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gardening – Page 3 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: gardening

  • The Best All Natural Fertilizers For Your Garden

    The Best All Natural Fertilizers For Your Garden

     

    Store-bought fertilizers can get expensive. On top of that, they don’t always produce the results you are looking for. They aren’t natural, so there’s no guarantee that they are going to work the way they’re supposed to. Instead of heading into town to pick up an overpriced bag for your garden, go to your kitchen and mix up your own batch with any of these natural fertilizer recipes.

     

    1. Egg Shells

    After breakfast, don’t toss your egg shells. Wash them up and crush them. They are 93% calcium carbonate. With that there, it’s effective to use near peppers, tomatoes, and other plants to prevent rotting. If you are planting something fresh, you can mix your egg shells in with your potting soil for bigger and better results.

    Related Article:  13 Useful Ways to Reuse Eggshells

    1. Coffee Grounds

    Your coffee is good for waking up more than just you in the morning. Those grounds can bring to life a variety of plants including roses, azaleas, blueberries, and tomatoes. You can mix the grounds directly into the soil or place them on top before you water. The nitrogen seeps in and gives the foliage a jolt. You can mix up a batch for watering by blending six cups of coffee grounds in a full five-gallon bucket for a couple of days. Then, dump it over your plants.

    Related Article:  The Undeniable Benefits of Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

    1. Banana Peels

    Bananas have a ton of nutrients for humans, so it’s no surprise that they are also healthy for plants. You can bury the peels in the ground before planting so that they decompose in the soil.

     

    1. Molasses

    Molasses is said to increase the good bacteria and microbes in various plants allowing for bigger and healthier results. A simple recipe is mixing one to three tablespoons of molasses per gallon of water. Dump the concoction directly on the plants.

     

    1. Human Urine

    As long as your body is healthy and free of any disease or infection, your urine is sterile. Sounds kind of gross to use it as a fertilizer, but it’s loaded with phosphorous, potassium, and nitrogen. There’s way more in there than what you find in the store-bought versions. The ideal urine to water ratio is 1:8.

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    1. Pet Food

    This is going to depend on what kind of animal food you have. As long as it’s not loaded with artificial stuff, even the cheap type has protein and nutrients that can aid in fertilization. Just sprinkle it over the garden, turn the food into the soil, and water. Cover the area to keep the critters away. Continue watering and turning the soil for about a month. When the food has decomposed all the way, put in your desired plants.

     

    1. Worm Castings

    You are going to have to do some worm hunting for this one. Get a handful of red wiggler worms and toss them in with some cardboard and various kitchen scraps. The worms will start making compost from the waste they create, and you can use that for fertilizer safely wherever you want.

    Related Article:  DIY Worm Casting

    1. Manure

    One of the most significant benefits of using cow, horse, or chicken manure is that with a little legwork around your local farms, you can get it for free. The composted manure should be put in some type of permeable bag made from a decomposable material. Put the bag in the shade and allow it to sit for a few days. When it’s conditioned properly, toss the bag or bury it and spread the compost over whatever area you are planting.

     

    1. Grass

    Put your grass clippings in a five-gallon bucket. Add water to fill all the way to the top and then let it sit for a couple of days. The nitrogen from the grass is excellent for plants. The tea you have made with your grass clippings can be diluted 1:10 with water before being dumped at the base of your foliage.

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  • 4 Critical Methods to Improve Your Garden Soil

    4 Critical Methods to Improve Your Garden Soil

    You have the perfect spot picked out for your new garden.  It gets just the right amount of sun, its easy to access and there is plenty of room to plant whatever your heart desires.  Just one problem.  The ground in your perfect spot is less than optimal for growing anything more than plastic plants.

    What do you do when your potential garden’s soil is more akin to just plain dirt that the rich compost you dream of getting your hands into?  Pick another site?  Probably now very practical.

    Fortunately, there are several natural ways you can inject your ground with what it needs to support a flourishing garden.  Here are a few you might want to consider.

     

    Composting

    Composting your kitchen and yards waste gives you a tremendous source of organic material that will add nutrients and extra material to your garden plot.

