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gardening – Page 4 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: gardening

  • 5 Creative Ways to Reuse Old Cans

    5 Creative Ways to Reuse Old Cans

    When faced with a number of empty cans in the kitchen, most of us choose to toss them into the recycling bin and call it a day.  Instead, why not turn this common resource into some interesting, fun and creative ways to organize and decorate your home and garden?

    Whether you use some leftover paint, glue, and fabric, go crazy with a tin punch or drill, or just leave them in their natural metallic finish, there are a number of ways these little cylinders can occupy your time and beautify your life.

    Option 1 – Indoor Herb Garden

    Standard vegetable cans are the perfect size for planting a variety of herbs to keep in a window sill or your kitchen counters, giving you easy access for watering and harvesting them as you need them.  As a bonus, having a collection of Basil, Mint, Cilantro, and others will help make your kitchen smell wonderful all day long.

    Option 2 – Starter Planters

    If you are interested in starting a new series of plantings from cuttings or seeds but don’t want to invest in a whole bunch of tiny pots to get them going, use your empty cans instead.  Just fill with potting soil and plant your cuttings or seeds.  Once they’ve started to sprout and take hold, you can easily carry them out to your garden and replant.

    Tip:  if you want to make it easier to remove them from the can when you’re ready to transfer, line the can with a coffee filter before you add the potting soil.

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    Option 3 – Candle Holders

    There are a couple of ways you can go about this one.  Each option gives you the chance to let your creative juices run wild.

    If you have a number of big pillar candles, elevate them with some decorated pedestals made from an inverted can.  If you’re more into votives or tealights, punching holes in a decorative design on the sides of your cans will create a beautiful light display in your room at night.  You can even customize sets for different holidays.

                                                            

    Option 4 – Organizers

    Most of us have a junk drawer full of tiny items we know we may need someday or just can’t bear to part with yet.  Be it rubber bands or paper clips, or a host of charging cords for all our new-fangled technology, keeping them organized and easy to see will help a lot when you actually come across a situation where you actually need something.

    For a more visual storage solution, decorate the cans and use them as pencil and pen cups.  Larger cans can be used as cooking utensil holders next to the stove or sewing supply keepers in your family room.

    Learn More: “Wood Working Tips from Ted”

    Option 5 – Mini Cake Pans

    This is a fun idea to do with the kids.  Let everyone make their own little cake by coating the inside of the pan with oil and flour. Then fill the cans just over half-full with cake batter and bake for approximately 25 minutes at 325oF

    Just use the age-old toothpick in the center method to check if they are done.  Wait for them to cool, and then tip them upside-down so that the cakes fall out. Now everyone has a tiny cake they can decorate just the way they want it.

    No matter what your artistic level is, empty cans are a wonderful way to add to the aesthetic of your home and provide some very practical solutions at the same time without costing you any extra money.

  • The 6 Easiest Superfoods to Grow

    The 6 Easiest Superfoods to Grow

    We talk a lot about health on this blog and a lot about gardening. Of course, there’s a huge area of overlap between the two subjects! Gardening is so beneficial for your health, as there is no better produce to eat than the kind you grow yourself, not just because you can control everything that goes into the soil, but because you can pick it fresh and enjoy it on your plate within hours of picking. This means you will be eating the optimum nutrition since the produce has so recently been alive.

    For this reason, pretty much anything you grow yourself is incredibly healthy and good for you. But of course, not all plants are created equal, and some fruits and vegetables, commonly dubbed “superfoods”, are loaded with valuable nutrients and antioxidants. You might associate superfoods with exotic berries or herbs grown halfway around the world, but there are actually quite a few superfoods that are very easy to grow at home.

    Here are some of the easiest superfoods to grow to pack your garden full of healthy fruits and veggies.

    Blueberries

    Blueberries have often been referred to as the top superfood in the world. They are full of vitamins and cancer-fighting antioxidants and are surprisingly easy to grow. They thrive in zones 5-10 and have long seasons as well, so you can enjoy their healthful benefits nearly all year long.

