A raised bed is a great way to start a vegetable garden. It allows you to create the perfect environment for your veggies, with just the right soil mix and good drainage. You can generally grow any vegetables in this way, but some are superstar producers in a raised bed.
Have you ever watched a squirrel and noticed how it spends its day? Squirrels are food gatherers and hoarders. They are driven by instinct towards the habitual gathering and storing of food. Their days are spent briskly skirting from one nut to another.
While health experts recommend eating more fresh, natural foods, some are best left alone. Many plants are not here for our benefit but to protect themselves from predators. That’s why some plants have developed chemical weapons to avoid being eaten. Surprisingly, our daily diets contain several of these potentially-toxic plants, which humankind has figured out how to eat safely. Be warned, some of your favorites could be on this list! Here are 11 secretly poisonous plants that we eat all the time.
You got backyard chickens to become more self-reliant – because isn’t growing your own food supposed to save you money? Unfortunately, those backyard chickens can quickly become an expensive hobby. Plus, if you’re relying on store-bought feed to keep your little egg farm running, then you’re still tied to mainstream supply chains.
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a perennial flowering plant whose young shoots are used as a delicious spring vegetable. If you love to roast tender spears tossed with olive oil and seasonings, perhaps it is time to grow some of your own. Although it takes a while for asparagus crops to take off, there is nothing like the taste of these homegrown, green spears.
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!
Peppers are a wonderful addition to any home garden, and there are many varieties to choose from, ranging from super hot to sweet and everything in between. No matter how you like them, there is a pepper for you. Growing the perfect pepper plant is not as easy as simply plopping a young seedling into the ground and walking away! However, if you pay attention to a few things that peppers really love, you will be in luck, and your plants should produce an abundance of pepper for you to enjoy.
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.
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.
Believe it or not, people enjoyed fresh produce for hundreds of years before refrigeration was introduced! You don’t need a fridge to keep food fresh. In fact, refrigeration could actually decrease the lifespan of some fresh produce. Plus, if you want to become self-sufficient, it is a good idea to stop relying on the potentially unstable power grid to keep your harvest fresh and edible, and if you have a large garden, you’ll likely need more space for storage regardless. Here are our favorite tips for storing fruits and veggies without refrigeration and a few methods that will keep your produce good for months on end.
In the wake of WWI and WWII, millions of American citizens embraced the idea of the victory garden. With food shortages, rising costs, and the need to support the war effort overseas, the government called upon communities and individuals to grow their own food for nourishment and to keep up morale in a country afflicted by the mounting effects of such an enormous war. Citizens answered the call with relish, and by 1943, almost 40% of all fruits and vegetables in the U.S. were being produced in victory gardens.
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