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  • How to Grow Garlic

    How to Grow Garlic

    Depending on how cold it gets where you are located, now is a good time to start getting some room in your garden ready for planting garlic.  Garlic is a low-maintenance crop that isn’t cheap to buy at the store, at least not if you are buying organic.  It can be preserved easily so that you can benefit from your entire harvest, and you can plant again from your own stock further reducing costs.  Here’s how to get started.

     

    Get Your Garlic

    If you have the money and you are the nervous type, or if you have had problems with disease on your garlic before, then you should buy organic seed garlic that is certified disease free.  If not, you can save about $20 by just going to your local grocery store and buying a pound of organic garlic to plant.

    Soil Prep

    Garlic does best in full sun, so find some room in your garden that gets plenty of sun this time of year.  Garlic requires good drainage, so mounding a little soil up, especially if you are not planting in a raised bed well help.  If you have healthy soil you shouldn’t need to amend with anything but some compost.  If you are planting grocery store garlic it is especially important to select an area that you did not grow garlic in last season.  It would also help reduce the chance of disease to plant in several locations instead of one large plot.

    Plant

    Separate cloves from the bulb.  Leave the papery layer on them.  Plant them the same way they grew previously, root side down and pointy side up.  Put them about 3inches deep, with about 4inches between each.  Cover with soil and then add a thick layer of leaves for mulch and insulation.

     

    I’ll post another article about harvesting and some of the options for preserving and processing garlic well before it’s that time of year.

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  • Benefits of Simple Raised Bed Gardens

    Benefits of Simple Raised Bed Gardens

     

    Raised bed gardens are an ideal concept for today’s lifestyle trends. Raised bed gardening transcends generations and is a viable option for various size budgets. You can enjoy this method of gardening whether you have an expansive outdoor area or a space-challenged lawn. If you’re the DIY type, you can easily find detailed instructions for building raised beds. However, if constructing beds yourself isn’t a project you have the tools or time for, a quick Internet search will reveal many raised bed garden kits and design ideas that do not require construction skills.

    Eco-friendly living and an awareness of where food comes from is something more people are paying attention to and worrying about. When you grow your vegetables, you know that they are pesticide free and a healthy option for your family. You will have fewer problems with pests such as rabbits or moles if you opt for tall raised bed gardens. It is much easier to protect your vegetables from pests in a raised bed than in a traditional type garden. Weeds are also less of a problem in an elevated garden. When they do sneak into your garden, they are easy to see and can simply be pulled out.

    The number of individual beds you have will depend on the amount of space you have available and the amount of vegetables you want to grow. Beds can be placed in a design that complements the style of home you have. Square and rectangular beds arranged in a geometric pattern or placed in neat rows would be an attractive design for a modern and contemporary home. Houses in a compact neighborhood typically have small yards. Growing a garden in a raised bed gives you the opportunity to grow an abundance of vegetables in a small space. Familiarize yourself with gardening techniques such as succession planting, companion planting and staggered planting to maximize the use of your garden space.

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    Typically, urban living does not require that you have an extensive collection of lawn and garden equipment. In fact, there’s usually no storage space for such items when you live in an urban setting. Traditional gardens require that you have items such as a tiller, shovel, and hoe on hand to prepare and maintain your garden. Raised beds do not have to be tilled, require little weeding and can be maintained with a minimal number of small, hand-size garden tools.

    Downsizing continues to be a lifestyle change that many people choose to enjoy. It’s typically empty-nesters and retirees that want less house and lawn-related obligations and more leisure time. Moving into a senior community where small lawns are one of the positive features of the neighborhood, makes raised bed gardening an enticing idea. More leisure time means more time for pursuing enjoyable hobbies. One of those hobbies could be gardening. Raised bed gardening can help seniors stay active. It’s also an ideal way for anyone with physical limitations or health issues that restrict their activity level to enjoy growing a garden.

     

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  • Quick Candle Making Tips

    Quick Candle Making Tips

    Making candles is fun and easy, and it can be a great activity for any homesteader. You can make candles for you own use, for gifts, and even to sell if you choose. Getting started with candle making is much easier than you might think, and before long, you will even be making custom candles that are good enough to buy.

    Get the Right Supplies

    First, you need to make sure you have the right supplies on hand. If you are making pillar candles, you will need to have aluminum molds, which are readily available online. You could also make molds of your own if you choose. This might be something you do in the future once you become more adept in the hobby.

    You also need to have wax. You can buy wax, or you could even use beeswax to make candles. Some of the other required supplies include jars or containers, string for the wicks, and essential oils for the scent.