    Kale

    Kale is a great started green for beginner gardeners and has been enjoying quite a bit of popularity in the last few years among the healthy hipster elite. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a kale salad from Whole Foods to enjoy its free-radical absorbing nutrition, you can very easily grow it in your own backyard. It’s very versatile and easy to incorporate in many dishes. Also, you can harvest from a single kale plant for months, making it a great staple green for your garden.

    Related Article: The Best All Natural Fertilizers For Your Garden

    Sweet Potato

    Another very trendy vegetable as of late, sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, particularly vitamin C, as well as minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. You can grow them in a deep garden bed, in well-tilled soil, even a barrel or a trash can! They’re definitely worth growing for their calorie content and nutritious benefits, and make a wonderful and healthy alternative to grains or white potatoes if you’re trying to lose weight or eat less starchy foods.

    Microgreens/Sprouts

    We’re covering all the trends here! Microgreens have been appearing in posh urban eateries in the last few years, but they’re essentially a glorified version of the healthy and easy-to-grow sprouts that health nut hippies have been using to top sandwiches for decades. Microgreens are essentially sprouted seeds of common salad greens–chard, kale, lettuce–that have been grown in a soft, delicate medium indoors and allowed to grow for a week or so. Sprouts, on the other hand, are harvested within a few days. But both microgreens and sprouts are incredibly easy to grow and a great way to eat fresh superfood greens all year round. When seeds are freshly sprouted, they contain vital nutrients that only newly living organisms can. These are a great option for urban or apartment homesteaders.

    Related Article: 4 Critical Methods to Improve Your Garden Soil

    Beets

    Beets are commonly featured in many superfood powder drink mixes and the juice of beets is a staple of the healthy juicing world. They also happen to be a great vegetable to grow for beginner gardeners! And of course, there’s nothing as nutritious as a freshly dug beet. They also keep well too. Beets contain a high concentration of nitric oxide, which is incredibly crucial for heart health and circulation, and difficult to find in other foods.

    Aloe Vera

    Most people think of slathering some aloe on a bad sunburn for some quick relief, and it’s definitely amazing for this! But did you know it’s also a very nutritious superfood? You can eat the leaves as well as juice them, and it’s incredibly beneficial for your health. Also, if you are doing all this gardening, you’ll probably want some to ease the effects of the sun! Keeping one or two aloe plants in your garden or in a pot on your porch is very easy and you’ll find many uses for it beyond eating.

    When it comes to superfoods, don’t be swayed by fancy supplements or expensive packaged products. You can grow your very own superfoods in your garden, with no more effort than growing anything else! The best kind of superfood is the kind you grow yourself, and your body will certainly thank you for these fresh, homegrown nutrients. Happy gardening!

  • Is Your Soil Good Quality?

    Is Your Soil Good Quality?

    If you are interested in homesteading, urban homesteading, or natural health, you probably care about what goes into your body. You try to buy organic and eat whole, healthy foods that are the best sources for the macronutrients, micronutrients, and minerals that our bodies need to thrive.

    But do you take so much care of the plants you grow? Plants need food as well, and not just bland, synthetic versions of the food they thrive on, but natural, pure, varied nutrients. The way plants get their “food” is through the soil. This is one reason it is so important to always make sure your plants are properly hydrated (just like your body!) because that is the best way for plants to absorb the nutrients in the soil.

    So, how do you determine if you have good quality soil? It can be a bit confusing at first, so we’ve got a handy guide for how to determine if you’ve got good quality soil, or if it might need some improvements.

    What is soil quality? 

    OK, so we know we need to have good, nutritious soil for our plants to thrive, but what exactly does this mean? Soil quality cannot be measured simply by the yield in a single bed, the quality of the water you use to water your garden, or by any other isolated outcome. There is also no one factor that will indicate you have good soil quality.

    Instead, there are a few key factors to look at. For instance, how well our plants are doing is certainly an indication. There are also different properties of the soil or plants that we can test for that can give some insight into how healthy the soil is.

