Why compost when you live on a small lot? While it saves landfill space, as well as time and gas transporting yard waster. It also improves the soils ability to retain moisture, reducing water costs. Composting also provides needed hummus and nutrients for healthy plants.
Category Archives: Gardening
Finding a CSA
First of all what is a CSA? CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. A farmer grows produce and then offers a certain number of shares to the public. Shares usually consist of a box of vegetables. Each week you receive a box of seasonal produce throughout the farming season. How do you go about findingContinue reading “Finding a CSA”
Safety On The Home Front
When I decided to write an article on Safety on the Home Front my mind started to go in all different directions. Should I write about the safety of using homemade cleaning products versus store bought? Of the importance of keeping the prong of a garden rake pointed downwards when you garden? Or should IContinue reading “Safety On The Home Front”
My Transplants Made It
Before we left Vermont you may remember I took cuttings from my favorite houseplants so I could bring them with me. I also dug up a few of my favorite day lilies and a miniature Hosta which traveled with us as well. The good news is that my transplants made it! The day lilies wereContinue reading “My Transplants Made It”
Plants That Keep Bugs Away
Pests are the bane of every gardener’s existence. There is nothing as heartbreaking as spending all season tending lovingly to a plant just to have them succumb to beetles or aphids. Especially for gardeners who are trying to avoid pesticide use, repelling pests can be very challenging. Luckily, nature has developed some ways to deterContinue reading “Plants That Keep Bugs Away”
Transplanting Vegetable Seedlings
If you have started vegetable seeds inside this year you’ll be amazed at how quickly they grown. In no time at all you’ll be transplanting your vegetable seedlings. Wait until the seedlings have grown two or more true leaves (the cotyledons don’t count). This can be anywhere from 2-6 weeks after germination. Before starting makeContinue reading “Transplanting Vegetable Seedlings”
Tips for Seed Starting
Your seeds have been ordered. The next step is to figure our which seeds need to be started inside. Here are a few tips for seed starting inside. When To Start Your Seeds First you need to read the back of your seed packets. Many seeds like beans, peas, lettuce and carrots can be plantedContinue reading “Tips for Seed Starting”
Easy Ways to Get Your Garden Ready For Spring
If you’re watching the ground outside freeze, and then re-freeze, you’re probably feeling antsy for when the ground finally thaws for good, with the onset of much anticipated warmer weather. During winter, your garden is exposed to severe temperatures and the elements, and will need a bit of clearing out and care before it’s readyContinue reading “Easy Ways to Get Your Garden Ready For Spring”
Homemade Seed Tape
This year I’m not starting any seeds inside but I decided there was still something I could do to get ready for the upcoming gardening season. The perfect project was to make homemade seed tape. If I can’t use it I will pass it along to my daughter and she can use it in herContinue reading “Homemade Seed Tape”
Gardening in the Pacific Northwest
Gardening in the Pacific Northwest is quite different from gardening in Vermont. I am looking forward to getting a garden established and enjoying a much longer growing season than I did in Vermont. In Vermont we were in the hardiness zone 4a while here in the Pacific Northwest, outside Tacoma we are in hardiness zoneContinue reading “Gardening in the Pacific Northwest”
Nancy on the Home Front 