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North American Butterflies and the Flowers They Love (Infographic)

When you think of pollination, you probably think of bees, and we’ve posted infographics in the past about how to attract bees to your garden by planting the flowers they love. Well, bees aren’t the only insects that help with pollination in the garden, butterflies do too! If you have a garden, small children, or simply enjoy seeing butterflies around your home, you’ll love this infographic. It has all 23 North American butterflies, their indicated regions, and the flowers they love. There are some great ideas for flowers to plant here, as well as the sorts of flowers or sap they gravitate […]

Why Start Seeds Indoors?

We’ve posted a bit about tips for starting seeds indoors as spring has been approaching, but I wanted to talk a bit today about why to start seeds indoors. You want to have a beautiful garden, and you want it to provide you and your family with plenty of food when it comes time to harvest. This means you need to start the seeds at the right time. You want to make sure they are strong enough to survive and thrive in the garden, and one of the best things you can do is start your seeds indoors, getting ready to […]

How to Grow Cucumber Vertically

Cucumbers are a delicious treat to grow in the garden, and it’s really fun to branch out and try different varieties, from pickling cucumbers for your root cellar to small, juicy Gerkins you’ll rarely find at the supermarket. The trouble with cucumber plants is that they crawl…like crazy. The cucumber plant from simply one seed can spread out up to 20 square feet when grown in garden beds. If space is a challenge in your garden, this probably doesn’t sound too appealing. Fortunately, there’s a very simple solution: letting cucumber grow upward, instead of outward! It’s very easy to train cucumbers on a […]

Composting Chicken House (Video)

When it comes to homesteading, I think the more (proverbial) birds you can kill with one stone, the better. After all, that’s a huge part of what homesteading is all about: creating your own little self-sufficient system. This plan for a composting chicken house is awesome. It’s well-known that chickens can be easily put to work both by contributing to a compost pile or soil amendment with their nitrogen-rich droppings, or by being let loose on a compost pile to unwittingly turn it for you as they scrape and hunt all the delicious little bugs. But these folks in Guatemala […]

Growing Calcium in Your Garden (Video)

Greens can be an excellent source of calcium, you just need to plant the right ones! John of GrowYourGreens.com shares what plants you can grow that are full of calcium, some even more than milk! He also explains how to amend the soil to ensure as much calcium as possible. This is a great video for anyone on a vegan diet, or anyone trying to grow food for long-term survival. You’ll need as much nutrients you can get, and calcium is a great mineral to grow in your garden, if you know what you’re doing! Check it out: If you […]

The Right Way to Water Your Plants

You may not have realized it before, but there are proven best practices for watering your plants and garden. Determining just when and how to water for the healthiest, most productive crops is all about paying attention to a few key factors. It might seem a little silly; is there really a wrong way to water plants? Not necessarily, but there are certainly better ways! There are no rules written in stone that apply to water all plants in all situations. You can make your call depending on the type of plant, the soil, the weather, the time of year […]

Most Decorative Edibles for Your Yard

Maybe you’ve only got a small yard or a patio, and would like to combine your vegetable garden with your landscaping. Or perhaps you can’t have a garden where you live and you’d like to grow some veggies under the guise of decorative plants. Perhaps you’re just the visual, artistic type and would like to produce food and have a stunning, attractive, decorative garden. Either way, there are lots of beautiful options for you to grow vegetables that are both decorative and edible! Here are some of the best: Basil Basil is a cinch to grow and just so happens to be very […]

Urban Homestead

This is a very inspiring short film about “the hub”, a 1/2 acre lot in the small town of Oxford, in North Canterberry, New Zealand. Kane and Fiona Hogan are able to grow a beautiful, productive, and lucrative garden right in the middle of their town, and use that revenue to get out into the community and help the elderly with their gardening needs as well. This humble 1/2 acre lot is the center of a growing urban gardening culture in this small town, and is working to establish a sustainable, affordable, and healthy source of food for the community. […]

Tips and Tricks for Starting Seeds

Winter is on its last legs and it’s time to get ready for this year’s garden! If you’re in a zone with a shorter growing season or just want to stagger your crops for a richer harvest, check out these easy seed starting tricks. We already mentioned the first two in a post on frugal ways to start seeds, so check that post out for a more detailed description of how to do them: Cut and fold paper tubes to use as a biodegradable seedling planter. Use the tubes from toilet paper, paper towels, or wrapping paper. Start your seeds […]

Frugal Ways to Start Seeds

It’s almost time for spring planting, are you ready? This is a great time to start your seedlings indoors to transfer to prepped garden beds in a few weeks. However, if you’re not set up with lots of fancy seed trays and want to get started anyway, here are a few frugal hacks for starting seeds indoors. Egg shells Did you know you can actually start seeds in egg shells? It’s true, and really cool too! All you need to do is save your egg shells, clean them with warm water and soap, and let dry. Collect enough to start […]

