In the Garden is the section for learning to grow your own foods and medicinal plants. Whether you’re just starting out or have been gardening for years, we invite you to read these articles on how to garden smarter, not harder. FYI, we use cover crops, companion planting (biodiversity) and other natural methods to control bad bugs and build soil quality instead of commercial pesticides and fertilizers.
I’m like you – I love growing my own food, but I’m always pressed for time. I also love natural systems and rich soil, and no-till gardening creates both. So, how do we combine our love of home-grown foods with our commitment to no-till gardening, while honoring our real-life time constraints? We garden smarter, that’s how.
If you want to grow your own sunflower seeds, or if you just enjoy a showpiece in the garden, give Russian Mammoth sunflower seeds a try this year. We’ve had complete strangers stop their cars in the road to stare at our Russian Mammoth sunflowers! And with so many seeds per head they’re worth the effort to grow.
Continue reading “Grow Sunflower Seeds with Russian Mammoths”
Have you heard reports about the dangers our honey bees face these days? Have you also heard that they pollinate an estimated 70 percent of the world’s plants, including many food crops? Maybe it’s time you and I did our part and thought of ourselves as nice hosts for the pollinators. We do this by providing them with a food source (flowers), something to drink (simple dish of water) and a bee house, of course! Here’s how we made our own bee house for nesting bees and have plans for our very own pollinator garden this year. The book that’s helping us do both? The Bee Friendly Garden, by Frey and LeBuhn. Continue reading “Bee House in The Bee Friendly Garden”
Foraged foods, or those wildcrafted and harvested from nature have become very popular. Learning to harvest these free food and medicinal plants is a smart thing to do. For me, the beauty of edible flowers, wild herbs and nourishing plants was taught to me by my grandmothers. Join me for a collection of resources on foraged foods, including edible flowers! Continue reading “Edible Flowers: Things my Grandmas Taught me”
Whether you’re into guerrilla gardening or just need a great Mother’s Day gift, these clay seed bombs are an easy DIY. This is also a fun family or school project. The kids love the big mess they can make and you can enjoy the great conversations you will have about the importance of growing your own food and planting flowers for the bees. Continue reading “Stamped Medallion Seed Bombs”
Flower power! Wondering what to do with your perennial flowers this time of year – flowers, seed pods, roots! Here are a few flowering favorites and how to make the most of your perennials this fall. Continue reading “The Harvest: Perennial Flowers”
Want to start a butterfly garden to attract beneficial bugs and pollinators to your yard? Want an easy plant to start with? Coupled with other flowering perennials, Buddleia, or Butterfly Bush can be a great choice for your butterfly garden. Continue reading “Start a Butterfly Garden with Butterfly Bush”
To grow your own food in a raised bed gardens requires good planning and consistent tending throughout the growing season. To make things easier and quicker, here’s a checklist on what to do in the raised bed garden in the summer. FYI, this is the third post in our series of raised bed gardens through the year. Continue reading “Raised Bed Gardens: What to do in Summer”
What makes a complete raised bed garden and how can you grow the most food in one? Following are some simple tips and personal recommendations for beginning your food producing garden in raised beds. Continue reading “Raised Bed Garden 101”
Do you love basil but are curious how to grow it yourself? Herb plants are a great addition to any garden and basil is always a lovely, tasty and fragrant addition to your yard. Here are some simple things to know about basil and it’s benefits.
Join our Newsletter Family Today!DIY Education for your Lifestyle
Solve Your Current Homestead Problems
Receive Special Offers and Coupons
Enter your best email for your FREE book!