First time gardeners shouldn’t be too ambitious with their first garden. Plan your garden according to how much time you can dedicate to caring for it, while allowing proper spacing for plants. This will help keep frustrations down by keeping things under control. You can always expand your gardening space the following year!
Most pests are brought into the house via new plants or plants that have summered outdoors. It’s not easy to rid your plants of pests once they develop, so prevention is key. Before bringing new plants into the house, or those that have summered outdoors, inspect the plant and soil. Check under leaves and in [...]
When it comes to summer flavors, the strawberry is maybe the first thought that comes to mind. Juicy and sweet, these fruits can be used in many ways from homemade ice cream and jam to toppings for cakes and refreshing summer drinks, but eaten straight from the vine, is undeniably an experience in itself. There [...]
If you love fresh picked tomatoes but have no room for a full garden, don’t worry, there is a way to grow your own! Tomatoes are one of those fruits that are best picked fresh. While they travel just fine to the grocery store, there seems to be nothing quite like a vine ripened tomato, [...]
This fall planter is great if you want to fill a large space, or scale it down for a smaller space. https://youtu.be/Urk1d1bheoQ
https://youtu.be/Z7Ofskx6euw We made pumpkin succulent planters with a 4.5” succulent planted into a white pumpkin. We carved the top of the pumpkin and removed the pulp and seeds to make a pumpkin shell planter. Water as needed but keep dry to preserve the pumpkin and keep the succulent happy. This should last up to a [...]
Adding a small metal cactus to an ordinary sedum pot makes for a one of a kind planter!
We used an old 6ft folding ruler to make this rustic star wall decoration. Fold each section into the shape of a star and when the two ends meet secure with an industrial staple or small nail. Decorate with dried flowers or Bittersweet for a great fall door wreath.
Pull out some “useful” garage art, add a hardy mum or two and finish with a variety of pumpkins. Add Golden Rod, cornstalks and fall leaves to existing summer planters, drop a pumpkin in the center and now you have a beautiful fall planter!
Herbs are meant to be used. Here’s a quick guide for harvesting, drying and storing herbs from your garden. Whichever method you choose to use be sure to label the dried or frozen final product for future use. Tips for Harvesting Herbs: Ideally aim to harvest herbs on a sunny day after the dew is [...]
Introduction to Fruit Preserves Fruit preserves are a fabulous way to enjoy the summer flavors year round. A bit of jelly on toast or a biscuit is a great start to the day or can be a sweet treat to be enjoyed at anytime. These delicious treats are easy to make and make for fun [...]
When you think about pollinators the organisms that come to mind are bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. These are the pollinator poster children. In reality, many other organisms assist in pollination and seed dispersal. These unusual pollinators include other invertebrates such as flies, slugs, moths, and beetles. Even some of the less desirable insects such as [...]
Pollinators are an important part of any garden as they play a critical role in the reproduction of the vast majority of flowering plants. Without these helpful little critters many plants would be unsuccessful in producing fruits and seeds for the next generation of plants. Building a pollinator friendly garden can help all of your [...]
Composting and Recycling Chart from Vassar Sustainability Humans produce a ton of waste that ends up in landfills around the world. Landfills produce methane, a major greenhouse gas, and are a monument to human wastefulness. It is important to keep usable materials out of landfills. Recycling materials such as plastics, cans, glass and [...]
What is Crop Rotation Crop rotation is the practice of switching the family or type of crops grown in a plot each year. This cycling helps to maintain soil health and break up disease and pest cycles. As a result, proper crop rotation can reduce the need for fertilizer and pesticides. Benefits of Crop Rotation [...]