    Recycle Wax

    Instead of throwing away old wax from your candles that you’ve been burning, save it. You can recycle it and use it again. Try to keep scraps of the same color together, of course. If there is scented wax, keep it in a different pile. Clean the wax, melt it, and strain it to make sure there is no debris in it.

    Melting the Wax

    You want the fragrance oils you use to bind with the wax when it melts. The best temperature for this is 180 degrees. Get a thermometer so you can measure the temperature before you add your oils.

    Making candles can be a lot of fun. Take the time to learn the proper way to make candles and implement the tips found here to help with your projects.

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  • Homestead Thanksgiving Dinner (Video)

    Homestead Thanksgiving Dinner (Video)

    I feel like Thanksgiving in particular is a great holiday for homesteaders. The traditional Thanksgiving feast is very reflective of the seasonal delights many North American homesteaders know all too well: sweet potato, pumpkin, turkey, seasonal greens, apple pie, etc.

    This morning this old video floated across my YouTube suggestions of the butchering of a Thanksgiving turkey that had been raised on this couple’s homestead from a few weeks old. This used to be how the traditional Thanksgiving turkey was acquired for many Americans! Raised all year and butchered once it was fully fattened in the Fall. I love to see the whole process as illustrated in this video. Enjoy!

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  • Creating An Accessible Garden

    Creating An Accessible Garden

    Gardening is a hobby that can be enjoyed by everyone. With the numerous types of accessible gardening methods available, physical limitations or mobility concerns should not prohibit you from growing a garden. An online search of photos of accessible gardens that creative individuals have designed will give you some ideas as to how you might want to design your garden. Keep in mind that accessible gardening is just like traditional gardening in that the design you choose and the plants you include can be tailored to your individual preference.

    Raised beds are a popular form of accessible garden. When you choose this method, you can construct the gardens so that they are a convenient height for you. The width of the garden can also be determined in accordance with the range of reach you have. If you have the space available, you can construct numerous raised beds in order to increase the variety and amount of vegetables you grow. Be sure the area between the beds is large enough for a wheelchair, walker or rolling cart if you depend on any of these items. A smooth surface area is essential for easy navigation through your raised beds.

    Garden tables are an ideal method of accessible gardening. They are ideal for anyone using a wheelchair or mobility scooter. Garden tables can be built to fit the space you have available. You can find some helpful information on how to construct a table garden from most cooperative extension offices. Table gardens should allow for at least a 6″ soil depth. Increasing the soil depth will expand the variety of vegetables you can grow in your table garden. A lightweight, organic potting mix is recommended for table gardens. This type of accessible garden will require more frequent watering than a traditional garden or a raised bed garden. When you plan the layout for individual plants, be sure you put plants such as beans, peas, squash, cucumbers and anything other type of vine along the edge of a raised bed or table garden. This will make harvesting the vegetables much easier and prevent them for becoming entwined with the other plants.

    Planter boxes and standing planters are an ideal way to create an accessible garden. You can create an individual garden design using boxes, planters and trellises by looking around the Internet and at local stores.  The shape of the boxes allow for easy reach and easy navigation around the planters. This type of garden is a great choice if your only available space is a patio or deck.

    An accessible garden is quite similar to the very popular container gardens that are increasingly trendy. To assure the greatest success with the plants you include in your garden, you can utilize the list of recommended vegetable varieties for container gardens found at http://www.highmowingseeds.com/Suggested-Varieties-For-organic-non-gmo-Vegetable-Container-Gardening.html. Don’t hesitate to try new vegetables in your garden. Gardening should not simply be a means of providing food for you and your family; it should also be an enjoyable and personally rewarding hobby.

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  • Tips for Fall Gardening

    Tips for Fall Gardening

    Fall gardening involves some different techniques than summer gardening. The following tips, ideas and suggestions can help you get the largest harvest and the most enjoyment from your fall garden.

    Location

    It is recommended that a fall garden be planted in well-drained soil and in a sunny location. There is less sunlight during the fall season. Therefore, if possible, consider relocating your fall garden to a different spot. If you are growing your fall garden in containers, simply put them in a different location. Another way to gain the maximum benefit from the sun during the fall is to construct a raised bed garden in a sunny area.

    Planting Your Vegetables

    You can direct sow the seeds for your fall garden or buy transplants. Be sure that you choose fall plants that are hardy enough to thrive in your area. It’s also a good idea to plant vegetables that can be harvested at different times throughout the season. Kale, radishes and many varieties of lettuce mature quickly. You can be enjoying these while waiting for some of the other fall vegetables to reach the harvesting stage. If you are planting your fall garden in the same location as your summer garden, it’s essential that you remove old plants, weeds and debris left from your summer garden, before you put anything into the ground. You will also want to water the garden well and add mulch once you’ve completed your planting.

