If you're an avid gardener, you already know the benefits of having a greenhouse in the winter. It allows you to keep growing things even when it's too cold outside, that way you can have fresh veggies and flowers all year long. I've talked to gardeners who say it would be nice to have a greenhouse, but they're too expensive. Well yea, if you … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Preserve Fresh Herbs So They Won’t Go To Waste
Waste not, want not. According to the Dictionary of American Proverbs, this well-known saying can be traced back to 1772. It is a mantra for many homesteaders. Herbs are delicious straight from the garden, but their freshness can fade quickly. You should discard herbs when their leaves turn dark or brittle, or if their stems show any traces of … [Read more...]
Composting 101: Read This Before You Start
Composting is like a kid’s science project – it’s really not that complicated once you read the directions and understand the steps involved. You don’t have to be a genius to get it done and you don’t need acres of property to compost your food waste. Below you'll find everything you need to know to create your first ever compost pile without … [Read more...]
6 Secrets to a Successful Container Garden
There are so many benefits to container gardening. You can garden year-round, pest control is easier, you won't use as much water, you'll spend less on fertilizer, you don't have to till the ground, plant diseases don't spread as easily... you get the idea. However, it's not as simple as throwing dirt and seeds into a bucket. If you want to have … [Read more...]
10 Reasons You Should Build a Greenhouse
There are many advantages to gardening inside a greenhouse. Greenhouses can be an expression of individuality and a retreat to relieve stress. There are a variety of different greenhouse designs, and you get to decide how large or small it is and whether it will have technology or no technology. Your decisions will depend on what you want to … [Read more...]
10 Herbs and Flowers That Can Ease Your Aches and Pains
Nature has provided everything we need to survive, including medicinal plants that relieve migraines, clear up rashes, ease aches and pains, reduce swelling and bruising, and treat various illnesses. At one time, natural remedies were used in homes every day. Carefully cultivated herb gardens supplied medicine for the family and were often shared … [Read more...]
17 Gardening Tips From The Experts
As you may already know, gardening can be very frustrating. You prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water them every day, pull the weeds, and protect your seedlings as much as possible, but sometimes things go wrong. The plant gets diseased, or eaten by pests, or simply won't produce any vegetables. Sometimes it seems like you can do everything … [Read more...]
12 Seeds for Your Fall Garden
Summer is coming to an end (thank God!). So if you plan on growing food this fall, you better start making plans. As explained by The Rootsy Network, there are three types of crops you need to consider: 1) Crops you plant in mid to late summer and harvest before the first frost, 2) Crops you plant in late summer or early fall and harvest in … [Read more...]
5 Time-Saving Gardening Tips
If you're retired or work part-time, gardening is one of the best things you can do in your spare time. You'll save money on food, you'll avoid unnatural chemicals and pesticides, and you'll improve your overall health just from being outside and interacting with nature. However, if you work full-time and/or you have family members to take care … [Read more...]
12 Ways to Attract Bees to Your Garden
The bee population in the U.S. is in peril. According to the Pollinator Partnership, the U.S. has lost more than half of its managed honeybee colonies over the past decade. Although the reasons for this sharp decline are not fully understood, scientists believe contributing factors include increased exposure to pesticides, parasites, diseases, … [Read more...]
12 Simple Ways to Lengthen Your Garden’s Growing Season
Many gardeners wait diligently for late spring so that they can begin their gardens, and then they reluctantly call it quits in the fall. Depending on where you live, that can be a short-lived growing season of only four months or so. However, there are some simple ways to extend your garden’s growing season. With a longer growing season, you … [Read more...]
How to Grow Trees from Twigs
When most people plant trees, they just buy a baby tree from the store and transfer it to the ground. But there's another method that is cheaper and more satisfying: Take a twig from the kind of tree you want to plant and nurture it into a whole new tree. Doing this isn't as complicated as you might think. In this article by Anna Ikona on … [Read more...]
10 Edible (and Healthy) Plants from Your Own Backyard – Summer Edition
As the summer sun begins to shine, you may notice new plant life popping up in your yard. Many homeowners overlook these plants, either assuming they’re pesky weeds or not even noticing them at all...but wait a second! Many of these wild and organic plants are packed with nutrients and are super delicious. Better yet, they’re free! Foraging can … [Read more...]
8 Things To Do With All Those Dandelions
I fondly remember the toddler days when my children would pick small bouquets of dandelions and lovingly present them to me. I would thank them and then place the “pretty flowers” in a small vase on the kitchen windowsill. Other than those delightful moments, however, I harbored dark thoughts about those bright yellow blooms. How dare they crop up … [Read more...]
7 Perennial Herbs to Plant for Culinary and Medicinal Use
Credible clinical studies verify that many herbs have significant medicinal benefits… and oh yeah, they taste good, too. Planting and growing herbs is surprisingly simple, and you don’t need an herb garden to do it. Many people make herbs a part of their regular garden, planting in between the flowers and the groundcover. Herbs also grow well in … [Read more...]
Aloe Vera: How to Grow It and How to Use It
You’ve probably heard about the healing powers of the aloe vera plant for sunburn, but did you know it can also be used as a hair conditioner, as a liquid tonic, and to treat other skin conditions? What’s even better is that aloe vera is easy to grow and would be a great addition to your homestead’s indoor and, possibly, your outdoor garden. A … [Read more...]
Converting Lawns Into Gardens
In America, the lawn care industry is worth about $4 billion a year. That's right, billions and billions of dollars just for land that usually sits there untouched, being green. Don't get me wrong, I love walking barefoot on a nice lawn, playing games with my kids. But imagine how much food could be grown if people started converting their … [Read more...]
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