Whether you’re an avid gardener or you simply want to put the space outside your house to good use this summer, you’re going to have to be sure of one thing above all else: the health of your soil beds. The ground is where the bulk of our crops are grown, and the Earth provides for us all, so it’s imperative you pay attention to the quality of your soil, and its ongoing needs ...
GARDENING
Growing Rosemary and What to Do With It
Ahh rosemary--who doesn't love the pungent aroma and flavor of this beautiful Mediterranean herb? I suppose there are some, but not many can say that they don't love this versatile herb for something, whether that be cooking, making herbal remedies, or keeping flies at bay. And these are just a few of the reasons for growing rosemary. Rosmarinus, rosemary’s scientific ...
How to Get Free Plants from Your Plant Cuttings
As rewarding as gardening is, it can cost you a chunk of change if you don't watch where and how you spend your money. Thankfully, gardening doesn't have to break the bank if you are into gardening on the cheap. Inexpensive options abound at your local dollar store, and even in your own garden when you take plant cuttings from your favorites. Propagating (also known as ...
How to Grow Lemongrass Plant and What to Do with It
When it comes to growing herbs, lemongrass may be one of the most rewarding. Its uses span across culinary, medicinal, functional, and even ornamental uses, which makes the lemongrass plant one of the most valuable for your garden. About the Lemongrass Plant Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a versatile herbaceous plant that can be grown to use fresh or dried for ...
No Waste: Cool Ideas for Using All of the Harvest
I am always trying to figure out no waste ways to use my produce scraps before they go to the landfill or compost pile. I've got a great handle on how to use the whole strawberry by making strawberry syrup from the tops. I love that I can control food waste in my kitchen and have extra uses for my scraps, even on the way to the compost pile! When I began composting, I ...
Natural Pest Control That Doesn’t Cost the Earth
When you are going to a lot of effort to grow a beautiful garden, there is nothing quite so frustrating as an animal ambling in and trashing the lot. Whether it’s a slug who thinks it’s okay to trail slime all over the place or a deer who thinks that being cute is enough to get away with chomping through your foliage, you need to have a few defenses in place. This is where ...
How to Prevent Weeds in the Vegetable Garden
Weeds. They are an age-old issue that gardeners have battled with season after season in their vegetable gardens. While this long-time battle respects no gardener, the better we learn how to prevent weeds from growing in our garden, the better we can focus on growing our own food. Then we can head them off at the pass, creating an easier gardening experience for ...
How to Improve Your Garden: 5 Features to Try
Creating an outdoor space that you’ll want to spend time in can be a lot harder than it seems if you don’t have enough time to spend tending to it. However, by adding a few features in, you can greatly improve the look and feel of your garden, in turn, adding to your mental tranquility as you spend time in the outdoors. Here are a few ideas that can improve the overall ...
How to Use Diatomaceous Earth in the Garden
These days with all of the concern over food quality, widely used chemical pesticides are viewed askance by those wanting to live more naturally. If you are among this group, you will want to find ways to grow your own food without harmful pesticides. Learning how to use diatomaceous earth powder in the garden can help eliminate some of the chemicals you'd prefer not to have on ...
A Simple, Sure Fire Way of Hardening Off Your Seedlings Easily
So you've got all of your happy young plants growing and thriving in your growing room, greenhouse, grow light box, or whatever it is that you grow them in. Spring is nearing faster than you can say “13 days until spring!” There is something that needs to be done for your plants before you plant them in their forever home, called hardening off. This will aid your little ...
How to Grow Vegetables In a Small Garden
If your dream has always been to become a gardener or have a small farm, but don’t have the space in your backyard, chances are that you will just have to find a way to maximize your existing space. There are plenty of ways you can grow fruit and vegetables in a very small garden, and always have fresh, organic produce to pick for your cooking. Below you will find a few ideas ...
When to Harvest Your Top 10 Most Popular Garden Vegetables
Spring and summer is the time to harvest green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and many other veggies. The bounty in these two seasons is the reason for gardening, in my opinion. It's the time when we are blessed with the tastiest of fruits of our labor, and more money saved at the grocery store. These tips for harvesting your garden vegetables will give you the ...