    If you haven’t had a chance to get a good compost heap going, your local DIY or garden center will be able to provide you enough to get started.

    Not sure you want to take on the job of maintaining compost?  Consider at least saving all your used coffee grounds and egg shells.  Adding these directly to the soil around each plant will go a long way to building up much-desired nutrients.

    Related Article:  The Undeniable Benefits of Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

     

    Natural Fertilizer a.k.a Manure

    Adding animal dung to your soil will give it a much-needed boost in organic material, nutrients, and beneficial microbes. If you go this route, make sure you follow a few precautions.

    First, most fresh manure is too “hot” to add directly to plants.  There are high levels of several compounds that can burn your plants chemically.  For best result, let manure compost or at least age for a while before adding it to soil and around existing plants.  This gives those chemical compounds time to break down to safe levels for planting.

    If you are preparing a new site, you can use a tiller to mix in fresh manure in the fall, and then let it set over the winter to be ready for spring planting.

    Also, if you are sourcing your manure from an outside source, say the farmer down the road, make sure the manure you receive is from animals that have not been allowed to graze on food sources that have been exposed to herbicides.

    Some herbicides can survive the digestive process and will exist in the animals waste, which will have unwanted side-effects on your new planting.

    Plant Cover Crops

    This relatively easy option lets you build up your soil quality with much less work than some other methods. Cover crops provide nutrients to the soil as well as improve drainage, attract beneficial insects and other organisms, strangle out weeds, and act as a mulch.

    One thing to note, however, using this method will take longer than others.  You won’t be able to use the site for other planting until the following year.

    If you are someone who really plans ahead, though, this would be a good option for you.

     

    Let the Worms do the Work

    Vermicomposting is basically the process of introducing worms to the environment and letting them add important nutrients as well as increase aeration and drainage just by being themselves.

    There are a few ways to accomplish this:

    • Add the worms to your compost pile. They will speed up the decomposition process and add vital nutrients to the material.
    • Add the worms to your garden soil and pile on some compost and mulch to give them a new home.

    Related Article:  Do-It-Yourself Worm Casting

     

    Let the Gardening Begin

    We’ve discussed four fairly simple ways you can turn a patch of dirt into a flourishing garden plot ready to nurture whatever you want to plant.  With just a little planning, you can turn your backyard into a viable food source in no time.

     

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  • Can You Grow Miniature Fruit Trees and Non-Native Plants?

    Can You Grow Miniature Fruit Trees and Non-Native Plants?

    Can You Grow Miniature Fruit Trees and Non-Native Plants?

    Well, the short answer?  Yes.

    It is possible to grow just about anything on a homestead or even in an urban environment, with the right care and maintenance. And, if you are successful, you can provide yourself with your own rice, coffee, citrus fruit and more.

    The main trick?  Growing everything in planters and pots, essentially creating a mobile farm.  During the summer they can be kept outside.  When it turns cold you have a few options:

    • Cover the plants with clear plastic to create mini-greenhouses
    • Move them inside your home
    • Move them into a greenhouse structure

    If you have space, consider closing in a porch to create a sunroom/greenhouse.  This will make it easy to keep an eye on your “babies” and make it less obvious to passers-by that you have this food source.

     

    First, what is a Miniature Fruit Tree Anyway?

    Before you begin picturing a tidy row of little trees that Mr. Miyagi would be proud of, you need to understand whatever you choose to cultivate is still going to be fairly substantial.

    Depending on the variety, you are going to need space for anywhere from a 3-foot to a 10-foot tall tree.  The key thing to remember though is no matter how small the tree is; the fruit will still be a normal size.

    Before we get too far, you will probably be glad to know that NO genetic engineering is used to create mini fruit trees.  Instead, it uses an age-old grafting technique, allowing the new tree to develop in a natural way.  By grafting a branch from a fruit tree to a separate rootstock, the trees only grow as tall as the new root system lets them.

    While you are taking all this in, here’s a list of potential fruit trees you could add to your property.

