Home Canning Shelf Goals
Photo by @henmade_homestead
Dried Herb Collection
Photo by @bigfamilyliving
Kitchen Pantry Goals
Photo by @shegrowsveg
Home Canning Shelf Goals
Photo by @henmade_homestead
Follow The Happy Gardening Life on Instagram today to get access to daily gardening content and don’t forget to use our popular #thehappygardeninglife tag for a chance to be featured!
]]>No matter what season we're in, it's always a good idea to plan for next year’s veggie garden!
Have a look at these Top 3 awesome vegetable garden layout ideas that we’ve featured on our Instagram feed. Many of our followers have taken inspiration from them, and we hope you will too!
Impressive Edible Garden Design
Photo by @hovelsrudhagen
Gorgeous Raised Beds at Sunset
Photo by @iva.grasa
Dreamy Veggie Garden in Fall
Photo by @charles_dowding
May these amazing veggie gardens spark your creativity and motivate you to create your best garden yet!
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]]>As featured in Mediaplanet's Construction & Homeowners' Campaign, June 2020.
The gardener behind the popular Instagram account The Happy Gardening Life, Jason Miles, answers questions about how to start growing your own flowers and vegetables.
What are some of the best tools to begin a garden?
You don’t need much. A pair of gloves, a good quality shovel, and a small hand trowel should do the trick. Over time, you’ll end up with a good assortment of additional tools, including garden scissors, a pocketknife, a pickax, loppers, and a good quality garden hose and nozzle. The best tools for getting inspiration are Instagram and YouTube. On Instagram, follow me @thehappygardeninglife, and on YouTube, be sure to check Jess at Roots and Refuge. She’s one of my favorite YouTubers.
What are some of your best tips for beginners starting a flower garden?
Two frugal and fun suggestions come to mind. The first is learning how to take cuttings from plants. You can buy one plant, for example a bare root climbing rose in January for 10 dollars, and you’ll have as many of them as you want by the end of the year. Second, learn to buy and grow bulbs, tubers, and other perennial flowers when they are dormant. When you do this and pot them up early, it’s much cheaper than buying mature plants. Our favorites are peonies, dahlias, lilies, and delphiniums. The beauty of perennial flowers is that they grow back in years two, three, and beyond. You’ll feel like you’re getting a garden full of beautiful flowers for free. And there is a double bonus; many can be divided, doubling your flower power. For an extra-long season of sensational flowers, research when each flower will bloom, and plant things accordingly. You’ll have a beautiful range of flowers from early spring until late fall.
If people want to grow a vegetable garden, what are some plants and herbs they should begin with?
You should only grow what you, your family, or the immediate community are eager to eat. Every gardener learns this the hard way. Start with a conversation with your loved ones early and take on the challenge of growing their favorite fruits and vegetables. For fun, go one step further and grow a variety of options for them. For example, if they like kale, then plant three or four types. If they like basil, select an assortment. Give them what they want but add surprise variations too. You’ll feel like a master gardener when you introduce them to something they’ve never seen or heard of before. If you struggle to find all the variety you’re looking for, check out a great site like www.rareseeds.com
Some people have limited yard space but wish to grow plants of their own, what is the best way they can do this?
Small spaces require smart plans. Start with a piece of paper and draw your area and make a list of everything you want. Edit until you have optimized your small space for a terrific outcome. If you plan well, any space, regardless of the challenges, can be mastered.
Bugs and animals can often get into a home garden, how can people prevent them from eating their vegetables or ruining their flowers?
The first step is to learn what critters are beneficial to your garden and how best to foster them. Then, learn to deal with the unhelpful ones carefully, ideally without any toxic chemicals involved. Healthy gardens have a host of helpful creatures. We all know that ladybugs, Butterflies, bees, and earthworms add value. But there are a lot of beneficial helpers that are less well known. For example, frogs and birds eat slugs. Many times, merely increasing the number of these helpful creatures will reduce or eliminate the bad actors. Beyond that, carefully research non-toxic solutions before shopping in the pesticide or herbicide sections of the big box stores.
A good garden is full of beautiful plants and creatures, all stewarded by a thoughtful and kind soul. Whether your space is big or small, you can do this. Start simply, learn as you go, and share what you produce with others. A happy garden awaits you.
This particular variety is one of the worst performing ones, so you might want to try other types instead. Check out John’s new video now to discover the best and most delicious pepper varieties to grow in your home garden!
P.S. Don’t forget to click the social buttons below to share this video with your friends.
Video Source: Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens
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Image Source: Garden Printables at Pinterest
]]>Nowadays, more and more people are practicing organic gardening methods at home.
This is no surprise because organic gardening is absolutely the smartest option especially if you want to enjoy fresh and healthy foods all year long.
If you haven’t switched to this type of gardening yet, then you definitely need to read these 7 reasons why going organic is best for you.
Check them out below and don’t forget to share them on your favorite social networks!
7 Good Reasons to Go Organic
1. Organic Products Meet Stringent Standards
Organic certification is the public’s assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs.
2. Organic Food Tastes Great!
It’s common sense – well-balanced soils produce strong, healthy plants that become nourishing food for people and animals.
3. Organic Production Reduces Health Risks
Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.
4. Organic Producers are Leaders in Innovative Research
Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agriculture’s impact on the environment.
5. Organic Producers Strive to Preserve Diversity
The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of the most pressing environmental concerns. The good news is that many organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.
6. Organic Farming Helps Keep Rural Communities Healthy
USDA reported that in 1997, half of U.S. farm production came from only 2% of farms. Organic agriculture can be a lifeline for small farms because it offers an alternative market where sellers can command fair prices for crops.
7. Organic Abundance – Foods and Non-Foods Alike!
Now every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically – even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way.
Article Source: Organic Trade Association
]]>It definitely helps to be aware of the different gardening don’ts so you can protect the vegetable garden that you’ve worked hard for. To avoid making costly mistakes, always keep these things in mind:
Don’t overfeed your garden with fertilizer
Only use fertilizer when your soil has a nutrient deficiency that needs to be fixed. Adding more fertilizer is not a guarantee that your crops will grow better; vegetable plants only absorb nutrients right when they need them, so it’s actually wasteful to put too much in the soil.
