Category: Spring Garden Planning
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Sprouting Made Simple: Grow Fresh, Nutritious Greens at Home
Sprouts are a nutritional powerhouse, easy to grow at home, and cost-effective. They offer more safety and control than store-bought options and have minimal environmental impact. With a variety of types and easy growing methods, sprouts can enhance dishes like salads, tacos, and smoothies. Growing sprouts is an affordable, eco-friendly, and versatile way to enjoy…
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Bountiful Basil: Easy Tips for Growing Basil in Your Herb Garden
Basil is a delightful and rewarding herb to grow, offering immense culinary value. The tropical or sub-tropical plant can be a perennial in some zones and comes in various cultivars like Sweet Basil, Greek Basil, and more. It can be grown from seed or cuttings, with certain considerations for light, water, and pests. Harvesting basil…
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Nourish to Flourish: A Gardener’s Guide to Fertilizer Labels
This article provides guidance on fertilizing your garden, starting with understanding your garden’s needs through soil testing. It delves into the significance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in fertilizers, as well as how to interpret their percentages on fertilizer labels. The article also highlights the importance of other ingredients listed on the label and provides…
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Your Hardening Off Handbook: Tender to Tough Before Transplanting
To ensure your young plants thrive when transplanted outdoors, it’s crucial to harden them off. This process toughens them up to handle the unpredictable elements outside. By gradually exposing them to wind, rain, and direct sunlight, their stems and leaves become more resilient. Skipping this preparation can result in transplant shock, causing wilted stems and…
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Walking on Eggshells: Calcium for Your Garden
When you grow plants, they absorb nutrients and transform them into vegetables, fruit, and flowers. Harvesting removes these nutrients, so fertilizing your garden is crucial for its growth. Eggshells are an excellent source of calcium, vital for fruiting plants. Besides preventing issues like Blossom End Rot, eggshells benefit earthworms and help alkaline-loving plants. Sterilizing and…
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Make it a Block Party: Soil Blocking for Spring Success
Soil blocking originated in Holland as a method to start garden seeds indoors before spring frosts. Growing in popularity starting in the early 2000s, it involves planting seeds in compacted dirt blocks. This technique offers benefits such as increased air flow, prevents root binding, and eliminates issues of a late spring start. Downsides include the…
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Your Spring Garden Prep Checklist: What to do Before Planting
To prep your garden for spring, start when the ground thaws. Look for signs like spring flowers and insects. Follow a 5-step checklist: rake leaves, aerate soil, fertilize, assess tools, and prune trees. Clear leaves to uncover plants and compost them for nutrients. Loosen compacted soil and add nutrients based on last year’s plant types.…
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Spring Garden Planning Time! (2024 Edition)
As winter transitions to spring, gardeners prepare for the upcoming season with hope and anticipation. Following a 5-step process, the planning involves reflecting on the previous year, deciding on plants and their placement, and considering their needs. New additions include various fruits, vegetables, and herbs, as well as experimental plants like Cuca-melons. The plan also…
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Seed Swap Events: Increase Your Home Seed Library & Expand Your Garden
National Seed Swap Day, typically celebrated on the last Saturday of January, provides gardeners with the opportunity to exchange seeds, cuttings, and plants. These events offer a chance to acquire a diverse range of seeds, including local varieties better suited to the area. Seed swaps also facilitate social interaction, learning opportunities, and the acquisition of…
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New Plant Hardiness Zones For the 2024 Gardening Season and Beyond
You may not be aware that the USDA updated the Plant Hardiness Zone Map on November 15, 2023. This changes a lot of things that we gardeners are going to face in 2024 and onward. Gardeners of all skill levels use the plant hardiness map. It determines when to plant, what will grow best in…