    • Apple
    • Pear
    • Apricot
    • Peach
    • Nectarine
    • Lime
    • Lemon
    • Grapefruit
    • Orange
    • Grapes
    • Tangelos
    • Almond
    • Coffee
    • Banana
    • Cherry
    • Fig
    • Olive

     

    Or, you can get really adventurous and get one of those new-fangled “fruit salad” trees that have three types of citrus trees grafted into one.  While there is a part of me that considers this to just be so wrong, if it means you only have to care for one tree instead of three to get the variety you want, why not?

    Non-Native Plants

    Besides the standard lettuce, spinach, zucchini, carrots and other native veggies and grains we are accustomed to including in our gardens, have you considered others, such as rice, cotton, and peanuts, or beans? If you’ve done any research on long-term food storage options, you’ve probably seen rice come up on everyone’s list of suggestions.

    You can produce rice in multiple containers to provide yourself with an excellent source of this long-term storage food. As with the mini-trees, your mini “rice paddies” will need to be moved indoors in winter, whether that’s in your home, or into a greenhouse.

    If you live in a fairly temperate climate, you may not need to rely completely on containers to grown rice.  If you have an area you can “flood” and make marshy, you may be able to grow an entire crop between frost cycles.

     

    You CAN take it with You!

    Another great advantage of cultivating mini fruit trees and planter foods, if you decide to move, you can take it all with you. Granted this would have to be during a carefully planned move, not a bug out scenario.  But, if you find you are ready to try a new place, you can make arrangements for your “movable feast” instead of starting over from scratch.

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  • DIY Recycled Planters

    DIY Recycled Planters

     

    When you are getting ready to start seeds for spring planting, you may find yourself with more seeds than starter containers.

    Instead of running right out and buying some at your local garden center, try digging through your plastic recycling bin instead.  Empty plastic soda and water bottles are durable enough to handle taking on plants but easy to cut down, trim and otherwise alter to create a handy little planter to suit your needs. Here are two options to create plastic planters.

     

    Standard Planter

    Cut or punch drain holes around the bottom of the bottle. Any easy way to accomplish this is to turn the bottle upside down and use an awl, drill or screw and screwdriver to punch through the plastic.

    Most bottles have a built-in pattern you can follow.  Just place a hole in the center of each raised area of the bottom, so when its flipped back over, the holes will be evenly spaced at the very bottom of the bottle.

    If you need to make the initial holes wider, a large screw will force the holes open more.

    Remove the top of the bottle. In case you were wondering why we didn’t do this first, leaving the top on makes the bottle more stable and easier to work with when punching the holes in the bottom.

    A good guide to measure how far down to cut is to remove the part above the top of the label on the bottle.  If that has worn off or been removed already, your best guess will be fine.

    A sharp pair of utility scissors, or a utility knife or box cutter are good options to make a clean cut all the way around the bottle.

    And, there you have it, a basic round planter that will provide good drainage for your fledgling plants.

    Self-Watering Seed Starters

    This method not only lets you keep the moisture level of your soil easier to control, but it also uses the entire bottle, even the cap, so there is no waste material going back into the recycling bin.

    1. Cut your plastic bottle in half, separating the top from the bottom.
    2. Punch a hole into the middle of the bottle cap.
    3. Take 12-18 inches of yarn or string, fold it in half and tie a loop at the end of the folded side.
    4. Thread the loop through the hole in the cap so that the knotted loop will be located on the inside of the bottle cap with the two ends hanging out the other side.
    5. Screw the cap back onto the top of the bottle, making sure the loop sits loosely inside the top of the bottle.
    6. Fill the bottom part of the bottle with a few inches of water and the place the top upside down in the bottom so that the two ends hang from the cap and get submerged in the water.

    Once everything is in place, the string/yarn will draw water up into the soil that surrounds the loop in the top.  To add water, you’ll only need to lift the top part out, fill the bottom area and replace the top.

    You’ll be able to see exactly how much water is there and know precisely when its time to top it off.

    Suggested Article: DIY Plant Propagating

    Now You Can Get Planting

    Once completed, you can use these upcycled planters like you would any other to get your seeds started.  Place them all together on a shelf in your kitchen or back porch for a delightful display that is also practical and useful.