Don’t apply synthetic fertilizer
This type of fertilizer contains chemicals that are harmful to plants. Instead, go natural and make your own compost to achieve a healthier garden.
Don’t use any form of pesticides
Using pesticides will only put your plants at risk and kill the beneficial bugs that your garden needs. It’s best to just give up pesticides altogether and adopt greener methods such as companion planting and creating your own organic pest control sprays at home.
Read more below to learn more about these important gardening don’ts. Don’t forget to share this blog post on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest today!
1. Don’t Over Fertilize
Fertilizers should really only be used when there is a nutrient deficiency in the soil. Plants are going to only take up nutrients as they need them, and any others that are added to the soil will only go to waste. This is especially true when it comes to nitrogen.
2. Don’t Use Synthetic Fertilizers
Throw those bottles of synthetic fertilizers away and opt for creating your own organic compost, use earthworm castings, fish and seaweed emulsions, and leaf mold instead. In fact, if you use these amendments you can reduce, or even eliminate the need for fertilizers all together. Your vegetable garden will grow ten times better and be far more healthy.
3. Don’t Plant in Too Much Shade
Planting vegetables in a shady area is a really big no-no. There are a handful of veggies that do not mind a little shade, such as lettuces and peas, but most vegetables need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight in order to thrive. Less than that and you could end up with underperforming plants.
If you are starting your first vegetable garden make sure to watch the sun throughout the season to find the area that gets the best sunlight. It’s better to check the sunlight in the spring, summer, and fall because what is sunny in early spring might be shaded in summer once the trees have filled with leaves.
4. Don’t Use Broad Spectrum Pesticides
The problem with pesticides is that you may end up killing the nasty insect that wreaking havoc, but you are also killing the beneficial insects like bees, ladybugs and lacewings that might be visiting your garden.
Whenever you come across a pest issue it is important to identify the culprit first. Once you have the pest named then you can come up with selective means of deterring, or eliminating, the pest from your garden. Many times there is an organic solution for dealing with a pest that is much better for the health of your garden, and your family.
Article Source: veggiegardener.com
]]>To prepare for the project, go ahead and acquire these tools and materials: 8-foot boards that are cut into 4-foot parts, bags of soil, wood screws, measuring tape, level, shovel, and drill.
Once all the necessary items are ready, choose a good location in your garden for the bed. Now mark your 4×4 measurements on the area and make sure that the ground is level.
Next, align and fasten the wood on each corner using a drill so they won’t fall apart. Afterwards, fill the bed with soil, some organic compost and fertilizer. Add a moderate amount of water as well.
Next, divide the bed into equal sections using a grid system. After you’ve done all of this, start planting the crops you want to produce.
For the detailed step-by-step instructions, simply check out the following image. Don’t forget to share, tweet, and pin this blog post!
Image Source: P. Allen Smith
]]>First of all, bear in mind that not all trees grow at the same place and time. One tree may grow in a specific area during a specific season, while others don’t.
For spring months, plant trees ahead of time so they can be ready for the heat in summer. Place them far enough from your house to give a decent space for roots to grow.
Summer is a super hot season, so it’s best to plant late in the summer months so your trees don’t have to deal with the warm climate. Summer is also the best time to make your trees grow stronger in preparation for the cold winter months.
Fall is considered the most ideal time to plant your trees and shrubs. This is because the soil stays warm even when the air starts to cool off. Just water your trees regularly and trim the leaves and branches.
When planting during wintertime, it’s best to wait until late winter months after the cold ground has melted. Remember to plant trees that are very adaptable or able to grow in colder temperatures.
For more tips on seasonal tree planting, just refer to this illustration below. Feel free to share it on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest today!
Image Source: Visual.ly
]]>Succession planting is very convenient and beneficial as it gathers more nutrients for the health of your garden soil and vegetable crops. Before trying this gardening method, it’s advisable to plan ahead on what you really want to grow during the season.
For instance, if you’ve planted carrots that are ready for harvest, then you can start growing another vegetable so long they’re compatible with each other. Compatibility matters since you’ll be recycling the nutrients for the next set of crops.
For a list of the best veggies to grow for succession planting, check out these Top 5 picks below. They will help you get more yields and provide you with a delicious assortment of vegetables this growing season!
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1. Bush and Pole Beans – Purple, yellow and green. Beans can be planted at any time during the growing season, because most beans mature in approximately 65 days or less, depending upon weather conditions. They just cannot take a frost. Plant beginning of July for harvest at the end of August.
2. Beets And Carrots – All types of colors and sizes. Can plant at any time during growing season and can take more than an occasional frost. The Rainbow carrot blends are great for serving fresh or a nice visual for pickled carrots in jars. ‘Boldor’ yellow beets keep their color when cooked.
3. Broccoli – Grown from transplants. Plant beginning of August, in light shade so the plants won’t bolt. Broccoli will need to be watered on a daily basis so it will not wilt. A purple broccoli, ‘Purple Peacock’ and the heirloom ‘DiCiccio’ have performed well in our garden.
4. Kohlrabi – Plant throughout the summer. We like to plant small amounts of kohlrabi because they do grow very quickly, approximately 40 days from transplant.
5. Pak Choi – Plant this in early Spring and Fall. This oriental green prefers to be grown from seed and in cooler climates. It can grown in light shade. ‘Shiro’ is a variety that matures quickly and is perfect for succession seed planting.
Article Source: motherearthnews.com
]]>Flower bulbs come in a variety of types, shapes and sizes. Most bulbs usually take only 6 to 8 weeks to bloom and are best grown during the spring, summer, and fall months. Take note that whatever season it is, your hardiness zone will still play an important factor in the overall growth of your bulbs. Proper maintenance is also essential in keeping your plants fresh and colorful, so check them regularly to avoid potential problems.
For more details on bulb planting seasons, plant depth and hardiness zones, go ahead and use this thorough guide from ProFlowers below. Feel free to share this awesome infographic on your favorite social networks today!
Image Source: proflowers.com
]]>Leafy greens are one of the best choices when it comes to easy gardening. They’re super simple to maintain and they’re usually ready to harvest in just about three to four weeks. Lettuce and kale are great for starters.
Herbs are another option to consider. New gardeners often start out by planting herbs indoors and have had success with it.
