On January 25th, 2021, Lucia DeClerck, the oldest resident in a nursing home in New Jersey, was looking forward to celebrating her 105th birthday. Instead, she contracted COVID-19. Not exactly the gift for which she hoped.
Depending on where you live and what plants you are growing, it is getting close to seed starting time. I love this time of year, when I can start plants indoors to transplant them lovingly into my spring garden. Seed starting time means that garden planting time is just around the corner. No matter when seed starting time is for you, the tips below will help you avoid some common mistakes so that you can give your plants the best start possible.
While TV advertisements and mainstream gardening advice would have you believe that all sorts of chemicals are required to manage issues in your garden, we think otherwise. A holistic approach often works best – preventing any toxic side effects and also saving you money. Here is how you can enjoy the superpower of cinnamon in your garden.
Is your harvest basket overflowing? Here are some great recipes that will help you get the most out of your garden goodness.
Sure, you can get a starter kit for your seeds, or you can turn something you probably have lying around the house into a useful and compostable (even better), seed starter. These materials are basically free, and you can feel good about their simplicity and earth friendliness. All you have to do is fill with a potting medium, start your seeds and, when ready, plant them in your garden.
In the early pioneering days of America, most people grew their own food, learning how to cultivate and grow it, not for fun but because a home garden was necessary for survival. In the 17th century, those settlers farmed their own fruits and vegetables, often using small, enclosed gardens that sat just outside their front door. Typically these gardens were focused on essential edibles, culinary and medicinal herbs. While food gardening has waxed and waned since then, it will never stop.
For most people, gardens are going like gangbusters right about now. You have gotten plenty of rain and are happily harvesting and sharing fresh veggies with friends and neighbors. However, you also know that soon, all too soon, it will be time to clean out the garden as the season winds down for another year. If you want to continue to have fresh greens for your family all winter long, consider hydroponics, the art of growing plants without soil.
Who doesn’t love an ice-cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? What is even better than a glass of lemonade is a glass of homemade lemonade made with plants from your very own lemonade garden. You won’t believe how incredibly easy it is to create and care for your own lemonade garden. Here’s how to do it.
Don’t let the word “hydroponic” scare you. Although large-scale growers use this system to grow massive amounts of produce in a short period of time, the system is not limited to commercial agricultural use. You can make your very own inexpensive hydroponic system at home and get started right away to grow tasty produce all year long.
Sprouts are seeds that have been germinated in water. They form a tiny root and shoot that can be consumed in its entirety. These baby plants are a nutritious food you can grow all year round – no soil needed. Some of the most popular types of seeds to sprout include radish, alfalfa, pea, sunflower, and mung bean. Broccoli sprouts have also become increasingly popular due to their health properties.
There has long been an incorrect assumption in the garden community that ornamental plants are the only ones that can look good, while vegetables and fruits are strictly for practical purposes. Essentially the opposite of a mullet, gardens are viewed as “party in the front, business in the back”. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a large front yard for flowers and ornamental purposes and a spacious backyard that can be reserved for edible crops, however. And some people feel like they have to choose one or the other…practicaltiy or beauty. Thankfully, recent breakthroughs have turned this misconception on its head, and a new practice is rising in popularity…edible landscaping.
Susan has been nurturing her gardening tips and advice for over 00 years, it’s fair to say she knows her beans. She’ll be sharing her knowledge from tried and tested methods.
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