     

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  • The Undeniable Benefits of Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

    The Undeniable Benefits of Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

     

    Coffee grounds and gardening are naturally a good fit. Whether you are composting with them or applying them directly to your garden and around your yard, you’ll discover that coffee can affect your plants in much the same way it does you.

    If you think your garden is in need of a pick-me-up, get ready to be amazed at the effects it will produce.

     

    Used Coffee Grounds Make Great Fertilizer

    When added directly to the garden soil, the grounds add to the organic material makeup of the soil itself.  This addition aids in the retention of water, improves proper drainage and aerates the soil.

    The coffee also attracts earthworms and aids in the maintenance of microorganisms

    If you have acid-loving plants, fresh coffee grounds (not used) will help raise the acid levels of the soil.  Note: used grounds are a neutral PH and won’t affect either way.

    To get the full benefits of used coffee grounds as a fertilizer, work the grounds into the soil or your garden, versus just sprinkling them on top.

     

    General Benefits of Used Coffee Grounds

    In addition to a fertilizer, grounds can be used as a mulch for plants.  It can also be used to repel slugs and snails, thanks to the caffeine content.  In other words, don’t bother with decaf.

    If you are into vermicomposting, your grounds are an excellent worm food.  Apparently, worms are as addicted to coffee as we can be.

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    Composting with Used Coffee Grounds

    If you already have a compost pile, did you know your used coffee grounds would make a fantastic addition?  Tossing your used coffee grounds (along with the paper filter) is a great way to reduce your footprint in your local landfill and bring added benefits to your gardening at the same time.

    As used coffee grounds compost, they add nitrogen to your composting pile.  One thing to be aware of, however.  Used coffee grounds are classified as a green compost material so you will need to balance them with brown compost material to keep your levels optimal.

     

    Some Thoughts on Using Fresh Coffee Grounds in the Garden

    While fresh coffee grounds can sometimes cause more harm than good to your garden, there are a few circumstances where it could come in handy.

    As we mentioned earlier, fresh grounds can benefit acid-loving plant including:

    • Azaleas
    • Blueberries
    • Carrots
    • Hydrangeas
    • Lilies
    • Radishes

    Suggested Article:  5 Cheap Gardening Tricks to Help Your Budget

    In the case of root crops, like the carrots and radishes, you’ll get the best results if you mix in the fresh grounds at the time of planting. Tomatoes, however, don’t typically respond well, even though they like acid soil. Maybe they have a caffeine intolerance like some people I know?

    Some gardeners like to use fresh coffee grounds as an organic weed suppressor, keep in mind, though, that some beneficial fungal pathogens could be suppressed at the same time, creating a less than desirable environment for some plants.

     

    Time to Start Brewing – Well, Not Necessarily

    If you are a regular coffee drinker, you already have a supply readily on hand.  That doesn’t mean you need to take up the habit though.

    You don’t need to be a coffee lover, or even need to go out and buy a coffee pot just to brew it up for your plants.  Check around at your local coffee shops.  Many locations, both national chains, and local small businesses will save them to hand out to anyone who comes asking.  In fact, a lot of places hand it out for free just to avoid it being tossed in the trash at the end of the day.

     

  • 5 Gardening Budget Hacks

    5 Gardening Budget Hacks

    For people who are homesteading, managing expenses is a challenge. You want to be self-sufficient and yet some of the things that you need to do don’t happen overnight. They require an investment of both time and money.

    These things are true of gardening. It’s natural to want your garden to yield enough food for you and your family. However, you must strike a balance between pushing toward self-reliance and not blowing through your gardening budget.

    That’s why we’ve put together this list of 5 cheap gardening tricks to help you achieve self-reliance.

    #1: Pre-sprout Your Seeds

    This first trick is one we like because it saves a lot of guesswork if you have old seeds in storage. (And let’s face it, most avid gardeners do.)

    Instead of buying new seeds or risking a disappointing harvest if the old seeds don’t sprout, try pre-sprouting them in a little water. That way, you can clear out the duds and plant only those seeds that have germinated.

