Posts

Once the vegetable growing season is officially over, it’s time to start getting your garden ready for winter. Cleaning out your vegetable garden in the fall will help to prevent disease and pest issues next season. Fall is also a great time to test and amend the soil, and to add winter mulch to your vegetable garden. Preparing Your Vegetable Garden For Winter Step-By-Step First I will give you the high-level steps for preparing your vegetable garden for winter....

Growing herbs indoors on a sunny windowsill has become quite popular these days, especially for those of us who live in a climate where the winters are long and cold. The thought of being able to snip off sprigs of fresh herbs all year round every time you need them for cooking sounds dreamy, right? Yes! So why not give it a try? Below I am going to show you all that you need in order to be successful....

Growing peppers from seed can be a bit challenging for beginners, but it’s actually pretty easy. In this post, I am going to show you exactly how to grow peppers from seed, step-by-step, and give you everything you need to be successful! Peppers (aka capsicum) are one of my all-time favorites! My husband loves them too, and we’ve grown tons of different varieties (both hot and sweet) from seed over the years....

Cactus rot is a super common problem, and one of the main causes of cactus death. But just because your cactus is rotting doesn’t mean you can’t save it. In this post, I talk about the causes and symptoms, answer all of your questions, and give you step-by-step instructions for how to save a cactus from rot. Rot can start anywhere on a cactus plant. It could start from the bottom and spread up the plant....

Cabbage worms are a huge problem for many gardeners, and they can be very destructive little buggers. I know first hand that controlling garden pests can be super frustrating! But there’s no reason to reach for the toxic chemical pesticides to get rid of cabbage worms. You can easily do it organically. Once you understand how they multiply, the plants they love the best, where they come from, what they look like, and the signs to look out for, it will be much easier to control cabbage worms....

You may be wondering why you would need or want to release ladybugs in the first place. Well, there are tons of benefits of having them in your garden, and they are voracious predators. They eat hundreds of undesirable bugs, and help keep your garden free from plant-eating insects. Adding ladybugs into your yard is a great way to increase their population. They will get to work decimating the bad bugs for you right away....

If you’re worried that pruning plants is too complicated, or you’re going to mess it up and kill something, then you’re in the right place! Pruning plants can be an intimidating topic for new gardeners, and it seems to be one of those things that really stresses people out. But don’t worry! I am going to make this super easy for you. Whether it’s trimming trees, deadheading flowers, or thinning out plants, I’ll walk you through it all step by step....

There’s no doubt that starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a jump on the gardening season. Plus it’s a great way to save yourself some money. But it’s not always easy to grow your own seeds, especially inside the house where the conditions are not ideal for them. Trust me, I know. I struggled for years to get it right, and perfect the art of starting seeds indoors....

If you’re looking for herbs to grow inside, then this is for you! In this post, I share my list of the best indoor herbs so you can have all of your favorites ready to go when you need them, any time of the year. If you live in a cold climate like I do, then you might be wondering how you can keep your favorite herbs alive indoors through the long winter months, or even year round....

One of the things I love the most about growing vertically is that I can get so creative with it. Vertical gardening systems add structure and beauty to the garden, and give it tons of character. Plus they allow us to grow in spaces we never would be able to otherwise. When you start considering all of the different types of vertical gardens you could create, it will really open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking....

Harvesting aloe vera is easier than you might think, and doesn’t take much time. In this post, I’ll show you exactly when and how to do it step by step. Learning how to harvest aloe vera at home is a great way to utilize all of its benefits. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll know exactly when and where to cut it. It’s not difficult, but it’s important to know how to do it the right way so you don’t end up killing your plant....

Last week a reader asked me “How does a rain barrel work?”. That is an excellent question, and one I often wondered before I bought my first rain barrel. I figure other people would wonder the same thing, so I decided to answer the question in a blog post. But first, let’s talk about the purpose of a rain barrel. What Do Rain Barrels Do? A rain barrel is used for rainwater harvesting, and is a container that captures and stores rainwater....

Sago palms look exotic and difficult to care for, but they are surprisingly simple to grow. In this detailed guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to keep them thriving indoors or outside. Though they are very popular landscaping plants in warm regions, sago palms also make excellent houseplants. They are low maintenance and very forgiving, making them an excellent choice for beginners and experts alike. Below I’ve shared everything you need about sago palm care....

One of the biggest advantages of growing vertically is that it makes maintenance much simpler. Growing plants up and off the ground makes it easier to care for them, and protects them from many common problems. Even though caring for vertical gardens is easier, they aren’t completely maintenance free. But don’t worry, there are lots of things you can do to ease the burden of vertical garden maintenance. In this vertical garden care guide, I’ll show you how to take care of your vertical garden so that you don’t have to spend your entire summer weeding, watering, fertilizing, and fighting pests and disease....

Drying peppers is easy and doesn’t take much time. In this post, I’m going to show you the 5 best ways to do it, with step by step instructions for each. If you’re like me, you always have an overabundance of fresh peppers from your garden every summer, and you may be wondering what to do with them. Drying peppers is a wonderful way to use them up before they go bad....

Chili is the perfect fall and winter comfort food, and it’s a great way to use up extra vegetables from the garden! After a long day of tackling fall or winter garden chores, the smell of a warm, bubbling chili is a great way to wind down in the evening and will warm you right up. This tasty homemade chili recipe is a family tradition, passed on for three generations! Everyone puts a slight spin on the recipe to make it their own....

I grow zinnias in my garden every year, and absolutely love them! Every time I look out my window, they are one of the first things that catch my eye. In my opinion, these beautiful and resilient flowers are a must for every garden! If you’ve never grown zinnias before, you should definitely add them to your list. They are an old fashioned garden staple, and their popularity is understandable. These days, you can find them in all shapes, sizes, and colors....

Annuals vs Perennials When I first started gardening, I could never remember the difference between perennial and annual plants. Table of Contents Then things really got confusing for me when I would hear other terms thrown around like “biennial”, “hardy annuals”, “tender perennials”…ahhh, what does it all mean!? I didn’t know so I just chose to ignore all of those words. Now that I am a seasoned gardener, I know the importance of understanding what all of those different terms mean....

Castor bean (Ricinus communis, aka: mole plant) is a fast growing tropical plant, and it’s one of my favorite annuals. I love the red ones especially, they add a wonderful contrast of color and texture to my garden. I get tons of compliments on them, and everyone asks what they are. I start them from seeds every year, and they grow to be monsters by the end of summer. Below I am going to show you exactly how to grow castor beans from seed so you can enjoy them in your garden too....

If you love lavender, you’ll definitely want to make these cookies. They are light and decadent, the recipe very easy to make, and they taste great too. They’ll have everyone who tries them coming back for more! These homemade lavender cookies have a rich yet delicate sweetness and subtle floral notes. With only 6 ingredients, it’s simple to whip up a batch, and the flavor will keep you coming back for more....