    Here are some characteristics of useful indicators of quality:

    • they’re easy to measure
    • they’re accessible
    • they measure chemical, biological, or physical properties
    • they are sensitive to variations in climate

    Soil tests are one concrete example of a good indicator to test for. Once you collect several different soil quality indicators, you can put what you’ve learned together and look for patterns or compare results to measurements taken at a different time.

    Here are some examples of reliable soil quality indicators:

    Soil Organic Matter

    This is a familiar one to any seasoned organic farmers or gardeners. There are many ways to tell if your soil is rich in organic matter. Earthworms and earthworm castings are a good indicator, as is the rich color and texture of hummus. Also, soil with a healthy amount of organic matter won’t erode easily and will drain water properly. Also, if all your plants seem to have the right nutrients, i.e. no yellowing leaves, no wilting, healthy green color, few pest issues, and reasonable yields are all signs that you have a desirable amount of organic matter in your soil.

    Suggested Article: “Tips to Help You Improve Your Soil”

    If you suspect you do not have the right amount of organic matter in your soil, there are many ways to combat this (and if this is the case, you’re not alone! The great majority of the work involved in organic farming surrounds enriching soil naturally). Making sure to add lots of compost and organic materials to your soil such as coffee grounds, egg shells, comfrey, compost tea, etc. are all examples of easy and beneficial ways to add organic matter to your soil.

    Chemical Indications 

    Simple soil and pH tests are the most common way to measure these factors. Quality soil will have a properly balanced pH factor. If you are unsure what this is, pH testing strips are easy to find at gardening supply stores, as well as very easy to perform. If you have improper pH balance, there are a number of ways to combat either too high or too low pH using certain fertilizers, amendments, etc.

    Suggested Article: “Making Your Own Potting Soil”

    Soil tests can also give you a lot of information into the nutrients available in your plants. Again, if you find yourself lacking in any of these areas, there are different organic, natural treatments, depending on which nutrients you are lacking. Some example os nutrients you might need to amend for are calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and sulfur; the macronutrients of a healthy plant diet.

    Biological Indications 

    Biological indications include microbial biomass, mineralizable nitrogen, and soil respiration. Nitrogen is essential to healthy soil and plant growth, and quality soil will be a good repository for nitrogen as well as the other basic nutrients that plants require. While soil tests might indicate the presence of these nutrients, the retention of these nutrients will be measured over time. If the soil is not of good quality, certain essential nutrients might deplete over time, so this is an example of some biological indicators that can be measured.

    Another biological indicator would be high soil productivity. Soil is a living being, and quality soil is thriving with organic material and microbacterial life.

    You need quality soil for a healthy, happy garden. It is important to take a look at these various factors to determine if you do have quality soil. However, just because your soil might be lacking in one area doesn’t mean all is lost, most soil will need to be amended and looked after to develop into a healthy habitat for your plants.

  • Keeping Your Harvest Year-Round (Infographic)

    Keeping Your Harvest Year-Round (Infographic)

    Whether you’re gardening or carefully shopping local and in season, the healthiest way to consume what you reap is to preserve it well so you can make the most of it!

    Produce turns quickly, but you can prolong the benefits of a fresh harvest with some smart planning and thinking ahead. There are so many great ways to preserve food, and this amazing infographic from Fix.com shows you how.

    We write a lot about food preservation here on Homestead Depot, but this infographic is a great guide to the overall concept of food preservation, and it gave me some great ideas! Hope you enjoy:

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  • Gardening Tips From Seasoned Gardeners

    Gardening Tips From Seasoned Gardeners

     

    When you just get started with gardening, it can be easy to feel very overwhelmed! As a beginner, there’s so much to learn, and so many ways things can go wrong. But never fear–you can learn from those who have gone before you.

    We’ve got some great tips for beginner gardeners to help you beat the stress and have a flourishing, healthy garden in no time.

    Let’s begin!

    Ask for help

    Don’t be shy! Usually, seasoned gardeners love to talk gardening, so reach out and ask for help! People at your local nursery, in local gardening FB groups, or even community gardens would probably be happy to help out and help you troubleshoot any issues you’re having or give you a good idea of where to start out.