These aromatic plants are very low-maintenance and easy to grow, making it suitable even for the busiest of gardeners. You’ll be amazed at how simple and beneficial it is to maintain an herb garden at home!
For more details on what other veggies you can grow easily, go ahead and read the list below. Don’t forget to share this post on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest today!
1. Greens
Leafy greens like arugula, kale, lettuce and spinach are great for beginner gardeners. They mature in three to four weeks and harvesting is so simple; just snip the tops of the plant or pick leaves as needed.
2. Beets
These are a cool-season crop. They can survive frost and near freezing temperatures. Early crops can be planted in March or April. Formanova beets are excellent for canning.
3. Herbs
Herbs like rosemary, mint, sage, oregano, parsley and basil are all easy to grow. Planting basil next to tomatoes is said to improve the growth and flavor of your tomatoes and repel insects. These herbs grow well as a transplant or from seeds.
4. Garlic
Garlic can be planted in the spring, as soon as the ground is thawed enough, but it’s recommended that you plant in the fall and harvest the next summer.
5. Potatoes
Plant late February or early March. To harvest, use a spade to gently dig into the soil on the outside edges of the plant, carefully lift the plant and grab the potatoes that you want. Put the plant back in place and water. Allow harvested potatoes to cure in cool temperatures – 45-60 F – for several days to two weeks.
6. Onions
They require lots of sun and good drainage, but if you can dig a tiny hole in the ground, you can grow onions. You can grow them from seedlings, bulbs or even discarded onion bottoms.
7. Carrots
You need to have loose, rich soil – free of stones – so the carrots can grow properly. Carrots are a cool-weather crop; in really warm areas, plant your carrots in fall or winter. They’ll take one to three weeks to sprout. Carrots get tastier as they grow, so harvest as soon as they’re big enough to eat or leave them to mature.
8. Green Beans
You can plant your pole beans against a fence and they’ll grow just fine. String beans prefer sun and well-drained soil and grow quickly; just make sure to regularly harvest or it will stop producing new beans.
Article Source: 104homestead.com
]]>There are lots of organic heirloom onion varieties out there, from Burgundy Red to White Sweet Spanish, but they all share the same planting process. What you’ll need are your garden beds, pots, soil mixed with organic compost and fertilizer, heirloom onion seeds, and some water.
To get started, grow your onion seedlings in pots first before transplanting them to your garden bed.
Your raised beds should be filled with good soil and some organic compost and fertilizer. Doing this helps the structure of your soil and balances the nutrients needed for your onion plants. Next, water them moderately and regularly. After 3 to 4 months, your heirloom onions should be ready for harvest.
As long as you grow your onion plants with using the best organic methods, they will grow to their full potential in just a few months’ time. You can get more tips on this topic by reading the excerpt below.
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I. When to Plant Onions
In late winter, start seeds of all types of onions — bulb onions, leeks, scallions, and shallots — indoors under bright fluorescent lights. Make additional sowings until early spring. Set out bulb onion seedlings three weeks before your last frost, and set out seedlings of non-bulbing onions six weeks before your last frost.
In spring you can also plant sets, which are small, dormant onions. Small sets produce better bulbs than large sets do.
In fall, short-day varieties can be planted in many mild winter areas. Seedlings should be ready to set out in mid-October.
II. How to Plant Onions
Choose a sunny site with fertile, well-drained soil, and loosen the planting bed to at least 12 inches deep. Mix in a 1-inch layer of mature compost. Make a 4-inch-deep, V-shaped furrow in the prepared bed. Fill the bottom of the furrow with 1 inch of rich compost or a light dusting of dry organic fertilizer, and then water the prepared furrow. Set out seedlings or sets 3 to 6 inches apart, depending on the plants’ mature size.
III. Harvesting and Storing Onions
The tops of bulb onion plants fall over naturally once the bulbs have matured. When half of the tops in a planting have fallen over, lift all of the bulbs and place the pulled plants in a warm, dry place away from direct sunshine to cure.
More Onion Growing Tips
– Choose the least weedy section of your garden for growing onions. You can start seeds early, because onion seedlings are easy to hold in containers until it’s time to plant them.
– Delay planting until the last cold spell has passed. Exposure to prolonged cold can cause bulb onions to bolt, and plants grown from sets are more prone to bolting than those grown from seedlings.
– Onion root maggots eat onion roots and bulbs. The adult flies are attracted by rotting onion tissues, so rotate onions with other crops, and compost all refuse after harvesting. Planting late can help you avoid this pest, or you can use row covers in spring, which is when the egg-laying females are most active.
– Pink root and several other soilborne diseases can cause onions to rot. Use resistant varieties, and grow all onions in well-drained sites.
Article Source: motherearthnews.com
]]>
Discover the Top 10 Veggies to Grow now by reading the article below. Don’t forget to SHARE THIS POST with your friends online!
Top 10 Easy-to-Grow Veggies
1. Carrots
Find a plot of soil (or a deep pot) that is free from rocks and deep enough to handle this root vegetable. Rocky soil can result in crooked carrots that, while perfectly edible are not the most aesthetically pleasing. Carrots are ready for harvest when their tops breach the soil line. […]
2. Green Beans
There are many different kinds of beans, but “broad beans” are one of the easiest vegetables to cultivate. Bush beans are more productive, but broad beans are easier to manage. Pole beans, while easy to grow, also need a trellis. Beans freeze and can extremely well, too! […]
3. Lettuce
A salad fresh from your yard is unbeatable! Luckily, lettuce–a vast category of plants that includes microgreens (tender lettuce greens that are chopped when barely a few weeks old), head lettuces, leaf lettuces, spinach, and arugula–is an easy plant to grow and maintain. Do successive sowings every two weeks to space out your harvest. […]
4. Cucumbers
If you let them, cucumber plants will sprawl, so provide your plants with ample space to stretch their roots. Try smaller varieties to make your own homemade pickles! Be sure to avoid planting cucumbers until all danger of frost has passed. […]
5. Spinach
Spinach is remarkably high in iron and is a wonderful addition to salads, omelets, and soups. You can pick it continuously once its leaves are of a reasonable size to encourage new growth. […]
6. Tomatoes
With a little water and a lot of sun, tomato plants will grow and fruit all summer long! Most people prefer to buy starter plants from nurseries or home improvement stores, which is an easy, time-saving way to start. Tomatoes are fragrant and nutrient-rich, and nothing can beat the taste of a freshly picked homegrown tomato! […]
7. Radishes
Radishes are ideal for beginner gardeners. Plant seeds directly into the garden in early spring or fall for a peppery addition to your favorite salads. […]
8. Bell Peppers
Like tomatoes, starter bell pepper plants are widely available at nurseries and home improvement stores. They make a crunchy additive to salads, add a pop of color to soups, and act as a nutritious compliment to kabobs. […]
9. Summer Squash
Squash is a high yielding plant, so you will probably only need a few plants to feed an entire family. Squash plants dislike the wind, so be sure that your plot has some protection. Harvest when the plants are about 8-10 inches long. […]
10. Basil
An essential additive to cooking, this aromatic herb isn’t just for lovers of Italian cuisine! You can grow basil in pots or in the ground—even indoors on a sunny windowsill. Sow seeds directly into the garden in early June in a sunny, well-drained area. When the leaves reach a desirable size, just pluck them from the plant and wait as the basil continues to provide fragrant and flavorful leaves that you can also dry and use long after summer is past. […]
Article Source: SparkPeople
]]>Find out more about fall gardening below and follow the 4 steps to get you started! Like this post? Please share this by clicking on the share buttons below!