Shade Tolerant Vegetables

Sun is a crucial commodity in any garden, and if you don’t get enough sun in your garden, you might be wondering what to plant. Even having half your garden or yard covered with a shadow for part of the day seems like it excludes a great many options for planting. Fortunately, there are shade tolerant vegetables you can experiment with that can maximize that shady space in your garden and keep it producing as seasons change and light fades. Planning When planning out your garden, spend time watching the way the sun moves for a few days, and designate […]

3 Beginner Compost Mistakes to Avoid

Getting a good compost pile going is an awesome way to build your soil and contribute valuable nutrients to your organic garden. There are lots of methods for getting started, and lots of options as far as bioavailable, organic material you can use to build it. However, you can also make mistakes, and before you build your own compost pile, try to avoid these simple “don’ts” to ensure you have a successful compost pile and save yourself a lot of trouble. Cover your pile Compost piles left out in the open are not only stinky and unsightly, but they also […]

Clever Ways to Teach Children About Self-Reliance

Kids these days! The new generation seems to be so fixated on their devices and pop culture, and I think a lot of us who grew up with these things are looking at today’s youth and shaking our heads. But of course, the truth is, that adults as well as kids need to learn more about self-reliance and basic survival skills, because our world is in a precarious state! Start them young, and we just might be able to raise a few kids who can carry on the traditions and self-reliance of past generations. Here are a few ideas for […]

Why Are My Plants Turning Yellow?

Yellow leaves are never a happy sight to see on plants you’ve been caring for and watch grow. And they’re not a good sign. Yellow leaves on plants or entirely yellow plants can be indicative of a number of different issues. Here are some of them: Pests One possible cause of yellow leaves is pests that are living on the plant and leaves and taxing the plant’s energy and resources. To determine if this is the cause, inspect the plant carefully to see if you can find any pests. To treat this, you’ll need to eliminate the pests themselves. Neem […]

5 Ways to Cut Back on Weeds

Weeds are one of the biggest downsides of gardening. Just as soon as you get the whole garden weeded it seems like they’re sprouting up again. It is true that weeds are nearly impossible to fully get rid of, but fortunately, there are ways to stunt them so much they’re barely a problem in your garden. Here are ten ways to reduce your need for weeding. 1. Mulch Mulch is the go-to for many gardeners, and for good reason. You can use all different kinds of organic material for mulch, such as hay, grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, even store-bought organic […]

How to Grow Watermelon in a Pot

There’s nothing quite as refreshing on a hot summer day as a nice, juicy watermelon. Unfortunately, the watermelons you find in the supermarket are often conventional and even GMO. If you’d like to harvest some of your own this summer, you don’t need a whole field, you can grow them right in your backyard or porch! Here’s how: Container: Watermelons will need a large, deep container, at least 2′ deep, so that it’s long taproot will have enough space to expand. Choose something sturdy as well, and with proper drainage. Soil: Watermelons like both sandy and loamy soil, with plenty of […]

Grow 53 Plants in 4 Square Feet (Video)

We’ve been talking a lot about urban homesteading here lately, and when you’re talking about gardening in an urban or suburban environment, space is always going to be an issue. A lot of urban gardeners are turning to vertical gardening, which is an excellent way to maximize space and production when growing area is limited. This is a very inspiring example of vertical gardening, in which a whopping 53 plants is grown in a four square foot area. Imagine how much you could grow on a single porch or patio! Check it out: f you enjoyed this, you might also like…. Home […]

Back to Eden Gardening Explained

Last week, we shared a video from YouTubers Deep South Homestead of their “Back to Nature” gardening method that they improvised themselves. They got this idea after they tried the Back to Eden gardening method with poor results. This method of gardening may have failed in their area for any number of reasons and their improvisation was clever. The Back to Eden gardening method is still worth a try in your area, and is a very clever and natural way of starting a garden. It’s a bit like lasagna gardening in that you are building your own soil, and start in the fall […]

A Simple Guide to Starting a Beehive (Video)

Last week, we shared the very cool idea to make a beehive using mason jars, so since it did not come with instructions as to how to actually start a hive, I thought I’d go ahead and follow up with that one. Bees are a wonderful thing to do on the homestead, or even in your backyard, if you’re able to. Raw honey is one of the most valuable and nutritious substances on the planet, so raising bees is a space and time efficient way to produce food on a small scale, and a wonderful addition to any homestead or self-sufficiency […]

Growing Cauliflower in a Container

Cauliflower is a great vegetable. It’s nutritious, delicious, and has grown in popularity in recent years since it makes a great base for many grain-free dishes. If you’d like to grow your own, you don’t need a garden to do it; cauliflower can be grown in a container, if you follow the right steps. First of all, cauliflower needs really high-condition soil. Use premium potting soil and loamy, well-amended soil to plant it in. You can direct sow in the container or start in 2″ pots and transplant after it’s sprouted. To choose a container, you’ll need something that is […]