    Keep records

    As soon as you get started, start logging what works. This might not seem very helpful if you have no idea what you’re doing, but it will be invaluable next year! Gardening involves a lot of trial and error, so tracking what works, and what doesn’t, this year, will be an amazing resource next year. Write down everything you plant, when, and track the time it took to sprout, grow, come to fruition, etc. Also, record any issues with pest or disease, and what you did to combat it.

    Know your zone

    This is why it’s so important to seek advice from locals! Know what zone you live in, what’s grown there, does well there, the nuances of the climate, seasons, and weather patterns, etc. Then plant accordingly! Seed packets always have instructions based on zones on the back, so it’s very important to know yours.

    Test your soil

    Before you get started, know what kind of soil you have, and how to amend it. If you are starting with a container garden, you will most likely be purchasing your soil, but if you’re planting in the ground, you need to understand that not all soil is equal. You might have amazing soil to plant directly in, but most likely, you’ll need to amend it. You can buy simple soil test kits at any gardening supply store, and these will give you an idea of what you need to add to your soil to make it healthy and fertile.

    Start simple

    You might be really excited to start growing your own food right away, but take it slow. Your first year, you’ll probably want to plant a handful of easy, reliable crops so you can focus your efforts on these while you learn the ropes. As you get the hang of gardening (you’ll be amazed how much you can learn in one season), you’ll gain the confidence and experience to experiment.

    Choose your plot wisely

    When deciding where to plant your garden, keep in mind it will have to be somewhere with lots of sun. If you have only partial shade in your yard, there are still some things you can plant, but most plants need a decent amount of light. Watch your yard for a few days and track how much sun it gets. Also, bear in mind that the sun’s position changes throughout the year.

    Also, make sure the place you choose to plant your garden is easily accessible to you, and to your garden hose!

    Plan, plan, plan

    Before you start planting your garden, make sure you have a good plan. There are lots of free resources online to look at example garden plans. You can look into companion planting to learn which plants go well together, and which ones don’t. Draw out a map of your garden space, and assign each plant its own plot. Take into account weeding, harvesting, pruning, etc., as you will need to ensure proper accessibility.

    Don’t do it alone

    Involve your friends or family members in your first garden so you have some accountability–and help! You can learn together, and you know what they say, two heads are better than one.

    Get organized

    You’d be amazed how quickly you can accumulate various tools and supplies for gardening, so make sure to keep it all in one place. A basket or bucket that you can take out to the garden with you is very handy, as well as a simple gardening apron or a pair of overalls. Your gardening supplies probably won’t stay clean very long, but they can stay neat and organized, and this will contribute to the overall success of your garden very well.

    Beginner gardening can be intimidating, but don’t fret. It’s a learning experience and you’ll gain so much knowledge in such a short time, it’s worth it for a few bumps along the road. These tips are designed to make your transition from novice to expert smooth and painless, so make sure to keep them in mind as you get started with your garden!

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  • How to Make Compost the Easy Way (Video)

    How to Make Compost the Easy Way (Video)

    Everyone should be composting, especially if you’re gardening! It is so beneficial for your soil, environmentally responsible, and also an efficient way to cut down on waste in your home and garden.

    However, if you’ve tried and failed to build your own compost bins or piles, you might need a few shortcuts. John from GrowYourGreens.com and Learn Organic Gardening on YouTube was in that boat, and shares how he ended up settling on the easier way to compost.

    Check it out!

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  • 10 Powerful Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

    10 Powerful Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

    While I’m thrilled for warm weather to finally return, I’m not as excited about the flying pests that come with it. As spring marches on and the land is replenished with rainfall, potential hotspots for mosquitoes are developing. In addition to checking your property for areas where water is allowed to pool (your mosquitoes will use these as their own personal birthing centers), you can take safe steps to prevent infestation with these naturally-repellent plants!