Image Source: Avant Garden Decor
]]>Making mistakes in gardening is a good way to improve your skills. When you learn well from your failures, you can prevent those problems in the future and you’ll have a much easier time growing your garden.
So what are some of the most useful tips to help you start a successful sustainable garden? Since there’s quite a long list of gardening tips online, we will narrow it down to the 5 best tips just for you.
Check out these practical tips from Mother Earth News for more information.
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1. Go organic. Eliminate chemicals from your yard and garden. Organic fertilizers last a lot longer and won’t cause lawn, flower or veggie burn like a chemical fertilizer will. Many chemicals to get rid of bugs these days are “systemic” and stay in the plant for months and even years and kill the bees and other beneficial insects.
2. Save seeds. Growing from seed saves you money, allows you to grown interesting varieties, and raise crops that are uniquely adapted to your garden conditions. You can get seeds by saving your own, your neighbors, favorites from the farmers market, and even from the produce and fruits you buy at the grocer.
3. Grow your own food. You can easily add fruits and veggies to your existing flower gardens. You can easily expand your garden beds to accommodate herbs and veggies. If you don’t have room for a flower and veggie garden bed, you can grown anything in a self watering pot. There has been a bonanza of new container varieties developed over the last few years. It is easy to grow and eat from the garden spring, summer and fall.
4. Compost. Don’t throw those table scraps in the trash to just go sit in a landfill someplace. Re-use their nutritional value in your garden by composting them. There are basically three types of composters: a bin that you layer browns/greens and it takes a year to break down, a tumbler type that you throw the browns/greens together and crank daily to mix up giving you compost in a couple of weeks, and an electric type that can be used indoors or outdoors that gives you compost in a couple of days.
5. Plant perennials. Annuals take a great deal of inputs to grow from seed each year. With perennials, you get the benefit of the inputs for years and years versus just one. Don’t forget about perennial edibles, too! Herbs are a great beginners choice.
Article Source: motherearthnews.com
]]>Indoor gardening is normally done in the fall and winter months where planting outdoors is difficult due to the harsh weather conditions.
Starting an indoor garden makes it possible to continue growing your favorite herbs and veggies not just throughout the winter but all year long!
There are several techniques that will help you succeed with gardening indoors. Putting plants on the windowsill, utilizing hydroponic equipment, using grow lights, and planting in unique containers are just some of the effective options you can try.
As you can see, growing fresh and nutritious produce is doable even when you do it indoors. Just be sure to plan ahead about the method you want to try so you can have a smooth time gardening in your own home. Check out this infographic as well for more details
Like this blog post? Share, tweet and pin it today!
Image Source: inhabitat.com
]]>But the question is, what should you grow for each season? Broccoli, carrots and spinach can be planted in the fall, and they can withstand the cold weather. But you must keep in mind that fall crops will require more water because the late-summer sun is more intense during this time of year.
There are also several vegetables that you can conveniently plant in the winter season. Garlic, kale, onions, and Brussels sprouts are some of the hardy veggies that are often grown in wintertime.
For a comprehensive list of vegetables that you can plant all year long, go ahead and read this comprehensive gardening guide below. Don’t forget to check your USDA hardiness zone so you can determine the best crops to go in your specific region.
To share this year-round gardening guide, simply use the social buttons on this page!
Image Source: Xhose.com
]]>Home gardeners who are also busybodies can really make use of these simple methods from Better Homes and Gardens. The trick to time-efficient gardening is not to work quicker and harder, but rather to apply smart solutions that will maximize the time and effort you spend in the garden.
With the help of Better Homes and Gardens’ 14 useful tips, you can significantly and wisely reduce your gardening time. This will allow you to keep your vegetable garden in top shape while you get on with other things in your life.
So what are you waiting for? Follow these awesome tips now so you can efficiently manage your time and be able to enjoy your favorite hobby!
If you want to view the first part of this series, CLICK HERE.
If you want to share this blog post online, simply click the social buttons on this page.
Time-Saving Gardening Tips
1. Grow the things your family most likes to eat
They’ll be more eager to help with the harvest. Mix your vegetables into your flowerbeds or put some in pots with the flowers. This way they’ll be more conveniently located and easier to tend.
2. Grow rhubarb, asparagus, and perennial herbs
All are edibles that don’t have to be replanted each year.
3. Raise the beds, lower the maintenance
Raised beds warm up sooner in spring, and you can sit on the edge to plant and harvest.
4. Plant more vegetables in less space
A compact vegetable garden will take less time to plant and harvest.
5. Great soil will cut back on maintenance
Improving it with compost and other forms of organic matter is the secret to independent plants. Not only does highly organic soil hold more water and nutrients, but it will support healthier plants and fewer weeds.
6. Cut back on fertilizing time with a slow-release plant food
These pelleted fertilizers you mix into the soil release nutrients all season long. You can even buy potting soil with the slow-release plant food already added.
7. Mulch, mulch, mulch
Covering the soil with an organic mulch of compost or bark chips feeds the soil, seals in moisture, and blocks out weeds.
