Katherine Marko – Backyard Vitality

Everything You Need to Know About Planting and Caring for Passion Vine

5 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Do you love exotic flowers, but think they’re either out of your gardening expertise or not likely to grow in your hardiness zone? Then you may want to consider growing a passion vine. Passion vine is a unique plant that sprouts exotic, tropical-looking flowers that can grow almost anywhere. In fact, with the genus Passiflora containing over 500 different species, you can even find these outwardly delicate vines growing alongside the road. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for passion vine.

3 Annual Flower Window Box Ideas For a Beautiful View and Tips For Success

5 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Whether you live in the city, suburbia, or the country, window boxes add beauty, texture, color, charm, and even drama to your view. Adding window boxes brings flowers and foliage to eye level, which offers a different perspective than having them in your garden. From inside your home, plants create a lush view to the outdoors that can brighten your day no matter how gloomy the weather. And from the outside, plants and window boxes provide curb appeal that becomes part of the architecture. Here are three ideas for a beautiful view.

Plant the Ultimate Tea Garden and Make the Perfect Cup of Tea

6 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Growing and crafting fine teas is an involved and time-honored tradition that can take many years to master. That said, if you love gardening — and drinking tea — growing and processing your own organic, herbicide- and pesticide-free specialty teas will be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. In case you think you’re limited to tea leaves, think again. The ultimate tea garden can even include teas made from roots, seeds, and fruit. In fact, there are so many options, you could create an entire garden devoted to the art of tea drinking. Here’s what you’ll need to know!

Love Eggplant? Here’s How to Grow, Harvest, and Store It

4 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Eggplant, also known as aubergine or brinjal, is a favorite in Mediterranean cuisine. Additionally, it’s low-calorie, provides fiber and nutrients, and makes an excellent grilling vegetable. However, eggplant can be tricky to grow. Nevertheless, with these tips, you’ll be harvesting your eggplant just in time for your favorite Italian feast. If you love eggplant, there’s no reason why you can’t make it the star of your garden. Here’s how to grow, harvest, and store it!

7 Tips for Beautiful Hydrangeas

5 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Renowned for their lush, eye-catching blooms, hydrangeas add old-fashioned charm to any garden. You might think hydrangeas are high maintenance. But surprisingly, they need little care. With a few tips, your hydrangeas will thrive in a variety of conditions. So, if you’re looking for a stunning garden flower, with large globes of colorful blossoms, then hydrangeas are the perennials for you! Here are seven tips for beautiful hydrangeas.

Got a Dog? Don’t Ever Plant These

4 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Chowing down on any plant material may cause gastrointestinal upset and vomiting for your dog. But some plants, when ingested, can be life-threatening. Certain herbs, vegetables and edible plants that are perfectly fine for human consumption could cause everything from excessive drooling to anorexia for your canine pal. Don’t assume that dogs instinctively avoid dangerous plants. That may be true of some animals in the wild, but dogs have no way of distinguishing between safe and unsafe plants. The following is a list of common plants that could be dangerous for your dog. So, don’t ever plant these if you share your yard with a canine friend.

Homesteading: How to Grow 100 Percent of Your Food

5 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Many Americans believe that to feed a city, it takes miles and miles of machine-laid and chemically-grown crops. But in reality, with the right soil and a little space, you can grow enough food to feed your family in your backyard. A homestead garden is your ticket to becoming self-sufficient and less reliant on commercial grocery stores. In fact, there’s no better time than now to become self-reliant — especially with the pandemic still looming over our heads and climate change on the forefront. Here’s what you need to know to grow 100 percent of your food.

Urban Homesteading: How to be Self Sufficient in the City

6 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Living sustainably is no longer limited to the size of the land you own. Although you might not have enough space in your garden to grow large crops like wheat and corn, you can still grow fruits, vegetables, and trees in a city garden — or even containers. There’s a growing number of urban dwellers looking to become self-sufficient while reconnecting with nature. So, if you’re a big city dweller and dream of becoming a modern-day homesteader one day, why wait? Here’s how to be self-sufficient in the city.

The Beginners Guide To Homestead Gardens

6 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

Do you dream of being self-sufficient and lessening your impact on the environment? If so, then homesteading might be for you. Homesteading is sustainable living at its best. Simply put, it’s a lifestyle where you grow your own food while minimizing your carbon footprint. In turn, you’ll be more self-reliant and less dependent on outside sources. Here’s a beginner’s guide to homestead gardens.

Grow These Ancient Survival Grains in Your Home Garden

5 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

There’s a good reason why our ancestors relied on ancient grains for survival — and why they’ve resurfaced in home gardens today. Ancient grains are highly nutritious superfoods, far healthier than the processed wheat products lining the store shelves. In addition, many ancient grains flourish with far fewer pesticides and less fertilizer and irrigation, making them an ideal survival grain for gardeners looking to minimize their carbon footprint.

20 Fruits And Vegetables You Can Grow In Containers

6 min read | Author - Katherine Marko

One thing this pandemic has taught us is that we rely too heavily on modern supply chains for food. What happens if grocery stores run out of food? The solution is simple; grow your own. In a not too distant future, growing vegetables and fruits in containers could be a necessity. And you don’t have to live in the country. Today, urban and rural gardeners alike rely on patios, balconies, rooftops, alleyways, or whatever space is available to grow their produce. Here’s a list of some of the best fruits and veggies you can grow in containers.

Everything You Need to Know About Planting and Caring for Passion Vine

3 Annual Flower Window Box Ideas For a Beautiful View and Tips For Success

Plant the Ultimate Tea Garden and Make the Perfect Cup of Tea

Love Eggplant? Here’s How to Grow, Harvest, and Store It

7 Tips for Beautiful Hydrangeas

Got a Dog? Don’t Ever Plant These

Homesteading: How to Grow 100 Percent of Your Food

Urban Homesteading: How to be Self Sufficient in the City

The Beginners Guide To Homestead Gardens

Grow These Ancient Survival Grains in Your Home Garden

20 Fruits And Vegetables You Can Grow In Containers

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