    • Citronella Grass/Lemongrass is the source of citronella oil that is used in many commercial insect repellent products like citronella candles and tiki torches. It can be grown just about anywhere in North America, but expect it to die off during the winter unless you live in USDA climate zones 10-12. Citronella grass grows best in full sun, requires lots of water and can grow 5-6 ft tall. 
    • African or French Marigolds have a very strong aroma that is pleasing to people but off-putting to bothersome bugs! They’re great for repelling garden pests, but you can also plant or pot them around your home or patio to keep mosquitoes at bay. The African marigold is the bigger of the two and can reach heights of 30 to 40 inches. Their gorgeous blooms feature different shades of yellow and orange. The French marigold only gets to be 6 to 24 inches tall but is much more colorful with the added shades of deep brown and crimson. All marigolds need full sun and do best in well-drained, moderately fertile soil. 
    • Basil, a member of the mint family, is a popular culinary herb in Italian cuisine. One small basil plant may not have the repellent power of an African Marigold, but planting several basil stalks for culinary use will have the added benefit of driving away mosquitoes. Basil’s many hardy varieties prefer full sun and can be grown in containers or in the ground. 
    • Lemon Thyme is quite promising in terms of its repellant potency. In a study done by the University of Guelph in Ontario, they found that the crushed leaves of lemon thyme had 62% of the repellency of DEET. Lemon thyme is very easy to grow, needing only partial or full sun, occasional pruning, and enough water to keep from dehydration in climate zones 5 and up. 
    • Catnip is a perennial herb and feline favorite. While it may attract your cats (or your neighbor’s!) researchers have found that it has the opposite effect on not one but two nasty little bugs: the mosquito and the cockroach. In fact, they found that one of catnip’s essential oil constituents, Nepetalactone, has roughly ten times more mosquito repellency than DEET. Catnip is a hardy herb, but it requires plenty of water, sun, and a bit of pruning to thrive.
    • Sage is yet another herb that offers its services as a multi-insect repellant. Mosquitoes, flies, cabbage moths, and black flea beetles all keep their distance from sage plants. This perennial likes full sun with well-drained soil does well in pots or gardens and grows to be about 18 inches tall. 
    • Pennyroyal is known mostly as an ancient culinary herb and herbal remedy, but it has a bit of a bad reputation because its essential oil is highly toxic. Consider whether you have pets or small children that may pick a leaf to nibble on while exploring outside. Pennyroyal really packs a punch when it comes to repelling insects–fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, the terrors of outdoor living, all stay away from Pennyroyal. The plant grows to about 12 inches tall and is best grown in partial-to-full sun in zones 5-9. 
    • Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen sub-shrub that is used in culinary seasonings and herbal remedies. It is commonly known to repel fleas and mosquitoes. Rosemary grows best in hardiness zones 7 to 10 and prefers full sun and dry, rocky, well-drained soil. Rosemary starts off small, but can spread and grow to 6 feet tall or more over time! 
    • Geraniums (sometimes called citronella or mosquito plants) are often sold in garden centers as natural repellants. While lemongrass is the true source of citronella oil, geraniums still do a great job keeping mosquitoes, cabbage worms, and Japanese beetles out of your space. Geraniums thrive in climate zones 9 to 11 but can be grown in pots and moved inside in colder climates. Like pennyroyal, the geranium plant is poisonous, so exercise caution with pets and small children. 
    • Lavender is a beautiful plant with many uses in aromatherapy, herbal remedies and repelling spiders and unwanted insects such as ants and moths. As a herbal remedy, it can alleviate the pain and itching associated with all types of insect bites including mosquitoes. Lavender is typically used as an essential oil but can be used as fresh or dried cuttings. Lavender grows happily in climate zones 4 to 9 but can be kept indoors in extreme north or south locations.

    This year, be prepared! Don’t become a slave to sticky, toxic bug sprays and calamine lotion. Plant any (or all) of these natural repellants around your home, patio, and garden to enjoy your outdoor space freely all summer long.

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  • 5 Steps to Growing Watermelon (Video)

    5 Steps to Growing Watermelon (Video)

    I know it’s only April, but I’m already thinking about summer! And what better way than to prep for summer now than to plant some watermelon?

    It’s finally getting warm enough to plant these heat-loving, delicious melons, and this great, five step video will help you figure out if you can manage it in your garden.

    Enjoy, and happy gardening!

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