8. Water less often, but for longer periods of time
A deep soaking once a week is better for your plants than frequent shallow drinks. Thorough soakings encourage deep roots, which means you’ll water less as the summer wears on.
9. Use a decorative sprinkler you can leave out on the lawn all summer
A hose holder that reels in the excess hose is also a handy way to keep things tidy.
10. Make wood chips out of fallen branches with a shredder/chipper
Use the chips on top of newspaper or cardboard as natural-looking weed-blocking material for your pathways.
11. Behead the weeds instead of pulling them
A sharp hoe or string trimmer can slice off the weeds at ground level. Decapitate the weeds on a sunny day, and the roots will dry up as well.
12. Group all the thirsty plants together near your water source
It’s the most efficient way to conserve time and water.
13. Use large pots for your container gardens
The more soil your pots hold, the more food and water they hold.
14. Save time looking for your most used tools
Convert an old nightstand or chest of drawers into handy garden-supply storage you can keep on your covered porch or patio.
Article Source: Better Homes and Gardens
10 Tips for Growing Green Beans
1. Plant where they will get at least 10 hours of direct sunlight.
2. Beans grow best when air temperatures reaches 70°F to 80°F, and soil temperature should be at least 60°F.
3. Plant seeds 1″ deep with 3-4″ in between beans.
4. Apply a good inch of mulch after the seedlings emerge. This helps to conserve moisture, and keep the soil cool during hot spells because extreme heat can cause plants to drop their blossoms.
5. Wait a week or two and plant a second sowing. This will give you ready-to-pick beans throughout the fall.
6. Beans like a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5, so add an inch of compost to your soil before planting your seeds.
7. Mexican bean beetles lay clusters of yellow eggs on leaves. Handpick this pest in all life stages.
8. Pick beans when they are young and tender. Nobody likes a tough bean.
9. When picking beans, be gentle when pulling so as not to damage plants.
10. Harvest pole beans twice a week to keep the plants producing.
Article Source: A Healthy Life for Me
]]>One of the most common mistakes that new gardeners make is to get easily intimidated and quit before they even started… which is a shame because gardening can be really rewarding!
So our advice to beginners is to just take it one step at a time: learn the basics first, then grow a small garden full of the fruits and veggies that you love. The trick is to just keep it simple and enjoy every moment of it. If you truly love gardening and you keep on practicing, you’ll eventually turn into an expert gardener before you even know it. In the meantime, check out these awesome beginner tips below to get you started with gardening!
5 Easy Beginner Gardening Tips
1. Prepare your Soil
If this is your first year gardening, you have a few options available to you. You can purchase and add top soil, compost, peat moss and other amendments straight into your new containers or garden beds. This can be an easy solution, and will leave you with light and workable soil. The main downside of this approach is the cost. The other (cheaper) option is to dig straight into the ground. To go this route, you will want to:
2. Watering Matters
Less is more. Over-watering leads to plants with shallow, immature root systems, incapable of reaching down deeply to find water of their own. It also creates more work for you, as your plants will come to depend on regular watering. When plants are required to extend long roots to obtain their water, rather than getting it the easy way (aka the hose), they will be stronger plants in general, and you will have less work to do keeping up with their H2O needs.
So when should you water and how much?
3. Let the Sunshine In
The ideal garden location will offer your plants a good 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. When selecting a spot for your new garden, this is one of the most important factors to keep in mind. However, some plants are more shade-tolerant and others are more sun-loving.
Consider the sunlight available to your garden as you choose not only which crops you will grow, but how much of them you will be able to grow and where they will be planted. Even gardeners without a full sun location can grow a very respectable and varied amount of food!
4. Care for Your Garden
Yes, this is the part where I tell you that you need to weed your garden. You knew it was coming, right? The happy thing is that it doesn’t need to be an all-consuming or back-breaking task. The keys to keeping the weeding work minimal?
5. It All Takes Time
Proper timing makes all the difference when it comes to planting your garden. Learn how long each plant needs to grow to maturity, what time of year it should be planted (early spring or summer, or even fall), and when to begin your seedlings. Knowing these details will make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful garden.
Article Source: SimpleHomemade.net
Watering Plants
Exposure to Sunlight
Other Useful Gardening Tips
So those are the top beginner gardening tips that every new gardener should know. Always keep them in mind so you can have the easiest and most wonderful time gardening at home.
Feel free to download our Planting & Storing PDF Guide to kickstart your gardening journey!
]]>But while growing tomatoes is relatively easy, you might encounter some problems and plant diseases along the way. Tomato fungus is one of the top diseases that you should avoid at all costs.
Tomato fungus is a common illness that affects many tomato plants. It’s highly dangerous as it can spread and infect your precious tomatoes very quickly.
The usual symptoms can clearly be observed on the leaves. If the leaves are shrinking, decaying, turning yellow, forming black spots, or getting white mold, then they have unfortunately been infected.
To keep this fungal disease from destroying your garden, you should apply some precautionary measures. Here are some practical steps you can do to prevent and control tomato fungus effectively. Follow these quick tips now and be sure to share it with your gardening friends online!
1. It is important that you don’t compost dead leaves or plants. Any fungus affected leaves, vines and fruit should be thrown away in the fall.
2. If diseased leaves or fruit fall from your tomato plant, you should gather these up and dispose of them as soon as possible. If you do not, the fungus spores may lie dormant in the soil over the winter.
3. To aid ventilation, you should trim the bottom 25% of your tomato plant of all vines and leaves. This will increase airflow and decrease humidity around the base of the plant and in the soil.
4. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. High-nitrogen nutrients in your fertilizer can encourage leaf fungus in tomatoes. Nitrogen causes the plant to develop many leaves. This thick foliage reduces air circulation. Tomatoes prefer high phosphorus and calcium fertilizers.
5. Staking (growing on tomato cages/frames) is key to controlling early blight and southern blight, since it keeps the foliage and fruit away from the soil. Having your plant trailing on the ground is just asking for blight, as the blight fungi are usually present in soil.
Article Source: organic-vegetable-garden-guide.com
Image Source: scotnelson
Heirloom tomatoes can differ in size, color, and flavor. Having many varieties to choose from makes it easy to pick the best ones to grow in your area. It also allows you to select specific tomatoes that you want to use for cooking or canning purposes.