    Larger seeds like peas and beans can be soaked overnight and then left to sprout. Smaller ones will germinate on a damp paper towel.

    #2: Till Coffee Grounds into Your Soil

    Is your soil low in nitrogen? If so, try saving your used coffee grounds and tilling them into the soil to add nitrogen.

    One of the best things about this method is that you don’t need to compost coffee grounds before you use them. Simply collect them and till them into the soil.

    Not a coffee drinker? Go to your local coffee shop and see if they’d be willing to share. Most coffee shops simply throw away used grounds. If yours participates in a green initiative and donates them, find out how to become part of the program.

    Related Article:  The Undeniable Benefits of Coffee Grounds in Your Garden

    #3: Use Mulch

    Mulch serves three purposes in a garden:

    1. It protects the soil, holding in moisture and reducing your water use
    2. It breaks down and enriches the soil
    3. It prevents weeds from growing in your garden

    When you look at it that way, it seems clear that every gardener should use mulch.

    Keep in mind that different types of mulch serve different purposes. Plastic mulch is ideal for heating up cold soil in the Spring. Carbon-based mulches like wood chips cool down the soil and should be reserved for use later in the season.

    #4: Make Compost Tea

    Do you want an inexpensive way to fertilize your plants? Try making compost tea from manure and garden clippings.

    If you keep rabbits or other animals, simply mix some manure in a bucket with weeds from the garden and some comfrey leaves. Fill the bucket about one-third of the way, then top it off with water.

    After two weeks, you’ll have a nutrient-rich “tea” to use in your garden. Because this mixture contains manure, be careful not to get it on the leaves of plants that you’ll be eating. Pour it around the roots and make sure to wash everything thoroughly before you consume it.

    Related Articles: Do-It-Yourself Worm Casting Methods for Compost

    #5: Catch and Kill Slugs without Chemicals

    Slugs will destroy your garden if you let them. One of the best ways to get rid of them involves using metal pie plates and beer.

    Place a disposable pie plate in a depression in the ground of your garden. Pour a small amount of beer into the dish. (You may want to place plates at regular intervals if you have a large garden or a big slug problem.)

    Leave the dishes overnight. When you come out in the morning, you should find a collection of tipsy slugs in the dishes. Remove them and either drown them in soapy water or if you have chickens or ducks, feed them to the birds.

    These five tricks can help you make the most of your garden even if you have a small budget.

    Do you have a cheap gardening trick you’d like to share with us? Tell us in the comments!

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  • 3 Basics for Starting Your Homestead

    3 Basics for Starting Your Homestead

    In our modern society, many of us dream of finding a way to get back to simpler times. We yearn for the days when people grew and preserved their own food and relied more on themselves and less on technology.

    If that sounds familiar, then you might want to start a homestead. Whether you already own a substantial tract of land out in the country or you’re renting a city apartment, there are things you can do right now to get things underway.

     

    Starting Small

    Do you live in a city or the suburbs? If so, you might not have the wherewithal to be fully self-sufficient – at least, not yet.

    That doesn’t mean that you can’t get started with homesteading in a small way. Let’s start with what you can do in a city apartment or condominium.

    1. You can install window boxes in sunny windows and grow herbs and vegetables for your kitchen.
    2. If there’s a community garden near you, see if you can rent a plot.
    3. If you have a fireplace, you can switch to wood heat during the cold winter months.
    4. You can preserve food that you grow or buy.

    Each of these things is something you can do without a lot of space. They can give you a taste of homesteading while you work toward your long-term goals.

    If you’re in the suburbs, you have more options.

    1. If your yard space permits it, you can grow a garden or even put in a greenhouse.
    2. You may be able to plant fruit trees.
    3. In some suburbs, you may be able to put in a chicken coop and raise chickens. (Check your city or town ordinances before buying!)
    4. You can install wood-burning stoves for heat.
    5. Just as you can in the city, you can preserve food.

    Growing and preserving food can help you learn essential homesteading skills even if you’re not living in the country.

     

    Educate Yourself about Homesteading

    There’s no question that there’s a steep learning curve for new homesteaders. That’s especially true if you are heavily reliant on mass-produced items and public services.

