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gardening – Page 7 – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: gardening

  • Tips and Tricks for Starting Seeds

    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 in compostable food waste such as egg shells or citrus rinds. Keep in mind the acidity of the soil when choosing one of these no-waste methods.
    • Save on seeds and grow new plants from cuttings. This works with basil, celery, onions, beets, and many more.
    • Place coffee filters in your seed trays and planters before filling with soil. This helps to keep soil from falling through holes in the vessel and makes removing the root ball for transplanting a breeze!
    • Test the germination rate and viability of saved seeds by sprouting them on a wet paper towel. Larger seeds can be soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained. Plant those that sprout immediately!
    • Save popsicle sticks to label seedlings. Unless you want a mystery garden, use these handy little markers!
    • Use spices as a natural antifungal to prevent damping off disease.  Cinnamon, turmeric, clove, and mustard applied at sowing and after every other watering will help your seedlings survive!
    • Give your seedlings a nitrogen boost with old coffee or tea. For acid-loving plants, you can water your plants almost every time with leftover coffee or tea. For other plants, just give them a drink once a month.
    • Thin your seedlings! So many people neglect to do this because it seems counterproductive to kill extra seedlings. Still, plant spacing is extremely important and your plants will be healthier with less competition from crowded neighbors. If you hate waste, simply rinse thinned seedlings and add them to a salad!

     

     

    Most of us still have several more weeks before we can get in our gardens for a dirt therapy session. Start seeds indoors to get your gardening fix and get a head start on the season!

  • Frugal Ways to Start 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 some seeds, put some potting soil in each one, and plant 2-3 seeds. Once they’re sprouted, thin back the less hardy seedlings, stick in the ground, and squeeze a bit to break up the egg shell slightly so the roots can poke through. The egg shell with decompose over time, lending great nutrients to the soil as your plant grows!

    Egg cartons

    You can skip the egg shell if you don’t have enough and just plant directly in cardboard egg cartons too! Simply fill each compartment with potting soil, and plant directly in it. Once your seedlings are sprouted, just carefully break apart each compartment and plant right in the soil. The cardboard will decompose quickly.

    Toilet Paper Tubes

    You can also start seeds in discarded toilet paper or paper towel tubes! Simply cut in half (for toilet paper tubes) or in fourths (for paper towel tubes), line up on a tray, or wrap in brown packing paper and secure with some twine to secure the bottom. Fill with potting soil, plant your seeds, and transfer to the garden.

     

    There’s nothing like saving money in the garden, and using materials that will naturally decompose and lend nutrients to the soil. Try one of these frugal seed starting methods to get your garden started off right this year!

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  • Shade Tolerant Vegetables

    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 the areas with the most sun exposure for light-craving plants, like tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, and cucumbers.

    Shade tolerant plants: 

    Leafy greens: 

    The delicate leaves of many healthy, hearty leafy greens thrive in partial shade. For the cooler, shadier parts of your garden, opt for lettuce, spinach, sorrel, endive, watercress, arugula, and mixed salad greens. These typically thrive in the cooler parts of the growing season, and too much sun makes them bolt and become bitter, so they’re not only ideal for shade, they actually prefer it. They can do fine with 3 to 4 hours of sun a day, as well as dappled or indirect sunlight.

    Root vegetables 

    Root veggies such as carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes, do quite well with only 3-4 hours of sunlight a day. While they will grow bigger in full sunlight, they’re actually sweeter and have a more delicate flavor when they grow smaller.

    Brassica

    The brassica family, such as brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower, are happier in cooler temperatures so they’re ideal for either fall planting or shady garden real estate. They do just fine with half a day of sun.

    Legumes 

    Bush beans (as opposed to pole beans, which need full sun) and cold-season peas also will tolerate shadier patches of the garden, and also do fine with half a day of sun.

    Herbs

    There are many herbs that prefer dappled sunlight or half a day of shade, which is why herbs are so easy to grow on patios or windowsills indoors. Mint, cilantro, parsley, and oregano do great in partial shade.

     

    Finally, you can also experiment and see what works in the shade! Especially if you’re growing in pots, if something doesn’t seem to be thriving in the shade, move it to full sun and see how it does. Everyone’s climate and soil condition is a little different, and gardening is largely about trial and error, so see what you can manage to grow in the shade.

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  • 3 Beginner Compost Mistakes to Avoid

    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 attract flies and even wasps, which will make it no fun to turn the pile. While there are many creepy crawlers you’ll happily welcome into your pile, that help decompose and contribute nutrients to compost, flies in particular you do not want. They are unsanitary to have around, can spread harmful bacteria, and are also super annoying.

    Covering up your compost pile also helps it to decompose faster. By wrapping it in a tarp, for example, you’ll trap in warmth and moisture, speeding up the composting process and getting you the end result quicker.

    Water your compost pile

    You don’t have to water your compost pile everyday, but keep it consistently moist enough that it never dries out. Compost piles are essentially their own little ecosystems, full of life that work to decompose the soil, so they need moisture to thrive. Every week or so, stick your hose in the compost pile and let it run for an hour or so, soaking the whole pile thoroughly.

    Avoid weed seeds

    Be careful about the manure or foliage you add to your pile; anything that might have weed seeds in it will not only sprout in your pile, they could easily survive the whole composting process and sprout in the garden you add your compost to. And that’s not something you want to do!

     

    When you invest your time and effort into starting a compost pile,  make sure you’re doing it right!