Regardless of what you’ve chosen, all of the tomato varieties share similar growing requirements.
Tomatoes are generally very simple to grow and maintain, that’s why they’re a wonderful addition to any vegetable garden. So if you want to grow them yourself at home, be sure to read below to learn the top 5 secrets to successful tomato gardening.
If you like this post, please share it with your gardening buddies on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest today!
1. Two Types of Tomatoes
There are two types of tomato plants. A tomato plant is either a determinate plant or indeterminate plant. A determinate tomato grows to a set height and stops growing. The fruits mature all at once or relatively close in time and the plant dies shortly after the final fruits mature.
This determinate type of tomato is great for getting the first round of tomatoes from your garden (as they mature quickly) and they do well in containers. You might be able to plant two rounds of determinate tomatoes in your gardening zone. You can often plant them in May and again in July.
The indeterminate tomato continues to grow and grow until frost. It sets fruit throughout the season. Only frost or disease will stop an indeterminate tomato from producing. Think of it this way, a determinate tomato grows to a predetermined size. Indeteriminate tomatoes often need to be staked and pruned. Determinate tomatoes need little to no pruning.
2. Plant Them Deep
A tomato is a vine. When you plant them, you want to plant them deep in the ground. When you buy a tomato transplant they should be 6 to 10 inches tall (or so). You should plant the tomato to at least a third or half of its height. If the tomato is 12 inches tall then plant 4-6 inches of the plant stem below ground.
Why? Because a tomato is a vine that will set roots from any part of the stem, if the stem is below the ground or touching the soil. A strong deep root system leads to a stronger plant.
3. Keep Them Off the Ground
Tomatoes are vines. If you let them sprawl on the ground you will see them root from the vine that touches the ground. You will see additional vines growing all over the place and end up with a mess. Sure you will get tomatoes (maybe a lot) but you will also increase the chances of your tomatoes getting diseases like blights. A 6-foot stake is the best way to train your tomatoes to grow upwards and stay off the ground. It helps you manage the plant’s size and prevent diseases.
4. Planting Location
Tomatoes get quite large. You want to make sure you plant them in the garden so they don’t grow up to shade out other plants. If you reach out both arms to the side and pretend the length of your arms is your garden, you can figure out where to plant the tomatoes.
If the sun is mostly where your left hand is then you need to plant the tomatoes way down by your right hand. Sun mostly to the left of the garden will cause or cast shade to the right side of the plants. Sun to the right of the garden will cause or cast shade to the left side of plants.
When in doubt, go stand in your garden plot around 2 pm. Pretend your a tomato plant and see which way your shadow falls. Use raised beds and plant my tomatoes so the shade they produce mostly falls outside the box.
5. Early Doesn’t Mean Sooner
Tomatoes are warm weather plants. They need 50 degree nights and 70 degree days to really start growing. But more importantly the soil temperature needs to be 50 degreesish. You don’t need to put plants in early before the ground temperatures are ready.
Putting a tomato out April 10th doesn’t mean it will be bigger than a plant you put on on May 1st come the middle of May. Sure, initially it might look bigger but once the heat hits, tomatoes grow. If it is colder in April your plant is just going to sit there in shiver mode and not really grow.
The plant you plant May 1st isn’t really at a disadvantage. The bottom line is they will catch up to each other and you don’t get fruit any sooner. So wait for the right temperature to plant. But once the temperatures comes, the first one to get them in the ground wins.
Article Source: therustedgarden.blogspot.com
]]>8 Steps to Starting Your Tomato & Pepper Seedlings Indoors
1. Find Out When to Start
First and foremost, you need to find out the right time to begin your indoor growing. This period will of course depend on where you live, but a good rule of thumb is to start the seeds around two months prior to the last spring frost date. You can use online resources such as Almanac.com to help you determine this.
2. Gather Your Materials
You need the following to successfully grow your seedlings indoors:
3. Prepare the Starting Mix
Now, let’s start by mixing your seed starter. Get a large container, add in the seed starter, gradually pour in some water and mix them properly. The mixture should not be muddy but rather damp like a sponge that has been squeezed out. Once you’ve achieved this, you can go ahead and put the mixture into each planting container. Be sure to leave one inch of space before you reach the container’s tip. You should also label and date all your containers so you’ll know which is which.
4. Plant the Seeds
Next, create a quarter-inch-deep furrow in every container where you can bury the seeds. The seeds should also have an inch’s space between them.
5. Germinate, Water and Monitor the Seedlings
Tomatoes and peppers require high temperatures to get them to sprout. This means you’ll have to put them in a warmer area like in a greenhouse or atop the fridge. You could also set up your own lighting system by using fluorescent bulbs. Simply suspend them one or two inches over the seedlings to provide heat. Make sure the lights aren’t too distant though, otherwise the stems will grow too long and weak.
As to watering, see to it that the containers are always damp and the seedlings are regularly sprinkled with light water.
Lastly, closely monitor the growth of the seedlings and put them in a good light source as soon as they sprout. You can begin raising the light bulbs a little higher once the seedlings start to grow. Watch out for the weak-looking seedlings because they probably need more lighting.
6. Transplanting the Seedlings
Once the sprouts are about three inches in height, you can begin transplanting them to their very own pots to give them more space for growth. Go ahead and put in some dampened mix into each new pot. Dig a hole, carefully move the each tomato or pepper seedling in there from their previous container and water them a bit to stabilize them with the soil.
7. Feeding Your Tomato & Pepper Seedlings
Seed starters actually have very little plant food, so you’ll have to start feeding your tiny plants right away. You can use a liquid fertilizer for this purpose, or whatever your local nursery recommends. Don’t forget to keep providing a steady light source for your growing plants.
8. Moving Your Plants to the Garden
In about a month after this, the weather should be warm enough that you can finally introduce your seedlings to your garden environment. On the first day, simply place the plants in a shaded area for half of the day. On the second and third days, you can put them outside but with shade throughout the day. On the succeeding days, you can eventually place them under the morning sun and then all throughout the day without shade. When they’re ready to be transplanted to the garden, do it around sunset or a cloudy day to reduce stress on the plants. Lastly, secure the plants in the soil, give them enough water and add some organic matter if you like.
