Homesteaders are the ultimate recyclers. You re-purpose jars, buckets, and clothing, and you find ways to fix and reuse things that many people today would toss in the garbage. However, you may be overlooking a recycling project that is easy, economical, and right under your nose after dinner. I'm talking about kitchen scraps. Did you know you … [Read more...]
8 Homemade Weed Killer Sprays That Really Work
Homemade weed killer sprays not only help you kill all the bad weeds in your garden, they also save you money - and without the use of toxic chemicals. While some weeds can actually be very good to have in and around your garden, many will steal nutrients from the soil that your crops, herbs, and medicinal plants need in order to thrive. Pulling … [Read more...]
How To Kill Moles In Your Garden Or Yard
There is some debate about whether moles are a problem for gardeners. Some people argue that moles will aerate your soil, eat grubs and pests, and give you free fertilizer. On the other hand, they can dig up freshly planted seed beds, uproot brand new plants, and generally make a mess of everything. Whether or not you want to get rid of moles in … [Read more...]
If You See These Weeds, Don’t Kill Them! Here’s Why
If you're a gardener, you probably spend a good deal of time thinking about how to prevent weeds from taking over your beds. When left unchecked, weeds can take valuable space and nutrients away from our plants. Pulling weeds that do take root can be a time-consuming and arduous task. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a weed as “a plant … [Read more...]
12 Ways to Stop Weeds Without Herbicides
Weed control is one of the most critical aspects of growing a healthy garden. But if you don’t want to rely on harmful herbicides, you have to be creative about the way you control weeds. Whether you are trying to grow an organic garden or simply prepping for a time when herbicides might not be available, there are plenty of natural methods you … [Read more...]
8 Seed Starting Methods That Expert Gardeners Rely On
No matter what climate zone you live in, the growing season never seems long enough when you are growing your own fruits and vegetables. The best way to extend that time-frame is by giving it a jump start with your own seed starts. When you grow seedlings indoors, you save time and money. Your young plants will be able to take off in spring … [Read more...]
1 Secret To An Amazing Winter Garden
Most gardeners give up on growing anything in the winter. That's a shame because wintertime is a great opportunity to grow many cold weather crops. For those of you who do grow plants in the winter, you might be using cold frames. Gardeners have been using these forever, and they are very effective, but there's another option that does an even … [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...]
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...]
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...]
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 … [Read more...]
