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...]
11 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Garden Weeds
Weeds are a constant thorn in the side of gardeners everywhere, sometimes literally as well as figuratively. Unfortunately, the most common ways for gardeners to deal with these weeds are not the most healthy or beneficial. Weed killers that are powerful enough to kill weeds on contact are also toxic enough to harm the people using them. This is … [Read more...]
Companion Planting With Herbs to Improve Yields
When people plant their gardens, usually each vegetable gets a plot of land all to itself--potatoes over here, cucumbers over there, and so forth. But many gardeners also plant herbs alongside their vegetables. This is called "companion planting" and it has many benefits. For example, companion planting can enrich your garden soil and make soil … [Read more...]
10 Trees Every Homesteader Should Plant (And Why)
Most homesteads are surrounded by an abundance of trees growing in the wild. This is great for firewood and shade, but selectively planting certain trees can offer other benefits. These include fruit trees and certain trees that provide natural, medicinal benefits. The win/win is when a tree can satisfy all needs: firewood, shade, nutrition, and … [Read more...]
11 Common Garden Pests and How to Deal with Them Naturally
Picture this. It’s a beautiful late spring or early summer morning, and you head out to check your garden. The previous day everything looked healthy and strong, but today, you notice signs of an apparent infestation. Seemingly overnight, leaves are withering and/or new growth looks as if it has been eaten away. It's any gardener’s nightmare, … [Read more...]
9 Ways to Make Your Garden Soil More Fertile
Growing a bountiful harvest begins with one simple yet extremely important step, regardless of where you live or what you're planting: soil quality. There are many ways to enhance the dirt you'll be planting your seeds in, none of which cost much money or time. Soil is a mixture of air, water, mineral particles, and dead organic material. The … [Read more...]
25 Things You Can Use As Seed Starting Containers
It’s that time of year again. Now is your chance to get a jump on spring gardening by starting your seeds indoors. Once you have your seeds, your soil, and your lighting squared away, you'll need to find some containers. Frugal homesteaders repurpose just about everything, and seed starting containers should be no exception. Look for flexible … [Read more...]
6 Proven Strategies to Boost Garden Harvests
Some people grow food year after year and, no matter how hard they work in their gardens, never have as big of a harvest as they hoped for. If you've ever been in that situation, maybe it's time to change your strategy. In this video, GrowVeg shares six strategies that are guaranteed to give you a huge harvest. Here they are: 1. Choose … [Read more...]
19 Things to Do Before You Plant Your Spring Garden
At this point in the winter, outdoor gardening can seem like a distant memory. However, there are many tasks you can and should start doing right now to gear up for a great spring garden. Here’s our checklist of 19 things to do before you plant your spring garden. 1. Order Seeds - Check your favorite seed catalogs or garden stores for the … [Read more...]
15 Best Crops to Grow for Food Storage This Year
Having a pantry or cellar full of stockpiled food and supplies gives a person a feeling of security. It is comforting knowing that no matter what comes to pass in the world outside, your family will be well fed. The fact that you grew and preserved these nutritious foods yourself provides an even bigger sense of accomplishment. One of the keys … [Read more...]
6 Gardening Myths That Just Create More Work
Many years ago, there was a biologist, philosopher, and farmer in Japan who had a novel way of approaching his work on the land. Instead of asking what he could do to make his farm and gardens more productive, he asked what he could not do. He was interested not in what actions he could take, but more in what he was doing that was getting in the … [Read more...]
5 Plants You Can Grow From Cuttings & Leaves
You might be wondering, why would I regrow plants from cuttings when I can just get seeds? As you'll see, there are many benefits to growing new plants from cuttings. For example, rooted cuttings are sturdier and mature much faster. So what sort of plants can you grow from cuttings and leaves? That is the subject of this video by Natural Ways. … [Read more...]
Choosing the Best Plants For Your Fall Garden
For those of you with green thumbs, it's almost time to start your fall garden. But which plants should you choose? Although you can plant almost all the same vegetables you would plant in the spring, there are several things to take into account. For example, since the days get shorter toward the end of the fall growing season, crops will take a … [Read more...]
7 Invasive Plants to Beware Of (and How to Deal With Them)
Invasive plants, whether in your garden, lawn or wood lot, can be a major time sink in your landscaping efforts, taking over garden plants and native forest species alike while decreasing ecological diversity, setting back ecosystem succession (growth and evolution), and destroying the habitat of native species. It is therefore important to be … [Read more...]
6 Plant Diseases and How to Prevent Them
Even the most healthy plants will sometimes succumb to disease, but if you know what to watch out for and how to treat it, you’ll often be able to catch it early and nip it in the bud. Here are some of the most common types of plant diseases you’ll come across growing both perennials and annuals, with some examples of specific diseases you’ll want … [Read more...]
7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Gardening
Most people have fond memories of their grandparents tending to their garden - for very good reason - because they held a very firm belief that it was good for them and, for many of those, helped them get to that age in the first place. They would have been completely right. Gardening has proven mental and physical benefits for you, your family, … [Read more...]
7 Best Flowers for Your Vegetable Garden
If you want a healthy garden, whether decorative, or an edible vegetable garden, you absolutely need to incorporate flowering plants. As a critical part of any healthy ecosystem, flowers provide food and/or habitat for beneficial insects (especially bees and butterflies), and humming birds, while adding natural aesthetic delight for children and … [Read more...]