    That’s why one of the best things you can do to start homesteading is to learn about it. Go to your local library or bookstore and stock up on books about homesteading.

     

    Here are some topics to learn about as you work toward your homesteading goals:

    The more you learn about these topics, the better prepared you’ll be when the time comes to move to a homestead. Of course, you can check out our blog posts and resources for information, too!

     

    Make a Homesteading Plan

    The next thing you’ll need to do is make a homesteading plan. Even if you can’t afford to buy a homestead, you can still take steps to become self-sufficient.

    For example, you might decide that growing food is your top priority. If that’s the case, you can build garden beds, install window boxes, and plant trees.

    As we mentioned above, you may be able to keep chickens – some cities allow it and many suburbs do. There may be restrictions in place concerning proximity to your neighbors, so make sure to check.

    At the same time, you can be saving money or checking out country properties to make the switch to a true homestead.

    How did you get started homesteading? Do you have questions? Tell us in the comments!

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  • DIY Plant Propagating

    DIY Plant Propagating

    Plant propagating is a common process among homesteaders where new plants are created using various sources. Seeds, bulbs, cuttings, and other plant parts are put together to regenerate a garden. This branch of horticulture deals with the production of new plants using what is referred to as “starter materials”. Some people look at it as a form of recycling while others place the seedlings in small containers for décor and display uses.

    How Does Plant Propagating Work?

    Plant Propagating uses totipotency, which allows the cells to regenerate all the missing parts which leads to creating an entire new organism. Totipotency in plants means that any live part separated from the main plant, when composed of live cells, can produce missing organs to create an intact plant, including roots. This means all plant organs that contain live cells such as seedlings and cuttings, may be used as propagules, or for plant propagating.

    The Diverse Types of Cuttings

    There are many types of cuttings that you can use with plant propagating. They are Softwood, Greenwood, Semi-Ripe, and Hardwood cuttings.

    Softwood cuttings come from fresh, new growth plants, usually in the spring or summer. Softwood includes plants such as butterfly bushes or dogwood trees. They tend to root really well.

    Greenwood cuttings come from young stems that are just beginning to mature. They are from the first year of the plant and cut either early to mid-summer. Greenwood plants include boxwood and gardenias.

    Semi-ripe cuttings are more mature and tougher. They are often taken midsummer to fall. The best semi-ripe plants for propagating include honeysuckle and camellia.

    Hardwood cuttings are from woody stems that have become dormant during the late fall or winter. They come from trees and shrubs such as viburnum or mock orange.

    How to Plant Propagating

    First, you will need to gather supplies such as a sharp knife, pruning shears, containers for potting, sand, perlite, vermiculite or potting mix, and rooting hormone. Then you will be ready to begin.

    The first step is to cut off a small section of a stem. You should choose a healthy plant that’s at least 3 to 6 inches in length. Make a sharp cut and try not to mash together the stems as this will make it difficult for new roots to produce

    Next, you will need to remove the lower leaves on the stem by clipping them, so that you are left with a bare stem to place into your potting mix. After that, you can dip the end of your stem in the rooting hormone. This can help your cuttings to root faster.

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    The last step is to pot up your cuttings as quickly as possible by placing it in moist potting mix. You can also use perlite, sand, or vermiculite. Keep the cuttings humid by loosely applying clear plastic or keeping it under a cloche.

    Keep in mind that there are some plants that will root faster than others. You will have to have plenty of patience with plant propagating. It usually takes around one to two months for cuttings to take root and establish well enough so they may be planted.

    Improve Root Growth: Heat Mat Warms Seeds for Improved Root Growth

    When Should I Retrieve Cuttings?

    It is best to gather cuttings early in the morning because the plant has the most moisture during this time. Keep your cuttings cool and moist until you are ready to place them in their pot. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight until then. However, there are some cuttings that will take root faster if they are kept warm and humid, therefore misting the cuttings frequently may help them grow.

    There are some cuttings that are very easy to grow, so, if this is your first plant propagating project, you may want to start with them. These plants include Geraniums, Impatiens, and Coleus.