    Be Prepared

    Each growing season has its own set of challenges for a gardener. Just because summer is gone, that doesn’t mean the insects have disappeared. Your fall garden plants can easily be damaged or destroyed by grasshoppers, cabbage worms, aphids, cutworms or whatever pests reside and thrive in your area. Some gardeners dutifully hand -pick some of the pests off of their plants. If you have a large garden, that can be a time-consuming method of pest control. Organic pesticide is an effective way to win the battle over fall garden pests. It’s a good idea to purchase the organic pesticide when you purchase your plants. Being prepared puts you ahead of a potentially destructive situation.

    When you grow a fall garden, you’ll also need to be prepared for the arrival of frost. Floating row covers can be placed in the garden when the likelihood of frost is predicted. These covers can also be used to protect your plants from damage by certain insects. If you are growing your fall garden in containers, you’ll need to relocate them to a covered area when frost is predicted.

    Bulbs

    Fall is the time of year to plant bulbs. The bulbs you plant now will provide a burst of color to your landscape when spring arrives. Be sure to read the planting instructions for the different types of bulbs you purchase. Generally, you should plant them in a sunny location with well-drained soil. A low nitrogen fertilizer such as 9-6-6 is often recommended for the area where you plant the bulbs.

    With these simple tips, you can enjoy your garden in the fall and beyond.

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  • Calculating Your Wood for the Winter

    Calculating Your Wood for the Winter

    Many homesteaders prefer to utilize wood stoves to help offset the cost of other power sources. It can help them to limit their dependence on the electric company, and if they have solar panels as well, it could eliminate the need entirely. However, if you are going to use wood for heating and even for cooking, you need to make sure you have enough to last the entire winter.

    Think about how often you will be using the woodstove or the fireplace. If you will only be using it during the night, you will need to have less wood on hand than if you use it around the clock to keep the place warm. Also, are you using it to heat your entire house, or are you only using it to heat part of the house, or one of the outbuildings, for example.

    Understanding how much wood you will go through in a typical day will give you a better idea of how much you need. Generally, you will be buying wood in what is called “cords”. A cord of wood measures 4’ high and 4’ wide, while being 8’ long. You do not typically have to buy a full cord of wood though. You can also buy half a cord or even a third of a cord. Make sure you have a place on your property where you can keep the wood out of the weather so it remains nice and dry.

    You will likely have people in your area that sell firewood. If not, you may want to cut down some trees on your own property. When you are buying, it’s always better to have a bit more than you think you need, just so you don’t run the risk of having no wood part-way through the winter. After all, you can always keep the extra wood for the following winter.

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  • DIY Powdery Mildew Treatment

    DIY Powdery Mildew Treatment

    Powdery mildew can be a real threat to the health of your garden.  It can get in unnoticed, spread quickly, affect production, and it can be difficult to get rid of.  There are numerous products on the market that are sold under the claim that they treat powdery mildew, but products don’t always fulfill their purpose and they can add unnecessary costs to your garden.  Instead, treat powdery mildew with a simple and inexpensive homemade recipe and a few easy precautions.

     

    Recipe

    • 2 ounces of whole milk
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 tablespoon baking soda
    • Just a little dish soap to make it stick
    • 8 ounces water

    Since the recipe does include milk it will spoil, so you should keep it in your refrigerator and only make a small amount at a time and as needed.

    Precautions

    • At the first sign of powdery mildew prune the affected plants if possible to allow for better air flow. Prune plants nearby to allow for more sunlight to hit the affected plant and to reduce the spread.
    • Apply the above liquid treatment by spraying it on all parts of the plant as soon as possible. Do this while the sun is out.
    • If a plant is too badly affected to be treated it must be removed so that it does not contaminate the surrounding plants. When removing a plant that cannot be treated, be careful not to yank on or shake the plant which will spread the mildew.  Cut the plant in pieces with garden shears and place the pieces in a garbage bag so that it can be thrown away and not composted.  Composting powdery mildew will not kill it can could further spread the mildew through your garden.
    • Consider reducing water to the area of your garden that you see powdery mildew in, or watering earlier in the day so that the leaves do not remain wet for extended periods.

     

    Don’t let powdery mildew get you down.  Act fast and it shouldn’t be more than you can handle.

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