And that’s how to start tomato and pepper seedlings indoors properly. The process may be quite long, but just be patient and you’ll be rewarded with some amazing crops that you can be proud of!
(1) Remove dead plant parts
(2) Control or redirect the plant’s growth
(3) Restrict growth in a small garden
(4) Make fruits and flowers produce higher, better yields
(5) Prevent injury from falling branches
(6) Keep plants stronger and healthier
Pruning regularly is very important so you can maintain the health and overall condition of your garden plants and trees. But you’ll definitely need the right tools in order to prune properly.
The type of tool you should use depends on the pruning task at hand. For instance, bow saws are ideal for removing larger limbs, pruning saws for tightly-spaced branches, and bypass-style hand pruners for making clean and precise cuts.
Remember to use the proper tools so you can easily complete the job and avoid pruning injuries. Read this helpful infographic for more details, and feel free to share it with your friends online!
Image Source: Pinterest.com
]]>November gardening involves a lot of preparation for winter, so most of the chores are centered around raking leaves, draining hoses, cleaning bird feeders, and the like. These are necessary if you want to successfully protect your vegetables and garden tools from the cold months.
Composting is also essential this November. Rather than throwing away those fallen leaves and other scraps, you can add them to your compost heap so you’ll have some good organic matter to use for the next growing season.
So whether you’re starting a winter garden or preparing your garden for the coming holiday season, be sure to apply these Top 14 November Gardening Tips to keep your plants and vegetables in prime condition!
For more organic gardening tips, go ahead and read through our various posts and pages here on The Happy Gardening Life. Happy browsing!
November Gardening Tips
1. Keep mowing your lawn as long as the grass is growing. Meadow voles and field mice will damage turf and nearby trees and shrubs if they have long grass for food and cover.
2. Drain your hoses and sprinklers and shut off hose faucets before low temperatures arrive.
3. Remove frozen plants from containers and hanging baskets and replace them with evergreen boughs, branches with colorful berries and interesting seed heads from perennials and ornamental grasses.
4. Spread clean straw, marsh hay or oak leaves over tender perennials, newly planted bulbs and strawberries before temperatures drop into the teens but after the soil surface has frozen.
5. Change the oil, sharpen blades, clean air filters and replace spark plugs on all of your gas powered equipment. You will have a head start on many spring projects if all of your equipment is ready to go.
6. It is too late for fertilizing your lawn and probably too late for seeding. If the weather is not too cold, sod installation may still be an option. Remove excess leaves from your lawn and use them as mulch or discard them.
7. Check potatoes in storage and remove any going bad.
8. Place a portable cold frame over rows of winter vegetables.
9. Compost is good for soil health, but only helps so much with weeds. Bark is very good for weed control, but avoid turning uncomposted bark into your soil (now or in spring) as it can limit the nitrogen that is available to your plants for some time. One to two inches of mulch is generally sufficient, and more than that is not better. Never place mulch so that it is touching the wooden stems of shrubs or trees.
10. Place mulch around berries for winter protection.
11. Cover rhubarb and asparagus beds with composted manure and straw.
12. Clean bird feeders, install squirrel guards and stock up on seed and suet. Birds add color and activity to your yard all winter and often stay in the spring to nest and raise their babies. If birds don’t appear even though you provide a good selection of food it may because your yard lacks shelter from cold winds and predators. Consider planting some pine, spruce or fir trees next spring.
13. Rake and compost leaves that are free of diseases and insects. Use mulches to prevent erosion and compaction from rain.
14. Order your heirloom seed packs for next year, if you haven’t already done so.
Article Source: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Portland Nursery, Oregon University State Extension
If you don’t know what herbs to plant in your garden, then start with these 3 popular herbs: basil, dill, and parsley.
Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow because it can germinate quickly and be ready for harvest in just few days.
Dill is also very easy to grow in the garden. Like basil, it can germinate and grow very fast. After couple of days, you can begin to harvest this herb and add it to your favorite meals. Dill is perfect for making yummy soups, salads, and sauces.
Lastly, try parsley. It may take a while to start it from seed as it is one of the slowest herbs to develop. But parsley does become more flavorful once it has fully grown. This will help your dishes become even more delicious, so be sure to include it in your organic herb garden.
For more information about starter herbs, check out this article below and share it on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!
3 Easy Culinary Herbs to Grow from Seed
1. Basil
Fresh basil is versatile herb, as at home in a salad as in a soup, and while it may be best known as an integral component of pesto, it also lends a taste of summer to a variety of other recipes, from sandwiches to pizzas.
Sweet basil is the common variety that tends to be associated with Italian food, and there are number of different cultivars and hybrids of basil to choose from, each with a slightly different taste and appearance.
The other type of basil is Thai basil, which often has a licorice or anise flavor and is usually found in Asian cuisine, and which also comes in number of different cultivars.
Basil is one of the quicker herbs to germinate, and a great one to grow in pots, which can then be brought inside in the fall. If you find yourself with more basil than you know what to do with, fresh basil can be easily frozen or dried to preserve its summery flavor for use all winter long.
2. Dill
Dill is another herb that is quick to germinate and grow from seed, and which lends itself to a number of different dishes. Flavoring pickles is just one classic use of dill, but this herb goes well in salads, soups, potato dishes, bread, vegetable dips and sauces, and more.
The feathery leaves of fresh dill (sometimes called dill weed) add texture and contrast to the garden, and can be dried to preserve for the winter. If you allow the dill to flower and set seed, the dill seeds can also be harvested and used as a culinary spice.
Growing dill can also serve to attract wildlife and beneficial insects, which adds another element to a garden’s appeal. The dill plants in my garden have hosted large numbers of swallowtail caterpillars and butterflies every year that I grow them, and even after they’ve had their share to eat, plenty is leftover for us.
3. Parsley
Growing parsley from seeds takes a little bit of patience, as they tend to be one of the slower herbs to germinate, but when they begin to grow in earnest, are a great addition to kitchen gardens. Although this herb is a stereotypical garnish for some restaurant dishes, and one that is often left behind on the plate, parsley is quite a versatile and flavorful ingredient.
The two main types of parsley are curly parsley and flat leaf parsley (often called Italian parsley), the leaves of both of which can be cut again and again throughout the summer, and then left to overwinter (depending on the climate) to flower the next year, or pulled from the ground to harvest the large root as a vegetable.