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  • Clever Ways to Teach Children About Self-Reliance

    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 basic skills to expose your kids to that will give them a leg-up in a self-reliant lifestyle, should they learn to pursue it one day.

    Gardening

    Gardening is a really fun way to show kids how our food system works, and to get them involved in homesteading, even if you’re an urban homesteader. Small children especially love watching seeds sprout and grow, and appreciating where our food comes from.

    Cleaning

    Keeping a house clean and organized is actually becoming a lost art, and getting children involved in the things they might otherwise take for granted such as washing dishes, cleaning floors and windows, vacuuming, and laundry, will help them realize just how much effort goes into keeping their lives comfortable.

    Raising animals

    Raising chickens in your backyard or even just designating pet care to your children can give them an idea of what it takes to sustain life and how to use animals for survival and self-reliance, as well as help them to understand just what a big job it might be to take care of the pony they keep asking for.

    Basic vehicle care

    Get older kids involved in changing a tire or changing oil, so that they realize the vehicle they get driven around in every day takes maintenance and work to keep up. As a matter of safety, especially, teenagers should not be learning to drive unless they also know basic vehicle maintenance and safety.

     

    Let’s raise the next generation up right so they know how to take care of each other; and us!

     

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  • Why Are My Plants Turning Yellow?

    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 oil or insect-killing soap are great organic options for a pesticide.

    Overwatering 

    Plants can become yellow if they get too much water, and poor drainage or too much clay content in the soil can be a common culprit of this. To combat this, try to mix some sand into the soil or waterless.

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    Lack of sunlight

    Sunlight is what plants need to thrive, and if they’re not getting enough and aren’t shade-tolerant plants, this might be a cause of yellowed leaves. If this is the case, your leaves will be floppy and faded in color. If you have potted plants, try moving them somewhere they’ll get more sun, or, if your plants are in the ground, transplant if you can or simply choose a sunnier spot for these particular plants next year.

    Dehydration

    Not enough watering can also cause yellowed leaves, as plants require water to transport the essential nutrients of the soil to their foliage. If leaves feel crunchy and dry, dehydration is probably the culprit. Make sure your plants receive enough water and check daily for the moisture content of the soil. Soil should hardly ever be completely dried out if you stick your finger into it.

    Nutrient deficiency 

    If the leaves of your plants are yellowing, they could be deficient in any number of essential nutrients. If you haven’t been fertilizing or amending your soil, be sure to give them some compost tea or store-bought organic fertilizer for either growth or blossom, depending on what stage they are at, and buy some nutrient testing strips to test the nutrient content of your garden so you can amend appropriately.

    Plants are just like people, they need proper food, hydration, and care to thrive! Help respond to your plant’s needs by checking for these important issues and address them today.

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  • 5 Ways to Cut Back on Weeds

    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 mulch. It will also retain moisture in the soil, which is great for the warmer, dryer months.

    2. Plastic 

    A very common conventional way to keep weeds back, black plastic will keep the soil completely dark so any unwanted plants simply can’t thrive. A plus for using plastic is it will keep your soil warm, so it’s great for early spring planting.

    3. Cardboard 

    Cardboard is an excellent and, if you have enough leftover cardboard boxes, a very affordable way to keep weeds back in your yard or garden. It will block out light like the plastic and mulch do, but unfortunately, water doesn’t penetrate it very well so it’s better for outer edges of gardens or walkways. It’s awesome if you want to cover up a resting garden bed, as it will naturally decompose into the soil eventually.

    4. Boiling water

    Boiling water, like cardboard, is probably best for walkways or along yard or garden edges. It’s ideal for in between bricks or cement. It’s as simple as it sounds, though of course you’ll want to be careful not to splatter yourself with boiling water! Simply boil a kettle and pour over the plants you want to kill.

    5. Vinegar

    Another method you won’t want to broadcast over your whole garden so as not to kill the plants you do want, vinegar still works great for killing individual leaves. One awesome trick is to put a dog cone around the weed you want to kill, and then spraying the dickens out of it with vinegar.

     

    Weeding can seem like such a time-consuming part of gardening, so try some of these methods out to keep back your weeds and free your time for other things!

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  • How to Grow Watermelon in a Pot

    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 airy and well-drained substrate and a pH around 6-6.8. Well-composed animal manure is very helpful in achieving the right texture and soil nutrients for watermelon.

    Propigation: 

    Due to the taproot of watermelon, it will need to be sowed directly into your container as it does not transplant well. Sow 3-4 seeds in one pot in the early spring, as soon as temperatures are above 65 degrees. It should sprout within 6-10 days, after that, choose the heartiest seedling and thin out the rests.

    Placement: 

    Watermelons like lots of sun so be sure to place them somewhere they will get direct sunlight for at least 6 hours out of the day. They will also want to climb, so a sturdy trellis is very important. This can be placed directly in the pot once the plant is big enough to train up it, or you can place the pot at the bottom of a freestanding trellis.

    Watering:

    Watermelon, true to its name, is a very thirsty plant, so you will want to make sure it gets plenty of water and also is draining properly. Water at least once a day.

    Care:

    Fertilize accordingly for both growth and fruiting, and make sure to prune appropriately. This means removing any sickly or weak branches, and try to keep a central stalk by removing any extra branches as they sprout.

    Harvesting: 

    Harvest time will vary from plant to plant, but it is typically around 30-50 days after flowering. When the fruit is ripe, it won’t look any different than the younger fruit, so you’ll have to “thump” the side of the fruit to see if it sounds dead and hollow; that’s how you know it’s ripe!

     

    Enjoy!

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