, more productive fruits and vegetables. FULL STORY

Gardeners urged to share bounty with less fortunate
There's always more food growing in the garden than Ron Ory can eat, freeze or share with relatives. "Once my freezer is full, I've got a ton left over," the Naperville man said. FULL STORY

W. Dundee man doesn't mind sharing bounty, but not with deer
Paul Obuchowski likes to joke that folks who know him run scared during the growing season. "You run out of friends and neighbors before you run out of zucchini," the West Dundee man said. Not everyone needs to be afraid, however. Obuchowski's discovered this summer there are many people who look forward to eating zucchini, and he's happy to provide them with all they want. FULL STORY

Church group sows seeds for garden efforts
Cheryl Besenjak looks out over rows of green beans and tomato plants to see families gardening together. She sees Bible study groups, a children's garden, teams of volunteers, even a gazebo area where people sit back, relax and watch the harvesting. Right now she's just got those beans and tomatoes. Plus some squash and eggplants. FULL STORY

Harsh summer testing veteran gardener
With six children, 14 grandchildren and a whole lot of neighbors, Floyd Lundeen is well acquainted with the concept of sharing his garden's bounty. For decades, the Elk Grove Village gardener gave to friends and family whatever he and his wife could not cook, can or freeze. FULL STORY

Fresh fruits, veggies filled with nutrients
The taste benefits of fresh vegetables are obvious. There's just no comparison between something that's newly picked and something that's been sitting frozen in a plastic bag for who knows how long. FULL STORY

Experts provide bumper crop of advice
Now that you've got your garden beds all prepped, what in the world do you plant? Some vegetables are easier to manage than others. We've picked some relatively simple ones here to get you started, though you need to note that squash does quite a bit of sprawling. FULL STORY

Get growing
Vegetable gardeners start out with big dreams. They picture juicy red tomatoes on strong, healthy vines. They imagine tall green stalks bearing crisp ears of corn. They envision long, tidy rows of lettuce well on their way to fabulous summer salads. FULL STORY