Article Source: treehugger.com
]]>The said post garnered a lot of replies from our beloved Instagram followers, who were more than happy to share their very own money-saving tips. From saving seeds to doing your own garden renovations, they covered almost all topics and gave their best advice for other gardeners to benefit from.
Listed below are 23 of the best tips we got, and we’re sharing them with you because what is gardening without sharing, right? So go ahead and check out the awesome tips below and try them in your garden today!
Top 23 Ways to Spend Less Money in the Garden
1. Grow from seed. Save seeds. Trade seeds. Gift seeds.
— @visionsabound
2. Seed exchanges! Check with your local university extension service and see if there’s a seed club in your area. It’s a great way to diversify your crops and others! Also, check if your local high school or rotary has a garden club and buy from them when they have plant sales.
— @lumpyspacendn
3. Getting soil in bulk by the yard, instead of bagged! Also, using cardboard as a weed barrier under mulch instead of expensive weed blocker.
— @botanarama
4. Get the jiffy seed starter pod for $5. It makes 72 plants and work great! Also saving egg shells and veggies peels and coffee grounds add to a great soil. Save these items and add to your soil.
— @_wallybee
5. Make your own compost! Soil amendments are by far the biggest expense, and by converting your food waste into soil health you’re getting it for free. No expensive composters needed, I stack free landscaping containers and maintain their heat by adding enough dry leaves. Please compost to help save the planet and your budget will thank you.
— @layla_storm
6. See what your town offers. Mine collects yard waste to make compost and then gives it away for free!
— @ahoyhomestead
7. I like to get cutting starts of plants from friends and family. My neighbor will stop at any place she she sees plants that she likes and will try to get information about it or even get cuttings and she often gets both. Also when buying more makes it cheaper, we try to go in with other enthusiasts to share expenses and spread savings. I do lots of research. I try to plan ahead especially for big purchases and projects. Save seeds. Share. My area has a good local co-op that has good people and resourses for beginners and masters alike.
— @instarichsof
8. Have a list and a plan before hitting the garden center.
— @simplescapes76
9. Rescue plants from the “Plant Graveyard” sections of garden centers. Visit gardening shows on the last day when exhibitors are likely to sell plants off cheaply at the end of the day, you can pick up some unusual plants or larger specimens for bargain prices. Visit smaller, local growers – they tend to have really good deals. When buying perennials, look for plants with multiple stems that can be easily divided.
— @s_robinson86
10. Buy late in the season. Trees shrubs and perennials are discounted 50 to 75 percent.
— @flourishnflower
11. Plant native perennials and let them naturally reseed. Some of the big box stores will sell them at a huge discount at the beginning of fall, many for .50-$1! Most are sun-scorched and underwatered so they look terrible and in need of a loving home. My “rescues” get planted that fall and come up the next spring with an established room system.
— @c5blondie
12. Divide plants! Buy plants when they are on clearance because they have finished flowering. See if you can find a local plant sale or swap!
— @craftplanter
13. Use logs and branches found on your property to build raised garden beds.
— @hicklin_homestead
14. Let some plants go to seed. Save seed for exchange. I sell seedlings I grow, too.
— @homegrownnzlife
15. I ask all friends and neighbors for their landscaping plant pots. My community garden has raised beds made from large pots. All free! I also used to do a plant garage sale of tomatoes peppers and herbs at $1 a plant. Often made enough to fund my summer garden.
— @therustedgarden
16. Empty containers are great. A lot of nurseries will sell you used pots for very cheap—just clean them out with a little soap and water.
— @aribotsford
17 . Reuse what you can. I prefer plastic containers. They can be reused every year. Buy good-quality tools so they last and not have to be bought each year. Also buy in bulk. Don’t buy 20′ of crop netting, buy 100′ as it will be cheaper in the long run. Also, grow your own seedlings. I haven’t bought a seedling in over 5 years. It is fun to grow your own.
— @cashis4life
18. Recycling, there are so many bottles and containers that we throw away everyday that can be used to start seeds, although it might be not be the most attractive. Saving seeds — it’s just cool to learn to save seeds and never have to buy again unless introducing new varieties. Composting — very easy and weirdly cool to watch fruit and veg scraps turn into dirt. Collect rainwater whenever possible!
— @auzzy_the_prophecy
19. Buy fruit and vegetables from local farmers that grow unusual varieties of produce you can’t find at the store. Then you can taste the product first and save the seed from it if you want to grow some. I’ve gotten acorn squash, jalapeños and different types of cucumbers that way too.
— @theowlknits
20. I bought non-gmo spaghetti and butternut squash when they were in season for about $1 each. I fed my family and got plenty of seeds for over half the price!
— @courtjones
21. Make good friends with others who garden. Then swap plants, seeds, produce, pots no longer used, and anything in the garden, really. Also buy plants and seeds that will allow you to harvest seed to save for the next seasons.
— @muddyoakhenhouse
22. Try to do as much of your garden renovations yourself as hiring someone can be costly and unnecessary. Gardening is also good for your health and cheaper than the gym.
— @therealsuperpa81
23. Rake leaves into your compost pile and turn that mess every two weeks. Spread out the compost about a month before planting. Turn your veggie clippings into a worm farm. Raise hens. Buy a bird feeder and hang it. Taste test vegetables you’re interested in growing. And lastly take time out of your day to reap your rewards!
— @myirishwristwatch
Got some of your own money-saving gardening tips to share? Feel free to comment below. We’d love to hear from you! For more gardening stuff, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter today.
]]>Now, the first way to reuse leaves is to turn them into good compost. Simply collect some fallen leaves from your backyard, break them into smaller pieces (either by hand or using a lawn mower), and then add them to your compost heap.
Hot compost is another great use for your garden leaves. This type of compost is one of the quickest ways to improve soil quality because it attract fewer diseases and contains plenty of nutrients for your vegetable garden. Hot compost can be made anytime by adding equal amounts of green and brown matter and letting it sit for 6 to 9 months for the best results.
Making mulch and mold from leaves is also highly recommended. This informative video from Alberta Urban Garden discusses all these leaf composting methods in detail, so be sure to check it out!
Like this blog post? Please share, tweet and pin it today!
Video Source: Alberta Urban Garden Youtube Channel
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